"It is much better to refer to her as the old lady--better still to speak of her as Aunt Eliza."
"I hope she will make up her mind to do something for me."
"She has; she gives you a home in this house."
"I would a good deal rather have her pay my board outside, where I would feel more independent."
"I have been thinking, Warner, you might become her secretary and man of business. In that case she would dispense with this boy, whose presence bodes danger to us all."
"I wouldn"t mind being her man of business, to take charge of her money, but as to trotting round town with her like a tame poodle, please excuse me."
"Warner," said his sister, rather sharply, "just remember, if you please, that beggars can"t be choosers."
"Perhaps not, but this plan of yours would be foolish. She wouldn"t like it, nor would I. Why don"t you put Harold up to offering his services? He"s as large as this boy, isn"t he?"
"He is about the same size."
"Then it would be a capital plan. You would get rid of the boy that way."
"You forget that Harold has not finished his education. He is now attending a commercial school. I should like to have him go to college, but he doesn"t seem to care about it."
"So, after all, the boy seems to be a necessity."
"I would prefer a different boy--less artful and designing."
"How much does the old woman--beg pardon, the old lady--pay him?"
"I don"t know. Harold asked Luke, but he wouldn"t tell. I have no doubt he manages to secure twice as much as his services are worth.
He"s got on Aunt Eliza"s blind side."
"Just what I would like to do, but I have never been able to discover that she had any."
"Did you take notice of the boy?"
"Yes; he"s rather a good-looking youngster, it seems to me."
"How can you say so?" demanded Mrs. Tracy, sharply. "There"s a very common look about him, I think. He isn"t nearly as good-looking as Harold."
"Harold used to look like you," said Warner, with a smile. "Natural you should think him good-looking. But don"t it show a little self-conceit, Louisa?"
"That"s a poor joke," answered his sister, coldly. "What are you going to do?"
"Going out to see if I can find any of my old acquaintances."
"You had much better look out for a position, as Aunt Eliza hinted."
"Don"t be in such a hurry, Louisa. Please bear in mind that I have only just arrived in Chicago after an absence of five years."
"Dinner will be ready in half an hour."
"Thank you. I don"t think I should like a second interview with Aunt Eliza quite so soon. I will lunch outside."
"A lunch outside costs money, and you are not very well provided in that way."
"Don"t trouble yourself about that, Louisa. I intend to be very economical.
"My estimable sister is about as mean as anyone I know," said Warner to himself, as he left the house. "Between her and the old woman, I don"t think I shall find it very agreeable living here. A cheap boarding house would be infinitely preferable."
On State Street Warner Powell fell in with Stephen Webb, an old acquaintance.
"Is it you, Warner?" asked Webb, in surprise. "It"s an age since I saw you."
"So it is. I haven"t been in Chicago for five years."
"I remember. A little trouble, wasn"t there?"
"Yes; but I"m all right now, except that I haven"t any money to speak of."
"That"s my situation exactly."
"However, I"ve got an old aunt worth a million, more or less, only she doesn"t fully appreciate her nephew."
"And I have an uncle, pretty well to do, who isn"t so deeply impressed with my merits as I wish he were."
"I am staying with my aunt just at present, but hope to have independent quarters soon. One trouble is, she takes a fancy to a boy named Luke Walton."
"Luke Walton!" repeated Stephen in amazement.
"Do you know him?"
"Yes, my uncle has set me to spy on him--why, I haven"t been able to find out. So he is in favor with your aunt?"
"Yes, he calls at the house every day, and is in her employ. Sometimes she goes out shopping with him."
"That"s strange. Let us drop into the Saratoga and compare notes."
They turned into Dearborn Street, and sat down to lunch in the Saratoga.
CHAPTER XXVII
UNCLE AND NEPHEW
"So this boy is an object of interest to your uncle?" resumed Warner Powell.
"Yes."