"Felicie," he said, "I think I can suggest something that will help you."
"Well, what is it?"
"Go to my aunt"s drawer yourself. You have plenty of chance, and you can keep all the money you find. I won"t ask you for any of it."
Felicie eyed him sharply. She was not sure but he meant to trap her.
"I have no keys," she said.
"You can use the same bunch I have. Here they are!"
Felicie paused a moment, then took the proffered keys. After all, why should she not make use of the suggestion? It would be thought that the second thief was the same as the first.
"Can I rely on your discretion, Master Harold?" she asked.
"Yes, certainly. I am not very likely to say anything about the matter."
"True! It might not be for your interest. Good-morning, Master Harold, I won"t detain you any longer."
Harold left the house with a feeling of relief.
"I hope Felicie will be caught!" he said to himself. "I have a great mind to give Aunt Eliza a hint."
It looked as if the generally astute Felicie had made a mistake.
CHAPTER x.x.xIX
LUKE WALTON"S LETTER
"Here is a letter for you, Luke!" said Mrs. Walton.
Luke took it in his hand, and regarded it curiously. He was not in the habit of receiving letters.
"It is postmarked Milwaukee," he said.
"Do you know anyone in Milwaukee?" asked his mother.
"No; or stay, it must be from Mr. Powell, a brother of Mrs. Tracy."
"Probably he sends a message to his sister."
By this time Luke had opened the following letter, which he read with great surprise and excitement:
DEAR LUKE:--Come to Milwaukee as soon as you can, and join me at the Prairie Hotel. I write in your own interest. There is a large sum due to your father, which I may be able to put you in the way of collecting. You had better see Aunt Eliza, and ask leave of absence for a day or two. If you haven"t money enough to come on, let her know, and I am sure she will advance it to you.
Your friend,
WARNER POWELL.
"What can it mean?" asked Mrs. Walton, to whom Luke read the letter.
"It must refer to the ten thousand dollars which father sent to us on his dying bed."
"If it were only so!" said the widow, clasping her hands.
"At any rate, I shall soon find out, mother. I had better take the letter which was sent us, giving us the first information of the legacy."
"Very well, Luke! I don"t know anything about business. I must leave the matter entirely in your hands.
"I will go at once to Mrs. Merton and ask if it will inconvenience her if I go away for a couple of days."
"Do so, Luke! She is a kind friend, and you should do nothing without her permission."
Luke took the cars for Prairie Avenue, though it was afternoon, and he had been there once already. He was shown immediately into the old lady"s presence.
Mrs. Merton saw him enter with surprise.
"Has anything happened, Luke?" she asked.
"I have received a letter from your nephew, summoning me to Milwaukee."
"I hope he is not in any sc.r.a.pe."
"No; it is a very friendly letter, written in my interest. May I read it to you?"
"I shall be glad to hear it."
Mrs. Merton settled herself back in her rocking-chair, and listened to the reading of the letter.
"Do you know what this refers to, Luke?" she asked.
"Yes; my father on his deathbed in California intrusted a stranger with ten thousand dollars to bring to my mother. He kept it for his own use, and it was only by an accident that we heard about the matter."
"You interest me, Luke. What was the accident?"
Luke explained.
"It must be this that Mr. Powell refers to," he added.
"But I don"t see how my nephew should have anything to do with it."
"There is a man in Milwaukee who answers the description of the stranger to whom my poor father intrusted his money. I have seen him, for he often comes to Chicago. I have even spoken to him."
"Have you ever taxed him with this breach of trust?"
"No, for he bears a different name. He is Thomas Browning, while the letter mentions Thomas Butler."