TRY AND TRUST

CONTENTS

I. AROUND THE BREAKFAST TABLE
II. INTRODUCING THE HERO
III. A COLLISION
IV. A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE
V. THE ENVELOPE
VI. ON THE WAY
VII. A NEW HOME
VIII. THE GHOST IN THE ATTIC
IX. EXPOSING A FRAUD
X. THE CLOUDS GATHER
XI. A CRISIS
XII. RALPH THE RANGER
XIII. A MOMENT OF PERIL
XIV. TAKEN PRISONER
XV. A FOUR-FOOTED FOE
XVI. JUST TOO LATE
XVII. NEW ACQUAINTANCES
XVIII. A YOUNG ARISTOCRAT
XIX. A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER
XX. FACING A BURGLAR
XXI. HERBERT'S REWARD
XXII. ROBBED IN THE NIGHT
XXIII. A BUSINESS CALL
XXIV. FINDING A BOARDING PLACE
XXV. GETTING A SITUATION
XXVI. A FAMILY COUNCIL
XXVII. AT THE CONCERT
XXVIII. PETER GREENLEAF AGAIN
XXIX. SPARRING
XXX. AN UNEXPECTED BLOW
XXXI. MR. STANTON IS SURPRISED
XXXII. RISEN FROM THE DEAD
XXXIII. A FRIEND IN NEED
XXXIV. CONCLUSION



CHAPTER I

AROUND THE BREAKFAST TABLE


"Well, wife," said Mr. Benjamin Stanton, as he sat down to a late
breakfast, "I had a letter from Ohio yesterday."

"From Ohio? Who should write you from Ohio? Anyone I know?"

"My sister, Margaret, you remember, moved out there with her husband ten
years ago."

"Oh, it's from her, is it?" said Mrs. Stanton, indifferently.

"No," said her husband with momentary gravity. "It's from a Dr. Kent,
who attended her in her last illness. Margaret is dead!"

"Dear me!" returned Mrs. Stanton, uncomfortably; "and I am just out of
mourning for my aunt. Do you think it will be necessary for us to go
into mourning for your sister?"

"No, I think not," said her husband. "Margaret has lived away from us so
long, and people won't know that we have had a death in the family
unless we mention it."

"Was that all the letter said--about the death, I mean?"

"Why, no," said Mr. Stanton, with a little frown. "It seems Margaret
left a child--a boy of fourteen; and, as she left no property, the
doctor suggests that I should send for the boy and assume the care of
him."

"Upon my word!" said Mrs. Stanton; "you will find yourself in business
if you undertake to provide for all the beggars' brats that apply to you
for assistance."

"You must remember that you are speaking of my sister's child," said Mr.
Stanton, who, cold and selfish and worldly as he was, had some touch of
decency about him, and did not relish the term "beggars' brats," as
applied to one so nearly related to him.

"Well, call him what you like," said his wife; "only don't be so foolish
as to go spending your money on him when our children need all we have.
There's Maria needs a new dress immediately. She says all the girls at
Signor Madalini's dancing academy dress elegantly, and she's positively
ashamed to appear in any of her present dresses."

"How much will it cost?" asked Mr. Stanton, opening his pocketbook.

"You may hand me seventy-five dollars. I think I can make that do."