ock in the Central Valley Railroad;" taking
a lot of papers from his pocket book.

"Let me see it."

"It is among some of these papers," Simmons replied, sorting them in his
lap. "Ah, here it is."

"Yes, this will do," said the doctor, after examining it closely.
"Nellie, hand me my note book," he added, turning to his daughter.

She quickly placed the book in her father's hand, and he filled out a
note for Mr. Simmons to sign. When this had been done the money was paid
over, and Jacob left the house, feeling quite elated at his success in
raising the loan so easily.

Little did he think of the position in which he had placed himself
through his careless handling of his papers, and of the trouble that
would follow, not only to himself, but to others whom he had promised to
shield.

Soon after he had gone, and the doctor had passed into another room,
Nellie raised her eyes from the book she was reading and noticed a small
piece of paper upon the floor near the chair where Mr. Simmons had sat.

She picked it up, and glancing at it hastily, saw it contained Fred
Worthington's name.

She could not refrain from reading it through, and as she read she
shuddered with fear at the thought of what might have been.

She hastened to her father and mother with the paper for them to read.

"Extraordinary!" exclaimed the doctor, although he now knew something of
Matthew De Vere's character. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it on the floor near where Mr. Simmons sat," replied Nellie.

"He must have accidentally dropped it."

"Yes, but isn't it awful?"

"It is, indeed; but there seems little doubt of its being genuine, as
here are the names signed to it. Is this Matthew's writing?"

"Yes, I think so. It looks exactly like it," replied Nellie.

"It was a bold act of villainy, and his father should know it,"
continued the doctor thoughtfully.

"I can't think Matthew is so bad as that shows," said Mrs. Dutton.

"Do you know the cause of their quarrel, Nellie?" asked her father.

She hesitated. The question was especially embarrassing to her.

"I think Matthew has some grudge against Fred," she replied, evading a
direct answer.

"I should think he must have, and for what, I wonder?"

"Fred could tell you all about it, I think, if you would have him call
this evening," said Nellie artfully, both to save further questioning
and to have a pretext for inviting him to call. "He may know something
about this paper."