y.

"Why is it singular?" asked Luke. "Didn't Harry Walton lose his money?"

"You seem to have lost yours at a very convenient time."

"It's hard on me," said Luke. "Owing so much, I want to pay as quick as
I can, so as to have my wages to myself. Don't you see that?"

"Where do you think you lost the money?"

"I'm sure I don't know," said Luke.

"Well," said Merrill, dryly, "I hope you will take better care of your
wages next Saturday evening."

"I mean to. I can't afford to lose anymore."

"I don't believe, a word of what he says about losing his money," said
the tailor, privately, to Harry. "I think it's only a trick to get rid
of paying you."

"Don't you think he'll pay me?" asked Harry.

"He won't if he can help it," was the answer. "He's a slippery customer.
I believe his money is in his pocket at this moment."

Mr. Merrill was not quite right; but it was only as to the whereabouts
of the money. It was in Luke's trunk. He intended to run away, leaving
all his creditors in the lurch. This was the "new way to pay old debts,"
which occurred to Luke as much the easiest.

The next Saturday evening, Mr. Merrill waited in vain for a call from
his debtor.

"What excuse will he have now?" he thought.

On Monday morning he learned that Luke had left town without acquainting
anyone with his destination. It transpired, also, that he was owing at
his boarding house for two weeks' board. He was thus enabled to depart
with nearly thirty dollars, for parts unknown.

"He's a hard case," said Mr. Merrill to Harry. "I am afraid he means to
owe us for a long time to come."

"Where do you think he is gone?" asked Harry.

"I have no idea. He has evidently been saving up money to help him out
of town. Sometime we may get upon his track, and compel him to pay up."

"That won't do me much good," said Harry, despondently. And then he told
the tailor why he wanted the money. "Now," he concluded, "I shan't be
able to have the money ready in time."

"You'll have most of it ready, won't you?"

"I think I will."

"I would lend you the money myself," said the tailor, "but I've got a
heavy payment to meet and some of my customers are slow pay, though I
have not many as bad as Luke Harrison."

"Thank you, Mr. Merrill," said Harry. "I am as much obliged to you as if
you could lend the money."

But it is said that misfortunes never come singly. The very next day Mr.
Leavitt received a message from the wholesale dealer to