d be three months at least
before the new house would be completed. In the interim, he succeeded in
hiring a couple of rooms for his family, but their narrow accommodations
would oblige them to dispense with their boarder. Sorry as Mr. and
Mrs. Pomeroy were to part with her, it was obvious that Grace must find
another home.

"We must let Frank know," said Mr. Pomeroy, and having occasion to go
up to the city at once to see about insurance, he went to the store of
Gilbert & Mack, and inquired for Prank.

"Fowler? What was he?" was asked.

"A cash-boy."

"Oh, he is no longer here. Mr. Gilbert discharged him."

"Do you know why he was discharged?" asked Mr. Pomeroy, pained and
startled.

"No; but there stands Mr. Gilbert. He can tell you."

Mr. Pomeroy introduced himself to the head of the firm and repeated his
inquiry.

"If you are a friend of the lad," said Mr. Gilbert, "you will be sorry
to learn that he was charged with dishonesty. It was a very respectable
lady who made the charge. It is only fair to say that the boy denied
it, and that, personally, we found him faithful and trusty. But as the
dullness of trade compelled us to discharge some of our cash-boys, we
naturally discharged him among the number, without, however, judging his
case."

"Then, sir, you have treated the boy very unfairly. On the strength of
a charge not proved, you have dismissed him, though personally you had
noticed nothing out of the way in him, and rendered it impossible for
him to obtain another place."

"There is something in what you say, I admit. Perhaps I was too hasty.
If you will send the boy to me, I will take him back on probation."

"Thank you, sir," said Mr. Pomeroy, gratefully "I will send him here."

But this Mr. Pomeroy was unable to do. He did not know of Frank's new
address, and though he was still in the city, he failed to find him.

He returned to Crawford and communicated the unsatisfactory
intelligence. He tried to obtain a new boarding place for Grace, but no
one was willing to take her at two dollars a week, especially when Mr.
Pomeroy was compelled to admit that Frank was now out of employment, and
it was doubtful if he would be able to keep up the payment.

Tom Pinkerton managed to learn that Grace was now without a home, and
mentioned it to his father.

"Won't she have to go to the poorhouse now, father?" he asked eagerly.

"Yes," said Deacon Pinkerton. "There is no other place for her that I
can s