own fault," he declared. "You ought to have been more
careful."

"Careful! 'Ow should I know the fools was going to write a letter?
I told 'em not to. And 'ow did I know the old woman--blast 'er--was
watchin' me all the time? And now I've lost my job, and a good soft job,
too. You've got to get it back for me, Mr. 'Ungerford; you've got to
'elp me, sir."

"I'll help you all I can, of course, but I doubt if it will do any good.
I can't stand talking with you here. Drop me a line at the club, telling
me where you are, and I'll let you know what turns up. Oh, say, have any
more letters come for--you know who?"

"No, that was the only one, sir. But a telegram came this morning."

Mr. Hungerford started. "A telegram?" he repeated. "For her?"

"Yes, sir. And from 'im, it was, too."

"Did she get it?"

Mr. Hapgood winked. "It was 'phoned up from the telegraph office, sir,"
he said, "and I answered the 'phone. 'Ere's the copy I made, sir."

He extracted a slip of paper from his pocket. Cousin Percy snatched the
slip and read the penciled words. Hapgood smiled.

"Looks good, don't it, sir," he observed. "'Frisco's a long way off."

Hungerford did not answer. He tore the paper into small pieces and
tossed them away.

"Well," he said, after a moment, "good by and good luck. Let me know
where you are and meanwhile I'll see what can be done for you. Good by."

He was moving off, but his companion stepped after him.

"Just a minute, sir," he said. "Could you 'elp me out a bit, in the
money way? I'm flat broke; the old 'ayseed chucked me without a penny;
'e did, so 'elp me."

Cousin Percy looked distinctly annoyed.

"I'm pretty nearly broke myself," he declared, impatiently.

"Is that so, sir, I'm sorry, but I think you'll 'ave to 'elp me a bit. I
think--I think you'd better, Mr. 'Ungerford, sir."

Hungerford looked at him. The look was returned. Then the young
gentleman extracted a somewhat attenuated roll of bills from his pocket,
peeled off two and handed them to his companion.

"There you are," he replied. "That's all and more than I can spare, just
now. Good by."

"Good by, sir--for now. And thank you kindly."

Captain Dan, for all his prompt handling of the thieving butler and his
professed ability to deal with men--Mr. Hapgood's kind of man--awaited
the return of his wife and daughter with considerable uneasiness.
Hapgood, in his capacity as trained, capable, aristocratic servant, had
been a favorite o