and I will engage a substitute."

"I shall lave whin I git ready, Mr. Curtis Waring," said the nurse,
her arms akimbo. "Maybe somebody else will lave the house. Me and Mr.
Linden have been behind the curtain for twenty minutes, and he has
heard every word you said."

Curtis turned livid, and his heart sank.

"It's true, Curtis," said John Linden's hollow voice. "I have heard
all. It was you who abducted my boy, and have made my life a lonely
one all these years. Oh, man! man! how could you have the heart to do
it?"

Curtis stared at him with parched lips, unable to speak.

"Not content with this, you drove from the house my dear niece,
Florence. You made me act cruelly toward her. I fear she will not
forgive me."

But just then the door opened, and Florence, rushing into the room,
sank at her uncle's feet.

"Oh, uncle," she said, "will you take me back?"

"Yes, Florence, never again to leave me. And who is this?" he asked,
fixing his eyes on Dodger, who stood shyly in the doorway.

"I'll tell you, sir," said Tim Bolton. "That is your own son, whom I
stole away from you when he was a kid, being hired to do it by Curtis
Waring."

"It's a lie," said Curtis, hoarsely.

"Come to me, my boy," said Mr. Linden, with a glad light in his eyes.

"At last Heaven has heard my prayers," he ejaculated. "We will never
be separated. I was ready to die, but now I hope to live for many
years. I feel that I have a new lease of life."

With a baffled growl Curtis Waring darted a furious look at the three.

"That boy is an impostor," he said. "They are deceiving you."

"He is my son. I see his mother's look in his face. As for you, Curtis
Waring, my eyes are open at last to your villainy. You deserve nothing
at my hands; but I will make some provision for you."

There was another surprise.

Curtis Waring's deserted wife, brought from California by Dodger,
entered the room, leading by the hand a young child.

"Oh, Curtis," she said, reproachfully. "How could you leave me? I have
come to you, my husband, with our little child."

"Begone! woman!" said Curtis, furiously. "I will never receive or
recognize you!"

"Oh, sir!" she said, turning to Mr. Linden, "what shall I do?"

"Curtis Waring," said Mr. Linden, sternly, "unless you receive this
woman and treat her properly, you shall receive nothing from me."

"And if I do?"

"You will receive an income of two thousand dollars a year, payable
quarterly. Mrs. Waring, y