and Peter form a part of your family I can never live at
home. They both dislike me, and I am afraid I return the feeling."
"Thanks for the information," she muttered. "I knew it before. This
letter doesn't make me feel any more friendly to you, Carl Crawford.
I see that you are trying to ingratiate yourself with your father, and
prejudice him against me and my poor Peter, but I think I can defeat
your kind intentions."

She folded up the letter, and replaced it in her husband's desk.

"I wonder if my husband will answer Carl's artful epistle," she said to
herself. "He can if he pleases. He is weak as water, and I will see that
he goes no farther than words."

Dr. Crawford did answer Carl's letter. This is his reply:

"Dear Carl:--I am glad to hear that you are comfortably situated. I
regret that you were so headstrong and unreasonable. It seems to me that
you might, with a little effort, have got on with your stepmother. You
could hardly expect her to treat you in the same way as her own son. He
seems to be a good boy, but I own that I have never been able to become
attached to him."

Carl read this part of the letter with satisfaction. He knew how mean
and contemptible Peter was, and it would have gone to his heart to think
that his father had transferred his affection to the boy he had so much
reason to dislike.

"I am glad you are pleased with your prospects. I think I could have
done better for you had your relations with your stepmother been such as
to make it pleasant for you to remain at home. You are right in thinking
that I am interested in your welfare. I hope, my dear Carl, you will
become a happy and prosperous man. I do not forget that you are my son,
and I am still your affectionate father,

"Paul Crawford."

Carl was glad to receive this letter. It showed him that his stepmother
had not yet succeeded in alienating from him his father's affection.

But we must return to the point where we left Carl on his journey to
Buffalo. He enjoyed his trip over the Central road during the hours of
daylight. He determined on his return to make an all-day trip so that he
might enjoy the scenery through which he now rode in the darkness.

At Buffalo he had no other business except that of Mr. Jennings, and
immediately after breakfast he began to make a tour of the furniture
establishments. He met with excellent success, and had the satisfaction
of sending home some large orders. In the evening he too