that he understood.

Then the man took something from under the front seat cushion of the
car and handed it to Brother Lu. Hugh could not be positive, but he
rather fancied it was a packet of folded papers.

Plainly, then, there was a conspiracy afloat. Brother Lu was other
than he pretended to be, and he was undoubtedly hatching up some
sort of plot that had connections with the peace of mind of the
two simple Hosmers who had taken him in on the strength of his claim
to blood relationship.

Hugh was quivering more than ever now, and his breath came in gasps
as he continued to keep his eyes glued on the two figures not so far
away. He wished that he were gifted with hearing keen enough to
pick up what they were saying in such low tones, for then he would
know everything; but this was out of the question, and he must await
the subsequent turn of events.

It might have been noticed, however, that the boy's eyes glistened as
with a growing delight, from which it was easy to judge that he did
not see anything so very terrible in these strange actions on the
part of the reformed tramp. Indeed, Hugh acted very much as though
inclined to "shake hands with himself," as Thad was so fond of
saying, when he had cause for self-congratulation.

How long they were carrying on that conversation! Once another car
showed up down the road, and Hugh chuckled to notice how deftly
Brother Lu assumed an humble attitude, just as though he might have
simply halted to ask a question of the lordly chauffeur of the big
and comfortable car.

"He's a dandy, that's all I can say," muttered the amused boy, who
on his part stood there as the other car whirled past, as if he
might be looking for something he had lost; but on the contrary,
the opposite was really the truth, because Hugh had made a great
discovery and a "find" in the bargain.

Now apparently the earnest conversation between chauffeur and Matilda's
roving good-for-nothing brother had come to an end. The man entered
the car again, turned in the road with the cleverness that comes from
long handling of a touring machine, and, with a last respectful salute,
his hand going to his cap military fashion, sped down the road,
heading toward Scranton.

Brother Lu stood there as if lost in meditation. Hugh, still watching
closely, and making up his mind to have it out then and there, because
he could not stand the weighty load of suspense any longer, was sure
the other must be in a