d make him pony up, as the sayin' goes."

"You are very kind. I doubt if I am able to do anything in the matter,"
returned Ralph, hopelessly.

He had hardly reached home, when a knock was heard on the cottage door.
They opened it to admit Squire Paget's hired man.

"A letter for Ralph Nelson," the man said, and handed it over. "I don't
think there is any answer," he added, and bowed his way out.

"It must be from the squire," cried Mrs. Nelson. "Perhaps he has relented
of his harsh treatment----"

"Not he!" exclaimed Ralph. "It isn't in him."

The boy broke the seal of the letter, and drew out the document, which read
as follows:

MRS. RANDOLPH NELSON:--Owing to circumstances of which you are as
well aware as ourselves, we shall not require your services or
those of your son as bridge tender for Westville after the week
ending July 19.

THE WESTVILLE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE,
Per Hon. Thomas Paget, Chairman.

"What is it, Ralph?" asked his mother, anxiously.

"Just as I thought, mother. My services as bridge tender will not be
required after this week," returned Ralph, bitterly.

"Let me see the letter." Mrs. Nelson took and read the epistle. "It is too
bad!"

"It's an outrage, mother, that's what it is! And all on account of that
aristocratic sneak, Percy Paget!"

"Do not call harsh names, Ralph!"

"I can't help it, mother; he is a sneak, and worse. He brought on the row,
took that money, and I am certain he broke our windows into the bargain!"

Mrs. Nelson did not reply. She thought in silence for a moment, and the
look of anxiety on her face deepened.

"What shall we do when you are out of work, Ralph?"

"I must try to obtain another job, mother."

"But if you are not successful?"

"Let us not anticipate, mother. I am sure to strike something. In the
meantime we will have a little money to fall back on--the balance of that
twenty-dollar bill, for instance."

"Yes, and we will have the other money we have saved," added Mrs. Nelson.
"But I would not like to touch that if it could be helped."

"We won't touch it. I'll find work before my week's wages and the sixteen
dollars and a half are gone. The one pity is we'll feel too poor just now
to advertise for those missing papers, and offer any reward for their
return."

"That is so," and Mrs. Nelson gave a long sigh.

Perhaps she saw the many disappointments in store for her son when he
shou