square."

"Mr. Gunn," said the landlord, in a tone of disgust, "since you are
disposed to persecute this boy, I will myself pay your bill, and trust
to him to repay me when he can."

"But, Mr. Gates--" said Philip.

"I accept!" said the agent, with alacrity.

"Receipt your bill," said the landlord.

Mr. Gunn did so, and received a five-dollar bill in return.

"Now sir," said the landlord coldly, "if you have no further business
here, we can dispense with your company."

"It strikes me you are rather hard on a man because he wants to be paid
his honest dues!" whined Gunn, rather uncomfortably.

"We understand you, sir," said the landlord. "We have not forgotten how
you turned a poor family into the street, in the dead of winter, because
they could not pay their rent."

"Could I afford to give them house-room?" inquired Gunn.

"Perhaps not. At any rate, I don't feel inclined to give you house-room
any longer."

Mr. Gunn slunk out of the room, under the impression that his company
was no longer desired.

"Mr. Gray," said the publisher, "I hope you don't class me with the man
who has just gone out. I would sooner never be paid than deprive you of
your violin. Let the account stand, and if you are ever able to pay me
half of my bill--your share--I shall be glad to receive it."

"Thank you, sir!" said Philip, "You shall not repent your confidence in
me."

"I say ditto to my friend, the publisher," said the bill-poster.

"Wait a moment, gentlemen," said Philip. "There is a bare possibility
that I can do something for you."

For the first time since he left Norton he thought of the letter which
he was not to open till he was fifty miles from Norton.

"Mr. Gates," he said, "can you tell me how far Norton is from here?"

"About sixty miles," answered the landlord in surprise.

"Then it's all right."

CHAPTER XXX. A TIMELY GIFT.

The reader has not forgotten that Farmer Lovett, when Philip refused
to accept any compensation for assisting to frustrate the attempt at
burglary, handed him a sealed envelope, which he requested him not to
open till he was fifty miles away from Norton.

Philip had carried this about in his pocket ever since. He had thought
of it as likely to contain some good advice at the time; but it had
since occurred to him that the farmer had not had time to write down
anything in that line.

He was disposed to think that the mysterious envelope might contain a
five-dollar bil