p."

Albert made no answer, but going to the mantel he took a framed
photograph that stood there and handed it to his friend. It was a
picture of a young girl with a face like an artist's dream and eyes like
two pansies.

Frank gazed at it long and earnestly. "Your sister, I suppose," he said
at last, still looking at the face. "I do not wonder you preached me the
sermon you have this evening. You must be proud of her."

When it came time for him to go the two shook hands with a warmer clasp
than ever, and when he was gone the little room did not seem quite so
cheerless to its occupant as before.

Albert Page had builded wiser than he knew.

CHAPTER VIII

A HELPING HAND

"I should like to be excused to-morrow forenoon, Mr. Frye," said Albert
a few days later. "Frank has promised to introduce me to his father."

"Certainly," replied Frye, cheerfully, "take the entire day, if you
wish, and if you have a good chance try to make the acquaintance of Miss
Maud Vernon, a cashier in Mr. Nason's store, or at least take a good
look at her. She is the key that will unlock the information I need, and
I shall depend upon you to obtain it."

"I will keep my eyes open," replied Albert aloud, mentally resolving
that it would not be in the interest of Frye and his sinister plot. The
next day he met Frank by appointment, and the two called upon John Nason
at his office. Albert was greeted cordially, and, after an exchange of
commonplaces, soon found himself being interrogated by a series of
questions pertaining to his home and college life, his knowledge of law,
and how he liked his present employer, all of which with their answers,
not being pertinent to the thread of this narrative, need not be quoted.
They were for a purpose, however, as all of John Nason's business
questions were, and at their conclusion he said:

"I am glad to have met you, Mr. Page. My son has spoken in the highest
terms of you, and what has interested me more, Mr. Frye has also. He
does not usually bestow much praise on any one, but is more apt to
sneer. After you are a little better acquainted with legal proceedings
here, come and see me. I may be able to do something for you. You
might," addressing Frank, as if to end the interview, "show Mr. Page
over the store now; it may interest him."

After an hour spent walking through the vast human hive, where over one
thousand clerks and salesgirls were employed, the two friends returned
to their c