rowth of
Tacoma has only just begun."

"I hope to go West some day."

"When you do you must call on me. Perhaps you will come, too, Edward?"

Edward Granger shook his head.

"It won't be worth while for me to go back while Mr. Trimble is alive.
He seems to have such an influence over my mother that it would not be
pleasant for me to go there and have a cold reception from her."

"I will call on her and mention your name. Then I can see how the land
lays. How she can prefer such a man as Abner Trimble to her own son I
can't understand."

About ten o'clock the two boys left Mr. Wilson, who had been going
about all day and showed signs of fatigue.

"Shan't I see you again, Mr. Wilson?" asked Edward.

"No; I must take an early start in the morning. You had better let me
lend you a little money."

"No, thank you, sir. Your generous gift will help me till I get a
place."

So the farewells were said, and the boys walked home.

"Now," said Edward, "I must try to get a place. This money will last me
two weeks, and in that time I ought to secure something."

He went from place to place, answering advertisements the next day, but
met with no luck. He was feeling rather depressed when Chester came
into his room.

"I have found a place for you," he said, brightly.

"You don't mean it! Where is it?" asked young Granger.

"At the office of _The Phoenix_. You will be in the mailing department.
The salary is small--only seven dollars a week--but----"

"I shall feel rich. It is two dollars more than I received at my last
place. When am I to go to work?"

"To-morrow. The mailing clerk has got a better place, and that makes an
opening for you."

"And I owe this good fortune to you," said Edward, gratefully. "How can
I repay you?"

"By being my friend!"

"That I shall be--for life!" replied Edward, fervently.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

AFTER A YEAR.

A year passed. Chester remained in the service of _The Phoenix_, which
had become an established success. His artistic work was so satisfactory
that his salary had been raised from twenty-five to thirty dollars per
week. Yet he had not increased his personal expenses, and now had
nearly a thousand dollars deposited in different savings banks.

He had concealed the extent of his prosperity from his mother, meaning
in time to surprise her agreeably.

About this period he received a letter from Wyncombe. It was from his
mother. It ran thus:

"DEAR CHESTER: I a