t the thought of her away.

Poor mother! if she had only known what a conflict between good and evil
was going on in the breast of her boy, how she would have agonised in
prayer for him! But she did not know. There was, however, One who did
know, who loved him better even than his mother, and who watched and
guarded him throughout all his chequered career.

It is not improbable that in spite of his resolves Miles would have
relented before night and returned home had not a very singular incident
intervened and closed the door behind him.

That day a notorious swindler had been tracked by a red-haired detective
to the manufacturing city, to which Miles first directed his steps. The
bills describing the swindler set forth that he was quite young, tall,
handsome, broad-shouldered, with black curling hair, and a budding
moustache; that he was dressed in grey tweeds, and had a prepossessing
manner. Now this chanced to be in some respects an exact description of
Miles Milton!

The budding moustache, to be sure, was barely discernible, still it was
sufficiently so for a detective to found on. His dress, too, was brown
tweed, not grey; but of course dresses can be changed; and as to his
manner, there could not be two opinions about that.

Now it chanced to be past one o'clock when Miles entered the town and
felt himself impelled by familiar sensations to pause in front of an
eating-house. It was a poor eating-house in a low district, but Miles
was not particular; still further, it was a temperance coffee-house, but
Miles cared nothing for strong drink. Strong health and spirits had
served his purpose admirably up to that date.

Inside the eating-house there sat several men of the artisan class, and
a few of the nondescript variety. Among the latter was the red-haired
detective. He was engaged with a solid beef-steak.

"Oho!" escaped softly from his lips, when his sharp eyes caught sight of
our hero. So softly did he utter the exclamation that it might have
been a mere remark of appreciation addressed to the steak, from which he
did not again raise his eyes for a considerable time.

The place was very full of people--so full that there seemed scarcely
room for another guest; but by some almost imperceptible motion the
red-haired man made a little space close to himself. The man next to
him, with a hook-nose, widened the space by similar action, and Miles,
perceiving that there was room, sat down.

"Bread and