the errand
was to be successful. He felt that he could speak a little more
strongly now of Ralph's identity with Mrs. Burnham's son without
endangering his cause.

"Can you remember," he said, "nothing about the lad's appearance
that impressed you--now that you know the claim set up for hi--that
impressed you with a sense of his relationship to you?"

"Nothing, sir, nothing whatever. The boy is a bright, frank, manly
fellow; I have taken much interest in him from the first. His sorrow
at the time of my husband's death touched me very deeply. I have been
several times since then to look after his comfort and happiness. I
saw and talked with him yesterday, as I have already told you. But he
is not my son, sir, he is not my son."

"Pardon me, madam! but you must remember that time works wonders in a
child's appearance; from three to eleven is a long stretch."

"I appreciate that fact, but I recall no resemblance whatever. My baby
had light, curling hair, large eyes, full round cheeks and chin, a
glow of health and happiness in his face. This lad is different, very
different. There could not have been so great a change. Oh, no, sir!
your client is mistaken; the boy is not my son; I am sure he is not."

Sharpman was rejoiced. Everything was working now exactly according to
his plan. He thought it safe to push his scheme more rapidly.

"But my client," he said, "appears to be perfectly sincere in his
belief. He will doubtless desire me to institute legal proceedings to
recover for the boy his portion of Robert Burnham's estate."

"If you can recover it," she said, calmly, "I shall transfer it to
the child most cheerfully. I take it, however, that you must first
establish his identity as an heir?"

"Certainly."

"And do you think this can be done against my positive testimony?"

"Perhaps not; that remains to be seen. But I do not desire to
contemplate such a contingency. My object, my sole object, is to
obtain a harmonious settlement of this matter outside of the courts.
That is why I am here in person. I had hoped that I might induce you
to acknowledge the boy as your son, to agree to set off his interest
in his father's estate, and to reimburse my client, to some extent,
for his care and services. This is my only wish in the matter, I
assure you."

"Why, as to that," she replied, "I am willing to recognize services
performed for any one; and if this old man has rescued and cared for
the boy, even though he is