y place where she was
sure of being undisturbed, and cried until her eyes smarted and her head
ached. It was to the garret that she went when she wished to be alone,
and, amid the piles of empty paper boxes and bars of soap and all the
varied possessions that were stored there, she sat and thought over the
matter.

[Illustration: "OUGHT I TO TELL?" SHE SAID AGAIN AND AGAIN.]

"Ought I to tell?" she said again and again, speaking in a hoarse
whisper. "Oh, why did I ever promise?"

For Cynthia had at last prevailed upon Neal to borrow her money to pay
Bronson with, and had promised that she would not tell, and Cynthia had
a very strict sense of honor.

"Ought I to tell?" she repeated. "No; a promise is a promise, and I have
no right to break it. I was silly, I was idiotic ever to promise such a
thing, but how did I know it was coming out this way? Perhaps he will
come back soon; then I can make him tell."

But Neal did not come back. Instead of that, the next morning Mrs.
Franklin received a letter from him. He repeated the same words. He
could not stay where he was insulted. If they could not believe him he
would go. He had a perfect right to use the money which he had paid for
the money-order, and he would never condescend to explain where he got
it. He was visiting a friend at present, but he was going at once in
search of some work. He intended to support himself henceforth.

It was a very absurd letter, and it made Mr. Franklin more angry than
ever and his wife more distressed.

"It is perfect nonsense," said he. "The boy is not of age and he can be
stopped. I will write at once to his guardians. In the mean time we will
look him up in Boston; from the postmark I suppose he is there."

"One of his guardians is abroad, and the other is that Quaker cousin of
my mother's," sighed Mrs. Franklin.

"Give me his address, and don't worry, Hester. The affair will come
around all right, I have no doubt. He is a headstrong boy and he needs a
leash."

They could not find him in Boston. On going to the houses of his various
friends there they learned that he had spent the night with one of them,
but had left to go to his guardian in Philadelphia, they said.

"I am inclined to let it stand as it is," said Mr. Franklin, when he
returned; "if he has gone to Philadelphia let him stay there. His old
guardian will probably keep him in better order than we can; perhaps it
will be better not to interfere. I don't want to pre