ke, but this did not in the least abash her, for she gulped down
enough to stagger an old toper. Josh. was not at home, and so very
little was said.

Mrs. Cox asked her if she had received a letter from Nat.

"Yes," she answered in a snappish tone, and said no more.

Madam Imbert had accomplished all she desired for that day, and so left
Mrs. Maroney to herself. In the morning Mrs. Maroney sent Flora to her,
with a request that she would accompany her to Philadelphia. Madam
Imbert sent word that she would be happy to go and would come to Cox's
immediately.

De Forest met Flora and commenced playing with her.

"I must go right home," said she, "as ma is going to Philadelphia and
sent me with a message to Madam Imbert, asking her to go too. She said
she would, and is coming down to the house, so I must hurry home."

"What a fool I am," thought De Forest, "I would rather have her go with
me."

So he went to Cox's with Flora to offer his services. Mrs. Maroney
appeared troubled and excited. He knew that he never made progress with
her when she was in a moody state, so he timidly said that he was going
to Philadelphia and asked her to go along. She said, "No!" very harshly,
and he immediately vanished.

She started out and met Madam Imbert on the way down.

"Come back with me, I want to hire Stemples's team," she said.

Stemples soon had his team ready for them, and they started.

"I didn't want any one with me but you, Madam Imbert, as I am much
troubled and need your advice. I want to consult a lawyer, but don't
know how to go about it. There is a lawyer in Philadelphia, a good man,
in fact the same one my husband had at New York for consultation, and I
think I shall ask his advice."

"I would not do it, if I were in your place," advised Madam Imbert. "If
a lawyer once gets hold of the facts, he is much more likely to get all
the money than White."

"That is the trouble. Last night after you left, Josh. came in and we
talked the matter over. You know Josh. and the opinion I have of him,
but with all his faults he is shrewd. His wife and he held the same
opinion: that it would never do to trust White with the money, and Josh.
was in favor of changing its hiding place. I did not tell them that I
had told you all, but I intend to do so. I informed them that I was
going to the city to consult a lawyer, but they were both against me,
and now you are opposed to me and I don't know what to do, or what I am
doing.