acted perfectly right and
only spoke as he should."

"So you sustain him in his impudence, do you?" snarled Jones, showing
his teeth.

"If that is all you have come to say to me, Mr. Jones, you may as well
go."

"By George, ma'am, you are mighty independent!"

"I am not dependent on the man who ruined my poor husband."

"No, but you're dependent on me!" exclaimed the landlord, pounding the
floor forcibly with his cane.

"Will you explain yourself, sir?"

"I will," said Mr. Jones emphatically. "You talk about my not being in
my own house, but it's just possible you are mistaken."

"What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Trafton, startled.

"I mean this, that I hold a mortgage on this house for two hundred
dollars, and that's as much as it will fetch at auction. What do you say
to that?"

Robert looked and felt as much troubled as his aunt. On his young
shoulders fell this new burden, and he was at an utter loss what could
be done.

"I thought I'd shut you up, you young cub!" said the landlord, glancing
maliciously at Robert.

"You haven't shut me up!" retorted Robert with spirit.

"What have you got to say, hey?"

"That you ought to be ashamed to take all my uncle's earnings and then
steal his home. That's what I've got to say!"

"I've a great mind to give you a caning," said Mr. Jones in a rage.

"You'd better not!" said Robert.

He was as tall as the landlord, and though not as strong, considerably
more active, and he did not feel in the least frightened.

Nahum Jones was of a choleric disposition, and his face was purple with
rage, but he hadn't yet said all he intended.

"I give you warning, Mrs. Trafton," he said, shaking his cane at our
hero, "that I'm going to foreclose this mortgage and turn you into the
street. You've got yourself to thank, you and this young rascal. I came
here thinking I'd be easy with you, but I don't mean to stand your
insulting talk. I'll give you four weeks to raise the money, and if you
don't do it, out you go, bag and baggage. Perhaps when you're in the
poorhouse you may be sorry you didn't treat me better."

"Oh, Robert, what shall we do?" asked the poor woman, her courage
failing as she reflected on the possibility that the landlord's
prediction might be fulfilled.

"Don't be alarmed, Aunt Jane; I'll take care of you," said Robert more
cheerfully than he felt.

"Oh, you will, will you?" sneered Mr. Jones. "Anybody'd think to hear
you that you were worth a pile of