in surprise.

"When did he go?"

"When was it, Lonny?" asked Mrs. Pitkin, appealing to her son.

"It will be two weeks next Thursday."

"There must be some mistake," said the visitor.

"I saw Mr. Carter on Broadway, near Twentieth Street, day before
yesterday."

"Quite a mistake, I assure you, Mrs. Vangriff," said Mrs. Pitkin,
smiling. "It was some other person. You were deceived by a fancied
resemblance."

"It is you who are wrong, Mrs. Pitkin," said Mrs. Vangriff, positively.
"I am somewhat acquainted with Mr. Carter, and I stopped to speak with
him."

"Are you sure of this?" asked Mrs. Pitkin, looking startled.

"Certainly, I am sure of it."

"Did you call him by name?"

"Certainly; and even inquired after you. He answered that he believed
you were well. I thought he was living with you?"

"So he was," answered Mrs. Pitkin coolly as possible, considering the
startling nature of the information she had received. "Probably Uncle
Oliver returned sooner than he anticipated, and was merely passing
through the city. He has important business interests at the West."

"I don't think he was merely passing through the city, for a friend of
mine saw him at the Fifth Avenue Theater last evening."

Mrs. Pitkin actually turned as pale as her sallow complexion would
admit.

"I am rather surprised to hear this, I admit," she said. "Was he alone,
do you know?"

"No; he had a lady and a boy with him."

"Is it possible that Uncle Oliver has been married to some designing
widow?" Mrs. Pitkin asked herself. "It is positively terrible!"

She did not dare to betray her agitation before Mrs. Vangriff, and
sat on thorns till that lady saw fit to take leave. Then she turned to
Alonzo and said, in a hollow voice:

"Lonny, you heard what that woman said?"

"You bet!"

"Do you think Uncle Oliver has gone and got married again?" she asked,
in a hollow voice.

"I shouldn't wonder a mite, ma," was the not consolitary reply.

"If so, what will become of us? My poor boy, I looked upon you and
myself as likely to receive all of Uncle Oliver's handsome property. As
it is----" and she almost broke down.

"Perhaps he's only engaged?" suggested Alonzo.

"To be sure!" said his mother, brightening up.

"If so, the affair may yet be broken off. Oh, Lonny, I never thought
your uncle was so artful. His trip to Florida was only a trick to put us
off the scent."

"What are you going to do about it, ma?"

"I must find out a