hought of the morocco pocketbook occurred to him. He felt
that Felicie was right--that it was imprudent to carry it around. He
must get rid of it in some way.

He took the money out and put it in another pocket. The pocketbook he
replaced till he should have an opportunity of disposing of it.

Hardly had he made these preparations when he met Luke Walton, who had
started unusually early, and was walking towards the house. An idea
came to Harold.

"Good-morning, Luke!" he said, in an unusually friendly tone.

"Good-morning, Harold!" answered Luke, agreeably surprised by the
other's cordiality.

"Are you going out with Aunt Eliza this morning?"

"I am not sure whether she will want to go out. I shall call and
inquire."

"You seem to be quite a favorite of hers."

"I hope I am. She always treats me kindly."

"I really believe she thinks more of you than she does of me."

"You mustn't think that," said Luke, modestly. "You are a relation,
and I am only in her employ."

"Oh, it doesn't trouble me. I am bound for the city. I think I shall
take the next car, good-day!"

"Good-day, Harold!"

Luke walked on, quite unconscious that Harold, as he passed by his
side, had managed to slip the morocco wallet into the pocket of his
sack coat.

CHAPTER XXXIII

HAROLD'S PLOT FAILS

Luke wore a sack coat with side pockets. It was this circumstance that
had made it easy for Harold to transfer the wallet unsuspected to his
pocket.

Quite ignorant of what had taken place, Luke kept on his way to Mrs.
Merton's house. He rang the bell, and on being admitted, went up, as
usual, to the room of his patroness.

"Good morning, Luke," said Mrs. Merton, pleasantly.

"Good-morning," responded Luke.

"I don't think I shall go out this morning, and I don't think of any
commission, so you will have a vacation."

"I am afraid I am not earning my money, Mrs. Merton. You make it very
easy for me."

"At any rate, Luke, the money is cheerfully given, and I have no doubt
you find it useful. How are you getting along?"

"Very well, indeed! I have just made the last payment on mother's
machine, and now we owe nothing, except, perhaps, for the rent, and
only a week has gone by on the new month."

"You seem to be a good manager, Luke. You succeed in keeping your
money, while I have not always found it easy. Yesterday, for instance,
I lost sixty-five dollars."

"How was that?" inquired Luke, with interest.

"The drawer in