ide?"

"I walk."

"If you don't mind, I will walk along with you. I haven't taken much
exercise to-day."

Luke had no reason for declining this proposal, and accepted Stephen's
companionship. They walked on Clark Street to the bridge, and crossed
the river. Presently they reached Milwaukee Avenue."

"Isn't the walk too long for you?" asked Luke.

"Oh, no! I can walk any distance when I have company. I shall take a
car back."

Stephen accompanied the newsboy as far as his own door. He would like
to have been invited up, but Luke did not care to give him an
invitation. Though Stephen seemed very friendly, he was not one whom
he cared to cultivate.

"Well, so long!" said Stephen, with his "good-night," "I shall
probably see you to-morrow."

"I have found out where they live," thought Stephen. "I am making a
very good detective. I'll drop a line to Uncle Thomas this evening."

Meanwhile Luke went upstairs two steps at a time. He was the bearer of
good tidings, and that always quickens the steps.

He found his mother sitting in her rocking-chair with a sober face.

"Well, mother," he asked, gayly, "how have you passed the day?"

"Very unprofitably, Luke. I went out this afternoon, and visited two
places where I thought they might have some sewing for me, but I only
met with disappointment. Now that I have a sewing machine, it is a
great pity that I can't make use of it."

"Don't be troubled, mother! We can get along well enough."

"But we have only your earnings to depend upon."

"If I always have as good a day as this, we can depend on those very
easily."

"Did you earn much, Luke?"

"I earned a lot of money."

Mrs. Walton looked interested, and Luke's manner cheered her.

"There are always compensations, it seems. I was only thinking of my
own bad luck."

"What do you say to that, mother?" and Luke displayed the ten-dollar
bill.

"I don't understand how you could have taken in so much money, Luke."

"Then I will explain," and Luke told the story of the adventure on
State Street, and his rescue of the old lady from the danger of being
run over.

"The best of it is," he concluded, "I think I shall get regular
employment for part of my time from Mrs. Merton. Whatever I do for her
will be liberally paid for."

Luke went to a bakery for some cream cakes, of which Bennie was
particularly fond.

At the same time Stephen Webb was busily engaged In the writing room
of the Palmer House, inditing a