o think that I had
misjudged my new employer. But I did not know the trouble that was in
store for me. First, my whole property, a few thousand dollars which I
had saved, had been intrusted to a gentleman in whom I had confidence,
and by him invested for me. He failed, dishonestly, as I suspect, and
so all my savings were lost. Troubles never come singly, so they say,
and so I found out. While I was almost crushed under this blow, another
fell upon me. One morning some valuable securities, belonging to the
firm, were missing. Of course they were sought for, and, as a matter of
form--so Mr. Grey said--the desks of all in the establishment were
searched. What was my horror when the missing securities were found in
my desk! Of course, this was ruin. My reputation, my future, were in
the hands of James Grey. I could not account for the discovery, knowing
my innocence; but I now feel sure that my employer put the papers in my
desk himself.

"Instead of arresting me, he told me to come up to his house that
evening. I came. I protested my innocence.

"He asked me pointedly if I could prove it. I told him no. Then he said
that he had a plan in view. If I could aid him, he would forgive my
offense, and would not have me arrested. Cautiously he unfolded the
plan, and it was this: In consideration of five thousand dollars in
gold, I was to carry you off by night, and sail with you to Australia,
changing your name to Tom, and must agree nevermore to bring you back
to America, or let you know who you were. Of course, I knew that this
was only a plot to get possession of the property, and I told him so.
He freely admitted it to me, but coolly threatened me with the severest
punishment of the law for my supposed crime if I disclosed it, or
refused to aid him.

"Well, the result of it all was that I agreed to his terms. It was
arranged as had been agreed on, and I left Cincinnati, secretly, with
you under my charge. Arriving in New York, I sailed for Australia,
under an assumed name. But when I arrived, I didn't like the country.
After a year, I took passage in a vessel bound for New York. We were
wrecked, and all my money was lost. We were saved by a vessel bound for
the same port, and, at length, reached it, penniless. How we have lived
since, you know as well as I do. It has been a wretched life; but I
never dared to write to Mr. Grey, lest he should have me arrested for
embezzling the securities. But I have often hoped that retr