seen
figure softly turned and gazed straight at where he stood.

"He must see me," thought the boy; and in his excitement he felt that he
must take the aggressive, and began the attack.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" he cried sharply. "A thief?"

"Oh no, young gentleman," said a voice. "What are you doing here?"

For answer Frank stepped quickly to the window and threw open one of the
shutters, the light flashing in and showing him the face of the man he
had passed in the Park, the man who had followed him into the street,
and seen him enter the house.

"Oh, I see," said Frank contemptuously,--"a spy."

"A gentleman in the King's service, boy, holding his Majesty's warrant,
and doing his duty. Why have you come here?"

"Why have I come to my own house? Go back out of here directly. How
came the housekeeper to let you in?"

"She did not, my good boy," said the man quietly; "and she did not put
up the chain."

"Then how did you get in, sir?"

"With my key of course--into _your_ house."

"Oh, this is insufferable!" panted Frank. "While my father is away it
is my house. I am his representative, and I don't believe his Majesty
would warrant a miserable spy to use false keys to get into people's
homes."

"You have a sharp tongue for a boy," said the man coolly; "but I must
know why you have come, all the same."

"Watch and spy, and find out then, you miserable, contemptible hound!"
cried Frank in a rage--with the man for coming, and with himself for not
having taken better precautions. For it was maddening. There was the
letter waiting for him; he had touched it; and now he could not get at
it for this man, who would not let him quit his sight, and perhaps after
he was gone would search until he found it.

The man looked hard at him for a few moments, but not menacingly. It
was in the fashion of a man who was accustomed to be snubbed, bullied,
and otherwise insulted, but did not mind these things in the least, so
long as he could achieve his ends. He made Frank turn cold, though,
with dread, for he began to look round the room, noticing everything in
turn in search of the reason for the boy's visit, for naturally he felt
certain that there was some special reason, and he meant to find it out.

Frank stood watching him for a while, and then, as the man did not walk
straight at the picture, and begin to try if he could find anything
behind, the boy began to pluck up courage, and, drawing