“Do you really think so?” said Conrad eagerly.

“I think so.  What you must try to do is to stand well with her, and get her to make her will in your favor.  I will attend to that, if you will do as I tell you.”

“She may make this boy her heir,” said Conrad discontentedly.  “Then where would I be?”

“She won’t do it, if I can help it,” said Mrs. Hill with an emphatic nod.  “I will manage to make trouble between them.  You will always be my first interest, my dear boy.”

She made a motion to kiss her dear boy, but Conrad, who was by no means of an affectionate disposition, moved his head suddenly, with an impatient exclamation, “Oh, bother!”

A pained look came over the mother’s face, for she loved her son, unattractive and disagreeable as he was, with a love the greater because she loved no one else in the world.  Mother and son were selfish alike, but the son the more so, for he had not a spark of love for any human being.

“There’s the bell!” said Mrs. Hill suddenly.  “I do believe Cousin Hamilton has come.  Now we shall find out whether this boy’s story is true.”

“Let’s go downstairs, ma!  I hope it’s all a mistake and she’ll send me for a policeman.”

“I am afraid the boy’s story is correct.  But his day will be short.”

When they reached the hall, Mrs. Hamilton had already been admitted to the house.

“There’s a boy in the drawing room, Mrs. Hamilton,” said Mrs. Hill, “who says he is to stay here—­that you sent for him.”

“Has he come already?” returned Mrs. Hamilton.  “I am glad of it.”

“Then you did send for him?”

“Of course.  Didn’t I mention it to you?  I hardly expected he would come so soon.”

She opened the door of the drawing room, and approached Ben, with extended hand and a pleasant smile.

“Welcome to New York, Ben,” she said.  “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long?”

“Not very long,” answered Ben, shaking her hand.

“This is my cousin Mrs. Hill, who relieves me of part of my housekeeping care,” continued Mrs. Hamilton, “and this is her son, Conrad.  Conrad, this is a companion for you, Benjamin Barclay, who will be a new member of our small family.”

“I hope you are well, Conrad,” said Ben, with a smile, to the boy who but a short time before was going for a policeman to put him under arrest.

“I’m all right,” said Conrad ungraciously.

“Really, Cousin Hamilton, this is a surprise” said Mrs. Hill.  “You are quite kind to provide Conrad with a companion, but I don’t think he felt the need of any, except his mother—­and you.”

Mrs. Hamilton laughed.  She saw that neither Mrs. Hill nor Conrad was glad to see Ben, and this was only what she expected, and, indeed, this was the chief reason why she had omitted to mention Ben’s expected arrival.

“You give me too much credit,” she said, “if you think I invited this young gentleman here solely as a companion to Conrad.  I shall have some writing and accounts for him to attend to.”