“There!  I’ve prejudiced him against Ben,” said Mrs. Hill to herself, with a satisfied smile.  “These detectives are glad of a hint, sharp as they think themselves.  If he finds out that it is Ben, he will take all the credit to himself, and never mention me in the matter.  However, that is just what I wish.  It is important that I should not appear too active in getting the boy into trouble, or I may be thought to be influenced by interested motives, though, Heaven knows, I only want justice for myself and my boy.  The sooner we get this boy out of the house, the better it will be for us.”

As Mr. Lynx left the house, he smiled to himself.

“That woman and her son hate Ben Barclay, that much is certain, and look upon him as an interloper and a rival.  I rather sympathize with the poor fellow.  I should be sorry to find him guilty, but I shall not stop short till I have ferreted out the truth.”

CHAPTER XXVII THE TELLTALE TICKET

Conrad still had the pawnbroker’s ticket which he had received in return for the opera glasses, and did not quite know what to do with it.  He didn’t intend to redeem the glass, and if found in his possession, it would bring him under suspicion.  Now that a detective had the matter in charge, it occurred to him that it would be well to have the ticket found in Ben’s room.

The two had rooms upon the same floor, and it would, therefore, be easy to slip into Ben’s chamber and leave it somewhere about.

Now, it chanced that Susan, the chambermaid, was about, though Conrad did not see her, when he carried out his purpose, and, instigated by curiosity, she peeped through the half-open door, and saw him place the ticket on the bureau.

Wondering what it was, she entered the room after Conrad had vacated it, and found the ticket Conrad had placed there.

Susan knew what a pawnbroker’s ticket was, and read it with curiosity.

She saw that it was made out to Ben Barclay.

“How, then, did Master Conrad get hold of it?” she said to herself.  “It’s my belief he’s trying to get Master Ben into trouble.  It’s a shame, it is, for Master Ben is a gentleman and he isn’t.”

Between the two boys, Susan favored Ben, who always treated her with consideration, while Conrad liked to order about the servants, as if they were made to wait upon him.

After Conrad had disposed of the pawn ticket, he said carelessly to his mother: 

“Mother, if I were you, I’d look into Ben’s room.  You might find the opera glass there.”

“I don’t think he’d leave it there.  He would pawn it.”

“Then you might find the ticket somewhere about.”

Upon this hint, Mrs. Hill went up to Ben’s room, and there, upon the bureau, she naturally found the ticket.

“I thought so,” she said to herself.  “Conrad was right.  The boy is a thief.  Here is the ticket made out to him by name.  Well, well, he’s brazen enough, in all conscience.  Now shall I show it to Cousin Hamilton at once, or shall I wait until the detective has reported?”