“I should be glad to think so.  It can easily be settled.  Let Conrad go with me tomorrow to the pawnbroker from whom I recovered the glass, and see if he recognizes him.”

“He would be sure to say it was me,” stammered Conrad.

“At any rate he told me it was not Ben, who made no opposition to accompanying me.”

“I see there is a plot against my poor boy,” said Mrs. Hill bitterly.

“On the contrary, I shall be glad to believe him innocent.  But there is another matter that requires investigation.  Conrad, here is a letter which has come for you.  Are you willing I should open and read it?”

“I don’t like to show my letters,” said Conrad sullenly.

“The boy is right,” said his mother, always ready to back up her son.

“I have good reason for wishing to know the contents of the letter,” said Mrs. Hamilton sternly.  “I will not open it, unless Conrad consents, but I will call on the brokers and question them as to their motive in addressing it to a boy.”

Conrad was silent.  He saw that there was no escape for him.

“Shall I read it?” asked Mrs. Hamilton.

“Yes,” answered Conrad feebly.

The letter was opened.

It ran thus: 

“Mr. Conrad Hill: 

“You will be kind enough to call at our office at once, and pay commission due us for buying add selling fifty shares Pacific Mail.  The fall in the price of the stock, as we have already notified you, exhausted the money you placed in our hands as margin.

“Yours respectfully,”
“Bird & Brant.”

“I hope, Cousin Hamilton, you won’t be too hard on the poor boy,” said the housekeeper.  “He thought he would be able to replace the money.”

“You and Conrad have done your best to prejudice me against Ben.”

“You are mistaken,” said the housekeeper quickly, showing some evidence of agitation.

“I have learned that the letter which lured Ben to a gambling house was concocted between you.  The letter I have in my possession.”

“Who told you such a falsehood?  If it is Ben—­”

“It is not Ben, Mrs. Hill.  He is as much surprised as you are to learn it now.  The letter I submitted to an expert, who has positively identified the handwriting as yours, Mrs. Hill.  You were very persistent in your attempts to make me believe than Ben was addicted to frequenting gambling houses.”

“I see you are determined to believe me guilty,” said Mrs. Hill.  “Perhaps you think I know about the opera glass and this stock gambling?”

“I have no evidence of it, but I know enough to justify me in taking a decisive step.”

Mrs. Hill listened apprehensively.

“It is this:  you and Conrad must leave my house.  I can no longer tolerate your presence here.”

“You send us out to starve?” said the housekeeper bitterly.