to write paragraphs for the “Gazette.”  Though this work was gratuitous, Harry willingly undertook it.  He felt that in this way he was preparing himself for the career to which he steadily looked forward.  Present compensation, he justly reasoned, was of small importance, compared with the chance of improvement.  In this view, Ferguson, who proved to be a very judicious friend, fully concurred.  Indeed Harry and he became more intimate than before, if that were possible, and they felt that Clapp’s departure was by no means to be regretted.  They were remarking this one day, when Mr. Anderson, who had been examining his mail, looked up suddenly, and said, “What do you think, Mr. Ferguson?  I’ve got a letter from Clapp.”

“A letter from Clapp?  Where is he?” inquired Ferguson, with interest.

“This letter is dated at St. Louis.  He doesn’t appear to be doing very well.”

“I thought he was going to California.”

“So he represented.  But here is the letter.”  Ferguson took it, and, after reading, handed it to Harry.

It ran thus:—­

  “ST. LOUIS, April 4, 18—.

“JOTHAM ANDERSON, ESQ.,—­Dear Sir:  Perhaps you will be surprised to hear from me, but I feel as if I would like to hear from Centreville, where I worked so long.  The man that induced me and Harrison to come out here left us in the lurch three days after we reached St. Louis.  He said he was going on to San Francisco, and he had only money enough to pay his own expenses.  As Luke and I were not provided with money, we had a pretty hard time at first, and had to pawn some of our clothes, or we should have starved.  Finally I got a job in the ‘Democrat’ office, and a week after, Luke got something to do, though it didn’t pay very well.  So we scratched along as well as we could.  Part of the time since we have been out of work, and we haven’t found ‘coming West’ all that it was cracked up to be.

“Are Ferguson and Harry Walton still working for you?  I should like to come back to the ‘Gazette’ office, and take my old place; but I haven’t got five dollars ahead to pay my travelling expenses.  If you will send me out thirty dollars, I will come right on, and work it out after I come back.  Hoping for an early reply, I am,

  “Yours respectfully,
    “HENRY CLAPP.”

“Are you going to send out the money, Mr. Anderson?” asked Ferguson.

“Not I. Now that Walton has got well learnt, I don’t need another workman.  I shall respectfully decline his offer.”

Both Harry and Ferguson were glad to hear this, for they felt that Clapp’s presence would be far from making the office more agreeable.

“Here’s a letter for you, Walton, also post-marked St. Louis,” said Mr. Anderson, just afterward.

Harry took it with surprise, and opened it at once.

“It’s from Luke Harrison,” he said, looking at the signature.

“Does he want you to send him thirty dollars?” asked Ferguson.