“I suppose it comes of the way in which he has been brought up and the country boys he has associated with,” thought Mr. Granville.  “Fortunately he is young, and there is time to polish him.  As soon as I reach Chicago I will engage a private tutor for him, who shall not only remedy his defects of education, but do what he can to improve my son’s manners.  I want him to grow up a gentleman.”

The next day the three started for Chicago, while Mr. Granville’s real son and heir continued to live at a cheap lodging-house in New York.

The star of Jonas was in the ascendant, while poor Philip seemed destined to years of poverty and hard work.  Even now, he was threatened by serious misfortune.

CHAPTER XX.

Left out in the cold.

Of course Phil was utterly ignorant of the audacious attempt to deprive him of his rights and keep him apart from the father who longed once more to meet him.  There was nothing before him so far as he knew except to continue the up-hill struggle for a living.

He gave very little thought to the prediction of the fortune-teller whom he had consulted, and didn’t dream of any short-cut to fortune.

Do all he could, he found he could not live on his wages.

His board cost him four dollars a week, and washing and lunch two dollars more, thus compelling him to exceed his salary by a dollar each week.

He had, as we know, a reserve fund, on which he could draw, but it was small, and grew constantly smaller.  Then, again, his clothes were wearing out, and he saw no way of obtaining money to buy new.

Phil became uneasy, and the question came up to his mind, “Should he write to his step-mother and ask her for a trifling loan?” If the money had been hers, he would not have done so on any condition; but she had had nothing of her own, and all the property in her hands came through Mr. Brent, who, as he knew, was attached to him, even though no tie of blood united them.  He certainly meant that Phil should be cared for out of the estate, and at length Phil brought himself to write the following letter: 

“New York, March 10, 18—.

“Dear Mrs. Brent:  I suppose I ought to have written you before, and have no good excuse to offer.  I hope you and Jonas are well, and will continue so.  Let me tell you how I have succeeded thus far.

“I have been fortunate enough to obtain a place in a large mercantile establishment, and for my services I am paid five dollars a week.  This is more than boys generally get in the first place, and I am indebted to the partiality of an old gentleman, the senior member of the firm, whom I had the chance to oblige, for faring so well.  Still I find it hard to get along on this sum, though I am as economical as possible.  My board and washing cost me six dollars a week, and