“Well, I think you’ve said enough on the subject,” said her husband.  “Tom, run upstairs and bring me a cigar.  You know where I keep the cigar box.”

“You’d better send a servant, father,” said Tom, coolly.

“It appears to me you are getting lazy, Thomas,” said his father.

“Thomas is right,” said Mrs. Stanton.  “What do we keep servants for but to run errands?”

“Still, Tom might have obliged me in such a little matter.”

“You shouldn’t have asked him, Mr. Stanton.  You seem to forget that we are not living in the style of half a dozen years ago.  You should adapt yourself to circumstances.”

Mr. Stanton said no more, but sent a servant in Tom’s place.  But he could not help thinking that the outward prosperity for which he was striving was not without its drawbacks, since it compelled him to look to servants for the most ordinary services.

The next morning Tom went to the counting-room, fully expecting that Herbert would claim relationship as soon as he discovered his name.  While he would be compelled to admit it, he determined to treat Herbert with such a degree of coolness that he would take the hint, and keep his distance.

When he arrived at the counting-room, Herbert was already there, and Mr. Pratt also.

“Good-morning,” said Herbert.

“Morning,” muttered Tom.

“This is Thomas Stanton, your fellow-clerk,” said Mr. Pratt, the bookkeeper.  “I believe you have not been introduced.”

“Now for it,” thought Tom.

But rather to his surprise, Herbert made no demonstration, but merely bowed slightly.

“What does it mean?” thought Tom, a little perplexed.  “Is it possible that he is not my cousin, after all?”

“I think you came from Ohio?” inquired Tom, impelled by his curiosity to ask the question.

“Yes,” said Herbert.

“Why didn’t you stay there?  Couldn’t you make a living there?” asked Tom, not over-politely.

“Probably I might,” said Herbert, quietly.

“Then I think you should have stayed there.”

“Which do you like best, the city or the country?” asked our hero.

“The city.”

“So do I.”

“But there’s a difference.  I have always lived in the city.”

“I suppose boys often do come from the country to the city,” said Herbert.  “Was your father born in the city?”

“No,” said Tom, glancing keenly at Herbert, to see if he meant anything by the question.

“Then it seems he must have preferred the city to the country.”

Tom had his share of curiosity.  He knew that it would be better not to pursue this subject further if he wished his cousin to remain ignorant of the relationship between them.  Still, he was anxious to know what Herbert’s actual knowledge was, and whether he would be likely to avail himself of it.  He was therefore tempted to say, “I suppose you have no relations in the city?”