J UST before leaving New York Oliver wrote a letter to Frank Dudley, announcing the plan he had in view.

My new guardian, Mr. Bundy, goes to Chicago on business [he wrote] and I am to go with him. I don\'t know how long we shall be away. I shall be well provided for, and expect to have a good time. I may write you from the West. Remember me to Carrie, and believe me to be your affectionate friend,

Oliver Conrad.

"So Oliver is going to Chicago," said Frank Dudley to Roland Kenyon, on the afternoon of the same day.

Roland looked surprised.

"How do you know?" he asked.

Frank showed him the passage quoted above.

"He doesn\'t send his love to you," said Frank mischievously.

"I don\'t care for his love," returned Roland, tossing his head. "I\'m glad he is going to a distance."

"Why?"

"So he needn\'t disgrace the family."

"Are you really afraid of that?" asked Frank, in rather a sarcastic tone.

"Yes; he\'s a bad fellow, and you\'ll find it out sooner or later."

"I don\'t agree with you; I think Oliver a fine, manly fellow."

"Oh, I know you have always stuck up for him!" said Roland, annoyed. "You are deceived—that is all."

"Carrie is deceived, too, then," said Frank, knowing that this would tease Roland. "She has just as high an opinion of Oliver as I have."

"She\'ll find him out sometime," said Roland, and walked moodily away.

Reaching home, he told his father the news.

"Oliver gone to Chicago!" repeated Mr. Kenyon, with evident pleasure. "I am glad of it. I hope he\'ll never come back to annoy us."

"I hope so, too."

"But I am afraid he will get out of money and write for help."

"He\'s found some flat who has taken a fancy to him, and is paying his expenses. Very likely he\'ll get tired of him, though."

"Who is it?" asked Mr. Kenyon, with some curiosity.

............