The Trevor Family;*

" I think so , most certainly , " promptly answered the esquire . " I will see Robert . In the meantime , you had better make such inquiries , in a quiet way , as will test the truth of the newspaper account . " When Esquire Faxon broached this matter to Robert Trevor , the latter was thunderstruck . He regarded Crawdey as the affianced lover of his sister . But tho practical good sense of the esquire soon convinced him that this was tho very reason why Crawley should not rest under suspicion .

CHAPTER VIII . AND now another leading citizen , Mr . Upton , has called upon Mrs . Trevor , and informed her that certain lots she had placed on the market had better be withdrawn for the present . A new railroad was being built , of which he was an officer , and these lots would be in the immediate vicinity of the depot , and must greatly increase in value . Mrs . Trevorknowing Mr . Upton as a

, speculator , and one who was always watching the main chance , could not help asking him why he had not taken advantage of the lots being in the market . " Madam , " he replied , with a shrewd smile , " we business men are once in a while capable of a disinterested act . Give us credit for it . And allow me to supplement wdiat I have already done by saying that I will advise with you when the time comes for disposing of the property . "

The sequel proved Mr . Upton ' s good faith and judgment . A portion of the lots were disposed of for a sum far beyond Mrs . Trevor ' s most sanguine hopes , and the rest retained for an advance . This sale added materiall y to the widow ' s resources ; and , if to still more gladden her heart , news came to her that Ral ph had proven an apt pupil under the kind , but firm , discipline of his guardian , and was already credited with an improvement in an article

being manufactured at the works , and for which Mr . Thornburg secured him a royalty for each machine made . The workmen could not be jealous of one so young and ardent , and gave him every assistance in their power . The fact that Joel Crawdey was under suspicion had not been made known to Mrs . Trevor or Rose . He wrote to the latter , and pleaded his cause eloquently and often . Rose wrote to him in reply , and was onl y restrained by

her mother from rejecting his suit . And , Frank Glyndon ? He and Rose met at times in society , and he managed now and then to engage her in conversation , and to feel her hand on his arm , and Rose trul y divined that she was the object of his silent worship . And between a lover whose importunities were incessant , and one who never again told his love , Rose was in a most uncertain state of mind . She asked the advice of her only confidant , Allie Parr , the pleasant little wife of the village jeweller , and she laughingly suggested that " she accept the ex-clerk and run away with the lawyer ! "

In the meanwhile , Frank Glyndon had made inquiries that proved satisfactorily that Crawdey had paid the full amount in cash for his business interest . But the most critical examination of the books showed no evidence of false entry . The esquire was compelled to admit the absence of any discrepancies . The only circumstance that even suggested a suspicion of wrong was founded on a habit of Harmon Trevor ' s numbering and filing away his

letters received . A dozen of these were missing . But on this slender thread , stimulated b y his love for Rose , and determined to probe the mystery , Frank Glyndon hung his hope . At his own expense he put a shrewd detective at work . He was instructed to get into Crawley ' s confidence , if possible , or , at least , find out if he had any sources of income other than his salarly as clerk . It would be occupying too much space to detail how patiently and skillfully , by what slow but sure steps this delver into rogues' secrets learned what little he did of Joel Crawley ' s private affairs . It was not much , for he had a cool , reticent , retiring nature to deal with . But what Crawdey would not