``That boy is in the way,'' she said to herself,

when she was left alone. ``He is in my way, and
Tom's way. I can see that he is artfully intriguing

for Mr. Wharton's favor, but I must checkmate him.
It's odd,'' she resumed, after a pause, ``but there is

something in his face and voice that seems familiar
to me. What is it?''

* * * * *
The following evening the housekeeper received

another visit from her nephew.
``How do, aunt?'' said Thomas Bradley, carelessly,

as he entered the housekeeper's room.
``Very well, thank you, Thomas. I am glad you

are here. I have been wanting to see you.''
``The old man isn't going to do anything for me,

is he?''
``How can you expect it so soon? He doesn't

know you yet. How much do you think he pays the
cash-boy that reads to him in the evening?''

``I don't know.''
``Five dollars a week.''

``I wouldn't give up my evenings for that,'' he said.
``It isn't so much the pay, Thomas, though that

would be a help. He might take a fancy to you.''
``That might pay better. When are you going to

introduce me?''
``This evening; that is, I will ask Mr. Wharton

if he will see you.''
Mrs. Bradley entered the library, where Frank

was engaged in reading aloud.
``Excuse my interruption,'' she said; ``but my

nephew has just called, and I should like to introduce
him to you, if you will kindly receive him.''

``Certainly, Mrs. Bradley,'' said Mr. Wharton.
``Bring him in.''

The housekeeper left the room, but speedily
reappeared, followed by her nephew, who seemed a

little abashed.
``My nephew, Thomas Bradley, Mr. Wharton,''

said his aunt, by way of introduction. ``You have
often heard me speak of Mr. Wharton, Thomas.''

``How do you do, sir?'' said Thomas awkwardly.
``Pray take a seat, Mr. Bradley. Your aunt has

been long a member of my family. I am glad to see
a nephew of hers. I believe you are a salesman at

Gilbert & Mack's?''
``Yes, sir.''

``Then you must know my young friend here?''
pointing to Frank.

``How are you, Cash?'' said Thomas, laughing,
under the impression that he had said something

smart.
``Very well, Mr. Bradley,'' answered Frank,

quietly.
``You see, that's all the name we call 'em in the

store,'' said Thomas.
Mr. Wharton could not help thinking:

``How poorly this young man compares with my
young friend. Still, as he is Mrs. Bradley's nephew,

I must be polite to him.''
``Are there many cash-boys in your establishment,

Mr. Bradley?''
``About a dozen. Ain't there, Fowler?''

``I believe so, Mr. Bradley.''
``Gilbert & Mack do a good business, I should

judge.''
``Yes, they do; but that doesn't do us poor

salesmen much good. We get just enough to keep soul
and body together.''

``I am sorry to hear it,'' said Mr. Wharton.
``Why, sir,'' said Thomas, gaining confidence, ``all

they pay me is twelve dollars a week. How can
they expect a fellow to live on that?''

``I began my career about your age,'' said Mr.
Wharton, ``or perhaps a little younger, and had to

live on but six dollars a week.''
``Didn't you come near starving?'' he asked.

``On the contrary, I saved a little every week.''
``I can't,'' said Thomas, a little discomfited. ``Why,

it takes half that to dress decently.''
Mr. Wharton glanced quietly at the rather loud

and flashy dress worn by his visitor, but only said:
``A small salary, of course, makes economy necessary.''

``But when a fellow knows he earns a good deal
more than he gets, he doesn't feel like starving himself

just that his employers may grow rich.''
``Of course, if he can better himself they cannot

object.''
``That's just what I want to do,'' said Thomas; ``but

I expect I need influence to help me to something
better. That's a good hint,'' thought he.

``I was telling Thomas,'' said the housekeeper,
``that you had kindly expressed a desire to be of

service to him.''
``I am not now in active business,'' said Mr. Wharton,

``and of course have not the opportunities I
formerly had for helping young men, but I will bear

your case in mind, Mr. Bradley.''
``Thank you, sir,'' said Thomas. ``I am sure I

earn a thousand dollars a year.''
``I think, Thomas,'' said Mrs. Bradley, ``we won't

intrude on Mr. Wharton longer this evening. When
he finds something for you he will tell me.''

``All right, aunt. Good-night, Mr. Wharton. Good-
night, Cash,'' said Thomas, chuckling anew at the

old joke.
``Well, aunt,'' said he, when they were once more

in the housekeeper's room, ``do you think the old
gentleman will do anything for me?''

``I hope so; but I am not sure, Thomas, whether
you were not too familiar. You spoke of money too

quick.''
``It's my way to come to business.''

``I wish you were his reader, instead of that boy.''
``Well, I don't. I wouldn't want to he mewed up

in that room with the old man every night. I should
get tired to death of it.''

``You would have a chance to get him interested
in you. That boy is artful; he is doing all he can to

win Mr. Wharton's favor. He is the one you have
most reason to dread.''

``Do you think he will do me any harm?''
``I think he will injure your chances.''

``Egad! if I thought that, I'd wring the young
rascal's neck.''

``There's a better way, Thomas.''
``What's that?''

``Can't you get him dismissed from Gilbert &
Mack's?''

``I haven't enough influence with the firm.''
``Suppose they thought him dishonest?''

``They'd give him the sack, of course.''
``Can't you make them think so, Thomas?''

``I don't know.''
``Then make it your business to find out.''

``I suppose you know what good it's going to do,
aunt, but I don't. He's got his place here with the

old man.''
``If Mr. Wharton hears that he is discharged, and

has lost his situation, he will probably discharge
him, too.''

``Perhaps so; I suppose you know best.''
``Do as I tell you, and I will manage the rest.''

``All right. I need your help enough. To-night,
for instance, I'm regularly cleaned out. Haven't got

but twenty-five cents to my name.''
``It seems to me, Thomas,'' said his aunt, with a

troubled look, ``you are always out of money. I'll
give you five dollars, Thomas, but you must remember

that I am not made of money. My wages are
small.''

``You ought to have a good nest-egg laid aside,
aunt.''

``I've got something, Thomas, and when I die, it'll
be yours.''

``I hope I shan't have to wait too long,'' thought
Thomas, but he did not give utterance to the

thought.''
``Come again, Thomas, and don't forget what I

have said,'' said Mrs. Bradley.
CHAPTER XI

JOHN WADE
A tall man, with a sallow complexion, and heavily-

bearded face, stood on the deck of a Cunard steamer,
only a few miles distant from New York harbor.

``It's three years since I have seen America,'' he
said to himself, thoughtfully. ``I suppose I ought to

feel a patriotic fervor about setting foot once more
on my native shore, but I don't believe in nonsense.

I would be content to live in Europe all my life, if
my uncle's fortune were once in my possession. I

am his sole heir, but he persists in holding on to
his money bags, and limits me to a paltry three thousand

a year. I must see if I can't induce him to give
me a good, round sum on account--fifty thousand,

at least--and then I can wait a little more patiently
till he drops off.''

``When shall we reach port, captain?'' he asked,
as he passed that officer.

``In four hours, I think, Mr. Wade.''
``So this is my birthday,'' he said to himself.

``Thirty five years old to-day. Half my life gone,
and I am still a dependent on my uncle's bounty.

Suppose he should throw me off--leave me out in
the cold--where should I be? If he should find the

boy--but no, there is no chance of that. I have
taken good care of that. By the way, I must look

him up soon--cautiously, of course--and see what
has become of him. He will grow up a laborer or

mechanic and die without a knowledge of his birth,
while I fill his place and enjoy his inheritance.''

At six o'clock the vessel reached the Quarantine.
Most of the passengers decided to remain on board

one night more, but John Wade was impatient, and,
leaving his trunks, obtained a small boat, and soon

touched the shore.
It was nearly eight when John Wade landed in

the city. It was half-past eight when he stood on
the steps of his uncle's residence and rang the bell.

``Is my uncle is Mr. Wharton--at home?'' he
asked of the servant who answered the bell.

• reading [´ri:diŋ] n.(阅)读；朗读；读物 (初中英语单词)
• nephew [´nevju:, ´nɛfju] n.侄子；外甥 (初中英语单词)
• introduction [,intrə´dʌkʃən] n.介绍；引言；引导 (初中英语单词)
• impression [im´preʃən] n.印刷；印象；效果 (初中英语单词)
• polite [pə´lait] a.有礼貌的；温和的 (初中英语单词)
• career [kə´riə] n.经历；生涯；职业 (初中英语单词)
• contrary [´kɔntrəri] a.相反的 n.相反 (初中英语单词)
• visitor [´vizitə] n.访问者；来宾；参观者 (初中英语单词)
• economy [i´kɔnəmi] n.经济；机制；组织 (初中英语单词)
• injure [´indʒə] vt.伤害，损害，毁坏 (初中英语单词)
• instance [´instəns] n.例子，实例，例证 (初中英语单词)
• vessel [´vesəl] n.容器；船；脉管 (初中英语单词)
• residence [´rezidəns] n.居住(期间)；住宅 (初中英语单词)
• housekeeper [´haus,ki:pə] n.主妇，女管家 (高中英语单词)
• salesman [´seilzmən] n.店员；推销员 (高中英语单词)
• regularly [´regjuləli] ad.有规律地；经常地 (高中英语单词)
• complexion [kəm´plekʃən] n.肤色；情况；局面 (高中英语单词)
• thoughtfully [´θɔ:tfuli] ad.深思地；体贴地 (高中英语单词)
• patriotic [,pætri´ɔtik] a.爱国的 (高中英语单词)
• dependent [di´pendənt] a.依赖的；从属的 (高中英语单词)
• laborer [´leibərə] (=labourer) n.工人 (高中英语单词)
• decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
• impatient [im´peiʃənt] a.不耐烦的，急躁的 (高中英语单词)
• poorly [´puəli] a.不舒服的 ad.贫穷地 (英语四级单词)
• utterance [´ʌtərəns] n.发音；言辞；所说的话 (英语四级单词)
• setting [´setiŋ] n.安装；排字；布景 (英语四级单词)
• wanting [´wɔntiŋ, wɑ:n-] a.短缺的；不足的 (英语六级单词)
• holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)