"I do that. All this week he's been unusually flush of cash. It's easy to guess where it came from."
"And I have had to suffer for his theft. Oh, by the way, Ellen, has any letter come here for me?"
"There was one came this morning. I'll get it for you."
Scott looked at the postmark of the letter, and saw that it was from Chicago.
Scott opened the letter, which proved to be brief. It was dated at the Sherman House, Chicago, and ran thus:
"I am called away suddenly on business, and may be absent for a month. Should you need to consult me on any subject, direct to me here, as letters will be forwarded if I am absent from the city.
"I shall be glad to make the acquaintance of Mr. Lawton," said Justin. "He is evidently a good friend of yours."
"If he were here now he might get me a place. I don't stand much chance myself."
"I must see if I can't find some temporary work for you to do. Suppose we take an ice cream. Do you know any good place near by?"
Scott led the way to the place already referred to, frequented by his cousin, Loammi. When they entered, Scott saw Loammi seated at a table in the rear part of the saloon.
He espied the new arrival, and was evidently surprised to meet Scott in such a place.
"Good-evening, Loammi," returned Scott, coolly.
"Then how can you afford to buy ice cream?" Loammi was about to ask, but the presence of Justin Wood checked him. Mr. Wood was handsomely dressed, and looked like a man of means.
"I wonder where Scott picked him up," thought Loammi. He wished to be introduced, but Scott did not give any encouragement in that direction.
Loammi, having no good excuse to stay, rose and left the saloon.
"So that's your cousin?" remarked Justin Wood.
"He looks sly. I am something of a judge of faces, and I don't like his."
"I suppose I am prejudiced against him," said Scott. "I don't think I could ever like him."
Scarcely had Loammi left the saloon, when Scott was surprised to see Ezra Little and his wife enter.
Mrs. Little first caught sight of Scott, and spoke in a low tone to her husband.
Ezra Little, turning his glance in the direction of Scott, eyed him severely.
"So this is where you spend your ill-gotten money," he said, not noticing that Scott was in the company of the fashionably dressed young man sitting on the opposite side of the table.