"Why should you need to travel with Major Grafton, or any other gentleman, as private secretary, unless, indeed, your mother did not wish you to come to Europe alone?" Ben stared at his interlocutor in amazement. "How could I come to Europe alone?" he asked. "Where should I find the money to pay my expenses?" "Your mother might pay the expenses of your trip." "My mother is very poor, Mr. Novarro." "Very poor! Has she, then, lost the money that your father left her?" "I think you must be under a great mistake, Mr. Novarro. My uncle allows my mother a small income, and I help her all I can." "There is certainly a great mistake somewhere," said the Cuban. "To my certain knowledge your father possessed a hundred thousand dollars in first-class securities. Didn't you know anything of this?" continued Mr. Novarro, observing Ben's look of extreme amazement. "I know nothing of it, Mr. Novarro." "Then he must have been robbed of the securities which I myself gave him on the 18th day of May, in the year 18--" "That was the day of my father's death," said Ben. "He died on that very day?" said the Cuban in excitement. "Tell me the particulars of your father's death. Did he die a natural death?" "Yes, sir; he died of heart disease." "And where?" "In the house of my Uncle Nicholas." "Before he had time to go home? Before he had acquainted your mother with his good fortune?" "Neither my mother nor myself knew but that he died a poor man." "But he had the securities with him. Did your uncle say nothing of them?" "Not a word." A look of suspicion appeared on the face of Filippo Novarro. "Tell me," he said, quickly--"did your uncle, shortly after your father's death, enlarge his business?" "Yes, sir; he moved from a small store in Grand street to a larger store on Broadway--the one which he now occupies." With the Cuban, suspicion was now changed to certainty. He brought down his fist heavily upon the table at his side. "I know all now," he said. "Your uncle deliberately robbed your dead father of the securities which I had placed in his hands, and coolly appropriating them to his own use, used the proceeds to build up and extend his business, leaving your mother to live in poverty." "I feel bewildered," said Ben. "I can hardly believe my uncle would treat us so shamefully." "By the way, when did your mother move to Minnesota?" asked the Cuban. "To Minnesota?" "Yes. When I was in New York, not long since, I called upon your uncle and signified my intention to call upon your mother. He told me she had moved to Minnesota, and, of course, I was compelled to give up my plan." "My mother has never moved to Minnesota; she still lives in Sunderland." "Then your uncle intended to prevent our meeting. He feared, doubtless, that if we met, his rascality would be discovered. Providence has defeated his cunningly-devised scheme, and the truth will soon be brought to light, to his confusion."