"What shall we do, Addie?" she asked, despondently. "I can't get new pupils, and I must do something. I don't like to go back to the old business of making vests." "Don't do that, at any rate, Rose; I am sure you can do better than that." "I wish I knew what." "Suppose you go and see Mr. Codicil." "He might think I wished him to give me money." "No; ask him to use his influence to obtain you music-pupils." Rose brightened at the suggestion. "I believe I will follow your advice, Addie. It seems to me good." "And if that doesn't do any good, write to Miss Wilmot, and ask her advice. You can always refer to her." "Why, Addie, I never gave you credit for such wise counsel. Your words have inspired me with new cheerfulness. I will go to Mr. Codicil to-morrow morning." Half an hour before the arrival of Rose Beaufort at the lawyer's office, Ben and Mr. Novarro entered. "Can I see Mr. Codicil?" asked Ben. The clerk said, doubtfully, noting Ben's youthful appearance, and judging that his business could not be of great importance: "I will see. What name shall I mention?" "You may say that I come from Major Grafton." This message brought an immediate invitation to enter the lawyer's sanctum. The old man regarded him with considerable surprise as he entered. "I thought you were in Europe, Philip," he said. "Is your guardian with you?" "I have just come from Europe, Mr. Codicil," answered Ben. "Major Grafton is not with me." "How does it happen that you have left him? You have not run away, have you?" "Yes, sir; I felt obliged to run away." "May I ask why?" demanded the lawyer, searchingly. "Because I was not willing to aid Major Grafton in a scheme of fraud." Mr. Codicil pricked up his ears. "Proceed, young man," he said. "This is becoming interesting." "You called me Philip Grafton, and this is the name Major Grafton wished me to assume, but it is not my real name." "Go on, go on!" "My real name is Ben Baker. Major Grafton met me in this city, and engaged me to travel with him as his private secretary. He gave me the name of Philip Grafton, because, he said, I looked like his only son, bearing that name, who died abroad." "The old rascal!" "I supposed this was true, and saw no objection to the plan." "Can you tell me what became of the boy whose name you assumed?" asked Mr. Codicil, eagerly. "Yes, sir; he is dead." "Poor fellow! Where did he die?" "In Italy, last year." "And his rascally guardian, concealing this from me, has drawn the income of his property regularly for his own use. Now tell me how you came to learn all this." Ben gave the explanation clearly, and recited the steps taken by Major Grafton to keep him from divulging the secret. "It was a bold game," said the lawyer; "but, thanks to your information, it has failed. I shall at once telegraph to Major Grafton that his guardianship has ceased, and I will send over an agent to obtain the necessary proof of the boy's death."