CONTENTS. Chapter Page I. A Social Mystery 7 II. The Mystery Deepens 13 III. Prof. Poppendorf 19 IV. Prof. Poppendorf's Lecture 29 V. A Conversation with the Disagreeable Woman 41 VI. Count Penelli 50 VII. Macy's 61 VIII. The Professor in Love 71 IX. An Evening at the Boarding-House 82 X. A Rustic Admirer 93 XI. A Poor Patient 104 XII. The Disagreeable Woman in a New Light 112 [Pg iv]XIII. Mrs. Wyman's Curiosity 117 XIV. The Quality of Mercy 122 XV. The Professor's Courtship 128 XVI. Sits the Wind in that Quarter? 139 XVII. My Rich Patient 150 XVIII. The Professor's Book 156 XIX. A Speech from the Throne 162 XX. A Startling Discovery 169 XXI. After Three Months 174 XXII. I Appeal to the Disagreeable Woman 181 XXIII. At Last 185 XXIV. The Light of Hope 189 OUT FOR BUSINESS OR, ROBERT FROST'S STRANGE CAREER By Horatio Alger, Jr. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. A Great Surprise, 7 II. Mr. Talbot and the Dog, 15 III. The Little Plot against Robert, 24 IV. Mr. Talbot is Mystified, 33 V. A Crisis, 42 VI. On the Train, 51 VII. Baffled, 59 VIII. Peril, 67 IX. At the Palmer House, 75 X. Robert Gets a Place, 83 XI. Mr. Palmer's Infatuation, 92 XII. An Unlooked-for Scene, 101 XIII. Robert Receives a Letter, 110 XIV. James Talbot Learns Something of Importance, 118 XV. The Result of a Fire, 127 XVI. Two Disappointments, 136 XVII. Robert is Given a Mission, 143 XVIII. The Post-office Money Order, 150 XIX. An Unexpected Attack, 160 XX. The Escape of Cross and Huskin, 169 XXI. Robert and the Old Lumberman, 178 [Pg vi]XXII. A Clever Capture, 187 XXIII. Palmer's Unfortunate Début, 197 XXIV. Palmer Calls upon Robert's Mother, 209 XXV. Another Talk about Robert, 215 XXVI. Robert Speaks his Mind, 222 XXVII. Mr. Talbot Receives another Set-back, 229 XXVIII. The Conspirators are Disgusted, 236 XXIX. A Lucky Change of Staterooms, 245 XXX. Another Plot against Robert, 253 XXXI. The Missing Baggage Check, 261 XXXII. Robert Delivers the Precious Map, 269 XXXIII. Robert Visits Home—Conclusion, 279 MARK MANNING'S MISSION THE STORY OF A SHOE FACTORY BOY By Horatio Alger, Jr.