"Well, I was in business for myself after I ran away from home and joined the professor," answered Joe. "That is, I had to attend to some of his business. What is it all about?" "That's just what I want to know," answered the young circus rider. "It's a puzzle to me." She again referred to the letter, then with a sort of hopeless gesture held it out to Joe. He took it and cried: "Why, what's this? It's all torn up," and he exhibited a handful of scraps of paper. "Oh--Joe!" Helen gasped. "How did that happen?" "Just a mistake," he replied. With a quick motion of his hand he held out the letter whole and untorn. "Oh--oh!" she stammered. Then, laughing, added: "Is that one of your sleight-of-hand tricks?" "Yes," Joe nodded. When Helen handed him the letter he happened to be holding the scraps of a circular letter he had just received and torn up. It occurred to him, just for a joke, to make Helen believe her letter had suddenly gone to pieces. It was one of Joe's simplest tricks, and he often did them nowadays in order to keep in practice. "You certainly gave me a start!" Helen exclaimed. "I had hardly read the letter myself. It's quite puzzling." "Do you want me to read it--and advise you?" asked Joe. "If you will--and can--yes." Joe hastily glanced over the paper. He saw in a moment that it was from a New York firm of lawyers. The body of the letter read: "We are writing to you to learn if, by any chance, you are the daughter of Thomas and Ruth Morton who some years ago lived in San Francisco. In case you are, and if your grandfather on your father's side was a Seth Morton, we would be glad to have you notify us of these facts, sending copies of any papers you may have to prove your identity. "For some years we have been searching for a Helen Morton with the above named relatives, but, so far, have not located her. "We discovered a number of Helen Mortons, but they were not the right ones. Recently we saw your name in a theatrical magazine, and take this opportunity to inquire of you, sending this letter in care of the circus with which we understand you are connected. Kindly reply as soon as possible. If you are the right person there is a sum of money due you, and we wish, if that is the case, to pay it and close an estate." Joe read the letter over twice without speaking. "Well," remarked Helen, after a pause, "I thought you were going to advise me." "So I am," Joe said. "I want to get this through my head first. But let me ask you: Is this a joke, or are you the Helen Morton referred to?" "I don't know whether it's a joke or not, Joe. First I thought it was. But my father's name was Thomas, and my grandfather was a Seth Morton, and he lived in San Francisco. Of course that was when I was a little girl, and I don't remember much about it. We lived in the West before papa and mamma died, and it was there I learned to ride a horse.