"Is Mr. Rimmon in the office?" asked the postboy, as he handed over the mail pouch to the clerk. "No; he left town this forenoon, and we do not expect him back for two or three days. How is it you are so late to-night, Dix? Some of them have been raising a great hurrah because you have not come before. I told them there must be good reasons for your delay. What has happened?" CHAPTER XXXIV. LITTLE SNAP FINDS A CLEW. In his anxiety to get home, Little Snap did not stop to answer the clerk's question, other than to say: "I will tell you all about it in the morning. I am sorry Mr. Rimmon is not here." This fact was a great disappointment to him, and he did not know of any one else to whom he cared to divulge what he had learned. But before he did anything else he must know what had taken place at home, which he reached a minute later. Sammy had already dismounted from the panting Fairy, and was explaining to his mother what he had done. "Why, here he comes, mother! He got here almost as quick as I did." At sight of Dix, Mrs. Lewis ran forward to meet him. "Oh, my son, where have you been? They said you were dead, and I have suffered untold agony." "But you see I am safe and sound, mother, so cheer up. I got belated on my downward trip, that is all. Has anything new taken place since I went away?" "Let Sammy take care of the horses, Dix. Come into the house; I have something I want to say to you." "Has father been at home to-day?" asked Little Snap, as he followed his mother into the house. "Yes; he was here nearly all of the forenoon. He took Gyp and went away about half-past twelve. I have never seen him so strange appearing. He walked the floor nearly all of the time, and he kept talking to himself. Oh, Dix, I am worried to death. He had hardly left the house, before this piece of paper was thrown into the window. I did not see who brought it. You can read it yourself." This was what the postboy read: "MR. JOHN LEWIS: You are advised to leave Union Six Roads as soon as possible—you and your family. That boy of yours will be dead before you get this. A word to you ought to be sufficient." Like the message Little Snap had found in Pewee Burrnock's coat pocket, there was neither address nor signature to the note. He saw, too, that the handwriting and the kind of paper were the same as the other. "I will keep this, mother," he said, folding the sheet and putting it into his pocket. "Do you know what called Mr. Rimmon out of town to-day? It must have been something of importance, or he would have told me." "I don't know, my son, though Sammy has heard some startling stories about town in regard to him. Here comes Sammy; he can tell you. I have been too worried to think of anything."