A small kerosene lamp was lighted and Gerald led the way up the two flights of stairs. There were two rooms adjoining at one end of the attic. They were small and had dormer windows. In each was a cot bed about two feet wide. "Is this the spare room, Gerald?" asked Mr. Crane, with a smile. "Your sister doesn't treat you with much ceremony, Mr. Crane." "No, that ain't Melindy's way. Howsomever I reckon I can sleep pretty sound in this little bed, if I don't tumble out." "I hope you are not sorry for your visit." "Sorry? I reckon not, when I carry back money enough to rebuild my shop—no thanks to Melindy, though." "Well, I will bid you good night, and wish you a sound sleep." "Thank you, Gerald. The same to you, my boy!" Gerald went down-stairs and found Mrs. Lane and Abel preparing to go to bed. He took a lamp and went up-stairs. From the force of habit he was about to go into the room which had always been his, but remembered himself in time and turned into the little bedroom. He heard Abel moving about in his old room, and his thoughts were bitter. "My place is taken by a stranger," he said. "How long shall I be able to stand it? Once I had a home, but now all is changed!" Gerald may be pardoned for feeling melancholy. The death of his father had made a great change for him. But the most bitter thought was that all this had happened with the concurrence of his father. He might easily have been provided for and made independent of his stepmother, but this had not been done. Now, as he looked forward, his prospects seemed far from bright. Though his father had died rich, he was penniless and had his own way to make. However, Gerald had a healthy nature and he did not allow sad thoughts long to hold sway over him. He was soon sound asleep. How long he slept he did not know, but suddenly he became wide awake. His hearing was keen and he seemed to hear something moving in the next room. "Is Abel up, I wonder?" he said to himself. [Illustration: A DARK FIGURE WAS BENDING OVER THE BED] Just then he heard a scream, and, bounding out of bed, he dashed into the next room. There in the faint light—for there was a moon—he saw a dark figure bending over the bed. The intruder looked like a tramp, and was grasping Abel by the throat. "Shut up, you viper!" he exclaimed. "If you don't I'll choke you!" Gerald comprehended the situation. The intruder was a burglar, who had been interrupted in his work by Abel's outcry, and was trying to stifle his screams. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XI THE BURGLAR'S DEFEAT GERALD did not pause to notice that the intruder was a man much larger than himself. He had plenty of courage, and lost sight of prudence. He sprang forward and seized the burglar.