"All will go to Robert, yes; but he is not a good-for-nothing boy." "That is where we differ, Mrs. Talbot. Once he gets the fortune he will run through it like wildfire, mark my words." "Robert is far too sensible to do any such thing." "Suppose he dies before you do, what then becomes of the estate?" "It becomes mine absolutely." "I see." "But I do not anticipate Robert will die before I do," went on Mrs. Talbot. "He is a strong, healthy lad." "True, but there is many an accident happens to a boy that is knocking around like him." "Mr. Talbot, do you wish any harm to befall my son?" demanded the lady of the house, half angrily. "Oh, no, of course not. But in knocking around he is taking a big risk, you must admit that." At these words Mrs. Talbot's face became a study and she left her husband without another word. "I really believe he wishes Robert out of the way," she thought. "Then the money would be mine, and he would try to get me to leave it to him." Left to himself James Talbot walked up and down in moody contemplation. "Here's a nice mess," he muttered. "I thought the whole estate belonged to her. If she died to-morrow I would be turned out without a cent and that boy or his guardian would take sole possession. I half wish I could get him out of my way for good, I really do." And then he began to speculate upon how such a dark deed could be accomplished. CHAPTER XV. THE RESULT OF A FIRE. On the following Sunday morning Robert attended one of the principal churches in Chicago and heard what he considered a very fine sermon on charity. "I suppose we ought all to be more charitable," he thought, on coming out. "But I must say I find it very hard to have any charitable feelings for Mr. Talbot. I do hope he is treating mother as he should." He was walking down State Street when he heard a commotion on the thoroughfare. A fire engine was coming along, followed by a long hook and ladder truck. He watched them and to his surprise saw them draw up almost in front of the tall office building in which Mr. Gray's cut-rate ticket establishment was located. "Can it be possible that our place is on fire?" he cried, and ran to the office with all speed. He soon discovered that the building was a mass of flames from top to bottom, the fire having started in the boiler room in the basement and found a natural outlet through the elevator shafts. He tried to get into the office, but the door was locked and he had no key. "Back there, young man!" came from a policeman, as he rushed up to force the gathering crowd out of the firemen's way. "I work in this office," answered Robert. "Hadn't I better try to save something?" "Are your books in your safe?" "I presume they are." "Then you had better get back. Something may cave in soon, you know."