"I knew you would say that. Why, Robert, it won't be a month before I'm the star of the combination." "You have my best wishes." "Shall I take you to see Jack Dixon?" "No--at least, not for the present." "But you may be missing the chance of your life." "No, I'm no actor. I believe I was cut out for some office business and nothing else." "Do you mean to say you would be content to sit on a high stool keeping books all your life? That wouldn't suit me." "No, I don't mean that exactly. I would like to manage some large office business--after I had learned it thoroughly." "Of course that is somewhat better." At that moment the supper bell rang, and Palmer took his leave, to go to the theater for rehearsal. As Robert went down to the dining room of the boarding house he could not help but utter a short sigh. "Poor Palmer," he mused. "He means well, but I'm afraid he will make an awful mess of it." The evening was spent in his room reading a paper, for Robert was in no humor to go anywhere, even if he had felt like spending any money. "I must try my luck again to-morrow," was his resolve. "And I must get around early, too." He was up before seven o'clock, and dressing hastily, went out and purchased several newspapers. At the house he sat down in the sitting room to examine the Help Wanted columns, as he had done the day before. Presently he heard the postman's whistle and ring. Soon after one of the servant girls came in with a letter for him. It was from Timberville, as he could see by the postmark, and he tore it open eagerly, feeling it must have been sent by Dick Marden. The communication interested Robert deeply. It ran as follows: "My Dear Robert: "I have just learned by the newspapers that Peter Gray's office was burnt out last Sunday. I see that the loss was heavy, and in an interview Gray says he may not resume. "This will, of course, throw you out of a position. In one way I am sorry of it; in another, I am glad. "I hate to have you compelled to make a change, yet, as matters have turned, I would like to have a smart boy like you up here to help me, since my uncle is worse than before and those swindlers--for such they are--are determined to get the lumber lands away from him. "In the crowd are two men, a French Canadian Le Fevre and an Englishman named Hammerditch. They want to get hold of an old map which was in the possession of a certain lumberman named Herman Wenrich. This lumberman used to live in upper Michigan but now resides in Chicago. "If you can do so, I would like you to find Herman Wenrich and get the map from him, even if you have to pay fifty or a hundred dollars for it. The map will be valuable in showing up the actual grants which belong to my uncle.