Mrs. Rollins rose and hurried to the door. She reached it just as Rupert opened it and dashed into the room. "Oh, Rupert!" exclaimed the mother, joyfully. "Then your leg isn't broken?" "I should say not. I should like to settle with the one that told you so. Tell me all about it, mother." "So it was a telegraph boy who brought the message?" he said, thoughtfully, after the explanation. "Yes." "Let me see the message." Rupert examined it, but the handwriting was not one that he was familiar with. "Give it to me, mother. I'll find out the office it came from, and perhaps in that way I can get some light on the mystery." "I don't see what object anyone could have in playing such a cruel trick on me," said the widow. "Thank heaven, it isn't true." Rupert took the note and went to the nearest messenger office. "Was any messenger boy sent from here this afternoon to Elizabeth Street?" The superintendent looked over the books. "Yes," he answered. "Can you tell who left the message?" "It was a stout woman, of medium height." "What did she wear?" "She had on a faded shawl. I don't remember what kind of a hat she wore." But a light had already dawned on Rupert. "It was Mrs. Marlow!" he said to himself. CHAPTER VI. RUPERT AS A DETECTIVE. The next question that suggested itself to Rupert was, "What object could Mrs. Marlow have in sending off his mother on a wild goose chase?" The answer occurred immediately. "The purse." He hurried home, and fairly ran up stairs. "Mother," he cried, entering out of breath, "where did you put the purse I gave you?" "In the bureau drawer." "Will you look and see if it is there now?" Wondering at his earnestness, Mrs. Rollins opened the bureau drawer. "It is gone!" she said, with a startled look. "I think I know where it has gone," said Rupert, his suspicions now become certainties. "Where?" "Mrs. Marlow can probably tell you." "Do you mean that she has taken it, Rupert?" said his mother. "I have found out that Mrs. Marlow sent the messenger giving you the false report of my accident. You can guess her motive." "It hardly seems credible." "I think there can be no doubt of it." "What shall we do?" "I will try to get some further evidence. You remember that Grace woke up and saw her in the room." "You did not see her go near the bureau, Grace?" asked Mrs. Rollins. "No, she was just leaving the room when I woke up." "Wait here a minute, mother." Rupert darted down stairs and made his way to the grocery store which he judged Mrs. Marlow would be likely to visit. "What can I do for you, Rupert?" asked the grocer, pleasantly. "Has Mrs. Marlow been here to-day?" "Yes," laughed the grocer. "The old lady seems to be in funds. What do you think, Rupert? She changed a ten-dollar gold piece here." "I thought so," said Rupert. "That gold piece was stolen from my mother." "You don't tell me so!" ejaculated the grocer, opening wide his eyes in astonishment.