Under the circumstances, the Judge thought it advisable that the suit should not be pressed. He placed Ben under five hundred dollars bonds, Joe Smith becoming the surety. The case was never called, and Ben soon after removed from Parker's. [Illustration: _SCENE IN THE PITTSBURG HOUSE._] CHAPTER XV. Ben buys a house in Pittsburg--Engineering for a New Railroad--Goes to Petrolia and Opens House--The Ladies Seminary. In the city of Pittsburg, there stands, on Tenth street, a handsome brick house, which has a history connected with it. This house was once the property of Ben Hogan. Upon leaving Parker's Landing, as already narrated, he made his way to Pittsburg, accompanied by Kitty and Lizzie Topley, and carrying with him fifteen thousand dollars in cash. A part of this money he was desirous of investing in real estate, and after looking about the city, he finally hit upon the dwelling on Tenth street, alluded to above. For this place he paid seven thousand dollars, and expended about three thousand more in furniture and decorations. The interior of the house was magnificent in the extreme. The furniture, carpets, pictures, etc., were of the costliest description. Kitty and Lizzie were the only occupants, Ben's idea being to fit up a permanent and handsome place for his home. It was what might be called a semi-private resort, where a few high-toned patrons only were admitted. Nothing but choice wines could be obtained in the place, and those who were desirous of maintaining their reputation as gentlemen were expected to order liberally without regard to the rather high price per bottle. With the outlay involved in fitting out this Pittsburg house, and the other expenses which he had met with after leaving Parker's, Ben found his capital exhausted. He therefore set about to discover some means by which he could make another raise. It so happened at this time that they were building a railroad, or rather discussing the feasibility of building one, between Pittsburg and Butler. This gave Ben a suggestion for a plan of operation. Joining with a couple of gentlemen who were not overburdened with conscientious scruples as to what they did, he provided himself with a surveyor's glass, a line, poles, and other instruments used by civil engineers. Then the three friends set out for the country between Pittsburg and Butler. Arrived at the spot where stood the house of a rich farmer, the self-constituted surveyors began their work. They set up their sighting glass, and proceeded to make observations, stretch the line and drive in stakes. It was not long before these operations attracted the attention of the farmer, who came out and wanted to know what the strangers were doing. He was informed that they were civil engineers, and were laying out the line for the new road to Butler. "But you ain't going to make that 'ere railroad run through my land, be you?"