It occurred to him that he had come out for another purpose. There was nothing for it now but to go to the Bigelows'; and with a glance at his watch, he turned in that direction. The family were at dinner, he was informed, but Mrs. Bigelow would see him in a few moments. He was shown into a reception-room, where he could drop into a chair in the bay window and look in between the portières down the length of the living-room. The furniture was rich and heavy; the mantels and tables and bookcases were laden with bric-à-brac; the walls were covered with paintings and engravings, some of them fairly good, all of them very costly. From the dining-room came the jingle of knives and forks and the laughter of children, and now and then the heavy voice of Mr. Bigelow dominating. Then he heard the rustle of skirts and in came Mrs. Bigelow. “How do you do, John? It is a long time since we have seen you. You must have gone away from Evanston when you left college. “Yes; I'm not living here.” “Where are you now, John?” “I'm up in Michigan.” “You have a position there?” “Yes.” “Well, I have heard Mr. Bigelow say that there are really about as good openings in the country as in the city. It is so overcrowded in Chicago. Are you getting on well?” “I--I guess so--as well as I could expect.” “I am very glad to hear that--and Mr. Bigelow will be, too. He really took quite an interest in you, John. He is always glad to know that the young men he has been interested in are getting on.” “I have come down to Chicago to-day, Mrs. Bigelow, to look for a boy; and I have heard he is here. His name is George--George Bigelow.” “Oh, yes; George. It is odd that he should have our name. He is a Settlement boy--Mr. Babcock rescued him from I don't know what distress. I wondered if there were any distant branch of the family that could have dropped in the world, but Mr. Bigelow says there is no connection whatever. It is a very common name in Chicago, he says. It seems that the boy's family is worthless, and he himself has already been in jail. But he seems to feel some remorse, and I am not letting it make any difference here.” “Captain Craig, his grandfather, heard to-day from George's mother, after a long separation. We happen to be employed by the same company and I have come down with him to find his family. He wants to take them all back with him.” “To take him back? Why, he has been here only a little while. Did you mean to take him yourself?” “Captain Craig plans to give them all a supper this evening, and I promised him I would be on hand with George.” “Very well; I will send for him.” She stepped to the hall and rang a bell. While she was speaking to the maid Mr. Bigelow came into the hall, with a little girl hanging to each arm. He paused in the doorway of the reception-room and nodded to Halloran. “How do you do,” he said. “How do you do, sir.”