This was no doubt true, and Fitzgerald stared at the man who had tempted him to a crime and now threatened him with the consequences while he held back the reward, with stupefaction. "You see your plan won't work," said Hugo, smoothly. "I believe you are a fiend incarnate!" exclaimed Fitzgerald, feeling baffled and defeated. "Really, I don't much care what you think of me." "Do you mean to send me away penniless?" asked Fitzgerald, hoarsely. "No, I will take pity on your necessities and give you fifty dollars. I don't recognize any claims you may pretend to have on me, but I will help you so far." "Give me the fifty dollars, then!" said Fitzgerald, sullenly. Hugo drew from his wallet five ten-dollar bills, and handed them to his companion. "Now," said he, "I must wish you good morning. Don't come in my way again!" As Hugo walked back to the house Fitzgerald looked after him. "This will prove a bad morning's work for you, Mr. Hugo Richmond!" he muttered. CHAPTER XXXIII. FITZGERALD SEES AN APPARITION. A month later North's circus had come as far on its Eastern trip as Syracuse. Robert Rudd was still with it, and again was employed in his old business of riding. The young rider regularly employed was sick, and feeling that his ankle had become strong enough, Robert had volunteered to take his place. It so happened that Fitzgerald found himself in Syracuse at this time. Fortune had smiled upon him. He had carried the fifty dollars he received from Hugo Richmond to the gaming-table, and contrary to the usual fortune in such cases had won steadily till he had a fund of ten times the amount. Ordinarily he would have kept on, but now he had a definite object in view, and this was to revenge himself upon his faithless employer. "Why was I such a fool as to harm the boy?" he had asked himself more than once. "The cunning villain schemed to get me into his power, and he has done so. I do not dare to expose him, because in so doing I should risk my own life. Why did I not send him out of the country merely, and then claim the reward?" But the past could not be recalled, and though Fitzgerald heartily wished the boy alive, he always thought of him as lying dead at the bottom of a well in a far Western State. His busy brain was trying to contrive some plan of revenge, when he chanced to see a poster of North's circus. Robert's name was not on the bill, as he was only a substitute, not the regular rider. The performance had commenced when Fitzgerald entered. He looked on with languid indifference till the time came for Robert to enter the ring. When Fitzgerald saw the boy, whom he supposed to be dead, riding in the ring, he was as much startled as if he had seen some one arise from the dead. Could he be deceived? No. There could be no such close resemblances between two boys as between the rider and Robert Rudd.