"Who holds it--that is, admitting for a moment the truth of your
story?"

"I do; it is in my pocket at this moment."

At this moment Tom Davenport opened the door of the apartment, and
stared in open-eyed amazement at his father's singular visitor.

"Leave the room, Tom," said his father hastily. "This man is
consulting me on business."

"Is that your son, squire?" asked the tramp, with a familiar nod.
"He's quite a young swell."

"What business can my father have with such a cad?" thought Tom,
disgusted.

Tom was pleased, nevertheless, at being taken for "a young swell."




CHAPTER VIII
SQUIRE DAVENPORT'S FINANCIAL OPERATION


Squire Davenport was a thoroughly respectable man in the estimation of
the community. That such a man was capable of defrauding a poor
widow, counting on her ignorance, would have plunged all his friends
and acquaintances into the profoundest amazement.