"Dear Sir: Answering your letter of yesterday's date, I have to
advise you that I have collected my half of the Peterson bill.
Your half I regard as extremely doubtful."

This was signed with the name of Lawyer Stark.

Tom Reade glanced through the note again, then gave vent to a
shout of laughter.

"Eh?" asked the peddler looking puzzled.

"I beg your pardon, sir," replied Reade instantly. "I shouldn't
have laughed, but this struck me, at first, as one of the funniest
letters I ever saw. So the lawyer has collected his half of the
twenty and regards the collection of your half as exceedingly
doubtful!"

"Shouldn't Lawyer Stark give me half of the ten he got from Bill
Peterson?" asked the peddler anxiously.

"Undoubtedly he should," Tom assented, "and just as undoubtedly
he hasn't any idea of doing so."

"What do you say, young man?" inquired the peddler, turning to
young Prescott.

"Why, sir, if you are asking about your legal chance of getting
half of that ten dollars from the lawyer," Dick answered, "then
I'm afraid you stand a poor show. If the lawyer won't pay you