CHAPTER III

LEFT ALONE

Frank listened to this revelation with wonder. For the first time in his
life he asked himself, "Who am I?"

"How came I by my name, mother?" he asked.

"I must tell you. After the sudden departure of the gentleman who
brought you, we happened to think that we had not asked your name. We
accordingly wrote to the address which had been given us, making the
inquiry. In return we received a slip of paper containing these words:
'The name is immaterial; give him any name you please. A. M.'"

"You gave me the name of Frank."

"It was Mr. Fowler's name. We should have given it to you had you been
our own boy; as the choice was left to us, we selected that."

"It suits me as well as any other. How soon did you leave Brooklyn,
mother?"

"In a week we had made all arrangements, and removed to this place. It
is a small place, but it furnished as much work as my husband felt able
to do. With the help of the allowance for your support, we not only got
on comfortably, but saved up a hundred and fifty dollars annually, which