"Hurrah!"




CHAPTER VII

THE CONFIDENCE MAN


"All aboard!"

Frank fancied that he had never listened to a more cheery command than this
given as the Western Express rolled out of the depot at Tipton.

It was beautiful weather, a glorious day that would put life and sunshine
into an invalid, let alone a lively, happy boy escaping from what he
considered thralldom, believing that all the joys of life were awaiting him
at the end of his trip.

Frank's aunt actually smiled and waved the lad a gracious adieu from the
depot platform. She had been quite gentle and kind to him the few hours
preceding his departure. She had put up a generous lunch for him, and had
even unbent so far as to declare that she had believed from the first that
he knew nothing about the missing diamond bracelet. All this, however, had
been the preface to a dozen brief lectures on thorny ways and the dark
pitfalls of life. Frank was genuinely glad to escape from the gloomy
influence Miss Brown cast on everything bright and happy about her.

At another part of the platform was Mace, the jeweler. He had a sullen