"What sort of a man is Mr. Kenyon?" asked Nicholas of Dr. Dudley.
"He is a very unprincipled schemer, in my opinion," was the reply. "He has managed to defraud Oliver of his mother's property and cast him penniless on the world."
"He is a scoundrel, no doubt; but I am notsorry for what he has done," replied Mr. Bundy. "But for him I should be a solitary man. Now I have a young friend to keep me company. Let the boy's inheritance go? I will provide for him!"
They dined together, and then Dr. Dudley and his family were obliged to return.
"Shall I give your love to Roland?" asked Frank.
"I think you had better keep it yourself, Frank," and Oliver pressed his hand warmly. "You needn't tell Roland that I am prospering, nor his father, either. I prefer, at present, that they should not know it."
They parted, with mutual promises to write at regular intervals.
CHAPTER XXIV.
ANOTHER CLUE.
N ICHOLAS BUNDY was disappointed by his first failure, but by no means discouraged.