With rather a bewildered look, Johnny allowed Lyman to take his small, thin hand, and looked perplexed.
"Come, you don't harbor no malice, my lad, do you?" said Lyman with a smile.
"No—o," answered Johnny, doubtfully.
"The fact is, I feel an interest in you, my boy. You look like a little cousin of mine that I haven't seen since he was a baby."
Johnny was more and more puzzled. The neglected little match boy was not used to such attention.
"Did you ever live in St. Louis?" asked Lyman, at a venture.
"Yes," answered the match boy.
Lyman opened his eyes in surprise. He had not expected such an answer. Even then he did not suspect that Chance had led him to the very boy whom he desired to meet.
"Have you any father or mother?" he asked.
"No sir."