position which he found himself occupying in society. Mr. Spencer, too, was benefited by his new friend. He gave up drink and dissipation, and contented himself with pleasures in which he could invite Tony to participate.
Meanwhile Mrs. Harvey Middleton and Rudolph had arrived in England, and we must leave our hero for a time and join them.
CHAPTER XXIX
HOME AGAIN
When Mrs. Harvey Middleton reached England she delayed but a day in London to attend to necessary business. This business was solely connected with her mission to America. Rudolph Rugg accompanied her to the chambers of a well-known lawyer, and testified to having had the charge of Tony, closing with the description of his death. Of course nothing was said of the well, or about his having thrown him in, for Rudolph was not a fool. The details of a probable story had been got up by Mrs. Middleton and Rugg in concert. According to them and the written testimony, Tony had been run over by a train on the Erie Railway, and a newspaper paragraph describing such an accident to an unknown boy was produced in corroboration.
It was an ingenious fabrication, and Mrs. Middleton plumed herself upon it.
Poor boy!” she said, with a hypocritical sigh, “his was a sad fate.”
“It was, indeed,” said the lawyer; “but,” he added, dryly, “you have no cause to regret it, since it secures you the estate.”
“Don’t mention it, Mr. Brief. It is sad to profit by such a tragedy.”
“You don’t take a business view of it, madam. Such