“Two miles distant, on the Northcote road,” said the landlord. “Have you business with him?”

Julius answered in the affirmative.

“If you want to go over there after supper, I will send my boy to show you the way.”

“I think I will wait till morning,” said Julius, who felt tired. “My business will wait till then.”

There was a man sitting on the piazza¹ of the tavern² when Julius drove up. He was a tall man, rather shabbily built, with a slouching gait, who kept his eyes bent³ downward, while his face was partly shaded by a soft felt hat. Julius did not notice him, or rather did not do so particularly; but the stranger fixed⁴ his eyes eagerly on the boy’s face, and started perceptibly, while a look partly of recognition, partly of hatred⁵, swept over his countenance⁶.

I do not intend to make this man’s personality a mystery. It was Dan Marlowe, the burglar, whom, three years before, Julius had been instrumental in trapping, and who, until within two or three months, had been confined in Sing Sing prison. His escape has already been referred to.

He had now two ends to accomplish. One was to elude⁷ capture, the other to revenge himself on Julius.

While in prison he had heard from a fellow-prisoner that Julius was somewhere in the West. He could not ascertain⁸ where. Till to-day he had no clew whereby he might discover him; when all at once chance brought him face to face with his young enemy. In spite of his growth he recognized the boy, for he seldom forgot a face; but, to make certainty more certain, he lounged into the office after Julius had recorded his name, and examined the signature.

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