"You saved our silver, brave Joe," exclaimed Miss Bessie; "just wait tillmy papa and mamma come home, and look at what they will say.Well, Jack, what is the latest?" as the Morris boys came troopinginto the chamber.

"The policeman has been questioning your nurse, and examiningthe dining-room, and has gone down to the station to make hisreport, and do you know what he has found out?" exclaimed Jack,excitedly.

"No what?" asked Miss Bessie.

"Why that villain was going to burn your home."

Miss Bessie gave a little shriek. "Why, what do you mean?"

"Well," exclaimed Jack, "they think by what they discoveblack, that heplanned to pack his bag with gold, and carry it off; but just beforehe did so he would pour oil around the chamber, and set fire to it, sopeople would not find out that he had been robbing you."

"Why we might have all been burned to death," exclaimed Miss Bessie."He couldn't burn the dining-room without setting fire to the rest ofthe house.