CHAPTER XXIX.
SOME UNEXPECTED CHANGES When Conrad came home his first visit was to his mother.
"Has anything been found out about the stolen opera glass ?" he asked, with a studied air of indifference.
"I should say there had," she answered.

"I followed the clew you suggested, and searched the boy's room.

On the bureau I found the pawn ticket." "You don't say so! What a muff Ben must have been to leave it around so carelessly! What did you do with it ?" "I waited till Mr.Lynx was conferring with Cousin Hamilton, and then I carried it in and gave it to them." "What did they say ?" asked Conrad eagerly.
"They seemed thunderstruck, and Mr.Lynx very politely thanked me for the help I had given them." "Has Ben been bounced yet ?" "No; but doubtless he will be very soon.

Cousin Hamilton doesn't want to think him a thief and gambler, but there seems no way of escaping from such a mass of proof." "I should say not.

Do you think she's told Ben?
Does he look down in the mouth ?" continued Conrad.
"I haven't seen him since." When they met at the table Mrs.Hamilton's manner toward Ben was decidedly frigid, as Conrad and his mother saw, much to their satisfaction.