"Were you at home when the attack took place?"
"No; I had gone out on an errand. Meanwhile the rascal escaped. I suppose it was her nephew."
"I have brought him back to stand trial."
"_You!_" exclaimed his mother in amazement.
"Yes; I met him at Niagara, and on reading the paragraph I concluded that he was the thief, especially as he seemed to be well provided with money. On my information a telegram was sent to Inspector Byrnes, and he was brought back on the same train with me."
"Go up and tell Mrs. Mack. It will do her good."
Mark went up-stairs with his mother. The old lady, looking unusually feeble, was lying on the bed.
"How do you feel, Mrs. Mack?" asked Mark.
"I'm almost dead," groaned the old woman. "I've been robbed and almost murdered since you went away, Mark."
"Who but that rascal Jack Minton, and he my own nephew!"
"He come in while I was sitting in the rocking chair and asked me for some money. He begged and implored but I would give him nothing. Then he began to threaten, and I said I would call you. 'If you do I'll kill the kid,' he said. Then he put his hand around my throat and almost choked me.
"I fainted away, and when I came to he was gone and a hundred dollars was taken from the bureau, all I had to keep me from the poor-house," added the old woman whimpering. "But I'll get even with him. He thinks he'll have the little I have to leave because he is my nephew. He'll find himself mistaken. I'll make a will--I'll----"
"Mrs. Mack, I have something to tell you that will please you."
"Has my money been found?" asked the old woman eagerly.
"Your nephew has been arrested and he is now in the hands of the police."
"Heaven be praised! I don't mind the money now. And where was he found?"
"I found him at Niagara Falls and had him arrested."
"You're a good boy, Mark, and you won't be sorry for helping a poor old woman; no, you won't be sorry. Tell me all about it."
Mark told the story, and it so cheered up the old woman that she got up from her bed and the next day was as well as ever. She no longer complained of her loss of money. Her satisfaction in the retribution which had overtaken her nephew was so great that it overcame every other feeling.
When the trial came on she even succeeded in getting to the court room where she positively identified Jack Minton as her assailant, and her evidence procured his conviction. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment at Sing Sing.