THE BEAUT/FUL LADDER. 16 / 
generous benefactors of the distressed family; 
but we respected your evident wishes, and our 
suspicions have been kept in the family. I be¬ 
lieve that no one outside of our family has as 
yet got scent of the right track.” 
“ We are glad to hear that,” said Rudolph, 
“ but we are more especially anxious that the 
Farleys should be kept in entire ignorance. 
Are you certain that they have no hint of our 
connection with the affair?” 
“ Certainly I can answer for that,” said Mil- 
ton, “ for I was at their house to-day, and they 
were entirely at a loss to conceive who had so 
generously remembered them ; they have an 
idea that some of their old friends in the East, 
who had known them in their better days, had 
sought thus to help them in their deep distress.” 
We are highly gratified at this information,” 
said Davidson, “ and can now more freely open 
our hearts and purposes, but only on the sol¬ 
emn pledge of profoundest secrecy, especially 
enjoining that the objects of our aid shall never 
know to whom they are indebted.” 
“ A pledge,” said Doctor Dean, “ which we 
most cheerfully give, and which I am sure will 
be sacredly kept by every member of my family.” 
