being turned out daily. These facts and figures were all sent to Belden Brice nightly, for the young electrician never failed to write a letter to the speculator before retiring.
In the meantime Frankhn became better acquainted with Walter Robinson, and learned a few more facts concerning Wilbur Bliss and his inventions. He wondered if the inventor was still alive, and if Cora was really his daughter.
"Perhaps he died and Belden Brice adopted her out of the goodness of his heart," he speculated. "It would be just like him to care for the child of the man whose patent had helped to make him rich."
Robinson had, on one or two occasions, asked Franklin about himself, and the young electrician had told his newly found friend as much as he dared of his affairs. Perhaps Robinson thought it queer that he did not tell more, but if so the young man was too well bred to mention it.
On the fourth day after he had arrived in Chicago, Franklin received his first letter from Belden Brice. After praising the young electrician for what he had thus far done the speculator went on:
"I am very much interested in that consignment which was taken on board of the freight-boat, Sunfiower. I have an idea that those goods are shipped to Milwaukee, or some point further north, and then sent to Canada (perhaps smuggled), without the Smith Co. making any statement to
