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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..10ac574 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #54265 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/54265) diff --git a/old/54265-8.txt b/old/54265-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6376ca8..0000000 --- a/old/54265-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9536 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Luck and Pluck, by Horatio Alger, Jr. - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Luck and Pluck - or John Oakley's Inheritance - -Author: Horatio Alger, Jr. - -Release Date: March 1, 2017 [EBook #54265] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LUCK AND PLUCK *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Whitehead, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - -POPULAR JUVENILE BOOKS. - -BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. - - -_RAGGED DICK SERIES._ - -_To be completed in Six Volumes._ - - I. RAGGED DICK; OR, STREET LIFE IN NEW YORK. - - II. FAME AND FORTUNE; OR, THE PROGRESS OF RICHARD - HUNTER. - -III. MARK, THE MATCH BOY. - - IV. ROUGH AND READY; OR, LIFE AMONG THE NEW YORK - NEWSBOYS. - - V. BEN, THE LUGGAGE BOY. (In April, 1870.) - - VI. RUFUS AND ROSE; OR, THE FORTUNES OF ROUGH AND - READY. (In December, 1870.) - -_Price, $1.25 per volume._ - - -_CAMPAIGN SERIES._ - -_Complete in Three Vols._ - - I. FRANK'S CAMPAIGN. - II. PAUL PRESCOTT'S CHARGE. -III. CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE. - -_Price, $1.25 per volume._ - - -_LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES._ - -_To be completed in Six Volumes._ - - I. LUCK AND PLUCK; OR, JOHN OAKLEY'S INHERITANCE. - -OTHERS IN PREPARATION. - -_Price, $1.50 per volume._ - - - - -[Illustration] - - - - -[Illustration: LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES. -BY HORATIO ALGER JR. -LUCK and PLUCK.] - - - - - LUCK AND PLUCK; - OR, - JOHN OAKLEY'S INHERITANCE. - - - BY - HORATIO ALGER, JR. - - AUTHOR OF "RAGGED DICK," "FAME AND FORTUNE," "MARK, THE MATCH - BOY," "ROUGH AND READY," "CAMPAIGN SERIES," ETC. - - - LORING, Publisher, - 819 WASHINGTON STREET, - BOSTON. - - - - - Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by - A. K. LORING, - In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of - Massachusetts. - - - Rockwell & Churchill, Printers and Stereotypers, - 122 Washington Street. - - - - - To - MY YOUNG FRIENDS, - ISAAC AND GEORGE, - THIS VOLUME - IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -"Luck and Pluck" appeared as a serial story in the juvenile department -of Ballou's Magazine for the year 1869, and is therefore already -familiar to a very large constituency of young readers. It is now -presented in book form, as the first of a series of six volumes, -designed to illustrate the truth that a manly spirit is better than -the gifts of fortune. Early trial and struggle, as the history of the -majority of our successful men abundantly attests, tend to strengthen -and invigorate the character. - -The author trusts that John Oakley, his young hero, will find many -friends, and that his career will not only be followed with interest, -but teach a lesson of patient fortitude and resolute endeavor, and a -determination to conquer fortune, and compel its smiles. He has no -fear that any boy-reader will be induced to imitate Ben Brayton, whose -selfishness and meanness are likely to meet a fitting recompense. - - NEW YORK, NOV. 8, 1869. - - - - -LUCK AND PLUCK; -OR, -JOHN OAKLEY'S INHERITANCE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -INTRODUCING TWO BOYS AND A HORSE. - - -"What are you going to do with that horse, Ben Brayton?" - -"None of your business!" - -"As the horse happens to belong to me, I should think it was -considerable of my business." - -"Suppose you prove that it belongs to you," said Ben, coolly. - -"There is no need of proving it. You know it as well as I do." - -"At any rate, it doesn't belong to you now," said Ben Brayton. - -"I should like to know why not?" - -"Because it belongs to me." - -"Who gave it to you?" - -"My mother." - -"It wasn't hers to give." - -"You'll find that the whole property belongs to her. Your father left -her everything, and she has given the horse to me. Just stand aside -there; I'm going to ride." - -John Oakley's face flushed with anger, and his eyes flashed. He was -a boy of fifteen, not tall, but stout and well-proportioned, and -stronger than most boys of his age and size, his strength having -been developed by rowing on the river, and playing ball, in both of -which he was proficient. Ben Brayton was a year and a half older, -and half a head taller; but he was of a slender figure, and, having -no taste for vigorous out-of-door amusements, he was not a match in -strength for the younger boy. They were not related by blood, but -both belonged to the same family, Ben Brayton's mother having three -years since married Squire Oakley, with whom she had lived for a year -previous as house-keeper. A week since the squire had died, and when, -after the funeral, the will had been read, it was a matter of general -astonishment that John, the testator's only son, was left entirely -unprovided for, while the entire property was left to Mrs. Oakley. -John, who was of course present at the reading of the will, was -considerably disturbed at his disinheritance; not because he cared for -the money so much as because it seemed as if his father had slighted -him. Not a word, however, had passed between him and his father's widow -on the subject, and things had gone on pretty much as usual, until -the day on which our story commences. John had just returned from the -village academy, where he was at the head of a class preparing for -college, when he saw Ben Brayton, the son of Mrs. Oakley by a former -marriage preparing to ride out on a horse which for a year past had -been understood to be his exclusive property. Indignant at this, he -commenced the conversation recorded at the beginning of this chapter. - -"Stand aside there, John Oakley, or I'll ride over you!" - -"Will you, though?" said John, seizing the horse by the bridle. "That's -easier said than done." - -Ben Brayton struck the horse sharply, hoping that John would be -frightened and let go; but our hero clung to the bridle, and the horse -began to back. - -"Let go, I tell you!" exclaimed Ben. - -"I won't!" said John, sturdily. - -The horse continued to back, until Ben, who was a coward at heart, -becoming alarmed, slid off from his back. - -"That's right," said John, coolly. "Another time you'd better not -meddle with my horse." - -"I'll meddle with you, and teach you better manners!" exclaimed Ben, a -red spot glowing in each of his pale cheeks. - -As he spoke, he struck John smartly over the shoulders with the small -riding-whip he carried. - -John was not quarrelsome. I am glad to bear this testimony to his -character, for I have a very poor opinion of quarrelsome boys; but he -had a spirit of his own, and was not disposed to submit tamely to a -blow. He turned upon Ben instantly, and, snatching the whip from his -hand, struck him two blows in return for the one he had received. - -"I generally pay my debts with interest, Ben Brayton," he said, coolly. -"You ought to have thought of that before you struck me." - -A look of fierce vindictiveness swept over the olive face of his -adversary as he advanced for another contest. - -"Stand back there!" exclaimed John, flourishing the whip in a -threatening manner. "I've paid you up, and I don't want to strike you -again." - -"I'll make you smart for your impudence!" fumed Ben, trying to get -near enough to seize the whip from his hands. - -"I didn't strike first," said John, "and I shan't strike again, unless -I am obliged to in self-defence." - -"Give me that whip!" screamed Ben, livid with passion. - -"You can't have it." - -"I'll tell my mother." - -"Go and do it if you like," said John, a little contemptuously. - -"Let go that horse." - -"It's my own, and I mean to keep it." - -"It is not yours. My mother gave it to me." - -"It wasn't hers to give." - -John still retained his hold of the saddle, and kept Ben at bay -with one hand. He watched his opportunity until Ben had retreated -sufficiently far to make it practicable, then, placing his foot in the -stirrup, lightly vaulted upon the horse, and, touching him with the -whip, he dashed out of the yard. Ben sprang forward to stop him; but he -was too late. - -"Get off that horse!" he screamed. - -"I will when I've had my ride," said John, turning back in his saddle. -"Now, Prince, do your best." - -This last remark was of course addressed to the horse, who galloped up -the street, John sitting on his back, with easy grace, as firmly as if -rooted to the saddle; for John was an admirable horseman, having been -in the habit of riding ever since he was ten years old. - -Ben Brayton looked after him with a face distorted with rage and envy. -He would have given a great deal to ride as well as John; but he was -but an indifferent horseman, being deficient in courage, and sitting -awkwardly in the saddle. He shook his fist after John's retreating -form, muttering between his teeth, "You shall pay for this impudence, -John Oakley, and that before you are twenty-four hours older! I'll see -whether my mother will allow me to be insulted in this way!" - -Sure of obtaining sympathy from his mother, he turned his steps towards -the house, which he entered. - -"Where's my mother?" he inquired of the servant. - -"She's upstairs in her own room, Mr. Benjamin," was the answer. - -Ben hurried upstairs, and opened the door at the head of the staircase. -It was a spacious chamber, covered with a rich carpet, and handsomely -furnished. At the time of his mother's marriage to Squire Oakley, she -had induced him to discard the old furniture, and refurnish it to suit -her taste. There were some who thought that what had been good enough -for the first Mrs. Oakley, who was an elegant and refined lady, ought -to have been good enough for one, who, until her second marriage, had -been a house-keeper. But, by some means,--certainly not her beauty, for -she was by no means handsome,--she had acquired an ascendency over the -squire, and he went to considerable expense to gratify her whim. - -Mrs. Oakley sat at the window, engaged in needlework. She was tall and -thin, with a sallow complexion, and pale, colorless lips. Her eyes were -gray and cold. There was a strong personal resemblance between Ben and -herself, and there was reason to think that he was like her in his -character and disposition as well as in outward appearance. She was -dressed in black, for the husband who had just died. - -"Why have you not gone out to ride, Ben?" she asked, as her son entered -the room. - -"Because that young brute prevented me." - -"Whom do you mean?" asked his mother. - -"I mean John Oakley, of course." - -"How could he prevent you?" - -"He came up just as I was going to start, and told me to get off the -horse,--that it was his." - -"And you were coward enough to do it?" said his mother, scornfully. - -"No. I told him it was not his any longer; that you had given it to me." - -"What did he say then?" - -"That you had no business to give it away, as it was his." - -"Did he say that?" demanded Mrs. Oakley, her gray eyes flashing angrily. - -"Yes, he did." - -"Why didn't you ride off without minding him?" - -"Because he took the horse by the bridle, and made him contrary; I -didn't want to be thrown, so I jumped off." - -"Did you have the whip in your hand?" - -"Yes." - -"Then why didn't you lay it over his back? That might have taught him -better manners." - -"So I did." - -"You did right," said his mother, with satisfaction; for she had never -liked her husband's son. His frank, brave, generous nature differed too -much from her own to lead to any affection between them. She felt that -he outshone her own son, and far exceeded him in personal gifts and -popularity with the young people of the neighborhood, and it made her -angry with him. Besides, she had a suspicion that Ben was deficient in -courage, and it pleased her to think that he had on this occasion acted -manfully. - -"Then I don't see why you didn't jump on the horse again and ride -away," she continued. - -"Because," said Ben, reluctantly, "John got the whip away from me." - -"Did he strike you with it?" asked Mrs. Oakley, quickly. - -"Yes," said Ben, vindictively. "He struck me twice, the ruffian! But -I'll be even with him yet!" - -"You shall be even with him," said Mrs. Oakley, pressing her thin lips -firmly together. "But I'm ashamed of you for standing still and bearing -the insult like a whipped dog." - -"I tried to get at him," said Ben; "but he kept flourishing the whip, -so that I couldn't get a chance." - -"Where is he now?" - -"He's gone to ride." - -"Gone to ride! You let him do it?" - -"I couldn't help it; he was too quick for me. He jumped on the horse -before I knew what he was going to do, and dashed out of the yard at -full speed." - -"He is an impertinent young rebel!" said Mrs. Oakley, angrily. "I am -ashamed of you for letting him get the advantage of you; but I am very -angry with him. So he said that I had no business to give you the -horse, did he?" - -"Yes; he has no more respect for you than for a servant," said Ben, -artfully, knowing well that nothing would be so likely to make his -mother angry as this. Having once been in a subordinate position, -she was naturally suspicious, and apprehensive that she would not be -treated with a proper amount of respect by those around her. It was -Ben's object to incense his mother against John, feeling that in this -way he would best promote his own selfish ends. - -"So he has no respect for me?" exclaimed Mrs. Oakley, angrily. - -"None at all," said Ben, decisively. "He says you have no right here, -nor I either." - -This last statement was an utter fabrication, as Ben well knew; for -John, though he had never liked his father's second wife, had always -treated her with the outward respect which propriety required. He was -not an impudent nor a disrespectful boy; but he had a proper spirit, -and did not choose to be bullied by Ben, whom he would have liked if -he had possessed any attractive qualities. It had never entered his -mind to grudge him the equal advantages which Squire Oakley, for his -mother's sake, had bestowed upon her son. He knew that his father was -a man of property, and that there was enough for both. When, however, -Ben manifested a disposition to encroach upon his rights, John felt -that the time for forbearance had ceased, and he gave him distinctly to -understand that there was a limit beyond which he must not pass. Very -soon after Ben first entered the family John gave him a thrashing,--in -self-defence, however,--of which he complained to his mother. Though -very angry, she feared to diminish her influence with his father -by moving much in the matter, and therefore contented herself by -cautioning Ben to avoid him as much as possible. - -"Some time or other he shall be punished," she said; "but at present it -is most prudent for us to keep quiet and bide our time." - -Now, however, Mrs. Oakley felt that the power was in her own hands. -She had no further necessity for veiling her real nature, or -refraining from gratifying her resentment. The object for which she -had schemed--her husband's property--was hers, and John Oakley was -dependent upon her for everything. If she treated him ungenerously, it -would create unfavorable comments in the neighborhood; but for this -she did not care. The property was hers by her husband's will, and -no amount of censure would deprive her of it. She would now be able -to enrich Ben at John's expense, and she meant to do it. Henceforth -Ben would be elevated to the position of heir, and John must take a -subordinate position as a younger son, or, perhaps, to speak still more -accurately, as a poor relation with a scanty claim upon her bounty. - -"I'll break that boy's proud spirit," she said to herself. "He has -been able to triumph over Ben; but he will find that I am rather more -difficult to deal with." - -There was an expression of resolution upon her face, and a vicious -snapping of the eyes, which boded ill to our hero. Mrs. Oakley -undoubtedly had the power to make him uncomfortable, and she meant to -do it, unless he would submit meekly to her sway. That this was not -very likely may be judged from what we have already seen of him. - -Mrs. Oakley's first act was to bestow on Ben the horse, Prince, which -had been given to John a year before by his father. John had been -accustomed to take a daily ride on Prince, whom he had come to love. -The spirited horse returned his young master's attachment, and it -was hard to tell which enjoyed most the daily gallop, the horse or -his rider. To deprive John of Prince was to do him a grievous wrong, -since it was, of all his possessions, the one which he most enjoyed. -It was the more unjustifiable, since, at the time Prince had been -bought for John, Squire Oakley, in a spirit of impartial justice, had -offered to buy a horse for Ben also; but Ben, who had long desired to -own a gold watch and chain, intimated this desire to his mother, and -offered to relinquish the promised horse if the watch and chain might -be given him. Squire Oakley had no objection to the substitution, and -accordingly the same day that Prince was placed in the stable, subject -to John's control, a valuable gold watch and chain, costing precisely -the same amount, was placed in Ben's hands. Ben was delighted with his -new present, and put on many airs in consequence. Now, however, he -coveted the horse as well as the watch, and his mother had told him he -might have it. But it seemed evident that John would not give up the -horse without a struggle. Ben, however, had enlisted his mother as his -ally, and felt pretty confident of ultimate victory. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -JOHN RECEIVES SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. - - -John Oakley had triumphed in his encounter with Ben Brayton, and rode -off like a victor. Nevertheless he could not help feeling a little -doubtful and anxious about the future. There was no doubt that Ben -would complain to his mother, and as it was by her express permission -that he had taken the horse, John felt apprehensive that there would -be trouble between himself and his stepmother. I have already said, -that, though a manly boy, he was not quarrelsome. He preferred to live -on good terms with all, not excepting Ben and his mother, although he -had no reason to like either of them. But he did not mean to be imposed -upon, or to have his just rights encroached upon, if he could help it. - -What should he do if Ben persevered in his claim and his mother -supported him in it? He could not decide. He felt that he must be -guided by circumstances. He could not help remembering how four years -before Mrs. Brayton (for that was her name then) answered his father's -advertisement for a house-keeper; how, when he hesitated in his choice, -she plead her poverty, and her urgent need of immediate employment; and -how, influenced principally by this consideration, he took her in place -of another to whom he had been more favorably inclined. How she should -have obtained sufficient influence over his father's mind to induce -him to make her his wife after the lapse of a year, John could not -understand. He felt instinctively that she was artful and designing, -but his own frank, open nature could hardly be expected to fathom hers. -He remembered again, how, immediately after the marriage, Ben was sent -for, and was at once advanced to a position in the household equal to -his own. Ben was at first disposed to be polite, and even subservient -to himself, but gradually, emboldened by his mother's encouragement, -became more independent, and even at times defiant. It was not, -however, until now that he had actually begun to encroach upon John's -rights, and assume airs of superiority. He had been feeling his way, -and waited until it would be safe to show out his real nature. - -John had never liked Ben,--nor had anybody else except his mother -felt any attachment for him,--but he had not failed to treat him with -perfect politeness and courtesy. Though he had plenty of intimations -from the servants and others that it was unjust to him that so much -expense should be lavished upon Ben, he was of too generous a nature to -feel disturbed by it, or to grudge him his share of his father's bounty. - -"There's enough for both of us," he always said, to those who tried to -stir up his jealousy. - -"But suppose your father should divide his property between you? How -would you like to see Ben Brayton sharing the estate?" - -"If my father chooses to leave his property in that way, I shan't -complain," said John. "Fortunately there is enough for us both, and -half will be enough to provide for me." - -But John had never anticipated such a contingency as Ben and his mother -claiming the whole property, and, frank and unsuspicious as he was, he -felt that his father would never have left him so entirely dependent -upon his stepmother unless improper means had been used to influence -his decision. There was a particular reason which he had for thinking -thus. It was this: Three days before his father died, he was told by -the servant, on entering the house, that the sick man wished to see -him. Of course he went up instantly to the chamber where, pale and -wasted, Squire Oakley lay stretched out on the bed. - -He was stricken by a disease which affected his speech, and prevented -him from articulating anything except in a whisper. He beckoned John to -the bedside, and signed for him to place his ear close to his mouth. -John did so. His father made a great effort to speak, but all that John -could make out was, "My will." - -"Your will, father?" he repeated. - -The sick man nodded, and tried to speak further. John thought he could -distinguish the word "drawer," but was not certain. He was about to -inquire further, when his stepmother entered the room, and looked at -him suspiciously. - -"Why have you come here to disturb your sick father?" she asked, coldly. - -"I did not come here to disturb him," said John. "I came because he -wished to speak to me." - -"Has he spoken to you?" she asked, hastily. - -"He tried to, but did not succeed." - -"You should not allow him to make the effort. It can only do him harm. -The doctor says he must be kept very quiet. You had better leave the -room. He is safest in my care." - -John did leave the room, and though he saw his father afterwards, -it was always in his stepmother's presence, and he had no farther -opportunity of communicating with him. - -He could not help thinking of this as he rode along, and wondering what -it was that his father wished to say. He knew that it must be something -of importance, from the evident anxiety which the dying man manifested -to speak to him. But whatever it was must remain unknown. His father's -lips were hushed in death, and with such a stepmother John felt himself -worse than alone in the world. But he had a religious nature, and had -been well trained in the Sunday school, and the thought came to him -that whatever trials might be in store for him he had at least one -Friend, higher than any earthly friend, to whom he might look for help -and protection. Plunged in thought, he had suffered Prince to subside -into a walk, when, all at once, he heard his name called. - -"Hallo, John!" - -Looking up, he saw Sam Selwyn, son of Lawyer Selwyn, and a classmate of -his at the academy. - -"Is that you, Sam?" he said, halting his horse. - -"That is my impression," said Sam, "but I began to think it wasn't just -now, when my best friend seemed to have forgotten me." - -"I was thinking," said John, "and didn't notice." - -"Where are you bound?" - -"Nowhere in particular. I only came out for a ride." - -"You're a lucky fellow, John." - -"You forget, Sam, the loss I have just met with;" and John pointed to -his black clothes. - -"Excuse me, John, you know I sympathize with you in that. But I'm very -fond of riding, and never get any chance. You have a horse of your own." - -"Just at present." - -"Just at present! You're not going to lose him, are you?" - -"Sam, I am expecting a little difficulty, and I shall feel better if I -advise with some friend about it. You are my best friend in school, and -I don't know but in the world, and I've a great mind to tell you." - -"I'll give you the best advice in my power, John, and won't charge -anything for it either, which is more than my father would. You know -he's a lawyer, and has to be mercenary. Not that I ought to blame him, -for that's the way he finds us all in bread and butter." - -"I'll turn Prince up that lane and tie him, and then we'll lie down -under a tree, and have a good talk." - -John did as proposed. Prince began to browse, apparently well contented -with the arrangement, and the two boys stretched themselves out lazily -beneath a wide-spreading chestnut-tree, which screened them from the -sun. - -"Now fire away," said Sam, "and I'll concentrate all my intellect upon -your case gratis." - -"I told you that Prince was mine for the present," commenced John. "I -don't know as I can say even that. This afternoon when I got home I -found Ben Brayton just about to mount him." - -"I hope you gave him a piece of your mind." - -"I ordered him off," said John, quietly, "when he informed me that the -horse was his now,--that his mother had given it to him." - -"What did you say?" - -"That it was not hers to give. I seized the horse by the bridle, -till he became alarmed and slid off. He then came at me with his -riding-whip, and struck me." - -"I didn't think he had pluck enough for that. I hope you gave him as -good as he sent." - -"I pulled the whip away from him, and gave him two blows in return. -Then watching my opportunity I sprang upon the horse, and here I am." - -"And that is the whole story?" - -"Yes." - -"And you want my advice?" - -"Yes." - -"Then I'll give it. Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, stick -to that horse, and defy Ben Brayton to do his worst." - -"It seems to me I've heard part of that speech before," said John, -smiling. "As to the advice, I'll follow it if I can. I'm not afraid of -anything Ben Brayton can do; but suppose his mother takes his part?" - -"Do you think she will?" - -"I am afraid she will." - -"Then defy her too," said Sam, hastily. - -"I don't know about that," said John. "I am only a boy of fifteen, and -she is my father's widow. If she chooses to take the horse away, I -don't know that I can do anything." - -"Ben Brayton is a mean rascal. Didn't he get a gold watch at the same -time that you got the horse?" - -"Yes; he might have had a horse too, but he preferred the watch and -chain. They cost as much as Prince." - -"And now he wants the horse too?" - -"So it seems." - -"That's what I call hoggish. I only wish Ben Brayton would come to -school, and sit next to me." - -"What for?" asked John, a little surprised at this remark. - -"Wouldn't I stick pins into him, that's all. I'd make him yell like--a -locomotive," said Sam, the simile being suggested by the sound of the -in-coming train. - -John laughed. - -"That's an old trick of yours," he said, "I remember you served me so -once. And yet you profess to be my friend." - -"I didn't stick it in very far," said Sam, apologetically; "it didn't -hurt much, did it?" - -"Didn't it though?" - -"Well, I didn't mean to have it. Maybe I miscalculated the distance." - -"It's all right, if you don't try it again. And now about the advice." - -"I wouldn't be imposed upon," said Sam. "Between you and me I don't -think much of your stepmother." - -"Nor she of you," said John, slyly. "I heard her say the other day that -you were a disgrace to the neighborhood with your mischievous tricks." - -"That is the 'most unkindest' cut of all," said Sam. "I'd shed a few -tears if I hadn't left my handkerchief at home. I have a great mind to -tell you something," he added, more gravely. - -"Well?" said John, inquiringly. - -"It's something that concerns you, only I happened to overhear it, -which isn't quite fair and aboveboard, I know. Still I think I had -better tell you. You know my father was your father's lawyer?" - -"Yes." - -"Well, he as well as everybody else was surprised at the will that -left everything to your stepmother, only he had the best reason to be -surprised. I was sitting out on our piazza when I heard him tell my -mother that only three months ago your father came to his office, and -had a will drawn up, leaving all the property to you, except the thirds -which your stepmother was entitled to." - -"Only three months ago?" said John, thoughtfully. - -"Yes." - -"And did he take away the will with him?" - -"Yes; he thought at first of leaving it in my father's charge, but -finally decided to keep it himself." - -"What can have become of it? He must have destroyed it since." - -"My father doesn't think so," said Sam. - -"What does he think?" - -"Mind you don't say a word of what I tell you," said Sam, lowering his -voice. "He thinks that Mrs. Oakley has put it out of the way, in order -to get hold of the whole property herself." - -"I can hardly think she would be so wicked," said John, shocked at the -supposition. - -"Isn't it easier to believe that of her, than to believe that your -father would deal so unjustly by you?" - -"I won't call it unjustly, even if he has really left her the whole -property," said John. "Still, I was surprised at being left out of the -will. Besides," he added, with a sudden reflection, "there's something -that makes me think that the will you speak of is still in existence." - -"What's that?" asked Sam. - -In reply John gave the particulars of his father's attempt to -communicate with him, and the few words he was able to make out. - -"I understand it all now," said Sam, quickly. - -"Then you're ahead of me." - -"It's plain as a pike-staff. Your father hid the will, fearing that -your stepmother would get hold of it and destroy it. He wanted to tell -you where it was. Do you know of any secret drawer in your house?" - -John shook his head. - -"There must be one somewhere. Now, if you want my advice, I'll give it. -Just hunt secretly for the drawer, wherever you think it may possibly -be, and if you find it, and the will in it, just bring it round to -my father, and he'll see that justice is done you. Come, I'm not a -lawyer's son for nothing. What do you say?" - -"I shouldn't wonder if you were right, Sam." - -"You may depend upon it I am. I'm your lawyer, remember, and you are -my client. I give advice on the 'no cure no pay' system. If it don't -amount to anything I won't charge you a cent." - -"And if it does?" - -"If you get your property by my professional exertions, I trust to your -generosity to reward me." - -"All right, Sam." - -"Of course you won't let your stepmother suspect what you're after. -Otherwise she might get the start of you, and find it herself, and then -much good it would do you." - -"I'm glad to think it is still in existence, and that she hasn't -destroyed it." - -"She would if she could, you may depend on that." - -"Well, Sam, I'm much obliged to you for your advice. I think I must be -going now." - -"Well, good-by, old fellow. Keep a stiff upper lip, and don't give up -the ship--horsemanship, I mean. I must go round to the office, and see -if father doesn't need a little professional assistance." - -John leaped on Prince's back, and turned him in the direction of home. -The revelation which Sam had made gave a new direction to his thoughts. -If his father had really intended to give him a share of the estate, he -felt that he ought to have it, and determined to institute a search as -cautiously as possible. - -Driving into the yard he saw Ben sitting sullenly on the door-step. He -eyed John with no very friendly glance. - -"Where've you been?" he demanded. - -"Up the road," said John, briefly. - -"It's the last time you'll ride _my_ horse." - -"It's not your horse." - -"You'll find out whose horse it is," muttered Ben. - -"I don't care about disputing with you," said John, quietly, turning -towards the stable. - -"My mother wishes to see you at once; do you hear?" said Ben, -unpleasantly. "She's going to make you apologize to me for your -impudence." - -"I'll go in and see her as soon as I have put the horse in the stable," -John answered, quietly. - -"I hate that fellow," muttered Ben, following our hero with lowering -eyes; "he puts on too many airs altogether. But my mother'll fix him." - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -JOHN'S TROUBLES BEGIN. - - -After putting Prince in the stable, John went into the house slowly, -for he was in no hurry to anticipate what he feared would be an -unpleasant interview. - -"Where is Mrs. Oakley, Jane?" he asked of a servant whom he met in the -hall. - -"She's in the sitting-room, Master John," said Jane. "She wants to see -you immediately." - -"Very well; I'll go in." - -He heard steps behind him, and, turning, found that Ben was following -him. - -"He wants to hear me scolded," thought John. "However, I won't take any -notice." - -Mrs. Oakley was sitting in a rocking-chair. She looked up with a frown -as John entered. She had never liked him, but since Ben had declared, -falsely, as we know, that John had no more respect for her than a -servant, this dislike was greatly increased. - -[Illustration] She was inwardly determined to make his life as -uncomfortable as possible. - -"Well, sir," she said, "so you have come at last." - -"I came as soon as Ben told me you wished to see me," said John. "I -only waited till I had put my horse into the stable." - -"_His_ horse!" repeated Ben, by way of calling his mother's attention -to the claim to ownership expressed in those words. - -"I suppose I ought to consider it lucky that you paid any attention to -my words," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"I hope I have not failed in proper respect," said John. - -"It was very respectful in you to ride off with the horse, when I had -told Ben he might use it." - -"It was my horse," said John, firmly. "If Ben wanted it, he might ask -me." - -"Ask you, indeed!" repeated Ben, scornfully; "you won't catch me doing -that." - -"It was enough that I told him that he might ride. Didn't he tell you -that?" - -"Yes." - -"Then what right had you to refuse?" - -"The horse is mine," said John. "It was given me by my father." - -"He allowed you to use it." - -"He gave it to me. At the same time he gave Ben a watch, which he is -wearing now. He has no more right to demand my horse than I have to -claim his watch." - -"You seem to forget," said Mrs. Oakley, coldly, "that your father saw -fit to leave me his property. The horse forms a part of that property, -and belongs to me, and it is for me to say who shall ride on it. Ben, -you may ride on the horse to-morrow." - -"Do you hear that?" demanded Ben, triumphantly, looking towards John. - -"I suppose," said John, quietly, "you will order Ben to let me have his -watch to-morrow." - -"I shall do no such thing," said Mrs. Oakley, sharply, "and it is -impudent in you to ask such a thing." - -"I don't see why it isn't fair," said John. "It appears to me rather -mean in Ben to want both, and leave me neither." - -"That is for me to decide," said Mrs. Oakley. "There is one thing more -I have to speak to you about. My son tells me you were brutal enough to -strike him with the whip. Do you deny that?" - -"I never deny what's true." - -"Then you did strike him." - -"Yes, I struck him twice." - -"And you have the impudence to stand there, and say it to my face!" - -"You asked me, and I have answered you. I don't see why that should be -called impudent." - -"You glory in your disgraceful action," said Mrs. Oakley, sharply. - -"Did Ben tell you that he struck me first?" asked John. - -"I am very glad to hear it. It was what you deserved," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"Then," said John, firmly, "I gave him what he deserved. You can't -expect me to stand still and be struck without returning it." - -"The only fault I find with Ben is, that he did not strike you more -than once," said Mrs. Oakley, in an excited tone. - -John glanced from the mother to her son, who was evidently pleased with -the reproaches John was receiving, and said, quietly:-- - -"I think Ben had better not attempt it." - -"What do you mean by that?" demanded Mrs. Oakley, quickly. - -"I don't want to strike Ben, or injure him in any way," said John; "but -I mean to defend myself if I am attacked." - -And Ben, though he chose to sneer, knew very well that, quietly as -John spoke, he was thoroughly in earnest, and would do precisely as he -said. He knew very well, too, that, though he was older and taller than -John, he would very likely be worsted in an encounter. He preferred, -therefore, that his mother should fight his battles for him. - -"You hear, mother," he said. "He defies you. I knew he would. You -remember what I told you." - -Mrs. Oakley did remember very well, and the recollection made her angry. - -"John Oakley," she said, "you will find that it won't do to insult me." - -"I have no wish to insult you, Mrs. Oakley," said John. "I have not -forgotten who you are, and I shall try to treat you accordingly." - -"What do you mean by that?" said Mrs. Oakley, turning pale with rage. - -She was misled by the statement Ben had made, and she thought John -referred to the fact that she had been his father's house-keeper,--a -point on which she felt sensitive. - -"I mean," said John, a little surprised at this outburst, "that I have -not forgotten that you are my father's widow, and as such are entitled -to my respect." - -"Was that what you meant?" asked Mrs. Oakley, suspiciously. - -"Certainly," said John. "What else could I mean?" - -Mrs. Oakley turned to Ben, who shrugged his shoulders, intimating that -he did not believe it. - -"All very fine," said his mother, "but words are cheap. If you think I -am entitled to your respect, you will do as I require. Will you promise -this?" - -"I would rather not promise," said John. "If it is anything I ought to -do, I will do it." - -"It _is_ something you ought to do," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"What is it?" - -"I require you immediately to apologize to my son Benjamin, for the -blows you struck him with the whip this afternoon." - -"I cannot do this," said John, firmly. - -"Why can't you do it?" - -"Because I had a good reason for striking him. He ought to apologize to -me for striking me first." - -"Catch me doing it!" said Ben, scornfully. - -"I have no fault to find with him for striking you," said Mrs. Oakley. -"On the contrary, I think him perfectly justified in doing so. You -forced him off the horse after I had given him permission to ride, and -I should have been ashamed of him if he had not resisted. I am glad he -gave you such a lesson." - -Once more John looked at Ben, and was not surprised to see the smile -of triumph that rose to his face as he listened to these words of his -mother. - -"Well," said Mrs. Oakley, impatiently, "what have you to say?" - -"What can I say? You are determined to find me in the wrong." - -"It is because you _are_ wrong. I demand once more, John Oakley, will -you apologize to my son?" - -"I will not," said John, firmly. - -"Please to remember that you are left dependent upon me, and that your -future comfort will be a good deal affected by the way in which you -decide." - -"Whatever happens," said John, who partly understood the threat, "I -refuse to apologize, unless--" - -"Unless what?" - -"If Ben will say that he is sorry that he struck me, I will say the -same to him." - -"Ben will do nothing of the kind," said Mrs. Oakley, promptly. "I -should be ashamed of him if he did." - -"Catch me apologizing to such a whipper-snapper as you!" muttered Ben. - -"Then I have no more to say," said John. - -"But I have," said Mrs. Oakley, angrily. "You have chosen to defy me -to my face, but you will bitterly repent of it. I'll break your proud -spirit for you!" - -John certainly did not feel very comfortable as he left the room. He -was not afraid of what his stepmother could do, although he knew she -could annoy him in many ways, but it was disagreeable to him to feel at -variance with any one. - -"If my poor father had only lived," he thought, "how different all -would have been!" - -But it was useless to wish for this. His father was no longer on earth -to protect and shield him from the malice of Ben and his mother. Trials -awaited him, but he determined to be true to himself, and to the good -principles which he had been taught. - -As for Mrs. Oakley, having once resolved to annoy John, she lost no -time in beginning her persecutions. She had a small, mean nature, and -nothing was too petty for her to stoop to. - -John and Ben had been accustomed to occupy bedrooms on the second -floor, very prettily furnished, and alike in every respect. It had been -the policy of Squire Oakley to treat the two boys precisely alike, -although Ben had no claim upon him, except as the son of the woman whom -he had married. Now that he was dead, Mrs. Oakley determined that Ben -should occupy a superior position, and should be recognized throughout -the house as the eldest son and heir. After her unsatisfactory -interview with John, just described, in which he had refused to -apologize, she summoned Jane, and said:-- - -"Jane, you may remove John's clothes from the bedchamber where he has -slept to the attic room next to your own." - -"Is Master John going to sleep there?" asked Jane, in amazement. - -"Certainly." - -"And shall I move Master Ben's things upstairs, also?" - -"Of course not," said Mrs. Oakley, sharply. "What made you think of -such a thing?" - -"Beg pardon, ma'am; but who is going to have Master John's room?" - -"You ask too many questions, Jane. It is no concern of yours that I am -aware of." - -Jane did not venture to reply, but went out muttering:-- - -"It's a shame, so it is, to put Master John upstairs in that poor room, -while Ben stays downstairs. He's a young reprobate, so he is, just for -all the world, like his mother." - -The fact was, that John was a favorite in the house, and Ben was -not. The latter was in the habit of domineering over the servants, -and making all the trouble in his power, while John was naturally -considerate, and always had a pleasant word for them. However, Mrs. -Oakley's commands must be obeyed, and Jane, much against her will, -found herself obliged to remove John's things to the attic. She found -John already in his chamber. - -"Excuse me, Master John," she said, "but I have orders to move your -things up to the attic." - -"What!" exclaimed John, in amazement. - -Jane repeated her words. - -"Did Mrs. Oakley tell you to do that?" - -"Yes, Master John, and a shame it is." - -"Is Ben to go up into the attic too?" - -"The mistress said no." - -"Wait a minute, Jane; I'll go and speak to Mrs. Oakley." - -John went downstairs, and found his stepmother in the room where he had -left her. - -"May I speak to you a moment, Mrs. Oakley?" he said. - -"Have you come to apologize for your impertinence to me, and your -rudeness to my son?" - -"No, I have not," said John. - -"Then I don't care to speak to you." - -"Excuse me, Mrs. Oakley, but Jane tells me that you have ordered her to -remove my things to the attic." - -"Well?" - -"Is Ben to go into the attic too?" - -"No, he is not." - -"Then why are you driving me from my room?" - -"You seem to forget that you are only a boy. This house is mine, and I -shall make what arrangements I please." - -"The room in the attic is not nearly as good as my present room." - -"It is good enough for you." - -"I am willing to go up there if Ben goes up, but I claim to be treated -as well as he." - -"Ben is older than you. Besides, he is respectful and dutiful, while -you are impertinent and disobedient. I shall treat you as well as you -deserve." - -"Why did you not make this change while my father was alive, Mrs. -Oakley?" said John, significantly. - -Mrs. Oakley colored, for she understood very well the meaning of this -question. - -"I do not intend to be catechised by you," she said, sharply. "I intend -to do what I please in my own house, and I shall not submit to have my -arrangements questioned." - -"May I ask how my room is going to be used?" said John, who wanted to -be sure whether his stepmother had any motive for the change except -hostility to himself. - -"No, you may not ask," she said, angrily; "or if you do, you need not -expect any answer. And now I will thank you to leave the room, as I -have something else to do besides answering impertinent questions." - -There was nothing more to say, and John left the room. - -"Well, Master John," said Jane, who had waited till his return, "what -will I do?" - -"You may move the things upstairs, Jane," said John. - -"It's a shame," said Jane, warmly. - -"Never mind, Jane," said John. "I don't like it much myself, but I dare -say it'll all come out right after a while. I'll help you with that -trunk. It's rather heavy to carry alone." - -"Thank you, Master John. Ben wouldn't offer to help if he saw me -breakin' my back under it. It's easy to see which is the gentleman." - -The room to which John's things were removed was uncarpeted, the floor -being painted yellow. It had been used during Squire Oakley's life by -a boy who was employed to run errands, but who had been dismissed by -Mrs. Oakley, who was disposed to be economical and save his wages. The -bed was a common cot bedstead, comfortable indeed, but of course quite -inferior to the neat French bed in which John had been accustomed to -sleep. There was a plain pine table and bureau, in which John stored -his things. There was a small cracked mirror, and a wash-stand with -the paint rubbed off in spots. Altogether it was hardly suitable for -a gentleman's son to sleep in. John, however, was not proud, and -would not have minded if there had not been malice on the part of his -stepmother. He had scarcely got moved when a step was heard on the -attic stairs, and Ben came up to enjoy the sight of John's humiliation. - -"So you've got a new room, John?" he said, smiling maliciously. - -"So it seems," said John, quietly. - -"I'm sorry to lose so agreeable a neighbor," he continued. - -"Are you?" said John, looking at him searchingly. - -"But you'll be more at home up here," said Ben. - -"What do you mean by that?" - -"I mean it's more suitable for you." - -"Ben Brayton," said John, his eyes flashing, "if you have come up here -to insult me, the sooner you go down the better. Your mother has moved -me up here, for what reason I don't know. The only satisfaction I have -in the change is, that it removes me further from you." - -"You're uncommon polite since you've moved into this elegant -apartment," said Ben, tauntingly. - -"Elegant or not, it is mine, and I want it to myself," said John. -"Leave the room!" - -He advanced towards Ben as he spoke. Ben thought a moment of standing -his ground, but there was something in John's eye that looked -threatening, and he concluded that it would be the best policy to obey. -With a parting taunt he backed out of the chamber, and John was left to -himself. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -BEN BRAYTON'S RIDE. - - -John took his place at the supper-table as usual; but neither Mrs. -Oakley nor Ben, though they spoke freely to each other, had a word to -say to him. If John had been conscious of deserving such neglect, he -would have felt disturbed; but as he felt that all the blame for what -had occurred rested with Ben and his mother, he ate with his usual -appetite, and did not appear in the least troubled by their silence, -nor by the scornful looks which from time to time Mrs. Oakley directed -towards him. After supper he went up into his little room, and prepared -his lesson in Virgil for the next day. He was at the head of his class, -and was resolved to let no troubles at home interfere with his faithful -preparation of his lessons. - -Ben did not attend school. In fact, he was not very partial to study, -and though Squire Oakley had offered to bear his expenses at the -academy, and afterwards at college, Ben had persuaded his mother -that his health was not firm enough to undertake a long course of -study. While, therefore, John was occupied daily for several hours -at the academy, Ben had lived like a gentleman of leisure, spending -considerable time at the billiard rooms in the village, and in lounging -on the hotel piazza. He managed to get through considerable money, but -his mother had always kept him well supplied. - -Although he did not wish to go to college himself, he did not fancy -the idea of John's going, since this would increase the superiority of -the latter over him. He knew very well that a liberal education would -give John a certain position and influence which he was not likely to -attain, and he determined to prevent his obtaining it. When, therefore, -John had gone to school the next morning, Ben attacked his mother on -the subject. - -"Are you going to send John to college, mother?" he asked. - -"Why do you ask?" - -"Because I don't want him to go." - -"Why not?" - -"He'll put on no end of airs if he goes, and turn up his nose at me, -because I don't happen to know so much about Latin and Greek, and such -rigmarole." - -"I wish you would make up your mind to go to college, Ben," said his -mother, earnestly, for she was very ambitious for her son. - -"It's of no use, mother. I'm seventeen, and it would take three years -to get ready, and hard study at that." - -"You have studied Latin already." - -"I don't remember anything about it. I should have to begin all over -again." - -"Well," said Mrs. Oakley, reluctantly giving up the idea, "you might -study law without going to college." - -"I don't think I should like to be a lawyer. It's too hard work." - -"You needn't be, but you could go to the Law School, and study long -enough to get a degree. You would make some aristocratic acquaintances, -and it would be an honorable profession to belong to." - -"Well," said Ben, "I don't know but I'll enter the Law School in a -year, or two. There is no hurry. I suppose you'll give me enough -money so that I won't have to earn my living? I say, mother, how much -property did old Oakley leave?" - -Considering the obligations under which Mrs. Oakley was placed to her -late husband it might have been supposed that she would reprove Ben -for the disrespectful manner in which he spoke of him; but, as may be -guessed, she cared nothing for her husband, except for what she could -get out of him, and was not in the least disturbed by the manner in -which Ben referred to him. - -"This house and the land around it," she said, "are estimated at ten -thousand dollars. There are, besides, stocks, bonds, and mortgages to -the amount of fifty thousand dollars." - -"Sixty thousand dollars in all!" exclaimed Ben, his eyes sparkling. -"You're quite a rich woman, mother." - -"Yes," said Mrs. Oakley, complacently, "I suppose I am." - -"It's a little different from when you came here four years ago on a -salary of twenty dollars a month. You were pretty hard up, then." - -"Yes, Ben, but we can hold up our heads with anybody now." - -"I say, mother," said Ben, persuasively, "as I'm your only son, I think -you might give me ten thousand dollars right out. You'd have fifty -thousand left." - -Mrs. Oakley shook her head. - -"You're too young, Ben," she said. "Some time or other you shall be -well provided for." - -"I'm seventeen," grumbled Ben. "I'm old enough to look after property." - -"I'll tell you what I'll do, Ben," said Mrs. Oakley. "I will give you -an allowance of ten dollars a week from now till you are twenty-one. -Then, if you behave well, I will make over to you twenty thousand -dollars." - -"You might say thirty. You're not saving a third for John Oakley, are -you?" - -Mrs. Oakley's face hardened. - -"No," she said; "he's been too insolent to me. I suppose I must give -him something, but he shall never have a third." - -"Five hundred dollars will be enough for him," said Ben, with -contemptible meanness, considering that but for the accident of his -father's second marriage the whole property--one hundred and twenty -times as much--would have gone to John. - -"I can't tell you how much he will get," said Mrs. Oakley. "It depends -on how he behaves. If he had treated us with greater respect, his -chances would be a great deal better." - -"He's a proud upstart!" - -"But his pride shall be broken. I'm determined upon that." - -"Then you won't send him to college? That would make him prouder still. -Besides," added Ben, his habitual meanness suggesting the thought, "it -costs a good deal to keep a fellow at college." - -"No," said Mrs. Oakley, "he shan't go to college." - -"Good!" said Ben, his eyes sparkling; "that will be a bitter pill for -him, for he wants to go." - -"How soon would he be ready?" - -"In about a year." - -"You may set your mind at rest on that point. He shan't go." - -"All right, mother. When are you going to pay me my allowance?" he -said, insinuatingly. - -Mrs. Oakley took out her purse, and placed a ten-dollar bill in his -hand. - -"That's for the first week," she said. - -"Couldn't you make it fifteen, mother?" - -"No, ten must do for the present." - -"Are you going to allow John anything?" - -"He doesn't deserve anything. When he does, I will allow him fifty -cents a week." - -Ben strolled over to the billiard rooms, and spent the forenoon playing -billiards with another young fellow as idle and unpromising as himself. -He then walked over to the hotel, and bought a dozen cigars, one of -which he began to smoke. At one o'clock he returned home to dinner. -John was not present at this meal. The intermission between morning -and afternoon schools at the academy was but an hour, and he had been -accustomed to carry his lunch with him. He was not released until four -o'clock in the afternoon. - -"Well, mother," said Ben, "how about the horse? Are you going to give -up to John?" - -"Certainly not; you may consider the horse yours," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"John'll make a fuss." - -"Let him," said Mrs. Oakley. "He'll find that I can make a fuss too." - -"I'll go out to ride this afternoon," said Ben, with satisfaction. -"I'll get started just before four o'clock, so as to meet John on -his way from school. He'll look mad enough when he sees me;" and Ben -laughed, as he fancied John's looks. - -"It is a very good plan," said Mrs. Oakley, approvingly. "We'll see if -he dares to interfere with you again." - -The more Ben thought of it, the better he was pleased with this plan. -All the academy boys knew that the horse was John's, and they would -now see him upon it. He would be likely to meet many of them, and this -would make John's humiliation the greater. At half-past three he went -out to the barn. - -"Mike," he said, to the hostler, "you may saddle Prince. I am going to -ride out." - -"Master John's horse?" - -"No, _my_ horse." - -"Your horse, sir? Prince belongs to Master John." - -"How dare you stand there contradicting me?" said Ben, haughtily. "The -horse is mine. My mother has given it to me." - -"It's a shame, then," said Mike to himself, "for Master John sets a -sight by that horse. The old woman's mighty queer." - -It was lucky for Mike that Mrs. Oakley was not aware of the -disrespectful term applied to her in Mike's thoughts, or he would -probably have been discharged at short notice. But the fact was, that -none of the servants liked her. Feeling a little doubtful of her own -position, she always spoke to them in a haughty tone, as if they were -far beneath her, and this, instead of increasing their respect, only -diminished it. - -Mike saddled Prince, and led him out into the yard. - -"You must be careful, Master Ben," he said. "The horse has got a spirit -of his own, and he isn't used to you." - -Ben was a poor horseman, and he knew it; but he was too proud to admit -it to Mike. - -"Don't trouble yourself," he said, haughtily. "If John can manage him, -I can." - -"He's used to Master John." - -"Well, he's got to get used to me," said Ben. "If he don't behave well -it will be the worse for him. You haven't given me the whip." - -"You'd better not use it much, Master Ben. He won't stand a whip very -well." - -"Keep your advice till it is asked for," said Ben. - -"All right, sir," said Mike, and handed him the whip. He followed him -with his eyes as he rode out of the yard. "He don't sit like Master -John. It wouldn't take much to throw him off. However, I've warned him, -and he must have his own way if he breaks his neck." - -Although Ben had spurned Mike's warning with so much disdain, he -thought of it as he rode up the street, and let Prince take his own -gait. The truth was, he did not feel very secure in his seat, and did -not feel very much confidence in his own horsemanship. Indeed, he would -not have cared to ride out this afternoon, but for the anticipated -pleasure of mortifying John. - -He rode leisurely along, taking the direction of the academy, which was -nearly a mile distant. He looked at his watch, and estimated that he -would meet the pupils of the academy as they emerged from school. - -He was right in his reckoning. At precisely four o'clock there was -a bustle about the doors, and with merry shouts the boys poured out -into the street. Among them were John Oakley and Sam Selwyn, who, as -intimate friends and classmates, generally were found in company. They -turned up the street which led by Mr. Selwyn's office, and in the -direction of John Oakley's home. - -"John," said Sam, suddenly, "I do believe that is Ben Brayton riding on -your horse." - -John looked up the street, and saw that Sam was right. - -"You are right, Sam," he said. - -"Did you tell him he might ride on it?" - -"No." - -"Then what business has he with it?" - -"His mother told him he might take it. She has taken it from me." - -"She's an old--" - -"Don't call names, Sam. I'll tell you more about it another time." - -Meanwhile Ben had seen the boys coming from the academy. Among others -he recognized John and Sam, and his eyes flashed with anticipated -triumph. Hitherto he had been content to let the horse go on at his -own rate, but now he thought it was time to make a display. He thought -it would annoy John to have him dash by at gallant speed, while he, -the rightful owner, was obliged to stand out of the path, unable -to interfere. He therefore brought the whip down with considerable -emphasis upon Prince's side. Unfortunately he had not foreseen the -consequences of the blow. Prince took the bit between his teeth, and -darted forward with reckless speed, while Ben, seeing his mistake too -late, pale and terrified, threw his arms around the horse's neck, and -tried to keep his seat. - -John started forward, also in alarm, for though he had no reason to -like Ben, he did not want him to be hurt, and called "Prince!" - -The horse recognized his master's voice, and stopped suddenly,--so -suddenly that Ben was thrown off, and landed in a puddle of standing -water in a gully by the side of the road. Prince stopped quietly for -his master to come up. - -"Are you hurt, Ben?" asked John, hurrying up. - -Ben rose from the puddle in sorry plight. He was only a little bruised, -but he was drenched from head to foot with dirty water, and patches of -yellow mud adhered to his clothes. - -"You did this!" he said, furiously to John. - -"You are entirely mistaken. I hope you are not hurt," said John, calmly. - -"You frightened the horse on purpose." - -"That's a lie, Ben," said Sam, indignantly. "It's a lie, and you know -it." - -"I understand it all. You don't deceive me," said Ben, doggedly. - -"Will you ride home?" asked John. - -Ben refused. In fact, he was afraid to trust himself again on Prince's -back. - -"Then I suppose I must." And John sprang lightly upon the horse's back, -and rode towards home, followed by Ben in his soiled clothes. - -Mrs. Oakley, looking from her window, beheld, with wondering anger, -John riding into the yard, and her son following in his soiled clothes. - -"What's he been doing to Ben?" she thought, and hurried downstairs in a -furious rage. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -BEN IS COMFORTED. - - -"What have you been doing to my son, you young reprobate?" demanded -Mrs. Oakley of John. Her hands trembled convulsively with passion, as -if she would like to get hold of our hero, and avenge Ben's wrongs by -inflicting punishment on the spot. - -John was silent. - -"Why don't you speak, you young rascal?" demanded Mrs. Oakley, -furiously. - -"I am neither a reprobate nor a rascal, Mrs. Oakley," said John, -calmly, "and I do not choose to answer when addressed in that way." - -"Ben," said Mrs. Oakley, turning to her son, "what has he done to you? -How happens it that you come home in such a plight?" - -"I was thrown over the horse's head into a mud-puddle," said Ben. - -"Didn't _he_ have anything to do with it?" asked Mrs. Oakley, -determined to connect John with Ben's misfortune, if possible. - -"He spoke to the horse," said Ben. - -"And then he threw you?" - -"Yes." - -Ben answered thus, being perfectly willing that his mother should -charge his fall upon John, as this would create additional prejudice -between them. It was contemptible meanness on his part, but meanness -was characteristic of him, and he had no hesitation in stooping to -falsehood, direct or indirect, if by so doing he could compass his -object. - -"It is as I thought," said Mrs. Oakley, thinking it unnecessary to -inquire further. "Of course, as soon as you were thrown, he jumped on -the horse and rode home. You're carrying matters with a high hand, -young man; but you'll find that I'm your match. Get off that horse, -directly." - -"That was my intention," said John. "I am sorry, Mrs. Oakley," he -continued, "that Ben has not seen fit to give you a correct account of -what has happened. If he had, it would have been unnecessary for me to -speak." - -"It is unnecessary for you to speak now, John Oakley," said his -stepmother, sharply. "Do you mean to charge my son with telling a -falsehood? If that is the case, take care what you say." - -"Ben has not told a falsehood, but he is trying to make you believe -that I caused his fall." - -"I have no doubt you did." - -"Then you are mistaken. Why didn't he tell you that when I first saw -the horse he was running at great speed, in consequence of Ben's having -imprudently struck him severely with the whip? He is a spirited horse, -and won't stand the whip." - -"He is like you in that, I suppose," said Mrs. Oakley, sneering. - -"He _is_ like me in that," said John, quietly. - -"You would both be better if you had to stand it," said his stepmother, -angrily. - -John did not see fit to reply to this. - -"Is this true, Ben?" she asked. - -"Yes," said Ben, reluctantly. "I struck the horse; but it was not till -John spoke to him that he threw me off." - -"So I supposed," said Mrs. Oakley, significantly. - -"I see, Mrs. Oakley," said John, "you are determined to find me guilty -of causing Ben's fall. If I could be mean enough to do such a thing, -and so risk his life, I should despise myself. Prince was rushing up -the street with tremendous speed, and I was frightened at Ben's danger; -I called out to Prince, but he stopped so suddenly that Ben was thrown -into the puddle, or he might have been seriously hurt." - -There was so much sincerity in what John said, that Mrs. Oakley, -though very much against her will, could hardly help believing him. -Determined, however, to make out a case against him, she said:-- - -"As soon as you saw him off, you jumped on the horse and rode home, -leaving him to get home as he could. That was a very generous and noble -thing to do!" - -"Ask Ben if I did not ask him to ride home," said John. - -Ben, in answer to his mother's glance, said, rather unwillingly:-- - -"Yes, he asked me to ride home, but he knew I wouldn't after being -thrown once. I won't get on the brute's back again, I promise you." - -Mrs. Oakley was disappointed to find that the case she was trying to -make out against John had failed at all points, and that he was cleared -even by the testimony of her principal witness. - -"You had better come in and change your clothes, Ben," she said. "I -am afraid you will take cold. And do you"--turning to John--"take the -horse round to the stable. He's an ugly brute, and I'll take care that -he doesn't endanger your life any more." - -John led Prince round to the stable, and delivered him into the hands -of Mike. - -"Where's Master Ben?" inquired Mike. - -"He got thrown off." - -"I thought how it would be," said Mike. "He can't ride no more'n a -stick. I told him not to take the whip, but he wouldn't heed a word I -said." - -"That's how he got thrown. He struck the horse violently, and he was -running away with him when he heard my voice and stopped." - -"Did Master Ben get hurt?" - -"Not much. He fell into a puddle, and dirtied his clothes." - -"Maybe he'll be wiser next time." - -"He says he won't ride Prince again." - -"All the better for you, Master John." - -"I don't know, Mike," said John, soberly. "I'm afraid Mrs. Oakley will -sell him. She says he is an ugly brute, and she won't have any more -lives endangered." - -"Ugly brute!" repeated Mike, indignantly. "There's not a bit of -ugliness about him. He wants to be treated well, and I'd like to know -who don't. And he's so attached to you, Master John!" - -"Yes, Mike, it'll be hard to part with him." And John's lips quivered -as he looked with affection at the noble horse, to which he had -become much attached. Besides, it was his father's gift, and as such -had an additional value for him, as, owing to his disinheritance, he -had nothing else of value by which he could remember the parent whose -loss he was made to feel more and more, as his stepmother's injustice -and harsh treatment, and Ben's meanness and hostility served daily to -increase. It almost seemed to him as if Prince was the only friend he -had left, and that he must be parted even from him. - -Meanwhile Ben was changing his clothes in his room. The adventure which -had just happened to him did not make him feel very pleasant. In the -first place, it is rather disagreeable to be thrown violently into a -puddle of dirty water, and Ben might be excused for not liking that. -Ben's pride was touched, since it had been demonstrated in the most -public manner that he could not manage Prince, while it was well known -that John could. Ben knew boys well enough to feel sure that he would -be reminded from time to time of his adventure, and he did not like to -be laughed at. Why was it that John always seemed to get the better -of him? He went out expressly to triumph over John in presence of his -schoolmates, and this had been the humiliating result. - -"Why was I such a fool as to use the whip?" thought Ben, vexed with -himself. "If it had not been for that, it would have been all right." - -But he had used the whip, and it was all wrong. As to using the horse -any more, he did not care to do it. To tell the truth, Ben, who, as -we know, was not very courageous, was afraid of Prince. He suspected -that the horse would remember the blow he had given him, and would be -likely to serve him the same trick the next time he mounted him. So -he resolved that he would never ride out on Prince again; but he was -equally anxious that John should also be prevented from using him. The -words that his mother had last used led him to hope that she would -agree to sell him, and, what was still more important in his eyes, -_give him the money_ resulting from the sale. Under these circumstances -the triumph would still be his, and he would enjoy John's grief for the -loss of his horse. - -When Ben descended from his chamber, in a clean suit, he found that his -mother had taken measures to console him for his mortifying adventure. -The tea-table was spread, and two or three delicacies such as he -particularly liked were set before his plate. Ben surveyed this with -satisfaction, for he was something of a gourmand. - -"I thought you might be hungry, Ben," said his mother; "so I got -some of that marmalade that you like so well, and here is some hot -mince-pie." - -"That's just what I like, mother." - -"We will sit down at once. John can come when he gets ready." - -"What are you going to do about that horse, mother?" asked Ben, rather -indistinctly, for his mouth was full. - -"I did intend to keep him for your use; but if he is likely to play -such tricks as he has to-day, I suppose I had better sell him." - -"Yes, mother, sell him. I'll never mount such a vicious brute again, -and I suppose you won't keep him just for John's use." - -"Of course not. It costs considerable to keep a horse. Besides, he'd be -flinging out that he could manage the horse, and you couldn't." - -"Of course he would. But the horse is used to him, you know, and that -is why he doesn't find any trouble with him. But you gave me the horse, -you know, mother." - -"But you don't want him." - -"No, I don't; but I suppose you'll give me the money you sell him for." - -"I don't know about that," said Mrs. Oakley, hesitatingly. "He cost a -hundred and fifty dollars. That is too much money for you to have." - -"Why is it?" said Ben. - -"I give you ten dollars a week now." - -"Yes; but that goes for small expenses. If I wanted now to buy anything -expensive, I couldn't do it." - -"What is there you want?" - -"I don't know yet," said Ben; "I haven't thought, but I should like to -have the money." - -Mrs. Oakley still hesitated. - -"I know it would make John awful mad," said Ben, cunningly appealing -to his mother's hatred of our hero, "to think that Prince was sold, -and that I had the money. Perhaps it's that you're thinking of. But I -didn't suppose you'd be influenced by anything he could say or do." - -"John may be angry or not; it is entirely indifferent to me," said -Mrs. Oakley, falling into the trap laid for her. "I was only thinking -whether it would be well for you. I don't know but I will let you have -the money,--that is, I will put it in the savings-bank in your name, -and you can let me know when you want to use it, and what for." - -"All right," said Ben, who determined that when he once got hold of the -money he would not consult anybody as to its disposal. "When will you -sell it, mother?" - -"To-morrow, perhaps. I hear that Mr. Barnes, the livery stable-keeper, -has just lost a valuable horse. Perhaps he may like to buy it." - -"He'll buy it fast enough," said Ben. "I heard him say the other day -that he should like to have Prince. He likes fast horses. How surprised -John will be when he comes home, and finds Prince is missing!" - -Ben laughed as he fancied John's anger, and this thought, together with -the money which would so soon be placed to his account, quite restored -his spirits, somewhat to John's surprise, who did not understand the -reasons which he had for being cheerful. - -So Prince's fate was decided, and a new trial awaited John. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -OPEN HOSTILITIES. - - -From his early boyhood John had been intended by his father to receive -a collegiate education. If he should acquit himself with credit in -college, he was afterwards to have his choice of studying a profession, -or entering mercantile life. At the age of eleven he commenced Latin -at the academy, and two years afterwards Greek, and in these he had -advanced so far that in a year he would be qualified to enter college. -There were six boys in the preparatory class to which he belonged, -among them being Sam Selwyn, his intimate friend, who has already been -introduced to the reader. From the first John had stood at the head -of the class, both in Latin and Greek, Sam ranking second. Although -they were rivals in scholarship, there had never been the shadow of -a difference between them arising from this cause. Both were of a -generous nature, and were strongly attached to each other, and it had -long been understood between them that when admitted to college they -would room together. - -John had often talked with his father about going to college, and -Squire Oakley had strong hopes of John's maintaining a high position -in his college class, and doing him credit at the institution where he -had himself graduated. This made it all the more remarkable that John's -interests had been so entirely neglected in the disposition of his -property made by his will. - -As John was on his way to school, on the morning succeeding Ben's fall -from the horse, he was overtaken by Sam Selwyn. - -"How's your amiable brother this morning, John?" asked Sam. - -"Meaning Ben?" - -"Of course. I hope his health hasn't suffered seriously from his -unexpected bath. Poor fellow! he had a pretty good fright." - -"Yes, I don't think he'll trouble Prince very soon again." - -"I shan't soon forget how frightened he looked with both arms around -the horse's neck. I should have felt like laughing, only I was afraid -he might come to harm. Now you'll have Prince to yourself." - -"I don't know about that, Sam. I rather think, from something Mrs. -Oakley said, that she means to sell Prince." - -"Sell _your_ horse!" exclaimed Sam, indignantly. - -"She says it isn't mine. She's given it to Ben. As Ben don't dare to -use it, I am afraid Prince will have to go," said John, sadly. - -"I wouldn't stand it!" exclaimed Sam, in excitement. "It's an -imposition." - -"But what can I do?" - -"The horse is yours." - -"Not legally, I am afraid. I can't prove it, and Mrs. Oakley says it -was only mine to use." - -"Whether you can prove it or not, the horse is yours, and I say it will -be an outrageous thing if it is sold. At any rate you ought to demand -the money that is received for it." - -"I'll tell you what I have made up my mind to do. Mrs. Oakley may say -that the horse is expensive to keep, but as Ben received a watch and -chain at the same time I got the horse, it is only fair that I should -have a watch in place of it, if it is sold." - -"Of course, that is only reasonable." - -"Not that a watch would pay me for the loss of Prince. I'd rather have -him than three watches; but it doesn't cost anything to keep a watch." - -"That's true; but I hope you'll be able to keep the horse." - -"So do I," said John; but he had very little expectation of it. - -"Well, there's hope ahead, old fellow," said Sam, cheerfully. "Next -year we'll enter college, and then you'll be out of the way of Master -Ben and your kind stepmother, for forty weeks in the year, at any rate." - -"I hope so," said John, slowly. - -"You _hope so_?" repeated Sam. "You don't expect Mrs. Oakley will -remove to Cambridge, so that you may still be favored with her charming -company?" - -"I don't feel sure of going to Cambridge myself," said John, soberly. - -"You don't mean to say you're afraid you won't pass the examination? If -you don't, there'll be precious little chance for the rest of us." - -"That isn't what I mean," said John. "I think I should pass the -examination. At any rate I am not afraid of it." - -"What _are_ you afraid of then?" asked Sam, in surprise. - -"I am afraid Mrs. Oakley won't let me go." - -"But your father always meant you to go. She knows that." - -"Yes, she knows it, for father used often to refer to the time when I -would be in college, in her presence. But I am afraid that won't make -much difference with her." - -"Has she said anything about it?" - -"No, not yet; but it will cost considerable to keep me at Cambridge." - -"Well, your father left a good deal of property." - -"Yes; but it was left to Mrs. Oakley." - -"There's enough to pay your expenses at college, and maintain Mrs. -Oakley and Ben handsomely." - -"I know that, but I am sorry to say that Mrs. Oakley and Ben both -dislike me, and it will be reason enough with them to keep me at home -because they know I am anxious to go." - -"It's a burning shame," said Sam, indignantly, "that such a woman as -that should have the control over you. As for Ben Brayton, I always did -despise him. He's a mean fellow, and a coward to boot." - -"I don't like Ben much," said John. - -"And he returns the compliment." - -"Yes, he has taken a dislike to me, I don't know why, for I have always -treated him well, though I couldn't like him." - -"I say, John," said Sam, "if you don't go to college, it'll knock all -my plans into a cocked hat. You were to room with me, you know." - -"Yes, Sam, I have been looking forward to that a long time." - -"What a jolly time we should have! I shan't have half so much pleasure -in going to college if you don't go with me. You're such a good -scholar, too, it would be a great pity. But perhaps it may not be so -bad as you think. Mrs. Oakley may be only too glad to get rid of you." - -By this time they had reached the door of the academy. The bell -sounded, summoning the pupils to their morning exercises, and John and -Sam had other things to think of, for a while at least. - -At the close of the afternoon John returned home. He went into the -house to carry his Virgil and Greek Reader, being accustomed to prepare -a part of his lessons out of school. On going out into the yard, he saw -Ben lounging lazily against a fence, whittling. - -"Are you going out to ride, John?" he asked, in an unusually friendly -tone. - -"I think I will ride a little way," said John. - -"I got enough of it yesterday," said Ben. - -"You were unlucky. If you had not struck Prince it would have been all -right." - -"I don't care about trying it again. I hope you'll have a pleasant -ride." - -"Thank you," said John, unsuspiciously. - -He went out to the barn, and opened the door that led to the stables. -He made his way at once to Prince's stall, and looked in. - -_It was empty!_ - -Surprised, but not yet suspecting what had really happened, he called -out to Mike, whom he saw outside:-- - -"Where's Prince, Mike?" - -"Shure, sir, didn't you know he was sold?" - -"Sold? When?" - -"This morning, Master John." - -"Who bought him?" - -"Mr. Barnes, the man that keeps the livery stable. He was here this -morning. He and the mistress came in, and they soon struck a bargain." - -John's heart swelled with anger and sorrow, but he asked, calmly:-- - -"Do you know what price Mr. Barnes gave for Prince?" - -"Yes, Master John; I heard him say that he would give one hundred and -ninety dollars. The mistress wanted two hundred; but she finally let -him have Prince at that, and a good bargain it is to him too." - -John left the stable outwardly calm, but much disturbed in mind. - -"Mrs. Oakley might at least have let me know what she meant to do," he -said, bitterly. "My poor father's gift too." - -Ben waited for John's return with malicious interest. He wanted to -witness and enjoy his disappointment. - -"I thought you were going to ride?" he said, with a smile of mockery. - -"Can you tell me where your mother is?" asked John, coldly. - -"She's in the house, I suppose. Do you want to see her?" - -"Yes." - -John entered the house without taking any further notice of Ben. He -found his stepmother in the sitting-room. She looked up, as he entered, -with a glance of satisfaction, for she saw that she had made him -unhappy. - -"Mike tells me you have sold Prince, Mrs. Oakley," he commenced. - -"Yes. What of it?" - -"As he was my horse, I think you might have let me know what you -intended to do." - -"Prince was not your horse," she said, sharply. - -"He was my poor father's gift to me." - -"Nonsense! He merely let you call him yours. The horse was mine." - -"He was as much mine as Ben's watch is his. Are you going to sell Ben's -watch?" - -"No, I am not. If that is all you have to say, you may leave the room." - -"It is not. I will not object to your selling the horse, because it -would cost something to keep him; but it is only fair that the money -for which he was sold should be given to me, or enough to buy a watch -and chain like Ben's." - -"You are very modest in your expectations, young man," sneered Mrs. -Oakley. - -"I'm only asking what is just." - -"You seem to forget whom you are speaking to. If you think you can -bully me, you will find yourself entirely mistaken." - -"I am not in the habit of bullying anybody. I only want my rights," -said John. - -"Then you'll have to want. You may as well understand, first as last, -John Oakley,"--and his stepmother raised her voice angrily,--"that I am -mistress in this house, and owner of this property. You are entirely -dependent upon me for the bread you eat and the clothes you wear, and -it will be prudent for you to treat me respectfully, if you want any -favors. Do you understand that?" - -"I understand what you say, Mrs. Oakley," said John, indignantly. "You -seem to have forgotten that every cent of this property belonged to my -father, and would now be mine, if my father had not married you. You -had better remember _that_, when you talk about my being dependent upon -you, and favor Ben at my expense." - -Mrs. Oakley turned white with rage. - -"What do you mean by your impertinence, you young rascal?" she -shrieked, rising to her feet, and glaring at John. - -"I mean this," he exclaimed, thoroughly provoked, "that I don't believe -my father ever intended to leave you all his property. I believe there -is another will somewhere, and I mean to find it." - -"Leave the room!" exclaimed Mrs. Oakley, in a voice almost inarticulate -with rage. "You'll repent those words, John Oakley. You're in my power, -and I'll make you feel it." - -John left the room, his anger hot within him. When he reflected coolly -upon what had passed, he did repent having spoken about the will. It -might set Mrs. Oakley upon the track, and if she found it, he feared -that she would have no scruples in destroying it, and then his last -chance of obtaining his rights would be gone. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -MRS. OAKLEY DECIDES WHAT TO DO. - - -Mrs. Oakley was not only angry, but very much disturbed at the words -which John had imprudently uttered. They startled her, because they -intimated John's suspicion of something which she had good reason for -knowing to be a fact. - -Mrs. Oakley knew that her husband had executed a later will, and, -though she did not know where it was, she believed it still to be in -existence! - -The will under which she inherited bore a date only two months after -her marriage with Squire Oakley. She had cunningly influenced him to -make it. He did so without proper consideration, and gave the will -into her custody. But, though his wife carefully concealed from him -her real character, she could not do so entirely. Little things, which -came under his observation, led him to believe that she entertained -a secret dislike for John, and, only three months before his death, -Squire Oakley, to protect John's interests, made a second will, which -superseded the first, and limited his wife to that portion of his -property which she could legally claim,--that is, one third. - -He did not see fit to apprise his wife of this step. But she was -watchful and observant, and something led her to suspect what had been -done. She determined to find out secretly, and with this end went to -the desk where her husband kept his private papers, one day when she -supposed him to be absent, and began to search for the suspected will. -After a while she found it, and, spreading it open, began to read:-- - -"I, Henry Oakley, being of sound mind," etc. - -She had read so far, when a heavy hand was laid upon her shoulder. -Turning with a start, she saw her husband, his face dark with anger, -looking sternly at her. - -"Give me that document, Mrs. Oakley," he said, abruptly. - -She did not dare do otherwise than obey. - -"By what right do you come here to pry into my private papers?" he -demanded. - -"I am your wife," she said. - -"That is true. You are my wife; but that does not authorize your -stealing in here like a thief, and secretly examining papers, which -would have been shown you if they had been intended for your eyes." - -"Does not that paper relate to me?" she asked, boldly. - -"It relates to my property." - -"It is your will." - -"Yes." - -"And it makes the one which I hold of no value." - -"It does." - -"So you are secretly plotting against my interests," she said, angrily. -"I suspected as much, and I determined to find out." - -"The will of which you speak never ought to have been made. It -disinherits my son, and places him in your power." - -"Could you not trust me to provide for him?" asked Mrs. Oakley. - -"I fear not," said her husband. And her eyes fell before his steady -glance. She felt that she was better understood than she had supposed. - -"So you have placed me in John's power," she said, bitterly. - -"I have done nothing of the kind." - -"Have you not left the property to him?" - -"You well know that you are entitled by law to one-third of my estate." - -"One-third!" - -"Yes." - -"And he is to have two-thirds?" - -"Why should he not? If I had not married a second time he would have -had the whole." - -"And my son Ben is left unprovided for?" questioned Mrs. Oakley, in a -tone of mingled anger and disappointment. - -"Ben has no claim upon me." - -"Poor boy! so he will be penniless." - -"You appear to forget that your share of the property will amount to -twenty thousand dollars. He need not suffer, unless his mother should -refuse to provide for him." - -But this did not suit Mrs. Oakley's views. She was not at all -reconciled to the thought that John Oakley, whom she disliked, would -inherit forty thousand dollars, while she and Ben must live on half -that sum. She was fond of money and the position it would bring, and -although twenty thousand dollars would once have seemed to her a great -fortune, her desires had increased with her prosperity, and she now -thought it a hardship that she should be limited to such a trifle. She -was by no means reconciled to the thought that Ben must play second -fiddle to his rich stepbrother. Still John was young, and if she were -his guardian that would be something. So she smoothed her face and -said:-- - -"I suppose you have appointed me John's guardian?" - -Squire Oakley shook his head. - -"I have appointed Mr. Selwyn to that position. It is more fitting that -a lawyer should have the care of property," he said. - -There was another reason which he did not mention. He thought that -John's interests would be safer in Mr. Selwyn's hands than in those of -his wife. - -"This is an insult to me," said Mrs. Oakley, angry and disappointed. -"It will be declaring to the world that you have no confidence in me." - -"Nothing of the kind. Even were you his real mother, there would be -nothing strange in my leaving him to the guardianship of another." - -But Mrs. Oakley looked angry, and for days afterwards wore an offended -and injured look. She appeared to forget from what poverty and -dependence Squire Oakley had delivered her, and how many favors he had -lavished upon Ben, who had no claim upon him save in his relationship -to her. - -Three days afterwards, Squire Oakley asked his wife for the will which -she had had in her possession for nearly three years. - -"Why do you want it?" she asked. - -"Because it is of no value now, since I have made a later will. I wish -to destroy it." - -Mrs. Oakley said she would look for it. If she did so, she took care -not to look in the right place, for she reported that it was mislaid, -and she could not find it. - -"It is rather strange that you should have mislaid a document which -might have been of such importance," said Squire Oakley, significantly. - -"I am always mislaying things," said she, forcing a laugh. "I will look -again to-morrow." - -But the will was not found, and Squire Oakley drew his own deductions -from this fact. Painful as it was to suspect his wife, he feared -that his second will would not be safe if she could once get it into -her possession. He saw, too late, that he had married a selfish and -unscrupulous woman. He determined, therefore, to conceal the document, -which so vitally affected his son's interests, in a hiding-place -where it would be safe from Mrs. Oakley's prying disposition. He did -so. But he did not foresee at that time how soon he would be struck -with paralysis that would affect his speech, and render it difficult -for him to reveal the secret to those who ought to know it. So it -happened, however. From the time paralysis attacked him, Mrs. Oakley -kept vigilant watch over him, and did all she could to keep John away -from his father's bedside, lest the secret should be revealed to him. -Meanwhile, she sought everywhere for the missing will, but couldn't -find it. The most she feared was that it had been placed in the -lawyer's hands for safe-keeping. It ought to have been. Squire Oakley, -as he lay on his sick-bed, regretted bitterly that it had not been so -disposed of. It would have saved him from much anxiety. John obtained -one interview with him, as we know, but his father was unable to impart -to him the desired information, and the sudden entrance of Mrs. Oakley -destroyed his last chance. - -The rest we know. Squire Oakley died; his wife produced the earlier -will, which she now had no difficulty in finding, and under that -claimed and inherited the whole property. A search was instituted for -the late will, under the lawyer's directions, but it was not found. -Mrs. Oakley found herself, to her secret delight, the undisputed -mistress of her late husband's handsome estate. She had hoped that -John knew nothing of the later will; but the words to which he -gave utterance at the close of the last chapter undeceived her. -It was clear that he knew something of it, and he had expressed a -determination to find it. That it was somewhere in the house, Mrs. -Oakley believed, and, if so, it was very possible that John might -stumble upon it. The result would be that she would be compelled to -surrender two-thirds of the property, and he would become independent -of her. Aside from the large pecuniary loss, she could not bear to -think of John's release from her persecutions. At present, she pleased -herself with thinking that he was in her power, and that she could -"break his proud spirit," as she termed it, though, as we have seen, -John was disposed to be respectful, and only displayed such a proper -spirit as his self-respect demanded. - -"If I could only find the will myself," thought Mrs. Oakley, "there -would be no further trouble." - -She did not say to herself, that, should such a discovery be made, it -would plainly be her duty to make it known to Squire Selwyn, who had -always been her late husband's lawyer. She did not consider what she -should do with it, but we who have obtained a glimpse of her character -may easily guess that in her hands it would not have benefited John -much. - -The point for Mrs. Oakley to consider was how to protect herself -against any sudden discovery of John's. She saw that it would be -dangerous for her to have him continue in the house, and she resolved -to send him away. Where, she could not at once decide. - -Having determined upon this, it occurred to her once more to visit her -husband's desk, and examine it carefully, in the hope of discovering -some secret drawer, in which the will might have been concealed. - -It was now evening. She lit a lamp, and went to the small room which -Squire Oakley had used for reading and writing in, and went at once to -the desk. It was old-fashioned, with a variety of small drawers. These -she had examined more than once, but she opened them again, in the -hope of discovering some false bottom, which had served as a means of -concealment. While she was intent upon her search, she heard a slight -noise at the door, and, looking up, was startled to find John looking -into the room. - -"What are you prying into my actions for?" she demanded, sharply, a -little embarrassed at being caught thus employed, and especially by -John. - -"I am not," said John. - -"Why are you here, then?" - -"By accident entirely; I was passing through the entry, and, seeing a -light in here, I just glanced in." - -"I wanted to find a receipt," said Mrs. Oakley, thinking it best to -offer some plausible explanation. "A bill was presented me for payment -that I think has already been paid." - -"Can I assist you?" - -"No," said Mrs. Oakley, coldly. "I shall probably find it soon." - -John was not deceived by this explanation. He felt sure that Mrs. -Oakley was searching for the will; but this he kept to himself. - -"I must get rid of him at once," said his stepmother. "Once get him out -of the house, and I'll explore it thoroughly. I shan't feel safe till -the will is found." - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -MR. EPHRAIM HUXTER. - - -Mrs. Oakley had determined to send John away, This resolution was -easily formed, but it was not quite so easy to decide where to send -him. There were plenty of boarding-schools where he might be sent, but -these would be expensive, and, besides, Mrs. Oakley was of opinion -that John knew enough already. He was very much the superior of Ben -in scholarship, and for this she was sorry. She would like to have -apprenticed him to a trade; but if this was done while Ben lived in -idleness, Mr. Selwyn would be sure to remonstrate, and as the will was -not yet found she felt in some fear of his opinion. - -It was about this time that the stage arrived one afternoon before -the gate, and a tall, shabbily dressed man, with a battered valise, -descended, and walking up the front path rang the bell. - -The servant who answered the summons thought she recognized him as a -peddler who had called there about a month before. - -"We don't want anything," she said, abruptly, nearly shutting the door -in the stranger's face. - -"What do you mean?" he demanded, staring at her in surprise. "I want to -see your mistress." - -"It's no use. She won't take anything of you." - -"What do you mean by your impudence?" he said, angrily. - -"Hoity-toity," said the girl. "You put on airs enough for a peddler; -but it's of no use. You may take your rubbish off somewhere else." - -"Who's a peddler, I should like to know? If you don't open that door -pretty quick, I'll tell my sister to dismiss you without a character." - -"Your sister!" repeated the girl, taken by surprise. "What has your -sister got to do with me?" - -"She gives you a home, and pays you wages, I reckon." - -"Aint you a peddler, then?" demanded the girl, incredulously. - -"I am Mrs. Oakley's brother, and you'd better invite me into the house, -if you want to stay in it yourself." - -"Excuse me, sir. I made a mistake. If you'll walk in I'll tell Mrs. -Oakley you're here." - -"That's the first sensible word you've spoken. I'll put my valise here -in the entry." - -"Well," thought the servant, "if that's Mrs. Oakley's brother, I don't -think much of her family. I always thought she belonged to a poor set." - -She went upstairs to the front chamber, where her mistress liked to -sit, and said:-- - -"Your brother's downstairs. He says he would like to see you." - -"My brother!" repeated her mistress, not looking overpleased. - -"Yes, he is down in the parlor." - -"Very well, I will go down and see him." - -The ill-dressed stranger was stretched out in a rocking-chair, in an -attitude more comfortable than graceful. He was gazing about the room, -and noting with much complacency the evidences of comfort and luxury -which the handsome furniture exhibited. It was thus that Mrs. Oakley -found him. - -"How do you do, brother Ephraim?" she said, coldly, advancing, and just -giving him the tips of her fingers. - -"I'm pretty well," he answered. "So the old gentleman's dead, hey?" - -"If you mean my husband," she answered, still with coldness, "you are -right." - -"It's all right about the property, hey? How much is left to you?" - -"The whole." - -"Whew!" whistled Mr. Ephraim Huxter.--"Well, you have worked your cards -well, that's a fact." - -"I'll thank you, Ephraim," said Mrs. Oakley, with dignity, "not to use -such low language, or indulge in such insinuations. I did my duty by my -husband, and he showed his confidence in me by leaving me his property." - -"Well, perhaps that's the right way to put it," said Mr. Huxter. "I'm -glad you have feathered your nest so well." - -"I must again request you not to indulge in such language," said Mrs. -Oakley, in tones of displeasure. - -Mr. Huxter was evidently perplexed. - -"Come, Jane," said he, "there's no use in trying to deceive me. You -made a good thing of it in marrying old Oakley, and you needn't pretend -to be broken-hearted because he is dead, and has left you his fortune." - -"Hush!" said Mrs. Oakley, closing the door; "what if the servants -should hear you talking in this way?" - -"Well, there is something in that. That girl of yours that came to the -door took me for a peddler. She wasn't going to let me in." - -Mrs. Oakley glanced at her brother's soiled linen and stained clothes, -and did not express any surprise. - -"I brought my valise," said her brother. "I suppose it'll be convenient -for me to stay a few days." - -Mrs. Oakley assented rather ungraciously,--in truth she did not care -much to present such a man as her brother. She felt that it would make -it still more difficult to obtain the position which she desired to -maintain in the village. - -"I thought maybe I could help you in settling up the estate," said Mr. -Huxter. - -"I don't think I shall require any assistance. Mr. Oakley was a good -business man, and the task is an easy one," said his sister, coldly. - -"How much does the property amount to?" asked Mr. Huxter,--the property -being in his eyes the main thing to be considered. - -"I can't say exactly." - -"Well, you can give a guess." - -But Mrs. Oakley did not care to have her brother understand her exact -position as regarded money matters. She saw clearly enough that he was -already speculating how to turn her prosperity to his own advantage, -and this she was determined he should not do. She would like to have -kept him at a distance, but she was already feeling one of the -inconveniences of wealth. There are some whose chief enjoyment of -wealth arises from the happiness which it enables them to impart to -others, and some, in Mrs. Oakley's position, would have been glad -to do something for such of their relatives as were in struggling -circumstances; but it was not so with her. She was of a stingy, -penurious disposition, and did not mean that her money should benefit -any one but Benjamin and herself, except the small sum which she felt -obliged to spend on John. - -"No, I don't think I could form any estimate," she said. "Mr. Oakley -has recently died, you know." - -"Has he left as much as fifty thousand?" - -"Fifty thousand!" exclaimed Mrs. Oakley; "what are you thinking of?" - -"It isn't much less, I am thinking. At any rate, you're a rich woman." - -"I am comfortably provided for." - -"I wish I was as comfortably provided for," said Mr. Huxter. "Seems -to me your ideas have risen some, Jane, since you used to live with -me, and bind shoes for a living. You and Ben wouldn't have been very -comfortable, I reckon, if I hadn't helped you once upon a time." - -"As to that," said Mrs. Oakley, "I worked for my board. It was no great -favor on your part." - -"At any rate, you thought yourself lucky to get a home. Now, things are -changed considerably. You are a rich woman, and--well, I'm hard up." - -"You always were shiftless, Ephraim," said Mrs. Oakley, who saw what -her brother was coming to. - -"Shiftless!" repeated Mr. Huxter, in an injured tone. "I don't know -what you call shiftless. I've been a hard-working man; but luck's never -been on my side." - -Mr. Huxter's nose had a suspicious redness, which seemed to indicate -whiskey might have had something to do with his want of luck. This was -in fact the case. If he had never made much headway, it was partly, at -least, his own fault, as his sister knew well enough. But she knew also -that there was very little chance of his amending in that particular, -and though she gave him little encouragement by her manner, she felt -that she should have to help him at last. - -"How are your family?" asked Mrs. Oakley. - -"Oh, about as usual. Wife's always scoldin' and complainin', and the -children are fractious. I don't know what makes 'em behave so. My home -aint a very happy one, that's a fact." - -Mrs. Oakley knew that very well. For more than two years, when left a -widow, with Ben on her hands, she had found a home in her brother's -family, which proved so far from agreeable, that she finally determined -to leave it, and do as well as she could for herself outside. She -had been lucky enough to obtain a situation in Mr. Oakley's family -as house-keeper, and this proved the starting-point of a new and -prosperous career. During Mr. Oakley's life, Mr. Huxter had never been -near her. This had been at Mrs. Oakley's special request. She felt that -her brother was not calculated to do her any particular credit, and -she had succeeded, though with some difficulty, in keeping him at a -distance. She had accomplished this by an occasional present, and the -distinct intimation that these would cease unless her brother should -respect her wishes. Now that she was a widow, he considered that the -prohibition was at an end, and had presented himself unexpectedly, and -was by no means welcome. - -At this moment Ben, who wished to see his mother, and was not aware -of his uncle's arrival, entered the room, and, observing the shaggy -appearance of the visitor, whom apparently he did not recognize, -surveyed him with unconcealed contempt. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -MORE ABOUT MR. HUXTER. - - -Mr. Ephraim Huxter, on perceiving Ben, wreathed his homely features -into what was intended for a gracious smile, and, rising, took his -nephew's rather unwilling hand. - -"So this is Ben," he said. "Bless me, what a young gentleman he's -grown, to be sure! Don't you remember me, Ben?" - -"No, I don't," said Ben, but not truly, for he had recognized his uncle -at first sight. Indeed, any one who had ever seen Mr. Huxter would be -likely to remember his harsh features and ungainly form. - -"It is your Uncle Ephraim," said his mother. - -"Humph!" said Ben, not feeling it necessary to express any pleasure. -With his improved fortunes, his pride had developed, and he had come to -look upon his mother's brother as a low person, who was immeasurably -his inferior. - -"Yes, Ben has become quite a gentleman," said his uncle, surveying his -broadcloth suit, and gold watch-chain ostentatiously displayed over -his vest. "But I dare say he hasn't forgotten when he used to run round -in a shirt and overalls, and hoed potatoes at three cents an hour." - -Ben did remember distinctly, and the recollection was far from -pleasing; so he thought it best to forget it. - -"I don't remember anything of the kind," he said, rather roughly. - -"I suppose you'd want to be paid better now, ha, ha!" said Mr. Huxter, -laughing as if he thought it a capital joke. - -"I don't know anything about hoeing potatoes," said Ben, haughtily. -"I'm not a laborer." - -"No, of course not," said Mr. Huxter. "You and your mother are now -rich; but I hope you won't look down on your poor uncle and cousins, -who have to grub along as well as they can for a living. Things were -different once, to be sure. Once my humble home was thrown open to -receive you, and I was glad to give you a shelter, though a lowly one, -in your hour of need. I shall always be glad to think of that, though -my wife and little ones should starve before my face." - -Mr. Huxter deliberately drew from his pocket a red cotton handkerchief, -and raised it to his eyes, not to wipe away the tears, for there were -none, but to increase the pathos of his remarks. But even with this -help they failed to produce the desired effect. Mrs. Oakley remained -cool and unaffected, and Ben, turning from his uncle to his mother, -said:-- - -"How soon will supper be ready?" - -"You may go and ask Hannah to set the table at once," said Mrs. Oakley. - -Ben left the room with alacrity, without taking further notice of his -uncle. - -"The young cub! I'd like to flog him!" thought his uncle; but he did -not consider it polite to give utterance to this thought. "What a -gentlemanly appearance Ben has!" he said, instead. - -"Yes," said Mrs. Oakley, more graciously; for her pride in Ben was -her great, and perhaps it might be said, her only weakness, cool and -calculating woman as she was. "I think he will do me credit, brother -Ephraim." - -"Indeed he will. I am quite proud of him," said Mr. Huxter, who thought -he saw the best way to ingratiate himself with his sister. "I can -hardly believe he's the same little Ben that used to run round the farm -barefooted. He don't like to think of those old times, ha, ha!" - -"No," said Mrs. Oakley; "he has a proud spirit, Benjamin has." - -"That's all well enough as long as he has money to support it. 'Poor -and proud' don't go so well together, sister Jane." - -"I don't know," said Mrs. Oakley. "I was once poor, but I never lost -my pride. If I had I should have given right up, and made no effort to -better myself." - -"I know who you're thinking of. You're thinking of me. You think I -haven't got any proper pride. Well, I don't know as I have. Misfortunes -have come thick and fast, and I've had a hard row to hoe. Hard work and -poverty are enough to take away a man's pride." - -Mr. Huxter certainly did not look as if he could ever have had much to -be proud of; but then, pride and merit do not always go together, and -appearances are sometimes deceitful. - -"Well," said Mrs. Oakley, now graciously, "perhaps matters may take a -turn with you. I cannot do much, for I have Mr. Oakley's son to provide -for, as well as Benjamin and myself; but I may be able to do something." - -"Thank you, Jane," said Mr. Huxter, more cheerfully. "I was sure you -would not harden your heart against your only brother, and leave his -family to suffer, while you were living on the fat of the land." - -"We will talk further this evening, Ephraim," said Mrs. Oakley. "Excuse -me for five minutes, while I go out to the kitchen to see if supper is -nearly ready." - -"Certainly, Jane. I don't mind confessing that I feel rather hungry -myself. I didn't take any dinner at the Half-way House, to-day, for -dinner costs money, and with my narrow means I didn't feel as if I -could spare half a dollar." - -"I am glad you mentioned it. I will see that some cold meat be placed -on the table. You must require something hearty." - -"It's my praising Ben that fetched her," said Mr. Huxter, when, being -left to himself, he began to reflect upon the cause of his sister's -sudden and agreeable change of manners. "I shall have to flatter up the -young rascal, I expect, though I'd a good deal rather give him a taste -of a horsewhip. So he turns up his nose at me, does he? He forgets the -time when he'd have been obliged to beg from house to house but for -me. Maybe he won't always be prosperous. The race isn't always to the -strong, nor the battle to the swift." - -Mr. Huxter did not often read the Bible, and was not aware that he had -made a trifling mistake in his quotation. His thoughts were turned -into a different and more agreeable channel by the reappearance of -his sister, and the announcement that supper was ready. He rose with -alacrity, and followed Mrs. Oakley into a room in the rear of the -parlor, where an abundant and appetizing meal was spread. Mr. Huxter -rubbed his hands with satisfaction,--for in his own household the meals -were neither abundant nor inviting,--and took his seat at his sister's -table. Ben took the head of the table opposite his mother, and John -Oakley sat opposite Mr. Huxter. - -"Who is this young man?" asked Mr. Huxter, glancing at John. "I have -not had the pleasure of an introduction." - -"That is John Oakley," said his stepmother, briefly. - -"The son of your lamented husband," said Mr. Huxter. - -"Yes. Will you have milk and sugar in your tea?" - -"Yes, thank you. I hope you are well, Mr. Oakley." - -"Quite well, thank you, sir," said John, wondering who was addressing -him. - -"I am your stepmother's brother," continued Mr. Huxter, "and that makes -me a sort of relation, you know." - -"Will you help yourself to the toast, Ephraim?" said Mrs. Oakley, in -a quick, sharp tone, for she didn't fancy the idea of her brother's -paying so much attention to John. - -"Thank you, Jane. If it is as nice as your tea, I shall want to help -myself more than once. But you were always a good house-keeper." - -Mrs. Oakley did not relish this allusion, for she would like to have -had everybody forget that she had been a professional house-keeper. -She thought her brother was succeeding admirably in making himself -disagreeable, and determined that he should not long remain her -guest, if she could conveniently get rid of him. But Mr. Huxter had -not penetration enough to see that he was displeasing his sister, and -continued, his mouth being full of toast:-- - -"Mr. Oakley must be near your Benjamin's age, Jane." - -"I'm almost two years older," said Ben, who had so few points of -superiority that he might well claim this. - -"Indeed, I shouldn't have thought it," said his uncle; "but then Mr. -Oakley is very well grown for his age." - -"I don't know that Ben is deficient in that way," said Mrs. Oakley, -coldly. - -"Oh, no, of course not; I didn't mean to hint such a thing. The boys -must be a good deal of company for each other." - -"You're mistaken there," said Ben, shortly. - -"They are not much together," said Mrs. Oakley. "John goes to school, -but Benjamin has finished his education." - -"Indeed!" said Mr. Huxter; "pray what studies do you pursue, Mr. -Oakley?" - -"I am studying Latin, Greek, and mathematics," answered John. - -"I want to know! Why, you are quite a scholar! Are you going to -college?" asked Mr. Huxter. - -"That was what my father intended," said John. - -"Mr. Oakley's death has interrupted all our plans," said Mrs. Oakley, -coldly, "and we have not had time to form new ones." - -"What are your plans for Benjamin?" asked his uncle. "Do you understand -Latin and Greek, too, Ben?" - -"No; and I don't want to," said Ben. "It's all nonsense, and won't do -any good." - -"Well, I can't say as I care much about either myself," said Mr. -Huxter; "only it is fashionable to study them." - -"I don't care whether it is fashionable or not," said Ben; "I shan't -waste my time over them." - -"Will you have some more toast, Ephraim?" asked Mrs. Oakley, heartily -tired of the conversation. - -"Thank you, I believe I will." - -John mentally decided that Mr. Huxter was a singular man, but did not -dream that he was likely to have considerable to do with him, and that -ere long. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -HOW THE MATTER WAS SETTLED. - - -After supper Mrs. Oakley and her brother were left together. Ben had no -particular fancy for the society of his uncle, and John had no desire -to intrude upon Mrs. Oakley. - -"Well, Ephraim," said Mrs. Oakley, plunging into business at once, "I -have been considering what I could do for you." - -"I knew you had a good heart, sister Jane," said Mr. Huxter, who was -disposed to be very complimentary to his sister, now that his interest -lay in flattering her. Mrs. Oakley well remembered the time when he -treated her in quite a different manner; but though she saw through his -change of manner, and thoroughly understood what prompted it, she was -well pleased to have it so. It made her feel the power which her wealth -had brought her; and there was no woman who enjoyed that better than -Mrs. Oakley. - -"You mustn't expect too much," she continued. "You must remember that -there are others who have claims upon me." - -"But your means are large," said Mr. Huxter, who was resolved to extort -as much as possible. - -"No doubt you think so; but I am the best judge of what I can afford," -said Mrs. Oakley. - -"If I were rich I wouldn't see you and Ben suffer," said Mr. Huxter. - -"As to that, your health is good, and your family ought not to suffer -if I gave you no assistance at all. I don't think much of a man who -can't support his family." - -"I've been a very unlucky man," said Mr. Huxter. "I'd ought to be -independent now, but something or nuther was always happening. There -was my best cow, that I could have got fifty dollars for easy, up and -died one night." - -"How long ago was that?" - -"Three years," said Mr. Huxter, rather reluctantly. - -"It seems to me you've had time to get over that loss," said his -sister, not betraying much sympathy in her tone. - -"It wouldn't be much to you, I know; but to a poor man like me it was a -great loss," said Mr. Huxter. - -"Well, we won't say anything about that. I told you that I would help -you, and I will. You observed John Oakley at the table?" - -"Yes; he looks like a smart fellow." - -"He's no smarter than Ben that I know of," said Mrs. Oakley, jealously. - -"Of course not; I didn't suppose he was," said Mr. Huxter, seeing that -he had got on the wrong tack. "Ben is a boy that you may be proud of, -sister Jane. He is very genteel in his manners." - -"I mean to bring him up as a gentleman," said Mrs. Oakley. "I think I -shall make a lawyer of him." - -"I hope you will. There's never been a lawyer in our family. I should -be proud to speak of my nephew, Benjamin Brayton, Esq., the famous -lawyer." - -"I hope that time will come, brother Ephraim. But I was going to speak -of John Oakley. Ben and he don't agree very well." - -"Don't they?" asked Mr. Huxter, not so much surprised as he might have -been if he had not made Ben's acquaintance. "I suppose it is John's -fault." - -"Of course it is. He doesn't treat Ben or myself with proper respect, -and of course Ben resents it." - -"Of course." - -"He doesn't seem to realize that Ben is older than himself, and -therefore entitled to more privileges. He went so far one day as to -strike Ben with a whip." - -"What did Ben do?" asked Mr. Huxter, curiously. - -"Oh, of course he struck John," said Mrs. Oakley, not thinking it -necessary to mention that Ben's blow came first. - -"Well," said Mr. Huxter, "it seems natural for boys to quarrel." - -"I shan't allow my son to be struck by John Oakley," said Mrs. Oakley, -quickly. - -"What are you going to do about it?" - -"That is what I am coming to. I think of sending John away somewhere, -so that we may live in peace and quiet, and not be disturbed by his -quarrelsome disposition." - -"Where do you think of sending him?" - -"To your house." - -"To my house?" exclaimed Mr. Huxter, in surprise, for he had not -foreseen what was coming. - -"Yes." - -"I don't know as he would like the way we live," said Mr. Huxter, -thinking of the "picked-up" dinners to which he was accustomed. "He's a -rich man's son, and has been used to good living." - -"Don't trouble yourself about that," said Mrs. Oakley; "if he has -always lived well, he can stand a little poor living now, by way of -variety. It is his own fault that I send him away from home." - -Mr. Huxter hardly knew what to think of this arrangement. He had hoped -that his sister would settle an annual sum upon him, without any -equivalent, or would give him, say a thousand dollars outright. Now she -only proposed that he should take a boarder. - -"I don't know what my wife will say," he remarked. "It will increase -her work." - -"Not much. There will only be one extra seat at the table." - -"But we shall have to put ourselves out a little for him." - -"I don't want you to put yourself out at all," said Mrs. Oakley, -emphatically. - -"He's a rich man's son." - -"But he'll be a poor man himself. He will have to earn his living by -hard work." - -"I don't see how that can be. Didn't his father leave plenty of money?" - -"No," said Mrs. Oakley, determined not to be entrapped into any such -acknowledgment; "and if he had, John is no better off for it. You seem -to forget that all the money is left to me." - -"That's a fact," said Mr. Huxter. "I didn't think of that. Shan't you -leave any of it to John?" - -"That depends upon his behavior," said Mrs. Oakley. "I make no -promises. The property is all mine, and I shall leave it to no one who -treats me with disrespect. You see, therefore, that you need feel on no -ceremony with him." - -Mr. Huxter did see it. He was a selfish man, who had a great respect -for the possessors of wealth merely on the score of their wealth, and -he began to look upon John Oakley with quite different eyes now that he -had been informed of his true position. - -"You're carrying things with rather a high hand, Jane," he said. - -"I mean to be treated with respect." - -"So John is saucy, is he?" - -"He is proud-spirited, and thinks himself justified in looking down -upon me, because I was once his father's house-keeper," said Mrs. -Oakley, in a tone of bitterness; "but I have vowed to subdue his proud -spirit, and you will see that I shall do it." - -"I have no doubt you will, Jane. But there is one thing you haven't -mentioned." - -"What is that?" - -"How much am I to receive for John Oakley's board?" - -"I will give you six dollars a week, and you know that this is -considerably more than any other boarder would pay you." - -"Six dollars a week!" said Mr. Huxter, slowly. "Yes, I suppose that -would pay for what he would eat and drink, but I expected you would do -something more for me than just to find me a boarder." - -"You will make a pretty good profit out of that, Ephraim." - -"You might do a little more than that for me, Jane." - -"I will tell you what I will do. Besides paying you regularly for his -board, I will allow you his labor, and that will be worth considerable." - -"What can he do?" - -"He can do what other boys do. You can take him into your shop, and set -him to pegging shoes. It won't hurt him a bit, though it may trouble -his pride a little." - -"But will he be willing to go into the shop? He was expecting to go to -college." - -"I don't think much of you if you can't compel him to do it." - -Mr. Huxter reflected a moment. John's work would be worth at least five -dollars a week, and this, added to the six he would receive from his -sister, would certainly pay munificently for John's board. - -"Well, that is a consideration. We'll call it a bargain," he admitted. - -"Very well; I think you'll find your account in it," said Mrs. Oakley, -in a tone of satisfaction. - -"Couldn't you pay me a quarter's board in advance?" - -To this Mrs. Oakley assented with some hesitation. - -After matters had thus been satisfactorily arranged, Mr. Huxter said:-- - -"I think, Jane, I will just take a little walk outside, and smoke a -pipe. I always do after supper. By the way, when would you like to have -young Oakley go?" - -"To-morrow." - -"To-morrow!" repeated Mr. Huxter, in some disappointment, for he had -confidently hoped to avail himself of his sister's hospitality for a -week at least. "Seems to me, Jane, you're in something of a hurry." - -"I am. There is a good reason for it, which I am not at liberty to -mention," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"Not even to me?" - -"Not even to you." - -"Well, I dare say it is all right, but I am tired after my journey, -and it don't give me much time to rest," said Mr. Huxter, with -disappointment. - -"Let it be day after to-morrow, then. I don't want to be inhospitable," -said Mrs. Oakley. - -Mr. Huxter thought this concession better than nothing, and, going out -on the door-step, smoked his pipe in rather a cheerful frame of mind. - -"It'll be a pretty good speculation," he reflected; "but I mistrust -I'll have some trouble with young Oakley. But I guess I can manage him. -He'll find me pretty ugly if he goes to oppose me." - -Mr. Huxter was partly right. He was capable of being "pretty ugly" when -he thought it safe to be so,--that is, to those who were weaker than -himself, and in his power. He fawned upon those who had money or power, -and was in the habit of tyrannizing over those who had neither. On the -whole, I hardly think John is to be congratulated upon his prospects. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -JOHN CONSULTS A LAWYER. - - -Mrs. Oakley felt very well pleased with the arrangement she had made -about John. Her brother lived nearly one hundred miles distant. She -would have liked John even further off; but this would remove him from -the ability to interfere with her plans. She felt, too, that she would -be more comfortable with him out of the house. Until the will was found -_and destroyed_ she would not feel safe, and she did not venture to -search thoroughly till John was out of the way. - -But there was one important question: Would John consent to go? On this -point Mrs. Oakley felt doubtful. She knew that it would be a grievous -disappointment to him to leave his class at the academy, and all his -young friends in the village, not to speak of his natural regret at -leaving the house where he had been born, and which had always been his -home. Under the circumstances, therefore, she felt that it would be -best to use a little stratagem. - -Meanwhile John had been thinking earnestly of his position and his -duty. He felt that he needed advice, and he determined to call upon -Squire Selwyn, who, as I have already said, was his father's legal -adviser and intimate friend. His son Sam, also, was John's best friend, -and thus the families had a double bond of union. - -The day succeeding Mr. Huxter's arrival was Wednesday. On that day -the afternoon session at the academy was over an hour earlier than -usual, the only exercise being declamation, or, on alternate weeks, the -reading of compositions. John thought this would be the most favorable -opportunity he would have for consulting Mr. Selwyn. - -Squire Selwyn's office was a small, neat one-story building situated -on the main street, not far from the academy building. It was painted -white, with green blinds, and had been built expressly for a law office. - -Sam and John walked home from school together as usual. When they came -to the office John said:-- - -"I'm going in to see your father, Sam; so I'll bid you good-afternoon." - -"Got some law business for the governor?" - -"Maybe." - -"Then you better consult me," said Sam. "I swept out the office for a -week once when the office-boy was off on vacation, and you can't think -what a lot of law I picked up in that time." - -"I dare say," said John, smiling. "I don't doubt your qualifications, -but I think I'll consult your father this time." - -"All right," said Sam, more seriously. "I'm glad you're going to. The -fact is, Mrs. Oakley is doing her best to circumvent you, and you must -do your best, or she'll succeed." - -"I'm afraid she will at any rate," said John. - -"I wish you could find that will." - -"So do I." - -"Do you believe in dreams, John?" asked Sam, lowering his voice. - -"What makes you ask that?" - -"Because I dreamed last night that I found the will. It seemed to me -that it was very dark, and I came upon Mrs. Oakley and Ben, each with a -lantern in their hand, searching about on the ground for it. I followed -them softly, and all at once spied a white paper. Mrs. Oakley saw it at -the same time, and reached out for it, but I was too quick, and carried -it off in triumph." - -"Is that all?" - -"Not quite. When she and Ben saw that I had got it they dropped their -lanterns and ran after me, or rather Ben threw his at my head. It was -an awful whack. Just then I woke up, and found that I had struck my -head against the bedpost." - -"Well," said John, laughing, "how do you interpret that dream?" - -"In this way. I think that the will is going to be found some day, and -that I shall be the one to find it." - -"I certainly hope you will. It would make a great change in my -circumstances." - -"What'll you give me if I find it, John?" - -"A gold watch," said John. - -"Well, that's worth working for." - -"You seem to be in earnest about it." - -"There's many a true word spoken in jest. The time may come when I -shall remind you of your promise." - -"I hope it will. You will find that I keep my promises." - -"All right. Well, there's the squire looking out the window, so I'll -leave you. Good luck!" - -John entered the office. - -"Good-afternoon, John," said Squire Selwyn. "How are things going on at -home?" - -"We are all well," said John. - -"I'm glad to hear it. Won't you sit down?" - -The lawyer was a man of middle height. He had a pleasant face and -manner, but his eye was keen and penetrating, and seemed to be reading -the person upon whom it rested. He was deservedly popular, for it was -always his endeavor to conciliate rather than to foment quarrels, and -he more than once succeeded in dissuading a client from a lawsuit -which would have put a considerable sum of money into his own pocket. -He was a safe legal adviser, and an honest lawyer. He was glad to see -John, for he had always been attracted towards him, not only because of -his friendship for the father, but because of John's truthfulness and -straightforwardness. - -Seeing that John hesitated, he said, by way of encouragement:-- - -"If there is anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask it. Your -father was my friend, and I hope to be regarded by his son in the same -light." - -"It is because of that that I have called upon you, Squire Selwyn," -said John. "You know, of course," he added, after a little hesitation, -"how my father left his property?" - -"I know how he _appears_ to have left it," said the lawyer, -significantly. - -"I would like to ask you a question, Squire Selwyn," said John; "but of -course you will not answer it unless you think proper." - -"Very properly put. Ask your question, and I will decide as to its -fitness." - -"It is this: Do you know whether my father made any later will than the -one which was found?" - -"I have no hesitation in answering your question. He did." - -"How long since was it made?" - -"Only three months before he died." - -"I suppose that it disposed of the property differently?" - -"It disposed of it as the law would have done if no will had been made. -Your stepmother was to have her thirds; the rest of the property would -have gone to you. The matter might have been left to the law but for -the existence of the former will, which was in Mrs. Oakley's charge, -and which she said that she had mislaid." - -"Who would have been my guardian under the last will, Squire Selwyn?" - -"Your father asked me to assume that office, and I consented -cheerfully, not only from my friendship for him, but because I have a -very good opinion of you," said Squire Selwyn. - -"Thank you, sir," said John, earnestly. - -"Let me add, my young friend," said the lawyer, kindly, "that I hope -you will come to me as freely for advice as if I really filled this -office." - -"I will, sir," said John. "I am so situated that I need a friend to -advise me who is older and wiser than myself." - -"Apply to me freely at all times," said the lawyer, pleased with John's -modest demeanor. - -"There is one thing I want to tell you," said John; "I think my -father's last will is still in existence." - -"What grounds have you for such a belief?" asked Squire Selwyn, -regarding him closely. - -"I will tell you, sir," said John. - -He then related the particulars of his last interview with his father, -and the great effort which the sick man made to communicate something -to him. - -Squire Selwyn listened attentively. - -"Will you repeat the words which you could distinguish?" he said. - -"I distinctly heard father say, 'my will,' and I thought I heard him -say also 'drawer.'" - -"I am glad you told me this," said the lawyer, thoughtfully. "Did he -attempt to say more?" - -"There was no chance. Mrs. Oakley entered the chamber, and ordered me -out. She said I was disturbing father." - -"Do you think she heard the words which your father uttered?" - -"I know she could not, for it was only by placing my ear close to his -mouth that I could distinguish the little I did." - -"How did your father seem affected by the interruption?" - -"He seemed disappointed." - -"Didn't you have any further chance to speak with your father?" - -"No; Mrs. Oakley would never admit me again." - -The lawyer sat for a moment plunged in thought. At length he said:-- - -"Have you ever chanced, since your father's death, to see your -stepmother searching the papers he left behind?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"Tell me when." - -John related the circumstances. - -"Did she give any explanation?" - -"She said she was looking for a receipt." - -"Didn't she seem disturbed at your seeing her thus engaged?" - -"She seemed angry, and accused me of prying into her actions." - -"What opinion did you form of her object at that time?" asked the -lawyer. - -"I thought she was looking for the will," said John, frankly. - -"Are your relations with your stepmother pleasant?" asked Squire Selwyn. - -"I am sorry to say they are not," said John. "If they had been, I -would not have troubled myself about the will. But I can see that Mrs. -Oakley is determined to persecute me, and make my life unhappy, and -that she is determined not to carry out any of my father's plans about -my education. She has already taken away my horse, and sold it. She -intended to give it to Ben, but he had an unlucky adventure with it one -afternoon." - -"I heard of that," said the lawyer, smiling. "He got thrown, didn't he?" - -"Yes, sir. That cured him of wanting to ride, and so the horse was -sold." - -"It was a present to you from your father, was it not?" - -"Yes, sir. Ben received at the same time a gold watch, which he still -has." - -"That seems hardly fair. One question more: Have you any knowledge of -any secret drawer in your father's desk, or in any article which he -used to own?" - -"No, sir." - -"I suppose not. If there had been one, he would hardly have disclosed -its whereabouts to a boy. Well, my young friend," said the lawyer, -rising, as if to terminate the interview, "I am glad to have received -this call from you. I regard your information as important. It -strengthens the conviction which I before entertained, that _your -father's last will is in existence somewhere_. Out of regard to your -interests, as well as to carry out his last wishes, I sincerely hope -that it may be found. But I need not tell you that in the present -position of affairs the greatest caution is absolutely necessary. I am -not prepared to advise you at present, but shall take your case under -my most serious consideration." - -John took his cap and books, and Squire Selwyn accompanied him to the -door of the office. As they stood on the threshold, an open wagon drove -by. Both looked up simultaneously, and an expression of vexation swept -over the lawyer's face as he recognized Mrs. Oakley and her brother. -Mrs. Oakley's eye lighted up as it rested upon John. - -"He is getting dangerous," she thought. "It is well I am going to be -rid of him." - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. - - -John could not help wondering what inference Mrs. Oakley would draw -from seeing him in consultation with the lawyer. He anticipated that it -would arouse her suspicions, and lead to his being treated with greater -coldness and harshness than ever. It was with considerable surprise, -therefore, that on presenting himself at the supper-table he received -a very pleasant greeting from his stepmother. She made no allusion to -having met him, but, in her conversation with her brother, asked two or -three questions of John, in an easy way, as if the relations between -them were perfectly cordial. Ben glanced at his mother once or twice in -surprise, for she had not seen fit to take him into her confidence, and -he did not understand what this sudden cordiality meant. John, who had -usually been excluded from any share in the conversation, was not only -surprised, but pleased, and hoped that the change would be permanent. -His resentment was not lasting, and he was prepared to respond to his -stepmother's advances. Mr. Huxter's conduct puzzled him a little. That -gentleman seemed disposed to be quite affable and social. - -"I hope, Mr. Oakley, you and Benjamin will some time favor me with a -visit at my humble home. I cannot promise you as good accommodations as -you have at home, but I shall be very glad to see you--very." - -"Thank you, sir," said John. - -Ben, who was not remarkable for politeness, did not deign a word in -reply to his uncle's invitation. - -In spite of Mr. Huxter's not very prepossessing exterior John began -to think him quite a pleasant man, and felt obliged to him for his -invitation, though he felt no particular desire to accept it. - -After supper was over, Mr. Huxter turned to John:-- - -"I am going out on the door-step to smoke my pipe. I suppose you don't -smoke?" - -"No, sir," said John. - -"I was going to ask you to join me; but of course you don't smoke. It -isn't good for boys. Do you smoke, Ben?" - -"I don't smoke a _pipe_," said Ben, glancing with some disgust at the -clay pipe, the bowl of which his uncle was filling. - -"I suppose you, being a young gentleman, smoke cigars. They are more -aristocratic. But I'm a poor man, and I can't afford them. Well, if -you'll get your cigar, we'll have a social smoke together." - -"I've got an engagement," said Ben, not very graciously, and, putting -on his hat, he stalked off. - -"He's an impudent puppy," said Mr. Huxter to himself. "I wish I had the -training of him for a little while. But I must put up with his insults, -or lose all hope of help from my sister." - -"Come home early, Benjamin," said his mother. - -"Oh, you needn't sit up for me. You go to bed so precious early it -doesn't give me any evening at all." - -Mrs. Oakley followed him with her eyes a little uneasily. While Mr. -Oakley was alive Ben kept pretty straight, for he stood somewhat in -awe of his stepfather; but since his death he had shown a disposition -to have his own way, and his mother's wishes weighed very little with -him. She could not help feeling that the boy in whom her dearest hopes -centred, and for whom she was willing even to wrong another, manifested -very little gratitude for her devotion to him. John, whom she charged -with lack of respect, treated her at all times much more respectfully -than her own son. But Mrs. Oakley was prejudiced, and would not see -this. She shut her eyes alike to John's merits and Ben's faults, and -the latter took his own way, spending the evening in the bar-room and -billiard saloon, and learning much that he ought not to have learned. - -About half-past nine in the evening, when John was studying his lesson -in "Xenophon's Anabasis," he heard a low knock at the door. Supposing -it to be one of the servants, he said, carelessly, "Come in!" - -Looking up, as the door opened, he was not a little surprised at the -entrance of his stepmother. With the instincts of a young gentleman, he -rose hastily, and, drawing a chair, said:-- - -"Won't you sit down, Mrs. Oakley?" - -"Thank you, John," said his stepmother; "I will sit down a moment. You -are studying, I suppose." - -"Yes, I was preparing my Greek lesson for to-morrow." - -John tried not to look surprised, but he wondered very much what should -have led to a call from Mrs. Oakley, especially at so late an hour. - -"You are getting on well in your studies, I have no doubt." - -"Thank you. So my teacher says." - -"I am glad to hear it. I am afraid it will be an interruption for you -to be absent from school a few days." - -"Yes, it would be an interruption; but if you wish it, I could try to -make it up afterwards." - -"I came to ask a favor of that kind." - -"Does she want me to work on the farm?" thought John, puzzled. - -But he was not long kept in doubt. - -"My brother, who is now stopping here, leaves for home to-morrow -morning," proceeded Mrs. Oakley. "There's a little business I want -attended to, which makes it desirable that some one should go back with -him. I might send Ben, but I don't think he would answer the purpose. -So I have thought of you." - -"Does Mr. Huxter go to-morrow morning?" asked John. - -"He has just decided to do so. That, I am aware, gives you but short -notice," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"Shall I need to be away long?" - -"A few days at least. Have you a carpet-bag?" - -"A small one." - -"That will answer. You can put in a couple of shirts, some collars, -stockings, and handkerchiefs." - -"How shall I know what to do?" - -"My brother will give you all the needful information. And now, -good-night. We shall breakfast at six, in order to be in time for the -stage." - -"Very well, I will be ready." - -Mrs. Oakley left the room, and went downstairs, leaving John -considerably puzzled by what had happened. He was sorry to be kept from -school for a few days even, for he was at the head of his class both in -Greek and Latin, and would lose his standing temporarily at least. But -it was characteristic of him to be obliging, even at the cost of some -self-sacrifice, and therefore he had made no opposition to the wishes -of his stepmother, though it did occur to him that, as Ben neither -attended school nor did anything else except amuse himself, he might -have executed his mother's commission. However, John knew enough of -Ben's disobliging disposition to suspect that he had been applied to -and refused, especially as he could see that he had no great affection -for his uncle. Of course he could have no suspicion of the trap which -Mrs. Oakley had artfully laid for him, and that the few days' absence -were intended by her to extend to months and possibly years. - -"If I am going early to-morrow morning," thought John, "I may as well -stop studying and pack my carpet-bag. I wish I had asked Mrs. Oakley -where her brother lives." - -John closed his "Anabasis," and found his carpet-bag. Into it he put -whatever he thought would be needed in a week's absence. He did not -suppose he should be away longer than that. - -"If it were not so late," he thought, "I would run over and tell Sam -that I am to be away for a few days. He will be surprised when he don't -see me at school." - -But it was too late, for the village clock just then struck ten, and as -he must be up early, John felt that the best thing he could do was to -go to bed and get a good night's sleep, to prepare him for the fatigues -of the succeeding day. - -After a sound and refreshing night's sleep, John went downstairs the -next morning, with his carpet-bag in his hand. The table was spread for -breakfast, and Mr. Huxter and Mrs. Oakley had already taken their seats. - -"Good-morning, John," said Mrs. Oakley; "you are just in time. Are you -all ready to go?" - -"Yes," said John. - -"Then sit down to breakfast, for the stage will be here very soon." - -"So I am to have the pleasure of your company, Mr. Oakley?" said Mr. -Huxter. "I did not anticipate that I should so soon receive a visit -from you when I invited you yesterday to my humble home." - -"In what town do you live, Mr. Huxter?" asked John. - -"Well, folks call it Hardscrabble," said Mr. Huxter, with a laugh. - -"Is it far away?" - -"We'll get there to-night if nothing happens," said Mr. Huxter. - -John did not know whether to conclude that Hardscrabble was, or was -not, the real name of the town, but did not like to press the inquiry. -He never remembered to have heard of a town bearing that name. However, -he would know by evening at any rate. He could not help feeling some -curiosity as to Mr. Huxter's home; but neither that gentleman's -appearance nor description of it led him to form a very high idea of -its sumptuousness. - -The breakfast was a substantial one, and Mr. Huxter did justice to it. -Indeed, he was seldom wanting in a good appetite, especially when the -repast was an inviting one. - -"I suppose I shan't see Ben before I go?" said he, leaning back in his -chair, and picking his teeth with a fork. - -"I am afraid not," said Mrs. Oakley. "Ben got home rather late last -night, and I suppose the poor boy is tired this morning. I think I had -better not disturb him." - -"Don't disturb him on my account," said his uncle, who did not seem -much disappointed by Ben's absence. "He'd better have his sleep out. -But, sister Jane, if I were you I wouldn't let him stay out so late in -the evening." - -"You must remember, Ephraim, he's a young gentleman now. It won't do to -keep him in leading-strings, just as if he were a boy." - -"I'd keep him in check if he were my boy," thought Mr. Huxter; but he -saw that it would not be best to say so. - -"Well, Jane, of course you know best," he said. "When are you coming to -make us a visit?" - -"Not very soon, I am afraid. I can't leave the farm very well. There -are too many things which need attending to." - -"There's the stage," said John, suddenly. - -The rumbling of the wheels was faintly heard up the road. All rose from -the table, and prepared to go. Mrs. Oakley brought out a covered basket -and handed it to her brother. - -"I've put some sandwiches in this basket," she said. "You'll be hungry -by and by, and it will save you the expense of stopping at a hotel for -dinner." - -"Very good!" said Mr. Huxter, with satisfaction. "That's what I meant -to speak about, but I forgot it. I begrudge paying for dinner at a -tavern. They always charge you about double what it's worth. Come, Mr. -Oakley, are you ready?" - -"All ready, sir." - -The rumbling of the stage was now distinctly heard. They opened the -front door, and made signals for it to stop. The lumbering vehicle -was brought to in front of the gate, and the driver jumped from his -elevated perch, and opened the door for the passengers to enter. - -"I think I'll take a seat outside, if it makes no difference to you, -Mr. Huxter," said John. - -"Just as you like," was the reply. - -So, while Mr. Huxter got inside, John took a seat beside the driver. - -"Where are you going, John?" asked the driver, who knew everybody in -the village, and was on intimate terms with all. - -"I'm going away with the gentleman who has just got inside," said John. - -"Where does he live?" - -"I don't know the name of the place," said our hero, suspecting that -Hardscrabble was only a local appellation. - -"Be gone long?" - -"Not more than a week." - -Meanwhile, Mrs. Oakley watched the receding stage with satisfaction. -When it was out of sight, she entered the house. - -"Now," said she, "I'll look for the will without John Oakley to spy -upon me." - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -JOHN OAKLEY'S NEW HOME. - - -Although John would prefer to have remained at home, in order that his -studies might be uninterrupted, he nevertheless could not help deriving -enjoyment from the ride on the stage-coach. It was a beautiful morning. -The sun was gilding with its beams the fields and brooks, and a -beautiful breeze rustled in and out among the leaves of the trees that -for some distance lined the road. John, from his elevated perch, had an -excellent view of the scenes through which they passed. As they rode by -the house of Squire Selwyn, lie hoped to catch sight of his friend Sam; -but Sam was nowhere to be seen. - -"Sam is lazy this morning," thought John, disappointed. - -But there he did Sam injustice. He had risen early, and with hook and -line had gone to the pond to fish. From a distance he caught a glimpse -of the stage rumbling along the village street, but it was too far -off for him to distinguish the outside passengers. He would have been -surprised had he known that among them was his friend John. - -Ere long they were beyond the limits of the township. Occasionally the -stage stopped to take in a fresh passenger, or to discharge a portion -of its living freight. At intervals of a few miles they came to some -village tavern, with a broad swinging sign, where the driver would -pause to water his horses, or, at longer intervals, to exchange them -for a fresh supply. Once or twice John descended to stretch his legs, -stiff with long sitting. More than once he observed Mr. Huxter enter -the tavern, and come out with his nose a little redder than usual. - -"I went in to get a glass of bitters," he explained to John, whom he -encountered at the door on one of these occasions. "I'll get you some -if you want it." - -"Thank you," said John. "I don't care for any." - -"Well, you're young and strong, and don't need them. When you get to my -age, you'll need a little something to stimulate you." - -John, who rightly conjectured that the glass of "bitters" was only -another name for New England rum, could not help thinking that Mr. -Huxter would have been quite as well off without it; but this thought -he of course kept to himself. - -"The old gentleman is rather fond of 'wetting his whistle,' isn't he?" -said the driver, familiarly. - -"So it seems," said John, briefly. - -He did not care to discuss the conduct of his stepmother's brother -with any one, and therefore confined himself to this remark. At twelve -o'clock they had travelled forty miles. - -"The stage will stop half an hour for dinner," said the driver, as he -drew up in front of an old-fashioned country tavern. - -"This is as far as I go," said the driver to John. "Do you stop here?" - -"No, we go further on." - -"I suppose you'll be comin' back this way in a few days?" - -"I expect so. By the way, if you see Sam Selwyn to-night, just tell him -that I was one of your passengers this morning." - -"All right." - -"John Oakley!" said Mr. Huxter, from below. - -"Here, sir," said John. - -"Just get down, and bring that basket with you. We'll go under the -trees and have a bite." - -John followed directions, and the two sat down together, with the -basket between them. - -"Travelling is hungry work," said Mr. Huxter. "Let's see what my sister -has put up for us." - -The basket, being uncovered, proved to be full of sandwiches, with a -few doughnuts on top. They were all excellent of their kind; for Mrs. -Oakley, whatever might be said of her in other respects, was a good -house-keeper, and took care that whatever food was prepared in the -house should be good. - -"Now, Oakley," said Mr. Huxter, "we needn't have any ceremony here. -Just make yourself at home and pitch in." - -It may be observed that Mr. Huxter was gradually beginning to treat -John with greater familiarity. When first introduced, he had addressed -him as "Mr. Oakley." Next it was "John Oakley." Now it was "Oakley," -without any prefix. John, who had no inordinate sense of his own -dignity, was not much disturbed by this, but continued to treat Mr. -Huxter with the same outward respect as at first. - -Mr. Huxter followed his own recommendations strictly. He did "pitch -in," and with such vigor that he consumed two-thirds of the contents of -the basket, while John, whose appetite had also been stimulated by the -long ride, was eating the remaining third. - -"Well, there aint much left, that's a fact," he said, surveying the -empty basket. "The ride's given you a pretty good appetite, Oakley." - -"Pretty good," said John, smiling at the unexpected inference drawn -from the empty basket. - -"That's lucky, for we shan't get anything more till we get home," said -Mr. Huxter. - -"When will that be?" inquired John. - -"Somewhere about seven. It's a long pull; but I guess we can stand it," -said Mr. Huxter. - -"I think I can," said John. - -"The old lady won't be expecting us," said Mr. Huxter. "I told her I -might, maybe, be gone a fortnight." - -"She'll be glad to see you so soon," said John, who did not think of -anything else to say. - -"Umph!" said Mr. Huxter, in a tone which might be interpreted as -conveying a little doubt on this point. "I feel a little dry," he said, -rising and stretching himself. "I think I'll go into the house, and see -if I can find a little water." - -When Mr. Huxter reappeared, John inferred from his appearance that, -if he had been drinking water, it had been largely mingled with a -different beverage. He satisfied his own thirst at the pump, where he -drank a deep and refreshing draught of clear cold water, purer and -better than any liquid which the art of man has devised. - -So the afternoon passed. Twice more Mr. Huxter got out of the stage, -and entered a wayside tavern, on the same mysterious errand. Each time -he reappeared with his nose redder, and his eyes more inflamed. The -liquor which he had drunk made him quarrelsome, and so disagreeable to -his fellow-passengers. Finally one of them called to the driver in an -authoritative voice to stop, and insisted that Mr. Huxter should travel -outside for the remainder of the way. With some difficulty he was -induced to make the change, and from that time John had the pleasure of -his society. - -"Who are you?" asked Mr. Huxter, fixing his eyes upon John with a -vacant stare. - -"I am John Oakley," said our hero. - -"Oh, yes, I know. You're the son of old Oakley that my sister Jane -married." - -It was painful to John to hear his father spoken of as old Oakley, but -he understood Mr. Huxter's situation, and felt that it would be idle to -resent anything said under such circumstances. - -"Old Oakley left all his property to Jane," continued Mr. Huxter, with -a drunken laugh. "Oh, she's a deep one, is Jane! She knows how her -bread is buttered." - -John turned away in disgust, and tried not to heed what was said. - -"But she's hard on her poor brother," whined Mr. Huxter. "She ought to -have come down with something handsome." - -His mutterings became incoherent, and John ceased to notice them. At -length, about seven o'clock, the stage drove into a small village, of -not particularly attractive appearance. - -"Well," said the driver, turning to John, "you're most home." - -"Am I?" asked John. - -"Of course you are. Aint you travelling with _him_?" indicating Mr. -Huxter by a gesture. - -"Yes; I've come with him on a little business." - -"Then you're not going to stay?" - -"Oh, no!" - -"Lucky for you!" - -John didn't inquire why the driver thought it lucky for him. He thought -he understood without any explanation. - -"Do you go any further?" he asked of the driver. - -"To the next town." - -"What is the name of this place?" - -"Some folks call it Hardscrabble; but the real name is Jackson." - -"Where does Mr. Huxter live?" - -"Up the road apiece. I go right by the gate. I'll stop and leave you -there." - -A little less than a mile further the driver reined up his horses. - -"Here you are," he said. "Now look sharp, for I'm behind time." - -With some difficulty Mr. Huxter, who had now become quite drowsy, -was made to understand that he had reached home. With still greater -difficulty, he was assisted in safety to the ground, and the stage -drove on. - -John now for the first time looked about him to see what sort of a -place he had reached. He distinguished a two-story house, old-fashioned -in appearance, standing a few rods back from the road. It was sadly in -need of a fresh coat of paint, as was also the fence which surrounded -it. A little distance from the house, at one side, was a small building -of one story, liberally supplied with windows, which John afterwards -learned to be a shoe-shop. It was Mr. Huxter's place of business, -when he saw fit to work, which was by no means regularly. An old -cart, a wood-pile, and some barrels littered up the front yard. A -field alongside was overgrown with weeds, and everything indicated -shiftlessness and neglect. - -John had no difficulty in opening the front gate, for it hung upon one -hinge, and was never shut. He supported Mr. Huxter to the door and -knocked, for there was no bell. The summons was answered by a girl of -ten, in a dirty calico dress and dishevelled hair. - -"Mother," she screamed, shrilly, as she saw who it was, "here's father -come home, and there's somebody with him!" - -At this intimation, a woman came from a back room to the door. She -looked thin and careworn, as if the life which she led was not a very -happy one. - -"Mrs. Huxter, I suppose?" asked John. - -"Yes," said she. - -"Your husband does not feel quite well," said John, expressing in as -delicate a manner as possible the fact that something was out of order -with Mr. Huxter. - -"Who said I wasn't well?" exclaimed Mr. Huxter, in a rough voice. -"Never was better in my life. I say, Polly, can't you get us something -to eat? I'm most starved." - -Mrs. Huxter looked inquiringly at John, whose presence with her husband -she did not understand. - -"I believe I am to stop here for a day or two," said John, responding -to her look. "My name is John Oakley. I am the stepson of Mr. Huxter's -sister." - -"Oh, yes, I know," said Mrs. Huxter. "I am afraid we can't accommodate -you very well, Mr. Oakley, but we'll do our best." - -"What's good enough for us is good enough for him," said Mr. Huxter, -fiercely. "He's as poor as we are. Sister Jane's got all the money. -She's a deep one, is sister Jane." - -"I hope you won't be offended at what he says, Mr. Oakley," said Mrs. -Huxter, in an apologetic tone. "He don't mean what he says." - -"Shut up, Mrs. Huxter!" said her husband, who was disposed to be -quarrelsome. "Don't make a fool of yourself, but get supper as soon as -you can." - -"We haven't got any meat in the house," said Mrs. Huxter, timidly. "You -know you only left me a little money." - -"Here's some money," said Mr. Huxter, fumbling in his pocket, and -producing a five-dollar bill. - -Mrs. Huxter took the bill, surprised at its large amount, for she -seldom got more than one dollar at a time. Forthwith the girl of ten -was sent for some steak at the butcher's, and in a reasonable time -supper was declared to be ready. Meanwhile Mr. Huxter had been to the -pump, and by the free use of cold water, applied externally, succeeded -in getting the better of his intoxication, and was prepared to do full -justice to the meal provided. - -By the time supper was over, it was half-past eight. John felt fatigued -with his long journey, and asked permission to retire. He was shown to -an attic chamber, furnished only with a cot bed and a broken chair. -But, rude as were the accommodations, John slept soundly, little -dreaming the unwelcome news that awaited him on the morrow. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -MR. HUXTER AT HOME. - - -When John awoke the next morning he found it difficult at first to -understand where he was; but recollection soon came to his aid, and he -remembered that he was Mr. Huxter's guest. He rose from the cot-bed, -and, going to the window, looked out. The prospect was not a very -pleasant one. Just across the street was a pasture, with here and there -a gnarled and stunted tree. The immediate neighborhood of Mr. Huxter's -house has already been described. - -"I don't wonder they call it Hardscrabble," thought John. "I shouldn't -like to live here." - -At this moment Mr. Huxter's head was thrust in through the open door. - -"Come, Oakley," said he, "it's time to get up. We don't want any lazy -folks here." - -"I was tired with my ride yesterday, and overslept myself," said John. - -"Well, dress as quick as you can," said Mr. Huxter, turning to descend -the stairs. - -"I don't see any washbowl," said John, hesitating. - -"You can come downstairs and wash, like the rest of us," said Mr. -Huxter. "You needn't expect us to lug up water for you." - -John did not reply to this rude speech; but he could not avoid being -struck by the change in the manner of his host. Mr. Huxter had, when -first introduced, treated him with elaborate politeness. Now he treated -him with downright rudeness, and as if he possessed some authority over -him. John did not understand this, nor did he like it; but as it was -only for a few days at the farthest, he resolved not to repay rudeness -with rudeness, but to behave with as much respect as circumstances -would allow. In the mean time he would ascertain as soon as possible -the object of his visit, and so hasten matters as to allow of his -return home with as little delay as possible. - -Dressing hastily, he went downstairs, and found the breakfast-table -spread in the kitchen. Mr. Huxter was seated at the table in his -shirt-sleeves. - -"Down at last, Oakley," he said. "Sit right up." - -"I should like to wash first," said John. - -"Well, there's the sink, and there's a tin basin," said Mr. Huxter. - -"Wait a minute, Mr. Oakley," said Mrs. Huxter, "I'll wash out the basin -for you." - -"It's clean enough," said her husband. - -"No, there's been some greasy water in it," said Mrs. Huxter. - -"You're mighty anxious to wait on him," sneered Mr. Huxter. "You don't -seem to think me of any consequence." - -His wife did not reply. Poor woman! she had a hard time of it. She had -always had to contend with poverty; but poverty is not the worst of -evils. If her husband had been reasonably kind, she could have borne -that without repining, though it subjected her to many privations which -she well knew might have been avoided had not her husband been so -shiftless and intemperate. But his temper was far from sweet. He was -that detestable character, a domestic tyrant, and did all in his power -to make his wife uncomfortable and unhappy. She had learned that her -best course was to permit his taunts and harsh words to pass unheeded, -for at such times reason had no weight with him. - -It did not take John long to understand the position of affairs. He saw -that Mrs. Huxter was disposed to be polite and kind to him, and he felt -grateful. He could not help pitying her for having such a husband. - -"Thank you, Mrs. Huxter," he said, when she had prepared the basin for -him. - -"I suppose you are accustomed to washing in your own room," she said. - -"Yes," said John; "but it's of no consequence. I can wash down here -just as well." - -"Of course you can," said Mr. Huxter. "Come, be spry there, Oakley." - -John washed himself deliberately, not thinking that it was necessary to -hurry himself on Mr. Huxter's account, and sat down to the table. - -"You're an enterprising young man," said Mr. Huxter. "I'm half through -my breakfast, and you're just ready to begin." - -"He had a long and tiresome journey yesterday," said Mrs. Huxter. "No -wonder he was tired." - -"So had I," said her husband. "You don't seem to think I can ever get -tired, even when I've been working like a dog." - -"What time is it?" asked John. - -"Most seven." - -"Seven is our breakfast-hour at home," said John, quietly. "As you did -not tell me you breakfasted earlier here, you could not expect me to -get up sooner than I did." - -"That's true, Mr. Oakley," said Mrs. Huxter. - -"So you're siding with him,--are you?" said Mr. Huxter, angrily. - -John was far from being a coward. He was disposed to treat every one -with courtesy and respect, but expected to be treated in the same -way. Mr. Huxter's manner was so very offensive, and his words so -dictatorial, that his anger was excited. He felt that he could not with -proper self-respect remain silent longer. - -"Mr. Huxter," he said, fixing his eyes calmly on the face of his host, -"you seem to forget that I am your guest, and entitled to be treated -with common politeness." - -"Mr. Oakley is quite right," said Mrs. Huxter. "You have been very rude -to him." - -"Do you mean to say I'm not polite?" demanded Huxter, raising his voice. - -It was not certain to whom this question was addressed,--to John or his -wife. But John, who did not wish to get Mrs. Huxter into trouble on his -account, hastened to reply:-- - -"You can judge for yourself, Mr. Huxter, whether you have treated -me as I had a right to expect. I came here with you to oblige your -sister, Mrs. Oakley. When the business is over, I shall go back. I -suppose it will only occupy a short time. I shall try to make you as -little trouble as possible, and if you will let me know the rules of -your house I will try to conform to them. To-morrow morning I shall be -downstairs in time for breakfast." - -Mr. Huxter would have been angry at these words, but the secret thought -that John was in his power moderated his resentment. He laughed in his -sleeve at the thought of John's dismay, when he learned that he was -not here on a visit, but to remain for an indefinite period. This fact -he had not mentioned even to his wife, who, therefore, could not help -wondering what could be John's business. - -"You've made quite a speech, Oakley," said he, sarcastically. "You may -think it all right to charge a man with impoliteness in his own house, -but for my part I think it cursed impudent." - -"I do not intend to be impudent," said John. - -"I don't know what you intend, but you are so," said Huxter. - -"I hope you won't mind what he says," said Mrs. Huxter, distressed. - -"Shut up, Mrs. Huxter! I'd rather you wouldn't interfere. I'll have it -out with this young man without any help from you." - -"I don't understand you, Mr. Huxter," said John, with dignity. "I have -tried to treat you with proper respect." - -"Yes, you've tried very hard." - -"And I don't know why you have taken offence. I should like to know how -long I am likely to be detained here on the business which has brought -me here." - -"Why do you want to know?" - -"Because I think it would be better for both of us that I should go -to the hotel, if there is one in the village. I am afraid we are not -likely to agree very well, and then I shall not interfere with any of -your arrangements." - -"Who do you expect is going to pay your hotel bills?" demanded Mr. -Huxter, with a sneer. - -"I think there will be no difficulty about that," said John. - -"If you think my sister will pay any such bills you are mistaken." - -"As I came here on business of hers she will probably pay it. If she is -unwilling, I will pay it myself." - -"Indeed!" said Mr. Huxter, pricking up his ears. "Where will you get -the money?" - -"I hope you will not take offence, Mr. Huxter, if I decline to answer -that question." - -"Have you got any money with you?" - -"I decline answering." - -Mr. Huxter was about to make an angry reply; but a moment's thought led -him to change his purpose. He was anxious to find out how much money -John had. - -"Have you got money enough to keep you at the hotel a week?" - -"Shall I need to remain here a week?" asked John, a little disturbed -at the thought of having his studies interrupted for so long a time, -especially as there seemed so little prospect of deriving any enjoyment -from his visit. - -"Perhaps longer." - -"If I don't have money enough, I will write to Mrs. Oakley for more," -he said. - -"I can tell you beforehand that you won't get any." - -"We won't dispute about that," said John. "I shall be glad to go about -this business at once, as I do not wish to be kept away from my studies -any longer than is absolutely necessary." - -"I'm thinking, young man," said Mr. Huxter, "that it will be a good -while before you go back to your Latin and Greek." - -"Why so?" said John. - -"Read that, and you'll know," said Mr. Huxter; and he drew a note from -his pocket, and handed it to John. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -MRS. OAKLEY'S NOTE. - - -John opened the note, little suspecting the nature of its contents. It -was as follows:-- - - "JOHN OAKLEY:--I have made an arrangement with my brother to have - you board with him for the present. As you and Benjamin find it so - difficult to agree, it will be much better that you should live - apart. If you had not treated him so brutally I should not be under - the necessity of sending you away from home. I hope you will give my - brother no trouble, but will follow his directions. He understands - what course I wish him to pursue with you. If he reports favorably of - you, I will send for you to return at a proper time." - - "JANE OAKLEY." - - "P. S. I will forward your trunk by express, early next week." - -John read this cold and unjust letter with mingled anger and dismay. -It was hard to have all the blame of his quarrel with Ben thrown upon -him, when Ben had been the aggressor, and he had only contended for -his just rights. So he was to be exiled from home on Ben's account. -He could not help thinking how happily his father and he used to -live together before the present Mrs. Oakley came to the farm as -house-keeper. And now she and her son had taken possession, and he -was turned adrift. What would his father have thought, could he have -foreseen what would happen so soon after his death! - -These thoughts, and others not less disturbing, passed through John's -mind as he read his stepmother's letter. Mr. Huxter's eyes were fixed -upon his face in cruel exultation, for he imagined the nature of John's -feelings, and enjoyed his sorrow. - -"Well, Oakley, what do you say to that?" he demanded. - -"I don't know what to say," said John. - -"No, I presume not. The fact is, you haven't got anything to say in the -matter. My sister is your natural guardian, and she has sent you to me -to manage. She says you're rather a tough subject; but I reckon I can -manage you. You'll find me a little harder to deal with than a woman, I -can tell you that." - -John did not reply. Indeed, he hardly knew what Mr. Huxter had been -saying. So many thoughts crowded in upon his mind with regard to the -sudden change in his position that he paid little attention to what -was said. - -"Is this the only business on which Mrs. Oakley sent me?" he asked, at -length. - -"It's enough, isn't it?" demanded Mr. Huxter, with a laugh. "So you -hadn't the least idea what was the object of your expedition?" - -"No, I had not," said John, indignantly. "I had no suspicion that it -was only a trap." - -"I knew you hadn't," said Mr. Huxter, laughing with evident enjoyment. -"You were pretty well taken in, hey?" - -"I was taken in," said John, shortly. - -"Sister Jane was pretty cute. She knew you'd be making a fuss, if you -knew. I told her that once I got you here there wouldn't be any more -trouble. So now you know all about it, and you may as well settle down -to staying here." - -Mrs. Huxter, to whom all this was news, listened with earnest -attention. She was a good-hearted woman, and she couldn't help pitying -John. She liked her sister-in-law, now Mrs. Oakley, no better than John -did, and was very thankful when, after a two years' residence under her -roof, she had obtained a position as house-keeper at a distance. She -readily came to the conclusion that John had been harshly and unjustly -treated, and she could not forbear expressing her sympathy. - -"I did not know you were going to remain with us, Mr. Oakley," she -said. "I'll try to make you comfortable as long as you stay." - -"Thank you, Mrs. Huxter," said John, gratefully; for he could -understand the kindness which led her to speak. - -"You needn't mister him," said Mr. Huxter, roughly. "It's ridiculous to -call such a boy 'Mr.'; it'll make him put on airs worse than ever." - -"I do not know his first name," said Mrs. Huxter. - -"My name is John," said our hero. - -"Then I will call you so, if you are willing." - -"If he is willing! Don't make a fool of yourself, Mrs. Huxter. It makes -no difference whether he is willing or not." - -"I shall be glad to have you call me John," said our hero, without -regarding Mr. Huxter's brutal speech. - -John rose from the table. He had not eaten much, for Mr. Huxter's -coarseness, and the note from his stepmother, had taken away his -appetite. - -"Won't you have something more, John?" asked Mrs. Huxter. "You've eaten -very little." - -"No, thank you. I don't feel much appetite this morning." - -He took his hat, and was about to leave the house by the back door -which led out of the kitchen. - -"Where are you going, Oakley?" demanded Mr. Huxter. - -"I am going out for a walk," said John, shortly. - -Mr. Huxter hesitated whether to obey the dictates of the petty tyranny -which impelled him to forbid John to go out, but finally decided not to -interfere at present. He contented himself, therefore, with saying:-- - -"I expect you to return within an hour." - -John made no reply, but his manly spirit revolted against such -contemptible despotism. He did not recognize Mr. Huxter's authority, -and did not mean to. He resolved to take an independent stand at once, -and return when he pleased, and no sooner. I wish it to be distinctly -understood that John did not expect, at his present age, to enjoy all -the privileges of a grown man. He was always respectful to rightful -authority, but he considered that Mr. Huxter's authority was not -rightful, and that his commands ought to have no weight with him. Mr. -Huxter did not know the character with which he had to deal. He did not -know that John could be as firm under some circumstances, as he was -compliant in others. If he had known him better he might have felt less -confident of triumphing over him. - -When he left the room Huxter turned to his wife, and said, harshly:-- - -"I've got something to say to you, Mrs. Huxter. You needn't trouble -yourself to take that boy's part. He is a proud-spirited young rascal, -and he needs taking down." - -"He seems to me a very good sort of boy," said his wife. - -"That shows what a good judge you are," said Mr. Huxter, with a sneer. -"He's a young bully, and was all the time fighting with Ben." - -"I always thought Ben inclined to be a bully," said Mrs. Huxter. - -"Well, he is a proud young upstart," admitted his uncle, who had not -forgiven Ben's disdain. "Got some of the Brayton blood in him. But the -other's just as bad. It's six of one and half a dozen of the other. -However, wife," pursued Mr. Huxter, with a change of tone, "it's -likely to be a good thing for us. We're to have six dollars a week for -boarding young Oakley." - -"That's very good pay. I really think we ought to make him -comfortable." - -"He won't get much favor from me. I promised Jane I'd break his proud -spirit, and I'm going to do it. I shall set him to work next week in -the shop." - -"Set him to work while we are getting six dollars a week for his -board!" exclaimed Mrs. Huxter, in astonishment. - -"Yes, that's what Jane told me to do." - -"But his work alone will more than pay his board." - -"All the better for us." - -"But I don't think, Mr. Huxter, you have the right to do it." - -"That shows how little you know about it. Isn't Jane his guardian?" - -"Does she agree to the arrangement?" - -"Of course she does. She told me I might do it." - -"And she will be willing to pay his board besides?" - -"Yes. You see I represented to her that now she was a rich woman she -ought to do something for her only brother, and that's the way she's -going to do it. It's a good thing for both of us. She gets rid of a -troublesome young rascal, and I get handsomely paid for taking charge -of him. It's a very simple arrangement." - -"I can't seem to think it's right," said Mrs. Huxter, slowly. - -"Then you're a fool," said Mr. Huxter, not very politely. - -"I'm afraid there'll be trouble," thought Mrs. Huxter, nervously, but -she did not reply. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -MR. HUXTER MAKES A DISCOVERY, AND SO DOES JOHN. - - -John felt that he was in a difficult situation, and he went out, not so -much for a walk, as to gain time to consider what he should do under -the circumstances. He guessed without much difficulty the reason which -had led to his banishment. Mrs. Oakley did not like him, he was aware, -and it was natural that she should take measures to remove him from the -house. But John felt that, though this was one reason, it was not the -principal reason. He was satisfied that she wished to have him out of -the way while she was looking for the will. But since the discovery of -the will could only be of advantage to him, and strip her of two-thirds -of the property, he was forced to the conclusion that, if she found it, -it would be only to destroy it, or put it away where he would never be -likely to find it. He was thoroughly convinced of this, but he asked -himself in vain what he could do under the circumstances. There he was -at a loss. He could not return and force Mrs. Oakley to keep him at -home, or if so, he well knew that she would manage to make his position -very uncomfortable. Mrs. Oakley certainly had every advantage over him. -It would not be prudent, he knew, to reveal his suspicion, for he had -no proof to bring forward. What should he do? - -Mrs. Oakley meant him to remain with her brother; but he had already -seen enough of Mr. Huxter's petty tyranny and intemperate habits, to -decide that he could never be happy or ordinarily comfortable with -him. Of the two, Mrs. Oakley seemed preferable. Mrs. Huxter, to be -sure, seemed to be a good-hearted woman, but she was a victim of her -husband's tyranny, and her well-meant interference, without doing him -any good, would very likely bring her into trouble. - -Finding his perplexity only increase, John adopted a sensible -resolution. He determined to lay the matter before some one who was -older and wiser than himself, and be guided by his advice. He decided -to write to Squire Selwyn, his father's lawyer and friend, who was -already well acquainted with all the circumstances of the case, and ask -his advice. If he should write at once, he calculated that an answer -might reach him by the fourth day, and until then he thought he could -endure Mr. Huxter's disagreeable manners. As to the will, he thought it -more than probable that it would never be found, or, if found, it would -never do him any good. If Mrs. Oakley would carry out his father's -plans, permit him to continue his studies and go through college, he -would then be able to make his own way, and would not trouble himself -about the property. - -While engaged in these reflections he had been slowly walking up the -road towards the village. It was not much of a village, not more than -twenty houses in all, including a church, a school-house, the tavern, -and a store. Knowing something of the custom in country villages, John -rightly concluded that the post-office would be found in the store. He -entered therefore, and looked about him. It was a common country store, -with a stock of a very miscellaneous assortment of articles, from sugar -and dried apples to calico and tape. One corner was appropriated to the -use of the post-office. John walked up to the counter and asked:-- - -"Have you any writing paper and envelopes?" - -"Yes," said the clerk, producing the articles. - -John bought two sheets of paper and two envelopes, thinking he might -have occasion to write two letters, and then asked when the mail went -out. - -"It has already gone." - -"When will the next mail go?" - -"To-morrow morning." - -"Will you allow me the use of your ink to write a letter?" - -"Certainly. Just step behind the counter." - -John followed directions, and, sitting down at the desk, commenced -writing. He thought it better to write here than to do so at Mr. -Huxter's, knowing that the suspicions of the latter would be excited. - -It is not necessary for me to transcribe John's letter. He contented -himself with stating plainly the situation in which he found himself, -and the manner in which he had already been treated by Mr. Huxter, and -wound up by asking Squire Selwyn's advice. Having concluded the letter, -he directed it neatly, and, prepaying the postage, handed it to the -clerk. - -"All right," said the latter. "It'll go to-morrow morning." - -When this matter was disposed of John felt more comfortable. He had -transferred the responsibility of deciding what he should do to another -in whom he had great confidence, and so felt a burden removed from his -own shoulders. He thought he could stand Mr. Huxter's harsh treatment -for a few days. Meanwhile, with the usual elasticity of youth, he began -to feel an interest in the new scenes by which he was surrounded. -He had never before been so far away from home, and though Jackson -was not a very attractive place, it was new, and so had a certain -charm for him. About half a mile distant he saw a hill, which, though -barren pasture land, would afford him a good view of the village. He -determined to climb it, and look about him. - -We must now return to Mr. Huxter. - -Half an hour or more after John left the house he began to feel -thirsty,--not that natural, healthful thirst to which we are all -subject, but the artificial, craving thirst of one who has accustomed -himself to the drinking of alcoholic mixtures. Thanks to the advanced -payment for John's board which he had received from his sister, he -was unusually well supplied with funds, and felt that he need work no -more than he chose. After splitting up a little wood, therefore, he -turned out of the yard, and walked towards the tavern. He went into the -bar-room, and received a cordial greeting from the landlord, of whom he -was a pretty steady customer. - -"Good-morning, Huxter, where have you kept yourself for two or three -days? You haven't been round to see me." - -"I've been making a visit to my sister," said Huxter. - -"Oh, that's it. I began to think you had taken the temperance pledge, -and given up your old friends." - -"I haven't come to that yet," said Mr. Huxter, in a tone which -indicated that he considered taking the pledge a very discreditable -proceeding. - -"No; I thought you'd have too much sense for that. What'll you have -this morning?" - -"Give me a glass of something stiff. Let it be extra good, for I'm -going to pay up the old score." - -No doubt it was extra good, for Mr. Huxter drank it with evident -enjoyment, and immediately ordered another glass. This, too, was drank, -and after a little desultory conversation Mr. Huxter left the tavern. - -It occurred to him that his stock of tobacco was out, and he went into -the store hard by to lay in a fresh supply. While he was paying for it -the clerk said:-- - -"You brought a boy home with you, Mr. Huxter, didn't you?" - -"Yes. How'd you know?" - -"I saw him on the stage, and somebody said he got off at your house. -Going to stay with you?" - -"Yes, I've taken charge of him." - -"He seems a good sort of boy." - -"When did you see him?" asked Mr. Huxter. - -"This morning. He only went out from here a few minutes ago." - -"Humph!" said Mr. Huxter. "Did he buy anything?" - -"Only two sheets of paper and two envelopes." - -A light began to dawn upon Mr. Huxter. John wanted to make trouble by -writing home. - -"Look here," said he; "if the boy brings in a letter you needn't send -it. Keep it, and hand it to me." - -The clerk looked surprised. Mr. Huxter, finding some explanation -necessary, continued:-- - -"He's a very troublesome boy. He's almost broken his poor mother's -heart,--she's my sister,--and I've agreed to take charge of him for -a time. It takes a man to manage him. But it won't do for him to be -writing home and making a fuss. You understand?" - -"I shouldn't have thought him so troublesome. He looks very quiet." - -"You can't judge from appearances," said Mr. Huxter, shaking his head. -"He don't show out before folks. So, if any letters are put in directed -to Hampton, just keep them, and I'll look them over. If they're proper -to send, I will let them go." - -"He wrote a letter here this morning." - -"Did he?" asked Mr. Huxter, his eyes sparkling. "The young rascal's -prompt. It's lucky I came in. He was cunning enough to write here, that -I might not know anything about it. Let me see the letter." - -The clerk, not doubting Mr. Huxter's authority, handed him the letter. - -He broke it open hastily, and read it. It is needless to say that -John's description of himself, though moderately expressed, was far -from complimentary, and Mr. Huxter's heart was stirred with indignation. - -"The young rascal shall pay for this," he thought. - -"This letter is not fit to send," he said, aloud. "It would only make -trouble. I will take charge of it. The boy needn't know but it is gone. -You may take any letter he brings; but mind you don't send it till I -have seen it." - -"Very well," said the clerk; but he could not help pitying John, if -he was to be under Mr. Huxter's guardianship. In a small village like -Jackson every man's failings were a matter of general knowledge, and -the estimation in which Mr. Huxter was held was not very high. - -"Well, I've defeated the young rascal," thought Mr. Huxter, -triumphantly, as he left the store. "He'll find it isn't so easy to -outwit me. If Jane can't manage him I can, and I intend to. I reckon -it'll be some time he'll have to wait for an answer to that letter." - -This thought amused Mr. Huxter, so that he partly forgot his vexation -at the unflattering description of himself which the letter contained. -Having no further business to attend to, he went up the road towards -home. The letter he put in one of the side-pockets of the loose coat -which he wore. But there was a large hole in his pocket, and without -Mr. Huxter's knowledge the letter slipped through. He kept on his way, -not suspecting his loss. - -The letter remained unnoticed in the grass by the side of the road, -having been wafted there by the wind, until John, on his way home an -hour and a half later, happened to catch sight of it. He went to pick -it up, not suspecting what it was, and was immeasurably surprised when -he found it to be the same letter he had put into the post-office two -hours before. How came it there? - -John was not long in guessing the truth. Mr. Huxter was determined that -he should not communicate with any one in Hampton, and had recalled the -letter. No doubt he had given instructions to the postmaster, which -would make it impossible for John to post any letters in future in the -village. - -"I am very glad to know this," thought John; "I shall know better how -to act." - -He put the letter in his pocket, and kept on his way, determined to -keep his discovery to himself. He began to see what sort of man he had -to deal with. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -A NEW ACQUAINTANCE. - - -Twelve o'clock was the dinner hour at Mr. Huxter's. John and he met -once more, but the dispute between them was not renewed. John was -deliberating as to what course he should pursue. Mr. Huxter was -secretly exulting in having defeated John's attempt to communicate with -his friends, little suspecting that John knew all about it. So on the -whole he was pleasanter than usual, and allowed his young guest to eat -in peace. Mrs. Huxter was glad to notice this change in his conduct, -though she hardly dared to hope that it would continue. - -"So you took a walk this morning, Oakley?" said Mr. Huxter. - -"Yes, sir." - -"Where did you go?" - -"I went to the top of the hill behind the tavern." - -"How do you like our village?" - -"I can't tell yet. I haven't got sufficiently acquainted." - -"You'll have chance enough before you get through," said Mr. Huxter, -significantly. - -John understood this very well; but did not see fit to show that he did -so. He did not wish to provoke a quarrel. - -"I am going to write to my sister this afternoon," said Mr. Huxter. -"Perhaps you'd like to send a message." - -"Thank you," said John; "I don't think of any message just at present." - -"You wouldn't like to send your love to Ben, would you?" asked Mr. -Huxter, jocosely. - -"I don't think I should," said John, quietly. - -"There isn't much love lost between you two, I reckon." - -"We are not very good friends," said John, in the same quiet tone. - -"I'm sure it's no wonder," said Mrs. Huxter; "Ben was always a -troublesome, headstrong boy." - -"Let me tell you, Mrs. Huxter," said her husband, sharply, "it doesn't -look very well in you to run down your own relations." - -Mrs. Huxter thought it prudent not to reply. - -"Let me see," said Mr. Huxter, as they rose from the table, "it's -Friday,--too late in the week to begin anything. You shall have till -Monday morning to look about you, and then we'll see if we can't find -something for you to do." - -Here was a disclosure for John. He had understood that he was to board -with Mr. Huxter. Now it appeared that the latter intended to set him to -work. Had he any authority for doing so, and what was John's duty under -the circumstances. He wished earnestly that he were able to consult -Squire Selwyn without delay, and this reminded him that his letter had -not yet gone. It would be useless to leave it again at the village -post-office. It must go from some other. John had all the afternoon -before him, and if the next town were not too far off, he determined to -walk over and post his letter there. Not wishing Mr. Huxter to have any -clue to his plans, he decided to obtain the necessary information, not -from Mrs. Huxter, though he did not doubt her willingness to give it, -but from some other person. - -He went out into the road, and began to walk slowly in a direction -opposite to that which he had taken in the morning. It was the stage -road he knew, and was probably the most direct route to the next town. - -Our hero had walked about three-quarters of a mile, when he heard a -loud clattering sound behind him. Turning around, he saw a farm-wagon, -driven by a boy of about his own age. It was but little past noon, -and the walk which might be a long one was sure to be a hot one. As -the boy-driver appeared to be alone, and there was plenty of room for -another, John hailed him. - -"Hallo!" he called out. "Hold on a minute." - -"Whoa!" shouted the boy, and brought his horse to a stop. - -"Are you going to the next village?" inquired John. - -"To Milbank, you mean?" - -"Yes," said John, who was not quite sure whether he meant it or not, -but was willing to take the risk. - -"Yes, I'm going there. Don't you want a ride?" - -"That's just what I was going to ask. I'm willing to pay for it." - -"I don't want any pay," said the boy; "I'd rather have company than go -alone." - -"How far is Milbank?" - -"It's a pretty good piece,--most five miles." - -John was glad he had not attempted to walk. - -"You don't live round here, do you?" asked John's new acquaintance. - -"No." - -"I thought I hadn't seen you. Whereabouts are you stayin'?" - -[Illustration] - -"At Mr. Huxter's." - -"Is he a relation of yours?" asked the boy, looking at John with -interest. - -"No, he isn't," said John, hastily, unwilling for a moment to have it -supposed that there was any such tie between him and his temporary host. - -"Are you going to stay long?" - -John was not surprised at these questions, for in the country, where -he had always lived, it was the rule to be inquisitive about other -people's affairs, and he felt that he ought to make some return for his -ride. - -"I don't think I shall," he said. - -He would like to have replied decidedly in the negative; but he felt -that he was by no means certain about the length of his stay. - -"How do you like Huxter?" asked his new acquaintance, with rather a -comical look. - -"I've seen men I liked better," said John, smiling. - -"Shouldn't wonder," said the other. "He gets awful tight sometimes." - -"It is a pity," said John, "for Mrs. Huxter seems to be a good sort of -a woman, and it must be hard on her." - -"It would be hard for any woman to have such a husband. I don't know -Mrs. Huxter much, but I never heard anything against her. I've a great -mind to tell you," said the boy, looking at John to judge whether he -appeared as if he might be trusted with a secret, "a trick that one or -two of the fellows played on Mr. Huxter once when he was drunk. But -you'll be sure not to tell?" - -John, whose curiosity was somewhat excited, gave the required promise. - -"You see," continued his informant, "I was walking along with George -Sprague one afternoon, when we came across old Huxter lying side of the -road as drunk as he could be. George is rather a wild boy, and always -up to some mischief or other. That afternoon he happened to have a -little red paint, which he had got at the painter's shop for his father -to use. As soon as we saw old Huxter snoring away, George winked to me, -and said, 'Huxter's nose is red, but I've a great mind to make it a -little redder. I should like to see how the old fellow will look.' With -that he took out his brush, and touched Huxter's nose with it lightly, -making it as red as a brick. I was afraid he would wake up and chase -us, for he's pretty violent when he's drunk; but he was too far gone, -and never stirred. George took the paint home, and then we came out to -see if Huxter had gone home. We found he had, and we afterwards heard -how the trick came out." - -[Illustration] - -"When he got home and went into the kitchen, Mrs. Huxter screamed as -soon as she saw him. - -"'What's the matter with you?' he growled. - -"'O Mr. Huxter!' she said, clasping her hands, 'I knew that drinking -would be the ruin of you.' - -"'Then you're a fool,' he said. 'Drinking a little now and then don't -do me any harm; but you're a woman, and have no more sense than a -kitten.' - -"'You don't believe me, look at your nose,' said his wife. - -"'What's the matter with my nose?' asked old Huxter, a little surprised. - -"'Look at it, and you won't be surprised at my words.' - -"With that Huxter did look, and when he saw his nose glaring red, he -was pretty well frightened, I can tell you. He had no more suspicion -than his wife that any one had been playing a trick upon him, and he -was afraid that his nose would always be so. He got frightened and went -to bed, and then asked his wife to go for the doctor." - -"Did the doctor tell him how it was?" - -"No; he thought it would do him no harm to be frightened a little; so -he lectured him about his habits, but told him that he thought he could -cure him this time by using a warm lotion. It was nothing but warm -water, with something put in to stain the water and make him think it -was something else; but Huxter did not know that, and was very grateful -to the doctor for relieving him. - -"The fright had such an effect upon him that he didn't drink anything -for a whole week. Then he began again, and got bolder by degrees, till -now he's as bad as ever." - -"How did you find out how the doctor treated the case?" - -"Because George Sprague is the doctor's son. The doctor told all about -it at home as a good joke. George heard it all, but never breathed a -word to his father about his being the one that painted Huxter's nose. -The doctor didn't say anything to George, but he looked at him rather -queerly, as if he had some suspicion. It was a good joke,--wasn't it?" - -"It would have turned out pretty well if it had stopped Mr. Huxter's -drinking." - -"Nothing will do that. He's a pretty hard case But you mustn't say a -word about what I've been telling you. It would get George and me into -trouble." - -"No, I won't say anything about it." - -"Where do you live?" - -"In Hampton." - -"Whereabouts is that? Is it far from here?" - -"About eighty miles, I should think. It lies to the north." - -"Is it a pleasant place?" - -"I think so; but then I was born there, you know, and perhaps that is -the reason I think so." - -"Well, I was born in Jackson, but I don't think much of it. I guess -we'll move away next spring. Father talks of selling his farm. What is -your name?" - -"My name is John Oakley." - -"And mine is David Wallace." - -The boys now felt thoroughly acquainted, and chatted together on a -variety of subjects, such as interest boys. While they were in the -midst of their conversation, they came to a grist-mill. - -"I must stop here about ten minutes, to leave my grain," said David. -"The village is a mile further on. If you'll wait I'll carry you there -afterwards." - -"I don't want you to go just on my account," said John. - -"I am going there any way," said David. "There are better stores at -Milbank than at home, and mother asked me to buy her two or three -things. So you can come as well as not, and ride back too, if you don't -want to stay long." - -"Thank you, David," said John. "I shall be glad to accept your offer. -It's rather hot walking, and I shan't want to stop but a few minutes. -Shall you go anywhere near the post-office?" - -"Close by." - -"I'll just run in there a minute." - -"Have you got anything else to do?" - -"No." - -"You didn't set out to walk just to go to the Milbank post-office, did -you?" asked David, in some surprise. - -"I had a letter to mail." - -"Couldn't you mail it at our post-office?" - -"Yes, I could; but it wouldn't go." - -"Why not?" - -"I've a great mind to tell you. You told me one secret, and I'll tell -you another, but on the same condition,--you won't tell anybody?" - -"I wish I may have my head chopped off if I do," said David, earnestly. - -John felt sure that he could trust his new acquaintance, though they -had so recently been brought to the knowledge of each other, and he -wanted somebody to confide in. So he gave David Wallace a general idea -of his story, not mentioning, however, the will, as he could see no -advantage in so doing. - -"So Huxter thinks you don't know anything of his having stopped your -letter?" - -"I am sure he does not." - -"It's a good joke on him. He will never think of your coming so far to -mail a letter." - -Part of this conversation took place after they had left the mill, and -were driving towards Milbank. They were soon in the village. It was a -much larger and pleasanter place than Jackson, and much more important -also, being the county seat, and therefore having a court-house and a -jail. John looked around him with interest, and did not dream how lucky -he was in taking this journey on this particular afternoon. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -AN UNEXPECTED MEETING. - - -"That is the court-house," said David Wallace, pointing out a brick -building, surmounted by a wooden cupola. - -John glanced at the building to which his attention was thus called. -He had hardly done so than he started and uttered an exclamation of -surprise. - -"What's the matter?" demanded David. - -"Won't you stop the horse?" asked John, hastily. "I want to get out." - -"What for?" - -"There's a man I know. I want to speak to him." - -David stopped the horse, and John sprang to the ground. He hurried to -the gateway of the court-house, by which a gentleman was just entering. - -"Squire Selwyn!" John called out. - -Mr. Selwyn, for it was indeed he, turned in surprise, and could hardly -believe his eyes. - -"John Oakley!" he exclaimed; "is it really you?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"How came you here?" - -"It is a long story, sir. Can you spare me fifteen minutes? I had -written you a letter, and was just about to post it," said John. - -"Yes, I will spare you that time. Come into the court-house with me, -and we will find a chance to sit down." - -"One minute, sir, and I will be with you." - -John returned to the wagon, and said to the surprised David:-- - -"It is the gentleman to whom I was going to post a letter. I am going -in to have a talk with him. I won't trouble you to stop for me, but I -can walk home. I am very much obliged to you for bringing me so far." - -"How long will you be?" asked David. - -"Half an hour perhaps." - -"I shall be here as long as that. I will go on and do my errands, and -stop here on my way back. Then, if you are through, I will take you -along. You would find it warm walking." - -"You're very kind, David." - -"I'd rather have company than not. It makes the time go quicker. So go -ahead. It's all right." - -David started the horse, and John rejoined the lawyer, who had been -waiting for him. - -"You say you were just going to post me a letter?" said Squire Selwyn. - -"Yes, sir." - -"Of course you have it with you?" - -"Here it is." - -"I will read it. That will be the shortest way of getting at what -you wish to consult me about. After I have read it, I will ask any -questions that seem needful. But first we will come in." - -They entered the court-house, and went into a room to the left, where -they found seats. Squire Selwyn put on his spectacles, and read the -letter slowly and deliberately. - -"You are in a difficult position, John," he said, when he had finished -reading. "You are very unpleasantly situated, I should judge." - -"Very, sir." - -"And this Mr. Huxter doesn't seem a very agreeable man to have dealings -with?" - -"I should be very unhappy if I expected to be obliged to stay with him." - -"You say he is intemperate?" - -"He drank several times on his way back in the stage, and the boy with -whom I rode over says he has been intemperate for years." - -"Certainly he is not a fit person to have charge of you. Does he know -that you have come over here to-day?" - -"No, sir." - -"It is evidently Mrs. Oakley's intention that you you should not -be allowed to communicate with me, or any of your other friends in -Hampton. So, no doubt, she has instructed her brother. There must be -some motive for this." - -Squire Selwyn looked thoughtfully at John as he said this, perhaps with -a view of drawing out John's opinion. - -"I think," said John, hesitatingly, "that she is going to look for the -will." - -"I won't say whether I agree with you or not," said Squire Selwyn, -cautiously. "It is not best to charge any one with wrong thoughts or -intentions too hastily, but it is well to be prepared for what may be -done to our disadvantage. Of course it is for your interest that the -will should be found, provided the discovery is made public." - -"Yes, sir." - -"But would Mrs. Oakley make it public, if found, when it is for her -interest to keep it concealed? That is an important question." - -"She can do what she pleases so far as I am concerned. She has sent me -away from home, where I shall know nothing that is going on." - -"In one sense you are wholly in the power of your stepmother," said the -lawyer; "but you will have some one to look after your interests. Your -father was my friend, and you are my son's friend. I shall do what I -can in your behalf." - -"Thank you, sir," said John, gratefully. "I felt sure you would, and -that is why I wrote to you at once." - -"As soon as I return to Hampton,--and that will be to-morrow,--I will -call on Mrs. Oakley, and, without letting her know how I came by the -information, will set before her your present position, and demand that -she pursue a different course. The result I will communicate to you. -How do you wish me to direct any letter I may have occasion to write?" - -"To Milbank, if you please, Squire Selwyn. If directed to Jackson, I -feel sure that it would fall into Mr. Huxter's hands." - -"And never reach you. Very likely you are right. Then I will direct to -Milbank, and will write at once upon having my interview with Mrs. -Oakley." - -"Suppose Mr. Huxter ill-treats me in the mean time?" suggested John. "I -think it is his intention to set me to work next week." - -"Did he not say you were boarding with him?" - -"That is what Mrs. Oakley said in her letter." - -"Then if he is paid a full price for your board, I do not see that he -has any claim upon your services. It is better, however, to avoid cause -of quarrel until you hear from me." - -"And if you cannot induce Mrs. Oakley to change her plans?" asked John. -"You wouldn't advise me to stay with Mr. Huxter?" - -"Didn't your father have a married sister?" inquired Squire Selwyn. "I -think I have heard so." - -"Yes, sir. Her husband kept a country store in the town of Wilton." - -"That is about fifty miles to the westward. Well, though I don't in -general approve of a boy's running away, it might be advisable, should -your stepmother continue obstinate, and Mr. Huxter seem disposed to -abuse you, to leave here, and seek out your aunt. Should you make this -change, you would of course immediately communicate with me." - -"Yes, sir. Thank you for the advice. I never thought of that before; -but I think it is the best thing I could do." - -"Have you any money, John?" asked Squire Selwyn, putting his hand into -his pocket. - -"Yes, sir; thank you. I have thirty dollars." - -"Indeed!" said the lawyer, surprised. "Did Mrs. Oakley supply you with -so much?" - -"No, sir; but when my father was alive he gave me an allowance of a -dollar a week pocket-money. I had saved up thirty dollars, thinking -I might some time want to make a large purchase,--a row-boat, or -something of that kind. When I came away with Mr. Huxter, I thought I -had better bring it with me." - -"It is lucky you did so. You may have occasion to use it. Does Mr. -Huxter know you have this money?" - -"He knows I have some money," said John, "but probably does not suspect -how much." - -"I advise you to take care of it then. Such a man is not to be trusted. -If he claims the power of controlling you, he may demand this money." - -"I don't think he will get it," said John, resolutely. - -"I hope not. You were always a quiet boy; but I have observed that you -were not deficient in firmness." - -"I hope you don't think me obstinate, Squire Selwyn," said John, -smiling. - -"No, I don't think you that." - -"If I find myself in the wrong I am always ready to confess it and give -up." - -"That's right, my lad. It's a thing that some of us who are much older -than you find it hard to do. By the way, I suppose you wonder how I -happen to be here so opportunely for you." - -"I have been wondering all the time, but did not like to ask." - -"One of my clients placed some business in my hands relating to -property which required me to consult the county records of this -county." - -"You didn't come through by the stage?" - -"No, I thought it too long and tedious. So I came by a roundabout -way which left me only twenty miles' staging. I travelled a greater -number of miles than you, but in considerably less time. Now, John, is -there anything more I can do for you before I set about the particular -business which called me here?" - -"No, sir, thank you. At least I think of nothing." - -"One thing at least let me say. We don't know how this affair is coming -out. Your stepmother may prove wholly unmanageable, especially as the -power is in her hands, as things are at present situated. Should there -come a time when you have need of further money, let me know frankly, -and I will see what I can do for you." - -"You are very kind indeed, sir," said John, earnestly. - -"I certainly ought to be. When I came to Hampton, a young lawyer and -without acquaintances, your father took me by the hand, and placed -his business in my hands, and influenced others to do the same. So I -consider that he laid the foundation of my present prosperity, and -therefore I shall not desert his son while he is in trouble." - -"Thank you, Squire Selwyn," said John. "I did not know what you just -told me; but I did know that my father looked upon you as one of his -most valued friends." - -"Well, John, good-by," said the lawyer, kindly, extending his hand. -"Keep up a good heart, and something may turn up which may set matters -right. Be sure to keep me apprised of your movements, and rely upon me -to do what I can for you in Hampton." - -John left the court-house much encouraged by the friendly words of -Squire Selwyn. He felt that he would prove a powerful friend, and -his burden of care was diminished now that he had communicated his -situation to such a friend. - -Just then David Wallace drove up to the gate in his wagon. - -"Have you got through your talk?" he asked. - -"Just finished." - -"Jump aboard then, and we'll be getting home." - -"I've been pretty lucky to-day, David," said John. - -"How's that?" - -"In the first place, in finding my letter by the side of the road. But -for that I should have thought it had gone straight. Next in meeting -you, and being saved a hot walk; and again in just meeting the very man -I wanted most to see." - -"There's one thing you forgot," said David, roguishly. - -"What's that?" - -"The affectionate welcome you'll get from old Huxter when you reach -home." - -"I don't count much on that," said John, smiling in return. - -"I'm glad you've overreached the old fellow," said David. - -"He thinks he's overreached me." - -"I know it. That makes it all the better." - -John reached his temporary home about four o'clock. Mr. Huxter was -not at home when he arrived, and remained ignorant of the important -interview which had taken place between John and Squire Selwyn. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -ON THE TRACK. - - -When the stage which conveyed John and Mr. Huxter was fairly out of -sight Mrs. Oakley entered the house with a great feeling of relief. -She realized for the first time how she had been constrained by the -presence of her stepson. Though he had always been respectful, there -was an unuttered reproach in his frank, fearless glance, which made -her uncomfortable. It was the tribute which a mean and wicked nature -pays to one of greater nobility, though Mrs. Oakley did not acknowledge -that. She only felt glad that John was out of the way. - -She had been so fearful that something might happen to prevent the -success of her plan, that she had been careful not to make Ben -acquainted with it. She was apprehensive that Ben would, in his -exultation, lead John to suspect what was going on, and so cause him -to refuse going. Now that he was fairly off she would tell her son the -good news. - -Ben came down to breakfast late. He generally had his way now, and was -seldom present at the regular breakfast hour. It was different when -Squire Oakley was alive; but then many other things were different also. - -"Benjamin is delicate," she said, one morning in presence of the -servant. "He needs more sleep than the rest of us." - -"Maybe it's smoking cigars makes him delicate," suggested the servant, -who did not particularly admire Ben, or care to join his mother in -making allowances for him. - -Her mistress silenced her with some asperity; but nevertheless took an -opportunity to speak to Ben on the subject. But that young gentleman -only laughed at her remonstrances. - -"It does me good, mother," he said. "I always feel better after smoking -a good cigar." - -"It seems to me you are growing pale," said Mrs. Oakley, whose heart -was full of tenderness where Ben was concerned. - -"That's all nonsense," said Ben. "I'm not as red as a beet, and I don't -want to be. But as to being pale, I'm healthy enough. Don't worry -yourself." - -With this Mrs. Oakley had to be contented, for Ben, though a coward -with his equals, had sense enough to take advantage of his mother's -weak partiality, and take his own way. - -When Ben came down to breakfast on the morning of his uncle's -departure, he said in an indifferent tone:-- - -"Has that man gone?" - -"Do you refer to your uncle, Benjamin?" asked Mrs. Oakley, not -altogether pleased to hear Mr. Huxter spoken of in that style, though -she felt no very warm attachment for him herself. - -"I mean Mr. Huxter," said Ben, carelessly, breaking an egg as he spoke. - -"He is your uncle." - -"I don't mean to call him so. I'm ashamed of the relationship." - -"He is my brother." - -"That's your misfortune," said Ben. "All I know is, that I hope he -won't darken our doors again." - -"What have you against him?" - -"He's a coarse, low man. He isn't a gentleman. You're a rich woman now, -mother. You'd better cut his acquaintance. He won't do us any credit. -You haven't invited him to come again, I hope." - -"I don't think he will come again very soon." - -"He'd better not. How can you expect people to forget that you were -the late Mr. Oakley's house-keeper if you show them such a man as that -as your brother?" - -This argument had weight with Mrs. Oakley. She wanted to be looked -upon as a lady, and she acknowledged to herself that Mr. Huxter's -relationship would be no credit to her. He was coarse and low, as Ben -said,--not because he was poor. Wealth would have made no difference in -him, except that it might have enabled him to dress better. It would -not have diminished the redness of his nose, for instance, or refined -his manners. Mrs. Oakley, however, made no comment on what Ben had -said, but remarked:-- - -"At any rate, Ben, your uncle has done us a good turn." - -"What is that, mother?" asked Ben. - -"John has gone with him." - -"Gone home with him?" - -"Yes." - -"How long is he going to stay?" - -"For good." - -"How's that? I don't understand." - -"John was in the way here. You and he could not agree,--not that I -blame you for that,--and I did not like him. Therefore I made an -arrangement with my brother to have John board with him. I don't -suppose you'll miss him much." - -"It'll be a lucky miss," said Ben, emphatically. "But John's rather -stubborn. How did you get him to go?" - -"He doesn't know he is to stay. I told him I wanted him to go back with -your uncle, in order to attend to a little business for me. When he -gets there he'll find out what it is." - -"Won't he rave, though?" exclaimed Ben, laughing heartily. "He'll find -it a healthy old boarding-house." - -"I wish you wouldn't use such language, Ben," said his mother. "It is -my great ambition to see you act and talk like a gentleman." - -"So I do, mother. That's just the way they talk." - -Mrs. Oakley looked rather incredulous. - -"I say, mother, is Uncle Huxter going to prepare John for college?" - -Mrs. Oakley laughed--heartily for her. - -"Your uncle's shoe-shop will be the only college John will enter," she -said. - -"Do you mean that he is to peg shoes?" - -"Yes." - -"His pride will have a pretty hard fall." - -"I mean that it shall," said Mrs. Oakley, compressing her thin lips. - -"Well, I don't envy John. Every dog has his day, and he has had his. -It's our turn now. Another cup of coffee, and not so weak as the last." - -"I don't think such strong coffee is good for you, Benjamin." - -"Oh bother, don't be a granny," said Ben, rudely. "Anybody'd think I -was a baby." - -This was the way in which Ben addressed his mother, who deserved his -gratitude at least, for she was to him a devoted and self-sacrificing -mother, however faulty might be her conduct towards John. - -At length Ben's late breakfast was over, and he left the house to -resort to his accustomed haunt,--the hotel bar-room and billiard saloon. - -"I wish Ben cared more about study, and was more ambitious," thought -Mrs. Oakley, with a half sigh. "If I could only make him feel as I do!" - -It would have been fortunate for Ben if he had inherited his mother's -energy and ambition. The ambition was not a noble one; but at least it -would have kept him from low haunts and bad associates, which were all -he cared about at present. Though all his mother's worldly plans should -succeed, this was the point in which they were likely to fail. Mrs. -Oakley's punishment would come in all probability through the son for -whom she was willing to sacrifice justice and duty. - -When Ben had left the house, Mrs. Oakley began to concentrate her -thoughts upon that which had first led her to determine upon John's -banishment. This was the hidden will. She could not feel assured of -her position until that was found. Until now she had not felt at -full liberty to search. She had feared that John might come upon -her unexpectedly, and divine her object. Now there was no fear of -interruption. She could ransack the house from top to bottom, and no -one would understand the motive of her search. She had not communicated -her intention to Ben. She trusted in his discretion too little to -confide to him any secret of importance, for she was a shrewd and -prudent woman. - -On this particular morning she had a feeling that she had never had -before. There was a confidence that she had never before experienced -that success awaited her. - -"I must and will find it," she thought. "This is not a large house. -Then there are some parts of it that need not be searched. Mr. -Oakley would never have hidden his will in the servants' rooms, nor -in the kitchen. Everywhere else I will search. Let me go to work -systematically and thoroughly. This time it shall not be my fault if it -escapes me." - -There was a small room on the lower floor, where the late Mr. Oakley -used to do the most of his writing. This has already been referred to. -Here he kept a desk, and this desk more than once had been searched by -Mrs. Oakley. She determined to search it once more, but only for form's -sake. - -"He did not mean that I should find it," she thought. "Therefore he did -not conceal it where I should be certain to look first." - -So, though she searched the desk, she was not disappointed when this -search, like the preceding, resulted in bringing nothing to light. - -"It is as I thought," she said. "Where shall I search next?" - -She selected her own bedchamber, though here, for obvious reasons, she -had little hopes of finding the missing document. - -"He wouldn't place it under my very eyes," she said. "Of course I know -that. Still I cannot afford to leave a single place unexplored." - -The result justified her anticipations. So room after room was -searched, and no clue was obtained. - -"He wouldn't put it under the carpet," she thought. - -Yet the thought seemed worth following up. She got down on her hands -and knees, and felt of every square foot of carpeting in the several -rooms to see if she could detect beneath the pressure of any paper. In -one place there was a rustle, and she eagerly tore up the carpet. But -nothing was revealed save a loose piece of newspaper, which by some -chance had got underneath. Disappointed, she nailed down the carpet -again. - -Where else should she look? All at once a luminous idea came to her. - -John's room,--his old room, of course! Why had she never thought of -that? John, of course, was the one who would be most benefited by -the new will. If by any chance it should be discovered by him, no -harm would result. His father would trust John, when he would not -have trusted her or Ben. Mrs. Oakley could not help acknowledging to -herself that in that he was right. What strengthened her in this view -was, that among the articles of furniture was an old desk which had -belonged to Squire Oakley's father. It was battered and defaced by -hard usage, and had been at one time banished to the attic. But John, -who was accustomed to study in his room, felt that this old desk would -be of use to him, and he had asked to have it transferred to his own -chamber. There had been no objection to this, and the transfer took -place about a year before Squire Oakley's death. It had stood in John's -room ever since. - -When the new idea came to Mrs. Oakley, she thought at once of this old -desk as the probable repository of the will. Her eyes sparkled with -anticipated triumph. - -"I was a fool not to think of this before," she said. "If the will is -anywhere in the house, it is in John's room, and in that old desk. At -last I am on the right track!" - -With a hurried step she entered John's room. Her hands trembled with -nervous agitation. She felt that she was on the brink of an important -discovery. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -MRS. OAKLEY FINDS THE WILL. - - -Mrs. Oakley commenced her examination of the old desk, thoroughly -convinced that if the missing will were in existence at all, it was -hidden there. - -It was one of those old desks and bureaus combined, which were so -common in the days of our grandfathers. In the drawers beneath, John -had been accustomed to keep his clothing; in the desk above, writing -materials, and some small articles of no particular importance. These -he had not had time to remove before his unexpected departure. - -Mrs. Oakley turned those over impatiently, and explored every drawer -hurriedly. But she did not discover what she had expected to find. -This first failure, however, did not surprise her. She did not -expect to find the will lying loosely in any of the drawers. But she -suspected that some one drawer might have a false bottom, beneath which -the important document would prove to be concealed. She therefore -carefully examined every drawer with a view to the discovery of such a -place of concealment. But to her disappointment she obtained no clue. -The drawers seemed honestly made. For the first time Mrs. Oakley began -to doubt whether the will were really in existence. She had searched -everywhere, and it could not be found. - -"I wish I could be sure," she said to herself. "I would give five -hundred dollars this minute to be sure that there was no will. Then I -should feel secure in the possession of my money. But to feel that at -any moment a paper may turn up depriving me of forty thousand dollars -keeps me in constant anxiety." - -She gave up the search for the day, having domestic duties to attend -to. She tried to persuade herself that her fears and anxieties were -without foundation, but in this she was unsuccessful. She permitted a -day to slip by, but on the second day she again visited John's room. -The old desk seemed to have a fascination for her. - -This time she turned the desk around, and passed her hand slowly over -the back. Just when she was about to relinquish the attempt in despair, -success came. - -Suddenly beneath her finger a concealed spring was unconsciously -touched, and a thin drawer sprang from the recesses of the desk. Mrs. -Oakley's eyes sparkled with the sense of approaching triumph, as she -perceived carefully laid away therein a paper compactly folded. - -With fingers trembling with nervous agitation she opened it. She had -not been deceived. _The missing will lay outspread before her!_ Mrs. -Oakley read it carefully. - -It was drawn up with the usual formalities, as might have been -expected, being the work of a careful lawyer. It revoked all other -wills of a previous date, and bequeathed in express terms two-thirds of -the entire estate left by the testator to his only son, John. Squire -Selwyn was appointed executor, and guardian of said John, should he be -under age at the time of his father's death. The remaining third of -the property was willed to Mrs. Jane Oakley, should she survive her -husband; otherwise to her son Benjamin in the event of his mother's -previous death. - -Such was the substance of Squire Oakley's last will and testament, now -for the first time revealed. - -Mrs. Oakley read it with mingled feelings,--partly of indignation -with her late husband that he should have made such a will, partly -of joy that no one save herself knew of its existence. She held in -her hand a document which in John Oakley's hands would be worth forty -thousand dollars if she permitted him to obtain it. But she had no such -intention. What should be done with it? - -Should she lock it up carefully where it would not be likely to be -found? There would be danger of discovery at any moment. - -"It must be destroyed," she said to herself, resolutely. "There is no -other way. A single match will make me secure in the possession of the -estate." - -Mrs. Oakley knew that it was a criminal act which she had in view; but -the chance of detection seemed to be slight. In fact, since no one -_knew_ that such a will was in existence, though some might suspect it, -there seemed to be no danger at all. - -"Yes, it shall be destroyed and at once. There can be no reason for -delay," she said firmly. - -She crossed the entry into her own chamber, first closing the secret -drawer, and moving the old desk back to its accustomed place. There was -a candle on the mantel-piece, which she generally lighted at night. -She struck a match, and lighted it now. This done, she approached -the will to the flame, and the corner of the document so important -to John Oakley caught fire, and the insidious flame began to spread. -Mrs. Oakley watched it with exulting eyes, when a sudden step was -heard at the door of her chamber, and, turning, she saw Hannah, the -servant-girl, standing on the threshold, looking in. - -Mrs. Oakley half rose, withdrawing the will from the candle, and -demanded harshly:-- - -"What brought you here?" - -"Shall I go out to the garden and get some vegetables for dinner?" -asked Hannah. - -"Of course you may. You needn't have come up here to ask," said her -mistress, with irritation. - -"I didn't know whether you would want any," said Hannah, defending -herself. "There was some cold vegetables left from yesterday's dinner. -I thought maybe you'd have them warmed over." - -"Well, if there are enough left you may warm them. I'll come down -just as soon as I can. I have been looking over some old papers of my -husband's," she explained, rather awkwardly, perceiving that Hannah's -eyes were bent curiously upon the will and the candle, "and burning -such as were of no value. Do you know what time it is?" - -"Most eleven, by the kitchen clock," said Hannah. - -"Then you had better go down, and hurry about dinner." - -"I can take down the old papers, and put them in the kitchen stove," -suggested Hannah. - -"It's of no consequence," said Mrs. Oakley, hastily. "I will attend to -that myself." - -"Mrs. Oakley seems queer this morning," thought Hannah, as she turned -and descended the stairs to her professional duties in the kitchen. "I -wonder what made her jump so when I came in, and what that paper is -that she was burning up in the candle." - -Hannah had never heard of the will, and was unacquainted with legal -technicalities, and therefore her suspicions were not excited. She only -wondered what made Mrs. Oakley seem so queer. - -When she went out Mrs. Oakley sat in doubt. - -"Hannah came in at a most unlucky moment," she said to herself, with -vexation. "Could she have suspected anything? If she should breathe a -word of this, and it should get to that lawyer's ears, I might get into -trouble." - -Mrs. Oakley held the will in her hand irresolutely. Should she follow -out her first intention, and burn it? A feeling of apprehension as to -the possible consequences of her act prevented her. The flame had gone -out, leaving the corner scorched, and slightly burned; but apart from -this the will was uninjured. - -After a pause of deliberation, Mrs. Oakley blew out the candle, and, -taking the will, opened the upper drawer of her bureau, and deposited -it carefully inside. She locked it securely, and, putting the key in -her pocket, went downstairs. - -Before doing so, however, she went to the closet in which she kept her -wardrobe, and, selecting a handsome silk cape, took it down with her. - -"Hannah," she said, "here's a cape I shall not use again. It doesn't -fit me exactly. If you would like it, it is yours." - -"Thank you, ma'am," said the astonished Hannah, for this was the first -present she had ever received from her mistress; "you're very kind -indeed. It is an elegant cape." - -"Yes, it is a nice one. I am glad you like it." - -"The mistress must be crazy," thought the bewildered Hannah. "I never -knew her to do such a thing before, and I've lived here three years -come October." - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -SQUIRE SELWYN'S CALL. - - -Mrs. Oakley's door-bell rang, and Hannah answered the summons. - -"Is Mrs. Oakley at home?" inquired Squire Selwyn, for it was he. - -"Yes, sir. Will you walk in?" - -"I think I will. Let her know that I wish to see her, if you please." - -Hannah did as directed. - -"Squire Selwyn?" asked Mrs. Oakley. "Where is he?" - -"In the parlor." - -"Very well. I will go in at once." - -"Has he found out anything about John, I wonder?" thought Mrs. Oakley. - -"Good-morning, sir," she said, as she entered the lawyer's presence. - -"Good-morning, Mrs. Oakley." - -"Is your family well?" - -"Quite well. My son tells me that John has been absent from school for -two or three days past." - -"Yes." - -"He is not sick, I suppose?" - -"No." - -"You will excuse my questions; but his father and myself were very -intimate friends. Is he at home?" - -"No, he is not." - -"I suppose you have no objection to telling me where he is?" - -"Suppose I have?" said Mrs. Oakley, coolly. - -"Then I should think it very strange." - -"You are at liberty to think it very strange," said Mrs. Oakley, -composedly. - -"Why should you object to telling me that he went away with your -brother, Mr. Huxter, and is now at his house?" - -Mrs. Oakley started in surprise. The lawyer was better informed than -she supposed. - -"If you knew," she answered, after a slight pause, "why need you -inquire?" - -"I wished to know whether you had sent him away, intending to keep his -destination a secret." - -"I suppose he has written to you." - -"He did write to me; but the letter was suppressed by your brother. -May I inquire whether this was by your wish?" - -"What you tell me is news to me," said Mrs. Oakley; "but I have no -hesitation in saying that my brother understands my wishes, and will -carry them out." - -"I am answered," said the lawyer. "Is it your intention to permit John -to continue his studies preparatory for college?" - -"It is not." - -"It was his father's wish and intention. That wish ought to be sacred -with you." - -"I understand my duty." - -"I trust you will do something more than understand it," said the -lawyer, gravely. "I must remonstrate with you on your intentions with -regard to John. He is an excellent scholar, and his abilities are -superior. It would be a great pity that he should be debarred from the -privilege of a college education." - -"You say he is an excellent scholar," said Mrs. Oakley. "Then, if his -education is already so excellent, there is no further need of his -studying. He can begin to earn his living." - -"Surely you do not mean what you say. If he were poor, and such a -necessity existed, it would be well enough that he should go to work; -but you well know that no such necessity exists." - -"I am not going to support him in idleness," said Mrs. Oakley, coolly. - -"As a student in college he would lead far from an idle life," said the -lawyer. "Study is hard work, and college distinction is never won by a -lazy student." - -"It may be work, though to my mind it is not; but it brings in no -money." - -"Not at first, perhaps, but it prepares the student for remunerative -employment in after life." - -"I don't think much of colleges." - -Though Mrs. Oakley said this, she would have been very glad to have Ben -in college, not that she cared so much to have him a scholar, but it -would give him a good social standing. - -"I don't know," said Squire Selwyn, rather sharply, for he was getting -out of patience with Mrs. Oakley,--"I don't know that it matters much -what your opinion of colleges is. It was, as you know, the desire and -intention of your late husband that John should enter college. It is -your moral duty to carry out that intention." - -"I don't care to be told what is my duty," said Mrs. Oakley, her eyes -flashing. - -"Do you propose to be independent of public opinion?" - -"Perhaps you mean your opinion?" - -"Not mine alone. Let me tell you, Mrs. Oakley, that in defrauding John -Oakley of the privileges which his father meant him to enjoy, you are -wronging the dead as well as the living,--not John alone, but the dead -husband from whom all your money comes." - -"He chose to leave all his money to me," said Mrs. Oakley, "Probably he -thought that I would know how to dispose of it without outside advice." - -"I am not so sure that he did leave his money to you," said the lawyer, -significantly. - -Mrs. Oakley flushed. Could he know that the will was found? -Involuntarily she put her hand to her pocket, where the will was at -that moment lying concealed. But a moment's reflection satisfied -her that Hannah, who had not left the house, could not have had a -communication with Squire Selwyn. Besides, there was no probability of -Hannah's suspecting the nature of the document which she had seen in -the candle. - -"You have not forgotten that there was a will executed three months -before Mr. Oakley died," added Squire Selwyn,--"a will by which John -would have come into possession of two-thirds of the estate." - -"I have heard a great deal about that will," retorted Mrs. Oakley. -"Undoubtedly my husband destroyed it, as unjust to me." - -"I don't see how it was unjust to you. It left the property as the law -would have left it." - -"Very well, where is the will? If you will produce it, I shall of -course surrender to John all except the third which comes to me." - -"I wish I could produce it." - -"But you can't," said Mrs. Oakley, triumphantly, looking the lawyer in -the face. - -"In my opinion it has never been properly searched for," said the -lawyer. "I have the strongest reason to believe that it exists." - -"May I inquire what is that reason?" asked Mrs. Oakley. - -"Mr. Oakley, in his last sickness, spoke to John about the will." - -"What did he say about it?" asked the lady. "This is the first I have -heard of it." - -"Unfortunately he was so low that he was unable to declare where it -was." - -Mrs. Oakley looked relieved. - -"But John heard the words 'secret drawer.'" - -"Then you conclude that the will is still in existence." - -"I do." - -"And where do you think it is?" - -"Somewhere in this house," said Squire Selwyn, emphatically. - -"It is strange then that it has not been found," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"I do not think so. If hidden in a secret drawer, it would naturally be -difficult to find." - -Mrs. Oakley rapidly made up her mind what to do. She saw that Squire -Selwyn was suspicious of her. By a show of fair dealing she could allay -those suspicions, and this would be worth while. - -"If this will exists," she said, "it ought to be found." - -"So I think," said the lawyer, surprised to hear her speak thus. - -"And though its discovery would be to my disadvantage, I certainly -shall not object to a search. Are you at leisure now to assist me in -such a search?" - -"I am," said the lawyer. "I think there is no time like the present." - -"Then let us begin in this very room." - -"It wouldn't be likely to be here. Still it is best not to slight any -possible place of concealment." - -Assisted by Mrs. Oakley, Squire Selwyn commenced a strict search, -beginning with the parlor, and proceeding from room to room. He little -suspected how near him the document was all the time. Of course the -search proved fruitless. - -"There is one room which has not yet been searched," said Mrs. -Oakley,--"the only one except the kitchen, in which Mr. Oakley would be -hardly likely to conceal it. I mean my own room." - -"There's no occasion to search there." - -"I would prefer that the search should be thorough. Here are my keys. I -would rather have you go up." - -Thus requested, Squire Selwyn complied with the request. He returned -from the quest disappointed. - -"It is very strange," he thought. "I am firmly convinced that my friend -Oakley left a will in existence. But where is it?" - -That question he was unable to answer. - -"I cannot find the will," he said. - -"I am glad you have searched," said Mrs. Oakley. "The fact that I have -given you every facility for searching proves that I am perfectly -willing that my husband's will should be carried out." - -"And his wishes as well?" - -"What do you refer to?" - -"I refer to John's education." - -"I have made up my mind as to that," said Mrs. Oakley, briefly. - -"Do you consider your brother's house a suitable home for Mr. Oakley's -son?" - -"Why not?" she demanded, sharply. - -"Do you think, in setting him to work in a shoe-shop, you are doing as -his father wished?" - -"I do not know where you got your information, Mr. Selwyn," said Mrs. -Oakley, angrily, "but I must tell you that you are meddling with -business that does not concern you. As you were my husband's lawyer, -and drew up the will which you thought in existence, I have asked you -to search for it; I have even opened my own chamber to your search. -You ought to be satisfied by this time that you are mistaken. In doing -this, I have done all that I intend doing. I shall take my own course -with John Oakley, who is dependent upon me, and whatever you choose to -think or say can have no effect upon me. Good-afternoon, sir." - -Mrs. Oakley swept from the room, and Squire Selwyn left the house, -feeling that his visit had not benefited John in the slightest degree. -That night he wrote John a letter. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -MR. HUXTER GETS INTO HOT WATER. - - -It was Mr. Huxter's intention to set John to work as soon as possible; -but it so happened that the shoe business, in which he was engaged, -had been for some time unusually dull, and had not yet revived. To -this circumstance our hero was indebted for the comparative freedom -which for a few days he was permitted to enjoy. During that time he -was waiting anxiously for the expected letter from Squire Selwyn. He -wished to know whether his stepmother was resolutely determined upon -her present course with regard to himself, before he decided to take -the matter into his own hands, and help himself in his own way. Upon -one thing he was fully resolved,--not to remain much longer a member of -Mr. Huxter's household. - -As the letter was to come to the Milbank post-office, on the fourth -afternoon he walked over to that village. This time he was not -fortunate enough to meet David Wallace, and therefore had a long and -tiresome walk. - -"Is there a letter here for John Oakley?" he inquired of the postmaster. - -"John Oakley," said the old official, looking under his glasses. "Do -you live round here?" - -"I am passing a short time in the neighborhood," said John. - -The postmaster took some time to adjust his spectacles, and a longer -time in looking over the letters. John waited anxiously, fearing that -he had taken the long walk for nothing. But he was destined to be more -fortunate. - -"You said your name was John Oakley?" repeated the official, balancing -a letter in his hand. - -"Yes," said John, quickly. - -"Then here's a letter for you. It looks like Squire Selwyn's writing." - -"It is from him," said John. - -"Then you know him?" - -"Yes," said John, mechanically, impatiently tearing open the letter. - -"He's a good lawyer, the squire is," said the postmaster. "He was here -only last week." - -"Yes, I saw him." - -This was the letter which John received:-- - - "MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND:--I called upon your stepmother yesterday in - the afternoon, hoping to induce her to adopt different measures - with regard to yourself. I regret to say that I failed utterly in my - mission. She will not permit you to go to college, declaring that you - have already a sufficient education. Nor will she remove you from the - house of Mr. Huxter, though I represented that he was not a proper - person to have the charge of you. - - "We had some conversation about the missing will. I was a little - surprised by her suggesting that I should search the house for it. I - was glad of the opportunity, and proceeded to do so. I made the search - as thorough as possible, but discovered nothing. I still believe, - however, that the will is in existence, _unless it has been destroyed - since your father's death_. - - "I hardly know what to advise under the circumstances. If you should - leave Mr. Huxter, I advise you to seek your aunt at Wilton, and I - shall be glad to hear from you when you have arrived there. If you - should need money, do not hesitate to apply to me, remembering that I - am your father's friend." - - "Your true friend, - JAMES SELWYN." - - "P. S. I enclose a few lines from Sam." - - -There was another sheet inside the envelope, on which John recognized -easily Sam's familiar handwriting. He was very glad to hear from Sam, -for whom he felt a warm attachment. - -Here is Sam's letter:-- - - "DEAR JOHN:--I have been missing you awfully. I couldn't think what - had become of you till father told me he had seen you at Milbank. So - you are in the spider's clutches, you poor innocent fly? A nice time - you must have of it with old Huxter. I declare I've no patience with - Mrs. Oakley, when I think of the way she has treated you. I can't do - anything to her; but I'll take it out in tricks on Ben. By the way, - your amiable stepbrother has got a new friend,--a flashy young man - from New York, who sports a lot of bogus jewelry, and smokes from - ten to a dozen cigars a day, and spends his time in lounging about - the billiard and bar room. He isn't doing Ben any good. They play - billiards a good deal, and he tells Ben stories about the city, which - I expect will make Ben want to go there. Do you think Mrs. Oakley will - let him? - - "You've no idea how I miss you, old fellow. All the hard parts in - Virgil and Xenophon come to me now. I don't enjoy studying half so - much now that you are away. If I were you, I'd give old Huxter the - slip some fine morning. I only wish you could come and stay at our - house. Wouldn't it be jolly? I know father would like it; but I - suppose people would talk, and Mrs. Oakley would make a fuss. - - "Well, it's time for me to go to studying. Keep up a stiff upper lip, - and never say die. Things will be sure to come round. One thing, you - must be sure to write to me as soon as you can. Tell me all about how - you're getting along with the _monstrum horrendum informe_. Of course - I mean old Huxter." - - "Your affectionate friend, - SAM SELWYN." - -John felt much better after reading these letters. He felt that, -whatever might be the hardships of his present lot, he had two good -friends who sympathized with him. He read over the lawyer's letter once -more. Though he didn't expressly advise him to leave Mr. Huxter, it was -evident that he expected him to do so. John himself had no doubts on -that point. He felt that he would be willing anywhere else to work for -his living; but to remain in his present position was insupportable. -He could feel neither regard nor respect for Mr. Huxter. He witnessed -daily with indignation the manner in which he treated his poor wife, -whom he sincerely pitied. But it was not his business to interfere -between man and wife. No, he could not stay any longer in such a house. -To-morrow morning he would rise early, and, before Mr. Huxter woke, bid -a silent farewell to Jackson, and start on his journey to Wilton. - -When he reached his boarding-place, it was already four o'clock in the -afternoon. Mr. Huxter had come home just drunk enough to be ugly. He -had inquired of his wife where John was. She couldn't tell him. - -"What business has he to leave the house without permission?" he -growled. - -"He is old enough for that, surely," said Mrs. Huxter. - -"Shut up, Mrs. Huxter! What do you know about it?" said her husband. -"The boy needs a good flogging." - -"I'm sure he's a very good boy," said Mrs. Huxter. "He is quite a young -gentleman." - -"He is altogether too much of a young gentleman," said Mr. Huxter. "He -puts on too many airs for me." - -"You are not just to him, Mr. Huxter." - -"How many times, Mrs. Huxter, must I request you to mind your own -business?" said her husband, coarsely. "Do you know what I am going to -do?" - -"What?" asked his wife, with apprehension. - -"I'm going to cut a stout stick out in the orchard, and give the young -gentleman a lesson when he returns. That's what I'm going to do." - -"Oh don't, Mr. Huxter!" implored his wife, clasping his arm. - -But Mr. Huxter was in one of his ugly fits, and shaking off his wife's -grasp, went out into the orchard, taking out his jack-knife. He -returned in a few minutes with a thick stick in his hand, which boded -no good to poor John. - -Mrs. Huxter turned pale with apprehension, and earnestly hoped John -would not return until her husband had forgotten his resolution. But -this was not to be. She heard a step upon the threshold, and John -entered by the back way. Mr. Huxter tightened the grasp upon his stick, -and smiled grimly. - -"Where've you been, Oakley?" he demanded, abruptly. - -"I have been over to Milbank," said John, quietly, not knowing the -intention of the questioner. - -"What did you go over to Milbank for?" asked Huxter. - -"I didn't know there was any objection to my going," said John. - -"What business had you to go without asking my leave?" - -"I didn't suppose there was any need of my asking you whether I could -go or not." - -"You're an impudent young rascal!" exclaimed Mr. Huxter. - -"What reason have you for calling me that?" asked John, calmly. He -saw that Mr. Huxter had been drinking, and did not wish to get into a -dispute with him. - -"You needn't think you can put on any of your airs here. I won't stand -it!" vociferated Huxter, gradually working himself up into a rage. - -"I don't want to put on any airs, Mr. Huxter," said John. - -"Do you mean to contradict me?" demanded Huxter, glaring at John. - -"You had better go out," said Mrs. Huxter, in a low voice. - -"He shan't go out! He shall stay," roared Huxter. "I'll thank you not -to interfere, Mrs. Huxter. I'm going to flog the young jackanape." - -He seized his stick and made a rush at John. Our hero, knowing he could -not cope with him, and besides not wishing to get into a fight in the -presence of Mrs. Huxter, dodged the angry man. This made Mr. Huxter, -whose blood was now up, all the more eager to get hold of him. John, -however, succeeded in eluding him once more. This time, however, Mr. -Huxter was unlucky. Mrs. Huxter had been washing, and the tub full of -quite warm water had been temporarily placed upon the floor of the -kitchen. Mr. Huxter, whose motions were not over-steady, slipped, and, -falling backward, sat down in the tub. - -He gave a yell of pain, and John, taking advantage of the accident, ran -out of the door. But Mr. Huxter was in no condition to follow him. The -water was not hot enough to scald him; but it certainly made him feel -very uncomfortable. - -"The young rascal has killed me," he groaned. "I'm scalded to death, -and I suppose you're glad of it, Mrs. Huxter. You put the tub there on -purpose." - -Mr. Huxter took off his clothes and went to bed, swearing at his poor -wife, who he declared was in league with John. - -"There's no help for it now," said John to himself. "I must leave this -house to-morrow." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -IN WHICH JOHN TAKES FRENCH LEAVE. - - -"To-morrow I will leave Jackson," thought John, as he undressed -himself, and jumped into bed. - -His spirits rose as he made this resolution. It had been very -irksome to him to feel that he was under the control of such a man -as Mr. Huxter,--a man for whom it was impossible for him to feel -either respect or regard. Under any circumstances it would have been -disagreeable for him to remain, but off from the studies in which he -had taken delight, the time passed heavily; he felt that he had no -longer an object in life. But the petty persecutions to which he was -subjected made it intolerable, and he was satisfied that the accident -which had befallen Mr. Huxter would only make matters worse. - -Meanwhile Mr. Huxter, on his bed below, cherished thoughts the reverse -of agreeable concerning our hero. - -"I'll come up with the young rascal," he muttered. "He'll find it's a -bad day's work he's done for himself." - -"It wasn't his fault, Mr. Huxter," said his wife, who wanted justice -done. - -"Why isn't it his fault?" said her husband, looking at her with a frown. - -"He didn't know you would slip into the tub." - -"And I shouldn't wonder if you put it there, Mrs. Huxter. It was a -regular trap." - -"I put it there just for a few minutes. I was going to move it." - -"Yes, after you had accomplished your object, and got me scalded." - -"You ought not to say such things, Mr. Huxter. You know I was innocent -of any such intention." - -"Oh, of course nobody was to blame! That's always the way. But it isn't -much comfort to me." - -"I don't see how anybody was to blame." - -"Well, I do," said Mr. Huxter, savagely. "As soon as I get up, I'll -give Oakley such a flogging as he never got before." - -It was a great disappointment to Mr. Huxter that he could not carry out -his benevolent design at once; but he felt too uncomfortable for that. - -"I wish you had never brought him here," said Mrs. Huxter. "I am sure -he cannot enjoy himself much here." - -"I don't care whether he enjoys himself or not," said her husband. "We -get six dollars a week for his board,--that's the main point. And next -week, when I set him to work in the shop, we'll make a pretty good -thing out of him." - -"I don't believe he will be willing to work in the shop. He knows that -you get paid for his board." - -"I think I can persuade him with the horsewhip," said Mr. Huxter, -significantly. - -At that moment John's steps were heard as he ascended the attic stairs -on his way to bed. - -A new thought came to Mr. Huxter about an hour later. He reflected that -it was in John's power to elude his vengeance by escaping, and this he -had no intention of permitting. - -"Mrs. Huxter," he said. - -"Do you want anything?" - -"Yes, I want you to go upstairs, and fasten the door of John Oakley's -chamber." - -"What for?" - -"No matter what for. Go and do it, and I will tell you afterwards." - -"He won't be able to come downstairs in the morning." - -"I don't mean that he shall. I'll keep him in his room for twenty-four -hours on bread and water. It'll be a good lesson for him. Come, are you -going? If you don't I'll get out of bed myself, and go up." - -Mrs. Huxter thought it best to comply with the command accompanied -by such a threat. Much against her will, therefore, she went up and -secured the door of John's chamber by a bolt placed upon the outside. -She hoped that her husband would forget all about it during the night, -so that she might release John before he had learned that he had been a -prisoner. - -It was about half-past three that John awoke. He did not know what -time it was, but conjectured that it might be near four. Though he -still felt sleepy, he deemed it advisable to lose no more time, but -escape while Mr. Huxter was asleep. He accordingly dressed himself as -carefully as he could, in the imperfect light, and went on tiptoe to -the door. He tried to open it, but without success. Thinking that the -door might stick, he made another attempt. This time he understood the -state of things. - -"I have been bolted in," he said to himself. "Can Mr. Huxter have -suspected my plan?" - -Whether this was or was not the case John was unable to determine. - -He sat down on the bed, and reflected what he had better do. Should he -give up the attempt, and go to bed again? No; he was resolved not to -relinquish his plan while there was any chance of carrying it out. - -He went to the window and looked out. If it had been on the second -floor the difficulty would have been less, but it was an attic window, -and over twenty feet from the ground. There was no ell part beneath; -but the distance to the ground was unbroken. - -A sudden thought struck John. He turned up the bed, and found that it -rested upon an interlacing cord. Why could he not detach this cord, -and, fastening it to some fixed object in the chamber, descend with -safety to the ground? The plan no sooner occurred to John than he -determined to carry it into execution. - -The rope proved to be quite long enough for his purpose. He fastened -one end securely, and dropped the other over the sill. Looking down, -he saw that it nearly reached the ground. He had no fear of trusting -himself to it. He had always been good at climbing ropes, and was very -strong in the arms. - -"After all," he thought, "this is better than to have gone downstairs. -I might have stumbled over something in the dark, and Mr. Huxter would -have been roused by the noise." - -He got out of the window, and swung out. He let himself down as -noiselessly as possible. In less than a minute he stood upon the -ground, under the gray morning sky. - -He looked up to Mr. Huxter's window, but everything was still. -Evidently no one had heard him. - -"So far, so good," thought John. "Now I must travel as many miles as -possible between now and six o'clock. That will give me a good start if -I am pursued." - -John hoped he would meet no one who would recognize him. But in this -he was disappointed. He had walked six miles, when he heard his name -called from behind. Startled, he looked back hastily, and to his relief -discovered that the call came from David Wallace, who had taken him up -on his first journey to Milbank. - -"Where are you going, John?" asked David. "Don't you want to ride?" - -"Thank you," said John. - -He jumped on board the wagon, and took a seat beside David. - -"You are travelling early, David," he said. - -"Just what I was going to say to you," said David, laughing. "Are you -walking for your health?" - -"Not exactly," said John. "I've a great mind to tell you. You won't -tell?" - -"Honor bright!" - -"Then, I've left Mr. Huxter without bidding him good-by." - -"Good!" said David. "I don't blame you a bit. Tell me how it happened." - -David was highly amused at Mr. Huxter's adventure with the tub. - -"I must tell that to George Sprague," he exclaimed. "It's a good joke." - -"I'm afraid Mr. Huxter wouldn't agree with you there." - -"He never does agree with anybody. Now tell me how you managed to walk -off." - -John narrated how he found himself locked in, and how he resorted to -the expedient of the bed-cord. - -"You're a trump, John!" said David, slapping him on the shoulder. "I -didn't think you had so much spunk." - -"What did you think of me?" asked John, smiling. - -"You see you're such a quiet fellow, you don't look as if you were up -to such things. But what will you do if Mr. Huxter pursues you?" - -"I can tell better when the time comes," said John. - -"You wouldn't go back with him?" - -"Not if I could help myself. I don't feel that he has any right to -control me. He isn't my guardian, and he is the last man, I know, that -my father would be willing to trust me with." - -"I wish I could see how he looks when he finds you are gone. If you'd -like to send him your love I could go round by the house on my way -back." - -"I don't think I shall need to trouble you, David," said John. - -"Whereabouts are you going?" - -"I have an aunt living about fifty miles away. I shall go there for the -present." - -"Well, I'm sorry you're going to leave Jackson. I mean I'm sorry I -shan't see you any more. Can't you write to me now and then?" - -"I would but for one thing," said John. - -"What's that?" - -"I am afraid the letters would be noticed by the postmaster, and put -Mr. Huxter on the track. I don't want to have any more to do with him." - -"There's something in that. I didn't think of it. At any rate I hope -we'll meet again some time." - -"So do I, David. You have been very kind to me, and I shall not forget -it. I don't know what lies before me, but I shall keep up good courage, -hoping that things will come out right in the end." - -"That's the best way. But I am afraid I must bid you good-by here. I -turn up that side road. I suppose you are going straight ahead." - -"Yes." - -"I wish I could carry you further." - -"It's been quite a help what I have already ridden." - -"Whoa, Dan!" said David, and the horse stopped. - -"Good-by, David," said John, as he jumped out of the wagon. - -"Good-by, John. Then you haven't any message to send back to Mr. -Huxter?" - -"Not to him," said John; "but," he added, after a moment's thought, "if -you happen to see Mrs. Huxter, just let her know that you saw me, and -that I am grateful for all she tried to do for me." - -"You're sure she won't tell her husband?" - -"No; she acted like a good friend. I would like to have said good-by; -but it wouldn't do." - -"All right, I'll remember what you say. Good-by, old fellow." - -"Good-by, David." - -John estimated that he was now nearly ten miles from his -starting-place. The sun was already shining brightly, and it promised -to be a fine day. Our hero began to feel hungry. The fresh morning air -had given him an appetite. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -JOHN IS PURSUED. - - -Mr. Huxter felt better after a night's rest. In fact, his injuries had -not been as serious as he wished Mrs. Huxter to suppose. The truth is, -he was a coward, and even a small sickness terrified him. But with the -morning, finding himself very little inconvenienced by his mishap of -the day previous, his courage returned, and with it his determination -to wreak condign vengeance on John. - -"How do you feel, Mr. Huxter?" asked his wife. - -"I feel like whipping that young scamp, Oakley," said her husband. - -"He has done nothing that deserves punishment, I am sure." - -"Of course, scalding me is a very slight affair, in _your_ opinion; but -I happen to think differently," he said, with a sneer. - -He drew on his pantaloons as he spoke, and seizing a leather strap, -left the room. - -"Oh, dear," sighed Mrs. Huxter, "I do wish Mr. Huxter wouldn't be so -violent. I don't see what can have turned him so against that poor boy. -I am sure he's very polite and gentlemanly." - -She wanted to say more, in the hope of dissuading her husband from -his harsh resolution, but she dared not. She went to the foot of the -attic stairs to listen, fearing that she would hear the sounds of an -altercation. She saw Mr. Huxter draw the bolt and enter the chamber, -but she was quite unprepared to see him burst forth furiously a minute -later, exclaiming in a rage:-- - -"He's gone,--the young rascal has escaped." - -"Escaped?" repeated Mrs. Huxter, bewildered, for she could not conceive -how John could escape from a third-story room when the door was bolted. - -"Ha, are you there?" demanded her husband. "What do you know of this?" -he asked, suspiciously. - -"Nothing at all," said Mrs. Huxter. "I don't see how he could have got -away." - -"You'll see plain enough if you come upstairs," said her husband. "He -got out of the window." - -"Jumped out?" gasped Mrs. Huxter. - -"Slid down by the bed-cord, you fool!" said her husband, who was too -angry to be polite. - -"I declare!" exclaimed Mrs. Huxter, in a tone indicating her surprise. - -"Did you advise him to run away?" asked Mr. Huxter. - -"Of course not." - -"And did you know nothing of his going? Didn't he tell you?" he asked, -suspiciously. - -"Not a word. But I'm glad he's gone,--I really am." - -"You're glad we've lost six dollars a week, are you?" growled her -husband. "You'd like to see us starvin', I suppose. But you needn't -be in such a hurry to be glad. I'll have him back yet, and then if -he doesn't get the tallest kind of a flogging, that'll sicken him of -running away forever, my name is not Huxter." - -"You'd better let him go, husband. Don't go after him." - -"You'll oblige me by minding your business, Mrs. Huxter. I shall go -after him, as soon as I have eaten breakfast." - -Meanwhile John, feeling very hungry, as was stated at the close of the -last chapter, determined to get a breakfast at the first inn on the -road. He had only to walk a mile further, when he came to a country -inn, with its long piazza, and stable-yard alongside. It had a -comfortable look, suggestive of good old-fashioned hospitality. - -John walked through the front entrance, chancing to meet the landlord. - -"Can I have some breakfast?" he asked. - -"Are you travelling alone?" asked the landlord, who was a Yankee. - -"Yes, sir." - -"Well, I guess we can give you some. What would you like?" - -"I should like some beefsteak and a couple of eggs." - -"Coffee or tea?" - -"Coffee." - -"Very well." - -"How soon will it be ready, sir? I've taken a long walk, and am very -hungry." - -"You won't have to wait long. Here, Betty, just get up some breakfast -for this young man. Beefsteak, boiled eggs, and coffee. As quick as you -can." - -In twenty minutes John was told that breakfast was ready. He was shown -into rather a cheerless dining-room, but the meat emitted a savory -odor, and he enjoyed the meal better, it seemed to him, than ever -before in his life. He rose from the table at length with a sigh of -enjoyment. Going into the office he called for his bill. - -"Fifty cents," said the landlord. - -John produced a two-dollar bill, and the change was returned to him. - -"Not going to stay with us?" said the landlord, interrogatively. - -"No," said John; "I've got to travel further." - -"Where may you have come from?" - -"From Jackson this morning," said John. - -"Did you walk? It's a pretty long stretch,--hard upon ten miles." - -"I rode part of the way." - -"And where are you bound?" - -John was beginning to tire of this persistent questioning, and would -have declined answering, but that he feared this would excite suspicion. - -"I am going to Redport," he answered. - -Redport, as he had ascertained, was the next town on the route. He -did not think it necessary to mention that he was going considerably -further. - -"Redport!" repeated the landlord. - -"Yes. How far is it?" - -"It's a matter of six miles. Are you going to walk?" - -"Yes, unless I find somebody that's going that way." - -"I'm going over myself this afternoon. If you'll wait till that time -you may go with me." - -"Thank you," said John; "but I don't think I will wait. I've got pretty -good legs, and I shan't mind the walk." - -"You can get over in two hours easy. Ever been that way before?" - -"No." - -"Well, it's a straight road. You can't miss it." - -John left the landlord's presence with a feeling of relief. He had -declined his offer for two reasons: partly because he did not want to -wait till afternoon, but principally because the landlord would be sure -to ask where he intended to stop in Redport, which would of course -embarrass him. - -John waited about half an hour, as he did not wish to walk immediately -after a hearty meal. Then, having cut a stick from a tree by the -roadside, he went on his way. - -Twenty minutes after his departure, Mr. Huxter rode up to the inn which -he had just left. That gentleman had procured a fast horse from the -stable, for the pursuit of the runaway. It was rather extravagant, to -be sure; but then Mr. Huxter felt that he must have John back at all -hazards. He could not afford to let a boy escape who paid him three -hundred dollars a year, besides the work he intended to get out of him. -Then again, he thought, by proper representations, he could induce his -sister to pay all the expenses attending John's capture. - -"It's only fair," he thought, "that Jane should pay for the team, if I -give my time." - -So Mr. Huxter sped along the road at a rapid rate. He had taken the -right road by chance, and having met a boy who had met John and -described his appearance accurately, he had the satisfaction of knowing -that he was on the track of the fugitive. - -Arriving at the tavern, it occurred to him that John might have stopped -to rest, if nothing more. He accordingly descended hastily from the -carriage, and accosted the landlord, whom he knew slightly. - -"Good-morning, Mr. Jones." - -"Good-morning, Mr. Huxter. Going to stop with us?" - -"I can't stop now. Have you seen anything of a boy of about fifteen, -rather stout built, who must have passed this way lately?" - -"Blue suit?" interrogated the landlord. - -"Yes; have you seen him?" - -"You don't mean to say you're after him?" - -"Yes, I do. But have you seen him?" - -"Yes, he took breakfast here only an hour ago. Son of yours?" - -"No, he was my nephew." - -"Run away, hey?" - -"Yes; he's been acting badly, and I suppose he thought I was going to -punish him; so the young rascal took to his heels." - -"Sho! you don't say so! He paid for his breakfast all right." - -"You can judge how he came by his money," said Mr. Huxter. - -"You don't say so! Well, he is a bad case," said the landlord, who -concluded, as it was intended he should, that John had stolen the -money. "Well, he don't look like it." - -"Oh, he's a deep young rascal!" said Mr. Huxter. "You'd think butter -wouldn't melt in his mouth; but he's a regular scamp. Which road did he -take?" - -"He said he was going to Redport." - -"What time did he start?" - -"Less than half an hour ago. He can't have got much over a mile. If you -keep on, you'll be sure to overhaul him." - -"I'll do that with a vengeance," said Mr. Huxter. - -"Thank you for your information, Mr. Jones. I'll do as much for you -some time." - -"All right. Stop on the way back, won't you?" - -"Well, I don't know but I will. I only took a mouthful of breakfast, I -was in such a hurry to pursue this young scamp." - -"Well, it's an ill wind that blows nobody good," thought the landlord. -"The boy's running away has brought me two customers. I had no idea he -was such a young rascal." - -"I might as well get a good breakfast," soliloquized Mr. Huxter. "I can -charge it to Jane. She can't expect me to chase John Oakley over hill -and dale on an empty stomach!" - -Mr. Huxter began to indulge in pleasing anticipations of what he would -do to John when he had captured him, forgetting the good old rule, that -before cooking a hare you must catch him. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -THE VALUE OF A BOAT. - - -Meanwhile John was plodding along at a moderate pace. He had no idea of -the danger that menaced him. He was now ten or eleven miles away from -Jackson, and this gave him a feeling of security; not that the distance -was so great, but that, of the many directions in which he might have -gone, he saw no reason to think that Mr. Huxter would be likely to -guess the right one. - -On the whole, John felt in very good spirits. It was a bright, pleasant -morning in September, with a clear, bracing air, that lent vigor to -his steps. He decided to stop in Redport until after dinner, and then -inquire his way more particularly. He determined to take the stage or -cars, if he found any that ran across to Wilton. The expense would not -be any greater, probably, than the cost of the meal and lodging for -which, if he walked, he would be obliged to pay at the country inns. - -He had got to the bottom of a hill when he heard the clattering of -wheels behind him, and was startled by the sound of a voice only too -familiar. "Stop, you rascal!" - -John looked round, and his heart made a sudden bound when he recognized -the well-known face of Mr. Huxter projecting out of a chaise, which was -tearing down the hill at furious speed. - -"So I've caught you, have I?" exclaimed his pursuer, in exultation. -"I've got an account to settle with you, you young scamp!" - -John was no coward, but he knew that in a physical contest, he, a boy -of fifteen, would be no match for a man close upon six feet in height. -Discretion was evidently the better part of valor. If he could not -overcome his antagonist, could he elude him? He darted a quick glance -around, in order to understand the situation and form his plans. - -He couldn't keep on, that was evident. To the right, at the distance -of a quarter of a mile, he saw a small pond gleaming in the sunlight. -It might have been a mile in circumference. Behind it was a belt of -woods. It occurred to John that he might find a boat somewhere along -the shore. If so, he could paddle across, and Mr. Huxter would be left -in the lurch. If he found no boat, his chances would be small. But at -any rate this seemed his only feasible plan. Mr. Huxter was already -within a few rods, so there was no time to lose. John clambered up on -the stone wall. - -"Stop, you rascal!" shouted Mr. Huxter, as soon as he saw this movement. - -"I'd rather not," said John, coolly. - -"I'll give you the worst flogging you ever had!" said his pursuer, -provoked. - -"That's no inducement," said John, as he jumped on the other side, and -began to run across the field. - -"I'll make him pay for all the trouble he gives me," said Mr. Huxter, -between his teeth. - -He stopped the horse, and jumped into the road. He would like to have -pursued John at once, but he did not dare to leave the horse loose, -fearing that he would not stand. Although chafing at the delay, he felt -that prudence required him to secure the horse, which was a valuable -one, before setting out after the fugitive. "The more haste the worse -speed," says an old proverb. So it proved in the present instance. Five -minutes were consumed in attaching the horse to the branch of a tree. -This done, Mr. Huxter jumped over the stone wall, and looked to see how -far John had got. Our hero had already reached the shore of the pond, -and was running along beside it. Mr. Huxter's eyes lighted up with -exultation. - -"I'll have him yet," he muttered. "The pond is in my favor." - -He began to run diagonally to the point John was likely to reach. But -suddenly John stopped and bent over. - -"What's he doing?" thought the pursuer puzzled. - -A moment revealed the mystery. Reaching the top of a little knoll, he -saw John jump into a boat, rowing vigorously from shore. He was only -just in time. One minute later, and Mr. Huxter stood at the edge of the -pond. He was excessively provoked at the boy's escape. - -"Come back here!" he shouted, authoritatively. - -"I would rather not," said John. - -He rested on his oars a moment, and looked calmly at his pursuer. There -he was, only three rods distant, and yet quite out of reach. Certainly -it was very tantalizing. If there had only been another boat! But there -was not. The one which John was in was the only one upon the pond. John -felt very comfortable. He fully appreciated the advantage he had over -his antagonist. - -"Come back here, I say!" screamed Mr. Huxter, stamping his foot. - -[Illustration] - -"Why should I?" asked John, calmly. - -"Why should you? Because I'm your guardian." - -"I don't think you are, Mr. Huxter." - -"At any rate, you're under my charge." - -"Suppose I come to the shore, what then?" asked John. - -"I'll give you such a flogging that you won't dare to run away again." - -"In that case," said John, smiling, "I think I'd better not come." - -"You'd better come, if you know what is best for yourself." - -"But I don't think a flogging would be best for me," said John, smiling -again. - -Mr. Huxter was excessively angry; but he saw that he was on the wrong -tack. It was not easy for him to change it, for he felt too provoked; -but he saw that he must do it, or give up the chance of capturing John. - -"Well," he said, after a little pause, "then I'll pass over the -flogging this time. But you must come to shore. I want to go home as -soon as I can." - -"I am not going home with you," said John, composedly. - -"Why not, I should like to know?" - -"I should never be happy at your house." - -"You're homesick. That will pass off." - -John shook his head. - -"I can't go back." - -"Come, Oakley," said Mr. Huxter, changing his tone; "you think I bear -malice for the little accident that happened yesterday. I don't mind -confessing that it made me feel ugly when I fell into that tub of hot -water. You wouldn't have liked it yourself, would you?" - -"No, I don't think I should," said John, smiling in spite of himself, -as the image of Mr. Huxter's downfall rose before him. - -"You can't blame me for feeling mad. But I know it was an accident, and -I forgive you. You know it's your duty to come back." - -"I don't know about that," said John. - -"Your stepmother made the arrangement for your good, and it's your duty -to obey her." - -"Mrs. Oakley has not treated me as I had a right to expect," said John. -"There was no reason for her sending me away from home." - -"She thought it best for you," said Mr. Huxter, condescending to reason -with the boy, who was beyond his reach. - -"She took me from school, though she knew that my father wished me to -remain there, and get ready for college." - -"She thinks you know enough already. You know more than Ben." - -"Ben doesn't care for study. He could have prepared for college if he -had wished." - -"Well, perhaps you're right," said Mr. Huxter, with wily diplomacy. "I -didn't see it in that light before. If your father wanted you to go to -college, it's all right that you should go. I'll write to my sister as -soon as we get home, and tell her how you feel about it. So just come -ashore, and we'll talk it over as we go home." - -Mr. Huxter's words were smooth enough, but they did not correspond -very well with his tone, when the conference began. John detected -his insincerity, and understood very well the cause of his apparent -mildness. - -"I shall be glad to have you write to Mrs. Oakley," he said; "but there -won't be any need of my going home with you." - -"How can you find out what she writes me?" asked Mr. Huxter, subduing -his wrath. - -"If Mrs. Oakley is willing to have me go home and attend the academy, -as I have been accustomed to do, she can let Squire Selwyn know it, -and he will get word to me." - -"Does he know you are running away?" demanded Mr. Huxter, frowning. - -"No, he does not; but I shall tell him." - -"Come, Oakley," said Mr. Huxter, persuasively, "you know this is all -wrong,--your running away, I mean. I don't want you to stay at my house -if you don't like it, of course, but I don't like to have it said that -you ran away. Just come ashore and go home with me, and to-morrow I'll -take the responsibility of sending you home to my sister. I can write -her that I think she hasn't done the right thing by you. That's fair, -isn't it?" - -John felt that it would be fair; but unfortunately he had no faith in -Mr. Huxter's sincerity. He had seen too much of him for that. He could -not help thinking of the spider's gracious invitation to the fly, and -he did not mean to incur the fly's fate by imitating his folly. - -"I don't think it will be wise for me to go back," said John. - -"I wish I could get at you," said Mr. Huxter to himself. - -"My sister will be very angry when she hears of your running away," he -said, aloud. - -"Yes," said John, "I suppose she will." - -"You must take care not to provoke her. You are dependent upon her." - -"That I am not!" said John, proudly. - -"Didn't your father leave her all the property?" - -"So it seems," said John, wincing. - -"Then how can you live without her help?" - -"I am old enough to earn my own living," answered John. - -"Come, Oakley, don't be foolish. What's the use of working for your -living, when, by behaving right, you can have a home without?" - -Mr. Huxter seemed to forget that he had intended to set John at work in -his shoe-shop as soon as he could obtain a supply of work. - -"I am not afraid to work," said John. "What I dislike is to be -dependent. I am not dependent upon Mrs. Oakley, for the property which -my father left was partly intended for my benefit, even if it was not -willed to me. If Mrs. Oakley intends me to feel dependent, and breaks -up all my plans, I will go to work for myself, and make my own way in -the world." - -"Very fine talk; but you'll repent it within a week." - -"No," said John; "I have made up my mind, and I shall do as I have -determined." - -"Then you won't come ashore?" demanded Mr. Huxter, his tone changing. - -"No, I will not," said John. - -"If I ever get hold of you, I'll make you smart for this," said Mr. -Huxter, now wholly throwing off the mask which for prudential motives -he had worn. - -"I don't mean that you shall get hold of me," said John, coolly. And -with a sweep of the oars, he sent the boat further from the shore. - -Mr. Huxter was beside himself with rage, but perfectly powerless to do -any harm. Nothing is more ludicrous than such a spectacle. He screamed -himself hoarse, uttering threats of various kinds to John, who, -instead of being frightened, took it all very coolly, dipping his oars -tranquilly in the water. - -"There's one way of getting at you," said Huxter, suddenly picking up a -good-sized stone and flinging it at the boat. - -If he had been a good marksman the stone might have hit John, for -the boat was within range; but it veered aside and struck the water. -Admonished of a new danger, John took several rapid strokes, and was -quickly free from this peril. Mr. Huxter shook his fist wrathfully at -the young boatman, and was considering if there was any way of getting -at him, when an unexpected mischance called his attention in another -direction. Looking towards the road, he found that his horse had -managed to break loose, and was now heading for home. - -"Whoa!" he shouted, as he ran towards the retreating vehicle, -forgetting that his voice would hardly reach a third of a mile. - -Certainly this was not one of Mr. Huxter's lucky days. John was left -master of the situation. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - -ONE DISAPPOINTMENT FOLLOWS ANOTHER. - - -At the close of the last chapter we left John floating at his ease in -a row-boat, while his pursuer was compelled, by the sudden departure -of his horse, to give up his immediate purpose, and chase the flying -animal. It was very much against his will that he left John; but the -horse, as he knew, was the best in the stable, and valued at not less -than three hundred dollars,--a sum which he would be unable to make up. -Besides this, the chaise might be injured. - -"Curse my luck!" exclaimed Mr. Huxter, as he glanced back at John, with -a baffled look. "Every thing turns against me. But I'll come back after -the young rascal as soon as I catch the horse." - -But, unfortunately for Mr. Huxter, it proved that two legs were -no match for four. When he got to the road, the horse was half a -mile ahead. In spite of his haste, he was obliged to pause a moment -and recover his breath, which the unusual exercise of running had -exhausted. - -Mr. Huxter was nearly two miles distant from the tavern where he had -stopped. His only hope was that the horse would stop or be stopped -there. As soon as he recovered his breath, he started for the tavern, -therefore. Partly running, partly walking, he at length arrived, tired, -heated, and in ill-humor. - -Entering the yard, he saw a group of men and boys surrounding the horse -and chaise, which had already arrived. Among them was Mr. Jones, the -landlord. - -"Why, here's the man himself!" exclaimed the landlord, advancing to -meet him. "How came your horse to run away? Were you spilled out?" - -"No; I tied him to a tree, and he broke loose and ran away. Has he done -any harm?" asked Mr. Huxter, nervously. - -"He's smashed one of the wheels in running against a post," said a -bystander. - -"Let me see," said Mr. Huxter, dolefully. - -He found that it was as bad as had been told him. The horse made a -short turn into the inn-yard, and managed to bring the chaise into -collision with a post. The wheel was pretty well shattered. - -"Looks bad," said the bystander. "It'll cost something to mend it." - -"It can't be mended," said Mr. Jones. "You'll have to get a new wheel." - -"What'll it cost?" said Mr. Huxter, with something very like a groan. - -"I can't say exactly. Maybe twenty-five dollars will do it." - -"It might have been worse," said the bystander, in what was meant to be -an encouraging tone. - -"It's bad enough," said Mr. Huxter, fiercely. "It's just my cursed -luck." - -"Was the carriage yours?" asked the landlord. - -"No, I got it from a stable. They'll charge me about double price." - -"Oh, by the way, did you catch the boy?" asked the landlord, in a tone -of interest. - -"No," said Mr. Huxter, with an oath which I will omit. "I had just -overtaken him when the cursed horse ran away." - -"Well, you are unlucky," said Jones. "What are you going to do about -it?" - -"I suppose I must get the carriage home somehow." - -"You might get a new wheel put on here. There's an excellent -wheelwright in the village. It will cost you less." - -Mr. Huxter finally made an arrangement to this effect, the wheelwright -agreeing for twenty-five dollars to put the chaise in repair. -This, with the stable charge, made thirty dollars as the expense -of Mr. Huxter's little excursion, which, as we have seen, ended in -disappointment. He decided not to continue the pursuit of John, having -good reason to doubt whether he would catch him. - -There was one question which troubled Mr. Huxter: Would his sister be -willing to pay this thirty dollars? If not, it would indeed be a bad -morning's work for him. He lost no time, on getting home, in writing to -Mrs. Oakley. His letter is subjoined. - - "DEAR SISTER:--I hope these few lines will find you in good health. - This comes to inform you that the young rascal that I took to board - to accommodate you has run away, after treating me most shameful. I - hired a team to go after him this morning; but the horse ran away and - broke the carriage, which will cost me forty dollars to mend. (Mr. - Huxter thought if Mrs. Oakley was to pay the bill he might as well add - something to it.) As I was on your business, you will expect to pay - this, of course. You can send the money in a letter. I will get back - John Oakley if I can. He is a young scamp, and I don't wonder you had - trouble with him. When I get him back, I will make him toe the mark, - you may be sure of that. Please write to me by return mail, and don't - forget the money. Your brother," - - "EPHRAIM HUXTER." - -Mr. Huxter did not have to wait long for an answer; but it proved to be -less satisfactory than prompt. It ran as follows:-- - - "MY DEAR BROTHER:--Your letter has just reached me. I am surprised - that you could not manage to control a boy of fifteen. It seems that - he has got the best of you. You need not trouble yourself to get him - back. If he chooses to run away and earn his own living, he may, for - all I care. He is a young rascal, as you say. - - "As to the carriage which you say was damaged to the extent of forty - dollars, I do not see how it could have happened, with ordinary care. - How did it happen? You ought to have told me in your letter. Nor do I - see how you can expect me to pay for the result of your carelessness. - But even if I were to do it, you seem to forget that I advanced you - seventy-five dollars on John's board. As he has remained only one - week, that being deducted will leave a balance of sixty-nine dollars, - or perhaps sixty, after taking out travelling expenses. I could - rightfully require this back; but I will not be hard on you. You may - pay for the damage done to the carriage (I am surprised that it should - amount to forty dollars), and keep the balance as a gift from me. - But it will be useless for you to make any further claim on me for a - year, at least, as I have large expenses, and charity begins at home. - Remember me to your wife." - - "JANE OAKLEY." - -"Well, if that isn't a cold-blooded letter!" said Mr. Huxter, bitterly. -"Jane is rich now, and don't care for the privations of her poor -brother. She blames me because the chaise got broken,--just as if I -could help it." - -Still Mr. Huxter had no real reason to complain. His sister had agreed -to pay for the damage done, and there would be something left out of -the money she had paid in advance. But Mr. Huxter, as soon as he had -received it, had at once looked upon it as his own, though not yet -earned, and to use it seemed as if he were paying the bill out of his -own pocket. Then, again, the very decided intimation that he need not -look for any more assistance at present was discouraging. Deducting -expenses, it would leave him but a small amount to pay him for his -journey to Hampton. He resolved not to pay the wheelwright, if he -could possibly avoid it, not being very conscientious about paying his -debts. But, as Mr. Huxter's reputation in that way was well known, the -wheelwright refused to surrender the chaise till his bill was paid; and -the stable-keeper made such a fuss that Mr. Huxter was compelled to pay -the bill, though very much against his inclination. - -The result of his disappointment was, that he began to drink worse than -ever, and poor Mrs. Huxter, for some weeks, had a hard time of it. She -was certainly very much to be pitied, as is every poor woman who finds -herself yoked for life to a husband wedded to a habit so fatal to all -domestic comfort and happiness. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - -JOHN OAKLEY'S AUNT. - - -When John found that his enemy had abandoned the siege, he rowed -ashore, and watched Mr. Huxter until he became satisfied that it -would require a considerable time to catch the horse. He thought -that he might venture to pursue his journey, without further fear of -molestation. Of the incidents that followed, none are worth recording. -It is sufficient to say that on the evening of the second day John -entered the town of Wilton. - -It was years since he had seen his aunt. She had been confined at home -by the cares of a young family, and the distance between Wilton and -Hampton seemed formidable. He knew, however, that his uncle, Thomas -Berry, kept a small country store, and had done so ever since his -marriage. In a country village it is always easy to find the "store," -and John kept up the main road, feeling that it would not be necessary -to inquire. He came at length to a meeting-house, and judged that the -store would not be far off. In fact, a few rods further he came to a -long, two-story building, painted white, with a piazza in front. On a -large sign-board over it he read:-- - - "THOMAS BERRY. - - PROVISION AND DRY-GOODS STORE." - -"This must be the place," thought John. "I think I'll go into the store -first and see uncle." - -He entered, and found himself in a broad room, low-studded, furnished -with counters on two sides, and crowded with a motley collection of -goods, embracing calicoes and dry goods generally, as well as barrels -of molasses and firkins of butter. There chanced to be no customer in -at the time. Behind the counter he saw, not his uncle, but a young man, -with long, light hair combed behind his ears, not very prepossessing in -his appearance,--at least so John thought. - -"Is Mr. Berry in?" he asked, walking up to the counter. - -"Mr. Berry is dead," was the unexpected reply. - -"Dead!" exclaimed John, in surprise. "How long since he died?" - -"A week ago." - -"We never heard of it," said John, half to himself. - -"Are you a relation?" asked the young man. - -"He was my uncle." - -"Is your name Oakley?" - -"Yes, John Oakley." - -"Of Hampton?" - -"Yes." - -"A letter was sent there, announcing the death." - -This was true; but Mrs. Oakley, who received the letter, had not -thought it necessary to send intelligence of its contents to John. - -"Didn't you get it?" continued the other. - -"I haven't been at home for a week or more," said John. "I suppose that -accounts for it. How is my aunt?" - -"She is not very well." - -"I think I will go into the house and see her." - -John went around to the door of the house and knocked. A young girl -of twelve answered. Though John had not seen her for six years, he -concluded that it must be his Cousin Martha. - -"How do you do, Cousin Martha?" he said, extending his hand. - -"Are you my Cousin John Oakley?" she said, doubtfully. - -"Yes. I did not hear till just now of your loss," said John. "How is -your mother?" - -"She is not very well. Come in, Cousin John. She will be glad to see -you." - -John was ushered into a small sitting-room, where he found his aunt -seated in a chair by the window, sewing on a black dress for one of the -children. - -"Here's Cousin John, mother," said Martha. - -An expression of pleasure came to Mrs. Berry's pale face. - -"I am very glad to see you, John," she said. "You were very kind to -come. Is your stepmother well?" - -"Quite well," said John. "But I do not come directly from home." - -"Indeed! How does that happen?" asked his aunt. - -"It is rather a long story, aunt. I will tell you by and by. But now -tell me about yourself. Of what did my uncle die?" - -"He exposed himself imprudently in a storm one evening three months -since," said Mrs. Berry. "In consequence of this, he took a severe -cold, which finally terminated in a fever. We did not at first suppose -him to be in any danger, but he gradually became worse, and a week -since he died. It is a terrible loss to me and my poor children." - -Here his aunt put her handkerchief to her face to wipe away the tears -that started at the thought of her bereavement. - -"Dear aunt, I sympathize with you," said John, earnestly, taking her -hand. - -"I know you do, John," said his aunt. "I don't know how I can get along -alone, with four poor fatherless children to look after." - -"God will help you, aunt. You must look to him," said John, reverently. - -"It is that thought alone that sustains me," said Mrs. Berry. "But -sometimes, when the thought of my bereavement comes upon me, I don't -realize it as I should." - -"I went into the store first," said John. "I suppose it was my uncle's -assistant that I saw there?" - -"Yes," said Mrs. Berry; "it was Mr. Hall." - -"I suppose he manages the store now for you?" - -"Yes," said Mrs. Berry, slowly. "But I hardly know that it is right to -say that he manages it for me." - -"Why not?" asked John, perplexed by his aunt's manner, which seemed to -him strange. - -"I will tell you, John," said his aunt. "When Mr. Berry died, I -thought he owned the stock clear, and had no debts; but day before -yesterday Mr. Hall called in, and showed me a note for two thousand -dollars, signed by Mr. Berry. I don't suppose the stock is worth more -than three thousand. Of course that makes a very great difference in my -circumstances. In fact, it will leave me only a thousand dollars, at -the utmost, to support my poor children. I don't know what I shall do." -And the poor woman, whose nerves had been shaken by her grief, burst -into tears. - -"Didn't my uncle own this building, then?" asked John. - -"No, he never owned it. He hired it at a low rent from Mr. Mansfield, -one of the selectmen, and a rich man." - -"Can't you keep up the store, aunt? Will not that give income enough to -support the family?" - -"But for this note, I could. But if I have to pay that, it will leave -only a third of the store belonging to me. Then out of the profits I -must pay the rent, the wages of a salesman and a boy, before I can get -anything for myself. You see, John, there isn't much prospect." - -"Yes," said John, thoughtfully. "It doesn't look very bright. You say, -aunt, that uncle never mentioned this note to you?" - -"He never mentioned a syllable about it." - -"Did he generally mention his affairs to you?" - -"Yes; he wasn't one of those husbands that keep everything secret from -their wives. He always told me how he was getting along." - -"When was the note dated?" - -"A year and a half ago." - -"Do you know whether my uncle had any particular use for so large a sum -of money at that time?" - -"No. That is what puzzles me," said Mrs. Berry. "If he got the money, I -am sure I don't know what he did with it." - -"Did he extend his business with it, do you think?" - -"No, I am sure he did not. His stock is no larger now than it was six -years ago. He always calculated to keep it at about the same amount." - -"That seems strange," said John,--"that we can't find where the money -went to, I mean; especially as it was so large a sum." - -"Yes, John, that is what I think. There's some mystery about it. I've -thought and thought, and I can't tell how it happened." - -"What sort of a man is Mr. Hall?" asked John, after a pause. - -"I don't know anything against him," said Mrs. Berry. - -"I don't know why it is," said John, "but I don't like his looks. I -took rather a prejudice against him when I saw him just now." - -"I never liked him," said his aunt, "though I can't give any good -reason for my dislike. He never treated me in any way of which I could -complain." - -"How long has he been in the store?" - -"How long is it, Martha?" asked Mrs. Berry, turning to her oldest -daughter, who, by the way, was a very pretty girl, with blooming cheeks -and dark, sparkling eyes. - -"It will be four years in October, mother." - -"Yes, I remember now." - -"He seems quite a young man." - -"I think he is twenty-three." - -"Does he get a large salary?" - -"No, only forty dollars a month." - -"Did you know of his having any property when he came here?" - -"No; he seemed quite poor." - -"Then I don't understand where he could have got the two thousand -dollars which he says he loaned uncle." - -"I declare, John, you are right," said Mrs. Berry, looking as if new -light was thrown over the matter. "It certainly does look very strange. -I wonder I didn't think of it before; but I have had so much to think -of, that I couldn't think properly of anything. How do you account for -it, John?" - -"I will tell you, aunt," said John, quietly. "I think the note is a -forgery, and that Mr. Hall means to cheat you out of two-thirds of your -property." - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - -JOHN MAKES A DISCOVERY. - - -"Do you really believe this, John?" asked Mrs. Berry, in excitement. - -"I really do, aunt. I see no other way to account for the existence of -the note." - -"But the signature looked like Mr. Berry's," said his aunt, doubtfully. - -"Did you examine it carefully, aunt?" - -"No, I didn't," admitted Mrs. Berry. - -"I should like to compare it with uncle's handwriting." - -"I suppose Mr. Hall would think it strange if I should ask him to let -me take it." - -"Yes; but he must do it, if he wants the note acknowledged." - -"I have no head for business," said Mrs. Berry. "A child could cheat -me. I wish you could stay with me and look after things." - -"Perhaps I can." - -"But will your mother be willing?" - -"I have no mother," said John. - -"Your stepmother, then?" - -"I might as well tell you, aunt, that there has been a serious -difficulty between Mrs. Oakley and myself, and I have left home." - -"Is it possible, John? Didn't your stepmother treat you right?" - -"I will tell you all about it, aunt, and you shall judge." - -It was a long story, but, as we already know all about it, it is -unnecessary to give John's account. His aunt listened attentively, and -sympathized fully with John in the matter. - -"You have been badly treated, John," she said. "I am sure my poor -brother would feel badly enough if he could know how Mrs. Oakley has -driven you from home. You do not mean to go back?" - -"No, aunt," said John, resolutely. "Until Mrs. Oakley restores me to my -former privileges, I shall not go home." - -"Then you must stay here, John," said his aunt. - -"If I can be of any service to you, aunt, I will." - -"You can be of great service to me, John. I do not feel confidence in -Mr. Hall, and you know why I cannot be sure that he is not cheating me -in the store. I want you to keep an eye upon him." - -"I will go into the store as an assistant," said John. "That will give -me the best opportunity." - -"But you have never been used to work," said his aunt. - -"I must work now. Remember, aunt, Mrs. Oakley holds the property, and I -am dependent on my own exertions." - -"It is disgraceful that it should be so, John." - -"But it is so. Perhaps matters may come right by and by; but for the -present I must work. I will go into the store, and you shall give me my -board." - -"You will earn more than that, John." - -"If we get clear of Mr. Hall's note, you can do better by me. Until -then, let that be the arrangement." - -"You don't know what a load you have lifted from my mind, John. I am -very sorry that you have been driven from home; but I am very glad to -have you here. Martha, get ready the back bedroom for John." - -"I begin to feel myself at home already," said John, brightly. - -"Our home is a humble one compared with the one you have left, John," -said his aunt. - -"But you are here, aunt, and you seem like my own mother. That will -make more than the difference to me." - -"I hope we can make you comfortable, John. Martha, you may set the -table for supper, and get John's room ready afterwards. I think he must -be hungry." - -"I am as hungry as a bear, aunt," said John, smiling. - -In the evening Martha went into the store by her mother's request, and -asked Mr. Hall to step in after closing the store. - -He did so. - -"I believe you wished to see me, Mrs. Berry," he said. - -"Yes, Mr. Hall. Will you sit down?" - -"Thank you." And the young man seated himself, looking furtively at -Mrs. Berry, as if to inquire the object of his being summoned. - -"Mr. Hall, this is my nephew, John Oakley. I believe you have already -met." - -"Yes, he came into the store," said Mr. Hall, glancing at John. - -"He has agreed to remain here for the present, and will assist you in -the store." - -Mr. Hall looked as if he was not pleased with this intelligence. - -"I do not think that I shall need any assistance," he said. - -"I am surprised to hear that," said Mrs. Berry. "Certainly you cannot -expect to do alone the business which formerly required Mr. Berry and -yourself to do." - -"The business is not so large as it was," said Hall. - -"Then you must try to bring it up to where it used to be. You must -remember that I have a young family to support, and it will require an -effort to do it." - -"That is why I thought it would be better to save the wages of an extra -clerk," said Hall. - -"You are considerate, especially as it would require you to work harder -yourself. But my nephew knows my circumstances, and does not wish large -compensation." - -"Has he any experience in tending store?" asked Hall. - -"No," said John. - -"Then I should have to teach you. It would be more trouble than the -help I would get." - -"I don't think you would find me so hard to learn," said John, -quietly. "I have always lived in the country, and know something about -the business of a country store. I don't think I shall be long in -learning." - -"I agree with John," said Mrs. Berry. - -"Of course it must be as you say," said Mr. Hall, appearing -dissatisfied; "but I hoped to save you the expense. And I cannot say -I think any help necessary; or, if it were, it would be better, with -all respect to Mr. Oakley, to take James Sanford, who has had some -experience at Trafton." - -"Very well, Mr. Hall," said John, taking no notice of the opposition, -"then I will come in to-morrow morning. What time do you open the -store?" - -"At six o'clock." - -"Won't that be rather early for you, John?" asked his aunt. - -"You are making me out to be lazy, aunt," said John. - -"There isn't much business early in the morning," said Hall. "You need -not come till seven." - -"I would rather go early," said John. "I want to learn the business as -soon as I can." - -"Did you wish to speak about anything else, Mrs. Berry?" said Mr. Hall. - -"No, Mr. Hall; but you need not be in haste." - -"Thank you; I am feeling rather tired." - -"Good-night, then." - -"Good-night." - -"It seems to me," said John, when they were alone, "that Mr. Hall did -not much want me to enter the store." - -"No; I was surprised at that. It must be very hard for one." - -"I have my thoughts about it," said John. - -"What are they?" asked his aunt. - -"I will not say anything now. They may amount to nothing. But I think -Mr. Hall is afraid I will find out something, and therefore he objects -to my going into the store. I shall keep good watch, and if I find out -anything I will let you know." - -"I think you must be tired, John. You can go to bed when you please." - -"Then I think I will go now, particularly as I am to be up by six in -the morning." - -"Never mind about to-morrow morning." - -"I had better begin as I am going to hold out, aunt. Good-night." - -John took the lamp and entered his bedchamber with a happier and more -home-like feeling than he had had for months. He felt so interested in -his aunt's troubles that he almost forgot that he had any of his own. - -In the morning, as the village clock struck six, John stood in front of -the store. A minute later, Mr. Hall, who boarded at a little distance, -came up. He greeted John coldly, and they entered. - -"Now I hope you will make me useful," said John. - -"You may sweep out," said Hall. - -"Where shall I find the broom?" - -Hall told him and John commenced. It was new work to him, but he did -it well, and then went to work to arrange things a little more neatly. -Occasionally he asked information of Mr. Hall, which was ungraciously -given. Still John learned rapidly, and in a fortnight had learned as -much as many boys in three months. - -One day, when Hall was gone to dinner, John chanced to open the stove, -in which there had been no fire for the summer months. It was full of -papers and letters of various kinds, which had been crowded into it, as -a convenient receptacle. It was so full that, on the door being opened, -a considerable portion fell on the floor. John began to pick them up, -and, in doing so, naturally looked at some of the papers. - -All at once he started with excitement as a particular paper caught his -attention. He read it eagerly, and his eyes lighted up with pleasure. - -"I must show this to my aunt," he said. "I suspected that note of Mr. -Hall's was a forgery, and now I feel sure of it." - -He carefully deposited the paper in his pocket-book, and, putting back -the rest of the papers, shut the stove door, and resumed his place -behind the counter, just as Mr. Hall returned from dinner. - -He little guessed that John had made a discovery of the utmost -consequence to him. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - -MR. HALL'S DISCOMFITURE. - - -The paper which John had discovered among the rubbish in the stove -was a half sheet of foolscap, which was covered with imitations of -Mr. Berry's handwriting, the words occurring being those of the note -of hand which Hall had presented for payment. The first attempts were -inexact, but those further down, with which pains had evidently been -taken, were close copies of Mr. Berry's usual handwriting. This of -course John could not know, not being familiar with his uncle's hand, -but his aunt confirmed it. - -"It is clear," said John, "that Mr. Hall has forged the note which he -presented against my uncle's estate." - -"What a wicked man," said Mrs. Berry, "to seek to defraud me and my -poor fatherless children! I never could have suspected him." - -"It was the love of money, aunt. He thought you would not detect the -fraud." - -"I should not but for you, John. How lucky it was you came! Now tell me -what I ought to do." - -"Is there a lawyer in the place?" asked John. - -"Yes; there is Mr. Bradley." - -"Then, aunt, you had better send for him, and ask his advice." - -"I will do so; I think that will be the best way." - -Mr. Bradley, though a country lawyer, was a man of sound judgment, and -quite reliable. When the circumstances were communicated to him, he -gave his opinion that John's suspicions were well founded. - -"I should like to see Mr. Hall here," he said. "Can you not ask him to -be present, and bring the note with him?" - -"The store closes at nine. I will invite him then, if you can meet him -at that hour." - -"That will suit me, Mrs. Berry," said the lawyer. - -Mr. Hall was not surprised at the message he received. He expected that -the widow would be troubled about the claim he had presented, and he -was prepared to listen to entreaties that payment might be postponed. -That his fraud was suspected he did not dream. - -When Mr. Hall entered the little sitting-room he was somewhat surprised -to see Mr. Bradley, the lawyer; but it occurred to him that Mrs. Berry -in her trouble had applied to him to mediate between them. - -"Good-evening, Mr. Bradley," he said. - -"Good-evening, Mr. Hall," said the lawyer, rather coldly. - -"It is rather cool this evening," said Hall, trying to appear at ease. - -"I understand," said Mr. Bradley, not appearing to notice this remark, -"that you have a claim against the estate of my late friend, Mr. Berry." - -"Yes, sir." - -"And the amount is--" - -"Two thousand dollars," said Hall, promptly. - -"So I understood. Did you bring the note with you?" - -Hall opened his pocket-book, and produced the note. The lawyer took it, -and scanned it closely. - -"Do you know what led Mr. Berry to borrow this amount?" asked the -lawyer. - -"He wanted to put it into his business." - -"Did he extend his business then? He might have done it to a -considerable extent with that sum." - -"No, I believe not," said Hall, hesitating. - -"But I thought he borrowed the money with that object." - -"The truth is," said Hall, after a pause, "he was owing parties in -Boston for a considerable portion of his stock, and it was to pay off -this sum that he borrowed the money." - -"I suppose you are aware, Mr. Hall, that this claim will sweep away -two-thirds of Mr. Berry's estate?" - -"I am sorry," said Hall, hesitating. "I didn't know but he left more." - -"Scarcely a thousand dollars will be left to the family. Mrs. Berry -will have a very hard time." - -"I won't be hard upon her," said Hall. "I don't need all the money now. -I will let half of it, say, stand for a year." - -"But it will have to be paid finally." - -"Yes, I suppose I must have my money." - -"It is rather strange that Mrs. Berry never knew anything of this. Her -husband usually told her of his business affairs." - -"She thought so," said Mr. Hall, significantly, - -"Do you mean to imply that he did not?" - -"It seems that he did not tell her of this." - -"So it appears, and yet it is a very important matter. By the way, Mr. -Hall, it was very creditable to a young man, like yourself, to have -saved up so considerable an amount of money. Two thousand dollars is -quite a little sum." - -"I did not save it up,--that is, not all of it," said Hall, perceiving -that this would lead to suspicion. In fact, he was beginning to feel -rather uneasy under the lawyer's questioning. - -"You did not save it up?" - -"Not all of it. I received a legacy a little more than two years since -from a relative." - -"You were fortunate. What was the amount of the legacy?" - -"Fifteen hundred dollars." - -"And you loaned all this to Mr. Berry?" - -"Yes, sir." - -"And five hundred dollars more." - -"Yes." - -"You never mentioned this legacy at the time." - -"Only to Mr. Berry." - -"Where did your relative live, Mr. Hall?" - -"In Worcester," said Hall, hesitating. - -"What relative was it?" - -"My aunt," answered Hall, beginning to feel uncomfortable. - -"What was her name?" - -"I don't see why you ask so many questions, Mr. Bradley," said Hall, -beginning to find this catechising embarrassing, especially as he had -to make up the answers on the spot. - -"Surely you have no objection to answer my question, Mr. Hall?" said -the lawyer, looking fixedly at the young man, who changed color. - -"It isn't that," said Hall; "but it seems unnecessary." - -"You must consider, Mr. Hall, that this claim is a very unexpected one. -Mr. Berry never mentioned to any one, so far as I know, that he had -borrowed this money of you. Remember, also, that it will reduce Mrs. -Berry to poverty, and you will not be surprised that we want to know -all the particulars respecting the transaction." - -"I should think the note ought to be sufficient," said Hall. - -"True, the note. Let me examine it once more." The lawyer scrutinized -the note, and, raising his eyes, said:-- - -"This note is in Mr. Berry's handwriting, is it?" - -"Yes." - -"By the way, Mr. Hall, the interest has been paid on this note at -regular intervals." - -"Ye--es," said Hall. - -"How often?" - -"Every six months," he answered, more boldly. - -"Ah, then I suppose we shall find corresponding entries on Mr. Berry's -books." - -"I suppose so," said Hall; but he began to feel very uncomfortable. - -"So that no interest is due now." - -"About a month's interest; but never mind about that, I won't say -anything about that," said Hall, magnanimously. - -"You are very considerate, Mr. Hall," said the lawyer; "but I am sure -Mrs. Berry will not accept this favor. She intends to pay you every -penny she owes you." - -Mr. Hall brightened up at this intimation. He thought it looked -encouraging. - -"I don't want to be hard," he said. "I don't care for the trifle of -interest due." - -"I repeat that Mrs. Berry means to pay every penny that is justly due, -_but not one cent that is not so due_," said the lawyer, emphasizing -the last words. - -"Of course," said the clerk, nervously; "but why do you say that?" - -"Do you wish me to tell you, Mr. Hall?" asked Mr. Bradley, fixing his -keen glance upon the young man. - -"Yes." - -"Then I will tell you. Because I believe this note which I hold in my -hand _to be a base forgery_." - -Hall jumped to his feet in dismay. - -"Do you mean to insult me?" he asked, with quivering lips. - -"Sit down, Mr. Hall. It is best that this matter should be settled -at once. I have made a charge, and it is only fair that I should -substantiate it, or try to do so. Did you ever see this sheet of paper?" - -So saying, he produced the crumpled half sheet which John found in the -stove. - -Mr. Hall turned pale. - -"I don't know what you mean," he faltered; but there was a look upon -his face which belied his words. - -"I think you _do_ know, Mr. Hall," said the lawyer. "You must be aware -that forgery is a serious matter." - -"Give me back the note," said Hall. - -"Do you admit it to be a forgery?" - -"I admit nothing." - -"Mr. Hall, I will hand you the note," said the lawyer, after a slight -pause, "merely reminding you that, if it is what I suppose, the sooner -you destroy it the better." - -Hall took the note with nervous haste, and thrust it into the flame of -the lamp. In an instant it was consumed. - -"You have done wisely, Mr. Hall," said Mr. Bradley. "I have no further -business with you." - -"I shall leave Wilton to-morrow, Mrs. Berry," said Hall. "I must ask -you to get somebody else in my place." - -"I will pay you to-night whatever wages are due you" said the lawyer, -"in behalf of Mrs. Berry." - -"But how shall I manage about the store?" asked Mrs. Berry. - -"I will take charge of it, aunt," said John, promptly, "if you will get -some one to assist me." - -"Very well, John; but I am afraid it will be too much for you." - -"Never fear, aunt; I haven't been in the store long, but I've learned a -good deal about the business." - -Hall was paid, and that was the last that was seen of him. He went away -in the stage the next morning, and it is to be hoped that he has found -out that honesty is the best policy. - -After he had left the room, Mr. Bradley advanced to Mrs. Berry, and, -grasping her hand, said, cordially:-- - -"I congratulate you on the new and improved look of your affairs." - -"It has lifted a great weight from my mind," said the widow. "Now I -feel sure that I shall be able to get along, especially with John's -help. He was the first to suspect Mr. Hall of attempting to cheat me." - -"You ought to be a lawyer, John," said Mr. Bradley. "You have shown -that you have a good head on your shoulders." - -"Perhaps I may be one some time," said John, smiling. - -"If you ever do, my office is open to you. Good-night, Mrs. Berry; -we've done a good evening's work." - -The next day John undertook the chief management of his aunt's store. -He engaged James Sanford, who had had some experience in another town, -to help him, and things went on smoothly for a few weeks. At the end of -that time John received an important letter from Hampton. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - -A DANGEROUS ACQUAINTANCE. - - -While John was attending to his aunt's interests at Wilton, important -events were occurring at Hampton. - -It has already been stated that Ben Brayton was accustomed to spend -most of his time in lounging at the tavern, or in a billiard saloon -close by. It was at the latter place that he had the privilege of -forming an acquaintance with Arthur Winchester, a young man from the -city of New York (or so he represented). He was dressed in the extreme -of the fashion, sported a heavy gold chain, wore a diamond ring, and -carried a jaunty cane. I cannot guarantee the genuineness of the gold -or the diamond; but there was no one in Hampton who could distinguish -them from the real articles. - -The appearance of Mr. Arthur Winchester created something of a -sensation among the young men of Hampton, or at least that portion -who aspired to wear fashionable clothes. Mr. Winchester's attire was -generally regarded as "nobby" in the extreme. - -They exhibited an elegance which the highest efforts of the village -tailor had never succeeded in reaching. Forthwith the smart young men -in Hampton became possessed with the desire to have their clothes made -in the same faultless style, and Mr. Winchester was accommodating -enough to permit the village tailor to take a pattern from his garments. - -Among those who gazed with admiration at the new-comer was Ben Brayton. -He was the first, indeed, to order a suit like Mr. Winchester's, in -which, when obtained, he strutted about proudly, arm in arm with the -young man himself. - -Various circumstances served to strengthen the intimacy between the -two. In the first place neither had any weighty occupations to prevent -their drinking or playing billiards together, and it chanced after a -time that this became a regular business with them. - -Ben Brayton was an average player, and appeared nearly equal to his new -friend. At all events, in the friendly trials of skill that took place -between them, Ben came off victorious perhaps a third of the time. - -"Come, Ben," said Winchester, one morning, "this is slow. Suppose we -make the games a little more exciting by staking a little on the game." - -[Illustration] - -"You're a better player than I am, Winchester," said Ben. - -"Not much. You beat me pretty often. However, I'll give you twenty -points, and stake a dollar on the game." - -"I don't mind," said Ben. "A dollar isn't much." - -"Agreed." - -The game was played, and, counting the twenty points conceded, Ben came -off victorious by five points. - -He pocketed the dollar with a sense of elation. - -"Will you have another?" he asked. - -"Of course I will. I'm bound to have my revenge." - -The second game was played, and likewise terminated in Ben's favor. -He pocketed the second dollar with satisfaction. He had never found -billiards so interesting. - -"Come, Brayton, this won't do. I didn't think you were so good a -player. You'll clean me out at this rate." - -"Oh, I only happened to be lucky," said Ben, in high good humor. "Shall -we try it again?" - -Of course they tried it again, and spent nearly the entire day in the -same way. Fortune veered about a little, and Ben came out minus three -dollars. - -"Never mind, Brayton, you'll get it back to-morrow," said Winchester, -as they parted. - -So Ben thought, and the furor of gaming had already taken such -possession of him that he got up unusually early, anxious to get at the -fascinating game. - -So matters went on for a week. They never exceeded one dollar as -stakes, and played so even that Ben was only ten dollars behindhand. -This he paid from his allowance, and so far from being satiated with -the game could hardly restrain his impatience till Monday morning -should give him a chance of playing again. - -It is perhaps needless to say that Ben had fallen into dangerous -company. Mr. Arthur Winchester was really a far superior player, and -eventually meant to fleece Ben out of his last dollar. But he did not -wish to arouse suspicion of his intentions, and "played off," as the -saying is, and thus had no difficulty in luring Ben on to the point at -which he aimed. - -At the end of the second week Ben was only five dollars behind. - -"You're gaining upon me," said Winchester. "You're improving in your -play." - -"Am I?" said Ben, flattered. - -"Not a doubt of it. I don't like to boast, but I am considered a -first-class player in the city, and, by Jove, you're almost even with -me." - -Ben listened with gratification to this praise. He didn't doubt that -Winchester was the first-class player he represented, and in fact he -was a superior player, but he had never yet put forth his utmost skill. -He had only played with Ben, suiting himself to his inferior style of -playing. - -Gradually Winchester suggested higher play. - -"A dollar is nothing," he said. "Let us make it five." - -Ben hesitated. - -"That's a good deal to lose," he said. - -"That's true, but isn't it as much to win? Come, it will make our games -more interesting, and you're as likely to come out ahead as I am." - -"That is true," thought Ben. - -"I'll tell you what," he said; "give me twenty-five points, and I'll do -it." - -"Anything for excitement," said Winchester; "but we're so nearly -matched that you'll beat me twice out of three times on those odds." - -Ben did beat the first game, and the exultation with which he pocketed -the stakes revealed to his experienced opponent that he had the game in -his hands. - -Towards the middle of the afternoon Ben stood one game ahead. He was -flushed and excited by his success. - -"I'll tell you what," said Winchester; "let's give up child's play and -have the real thing." - -"What do you mean?" asked Ben. - -"Let us stake fifty dollars, and done with it. That'll be something -worth playing for." - -Ben started in surprise. The magnitude of the stake took his breath -away. - -"I haven't got the money," he said. - -"Oh, well, you can give me your note. I'll wait, that is, of course if -I win; but I am not so sure of that as I was. You're a pretty smart -player." - -Ben did not hesitate long. He was dazzled by the idea of winning fifty -dollars, and his success thus far encouraged him to think that he would. - -"Give me thirty points, then," he said. - -"I ought not to; but anything for excitement." - -The game was commenced. Ben led till towards the close of the game, -when his opponent improved his play, and came out three points ahead. - -"It was a close shave," he said. - -Ben looked uneasy. It was all very agreeable to win a large sum; but to -lose was not so comfortable. - -"I haven't got the money," he said. - -"Oh, give me your note, and pay when it's convenient! In fact, perhaps -you need not pay at all. You may win the next game." - -"I don't know if I had better play," said Ben, doubtfully. - -"Oh, you mustn't leave off a loser. You must have your revenge. In -fact, I'll make you a good offer. We'll play for a hundred dollars, and -I'll give you thirty-five points. That'll square us up, and make me -your debtor." - -"Say forty, and I'll agree." - -"Forty let it be then; but you'll win." - -Again Winchester permitted Ben to gain in the commencement of the -game, but towards the last he took care to make up for lost time by a -brilliant play that brought him out victor. - -"I was lucky," he said. "I began to think, the first part of the game, -that all was over with me." - -Ben, silly dupe that he was, did not fathom the rascality of his -companion. - -"I don't think I played as well as usual," he said, ruefully. - -"No, you didn't. Perhaps your hand has got a little out, you have -played so many hours on a stretch." - -Ben gave Winchester another due-bill for one hundred dollars, -wondering how he should be able to meet it. He was rather frightened, -and resolved not to play the next day. But when the next day came his -resolution evaporated. I need not describe the wiles used by Arthur -Winchester. It is enough that at the close of the coming day he held -notes signed by Ben for three hundred dollars. - -He assured the disturbed Ben that he needn't trouble himself about the -matter; that he didn't need the money just yet. He would give him time -to pay it in, and other things to the same effect. But having come to -the conclusion that Ben had been bled as much as he could stand, he -called him aside the next morning, and said:-- - -"I'm sorry to trouble you, my dear Brayton, but I've just had a letter -recalling me to the city. Could you let me have that money as well as -not, say this afternoon?" - -"This afternoon!" exclaimed Ben, in dismay. "I don't see how I can get -it at all." - -"Do you mean to repudiate your debts of honor?" said Winchester, -sternly. - -"No," said Ben, faltering; "but I've got no money." - -"You ought to have made sure of that," said Winchester, shortly, -"before playing with a gentleman. Go to your mother. She is rich." - -"She won't give me the money." - -"Look here, Brayton," said Winchester, "I must have that money. I don't -care how you get it. But some way or other it must be got. I hope you -understand." - -A bright idea came to Ben. - -"You can't collect my notes," he said; "I'm under age." - -"Then," said Winchester, his face darkening with a frown that made Ben -shiver, "I demand satisfaction. To-morrow morning, at five o'clock, I -will meet you with swords or pistols, as you prefer." - -"What do you mean?" asked Ben, his teeth chattering, for he was an -arrant coward. - -"What I say! If the law will not give me satisfaction, I will demand -the satisfaction of a gentleman. Fight or pay, take your choice; but -one or the other you must do." - -The sentence closed with an oath. - -"I'll do my best," said Ben, terrified. "Of course I mean to pay you." - -"Then you'll let me have the money to-morrow?" - -"I'll try." - -The two parted, and Ben, thoroughly miserable, went home, trying to -devise some means to appease his inexorable creditor, whom he began to -wish he had never met. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - -BEN MAKES A DISCOVERY. - - -Ben went home slowly, in a state of great perplexity. He knew his -mother too well to think she would pay him three hundred dollars -without weighty cause. Should he tell her the scrape he had got into? -He felt a natural reluctance to do that, nor was he by any means -satisfied that she would pay the money if he did. Then again he was -ashamed to admit that he was afraid to fight. He felt convinced that, -should he reveal the matter, his mother would bid him take advantage -of the legal worthlessness of his notes to Winchester. He would gladly -do it, but was afraid, and did not dare to admit it. On the whole, Ben -felt decidedly uncomfortable. - -"Is mother at home?" he inquired, when he reached home. - -"No; she's gone over to Mrs. Talbot's to spend the afternoon," was the -reply. - -Ben felt relieved by this assurance, though he hardly knew why. - -"I wonder whether mother has got as much as three hundred dollars by -her," he thought. - -With this thought in his mind he went upstairs, and entered his -mother's chamber. - -The first thing he caught sight of when he entered was a little bunch -of keys lying on the table. He knew at once that they were his mother's -keys. It was certainly extraordinary that she should on that particular -day have left them exposed. She was generally very careful. But it -chanced that she had hurried away, and in her haste had forgotten the -keys, nor did she think of them while absent. - -Under ordinary circumstances Ben would have made no improper use -of the keys thus thrown in his way; but, harassed as he was by the -importunities of Winchester, it seemed to him a stroke of luck that -placed them in his power. - -He determined to open the drawers of his mother's bureau, and see what -he could find. If only he could find the sum he wanted he could get -out of his present difficulties, and perhaps explain it to his mother -afterwards. - -Ben, after several trials, succeeded in finding the key that fitted the -upper drawer. He examined the contents eagerly. It was of course filled -with a variety of articles of apparel, but in one corner Ben found -a portemonnaie. He opened it, and discovered a roll of bills, six in -number, each of the denomination of twenty dollars. - -"One hundred and twenty dollars!" he said. "That's more than a third of -the bill. Perhaps, if I pay that, Winchester'll wait for the rest." - -It occurred to him, however, that a further search might reveal some -more money. If he could get thirty dollars more, for example, that with -the other would make one half the sum he owed Winchester, and with that -surely the other might be content, for the present at least. The rest -of the debt he could arrange to pay out of his weekly allowance, say at -the rate of five dollars a week. - -Accordingly Ben began to poke about until he found a folded paper. He -opened it with curiosity and began to read. His interest deepened, and -his excitement increased. - -"By Jove," he said, "if this isn't the lost will I've heard so much -talk about. The old lady's kept it mighty quiet. Wouldn't John Oakley -give something to get hold of it?" - -Ben sat down to reflect upon the discovery he had made. - -"Mother's right to keep it quiet," he said to himself. "She ought to -have destroyed it, and I verily believe she has tried," he continued, -as he noticed the scorched appearance of the will. "I wonder she -didn't." - -The next question to consider was, what to do with it. It did not take -long to decide. His mother would be very much frightened, and this -would give him a hold upon her, by which he might induce her to give -him the money he required. - -"Yes, I'll keep it," he said. - -He put the roll of bills into his pocket-book, carefully deposited the -will in his side-pocket, and, shutting and locking the bureau-drawer, -placed the keys in the same position upon the table in which he had -found them, and then left the room. - -"A pretty good day's work!" thought Ben to himself. "I think I'll go -and pay Winchester what money I have, and get him to wait a few days -for the rest." - -Ben left the house, and wended his way to the tavern. He found -Winchester in the bar-room, smoking a cigar. He looked up inquiringly -as Ben entered. - -"How are you, Winchester?" said Ben. - -"All right," said the latter, noticing Ben's changed demeanor, and -auguring favorably from it. "Have a cigar?" - -"I don't care if I do," said Ben. - -Winchester handed him one, and the two sat down together. - -"Oh, about that money," said Ben, after a little pause. "I can let you -have a part of it now, but I shall have to make you wait a few days for -the rest." - -"How much can you pay me now?" - -"One hundred and twenty dollars," said Ben. - -"That's good," said Winchester, with satisfaction. "The fact is, I'm -deuced hard up, and need it." - -"I don't want to pay you here," said Ben. "Come out a little way, and -I'll hand it to you." - -"All right. I'd like a walk." - -The two sauntered forth together, and Ben paid over the money. - -"You'll oblige me by not mentioning to anybody that I have paid you any -money," said Ben. "I have a reason for it." - -"Of course." - -"I can't tell you the reason." - -"That's your affair." - -"Now about the rest." - -"Yes, about the rest." - -"I think I can get it for you in a few days." - -"I can wait a few days to oblige you, but I must go to the city as soon -as I can get away. So please hurry up." - -"I'll do the best I can. This morning," he added, "I didn't see how -I was going to get the money. My mother wouldn't look upon it as we -do, as a debt of honor; but since then I've been lucky enough to get -possession of one of her secrets, and I think it will help me." - -"Glad of it," said Winchester, "for your sake. I don't care, of course, -how you get the money, as long as you do get it. That's the main thing, -you know." - -"Yes, I see." - -"Now what do you say to another little game of billiards?" - -"I can't stake any more money. I've lost enough," said Ben, sensibly. - -"Then let it be a friendly game--just a little trial of skill, that's -all." - -To this Ben was not averse, and the two made their way as so often -before to the billiard saloon. - -In the mean time Mrs. Oakley returned home from her afternoon visit. -She had not yet missed her keys, but on going up to her chamber, -discovered them lying upon the table. - -"How terribly careless I have been!" she said. "I hope they have not -been seen." - -Tolerably sure of this, she opened the upper bureau-drawer, and looked -for the portemonnaie. It was in the same place. She opened it, and -found it empty. Her eyes flashed with indignation. - -"Some one has been to the drawer," she said. - -She next thought of the will, and felt for it. _It was not there!_ -She turned pale, and with nervous fingers took everything out of the -drawer, hoping to find it misplaced. But her search was vain. The will -was not to be found. - -She sank back into a chair, and exclaimed with passionate regret:-- - -"Fool that I was! Why did I not make all sure by burning it?" - - - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - -MRS. OAKLEY'S SUSPICIONS. - - -The sudden disappearance of the will struck Mrs. Oakley with dismay. It -threatened her with the loss of two-thirds of her estate. But she was -not a woman to bear it in silence. She possessed a fund of energy, and -lost no time in seeking to determine the important question, "Who had -taken it?" - -She descended at once to the kitchen, where she found Hannah setting -the table for supper. - -"Hannah," she said, abruptly, "have you been upstairs to my chamber -this afternoon?" - -"No, ma'am," said Hannah. - -"Think a moment," said her mistress, sternly; "have you not been up?" - -"No, ma'am, I haven't. I told you so once," said Hannah, not altogether -pleased with the doubt implied by the second question. - -"Has any one called here since I went away?" asked Mrs. Oakley. - -"No, ma'am." - -"Then there has been no one in the house excepting yourself?" - -"No one except Master Ben." - -"Ben!" repeated Mrs. Oakley, in a changed voice. "When did Ben come -home?" - -"About an hour ago,--maybe an hour and a half," said Hannah. - -"He is not here now." - -"Isn't he, ma'am? I suppose he went out, but I didn't hear him." - -"You are quite sure no one else has been in the house?" inquired her -mistress. - -"Certain sure, ma'am." - -Mrs. Oakley went upstairs slowly. A new idea had forced its way into -her mind. It must be that Ben had taken both the money and the will. -That he should have taken the first didn't surprise her, for with all -her love for her son, she had small confidence in his honesty. No doubt -he had got into debt, and so was tempted to appropriate the bills. But -why should he have taken the will? That was something she could not -understand. For the money she cared little comparatively. But the loss -of the will was ruin, if John or his friends found it, or, if not, she -would live in perpetual fear of their discovering it. - -"If I once get hold of it again," she said to herself, "I will take -care that all danger from that source shall end and forever. Ben will -never divulge its existence, of course. He will understand that it -affects his interests too nearly." - -She waited in nervous excitement for Ben's reappearance. - -At length his step was heard--never more welcome than now. - -Ben entered, feeling rather nervous also. - -"Has mother found out?" he thought. - -"Good-afternoon, mother," he said, with apparent unconcern. "Is supper -most ready? I'm awful hungry." - -"I want to speak to you a moment, Benjamin," said his mother. "Will you -come upstairs?" - -"Now for it," thought Ben. - -"Can't you speak here just as well?" he said. "I'm tired." - -"I would rather have you come upstairs," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"Just as you say," said Ben; "but I don't see why you can't talk just -as well down here." - -Mrs. Oakley led the way to her own chamber. Ben followed, feeling, it -must be confessed, not altogether comfortable. This feeling was not -diminished when his mother closed the door carefully. She turned and -confronted him. - -"You have been to my bureau-drawer, Ben," she said, eying him fixedly. - -"I don't know what you mean," said Ben. - -"You came home about two hours ago, didn't you?" - -"Yes, I came home then," said Ben, knowing that it would be of no use -to deny what could be proved by Hannah's testimony. - -"You came up to this chamber, found my keys on the table, and opened -the upper drawer of my bureau." - -"Did you see me do it?" asked Ben, feeling confident that he was -accused on suspicion merely. - -"No, but--" - -"Doesn't Hannah pretend that she saw me?" - -"No." - -"Lucky for her she doesn't. If she did she'd lie," said Ben, glad to -find out so much. - -"Do you mean to deny that you came up here?" asked Mrs. Oakley. - -"Yes, I do. It seems to me you're mighty quick in suspecting me," -continued Ben, with an air of injured innocence. "But what's all the -fuss about? Have you missed anything?" - -"Yes," said his mother, "I have met with a serious loss. But, Benjamin, -it is very important that I should clearly understand who did or did -not take it. Will you assure me upon your honor that you did not take -anything from my bureau?" - -"Of course I will," said Ben, who felt that he was in for it, and must -stick stoutly to the lie at all hazards. "But you haven't told me what -you lost." - -Mrs. Oakley turned pale with consternation. She had depended upon Ben's -proving the real culprit, in which case she could require restitution, -at any rate, of the will. - -"I lost a sum of money," she said,--"a hundred and twenty dollars." - -"Whew!" said Ben. "That _was_ a loss." - -"But that was not all. There was besides a--a document of importance, -for which I cared more than the money." - -"I've no doubt of it," thought Ben. - -"What was it?" he said aloud. - -"What it was is quite immaterial," said Mrs. Oakley. "It is sufficient -to say that it was a document of very great importance. I care little -for the money compared with that. If you took it, Ben," she said, with -a sudden final appeal, "I will forgive you, and let you keep the -money, if you will restore the--the document." - -There was a look of entreaty in the proud woman's eyes, as she made -this appeal to her son. She waited anxiously for the answer. - -But the inducement was not sufficient. The one hundred and twenty -dollars were already paid away, and Ben owed one hundred and eighty -dollars besides. He knew that Winchester would not remit the debt. -There was no chance whatever of that. So Ben determined to keep the -_rôle_ of injured innocence which he had assumed in the beginning. His -mother would not be able to find him out. It may be thought that this -was inconsistent with his plan of raising money out of his mother's -fears by withholding the will. But he had arranged that already. _He -might find the will_,--perhaps in Hannah's chamber, perhaps elsewhere, -he could decide that hereafter; but he resolved not to own up to the -theft. In fact, after denying it stoutly, it would have been difficult -to do that. - -"Look here, mother," he said, "I am not a thief, and I wish you would -not try to make me out one. You're ready enough to suspect me. Why -don't you suspect Hannah? She was here all the time." - -"I have already spoken to Hannah," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"What did she say?" - -"She said she had not been upstairs during my absence." - -"And you believed her," said Ben, reproachfully. "Do you believe her -before me?" - -"Yes, I believed her," said Mrs. Oakley; "and I will tell you why. She -might take the money, but she wouldn't be likely to take the paper." - -"I don't know about that. She might think it was of importance. She -might think you would pay her money to get it back." - -Just then it flashed across Mrs. Oakley's mind that Hannah had seen -the will in her hand on the day that she undertook to burn it. Why -had she not thought of that before? It might be that Hannah was more -artful than she gave her credit for, and, suspecting the value of the -document, had taken it as well as the money. - -"I will question Hannah again," she said. "Come with me, Benjamin." - -They went downstairs together, and Hannah was summoned from the kitchen. - -"Hannah," said Mrs. Oakley, "listen attentively to me." - -"Certainly, ma'am," said Hannah, wondering what was coming. - -"Something was taken from my drawer this afternoon, Hannah,--some money -and something else. Do you know anything about it?" - -"Sure I don't, ma'am. I told you once before." - -"If you took it, and will tell me, and restore everything, I will -forgive you, and let you keep ten dollars of the money besides." - -"But I didn't take it, ma'am," said poor Hannah, earnestly. - -"If you don't," said Mrs. Oakley, sternly, "I will send for the -constable, and have you arrested at once and carried to prison." - -Hannah burst into a piteous howl, and declared that she never stole so -much as a pin, and called the Virgin and all the saints to witness that -she was innocent. - -"Give up the paper you took," said Mrs. Oakley, "and you may keep -twenty dollars of the money." - -But Hannah again declared that she took nothing. - -"Stop a minute," said Ben; "maybe we're all wrong. When I went out of -the house I saw a very suspicious-looking man coming this way." - -"What was his appearance?" - -"He had black hair and whiskers," said Ben, glibly, "and was meanly -dressed." - -"Was he coming towards the house?" - -"Yes." - -"Did such a person come to the house, Hannah?" - -"I didn't see him; but he might have come to the wing door without me -knowing it." - -"I'll bet ten dollars he was the thief," said Ben. - -Mrs. Oakley did not know what to say or think. Both Ben and Hannah -stoutly denied the theft, and resisted the most liberal overtures to a -confession. It might be the ill-looking man spoken of. - -"What'll you give me if I find the paper, mother?" asked Ben. "I'll get -on the track of the scamp, and get it if I can." - -"I'll give fifty dollars," said his mother. - -"But you offered a hundred a little while ago." - -"I'll give you a hundred and twenty then." - -"Promise me two hundred cash down, and I'll do my best." - -"I'll give you two hundred dollars when you place the paper in my -hands." - -"All right," said Ben. "If I can find the man, I'll offer him a little -something to begin with. It won't be of any use to him, you know." - -They sat down to supper. Ben partook heartily, feeling that he had as -good as got the two hundred dollars, while Mrs. Oakley was pale and -nervous, and had no appetite. How differently she would have felt if -she had only known that the lost will was all the while laid snugly -away in Ben's coat-pocket! - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - -A STRANGE METAMORPHOSIS. - - -Ben decided not to produce the will too soon. It would look suspicious. -Besides, the longer it remained missing, the more rejoiced his mother -would be to recover it, and so naturally the more ready to pay the -reward she had promised. The afternoon of the next day he thought would -be quite soon enough to "find" it. - -Meanwhile the next morning Ben strolled over to the tavern, thinking -he might find Winchester. But that young man had gone out on a fishing -excursion, and had left word to that effect with the landlord. - -So Ben strolled down to the river. It was a delightful day, and the -desire seized him to "go in swimming." Though he cared little for other -athletic exercises, he was fond of swimming, and was quite a fair -swimmer. - -Now, as Ben's ill luck would have it, Sam Selwyn chanced to be in the -woods quite near by, and saw Ben undress and go into the water. He -was not fond of Ben, and he was fond of a practical joke. Besides, he -had been for some time wanting to pay off Ben for the share he had in -making John's life uncomfortable. A plan suggested itself to him. - -"I'll do it!" he exclaimed, his eyes twinkling with merriment. - -He ran home,--it was but a few steps across lots,--dashed upstairs, -and from an upper room took a faded calico dress and hoop-skirt, and, -rolling them up, made his way swiftly back to the river. The river's -edge was heavily wooded, and running vines and thick underbrush almost -completely concealed the water from the sight. He went to the place -where Ben had deposited his clothes, took away his coat, vest, and -pantaloons, put the gown and hoop-skirt in their place, and quickly -departed. Ben's clothes he hid away in the hollow trunk of an old tree -not more than two rods distant. But in doing so a folded paper slipped -out of the coat-pocket. Sam's attention was drawn towards it, for it -looked like the legal papers of which his father had so many in his -office. Opening it under an impulse of curiosity, his face instantly -glowed with an expression of the most earnest and enthusiastic joy. - -"By all my lucky stars!" he exclaimed; "if this isn't the lost will! -This will set John all right. I wonder how that scamp got hold of it!" - -Sam put the will in his own inside coat-pocket, and buttoned up his -coat to make sure that it was safe. He wanted to go at once and -communicate the joyful discovery to his father, but he also wanted to -enjoy Ben's dismay when he found his clothes gone. This he could not -forego on any account, and that he might be an unseen witness of all -that occurred, he climbed up a large tree whose thick-leaved branches -hid him completely. - -Hardly had he concealed himself before Ben emerged from the water. -He at once proceeded to the spot where he had left his clothing. In -ludicrous perplexity he gazed at the remarkable change which had taken -place. He lifted the gown and skirt, and found that his shirt, collar, -hat, stockings, and shoes were untouched. - -He put on his shirt and stockings, and called out, angrily, thinking -the author of the trick might be within hearing:-- - -"I say, bring back my clothes!" - -But no reply was made. - -"Bring back my clothes, I say!" he called, in louder and more angry -accents. - -But again this reasonable request fell unheeded. He waited anxiously -for a response, but none came. - -"Where are you, you scoundrel?" he screamed, in very ill temper. - -"Don't you wish you knew?" thought Sam, as he looked calmly down from a -distance upon Ben. - -"Perhaps the scamp has hid my clothes somewhere about here," thought -Ben. - -He proceeded to search in every direction he could think of. But the -hollow tree, rather strangely, did not occur to him and escaped his -notice. - -His anger and dismay increased as he found his search vain. - -"I wish I had the mean, contemptible rascal here!" he exclaimed. "I'd -break every bone in his body!" - -"I don't know about that, Ben Brayton," silently commented Sam, from -his secure post of observation. - -"What shall I do?" thought Ben, gloomily. - -He sat down to consider. His situation was certainly an embarrassing -one. Of course he could not go home in his shirt, and the only -alternative was to wear the odious gown. It was hard to make up his -mind to that. He preferred to wait awhile to see if help would not come -from some quarter. Sam began to get tired in his perch. - -"Why don't the fellow dress and go home?" he muttered. - -At length Ben made up his mind that it must be done, and, with a hearty -anathema on the author of his perplexity, robed himself in the dress. -Sam nearly exploded with laughter as he saw Ben arrayed in the gown, -which fell lank around him. Ben gazed ruefully at his extraordinary -figure, and then at the hoop-skirt. He concluded that he would not look -quite so badly with that addition. He therefore fitted it on as well -as he could, and adjusted his dress by the help of some pins which he -found sticking in the dress. - -"I wish I had a hood or something to hide my face," muttered Ben, -dismally. "I might pass for a girl then. Now folks will stare at me as -if I was mad, and if any one sees me I shall never hear the last of it." - -Certainly Ben's black felt hat did not look much in keeping with the -faded calico dress, now properly filled out by the hoop-skirt, which -swayed from side to side as he walked. - -"Oh, it's too rich!" thought Sam, almost choking with suppressed -laughter. "What a sensation he will make in the village!" - -Just then Ben's foot got caught somehow, and he fell sprawling. He -gathered himself up with furious energy, and did not observe that -there was a conspicuous stain of mud on his dress. He took a roundabout -way, so as to remain under cover of the woods as long as he could. - -[Illustration] - -"I must meet Ben, and enjoy his discomfort," thought Sam. - -He scrambled down from the tree, and cautiously made a short cut for -the road, unseen by Ben. He posted himself at a place where Ben must -emerge. He walked along, apparently absorbed in thought, till he came -face to face with Ben, who, very much ashamed of his appearance, was -walking as fast as his embarrassing clothing would allow. - -"Good gracious, Ben Brayton!" he exclaimed, in affected amazement. -"Why, what possesses you to go round in this style?" - -"No choice of mine. I couldn't help it," said Ben, ruefully. "I went in -swimming. Some scamp stole my clothes, and left these traps in their -place." - -"Well, upon my word, Ben, really you do cut the queerest figure I ever -saw!" said Sam, giving vent to his pent-up mirth. - -"I don't see anything to laugh at," said Ben, in a most aggrieved tone. - -"You would if you could only see yourself," said Sam,--and he burst out -with laughter again. - -"Do you mean to insult me?" said Ben, wrathfully. - -"Excuse me, Ben; but really I can't help it. See, there's Miss Clark -coming. If she don't laugh I'll forfeit a dollar." - -Miss Clark was one of the prettiest young ladies in the village, and to -be seen by her was most humiliating. But there was no dodging it. She -met Ben face to face, and, as might be expected, was moved to merriment. - -"Good-morning, Miss Clark," said Ben, sheepishly. - -The young lady tried to say good-morning, but only burst into a fresh -fit of mirth as she passed along, Sam joining her a few moments -afterwards. - -Ben walked on very much discomposed. He was still half a mile from -home, and it was very probable that he would meet others. - -"I'd give fifty dollars to be safe at home," he groaned. - -He had reason to say so. Just then the scholars in the village school -were sent out to their morning recess. They espied the strange figure, -and instantly, boy-like, started in pursuit. - -"Keep your distance!" said Ben, furiously, to his young tormentors. - -"Oh my! what a fine young lady I am!" said one. - -"How _do you do_ this morning, _Miss_ Brayton?" said another. - -"What a _becoming_ dress!" commented another, with much admiration. - -Ben tried to give chase to his tormentors, but, as might have been -expected, not being accustomed to his attire, tripped, and fell -headlong. - -Then a shout, long and loud, went up from the boys. - -Ben could not stand it. He gathered up his skirts, and ran towards home -with all the expedition he was capable of. The old doctor met him, -and gazed in wonder at the flying figure, not recognizing Ben in his -new costume. He began to speculate whether it might not be an insane -person, who had broken from his or her confinement. - -Panting for breath, Ben at length brought up at his own door. It was -locked, Mrs. Oakley having followed the old adage of "shutting the -stable-door after the horse is stolen." Ben rang a tremendous peal at -the door-bell, which was quickly answered by Hannah. - -When she saw the strange figure before her, she uttered a loud shriek, -and fled with precipitation. - -Mrs. Oakley heard the bell and Hannah's shriek, and came hastily to the -head of the stairs. - -"What does this ridiculous masquerading mean?" she demanded, sternly. - -"It means that I went in swimming, and some rascal stole my clothes and -left these," growled Ben, provoked that he should be blamed for his -misfortune. - -Then, for the first time, flashed upon Ben the crowning -misfortune,--that the lost will was in his coat-pocket. Upon the -recovery of that depended his chance of getting the two hundred -dollars. He sank into a chair, pale with dismay. - -"Are you sick, Ben?" asked his mother, hastily. - -"No," he said; "but I must dress as quick as possible, and go back and -find my clothes if I can." - -He dressed in nervous haste, and set out for the woods. This time he -espied the hollow tree. There he found his clothes. He felt in the -pockets, and found that everything was safe, including his watch and -pocket-book. - -But the will was gone! Ben instituted a strict and careful search -in every conceivable direction, but he found no trace of the lost -document. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - -CONCLUSION. - - -A letter was at once despatched to John, from Squire Selwyn, requesting -his immediate return to Hampton. - -Though no reason was assigned for the summons, John of course lost no -time in obeying it. On the third day he was set down at the lawyer's -house. - -"O John, how glad I am to see you!" said Sam, in his delight flinging -both arms around John's neck, and giving him a warm embrace. - -John's greeting was no less hearty. - -"Such news, John!" said Sam. - -"It isn't the will?" inquired John, eagerly. - -"But it is, though." - -"Found?" - -"Yes, and I found it. Didn't I tell you so! Don't you remember my -dream?" - -"But perhaps it's all a dream now." - -"Well, if it is, it's a substantial dream, and father's got the -document locked up in his safe. You're no longer dependent on Mrs. -Oakley, and you can go to college with me, and--you don't know how glad -I am." - -"Yes, I do, Sam," said John. "You're just as glad as if it had happened -to yourself, and that's what I expected of you. But you haven't told me -how it was found yet." - -"Oh, it was such fun!" said Sam. "Sit down here, and I'll tell you all -about it." - -It need hardly be said that John was amused by the story of Ben's -ludicrous embarrassment; but he was surprised as well. - -"How could Ben have got hold of it? I don't understand that." - -"Nor I," said Sam. "But as long as we've got it, we won't trouble -ourselves about that." - -It was decided that the next morning Squire Selwyn, accompanied by -John, should call on Mrs. Oakley, and make arrangements founded on the -new phase of affairs. - -Mrs. Oakley had not received intelligence of John's return, and her -surprise was accompanied by a nervous sensation, when Hannah came up -to her chamber, and announced that Squire Selwyn was below, and Master -John was with him. - -"John Oakley?" she demanded, hastily. - -"Yes, ma'am." - -Mrs. Oakley entered the parlor with her old haughty step, and coldly -bade the lawyer "good-morning." Of John she took no notice. - -"Good-morning, Mrs. Oakley," said John. - -"So you have got back, have you?" she said. - -"Yes, he has got home to stay," said Squire Selwyn, significantly. - -"With or without my permission, I suppose," said Mrs. Oakley. - -"I don't know that he needs anybody's permission to live in his own -house," said the lawyer. - -"His own house!" repeated Mrs. Oakley, in a voice which, despite her -efforts, betrayed some nervousness. - -"Yes, Mrs. Oakley. My object in calling upon you this morning is to -apprise you that the will is found." - -"What will?" she demanded. - -"Your late husband's last will and testament, in which he bequeaths -this estate to his son John, here present." - -"Where's the will?" - -"Here," said the lawyer, producing it. - -"Will you let me see it?" - -"Excuse me, but it must remain in my possession till it is publicly -read." - -"What reason have I for believing this to be a genuine document?" said -Mrs. Oakley, harshly. It was foolish thus to contend, and she knew -it; but it angered her that by the document she should be stripped of -two-thirds of what she had come to look upon as her own. - -"I am prepared to swear that it is the will which I drew up for your -husband three months before his death." - -"I suppose I am not to ask how it came into your possession?" said Mrs. -Oakley. "If it was concealed in this house, some one must have entered -illegally, and made a secret search." - -Mrs. Oakley fixed her eyes upon John, feeling satisfied that he had -entered the house on the day she left her keys out, and opened the -drawer. - -"If you think I had anything to do with it, Mrs. Oakley," said John, -"you are mistaken. I only reached Hampton last evening, summoned by -Squire Selwyn." - -"I accused you of nothing," said Mrs. Oakley, but she was greatly -surprised. - -"As to who found the will, Mrs. Oakley," said Squire Selwyn, -composedly, "I will only suggest that your son Benjamin can probably -throw more light on this matter than any one else." - -"Benjamin!" exclaimed Mrs. Oakley, quickly. - -"Yes, I have reason to think he can give you all the information you -desire." - -Mrs. Oakley compressed her lips closely. Was it possible that Ben had -found the will and deliberately carried it to Squire Selwyn? Could he -have sold her and his own interests to the enemy? No doubt she argued, -Squire Selwyn had bribed him at a heavy price to deliver it up. - -"I don't understand this," she said. "If Benjamin found the will, he -should have brought it to me." - -"As, of course, you would have placed it in my hands, there is no harm -done," said the lawyer, watching keenly the face that showed some -discomposure as he spoke. "But you can settle that with Ben. I will -merely read you the provisions of the will informally, previous to -presenting it for probate." - -To this Mrs. Oakley could make no objection, though she was fully -acquainted with the document to be read. - -It provided that the home estate, consisting of the family mansion, -and lands situated in the town of Hampton, valued together at twenty -thousand dollars, should go to John. Of the remaining estate, invested -in stocks and bonds, valued at forty thousand dollars, one half was -to go to John, and the remaining half to Mrs. Oakley. Squire Selwyn -was appointed executor, and guardian of John, until the latter should -attain his majority. - -"If the will is genuine,"--commenced Mrs. Oakley,-- - -"You certainly do not question my word to that effect?" said the -lawyer, gravely. - -"I have no right to stay in this house," continued Mrs. Oakley. - -"I am quite sure John would wish you to exercise your own choice in -that matter." - -"I shall not remain a tenant on sufferance," said Mrs. Oakley, coldly. -"Next week Benjamin and I go to the city." - -"You will act your own pleasure, of course," said Squire Selwyn, rather -glad to hear it, if the truth must be told. - -Some other matters were discussed and they rose to go. John received no -invitation to remain. - -"I am afraid I must burden your hospitality, Squire Selwyn," he said, -as they left the house. - -"You are a welcome guest, and will always be, John," said the lawyer. -"Sam will be delighted at the arrangement." - -"I don't know how my aunt will manage without me," said John. "I was -her business manager." - -"It seems to me, John, that your aunt had better sell out her store, -and come and keep house for you. You will have a large house, and you -are not quite old enough to marry and go to house-keeping." - -"Not quite," said John, laughing. - -"Your aunt will thus be relieved from business anxieties, and you are -quite rich enough to provide for her and your cousins." - -"It is an excellent arrangement," said John. "I'll write to her at -once." - -John did write, and, as might have been expected his aunt was very -glad to accept his offer. It was, of course, impossible to doubt the -validity of the will, and its provisions were, as soon as practicable, -carried into effect. Mrs. Oakley removed to New York with Ben, and -established herself at a boarding-house. On some accounts it was an -unwise step. Ben, having nothing useful to do, grew dissipated, and -contracted debts on all hands. In five years his mother's twenty -thousand dollars had dwindled to a few hundreds, and once more she -found herself obliged to exert herself for a support. She opened a -boarding-house, by means of which she managed to make a living. As for -Ben, who she fondly hoped would grow up a gentleman, he appears to be -sinking deeper and deeper every day into worthlessness and dissipation. -He has cost his mother many sorrowful hours. - -Mr. Huxter is dead. Probably his excesses in drinking hastened his -death. His poor wife was left quite destitute. When John heard of her -distress, grateful for her sympathy at a time when he stood in need of -it, he asked permission to help her. A certain sum is paid her annually -by him, by which, with her earnings as a dress-maker,--a trade which -she followed before her marriage,--she is able to make a comfortable -living for herself and her children. - -John returned to his studies, and was admitted to college with Sam, -where both took a high rank. They graduated at the last commencement, -and are now both studying law. - -Squire Bradley, of Wilton, who was much impressed by the skill with -which John ferreted out Mr. Hall's rascality, is anxious to have John -enter his office; but Sam, who is unwilling to part with one who from -boyhood has been his most intimate friend, insists that John shall -enter his father's office with him, after completing a course at a -celebrated Law School where they now are. Probably this arrangement -will best suit John. I have no hesitation in predicting for him a noble -manhood and an honorable career. In spite of the gifts of Fortune that -he possesses, I consider his warm and generous heart, his personal -integrity, and his manly character, to be JOHN OAKLEY'S MOST VALUABLE -INHERITANCE. - - - - -TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: - -Obvious printer errors have been corrected. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Luck and Pluck - or John Oakley's Inheritance - -Author: Horatio Alger, Jr. - -Release Date: March 1, 2017 [EBook #54265] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LUCK AND PLUCK *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Whitehead, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;" src="images/cover-image.jpg" id="coverpage" width="500" height="657" alt="Luck and Pluck" /> -<div class="transnote covernote"> -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">The cover image was created from the frontispiece and is placed in the public domain.</p> -</div></div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em;">POPULAR JUVENILE BOOKS.</h2> - -<h3><span class="smcap">By HORATIO ALGER, Jr.</span></h3> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 105px;"> -<img src="images/image10.jpg" width="105" height="33" alt="fancy line" /> -</div> - -<h3><i>RAGGED DICK SERIES.</i></h3> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>To be completed in Six Volumes.</i></p> - - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em;">I. RAGGED DICK; <span class="smcap">or, Street Life in New York</span>.<br /> - -II. FAME AND FORTUNE; <span class="smcap">or, The Progress of Richard -Hunter</span>.<br /> - -III. MARK, THE MATCH BOY.<br /> - -IV. ROUGH AND READY; <span class="smcap">or, Life among the New York -Newsboys</span>.<br /> - -V. BEN, THE LUGGAGE BOY. (In April, 1870.)<br /> - -VI. RUFUS AND ROSE; <span class="smcap">or, The Fortunes of Rough and -Ready</span>. (In December, 1870.)</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><i>Price, $1.25 per volume.</i></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 105px;"> -<img src="images/image10.jpg" width="105" height="33" alt="fancy line" /> -</div> - -<h3><i>CAMPAIGN SERIES.</i></h3> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>Complete in Three Vols.</i></p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">I. FRANK'S CAMPAIGN.<br /> -II. PAUL PRESCOTT'S CHARGE.<br /> -III. CHARLIE CODMAN'S CRUISE.</p> - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><i>Price, $1.25 per volume.</i></p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 105px;"> -<img src="images/image10.jpg" width="105" height="33" alt="fancy line" /> -</div> - -<h3><i>LUCK AND PLUCK SERIES.</i></h3> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;"><i>To be completed in Six Volumes.</i></p> - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">I. LUCK AND PLUCK; <span class="smcap">or, John Oakley's Inheritance</span>.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">OTHERS IN PREPARATION.</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><i>Price, $1.50 per volume.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 385px;"> -<img src="images/image1.jpg" width="385" height="607" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;"> -<img src="images/image2.jpg" width="450" height="594" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 432px;"> -<img src="images/image3.jpg" width="432" height="596" alt="Title page for Luck and Pluck" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by<br /> -A. K. LORING,<br /> -In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of<br /> -Massachusetts.<br /> -<br /> -<br /> -Rockwell & Churchill, Printers and Stereotypers,<br /> -122 Washington Street.<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - - - - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">To<br /> -MY YOUNG FRIENDS,<br /> -ISAAC AND GEORGE,<br /> -THIS VOLUME<br /> -IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">PREFACE.</h2> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 105px;"> -<img src="images/image10.jpg" width="105" height="33" alt="fancy line" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="smcap">"Luck and Pluck"</span> appeared as a serial story -in the juvenile department of Ballou's Magazine -for the year 1869, and is therefore already -familiar to a very large constituency of young -readers. It is now presented in book form, as -the first of a series of six volumes, designed to -illustrate the truth that a manly spirit is better -than the gifts of fortune. Early trial and struggle, -as the history of the majority of our successful -men abundantly attests, tend to strengthen -and invigorate the character.</p> - -<p>The author trusts that John Oakley, his young -hero, will find many friends, and that his career -will not only be followed with interest, but -teach a lesson of patient fortitude and resolute -endeavor, and a determination to conquer fortune, -and compel its smiles. He has no fear -that any boy-reader will be induced to imitate -Ben Brayton, whose selfishness and meanness -are likely to meet a fitting recompense.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap"> New York, Nov. 8, 1869.</span></p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h1 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">LUCK AND PLUCK;<br /> - -OR,<br /> - -JOHN OAKLEY'S INHERITANCE.</h1> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 100px;"> -<img style="margin-top: 2em;" src="images/image11.jpg" width="100" height="25" alt="fancy line" /> -</div> - -<p class="ph2" style="margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;">CHAPTER I.</p> - -<h3>INTRODUCING TWO BOYS AND A HORSE.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">"What</span> are you going to do with that horse, -Ben Brayton?"</p> - -<p>"None of your business!"</p> - -<p>"As the horse happens to belong to me, I should -think it was considerable of my business."</p> - -<p>"Suppose you prove that it belongs to you," said -Ben, coolly.</p> - -<p>"There is no need of proving it. You know it as -well as I do."</p> - -<p>"At any rate, it doesn't belong to you now," said -Ben Brayton.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I should like to know why not?"</p> - -<p>"Because it belongs to me."</p> - -<p>"Who gave it to you?"</p> - -<p>"My mother."</p> - -<p>"It wasn't hers to give."</p> - -<p>"You'll find that the whole property belongs to -her. Your father left her everything, and she has -given the horse to me. Just stand aside there; I'm -going to ride."</p> - -<p>John Oakley's face flushed with anger, and his eyes -flashed. He was a boy of fifteen, not tall, but stout -and well-proportioned, and stronger than most boys -of his age and size, his strength having been developed -by rowing on the river, and playing ball, in both of -which he was proficient. Ben Brayton was a year and a -half older, and half a head taller; but he was of a -slender figure, and, having no taste for vigorous out-of-door -amusements, he was not a match in strength -for the younger boy. They were not related by blood, -but both belonged to the same family, Ben Brayton's -mother having three years since married Squire Oakley, -with whom she had lived for a year previous as -house-keeper. A week since the squire had died, and -when, after the funeral, the will had been read, it was a -matter of general astonishment that John, the testator's -only son, was left entirely unprovided for, while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -the entire property was left to Mrs. Oakley. John, -who was of course present at the reading of the will, -was considerably disturbed at his disinheritance; not -because he cared for the money so much as because it -seemed as if his father had slighted him. Not a word, -however, had passed between him and his father's -widow on the subject, and things had gone on pretty -much as usual, until the day on which our story commences. -John had just returned from the village -academy, where he was at the head of a class preparing -for college, when he saw Ben Brayton, the son of -Mrs. Oakley by a former marriage preparing to ride -out on a horse which for a year past had been understood -to be his exclusive property. Indignant at this, -he commenced the conversation recorded at the beginning -of this chapter.</p> - -<p>"Stand aside there, John Oakley, or I'll ride -over you!"</p> - -<p>"Will you, though?" said John, seizing the horse -by the bridle. "That's easier said than done."</p> - -<p>Ben Brayton struck the horse sharply, hoping -that John would be frightened and let go; but our -hero clung to the bridle, and the horse began to back.</p> - -<p>"Let go, I tell you!" exclaimed Ben.</p> - -<p>"I won't!" said John, sturdily.</p> - -<p>The horse continued to back, until Ben, who was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -a coward at heart, becoming alarmed, slid off from -his back.</p> - -<p>"That's right," said John, coolly. "Another -time you'd better not meddle with my horse."</p> - -<p>"I'll meddle with you, and teach you better -manners!" exclaimed Ben, a red spot glowing in -each of his pale cheeks.</p> - -<p>As he spoke, he struck John smartly over the -shoulders with the small riding-whip he carried.</p> - -<p>John was not quarrelsome. I am glad to bear -this testimony to his character, for I have a very -poor opinion of quarrelsome boys; but he had a spirit -of his own, and was not disposed to submit tamely to -a blow. He turned upon Ben instantly, and, snatching -the whip from his hand, struck him two blows in return -for the one he had received.</p> - -<p>"I generally pay my debts with interest, Ben -Brayton," he said, coolly. "You ought to have -thought of that before you struck me."</p> - -<p>A look of fierce vindictiveness swept over the -olive face of his adversary as he advanced for another -contest.</p> - -<p>"Stand back there!" exclaimed John, flourishing -the whip in a threatening manner. "I've paid you -up, and I don't want to strike you again."</p> - -<p>"I'll make you smart for your impudence!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -fumed Ben, trying to get near enough to seize the -whip from his hands.</p> - -<p>"I didn't strike first," said John, "and I shan't -strike again, unless I am obliged to in self-defence."</p> - -<p>"Give me that whip!" screamed Ben, livid with -passion.</p> - -<p>"You can't have it."</p> - -<p>"I'll tell my mother."</p> - -<p>"Go and do it if you like," said John, a little contemptuously.</p> - -<p>"Let go that horse."</p> - -<p>"It's my own, and I mean to keep it."</p> - -<p>"It is not yours. My mother gave it to me."</p> - -<p>"It wasn't hers to give."</p> - -<p>John still retained his hold of the saddle, and kept -Ben at bay with one hand. He watched his opportunity -until Ben had retreated sufficiently far to make -it practicable, then, placing his foot in the stirrup, -lightly vaulted upon the horse, and, touching him -with the whip, he dashed out of the yard. Ben sprang -forward to stop him; but he was too late.</p> - -<p>"Get off that horse!" he screamed.</p> - -<p>"I will when I've had my ride," said John, turning -back in his saddle. "Now, Prince, do your best."</p> - -<p>This last remark was of course addressed to the -horse, who galloped up the street, John sitting on his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -back, with easy grace, as firmly as if rooted to the -saddle; for John was an admirable horseman, having -been in the habit of riding ever since he was ten -years old.</p> - -<p>Ben Brayton looked after him with a face distorted -with rage and envy. He would have given a great -deal to ride as well as John; but he was but an indifferent -horseman, being deficient in courage, and -sitting awkwardly in the saddle. He shook his fist -after John's retreating form, muttering between his -teeth, "You shall pay for this impudence, John Oakley, -and that before you are twenty-four hours older! -I'll see whether my mother will allow me to be insulted -in this way!"</p> - -<p>Sure of obtaining sympathy from his mother, he -turned his steps towards the house, which he entered.</p> - -<p>"Where's my mother?" he inquired of the servant.</p> - -<p>"She's upstairs in her own room, Mr. Benjamin," -was the answer.</p> - -<p>Ben hurried upstairs, and opened the door at the -head of the staircase. It was a spacious chamber, -covered with a rich carpet, and handsomely furnished. -At the time of his mother's marriage to Squire Oakley, -she had induced him to discard the old furniture, -and refurnish it to suit her taste. There were some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -who thought that what had been good enough for the -first Mrs. Oakley, who was an elegant and refined -lady, ought to have been good enough for one, who, -until her second marriage, had been a house-keeper. -But, by some means,—certainly not her beauty, for she -was by no means handsome,—she had acquired an -ascendency over the squire, and he went to considerable -expense to gratify her whim.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley sat at the window, engaged in needlework. -She was tall and thin, with a sallow complexion, -and pale, colorless lips. Her eyes were gray and -cold. There was a strong personal resemblance between -Ben and herself, and there was reason to think -that he was like her in his character and disposition -as well as in outward appearance. She was dressed -in black, for the husband who had just died.</p> - -<p>"Why have you not gone out to ride, Ben?" she -asked, as her son entered the room.</p> - -<p>"Because that young brute prevented me."</p> - -<p>"Whom do you mean?" asked his mother.</p> - -<p>"I mean John Oakley, of course."</p> - -<p>"How could he prevent you?"</p> - -<p>"He came up just as I was going to start, and told -me to get off the horse,—that it was his."</p> - -<p>"And you were coward enough to do it?" said his -mother, scornfully.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span></p> - -<p>"No. I told him it was not his any longer; that -you had given it to me."</p> - -<p>"What did he say then?"</p> - -<p>"That you had no business to give it away, as it -was his."</p> - -<p>"Did he say that?" demanded Mrs. Oakley, her -gray eyes flashing angrily.</p> - -<p>"Yes, he did."</p> - -<p>"Why didn't you ride off without minding him?"</p> - -<p>"Because he took the horse by the bridle, and -made him contrary; I didn't want to be thrown, so I -jumped off."</p> - -<p>"Did you have the whip in your hand?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Then why didn't you lay it over his back? That -might have taught him better manners."</p> - -<p>"So I did."</p> - -<p>"You did right," said his mother, with satisfaction; -for she had never liked her husband's son. His frank, -brave, generous nature differed too much from her -own to lead to any affection between them. She felt -that he outshone her own son, and far exceeded him -in personal gifts and popularity with the young -people of the neighborhood, and it made her angry -with him. Besides, she had a suspicion that Ben was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -deficient in courage, and it pleased her to think that -he had on this occasion acted manfully.</p> - -<p>"Then I don't see why you didn't jump on the -horse again and ride away," she continued.</p> - -<p>"Because," said Ben, reluctantly, "John got the -whip away from me."</p> - -<p>"Did he strike you with it?" asked Mrs. Oakley, -quickly.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Ben, vindictively. "He struck me -twice, the ruffian! But I'll be even with him yet!"</p> - -<p>"You shall be even with him," said Mrs. Oakley, -pressing her thin lips firmly together. "But I'm -ashamed of you for standing still and bearing the insult -like a whipped dog."</p> - -<p>"I tried to get at him," said Ben; "but he kept -flourishing the whip, so that I couldn't get a chance."</p> - -<p>"Where is he now?"</p> - -<p>"He's gone to ride."</p> - -<p>"Gone to ride! You let him do it?"</p> - -<p>"I couldn't help it; he was too quick for me. He -jumped on the horse before I knew what he was going -to do, and dashed out of the yard at full speed."</p> - -<p>"He is an impertinent young rebel!" said Mrs. -Oakley, angrily. "I am ashamed of you for letting -him get the advantage of you; but I am very angry<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -with him. So he said that I had no business to give -you the horse, did he?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; he has no more respect for you than for a -servant," said Ben, artfully, knowing well that nothing -would be so likely to make his mother angry as this. -Having once been in a subordinate position, she was -naturally suspicious, and apprehensive that she would -not be treated with a proper amount of respect by -those around her. It was Ben's object to incense his -mother against John, feeling that in this way he -would best promote his own selfish ends.</p> - -<p>"So he has no respect for me?" exclaimed Mrs. -Oakley, angrily.</p> - -<p>"None at all," said Ben, decisively. "He says -you have no right here, nor I either."</p> - -<p>This last statement was an utter fabrication, as -Ben well knew; for John, though he had never liked -his father's second wife, had always treated her with -the outward respect which propriety required. He -was not an impudent nor a disrespectful boy; but he -had a proper spirit, and did not choose to be bullied -by Ben, whom he would have liked if he had possessed -any attractive qualities. It had never entered -his mind to grudge him the equal advantages which -Squire Oakley, for his mother's sake, had bestowed -upon her son. He knew that his father was a man of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -property, and that there was enough for both. When, -however, Ben manifested a disposition to encroach -upon his rights, John felt that the time for forbearance -had ceased, and he gave him distinctly to understand -that there was a limit beyond which he must -not pass. Very soon after Ben first entered the -family John gave him a thrashing,—in self-defence, -however,—of which he complained to his mother. -Though very angry, she feared to diminish her influence -with his father by moving much in the matter, -and therefore contented herself by cautioning Ben to -avoid him as much as possible.</p> - -<p>"Some time or other he shall be punished," she -said; "but at present it is most prudent for us to -keep quiet and bide our time."</p> - -<p>Now, however, Mrs. Oakley felt that the power -was in her own hands. She had no further necessity -for veiling her real nature, or refraining from gratifying -her resentment. The object for which she had -schemed—her husband's property—was hers, and -John Oakley was dependent upon her for everything. -If she treated him ungenerously, it would create unfavorable -comments in the neighborhood; but for -this she did not care. The property was hers by her -husband's will, and no amount of censure would -deprive her of it. She would now be able to enrich<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -Ben at John's expense, and she meant to do it. -Henceforth Ben would be elevated to the position of -heir, and John must take a subordinate position as a -younger son, or, perhaps, to speak still more accurately, -as a poor relation with a scanty claim upon -her bounty.</p> - -<p>"I'll break that boy's proud spirit," she said to -herself. "He has been able to triumph over Ben; -but he will find that I am rather more difficult to deal -with."</p> - -<p>There was an expression of resolution upon her -face, and a vicious snapping of the eyes, which boded -ill to our hero. Mrs. Oakley undoubtedly had the -power to make him uncomfortable, and she meant to -do it, unless he would submit meekly to her sway. -That this was not very likely may be judged from -what we have already seen of him.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley's first act was to bestow on Ben the -horse, Prince, which had been given to John a year -before by his father. John had been accustomed to -take a daily ride on Prince, whom he had come to -love. The spirited horse returned his young master's -attachment, and it was hard to tell which enjoyed -most the daily gallop, the horse or his rider. To deprive -John of Prince was to do him a grievous -wrong, since it was, of all his possessions, the one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -which he most enjoyed. It was the more unjustifiable, -since, at the time Prince had been bought for -John, Squire Oakley, in a spirit of impartial justice, -had offered to buy a horse for Ben also; but Ben, -who had long desired to own a gold watch and chain, -intimated this desire to his mother, and offered to relinquish -the promised horse if the watch and chain -might be given him. Squire Oakley had no objection -to the substitution, and accordingly the same day -that Prince was placed in the stable, subject to John's -control, a valuable gold watch and chain, costing precisely -the same amount, was placed in Ben's hands. -Ben was delighted with his new present, and put on -many airs in consequence. Now, however, he -coveted the horse as well as the watch, and his mother -had told him he might have it. But it seemed evident -that John would not give up the horse without a -struggle. Ben, however, had enlisted his mother as -his ally, and felt pretty confident of ultimate victory.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER II.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">JOHN RECEIVES SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">John Oakley</span> had triumphed in his encounter with -Ben Brayton, and rode off like a victor. Nevertheless -he could not help feeling a little doubtful and -anxious about the future. There was no doubt that -Ben would complain to his mother, and as it was by -her express permission that he had taken the horse, -John felt apprehensive that there would be trouble -between himself and his stepmother. I have already -said, that, though a manly boy, he was not quarrelsome. -He preferred to live on good terms with all, -not excepting Ben and his mother, although he had -no reason to like either of them. But he did not -mean to be imposed upon, or to have his just rights -encroached upon, if he could help it.</p> - -<p>What should he do if Ben persevered in his claim -and his mother supported him in it? He could not -decide. He felt that he must be guided by circumstances. -He could not help remembering how four -years before Mrs. Brayton (for that was her name<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -then) answered his father's advertisement for a house-keeper; -how, when he hesitated in his choice, she -plead her poverty, and her urgent need of immediate -employment; and how, influenced principally by this -consideration, he took her in place of another to whom -he had been more favorably inclined. How she -should have obtained sufficient influence over his -father's mind to induce him to make her his wife after -the lapse of a year, John could not understand. He -felt instinctively that she was artful and designing, -but his own frank, open nature could hardly be expected -to fathom hers. He remembered again, how, -immediately after the marriage, Ben was sent for, -and was at once advanced to a position in the household -equal to his own. Ben was at first disposed to be -polite, and even subservient to himself, but gradually, -emboldened by his mother's encouragement, became -more independent, and even at times defiant. It was -not, however, until now that he had actually begun to -encroach upon John's rights, and assume airs of superiority. -He had been feeling his way, and waited -until it would be safe to show out his real nature.</p> - -<p>John had never liked Ben,—nor had anybody else -except his mother felt any attachment for him,—but -he had not failed to treat him with perfect politeness -and courtesy. Though he had plenty of intimations<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -from the servants and others that it was unjust to -him that so much expense should be lavished upon -Ben, he was of too generous a nature to feel disturbed -by it, or to grudge him his share of his father's -bounty.</p> - -<p>"There's enough for both of us," he always said, -to those who tried to stir up his jealousy.</p> - -<p>"But suppose your father should divide his property -between you? How would you like to see Ben -Brayton sharing the estate?"</p> - -<p>"If my father chooses to leave his property in that -way, I shan't complain," said John. "Fortunately -there is enough for us both, and half will be enough -to provide for me."</p> - -<p>But John had never anticipated such a contingency -as Ben and his mother claiming the whole -property, and, frank and unsuspicious as he was, he -felt that his father would never have left him so entirely -dependent upon his stepmother unless improper -means had been used to influence his decision. There -was a particular reason which he had for thinking -thus. It was this: Three days before his father -died, he was told by the servant, on entering the -house, that the sick man wished to see him. Of -course he went up instantly to the chamber where,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -pale and wasted, Squire Oakley lay stretched out on -the bed.</p> - -<p>He was stricken by a disease which affected his -speech, and prevented him from articulating anything -except in a whisper. He beckoned John to the bedside, -and signed for him to place his ear close to his -mouth. John did so. His father made a great effort -to speak, but all that John could make out was, "My -will."</p> - -<p>"Your will, father?" he repeated.</p> - -<p>The sick man nodded, and tried to speak further. -John thought he could distinguish the word "drawer," -but was not certain. He was about to inquire further, -when his stepmother entered the room, and -looked at him suspiciously.</p> - -<p>"Why have you come here to disturb your sick -father?" she asked, coldly.</p> - -<p>"I did not come here to disturb him," said John. -"I came because he wished to speak to me."</p> - -<p>"Has he spoken to you?" she asked, hastily.</p> - -<p>"He tried to, but did not succeed."</p> - -<p>"You should not allow him to make the effort. It -can only do him harm. The doctor says he must be -kept very quiet. You had better leave the room. -He is safest in my care."</p> - -<p>John did leave the room, and though he saw his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -father afterwards, it was always in his stepmother's -presence, and he had no farther opportunity of communicating -with him.</p> - -<p>He could not help thinking of this as he rode along, -and wondering what it was that his father wished to -say. He knew that it must be something of importance, -from the evident anxiety which the dying man -manifested to speak to him. But whatever it was -must remain unknown. His father's lips were hushed -in death, and with such a stepmother John felt himself -worse than alone in the world. But he had a religious -nature, and had been well trained in the Sunday -school, and the thought came to him that whatever -trials might be in store for him he had at least -one Friend, higher than any earthly friend, to whom -he might look for help and protection. Plunged in -thought, he had suffered Prince to subside into a walk, -when, all at once, he heard his name called.</p> - -<p>"Hallo, John!"</p> - -<p>Looking up, he saw Sam Selwyn, son of Lawyer -Selwyn, and a classmate of his at the academy.</p> - -<p>"Is that you, Sam?" he said, halting his horse.</p> - -<p>"That is my impression," said Sam, "but I began -to think it wasn't just now, when my best friend -seemed to have forgotten me."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I was thinking," said John, "and didn't notice."</p> - -<p>"Where are you bound?"</p> - -<p>"Nowhere in particular. I only came out for a -ride."</p> - -<p>"You're a lucky fellow, John."</p> - -<p>"You forget, Sam, the loss I have just met with;" -and John pointed to his black clothes.</p> - -<p>"Excuse me, John, you know I sympathize with -you in that. But I'm very fond of riding, and never -get any chance. You have a horse of your own."</p> - -<p>"Just at present."</p> - -<p>"Just at present! You're not going to lose him, -are you?"</p> - -<p>"Sam, I am expecting a little difficulty, and I shall -feel better if I advise with some friend about it. You -are my best friend in school, and I don't know but in -the world, and I've a great mind to tell you."</p> - -<p>"I'll give you the best advice in my power, John, -and won't charge anything for it either, which is more -than my father would. You know he's a lawyer, and -has to be mercenary. Not that I ought to blame him, -for that's the way he finds us all in bread and butter."</p> - -<p>"I'll turn Prince up that lane and tie him, and -then we'll lie down under a tree, and have a good -talk."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> - -<p>John did as proposed. Prince began to browse, -apparently well contented with the arrangement, and -the two boys stretched themselves out lazily beneath -a wide-spreading chestnut-tree, which screened them -from the sun.</p> - -<p>"Now fire away," said Sam, "and I'll concentrate -all my intellect upon your case gratis."</p> - -<p>"I told you that Prince was mine for the present," -commenced John. "I don't know as I can say even -that. This afternoon when I got home I found Ben -Brayton just about to mount him."</p> - -<p>"I hope you gave him a piece of your mind."</p> - -<p>"I ordered him off," said John, quietly, "when he -informed me that the horse was his now,—that his -mother had given it to him."</p> - -<p>"What did you say?"</p> - -<p>"That it was not hers to give. I seized the horse -by the bridle, till he became alarmed and slid off. -He then came at me with his riding-whip, and struck -me."</p> - -<p>"I didn't think he had pluck enough for that. I -hope you gave him as good as he sent."</p> - -<p>"I pulled the whip away from him, and gave him -two blows in return. Then watching my opportunity -I sprang upon the horse, and here I am."</p> - -<p>"And that is the whole story?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"And you want my advice?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Then I'll give it. Sink or swim, live or die, survive -or perish, stick to that horse, and defy Ben -Brayton to do his worst."</p> - -<p>"It seems to me I've heard part of that speech -before," said John, smiling. "As to the advice, I'll -follow it if I can. I'm not afraid of anything Ben -Brayton can do; but suppose his mother takes his -part?"</p> - -<p>"Do you think she will?"</p> - -<p>"I am afraid she will."</p> - -<p>"Then defy her too," said Sam, hastily.</p> - -<p>"I don't know about that," said John. "I am -only a boy of fifteen, and she is my father's widow. -If she chooses to take the horse away, I don't know -that I can do anything."</p> - -<p>"Ben Brayton is a mean rascal. Didn't he get a -gold watch at the same time that you got the horse?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; he might have had a horse too, but he preferred -the watch and chain. They cost as much as -Prince."</p> - -<p>"And now he wants the horse too?"</p> - -<p>"So it seems."</p> - -<p>"That's what I call hoggish. I only wish Ben<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -Brayton would come to school, and sit next to -me."</p> - -<p>"What for?" asked John, a little surprised at this -remark.</p> - -<p>"Wouldn't I stick pins into him, that's all. I'd -make him yell like—a locomotive," said Sam, the -simile being suggested by the sound of the in-coming -train.</p> - -<p>John laughed.</p> - -<p>"That's an old trick of yours," he said, "I remember -you served me so once. And yet you profess -to be my friend."</p> - -<p>"I didn't stick it in very far," said Sam, apologetically; -"it didn't hurt much, did it?"</p> - -<p>"Didn't it though?"</p> - -<p>"Well, I didn't mean to have it. Maybe I miscalculated -the distance."</p> - -<p>"It's all right, if you don't try it again. And -now about the advice."</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't be imposed upon," said Sam. "Between -you and me I don't think much of your stepmother."</p> - -<p>"Nor she of you," said John, slyly. "I heard -her say the other day that you were a disgrace to the -neighborhood with your mischievous tricks."</p> - -<p>"That is the 'most unkindest' cut of all," said Sam.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -"I'd shed a few tears if I hadn't left my handkerchief -at home. I have a great mind to tell you -something," he added, more gravely.</p> - -<p>"Well?" said John, inquiringly.</p> - -<p>"It's something that concerns you, only I happened -to overhear it, which isn't quite fair and -aboveboard, I know. Still I think I had better tell -you. You know my father was your father's lawyer?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Well, he as well as everybody else was surprised -at the will that left everything to your stepmother, -only he had the best reason to be surprised. I was -sitting out on our piazza when I heard him tell my -mother that only three months ago your father came -to his office, and had a will drawn up, leaving all the -property to you, except the thirds which your stepmother -was entitled to."</p> - -<p>"Only three months ago?" said John, thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"And did he take away the will with him?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; he thought at first of leaving it in my -father's charge, but finally decided to keep it himself."</p> - -<p>"What can have become of it? He must have -destroyed it since."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p> - -<p>"My father doesn't think so," said Sam.</p> - -<p>"What does he think?"</p> - -<p>"Mind you don't say a word of what I tell you," -said Sam, lowering his voice. "He thinks that Mrs. -Oakley has put it out of the way, in order to get -hold of the whole property herself."</p> - -<p>"I can hardly think she would be so wicked," said -John, shocked at the supposition.</p> - -<p>"Isn't it easier to believe that of her, than to believe -that your father would deal so unjustly by -you?"</p> - -<p>"I won't call it unjustly, even if he has really left -her the whole property," said John. "Still, I was -surprised at being left out of the will. Besides," he -added, with a sudden reflection, "there's something -that makes me think that the will you speak of is -still in existence."</p> - -<p>"What's that?" asked Sam.</p> - -<p>In reply John gave the particulars of his father's -attempt to communicate with him, and the few words -he was able to make out.</p> - -<p>"I understand it all now," said Sam, quickly.</p> - -<p>"Then you're ahead of me."</p> - -<p>"It's plain as a pike-staff. Your father hid the -will, fearing that your stepmother would get hold of -it and destroy it. He wanted to tell you where it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -was. Do you know of any secret drawer in your -house?"</p> - -<p>John shook his head.</p> - -<p>"There must be one somewhere. Now, if you -want my advice, I'll give it. Just hunt secretly for -the drawer, wherever you think it may possibly be, -and if you find it, and the will in it, just bring it -round to my father, and he'll see that justice is done -you. Come, I'm not a lawyer's son for nothing. -What do you say?"</p> - -<p>"I shouldn't wonder if you were right, Sam."</p> - -<p>"You may depend upon it I am. I'm your lawyer, -remember, and you are my client. I give advice -on the 'no cure no pay' system. If it don't amount -to anything I won't charge you a cent."</p> - -<p>"And if it does?"</p> - -<p>"If you get your property by my professional exertions, -I trust to your generosity to reward me."</p> - -<p>"All right, Sam."</p> - -<p>"Of course you won't let your stepmother suspect -what you're after. Otherwise she might get the start -of you, and find it herself, and then much good it -would do you."</p> - -<p>"I'm glad to think it is still in existence, and that -she hasn't destroyed it."</p> - -<p>"She would if she could, you may depend on that."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Well, Sam, I'm much obliged to you for your advice. -I think I must be going now."</p> - -<p>"Well, good-by, old fellow. Keep a stiff upper -lip, and don't give up the ship—horsemanship, I mean. -I must go round to the office, and see if father -doesn't need a little professional assistance."</p> - -<p>John leaped on Prince's back, and turned him in -the direction of home. The revelation which Sam -had made gave a new direction to his thoughts. If -his father had really intended to give him a share of -the estate, he felt that he ought to have it, and determined -to institute a search as cautiously as possible.</p> - -<p>Driving into the yard he saw Ben sitting sullenly -on the door-step. He eyed John with no very friendly -glance.</p> - -<p>"Where've you been?" he demanded.</p> - -<p>"Up the road," said John, briefly.</p> - -<p>"It's the last time you'll ride <i>my</i> horse."</p> - -<p>"It's not your horse."</p> - -<p>"You'll find out whose horse it is," muttered Ben.</p> - -<p>"I don't care about disputing with you," said -John, quietly, turning towards the stable.</p> - -<p>"My mother wishes to see you at once; do you -hear?" said Ben, unpleasantly. "She's going to -make you apologize to me for your impudence."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I'll go in and see her as soon as I have put the -horse in the stable," John answered, quietly.</p> - -<p>"I hate that fellow," muttered Ben, following our -hero with lowering eyes; "he puts on too many airs -altogether. But my mother'll fix him."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER III.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">JOHN'S TROUBLES BEGIN.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">After</span> putting Prince in the stable, John went into -the house slowly, for he was in no hurry to anticipate -what he feared would be an unpleasant interview.</p> - -<p>"Where is Mrs. Oakley, Jane?" he asked of a -servant whom he met in the hall.</p> - -<p>"She's in the sitting-room, Master John," said -Jane. "She wants to see you immediately."</p> - -<p>"Very well; I'll go in."</p> - -<p>He heard steps behind him, and, turning, found that -Ben was following him.</p> - -<p>"He wants to hear me scolded," thought John. -"However, I won't take any notice."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley was sitting in a rocking-chair. She -looked up with a frown as John entered. She had -never liked him, but since Ben had declared, falsely, -as we know, that John had no more respect for her -than a servant, this dislike was greatly increased.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 375px;"> -<img src="images/image4.jpg" width="375" height="583" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> - -She was inwardly determined to make his life as uncomfortable -as possible.</p> - -<p>"Well, sir," she said, "so you have come at last."</p> - -<p>"I came as soon as Ben told me you wished to see -me," said John. "I only waited till I had put my -horse into the stable."</p> - -<p>"<i>His</i> horse!" repeated Ben, by way of calling his -mother's attention to the claim to ownership expressed -in those words.</p> - -<p>"I suppose I ought to consider it lucky that you -paid any attention to my words," said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"I hope I have not failed in proper respect," said -John.</p> - -<p>"It was very respectful in you to ride off with the -horse, when I had told Ben he might use it."</p> - -<p>"It was my horse," said John, firmly. "If Ben -wanted it, he might ask me."</p> - -<p>"Ask you, indeed!" repeated Ben, scornfully; -"you won't catch me doing that."</p> - -<p>"It was enough that I told him that he might ride. -Didn't he tell you that?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Then what right had you to refuse?"</p> - -<p>"The horse is mine," said John. "It was given -me by my father."</p> - -<p>"He allowed you to use it."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p> - -<p>"He gave it to me. At the same time he gave -Ben a watch, which he is wearing now. He has no -more right to demand my horse than I have to claim -his watch."</p> - -<p>"You seem to forget," said Mrs. Oakley, coldly, -"that your father saw fit to leave me his property. -The horse forms a part of that property, and belongs -to me, and it is for me to say who shall ride on it. -Ben, you may ride on the horse to-morrow."</p> - -<p>"Do you hear that?" demanded Ben, triumphantly, -looking towards John.</p> - -<p>"I suppose," said John, quietly, "you will order -Ben to let me have his watch to-morrow."</p> - -<p>"I shall do no such thing," said Mrs. Oakley, -sharply, "and it is impudent in you to ask such a -thing."</p> - -<p>"I don't see why it isn't fair," said John. "It -appears to me rather mean in Ben to want both, and -leave me neither."</p> - -<p>"That is for me to decide," said Mrs. Oakley. -"There is one thing more I have to speak to you -about. My son tells me you were brutal enough to -strike him with the whip. Do you deny that?"</p> - -<p>"I never deny what's true."</p> - -<p>"Then you did strike him."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I struck him twice."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> - -<p>"And you have the impudence to stand there, and -say it to my face!"</p> - -<p>"You asked me, and I have answered you. I -don't see why that should be called impudent."</p> - -<p>"You glory in your disgraceful action," said Mrs. -Oakley, sharply.</p> - -<p>"Did Ben tell you that he struck me first?" asked -John.</p> - -<p>"I am very glad to hear it. It was what you deserved," -said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Then," said John, firmly, "I gave him what he -deserved. You can't expect me to stand still and be -struck without returning it."</p> - -<p>"The only fault I find with Ben is, that he did not -strike you more than once," said Mrs. Oakley, in an -excited tone.</p> - -<p>John glanced from the mother to her son, who was -evidently pleased with the reproaches John was receiving, -and said, quietly:—</p> - -<p>"I think Ben had better not attempt it."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by that?" demanded Mrs. -Oakley, quickly.</p> - -<p>"I don't want to strike Ben, or injure him in any -way," said John; "but I mean to defend myself if I -am attacked."</p> - -<p>And Ben, though he chose to sneer, knew very well<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -that, quietly as John spoke, he was thoroughly in -earnest, and would do precisely as he said. He knew -very well, too, that, though he was older and taller -than John, he would very likely be worsted in an encounter. -He preferred, therefore, that his mother -should fight his battles for him.</p> - -<p>"You hear, mother," he said. "He defies you. -I knew he would. You remember what I told you."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley did remember very well, and the recollection -made her angry.</p> - -<p>"John Oakley," she said, "you will find that it -won't do to insult me."</p> - -<p>"I have no wish to insult you, Mrs. Oakley," said -John. "I have not forgotten who you are, and I -shall try to treat you accordingly."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by that?" said Mrs. Oakley, -turning pale with rage.</p> - -<p>She was misled by the statement Ben had made, -and she thought John referred to the fact that she -had been his father's house-keeper,—a point on -which she felt sensitive.</p> - -<p>"I mean," said John, a little surprised at this outburst, -"that I have not forgotten that you are my father's -widow, and as such are entitled to my respect."</p> - -<p>"Was that what you meant?" asked Mrs. Oakley, -suspiciously.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Certainly," said John. "What else could I -mean?"</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley turned to Ben, who shrugged his -shoulders, intimating that he did not believe it.</p> - -<p>"All very fine," said his mother, "but words are -cheap. If you think I am entitled to your respect, -you will do as I require. Will you promise this?"</p> - -<p>"I would rather not promise," said John. "If it -is anything I ought to do, I will do it."</p> - -<p>"It <i>is</i> something you ought to do," said Mrs. -Oakley.</p> - -<p>"What is it?"</p> - -<p>"I require you immediately to apologize to my -son Benjamin, for the blows you struck him with the -whip this afternoon."</p> - -<p>"I cannot do this," said John, firmly.</p> - -<p>"Why can't you do it?"</p> - -<p>"Because I had a good reason for striking him. -He ought to apologize to me for striking me first."</p> - -<p>"Catch me doing it!" said Ben, scornfully.</p> - -<p>"I have no fault to find with him for striking you," -said Mrs. Oakley. "On the contrary, I think him -perfectly justified in doing so. You forced him off -the horse after I had given him permission to ride, -and I should have been ashamed of him if he had -not resisted. I am glad he gave you such a lesson."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> - -<p>Once more John looked at Ben, and was not surprised -to see the smile of triumph that rose to his -face as he listened to these words of his mother.</p> - -<p>"Well," said Mrs. Oakley, impatiently, "what -have you to say?"</p> - -<p>"What can I say? You are determined to find -me in the wrong."</p> - -<p>"It is because you <i>are</i> wrong. I demand once -more, John Oakley, will you apologize to my -son?"</p> - -<p>"I will not," said John, firmly.</p> - -<p>"Please to remember that you are left dependent -upon me, and that your future comfort will be a -good deal affected by the way in which you decide."</p> - -<p>"Whatever happens," said John, who partly -understood the threat, "I refuse to apologize, -unless—"</p> - -<p>"Unless what?"</p> - -<p>"If Ben will say that he is sorry that he struck -me, I will say the same to him."</p> - -<p>"Ben will do nothing of the kind," said Mrs. -Oakley, promptly. "I should be ashamed of him -if he did."</p> - -<p>"Catch me apologizing to such a whipper-snapper -as you!" muttered Ben.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Then I have no more to say," said John.</p> - -<p>"But I have," said Mrs. Oakley, angrily. "You -have chosen to defy me to my face, but you will -bitterly repent of it. I'll break your proud spirit -for you!"</p> - -<p>John certainly did not feel very comfortable as he -left the room. He was not afraid of what his stepmother -could do, although he knew she could annoy -him in many ways, but it was disagreeable to him to -feel at variance with any one.</p> - -<p>"If my poor father had only lived," he thought, -"how different all would have been!"</p> - -<p>But it was useless to wish for this. His father -was no longer on earth to protect and shield him -from the malice of Ben and his mother. Trials -awaited him, but he determined to be true to himself, -and to the good principles which he had been -taught.</p> - -<p>As for Mrs. Oakley, having once resolved to -annoy John, she lost no time in beginning her persecutions. -She had a small, mean nature, and nothing -was too petty for her to stoop to.</p> - -<p>John and Ben had been accustomed to occupy -bedrooms on the second floor, very prettily furnished, -and alike in every respect. It had been the -policy of Squire Oakley to treat the two boys precisely<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -alike, although Ben had no claim upon him, except -as the son of the woman whom he had married. Now -that he was dead, Mrs. Oakley determined that Ben -should occupy a superior position, and should be -recognized throughout the house as the eldest son -and heir. After her unsatisfactory interview with -John, just described, in which he had refused to -apologize, she summoned Jane, and said:—</p> - -<p>"Jane, you may remove John's clothes from the -bedchamber where he has slept to the attic room -next to your own."</p> - -<p>"Is Master John going to sleep there?" asked -Jane, in amazement.</p> - -<p>"Certainly."</p> - -<p>"And shall I move Master Ben's things upstairs, -also?"</p> - -<p>"Of course not," said Mrs. Oakley, sharply. -"What made you think of such a thing?"</p> - -<p>"Beg pardon, ma'am; but who is going to have -Master John's room?"</p> - -<p>"You ask too many questions, Jane. It is no -concern of yours that I am aware of."</p> - -<p>Jane did not venture to reply, but went out muttering:—</p> - -<p>"It's a shame, so it is, to put Master John upstairs -in that poor room, while Ben stays downstairs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -He's a young reprobate, so he is, just for all the -world, like his mother."</p> - -<p>The fact was, that John was a favorite in the -house, and Ben was not. The latter was in the habit -of domineering over the servants, and making all the -trouble in his power, while John was naturally considerate, -and always had a pleasant word for them. -However, Mrs. Oakley's commands must be obeyed, -and Jane, much against her will, found herself -obliged to remove John's things to the attic. She -found John already in his chamber.</p> - -<p>"Excuse me, Master John," she said, "but I have -orders to move your things up to the attic."</p> - -<p>"What!" exclaimed John, in amazement.</p> - -<p>Jane repeated her words.</p> - -<p>"Did Mrs. Oakley tell you to do that?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Master John, and a shame it is."</p> - -<p>"Is Ben to go up into the attic too?"</p> - -<p>"The mistress said no."</p> - -<p>"Wait a minute, Jane; I'll go and speak to Mrs. -Oakley."</p> - -<p>John went downstairs, and found his stepmother -in the room where he had left her.</p> - -<p>"May I speak to you a moment, Mrs. Oakley?" -he said.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Have you come to apologize for your impertinence -to me, and your rudeness to my son?"</p> - -<p>"No, I have not," said John.</p> - -<p>"Then I don't care to speak to you."</p> - -<p>"Excuse me, Mrs. Oakley, but Jane tells me that -you have ordered her to remove my things to the -attic."</p> - -<p>"Well?"</p> - -<p>"Is Ben to go into the attic too?"</p> - -<p>"No, he is not."</p> - -<p>"Then why are you driving me from my room?"</p> - -<p>"You seem to forget that you are only a boy. -This house is mine, and I shall make what arrangements -I please."</p> - -<p>"The room in the attic is not nearly as good as -my present room."</p> - -<p>"It is good enough for you."</p> - -<p>"I am willing to go up there if Ben goes up, but I -claim to be treated as well as he."</p> - -<p>"Ben is older than you. Besides, he is respectful -and dutiful, while you are impertinent and disobedient. -I shall treat you as well as you deserve."</p> - -<p>"Why did you not make this change while my -father was alive, Mrs. Oakley?" said John, significantly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley colored, for she understood very well -the meaning of this question.</p> - -<p>"I do not intend to be catechised by you," she -said, sharply. "I intend to do what I please in my -own house, and I shall not submit to have my arrangements -questioned."</p> - -<p>"May I ask how my room is going to be used?" -said John, who wanted to be sure whether his stepmother -had any motive for the change except -hostility to himself.</p> - -<p>"No, you may not ask," she said, angrily; "or if -you do, you need not expect any answer. And now -I will thank you to leave the room, as I have something -else to do besides answering impertinent questions."</p> - -<p>There was nothing more to say, and John left the -room.</p> - -<p>"Well, Master John," said Jane, who had waited -till his return, "what will I do?"</p> - -<p>"You may move the things upstairs, Jane," said -John.</p> - -<p>"It's a shame," said Jane, warmly.</p> - -<p>"Never mind, Jane," said John. "I don't like it -much myself, but I dare say it'll all come out right -after a while. I'll help you with that trunk. It's -rather heavy to carry alone."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Thank you, Master John. Ben wouldn't offer to -help if he saw me breakin' my back under it. It's -easy to see which is the gentleman."</p> - -<p>The room to which John's things were removed -was uncarpeted, the floor being painted yellow. It -had been used during Squire Oakley's life by a boy -who was employed to run errands, but who had been -dismissed by Mrs. Oakley, who was disposed to be -economical and save his wages. The bed was a -common cot bedstead, comfortable indeed, but of -course quite inferior to the neat French bed in which -John had been accustomed to sleep. There was a -plain pine table and bureau, in which John stored his -things. There was a small cracked mirror, and a -wash-stand with the paint rubbed off in spots. Altogether -it was hardly suitable for a gentleman's son to -sleep in. John, however, was not proud, and would not -have minded if there had not been malice on the part of -his stepmother. He had scarcely got moved when a -step was heard on the attic stairs, and Ben came up -to enjoy the sight of John's humiliation.</p> - -<p>"So you've got a new room, John?" he said, smiling -maliciously.</p> - -<p>"So it seems," said John, quietly.</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry to lose so agreeable a neighbor," he -continued.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Are you?" said John, looking at him searchingly.</p> - -<p>"But you'll be more at home up here," said Ben.</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by that?"</p> - -<p>"I mean it's more suitable for you."</p> - -<p>"Ben Brayton," said John, his eyes flashing, "if -you have come up here to insult me, the sooner you -go down the better. Your mother has moved me up -here, for what reason I don't know. The only -satisfaction I have in the change is, that it removes -me further from you."</p> - -<p>"You're uncommon polite since you've moved -into this elegant apartment," said Ben, tauntingly.</p> - -<p>"Elegant or not, it is mine, and I want it to myself," -said John. "Leave the room!"</p> - -<p>He advanced towards Ben as he spoke. Ben -thought a moment of standing his ground, but there -was something in John's eye that looked threatening, -and he concluded that it would be the best policy to -obey. With a parting taunt he backed out of the -chamber, and John was left to himself.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER IV.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">BEN BRAYTON'S RIDE.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">John</span> took his place at the supper-table as usual; -but neither Mrs. Oakley nor Ben, though they spoke -freely to each other, had a word to say to him. If -John had been conscious of deserving such neglect, -he would have felt disturbed; but as he felt that all -the blame for what had occurred rested with Ben and -his mother, he ate with his usual appetite, and did -not appear in the least troubled by their silence, nor -by the scornful looks which from time to time Mrs. -Oakley directed towards him. After supper he went -up into his little room, and prepared his lesson in -Virgil for the next day. He was at the head of his -class, and was resolved to let no troubles at home -interfere with his faithful preparation of his lessons.</p> - -<p>Ben did not attend school. In fact, he was not -very partial to study, and though Squire Oakley had -offered to bear his expenses at the academy, and -afterwards at college, Ben had persuaded his mother -that his health was not firm enough to undertake a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -long course of study. While, therefore, John was -occupied daily for several hours at the academy, Ben -had lived like a gentleman of leisure, spending considerable -time at the billiard rooms in the village, -and in lounging on the hotel piazza. He managed -to get through considerable money, but his mother -had always kept him well supplied.</p> - -<p>Although he did not wish to go to college himself, -he did not fancy the idea of John's going, since this -would increase the superiority of the latter over him. -He knew very well that a liberal education would -give John a certain position and influence which he -was not likely to attain, and he determined to prevent -his obtaining it. When, therefore, John had -gone to school the next morning, Ben attacked his -mother on the subject.</p> - -<p>"Are you going to send John to college, mother?" -he asked.</p> - -<p>"Why do you ask?"</p> - -<p>"Because I don't want him to go."</p> - -<p>"Why not?"</p> - -<p>"He'll put on no end of airs if he goes, and turn -up his nose at me, because I don't happen to know so -much about Latin and Greek, and such rigmarole."</p> - -<p>"I wish you would make up your mind to go to -college, Ben," said his mother, earnestly, for she was -very ambitious for her son.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It's of no use, mother. I'm seventeen, and it -would take three years to get ready, and hard study -at that."</p> - -<p>"You have studied Latin already."</p> - -<p>"I don't remember anything about it. I should -have to begin all over again."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Mrs. Oakley, reluctantly giving up -the idea, "you might study law without going to -college."</p> - -<p>"I don't think I should like to be a lawyer. It's -too hard work."</p> - -<p>"You needn't be, but you could go to the Law -School, and study long enough to get a degree. You -would make some aristocratic acquaintances, and -it would be an honorable profession to belong to."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Ben, "I don't know but I'll enter -the Law School in a year, or two. There is no hurry. -I suppose you'll give me enough money so that I -won't have to earn my living? I say, mother, how -much property did old Oakley leave?"</p> - -<p>Considering the obligations under which Mrs. -Oakley was placed to her late husband it might have -been supposed that she would reprove Ben for the -disrespectful manner in which he spoke of him; but, -as may be guessed, she cared nothing for her husband, -except for what she could get out of him, and was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -not in the least disturbed by the manner in which -Ben referred to him.</p> - -<p>"This house and the land around it," she said, -"are estimated at ten thousand dollars. There are, -besides, stocks, bonds, and mortgages to the amount -of fifty thousand dollars."</p> - -<p>"Sixty thousand dollars in all!" exclaimed Ben, -his eyes sparkling. "You're quite a rich woman, -mother."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Mrs. Oakley, complacently, "I suppose -I am."</p> - -<p>"It's a little different from when you came here -four years ago on a salary of twenty dollars a month. -You were pretty hard up, then."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Ben, but we can hold up our heads with -anybody now."</p> - -<p>"I say, mother," said Ben, persuasively, "as I'm -your only son, I think you might give me ten -thousand dollars right out. You'd have fifty thousand -left."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley shook her head.</p> - -<p>"You're too young, Ben," she said. "Some time -or other you shall be well provided for."</p> - -<p>"I'm seventeen," grumbled Ben. "I'm old enough -to look after property."</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what I'll do, Ben," said Mrs. Oakley.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -"I will give you an allowance of ten dollars a week -from now till you are twenty-one. Then, if you behave -well, I will make over to you twenty thousand -dollars."</p> - -<p>"You might say thirty. You're not saving a third -for John Oakley, are you?"</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley's face hardened.</p> - -<p>"No," she said; "he's been too insolent to me. I -suppose I must give him something, but he shall -never have a third."</p> - -<p>"Five hundred dollars will be enough for him," -said Ben, with contemptible meanness, considering -that but for the accident of his father's second -marriage the whole property—one hundred and -twenty times as much—would have gone to John.</p> - -<p>"I can't tell you how much he will get," said Mrs. -Oakley. "It depends on how he behaves. If he -had treated us with greater respect, his chances would -be a great deal better."</p> - -<p>"He's a proud upstart!"</p> - -<p>"But his pride shall be broken. I'm determined -upon that."</p> - -<p>"Then you won't send him to college? That would -make him prouder still. Besides," added Ben, his -habitual meanness suggesting the thought, "it costs -a good deal to keep a fellow at college."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span></p> - -<p>"No," said Mrs. Oakley, "he shan't go to -college."</p> - -<p>"Good!" said Ben, his eyes sparkling; "that will -be a bitter pill for him, for he wants to go."</p> - -<p>"How soon would he be ready?"</p> - -<p>"In about a year."</p> - -<p>"You may set your mind at rest on that point. -He shan't go."</p> - -<p>"All right, mother. When are you going to pay -me my allowance?" he said, insinuatingly.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley took out her purse, and placed a ten-dollar -bill in his hand.</p> - -<p>"That's for the first week," she said.</p> - -<p>"Couldn't you make it fifteen, mother?"</p> - -<p>"No, ten must do for the present."</p> - -<p>"Are you going to allow John anything?"</p> - -<p>"He doesn't deserve anything. When he does, -I will allow him fifty cents a week."</p> - -<p>Ben strolled over to the billiard rooms, and spent -the forenoon playing billiards with another young -fellow as idle and unpromising as himself. He then -walked over to the hotel, and bought a dozen cigars, -one of which he began to smoke. At one o'clock he -returned home to dinner. John was not present at -this meal. The intermission between morning and -afternoon schools at the academy was but an hour,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -and he had been accustomed to carry his lunch with -him. He was not released until four o'clock in the -afternoon.</p> - -<p>"Well, mother," said Ben, "how about the horse? -Are you going to give up to John?"</p> - -<p>"Certainly not; you may consider the horse -yours," said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"John'll make a fuss."</p> - -<p>"Let him," said Mrs. Oakley. "He'll find that -I can make a fuss too."</p> - -<p>"I'll go out to ride this afternoon," said Ben, -with satisfaction. "I'll get started just before four -o'clock, so as to meet John on his way from school. -He'll look mad enough when he sees me;" and Ben -laughed, as he fancied John's looks.</p> - -<p>"It is a very good plan," said Mrs. Oakley, approvingly. -"We'll see if he dares to interfere with -you again."</p> - -<p>The more Ben thought of it, the better he was -pleased with this plan. All the academy boys knew -that the horse was John's, and they would now see -him upon it. He would be likely to meet many of -them, and this would make John's humiliation the -greater. At half-past three he went out to the barn.</p> - -<p>"Mike," he said, to the hostler, "you may saddle -Prince. I am going to ride out."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Master John's horse?"</p> - -<p>"No, <i>my</i> horse."</p> - -<p>"Your horse, sir? Prince belongs to Master -John."</p> - -<p>"How dare you stand there contradicting me?" -said Ben, haughtily. "The horse is mine. My -mother has given it to me."</p> - -<p>"It's a shame, then," said Mike to himself, "for -Master John sets a sight by that horse. The old -woman's mighty queer."</p> - -<p>It was lucky for Mike that Mrs. Oakley was not -aware of the disrespectful term applied to her in -Mike's thoughts, or he would probably have been -discharged at short notice. But the fact was, that -none of the servants liked her. Feeling a little -doubtful of her own position, she always spoke to -them in a haughty tone, as if they were far beneath -her, and this, instead of increasing their respect, only -diminished it.</p> - -<p>Mike saddled Prince, and led him out into the -yard.</p> - -<p>"You must be careful, Master Ben," he said. -"The horse has got a spirit of his own, and he isn't -used to you."</p> - -<p>Ben was a poor horseman, and he knew it; but he -was too proud to admit it to Mike.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Don't trouble yourself," he said, haughtily. "If -John can manage him, I can."</p> - -<p>"He's used to Master John."</p> - -<p>"Well, he's got to get used to me," said Ben. -"If he don't behave well it will be the worse for him. -You haven't given me the whip."</p> - -<p>"You'd better not use it much, Master Ben. He -won't stand a whip very well."</p> - -<p>"Keep your advice till it is asked for," said Ben.</p> - -<p>"All right, sir," said Mike, and handed him the -whip. He followed him with his eyes as he rode out -of the yard. "He don't sit like Master John. It -wouldn't take much to throw him off. However, I've -warned him, and he must have his own way if he -breaks his neck."</p> - -<p>Although Ben had spurned Mike's warning with so -much disdain, he thought of it as he rode up the -street, and let Prince take his own gait. The truth -was, he did not feel very secure in his seat, and did -not feel very much confidence in his own horsemanship. -Indeed, he would not have cared to ride out -this afternoon, but for the anticipated pleasure of -mortifying John.</p> - -<p>He rode leisurely along, taking the direction of the -academy, which was nearly a mile distant. He -looked at his watch, and estimated that he would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -meet the pupils of the academy as they emerged -from school.</p> - -<p>He was right in his reckoning. At precisely four -o'clock there was a bustle about the doors, and with -merry shouts the boys poured out into the street. -Among them were John Oakley and Sam Selwyn, -who, as intimate friends and classmates, generally -were found in company. They turned up the street -which led by Mr. Selwyn's office, and in the direction -of John Oakley's home.</p> - -<p>"John," said Sam, suddenly, "I do believe that is -Ben Brayton riding on your horse."</p> - -<p>John looked up the street, and saw that Sam was -right.</p> - -<p>"You are right, Sam," he said.</p> - -<p>"Did you tell him he might ride on it?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"Then what business has he with it?"</p> - -<p>"His mother told him he might take it. She has -taken it from me."</p> - -<p>"She's an old—"</p> - -<p>"Don't call names, Sam. I'll tell you more about -it another time."</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Ben had seen the boys coming from the -academy. Among others he recognized John and -Sam, and his eyes flashed with anticipated triumph.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -Hitherto he had been content to let the horse go on -at his own rate, but now he thought it was time to -make a display. He thought it would annoy John to -have him dash by at gallant speed, while he, the -rightful owner, was obliged to stand out of the path, -unable to interfere. He therefore brought the whip -down with considerable emphasis upon Prince's side. -Unfortunately he had not foreseen the consequences of -the blow. Prince took the bit between his teeth, and -darted forward with reckless speed, while Ben, seeing -his mistake too late, pale and terrified, threw his arms -around the horse's neck, and tried to keep his seat.</p> - -<p>John started forward, also in alarm, for though he -had no reason to like Ben, he did not want him to be -hurt, and called "Prince!"</p> - -<p>The horse recognized his master's voice, and -stopped suddenly,—so suddenly that Ben was -thrown off, and landed in a puddle of standing water -in a gully by the side of the road. Prince stopped -quietly for his master to come up.</p> - -<p>"Are you hurt, Ben?" asked John, hurrying up.</p> - -<p>Ben rose from the puddle in sorry plight. He was -only a little bruised, but he was drenched from head -to foot with dirty water, and patches of yellow mud -adhered to his clothes.</p> - -<p>"You did this!" he said, furiously to John.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You are entirely mistaken. I hope you are not -hurt," said John, calmly.</p> - -<p>"You frightened the horse on purpose."</p> - -<p>"That's a lie, Ben," said Sam, indignantly. "It's -a lie, and you know it."</p> - -<p>"I understand it all. You don't deceive me," -said Ben, doggedly.</p> - -<p>"Will you ride home?" asked John.</p> - -<p>Ben refused. In fact, he was afraid to trust himself -again on Prince's back.</p> - -<p>"Then I suppose I must." And John sprang -lightly upon the horse's back, and rode towards home, -followed by Ben in his soiled clothes.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley, looking from her window, beheld, -with wondering anger, John riding into the yard, and -her son following in his soiled clothes.</p> - -<p>"What's he been doing to Ben?" she thought, -and hurried downstairs in a furious rage.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER V.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">BEN IS COMFORTED.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">"What</span> have you been doing to my son, you young -reprobate?" demanded Mrs. Oakley of John. Her -hands trembled convulsively with passion, as if she -would like to get hold of our hero, and avenge Ben's -wrongs by inflicting punishment on the spot.</p> - -<p>John was silent.</p> - -<p>"Why don't you speak, you young rascal?" demanded -Mrs. Oakley, furiously.</p> - -<p>"I am neither a reprobate nor a rascal, Mrs. -Oakley," said John, calmly, "and I do not choose to -answer when addressed in that way."</p> - -<p>"Ben," said Mrs. Oakley, turning to her son, -"what has he done to you? How happens it that -you come home in such a plight?"</p> - -<p>"I was thrown over the horse's head into a mud-puddle," -said Ben.</p> - -<p>"Didn't <i>he</i> have anything to do with it?" asked -Mrs. Oakley, determined to connect John with Ben's -misfortune, if possible.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p> - -<p>"He spoke to the horse," said Ben.</p> - -<p>"And then he threw you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>Ben answered thus, being perfectly willing that his -mother should charge his fall upon John, as this would -create additional prejudice between them. It was -contemptible meanness on his part, but meanness -was characteristic of him, and he had no hesitation -in stooping to falsehood, direct or indirect, if by so -doing he could compass his object.</p> - -<p>"It is as I thought," said Mrs. Oakley, thinking it -unnecessary to inquire further. "Of course, as soon -as you were thrown, he jumped on the horse and rode -home. You're carrying matters with a high hand, -young man; but you'll find that I'm your match. Get -off that horse, directly."</p> - -<p>"That was my intention," said John. "I am -sorry, Mrs. Oakley," he continued, "that Ben has -not seen fit to give you a correct account of what has -happened. If he had, it would have been unnecessary -for me to speak."</p> - -<p>"It is unnecessary for you to speak now, John -Oakley," said his stepmother, sharply. "Do you -mean to charge my son with telling a falsehood? If -that is the case, take care what you say."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Ben has not told a falsehood, but he is trying to -make you believe that I caused his fall."</p> - -<p>"I have no doubt you did."</p> - -<p>"Then you are mistaken. Why didn't he tell you -that when I first saw the horse he was running at -great speed, in consequence of Ben's having imprudently -struck him severely with the whip? He is a -spirited horse, and won't stand the whip."</p> - -<p>"He is like you in that, I suppose," said Mrs. -Oakley, sneering.</p> - -<p>"He <i>is</i> like me in that," said John, quietly.</p> - -<p>"You would both be better if you had to stand it," -said his stepmother, angrily.</p> - -<p>John did not see fit to reply to this.</p> - -<p>"Is this true, Ben?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Ben, reluctantly. "I struck the -horse; but it was not till John spoke to him that he -threw me off."</p> - -<p>"So I supposed," said Mrs. Oakley, significantly.</p> - -<p>"I see, Mrs. Oakley," said John, "you are determined -to find me guilty of causing Ben's fall. If I -could be mean enough to do such a thing, and so risk -his life, I should despise myself. Prince was rushing -up the street with tremendous speed, and I was -frightened at Ben's danger; I called out to Prince,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -but he stopped so suddenly that Ben was thrown into -the puddle, or he might have been seriously hurt."</p> - -<p>There was so much sincerity in what John said, -that Mrs. Oakley, though very much against her will, -could hardly help believing him. Determined, however, -to make out a case against him, she said:—</p> - -<p>"As soon as you saw him off, you jumped on the -horse and rode home, leaving him to get home as he -could. That was a very generous and noble thing to -do!"</p> - -<p>"Ask Ben if I did not ask him to ride home," -said John.</p> - -<p>Ben, in answer to his mother's glance, said, rather -unwillingly:—</p> - -<p>"Yes, he asked me to ride home, but he knew I -wouldn't after being thrown once. I won't get on -the brute's back again, I promise you."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley was disappointed to find that the case -she was trying to make out against John had failed -at all points, and that he was cleared even by the -testimony of her principal witness.</p> - -<p>"You had better come in and change your clothes, -Ben," she said. "I am afraid you will take cold. -And do you"—turning to John—"take the horse -round to the stable. He's an ugly brute, and I'll take -care that he doesn't endanger your life any more."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> - -<p>John led Prince round to the stable, and delivered -him into the hands of Mike.</p> - -<p>"Where's Master Ben?" inquired Mike.</p> - -<p>"He got thrown off."</p> - -<p>"I thought how it would be," said Mike. "He -can't ride no more'n a stick. I told him not to take -the whip, but he wouldn't heed a word I said."</p> - -<p>"That's how he got thrown. He struck the horse -violently, and he was running away with him when -he heard my voice and stopped."</p> - -<p>"Did Master Ben get hurt?"</p> - -<p>"Not much. He fell into a puddle, and dirtied -his clothes."</p> - -<p>"Maybe he'll be wiser next time."</p> - -<p>"He says he won't ride Prince again."</p> - -<p>"All the better for you, Master John."</p> - -<p>"I don't know, Mike," said John, soberly. "I'm -afraid Mrs. Oakley will sell him. She says he is an -ugly brute, and she won't have any more lives endangered."</p> - -<p>"Ugly brute!" repeated Mike, indignantly. -"There's not a bit of ugliness about him. He wants -to be treated well, and I'd like to know who don't. -And he's so attached to you, Master John!"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Mike, it'll be hard to part with him." And -John's lips quivered as he looked with affection at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -noble horse, to which he had become much attached. -Besides, it was his father's gift, and as such had an -additional value for him, as, owing to his disinheritance, -he had nothing else of value by which he could -remember the parent whose loss he was made to feel -more and more, as his stepmother's injustice and -harsh treatment, and Ben's meanness and hostility -served daily to increase. It almost seemed to him -as if Prince was the only friend he had left, and that -he must be parted even from him.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Ben was changing his clothes in his -room. The adventure which had just happened to -him did not make him feel very pleasant. In the -first place, it is rather disagreeable to be thrown violently -into a puddle of dirty water, and Ben might -be excused for not liking that. Ben's pride was -touched, since it had been demonstrated in the most -public manner that he could not manage Prince, -while it was well known that John could. Ben knew -boys well enough to feel sure that he would be reminded -from time to time of his adventure, and he did -not like to be laughed at. Why was it that John always -seemed to get the better of him? He went out expressly -to triumph over John in presence of his schoolmates, -and this had been the humiliating result.</p> - -<p>"Why was I such a fool as to use the whip?"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -thought Ben, vexed with himself. "If it had not -been for that, it would have been all right."</p> - -<p>But he had used the whip, and it was all wrong. -As to using the horse any more, he did not care to do -it. To tell the truth, Ben, who, as we know, was not -very courageous, was afraid of Prince. He suspected -that the horse would remember the blow he -had given him, and would be likely to serve him the -same trick the next time he mounted him. So he resolved -that he would never ride out on Prince again; -but he was equally anxious that John should also be -prevented from using him. The words that his -mother had last used led him to hope that she would -agree to sell him, and, what was still more important -in his eyes, <i>give him the money</i> resulting from the sale. -Under these circumstances the triumph would still be -his, and he would enjoy John's grief for the loss of -his horse.</p> - -<p>When Ben descended from his chamber, in a clean -suit, he found that his mother had taken measures to -console him for his mortifying adventure. The tea-table -was spread, and two or three delicacies such as -he particularly liked were set before his plate. Ben -surveyed this with satisfaction, for he was something -of a gourmand.</p> - -<p>"I thought you might be hungry, Ben," said his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -mother; "so I got some of that marmalade that -you like so well, and here is some hot mince-pie."</p> - -<p>"That's just what I like, mother."</p> - -<p>"We will sit down at once. John can come when -he gets ready."</p> - -<p>"What are you going to do about that horse, -mother?" asked Ben, rather indistinctly, for his -mouth was full.</p> - -<p>"I did intend to keep him for your use; but if he -is likely to play such tricks as he has to-day, I suppose -I had better sell him."</p> - -<p>"Yes, mother, sell him. I'll never mount such a -vicious brute again, and I suppose you won't keep him -just for John's use."</p> - -<p>"Of course not. It costs considerable to keep a -horse. Besides, he'd be flinging out that he could -manage the horse, and you couldn't."</p> - -<p>"Of course he would. But the horse is used to -him, you know, and that is why he doesn't find any -trouble with him. But you gave me the horse, you -know, mother."</p> - -<p>"But you don't want him."</p> - -<p>"No, I don't; but I suppose you'll give me the -money you sell him for."</p> - -<p>"I don't know about that," said Mrs. Oakley, hesitatingly.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -"He cost a hundred and fifty dollars. -That is too much money for you to have."</p> - -<p>"Why is it?" said Ben.</p> - -<p>"I give you ten dollars a week now."</p> - -<p>"Yes; but that goes for small expenses. If I -wanted now to buy anything expensive, I couldn't do -it."</p> - -<p>"What is there you want?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know yet," said Ben; "I haven't thought, -but I should like to have the money."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley still hesitated.</p> - -<p>"I know it would make John awful mad," said -Ben, cunningly appealing to his mother's hatred of -our hero, "to think that Prince was sold, and that -I had the money. Perhaps it's that you're thinking -of. But I didn't suppose you'd be influenced by anything -he could say or do."</p> - -<p>"John may be angry or not; it is entirely indifferent -to me," said Mrs. Oakley, falling into the trap -laid for her. "I was only thinking whether it would -be well for you. I don't know but I will let you -have the money,—that is, I will put it in the savings-bank -in your name, and you can let me know when -you want to use it, and what for."</p> - -<p>"All right," said Ben, who determined that when -he once got hold of the money he would not consult<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -anybody as to its disposal. "When will you sell it, -mother?"</p> - -<p>"To-morrow, perhaps. I hear that Mr. Barnes, -the livery stable-keeper, has just lost a valuable -horse. Perhaps he may like to buy it."</p> - -<p>"He'll buy it fast enough," said Ben. "I heard -him say the other day that he should like to have -Prince. He likes fast horses. How surprised John -will be when he comes home, and finds Prince is -missing!"</p> - -<p>Ben laughed as he fancied John's anger, and this -thought, together with the money which would so -soon be placed to his account, quite restored his -spirits, somewhat to John's surprise, who did not understand -the reasons which he had for being cheerful.</p> - -<p>So Prince's fate was decided, and a new trial -awaited John.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER VI.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">OPEN HOSTILITIES.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">From</span> his early boyhood John had been intended -by his father to receive a collegiate education. If he -should acquit himself with credit in college, he was -afterwards to have his choice of studying a profession, -or entering mercantile life. At the age of eleven he -commenced Latin at the academy, and two years -afterwards Greek, and in these he had advanced so -far that in a year he would be qualified to enter college. -There were six boys in the preparatory class to -which he belonged, among them being Sam Selwyn, -his intimate friend, who has already been introduced -to the reader. From the first John had stood at the -head of the class, both in Latin and Greek, Sam ranking -second. Although they were rivals in scholarship, -there had never been the shadow of a difference between -them arising from this cause. Both were of a -generous nature, and were strongly attached to each -other, and it had long been understood between them<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -that when admitted to college they would room -together.</p> - -<p>John had often talked with his father about going -to college, and Squire Oakley had strong hopes of -John's maintaining a high position in his college class, -and doing him credit at the institution where he had -himself graduated. This made it all the more remarkable -that John's interests had been so entirely -neglected in the disposition of his property made by -his will.</p> - -<p>As John was on his way to school, on the morning -succeeding Ben's fall from the horse, he was overtaken -by Sam Selwyn.</p> - -<p>"How's your amiable brother this morning, John?" -asked Sam.</p> - -<p>"Meaning Ben?"</p> - -<p>"Of course. I hope his health hasn't suffered -seriously from his unexpected bath. Poor fellow! he -had a pretty good fright."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I don't think he'll trouble Prince very soon -again."</p> - -<p>"I shan't soon forget how frightened he looked -with both arms around the horse's neck. I should -have felt like laughing, only I was afraid he might -come to harm. Now you'll have Prince to yourself."</p> - -<p>"I don't know about that, Sam. I rather think,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -from something Mrs. Oakley said, that she means to -sell Prince."</p> - -<p>"Sell <i>your</i> horse!" exclaimed Sam, indignantly.</p> - -<p>"She says it isn't mine. She's given it to Ben. -As Ben don't dare to use it, I am afraid Prince will -have to go," said John, sadly.</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't stand it!" exclaimed Sam, in excitement. -"It's an imposition."</p> - -<p>"But what can I do?"</p> - -<p>"The horse is yours."</p> - -<p>"Not legally, I am afraid. I can't prove it, and -Mrs. Oakley says it was only mine to use."</p> - -<p>"Whether you can prove it or not, the horse is -yours, and I say it will be an outrageous thing if it is -sold. At any rate you ought to demand the money -that is received for it."</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what I have made up my mind to do. -Mrs. Oakley may say that the horse is expensive to -keep, but as Ben received a watch and chain at the -same time I got the horse, it is only fair that I should -have a watch in place of it, if it is sold."</p> - -<p>"Of course, that is only reasonable."</p> - -<p>"Not that a watch would pay me for the loss of -Prince. I'd rather have him than three watches; but -it doesn't cost anything to keep a watch."</p> - -<p>"That's true; but I hope you'll be able to keep the -horse."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> - -<p>"So do I," said John; but he had very little expectation -of it.</p> - -<p>"Well, there's hope ahead, old fellow," said Sam, -cheerfully. "Next year we'll enter college, and then -you'll be out of the way of Master Ben and your -kind stepmother, for forty weeks in the year, at any -rate."</p> - -<p>"I hope so," said John, slowly.</p> - -<p>"You <i>hope so</i>?" repeated Sam. "You don't expect -Mrs. Oakley will remove to Cambridge, so that -you may still be favored with her charming company?"</p> - -<p>"I don't feel sure of going to Cambridge myself," -said John, soberly.</p> - -<p>"You don't mean to say you're afraid you won't -pass the examination? If you don't, there'll be precious -little chance for the rest of us."</p> - -<p>"That isn't what I mean," said John. "I think -I should pass the examination. At any rate I am not -afraid of it."</p> - -<p>"What <i>are</i> you afraid of then?" asked Sam, in -surprise.</p> - -<p>"I am afraid Mrs. Oakley won't let me go."</p> - -<p>"But your father always meant you to go. She -knows that."</p> - -<p>"Yes, she knows it, for father used often to refer<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -to the time when I would be in college, in her presence. -But I am afraid that won't make much difference -with her."</p> - -<p>"Has she said anything about it?"</p> - -<p>"No, not yet; but it will cost considerable to keep -me at Cambridge."</p> - -<p>"Well, your father left a good deal of property."</p> - -<p>"Yes; but it was left to Mrs. Oakley."</p> - -<p>"There's enough to pay your expenses at college, -and maintain Mrs. Oakley and Ben handsomely."</p> - -<p>"I know that, but I am sorry to say that Mrs. -Oakley and Ben both dislike me, and it will be reason -enough with them to keep me at home because they -know I am anxious to go."</p> - -<p>"It's a burning shame," said Sam, indignantly, -"that such a woman as that should have the control -over you. As for Ben Brayton, I always did despise -him. He's a mean fellow, and a coward to boot."</p> - -<p>"I don't like Ben much," said John.</p> - -<p>"And he returns the compliment."</p> - -<p>"Yes, he has taken a dislike to me, I don't know -why, for I have always treated him well, though I -couldn't like him."</p> - -<p>"I say, John," said Sam, "if you don't go to college, -it'll knock all my plans into a cocked hat. You -were to room with me, you know."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes, Sam, I have been looking forward to that a -long time."</p> - -<p>"What a jolly time we should have! I shan't -have half so much pleasure in going to college if you -don't go with me. You're such a good scholar, too, -it would be a great pity. But perhaps it may not be -so bad as you think. Mrs. Oakley may be only too -glad to get rid of you."</p> - -<p>By this time they had reached the door of the academy. -The bell sounded, summoning the pupils to -their morning exercises, and John and Sam had other -things to think of, for a while at least.</p> - -<p>At the close of the afternoon John returned home. -He went into the house to carry his Virgil and Greek -Reader, being accustomed to prepare a part of his -lessons out of school. On going out into the yard, -he saw Ben lounging lazily against a fence, whittling.</p> - -<p>"Are you going out to ride, John?" he asked, in -an unusually friendly tone.</p> - -<p>"I think I will ride a little way," said John.</p> - -<p>"I got enough of it yesterday," said Ben.</p> - -<p>"You were unlucky. If you had not struck Prince -it would have been all right."</p> - -<p>"I don't care about trying it again. I hope you'll -have a pleasant ride."</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said John, unsuspiciously.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span></p> - -<p>He went out to the barn, and opened the door that -led to the stables. He made his way at once to -Prince's stall, and looked in.</p> - -<p><i>It was empty!</i></p> - -<p>Surprised, but not yet suspecting what had really -happened, he called out to Mike, whom he saw outside:—</p> - -<p>"Where's Prince, Mike?"</p> - -<p>"Shure, sir, didn't you know he was sold?"</p> - -<p>"Sold? When?"</p> - -<p>"This morning, Master John."</p> - -<p>"Who bought him?"</p> - -<p>"Mr. Barnes, the man that keeps the livery stable. -He was here this morning. He and the mistress -came in, and they soon struck a bargain."</p> - -<p>John's heart swelled with anger and sorrow, but he -asked, calmly:—</p> - -<p>"Do you know what price Mr. Barnes gave for -Prince?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, Master John; I heard him say that he would -give one hundred and ninety dollars. The mistress -wanted two hundred; but she finally let him have -Prince at that, and a good bargain it is to him too."</p> - -<p>John left the stable outwardly calm, but much disturbed -in mind.</p> - -<p>"Mrs. Oakley might at least have let me know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -what she meant to do," he said, bitterly. "My poor -father's gift too."</p> - -<p>Ben waited for John's return with malicious interest. -He wanted to witness and enjoy his disappointment.</p> - -<p>"I thought you were going to ride?" he said, with -a smile of mockery.</p> - -<p>"Can you tell me where your mother is?" asked -John, coldly.</p> - -<p>"She's in the house, I suppose. Do you want to -see her?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>John entered the house without taking any further -notice of Ben. He found his stepmother in the sitting-room. -She looked up, as he entered, with a -glance of satisfaction, for she saw that she had made -him unhappy.</p> - -<p>"Mike tells me you have sold Prince, Mrs. Oakley," -he commenced.</p> - -<p>"Yes. What of it?"</p> - -<p>"As he was my horse, I think you might have let -me know what you intended to do."</p> - -<p>"Prince was not your horse," she said, sharply.</p> - -<p>"He was my poor father's gift to me."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense! He merely let you call him yours. -The horse was mine."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span></p> - -<p>"He was as much mine as Ben's watch is his. -Are you going to sell Ben's watch?"</p> - -<p>"No, I am not. If that is all you have to say, you -may leave the room."</p> - -<p>"It is not. I will not object to your selling the -horse, because it would cost something to keep him; -but it is only fair that the money for which he was -sold should be given to me, or enough to buy a watch -and chain like Ben's."</p> - -<p>"You are very modest in your expectations, young -man," sneered Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"I'm only asking what is just."</p> - -<p>"You seem to forget whom you are speaking to. -If you think you can bully me, you will find yourself -entirely mistaken."</p> - -<p>"I am not in the habit of bullying anybody. I -only want my rights," said John.</p> - -<p>"Then you'll have to want. You may as well understand, -first as last, John Oakley,"—and his stepmother -raised her voice angrily,—"that I am mistress -in this house, and owner of this property. You are -entirely dependent upon me for the bread you eat and -the clothes you wear, and it will be prudent for you -to treat me respectfully, if you want any favors. Do -you understand that?"</p> - -<p>"I understand what you say, Mrs. Oakley," said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -John, indignantly. "You seem to have forgotten that -every cent of this property belonged to my father, and -would now be mine, if my father had not married you. -You had better remember <i>that</i>, when you talk about -my being dependent upon you, and favor Ben at my -expense."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley turned white with rage.</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by your impertinence, you -young rascal?" she shrieked, rising to her feet, and -glaring at John.</p> - -<p>"I mean this," he exclaimed, thoroughly provoked, -"that I don't believe my father ever intended to -leave you all his property. I believe there is another -will somewhere, and I mean to find it."</p> - -<p>"Leave the room!" exclaimed Mrs. Oakley, in a -voice almost inarticulate with rage. "You'll repent -those words, John Oakley. You're in my power, and -I'll make you feel it."</p> - -<p>John left the room, his anger hot within him. -When he reflected coolly upon what had passed, he -did repent having spoken about the will. It might set -Mrs. Oakley upon the track, and if she found it, he -feared that she would have no scruples in destroying -it, and then his last chance of obtaining his rights -would be gone.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER VII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MRS. OAKLEY DECIDES WHAT TO DO.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Mrs. Oakley</span> was not only angry, but very much -disturbed at the words which John had imprudently -uttered. They startled her, because they intimated -John's suspicion of something which she had good -reason for knowing to be a fact.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley knew that her husband had executed -a later will, and, though she did not know where it -was, she believed it still to be in existence!</p> - -<p>The will under which she inherited bore a date -only two months after her marriage with Squire Oakley. -She had cunningly influenced him to make it. -He did so without proper consideration, and gave the -will into her custody. But, though his wife carefully -concealed from him her real character, she could not -do so entirely. Little things, which came under his -observation, led him to believe that she entertained -a secret dislike for John, and, only three months -before his death, Squire Oakley, to protect John's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -interests, made a second will, which superseded the -first, and limited his wife to that portion of his property -which she could legally claim,—that is, one -third.</p> - -<p>He did not see fit to apprise his wife of this step. -But she was watchful and observant, and something -led her to suspect what had been done. She determined -to find out secretly, and with this end went to -the desk where her husband kept his private papers, -one day when she supposed him to be absent, and -began to search for the suspected will. After a while -she found it, and, spreading it open, began to read:—</p> - -<p>"I, Henry Oakley, being of sound mind," etc.</p> - -<p>She had read so far, when a heavy hand was laid -upon her shoulder. Turning with a start, she saw her -husband, his face dark with anger, looking sternly at -her.</p> - -<p>"Give me that document, Mrs. Oakley," he said, -abruptly.</p> - -<p>She did not dare do otherwise than obey.</p> - -<p>"By what right do you come here to pry into my -private papers?" he demanded.</p> - -<p>"I am your wife," she said.</p> - -<p>"That is true. You are my wife; but that does -not authorize your stealing in here like a thief, -and secretly examining papers, which would have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -been shown you if they had been intended for your -eyes."</p> - -<p>"Does not that paper relate to me?" she asked, -boldly.</p> - -<p>"It relates to my property."</p> - -<p>"It is your will."</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"And it makes the one which I hold of no value."</p> - -<p>"It does."</p> - -<p>"So you are secretly plotting against my interests," -she said, angrily. "I suspected as much, and -I determined to find out."</p> - -<p>"The will of which you speak never ought to have -been made. It disinherits my son, and places him -in your power."</p> - -<p>"Could you not trust me to provide for him?" -asked Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"I fear not," said her husband. And her eyes fell -before his steady glance. She felt that she was better -understood than she had supposed.</p> - -<p>"So you have placed me in John's power," she -said, bitterly.</p> - -<p>"I have done nothing of the kind."</p> - -<p>"Have you not left the property to him?"</p> - -<p>"You well know that you are entitled by law to -one-third of my estate."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p> - -<p>"One-third!"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"And he is to have two-thirds?"</p> - -<p>"Why should he not? If I had not married a second -time he would have had the whole."</p> - -<p>"And my son Ben is left unprovided for?" questioned -Mrs. Oakley, in a tone of mingled anger and -disappointment.</p> - -<p>"Ben has no claim upon me."</p> - -<p>"Poor boy! so he will be penniless."</p> - -<p>"You appear to forget that your share of the -property will amount to twenty thousand dollars. -He need not suffer, unless his mother should refuse -to provide for him."</p> - -<p>But this did not suit Mrs. Oakley's views. She -was not at all reconciled to the thought that John -Oakley, whom she disliked, would inherit forty thousand -dollars, while she and Ben must live on half that -sum. She was fond of money and the position it -would bring, and although twenty thousand dollars -would once have seemed to her a great fortune, her -desires had increased with her prosperity, and she now -thought it a hardship that she should be limited to -such a trifle. She was by no means reconciled to the -thought that Ben must play second fiddle to his rich -stepbrother. Still John was young, and if she were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -his guardian that would be something. So she -smoothed her face and said:—</p> - -<p>"I suppose you have appointed me John's -guardian?"</p> - -<p>Squire Oakley shook his head.</p> - -<p>"I have appointed Mr. Selwyn to that position. -It is more fitting that a lawyer should have the care -of property," he said.</p> - -<p>There was another reason which he did not mention. -He thought that John's interests would be -safer in Mr. Selwyn's hands than in those of his -wife.</p> - -<p>"This is an insult to me," said Mrs. Oakley, angry -and disappointed. "It will be declaring to the -world that you have no confidence in me."</p> - -<p>"Nothing of the kind. Even were you his real -mother, there would be nothing strange in my leaving -him to the guardianship of another."</p> - -<p>But Mrs. Oakley looked angry, and for days -afterwards wore an offended and injured look. She -appeared to forget from what poverty and dependence -Squire Oakley had delivered her, and how many -favors he had lavished upon Ben, who had no claim -upon him save in his relationship to her.</p> - -<p>Three days afterwards, Squire Oakley asked his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -wife for the will which she had had in her possession -for nearly three years.</p> - -<p>"Why do you want it?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Because it is of no value now, since I have made -a later will. I wish to destroy it."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley said she would look for it. If she -did so, she took care not to look in the right place, -for she reported that it was mislaid, and she could -not find it.</p> - -<p>"It is rather strange that you should have mislaid -a document which might have been of such importance," -said Squire Oakley, significantly.</p> - -<p>"I am always mislaying things," said she, forcing -a laugh. "I will look again to-morrow."</p> - -<p>But the will was not found, and Squire Oakley drew -his own deductions from this fact. Painful as it was -to suspect his wife, he feared that his second will -would not be safe if she could once get it into her -possession. He saw, too late, that he had married a -selfish and unscrupulous woman. He determined, -therefore, to conceal the document, which so vitally -affected his son's interests, in a hiding-place where it -would be safe from Mrs. Oakley's prying disposition. -He did so. But he did not foresee at that time how -soon he would be struck with paralysis that would -affect his speech, and render it difficult for him to reveal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -the secret to those who ought to know it. So -it happened, however. From the time paralysis attacked -him, Mrs. Oakley kept vigilant watch over -him, and did all she could to keep John away from -his father's bedside, lest the secret should be revealed -to him. Meanwhile, she sought everywhere for the -missing will, but couldn't find it. The most she -feared was that it had been placed in the lawyer's -hands for safe-keeping. It ought to have been. -Squire Oakley, as he lay on his sick-bed, regretted -bitterly that it had not been so disposed of. It would -have saved him from much anxiety. John obtained -one interview with him, as we know, but his father -was unable to impart to him the desired information, -and the sudden entrance of Mrs. Oakley destroyed -his last chance.</p> - -<p>The rest we know. Squire Oakley died; his wife -produced the earlier will, which she now had no difficulty -in finding, and under that claimed and inherited -the whole property. A search was instituted for the -late will, under the lawyer's directions, but it was -not found. Mrs. Oakley found herself, to her secret -delight, the undisputed mistress of her late husband's -handsome estate. She had hoped that John knew -nothing of the later will; but the words to which he -gave utterance at the close of the last chapter undeceived<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -her. It was clear that he knew something of -it, and he had expressed a determination to find it. -That it was somewhere in the house, Mrs. Oakley believed, -and, if so, it was very possible that John might -stumble upon it. The result would be that she would -be compelled to surrender two-thirds of the property, -and he would become independent of her. Aside -from the large pecuniary loss, she could not bear to -think of John's release from her persecutions. At -present, she pleased herself with thinking that he was -in her power, and that she could "break his proud -spirit," as she termed it, though, as we have seen, -John was disposed to be respectful, and only displayed -such a proper spirit as his self-respect demanded.</p> - -<p>"If I could only find the will myself," thought -Mrs. Oakley, "there would be no further trouble."</p> - -<p>She did not say to herself, that, should such a discovery -be made, it would plainly be her duty to make -it known to Squire Selwyn, who had always been her -late husband's lawyer. She did not consider what -she should do with it, but we who have obtained a -glimpse of her character may easily guess that in her -hands it would not have benefited John much.</p> - -<p>The point for Mrs. Oakley to consider was how to -protect herself against any sudden discovery of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -John's. She saw that it would be dangerous for her -to have him continue in the house, and she resolved -to send him away. Where, she could not at once -decide.</p> - -<p>Having determined upon this, it occurred to her -once more to visit her husband's desk, and examine -it carefully, in the hope of discovering some secret -drawer, in which the will might have been concealed.</p> - -<p>It was now evening. She lit a lamp, and went to -the small room which Squire Oakley had used for -reading and writing in, and went at once to the desk. -It was old-fashioned, with a variety of small drawers. -These she had examined more than once, but she -opened them again, in the hope of discovering some -false bottom, which had served as a means of concealment. -While she was intent upon her search, she -heard a slight noise at the door, and, looking up, was -startled to find John looking into the room.</p> - -<p>"What are you prying into my actions for?" she -demanded, sharply, a little embarrassed at being -caught thus employed, and especially by John.</p> - -<p>"I am not," said John.</p> - -<p>"Why are you here, then?"</p> - -<p>"By accident entirely; I was passing through the -entry, and, seeing a light in here, I just glanced in."</p> - -<p>"I wanted to find a receipt," said Mrs. Oakley,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -thinking it best to offer some plausible explanation. -"A bill was presented me for payment that I think -has already been paid."</p> - -<p>"Can I assist you?"</p> - -<p>"No," said Mrs. Oakley, coldly. "I shall probably -find it soon."</p> - -<p>John was not deceived by this explanation. He -felt sure that Mrs. Oakley was searching for the will; -but this he kept to himself.</p> - -<p>"I must get rid of him at once," said his stepmother. -"Once get him out of the house, and I'll -explore it thoroughly. I shan't feel safe till the will -is found."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER VIII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MR. EPHRAIM HUXTER.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Mrs. Oakley</span> had determined to send John away, -This resolution was easily formed, but it was not -quite so easy to decide where to send him. There -were plenty of boarding-schools where he might be -sent, but these would be expensive, and, besides, Mrs. -Oakley was of opinion that John knew enough -already. He was very much the superior of Ben in -scholarship, and for this she was sorry. She would -like to have apprenticed him to a trade; but if this -was done while Ben lived in idleness, Mr. Selwyn -would be sure to remonstrate, and as the will was not -yet found she felt in some fear of his opinion.</p> - -<p>It was about this time that the stage arrived one -afternoon before the gate, and a tall, shabbily -dressed man, with a battered valise, descended, and -walking up the front path rang the bell.</p> - -<p>The servant who answered the summons thought -she recognized him as a peddler who had called there -about a month before.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p> - -<p>"We don't want anything," she said, abruptly, -nearly shutting the door in the stranger's face.</p> - -<p>"What do you mean?" he demanded, staring at -her in surprise. "I want to see your mistress."</p> - -<p>"It's no use. She won't take anything of you."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean by your impudence?" he -said, angrily.</p> - -<p>"Hoity-toity," said the girl. "You put on airs -enough for a peddler; but it's of no use. You may -take your rubbish off somewhere else."</p> - -<p>"Who's a peddler, I should like to know? If you -don't open that door pretty quick, I'll tell my sister -to dismiss you without a character."</p> - -<p>"Your sister!" repeated the girl, taken by surprise. -"What has your sister got to do with me?"</p> - -<p>"She gives you a home, and pays you wages, I -reckon."</p> - -<p>"Aint you a peddler, then?" demanded the girl, -incredulously.</p> - -<p>"I am Mrs. Oakley's brother, and you'd better -invite me into the house, if you want to stay in it -yourself."</p> - -<p>"Excuse me, sir. I made a mistake. If you'll -walk in I'll tell Mrs. Oakley you're here."</p> - -<p>"That's the first sensible word you've spoken. -I'll put my valise here in the entry."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Well," thought the servant, "if that's Mrs. -Oakley's brother, I don't think much of her family. -I always thought she belonged to a poor set."</p> - -<p>She went upstairs to the front chamber, where her -mistress liked to sit, and said:—</p> - -<p>"Your brother's downstairs. He says he would -like to see you."</p> - -<p>"My brother!" repeated her mistress, not looking -overpleased.</p> - -<p>"Yes, he is down in the parlor."</p> - -<p>"Very well, I will go down and see him."</p> - -<p>The ill-dressed stranger was stretched out in a -rocking-chair, in an attitude more comfortable than -graceful. He was gazing about the room, and -noting with much complacency the evidences of -comfort and luxury which the handsome furniture -exhibited. It was thus that Mrs. Oakley found him.</p> - -<p>"How do you do, brother Ephraim?" she said, -coldly, advancing, and just giving him the tips of -her fingers.</p> - -<p>"I'm pretty well," he answered. "So the old -gentleman's dead, hey?"</p> - -<p>"If you mean my husband," she answered, still -with coldness, "you are right."</p> - -<p>"It's all right about the property, hey? How -much is left to you?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> - -<p>"The whole."</p> - -<p>"Whew!" whistled Mr. Ephraim Huxter.—"Well, -you have worked your cards well, that's a -fact."</p> - -<p>"I'll thank you, Ephraim," said Mrs. Oakley, with -dignity, "not to use such low language, or indulge -in such insinuations. I did my duty by my husband, -and he showed his confidence in me by leaving me -his property."</p> - -<p>"Well, perhaps that's the right way to put it," -said Mr. Huxter. "I'm glad you have feathered -your nest so well."</p> - -<p>"I must again request you not to indulge in such -language," said Mrs. Oakley, in tones of displeasure.</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter was evidently perplexed.</p> - -<p>"Come, Jane," said he, "there's no use in trying -to deceive me. You made a good thing of it in -marrying old Oakley, and you needn't pretend to be -broken-hearted because he is dead, and has left you -his fortune."</p> - -<p>"Hush!" said Mrs. Oakley, closing the door; -"what if the servants should hear you talking in -this way?"</p> - -<p>"Well, there is something in that. That girl of -yours that came to the door took me for a peddler. -She wasn't going to let me in."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley glanced at her brother's soiled linen -and stained clothes, and did not express any surprise.</p> - -<p>"I brought my valise," said her brother. "I suppose -it'll be convenient for me to stay a few days."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley assented rather ungraciously,—in -truth she did not care much to present such a man as -her brother. She felt that it would make it still more -difficult to obtain the position which she desired to -maintain in the village.</p> - -<p>"I thought maybe I could help you in settling up -the estate," said Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"I don't think I shall require any assistance. -Mr. Oakley was a good business man, and the task -is an easy one," said his sister, coldly.</p> - -<p>"How much does the property amount to?" asked -Mr. Huxter,—the property being in his eyes the main -thing to be considered.</p> - -<p>"I can't say exactly."</p> - -<p>"Well, you can give a guess."</p> - -<p>But Mrs. Oakley did not care to have her brother -understand her exact position as regarded money -matters. She saw clearly enough that he was already -speculating how to turn her prosperity to his own advantage, -and this she was determined he should not -do. She would like to have kept him at a distance, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -she was already feeling one of the inconveniences of -wealth. There are some whose chief enjoyment of -wealth arises from the happiness which it enables -them to impart to others, and some, in Mrs. Oakley's -position, would have been glad to do something for -such of their relatives as were in struggling circumstances; -but it was not so with her. She was of a -stingy, penurious disposition, and did not mean that -her money should benefit any one but Benjamin and -herself, except the small sum which she felt obliged -to spend on John.</p> - -<p>"No, I don't think I could form any estimate," she -said. "Mr. Oakley has recently died, you know."</p> - -<p>"Has he left as much as fifty thousand?"</p> - -<p>"Fifty thousand!" exclaimed Mrs. Oakley; -"what are you thinking of?"</p> - -<p>"It isn't much less, I am thinking. At any rate, -you're a rich woman."</p> - -<p>"I am comfortably provided for."</p> - -<p>"I wish I was as comfortably provided for," said -Mr. Huxter. "Seems to me your ideas have risen -some, Jane, since you used to live with me, and bind -shoes for a living. You and Ben wouldn't have been -very comfortable, I reckon, if I hadn't helped you -once upon a time."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span></p> - -<p>"As to that," said Mrs. Oakley, "I worked for my -board. It was no great favor on your part."</p> - -<p>"At any rate, you thought yourself lucky to get a -home. Now, things are changed considerably. You -are a rich woman, and—well, I'm hard up."</p> - -<p>"You always were shiftless, Ephraim," said Mrs. -Oakley, who saw what her brother was coming to.</p> - -<p>"Shiftless!" repeated Mr. Huxter, in an injured -tone. "I don't know what you call shiftless. I've -been a hard-working man; but luck's never been on -my side."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter's nose had a suspicious redness, which -seemed to indicate whiskey might have had something -to do with his want of luck. This was in fact -the case. If he had never made much headway, it -was partly, at least, his own fault, as his sister knew -well enough. But she knew also that there was very -little chance of his amending in that particular, and -though she gave him little encouragement by her -manner, she felt that she should have to help him at -last.</p> - -<p>"How are your family?" asked Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Oh, about as usual. Wife's always scoldin' and -complainin', and the children are fractious. I don't -know what makes 'em behave so. My home aint a -very happy one, that's a fact."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley knew that very well. For more than -two years, when left a widow, with Ben on her hands, -she had found a home in her brother's family, which -proved so far from agreeable, that she finally determined -to leave it, and do as well as she could for herself -outside. She had been lucky enough to obtain a -situation in Mr. Oakley's family as house-keeper, and -this proved the starting-point of a new and prosperous -career. During Mr. Oakley's life, Mr. Huxter -had never been near her. This had been at Mrs. -Oakley's special request. She felt that her brother -was not calculated to do her any particular credit, -and she had succeeded, though with some difficulty, -in keeping him at a distance. She had accomplished -this by an occasional present, and the distinct intimation -that these would cease unless her brother should -respect her wishes. Now that she was a widow, he -considered that the prohibition was at an end, and -had presented himself unexpectedly, and was by no -means welcome.</p> - -<p>At this moment Ben, who wished to see his mother, -and was not aware of his uncle's arrival, entered the -room, and, observing the shaggy appearance of the -visitor, whom apparently he did not recognize, surveyed -him with unconcealed contempt.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER IX.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MORE ABOUT MR. HUXTER.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Mr. Ephraim Huxter</span>, on perceiving Ben, wreathed -his homely features into what was intended for a -gracious smile, and, rising, took his nephew's rather -unwilling hand.</p> - -<p>"So this is Ben," he said. "Bless me, what a -young gentleman he's grown, to be sure! Don't you -remember me, Ben?"</p> - -<p>"No, I don't," said Ben, but not truly, for he had -recognized his uncle at first sight. Indeed, any one -who had ever seen Mr. Huxter would be likely to remember -his harsh features and ungainly form.</p> - -<p>"It is your Uncle Ephraim," said his mother.</p> - -<p>"Humph!" said Ben, not feeling it necessary to -express any pleasure. With his improved fortunes, -his pride had developed, and he had come to look -upon his mother's brother as a low person, who was -immeasurably his inferior.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Ben has become quite a gentleman," said -his uncle, surveying his broadcloth suit, and gold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -watch-chain ostentatiously displayed over his vest. -"But I dare say he hasn't forgotten when he used -to run round in a shirt and overalls, and hoed potatoes -at three cents an hour."</p> - -<p>Ben did remember distinctly, and the recollection -was far from pleasing; so he thought it best to forget it.</p> - -<p>"I don't remember anything of the kind," he said, -rather roughly.</p> - -<p>"I suppose you'd want to be paid better now, ha, -ha!" said Mr. Huxter, laughing as if he thought it a -capital joke.</p> - -<p>"I don't know anything about hoeing potatoes," -said Ben, haughtily. "I'm not a laborer."</p> - -<p>"No, of course not," said Mr. Huxter. "You -and your mother are now rich; but I hope you won't -look down on your poor uncle and cousins, who have -to grub along as well as they can for a living. Things -were different once, to be sure. Once my humble -home was thrown open to receive you, and I was -glad to give you a shelter, though a lowly one, in -your hour of need. I shall always be glad to think -of that, though my wife and little ones should starve -before my face."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter deliberately drew from his pocket a -red cotton handkerchief, and raised it to his eyes, -not to wipe away the tears, for there were none, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -to increase the pathos of his remarks. But even with -this help they failed to produce the desired effect. -Mrs. Oakley remained cool and unaffected, and Ben, -turning from his uncle to his mother, said:—</p> - -<p>"How soon will supper be ready?"</p> - -<p>"You may go and ask Hannah to set the table at -once," said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>Ben left the room with alacrity, without taking -further notice of his uncle.</p> - -<p>"The young cub! I'd like to flog him!" thought -his uncle; but he did not consider it polite to give -utterance to this thought. "What a gentlemanly -appearance Ben has!" he said, instead.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Mrs. Oakley, more graciously; for her -pride in Ben was her great, and perhaps it might be -said, her only weakness, cool and calculating woman -as she was. "I think he will do me credit, brother -Ephraim."</p> - -<p>"Indeed he will. I am quite proud of him," said -Mr. Huxter, who thought he saw the best way to ingratiate -himself with his sister. "I can hardly believe -he's the same little Ben that used to run round -the farm barefooted. He don't like to think of those -old times, ha, ha!"</p> - -<p>"No," said Mrs. Oakley; "he has a proud spirit, -Benjamin has."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p> - -<p>"That's all well enough as long as he has money -to support it. 'Poor and proud' don't go so well -together, sister Jane."</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said Mrs. Oakley. "I was once -poor, but I never lost my pride. If I had I should -have given right up, and made no effort to better -myself."</p> - -<p>"I know who you're thinking of. You're thinking -of me. You think I haven't got any proper pride. -Well, I don't know as I have. Misfortunes have -come thick and fast, and I've had a hard row to hoe. -Hard work and poverty are enough to take away a -man's pride."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter certainly did not look as if he could -ever have had much to be proud of; but then, pride -and merit do not always go together, and appearances -are sometimes deceitful.</p> - -<p>"Well," said Mrs. Oakley, now graciously, "perhaps -matters may take a turn with you. I cannot do -much, for I have Mr. Oakley's son to provide for, as -well as Benjamin and myself; but I may be able to -do something."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Jane," said Mr. Huxter, more cheerfully. -"I was sure you would not harden your heart -against your only brother, and leave his family to -suffer, while you were living on the fat of the land."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> - -<p>"We will talk further this evening, Ephraim," -said Mrs. Oakley. "Excuse me for five minutes, -while I go out to the kitchen to see if supper is -nearly ready."</p> - -<p>"Certainly, Jane. I don't mind confessing that -I feel rather hungry myself. I didn't take any dinner -at the Half-way House, to-day, for dinner costs -money, and with my narrow means I didn't feel as if -I could spare half a dollar."</p> - -<p>"I am glad you mentioned it. I will see that -some cold meat be placed on the table. You must -require something hearty."</p> - -<p>"It's my praising Ben that fetched her," said Mr. -Huxter, when, being left to himself, he began to reflect -upon the cause of his sister's sudden and agreeable -change of manners. "I shall have to flatter up the -young rascal, I expect, though I'd a good deal rather -give him a taste of a horsewhip. So he turns up his -nose at me, does he? He forgets the time when he'd -have been obliged to beg from house to house but -for me. Maybe he won't always be prosperous. -The race isn't always to the strong, nor the battle to -the swift."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter did not often read the Bible, and was -not aware that he had made a trifling mistake in his -quotation. His thoughts were turned into a different<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -and more agreeable channel by the reappearance of -his sister, and the announcement that supper was -ready. He rose with alacrity, and followed Mrs. -Oakley into a room in the rear of the parlor, where -an abundant and appetizing meal was spread. Mr. -Huxter rubbed his hands with satisfaction,—for in -his own household the meals were neither abundant -nor inviting,—and took his seat at his sister's table. -Ben took the head of the table opposite his mother, -and John Oakley sat opposite Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Who is this young man?" asked Mr. Huxter, -glancing at John. "I have not had the pleasure of -an introduction."</p> - -<p>"That is John Oakley," said his stepmother, -briefly.</p> - -<p>"The son of your lamented husband," said Mr. -Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Yes. Will you have milk and sugar in your -tea?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, thank you. I hope you are well, Mr. Oakley."</p> - -<p>"Quite well, thank you, sir," said John, wondering -who was addressing him.</p> - -<p>"I am your stepmother's brother," continued Mr. -Huxter, "and that makes me a sort of relation, you -know."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Will you help yourself to the toast, Ephraim?" -said Mrs. Oakley, in a quick, sharp tone, for she -didn't fancy the idea of her brother's paying so much -attention to John.</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Jane. If it is as nice as your tea, I -shall want to help myself more than once. But you -were always a good house-keeper."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley did not relish this allusion, for she -would like to have had everybody forget that she had -been a professional house-keeper. She thought her -brother was succeeding admirably in making himself -disagreeable, and determined that he should not long -remain her guest, if she could conveniently get rid of -him. But Mr. Huxter had not penetration enough -to see that he was displeasing his sister, and continued, -his mouth being full of toast:—</p> - -<p>"Mr. Oakley must be near your Benjamin's age, -Jane."</p> - -<p>"I'm almost two years older," said Ben, who had -so few points of superiority that he might well claim -this.</p> - -<p>"Indeed, I shouldn't have thought it," said his -uncle; "but then Mr. Oakley is very well grown for -his age."</p> - -<p>"I don't know that Ben is deficient in that way," -said Mrs. Oakley, coldly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Oh, no, of course not; I didn't mean to hint such a -thing. The boys must be a good deal of company -for each other."</p> - -<p>"You're mistaken there," said Ben, shortly.</p> - -<p>"They are not much together," said Mrs. Oakley. -"John goes to school, but Benjamin has finished his -education."</p> - -<p>"Indeed!" said Mr. Huxter; "pray what studies -do you pursue, Mr. Oakley?"</p> - -<p>"I am studying Latin, Greek, and mathematics," -answered John.</p> - -<p>"I want to know! Why, you are quite a scholar! -Are you going to college?" asked Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"That was what my father intended," said John.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Oakley's death has interrupted all our plans," -said Mrs. Oakley, coldly, "and we have not had time -to form new ones."</p> - -<p>"What are your plans for Benjamin?" asked his -uncle. "Do you understand Latin and Greek, too, -Ben?"</p> - -<p>"No; and I don't want to," said Ben. "It's all -nonsense, and won't do any good."</p> - -<p>"Well, I can't say as I care much about either -myself," said Mr. Huxter; "only it is fashionable to -study them."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I don't care whether it is fashionable or not," -said Ben; "I shan't waste my time over them."</p> - -<p>"Will you have some more toast, Ephraim?" -asked Mrs. Oakley, heartily tired of the conversation.</p> - -<p>"Thank you, I believe I will."</p> - -<p>John mentally decided that Mr. Huxter was a singular -man, but did not dream that he was likely to -have considerable to do with him, and that ere long.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER X.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">HOW THE MATTER WAS SETTLED.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">After</span> supper Mrs. Oakley and her brother were -left together. Ben had no particular fancy for the -society of his uncle, and John had no desire to intrude -upon Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Well, Ephraim," said Mrs. Oakley, plunging -into business at once, "I have been considering what -I could do for you."</p> - -<p>"I knew you had a good heart, sister Jane," said -Mr. Huxter, who was disposed to be very complimentary -to his sister, now that his interest lay in -flattering her. Mrs. Oakley well remembered the -time when he treated her in quite a different manner; -but though she saw through his change of manner, -and thoroughly understood what prompted it, she -was well pleased to have it so. It made her feel the -power which her wealth had brought her; and there -was no woman who enjoyed that better than Mrs. -Oakley.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You mustn't expect too much," she continued. -"You must remember that there are others who have -claims upon me."</p> - -<p>"But your means are large," said Mr. Huxter, who -was resolved to extort as much as possible.</p> - -<p>"No doubt you think so; but I am the best judge -of what I can afford," said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"If I were rich I wouldn't see you and Ben suffer," -said Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"As to that, your health is good, and your family -ought not to suffer if I gave you no assistance at all. -I don't think much of a man who can't support his -family."</p> - -<p>"I've been a very unlucky man," said Mr. Huxter. -"I'd ought to be independent now, but something or -nuther was always happening. There was my best -cow, that I could have got fifty dollars for easy, up -and died one night."</p> - -<p>"How long ago was that?"</p> - -<p>"Three years," said Mr. Huxter, rather reluctantly.</p> - -<p>"It seems to me you've had time to get over that -loss," said his sister, not betraying much sympathy -in her tone.</p> - -<p>"It wouldn't be much to you, I know; but to a -poor man like me it was a great loss," said Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Well, we won't say anything about that. I told -you that I would help you, and I will. You observed -John Oakley at the table?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; he looks like a smart fellow."</p> - -<p>"He's no smarter than Ben that I know of," said -Mrs. Oakley, jealously.</p> - -<p>"Of course not; I didn't suppose he was," said Mr. -Huxter, seeing that he had got on the wrong tack. -"Ben is a boy that you may be proud of, sister Jane. -He is very genteel in his manners."</p> - -<p>"I mean to bring him up as a gentleman," said -Mrs. Oakley. "I think I shall make a lawyer of -him."</p> - -<p>"I hope you will. There's never been a lawyer in -our family. I should be proud to speak of my -nephew, Benjamin Brayton, Esq., the famous lawyer."</p> - -<p>"I hope that time will come, brother Ephraim. -But I was going to speak of John Oakley. Ben and -he don't agree very well."</p> - -<p>"Don't they?" asked Mr. Huxter, not so much -surprised as he might have been if he had not made -Ben's acquaintance. "I suppose it is John's fault."</p> - -<p>"Of course it is. He doesn't treat Ben or myself -with proper respect, and of course Ben resents it."</p> - -<p>"Of course."</p> - -<p>"He doesn't seem to realize that Ben is older than<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -himself, and therefore entitled to more privileges. -He went so far one day as to strike Ben with a whip."</p> - -<p>"What did Ben do?" asked Mr. Huxter, curiously.</p> - -<p>"Oh, of course he struck John," said Mrs. Oakley, -not thinking it necessary to mention that Ben's -blow came first.</p> - -<p>"Well," said Mr. Huxter, "it seems natural for -boys to quarrel."</p> - -<p>"I shan't allow my son to be struck by John Oakley," -said Mrs. Oakley, quickly.</p> - -<p>"What are you going to do about it?"</p> - -<p>"That is what I am coming to. I think of sending -John away somewhere, so that we may live in -peace and quiet, and not be disturbed by his quarrelsome -disposition."</p> - -<p>"Where do you think of sending him?"</p> - -<p>"To your house."</p> - -<p>"To my house?" exclaimed Mr. Huxter, in surprise, -for he had not foreseen what was coming.</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"I don't know as he would like the way we live," -said Mr. Huxter, thinking of the "picked-up" -dinners to which he was accustomed. "He's a rich -man's son, and has been used to good living."</p> - -<p>"Don't trouble yourself about that," said Mrs. -Oakley; "if he has always lived well, he can stand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -a little poor living now, by way of variety. It is his -own fault that I send him away from home."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter hardly knew what to think of this -arrangement. He had hoped that his sister would -settle an annual sum upon him, without any equivalent, -or would give him, say a thousand dollars outright. -Now she only proposed that he should take -a boarder.</p> - -<p>"I don't know what my wife will say," he remarked. -"It will increase her work."</p> - -<p>"Not much. There will only be one extra seat at -the table."</p> - -<p>"But we shall have to put ourselves out a little -for him."</p> - -<p>"I don't want you to put yourself out at all," said -Mrs. Oakley, emphatically.</p> - -<p>"He's a rich man's son."</p> - -<p>"But he'll be a poor man himself. He will have -to earn his living by hard work."</p> - -<p>"I don't see how that can be. Didn't his father -leave plenty of money?"</p> - -<p>"No," said Mrs. Oakley, determined not to be -entrapped into any such acknowledgment; "and if -he had, John is no better off for it. You seem to -forget that all the money is left to me."</p> - -<p>"That's a fact," said Mr. Huxter. "I didn't<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -think of that. Shan't you leave any of it to -John?"</p> - -<p>"That depends upon his behavior," said Mrs. -Oakley. "I make no promises. The property is all -mine, and I shall leave it to no one who treats me -with disrespect. You see, therefore, that you need -feel on no ceremony with him."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter did see it. He was a selfish man, who -had a great respect for the possessors of wealth -merely on the score of their wealth, and he began to -look upon John Oakley with quite different eyes now -that he had been informed of his true position.</p> - -<p>"You're carrying things with rather a high hand, -Jane," he said.</p> - -<p>"I mean to be treated with respect."</p> - -<p>"So John is saucy, is he?"</p> - -<p>"He is proud-spirited, and thinks himself justified -in looking down upon me, because I was once his -father's house-keeper," said Mrs. Oakley, in a tone of -bitterness; "but I have vowed to subdue his proud -spirit, and you will see that I shall do it."</p> - -<p>"I have no doubt you will, Jane. But there is -one thing you haven't mentioned."</p> - -<p>"What is that?"</p> - -<p>"How much am I to receive for John Oakley's -board?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I will give you six dollars a week, and you know -that this is considerably more than any other boarder -would pay you."</p> - -<p>"Six dollars a week!" said Mr. Huxter, slowly. -"Yes, I suppose that would pay for what he would -eat and drink, but I expected you would do something -more for me than just to find me a boarder."</p> - -<p>"You will make a pretty good profit out of that, -Ephraim."</p> - -<p>"You might do a little more than that for me, -Jane."</p> - -<p>"I will tell you what I will do. Besides paying -you regularly for his board, I will allow you his -labor, and that will be worth considerable."</p> - -<p>"What can he do?"</p> - -<p>"He can do what other boys do. You can take -him into your shop, and set him to pegging shoes. -It won't hurt him a bit, though it may trouble his -pride a little."</p> - -<p>"But will he be willing to go into the shop? He -was expecting to go to college."</p> - -<p>"I don't think much of you if you can't compel -him to do it."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter reflected a moment. John's work -would be worth at least five dollars a week, and this,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -added to the six he would receive from his sister, -would certainly pay munificently for John's board.</p> - -<p>"Well, that is a consideration. We'll call it a -bargain," he admitted.</p> - -<p>"Very well; I think you'll find your account in -it," said Mrs. Oakley, in a tone of satisfaction.</p> - -<p>"Couldn't you pay me a quarter's board in -advance?"</p> - -<p>To this Mrs. Oakley assented with some hesitation.</p> - -<p>After matters had thus been satisfactorily arranged, -Mr. Huxter said:—</p> - -<p>"I think, Jane, I will just take a little walk outside, -and smoke a pipe. I always do after supper. -By the way, when would you like to have young -Oakley go?"</p> - -<p>"To-morrow."</p> - -<p>"To-morrow!" repeated Mr. Huxter, in some disappointment, -for he had confidently hoped to avail -himself of his sister's hospitality for a week at least. -"Seems to me, Jane, you're in something of a -hurry."</p> - -<p>"I am. There is a good reason for it, which I am -not at liberty to mention," said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Not even to me?"</p> - -<p>"Not even to you."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Well, I dare say it is all right, but I am tired -after my journey, and it don't give me much time to -rest," said Mr. Huxter, with disappointment.</p> - -<p>"Let it be day after to-morrow, then. I don't -want to be inhospitable," said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter thought this concession better than -nothing, and, going out on the door-step, smoked -his pipe in rather a cheerful frame of mind.</p> - -<p>"It'll be a pretty good speculation," he reflected; -"but I mistrust I'll have some trouble with young -Oakley. But I guess I can manage him. He'll find -me pretty ugly if he goes to oppose me."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter was partly right. He was capable of -being "pretty ugly" when he thought it safe to be -so,—that is, to those who were weaker than himself, -and in his power. He fawned upon those who had -money or power, and was in the habit of tyrannizing -over those who had neither. On the whole, I hardly -think John is to be congratulated upon his prospects.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XI.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">JOHN CONSULTS A LAWYER.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Mrs. Oakley</span> felt very well pleased with the arrangement -she had made about John. Her brother lived -nearly one hundred miles distant. She would have -liked John even further off; but this would remove -him from the ability to interfere with her plans. -She felt, too, that she would be more comfortable with -him out of the house. Until the will was found <i>and -destroyed</i> she would not feel safe, and she did not venture -to search thoroughly till John was out of the way.</p> - -<p>But there was one important question: Would John -consent to go? On this point Mrs. Oakley felt doubtful. -She knew that it would be a grievous disappointment -to him to leave his class at the academy, -and all his young friends in the village, not to speak -of his natural regret at leaving the house where he -had been born, and which had always been his home. -Under the circumstances, therefore, she felt that it -would be best to use a little stratagem.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> - -<p>Meanwhile John had been thinking earnestly of -his position and his duty. He felt that he needed -advice, and he determined to call upon Squire -Selwyn, who, as I have already said, was his -father's legal adviser and intimate friend. His son -Sam, also, was John's best friend, and thus the -families had a double bond of union.</p> - -<p>The day succeeding Mr. Huxter's arrival was -Wednesday. On that day the afternoon session at -the academy was over an hour earlier than usual, the -only exercise being declamation, or, on alternate -weeks, the reading of compositions. John thought -this would be the most favorable opportunity he -would have for consulting Mr. Selwyn.</p> - -<p>Squire Selwyn's office was a small, neat one-story -building situated on the main street, not far from the -academy building. It was painted white, with green -blinds, and had been built expressly for a law -office.</p> - -<p>Sam and John walked home from school together -as usual. When they came to the office John -said:—</p> - -<p>"I'm going in to see your father, Sam; so I'll bid -you good-afternoon."</p> - -<p>"Got some law business for the governor?"</p> - -<p>"Maybe."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Then you better consult me," said Sam. "I -swept out the office for a week once when the office-boy -was off on vacation, and you can't think what a -lot of law I picked up in that time."</p> - -<p>"I dare say," said John, smiling. "I don't -doubt your qualifications, but I think I'll consult -your father this time."</p> - -<p>"All right," said Sam, more seriously. "I'm -glad you're going to. The fact is, Mrs. Oakley is -doing her best to circumvent you, and you must do -your best, or she'll succeed."</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid she will at any rate," said John.</p> - -<p>"I wish you could find that will."</p> - -<p>"So do I."</p> - -<p>"Do you believe in dreams, John?" asked Sam, -lowering his voice.</p> - -<p>"What makes you ask that?"</p> - -<p>"Because I dreamed last night that I found the -will. It seemed to me that it was very dark, and I -came upon Mrs. Oakley and Ben, each with a lantern -in their hand, searching about on the ground for it. -I followed them softly, and all at once spied a white -paper. Mrs. Oakley saw it at the same time, and -reached out for it, but I was too quick, and carried -it off in triumph."</p> - -<p>"Is that all?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Not quite. When she and Ben saw that I had -got it they dropped their lanterns and ran after me, -or rather Ben threw his at my head. It was an -awful whack. Just then I woke up, and found that -I had struck my head against the bedpost."</p> - -<p>"Well," said John, laughing, "how do you interpret -that dream?"</p> - -<p>"In this way. I think that the will is going to be -found some day, and that I shall be the one to find -it."</p> - -<p>"I certainly hope you will. It would make a -great change in my circumstances."</p> - -<p>"What'll you give me if I find it, John?"</p> - -<p>"A gold watch," said John.</p> - -<p>"Well, that's worth working for."</p> - -<p>"You seem to be in earnest about it."</p> - -<p>"There's many a true word spoken in jest. The -time may come when I shall remind you of your -promise."</p> - -<p>"I hope it will. You will find that I keep my -promises."</p> - -<p>"All right. Well, there's the squire looking out -the window, so I'll leave you. Good luck!"</p> - -<p>John entered the office.</p> - -<p>"Good-afternoon, John," said Squire Selwyn. -"How are things going on at home?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span></p> - -<p>"We are all well," said John.</p> - -<p>"I'm glad to hear it. Won't you sit down?"</p> - -<p>The lawyer was a man of middle height. He had -a pleasant face and manner, but his eye was keen -and penetrating, and seemed to be reading the person -upon whom it rested. He was deservedly popular, -for it was always his endeavor to conciliate -rather than to foment quarrels, and he more than -once succeeded in dissuading a client from a lawsuit -which would have put a considerable sum of money -into his own pocket. He was a safe legal adviser, -and an honest lawyer. He was glad to see John, for -he had always been attracted towards him, not only -because of his friendship for the father, but because -of John's truthfulness and straightforwardness.</p> - -<p>Seeing that John hesitated, he said, by way of -encouragement:—</p> - -<p>"If there is anything I can do for you, don't -hesitate to ask it. Your father was my friend, and I -hope to be regarded by his son in the same light."</p> - -<p>"It is because of that that I have called upon -you, Squire Selwyn," said John. "You know, of -course," he added, after a little hesitation, "how my -father left his property?"</p> - -<p>"I know how he <i>appears</i> to have left it," said the -lawyer, significantly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I would like to ask you a question, Squire -Selwyn," said John; "but of course you will not -answer it unless you think proper."</p> - -<p>"Very properly put. Ask your question, and I -will decide as to its fitness."</p> - -<p>"It is this: Do you know whether my father -made any later will than the one which was -found?"</p> - -<p>"I have no hesitation in answering your question. -He did."</p> - -<p>"How long since was it made?"</p> - -<p>"Only three months before he died."</p> - -<p>"I suppose that it disposed of the property -differently?"</p> - -<p>"It disposed of it as the law would have done if -no will had been made. Your stepmother was to -have her thirds; the rest of the property would -have gone to you. The matter might have been -left to the law but for the existence of the former -will, which was in Mrs. Oakley's charge, and which -she said that she had mislaid."</p> - -<p>"Who would have been my guardian under the -last will, Squire Selwyn?"</p> - -<p>"Your father asked me to assume that office, and -I consented cheerfully, not only from my friendship<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -for him, but because I have a very good opinion of -you," said Squire Selwyn.</p> - -<p>"Thank you, sir," said John, earnestly.</p> - -<p>"Let me add, my young friend," said the lawyer, -kindly, "that I hope you will come to me as freely -for advice as if I really filled this office."</p> - -<p>"I will, sir," said John. "I am so situated that -I need a friend to advise me who is older and wiser -than myself."</p> - -<p>"Apply to me freely at all times," said the lawyer, -pleased with John's modest demeanor.</p> - -<p>"There is one thing I want to tell you," said -John; "I think my father's last will is still in existence."</p> - -<p>"What grounds have you for such a belief?" asked -Squire Selwyn, regarding him closely.</p> - -<p>"I will tell you, sir," said John.</p> - -<p>He then related the particulars of his last interview -with his father, and the great effort which the sick -man made to communicate something to him.</p> - -<p>Squire Selwyn listened attentively.</p> - -<p>"Will you repeat the words which you could distinguish?" -he said.</p> - -<p>"I distinctly heard father say, 'my will,' and I -thought I heard him say also 'drawer.'"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I am glad you told me this," said the lawyer, -thoughtfully. "Did he attempt to say more?"</p> - -<p>"There was no chance. Mrs. Oakley entered the -chamber, and ordered me out. She said I was disturbing -father."</p> - -<p>"Do you think she heard the words which your -father uttered?"</p> - -<p>"I know she could not, for it was only by placing -my ear close to his mouth that I could distinguish -the little I did."</p> - -<p>"How did your father seem affected by the interruption?"</p> - -<p>"He seemed disappointed."</p> - -<p>"Didn't you have any further chance to speak with -your father?"</p> - -<p>"No; Mrs. Oakley would never admit me -again."</p> - -<p>The lawyer sat for a moment plunged in thought. -At length he said:—</p> - -<p>"Have you ever chanced, since your father's death, -to see your stepmother searching the papers he left -behind?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"Tell me when."</p> - -<p>John related the circumstances.</p> - -<p>"Did she give any explanation?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span></p> - -<p>"She said she was looking for a receipt."</p> - -<p>"Didn't she seem disturbed at your seeing her thus -engaged?"</p> - -<p>"She seemed angry, and accused me of prying -into her actions."</p> - -<p>"What opinion did you form of her object at that -time?" asked the lawyer.</p> - -<p>"I thought she was looking for the will," said -John, frankly.</p> - -<p>"Are your relations with your stepmother pleasant?" -asked Squire Selwyn.</p> - -<p>"I am sorry to say they are not," said John. "If -they had been, I would not have troubled myself -about the will. But I can see that Mrs. Oakley is -determined to persecute me, and make my life unhappy, -and that she is determined not to carry out -any of my father's plans about my education. She -has already taken away my horse, and sold it. She -intended to give it to Ben, but he had an unlucky -adventure with it one afternoon."</p> - -<p>"I heard of that," said the lawyer, smiling. "He -got thrown, didn't he?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir. That cured him of wanting to ride, and -so the horse was sold."</p> - -<p>"It was a present to you from your father, was it -not?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes, sir. Ben received at the same time a gold -watch, which he still has."</p> - -<p>"That seems hardly fair. One question more: -Have you any knowledge of any secret drawer in -your father's desk, or in any article which he used to -own?"</p> - -<p>"No, sir."</p> - -<p>"I suppose not. If there had been one, he would -hardly have disclosed its whereabouts to a boy. -Well, my young friend," said the lawyer, rising, as if -to terminate the interview, "I am glad to have received -this call from you. I regard your information as -important. It strengthens the conviction which I -before entertained, that <i>your father's last will is in -existence somewhere</i>. Out of regard to your interests, -as well as to carry out his last wishes, I sincerely -hope that it may be found. But I need not tell you -that in the present position of affairs the greatest -caution is absolutely necessary. I am not prepared -to advise you at present, but shall take your case -under my most serious consideration."</p> - -<p>John took his cap and books, and Squire Selwyn -accompanied him to the door of the office. As -they stood on the threshold, an open wagon drove -by. Both looked up simultaneously, and an expression -of vexation swept over the lawyer's face as he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -recognized Mrs. Oakley and her brother. Mrs. Oakley's -eye lighted up as it rested upon John.</p> - -<p>"He is getting dangerous," she thought. "It is -well I am going to be rid of him."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">John</span> could not help wondering what inference -Mrs. Oakley would draw from seeing him in consultation -with the lawyer. He anticipated that it would -arouse her suspicions, and lead to his being treated -with greater coldness and harshness than ever. It -was with considerable surprise, therefore, that on -presenting himself at the supper-table he received a -very pleasant greeting from his stepmother. She -made no allusion to having met him, but, in her conversation -with her brother, asked two or three questions -of John, in an easy way, as if the relations between -them were perfectly cordial. Ben glanced at -his mother once or twice in surprise, for she had not -seen fit to take him into her confidence, and he did -not understand what this sudden cordiality meant. -John, who had usually been excluded from any share -in the conversation, was not only surprised, but -pleased, and hoped that the change would be permanent.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -His resentment was not lasting, and he was -prepared to respond to his stepmother's advances. -Mr. Huxter's conduct puzzled him a little. That -gentleman seemed disposed to be quite affable and -social.</p> - -<p>"I hope, Mr. Oakley, you and Benjamin will some -time favor me with a visit at my humble home. I -cannot promise you as good accommodations as you -have at home, but I shall be very glad to see you—very."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, sir," said John.</p> - -<p>Ben, who was not remarkable for politeness, did -not deign a word in reply to his uncle's invitation.</p> - -<p>In spite of Mr. Huxter's not very prepossessing -exterior John began to think him quite a pleasant -man, and felt obliged to him for his invitation, though -he felt no particular desire to accept it.</p> - -<p>After supper was over, Mr. Huxter turned to -John:—</p> - -<p>"I am going out on the door-step to smoke my -pipe. I suppose you don't smoke?"</p> - -<p>"No, sir," said John.</p> - -<p>"I was going to ask you to join me; but of course -you don't smoke. It isn't good for boys. Do you -smoke, Ben?"</p> - -<p>"I don't smoke a <i>pipe</i>," said Ben, glancing with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -some disgust at the clay pipe, the bowl of which his -uncle was filling.</p> - -<p>"I suppose you, being a young gentleman, smoke -cigars. They are more aristocratic. But I'm a poor -man, and I can't afford them. Well, if you'll get -your cigar, we'll have a social smoke together."</p> - -<p>"I've got an engagement," said Ben, not very -graciously, and, putting on his hat, he stalked off.</p> - -<p>"He's an impudent puppy," said Mr. Huxter to -himself. "I wish I had the training of him for a -little while. But I must put up with his insults, or -lose all hope of help from my sister."</p> - -<p>"Come home early, Benjamin," said his mother.</p> - -<p>"Oh, you needn't sit up for me. You go to bed so -precious early it doesn't give me any evening at all."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley followed him with her eyes a little uneasily. -While Mr. Oakley was alive Ben kept pretty -straight, for he stood somewhat in awe of his stepfather; -but since his death he had shown a disposition -to have his own way, and his mother's wishes -weighed very little with him. She could not help -feeling that the boy in whom her dearest hopes centred, -and for whom she was willing even to wrong -another, manifested very little gratitude for her devotion -to him. John, whom she charged with lack -of respect, treated her at all times much more respectfully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -than her own son. But Mrs. Oakley was -prejudiced, and would not see this. She shut her -eyes alike to John's merits and Ben's faults, and the -latter took his own way, spending the evening in the -bar-room and billiard saloon, and learning much that -he ought not to have learned.</p> - -<p>About half-past nine in the evening, when John -was studying his lesson in "Xenophon's Anabasis," he -heard a low knock at the door. Supposing it to be -one of the servants, he said, carelessly, "Come in!"</p> - -<p>Looking up, as the door opened, he was not a little -surprised at the entrance of his stepmother. With -the instincts of a young gentleman, he rose hastily, -and, drawing a chair, said:—</p> - -<p>"Won't you sit down, Mrs. Oakley?"</p> - -<p>"Thank you, John," said his stepmother; "I will -sit down a moment. You are studying, I suppose."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I was preparing my Greek lesson for to-morrow."</p> - -<p>John tried not to look surprised, but he wondered -very much what should have led to a call from Mrs. -Oakley, especially at so late an hour.</p> - -<p>"You are getting on well in your studies, I have -no doubt."</p> - -<p>"Thank you. So my teacher says."</p> - -<p>"I am glad to hear it. I am afraid it will be an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -interruption for you to be absent from school a few -days."</p> - -<p>"Yes, it would be an interruption; but if you wish -it, I could try to make it up afterwards."</p> - -<p>"I came to ask a favor of that kind."</p> - -<p>"Does she want me to work on the farm?" thought -John, puzzled.</p> - -<p>But he was not long kept in doubt.</p> - -<p>"My brother, who is now stopping here, leaves for -home to-morrow morning," proceeded Mrs. Oakley. -"There's a little business I want attended to, which -makes it desirable that some one should go back with -him. I might send Ben, but I don't think he would -answer the purpose. So I have thought of you."</p> - -<p>"Does Mr. Huxter go to-morrow morning?" asked -John.</p> - -<p>"He has just decided to do so. That, I am aware, -gives you but short notice," said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Shall I need to be away long?"</p> - -<p>"A few days at least. Have you a carpet-bag?"</p> - -<p>"A small one."</p> - -<p>"That will answer. You can put in a couple of -shirts, some collars, stockings, and handkerchiefs."</p> - -<p>"How shall I know what to do?"</p> - -<p>"My brother will give you all the needful information.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -And now, good-night. We shall breakfast at -six, in order to be in time for the stage."</p> - -<p>"Very well, I will be ready."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley left the room, and went downstairs, -leaving John considerably puzzled by what had -happened. He was sorry to be kept from school for -a few days even, for he was at the head of his class -both in Greek and Latin, and would lose his standing -temporarily at least. But it was characteristic of -him to be obliging, even at the cost of some self-sacrifice, -and therefore he had made no opposition to the -wishes of his stepmother, though it did occur to him -that, as Ben neither attended school nor did anything -else except amuse himself, he might have executed -his mother's commission. However, John knew -enough of Ben's disobliging disposition to suspect -that he had been applied to and refused, especially -as he could see that he had no great affection for his -uncle. Of course he could have no suspicion of the -trap which Mrs. Oakley had artfully laid for him, and -that the few days' absence were intended by her to -extend to months and possibly years.</p> - -<p>"If I am going early to-morrow morning," thought -John, "I may as well stop studying and pack my -carpet-bag. I wish I had asked Mrs. Oakley where -her brother lives."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p> - -<p>John closed his "Anabasis," and found his carpet-bag. -Into it he put whatever he thought would be -needed in a week's absence. He did not suppose he -should be away longer than that.</p> - -<p>"If it were not so late," he thought, "I would run -over and tell Sam that I am to be away for a few -days. He will be surprised when he don't see me at -school."</p> - -<p>But it was too late, for the village clock just then -struck ten, and as he must be up early, John felt -that the best thing he could do was to go to bed and -get a good night's sleep, to prepare him for the -fatigues of the succeeding day.</p> - -<p>After a sound and refreshing night's sleep, John -went downstairs the next morning, with his carpet-bag -in his hand. The table was spread for breakfast, -and Mr. Huxter and Mrs. Oakley had already -taken their seats.</p> - -<p>"Good-morning, John," said Mrs. Oakley; "you -are just in time. Are you all ready to go?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said John.</p> - -<p>"Then sit down to breakfast, for the stage will be -here very soon."</p> - -<p>"So I am to have the pleasure of your company, -Mr. Oakley?" said Mr. Huxter. "I did not anticipate -that I should so soon receive a visit from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -you when I invited you yesterday to my humble -home."</p> - -<p>"In what town do you live, Mr. Huxter?" asked -John.</p> - -<p>"Well, folks call it Hardscrabble," said Mr. Huxter, -with a laugh.</p> - -<p>"Is it far away?"</p> - -<p>"We'll get there to-night if nothing happens," -said Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>John did not know whether to conclude that Hardscrabble -was, or was not, the real name of the town, -but did not like to press the inquiry. He never -remembered to have heard of a town bearing that -name. However, he would know by evening at any -rate. He could not help feeling some curiosity as to -Mr. Huxter's home; but neither that gentleman's -appearance nor description of it led him to form a -very high idea of its sumptuousness.</p> - -<p>The breakfast was a substantial one, and Mr. -Huxter did justice to it. Indeed, he was seldom -wanting in a good appetite, especially when the repast -was an inviting one.</p> - -<p>"I suppose I shan't see Ben before I go?" said -he, leaning back in his chair, and picking his teeth -with a fork.</p> - -<p>"I am afraid not," said Mrs. Oakley. "Ben got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -home rather late last night, and I suppose the poor -boy is tired this morning. I think I had better not -disturb him."</p> - -<p>"Don't disturb him on my account," said his -uncle, who did not seem much disappointed by Ben's -absence. "He'd better have his sleep out. But, -sister Jane, if I were you I wouldn't let him stay out -so late in the evening."</p> - -<p>"You must remember, Ephraim, he's a young -gentleman now. It won't do to keep him in leading-strings, -just as if he were a boy."</p> - -<p>"I'd keep him in check if he were my boy," -thought Mr. Huxter; but he saw that it would not -be best to say so.</p> - -<p>"Well, Jane, of course you know best," he said. -"When are you coming to make us a visit?"</p> - -<p>"Not very soon, I am afraid. I can't leave the -farm very well. There are too many things which -need attending to."</p> - -<p>"There's the stage," said John, suddenly.</p> - -<p>The rumbling of the wheels was faintly heard up -the road. All rose from the table, and prepared to -go. Mrs. Oakley brought out a covered basket and -handed it to her brother.</p> - -<p>"I've put some sandwiches in this basket," she -said. "You'll be hungry by and by, and it will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -save you the expense of stopping at a hotel for dinner."</p> - -<p>"Very good!" said Mr. Huxter, with satisfaction. -"That's what I meant to speak about, but I forgot -it. I begrudge paying for dinner at a tavern. They -always charge you about double what it's worth. -Come, Mr. Oakley, are you ready?"</p> - -<p>"All ready, sir."</p> - -<p>The rumbling of the stage was now distinctly -heard. They opened the front door, and made -signals for it to stop. The lumbering vehicle was -brought to in front of the gate, and the driver jumped -from his elevated perch, and opened the door for the -passengers to enter.</p> - -<p>"I think I'll take a seat outside, if it makes no -difference to you, Mr. Huxter," said John.</p> - -<p>"Just as you like," was the reply.</p> - -<p>So, while Mr. Huxter got inside, John took a -seat beside the driver.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going, John?" asked the driver, -who knew everybody in the village, and was on intimate -terms with all.</p> - -<p>"I'm going away with the gentleman who has just -got inside," said John.</p> - -<p>"Where does he live?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know the name of the place," said our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -hero, suspecting that Hardscrabble was only a local -appellation.</p> - -<p>"Be gone long?"</p> - -<p>"Not more than a week."</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, Mrs. Oakley watched the receding -stage with satisfaction. When it was out of sight, -she entered the house.</p> - -<p>"Now," said she, "I'll look for the will without -John Oakley to spy upon me."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XIII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">JOHN OAKLEY'S NEW HOME.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Although</span> John would prefer to have remained at -home, in order that his studies might be uninterrupted, -he nevertheless could not help deriving -enjoyment from the ride on the stage-coach. It was -a beautiful morning. The sun was gilding with its -beams the fields and brooks, and a beautiful breeze -rustled in and out among the leaves of the trees that -for some distance lined the road. John, from his -elevated perch, had an excellent view of the scenes -through which they passed. As they rode by the -house of Squire Selwyn, lie hoped to catch sight of -his friend Sam; but Sam was nowhere to be seen.</p> - -<p>"Sam is lazy this morning," thought John, disappointed.</p> - -<p>But there he did Sam injustice. He had risen -early, and with hook and line had gone to the pond -to fish. From a distance he caught a glimpse of the -stage rumbling along the village street, but it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -too far off for him to distinguish the outside passengers. -He would have been surprised had he known -that among them was his friend John.</p> - -<p>Ere long they were beyond the limits of the township. -Occasionally the stage stopped to take in a -fresh passenger, or to discharge a portion of its living -freight. At intervals of a few miles they came to -some village tavern, with a broad swinging sign, -where the driver would pause to water his horses, or, -at longer intervals, to exchange them for a fresh -supply. Once or twice John descended to stretch -his legs, stiff with long sitting. More than once he -observed Mr. Huxter enter the tavern, and come out -with his nose a little redder than usual.</p> - -<p>"I went in to get a glass of bitters," he explained -to John, whom he encountered at the door on one of -these occasions. "I'll get you some if you want it."</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said John. "I don't care for any."</p> - -<p>"Well, you're young and strong, and don't need -them. When you get to my age, you'll need a little -something to stimulate you."</p> - -<p>John, who rightly conjectured that the glass of -"bitters" was only another name for New England -rum, could not help thinking that Mr. Huxter would -have been quite as well off without it; but this -thought he of course kept to himself.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span></p> - -<p>"The old gentleman is rather fond of 'wetting his -whistle,' isn't he?" said the driver, familiarly.</p> - -<p>"So it seems," said John, briefly.</p> - -<p>He did not care to discuss the conduct of his stepmother's -brother with any one, and therefore confined -himself to this remark. At twelve o'clock they had -travelled forty miles.</p> - -<p>"The stage will stop half an hour for dinner," said -the driver, as he drew up in front of an old-fashioned -country tavern.</p> - -<p>"This is as far as I go," said the driver to John. -"Do you stop here?"</p> - -<p>"No, we go further on."</p> - -<p>"I suppose you'll be comin' back this way in a few -days?"</p> - -<p>"I expect so. By the way, if you see Sam Selwyn -to-night, just tell him that I was one of your -passengers this morning."</p> - -<p>"All right."</p> - -<p>"John Oakley!" said Mr. Huxter, from below.</p> - -<p>"Here, sir," said John.</p> - -<p>"Just get down, and bring that basket with you. -We'll go under the trees and have a bite."</p> - -<p>John followed directions, and the two sat down -together, with the basket between them.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Travelling is hungry work," said Mr. Huxter. -"Let's see what my sister has put up for us."</p> - -<p>The basket, being uncovered, proved to be full of -sandwiches, with a few doughnuts on top. They -were all excellent of their kind; for Mrs. Oakley, -whatever might be said of her in other respects, was -a good house-keeper, and took care that whatever -food was prepared in the house should be good.</p> - -<p>"Now, Oakley," said Mr. Huxter, "we needn't -have any ceremony here. Just make yourself at -home and pitch in."</p> - -<p>It may be observed that Mr. Huxter was gradually -beginning to treat John with greater familiarity. -When first introduced, he had addressed him as "Mr. -Oakley." Next it was "John Oakley." Now it was -"Oakley," without any prefix. John, who had no -inordinate sense of his own dignity, was not much -disturbed by this, but continued to treat Mr. Huxter -with the same outward respect as at first.</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter followed his own recommendations -strictly. He did "pitch in," and with such vigor -that he consumed two-thirds of the contents of the -basket, while John, whose appetite had also been -stimulated by the long ride, was eating the remaining -third.</p> - -<p>"Well, there aint much left, that's a fact," he said,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -surveying the empty basket. "The ride's given you -a pretty good appetite, Oakley."</p> - -<p>"Pretty good," said John, smiling at the unexpected -inference drawn from the empty basket.</p> - -<p>"That's lucky, for we shan't get anything more till -we get home," said Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"When will that be?" inquired John.</p> - -<p>"Somewhere about seven. It's a long pull; but I -guess we can stand it," said Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"I think I can," said John.</p> - -<p>"The old lady won't be expecting us," said Mr. -Huxter. "I told her I might, maybe, be gone a fortnight."</p> - -<p>"She'll be glad to see you so soon," said John, -who did not think of anything else to say.</p> - -<p>"Umph!" said Mr. Huxter, in a tone which might -be interpreted as conveying a little doubt on this -point. "I feel a little dry," he said, rising and -stretching himself. "I think I'll go into the house, -and see if I can find a little water."</p> - -<p>When Mr. Huxter reappeared, John inferred from -his appearance that, if he had been drinking water, -it had been largely mingled with a different beverage. -He satisfied his own thirst at the pump, where he -drank a deep and refreshing draught of clear cold<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -water, purer and better than any liquid which the art -of man has devised.</p> - -<p>So the afternoon passed. Twice more Mr. Huxter -got out of the stage, and entered a wayside tavern, on -the same mysterious errand. Each time he reappeared -with his nose redder, and his eyes more inflamed. -The liquor which he had drunk made him -quarrelsome, and so disagreeable to his fellow-passengers. -Finally one of them called to the driver in -an authoritative voice to stop, and insisted that Mr. -Huxter should travel outside for the remainder of the -way. With some difficulty he was induced to make -the change, and from that time John had the pleasure -of his society.</p> - -<p>"Who are you?" asked Mr. Huxter, fixing his -eyes upon John with a vacant stare.</p> - -<p>"I am John Oakley," said our hero.</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes, I know. You're the son of old Oakley -that my sister Jane married."</p> - -<p>It was painful to John to hear his father spoken of -as old Oakley, but he understood Mr. Huxter's situation, -and felt that it would be idle to resent anything -said under such circumstances.</p> - -<p>"Old Oakley left all his property to Jane," continued -Mr. Huxter, with a drunken laugh. "Oh,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> -she's a deep one, is Jane! She knows how her bread -is buttered."</p> - -<p>John turned away in disgust, and tried not to heed -what was said.</p> - -<p>"But she's hard on her poor brother," whined Mr. -Huxter. "She ought to have come down with something -handsome."</p> - -<p>His mutterings became incoherent, and John ceased -to notice them. At length, about seven o'clock, the -stage drove into a small village, of not particularly -attractive appearance.</p> - -<p>"Well," said the driver, turning to John, "you're -most home."</p> - -<p>"Am I?" asked John.</p> - -<p>"Of course you are. Aint you travelling with -<i>him</i>?" indicating Mr. Huxter by a gesture.</p> - -<p>"Yes; I've come with him on a little business."</p> - -<p>"Then you're not going to stay?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, no!"</p> - -<p>"Lucky for you!"</p> - -<p>John didn't inquire why the driver thought it lucky -for him. He thought he understood without any -explanation.</p> - -<p>"Do you go any further?" he asked of the driver.</p> - -<p>"To the next town."</p> - -<p>"What is the name of this place?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Some folks call it Hardscrabble; but the real -name is Jackson."</p> - -<p>"Where does Mr. Huxter live?"</p> - -<p>"Up the road apiece. I go right by the gate. I'll -stop and leave you there."</p> - -<p>A little less than a mile further the driver reined -up his horses.</p> - -<p>"Here you are," he said. "Now look sharp, for -I'm behind time."</p> - -<p>With some difficulty Mr. Huxter, who had now become -quite drowsy, was made to understand that he -had reached home. With still greater difficulty, he -was assisted in safety to the ground, and the stage -drove on.</p> - -<p>John now for the first time looked about him to see -what sort of a place he had reached. He distinguished -a two-story house, old-fashioned in appearance, -standing a few rods back from the road. It -was sadly in need of a fresh coat of paint, as was -also the fence which surrounded it. A little distance -from the house, at one side, was a small building of -one story, liberally supplied with windows, which -John afterwards learned to be a shoe-shop. It was -Mr. Huxter's place of business, when he saw fit to -work, which was by no means regularly. An old -cart, a wood-pile, and some barrels littered up the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -front yard. A field alongside was overgrown with -weeds, and everything indicated shiftlessness and -neglect.</p> - -<p>John had no difficulty in opening the front gate, -for it hung upon one hinge, and was never shut. He -supported Mr. Huxter to the door and knocked, for -there was no bell. The summons was answered by a -girl of ten, in a dirty calico dress and dishevelled -hair.</p> - -<p>"Mother," she screamed, shrilly, as she saw who -it was, "here's father come home, and there's somebody -with him!"</p> - -<p>At this intimation, a woman came from a back -room to the door. She looked thin and careworn, as -if the life which she led was not a very happy -one.</p> - -<p>"Mrs. Huxter, I suppose?" asked John.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said she.</p> - -<p>"Your husband does not feel quite well," said -John, expressing in as delicate a manner as possible -the fact that something was out of order with Mr. -Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Who said I wasn't well?" exclaimed Mr. Huxter, -in a rough voice. "Never was better in my life. I -say, Polly, can't you get us something to eat? I'm -most starved."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mrs. Huxter looked inquiringly at John, whose -presence with her husband she did not understand.</p> - -<p>"I believe I am to stop here for a day or two," -said John, responding to her look. "My name is -John Oakley. I am the stepson of Mr. Huxter's sister."</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes, I know," said Mrs. Huxter. "I am -afraid we can't accommodate you very well, Mr. Oakley, -but we'll do our best."</p> - -<p>"What's good enough for us is good enough for -him," said Mr. Huxter, fiercely. "He's as poor as -we are. Sister Jane's got all the money. She's a -deep one, is sister Jane."</p> - -<p>"I hope you won't be offended at what he says, -Mr. Oakley," said Mrs. Huxter, in an apologetic tone. -"He don't mean what he says."</p> - -<p>"Shut up, Mrs. Huxter!" said her husband, who -was disposed to be quarrelsome. "Don't make a fool -of yourself, but get supper as soon as you can."</p> - -<p>"We haven't got any meat in the house," said Mrs. -Huxter, timidly. "You know you only left me a -little money."</p> - -<p>"Here's some money," said Mr. Huxter, fumbling -in his pocket, and producing a five-dollar bill.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Huxter took the bill, surprised at its large -amount, for she seldom got more than one dollar at a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -time. Forthwith the girl of ten was sent for some -steak at the butcher's, and in a reasonable time supper -was declared to be ready. Meanwhile Mr. Huxter -had been to the pump, and by the free use of cold -water, applied externally, succeeded in getting the -better of his intoxication, and was prepared to do -full justice to the meal provided.</p> - -<p>By the time supper was over, it was half-past eight. -John felt fatigued with his long journey, and asked -permission to retire. He was shown to an attic -chamber, furnished only with a cot bed and a broken -chair. But, rude as were the accommodations, John -slept soundly, little dreaming the unwelcome news -that awaited him on the morrow.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XIV.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MR. HUXTER AT HOME.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">When</span> John awoke the next morning he found it difficult -at first to understand where he was; but recollection -soon came to his aid, and he remembered that he -was Mr. Huxter's guest. He rose from the cot-bed, and, -going to the window, looked out. The prospect was -not a very pleasant one. Just across the street was -a pasture, with here and there a gnarled and stunted -tree. The immediate neighborhood of Mr. Huxter's -house has already been described.</p> - -<p>"I don't wonder they call it Hardscrabble," -thought John. "I shouldn't like to live here."</p> - -<p>At this moment Mr. Huxter's head was thrust in -through the open door.</p> - -<p>"Come, Oakley," said he, "it's time to get up. -We don't want any lazy folks here."</p> - -<p>"I was tired with my ride yesterday, and overslept -myself," said John.</p> - -<p>"Well, dress as quick as you can," said Mr. Huxter, -turning to descend the stairs.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I don't see any washbowl," said John, hesitating.</p> - -<p>"You can come downstairs and wash, like the rest -of us," said Mr. Huxter. "You needn't expect us to -lug up water for you."</p> - -<p>John did not reply to this rude speech; but he -could not avoid being struck by the change in the -manner of his host. Mr. Huxter had, when first introduced, -treated him with elaborate politeness. Now -he treated him with downright rudeness, and as if -he possessed some authority over him. John did -not understand this, nor did he like it; but as it was -only for a few days at the farthest, he resolved not to -repay rudeness with rudeness, but to behave with as -much respect as circumstances would allow. In the -mean time he would ascertain as soon as possible the -object of his visit, and so hasten matters as to allow -of his return home with as little delay as possible.</p> - -<p>Dressing hastily, he went downstairs, and found the -breakfast-table spread in the kitchen. Mr. Huxter -was seated at the table in his shirt-sleeves.</p> - -<p>"Down at last, Oakley," he said. "Sit right up."</p> - -<p>"I should like to wash first," said John.</p> - -<p>"Well, there's the sink, and there's a tin basin," -said Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Wait a minute, Mr. Oakley," said Mrs. Huxter, -"I'll wash out the basin for you."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It's clean enough," said her husband.</p> - -<p>"No, there's been some greasy water in it," said -Mrs. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"You're mighty anxious to wait on him," sneered -Mr. Huxter. "You don't seem to think me of any -consequence."</p> - -<p>His wife did not reply. Poor woman! she had a -hard time of it. She had always had to contend with -poverty; but poverty is not the worst of evils. If her -husband had been reasonably kind, she could have -borne that without repining, though it subjected her -to many privations which she well knew might have -been avoided had not her husband been so shiftless -and intemperate. But his temper was far from -sweet. He was that detestable character, a domestic -tyrant, and did all in his power to make his wife uncomfortable -and unhappy. She had learned that her best -course was to permit his taunts and harsh words to -pass unheeded, for at such times reason had no -weight with him.</p> - -<p>It did not take John long to understand the position -of affairs. He saw that Mrs. Huxter was disposed -to be polite and kind to him, and he felt -grateful. He could not help pitying her for having -such a husband.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Thank you, Mrs. Huxter," he said, when she had -prepared the basin for him.</p> - -<p>"I suppose you are accustomed to washing in your -own room," she said.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said John; "but it's of no consequence. I -can wash down here just as well."</p> - -<p>"Of course you can," said Mr. Huxter. "Come, -be spry there, Oakley."</p> - -<p>John washed himself deliberately, not thinking that -it was necessary to hurry himself on Mr. Huxter's -account, and sat down to the table.</p> - -<p>"You're an enterprising young man," said Mr. -Huxter. "I'm half through my breakfast, and you're -just ready to begin."</p> - -<p>"He had a long and tiresome journey yesterday," -said Mrs. Huxter. "No wonder he was tired."</p> - -<p>"So had I," said her husband. "You don't seem -to think I can ever get tired, even when I've been -working like a dog."</p> - -<p>"What time is it?" asked John.</p> - -<p>"Most seven."</p> - -<p>"Seven is our breakfast-hour at home," said John, -quietly. "As you did not tell me you breakfasted -earlier here, you could not expect me to get up sooner -than I did."</p> - -<p>"That's true, Mr. Oakley," said Mrs. Huxter.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span></p> - -<p>"So you're siding with him,—are you?" said Mr. -Huxter, angrily.</p> - -<p>John was far from being a coward. He was disposed -to treat every one with courtesy and respect, -but expected to be treated in the same way. Mr. -Huxter's manner was so very offensive, and his -words so dictatorial, that his anger was excited. He -felt that he could not with proper self-respect remain -silent longer.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Huxter," he said, fixing his eyes calmly on -the face of his host, "you seem to forget that I am -your guest, and entitled to be treated with common -politeness."</p> - -<p>"Mr. Oakley is quite right," said Mrs. Huxter. -"You have been very rude to him."</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to say I'm not polite?" demanded -Huxter, raising his voice.</p> - -<p>It was not certain to whom this question was addressed,—to -John or his wife. But John, who did not -wish to get Mrs. Huxter into trouble on his account, -hastened to reply:—</p> - -<p>"You can judge for yourself, Mr. Huxter, whether -you have treated me as I had a right to expect. I -came here with you to oblige your sister, Mrs. Oakley. -When the business is over, I shall go back. I -suppose it will only occupy a short time. I shall try<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -to make you as little trouble as possible, and if you -will let me know the rules of your house I will try to -conform to them. To-morrow morning I shall be -downstairs in time for breakfast."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter would have been angry at these words, -but the secret thought that John was in his power -moderated his resentment. He laughed in his sleeve -at the thought of John's dismay, when he learned -that he was not here on a visit, but to remain for an -indefinite period. This fact he had not mentioned -even to his wife, who, therefore, could not help wondering -what could be John's business.</p> - -<p>"You've made quite a speech, Oakley," said he, -sarcastically. "You may think it all right to charge -a man with impoliteness in his own house, but for my -part I think it cursed impudent."</p> - -<p>"I do not intend to be impudent," said John.</p> - -<p>"I don't know what you intend, but you are so," -said Huxter.</p> - -<p>"I hope you won't mind what he says," said Mrs. -Huxter, distressed.</p> - -<p>"Shut up, Mrs. Huxter! I'd rather you wouldn't -interfere. I'll have it out with this young man without -any help from you."</p> - -<p>"I don't understand you, Mr. Huxter," said John,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -with dignity. "I have tried to treat you with proper -respect."</p> - -<p>"Yes, you've tried very hard."</p> - -<p>"And I don't know why you have taken offence. -I should like to know how long I am likely to be detained -here on the business which has brought me -here."</p> - -<p>"Why do you want to know?"</p> - -<p>"Because I think it would be better for both of us -that I should go to the hotel, if there is one in the -village. I am afraid we are not likely to agree very -well, and then I shall not interfere with any of your -arrangements."</p> - -<p>"Who do you expect is going to pay your hotel -bills?" demanded Mr. Huxter, with a sneer.</p> - -<p>"I think there will be no difficulty about that," -said John.</p> - -<p>"If you think my sister will pay any such bills you -are mistaken."</p> - -<p>"As I came here on business of hers she will probably -pay it. If she is unwilling, I will pay it myself."</p> - -<p>"Indeed!" said Mr. Huxter, pricking up his ears. -"Where will you get the money?"</p> - -<p>"I hope you will not take offence, Mr. Huxter, if -I decline to answer that question."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Have you got any money with you?"</p> - -<p>"I decline answering."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter was about to make an angry reply; -but a moment's thought led him to change his purpose. -He was anxious to find out how much money -John had.</p> - -<p>"Have you got money enough to keep you at the -hotel a week?"</p> - -<p>"Shall I need to remain here a week?" asked John, -a little disturbed at the thought of having his studies -interrupted for so long a time, especially as there -seemed so little prospect of deriving any enjoyment -from his visit.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps longer."</p> - -<p>"If I don't have money enough, I will write to -Mrs. Oakley for more," he said.</p> - -<p>"I can tell you beforehand that you won't get -any."</p> - -<p>"We won't dispute about that," said John. "I -shall be glad to go about this business at once, as I -do not wish to be kept away from my studies any -longer than is absolutely necessary."</p> - -<p>"I'm thinking, young man," said Mr. Huxter, -"that it will be a good while before you go back to -your Latin and Greek."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Why so?" said John.</p> - -<p>"Read that, and you'll know," said Mr. Huxter; -and he drew a note from his pocket, and handed it to -John.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XV.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MRS. OAKLEY'S NOTE.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">John</span> opened the note, little suspecting the nature -of its contents. It was as follows:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p style="margin-top: 1.5em;">"<span class="smcap">John Oakley</span>:—I have made an arrangement with my -brother to have you board with him for the present. As -you and Benjamin find it so difficult to agree, it will be -much better that you should live apart. If you had not -treated him so brutally I should not be under the necessity -of sending you away from home. I hope you will give my -brother no trouble, but will follow his directions. He understands -what course I wish him to pursue with you. If -he reports favorably of you, I will send for you to return at -a proper time."</p> - -<p style="text-align: right;">"<span class="smcap">Jane Oakley.</span>"<br /> -</p> - -<p style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">"P. S. I will forward your trunk by express, early next -week."</p></blockquote> - -<p>John read this cold and unjust letter with mingled -anger and dismay. It was hard to have all the -blame of his quarrel with Ben thrown upon him, when -Ben had been the aggressor, and he had only contended<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -for his just rights. So he was to be exiled -from home on Ben's account. He could not help -thinking how happily his father and he used to live -together before the present Mrs. Oakley came to the -farm as house-keeper. And now she and her son had -taken possession, and he was turned adrift. What -would his father have thought, could he have foreseen -what would happen so soon after his death!</p> - -<p>These thoughts, and others not less disturbing, -passed through John's mind as he read his stepmother's -letter. Mr. Huxter's eyes were fixed upon -his face in cruel exultation, for he imagined the nature -of John's feelings, and enjoyed his sorrow.</p> - -<p>"Well, Oakley, what do you say to that?" he -demanded.</p> - -<p>"I don't know what to say," said John.</p> - -<p>"No, I presume not. The fact is, you haven't got -anything to say in the matter. My sister is your -natural guardian, and she has sent you to me to manage. -She says you're rather a tough subject; but I -reckon I can manage you. You'll find me a little -harder to deal with than a woman, I can tell you -that."</p> - -<p>John did not reply. Indeed, he hardly knew what -Mr. Huxter had been saying. So many thoughts -crowded in upon his mind with regard to the sudden<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -change in his position that he paid little attention to -what was said.</p> - -<p>"Is this the only business on which Mrs. Oakley -sent me?" he asked, at length.</p> - -<p>"It's enough, isn't it?" demanded Mr. Huxter, -with a laugh. "So you hadn't the least idea what -was the object of your expedition?"</p> - -<p>"No, I had not," said John, indignantly. "I had -no suspicion that it was only a trap."</p> - -<p>"I knew you hadn't," said Mr. Huxter, laughing -with evident enjoyment. "You were pretty well -taken in, hey?"</p> - -<p>"I was taken in," said John, shortly.</p> - -<p>"Sister Jane was pretty cute. She knew you'd -be making a fuss, if you knew. I told her that once -I got you here there wouldn't be any more trouble. -So now you know all about it, and you may as well -settle down to staying here."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Huxter, to whom all this was news, listened -with earnest attention. She was a good-hearted -woman, and she couldn't help pitying John. She -liked her sister-in-law, now Mrs. Oakley, no better -than John did, and was very thankful when, after a -two years' residence under her roof, she had obtained -a position as house-keeper at a distance. She readily -came to the conclusion that John had been harshly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -and unjustly treated, and she could not forbear expressing -her sympathy.</p> - -<p>"I did not know you were going to remain with -us, Mr. Oakley," she said. "I'll try to make you -comfortable as long as you stay."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Mrs. Huxter," said John, gratefully; -for he could understand the kindness which led her -to speak.</p> - -<p>"You needn't mister him," said Mr. Huxter, -roughly. "It's ridiculous to call such a boy 'Mr.'; -it'll make him put on airs worse than ever."</p> - -<p>"I do not know his first name," said Mrs. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"My name is John," said our hero.</p> - -<p>"Then I will call you so, if you are willing."</p> - -<p>"If he is willing! Don't make a fool of yourself, -Mrs. Huxter. It makes no difference whether he is -willing or not."</p> - -<p>"I shall be glad to have you call me John," said -our hero, without regarding Mr. Huxter's brutal -speech.</p> - -<p>John rose from the table. He had not eaten much, -for Mr. Huxter's coarseness, and the note from his -stepmother, had taken away his appetite.</p> - -<p>"Won't you have something more, John?" asked -Mrs. Huxter. "You've eaten very little."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> - -<p>"No, thank you. I don't feel much appetite this -morning."</p> - -<p>He took his hat, and was about to leave the house -by the back door which led out of the kitchen.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going, Oakley?" demanded Mr. -Huxter.</p> - -<p>"I am going out for a walk," said John, shortly.</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter hesitated whether to obey the dictates -of the petty tyranny which impelled him to forbid -John to go out, but finally decided not to interfere at -present. He contented himself, therefore, with saying:—</p> - -<p>"I expect you to return within an hour."</p> - -<p>John made no reply, but his manly spirit revolted -against such contemptible despotism. He did not -recognize Mr. Huxter's authority, and did not mean -to. He resolved to take an independent stand at -once, and return when he pleased, and no sooner. I -wish it to be distinctly understood that John did not -expect, at his present age, to enjoy all the privileges -of a grown man. He was always respectful to rightful -authority, but he considered that Mr. Huxter's -authority was not rightful, and that his commands -ought to have no weight with him. Mr. Huxter did -not know the character with which he had to deal. -He did not know that John could be as firm under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -some circumstances, as he was compliant in others. -If he had known him better he might have felt less -confident of triumphing over him.</p> - -<p>When he left the room Huxter turned to his wife, -and said, harshly:—</p> - -<p>"I've got something to say to you, Mrs. Huxter. -You needn't trouble yourself to take that boy's part. -He is a proud-spirited young rascal, and he needs -taking down."</p> - -<p>"He seems to me a very good sort of boy," said -his wife.</p> - -<p>"That shows what a good judge you are," said Mr. -Huxter, with a sneer. "He's a young bully, and -was all the time fighting with Ben."</p> - -<p>"I always thought Ben inclined to be a bully," -said Mrs. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Well, he is a proud young upstart," admitted his -uncle, who had not forgiven Ben's disdain. "Got -some of the Brayton blood in him. But the other's -just as bad. It's six of one and half a dozen of the -other. However, wife," pursued Mr. Huxter, with a -change of tone, "it's likely to be a good thing for us. -We're to have six dollars a week for boarding young -Oakley."</p> - -<p>"That's very good pay. I really think we ought -to make him comfortable."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span></p> - -<p>"He won't get much favor from me. I promised -Jane I'd break his proud spirit, and I'm going to do -it. I shall set him to work next week in the shop."</p> - -<p>"Set him to work while we are getting six dollars -a week for his board!" exclaimed Mrs. Huxter, in -astonishment.</p> - -<p>"Yes, that's what Jane told me to do."</p> - -<p>"But his work alone will more than pay his -board."</p> - -<p>"All the better for us."</p> - -<p>"But I don't think, Mr. Huxter, you have the right -to do it."</p> - -<p>"That shows how little you know about it. Isn't -Jane his guardian?"</p> - -<p>"Does she agree to the arrangement?"</p> - -<p>"Of course she does. She told me I might do it."</p> - -<p>"And she will be willing to pay his board besides?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. You see I represented to her that now she -was a rich woman she ought to do something for her -only brother, and that's the way she's going to do it. -It's a good thing for both of us. She gets rid of a -troublesome young rascal, and I get handsomely paid -for taking charge of him. It's a very simple arrangement."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I can't seem to think it's right," said Mrs. Huxter, -slowly.</p> - -<p>"Then you're a fool," said Mr. Huxter, not very -politely.</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid there'll be trouble," thought Mrs. Huxter, -nervously, but she did not reply.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XVI.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MR. HUXTER MAKES A DISCOVERY, AND SO DOES JOHN.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">John</span> felt that he was in a difficult situation, and -he went out, not so much for a walk, as to gain time -to consider what he should do under the circumstances. -He guessed without much difficulty the reason -which had led to his banishment. Mrs. Oakley did -not like him, he was aware, and it was natural that -she should take measures to remove him from the -house. But John felt that, though this was one -reason, it was not the principal reason. He was -satisfied that she wished to have him out of the way -while she was looking for the will. But since the -discovery of the will could only be of advantage to -him, and strip her of two-thirds of the property, he -was forced to the conclusion that, if she found it, it -would be only to destroy it, or put it away where he -would never be likely to find it. He was thoroughly -convinced of this, but he asked himself in vain what -he could do under the circumstances. There he was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> -at a loss. He could not return and force Mrs. Oakley -to keep him at home, or if so, he well knew that -she would manage to make his position very uncomfortable. -Mrs. Oakley certainly had every advantage -over him. It would not be prudent, he knew, to -reveal his suspicion, for he had no proof to bring -forward. What should he do?</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley meant him to remain with her -brother; but he had already seen enough of Mr. Huxter's -petty tyranny and intemperate habits, to decide -that he could never be happy or ordinarily comfortable -with him. Of the two, Mrs. Oakley seemed -preferable. Mrs. Huxter, to be sure, seemed to be a -good-hearted woman, but she was a victim of her -husband's tyranny, and her well-meant interference, -without doing him any good, would very likely bring -her into trouble.</p> - -<p>Finding his perplexity only increase, John adopted -a sensible resolution. He determined to lay the matter -before some one who was older and wiser than -himself, and be guided by his advice. He decided to -write to Squire Selwyn, his father's lawyer and friend, -who was already well acquainted with all the circumstances -of the case, and ask his advice. If he should -write at once, he calculated that an answer might -reach him by the fourth day, and until then he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -thought he could endure Mr. Huxter's disagreeable -manners. As to the will, he thought it more than -probable that it would never be found, or, if found, -it would never do him any good. If Mrs. Oakley -would carry out his father's plans, permit him to continue -his studies and go through college, he would -then be able to make his own way, and would not -trouble himself about the property.</p> - -<p>While engaged in these reflections he had been -slowly walking up the road towards the village. It -was not much of a village, not more than twenty -houses in all, including a church, a school-house, the -tavern, and a store. Knowing something of the custom -in country villages, John rightly concluded -that the post-office would be found in the store. He -entered therefore, and looked about him. It was a -common country store, with a stock of a very miscellaneous -assortment of articles, from sugar and dried -apples to calico and tape. One corner was appropriated -to the use of the post-office. John walked up -to the counter and asked:—</p> - -<p>"Have you any writing paper and envelopes?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said the clerk, producing the articles.</p> - -<p>John bought two sheets of paper and two envelopes, -thinking he might have occasion to write two -letters, and then asked when the mail went out.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It has already gone."</p> - -<p>"When will the next mail go?"</p> - -<p>"To-morrow morning."</p> - -<p>"Will you allow me the use of your ink to write a -letter?"</p> - -<p>"Certainly. Just step behind the counter."</p> - -<p>John followed directions, and, sitting down at the -desk, commenced writing. He thought it better to -write here than to do so at Mr. Huxter's, knowing -that the suspicions of the latter would be excited.</p> - -<p>It is not necessary for me to transcribe John's letter. -He contented himself with stating plainly the situation -in which he found himself, and the manner in -which he had already been treated by Mr. Huxter, -and wound up by asking Squire Selwyn's advice. -Having concluded the letter, he directed it neatly, and, -prepaying the postage, handed it to the clerk.</p> - -<p>"All right," said the latter. "It'll go to-morrow -morning."</p> - -<p>When this matter was disposed of John felt more -comfortable. He had transferred the responsibility -of deciding what he should do to another in whom he -had great confidence, and so felt a burden removed -from his own shoulders. He thought he could stand -Mr. Huxter's harsh treatment for a few days. Meanwhile, -with the usual elasticity of youth, he began to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> -feel an interest in the new scenes by which he was -surrounded. He had never before been so far away -from home, and though Jackson was not a very -attractive place, it was new, and so had a certain -charm for him. About half a mile distant he saw a -hill, which, though barren pasture land, would afford -him a good view of the village. He determined to -climb it, and look about him.</p> - -<p>We must now return to Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>Half an hour or more after John left the house he -began to feel thirsty,—not that natural, healthful -thirst to which we are all subject, but the artificial, -craving thirst of one who has accustomed himself to -the drinking of alcoholic mixtures. Thanks to the -advanced payment for John's board which he had -received from his sister, he was unusually well supplied -with funds, and felt that he need work no more than -he chose. After splitting up a little wood, therefore, -he turned out of the yard, and walked towards the -tavern. He went into the bar-room, and received a -cordial greeting from the landlord, of whom he was -a pretty steady customer.</p> - -<p>"Good-morning, Huxter, where have you kept -yourself for two or three days? You haven't been -round to see me."</p> - -<p>"I've been making a visit to my sister," said Huxter.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Oh, that's it. I began to think you had taken the -temperance pledge, and given up your old friends."</p> - -<p>"I haven't come to that yet," said Mr. Huxter, in -a tone which indicated that he considered taking the -pledge a very discreditable proceeding.</p> - -<p>"No; I thought you'd have too much sense for -that. What'll you have this morning?"</p> - -<p>"Give me a glass of something stiff. Let it be -extra good, for I'm going to pay up the old score."</p> - -<p>No doubt it was extra good, for Mr. Huxter drank -it with evident enjoyment, and immediately ordered -another glass. This, too, was drank, and after a little -desultory conversation Mr. Huxter left the tavern.</p> - -<p>It occurred to him that his stock of tobacco was -out, and he went into the store hard by to lay in a fresh -supply. While he was paying for it the clerk said:—</p> - -<p>"You brought a boy home with you, Mr. Huxter, -didn't you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. How'd you know?"</p> - -<p>"I saw him on the stage, and somebody said he -got off at your house. Going to stay with you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I've taken charge of him."</p> - -<p>"He seems a good sort of boy."</p> - -<p>"When did you see him?" asked Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"This morning. He only went out from here a -few minutes ago."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Humph!" said Mr. Huxter. "Did he buy anything?"</p> - -<p>"Only two sheets of paper and two envelopes."</p> - -<p>A light began to dawn upon Mr. Huxter. John -wanted to make trouble by writing home.</p> - -<p>"Look here," said he; "if the boy brings in a letter -you needn't send it. Keep it, and hand it to me."</p> - -<p>The clerk looked surprised. Mr. Huxter, finding -some explanation necessary, continued:—</p> - -<p>"He's a very troublesome boy. He's almost broken -his poor mother's heart,—she's my sister,—and -I've agreed to take charge of him for a time. It takes -a man to manage him. But it won't do for him to be -writing home and making a fuss. You understand?"</p> - -<p>"I shouldn't have thought him so troublesome. -He looks very quiet."</p> - -<p>"You can't judge from appearances," said Mr. -Huxter, shaking his head. "He don't show out before -folks. So, if any letters are put in directed to -Hampton, just keep them, and I'll look them over. -If they're proper to send, I will let them go."</p> - -<p>"He wrote a letter here this morning."</p> - -<p>"Did he?" asked Mr. Huxter, his eyes sparkling. -"The young rascal's prompt. It's lucky I came in. -He was cunning enough to write here, that I might -not know anything about it. Let me see the letter."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span></p> - -<p>The clerk, not doubting Mr. Huxter's authority, -handed him the letter.</p> - -<p>He broke it open hastily, and read it. It is needless -to say that John's description of himself, though -moderately expressed, was far from complimentary, -and Mr. Huxter's heart was stirred with indignation.</p> - -<p>"The young rascal shall pay for this," he thought.</p> - -<p>"This letter is not fit to send," he said, aloud. -"It would only make trouble. I will take charge of -it. The boy needn't know but it is gone. You may -take any letter he brings; but mind you don't send it -till I have seen it."</p> - -<p>"Very well," said the clerk; but he could not help -pitying John, if he was to be under Mr. Huxter's -guardianship. In a small village like Jackson every -man's failings were a matter of general knowledge, -and the estimation in which Mr. Huxter was held was -not very high.</p> - -<p>"Well, I've defeated the young rascal," thought -Mr. Huxter, triumphantly, as he left the store. -"He'll find it isn't so easy to outwit me. If Jane -can't manage him I can, and I intend to. I reckon -it'll be some time he'll have to wait for an answer to -that letter."</p> - -<p>This thought amused Mr. Huxter, so that he partly -forgot his vexation at the unflattering description of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> -himself which the letter contained. Having no -further business to attend to, he went up the road -towards home. The letter he put in one of the side-pockets -of the loose coat which he wore. But there -was a large hole in his pocket, and without Mr. Huxter's -knowledge the letter slipped through. He kept -on his way, not suspecting his loss.</p> - -<p>The letter remained unnoticed in the grass by the -side of the road, having been wafted there by the -wind, until John, on his way home an hour and a -half later, happened to catch sight of it. He went to -pick it up, not suspecting what it was, and was immeasurably -surprised when he found it to be the same -letter he had put into the post-office two hours before. -How came it there?</p> - -<p>John was not long in guessing the truth. Mr. -Huxter was determined that he should not communicate -with any one in Hampton, and had recalled the -letter. No doubt he had given instructions to the -postmaster, which would make it impossible for John -to post any letters in future in the village.</p> - -<p>"I am very glad to know this," thought John; "I -shall know better how to act."</p> - -<p>He put the letter in his pocket, and kept on his -way, determined to keep his discovery to himself. -He began to see what sort of man he had to deal with.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XVII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">A NEW ACQUAINTANCE.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Twelve</span> o'clock was the dinner hour at Mr. Huxter's. -John and he met once more, but the dispute -between them was not renewed. John was deliberating -as to what course he should pursue. Mr. Huxter -was secretly exulting in having defeated John's -attempt to communicate with his friends, little suspecting -that John knew all about it. So on the -whole he was pleasanter than usual, and allowed his -young guest to eat in peace. Mrs. Huxter was glad -to notice this change in his conduct, though she -hardly dared to hope that it would continue.</p> - -<p>"So you took a walk this morning, Oakley?" said -Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"Where did you go?"</p> - -<p>"I went to the top of the hill behind the tavern."</p> - -<p>"How do you like our village?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I can't tell yet. I haven't got sufficiently acquainted."</p> - -<p>"You'll have chance enough before you get -through," said Mr. Huxter, significantly.</p> - -<p>John understood this very well; but did not see fit -to show that he did so. He did not wish to provoke -a quarrel.</p> - -<p>"I am going to write to my sister this afternoon," -said Mr. Huxter. "Perhaps you'd like to send a -message."</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said John; "I don't think of any -message just at present."</p> - -<p>"You wouldn't like to send your love to Ben, -would you?" asked Mr. Huxter, jocosely.</p> - -<p>"I don't think I should," said John, quietly.</p> - -<p>"There isn't much love lost between you two, I -reckon."</p> - -<p>"We are not very good friends," said John, in the -same quiet tone.</p> - -<p>"I'm sure it's no wonder," said Mrs. Huxter; -"Ben was always a troublesome, headstrong boy."</p> - -<p>"Let me tell you, Mrs. Huxter," said her husband, -sharply, "it doesn't look very well in you to run -down your own relations."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Huxter thought it prudent not to reply.</p> - -<p>"Let me see," said Mr. Huxter, as they rose from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> -the table, "it's Friday,—too late in the week to begin -anything. You shall have till Monday morning -to look about you, and then we'll see if we can't find -something for you to do."</p> - -<p>Here was a disclosure for John. He had understood -that he was to board with Mr. Huxter. Now -it appeared that the latter intended to set him to work. -Had he any authority for doing so, and what was -John's duty under the circumstances. He wished -earnestly that he were able to consult Squire Selwyn -without delay, and this reminded him that his letter -had not yet gone. It would be useless to leave it -again at the village post-office. It must go from -some other. John had all the afternoon before him, -and if the next town were not too far off, he determined -to walk over and post his letter there. Not -wishing Mr. Huxter to have any clue to his plans, he -decided to obtain the necessary information, not from -Mrs. Huxter, though he did not doubt her willingness -to give it, but from some other person.</p> - -<p>He went out into the road, and began to walk slowly -in a direction opposite to that which he had taken -in the morning. It was the stage road he knew, and -was probably the most direct route to the next town.</p> - -<p>Our hero had walked about three-quarters of a mile, -when he heard a loud clattering sound behind him.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> -Turning around, he saw a farm-wagon, driven by a -boy of about his own age. It was but little past -noon, and the walk which might be a long one was -sure to be a hot one. As the boy-driver appeared to -be alone, and there was plenty of room for another, -John hailed him.</p> - -<p>"Hallo!" he called out. "Hold on a minute."</p> - -<p>"Whoa!" shouted the boy, and brought his horse -to a stop.</p> - -<p>"Are you going to the next village?" inquired John.</p> - -<p>"To Milbank, you mean?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said John, who was not quite sure whether -he meant it or not, but was willing to take the risk.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I'm going there. Don't you want a ride?"</p> - -<p>"That's just what I was going to ask. I'm willing -to pay for it."</p> - -<p>"I don't want any pay," said the boy; "I'd -rather have company than go alone."</p> - -<p>"How far is Milbank?"</p> - -<p>"It's a pretty good piece,—most five miles."</p> - -<p>John was glad he had not attempted to walk.</p> - -<p>"You don't live round here, do you?" asked John's -new acquaintance.</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"I thought I hadn't seen you. Whereabouts are -you stayin'?"</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 375px;"> -<img src="images/image5.jpg" width="375" height="586" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> - -<p>"At Mr. Huxter's."</p> - -<p>"Is he a relation of yours?" asked the boy, looking -at John with interest.</p> - -<p>"No, he isn't," said John, hastily, unwilling for a -moment to have it supposed that there was any such -tie between him and his temporary host.</p> - -<p>"Are you going to stay long?"</p> - -<p>John was not surprised at these questions, for in -the country, where he had always lived, it was the -rule to be inquisitive about other people's affairs, and -he felt that he ought to make some return for his -ride.</p> - -<p>"I don't think I shall," he said.</p> - -<p>He would like to have replied decidedly in the negative; -but he felt that he was by no means certain -about the length of his stay.</p> - -<p>"How do you like Huxter?" asked his new -acquaintance, with rather a comical look.</p> - -<p>"I've seen men I liked better," said John, smiling.</p> - -<p>"Shouldn't wonder," said the other. "He gets -awful tight sometimes."</p> - -<p>"It is a pity," said John, "for Mrs. Huxter seems -to be a good sort of a woman, and it must be hard -on her."</p> - -<p>"It would be hard for any woman to have such a -husband. I don't know Mrs. Huxter much, but I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> -never heard anything against her. I've a great mind -to tell you," said the boy, looking at John to judge -whether he appeared as if he might be trusted with a -secret, "a trick that one or two of the fellows played -on Mr. Huxter once when he was drunk. But you'll -be sure not to tell?"</p> - -<p>John, whose curiosity was somewhat excited, gave -the required promise.</p> - -<p>"You see," continued his informant, "I was walking -along with George Sprague one afternoon, when -we came across old Huxter lying side of the road as -drunk as he could be. George is rather a wild boy, and -always up to some mischief or other. That afternoon -he happened to have a little red paint, which he had got -at the painter's shop for his father to use. As soon as -we saw old Huxter snoring away, George winked to -me, and said, 'Huxter's nose is red, but I've a great -mind to make it a little redder. I should like to see -how the old fellow will look.' With that he took out -his brush, and touched Huxter's nose with it lightly, -making it as red as a brick. I was afraid he would -wake up and chase us, for he's pretty violent when -he's drunk; but he was too far gone, and never stirred. -George took the paint home, and then we came out -to see if Huxter had gone home. We found he had, -and we afterwards heard how the trick came out."</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 385px;"> -<img src="images/image6.jpg" width="385" height="581" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> - -<p>"When he got home and went into the kitchen, -Mrs. Huxter screamed as soon as she saw him.</p> - -<p>"'What's the matter with you?' he growled.</p> - -<p>"'O Mr. Huxter!' she said, clasping her hands, -'I knew that drinking would be the ruin of you.'</p> - -<p>"'Then you're a fool,' he said. 'Drinking a little -now and then don't do me any harm; but you're a -woman, and have no more sense than a kitten.'</p> - -<p>"'You don't believe me, look at your nose,' said -his wife.</p> - -<p>"'What's the matter with my nose?' asked old -Huxter, a little surprised.</p> - -<p>"'Look at it, and you won't be surprised at my -words.'</p> - -<p>"With that Huxter did look, and when he saw his -nose glaring red, he was pretty well frightened, I can -tell you. He had no more suspicion than his wife -that any one had been playing a trick upon him, and -he was afraid that his nose would always be so. He -got frightened and went to bed, and then asked his -wife to go for the doctor."</p> - -<p>"Did the doctor tell him how it was?"</p> - -<p>"No; he thought it would do him no harm to be -frightened a little; so he lectured him about his habits, -but told him that he thought he could cure him -this time by using a warm lotion. It was nothing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> -but warm water, with something put in to stain the -water and make him think it was something else; but -Huxter did not know that, and was very grateful to -the doctor for relieving him.</p> - -<p>"The fright had such an effect upon him that he -didn't drink anything for a whole week. Then he -began again, and got bolder by degrees, till now he's -as bad as ever."</p> - -<p>"How did you find out how the doctor treated the -case?"</p> - -<p>"Because George Sprague is the doctor's son. -The doctor told all about it at home as a good joke. -George heard it all, but never breathed a word to his -father about his being the one that painted Huxter's -nose. The doctor didn't say anything to George, -but he looked at him rather queerly, as if he had some -suspicion. It was a good joke,—wasn't it?"</p> - -<p>"It would have turned out pretty well if it had -stopped Mr. Huxter's drinking."</p> - -<p>"Nothing will do that. He's a pretty hard case -But you mustn't say a word about what I've been -telling you. It would get George and me into -trouble."</p> - -<p>"No, I won't say anything about it."</p> - -<p>"Where do you live?"</p> - -<p>"In Hampton."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Whereabouts is that? Is it far from here?"</p> - -<p>"About eighty miles, I should think. It lies to -the north."</p> - -<p>"Is it a pleasant place?"</p> - -<p>"I think so; but then I was born there, you know, -and perhaps that is the reason I think so."</p> - -<p>"Well, I was born in Jackson, but I don't think -much of it. I guess we'll move away next spring. -Father talks of selling his farm. What is your -name?"</p> - -<p>"My name is John Oakley."</p> - -<p>"And mine is David Wallace."</p> - -<p>The boys now felt thoroughly acquainted, and -chatted together on a variety of subjects, such as interest -boys. While they were in the midst of their -conversation, they came to a grist-mill.</p> - -<p>"I must stop here about ten minutes, to leave my -grain," said David. "The village is a mile further -on. If you'll wait I'll carry you there afterwards."</p> - -<p>"I don't want you to go just on my account," said -John.</p> - -<p>"I am going there any way," said David. "There -are better stores at Milbank than at home, and -mother asked me to buy her two or three things. So -you can come as well as not, and ride back too, if -you don't want to stay long."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Thank you, David," said John. "I shall be glad -to accept your offer. It's rather hot walking, and I -shan't want to stop but a few minutes. Shall you go -anywhere near the post-office?"</p> - -<p>"Close by."</p> - -<p>"I'll just run in there a minute."</p> - -<p>"Have you got anything else to do?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"You didn't set out to walk just to go to the Milbank -post-office, did you?" asked David, in some -surprise.</p> - -<p>"I had a letter to mail."</p> - -<p>"Couldn't you mail it at our post-office?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I could; but it wouldn't go."</p> - -<p>"Why not?"</p> - -<p>"I've a great mind to tell you. You told me one -secret, and I'll tell you another, but on the same condition,—you -won't tell anybody?"</p> - -<p>"I wish I may have my head chopped off if I do," -said David, earnestly.</p> - -<p>John felt sure that he could trust his new acquaintance, -though they had so recently been brought to -the knowledge of each other, and he wanted somebody -to confide in. So he gave David Wallace a -general idea of his story, not mentioning, however, -the will, as he could see no advantage in so doing.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span></p> - -<p>"So Huxter thinks you don't know anything of -his having stopped your letter?"</p> - -<p>"I am sure he does not."</p> - -<p>"It's a good joke on him. He will never think of -your coming so far to mail a letter."</p> - -<p>Part of this conversation took place after they had -left the mill, and were driving towards Milbank. -They were soon in the village. It was a much larger -and pleasanter place than Jackson, and much more -important also, being the county seat, and therefore -having a court-house and a jail. John looked around -him with interest, and did not dream how lucky he -was in taking this journey on this particular afternoon.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XVIII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">AN UNEXPECTED MEETING.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">"That</span> is the court-house," said David Wallace, -pointing out a brick building, surmounted by a -wooden cupola.</p> - -<p>John glanced at the building to which his attention -was thus called. He had hardly done so than he -started and uttered an exclamation of surprise.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter?" demanded David.</p> - -<p>"Won't you stop the horse?" asked John, hastily. -"I want to get out."</p> - -<p>"What for?"</p> - -<p>"There's a man I know. I want to speak to him."</p> - -<p>David stopped the horse, and John sprang to the -ground. He hurried to the gateway of the court-house, -by which a gentleman was just entering.</p> - -<p>"Squire Selwyn!" John called out.</p> - -<p>Mr. Selwyn, for it was indeed he, turned in surprise, -and could hardly believe his eyes.</p> - -<p>"John Oakley!" he exclaimed; "is it really you?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"How came you here?"</p> - -<p>"It is a long story, sir. Can you spare me fifteen -minutes? I had written you a letter, and was just -about to post it," said John.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I will spare you that time. Come into the -court-house with me, and we will find a chance to sit -down."</p> - -<p>"One minute, sir, and I will be with you."</p> - -<p>John returned to the wagon, and said to the surprised -David:—</p> - -<p>"It is the gentleman to whom I was going to post -a letter. I am going in to have a talk with him. I -won't trouble you to stop for me, but I can walk -home. I am very much obliged to you for bringing -me so far."</p> - -<p>"How long will you be?" asked David.</p> - -<p>"Half an hour perhaps."</p> - -<p>"I shall be here as long as that. I will go on and -do my errands, and stop here on my way back. -Then, if you are through, I will take you along. -You would find it warm walking."</p> - -<p>"You're very kind, David."</p> - -<p>"I'd rather have company than not. It makes the -time go quicker. So go ahead. It's all right."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span></p> - -<p>David started the horse, and John rejoined the -lawyer, who had been waiting for him.</p> - -<p>"You say you were just going to post me a -letter?" said Squire Selwyn.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"Of course you have it with you?"</p> - -<p>"Here it is."</p> - -<p>"I will read it. That will be the shortest way -of getting at what you wish to consult me about. -After I have read it, I will ask any questions that -seem needful. But first we will come in."</p> - -<p>They entered the court-house, and went into a -room to the left, where they found seats. Squire -Selwyn put on his spectacles, and read the letter -slowly and deliberately.</p> - -<p>"You are in a difficult position, John," he said, -when he had finished reading. "You are very unpleasantly -situated, I should judge."</p> - -<p>"Very, sir."</p> - -<p>"And this Mr. Huxter doesn't seem a very agreeable -man to have dealings with?"</p> - -<p>"I should be very unhappy if I expected to be -obliged to stay with him."</p> - -<p>"You say he is intemperate?"</p> - -<p>"He drank several times on his way back in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> -stage, and the boy with whom I rode over says he -has been intemperate for years."</p> - -<p>"Certainly he is not a fit person to have charge of -you. Does he know that you have come over here -to-day?"</p> - -<p>"No, sir."</p> - -<p>"It is evidently Mrs. Oakley's intention that you -you should not be allowed to communicate with me, -or any of your other friends in Hampton. So, no -doubt, she has instructed her brother. There must -be some motive for this."</p> - -<p>Squire Selwyn looked thoughtfully at John as he -said this, perhaps with a view of drawing out John's -opinion.</p> - -<p>"I think," said John, hesitatingly, "that she is -going to look for the will."</p> - -<p>"I won't say whether I agree with you or not," -said Squire Selwyn, cautiously. "It is not best to -charge any one with wrong thoughts or intentions -too hastily, but it is well to be prepared for what -may be done to our disadvantage. Of course it is -for your interest that the will should be found, provided -the discovery is made public."</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"But would Mrs. Oakley make it public, if found,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -when it is for her interest to keep it concealed? -That is an important question."</p> - -<p>"She can do what she pleases so far as I am concerned. -She has sent me away from home, where I -shall know nothing that is going on."</p> - -<p>"In one sense you are wholly in the power of -your stepmother," said the lawyer; "but you will -have some one to look after your interests. Your -father was my friend, and you are my son's friend. -I shall do what I can in your behalf."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, sir," said John, gratefully. "I -felt sure you would, and that is why I wrote to you -at once."</p> - -<p>"As soon as I return to Hampton,—and that -will be to-morrow,—I will call on Mrs. Oakley, and, -without letting her know how I came by the information, -will set before her your present position, and -demand that she pursue a different course. The -result I will communicate to you. How do you wish -me to direct any letter I may have occasion to -write?"</p> - -<p>"To Milbank, if you please, Squire Selwyn. If -directed to Jackson, I feel sure that it would fall into -Mr. Huxter's hands."</p> - -<p>"And never reach you. Very likely you are -right. Then I will direct to Milbank, and will write<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> -at once upon having my interview with Mrs. Oakley."</p> - -<p>"Suppose Mr. Huxter ill-treats me in the mean -time?" suggested John. "I think it is his intention -to set me to work next week."</p> - -<p>"Did he not say you were boarding with him?"</p> - -<p>"That is what Mrs. Oakley said in her letter."</p> - -<p>"Then if he is paid a full price for your board, I -do not see that he has any claim upon your services. -It is better, however, to avoid cause of quarrel until -you hear from me."</p> - -<p>"And if you cannot induce Mrs. Oakley to change -her plans?" asked John. "You wouldn't advise me -to stay with Mr. Huxter?"</p> - -<p>"Didn't your father have a married sister?" inquired -Squire Selwyn. "I think I have heard so."</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir. Her husband kept a country store in -the town of Wilton."</p> - -<p>"That is about fifty miles to the westward. Well, -though I don't in general approve of a boy's running -away, it might be advisable, should your stepmother -continue obstinate, and Mr. Huxter seem disposed -to abuse you, to leave here, and seek out your aunt. -Should you make this change, you would of course -immediately communicate with me."</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir. Thank you for the advice. I never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> -thought of that before; but I think it is the best thing -I could do."</p> - -<p>"Have you any money, John?" asked Squire -Selwyn, putting his hand into his pocket.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir; thank you. I have thirty dollars."</p> - -<p>"Indeed!" said the lawyer, surprised. "Did -Mrs. Oakley supply you with so much?"</p> - -<p>"No, sir; but when my father was alive he gave -me an allowance of a dollar a week pocket-money. -I had saved up thirty dollars, thinking I might some -time want to make a large purchase,—a row-boat, or -something of that kind. When I came away with -Mr. Huxter, I thought I had better bring it with me."</p> - -<p>"It is lucky you did so. You may have occasion -to use it. Does Mr. Huxter know you have this -money?"</p> - -<p>"He knows I have some money," said John, "but -probably does not suspect how much."</p> - -<p>"I advise you to take care of it then. Such a man -is not to be trusted. If he claims the power of controlling -you, he may demand this money."</p> - -<p>"I don't think he will get it," said John, resolutely.</p> - -<p>"I hope not. You were always a quiet boy; but -I have observed that you were not deficient in firmness."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I hope you don't think me obstinate, Squire -Selwyn," said John, smiling.</p> - -<p>"No, I don't think you that."</p> - -<p>"If I find myself in the wrong I am always ready -to confess it and give up."</p> - -<p>"That's right, my lad. It's a thing that some of -us who are much older than you find it hard to do. -By the way, I suppose you wonder how I happen to -be here so opportunely for you."</p> - -<p>"I have been wondering all the time, but did not -like to ask."</p> - -<p>"One of my clients placed some business in my -hands relating to property which required me to consult -the county records of this county."</p> - -<p>"You didn't come through by the stage?"</p> - -<p>"No, I thought it too long and tedious. So I -came by a roundabout way which left me only -twenty miles' staging. I travelled a greater number -of miles than you, but in considerably less time. -Now, John, is there anything more I can do for you -before I set about the particular business which -called me here?"</p> - -<p>"No, sir, thank you. At least I think of nothing."</p> - -<p>"One thing at least let me say. We don't know -how this affair is coming out. Your stepmother may<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -prove wholly unmanageable, especially as the power -is in her hands, as things are at present situated. -Should there come a time when you have need of -further money, let me know frankly, and I will see -what I can do for you."</p> - -<p>"You are very kind indeed, sir," said John, -earnestly.</p> - -<p>"I certainly ought to be. When I came to -Hampton, a young lawyer and without acquaintances, -your father took me by the hand, and placed -his business in my hands, and influenced others to do -the same. So I consider that he laid the foundation -of my present prosperity, and therefore I shall not -desert his son while he is in trouble."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Squire Selwyn," said John. "I did -not know what you just told me; but I did know that -my father looked upon you as one of his most valued -friends."</p> - -<p>"Well, John, good-by," said the lawyer, kindly, -extending his hand. "Keep up a good heart, and -something may turn up which may set matters right. -Be sure to keep me apprised of your movements, and -rely upon me to do what I can for you in Hampton."</p> - -<p>John left the court-house much encouraged by the -friendly words of Squire Selwyn. He felt that he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> -would prove a powerful friend, and his burden of care -was diminished now that he had communicated his -situation to such a friend.</p> - -<p>Just then David Wallace drove up to the gate in -his wagon.</p> - -<p>"Have you got through your talk?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Just finished."</p> - -<p>"Jump aboard then, and we'll be getting home."</p> - -<p>"I've been pretty lucky to-day, David," said -John.</p> - -<p>"How's that?"</p> - -<p>"In the first place, in finding my letter by the -side of the road. But for that I should have thought -it had gone straight. Next in meeting you, and -being saved a hot walk; and again in just meeting the -very man I wanted most to see."</p> - -<p>"There's one thing you forgot," said David, -roguishly.</p> - -<p>"What's that?"</p> - -<p>"The affectionate welcome you'll get from old -Huxter when you reach home."</p> - -<p>"I don't count much on that," said John, smiling -in return.</p> - -<p>"I'm glad you've overreached the old fellow," -said David.</p> - -<p>"He thinks he's overreached me."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I know it. That makes it all the better."</p> - -<p>John reached his temporary home about four -o'clock. Mr. Huxter was not at home when he arrived, -and remained ignorant of the important interview -which had taken place between John and Squire -Selwyn.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XIX.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">ON THE TRACK.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">When</span> the stage which conveyed John and Mr. -Huxter was fairly out of sight Mrs. Oakley entered -the house with a great feeling of relief. She realized -for the first time how she had been constrained by -the presence of her stepson. Though he had always -been respectful, there was an unuttered reproach in -his frank, fearless glance, which made her uncomfortable. -It was the tribute which a mean and wicked -nature pays to one of greater nobility, though Mrs. -Oakley did not acknowledge that. She only felt glad -that John was out of the way.</p> - -<p>She had been so fearful that something might -happen to prevent the success of her plan, that she -had been careful not to make Ben acquainted with it. -She was apprehensive that Ben would, in his exultation, -lead John to suspect what was going on, and so -cause him to refuse going. Now that he was fairly -off she would tell her son the good news.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span></p> - -<p>Ben came down to breakfast late. He generally -had his way now, and was seldom present at the -regular breakfast hour. It was different when Squire -Oakley was alive; but then many other things were -different also.</p> - -<p>"Benjamin is delicate," she said, one morning in -presence of the servant. "He needs more sleep than -the rest of us."</p> - -<p>"Maybe it's smoking cigars makes him delicate," -suggested the servant, who did not particularly admire -Ben, or care to join his mother in making allowances -for him.</p> - -<p>Her mistress silenced her with some asperity; but -nevertheless took an opportunity to speak to Ben on -the subject. But that young gentleman only laughed -at her remonstrances.</p> - -<p>"It does me good, mother," he said. "I always -feel better after smoking a good cigar."</p> - -<p>"It seems to me you are growing pale," said Mrs. -Oakley, whose heart was full of tenderness where -Ben was concerned.</p> - -<p>"That's all nonsense," said Ben. "I'm not as red -as a beet, and I don't want to be. But as to being -pale, I'm healthy enough. Don't worry yourself."</p> - -<p>With this Mrs. Oakley had to be contented, for -Ben, though a coward with his equals, had sense<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> -enough to take advantage of his mother's weak -partiality, and take his own way.</p> - -<p>When Ben came down to breakfast on the morning -of his uncle's departure, he said in an indifferent -tone:—</p> - -<p>"Has that man gone?"</p> - -<p>"Do you refer to your uncle, Benjamin?" asked -Mrs. Oakley, not altogether pleased to hear Mr. -Huxter spoken of in that style, though she felt no -very warm attachment for him herself.</p> - -<p>"I mean Mr. Huxter," said Ben, carelessly, breaking -an egg as he spoke.</p> - -<p>"He is your uncle."</p> - -<p>"I don't mean to call him so. I'm ashamed of the -relationship."</p> - -<p>"He is my brother."</p> - -<p>"That's your misfortune," said Ben. "All I -know is, that I hope he won't darken our doors -again."</p> - -<p>"What have you against him?"</p> - -<p>"He's a coarse, low man. He isn't a gentleman. -You're a rich woman now, mother. You'd better cut -his acquaintance. He won't do us any credit. You -haven't invited him to come again, I hope."</p> - -<p>"I don't think he will come again very soon."</p> - -<p>"He'd better not. How can you expect people to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> -forget that you were the late Mr. Oakley's house-keeper -if you show them such a man as that as your -brother?"</p> - -<p>This argument had weight with Mrs. Oakley. She -wanted to be looked upon as a lady, and she acknowledged -to herself that Mr. Huxter's relationship -would be no credit to her. He was coarse and low, as -Ben said,—not because he was poor. Wealth would -have made no difference in him, except that it might -have enabled him to dress better. It would not have -diminished the redness of his nose, for instance, or -refined his manners. Mrs. Oakley, however, made -no comment on what Ben had said, but remarked:—</p> - -<p>"At any rate, Ben, your uncle has done us a good -turn."</p> - -<p>"What is that, mother?" asked Ben.</p> - -<p>"John has gone with him."</p> - -<p>"Gone home with him?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"How long is he going to stay?"</p> - -<p>"For good."</p> - -<p>"How's that? I don't understand."</p> - -<p>"John was in the way here. You and he could -not agree,—not that I blame you for that,—and -I did not like him. Therefore I made an arrangement<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> -with my brother to have John board with him. I -don't suppose you'll miss him much."</p> - -<p>"It'll be a lucky miss," said Ben, emphatically. -"But John's rather stubborn. How did you get him -to go?"</p> - -<p>"He doesn't know he is to stay. I told him I -wanted him to go back with your uncle, in order to -attend to a little business for me. When he gets -there he'll find out what it is."</p> - -<p>"Won't he rave, though?" exclaimed Ben, laughing -heartily. "He'll find it a healthy old boarding-house."</p> - -<p>"I wish you wouldn't use such language, Ben," -said his mother. "It is my great ambition to see -you act and talk like a gentleman."</p> - -<p>"So I do, mother. That's just the way they -talk."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley looked rather incredulous.</p> - -<p>"I say, mother, is Uncle Huxter going to prepare -John for college?"</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley laughed—heartily for her.</p> - -<p>"Your uncle's shoe-shop will be the only college -John will enter," she said.</p> - -<p>"Do you mean that he is to peg shoes?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"His pride will have a pretty hard fall."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I mean that it shall," said Mrs. Oakley, compressing -her thin lips.</p> - -<p>"Well, I don't envy John. Every dog has his day, -and he has had his. It's our turn now. Another cup -of coffee, and not so weak as the last."</p> - -<p>"I don't think such strong coffee is good for you, -Benjamin."</p> - -<p>"Oh bother, don't be a granny," said Ben, rudely. -"Anybody'd think I was a baby."</p> - -<p>This was the way in which Ben addressed his -mother, who deserved his gratitude at least, for she -was to him a devoted and self-sacrificing mother, -however faulty might be her conduct towards John.</p> - -<p>At length Ben's late breakfast was over, and he -left the house to resort to his accustomed haunt,—the -hotel bar-room and billiard saloon.</p> - -<p>"I wish Ben cared more about study, and was -more ambitious," thought Mrs. Oakley, with a half -sigh. "If I could only make him feel as I do!"</p> - -<p>It would have been fortunate for Ben if he had -inherited his mother's energy and ambition. The -ambition was not a noble one; but at least it would -have kept him from low haunts and bad associates, -which were all he cared about at present. Though -all his mother's worldly plans should succeed, this -was the point in which they were likely to fail. Mrs.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> -Oakley's punishment would come in all probability -through the son for whom she was willing to sacrifice -justice and duty.</p> - -<p>When Ben had left the house, Mrs. Oakley began -to concentrate her thoughts upon that which had first -led her to determine upon John's banishment. This -was the hidden will. She could not feel assured of -her position until that was found. Until now she -had not felt at full liberty to search. She had feared -that John might come upon her unexpectedly, and -divine her object. Now there was no fear of interruption. -She could ransack the house from top to -bottom, and no one would understand the motive -of her search. She had not communicated her intention -to Ben. She trusted in his discretion too -little to confide to him any secret of importance, for -she was a shrewd and prudent woman.</p> - -<p>On this particular morning she had a feeling that -she had never had before. There was a confidence -that she had never before experienced that success -awaited her.</p> - -<p>"I must and will find it," she thought. "This is -not a large house. Then there are some parts of it -that need not be searched. Mr. Oakley would never -have hidden his will in the servants' rooms, nor in the -kitchen. Everywhere else I will search. Let me go<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> -to work systematically and thoroughly. This time -it shall not be my fault if it escapes me."</p> - -<p>There was a small room on the lower floor, where -the late Mr. Oakley used to do the most of his writing. -This has already been referred to. Here he -kept a desk, and this desk more than once had been -searched by Mrs. Oakley. She determined to search -it once more, but only for form's sake.</p> - -<p>"He did not mean that I should find it," she -thought. "Therefore he did not conceal it where I -should be certain to look first."</p> - -<p>So, though she searched the desk, she was not disappointed -when this search, like the preceding, resulted -in bringing nothing to light.</p> - -<p>"It is as I thought," she said. "Where shall I -search next?"</p> - -<p>She selected her own bedchamber, though here, for -obvious reasons, she had little hopes of finding the -missing document.</p> - -<p>"He wouldn't place it under my very eyes," she -said. "Of course I know that. Still I cannot afford -to leave a single place unexplored."</p> - -<p>The result justified her anticipations. So room -after room was searched, and no clue was obtained.</p> - -<p>"He wouldn't put it under the carpet," she -thought.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> - -<p>Yet the thought seemed worth following up. She -got down on her hands and knees, and felt of every -square foot of carpeting in the several rooms to see -if she could detect beneath the pressure of any paper. -In one place there was a rustle, and she eagerly tore -up the carpet. But nothing was revealed save a -loose piece of newspaper, which by some chance had -got underneath. Disappointed, she nailed down the -carpet again.</p> - -<p>Where else should she look? All at once a luminous -idea came to her.</p> - -<p>John's room,—his old room, of course! Why had -she never thought of that? John, of course, was the -one who would be most benefited by the new will. -If by any chance it should be discovered by him, no -harm would result. His father would trust John, -when he would not have trusted her or Ben. Mrs. -Oakley could not help acknowledging to herself that -in that he was right. What strengthened her in this -view was, that among the articles of furniture was an -old desk which had belonged to Squire Oakley's -father. It was battered and defaced by hard usage, -and had been at one time banished to the attic. But -John, who was accustomed to study in his room, felt -that this old desk would be of use to him, and he had -asked to have it transferred to his own chamber.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> -There had been no objection to this, and the transfer -took place about a year before Squire Oakley's death. -It had stood in John's room ever since.</p> - -<p>When the new idea came to Mrs. Oakley, she -thought at once of this old desk as the probable repository -of the will. Her eyes sparkled with anticipated -triumph.</p> - -<p>"I was a fool not to think of this before," she -said. "If the will is anywhere in the house, it is in -John's room, and in that old desk. At last I am on -the right track!"</p> - -<p>With a hurried step she entered John's room. -Her hands trembled with nervous agitation. She -felt that she was on the brink of an important discovery.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XX.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MRS. OAKLEY FINDS THE WILL.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Mrs. Oakley</span> commenced her examination of the -old desk, thoroughly convinced that if the missing -will were in existence at all, it was hidden there.</p> - -<p>It was one of those old desks and bureaus combined, -which were so common in the days of our -grandfathers. In the drawers beneath, John had -been accustomed to keep his clothing; in the desk -above, writing materials, and some small articles of -no particular importance. These he had not had -time to remove before his unexpected departure.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley turned those over impatiently, and -explored every drawer hurriedly. But she did not -discover what she had expected to find. This first -failure, however, did not surprise her. She did not -expect to find the will lying loosely in any of the -drawers. But she suspected that some one drawer -might have a false bottom, beneath which the important -document would prove to be concealed. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> -therefore carefully examined every drawer with a view -to the discovery of such a place of concealment. But -to her disappointment she obtained no clue. The -drawers seemed honestly made. For the first time -Mrs. Oakley began to doubt whether the will were -really in existence. She had searched everywhere, -and it could not be found.</p> - -<p>"I wish I could be sure," she said to herself. "I -would give five hundred dollars this minute to be -sure that there was no will. Then I should feel -secure in the possession of my money. But to feel -that at any moment a paper may turn up depriving -me of forty thousand dollars keeps me in constant -anxiety."</p> - -<p>She gave up the search for the day, having domestic -duties to attend to. She tried to persuade herself -that her fears and anxieties were without foundation, -but in this she was unsuccessful. She permitted a -day to slip by, but on the second day she again visited -John's room. The old desk seemed to have a -fascination for her.</p> - -<p>This time she turned the desk around, and passed -her hand slowly over the back. Just when she was -about to relinquish the attempt in despair, success -came.</p> - -<p>Suddenly beneath her finger a concealed spring was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> -unconsciously touched, and a thin drawer sprang -from the recesses of the desk. Mrs. Oakley's eyes -sparkled with the sense of approaching triumph, as -she perceived carefully laid away therein a paper -compactly folded.</p> - -<p>With fingers trembling with nervous agitation she -opened it. She had not been deceived. <i>The missing -will lay outspread before her!</i> Mrs. Oakley read it -carefully.</p> - -<p>It was drawn up with the usual formalities, as -might have been expected, being the work of a careful -lawyer. It revoked all other wills of a previous -date, and bequeathed in express terms two-thirds of -the entire estate left by the testator to his only son, -John. Squire Selwyn was appointed executor, and -guardian of said John, should he be under age at the -time of his father's death. The remaining third of -the property was willed to Mrs. Jane Oakley, should -she survive her husband; otherwise to her son Benjamin -in the event of his mother's previous death.</p> - -<p>Such was the substance of Squire Oakley's last will -and testament, now for the first time revealed.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley read it with mingled feelings,—partly -of indignation with her late husband that he -should have made such a will, partly of joy that no -one save herself knew of its existence. She held in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> -her hand a document which in John Oakley's hands -would be worth forty thousand dollars if she permitted -him to obtain it. But she had no such intention. -What should be done with it?</p> - -<p>Should she lock it up carefully where it would not -be likely to be found? There would be danger of -discovery at any moment.</p> - -<p>"It must be destroyed," she said to herself, resolutely. -"There is no other way. A single match -will make me secure in the possession of the estate."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley knew that it was a criminal act which -she had in view; but the chance of detection seemed -to be slight. In fact, since no one <i>knew</i> that such a -will was in existence, though some might suspect it, -there seemed to be no danger at all.</p> - -<p>"Yes, it shall be destroyed and at once. There -can be no reason for delay," she said firmly.</p> - -<p>She crossed the entry into her own chamber, first -closing the secret drawer, and moving the old desk -back to its accustomed place. There was a candle -on the mantel-piece, which she generally lighted at -night. She struck a match, and lighted it now. -This done, she approached the will to the flame, and -the corner of the document so important to John Oakley -caught fire, and the insidious flame began to -spread. Mrs. Oakley watched it with exulting eyes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -when a sudden step was heard at the door of her -chamber, and, turning, she saw Hannah, the servant-girl, -standing on the threshold, looking in.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley half rose, withdrawing the will from -the candle, and demanded harshly:—</p> - -<p>"What brought you here?"</p> - -<p>"Shall I go out to the garden and get some vegetables -for dinner?" asked Hannah.</p> - -<p>"Of course you may. You needn't have come up -here to ask," said her mistress, with irritation.</p> - -<p>"I didn't know whether you would want any," -said Hannah, defending herself. "There was some -cold vegetables left from yesterday's dinner. I -thought maybe you'd have them warmed over."</p> - -<p>"Well, if there are enough left you may warm -them. I'll come down just as soon as I can. I have -been looking over some old papers of my husband's," -she explained, rather awkwardly, perceiving that -Hannah's eyes were bent curiously upon the will and -the candle, "and burning such as were of no value. -Do you know what time it is?"</p> - -<p>"Most eleven, by the kitchen clock," said Hannah.</p> - -<p>"Then you had better go down, and hurry about -dinner."</p> - -<p>"I can take down the old papers, and put them in -the kitchen stove," suggested Hannah.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It's of no consequence," said Mrs. Oakley, hastily. -"I will attend to that myself."</p> - -<p>"Mrs. Oakley seems queer this morning," thought -Hannah, as she turned and descended the stairs to -her professional duties in the kitchen. "I wonder -what made her jump so when I came in, and what -that paper is that she was burning up in the candle."</p> - -<p>Hannah had never heard of the will, and was unacquainted -with legal technicalities, and therefore -her suspicions were not excited. She only wondered -what made Mrs. Oakley seem so queer.</p> - -<p>When she went out Mrs. Oakley sat in doubt.</p> - -<p>"Hannah came in at a most unlucky moment," she -said to herself, with vexation. "Could she have -suspected anything? If she should breathe a word -of this, and it should get to that lawyer's ears, I -might get into trouble."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley held the will in her hand irresolutely. -Should she follow out her first intention, and burn it? -A feeling of apprehension as to the possible consequences -of her act prevented her. The flame had -gone out, leaving the corner scorched, and slightly -burned; but apart from this the will was uninjured.</p> - -<p>After a pause of deliberation, Mrs. Oakley blew -out the candle, and, taking the will, opened the upper -drawer of her bureau, and deposited it carefully inside.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> -She locked it securely, and, putting the key in her -pocket, went downstairs.</p> - -<p>Before doing so, however, she went to the closet -in which she kept her wardrobe, and, selecting a -handsome silk cape, took it down with her.</p> - -<p>"Hannah," she said, "here's a cape I shall not -use again. It doesn't fit me exactly. If you would -like it, it is yours."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, ma'am," said the astonished Hannah, -for this was the first present she had ever received -from her mistress; "you're very kind indeed. -It is an elegant cape."</p> - -<p>"Yes, it is a nice one. I am glad you like it."</p> - -<p>"The mistress must be crazy," thought the bewildered -Hannah. "I never knew her to do such a -thing before, and I've lived here three years come -October."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXI.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">SQUIRE SELWYN'S CALL.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Mrs. Oakley's</span> door-bell rang, and Hannah answered -the summons.</p> - -<p>"Is Mrs. Oakley at home?" inquired Squire Selwyn, -for it was he.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir. Will you walk in?"</p> - -<p>"I think I will. Let her know that I wish to see -her, if you please."</p> - -<p>Hannah did as directed.</p> - -<p>"Squire Selwyn?" asked Mrs. Oakley. "Where -is he?"</p> - -<p>"In the parlor."</p> - -<p>"Very well. I will go in at once."</p> - -<p>"Has he found out anything about John, I wonder?" -thought Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Good-morning, sir," she said, as she entered the -lawyer's presence.</p> - -<p>"Good-morning, Mrs. Oakley."</p> - -<p>"Is your family well?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Quite well. My son tells me that John has been -absent from school for two or three days past."</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"He is not sick, I suppose?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"You will excuse my questions; but his father -and myself were very intimate friends. Is he at -home?"</p> - -<p>"No, he is not."</p> - -<p>"I suppose you have no objection to telling me -where he is?"</p> - -<p>"Suppose I have?" said Mrs. Oakley, coolly.</p> - -<p>"Then I should think it very strange."</p> - -<p>"You are at liberty to think it very strange," said -Mrs. Oakley, composedly.</p> - -<p>"Why should you object to telling me that he -went away with your brother, Mr. Huxter, and is -now at his house?"</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley started in surprise. The lawyer was -better informed than she supposed.</p> - -<p>"If you knew," she answered, after a slight pause, -"why need you inquire?"</p> - -<p>"I wished to know whether you had sent him -away, intending to keep his destination a secret."</p> - -<p>"I suppose he has written to you."</p> - -<p>"He did write to me; but the letter was suppressed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -by your brother. May I inquire whether this was by -your wish?"</p> - -<p>"What you tell me is news to me," said Mrs. -Oakley; "but I have no hesitation in saying that -my brother understands my wishes, and will carry -them out."</p> - -<p>"I am answered," said the lawyer. "Is it your -intention to permit John to continue his studies preparatory -for college?"</p> - -<p>"It is not."</p> - -<p>"It was his father's wish and intention. That -wish ought to be sacred with you."</p> - -<p>"I understand my duty."</p> - -<p>"I trust you will do something more than understand -it," said the lawyer, gravely. "I must remonstrate -with you on your intentions with regard to -John. He is an excellent scholar, and his abilities -are superior. It would be a great pity that he should -be debarred from the privilege of a college education."</p> - -<p>"You say he is an excellent scholar," said Mrs. -Oakley. "Then, if his education is already so excellent, -there is no further need of his studying. He -can begin to earn his living."</p> - -<p>"Surely you do not mean what you say. If he -were poor, and such a necessity existed, it would be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> -well enough that he should go to work; but you well -know that no such necessity exists."</p> - -<p>"I am not going to support him in idleness," said -Mrs. Oakley, coolly.</p> - -<p>"As a student in college he would lead far from -an idle life," said the lawyer. "Study is hard work, -and college distinction is never won by a lazy student."</p> - -<p>"It may be work, though to my mind it is not; -but it brings in no money."</p> - -<p>"Not at first, perhaps, but it prepares the student -for remunerative employment in after life."</p> - -<p>"I don't think much of colleges."</p> - -<p>Though Mrs. Oakley said this, she would have -been very glad to have Ben in college, not that she -cared so much to have him a scholar, but it would -give him a good social standing.</p> - -<p>"I don't know," said Squire Selwyn, rather -sharply, for he was getting out of patience with Mrs. -Oakley,—"I don't know that it matters much what -your opinion of colleges is. It was, as you know, -the desire and intention of your late husband that -John should enter college. It is your moral duty to -carry out that intention."</p> - -<p>"I don't care to be told what is my duty," said -Mrs. Oakley, her eyes flashing.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Do you propose to be independent of public -opinion?"</p> - -<p>"Perhaps you mean your opinion?"</p> - -<p>"Not mine alone. Let me tell you, Mrs. Oakley, -that in defrauding John Oakley of the privileges -which his father meant him to enjoy, you are wronging -the dead as well as the living,—not John alone, -but the dead husband from whom all your money -comes."</p> - -<p>"He chose to leave all his money to me," said -Mrs. Oakley, "Probably he thought that I would -know how to dispose of it without outside advice."</p> - -<p>"I am not so sure that he did leave his money to -you," said the lawyer, significantly.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley flushed. Could he know that the will -was found? Involuntarily she put her hand to her -pocket, where the will was at that moment lying concealed. -But a moment's reflection satisfied her that -Hannah, who had not left the house, could not have had -a communication with Squire Selwyn. Besides, there -was no probability of Hannah's suspecting the nature -of the document which she had seen in the candle.</p> - -<p>"You have not forgotten that there was a will executed -three months before Mr. Oakley died," added -Squire Selwyn,—"a will by which John would have -come into possession of two-thirds of the estate."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I have heard a great deal about that will," retorted -Mrs. Oakley. "Undoubtedly my husband -destroyed it, as unjust to me."</p> - -<p>"I don't see how it was unjust to you. It left the -property as the law would have left it."</p> - -<p>"Very well, where is the will? If you will produce -it, I shall of course surrender to John all except -the third which comes to me."</p> - -<p>"I wish I could produce it."</p> - -<p>"But you can't," said Mrs. Oakley, triumphantly, -looking the lawyer in the face.</p> - -<p>"In my opinion it has never been properly -searched for," said the lawyer. "I have the strongest -reason to believe that it exists."</p> - -<p>"May I inquire what is that reason?" asked Mrs. -Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Oakley, in his last sickness, spoke to John -about the will."</p> - -<p>"What did he say about it?" asked the lady. -"This is the first I have heard of it."</p> - -<p>"Unfortunately he was so low that he was unable -to declare where it was."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley looked relieved.</p> - -<p>"But John heard the words 'secret drawer.'"</p> - -<p>"Then you conclude that the will is still in existence."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I do."</p> - -<p>"And where do you think it is?"</p> - -<p>"Somewhere in this house," said Squire Selwyn, -emphatically.</p> - -<p>"It is strange then that it has not been found," -said Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"I do not think so. If hidden in a secret drawer, -it would naturally be difficult to find."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley rapidly made up her mind what to do. -She saw that Squire Selwyn was suspicious of her. -By a show of fair dealing she could allay those suspicions, -and this would be worth while.</p> - -<p>"If this will exists," she said, "it ought to be -found."</p> - -<p>"So I think," said the lawyer, surprised to hear -her speak thus.</p> - -<p>"And though its discovery would be to my disadvantage, -I certainly shall not object to a search. Are -you at leisure now to assist me in such a search?"</p> - -<p>"I am," said the lawyer. "I think there is no -time like the present."</p> - -<p>"Then let us begin in this very room."</p> - -<p>"It wouldn't be likely to be here. Still it is best -not to slight any possible place of concealment."</p> - -<p>Assisted by Mrs. Oakley, Squire Selwyn commenced -a strict search, beginning with the parlor,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> -and proceeding from room to room. He little suspected -how near him the document was all the time. -Of course the search proved fruitless.</p> - -<p>"There is one room which has not yet been -searched," said Mrs. Oakley,—"the only one except -the kitchen, in which Mr. Oakley would be hardly -likely to conceal it. I mean my own room."</p> - -<p>"There's no occasion to search there."</p> - -<p>"I would prefer that the search should be thorough. -Here are my keys. I would rather have you go up."</p> - -<p>Thus requested, Squire Selwyn complied with the -request. He returned from the quest disappointed.</p> - -<p>"It is very strange," he thought. "I am firmly -convinced that my friend Oakley left a will in existence. -But where is it?"</p> - -<p>That question he was unable to answer.</p> - -<p>"I cannot find the will," he said.</p> - -<p>"I am glad you have searched," said Mrs. Oakley. -"The fact that I have given you every facility for -searching proves that I am perfectly willing that my -husband's will should be carried out."</p> - -<p>"And his wishes as well?"</p> - -<p>"What do you refer to?"</p> - -<p>"I refer to John's education."</p> - -<p>"I have made up my mind as to that," said Mrs. -Oakley, briefly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Do you consider your brother's house a suitable -home for Mr. Oakley's son?"</p> - -<p>"Why not?" she demanded, sharply.</p> - -<p>"Do you think, in setting him to work in a shoe-shop, -you are doing as his father wished?"</p> - -<p>"I do not know where you got your information, -Mr. Selwyn," said Mrs. Oakley, angrily, "but I must -tell you that you are meddling with business that -does not concern you. As you were my husband's -lawyer, and drew up the will which you thought in -existence, I have asked you to search for it; I have -even opened my own chamber to your search. You -ought to be satisfied by this time that you are mistaken. -In doing this, I have done all that I intend -doing. I shall take my own course with John Oakley, -who is dependent upon me, and whatever you -choose to think or say can have no effect upon me. -Good-afternoon, sir."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley swept from the room, and Squire Selwyn -left the house, feeling that his visit had not benefited -John in the slightest degree. That night he -wrote John a letter.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MR. HUXTER GETS INTO HOT WATER.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">It</span> was Mr. Huxter's intention to set John to work -as soon as possible; but it so happened that the shoe -business, in which he was engaged, had been for some -time unusually dull, and had not yet revived. To this -circumstance our hero was indebted for the comparative -freedom which for a few days he was permitted -to enjoy. During that time he was waiting anxiously -for the expected letter from Squire Selwyn. -He wished to know whether his stepmother was resolutely -determined upon her present course with regard -to himself, before he decided to take the matter -into his own hands, and help himself in his own way. -Upon one thing he was fully resolved,—not to remain -much longer a member of Mr. Huxter's household.</p> - -<p>As the letter was to come to the Milbank post-office, -on the fourth afternoon he walked over to that -village. This time he was not fortunate enough to -meet David Wallace, and therefore had a long and -tiresome walk.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Is there a letter here for John Oakley?" he inquired -of the postmaster.</p> - -<p>"John Oakley," said the old official, looking under -his glasses. "Do you live round here?"</p> - -<p>"I am passing a short time in the neighborhood," -said John.</p> - -<p>The postmaster took some time to adjust his spectacles, -and a longer time in looking over the letters. -John waited anxiously, fearing that he had -taken the long walk for nothing. But he was destined -to be more fortunate.</p> - -<p>"You said your name was John Oakley?" repeated -the official, balancing a letter in his hand.</p> - -<p>"Yes," said John, quickly.</p> - -<p>"Then here's a letter for you. It looks like Squire -Selwyn's writing."</p> - -<p>"It is from him," said John.</p> - -<p>"Then you know him?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said John, mechanically, impatiently tearing -open the letter.</p> - -<p>"He's a good lawyer, the squire is," said the postmaster. -"He was here only last week."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I saw him."</p> - -<p>This was the letter which John received:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p style="margin-top: 1.5em;">"<span class="smcap">My dear young Friend</span>:—I called upon your stepmother -yesterday in the afternoon, hoping to induce her to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> -adopt different measures with regard to yourself. I regret -to say that I failed utterly in my mission. She will not -permit you to go to college, declaring that you have already -a sufficient education. Nor will she remove you from -the house of Mr. Huxter, though I represented that he was -not a proper person to have the charge of you.</p> - -<p>"We had some conversation about the missing will. I -was a little surprised by her suggesting that I should search -the house for it. I was glad of the opportunity, and proceeded -to do so. I made the search as thorough as possible, -but discovered nothing. I still believe, however, that -the will is in existence, <i>unless it has been destroyed since your -father's death</i>.</p> - -<p>"I hardly know what to advise under the circumstances. -If you should leave Mr. Huxter, I advise you to seek your -aunt at Wilton, and I shall be glad to hear from you when -you have arrived there. If you should need money, do not -hesitate to apply to me, remembering that I am your father's -friend."</p> - -<p> "Your true friend,</p> -<p style="text-align: right;"><span class="smcap">James Selwyn</span>."</p> - -<p>"P. S. I enclose a few lines from Sam."</p> -</blockquote> - -<p style="margin-top: 1.5em;">There was another sheet inside the envelope, on -which John recognized easily Sam's familiar handwriting. -He was very glad to hear from Sam, for -whom he felt a warm attachment.</p> - -<p>Here is Sam's letter:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p style="margin-top: 1.5em;">"<span class="smcap">Dear John</span>:—I have been missing you awfully. I -couldn't think what had become of you till father told me<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> -he had seen you at Milbank. So you are in the spider's -clutches, you poor innocent fly? A nice time you must have -of it with old Huxter. I declare I've no patience with Mrs. -Oakley, when I think of the way she has treated you. I -can't do anything to her; but I'll take it out in tricks on -Ben. By the way, your amiable stepbrother has got a -new friend,—a flashy young man from New York, who -sports a lot of bogus jewelry, and smokes from ten to a -dozen cigars a day, and spends his time in lounging about -the billiard and bar room. He isn't doing Ben any good. -They play billiards a good deal, and he tells Ben stories -about the city, which I expect will make Ben want to go -there. Do you think Mrs. Oakley will let him?</p> - -<p>"You've no idea how I miss you, old fellow. All the -hard parts in Virgil and Xenophon come to me now. I -don't enjoy studying half so much now that you are away. -If I were you, I'd give old Huxter the slip some fine morning. -I only wish you could come and stay at our house. -Wouldn't it be jolly? I know father would like it; but I -suppose people would talk, and Mrs. Oakley would make a -fuss.</p> - -<p>"Well, it's time for me to go to studying. Keep up a -stiff upper lip, and never say die. Things will be sure to -come round. One thing, you must be sure to write to me -as soon as you can. Tell me all about how you're getting -along with the <i>monstrum horrendum informe</i>. Of course I -mean old Huxter."</p> - -<p> "Your affectionate friend,</p> -<p style="text-align: right;"><span class="smcap">Sam Selwyn</span>."</p> -</blockquote> - -<p style="margin-top: 1.5em;">John felt much better after reading these letters.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> -He felt that, whatever might be the hardships of his -present lot, he had two good friends who sympathized -with him. He read over the lawyer's letter once -more. Though he didn't expressly advise him to -leave Mr. Huxter, it was evident that he expected -him to do so. John himself had no doubts on that -point. He felt that he would be willing anywhere -else to work for his living; but to remain in his present -position was insupportable. He could feel neither -regard nor respect for Mr. Huxter. He witnessed -daily with indignation the manner in which he treated -his poor wife, whom he sincerely pitied. But it was -not his business to interfere between man and wife. -No, he could not stay any longer in such a house. -To-morrow morning he would rise early, and, before -Mr. Huxter woke, bid a silent farewell to Jackson, -and start on his journey to Wilton.</p> - -<p>When he reached his boarding-place, it was already -four o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Huxter had come -home just drunk enough to be ugly. He had inquired -of his wife where John was. She couldn't tell him.</p> - -<p>"What business has he to leave the house without -permission?" he growled.</p> - -<p>"He is old enough for that, surely," said Mrs. -Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Shut up, Mrs. Huxter! What do you know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> -about it?" said her husband. "The boy needs a good -flogging."</p> - -<p>"I'm sure he's a very good boy," said Mrs. Huxter. -"He is quite a young gentleman."</p> - -<p>"He is altogether too much of a young gentleman," -said Mr. Huxter. "He puts on too many airs -for me."</p> - -<p>"You are not just to him, Mr. Huxter."</p> - -<p>"How many times, Mrs. Huxter, must I request -you to mind your own business?" said her husband, -coarsely. "Do you know what I am going to do?"</p> - -<p>"What?" asked his wife, with apprehension.</p> - -<p>"I'm going to cut a stout stick out in the orchard, -and give the young gentleman a lesson when he returns. -That's what I'm going to do."</p> - -<p>"Oh don't, Mr. Huxter!" implored his wife, clasping -his arm.</p> - -<p>But Mr. Huxter was in one of his ugly fits, and -shaking off his wife's grasp, went out into the -orchard, taking out his jack-knife. He returned in a -few minutes with a thick stick in his hand, which -boded no good to poor John.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Huxter turned pale with apprehension, and -earnestly hoped John would not return until her -husband had forgotten his resolution. But this was -not to be. She heard a step upon the threshold, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -John entered by the back way. Mr. Huxter tightened -the grasp upon his stick, and smiled grimly.</p> - -<p>"Where've you been, Oakley?" he demanded, -abruptly.</p> - -<p>"I have been over to Milbank," said John, quietly, -not knowing the intention of the questioner.</p> - -<p>"What did you go over to Milbank for?" asked -Huxter.</p> - -<p>"I didn't know there was any objection to my -going," said John.</p> - -<p>"What business had you to go without asking my -leave?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't suppose there was any need of my asking -you whether I could go or not."</p> - -<p>"You're an impudent young rascal!" exclaimed -Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"What reason have you for calling me that?" -asked John, calmly. He saw that Mr. Huxter had -been drinking, and did not wish to get into a dispute -with him.</p> - -<p>"You needn't think you can put on any of your -airs here. I won't stand it!" vociferated Huxter, -gradually working himself up into a rage.</p> - -<p>"I don't want to put on any airs, Mr. Huxter," -said John.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Do you mean to contradict me?" demanded -Huxter, glaring at John.</p> - -<p>"You had better go out," said Mrs. Huxter, in a -low voice.</p> - -<p>"He shan't go out! He shall stay," roared Huxter. -"I'll thank you not to interfere, Mrs. Huxter. -I'm going to flog the young jackanape."</p> - -<p>He seized his stick and made a rush at John. Our -hero, knowing he could not cope with him, and besides -not wishing to get into a fight in the presence -of Mrs. Huxter, dodged the angry man. This made -Mr. Huxter, whose blood was now up, all the more -eager to get hold of him. John, however, succeeded -in eluding him once more. This time, however, Mr. -Huxter was unlucky. Mrs. Huxter had been washing, -and the tub full of quite warm water had been -temporarily placed upon the floor of the kitchen. -Mr. Huxter, whose motions were not over-steady, -slipped, and, falling backward, sat down in the tub.</p> - -<p>He gave a yell of pain, and John, taking advantage -of the accident, ran out of the door. But Mr. -Huxter was in no condition to follow him. The -water was not hot enough to scald him; but it -certainly made him feel very uncomfortable.</p> - -<p>"The young rascal has killed me," he groaned. -"I'm scalded to death, and I suppose you're glad of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -it, Mrs. Huxter. You put the tub there on purpose."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter took off his clothes and went to bed, -swearing at his poor wife, who he declared was in -league with John.</p> - -<p>"There's no help for it now," said John to himself. -"I must leave this house to-morrow."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXIII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">IN WHICH JOHN TAKES FRENCH LEAVE.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">"To-morrow</span> I will leave Jackson," thought John, -as he undressed himself, and jumped into bed.</p> - -<p>His spirits rose as he made this resolution. It had -been very irksome to him to feel that he was under -the control of such a man as Mr. Huxter,—a man -for whom it was impossible for him to feel either respect -or regard. Under any circumstances it would -have been disagreeable for him to remain, but off -from the studies in which he had taken delight, the -time passed heavily; he felt that he had no longer an -object in life. But the petty persecutions to which -he was subjected made it intolerable, and he was -satisfied that the accident which had befallen Mr. -Huxter would only make matters worse.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile Mr. Huxter, on his bed below, cherished -thoughts the reverse of agreeable concerning -our hero.</p> - -<p>"I'll come up with the young rascal," he muttered.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> -"He'll find it's a bad day's work he's done for himself."</p> - -<p>"It wasn't his fault, Mr. Huxter," said his wife, -who wanted justice done.</p> - -<p>"Why isn't it his fault?" said her husband, looking -at her with a frown.</p> - -<p>"He didn't know you would slip into the tub."</p> - -<p>"And I shouldn't wonder if you put it there, Mrs. -Huxter. It was a regular trap."</p> - -<p>"I put it there just for a few minutes. I was -going to move it."</p> - -<p>"Yes, after you had accomplished your object, -and got me scalded."</p> - -<p>"You ought not to say such things, Mr. Huxter. -You know I was innocent of any such intention."</p> - -<p>"Oh, of course nobody was to blame! That's -always the way. But it isn't much comfort to -me."</p> - -<p>"I don't see how anybody was to blame."</p> - -<p>"Well, I do," said Mr. Huxter, savagely. "As -soon as I get up, I'll give Oakley such a flogging as -he never got before."</p> - -<p>It was a great disappointment to Mr. Huxter that -he could not carry out his benevolent design at once; -but he felt too uncomfortable for that.</p> - -<p>"I wish you had never brought him here," said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> -Mrs. Huxter. "I am sure he cannot enjoy himself -much here."</p> - -<p>"I don't care whether he enjoys himself or not," -said her husband. "We get six dollars a week for -his board,—that's the main point. And next week, -when I set him to work in the shop, we'll make a -pretty good thing out of him."</p> - -<p>"I don't believe he will be willing to work in the -shop. He knows that you get paid for his board."</p> - -<p>"I think I can persuade him with the horsewhip," -said Mr. Huxter, significantly.</p> - -<p>At that moment John's steps were heard as he -ascended the attic stairs on his way to bed.</p> - -<p>A new thought came to Mr. Huxter about an hour -later. He reflected that it was in John's power to -elude his vengeance by escaping, and this he had no -intention of permitting.</p> - -<p>"Mrs. Huxter," he said.</p> - -<p>"Do you want anything?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I want you to go upstairs, and fasten the -door of John Oakley's chamber."</p> - -<p>"What for?"</p> - -<p>"No matter what for. Go and do it, and I will -tell you afterwards."</p> - -<p>"He won't be able to come downstairs in the -morning."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I don't mean that he shall. I'll keep him in his -room for twenty-four hours on bread and water. It'll -be a good lesson for him. Come, are you going? -If you don't I'll get out of bed myself, and go up."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Huxter thought it best to comply with the -command accompanied by such a threat. Much -against her will, therefore, she went up and secured -the door of John's chamber by a bolt placed upon -the outside. She hoped that her husband would forget -all about it during the night, so that she might -release John before he had learned that he had been -a prisoner.</p> - -<p>It was about half-past three that John awoke. He -did not know what time it was, but conjectured that -it might be near four. Though he still felt sleepy, -he deemed it advisable to lose no more time, but -escape while Mr. Huxter was asleep. He accordingly -dressed himself as carefully as he could, in the -imperfect light, and went on tiptoe to the door. He -tried to open it, but without success. Thinking that -the door might stick, he made another attempt. This -time he understood the state of things.</p> - -<p>"I have been bolted in," he said to himself. "Can -Mr. Huxter have suspected my plan?"</p> - -<p>Whether this was or was not the case John was -unable to determine.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span></p> - -<p>He sat down on the bed, and reflected what he had -better do. Should he give up the attempt, and go to -bed again? No; he was resolved not to relinquish -his plan while there was any chance of carrying it -out.</p> - -<p>He went to the window and looked out. If it had -been on the second floor the difficulty would have -been less, but it was an attic window, and over -twenty feet from the ground. There was no ell part -beneath; but the distance to the ground was unbroken.</p> - -<p>A sudden thought struck John. He turned up the -bed, and found that it rested upon an interlacing -cord. Why could he not detach this cord, and, fastening -it to some fixed object in the chamber, descend -with safety to the ground? The plan no sooner -occurred to John than he determined to carry it into -execution.</p> - -<p>The rope proved to be quite long enough for his -purpose. He fastened one end securely, and dropped -the other over the sill. Looking down, he saw that it -nearly reached the ground. He had no fear of trusting -himself to it. He had always been good at -climbing ropes, and was very strong in the arms.</p> - -<p>"After all," he thought, "this is better than to -have gone downstairs. I might have stumbled over<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> -something in the dark, and Mr. Huxter would have -been roused by the noise."</p> - -<p>He got out of the window, and swung out. He let -himself down as noiselessly as possible. In less -than a minute he stood upon the ground, under the -gray morning sky.</p> - -<p>He looked up to Mr. Huxter's window, but everything -was still. Evidently no one had heard him.</p> - -<p>"So far, so good," thought John. "Now I must -travel as many miles as possible between now and six -o'clock. That will give me a good start if I am pursued."</p> - -<p>John hoped he would meet no one who would -recognize him. But in this he was disappointed. -He had walked six miles, when he heard his name -called from behind. Startled, he looked back hastily, -and to his relief discovered that the call came from -David Wallace, who had taken him up on his first -journey to Milbank.</p> - -<p>"Where are you going, John?" asked David. -"Don't you want to ride?"</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said John.</p> - -<p>He jumped on board the wagon, and took a seat -beside David.</p> - -<p>"You are travelling early, David," he said.</p> - -<p>"Just what I was going to say to you," said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> -David, laughing. "Are you walking for your -health?"</p> - -<p>"Not exactly," said John. "I've a great mind to -tell you. You won't tell?"</p> - -<p>"Honor bright!"</p> - -<p>"Then, I've left Mr. Huxter without bidding him -good-by."</p> - -<p>"Good!" said David. "I don't blame you a bit. -Tell me how it happened."</p> - -<p>David was highly amused at Mr. Huxter's adventure -with the tub.</p> - -<p>"I must tell that to George Sprague," he exclaimed. -"It's a good joke."</p> - -<p>"I'm afraid Mr. Huxter wouldn't agree with you -there."</p> - -<p>"He never does agree with anybody. Now tell -me how you managed to walk off."</p> - -<p>John narrated how he found himself locked in, -and how he resorted to the expedient of the bed-cord.</p> - -<p>"You're a trump, John!" said David, slapping -him on the shoulder. "I didn't think you had so -much spunk."</p> - -<p>"What did you think of me?" asked John, smiling.</p> - -<p>"You see you're such a quiet fellow, you don't<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> -look as if you were up to such things. But what will -you do if Mr. Huxter pursues you?"</p> - -<p>"I can tell better when the time comes," said John.</p> - -<p>"You wouldn't go back with him?"</p> - -<p>"Not if I could help myself. I don't feel that he -has any right to control me. He isn't my guardian, -and he is the last man, I know, that my father would -be willing to trust me with."</p> - -<p>"I wish I could see how he looks when he finds -you are gone. If you'd like to send him your love I -could go round by the house on my way back."</p> - -<p>"I don't think I shall need to trouble you, -David," said John.</p> - -<p>"Whereabouts are you going?"</p> - -<p>"I have an aunt living about fifty miles away. I -shall go there for the present."</p> - -<p>"Well, I'm sorry you're going to leave Jackson. -I mean I'm sorry I shan't see you any more. Can't -you write to me now and then?"</p> - -<p>"I would but for one thing," said John.</p> - -<p>"What's that?"</p> - -<p>"I am afraid the letters would be noticed by the -postmaster, and put Mr. Huxter on the track. I -don't want to have any more to do with him."</p> - -<p>"There's something in that. I didn't think of it. -At any rate I hope we'll meet again some time."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span></p> - -<p>"So do I, David. You have been very kind to -me, and I shall not forget it. I don't know what -lies before me, but I shall keep up good courage, -hoping that things will come out right in the end."</p> - -<p>"That's the best way. But I am afraid I must -bid you good-by here. I turn up that side road. I -suppose you are going straight ahead."</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"I wish I could carry you further."</p> - -<p>"It's been quite a help what I have already -ridden."</p> - -<p>"Whoa, Dan!" said David, and the horse -stopped.</p> - -<p>"Good-by, David," said John, as he jumped out -of the wagon.</p> - -<p>"Good-by, John. Then you haven't any message -to send back to Mr. Huxter?"</p> - -<p>"Not to him," said John; "but," he added, after -a moment's thought, "if you happen to see Mrs. -Huxter, just let her know that you saw me, and that -I am grateful for all she tried to do for me."</p> - -<p>"You're sure she won't tell her husband?"</p> - -<p>"No; she acted like a good friend. I would like -to have said good-by; but it wouldn't do."</p> - -<p>"All right, I'll remember what you say. Good-by, -old fellow."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Good-by, David."</p> - -<p>John estimated that he was now nearly ten miles -from his starting-place. The sun was already shining -brightly, and it promised to be a fine day. Our -hero began to feel hungry. The fresh morning air -had given him an appetite.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXIV.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">JOHN IS PURSUED.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Mr. Huxter</span> felt better after a night's rest. In -fact, his injuries had not been as serious as he wished -Mrs. Huxter to suppose. The truth is, he was a -coward, and even a small sickness terrified him. But -with the morning, finding himself very little inconvenienced -by his mishap of the day previous, his -courage returned, and with it his determination to -wreak condign vengeance on John.</p> - -<p>"How do you feel, Mr. Huxter?" asked his wife.</p> - -<p>"I feel like whipping that young scamp, Oakley," -said her husband.</p> - -<p>"He has done nothing that deserves punishment, -I am sure."</p> - -<p>"Of course, scalding me is a very slight affair, in -<i>your</i> opinion; but I happen to think differently," he -said, with a sneer.</p> - -<p>He drew on his pantaloons as he spoke, and seizing -a leather strap, left the room.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Oh, dear," sighed Mrs. Huxter, "I do wish Mr. -Huxter wouldn't be so violent. I don't see what can -have turned him so against that poor boy. I am sure -he's very polite and gentlemanly."</p> - -<p>She wanted to say more, in the hope of dissuading -her husband from his harsh resolution, but she dared -not. She went to the foot of the attic stairs to -listen, fearing that she would hear the sounds of an -altercation. She saw Mr. Huxter draw the bolt and -enter the chamber, but she was quite unprepared to -see him burst forth furiously a minute later, exclaiming -in a rage:—</p> - -<p>"He's gone,—the young rascal has escaped."</p> - -<p>"Escaped?" repeated Mrs. Huxter, bewildered, -for she could not conceive how John could escape -from a third-story room when the door was bolted.</p> - -<p>"Ha, are you there?" demanded her husband. -"What do you know of this?" he asked, suspiciously.</p> - -<p>"Nothing at all," said Mrs. Huxter. "I don't see -how he could have got away."</p> - -<p>"You'll see plain enough if you come upstairs," -said her husband. "He got out of the window."</p> - -<p>"Jumped out?" gasped Mrs. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Slid down by the bed-cord, you fool!" said her -husband, who was too angry to be polite.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I declare!" exclaimed Mrs. Huxter, in a tone -indicating her surprise.</p> - -<p>"Did you advise him to run away?" asked Mr. -Huxter.</p> - -<p>"Of course not."</p> - -<p>"And did you know nothing of his going? -Didn't he tell you?" he asked, suspiciously.</p> - -<p>"Not a word. But I'm glad he's gone,—I really -am."</p> - -<p>"You're glad we've lost six dollars a week, are -you?" growled her husband. "You'd like to see us -starvin', I suppose. But you needn't be in such a -hurry to be glad. I'll have him back yet, and then -if he doesn't get the tallest kind of a flogging, that'll -sicken him of running away forever, my name is not -Huxter."</p> - -<p>"You'd better let him go, husband. Don't go -after him."</p> - -<p>"You'll oblige me by minding your business, Mrs. -Huxter. I shall go after him, as soon as I have -eaten breakfast."</p> - -<p>Meanwhile John, feeling very hungry, as was -stated at the close of the last chapter, determined -to get a breakfast at the first inn on the road. He -had only to walk a mile further, when he came to a -country inn, with its long piazza, and stable-yard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> -alongside. It had a comfortable look, suggestive of -good old-fashioned hospitality.</p> - -<p>John walked through the front entrance, chancing -to meet the landlord.</p> - -<p>"Can I have some breakfast?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Are you travelling alone?" asked the landlord, -who was a Yankee.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"Well, I guess we can give you some. What -would you like?"</p> - -<p>"I should like some beefsteak and a couple of -eggs."</p> - -<p>"Coffee or tea?"</p> - -<p>"Coffee."</p> - -<p>"Very well."</p> - -<p>"How soon will it be ready, sir? I've taken a -long walk, and am very hungry."</p> - -<p>"You won't have to wait long. Here, Betty, just -get up some breakfast for this young man. Beefsteak, -boiled eggs, and coffee. As quick as you -can."</p> - -<p>In twenty minutes John was told that breakfast -was ready. He was shown into rather a cheerless -dining-room, but the meat emitted a savory odor, -and he enjoyed the meal better, it seemed to him, -than ever before in his life. He rose from the table<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> -at length with a sigh of enjoyment. Going into the -office he called for his bill.</p> - -<p>"Fifty cents," said the landlord.</p> - -<p>John produced a two-dollar bill, and the change -was returned to him.</p> - -<p>"Not going to stay with us?" said the landlord, -interrogatively.</p> - -<p>"No," said John; "I've got to travel further."</p> - -<p>"Where may you have come from?"</p> - -<p>"From Jackson this morning," said John.</p> - -<p>"Did you walk? It's a pretty long stretch,—hard -upon ten miles."</p> - -<p>"I rode part of the way."</p> - -<p>"And where are you bound?"</p> - -<p>John was beginning to tire of this persistent questioning, -and would have declined answering, but that -he feared this would excite suspicion.</p> - -<p>"I am going to Redport," he answered.</p> - -<p>Redport, as he had ascertained, was the next town -on the route. He did not think it necessary to mention -that he was going considerably further.</p> - -<p>"Redport!" repeated the landlord.</p> - -<p>"Yes. How far is it?"</p> - -<p>"It's a matter of six miles. Are you going to -walk?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes, unless I find somebody that's going that -way."</p> - -<p>"I'm going over myself this afternoon. If you'll -wait till that time you may go with me."</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said John; "but I don't think I -will wait. I've got pretty good legs, and I shan't -mind the walk."</p> - -<p>"You can get over in two hours easy. Ever been -that way before?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"Well, it's a straight road. You can't miss it."</p> - -<p>John left the landlord's presence with a feeling of -relief. He had declined his offer for two reasons: -partly because he did not want to wait till afternoon, -but principally because the landlord would be sure to -ask where he intended to stop in Redport, which -would of course embarrass him.</p> - -<p>John waited about half an hour, as he did not -wish to walk immediately after a hearty meal. Then, -having cut a stick from a tree by the roadside, he -went on his way.</p> - -<p>Twenty minutes after his departure, Mr. Huxter -rode up to the inn which he had just left. That gentleman -had procured a fast horse from the stable, for -the pursuit of the runaway. It was rather extravagant, -to be sure; but then Mr. Huxter felt that he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span> -must have John back at all hazards. He could not -afford to let a boy escape who paid him three hundred -dollars a year, besides the work he intended to get -out of him. Then again, he thought, by proper representations, -he could induce his sister to pay all the -expenses attending John's capture.</p> - -<p>"It's only fair," he thought, "that Jane should -pay for the team, if I give my time."</p> - -<p>So Mr. Huxter sped along the road at a rapid rate. -He had taken the right road by chance, and having -met a boy who had met John and described his appearance -accurately, he had the satisfaction of knowing -that he was on the track of the fugitive.</p> - -<p>Arriving at the tavern, it occurred to him that -John might have stopped to rest, if nothing more. -He accordingly descended hastily from the carriage, -and accosted the landlord, whom he knew slightly.</p> - -<p>"Good-morning, Mr. Jones."</p> - -<p>"Good-morning, Mr. Huxter. Going to stop with -us?"</p> - -<p>"I can't stop now. Have you seen anything of a -boy of about fifteen, rather stout built, who must -have passed this way lately?"</p> - -<p>"Blue suit?" interrogated the landlord.</p> - -<p>"Yes; have you seen him?"</p> - -<p>"You don't mean to say you're after him?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes, I do. But have you seen him?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, he took breakfast here only an hour ago. -Son of yours?"</p> - -<p>"No, he was my nephew."</p> - -<p>"Run away, hey?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; he's been acting badly, and I suppose he -thought I was going to punish him; so the young -rascal took to his heels."</p> - -<p>"Sho! you don't say so! He paid for his breakfast -all right."</p> - -<p>"You can judge how he came by his money," said -Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p>"You don't say so! Well, he is a bad case," said -the landlord, who concluded, as it was intended he -should, that John had stolen the money. "Well, he -don't look like it."</p> - -<p>"Oh, he's a deep young rascal!" said Mr. Huxter. -"You'd think butter wouldn't melt in his mouth; but -he's a regular scamp. Which road did he take?"</p> - -<p>"He said he was going to Redport."</p> - -<p>"What time did he start?"</p> - -<p>"Less than half an hour ago. He can't have got -much over a mile. If you keep on, you'll be sure to -overhaul him."</p> - -<p>"I'll do that with a vengeance," said Mr. Huxter.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Thank you for your information, Mr. Jones. I'll -do as much for you some time."</p> - -<p>"All right. Stop on the way back, won't you?"</p> - -<p>"Well, I don't know but I will. I only took a -mouthful of breakfast, I was in such a hurry to pursue -this young scamp."</p> - -<p>"Well, it's an ill wind that blows nobody good," -thought the landlord. "The boy's running away has -brought me two customers. I had no idea he was -such a young rascal."</p> - -<p>"I might as well get a good breakfast," soliloquized -Mr. Huxter. "I can charge it to Jane. -She can't expect me to chase John Oakley over hill -and dale on an empty stomach!"</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter began to indulge in pleasing anticipations -of what he would do to John when he had -captured him, forgetting the good old rule, that before -cooking a hare you must catch him.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXV.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">THE VALUE OF A BOAT.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Meanwhile</span> John was plodding along at a moderate -pace. He had no idea of the danger that -menaced him. He was now ten or eleven miles -away from Jackson, and this gave him a feeling of -security; not that the distance was so great, but that, -of the many directions in which he might have gone, -he saw no reason to think that Mr. Huxter would be -likely to guess the right one.</p> - -<p>On the whole, John felt in very good spirits. It -was a bright, pleasant morning in September, with a -clear, bracing air, that lent vigor to his steps. He -decided to stop in Redport until after dinner, and -then inquire his way more particularly. He determined -to take the stage or cars, if he found any that -ran across to Wilton. The expense would not be -any greater, probably, than the cost of the meal and -lodging for which, if he walked, he would be obliged -to pay at the country inns.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span></p> - -<p>He had got to the bottom of a hill when he heard -the clattering of wheels behind him, and was startled -by the sound of a voice only too familiar. "Stop, -you rascal!"</p> - -<p>John looked round, and his heart made a sudden -bound when he recognized the well-known face of -Mr. Huxter projecting out of a chaise, which was tearing -down the hill at furious speed.</p> - -<p>"So I've caught you, have I?" exclaimed his -pursuer, in exultation. "I've got an account to settle -with you, you young scamp!"</p> - -<p>John was no coward, but he knew that in a physical -contest, he, a boy of fifteen, would be no match -for a man close upon six feet in height. Discretion -was evidently the better part of valor. If he could -not overcome his antagonist, could he elude him? -He darted a quick glance around, in order to understand -the situation and form his plans.</p> - -<p>He couldn't keep on, that was evident. To the -right, at the distance of a quarter of a mile, he saw a -small pond gleaming in the sunlight. It might have -been a mile in circumference. Behind it was a belt -of woods. It occurred to John that he might find a -boat somewhere along the shore. If so, he could -paddle across, and Mr. Huxter would be left in the -lurch. If he found no boat, his chances would be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> -small. But at any rate this seemed his only feasible -plan. Mr. Huxter was already within a few rods, so -there was no time to lose. John clambered up on the -stone wall.</p> - -<p>"Stop, you rascal!" shouted Mr. Huxter, as soon -as he saw this movement.</p> - -<p>"I'd rather not," said John, coolly.</p> - -<p>"I'll give you the worst flogging you ever had!" -said his pursuer, provoked.</p> - -<p>"That's no inducement," said John, as he jumped -on the other side, and began to run across the field.</p> - -<p>"I'll make him pay for all the trouble he gives -me," said Mr. Huxter, between his teeth.</p> - -<p>He stopped the horse, and jumped into the road. -He would like to have pursued John at once, but he -did not dare to leave the horse loose, fearing that he -would not stand. Although chafing at the delay, he -felt that prudence required him to secure the horse, -which was a valuable one, before setting out after -the fugitive. "The more haste the worse speed," -says an old proverb. So it proved in the present -instance. Five minutes were consumed in attaching -the horse to the branch of a tree. This done, Mr. -Huxter jumped over the stone wall, and looked to -see how far John had got. Our hero had already -reached the shore of the pond, and was running along<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span> -beside it. Mr. Huxter's eyes lighted up with exultation.</p> - -<p>"I'll have him yet," he muttered. "The pond is -in my favor."</p> - -<p>He began to run diagonally to the point John was -likely to reach. But suddenly John stopped and bent -over.</p> - -<p>"What's he doing?" thought the pursuer puzzled.</p> - -<p>A moment revealed the mystery. Reaching the -top of a little knoll, he saw John jump into a boat, -rowing vigorously from shore. He was only just in -time. One minute later, and Mr. Huxter stood at the -edge of the pond. He was excessively provoked at -the boy's escape.</p> - -<p>"Come back here!" he shouted, authoritatively.</p> - -<p>"I would rather not," said John.</p> - -<p>He rested on his oars a moment, and looked calmly -at his pursuer. There he was, only three rods distant, -and yet quite out of reach. Certainly it was -very tantalizing. If there had only been another -boat! But there was not. The one which John was -in was the only one upon the pond. John felt very -comfortable. He fully appreciated the advantage he -had over his antagonist.</p> - -<p>"Come back here, I say!" screamed Mr. Huxter, -stamping his foot.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 385px;"> -<img src="images/image7.jpg" width="385" height="580" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Why should I?" asked John, calmly.</p> - -<p>"Why should you? Because I'm your guardian."</p> - -<p>"I don't think you are, Mr. Huxter."</p> - -<p>"At any rate, you're under my charge."</p> - -<p>"Suppose I come to the shore, what then?" asked -John.</p> - -<p>"I'll give you such a flogging that you won't dare -to run away again."</p> - -<p>"In that case," said John, smiling, "I think I'd -better not come."</p> - -<p>"You'd better come, if you know what is best for -yourself."</p> - -<p>"But I don't think a flogging would be best for -me," said John, smiling again.</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter was excessively angry; but he saw that -he was on the wrong tack. It was not easy for him -to change it, for he felt too provoked; but he saw -that he must do it, or give up the chance of capturing -John.</p> - -<p>"Well," he said, after a little pause, "then I'll -pass over the flogging this time. But you must come -to shore. I want to go home as soon as I can."</p> - -<p>"I am not going home with you," said John, composedly.</p> - -<p>"Why not, I should like to know?"</p> - -<p>"I should never be happy at your house."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You're homesick. That will pass off."</p> - -<p>John shook his head.</p> - -<p>"I can't go back."</p> - -<p>"Come, Oakley," said Mr. Huxter, changing his -tone; "you think I bear malice for the little accident -that happened yesterday. I don't mind confessing -that it made me feel ugly when I fell into that tub of -hot water. You wouldn't have liked it yourself, -would you?"</p> - -<p>"No, I don't think I should," said John, smiling -in spite of himself, as the image of Mr. Huxter's -downfall rose before him.</p> - -<p>"You can't blame me for feeling mad. But I know -it was an accident, and I forgive you. You know it's -your duty to come back."</p> - -<p>"I don't know about that," said John.</p> - -<p>"Your stepmother made the arrangement for your -good, and it's your duty to obey her."</p> - -<p>"Mrs. Oakley has not treated me as I had a right -to expect," said John. "There was no reason for -her sending me away from home."</p> - -<p>"She thought it best for you," said Mr. Huxter, -condescending to reason with the boy, who was -beyond his reach.</p> - -<p>"She took me from school, though she knew that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span> -my father wished me to remain there, and get ready -for college."</p> - -<p>"She thinks you know enough already. You know -more than Ben."</p> - -<p>"Ben doesn't care for study. He could have prepared -for college if he had wished."</p> - -<p>"Well, perhaps you're right," said Mr. Huxter, with -wily diplomacy. "I didn't see it in that light before. -If your father wanted you to go to college, it's all -right that you should go. I'll write to my sister as -soon as we get home, and tell her how you feel about -it. So just come ashore, and we'll talk it over as -we go home."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter's words were smooth enough, but -they did not correspond very well with his tone, -when the conference began. John detected his insincerity, -and understood very well the cause of his -apparent mildness.</p> - -<p>"I shall be glad to have you write to Mrs. Oakley," -he said; "but there won't be any need of my going -home with you."</p> - -<p>"How can you find out what she writes me?" asked -Mr. Huxter, subduing his wrath.</p> - -<p>"If Mrs. Oakley is willing to have me go home -and attend the academy, as I have been accustomed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span> -to do, she can let Squire Selwyn know it, and he will -get word to me."</p> - -<p>"Does he know you are running away?" demanded -Mr. Huxter, frowning.</p> - -<p>"No, he does not; but I shall tell him."</p> - -<p>"Come, Oakley," said Mr. Huxter, persuasively, -"you know this is all wrong,—your running away, I -mean. I don't want you to stay at my house if you -don't like it, of course, but I don't like to have it said -that you ran away. Just come ashore and go home -with me, and to-morrow I'll take the responsibility of -sending you home to my sister. I can write her that -I think she hasn't done the right thing by you. -That's fair, isn't it?"</p> - -<p>John felt that it would be fair; but unfortunately -he had no faith in Mr. Huxter's sincerity. He had -seen too much of him for that. He could not help -thinking of the spider's gracious invitation to the fly, -and he did not mean to incur the fly's fate by imitating -his folly.</p> - -<p>"I don't think it will be wise for me to go back," -said John.</p> - -<p>"I wish I could get at you," said Mr. Huxter to -himself.</p> - -<p>"My sister will be very angry when she hears of -your running away," he said, aloud.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes," said John, "I suppose she will."</p> - -<p>"You must take care not to provoke her. You are -dependent upon her."</p> - -<p>"That I am not!" said John, proudly.</p> - -<p>"Didn't your father leave her all the property?"</p> - -<p>"So it seems," said John, wincing.</p> - -<p>"Then how can you live without her help?"</p> - -<p>"I am old enough to earn my own living," -answered John.</p> - -<p>"Come, Oakley, don't be foolish. What's the use -of working for your living, when, by behaving right, -you can have a home without?"</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter seemed to forget that he had intended -to set John at work in his shoe-shop as soon as he -could obtain a supply of work.</p> - -<p>"I am not afraid to work," said John. "What I -dislike is to be dependent. I am not dependent upon -Mrs. Oakley, for the property which my father left -was partly intended for my benefit, even if it was not -willed to me. If Mrs. Oakley intends me to feel dependent, -and breaks up all my plans, I will go to -work for myself, and make my own way in the world."</p> - -<p>"Very fine talk; but you'll repent it within a -week."</p> - -<p>"No," said John; "I have made up my mind, and -I shall do as I have determined."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Then you won't come ashore?" demanded Mr. -Huxter, his tone changing.</p> - -<p>"No, I will not," said John.</p> - -<p>"If I ever get hold of you, I'll make you smart for -this," said Mr. Huxter, now wholly throwing off the -mask which for prudential motives he had worn.</p> - -<p>"I don't mean that you shall get hold of me," said -John, coolly. And with a sweep of the oars, he sent -the boat further from the shore.</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter was beside himself with rage, but perfectly -powerless to do any harm. Nothing is more -ludicrous than such a spectacle. He screamed himself -hoarse, uttering threats of various kinds to -John, who, instead of being frightened, took it all -very coolly, dipping his oars tranquilly in the water.</p> - -<p>"There's one way of getting at you," said Huxter, -suddenly picking up a good-sized stone and flinging -it at the boat.</p> - -<p>If he had been a good marksman the stone might -have hit John, for the boat was within range; but it -veered aside and struck the water. Admonished of -a new danger, John took several rapid strokes, and -was quickly free from this peril. Mr. Huxter shook -his fist wrathfully at the young boatman, and was -considering if there was any way of getting at him, -when an unexpected mischance called his attention<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span> -in another direction. Looking towards the road, he -found that his horse had managed to break loose, -and was now heading for home.</p> - -<p>"Whoa!" he shouted, as he ran towards the -retreating vehicle, forgetting that his voice would -hardly reach a third of a mile.</p> - -<p>Certainly this was not one of Mr. Huxter's lucky -days. John was left master of the situation.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXVI.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">ONE DISAPPOINTMENT FOLLOWS ANOTHER.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">At</span> the close of the last chapter we left John floating -at his ease in a row-boat, while his pursuer was -compelled, by the sudden departure of his horse, to -give up his immediate purpose, and chase the flying -animal. It was very much against his will that he -left John; but the horse, as he knew, was the best in -the stable, and valued at not less than three hundred -dollars,—a sum which he would be unable to make up. -Besides this, the chaise might be injured.</p> - -<p>"Curse my luck!" exclaimed Mr. Huxter, as he -glanced back at John, with a baffled look. "Every -thing turns against me. But I'll come back after the -young rascal as soon as I catch the horse."</p> - -<p>But, unfortunately for Mr. Huxter, it proved that -two legs were no match for four. When he got to -the road, the horse was half a mile ahead. In spite -of his haste, he was obliged to pause a moment and -recover his breath, which the unusual exercise of -running had exhausted.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter was nearly two miles distant from the -tavern where he had stopped. His only hope was -that the horse would stop or be stopped there. As -soon as he recovered his breath, he started for the -tavern, therefore. Partly running, partly walking, -he at length arrived, tired, heated, and in ill-humor.</p> - -<p>Entering the yard, he saw a group of men and -boys surrounding the horse and chaise, which had -already arrived. Among them was Mr. Jones, the -landlord.</p> - -<p>"Why, here's the man himself!" exclaimed the -landlord, advancing to meet him. "How came your -horse to run away? Were you spilled out?"</p> - -<p>"No; I tied him to a tree, and he broke loose and -ran away. Has he done any harm?" asked Mr. -Huxter, nervously.</p> - -<p>"He's smashed one of the wheels in running -against a post," said a bystander.</p> - -<p>"Let me see," said Mr. Huxter, dolefully.</p> - -<p>He found that it was as bad as had been told him. -The horse made a short turn into the inn-yard, and -managed to bring the chaise into collision with a -post. The wheel was pretty well shattered.</p> - -<p>"Looks bad," said the bystander. "It'll cost -something to mend it."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span></p> - -<p>"It can't be mended," said Mr. Jones. "You'll -have to get a new wheel."</p> - -<p>"What'll it cost?" said Mr. Huxter, with something -very like a groan.</p> - -<p>"I can't say exactly. Maybe twenty-five dollars -will do it."</p> - -<p>"It might have been worse," said the bystander, -in what was meant to be an encouraging tone.</p> - -<p>"It's bad enough," said Mr. Huxter, fiercely. -"It's just my cursed luck."</p> - -<p>"Was the carriage yours?" asked the landlord.</p> - -<p>"No, I got it from a stable. They'll charge me -about double price."</p> - -<p>"Oh, by the way, did you catch the boy?" asked -the landlord, in a tone of interest.</p> - -<p>"No," said Mr. Huxter, with an oath which I will -omit. "I had just overtaken him when the cursed -horse ran away."</p> - -<p>"Well, you are unlucky," said Jones. "What -are you going to do about it?"</p> - -<p>"I suppose I must get the carriage home somehow."</p> - -<p>"You might get a new wheel put on here. There's -an excellent wheelwright in the village. It will cost -you less."</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter finally made an arrangement to this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> -effect, the wheelwright agreeing for twenty-five dollars -to put the chaise in repair. This, with the -stable charge, made thirty dollars as the expense of -Mr. Huxter's little excursion, which, as we have -seen, ended in disappointment. He decided not to -continue the pursuit of John, having good reason to -doubt whether he would catch him.</p> - -<p>There was one question which troubled Mr. Huxter: -Would his sister be willing to pay this thirty -dollars? If not, it would indeed be a bad morning's -work for him. He lost no time, on getting home, in -writing to Mrs. Oakley. His letter is subjoined.</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p style="margin-top: 1.5em;">"<span class="smcap">Dear Sister</span>:—I hope these few lines will find you in -good health. This comes to inform you that the young rascal -that I took to board to accommodate you has run away, -after treating me most shameful. I hired a team to go -after him this morning; but the horse ran away and broke -the carriage, which will cost me forty dollars to mend. -(Mr. Huxter thought if Mrs. Oakley was to pay the bill he -might as well add something to it.) As I was on your business, -you will expect to pay this, of course. You can send -the money in a letter. I will get back John Oakley if I can. -He is a young scamp, and I don't wonder you had trouble -with him. When I get him back, I will make him toe the -mark, you may be sure of that. Please write to me by return -mail, and don't forget the money. Your brother,"</p> - -<p style="text-align: right;">"<span class="smcap">Ephraim Huxter</span>." -</p></blockquote> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter did not have to wait long for an -answer; but it proved to be less satisfactory than -prompt. It ran as follows:—</p> - -<blockquote> - -<p style="margin-top: 1.5em;">"<span class="smcap">My dear Brother</span>:—Your letter has just reached me. -I am surprised that you could not manage to control a boy -of fifteen. It seems that he has got the best of you. You -need not trouble yourself to get him back. If he chooses -to run away and earn his own living, he may, for all I care. -He is a young rascal, as you say.</p> - -<p>"As to the carriage which you say was damaged to the -extent of forty dollars, I do not see how it could have happened, -with ordinary care. How did it happen? You -ought to have told me in your letter. Nor do I see how -you can expect me to pay for the result of your carelessness. -But even if I were to do it, you seem to forget that I advanced -you seventy-five dollars on John's board. As he -has remained only one week, that being deducted will leave -a balance of sixty-nine dollars, or perhaps sixty, after -taking out travelling expenses. I could rightfully require -this back; but I will not be hard on you. You may pay for -the damage done to the carriage (I am surprised that it -should amount to forty dollars), and keep the balance as a -gift from me. But it will be useless for you to make any -further claim on me for a year, at least, as I have large expenses, -and charity begins at home. Remember me to -your wife."</p> - - -<p style="text-align: right;">"<span class="smcap">Jane Oakley.</span>"<br /> -</p></blockquote> - -<p style="margin-top: 1.5em;">"Well, if that isn't a cold-blooded letter!" said -Mr. Huxter, bitterly. "Jane is rich now, and don't<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> -care for the privations of her poor brother. She -blames me because the chaise got broken,—just as -if I could help it."</p> - -<p>Still Mr. Huxter had no real reason to complain. -His sister had agreed to pay for the damage done, and -there would be something left out of the money she had -paid in advance. But Mr. Huxter, as soon as he had -received it, had at once looked upon it as his own, -though not yet earned, and to use it seemed as if he -were paying the bill out of his own pocket. Then, -again, the very decided intimation that he need not -look for any more assistance at present was discouraging. -Deducting expenses, it would leave him but -a small amount to pay him for his journey to Hampton. -He resolved not to pay the wheelwright, if he -could possibly avoid it, not being very conscientious -about paying his debts. But, as Mr. Huxter's reputation -in that way was well known, the wheelwright -refused to surrender the chaise till his bill was paid; -and the stable-keeper made such a fuss that Mr. -Huxter was compelled to pay the bill, though very -much against his inclination.</p> - -<p>The result of his disappointment was, that he began -to drink worse than ever, and poor Mrs. Huxter, for -some weeks, had a hard time of it. She was certainly -very much to be pitied, as is every poor woman who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> -finds herself yoked for life to a husband wedded to -a habit so fatal to all domestic comfort and happiness.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXVII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">JOHN OAKLEY'S AUNT.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">When</span> John found that his enemy had abandoned -the siege, he rowed ashore, and watched Mr. Huxter -until he became satisfied that it would require a -considerable time to catch the horse. He thought -that he might venture to pursue his journey, without -further fear of molestation. Of the incidents that -followed, none are worth recording. It is sufficient -to say that on the evening of the second day John -entered the town of Wilton.</p> - -<p>It was years since he had seen his aunt. She had -been confined at home by the cares of a young family, -and the distance between Wilton and Hampton -seemed formidable. He knew, however, that his -uncle, Thomas Berry, kept a small country store, and -had done so ever since his marriage. In a country -village it is always easy to find the "store," and -John kept up the main road, feeling that it would not -be necessary to inquire. He came at length to a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span> -meeting-house, and judged that the store would not -be far off. In fact, a few rods further he came to a -long, two-story building, painted white, with a piazza -in front. On a large sign-board over it he read:—</p> - -<p class="center" style="margin-top: 2em;"> -"THOMAS BERRY.<br /> -<br /> -PROVISION AND DRY-GOODS STORE."</p> - -<p style="margin-top: 2em;">"This must be the place," thought John. "I -think I'll go into the store first and see uncle."</p> - -<p>He entered, and found himself in a broad room, -low-studded, furnished with counters on two sides, -and crowded with a motley collection of goods, embracing -calicoes and dry goods generally, as well -as barrels of molasses and firkins of butter. There -chanced to be no customer in at the time. Behind -the counter he saw, not his uncle, but a young man, -with long, light hair combed behind his ears, not very -prepossessing in his appearance,—at least so John -thought.</p> - -<p>"Is Mr. Berry in?" he asked, walking up to the -counter.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Berry is dead," was the unexpected reply.</p> - -<p>"Dead!" exclaimed John, in surprise. "How -long since he died?"</p> - -<p>"A week ago."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span></p> - -<p>"We never heard of it," said John, half to himself.</p> - -<p>"Are you a relation?" asked the young man.</p> - -<p>"He was my uncle."</p> - -<p>"Is your name Oakley?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, John Oakley."</p> - -<p>"Of Hampton?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"A letter was sent there, announcing the death."</p> - -<p>This was true; but Mrs. Oakley, who received the -letter, had not thought it necessary to send intelligence -of its contents to John.</p> - -<p>"Didn't you get it?" continued the other.</p> - -<p>"I haven't been at home for a week or more," said -John. "I suppose that accounts for it. How is my -aunt?"</p> - -<p>"She is not very well."</p> - -<p>"I think I will go into the house and see her."</p> - -<p>John went around to the door of the house and -knocked. A young girl of twelve answered. Though -John had not seen her for six years, he concluded -that it must be his Cousin Martha.</p> - -<p>"How do you do, Cousin Martha?" he said, extending -his hand.</p> - -<p>"Are you my Cousin John Oakley?" she said, -doubtfully.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes. I did not hear till just now of your loss," -said John. "How is your mother?"</p> - -<p>"She is not very well. Come in, Cousin John. -She will be glad to see you."</p> - -<p>John was ushered into a small sitting-room, where -he found his aunt seated in a chair by the window, -sewing on a black dress for one of the children.</p> - -<p>"Here's Cousin John, mother," said Martha.</p> - -<p>An expression of pleasure came to Mrs. Berry's -pale face.</p> - -<p>"I am very glad to see you, John," she said. -"You were very kind to come. Is your stepmother -well?"</p> - -<p>"Quite well," said John. "But I do not come -directly from home."</p> - -<p>"Indeed! How does that happen?" asked his -aunt.</p> - -<p>"It is rather a long story, aunt. I will tell you -by and by. But now tell me about yourself. Of -what did my uncle die?"</p> - -<p>"He exposed himself imprudently in a storm one -evening three months since," said Mrs. Berry. "In -consequence of this, he took a severe cold, which -finally terminated in a fever. We did not at first -suppose him to be in any danger, but he gradually<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> -became worse, and a week since he died. It is a -terrible loss to me and my poor children."</p> - -<p>Here his aunt put her handkerchief to her face to -wipe away the tears that started at the thought of -her bereavement.</p> - -<p>"Dear aunt, I sympathize with you," said John, -earnestly, taking her hand.</p> - -<p>"I know you do, John," said his aunt. "I don't -know how I can get along alone, with four poor -fatherless children to look after."</p> - -<p>"God will help you, aunt. You must look to -him," said John, reverently.</p> - -<p>"It is that thought alone that sustains me," said -Mrs. Berry. "But sometimes, when the thought of -my bereavement comes upon me, I don't realize it -as I should."</p> - -<p>"I went into the store first," said John. "I suppose -it was my uncle's assistant that I saw there?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Mrs. Berry; "it was Mr. Hall."</p> - -<p>"I suppose he manages the store now for you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Mrs. Berry, slowly. "But I hardly -know that it is right to say that he manages it for -me."</p> - -<p>"Why not?" asked John, perplexed by his aunt's -manner, which seemed to him strange.</p> - -<p>"I will tell you, John," said his aunt. "When<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> -Mr. Berry died, I thought he owned the stock clear, -and had no debts; but day before yesterday Mr. -Hall called in, and showed me a note for two thousand -dollars, signed by Mr. Berry. I don't suppose -the stock is worth more than three thousand. Of -course that makes a very great difference in my circumstances. -In fact, it will leave me only a thousand -dollars, at the utmost, to support my poor children. -I don't know what I shall do." And the poor woman, -whose nerves had been shaken by her grief, burst -into tears.</p> - -<p>"Didn't my uncle own this building, then?" asked -John.</p> - -<p>"No, he never owned it. He hired it at a low rent -from Mr. Mansfield, one of the selectmen, and a rich -man."</p> - -<p>"Can't you keep up the store, aunt? Will not -that give income enough to support the family?"</p> - -<p>"But for this note, I could. But if I have to pay -that, it will leave only a third of the store belonging -to me. Then out of the profits I must pay the rent, -the wages of a salesman and a boy, before I can get -anything for myself. You see, John, there isn't -much prospect."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said John, thoughtfully. "It doesn't look<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> -very bright. You say, aunt, that uncle never -mentioned this note to you?"</p> - -<p>"He never mentioned a syllable about it."</p> - -<p>"Did he generally mention his affairs to you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes; he wasn't one of those husbands that keep -everything secret from their wives. He always told -me how he was getting along."</p> - -<p>"When was the note dated?"</p> - -<p>"A year and a half ago."</p> - -<p>"Do you know whether my uncle had any particular -use for so large a sum of money at that time?"</p> - -<p>"No. That is what puzzles me," said Mrs. Berry. -"If he got the money, I am sure I don't know what -he did with it."</p> - -<p>"Did he extend his business with it, do you -think?"</p> - -<p>"No, I am sure he did not. His stock is no larger -now than it was six years ago. He always calculated -to keep it at about the same amount."</p> - -<p>"That seems strange," said John,—"that we can't -find where the money went to, I mean; especially -as it was so large a sum."</p> - -<p>"Yes, John, that is what I think. There's some -mystery about it. I've thought and thought, and I -can't tell how it happened."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span></p> - -<p>"What sort of a man is Mr. Hall?" asked John, -after a pause.</p> - -<p>"I don't know anything against him," said Mrs. -Berry.</p> - -<p>"I don't know why it is," said John, "but I don't -like his looks. I took rather a prejudice against him -when I saw him just now."</p> - -<p>"I never liked him," said his aunt, "though I -can't give any good reason for my dislike. He -never treated me in any way of which I could complain."</p> - -<p>"How long has he been in the store?"</p> - -<p>"How long is it, Martha?" asked Mrs. Berry, -turning to her oldest daughter, who, by the way, was -a very pretty girl, with blooming cheeks and dark, -sparkling eyes.</p> - -<p>"It will be four years in October, mother."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I remember now."</p> - -<p>"He seems quite a young man."</p> - -<p>"I think he is twenty-three."</p> - -<p>"Does he get a large salary?"</p> - -<p>"No, only forty dollars a month."</p> - -<p>"Did you know of his having any property when -he came here?"</p> - -<p>"No; he seemed quite poor."</p> - -<p>"Then I don't understand where he could have got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> -the two thousand dollars which he says he loaned -uncle."</p> - -<p>"I declare, John, you are right," said Mrs. Berry, -looking as if new light was thrown over the matter. -"It certainly does look very strange. I wonder I -didn't think of it before; but I have had so much to -think of, that I couldn't think properly of anything. -How do you account for it, John?"</p> - -<p>"I will tell you, aunt," said John, quietly. "I -think the note is a forgery, and that Mr. Hall means -to cheat you out of two-thirds of your property."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXVIII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">JOHN MAKES A DISCOVERY.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">"Do</span> you really believe this, John?" asked Mrs. -Berry, in excitement.</p> - -<p>"I really do, aunt. I see no other way to account -for the existence of the note."</p> - -<p>"But the signature looked like Mr. Berry's," said -his aunt, doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"Did you examine it carefully, aunt?"</p> - -<p>"No, I didn't," admitted Mrs. Berry.</p> - -<p>"I should like to compare it with uncle's handwriting."</p> - -<p>"I suppose Mr. Hall would think it strange if I -should ask him to let me take it."</p> - -<p>"Yes; but he must do it, if he wants the note -acknowledged."</p> - -<p>"I have no head for business," said Mrs. Berry. -"A child could cheat me. I wish you could stay -with me and look after things."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I can."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span></p> - -<p>"But will your mother be willing?"</p> - -<p>"I have no mother," said John.</p> - -<p>"Your stepmother, then?"</p> - -<p>"I might as well tell you, aunt, that there has -been a serious difficulty between Mrs. Oakley and -myself, and I have left home."</p> - -<p>"Is it possible, John? Didn't your stepmother -treat you right?"</p> - -<p>"I will tell you all about it, aunt, and you shall -judge."</p> - -<p>It was a long story, but, as we already know all -about it, it is unnecessary to give John's account. -His aunt listened attentively, and sympathized fully -with John in the matter.</p> - -<p>"You have been badly treated, John," she said. -"I am sure my poor brother would feel badly -enough if he could know how Mrs. Oakley has driven -you from home. You do not mean to go back?"</p> - -<p>"No, aunt," said John, resolutely. "Until Mrs. -Oakley restores me to my former privileges, I shall -not go home."</p> - -<p>"Then you must stay here, John," said his -aunt.</p> - -<p>"If I can be of any service to you, aunt, I will."</p> - -<p>"You can be of great service to me, John. I do -not feel confidence in Mr. Hall, and you know why<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span> -I cannot be sure that he is not cheating me in the -store. I want you to keep an eye upon him."</p> - -<p>"I will go into the store as an assistant," said -John. "That will give me the best opportunity."</p> - -<p>"But you have never been used to work," said his -aunt.</p> - -<p>"I must work now. Remember, aunt, Mrs. Oakley -holds the property, and I am dependent on my -own exertions."</p> - -<p>"It is disgraceful that it should be so, John."</p> - -<p>"But it is so. Perhaps matters may come right -by and by; but for the present I must work. I will -go into the store, and you shall give me my board."</p> - -<p>"You will earn more than that, John."</p> - -<p>"If we get clear of Mr. Hall's note, you can do -better by me. Until then, let that be the arrangement."</p> - -<p>"You don't know what a load you have lifted from -my mind, John. I am very sorry that you have been -driven from home; but I am very glad to have you -here. Martha, get ready the back bedroom for -John."</p> - -<p>"I begin to feel myself at home already," said -John, brightly.</p> - -<p>"Our home is a humble one compared with the -one you have left, John," said his aunt.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span></p> - -<p>"But you are here, aunt, and you seem like my -own mother. That will make more than the difference -to me."</p> - -<p>"I hope we can make you comfortable, John. -Martha, you may set the table for supper, and get -John's room ready afterwards. I think he must be -hungry."</p> - -<p>"I am as hungry as a bear, aunt," said John, -smiling.</p> - -<p>In the evening Martha went into the store by her -mother's request, and asked Mr. Hall to step in after -closing the store.</p> - -<p>He did so.</p> - -<p>"I believe you wished to see me, Mrs. Berry," he -said.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Mr. Hall. Will you sit down?"</p> - -<p>"Thank you." And the young man seated himself, -looking furtively at Mrs. Berry, as if to inquire -the object of his being summoned.</p> - -<p>"Mr. Hall, this is my nephew, John Oakley. I -believe you have already met."</p> - -<p>"Yes, he came into the store," said Mr. Hall, -glancing at John.</p> - -<p>"He has agreed to remain here for the present, -and will assist you in the store."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mr. Hall looked as if he was not pleased with this -intelligence.</p> - -<p>"I do not think that I shall need any assistance," -he said.</p> - -<p>"I am surprised to hear that," said Mrs. Berry. -"Certainly you cannot expect to do alone the business -which formerly required Mr. Berry and yourself -to do."</p> - -<p>"The business is not so large as it was," said -Hall.</p> - -<p>"Then you must try to bring it up to where it -used to be. You must remember that I have a -young family to support, and it will require an effort -to do it."</p> - -<p>"That is why I thought it would be better to save -the wages of an extra clerk," said Hall.</p> - -<p>"You are considerate, especially as it would require -you to work harder yourself. But my nephew -knows my circumstances, and does not wish large -compensation."</p> - -<p>"Has he any experience in tending store?" asked -Hall.</p> - -<p>"No," said John.</p> - -<p>"Then I should have to teach you. It would be -more trouble than the help I would get."</p> - -<p>"I don't think you would find me so hard to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> -learn," said John, quietly. "I have always lived in -the country, and know something about the business -of a country store. I don't think I shall be long in -learning."</p> - -<p>"I agree with John," said Mrs. Berry.</p> - -<p>"Of course it must be as you say," said Mr. Hall, -appearing dissatisfied; "but I hoped to save you the -expense. And I cannot say I think any help necessary; -or, if it were, it would be better, with all respect -to Mr. Oakley, to take James Sanford, who has -had some experience at Trafton."</p> - -<p>"Very well, Mr. Hall," said John, taking no -notice of the opposition, "then I will come in to-morrow -morning. What time do you open the -store?"</p> - -<p>"At six o'clock."</p> - -<p>"Won't that be rather early for you, John?" -asked his aunt.</p> - -<p>"You are making me out to be lazy, aunt," said -John.</p> - -<p>"There isn't much business early in the morning," -said Hall. "You need not come till seven."</p> - -<p>"I would rather go early," said John. "I want -to learn the business as soon as I can."</p> - -<p>"Did you wish to speak about anything else, Mrs. -Berry?" said Mr. Hall.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span></p> - -<p>"No, Mr. Hall; but you need not be in haste."</p> - -<p>"Thank you; I am feeling rather tired."</p> - -<p>"Good-night, then."</p> - -<p>"Good-night."</p> - -<p>"It seems to me," said John, when they were -alone, "that Mr. Hall did not much want me to -enter the store."</p> - -<p>"No; I was surprised at that. It must be very -hard for one."</p> - -<p>"I have my thoughts about it," said John.</p> - -<p>"What are they?" asked his aunt.</p> - -<p>"I will not say anything now. They may amount -to nothing. But I think Mr. Hall is afraid I will -find out something, and therefore he objects to my -going into the store. I shall keep good watch, and -if I find out anything I will let you know."</p> - -<p>"I think you must be tired, John. You can go to -bed when you please."</p> - -<p>"Then I think I will go now, particularly as I am -to be up by six in the morning."</p> - -<p>"Never mind about to-morrow morning."</p> - -<p>"I had better begin as I am going to hold out, -aunt. Good-night."</p> - -<p>John took the lamp and entered his bedchamber -with a happier and more home-like feeling than he -had had for months. He felt so interested in his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> -aunt's troubles that he almost forgot that he had any -of his own.</p> - -<p>In the morning, as the village clock struck six, -John stood in front of the store. A minute later, -Mr. Hall, who boarded at a little distance, came up. -He greeted John coldly, and they entered.</p> - -<p>"Now I hope you will make me useful," said -John.</p> - -<p>"You may sweep out," said Hall.</p> - -<p>"Where shall I find the broom?"</p> - -<p>Hall told him and John commenced. It was new -work to him, but he did it well, and then went to -work to arrange things a little more neatly. Occasionally -he asked information of Mr. Hall, which -was ungraciously given. Still John learned rapidly, -and in a fortnight had learned as much as many boys -in three months.</p> - -<p>One day, when Hall was gone to dinner, John -chanced to open the stove, in which there had been -no fire for the summer months. It was full of papers -and letters of various kinds, which had been crowded -into it, as a convenient receptacle. It was so full -that, on the door being opened, a considerable -portion fell on the floor. John began to pick them -up, and, in doing so, naturally looked at some of the -papers.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span></p> - -<p>All at once he started with excitement as a particular -paper caught his attention. He read it eagerly, -and his eyes lighted up with pleasure.</p> - -<p>"I must show this to my aunt," he said. "I suspected -that note of Mr. Hall's was a forgery, and -now I feel sure of it."</p> - -<p>He carefully deposited the paper in his pocket-book, -and, putting back the rest of the papers, shut -the stove door, and resumed his place behind the -counter, just as Mr. Hall returned from dinner.</p> - -<p>He little guessed that John had made a discovery -of the utmost consequence to him.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXIX.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MR. HALL'S DISCOMFITURE.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> paper which John had discovered among the -rubbish in the stove was a half sheet of foolscap, -which was covered with imitations of Mr. Berry's -handwriting, the words occurring being those of the -note of hand which Hall had presented for payment. -The first attempts were inexact, but those further -down, with which pains had evidently been taken, -were close copies of Mr. Berry's usual handwriting. -This of course John could not know, not being familiar -with his uncle's hand, but his aunt confirmed it.</p> - -<p>"It is clear," said John, "that Mr. Hall has -forged the note which he presented against my -uncle's estate."</p> - -<p>"What a wicked man," said Mrs. Berry, "to seek -to defraud me and my poor fatherless children! I -never could have suspected him."</p> - -<p>"It was the love of money, aunt. He thought you -would not detect the fraud."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I should not but for you, John. How lucky it -was you came! Now tell me what I ought to do."</p> - -<p>"Is there a lawyer in the place?" asked John.</p> - -<p>"Yes; there is Mr. Bradley."</p> - -<p>"Then, aunt, you had better send for him, and ask -his advice."</p> - -<p>"I will do so; I think that will be the best way."</p> - -<p>Mr. Bradley, though a country lawyer, was a man -of sound judgment, and quite reliable. When the -circumstances were communicated to him, he gave his -opinion that John's suspicions were well founded.</p> - -<p>"I should like to see Mr. Hall here," he said. -"Can you not ask him to be present, and bring the -note with him?"</p> - -<p>"The store closes at nine. I will invite him then, -if you can meet him at that hour."</p> - -<p>"That will suit me, Mrs. Berry," said the lawyer.</p> - -<p>Mr. Hall was not surprised at the message he received. -He expected that the widow would be -troubled about the claim he had presented, and he -was prepared to listen to entreaties that payment -might be postponed. That his fraud was suspected -he did not dream.</p> - -<p>When Mr. Hall entered the little sitting-room he -was somewhat surprised to see Mr. Bradley, the lawyer;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> -but it occurred to him that Mrs. Berry in her -trouble had applied to him to mediate between them.</p> - -<p>"Good-evening, Mr. Bradley," he said.</p> - -<p>"Good-evening, Mr. Hall," said the lawyer, rather -coldly.</p> - -<p>"It is rather cool this evening," said Hall, trying -to appear at ease.</p> - -<p>"I understand," said Mr. Bradley, not appearing -to notice this remark, "that you have a claim against -the estate of my late friend, Mr. Berry."</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"And the amount is—"</p> - -<p>"Two thousand dollars," said Hall, promptly.</p> - -<p>"So I understood. Did you bring the note with -you?"</p> - -<p>Hall opened his pocket-book, and produced the -note. The lawyer took it, and scanned it closely.</p> - -<p>"Do you know what led Mr. Berry to borrow this -amount?" asked the lawyer.</p> - -<p>"He wanted to put it into his business."</p> - -<p>"Did he extend his business then? He might -have done it to a considerable extent with that sum."</p> - -<p>"No, I believe not," said Hall, hesitating.</p> - -<p>"But I thought he borrowed the money with that -object."</p> - -<p>"The truth is," said Hall, after a pause, "he was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span> -owing parties in Boston for a considerable portion of -his stock, and it was to pay off this sum that he borrowed -the money."</p> - -<p>"I suppose you are aware, Mr. Hall, that this -claim will sweep away two-thirds of Mr. Berry's -estate?"</p> - -<p>"I am sorry," said Hall, hesitating. "I didn't -know but he left more."</p> - -<p>"Scarcely a thousand dollars will be left to the -family. Mrs. Berry will have a very hard time."</p> - -<p>"I won't be hard upon her," said Hall. "I don't -need all the money now. I will let half of it, say, -stand for a year."</p> - -<p>"But it will have to be paid finally."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I suppose I must have my money."</p> - -<p>"It is rather strange that Mrs. Berry never knew -anything of this. Her husband usually told her of -his business affairs."</p> - -<p>"She thought so," said Mr. Hall, significantly,</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to imply that he did not?"</p> - -<p>"It seems that he did not tell her of this."</p> - -<p>"So it appears, and yet it is a very important -matter. By the way, Mr. Hall, it was very creditable -to a young man, like yourself, to have saved up -so considerable an amount of money. Two thousand -dollars is quite a little sum."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I did not save it up,—that is, not all of it," said -Hall, perceiving that this would lead to suspicion. -In fact, he was beginning to feel rather uneasy under -the lawyer's questioning.</p> - -<p>"You did not save it up?"</p> - -<p>"Not all of it. I received a legacy a little more -than two years since from a relative."</p> - -<p>"You were fortunate. What was the amount of -the legacy?"</p> - -<p>"Fifteen hundred dollars."</p> - -<p>"And you loaned all this to Mr. Berry?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"And five hundred dollars more."</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"You never mentioned this legacy at the time."</p> - -<p>"Only to Mr. Berry."</p> - -<p>"Where did your relative live, Mr. Hall?"</p> - -<p>"In Worcester," said Hall, hesitating.</p> - -<p>"What relative was it?"</p> - -<p>"My aunt," answered Hall, beginning to feel -uncomfortable.</p> - -<p>"What was her name?"</p> - -<p>"I don't see why you ask so many questions, Mr. -Bradley," said Hall, beginning to find this catechising -embarrassing, especially as he had to make up -the answers on the spot.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Surely you have no objection to answer my question, -Mr. Hall?" said the lawyer, looking fixedly at -the young man, who changed color.</p> - -<p>"It isn't that," said Hall; "but it seems unnecessary."</p> - -<p>"You must consider, Mr. Hall, that this claim is -a very unexpected one. Mr. Berry never mentioned -to any one, so far as I know, that he had borrowed -this money of you. Remember, also, that it will reduce -Mrs. Berry to poverty, and you will not be surprised -that we want to know all the particulars -respecting the transaction."</p> - -<p>"I should think the note ought to be sufficient," -said Hall.</p> - -<p>"True, the note. Let me examine it once more." -The lawyer scrutinized the note, and, raising his -eyes, said:—</p> - -<p>"This note is in Mr. Berry's handwriting, is it?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"By the way, Mr. Hall, the interest has been paid -on this note at regular intervals."</p> - -<p>"Ye—es," said Hall.</p> - -<p>"How often?"</p> - -<p>"Every six months," he answered, more boldly.</p> - -<p>"Ah, then I suppose we shall find corresponding -entries on Mr. Berry's books."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I suppose so," said Hall; but he began to feel -very uncomfortable.</p> - -<p>"So that no interest is due now."</p> - -<p>"About a month's interest; but never mind about -that, I won't say anything about that," said Hall, -magnanimously.</p> - -<p>"You are very considerate, Mr. Hall," said the -lawyer; "but I am sure Mrs. Berry will not accept -this favor. She intends to pay you every penny she -owes you."</p> - -<p>Mr. Hall brightened up at this intimation. He -thought it looked encouraging.</p> - -<p>"I don't want to be hard," he said. "I don't -care for the trifle of interest due."</p> - -<p>"I repeat that Mrs. Berry means to pay every -penny that is justly due, <i>but not one cent that is not so -due</i>," said the lawyer, emphasizing the last words.</p> - -<p>"Of course," said the clerk, nervously; "but why -do you say that?"</p> - -<p>"Do you wish me to tell you, Mr. Hall?" asked -Mr. Bradley, fixing his keen glance upon the young -man.</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Then I will tell you. Because I believe this note -which I hold in my hand <i>to be a base forgery</i>."</p> - -<p>Hall jumped to his feet in dismay.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Do you mean to insult me?" he asked, with -quivering lips.</p> - -<p>"Sit down, Mr. Hall. It is best that this matter -should be settled at once. I have made a charge, -and it is only fair that I should substantiate it, or -try to do so. Did you ever see this sheet of paper?"</p> - -<p>So saying, he produced the crumpled half sheet -which John found in the stove.</p> - -<p>Mr. Hall turned pale.</p> - -<p>"I don't know what you mean," he faltered; but -there was a look upon his face which belied his -words.</p> - -<p>"I think you <i>do</i> know, Mr. Hall," said the lawyer. -"You must be aware that forgery is a serious -matter."</p> - -<p>"Give me back the note," said Hall.</p> - -<p>"Do you admit it to be a forgery?"</p> - -<p>"I admit nothing."</p> - -<p>"Mr. Hall, I will hand you the note," said the -lawyer, after a slight pause, "merely reminding you -that, if it is what I suppose, the sooner you destroy it -the better."</p> - -<p>Hall took the note with nervous haste, and thrust -it into the flame of the lamp. In an instant it was -consumed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You have done wisely, Mr. Hall," said Mr. -Bradley. "I have no further business with you."</p> - -<p>"I shall leave Wilton to-morrow, Mrs. Berry," said -Hall. "I must ask you to get somebody else in my -place."</p> - -<p>"I will pay you to-night whatever wages are due -you" said the lawyer, "in behalf of Mrs. Berry."</p> - -<p>"But how shall I manage about the store?" asked -Mrs. Berry.</p> - -<p>"I will take charge of it, aunt," said John, -promptly, "if you will get some one to assist me."</p> - -<p>"Very well, John; but I am afraid it will be too -much for you."</p> - -<p>"Never fear, aunt; I haven't been in the store -long, but I've learned a good deal about the business."</p> - -<p>Hall was paid, and that was the last that was seen -of him. He went away in the stage the next morning, -and it is to be hoped that he has found out that -honesty is the best policy.</p> - -<p>After he had left the room, Mr. Bradley advanced -to Mrs. Berry, and, grasping her hand, said, cordially:—</p> - -<p>"I congratulate you on the new and improved look -of your affairs."</p> - -<p>"It has lifted a great weight from my mind," said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span> -the widow. "Now I feel sure that I shall be able to -get along, especially with John's help. He was the -first to suspect Mr. Hall of attempting to cheat me."</p> - -<p>"You ought to be a lawyer, John," said Mr. Bradley. -"You have shown that you have a good head -on your shoulders."</p> - -<p>"Perhaps I may be one some time," said John, -smiling.</p> - -<p>"If you ever do, my office is open to you. Good-night, -Mrs. Berry; we've done a good evening's -work."</p> - -<p>The next day John undertook the chief management -of his aunt's store. He engaged James Sanford, -who had had some experience in another town, -to help him, and things went on smoothly for a few -weeks. At the end of that time John received an important -letter from Hampton.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXX.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">A DANGEROUS ACQUAINTANCE.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">While</span> John was attending to his aunt's interests -at Wilton, important events were occurring at Hampton.</p> - -<p>It has already been stated that Ben Brayton was -accustomed to spend most of his time in lounging at -the tavern, or in a billiard saloon close by. It was at -the latter place that he had the privilege of forming -an acquaintance with Arthur Winchester, a young man -from the city of New York (or so he represented). -He was dressed in the extreme of the fashion, sported -a heavy gold chain, wore a diamond ring, and carried -a jaunty cane. I cannot guarantee the genuineness -of the gold or the diamond; but there was no one in -Hampton who could distinguish them from the real -articles.</p> - -<p>The appearance of Mr. Arthur Winchester created -something of a sensation among the young men of -Hampton, or at least that portion who aspired to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span> -wear fashionable clothes. Mr. Winchester's attire -was generally regarded as "nobby" in the extreme.</p> - -<p>They exhibited an elegance which the highest -efforts of the village tailor had never succeeded in -reaching. Forthwith the smart young men in Hampton -became possessed with the desire to have their -clothes made in the same faultless style, and Mr. -Winchester was accommodating enough to permit the -village tailor to take a pattern from his garments.</p> - -<p>Among those who gazed with admiration at the -new-comer was Ben Brayton. He was the first, -indeed, to order a suit like Mr. Winchester's, in -which, when obtained, he strutted about proudly, arm -in arm with the young man himself.</p> - -<p>Various circumstances served to strengthen the intimacy -between the two. In the first place neither -had any weighty occupations to prevent their drinking -or playing billiards together, and it chanced after -a time that this became a regular business with them.</p> - -<p>Ben Brayton was an average player, and appeared -nearly equal to his new friend. At all events, in the -friendly trials of skill that took place between them, -Ben came off victorious perhaps a third of the time.</p> - -<p>"Come, Ben," said Winchester, one morning, "this -is slow. Suppose we make the games a little more -exciting by staking a little on the game."</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 385px;"> -<img src="images/image8.jpg" width="385" height="596" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span></p> - -<p>"You're a better player than I am, Winchester," -said Ben.</p> - -<p>"Not much. You beat me pretty often. However, -I'll give you twenty points, and stake a dollar -on the game."</p> - -<p>"I don't mind," said Ben. "A dollar isn't much."</p> - -<p>"Agreed."</p> - -<p>The game was played, and, counting the twenty -points conceded, Ben came off victorious by five -points.</p> - -<p>He pocketed the dollar with a sense of elation.</p> - -<p>"Will you have another?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Of course I will. I'm bound to have my revenge."</p> - -<p>The second game was played, and likewise terminated -in Ben's favor. He pocketed the second -dollar with satisfaction. He had never found billiards -so interesting.</p> - -<p>"Come, Brayton, this won't do. I didn't think you -were so good a player. You'll clean me out at this -rate."</p> - -<p>"Oh, I only happened to be lucky," said Ben, in -high good humor. "Shall we try it again?"</p> - -<p>Of course they tried it again, and spent nearly -the entire day in the same way. Fortune veered -about a little, and Ben came out minus three dollars.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Never mind, Brayton, you'll get it back to-morrow," -said Winchester, as they parted.</p> - -<p>So Ben thought, and the furor of gaming had -already taken such possession of him that he got up -unusually early, anxious to get at the fascinating -game.</p> - -<p>So matters went on for a week. They never exceeded -one dollar as stakes, and played so even that -Ben was only ten dollars behindhand. This he paid -from his allowance, and so far from being satiated -with the game could hardly restrain his impatience -till Monday morning should give him a chance of -playing again.</p> - -<p>It is perhaps needless to say that Ben had fallen -into dangerous company. Mr. Arthur Winchester -was really a far superior player, and eventually meant -to fleece Ben out of his last dollar. But he did not -wish to arouse suspicion of his intentions, and -"played off," as the saying is, and thus had no difficulty -in luring Ben on to the point at which he aimed.</p> - -<p>At the end of the second week Ben was only five -dollars behind.</p> - -<p>"You're gaining upon me," said Winchester. -"You're improving in your play."</p> - -<p>"Am I?" said Ben, flattered.</p> - -<p>"Not a doubt of it. I don't like to boast, but I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span> -am considered a first-class player in the city, and, by -Jove, you're almost even with me."</p> - -<p>Ben listened with gratification to this praise. He -didn't doubt that Winchester was the first-class -player he represented, and in fact he was a superior -player, but he had never yet put forth his utmost skill. -He had only played with Ben, suiting himself to his -inferior style of playing.</p> - -<p>Gradually Winchester suggested higher play.</p> - -<p>"A dollar is nothing," he said. "Let us make it -five."</p> - -<p>Ben hesitated.</p> - -<p>"That's a good deal to lose," he said.</p> - -<p>"That's true, but isn't it as much to win? Come, -it will make our games more interesting, and you're -as likely to come out ahead as I am."</p> - -<p>"That is true," thought Ben.</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what," he said; "give me twenty-five -points, and I'll do it."</p> - -<p>"Anything for excitement," said Winchester; -"but we're so nearly matched that you'll beat me -twice out of three times on those odds."</p> - -<p>Ben did beat the first game, and the exultation -with which he pocketed the stakes revealed to his -experienced opponent that he had the game in his -hands.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span></p> - -<p>Towards the middle of the afternoon Ben stood -one game ahead. He was flushed and excited by his -success.</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what," said Winchester; "let's give -up child's play and have the real thing."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean?" asked Ben.</p> - -<p>"Let us stake fifty dollars, and done with it. -That'll be something worth playing for."</p> - -<p>Ben started in surprise. The magnitude of the -stake took his breath away.</p> - -<p>"I haven't got the money," he said.</p> - -<p>"Oh, well, you can give me your note. I'll wait, -that is, of course if I win; but I am not so sure of -that as I was. You're a pretty smart player."</p> - -<p>Ben did not hesitate long. He was dazzled by the -idea of winning fifty dollars, and his success thus far -encouraged him to think that he would.</p> - -<p>"Give me thirty points, then," he said.</p> - -<p>"I ought not to; but anything for excitement."</p> - -<p>The game was commenced. Ben led till towards -the close of the game, when his opponent improved -his play, and came out three points ahead.</p> - -<p>"It was a close shave," he said.</p> - -<p>Ben looked uneasy. It was all very agreeable to -win a large sum; but to lose was not so comfortable.</p> - -<p>"I haven't got the money," he said.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Oh, give me your note, and pay when it's convenient! -In fact, perhaps you need not pay at all. -You may win the next game."</p> - -<p>"I don't know if I had better play," said Ben, -doubtfully.</p> - -<p>"Oh, you mustn't leave off a loser. You must have -your revenge. In fact, I'll make you a good offer. -We'll play for a hundred dollars, and I'll give you -thirty-five points. That'll square us up, and make -me your debtor."</p> - -<p>"Say forty, and I'll agree."</p> - -<p>"Forty let it be then; but you'll win."</p> - -<p>Again Winchester permitted Ben to gain in the -commencement of the game, but towards the last he -took care to make up for lost time by a brilliant play -that brought him out victor.</p> - -<p>"I was lucky," he said. "I began to think, the -first part of the game, that all was over with me."</p> - -<p>Ben, silly dupe that he was, did not fathom the -rascality of his companion.</p> - -<p>"I don't think I played as well as usual," he said, -ruefully.</p> - -<p>"No, you didn't. Perhaps your hand has got a -little out, you have played so many hours on a -stretch."</p> - -<p>Ben gave Winchester another due-bill for one hundred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span> -dollars, wondering how he should be able to meet -it. He was rather frightened, and resolved not to -play the next day. But when the next day came his -resolution evaporated. I need not describe the wiles -used by Arthur Winchester. It is enough that at the -close of the coming day he held notes signed by Ben -for three hundred dollars.</p> - -<p>He assured the disturbed Ben that he needn't -trouble himself about the matter; that he didn't -need the money just yet. He would give him time to -pay it in, and other things to the same effect. But -having come to the conclusion that Ben had been bled -as much as he could stand, he called him aside the -next morning, and said:—</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry to trouble you, my dear Brayton, but -I've just had a letter recalling me to the city. Could -you let me have that money as well as not, say this -afternoon?"</p> - -<p>"This afternoon!" exclaimed Ben, in dismay. "I -don't see how I can get it at all."</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to repudiate your debts of honor?" -said Winchester, sternly.</p> - -<p>"No," said Ben, faltering; "but I've got no -money."</p> - -<p>"You ought to have made sure of that," said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span> -Winchester, shortly, "before playing with a gentleman. -Go to your mother. She is rich."</p> - -<p>"She won't give me the money."</p> - -<p>"Look here, Brayton," said Winchester, "I must -have that money. I don't care how you get it. But -some way or other it must be got. I hope you -understand."</p> - -<p>A bright idea came to Ben.</p> - -<p>"You can't collect my notes," he said; "I'm -under age."</p> - -<p>"Then," said Winchester, his face darkening with -a frown that made Ben shiver, "I demand satisfaction. -To-morrow morning, at five o'clock, I will meet -you with swords or pistols, as you prefer."</p> - -<p>"What do you mean?" asked Ben, his teeth chattering, -for he was an arrant coward.</p> - -<p>"What I say! If the law will not give me satisfaction, -I will demand the satisfaction of a gentleman. -Fight or pay, take your choice; but one or the -other you must do."</p> - -<p>The sentence closed with an oath.</p> - -<p>"I'll do my best," said Ben, terrified. "Of course -I mean to pay you."</p> - -<p>"Then you'll let me have the money to-morrow?"</p> - -<p>"I'll try."</p> - -<p>The two parted, and Ben, thoroughly miserable,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> -went home, trying to devise some means to appease -his inexorable creditor, whom he began to wish he -had never met.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXXI.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">BEN MAKES A DISCOVERY.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Ben</span> went home slowly, in a state of great perplexity. -He knew his mother too well to think she would -pay him three hundred dollars without weighty cause. -Should he tell her the scrape he had got into? He -felt a natural reluctance to do that, nor was he by -any means satisfied that she would pay the money if -he did. Then again he was ashamed to admit that -he was afraid to fight. He felt convinced that, -should he reveal the matter, his mother would bid him -take advantage of the legal worthlessness of his notes -to Winchester. He would gladly do it, but was -afraid, and did not dare to admit it. On the whole, -Ben felt decidedly uncomfortable.</p> - -<p>"Is mother at home?" he inquired, when he -reached home.</p> - -<p>"No; she's gone over to Mrs. Talbot's to spend -the afternoon," was the reply.</p> - -<p>Ben felt relieved by this assurance, though he -hardly knew why.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I wonder whether mother has got as much as -three hundred dollars by her," he thought.</p> - -<p>With this thought in his mind he went upstairs, -and entered his mother's chamber.</p> - -<p>The first thing he caught sight of when he entered -was a little bunch of keys lying on the table. He -knew at once that they were his mother's keys. It -was certainly extraordinary that she should on that -particular day have left them exposed. She was -generally very careful. But it chanced that she had -hurried away, and in her haste had forgotten the keys, -nor did she think of them while absent.</p> - -<p>Under ordinary circumstances Ben would have -made no improper use of the keys thus thrown in his -way; but, harassed as he was by the importunities -of Winchester, it seemed to him a stroke of luck that -placed them in his power.</p> - -<p>He determined to open the drawers of his mother's -bureau, and see what he could find. If only he -could find the sum he wanted he could get out of his -present difficulties, and perhaps explain it to his -mother afterwards.</p> - -<p>Ben, after several trials, succeeded in finding the -key that fitted the upper drawer. He examined the -contents eagerly. It was of course filled with a -variety of articles of apparel, but in one corner Ben<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span> -found a portemonnaie. He opened it, and discovered -a roll of bills, six in number, each of the denomination -of twenty dollars.</p> - -<p>"One hundred and twenty dollars!" he said. -"That's more than a third of the bill. Perhaps, if I -pay that, Winchester'll wait for the rest."</p> - -<p>It occurred to him, however, that a further search -might reveal some more money. If he could get -thirty dollars more, for example, that with the other -would make one half the sum he owed Winchester, -and with that surely the other might be content, for -the present at least. The rest of the debt he could -arrange to pay out of his weekly allowance, say at -the rate of five dollars a week.</p> - -<p>Accordingly Ben began to poke about until he -found a folded paper. He opened it with curiosity -and began to read. His interest deepened, and his -excitement increased.</p> - -<p>"By Jove," he said, "if this isn't the lost will I've -heard so much talk about. The old lady's kept it -mighty quiet. Wouldn't John Oakley give something -to get hold of it?"</p> - -<p>Ben sat down to reflect upon the discovery he had -made.</p> - -<p>"Mother's right to keep it quiet," he said to himself. -"She ought to have destroyed it, and I verily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> -believe she has tried," he continued, as he noticed -the scorched appearance of the will. "I wonder she -didn't."</p> - -<p>The next question to consider was, what to do with -it. It did not take long to decide. His mother -would be very much frightened, and this would give -him a hold upon her, by which he might induce her -to give him the money he required.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I'll keep it," he said.</p> - -<p>He put the roll of bills into his pocket-book, carefully -deposited the will in his side-pocket, and, shutting -and locking the bureau-drawer, placed the keys -in the same position upon the table in which he had -found them, and then left the room.</p> - -<p>"A pretty good day's work!" thought Ben to himself. -"I think I'll go and pay Winchester what -money I have, and get him to wait a few days for the -rest."</p> - -<p>Ben left the house, and wended his way to the tavern. -He found Winchester in the bar-room, smoking -a cigar. He looked up inquiringly as Ben entered.</p> - -<p>"How are you, Winchester?" said Ben.</p> - -<p>"All right," said the latter, noticing Ben's changed -demeanor, and auguring favorably from it. "Have -a cigar?"</p> - -<p>"I don't care if I do," said Ben.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span></p> - -<p>Winchester handed him one, and the two sat down -together.</p> - -<p>"Oh, about that money," said Ben, after a little -pause. "I can let you have a part of it now, but I -shall have to make you wait a few days for the rest."</p> - -<p>"How much can you pay me now?"</p> - -<p>"One hundred and twenty dollars," said Ben.</p> - -<p>"That's good," said Winchester, with satisfaction. -"The fact is, I'm deuced hard up, and need it."</p> - -<p>"I don't want to pay you here," said Ben. -"Come out a little way, and I'll hand it to you."</p> - -<p>"All right. I'd like a walk."</p> - -<p>The two sauntered forth together, and Ben paid -over the money.</p> - -<p>"You'll oblige me by not mentioning to anybody -that I have paid you any money," said Ben. "I -have a reason for it."</p> - -<p>"Of course."</p> - -<p>"I can't tell you the reason."</p> - -<p>"That's your affair."</p> - -<p>"Now about the rest."</p> - -<p>"Yes, about the rest."</p> - -<p>"I think I can get it for you in a few days."</p> - -<p>"I can wait a few days to oblige you, but I must -go to the city as soon as I can get away. So please -hurry up."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I'll do the best I can. This morning," he added, -"I didn't see how I was going to get the money. -My mother wouldn't look upon it as we do, as a debt -of honor; but since then I've been lucky enough to -get possession of one of her secrets, and I think it -will help me."</p> - -<p>"Glad of it," said Winchester, "for your sake. I -don't care, of course, how you get the money, as -long as you do get it. That's the main thing, you -know."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I see."</p> - -<p>"Now what do you say to another little game of -billiards?"</p> - -<p>"I can't stake any more money. I've lost enough," -said Ben, sensibly.</p> - -<p>"Then let it be a friendly game—just a little -trial of skill, that's all."</p> - -<p>To this Ben was not averse, and the two made -their way as so often before to the billiard saloon.</p> - -<p>In the mean time Mrs. Oakley returned home from -her afternoon visit. She had not yet missed her -keys, but on going up to her chamber, discovered -them lying upon the table.</p> - -<p>"How terribly careless I have been!" she said. -"I hope they have not been seen."</p> - -<p>Tolerably sure of this, she opened the upper bureau-drawer,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> -and looked for the portemonnaie. It was in -the same place. She opened it, and found it empty. -Her eyes flashed with indignation.</p> - -<p>"Some one has been to the drawer," she said.</p> - -<p>She next thought of the will, and felt for it. <i>It -was not there!</i> She turned pale, and with nervous -fingers took everything out of the drawer, hoping to -find it misplaced. But her search was vain. The -will was not to be found.</p> - -<p>She sank back into a chair, and exclaimed with -passionate regret:—</p> - -<p>"Fool that I was! Why did I not make all sure -by burning it?"</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXXII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">MRS. OAKLEY'S SUSPICIONS.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">The</span> sudden disappearance of the will struck Mrs. -Oakley with dismay. It threatened her with the loss -of two-thirds of her estate. But she was not a -woman to bear it in silence. She possessed a fund -of energy, and lost no time in seeking to determine -the important question, "Who had taken it?"</p> - -<p>She descended at once to the kitchen, where she -found Hannah setting the table for supper.</p> - -<p>"Hannah," she said, abruptly, "have you been -upstairs to my chamber this afternoon?"</p> - -<p>"No, ma'am," said Hannah.</p> - -<p>"Think a moment," said her mistress, sternly; -"have you not been up?"</p> - -<p>"No, ma'am, I haven't. I told you so once," said -Hannah, not altogether pleased with the doubt implied -by the second question.</p> - -<p>"Has any one called here since I went away?" -asked Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span></p> - -<p>"No, ma'am."</p> - -<p>"Then there has been no one in the house excepting -yourself?"</p> - -<p>"No one except Master Ben."</p> - -<p>"Ben!" repeated Mrs. Oakley, in a changed -voice. "When did Ben come home?"</p> - -<p>"About an hour ago,—maybe an hour and a half," -said Hannah.</p> - -<p>"He is not here now."</p> - -<p>"Isn't he, ma'am? I suppose he went out, but I -didn't hear him."</p> - -<p>"You are quite sure no one else has been in the -house?" inquired her mistress.</p> - -<p>"Certain sure, ma'am."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley went upstairs slowly. A new idea -had forced its way into her mind. It must be that -Ben had taken both the money and the will. That -he should have taken the first didn't surprise her, for -with all her love for her son, she had small confidence -in his honesty. No doubt he had got into debt, and -so was tempted to appropriate the bills. But why -should he have taken the will? That was something -she could not understand. For the money she cared -little comparatively. But the loss of the will was -ruin, if John or his friends found it, or, if not, she -would live in perpetual fear of their discovering it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span></p> - -<p>"If I once get hold of it again," she said to herself, -"I will take care that all danger from that -source shall end and forever. Ben will never divulge -its existence, of course. He will understand that it -affects his interests too nearly."</p> - -<p>She waited in nervous excitement for Ben's reappearance.</p> - -<p>At length his step was heard—never more welcome -than now.</p> - -<p>Ben entered, feeling rather nervous also.</p> - -<p>"Has mother found out?" he thought.</p> - -<p>"Good-afternoon, mother," he said, with apparent -unconcern. "Is supper most ready? I'm awful -hungry."</p> - -<p>"I want to speak to you a moment, Benjamin," -said his mother. "Will you come upstairs?"</p> - -<p>"Now for it," thought Ben.</p> - -<p>"Can't you speak here just as well?" he said. -"I'm tired."</p> - -<p>"I would rather have you come upstairs," said -Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Just as you say," said Ben; "but I don't see why -you can't talk just as well down here."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley led the way to her own chamber. -Ben followed, feeling, it must be confessed, not altogether -comfortable. This feeling was not diminished<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> -when his mother closed the door carefully. She -turned and confronted him.</p> - -<p>"You have been to my bureau-drawer, Ben," she -said, eying him fixedly.</p> - -<p>"I don't know what you mean," said Ben.</p> - -<p>"You came home about two hours ago, didn't -you?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I came home then," said Ben, knowing that -it would be of no use to deny what could be proved -by Hannah's testimony.</p> - -<p>"You came up to this chamber, found my keys on -the table, and opened the upper drawer of my -bureau."</p> - -<p>"Did you see me do it?" asked Ben, feeling confident -that he was accused on suspicion merely.</p> - -<p>"No, but—"</p> - -<p>"Doesn't Hannah pretend that she saw me?"</p> - -<p>"No."</p> - -<p>"Lucky for her she doesn't. If she did she'd lie," -said Ben, glad to find out so much.</p> - -<p>"Do you mean to deny that you came up here?" -asked Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I do. It seems to me you're mighty quick -in suspecting me," continued Ben, with an air of injured -innocence. "But what's all the fuss about? -Have you missed anything?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Yes," said his mother, "I have met with a serious -loss. But, Benjamin, it is very important that I -should clearly understand who did or did not take it. -Will you assure me upon your honor that you did -not take anything from my bureau?"</p> - -<p>"Of course I will," said Ben, who felt that he was -in for it, and must stick stoutly to the lie at all hazards. -"But you haven't told me what you lost."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley turned pale with consternation. She -had depended upon Ben's proving the real culprit, in -which case she could require restitution, at any rate, -of the will.</p> - -<p>"I lost a sum of money," she said,—"a hundred -and twenty dollars."</p> - -<p>"Whew!" said Ben. "That <i>was</i> a loss."</p> - -<p>"But that was not all. There was besides a—a -document of importance, for which I cared more than -the money."</p> - -<p>"I've no doubt of it," thought Ben.</p> - -<p>"What was it?" he said aloud.</p> - -<p>"What it was is quite immaterial," said Mrs. -Oakley. "It is sufficient to say that it was a document -of very great importance. I care little for the -money compared with that. If you took it, Ben," she -said, with a sudden final appeal, "I will forgive you,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span> -and let you keep the money, if you will restore the—the -document."</p> - -<p>There was a look of entreaty in the proud woman's -eyes, as she made this appeal to her son. She -waited anxiously for the answer.</p> - -<p>But the inducement was not sufficient. The one -hundred and twenty dollars were already paid away, -and Ben owed one hundred and eighty dollars besides. -He knew that Winchester would not remit -the debt. There was no chance whatever of that. -So Ben determined to keep the <i>rôle</i> of injured innocence -which he had assumed in the beginning. His -mother would not be able to find him out. It may -be thought that this was inconsistent with his plan -of raising money out of his mother's fears by withholding -the will. But he had arranged that already. -<i>He might find the will</i>,—perhaps in Hannah's chamber, -perhaps elsewhere, he could decide that hereafter; -but he resolved not to own up to the theft. In -fact, after denying it stoutly, it would have been difficult -to do that.</p> - -<p>"Look here, mother," he said, "I am not a thief, -and I wish you would not try to make me out one. -You're ready enough to suspect me. Why don't you -suspect Hannah? She was here all the time."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span></p> - -<p>"I have already spoken to Hannah," said Mrs. -Oakley.</p> - -<p>"What did she say?"</p> - -<p>"She said she had not been upstairs during my -absence."</p> - -<p>"And you believed her," said Ben, reproachfully. -"Do you believe her before me?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, I believed her," said Mrs. Oakley; "and I -will tell you why. She might take the money, but -she wouldn't be likely to take the paper."</p> - -<p>"I don't know about that. She might think it was -of importance. She might think you would pay her -money to get it back."</p> - -<p>Just then it flashed across Mrs. Oakley's mind that -Hannah had seen the will in her hand on the day that -she undertook to burn it. Why had she not thought -of that before? It might be that Hannah was more -artful than she gave her credit for, and, suspecting the -value of the document, had taken it as well as the -money.</p> - -<p>"I will question Hannah again," she said. "Come -with me, Benjamin."</p> - -<p>They went downstairs together, and Hannah was -summoned from the kitchen.</p> - -<p>"Hannah," said Mrs. Oakley, "listen attentively -to me."</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Certainly, ma'am," said Hannah, wondering what -was coming.</p> - -<p>"Something was taken from my drawer this afternoon, -Hannah,—some money and something else. -Do you know anything about it?"</p> - -<p>"Sure I don't, ma'am. I told you once before."</p> - -<p>"If you took it, and will tell me, and restore everything, -I will forgive you, and let you keep ten dollars -of the money besides."</p> - -<p>"But I didn't take it, ma'am," said poor Hannah, -earnestly.</p> - -<p>"If you don't," said Mrs. Oakley, sternly, "I will -send for the constable, and have you arrested at once -and carried to prison."</p> - -<p>Hannah burst into a piteous howl, and declared -that she never stole so much as a pin, and called the -Virgin and all the saints to witness that she was innocent.</p> - -<p>"Give up the paper you took," said Mrs. Oakley, -"and you may keep twenty dollars of the money."</p> - -<p>But Hannah again declared that she took nothing.</p> - -<p>"Stop a minute," said Ben; "maybe we're all -wrong. When I went out of the house I saw a very -suspicious-looking man coming this way."</p> - -<p>"What was his appearance?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span></p> - -<p>"He had black hair and whiskers," said Ben, glibly, -"and was meanly dressed."</p> - -<p>"Was he coming towards the house?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Did such a person come to the house, Hannah?"</p> - -<p>"I didn't see him; but he might have come to the -wing door without me knowing it."</p> - -<p>"I'll bet ten dollars he was the thief," said Ben.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley did not know what to say or think. -Both Ben and Hannah stoutly denied the theft, and -resisted the most liberal overtures to a confession. -It might be the ill-looking man spoken of.</p> - -<p>"What'll you give me if I find the paper, mother?" -asked Ben. "I'll get on the track of the scamp, and -get it if I can."</p> - -<p>"I'll give fifty dollars," said his mother.</p> - -<p>"But you offered a hundred a little while ago."</p> - -<p>"I'll give you a hundred and twenty then."</p> - -<p>"Promise me two hundred cash down, and I'll do -my best."</p> - -<p>"I'll give you two hundred dollars when you place -the paper in my hands."</p> - -<p>"All right," said Ben. "If I can find the man, -I'll offer him a little something to begin with. It -won't be of any use to him, you know."</p> - -<p>They sat down to supper. Ben partook heartily,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> -feeling that he had as good as got the two hundred -dollars, while Mrs. Oakley was pale and nervous, and -had no appetite. How differently she would have -felt if she had only known that the lost will was all -the while laid snugly away in Ben's coat-pocket!</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span></p> - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXXIII.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">A STRANGE METAMORPHOSIS.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">Ben</span> decided not to produce the will too soon. It -would look suspicious. Besides, the longer it remained -missing, the more rejoiced his mother would -be to recover it, and so naturally the more ready to -pay the reward she had promised. The afternoon of -the next day he thought would be quite soon enough -to "find" it.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the next morning Ben strolled over to -the tavern, thinking he might find Winchester. But -that young man had gone out on a fishing excursion, -and had left word to that effect with the landlord.</p> - -<p>So Ben strolled down to the river. It was a delightful -day, and the desire seized him to "go in -swimming." Though he cared little for other athletic -exercises, he was fond of swimming, and was quite a -fair swimmer.</p> - -<p>Now, as Ben's ill luck would have it, Sam Selwyn -chanced to be in the woods quite near by, and saw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span> -Ben undress and go into the water. He was not -fond of Ben, and he was fond of a practical joke. -Besides, he had been for some time wanting to pay -off Ben for the share he had in making John's life -uncomfortable. A plan suggested itself to him.</p> - -<p>"I'll do it!" he exclaimed, his eyes twinkling with -merriment.</p> - -<p>He ran home,—it was but a few steps across lots,—dashed -upstairs, and from an upper room took -a faded calico dress and hoop-skirt, and, rolling them -up, made his way swiftly back to the river. The -river's edge was heavily wooded, and running vines -and thick underbrush almost completely concealed -the water from the sight. He went to the place -where Ben had deposited his clothes, took away -his coat, vest, and pantaloons, put the gown and -hoop-skirt in their place, and quickly departed. -Ben's clothes he hid away in the hollow trunk -of an old tree not more than two rods distant. -But in doing so a folded paper slipped out of the -coat-pocket. Sam's attention was drawn towards it, -for it looked like the legal papers of which his father -had so many in his office. Opening it under an impulse -of curiosity, his face instantly glowed with an -expression of the most earnest and enthusiastic joy.</p> - -<p>"By all my lucky stars!" he exclaimed; "if this<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span> -isn't the lost will! This will set John all right. I -wonder how that scamp got hold of it!"</p> - -<p>Sam put the will in his own inside coat-pocket, and -buttoned up his coat to make sure that it was safe. -He wanted to go at once and communicate the joyful -discovery to his father, but he also wanted to enjoy -Ben's dismay when he found his clothes gone. This -he could not forego on any account, and that he -might be an unseen witness of all that occurred, he -climbed up a large tree whose thick-leaved branches -hid him completely.</p> - -<p>Hardly had he concealed himself before Ben -emerged from the water. He at once proceeded to -the spot where he had left his clothing. In ludicrous -perplexity he gazed at the remarkable change which -had taken place. He lifted the gown and skirt, and -found that his shirt, collar, hat, stockings, and shoes -were untouched.</p> - -<p>He put on his shirt and stockings, and called out, -angrily, thinking the author of the trick might be -within hearing:—</p> - -<p>"I say, bring back my clothes!"</p> - -<p>But no reply was made.</p> - -<p>"Bring back my clothes, I say!" he called, in -louder and more angry accents.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span></p> - -<p>But again this reasonable request fell unheeded. -He waited anxiously for a response, but none came.</p> - -<p>"Where are you, you scoundrel?" he screamed, in -very ill temper.</p> - -<p>"Don't you wish you knew?" thought Sam, as he -looked calmly down from a distance upon Ben.</p> - -<p>"Perhaps the scamp has hid my clothes somewhere -about here," thought Ben.</p> - -<p>He proceeded to search in every direction he could -think of. But the hollow tree, rather strangely, did -not occur to him and escaped his notice.</p> - -<p>His anger and dismay increased as he found his -search vain.</p> - -<p>"I wish I had the mean, contemptible rascal here!" -he exclaimed. "I'd break every bone in his body!"</p> - -<p>"I don't know about that, Ben Brayton," silently -commented Sam, from his secure post of observation.</p> - -<p>"What shall I do?" thought Ben, gloomily.</p> - -<p>He sat down to consider. His situation was certainly -an embarrassing one. Of course he could not -go home in his shirt, and the only alternative was to -wear the odious gown. It was hard to make up his -mind to that. He preferred to wait awhile to see if -help would not come from some quarter. Sam began -to get tired in his perch.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Why don't the fellow dress and go home?" he -muttered.</p> - -<p>At length Ben made up his mind that it must be -done, and, with a hearty anathema on the author of -his perplexity, robed himself in the dress. Sam nearly -exploded with laughter as he saw Ben arrayed in the -gown, which fell lank around him. Ben gazed ruefully -at his extraordinary figure, and then at the hoop-skirt. -He concluded that he would not look quite so badly -with that addition. He therefore fitted it on as well -as he could, and adjusted his dress by the help of -some pins which he found sticking in the dress.</p> - -<p>"I wish I had a hood or something to hide my -face," muttered Ben, dismally. "I might pass for a -girl then. Now folks will stare at me as if I was mad, -and if any one sees me I shall never hear the last of -it."</p> - -<p>Certainly Ben's black felt hat did not look much in -keeping with the faded calico dress, now properly -filled out by the hoop-skirt, which swayed from side to -side as he walked.</p> - -<p>"Oh, it's too rich!" thought Sam, almost choking -with suppressed laughter. "What a sensation he -will make in the village!"</p> - -<p>Just then Ben's foot got caught somehow, and -he fell sprawling. He gathered himself up with furious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span> -energy, and did not observe that there was a -conspicuous stain of mud on his dress. He took a -roundabout way, so as to remain under cover of the -woods as long as he could.</p> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 385px;"> -<img src="images/image9.jpg" width="385" height="574" alt="" /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" style="page-break-after: always;" /> - -<p>"I must meet Ben, and enjoy his discomfort," -thought Sam.</p> - -<p>He scrambled down from the tree, and cautiously -made a short cut for the road, unseen by Ben. He -posted himself at a place where Ben must emerge. -He walked along, apparently absorbed in thought, -till he came face to face with Ben, who, very much -ashamed of his appearance, was walking as fast as his -embarrassing clothing would allow.</p> - -<p>"Good gracious, Ben Brayton!" he exclaimed, in -affected amazement. "Why, what possesses you to -go round in this style?"</p> - -<p>"No choice of mine. I couldn't help it," said Ben, -ruefully. "I went in swimming. Some scamp stole -my clothes, and left these traps in their place."</p> - -<p>"Well, upon my word, Ben, really you do cut the -queerest figure I ever saw!" said Sam, giving vent -to his pent-up mirth.</p> - -<p>"I don't see anything to laugh at," said Ben, -in a most aggrieved tone.</p> - -<p>"You would if you could only see yourself," said -Sam,—and he burst out with laughter again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Do you mean to insult me?" said Ben, wrathfully.</p> - -<p>"Excuse me, Ben; but really I can't help it. See, -there's Miss Clark coming. If she don't laugh I'll -forfeit a dollar."</p> - -<p>Miss Clark was one of the prettiest young ladies in -the village, and to be seen by her was most humiliating. -But there was no dodging it. She met Ben -face to face, and, as might be expected, was moved to -merriment.</p> - -<p>"Good-morning, Miss Clark," said Ben, sheepishly.</p> - -<p>The young lady tried to say good-morning, but -only burst into a fresh fit of mirth as she passed -along, Sam joining her a few moments afterwards.</p> - -<p>Ben walked on very much discomposed. He was -still half a mile from home, and it was very probable -that he would meet others.</p> - -<p>"I'd give fifty dollars to be safe at home," he -groaned.</p> - -<p>He had reason to say so. Just then the scholars -in the village school were sent out to their morning -recess. They espied the strange figure, and instantly, -boy-like, started in pursuit.</p> - -<p>"Keep your distance!" said Ben, furiously, to his -young tormentors.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Oh my! what a fine young lady I am!" said one.</p> - -<p>"How <i>do you do</i> this morning, <i>Miss</i> Brayton?" -said another.</p> - -<p>"What a <i>becoming</i> dress!" commented another, -with much admiration.</p> - -<p>Ben tried to give chase to his tormentors, but, as -might have been expected, not being accustomed to -his attire, tripped, and fell headlong.</p> - -<p>Then a shout, long and loud, went up from the -boys.</p> - -<p>Ben could not stand it. He gathered up his skirts, -and ran towards home with all the expedition he was -capable of. The old doctor met him, and gazed in -wonder at the flying figure, not recognizing Ben in his -new costume. He began to speculate whether it -might not be an insane person, who had broken from -his or her confinement.</p> - -<p>Panting for breath, Ben at length brought up at -his own door. It was locked, Mrs. Oakley having followed -the old adage of "shutting the stable-door -after the horse is stolen." Ben rang a tremendous -peal at the door-bell, which was quickly answered by -Hannah.</p> - -<p>When she saw the strange figure before her, she -uttered a loud shriek, and fled with precipitation.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span></p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley heard the bell and Hannah's shriek, -and came hastily to the head of the stairs.</p> - -<p>"What does this ridiculous masquerading mean?" -she demanded, sternly.</p> - -<p>"It means that I went in swimming, and some -rascal stole my clothes and left these," growled Ben, -provoked that he should be blamed for his misfortune.</p> - -<p>Then, for the first time, flashed upon Ben the -crowning misfortune,—that the lost will was in his -coat-pocket. Upon the recovery of that depended -his chance of getting the two hundred dollars. He -sank into a chair, pale with dismay.</p> - -<p>"Are you sick, Ben?" asked his mother, hastily.</p> - -<p>"No," he said; "but I must dress as quick as possible, -and go back and find my clothes if I can."</p> - -<p>He dressed in nervous haste, and set out for the -woods. This time he espied the hollow tree. There -he found his clothes. He felt in the pockets, and -found that everything was safe, including his watch -and pocket-book.</p> - -<p>But the will was gone! Ben instituted a strict -and careful search in every conceivable direction, but -he found no trace of the lost document.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2 style="margin-top: 3.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CHAPTER XXXIV.</h2> - -<h3 style="margin-bottom: 1.5em;">CONCLUSION.</h3> - - -<p><span class="smcap">A letter</span> was at once despatched to John, from -Squire Selwyn, requesting his immediate return to -Hampton.</p> - -<p>Though no reason was assigned for the summons, -John of course lost no time in obeying it. On the -third day he was set down at the lawyer's house.</p> - -<p>"O John, how glad I am to see you!" said Sam, -in his delight flinging both arms around John's neck, -and giving him a warm embrace.</p> - -<p>John's greeting was no less hearty.</p> - -<p>"Such news, John!" said Sam.</p> - -<p>"It isn't the will?" inquired John, eagerly.</p> - -<p>"But it is, though."</p> - -<p>"Found?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, and I found it. Didn't I tell you so! -Don't you remember my dream?"</p> - -<p>"But perhaps it's all a dream now."</p> - -<p>"Well, if it is, it's a substantial dream, and father's<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span> -got the document locked up in his safe. You're no -longer dependent on Mrs. Oakley, and you can go to -college with me, and—you don't know how glad I -am."</p> - -<p>"Yes, I do, Sam," said John. "You're just as -glad as if it had happened to yourself, and that's -what I expected of you. But you haven't told me -how it was found yet."</p> - -<p>"Oh, it was such fun!" said Sam. "Sit down -here, and I'll tell you all about it."</p> - -<p>It need hardly be said that John was amused by -the story of Ben's ludicrous embarrassment; but he -was surprised as well.</p> - -<p>"How could Ben have got hold of it? I don't -understand that."</p> - -<p>"Nor I," said Sam. "But as long as we've got -it, we won't trouble ourselves about that."</p> - -<p>It was decided that the next morning Squire Selwyn, -accompanied by John, should call on Mrs. Oakley, -and make arrangements founded on the new -phase of affairs.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley had not received intelligence of -John's return, and her surprise was accompanied by -a nervous sensation, when Hannah came up to her -chamber, and announced that Squire Selwyn was -below, and Master John was with him.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span></p> - -<p>"John Oakley?" she demanded, hastily.</p> - -<p>"Yes, ma'am."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley entered the parlor with her old -haughty step, and coldly bade the lawyer "good-morning." -Of John she took no notice.</p> - -<p>"Good-morning, Mrs. Oakley," said John.</p> - -<p>"So you have got back, have you?" she said.</p> - -<p>"Yes, he has got home to stay," said Squire Selwyn, -significantly.</p> - -<p>"With or without my permission, I suppose," said -Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"I don't know that he needs anybody's permission -to live in his own house," said the lawyer.</p> - -<p>"His own house!" repeated Mrs. Oakley, in a -voice which, despite her efforts, betrayed some nervousness.</p> - -<p>"Yes, Mrs. Oakley. My object in calling upon -you this morning is to apprise you that the will is -found."</p> - -<p>"What will?" she demanded.</p> - -<p>"Your late husband's last will and testament, in -which he bequeaths this estate to his son John, here -present."</p> - -<p>"Where's the will?"</p> - -<p>"Here," said the lawyer, producing it.</p> - -<p>"Will you let me see it?"</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span></p> - -<p>"Excuse me, but it must remain in my possession -till it is publicly read."</p> - -<p>"What reason have I for believing this to be a -genuine document?" said Mrs. Oakley, harshly. It -was foolish thus to contend, and she knew it; but it -angered her that by the document she should be -stripped of two-thirds of what she had come to look -upon as her own.</p> - -<p>"I am prepared to swear that it is the will which I -drew up for your husband three months before his -death."</p> - -<p>"I suppose I am not to ask how it came into your -possession?" said Mrs. Oakley. "If it was concealed -in this house, some one must have entered illegally, -and made a secret search."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley fixed her eyes upon John, feeling -satisfied that he had entered the house on the day -she left her keys out, and opened the drawer.</p> - -<p>"If you think I had anything to do with it, Mrs. -Oakley," said John, "you are mistaken. I only -reached Hampton last evening, summoned by Squire -Selwyn."</p> - -<p>"I accused you of nothing," said Mrs. Oakley, but -she was greatly surprised.</p> - -<p>"As to who found the will, Mrs. Oakley," said -Squire Selwyn, composedly, "I will only suggest<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span> -that your son Benjamin can probably throw more -light on this matter than any one else."</p> - -<p>"Benjamin!" exclaimed Mrs. Oakley, quickly.</p> - -<p>"Yes, I have reason to think he can give you all -the information you desire."</p> - -<p>Mrs. Oakley compressed her lips closely. Was it -possible that Ben had found the will and deliberately -carried it to Squire Selwyn? Could he have sold her -and his own interests to the enemy? No doubt she -argued, Squire Selwyn had bribed him at a heavy -price to deliver it up.</p> - -<p>"I don't understand this," she said. "If Benjamin -found the will, he should have brought it to -me."</p> - -<p>"As, of course, you would have placed it in my -hands, there is no harm done," said the lawyer, -watching keenly the face that showed some discomposure -as he spoke. "But you can settle that with -Ben. I will merely read you the provisions of the -will informally, previous to presenting it for probate."</p> - -<p>To this Mrs. Oakley could make no objection, -though she was fully acquainted with the document -to be read.</p> - -<p>It provided that the home estate, consisting of the -family mansion, and lands situated in the town of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> -Hampton, valued together at twenty thousand dollars, -should go to John. Of the remaining estate, invested -in stocks and bonds, valued at forty thousand -dollars, one half was to go to John, and the remaining -half to Mrs. Oakley. Squire Selwyn was appointed -executor, and guardian of John, until the -latter should attain his majority.</p> - -<p>"If the will is genuine,"—commenced Mrs. Oakley,—</p> - -<p>"You certainly do not question my word to that -effect?" said the lawyer, gravely.</p> - -<p>"I have no right to stay in this house," continued -Mrs. Oakley.</p> - -<p>"I am quite sure John would wish you to exercise -your own choice in that matter."</p> - -<p>"I shall not remain a tenant on sufferance," said -Mrs. Oakley, coldly. "Next week Benjamin and I -go to the city."</p> - -<p>"You will act your own pleasure, of course," -said Squire Selwyn, rather glad to hear it, if the -truth must be told.</p> - -<p>Some other matters were discussed and they rose -to go. John received no invitation to remain.</p> - -<p>"I am afraid I must burden your hospitality, -Squire Selwyn," he said, as they left the house.</p> - -<p>"You are a welcome guest, and will always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a></span> -be, John," said the lawyer. "Sam will be delighted -at the arrangement."</p> - -<p>"I don't know how my aunt will manage without -me," said John. "I was her business manager."</p> - -<p>"It seems to me, John, that your aunt had better -sell out her store, and come and keep house for you. -You will have a large house, and you are not quite -old enough to marry and go to house-keeping."</p> - -<p>"Not quite," said John, laughing.</p> - -<p>"Your aunt will thus be relieved from business -anxieties, and you are quite rich enough to provide -for her and your cousins."</p> - -<p>"It is an excellent arrangement," said John. -"I'll write to her at once."</p> - -<p>John did write, and, as might have been expected -his aunt was very glad to accept his offer. It was, -of course, impossible to doubt the validity of the -will, and its provisions were, as soon as practicable, -carried into effect. Mrs. Oakley removed to New -York with Ben, and established herself at a boarding-house. -On some accounts it was an unwise step. -Ben, having nothing useful to do, grew dissipated, -and contracted debts on all hands. In five years his -mother's twenty thousand dollars had dwindled to a -few hundreds, and once more she found herself -obliged to exert herself for a support. She opened<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span> -a boarding-house, by means of which she managed -to make a living. As for Ben, who she fondly hoped -would grow up a gentleman, he appears to be sinking -deeper and deeper every day into worthlessness and -dissipation. He has cost his mother many sorrowful -hours.</p> - -<p>Mr. Huxter is dead. Probably his excesses -in drinking hastened his death. His poor wife was -left quite destitute. When John heard of her distress, -grateful for her sympathy at a time when he -stood in need of it, he asked permission to help her. -A certain sum is paid her annually by him, by -which, with her earnings as a dress-maker,—a trade -which she followed before her marriage,—she is able -to make a comfortable living for herself and her children.</p> - -<p>John returned to his studies, and was admitted to -college with Sam, where both took a high rank. -They graduated at the last commencement, and are -now both studying law.</p> - -<p>Squire Bradley, of Wilton, who was much impressed -by the skill with which John ferreted out -Mr. Hall's rascality, is anxious to have John enter -his office; but Sam, who is unwilling to part with one -who from boyhood has been his most intimate friend, -insists that John shall enter his father's office with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span> -him, after completing a course at a celebrated Law -School where they now are. Probably this arrangement -will best suit John. I have no hesitation in -predicting for him a noble manhood and an honorable -career. In spite of the gifts of Fortune that he possesses, -I consider his warm and generous heart, his -personal integrity, and his manly character, to be -<span class="smcap">John Oakley's most valuable Inheritance</span>.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="transnote"> - -<p class="ph2">TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:</p> - -<p>Obvious printer errors have been corrected. Otherwise, the author's -original spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been left intact.</p> -</div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Luck and Pluck, by Horatio Alger, Jr. - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LUCK AND PLUCK *** - -***** This file should be named 54265-h.htm or 54265-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/4/2/6/54265/ - -Produced by Chris Whitehead, David Edwards and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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