Mrs. Horner, deeply moved, took the letter from his unresisting hand, and looked it over. The fatal news was written in a cold unfeeling fashion, for lawyers could not be expected to sympathize with unknown clients. The firm offered to act for Mr. Horner in the matter for the ordinary fee, to be paid when any money was recovered.
Dick and Leslie too could easily read all this. The former was sadly dazed, and Leslie felt shocked. The latter knew that the Horners had had little enough to live upon for some years, and if half of their meagre income were suddenly snatched away in this cruel manner, it would mean a serious matter.
It was wonderful, however, how quickly the old man managed to recover from the blow. His one thought was to shield those who were so dear to him.
“Well,” they heard him say bravely, “I have been taking my ease too long as it is, and tomorrow—no, the day after Christmas, I mean to start out and visit my friends to see if there is not some employment I may obtain. I used to be a good hand at figures, and could keep a set of books fairly well. Don’t worry too much Polly, dear; it will all come out right yet. You know they say it is always darkest before dawn.”
Leslie winked a good many times even while he smiled at the idea of that weak old gentleman, who found it so difficult even to walk in the garden, striking bravely out to try to find work. There was a suspicious moisture in the boy’s eyes, for he was deeply affected.
“That would be a nice thing, wouldn’t it, Grandpop!” declared Dick stoutly; “for a husky fellow like me to keep on going to school while you worked in an office. I reckon it’s going to be me who’ll get busy, and pay for my salt. I’ve been thinking about just that sort of thing for some time. It was bound to come, and this letter has only hurried things along a little.”
Leslie felt it his duty to slap his chum on the back when he heard this. No one knew better than he what a sacrifice it would mean to Dick to quit school; for the boy’s heart was set on securing a good education, since he had planned a career for himself that could never be attained unless he went to college.
Uncle Silas had listened to all this talk in silence. No one seemed to remember him at all just then, one way or another. Even Leslie neglected to watch him. Had he done so he might have seen all sorts of emotions chasing each other across the weather-beaten face of the wanderer.
“I can’t tell you how badly I feel to hear this sad news, Sister Polly,” he now hastened to remark, coming forward with a look of apparently deep interest on his countenance. “It compels me to say what I have been meaning to for some little time. I must be going on my way. You have been kindness itself to a poor old health-broken chap, the rolling-stone that could gather no moss. Now it is time for me to relieve you of my presence, which must not become a burden on your slender resources.”
At that Mrs. Horner looked doubly distressed; while grandpop shook his white head in the negative.