Thereupon Uncle Silas gathered the little woman into his arms, and, kissing her fondly, went on to solve the mystery.
“Well,” he proceeded to explain, seeing that they were all consumed with natural curiosity, “after losing three fortunes through being too greedy, I finally got hold of a claim that I sold for fifty thousand dollars cash. By that time I was in fact broken in health, so I firmly determined to hunt up any relatives I might have left, and if they proved to be the right sort, stay with them the balance of my life, leaving them all I had in return.”
“And you were playing a sly game on us all the while, you rogue!” remarked the old veteran, as he grasped the wanderer’s extended hand, and squeezed it heartily.
“Can you blame me in one way?” demanded Uncle Silas. “I wanted to be very sure that I was being received for myself alone, and not because I was worth that much money. Of course, I soon learned that there were hearts of true gold under this humble roof, and that I would never be allowed to leave it. But it pleased me to persist in my assumed role until this happy morning came.”
“And true enough, as you said, ‘weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning!’” cried Mrs. Horner, with her sisterly arms about his neck. “Surely the clouds did not last long, and the dawn seems all the more beautiful because of that letter yesterday.”
“It’s the greatest Christmas that ever was!” cried Dick, as he too hung on to the hand of Uncle Silas. “How glad I am to know that after all I needn’t give up my schooling yet.”
“You are a fine lad, and I’m proud to have you for my nephew,” said Uncle Silas, heartily. “Please Heaven you shall go to college, and find your true place in a world that needs just such fellows as you. There will be no reason for any of the dear ones under this roof to face want again, for I have enough for all, and what is mine is yours. You offered me a home when you believed me poor and sick. I have proved your hearts by deeds; after this we will find true happiness together here.”
Dick could hardly eat a morsel of breakfast, he was so excited. Several times he even asked Leslie, who stayed to the meal with them, to pinch him, for he felt he really must be dreaming, and that on being aroused the amazing event would prove to be only an illusion.
But the sight of that wonderful Government bond on the mantel always gave him renewed hope and strengthened his wavering faith.
“After all, I guess this has been a glorious day for you, old fellow,” Leslie was saying, as he donned his outer coat, and prepared to run over home so as to carry the delightful news.