“He is here now, under arrest.”
“Indeed. Norton, I know, is a bad fellow. He is a second cousin on the Norton side.”
“He came to the mill and introduced himself as Enos Norton, and said he had been appointed my guardian by my father, who had lost his life by falling over a ravine. Now he is in jail for the robbery of a number of diamonds.”
“The rascal! I know he has been in jail before in New York State. So he pretended to be myself. Reuben, you did not think much of your uncle, I guess.”
“I must say I did not.”
“I think you will find me a different sort of fellow. I just arrived on the stage-coach, and the driver did not tell me any of the news. I thought it rather queer to find the mill deserted, and was just on the point of starting for the Bend when you came along.”
I invited my real Uncle Norton into the mill at once, and as he said he was somewhat hungry, I bustled around to get supper, meanwhile telling him of all that had occurred.
“It sounds like a perfect romance,” he said, when I had finished. “I never dreamed that Nort would dare to do such a thing. I remember that he asked me much about the Bend; but I thought it was only through curiosity. On the last day he was with me he borrowed twenty dollars.”