Affectionately your uncle,
Enos Norton.
P.S. I would not speak of money matters in such a letter as this, but I cannot afford to lose that which I have advanced. I trust the mill is in good running order.
I could hardly finish the communication. I became so agitated that all the lines seemed to run into each other. Mr. Sandon noticed how I was disturbed.
“Anything wrong, Rube?” he asked kindly.
“My father is dead!” I gasped out, and sank down on a box completely overcome.
CHAPTER IV.
MR. ENOS NORTON.
For a long time I sat on the box in the little village post-office. I could think of nothing but that my father was dead.
The shock of the news, coming as it did so unexpectedly, completely staggered me. The only parent that had been left to me was gone, and I was left to fight the battle of life alone.