"Here is your usual letter," said Mattie Massanet, appearing at the door.
"Thank you," replied Richard. "Excuse me if I look at it at once. I want to see if it contains anything important."
Richard tore the letter open and began to read. His eyes had glanced over scarcely a dozen lines when he uttered a cry of dismay.
And no wonder, for the communication contained the startling intelligence that fire had visited Mossvale, the Dare cottage was burned to the ground, and his mother and sisters were left without a home.
CHAPTER XXXI.
TOM CLOVER'S STATEMENT.
The news from Mossvale was certainly a cruel blow to Richard, and, as he read the letter written by his sister Nancy, his cheeks paled.
"What is it?" asked Frank, seeing that something was wrong. "No one dead, I hope."
"No, not as bad as that," replied Richard faintly; "but bad enough.
Read it."
Frank took the letter and glanced at it hastily. The important passages ran as follows: