"Maybe he imagines you have his letter," mused Mrs. Nelson. "I suppose I am foolish for thinking so, but I fancied he had something on his mind when he first began to speak of the robbery."
"You may be right, mother. That would explain why he was so persistent in getting after me."
"You have not seen Percy?"
"No. I understood from Dan Pickley that he had gone to Chambersburgh for a few days on a visit."
"Then the squire cannot be influenced by what his son can say."
"No; this is solely his own doings," returned Ralph.
They talked the matter over at some length, but could arrive at no satisfactory conclusion regarding Squire Paget's bitter enmity. Time must solve the mystery for them.
Ralph had been out distributing circulars for Mr. Dunham. On the following morning he went across the lake to put in his last day at the work.
He had thought the matter over, and finding the sporting goods dealer at leisure, asked him if there was any opening in the store.
"I am sorry to say there is not, Ralph," said Mr. Dunham.