“Certainly I have; and I am now on my way to Arizona to settle up his affairs. I know it is very hard, my dear boy; but try to bear up, and not look so depressed.”
Bob didn’t look depressed—he looked astonished and bewildered.
What business had this man, who had tried to swindle his father and cast dishonor upon his name, to have anything to do with money and property that would one day belong to himself?
“There—there surely must be some mistake,” he stammered.
“There’s no mistake whatever,” said Arthur, glibly. “We’ve got it in black and white.”
His father silenced him with a frown, and continued, as he thrust his hand into his breast-pocket and drew out a note-book:
“I don’t wonder that you are a little surprised. I was surprised myself; but what Arthur says is quite true. My brother having every confidence in my fidelity” (Uncle Bob put a good deal of unnecessary emphasis into these words), “appointed me to act as your guardian, and to hold your property in trust for you, until you are able to take care of it yourself. The responsibility is great, but I have cheerfully accepted it. I assure you—although it is hardly necessary—that I shall do all I can to make our intercourse as guardian and ward pleasant and agreeable, and I know you will do the same. Here’s the paper I want. Read that, and you will know as much about the matter as I know myself.”
Bob was thunderstruck. His mind was in such confusion that he did not understand half a dozen words of this long and carefully-prepared speech. All he heard was that his uncle was his guardian, and that fairly stunned him. Was his father crazy, when he made his will? He must have been, or he never would have done this.
He took the telegraph dispatch that Uncle Bob handed him, and, having made himself master of its contents, he passed it back without saying a word and returned to his own seat.
Uncle Bob looked after him with an expression on his face that cannot be described, and then buttoning his ulster with great deliberation, he settled back in his luxurious chair with an air which seemed to say: