The messenger boy readily found his way to the little cottage in that obscure street, of which we spoke in the last chapter, and there, as we have seen, he found the man for whom it was intended.
“G. H. Evans,” said Uncle Bob, slowly reading the name that was signed to the dispatch. “Who is he?”
“Why, it is from Arizona!” exclaimed Arthur, who was looking over Uncle Bob’s shoulder. “Listen to this: ‘Your brother, Eben Howard, died very suddenly this morning.’ Humph!” he ejaculated, walking back to his seat with an air of disgust. “They probably expect you to send money to bear his funeral expenses; but, if I were you, I would see them—Why, father, what is the matter?”
It was no wonder that Arthur asked this question, and asked it, too, in a tone of anxiety, for Uncle Bob suddenly grew as pale as a ghost, and all the while keeping his eyes fastened upon the telegram which he held at arm’s length before him.
The astonished Arthur spoke to him several times, but finding that no attention was paid to him, he jumped up and snatched the telegram. Pushing back his father, who, scarcely realizing what he was doing, tried, in a feeble way, to regain possession of the paper, Arthur read as follows:
“Your brother, Eben Howard, died very suddenly this morning. By the terms of his will, which, in accordance with his dying request, was opened at once, I find that you are appointed guardian of your nephew, Robert Howard, and that the whole of your deceased brother’s property, roughly estimated at four millions of dollars is willed to you—”
Arthur gasped for breath and reeled heavily against the wall, but he quickly recovered himself and read on a few words further:
“—is willed to you, to be held in trust until the said Robert Howard is twenty-one years old, when it is to be given up to him—”
Something that sounded very much like an imprecation escaped from Arthur’s lips when he came to this part of the message. His hopes were crushed to the ground in an instant, but he managed to go on with the reading:
“—less a generous sum, which you are at liberty to retain, for the faithful performance of your duties as guardian and trustee. As Mr. Howard’s intimate friend and confidential adviser, I shall be glad to give you every assistance in my power. Telegraph me from Leavenworth when to meet you at the station.”