CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE BLOW ABOUT TO FALL
All this happened soon after Ben went away. His uncle did not write him of it, for he knew it would trouble the boy, and it could do no good. "No, wife," he said; "Ben will have a hard row of his own to hoe. He mustn't have any part nor lot in our troubles."
"It's very hard, Job, at our time of life," said Mrs. Stanton, despondently.
"So it is, wife, but it may turn out for the best, after all. I haven't given up hope that Mr. Richmond will pay the sum, so that I can take up the mortgage. I'm goin' to see him about it to-morrow."
Uncle Job left his work the next day, and walked five miles to the store of the man who had brought this calamity upon him.
"I've come to see you, Mr. Richmond," he said, wiping his forehead with his red cotton handkerchief, "about that money I've had to pay."
"Oh yes," said Richmond, with his usual suavity. "I'm very sorry it happened so."
"It seems to me you didn't treat me just right," said poor Job.
"Such things will happen, you know, Mr. Stanton."