Luke took the cars for Prairie Avenue, though it was afternoon, and he had been there once already. He was shown immediately into the old lady's presence.
Mrs. Merton saw him enter with surprise.
"Has anything happened, Luke?" she asked.
"I have received a letter from your nephew, summoning me to Milwaukee."
"I hope he is not in any scrape."
"No; it is a very friendly letter, written in my interest. May I read it to you?"
"I shall be glad to hear it."
Mrs. Merton settled herself back in her rocking-chair, and listened to the reading of the letter.
"Do you know what this refers to, Luke?" she asked.
"Yes; my father on his deathbed in California intrusted a stranger with ten thousand dollars to bring to my mother. He kept it for his own use, and it was only by an accident that we heard about the matter."