"No, sir; he died last spring. But I want to tell you, before I say anything more, that no better man than your brother ever lived."
Mr. Rockwood was silent for a few moments. Doubtless the intelligence I communicated revived the memories of the past, when they had been children together.
"I am glad to hear you speak well of him, young man, for really you could not say anything more pleasant of him," said Mr. Rockwood, at last. "Since he is dead, nothing can be more comforting than to know that he was a good man. Matt was always honest and straightforward; but he was almost always unfortunate, he failed in business, and left this part of the country discouraged and disheartened. I hope he was never in want, or anything of that kind."
"No, sir; he always had plenty; and when he died he left some property."
"I'm very glad to hear it, for I have had times when I worried a great deal about it. I tried to find out where he was, but I never succeeded. Were you with him when he died?"
"I was, sir," I replied, not a little embarrassed; for I did not like to reveal the manner of his death.
"Was he sick long?"
"No, sir; he had been troubled with the rheumatism for two or three months; but he was able to be about on crutches at the time he died."
"Did he die of rheumatism?"