Part 45 (2/2)
The week pa.s.sed, and the arrangement between Mr. Pettigrew and Rodney continued to their mutual satisfaction. One morning, when Rodney came to the Continental as usual, his new friend said: ”I received a letter last evening from my old home in Vermont.”
”I hope it contained good news.”
”On the contrary it contained bad news. My parents are dead, but I have an old uncle and aunt living. When I left Burton he was comfortably fixed, with a small farm of his own, and two thousand dollars in bank.
Now I hear that he is in trouble. He has lost money, and a knavish neighbor has threatened to foreclose a mortgage on the farm and turn out the old people to die or go to the poorhouse.”
”Is the mortgage a large one?”
”It is much less than the value of the farm, but ready money is scarce in the town, and that old Sheldon calculates upon. Now I think of going to Burton to look up the matter.”
”You must save your uncle, if you can, Mr. Pettigrew.”
”I can and I will. I shall start for Boston this afternoon by the Fall River boat and I want you to go with me.”
”I should enjoy the journey, Mr. Pettigrew.”
”Then it is settled. Go home and pack your gripsack. You may be gone three or four days.”
CHAPTER XXIV.
A CHANGE OF SCENE.
”Now,” said Mr. Pettigrew, when they were sitting side by side on the upper deck of the Puritan, the magnificent steamer on the Fall River line. ”I want you to consent to a little plan that will mystify my old friends and neighbors.”
”What is it, Mr. Pettigrew?”
”I have never written home about my good fortune; so far as they know I am no better off than when I went away.”
”I don't think I could have concealed my success.”
”It may seem strange, but I'll explain--I want to learn who are my friends and who are not. I am afraid I wasn't very highly thought of when I left Burton. I was considered rather s.h.i.+ftless.
”I was always in for a good time, and never saved a cent. Everybody predicted that I would fail, and I expect most wanted me to fail. There were two or three, including my uncle, aunt and the friend who lent me money, who wished me well.
”I mustn't forget to mention the old minister who baptized me when I was an infant. The good old man has been preaching thirty or forty years on a salary of four hundred dollars, and has had to run a small farm to make both ends meet. He believed in me and gave me good advice. Outside of these I don't remember any one who felt an interest in Jefferson Pettigrew.”
”You will have the satisfaction of letting them see that they did not do you justice.”
”Yes, but I may not tell them--that is none except my true friends. If I did, they would hover round me and want to borrow money, or get me to take them out West with me. So I have hit upon a plan. I shall want to use money, but I will pretend it is yours.”
Rodney opened his eyes in surprise.
”I will pa.s.s you off as a rich friend from New York, who feels an interest in me and is willing to help me.”
Rodney smiled.
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