Part 25 (1/2)
”I have come to give you a ride in my car,” Mr. Westcote informed David, after he had been introduced to the captain, and had handed him a cigar. ”It is a pity to take you from such a beautiful place as this,” and he cast his eyes over the sloping fields before him. ”But, I would like for you to come with me to the city to-day. It is a matter of business, that is, some details which should have been attended to before.”
”Has it anything to do with the falls?” David enquired.
”Yes, everything centres there,” and Mr. Westcote smiled. ”This affair is really important or I should not bother you to-day.”
”I can be ready in a short time,” David replied. He was eager now to be away, and the thought that he was needed and was in some way necessary to the working out of the plans at the falls gave him great pleasure.
In little less than half an hour the car left the Haven and sped rapidly down the road. David enjoyed the ride, and leaned back comfortably in the soft springy seat.
”You should have a car, sir,” Mr. Westcote remarked as he noted how David liked the drive. ”It would do you so much good to have a spin every day.”
”Why, I never thought of it,” was the reply. ”But I would not know how to handle a car if I did have one. And besides, it would cost a great deal.”
”Oh, you could easily overcome such difficulties. You are a rich man, you know, and could afford to buy a good car and keep a chauffeur to drive it for you. You have not spent all of that money you received, have you?”
”No, no; only a very small portion of it. You see, Betty and I live very quietly, and spend but little. We are planning to build a comfortable house of our own some day. We keep putting it off, though, as we are so happy at the Haven with the captain and Mrs. Peterson.”
Nothing more was said about this subject during the rest of the ride, and in about an hour and a half they reached the city and drew up before a large building on one of the business streets. When once inside David looked around with much interest upon the busy scenes which met his eyes.
”This is our main office,” Mr. Westcote explained, ”and we keep quite a staff. As the work develops it will be necessary to have a building of our own, for we have only the ground floor here. This is my private office,” and he motioned to a door on the right. ”We will be more quiet there.”
David was greatly delighted at all he saw, and he could not restrain the feeling of pride that he was the cause of all this activity. Not the slightest surprise entered his mind at what he observed. There was not even the least shadow of mystery about it all. To him it was but natural that things should be as they were. He doubted nothing; he asked no questions. His plan was so great and reasonable that he accepted everything as a matter of course.
”You have perhaps wondered,” Mr. Westcote began, after they were seated, ”why I have brought you here to-day. I told you that it is a matter of business details, and so it is. You are Honorary President of our company and, accordingly, you are a large share-holder. You were not aware of that before, and I trust you do not mind our keeping it a secret?”
”No, no; not at all,” David replied. ”Everything is satisfactory to me.”
”That is good,” Mr. Westcote continued. ”But as you have such a large interest in the company, it is necessary that you should have your will made to save complications in the future. Life is uncertain, you know, and if anything should happen to you it would make it very difficult for us if you did not have your business matters attended to.”
”Quite right, quite right,” David a.s.sented. ”I have thought about it somewhat of late, and I am very glad that you have mentioned it. Could we not have the business attended to at once? It will not take long, will it?”
”No, it can soon be done,” was the reply. ”But first of all it will be necessary for you to state in whose favour you wish to make your will.
Then we can have the papers drawn up, and you can sign them before you, leave the city.”
”Yes, that will be necessary,” and David placed his right hand to his forehead in a thoughtful manner. ”I have been thinking that all over, and know the ones to whom I wish to leave my princ.i.p.al share in the falls. You see, I want to have people who will take a keen interest in the undertaking, such as I have, and who will be able to continue the work when I am gone.”
”You are quite right,” Mr. Westcote replied, though it was evident that he with difficulty repressed a smile of amus.e.m.e.nt at his companion's words.
”But I am somewhat worried about the others,” David continued. ”I wish to leave something to my faithful girl, Betty Bean, to her mother, who is a widow, and to Captain Peterson and his wife, for they have a hard struggle to make a living. Now, they are the ones I wish to help as far as I can, but I have no idea what I ought to leave them.”
”How much would you like for them to have?” Mr. Westcote enquired.
”Well, it would be nice if they could have a thousand each. That would make them so comfortable. But I am afraid such an amount is out of the question.”
”Not at all,” was the reply. ”You name the amount, and we shall put it in the will. You see,” he added, as if it were an afterthought, ”the falls will be good for that, and perhaps more, even after you have arranged for the others.”
”I am pleased to hear you express such confidence in the undertaking,”
and David looked into his companion's face. ”I little realised that it would pay so well in such a short time. I am very grateful to you for what you have done.”