Part 8 (1/2)

”Mother, I have a plan,” he said. ”You remember Gordon Keith, the boy whose boat I sank over in England--'Keith the rebel'?”

Mrs. Wentworth remembered well. She remembered an older fight than that, between a Keith and a Wentworth.

”Well, I have just heard of him. Rhodes--you remember Rhodes? Grinnell Rhodes? Used to be stroke, the greatest stroke ever was. Well, Rhodes has been down South and stayed at Keith's father's home. He says it's a beautiful old place, and now belongs to Mr. Wickersham, Ferdy's father, and the old gentleman, General Keith, who used to own it farms it for him. Think of that! It's as if father had to be a bookkeeper in the bank! Rhodes says he's a fine old fellow, and that Gordon is one of the best. He was down there running a railway line for Mr. Wickersham, and took Gordon with him. And he says he's the finest sort of a fellow, and wants to go to college dreadfully, but hasn't a cent nor any way to get anything. Rhodes says it's awful down there. They are so poor.”

Mrs. Wentworth smiled. ”Well?”

Norman blushed and stammered a little, as he often did when he was embarra.s.sed.

”Well, you know I have some money of my own, and I thought if you don't mind it I'd like to lend him a little. I feel rather piggish just spending it right and left for nothing, when a fellow like that would give his eyes for the chance to go to college. Grinnell Rhodes says that he is ever so fond of me; that Ferdy was blowing once and said something against me, and Gordon jumped right into him--said I was a friend of his, and that Ferdy should not say anything against me in his presence.

He knocked Ferdy down. I tell you, when a fellow is ready to fight for another years after he has seen him, he is a good friend.”

Mrs. Wentworth's face showed that she too appreciated such a friend.

”How do you know he needs it, or would accept it if he did?”

”Why, Rhodes says we have no idea of the poverty down there. He says our poorest clerks are rich compared with those people. And I'll write him a letter and offer to lend it to him. I'll tell him it's mine.”

Mrs. Wentworth went over and kissed the boy. The picture rose to her mind of a young man fresh from fields where he had won renown, honored by his State, with everything that wealth and rank could give, laying his honors at the feet of a poor young girl.

”All right, my son.”

That night Norman sat down and wrote a letter.

A few days later than this, Gordon Keith received a letter with the post-mark ”New York.” Who was there in New York who could know him? Not his young engineer. He knew his hand. He was now abroad. As he read the letter he wondered yet more. It was from Norman Wentworth. He had met an old friend, he said, who had told him about Gordon and about his father's misfortunes. He himself, he said, was at college, and he found himself in a position to be able to help a friend. He did not know to what extent aid might be of service; but he had some means of his own, and he asked that Gordon would allow him to make him a loan of whatever might be necessary to relieve his father and himself.

When Gordon finished reading the letter there were tears in his eyes.

He laid the letter in his father's lap, and the old gentleman read it through slowly. He sat lost in reflection for a few moments and then handed the letter back to Gordon.

”Write to him and thank him, my son--thank him warmly for both of us. I will never forget his kindness. He is a gentleman.”

This was all; but he too showed in his face that that far-off shaft of light had reached his heart and rested there.

The General afterwards meditated deeply as to the wisdom of this action.

Just then, however, Providence seemed to come to his aid.

Old Adam Rawson, hearing that he was hard up, or moved by some kindly impulse, offered to make him a loan. He ”happened to have,” he wrote, ”a little pile lying by that he didn't have any particular use for just then, and it had come to him that, maybe, the General might be able to use it to advantage. He didn't care anything about security or interest.”

The General was perplexed. He did not need it himself, but he was glad to borrow enough to send Gordon to college for a year. He sent Gordon up to old Rawson's with a letter.

The old man read the letter and then looked Gordon over; he read it and looked him over again, much as if he were appraising a young steer.

”Well, I didn't say I'd lend it to you,” he said; ”but, maybe, I'll do it if 'twill help the General. Investin' in a young man is kind of hazardous; it's like puttin' your money in a harry-d.i.c.k--you don't know what he's goin' to be. All you has to go on is the frame and your jedgment.”

Fortunately for Keith, the old cattle-dealer had a good opinion of his ”jedgment.” He went on: ”But I admit blood counts for somethin', and I'm half minded to adventure some on your blood.”

Gordon laughed. He would be glad to be tried on any account, he said, and would certainly repay the money.

”Well, I b'lieve you will if you can,” said the squire. ”And that's more than I can say of everybody. I'll invest a leetle money in your future, and I want to say this to you, that your future will depend on whether you pay it back or not. I never seen a young man as didn't pay his debts come to any good in my life, and I never seen one as did as didn't.

I've seen many a man'd shoot you if you dared to question his honor, an'