Part 44 (1/2)

”If there is nothing private in it, Herbert.”

”There is nothing private from you, Mr. Melville.”

It may be explained that Deer Creek had already obtained such prominence that the post-office department had established an office there, and learning this, Herbert had requested his mother to address him at that place.

He drew the letter from his pocket and read it aloud.

We quote the essential portions.

”'I am very glad to hear that you have made the long journey in safety, and are now in health.'”

Herbert had not mentioned in his home letter the stage-coach adventure, for he knew that it would disturb his mother to think that he had been exposed to such a risk.

”It will do no good, you know,” he said to Mr. Melville, and his friend had agreed with him.

”'It is very satisfactory to me,' continued Herbert, reading from the letter, 'that you are under the charge of Mr. Melville, who seems to me an excellent, conscientious young man, from whom you can learn only good.'”

”Your mother thinks very kindly of me,” said Melville, evidently pleased.

”She is right, too, Mr. Melville,” said Herbert, with emphasis.

”'It will no doubt be improving to you, my dear Herbert, to travel under such pleasant auspices, for a boy can learn from observation as well as from books. I miss you very much, but since the separation is for your advantage, I can submit to it cheerfully.

”'You ask me about my relations with Mr. Graham. I am still in the post office, and thus far nearly the whole work devolves upon me. Except in one respect, I am well treated. Mr. G-. is, as you know, very penurious, and grudges every cent that he has to pay out. When he paid me last Sat.u.r.day night the small sum for which I agreed to a.s.sist him, he had much to say about his large expenses, fuel, lights, etc., and asked me if I wouldn't agree to work for two dollars a week, instead of three. I confess, I was almost struck dumb by such an exhibition of meanness, and told him that it would be quite impossible. Since then he has spent some of the time himself in the office, and asked me various questions about the proper way of preparing the mail, etc., and I think it is his intention, if possible, to get along without me. I don't know, if he absolutely insists upon it, but it would be better to accept the reduction than to give up altogether. Two dollars a week will count in my small household.'

”Did you ever hear of such meanness, Mr. Melville?” demanded Herbert, indignantly. ”Here is Mr. Graham making, I am sure, two thousand dollars a year clear profit, and yet anxious to reduce mother from three to two dollars a week.”

”It is certainly a very small business, Herbert. I think some men become meaner by indulgence of their defect.”

”I shall write mother to give up the place sooner than submit to such a reduction. Three dollars a week is small enough in all conscience.”

”I approve the advice, Herbert. If Mr. Graham were really cramped for money, and doing a poor business, it would be different. As it is, it seems to me he has no excuse for his extreme penuriousness.”

”How pleasant it would be to pay a flying visit to Wayneboro,” said Herbert, thoughtfully. ”One never appreciates home until he has left it.”

”That pleasure must be left for the future. It will keep.”

”Very true, and when I do go home I want to go well fixed.”

Herbert had already caught the popular Western phrase for a man well to do.

”We must depend on the Blazing Star Mine for that,” said Melville, smiling. My young readers may like to know that, while Herbert was prospering financially, he did not neglect the cultivation of his mind. Among the books left by Mr. Falkland were a number of standard histories, some elementary books in French, including a dictionary, a treatise on natural philosophy, and a German grammar and reader.

”Do you know anything of French or German, Mr. Melville?” inquired our hero, when they made their first examination of the library.

”Yes, Herbert, I am a tolerable scholar in each.”

”I wish I were.”