The Golden Magnet Part 53

"You did not write to him," she said.

"Oh, yes, I daresay he did, mother," I cried, "but of late I have been travelling about a great deal."

"Then the letter would have come back, Harry," said my mother. "He did not write."

"No," said my father quietly; "I did not write. What was the use of troubling the poor fellow about our miserable affairs when he was far away?"

"Then you did not come, Harry, because we were in trouble?"

"No, mother," I replied. "I came home because my task was done."

"Your task was done?" said my mother. "I don't understand you. I thought you went to work at your uncle's."

"I was with my uncle, mother," I replied, enjoying the knowledge of the surprise I had in store, and feeling that now, indeed, the treasure I had found was worth having, for what changes it would work! "but he was in trouble too."

"In trouble!" said my father and mother in a breath.

"Yes, he was in the same predicament as you are, and his coffee plantation was going to be sold up."

"What an unhappy family ours is!" said my mother. "Harry--Harry! you might as well have stayed at home."

"If I had stayed at home, mother, would it have spared you this trouble?"

"I--I don't know, my boy. Would it, my dear?" she said, turning to my father.

"No, wife--no," he said; "Harry was quite right to go. He foresaw what was coming, and how useless it was for me to try. The hardest part of it, my lad, is that I can't go out of business an honest man and pay every one his due."

"Don't fret, dear," said my mother; "you've done your best and given up everything. But tell me, Harry," she cried, "what did my poor brother do? Had he no friend to help him?"

"Yes, mother."

"And did he?"

"Yes, mother."

"What! paid his debts?"

"Yes, dear mother."

"G.o.d bless him!" said my mother fervently. "I wish I could take him by the hand. And how is your uncle now?"

"He was quite well when I left him to-day, mother."

"Left him!--to-day?" said my mother wonderingly.

"Yes, he is in town. I brought him with me, and he will come down and see you with some one, mother, I want you very much to love."

"You foolish boy!" said my mother. "Ah, Harry--Harry! you are too young to think of that."

"I'm sorry he's coming to see us," said my father sadly. "We are not in condition to see company, wife."

"No," said my mother, sighing as she glanced round. "But don't be down-hearted, dear," she cried more cheerfully; "when things are at their worst they always mend, and I think they have got to their worst now, and have begun to mend, for Harry has come back."

"Yes, mother," I cried, unable to keep back my good news, knowing as I did how welcome it must be to them at such a time. "Yes, mother, I have come back, and brought with me the friend who helped my poor uncle in such a strait, and now he shall help you."

"Ah, but my dear boy, we have no claims upon your uncle's friend."

"The greatest of claims, mother," I cried excitedly, "for he is your own flesh and blood."

"Harry!" cried my father, "what do you mean? Did you help your uncle?"

"Yes, father," I said modestly.

"And paid his debts?"

"Yes, father, and now I'm going to pay yours, or rather you are going to pay them yourself, and be what you called--an honest man."

His eyes lit up, and he looked as if he were about to catch me by the hands, but he stopped short and shook his head.

"No, no, no, my boy, you do not understand these things. I owe nearly five hundred pounds."

"My dear father," I cried, "I'm ready to pay it if you owe nearly five thousand. I went out to make my fortune and I have made it, and I never knew its value thoroughly till I came home to-day. There, come away home and I'll pay out that fellow, and--oh, come, mother--mother, mother!" I cried as I took hold of her hands to raise her up, for she had sunk upon her knees and was embracing my legs. "You must not give way like this, or you will make me behave like a great girl."

"It is because I am so happy," she sobbed, and as I raised her so that she could weep on my shoulder, my father caught me by the hand.

"G.o.d bless you, my boy! G.o.d bless you!" he cried. "I won't question you now, for like your mother I feel as if this is more than I can bear."

We lost no time as soon as they had grown calmer. For though I had not the money with me sufficient to pay all my father's debts, I had plenty to pay what was needed to get rid of the unpleasant tenant of my old home, and that night I slept happily once more beneath its roof.

I had hard work to satisfy the old people about my right to the large sum of money I had brought back, but I found no difficulty with their creditors, who took the cash without asking any questions, and were very loud in their praises, saying that I was the best of sons, which was all nonsense, for I should have been the worst of sons if I had not done my duty as I did.

The next few months were chiefly spent in getting things into order, and in the midst of my busiest time Tom came to me one day, bringing with him Sally.

"Hallo!" I said, "what does this mean?"

"Oh, nothing at all, Mas'r Harry; only now I'm settled as a gentleman of property I'm going to be married."

"Don't you believe him, Master Harry," said Sally; "it's all his nonsense," and she was scarlet as she spoke.

"Don't you believe her, Mas'r Harry," said Tom grinning; "she promised me she would, and she can't draw back, can she?"

"Certainly not, Tom," I said. "A lady's under her bond just as a gentleman is."

"There! hear that, Sally?" said Tom.

"Yes, I hear," she said, "so I suppose I must;" and Sally spoke in quite a resigned way, keeping her word to Tom within three months, my father saying that Sally had been the most faithful of servants, and had forced upon them all her little savings in the time of their distress.

You may be sure I did not forget this on the day when my father gave her away, and Tom had a nice little dowry with his wife.