THE WONDERFUL NEWS
"I reckon sure my cake is dough now, since you've tumbled to my game,
Hugh," the late tramp was saying, presently; "and there's nothing
left for me to do but take you into camp, and give you the whole
story from beginning to end."
"I'd be glad to have you do that, Mr. Corbley," Hugh hastened to
tell him.
"Then let's walk back a bit. I believe we can find a nice convenient
log close to the road, where we'll take things easy while I spin my
little yarn. To tell you the truth, Hugh Morgan, I've taken a
great liking to you and that chum, Thad. I've been sizing the pair
of you up ever since I first ran across you; and say, it's given me
a heap of joy to see how solicitous you both were about my hanging
out at Sister Matilda's ranch, and eating her hard-earned bread.
You boys have got the right kind of stuff in you, that's certain.
Why, there were times when I was almost afraid that impulsive chum
of yours would be wanting to jump on me, and try by main force
to chase me off the ground."
"We did make one try that way, as of course you know, sir," ventured
Hugh.
"Meaning that article in the _Weekly Courier_ about the terrible
marshal from Texas, Hastings by name," laughed the other. "I've
had lots of fun over that racket, son, I give you my word I have.
Of course there's a sheriff down there capable of doing all those
stunts your friend on the paper wrote up; but his name chances to
be Rawlings and not Hastings. I must have got things a bit mixed
when I told you about how he took bad men into camp, and all that.
But here's the log, and we can take things easy while I confess how
I'm the most tremendous impostor going."
Hugh seemed eager to hear about it, nor was he apparently at all afraid.
In fact he was looking at the reformed tramp as though he felt a
positive affection for him now, in the light of the new revelation.
"First of all, Chum Hugh," said the man, after they had settled
themselves comfortably, "I want you to know that the stories I told
you about my travels in foreign lands were every one of them Gospel
truth. I have been all around the whole globe, and seen some queer
things in my day. But let that pass, for as we are apt to see
considerable of each other after this, there'll be a plenty of time
for me to continue that narrative of adventure.
"In the course of my travels I've really picked up several fortunes,
and then lost them again almost as quickly. It didn't much matter,
because I was one of those happy-go-lucky chaps who believe the world
owes them a living, and which they can get any time they more than
half try.
"So the years went on, and all at once I awoke to find that I was
getting old and gray. When a man passes sixty, lad, his thoughts
begin to travel far back into the days of his childhood. So more
and more I got to thinking of those who were everything to me. I
knew that all of them had checked in but a sister, and her I hadn't
seen for twenty years and more; though I believed she was still living.
"It was down in Texas a few months ago that I had a little sick
spell, and while I lay there convalescing strange fancies came into
my head. I made up my mind the time had come for me to quit this
foolish roaming all about the world. I couldn't expect to live a
great many years more, and why not settle down to being decent and
respectable, as well as do some good with my money before I cashed in?
"That idea kept gripping me until I finally made up my mind to sell
all my big holdings in the new oil wells. This I did, and banked the
cash in New York---I won't tell you what it was, lad, but six figures
would be needed to cover it, and maybe seven, if all goes well with
my last sale.
"But somehow an old distrust of human nature began to get a hold on
me. I found myself wondering whether Matilda, if she should still
be living, would welcome her long-missing brother for himself alone,
or because he was close on a millionaire.
"That bothered me a heap, Hugh. Finally a bright idea came to me,
and I determined to fix myself up like the worst old tramp going,
and pretend to be sick, as well as out of funds. The game appealed
to my liking for new adventures, and---well, you know how it succeeded.
You boys became connected with the affair from the start, and I'm
glad of it, for I like you both.
"All through these weeks I've grimly held out, though ready to call
the game more than a few times when it seemed that poor Matilda was
having a bigger load on her shoulders than she could carry. But I
fixed up several little schemes to ease the strain, when I decided
to hold back the grand disclosure till her birthday. For one thing,
I hid a ten-dollar bill in her Bible, and she never could remember
putting the bill there, although she tried her best. Another time
I wrote a letter in a disguised hand that was signed by a fictitious
name, and which said that in a long-ago deal I had got the better
of her, which my conscience wouldn't allow; so to ease my mind I
was enclosing a twenty-dollar bill to her to cover interest.
"Say, that certainly did make her lie awake and wonder, because, of
course, she couldn't remember anything of the sort; nor could Andrew.
I used to listen to them talking it over again and again, and I am
sure got heaps of enjoyment out of it; but I told them it was
perfectly proper for them to use the money, and they did. I ate
part of it up myself, Hugh.
"Now, I'm getting down to hard facts, boy. I want to let you into
the great secret, and your chum ditto. Could you come over to our
house, say about ten this morning, and fetch that sharp-eyed Thad
along with you? There'll be something about to happen then. We've
already fixed it to go on a little picnic excursion and take our
simple lunch along with us, just to celebrate Matilda's birthday,
you see. And I'll ask you to go along, which you must agree to do,
if you want to have the finest surprise of your life. How about
it, Hugh?"
"There's nothing that I can see to prevent us, Mr. Corbley," the
boy assured him, eagerly, "and to tell the truth wild horses couldn't
hold me back, after what I've already learned. I must see the end
of your queer game, sir. But I'm glad that it isn't likely to interfere
with our working in the baseball match, which starts at three this
afternoon on the home grounds."
"Oh! I assure you we'll be all through long before then, and luncheon
eaten in the bargain; though it isn't going to be the simple bill
of fare that Matilda'll be putting in the basket we're going to
carry with us. Well, Hugh, I'm going to keep you in just a little
fever of suspense until then. When you and Thad show up, try to
act toward me as you've been doing right along. Don't call me Mr.
Corbley, remember, for that might excite suspicions. Even poor
simple but good-hearted Andrew, whose best clothes I'm wearing right
now with brazen assurance, doesn't dream that I've got more than
a few dollars in the wide world. He even begged me not to squander
those, saying that we could have a holiday without extra expense;
but say, I told him to shut up, that if I chose to spend two dollars
on my only sister it was nobody's business. I really think Andrew
has come to like me first-rate, though I'm a little afraid he misses
his garments and has to curtail his customary smokes on my account."
He laughed at the conceit until he shook all over, and Hugh, now
alive to the immensity of the great surprise that awaited the gentle
couple, found himself obliged to join in the merriment.
Shortly afterwards Hugh started off to finish his errand. He rode
with speed now because of his eagerness to get back home and look
up Thad, upon whom he meant to let loose a bombshell that must fairly
stagger him.
It was not yet nine o'clock, and ten was the appointed hour when they
were expected to join the picnic party. Hugh believed he had never
in all his life felt one-half so joyous. If a fortune had come his
way he could not have appreciated it as much as he did the knowledge
that Matilda and Andrew were going to reap the reward of their long
life of tender-heartedness in their relations with their fellows. It
was simply grand, and Hugh felt that his mother must know all about
it as soon as the affair had developed to the grand finale and
Matilda's eyes were opened to the fact that she had all this while
been entertaining an angel unawares.
Thad was at home and up to his eyes in rewinding a fishing-rod that
needed attention. When Hugh burst in upon him with such a glow in
his face and a light in his eyes, Thad knew that something bordering
on the wonderful must have occurred.
Singular to say, his first remark was pretty near a bull's-eye, showing
that he must have been thinking about the ex-hobo as he wound the
waxed red silk around the guides of his fishing-rod.
"What's happened, Hugh? Oh! have you found a way we can get rid of
that sticker of a Brother Lu? Something seems to whisper to me
you've struck a scheme. Pitch right in and tell me all about it, Hugh."
"There has a way come up, sure enough," said Hugh, beaming on his
chum, as well might the bearer of such glorious news. "After today
that tramp will never eat another mouthful of food at the expense of
his poor sister and brother-in-law!"
"Then he's going to skip out, is he?" burst from the delighted Thad.
"Bully for that! However did it happen, Hugh; and what sort of a
hand in it did you have?"
"I don't claim the least credit for it," he was firmly told; "and
for that matter Mr.---I mean Brother Lu, isn't going to shake the
dust of Scranton off his feet, yet awhile at least. Something else
has happened to bring about the change. Here, I just can't hold
the wonderful news in any longer, Thad. Listen!"
Accordingly Hugh started to pour out the story. He had Thad sitting
there and almost ceasing to breathe, so deeply interested was he in
everything. When Hugh got to where he discovered the ex-tramp talking
with the chauffeur of the big touring car, and seemingly with
authority, Thad jumped up and began to dance around excitedly.
"Oh, joy unconfined! I'm just beginning to glimpse how it's going to
turn out, that's what I am, Hugh!" he exclaimed, trembling all over
with the violence of his emotions. "Wouldn't that be the limit, though,
if this old hobo proved to be the good fairy coming in disguise to
prove the worth of the ones he meant to assist? Go on and tell me
the rest, like a good fellow, Hugh. Is he very rich; where did he
make all his money; was that his fine big car, and his chauffeur;
was he just testing Matilda and Andrew to prove how they were true
gold? It's the greatest thing that ever happened for Matilda, for
Andrew; ditto for you and me, because we've had a hand in it all,
haven't we, Hugh?"
The rest of the amazing story was soon told. Thad shook hands with his
chum again and again. He fairly bubbled over with enthusiasm.
"I'm so glad, so glad, for Matilda's sake!" he kept saying. "I warrant
you now that fine brother of hers has got some wonderfully big thing
up his sleeve; and so we're invited to go along and see the fairy
story through, are we, Hugh? How long do we have to wait before
making a start for the Hosmer cottage? I wonder if Matilda'll care
if we keep company with them on their picnic? First thing she'll
do will be to run back and add some more to the basket, because she
knows how boys can eat like a house afire. I don't see how I can
stand it waiting nearly a whole hour; but then there are a hundred
other questions I'm burning to ask you."
Time passed while they sat there in Thad's room and talked. Hugh was
compelled to relate every little incident over again, and amidst all
sorts of comments on the part of the other. Finally Hugh said it was
now a quarter to ten, and that they might as well be starting out,
which they proceeded to do most eagerly indeed.