RUTH PATTON CALLS ON MR. FERGUSON.
The next day Ruth Patton confided her story to Mrs. Fenton.
"My mother and I," she said, "in our grief for father's death, never
dreamed that it would bring us destitution. Though he never furnished
us particulars of his pecuniary condition, he gave us to understand
that he would be comfortably provided for. Robert Ferguson we knew to
have been a life-long friend, or perhaps I should rather say
acquaintance, and we felt that as a trustee he would consider our
interests. We were thunderstruck when a letter was received from him
last week, stating that, in place of the ten thousand dollars on which
we fully counted, a pitiful balance of seventy-five dollars alone
remained to us."
"It was shameful!" said Mrs. Fenton indignantly.
"Nearly all of this sum will be swallowed up by small debts due in Port
Jervis. You will understand now why I have come to lay our case before
Mr. Ferguson, and see if he cannot give us more, or at any rate find me
employment, for on me now rests the duty of providing for my poor
mother."
"I wish I could encourage you, Miss Patton----"
"Don't call me Miss Patton. I look upon yon as a kind friend, and hope
you will call me Ruth."
"So indeed I will, for I feel a strong interest in you, Ruth."
"And I will look to you for advice."
"Then I advise you to call this evening on Mr. Ferguson, and find out
the worst."
"Meanwhile perhaps you can direct me to a cheap boarding-house."
"You will stay here till you have had time to form your plans."
"I will gladly do so if you will let me pay you."
"All in good time, Ruth. To-day you can help me if you will, and it
will be time to pay board when you are earning something."
It was not till he sat down to an early breakfast that Fred thought of
the package handed him by Mr. Lawrence at the Niagara Falls station. He
opened it in some curiosity, and to his surprise discovered a roll of
bills, accompanied by this note:
To FRED FENTON,
MY YOUNG FRIEND:--Though I have not yet had a chance to communicate
with my uncle in Elmira, I feel authorized to act as his
representative, and in his name ask you to accept the inclosed sum as
an acknowledgment of your valuable assistance in bringing about the
recovery of the securities stolen from his house, and incidentally as a
recompense for the annoyance you experienced in being yourself
suspected. Your conduct has been very creditable, and I feel that to
you we are largely indebted for the recovery of the property and the
conviction of the burglar. I infer that you are mainly dependent, on
your earnings, which are probably limited, and I therefore take
pleasure in handing you a substantial reward which I hope will be of
service to you.
Yours sincerely,
EDMUND LAWRENCE.
Fred counted the bills, and alike to his surprise and gratification
found that they amounted to two hundred dollars.
"Where did you get so much money, Fred?" asked his mother, entering the
room as he completed his count.
"That letter will explain, mother," answered Fred radiant with delight.
"We are indeed rich!" said Mrs. Fenton joyfully. "This removes all
anxiety for a long time to come."
"Yes, we can afford to snap our fingers at the landlord."
"I hope you are not going to carry all this money round with you, Fred.
You might get robbed."
"I shall deposit it in the Dime Savings Bank this forenoon."
"But you will leave before the bank opens."
"No, I am to take a midday train."
At ten o'clock Fred went to the Union Dime Savings Bank fronting on
Thirty-Second Street, and deposited the hundred dollars in gold left
him by his mining friend, and one hundred and seventy-five dollars
besides from his recent gift. The other twenty-five he handed to his
mother.
"Mother," he said, "you need a new dress, and Albert needs a new suit.
Take this money, and buy what you think best."
"I can go a little longer without a dress, Fred."
"But I don't want you to. We can spare the money well enough, and there
is no better way to spend it."
Mrs. Fenton made no further opposition, but during the day asked Ruth
Patton to accompany her to one of the large stores on Sixth Avenue,
where the necessary purchases were made.
In the evening Ruth set out for her call upon Mr. Robert Ferguson.
She ascended the steps in a state of nervous agitation, for she felt
that the interview was of momentous importance to her, and in a low
voice asked the servant who answered the bell if she could see Mr.
Ferguson.
"I will ask, miss," said the servant, surveying her plain dress with
some disdain.
"A young lady to see me?" said Robert Ferguson in surprise. "Are you
sure it is not my daughter she wishes to see?"
"No, sir; she expressly asked to see you."
Mr. Ferguson was a widower, and rather vain of his personal
attractions. Perhaps the young lady might have been struck by his
appearance.
"You can show her up," he said amiably, and turned to catch a further
glance in a mirror just opposite. He straightened his necktie, and
passed his hand softly over his hair to make sure that it was smooth,
and then turned to the door to catch the first glimpse of his visitor.
Nothing thus far has been said of the outward appearance of Ruth
Patton. Notwithstanding her anxious face she was unusually pretty, and
her manners were refined and ladylike.
"Mr. Ferguson?" she said inquiringly, pausing at the door.
"Come in, my dear young lady!" said Robert Ferguson graciously. "I am
pleased to see you."
"Thank you, sir."
"Pray sit down."
"He is much kinder than I supposed," thought Ruth. "I must have
misjudged him."
"I wrote to you a few days since," she began.
"Indeed! I don't think I can have received your letter."
"But you answered it, sir."
"I answered a letter from you? What then is your name?"
"Ruth Patton."
"Oh!" returned Ferguson, his face darkening. He no longer felt inclined
to be gracious, for he had a premonition that the interview would not
be agreeable to him.
"My mother and I were quite overwhelmed by the news you sent us. We had
no idea that my father left so little, and she wished me to come on and
ask for some particulars."
"I have very little to tell you beyond what I wrote," said Mr. Ferguson
coldly.
"My father led us to think that we should be comfortably provided for."
"Many men have very vague ideas of how they stand. Your father did
wrong in not insuring his life."
"He did not think it would be necessary. He thought we should be
sufficiently provided for without that."
"He had no right to think so," said Ferguson irritably. "You see how
things have turned out."
"But what can have become of all the money?"
"I hope, Miss Patton, you don't think I have spirited it away?"
"No, sir. Don't be offended, but it seems so strange," faltered Ruth.
"The money was unwisely invested. A large part of it was in wild-cat
mining stocks, which were not worth the paper they were written on."
"Father never spoke to us about any such investments."
"I presume not. Most men keep such matters to themselves. Well, the
upshot is that but seventy-five dollars are left. I presume your mother
received my check for this amount."
"Yes, sir."
"Then that is all I can do for you. I will in time forward a bill of
particulars. A present I am busy."
At this moment Luella Ferguson entered the room. She recognized Ruth at
once.
"You here?" she said in haughty surprise.
"Yes, I came on business."
"We do not want any servants. Papa, this girl was very insolent to me
on the train yesterday. I hope you will send her away."
"I am going, Miss Ferguson," said Ruth with spirit. "Your father was
the trustee of my poor father's property, and it was to ask about it
that I came here. Good evening."
She left the house with faltering steps, for her last hope had been
destroyed, and she felt keenly the cruel slight of Luella Ferguson. As
she set foot on the sidewalk her brain reeled, and she would have
fallen had not a young man who was about to ascend the steps sprung
forward and supported her.