CHAPTER XXXIX. CONCLUSION.

 There was another arrival at Burton's Ranch¹ the next day. Sam Wolverton came in charge of his new-found relative, Robert Granger. They took a carriage, and reached the ranch without attracting the attention of Aaron Wolverton.

 

Mrs. Burton welcomed her visitors, and expressed great pleasure at the discovery that Sam's fortunes were likely to be improved. Mr. Granger proposed to make a call upon the faithless guardian², but was saved the necessity, as Mr. Wolverton called early in the afternoon of the same day. He was in a hurry to show his power, and foreclose the mortgage. It was arranged that Sam and Mr. Granger should remain out of sight at first.

 

Robert answered the knock at the door.

 

"Is your mother at home?" asked Wolverton.[Pg 325]

 

"Yes, sir; will you walk in?"

 

"I believe I will."

 

He entered the sitting-room³, and Mrs. Burton soon made her appearance.

 

"I see your son has returned, widder," remarked the agent.

 

"Yes; it seems pleasant to have him back. I missed him greatly."

 

"Humph! I s'pose so. It's a pity he went at all."

 

"I don't know that."

 

"Why, it stands to reason," said Wolverton, impatiently. "He went on a fool's errand."

 

"What makes you say that?"

 

"He might have known a boy like him couldn't succeed in such an enterprise. If he had taken up with my offer, he would have been all right."

 

"He said you offered him much less than the market price."

 

"And so he started off to do better, and lost his whole cargo⁴," sneered⁵ Wolverton, smiling unpleasantly.

 

Mrs. Burton was silent.[Pg 326]

 

"I came to tell you that I should require not only the interest, but a payment of half the mortgage, according to the conditions. It is due next Saturday."

 

"Won't you wait, under the circumstances, Mr. Wolverton?"

 

"No; I will not."

 

"Do you think that is kind?" asked Mrs. Burton.

 

"Kindness is kindness, and business is business, Mrs. Burton. Still, I am willing to spare you on one condition."

 

"What is that?"

 

"That you become Mrs. Wolverton."

 

Mrs. Burton made a gesture of repulsion.

 

"That is entirely⁶ out of the question," she said.

 

"Then I shall show no mercy."

 

Mrs. Burton went to the door and called "Robert."

 

Bob entered.

 

"Mr. Wolverton demands his interest and the payment of half the mortgage, according to the terms."

 

"It is not due yet."[Pg 327]

 

"It will be, next Saturday," said the agent, triumphantly⁷. "And I won't listen to any palaver⁸ or any entreaties⁹ to put off the payment. As you have made your bed you can lie upon it."

 

"What do you propose to do if we don't pay?" asked Bob.

 

"Foreclose the mortgage!" exclaimed the agent, bringing down his fist upon the table before him.

 

"In that case, I think, mother, we will pay," said Bob, quietly.

 

"You can't pay!" snarled¹⁰ Wolverton.

 

"That is where you are mistaken, Mr. Wolverton. I will not only pay what you ask, but I am ready to take up the whole mortgage."

 

"Is the boy crazy?" ejaculated Wolverton.

 

"Not that I am aware of," answered Bob, smiling.

 

"You haven't got the money."

 

"Mistaken again, Mr. Wolverton."

 

"When did you get it?" gasped¹¹ Wolverton. "Wasn't your cargo stolen?"

 

"Yes, by emissaries of yours!" was Bob's unexpected reply; "but I recovered it, and[Pg 328] sold the grain for two dollars and a quarter a bushel."

 

"You recovered it?" said Wolverton, turning pale.

 

"Yes; and the men that stole it are now in jail. I have a letter from one of them, declaring that he was employed by you."

 

"It's a lie!" hastily exclaimed the agent; but he looked frightened.

 

"I have reason to believe it is true. Mr. Wolverton, your base conspiracy¹² failed."

 

"I guess I'll go," said Wolverton, rising. He wanted time to think.

 

"Not just yet! Here are two persons who wish to see you"; and, to Wolverton's surprise, Sam and Robert Granger entered the room.

 

"You didn't expect to see me, Aaron Wolverton," said Captain Granger. "I have come here with your nephew to demand restitution¹³ of the property which you have appropriated to your own use, giving him to understand that he was living on charity."

 

Wolverton looked like a man in a state of collapse¹⁴. He didn't dare to deny what he[Pg 329] knew Captain Granger would have no difficulty in proving. He glared at Sam as if he would like to have him in his power for a short time.

 

"Are you coming back with me?" he asked.

 

"I will answer for him," said Captain Granger. "Sam is of an age when the law authorizes¹⁵ him to select his own guardian. I have accepted the trust, and I demand the transfer of his property to me."

 

If there had been any chance of success, Wolverton would have contested the matter, and, as it was, he interposed all the obstacles in his power. Finally, Sam got his own, however, much to Wolverton's disappointment.

 

Five years have passed. The mortgage on Burton's Ranch has long since been paid, and Bob is making a handsome profit every year for his mother and himself. Clip is still a member of the family, and, though he cannot be called a model of industry, he is a favorite through his good nature and love of fun. He is thoroughly¹⁶ loyal to the Burtons, and hates Wolverton as much as it is in his nature to[Pg 330] hate anybody. Wolverton is getting worse in temper as he grows older, and his ill-gotten gains do not bring him happiness. The sight of Bob's prosperity is gall¹⁷ and wormwood to him; but for this Bob cares little. Sam is employed in a store under his new guardian's charge, but every summer he comes to Burton's Ranch and stays a month, where he, Bob, and Clip have fine times. Mrs. Burton is happy in her prosperity, and is thankful to God for having given her so good a son. Bob has made more than one trip down the river, but none so eventful as the one described in this story.

THE END.

1 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。

2 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

3 sitting-room   

n.（BrE）客厅，起居室

参考例句：

• The sitting-room is clean.起居室很清洁。
• Each villa has a separate sitting-room.每栋别墅都有一间独立的起居室。

4 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

5 sneered   

讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He sneered at people who liked pop music. 他嘲笑喜欢流行音乐的人。
• It's very discouraging to be sneered at all the time. 成天受嘲讽是很令人泄气的。

6 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

7 triumphantly   

ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地

参考例句：

• The lion was roaring triumphantly. 狮子正在发出胜利的吼叫。
• Robert was looking at me triumphantly. 罗伯特正得意扬扬地看着我。

8 palaver   

adj.壮丽堂皇的；n.废话，空话

参考例句：

• We don't want all that palaver,do we?我们不想那样小题大做，不是吗？
• Progress is neither proclamation nor palaver.进步不是宣言，也不是空谈。

9 entreaties   

n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He began with entreaties and ended with a threat. 他先是恳求，最后是威胁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves. 暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 snarled   

v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说

参考例句：

• The dog snarled at us. 狗朝我们低声吼叫。
• As I advanced towards the dog, It'snarled and struck at me. 我朝那条狗走去时，它狂吠着向我扑来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 gasped   

v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要

参考例句：

• She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
• People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

12 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

13 restitution   

n.赔偿；恢复原状

参考例句：

• It's only fair that those who do the damage should make restitution.损坏东西的人应负责赔偿，这是再公平不过的了。
• The victims are demanding full restitution.受害人要求全额赔偿。

14 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

15 authorizes   

授权，批准，委托( authorize的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The dictionary authorizes the two spellings 'traveler' and 'traveller'. 字典裁定traveler和traveller两种拼法都对。
• The dictionary authorizes the two spellings "honor" and "honour.". 字典裁定 honor 及 honour 两种拼法均可。

16 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

17 gall   

v.使烦恼，使焦躁，难堪；n.磨难

参考例句：

• It galled him to have to ask for a loan.必须向人借钱使他感到难堪。
• No gall,no glory.没有磨难，何来荣耀。