"No better than in Rochester. Why is it that no one is willing to employ an old man? I am in good bodily health, and I can do as good work as I ever could, but no one will have me."
"Chicago seems to be a city of young men—more so than New York."
"Have you noticed that? Some of the successful business men are men young enough to be my sons."
"I understand you to say that you wished to go to Denver. Have you any reason to think you will succeed any better there?"
"No, but I have a nephew somewhere in Colorado, and perhaps in Denver. If I can fall in with him, I am sure he will help me. I haven't seen Giles for twenty years, but—"
[Pg 266]
"Giles!" repeated Rupert, in surprise. "What is his full name?"
"Giles Packard. He is my sister's son."
"Well, that is astonishing," ejaculated Rupert.
"What is astonishing?"
"Your nephew is my particular friend, and I am going out to Colorado at his special invitation."
"Is it possible?" asked the old man, eagerly. "Then you know where he lives?"
"Yes."
"Will you tell him you met me, and ask him if he will send money to bring me on to where he lives? Giles was always good-hearted, and I am sure he will do it."
"It won't be necessary to wait. I will buy you another ticket, and take you on with me."
John Plympton's face lighted up with joy.
"How kind you are," he said, grasping Rupert's hand. "I hope when you are old you will find some one who will be as kind to you. You are not related to me in any way, you only saw me within the hour, yet[Pg 267] you are going to do me a great kindness. May heaven bless you."
"Thank you, but don't give me too much credit. I am sure Mr. Packard will approve what I am doing, and will consider it a favor done to himself."
"I hope so, but my niece's treatment has made me uncertain how far the ties of relationship will be regarded. Yet I will accept your offer thankfully."
Rupert lost no time in purchasing another ticket, and secured Pullman accommodations for himself and his new acquaintance.
"You used to live in Buffalo," he said.
"Yes, I worked in one place there for fifteen years."
"Did you ever hear of the firm of Rollins & Lorimer?"
"Certainly. They were dry-goods merchants."
"I am Rupert Rollins, son of the senior partner."
"Is it possible? I knew your father well. He was a fine man."
"I am glad to hear you say so."
[Pg 268]
"But I didn't like Mr. Lorimer as well."
"I have little reason to like him, for he ruined my poor father, and indirectly1 caused his death."
"I am not surprised to hear it. I never had any dealings with Mr. Lorimer, but I knew his reputation. Is your mother living?"
"Yes, thank God, she is living, and my sister Grace as well."
"Did your father lose all his property?"
"All."
"How, then, is your mother getting along?"
Rupert explained.
"And yourself? Are you in any employment?"
"I have been a bell-boy in a New York hotel for the last year and a half."
"You could hardly be very well paid."
"Yes, I received larger pay than I would have received in a mercantile house. But I have finally given up the business."
"What do you propose to do?"
"I shall ask the advice of your nephew. He is a very good friend of mine—the best I have outside my own family with one [Pg 269]exception—and I shall be guided by what he says."
"I wish I had been able to go to him instead of to my niece and her husband."
"I don't see how they could have treated you so meanly."
"Mary would have treated me better, but she is under the thumb of her husband, and he is as mean a man as I ever encountered."
"Excepting Mr. Lorimer."
"There isn't much choice between them."
"Did he give you a note for the three thousand dollars you lent him?"
"Yes, I have his note—but what is it worth?"
"Keep it and show it to Mr. Packard. He may be able to advise you how to secure it."
"Do you know if Giles has been successful? Has he bettered himself in Colorado?"
"I have reason to think that he is a rich man. He has been very kind to me, who am a recent acquaintance, and I am sure he will not turn his back upon his uncle."
This assurance brightened up the old man, who rapidly recovered his cheerfulness, and[Pg 270] looked forward to a meeting with the nephew whom he had not seen for twenty years.
Rupert had telegraphed to Mr. Packard when he would reach Denver, and received a return telegram directing him to go to the St. James Hotel. Thither2 he repaired, taking his companion with him.
Mr. Plympton displayed some anxiety as they were approaching Denver.
"Perhaps my nephew will receive me coldly," he said. "If he does, there will be nothing left me but destitution3 and the poorhouse."
"Don't be alarmed, Mr. Plympton," rejoined Rupert. "You have not seen your nephew for twenty years. I have met him more recently, and I probably know him better than you. Leave all in my hands. I will speak to him about you."
They reached the St. James, and Rupert engaged rooms for both. On examining the hotel register he found that Giles Packard had already arrived. He had been in the hotel hardly half an hour when Mr. Packard entered.
[Pg 271]
His face lighted up with pleasure when he saw Rupert.
"I am delighted to see you, Rupert," he said. "Somehow you seem very near to me. I shall take you, after a day or two in Denver, to my cattle ranch4 near Red Gulch5, and I think I can promise you a good time and a comfortable home for as long as you are willing to stay."
"Have you room for another, Mr. Packard? I have brought a companion with me."
"Why, certainly. Any friend of yours shall have a cordial welcome."
"But he is nearer to you than to me."
Mr. Packard's face expressed surprise.
"I don't understand you."
"I found a relative of yours in Chicago. He was in hard luck, and I thought you would be willing to help him. Here he is."
He led Giles Packard up to his uncle, who anxiously scanned the face of his nephew.
"Don't you know me, Giles?" he asked, in a tremulous tone.
"Surely you are not my Uncle John?"
[Pg 272]
"The same. I hope you will forgive me for seeking you out."
"Don't speak like that, Uncle John. I have not forgotten that I am your nephew."
"I have enough for us both. Did you save nothing, then, by your long years of business?"
"I saved three thousand dollars."
Giles Packard's face became stern.
"The scoundrel!" he exclaimed. "And after he got your money he had no further use for you?"
"No, he turned me out to starve."
"You were very imprudent in trusting him with the money."
"So I was, but he promised, if I lent it to him, that he would give me a position in his store."
"And he broke his promise?"
"No; he employed me for about two months, but in the end he would only give me my board, and refused to let me have[Pg 273] money enough to buy a suit of clothes. Then I became indignant and left the house."
"Did you make an effort to recover the money?"
"Yes, but it was of no use. He refused to give it back."
"He must have given you a note?"
"Yes, I have his note."
"I will give you the money, and you will transfer the note to me. He will find me a different customer to deal with."
"Keep the money yourself, Giles, and pay me interest on it. I shall not be afraid to trust you."
"I will. If I treat you as Eben Jackson did, may I lose my property and become a pauper."
"You are sure you can afford to do this, Giles? You have accumulated some property?"
"Well," answered Giles, smiling, "I am not a millionaire, but I think perhaps I might realize seventy-five thousand dollars if I should take account of stock. I have been very successful in gathering8 property, but I have had a great many lonely hours."
[Pg 274]
"Don't you need a bookkeeper?" asked the old man, eagerly.
"Yes, I can find you something to do in your own line, Uncle John. My business isn't very complicated, but I find it necessary to keep some accounts. I will give you a home and you shall want for nothing. Has Eben Jackson got any children?"
"Yes, he has two, a boy and a girl. They are fourteen and eleven."
"What sort of children are they?"
"The boy is like his father. He never treated me with respect, but looked upon me as a poor relation. The girl is of a better disposition9."
"And they would be among my heirs. I will look them up some day, and shape my will accordingly. Shall you be ready to go back with me on Monday, Rupert?"
"I will be ready whenever you are, Mr. Packard."
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收听单词发音
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1
indirectly
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| adv.间接地，不直接了当地 | |
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2
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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3
destitution
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| n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷 | |
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4
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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5
gulch
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| n.深谷，峡谷 | |
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6
pauper
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| n.贫民，被救济者，穷人 | |
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7
defrauded
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| v.诈取，骗取( defraud的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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9
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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