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Robert Coverdale's Struggle; or, On The Wave Of Success, a novel by Horatio Alger |
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Chapter 34. How It Ended |
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_ CHAPTER XXXIV. HOW IT ENDED "Robert," said Gilbert Huet later in the day, "next week Julian and I go to Boston, where we shall try to make a home for ourselves." Robert looked sober. "I shall feel very lonely without you," he said. "You are to go, too, Robert," said Julian quickly. "If you will. Julian wants your society, and so do I." Robert's face flushed with eager delight. "But my aunt?" he said. "I have been speaking to your aunt. In fact, I invited her to accompany us, but she says she is used to Cook's Harbor and cannot leave it." "I don't like to leave her alone." "Then I'll tell you what you can do. I understand that young Frank Shelton is seeking for a home where he can take his promised wife. I advise you to enlarge the cottage, putting on another story and perhaps an L also. This will give you plenty of room for your aunt and the young couple, who will be company for her." "Yes," said Mrs. Trafton, "I always liked Frank Shelton and his wife that is to be. The arrangement will be very agreeable to me." "But," objected Robert, "how can I build an addition to the house? I have no money." "I beg your pardon," said Mr. Huet, smiling, "but I don't think a young gentleman worth ten thousand dollars can truthfully say he has no money. I hope, Robert, you are not growing mean." "Ten thousand dollars!" ejaculated Robert, his eyes wide open with amazement. "Certainly." "I don't understand you, Mr. Huet." "Then perhaps you will understand this." Mr. Huet handed Robert a slip of paper, which proved to be a check on the Merchants' Bank, of Boston, for the sum of ten thousand dollars, payable to Robert Coverdale or order. It was signed by Gilbert Huet. "You see, you are rich, Robert," said Julian, smiling with joy at his friend's good fortune. "Oh, Mr. Huet, I don't deserve this," said Robert, his heart full. "You must let me judge of that, my dear boy. Say no more or you will be depreciating Julian's value. You have restored him to me, and I consider him worth much more than ten thousand dollars." Of course, Robert joyfully accepted the munificent gift so cordially offered. By Mr. Huet's advice, he invested the money in good dividend-paying securities and monthly sent his aunt twenty-five dollars, which, with the rent, made her quite easy in her circumstances. The additions were made to the cottage, and Frank Shelton and his wife were glad to hire the house, thus providing Mrs. Trafton with society as well as adding to her income. As for Robert, henceforth he shared in all the educational advantages which Julian enjoyed. Mr. Huet took a house, engaged an excellent housekeeper and at length enjoyed a home. One letter he wrote to Charles Waldo--a scathing letter denouncing him for his infamous conduct and threatening severe punishment if he ever again conspired against his happiness. Mr. Waldo did not answer the letter for very shame. What excuse or apology could he possibly offer? Three years later Robert and Julian made a vacation journey westward. "I should like to call on my old friend Nathan Badger," said Julian. "So should I," said Robert. "I want to see how he looks." The Badgers could not at first be convinced that the elegant young gentleman, introduced as Julian Huet, was no other than the bound boy, Bill Benton; but he recalled so many incidents of his past life that they credited it at last. "You were always a favorite of mine, Bill--I mean Mr. Julian!" said the farmer, who had a wonderful respect for wealth. "And of mine!" chimed in Mrs. Badger. "And I'm sure my Andrew Jackson loved you like a brother." Andrew Jackson, a gawky youth, no more prepossessing than his boyhood promised, winked hard and looked enviously at Julian. When the latter drew from his pocket a silver watch and chain and asked Andrew to accept it for old acquaintance sake he was quite overcome and said he liked Julian "better than any feller he knew!" "Then you forgive me for hitting you with a hoe, Andrew?" said Julian smilingly. "I don't care for that," said Andrew Jackson stoutly, "and I guess you more'n got even with us that time you stayed with Dick Schmidt and father tried to thrash a tramp--thinking it was you--and got thrashed himself!" Then Andrew Jackson fixed an admiring glance on the watch he had coveted so long. "Boys will be boys!" said Mr. Badger with a fatherly smile. "Andrew Jackson don't have no ill feelings." It was the way of the world. Julian was rich now and had plenty of friends. But he had one true friend whom money could not buy, and this was Robert Coverdale, the young fisherman of Coolers Harbor, prosperous henceforth and happy, as he well deserved to be. [THE END] _ |
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