joe the hotel boy-第24部分

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〃It　was　certainly　a　sad　ending　for　them；〃　said　he。　　〃But；　as　Badger　says；　they　had　nobody　but　themselves　to　blame　for　it。〃

Maurice　Vane　was　extremely　glad　to　get　back　his　mining　shares　and　thanked　Bill　Badger　warmly　for　what　he　had　done。

〃Don't　you　mention　it；〃　said　the　young　westerner。　　〃I'm　going　to　hunt　up　dad　now。　When　you　get　time；　call　and　see　us。〃

〃I'm　coming　up　soon；　to　find　out　about　that　Bill　Bodley；〃　said　Joe。

As　late　as　it　was　Joe　listened　to　what　Maurice　Vane　had　to　tell。

〃Now　that　Caven　and　Malone　are　gone　I　do　not　anticipate　further　trouble　at　the　mine；〃　said　the　gentleman。　　〃I　am　in　practical　possession　of　all　the　shares；　and　shall　have　a　clear　title　to　the　whole　property　inside　of　a　few　weeks。〃

When　Joe　told　him　what　Bill　Badger　had　had　to　say　about　a　certain　man　called　Bill　Bodley　he　was　much　interested。

〃Yes；　you　must　find　out　about　this　man　at　once；〃　said　he。　　〃I　will　help　you；　as　soon　as　certain　matters　are　settled。〃

The　next　morning　proved　a　busy　one　and　Joe　got　no　time　to　call　upon　Bill　Badger's　father。　　He　visited　the　mine　and　looked　over　it　with　interest。

During　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　he　went　back　to　town　on　an　errand　for　Mr。　Vane。　　He　was　passing　a　cabin　on　the　outskirts　when　he　heard　loud　words　and　a　struggle。

〃Let　me　go；　you　ruffian！〃　cried　a　weak　voice。　〃Leave　that　money　alone！〃

〃You　shut　up；　old　man！〃　was　the　answer。　〃The　money　is　all　right。〃

〃You　are　trying　to　rob　me！〃

Then　there　was　another　struggle；　and　suddenly　a　door　burst　open　and　a　man　leaped　into　the　roadway。　　At　sight　of　him　Joe　came　to　a　halt。　　The　fellow　was　Bill　Butts；　the　man　who　had　tried　to　swindle　Josiah　Bean。

〃Stop　him！〃　came　from　the　cabin。　　〃He　has　my　gold！〃

〃Stop！〃　cried　Joe；　and　ran　up　to　Butts。　The　next　moment　man　and　boy　tripped　and　fell；　but；　luckily；　our　hero　was　on　top。

〃Let　me　go！〃　growled　the　man。

〃So　we　meet　again；　Butts！〃　cried　Joe。

The　man　stared　in　amazement　and　then　began　to　struggle。　　Seeing　this；　Joe　doubled　up　his　fists　and　gave　him　a　blow　in　the　nose　and　in　the　right　eye；　which　caused　him　to　roar　with　pain。

〃That's　right！〃　came　from　the　doorway　of　the　cabin。　　〃Give　it　to　him！　　Make　him　give　me　my　gold！〃

〃Give　up　the　gold；〃　ordered　Joe。

〃There　it　is！〃　growled　Bill　Butts；　and　threw　a　buckskin　bag　towards　the　cabin。　　The　man　from　within　caught　it　up　and　stowed　it　away　in　his　pocket。

〃Shall　I　call　a　policeman？〃　asked　Joe。

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　man　from　the　cabin。　　He　wore　a　troubled　face　and　had　white　hair　and　a　white　beard。　　〃It　may　beWha　where　did　you　come　from？〃　he　gasped。

〃Where　did　I　come　from？〃　asked　Joe。

〃Yes！　yes！　Answer　me　quickly！　You　are　you　must　be　a　ghost！　I　saw　you　in　my　dreams　last　week！〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Joe；　and　arose　slowly　to　his　feet；　at　which　Bill　Butts　did　likewise　and　began　to　retreat。　　〃I　never　met　you　before。〃

〃No？　　It's　queer。〃　The　man　brushed　his　hand　over　his　forehead。　　〃Yes；　I　must　be　dreaming。　But　I　am　glad　I　got　my　gold　back。〃

〃So　am　I；　but　the　rascal　has　run　away。〃

〃Never　mind；　let　him　go。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　you've　seen　me　before？〃　questioned　Joe；　and　his　breath　came　thick　and　fast。

〃IerI　don't　know。　　You　mustn't　mind　meI　have　queer　spells　at　times。　　You　see；　I　had　a　whole　lot　of　trouble　once；　and　when　I　get　to　thinking　about　it〃　The　man　did　not　finish。

〃May　I　ask　your　name？〃　asked　Joe；　and　his　voice　trembled　in　spite　of　his　efforts　at　self…control。

〃Sure　you　can。　　It's　Bill　Bodley。〃

〃William　A。　Bodley？〃

〃Yes。　　But　how　do　you　happen　to　know　my　full　name？〃

〃Did　you　once　own　a　farm　in　Millville；　Iowa？〃

〃I　had　a　farm　in　Iowa；　yes。　　It　was　Millville　Center　in　those　days。〃

Joe　drew　closer　and　looked　at　the　man　with　care　and　emotion。

〃Did　you　ever　have　a　brother　named　Hiram　Bodley？〃

〃I　didbut　he　has　been　dead　for　years。〃

〃No；　Hiram　Bodley　died　only　a　short　time　ago；〃　answered　Joe。　　〃I　used　to　live　with　him。　My　name　is　Joe　Bodley。　　He　told　me　I　was　his　nephew。〃

〃You　his　nephew！　Hiram　Bodley's　nephew！　We　didn't　have　any　brothers　or　sisters；　and　he　was　a　bachelor！〃

〃I　know　he　was　a　bachelor。　　But　I　don't　know〃　Joe　paused。

〃He　told　me　Joe　died；　at　least　I　got　a　letter　from　somebody　to　that　effect。　　But　I　was　near　crazy　just　then；　and　I　can't　remember　exactly　how　it　was。　　I　lost　my　wife　and　two　children　and　then　I　guess　I　about　lost　my　mind　for　a　spell。　　I　sold　out；　and　the　next　thing　I　knew　I　was　roving　around　the　mountains　and　in　rags。　　Then　I　took　to　mining；　and　now　I've　got　a　mine　of　my　own；　up　yonder　in　the　mountains。　　Come　in　and　talk　this　over。〃

Joe　entered　the　cabin　and　sat　down；　and　William　Bodley　plied　him　with　questions；　all　of　which　he　answered　to　the　best　of　his　ability。

〃There　was　a　blue　tin　box　I　had；〃　said　he；　presently；　〃that　contained　some　documents　that　were　mine。〃

〃A　blue　tin　box！〃　ejaculated　Joe。　　〃Hiram　Bodley　had　it　and　it　got　lost。　　I　found　it　a　long　time　afterwards　and　some　parts　of　the　documents　were　destroyed。　　I　have　the　rest　in　my　suit　case　at　the　hotel。〃

〃Can　I　see　those　papers？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Perhaps　you　are　my　son；　Joe？〃

〃Perhaps　I　am；　sir。〃

They　went　to　the　hotel；　and　the　documents　were　produced。　　Then　William　Bodley　brought　out　some　letters　he　possessed。　　Man　and　boy　went　over　everything　with　care。

〃You　must　be　my　son！〃　cried　William　Bodley。　　〃Thank　heaven　you　are　found！〃　And　they　shook　hands　warmly。

He　told　Joe　to　move　over　to　the　cabin；　and　our　hero　did　so。　　It　was　a　neat　and　clean　place　and　soon　Joe　felt　at　home。　　Then　he　heard　his　father's　tale　in　detailan　odd　and　wonderful　storyof　great　trials　and　hardship。

〃There　will　always　be　something　of　a　mystery　about　this；〃　said　William　Bodley。　　〃But；　no　matter；　so　long　as　I　have　you　with　me。〃

〃Uncle　Hiram　was　a　queer　stick；〃　answered　Joe。　　〃I　suppose　if　he　was　alive　he　could　explain　many　things。〃　　And　in　this　Joe　was　correct。

Let　us　add　a　few　words　more　and　then　draw　our　tale　to　a　close。

When　Joe　told　Maurice　Vane　how　he　had　found　a　father　the　gentlemen　was　much　astonished。　So　were　the　Badgers；　but　all　were　glad　matters　had　ended　so　well。

It　was　found　that　William　Bodley's　mine　was　a　valuable　one。　　The　ore　in　it　was　about　equal　to　the　ore　in　the　mine　owned　by　Maurice　Vane；　and　this　was　likewise　equal　to　that　in　the　mine　run　by　Mr。　Badger。

After　some　conversation　on　the　subject　it　was　agreed　by　all　the　interested　parties　to　form　a　new　company；　embracing　all　the　mines。　　　Of　the　shares　of　this　new　concern；　one…third　went　to　Maurice　Vane；　one…third　to　the　Badgers；　and　one…third　to　William　Bodley　and　Joe。　　　The　necessary　machinery　was　duly　installed；　and　to…day　the　new　company　is　making　money　fast。

On　the　day　after　his　trouble　with　Mr。　Bodley；　Bill　Butts　disappeared　from　town。　　　But　a　week　later　he　was　arrested　in　Denver　and　sent　to　jail　for　two　years　for　swindling　a　ranchman。

During　the　following　summer　Joe　received　a　visit　from　his　old　friend　Ned；　and　the　two　boys　had　a　delightful　time　together。　　　In　the　meantime　Joe　spent　half　of　his　time　at　the　mine　and　half　over　his　books；　for　he　was　determined　to　get　a　good　education。

For　a　long　time　William　Bodley　had　been　in　feeble　health；　but　with　the　coming　of　Joe　on　the　scene　he　began　to　mend　rapidly；　and　was　soon　as　hale　and　hearty　as　anybody。　　He　was　an　expert　miner；　and　was　made　general　superintendent　for　the　new　company。

To…day　Joe　has　a　good　education　and　is　rich；　but　come　what　may；　it　is　not　likely　that　he　will　forget　those　days　when　he　was　known　as　〃Joe　the　Hotel　Boy。〃





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