gent was thoroughly ashamed of himself. To be "sech a duffer" as to
return that money, when by means of a little strategy he might have kept
it, made him feel both humiliated and indignant. A hundred and forty
dollars; When would he have a chance to get such a windfall again? Pah!
he was a fool--to copy his identical thoughts: "a gol dum
blithering idjit!"

All the way home he reflected dismally upon his lack of business
foresight, and strove to plan ways to get money "out'n thet easy mark."

"Didn't the man rob you, Uncle?" asked Louise, when the agent had
disappeared.

"Yes, dear; but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing I
realized it."

"That was what I thought. By the way, that Wegg history seems both
romantic and unusual," she said, musingly. "Don't you scent some mystery
in what the man said of it?"

"Mystery!" cried Uncle John. "Lordy, no, Louise. You've been readin' too
many novels. Romances don't grow in parts like these."

"But I think this is where they are most likely to grow, Uncle,"
persisted the girl, "just consider. A retired sea captain hides inland,
with no companions but a grinning sailor and his blind housekeeper
--except his pale wife, of course; and she is described as sad and
unhappy. Who was she, do you think?"

"I don't think," said Uncle John, smiling and patting the fair check of
his niece. "And it don't matter who she was."

"I'm sure it does. It is the key to the whole mystery. Even her baby
could not cheer the poor thing's broken heart. Even the fine house the
Captain built failed to interest her. She pined away and died, and----"

"And that finished the romance, Louise."

"Oh, no; that added to its interest. The boy grew up in this dismal
place and brooded on his mother's wrongs. His stern, sulky old father
died suddenly. Was he murdered?" in a low voice; "did the son revenge
his mother's wrongs?"

"Figglepiff, Louise! You're getting theatric--and so early in the
morning, too! Want to saddle my new farm with a murder, do you? Well,
it's rubbish. Joe Wegg ran away from here to get busy in the world.
Major Doyle helped him with my money, in exchange for this farm, which
the boy was sensible to get rid of--although I'm glad it's now mine. The
Major liked Joe Wegg, and says he's a clean-cut, fine young feller. He's
an inventor, too, even if an unlucky one, and I've no doubt he'll make
his way in the world and become a good citizen."

With these words Uncle John arose