“Ain't nothin' happened to him. 'Twas him that made it happen to your
letter. And THAT letter of all letters! You see, Zach he don't exactly
remember when 'twas he got it from the post office, but it must have
been much as a week ago, sartin sure. Anyhow, when he took out the
lighthouse mail he left this letter in the pocket, and to-day, just now,
when he got them other letters of yours and put 'em in the same pocket,
he found the first one. And when I see that 'Cabot, What-d'ye-call-it
and Cabot' name printed out right on the envelope and it come over me
that 'twas THAT letter he'd forgot and had been totin' 'round with him,
'WELL,' says I. 'My Lord of Isrul!' I says--”
“Primmie! Primmie, stop! Stop--please! And tell me: Where are those
letters?”
“Hey? I was goin' to tell you. _I_ put 'em right here on the dinin' room
table, but Miss Martha she carted 'em off upstairs to your bedroom. Said
she presumed likely you'd want to open 'em by yourself. _I_ don't see
why--”
“Hush! Hush! Where is--ah--Miss Phipps?”
“She's in the settin' room. Told me not to disturb her, she wanted to be
alone. I--”
Galusha hastened away, leaving the excited Miss Cash still talking. From
the foot of the stairs he caught a glimpse of Martha in the chair by the
front window of the sitting room, looking out. She must have heard him,
but she did not turn her head. Nor did he speak to her. Time enough for
that when he had read what was in those letters.
There they were, three of them, upon his bureau. He picked up the one
on top. It bore upon the envelope the words “National Institute,
Washington, D. C.,” and was, he knew, merely a monthly report. Usually
such reports were of great interest to him; this one was not. He had
really important matters to claim his attention.
The second letter was, obviously, that which the forgetful Zacheus had
carried about with him for a week. In the corner was the Cabot, Bancroft
and Cabot name. He tore it open. An oblong slip of paper fell to the
floor. He did not even stoop to pick this up, for there was a letter,
too. It began:
“Prof. Galusha Bangs, East Wellmouth, Mass.
“DEAR SIR:
“Pursuant to your instructions in our conversation of recent date I am
enclosing check representing your share of the new Tinplate re-issue,
sale of rights, transfer of old stock, bonus, etc. The transfer has
been, as I told you I felt sure it would be, very advantageous and
profitable to stockholders like yourself. The amount due you, as shown
in statement attached, is--”
Galusha read no further. What did he care for Tinplate, profits,
business, or anything like that! There was not a word in the letter
concerning Wellmouth Development. It was a bitter disappointment.
But there was the third letter, the letter from Nevada. He opened that.
The first page which he looked at was that bearing the signature. Yes,
the letter was from George L. Thomas, and George L. Thomas was Cousin
Gussie's private secretary. At last!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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