Luck and Pluck

Mr. Huxter did see it. He was a selfish man, who had a great respect for the possessors of wealth merely on the score of their wealth, and he began to look upon John Oakley with quite different eyes now that he had been informed of his true position.

"You're carrying things with rather a high hand, Jane," he said.

"I mean to be treated with respect."

"So John is saucy, is he?"

"He is proud-spirited, and thinks himself justified in looking down upon me, because I was once his father's house-keeper," said Mrs. Oakley, in a tone of bitterness; "but I have vowed to subdue his proud spirit, and you will see that I shall do it."

"I have no doubt you will, Jane. But there is one thing you haven't mentioned."

"What is that?"

"How much am I to receive for John Oakley's board?"

"I will give you six dollars a week, and you know that this is considerably more than any other boarder would pay you."

"Six dollars a week!" said Mr. Huxter, slowly. "Yes, I suppose that would pay for what he would eat and drink, but I expected you would do something more for me than just to find me a boarder."

"You will make a pretty good profit out of that, Ephraim."

"You might do a little more than that for me, Jane."

"I will tell you what I will do. Besides paying you regularly for his board, I will allow you his labor, and that will be worth considerable."

"What can he do?"

"He can do what other boys do. You can take him into your shop, and set him to pegging shoes. It won't hurt him a bit, though it may trouble his pride a little."

"But will he be willing to go into the shop? He was expecting to go to college."

"I don't think much of you if you can't compel him to do it."

Mr. Huxter reflected a moment. John's work would be worth at least five dollars a week, and this, added to the six he would receive from his sister, would certainly pay munificently for John's board.

"Well, that is a consideration. We'll call it a bargain," he admitted.

"Very well; I think you'll find your account in it," said Mrs. Oakley, in a tone of satisfaction.

"Couldn't you pay me a quarter's board in advance?"

To this Mrs. Oakley assented with some hesitation.

After matters had thus been satisfactorily arranged, Mr. Huxter said:—

"I think, Jane, I will just take a little walk outside, and smoke a pipe. I always do after supper. By the way, when would you like to have young Oakley go?"

"To-morrow."

"To-morrow!" repeated Mr. Huxter, in some disappointment, for he had confidently hoped to avail himself of his sister's hospitality for a week at least. "Seems to me, Jane, you're in something of a hurry."

"I am. There is a good reason for it, which I am not at liberty to mention," said Mrs. Oakley.

"Not even to me?"

"Not even to you."

"Well, I dare say it is all right, but I am tired after my journey, and it don't give me much time to rest," said Mr. Huxter, with disappointment.

"Let it be day after to-morrow, then. I don't want to be inhospitable," said Mrs. Oakley.

Mr. Huxter thought this concession better than nothing, and, going out on the door-step, smoked his pipe in rather a cheerful frame of mind.

"It'll be a pretty good speculation," he reflected; "but I mistrust I'll have some trouble with young Oakley. But I guess I can manage him. He'll find me pretty ugly if he goes to oppose me."

Mr. Huxter was partly right. He was capable of being "pretty ugly" when he thought it safe to be so,—that is, to those who were weaker than himself, and in his power. He fawned upon those who had money or power, and was in the habit of tyrannizing over those who had neither. On the whole, I hardly think John is to be congratulated upon his prospects.

CHAPTER XI.

JOHN CONSULTS A LAWYER

Mrs. Oakley felt very well pleased with the arrangement she had made about John. Her brother lived nearly one hundred miles distant. She would have liked John even further off; but this would remove him from the ability to interfere with her plans. She felt, too, that she would be more comfortable with him out of the house. Until the will was found and destroyed she would not feel safe, and she did not venture to search thoroughly till John was out of the way.

But there was one important question: Would John consent to go? On this point Mrs. Oakley felt doubtful. She knew that it would be a grievous disappointment to him to leave his class at the academy, and all his young friends in the village, not to speak of his natural regret at leaving the house where he had been born, and which had always been his home. Under the circumstances, therefore, she felt that it would be best to use a little stratagem.

Meanwhile John had been thinking earnestly of his position and his duty. He felt that he needed advice, and he determined to call upon Squire Selwyn, who, as I have already said, was his father's legal adviser and intimate friend. His son Sam, also, was John's best friend, and thus the families had a double bond of union.

The day succeeding Mr. Huxter's arrival was Wednesday. On that day the afternoon session at the academy was over an hour earlier than usual, the only exercise being declamation, or, on alternate weeks, the reading of compositions. John thought this would be the most favorable opportunity he would have for consulting Mr. Selwyn.

Squire Selwyn's office was a small, neat one-story building situated on the main street, not far from the academy building. It was painted white, with green blinds, and had been built expressly for a law office.

Sam and John walked home from school together as usual. When they came to the office John said:—

"I'm going in to see your father, Sam; so I'll bid you good-afternoon."

"Got some law business for the governor?"

"Maybe."

"Then you better consult me," said Sam. "I swept out the office for a week once when the office-boy was off on vacation, and you can't think what a lot of law I picked up in that time."

"I dare say," said John, smiling. "I don't doubt your qualifications, but I think I'll consult your father this time."

"All right," said Sam, more seriously. "I'm glad you're going to. The fact is, Mrs. Oakley is doing her best to circumvent you, and you must do your best, or she'll succeed."

"I'm afraid she will at any rate," said John.

"I wish you could find that will."