was more than ever thankful that the all-important receipt was in his mother’s possession. Whatever the lawyer might say, he believed that he was intending to punish them in the interest of his son.
In one respect, however, Andy made a mistake. Herbert did not report this last difficulty at home.
He was aware that he had not figured to advantage in his treatment of the two little boys, and any investigation of the matter would reveal this fact.
It would not be long now before he would have the satisfaction of seeing Andy and his mother in serious trouble, and, though impatient, he decided to wait for that. Then the triumph would be his.
When Andy reached home, he found that his mother had callers.
In a lonely situation, about a quarter of a mile beyond the farmhouse of Mr. Joshua Starr, lived two maiden ladies – Susan and Sally Peabody – both over fifty years of age.
Their father had died thirty years before, leaving them a cottage, with an acre of land, and some twelve thousand dollars in stocks and bonds.
Living economically, this sum had materially increased, and they were considered in the village rich ladies, as, indeed, they were, since their income amounted to more than twice their expenditures, and they were laying up probably five hundred dollars annually.
They were very good and kind, simple-hearted old ladies, and very much respected in the village.
The elder of these ladies, Miss Sally Peabody, Andy found in his mother’s plain sitting-room.
As he entered, he heard Miss Peabody say:
“I should like to borrow your Andy to-night, Mrs. Gordon, if you have no objection.”
Mrs. Gordon supposed that her visitor had some work which she wished Andy to do, and as the latter was always glad of a job, she answered:
“I am sure, Miss Sally, that Andy will be glad to do anything that you require.”
“I don’t want him to do anything,” answered Miss Peabody. “I want him to sleep at our house to-night.”
Mrs. Gordon looked a little puzzled, but Miss Sally went on to explain.
“You see, Mrs. Gordon, we had a sum of five hundred dollars paid in unexpectedly this morning, and we can’t get it to the bank till Monday. Now, it makes my sister nervous to think of having such a sum of money in the house. I was reading in the papers of a burglar entering a house at night in Thebes – the next village – and it might happen to us. I don’t know what we should do, as we have no man in the house.”
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