"It"s very expensive," said the miser, ruefully.
"Well, you can afford it, Uncle Paul--there"s a comfort in that. I suppose you are pretty rich, eh?"
"Rich!" repeated Paul, in dismay. "What put such a thing into your head?"
"Not your style of living, you may be sure of that."
"I am poor, Benjamin. You mustn"t think otherwise. I live as well as I can afford."
"Then what have you been doing with your savings all these years?"
"My savings! It has taken all I had to live. There isn"t any money to be made in farming. It"s hard work and poor pay."
"You used to support your family comfortably when you had one."
"Don"t--don"t speak of them. I can"t bear it," said Paul, his countenance changing. "When I had them I was happy."
"And now you"re not. Well, I don"t wonder at it. It must be dismal enough living alone. You need somebody with you. I am your nephew and nearest relation. I feel that it is my duty to stay with you."
The expression of dismay which overspread the old man"s face at this declaration was ludicrous.
"You stay with me?" he repeated, in a tone of alarm.
"Yes, for a time at least. We"ll be company for each other, won"t we, Uncle Paul?"
"No, no; there"s no room."
"No room? You don"t mean to say that you need the whole house?"
"I mean I cannot afford to have you here. Besides I"m used to being alone. I prefer it."
"That"s complimentary, at any rate. You prefer to be alone rather than to have me with you?"
"Don"t be offended, Benjamin. I"ve been alone so many years. Besides you"d feel dull here. You wouldn"t like it."
"I"ll try it and see. What room are you going to give me?"
"You"d better go away."
"Well, uncle, we"ll talk about that to-morrow. You"re very considerate in fearing it will be dull for me, but I"ve roamed about the world so much that I shall be glad of a little dullness. So it"s all settled. And now, Uncle Paul, if you don"t object I"ll take out my pipe and have a smoke. I always smoke after dinner."
He lit his pipe, and throwing himself back in a chair, began to puff away leisurely, his uncle surveying him with fear and embarra.s.sment. Why should his graceless nephew turn up, after so many years, in the form of this big, broad-shouldered, heavy-bearded stranger, only to annoy him, and thrust his unwelcome company upon him?
CHAPTER X.
UNCLE AND NEPHEW.
Paul Nichols looked forward with dismay to the prospect of having his nephew remain with him as a guest. Like all misers, he had a distrust of every one, and the present appearance of his nephew only confirmed the impressions he still retained of his earlier bad conduct. He had all the will to turn him out of his house, but Ben was vastly his superior in size and strength, and he did not dare to attempt it.
"He wants to rob, perhaps to murder me," thought Paul, surveying his big nephew with a troubled gaze.
His apprehensions were such that he even meditated offering to pay the intruder"s board for a week at the tavern, if he would leave him in peace by himself. But the reluctance to part with his money finally prevented such a proposal being made.
In the afternoon the old man stayed around home. He did not dare to leave it lest Ben should take a fancy to search the house, and come upon some of his secret h.o.a.rds, for people were right in reporting that he hid his money.
At last evening came. With visible discomposure the old man showed Ben to a room.
"You can sleep there," he said, pointing to a cot bed in the corner of the room.
"All right, uncle. Good-night!"
"Good-night!" said Paul Nichols.
He went out and closed the door behind him. He not only closed it, but locked it, having secretly hidden the key in his pocket. He chuckled softly to himself as he went downstairs. His nephew was securely disposed of for the night, being fastened in his chamber. But if he expected Ben Haley quietly to submit to this incarceration he was entirely mistaken in that individual. The latter heard the key turn in the lock, and comprehended at once his uncle"s stratagem. Instead of being angry, he was amused.
"So my simple-minded uncle thinks he has drawn my teeth, does he? I"ll give him a scare."
He began to jump up and down on the chamber floor in his heavy boots, which, as the floor was uncarpeted, made a terrible noise. The old man in the room below, just congratulating himself on his cunning move, grew pale as he listened. He supposed his nephew to be in a furious pa.s.sion, and apprehensions of personal violence disturbed him. Still he reflected that he would be unable to get out, and in the morning he could go for the constable. But he was interrupted by a different noise.
Ben had drawn off his boots, and was firing them one after the other at the door.
The noise became so intolerable, that Paul was compelled to ascend the stairs, trembling with fear.
"What"s the matter?" he inquired at the door, in a quavering voice.
"Open the door," returned Ben.
His uncle reluctantly inserted the key in the lock and opening it presented a pale, scared face in the doorway. His nephew, with his coat stripped off, was sitting on the side of the bed.
"What"s the matter?" asked Paul.
"Nothing, only you locked the door by mistake," said Ben, coolly.
"What made you make such a noise?" demanded Paul.
"To call you up. There was no bell in the room, so that was the only way I had of doing it. What made you lock me in?"
"I didn"t think," stammered the old man.
"Just what I supposed. To guard against your making that mistake again, let me have the key."
"I"d rather keep it, if it"s the same to you," said Paul, in alarm.
"But it isn"t the same to me. You see, Uncle Paul, you are growing old and forgetful, and might lock me in again. That would not be pleasant, you know, especially if the house should catch fire in the night."
"What!" exclaimed Paul, terror-stricken, half suspecting his nephew contemplated turning incendiary.