Wolverton chuckled at this agreeable thought. He would be revenged upon poor Bob for all the mortifications to which the boy had subjected him: and, to a man of Wolverton's temperament, revenge was sweet.
"You have received good news, Mr. Wolverton," said the postmaster, observing the land agent's evident glee.
"What makes you think so?" asked Wolverton, cautiously.
"It wasn't the letter. I was thinking of something."
"That is only a blind," thought the postmaster. "I saw his face light up when he read the letter. Let me see; it was mailed from Rocky Creek. I will bear that in mind, and some day I may discover the secret."
As Wolverton picked his way through the mud from the post-office to his office, he fell in with Mrs. Burton, who had come to the village on business. He smiled to himself, and prepared to accost her.
"I hope I see you well, Mrs. Burton," he said, with gravity.
"Very well, thank you, Mr. Wolverton," answered the widow, coldly.
"I received a letter yesterday. All was going well with him."
"I am really glad to hear it," said Wolverton, with a queer smile. "Still you must remember that 'there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.'"
"What do you mean, Mr. Wolverton?" asked Mrs. Burton, quickly.
"What should I mean?" said Wolverton, in apparent surprise.
"Oh, dear, no! I am sorry to say that your son is prejudiced against me, and would hardly favor me with any letter."
"I was only warning you on general principles. 'Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall,' as the Scriptures have it."
"Thank you for the caution," said Mrs. Burton, dryly. "By the way, have you heard anything of your nephew, Sam?"
"No," he answered. "I did think, I confess, that he might have run away with Bob, but I don't think so now."
This was true. For obvious reasons, Bob had not taken his mother into his confidence on this subject.
"The boy has shown base ingratitude to me," continued Wolverton, bitterly. "I cared for him and kept him from starving, and how has he rewarded me?"
"If his home was so agreeable as you represent, it is certainly surprising that he should have left you. Good-morning, Mr. Wolverton."
"What did she mean?" Wolverton asked himself. "Some of her sarcasm, I suppose. When she becomes Mrs. Wolverton, I will get even with her."