CHAPTER XXXIV. NAT BARCLAY'S LETTER.
|The day after Bernard reached London he received at his old address aletter bearing the familiar postmark of Doncaster. It will be rememberedthat it was at Doncaster our story opened, and it was there that theboarding-school of Professor Ezekiel Snowdon was located. Bernard's facelighted up with pleasure, for in the superscription he recognized thehandwriting of his friend Nat Barclay.
He tore open the envelope and read the letter quickly. It ran thus:
"Dear Bernard:
"I write this with great anxiety, for I don't know if you are living ordead. Yesterday I met Septimus Snowdon, who is the same disagreeablebully as ever, and he said, 'Well, I have some news for you about yourfriend Bernard Brooks.' I was rather surprised at this, for I didn'tsuppose you would be very likely to write to him. Still I asked, 'Haveyou heard from him?' 'No,' he answered disdainfully. 'I wouldn't haveany correspondence with a fellow like him. But he isn't likely to writeany more letters.' 'Why not?' I asked. 'Because he's dead, that's why,'snapped Septimus, and I saw that he seemed pleased. 'I don't believeit,' I returned. 'Where do you get your information?' 'You'll have tobelieve it,' he said. 'Pa received a letter from his guardian, Mr.Cornelius McCracken, of New York, saying that his death had beenreported to him by the gentleman in whose company he went to Europe. Ibelieve he wrote that he had met with an accident in Marseilles.' Now Ihad a good deal of doubt about the correctness of this statement, for Iknew from your own letters that you parted with Professor Puffer inLondon, and were not likely to be in Marseilles with him. I askedSeptimus some further questions, but he seemed to have no moreinformation.
"'Well,' said Septimus sneeringly, 'are you going to put on mourning foryour great friend Bernard?' 'I might,' I answered, 'if I believed him tobe dead, but I don't believe it.'
"'You'll never see him again,' said Septimus positively.
"Now, Bernard, though I don't believe the story, I am anxious, and ifyou are alive I hope you will write me again and tell me. I won'tbelieve it till I have your own authority. That sounds like a bull,doesn't it? But I'll go on and write as if you were still alive. You maywish to know something about the school. To the best of my belief it isfar from prosperous. There are very few scholars, and those don't lookas if their parents or guardians paid much for them. Then the professorhimself is looking very shabby and seedy. I don't believe he has had anew coat for over a year. Septimus looks better. There is a pupil in theschool about his size, and I really believe that Septimus is wearing hisclothes. I hear that old Snowdon gave the boy a dollar and a half forhis best suit. The boy was glad to sell it in order to get a littlepocket money. I know how he spent a part of it. He went to the baker'sin the village and bought a supply of cakes and doughnuts, of which hestood in need, for I hear that the seminary table, never very good, isnow poorer than ever.
"When are you coming back to America? I long to see you. If you do comeyou must be sure to come out to Doncaster and see
"Your affectionate friend,
"Nat Barclay."
Bernard showed his letter to Mr. Cunningham.
"Would you like to go to America, Bernard?" he asked.
"I don't want to leave you, sir."
"But suppose I should go, too?"
"Then I should be delighted to go."
"I cannot go while my uncle's life is in doubt, but when I am releasedfrom attendance upon him I shall have nothing to hinder me."
That day week the uncle died. After the funeral Mr. Cunningham said,"Well, Bernard, I have not forgotten the promise I made you. We will goto the office of the Cunard steamers, and see whether we can engagepassage by the Etruria, which is the first one to sail."
It was found that one of the best staterooms on the palatial steamer wasstill disengaged. Walter Cunningham lost no time in securing it, and thetwo embarked on the following Saturday.
There is no occasion to dwell upon the voyage. The weather was good, andthe Etruria made one of the quick passages for which she is famous.
When Bernard steamed into port, and saw the familiar roofs and spires ofthe great American city, his heart thrilled within him, and he felt thatwarm glow which the sight of home is apt to enkindle.