CHAPTER XXIX.
THE MAJOR DEMANDS AN EXPLANATION.
That was a happy week, indeed. Patsy devoted all her spare time to herlessons, but the house itself demanded no little attention. She wouldnot let Mary dust the ornaments or arrange the rooms at all, butlovingly performed those duties herself, and soon became an idealhousekeeper, as Uncle John approvingly remarked.
And as she flitted from room to room she sang such merry songs that itwas a delight to hear her, and the Major was sure to get home from thecity in time to listen to the strumming of the piano at three o'clock,from the recess of his own snug chamber.
Uncle John went to the city every morning, and at first thisoccasioned no remark. Patsy was too occupied to pay much attention toher uncle's coming and going, and the Major was indifferent, beingbusy admiring Patsy's happiness and congratulating himself on his owngood fortune.
The position at the bank had raised the good man's importance severalnotches. The clerks treated him with fine consideration and the headsof the firm were cordial and most pleasant. His fine, soldierly figureand kindly, white-moustached face, conferred a certain dignity uponhis employers, which they seemed to respect and appreciate.
It was on Wednesday that the Major encountered the name of JohnMerrick on the books. The account was an enormous one, running intomillions in stocks and securities. The Major smiled.
"That's Uncle John's name," he reflected. "It would please him to knowhe had a namesake so rich as this one."
The next day he noted that John Merrick's holdings were mostly inwestern canning industries and tin-plate factories, and again herecollected that Uncle John had once been a tinsmith. The connectionwas rather curious.
But it was not until Saturday morning that the truth dawned upon him,and struck him like a blow from a sledge-hammer.
He had occasion to visit Mr. Marvin's private office, but being toldthat the gentleman was engaged with an important customer, he lingeredoutside the door, waiting.
Presently the door was partly opened.
"Don't forget to sell two thousand of the Continental stock tomorrow,"he heard a familiar voice say.
"I'll not forget, Mr. Merrick," answered the banker.
"And buy that property on Bleeker street at the price offered. It's afair proposition, and I need the land."
"Very well, Mr. Merrick. Would it not be better for me to send thesepapers by a messenger to your house?"
"No; I'll take them myself. No one will rob me." And then the doorswung open and, chuckling in his usual whimsical fashion, Uncle Johncame out, wearing his salt-and-pepper suit and stuffing; a bundle ofpapers into his inside pocket.
The Major stared at him haughtily, but made no attempt to openlyrecognize the man. Uncle John gave a start, laughed, and then walkedaway briskly, throwing a hasty "good-bye" to the obsequious banker,who followed him out, bowing low.
The Major returned to his office with a grave face, and sat for thebest part of three hours in a brown study. Then he took his hat andwent home.
Patsy asked anxiously if anything had happened, when she saw his face;but the Major shook his head.
Uncle John arrived just in time for dinner, in a very genial mood,and he and Patsy kept up a lively conversation at the table while theMajor looked stern every time he caught the little man's eye.
But Uncle John never minded. He was not even as meek and humble asusual, but laughed and chatted with the freedom of a boy just out ofschool, which made Patsy think the new clothes had improved him inmore ways than one.
When dinner was over the Major led them into the sitting-room, turnedup the lights, and then confronted the little man with a determinedand majestic air.
"Sir," said he, "give an account of yourself."
"Eh?"
"John Merrick, millionaire and impostor, who came into my family underfalse pretenses and won our love and friendship when we didn't knowit, give an account of yourself!"
Patsy laughed.
"What are you up to, Daddy?" she demanded. "What has Uncle John beendoing?"
"Deceiving us, my dear."
"Nonsense," said Uncle John, lighting his old briar pipe, "you've beendeceiving yourselves."
"Didn't you convey the impression that you were poor?" demanded theMajor, sternly.
"No."
"Didn't you let Patsy take away your thirty-two dollars and forty-twocents, thinking it was all you had?"
"Yes."
"Aren't you worth millions and millions of dollars--so many that youcan't count them yourself?"
"Perhaps."
"Then, sir," concluded the Major, mopping the perspiration from hisforehead and sitting down limply in his chair, "what do you mean byit?"
Patsy stood pale and trembling, her round eyes fixed upon her uncle'scomposed face.
"Uncle John!" she faltered.
"Yes, my dear."
"Is it all true? Are you so very rich?"
"Yes, my dear."
"And it's you that gave me this house, and--and everything else--andgot the Major his fine job, and me discharged, and--and--"
"Of course, Patsy. Why not?"
"Oh, Uncle John!"
She threw herself into his arms, sobbing happily as he clasped herlittle form to his bosom. And the Major coughed and blew his nose, andmuttered unintelligible words into his handkerchief. Then Patsy sprangup and rushed upon her father, crying;
"Oh, Daddy! Aren't you glad it's Uncle John?"
"I have still to hear his explanation," said the Major.
Uncle John beamed upon them. Perhaps he had never been so happy beforein all his life.
"I'm willing to explain," he said, lighting his pipe again andsettling himself in his chair. "But my story is a simple one, dearfriends, and not nearly so wonderful as you may imagine. My father hada big family that kept him poor, and I was a tinsmith with little workto be had in the village where we lived. So I started west, working myway from town to town, until I got to Portland, Oregon.
"There was work in plenty there, making the tin cans in which salmonand other fish is packed, and as I was industrious I soon had a shopof my own, and supplied cans to the packers. The shop grew to bea great factory, employing hundreds of men. Then I bought up thefactories of my competitors, so as to control the market, and as Iused so much tin-plate I became interested in the manufacture of thisproduct, and invested a good deal of money in the production andperfection of American tin. My factories were now scattered all alongthe coast, even to California, where I made the cans for the greatquantities of canned fruits they ship from that section every year.Of course the business made me rich, and I bought real estate with myextra money, and doubled my fortune again and again.
"I never married, for all my heart was in the business, and I thoughtof nothing else. But a while ago a big consolidation of the canningindustries was effected, and the active management I resigned to otherhands, because I had grown old, and had too much money already.
"It was then that I remembered the family, and went back quietly tothe village where I was born. They were all dead or scattered,I found; but because Jane had inherited a fortune in some way Idiscovered where she lived and went to see her. I suppose it wasbecause my clothes were old and shabby that Jane concluded I was apoor man and needed assistance; and I didn't take the trouble toundeceive her.
"I also found my three nieces at Elmhurst, and it struck me it wouldbe a good time to study their characters; for like Jane I had afortune to leave behind me, and I was curious to find out which girlwas the most deserving. No one suspected my disguise. I don't usuallywear such poor clothes, you know; but I have grown to be careless ofdress in the west, and finding that I was supposed to be a poor man Iclung to that old suit like grim death to a grasshopper."
"It was very wicked of you," said Patsy, soberly, from her father'slap.
"As it turned out," continued the little man, "Jane's desire to leaveher money to her nieces amounted to nothing, for the money wasn'thers. But I must say it was ki
nd of her to put me down for fivethousand dollars--now, wasn't it?"
The Major grinned.
"And that's the whole story, my friends. After Jane's death youoffered me a home--the best you had to give--and I accepted it. I hadto come to New York anyway, you know, for Isham, Marvin & Co. havebeen my bankers for years, and there was considerable business totransact with them. I think that's all, isn't it?"
"Then this house is yours?" said Patsy, wonderingly.
"No, my dear; the whole block belongs to you and here's the deed forit," drawing a package of papers from his pocket. "It's a very goodproperty, Patsy, and the rents you get from the other five flats willbe a fortune in themselves."
For a time the three sat in silence. Then the girl whispered, softly:
"Why are you so good to me, Uncle John?"
"Just because I like you, Patsy, and you are my niece."
"And the other nieces?"
"Well, I don't mean they shall wait for my death to be made happy,"answered Uncle John. "Here's a paper that gives to Louise's mother theuse of a hundred thousand dollars, as long as she lives. After thatLouise will have the money to do as she pleases with."
"How fine!" cried Patsy, clapping her hands joyfully.
"And here's another paper that gives Professor De Graf the use ofanother hundred thousand. Beth is to have it when he dies. She's asensible girl, and will take good care of it."
"Indeed she will!" said Patsy.
"And now," said Uncle John, "I want to know if I can keep my littleroom in your apartments, Patsy; or if you'd prefer me to find anotherboarding place."
"Your home is here as long as you live, Uncle John. I never meant topart with you, when I thought you poor, and I'll not desert you nowthat I know you're rich."
"Well said, Patsy!" cried the Major.
And Uncle John smiled and kissed the girl and then lighted his pipeagain, for it had gone out.
Aunt Jane's Nieces Page 29
