joe the hotel boy-第27节

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〃I　know　he　was　a　bachelor。　　But　I　don't　know〃　Joe　paused。

〃He　told　me　Joe　died；　at　least　I　got　a　letter　from　somebody　to　that　effect。　　But　I　was　near　crazy　just　then；　and　I　can't　remember　exactly　how　it　was。　　I　lost　my　wife　and　two　children　and　then　I　guess　I　about　lost　my　mind　for　a　spell。　　I　sold　out；　and　the　next　thing　I　knew　I　was　roving　around　the　mountains　and　in　rags。　　Then　I　took　to　mining；　and　now　I've　got　a　mine　of　my　own；　up　yonder　in　the　mountains。　　Come　in　and　talk　this　over。〃

Joe　entered　the　cabin　and　sat　down；　and　William　Bodley　plied　him　with　questions；　all　of　which　he　answered　to　the　best　of　his　ability。

〃There　was　a　blue　tin　box　I　had；〃　said　he；　presently；　〃that　contained　some　documents　that　were　mine。〃

〃A　blue　tin　box！〃　ejaculated　Joe。　　〃Hiram　Bodley　had　it　and　it　got　lost。　　I　found　it　a　long　time　afterwards　and　some　parts　of　the　documents　were　destroyed。　　I　have　the　rest　in　my　suit　case　at　the　hotel。〃

〃Can　I　see　those　papers？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃Perhaps　you　are　my　son；　Joe？〃

〃Perhaps　I　am；　sir。〃

They　went　to　the　hotel；　and　the　documents　were　produced。　　Then　William　Bodley　brought　out　some　letters　he　possessed。　　Man　and　boy　went　over　everything　with　care。

〃You　must　be　my　son！〃　cried　William　Bodley。　　〃Thank　heaven　you　are　found！〃　And　they　shook　hands　warmly。

He　told　Joe　to　move　over　to　the　cabin；　and　our　hero　did　so。　　It　was　a　neat　and　clean　place　and　soon　Joe　felt　at　home。　　Then　he　heard　his　father's　tale　in　detailan　odd　and　wonderful　storyof　great　trials　and　hardship。

〃There　will　always　be　something　of　a　mystery　about　this；〃　said　William　Bodley。　　〃But；　no　matter；　so　long　as　I　have　you　with　me。〃

〃Uncle　Hiram　was　a　queer　stick；〃　answered　Joe。　　〃I　suppose　if　he　was　alive　he　could　explain　many　things。〃　　And　in　this　Joe　was　correct。

Let　us　add　a　few　words　more　and　then　draw　our　tale　to　a　close。

When　Joe　told　Maurice　Vane　how　he　had　found　a　father　the　gentlemen　was　much　astonished。　So　were　the　Badgers；　but　all　were　glad　matters　had　ended　so　well。

It　was　found　that　William　Bodley's　mine　was　a　valuable　one。　　The　ore　in　it　was　about　equal　to　the　ore　in　the　mine　owned　by　Maurice　Vane；　and　this　was　likewise　equal　to　that　in　the　mine　run　by　Mr。　Badger。

After　some　conversation　on　the　subject　it　was　agreed　by　all　the　interested　parties　to　form　a　new　company；　embracing　all　the　mines。　　　Of　the　shares　of　this　new　concern；　one…third　went　to　Maurice　Vane；　one…third　to　the　Badgers；　and　one…third　to　William　Bodley　and　Joe。　　　The　necessary　machinery　was　duly　installed；　and　to…day　the　new　company　is　making　money　fast。

On　the　day　after　his　trouble　with　Mr。　Bodley；　Bill　Butts　disappeared　from　town。　　　But　a　week　later　he　was　arrested　in　Denver　and　sent　to　jail　for　two　years　for　swindling　a　ranchman。

During　the　following　summer　Joe　received　a　visit　from　his　old　friend　Ned；　and　the　two　boys　had　a　delightful　time　together。　　　In　the　meantime　Joe　spent　half　of　his　time　at　the　mine　and　half　over　his　books；　for　he　was　determined　to　get　a　good　education。

For　a　long　time　William　Bodley　had　been　in　feeble　health；　but　with　the　coming　of　Joe　on　the　scene　he　began　to　mend　rapidly；　and　was　soon　as　hale　and　hearty　as　anybody。　　He　was　an　expert　miner；　and　was　made　general　superintendent　for　the　new　company。

To…day　Joe　has　a　good　education　and　is　rich；　but　come　what　may；　it　is　not　likely　that　he　will　forget　those　days　when　he　was　known　as　〃Joe　the　Hotel　Boy。〃





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