The offered newspaper was eagerly seized, and the father's hand trembled
visibly while he read the paragraph.
"We must start for Indiana directly," he said; and he walked rapidly
toward the house, followed by his son.
Arriving at the gate, he paused and said,--
"But, Charles, he will have altered so much that perhaps we shouldn't
know him; and it may be, as the people say, that this youth is an
impostor."
The young man replied, unhesitatingly,--
"I can tell whether he is an impostor. I shall know my brother."
His voice quivered a little, as he spoke the last word.
Mr. Wharton, without appearing to notice it, said,--
"You have a great deal of work on hand at this season. Wouldn't it be
better for Uncle George and me to go?"
He answered impetuously,--
"If all my property goes to ruin, I will hunt for Willie all over the
earth, so long as there is any hope of finding him, I always felt as if
mother couldn't forgive me for leaving him that day, though she always
tried to make me think she did. And now, if we find him at last, she is
not here to"----
His voice became choked.
Mr. Wharton replied, impressively,--
"She will come with him, my son. Wherever he may be, they are not
divided now."
The next morning Charles started on his expedition, having made
preparations for an absence of some months, if so long a time should
prove necessary.
Pages:
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170