The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-06-09
CHAPTER XXVII.

This chapter consists largely Of let
ters. AS a general thing letters are of
little concern to anyone except the
writer's and the receivers, but they are
inserted here under the hope that the
reader is already well enough acquaint-
ed with the correspondents to feel some
interest in what they have written.
1t was nearly a fortnight after the
receipt of the cablegram from Kenyon
that George Wentworth found, one
morning, on his desk, two letters, each
bearing Canadian postage stamp.
One was somewhat bulky and one was
thin, but they were both from the same
writer. He tore open the thin one first,
without looking at the date that wa :,
stamped upon it. He was little be
wildered by its contents, which ran as
follows:
my DEAR GEORGE: have just heard
that Melville is the man who has bought
the mine. The circumstances of the case
leave no doubt in my mind that such is the
fact, therefore please disregard the re-
quest I made as to employment in the let
Ter posted to you a short time ago. I feel
certain sense of disappointment in the
fact that Melville is the owner of the mine.
1t seems l have only kept one rascal from
buying it, to put 1t in the hands of another
rascal. Your friend, JOHN KENYON"
melville the owner!" cried Went
worth to himself. whatever could
have put that into Johns head? This
letter is evidently the one posted few
hours before, so it will contain what
ever request he has to make" and, with
out delay, George Wentworth tore open
the envelope of The second letter which
was obviously the one written first. 1t
contained a number of documents re-
lating to the transfer of the mine. The
letter from John himself went on to
give particulars of the buying of the
Iuine. Then it continued. 81 wish you
would do me favor, George. Will you
kindly ask the owner of the mine if he
will give me charge of it. / am, OF
course, anxious to make it turn out as
well as possible, and believe 1 can
more than earn my salary, whatever
it is. You know l am not grasping in
the matter of money, but get me as
large salary as you think l deserve.
81 desire to make money for reasons
that are not entirely selfish, as you
know. To tell you the truth, George,
am tired of cities and of people. ]
want to live here in the woods, where
there is not so nsuch deceit and treach-
cry as there seems to be in the big
towns. When | reached London last
time felt like boy getting home. My
feelings have undergone a complete
change, and / think, if it were not tor
you and certain young lady, should
never care to see the big city again
What is the use of my affecting mystery
and writing the words "A certain young
lady, OF course you know whom |
mean-Miss Edith Longworth. You
know also that | am, and have long
been, in love with her. If had sue.
reeded in making the money l thought
| should by selling the mine, l might
have had some hopes of making more,
and of ultimately being in position to
ask her to be my wife. But that, anc
very many other hopes, have disar.
peared with my recent London expe-
riences.
II want to get into the woods and re-
cover some of my lost tone and my
lost faith in human nature. If you can
arrange matters with the owner of the
mine so that 1 may stay here for year
or two, you will do me great favor"
George Wentworth read over the lat.
ter part of this letter two or three times.
Then he rose, paced the floor and pom
dered over the matter. "It isn't a thing
upon which can ask anyone's advice,
he muttered to himself. "The trouble
with Kenyon is he is entirely too mod
est. A little useful self-esteem would
be just the thing for him" At last he
stopped suddenly in his walk. "By
Jove," he said to himself, slapping his
thigh. II shall do it. let the conse.