"Don't open this," she said, "till you have gone at least a mile."
Robert felt curious to learn what was in the letter, but faithfully carried out the wishes of Miss Stafford, and did not open it till he was more than a mile away.
On opening it, to his surprise he found inclosed two $10 bills, with the following words written in pencil:
"MY YOUNG FRIEND ROBERT: I desire you to accept the inclosed and hope you will find it of use. You needn't hesitate, for it comes from a crusty old maid who has more than her share of this world's goods, and likes to do a little good as she goes along in life, instead of saving up thousands for heirs who might squander it. Accept my good wishes and thanks beside for the service you have done me in taming a perverse brute, and when you are again in this vicinity be sure to call on your friend,
"The old lady's a trump!" exclaimed Robert warmly. "There isn't one in a thousand that would be so generous. This is a regular windfall to me as I am situated now. Now I shan't be obliged to send to Dr. Grey for part of my savings."
Robert continued on his way with a light heart, for it is wonderfully cheering to think that one has money enough to pay for rest and food at the close of the day. Our young hero decided that he would not walk all the way to the East, but would on the day following take the cars at any convenient station.
Pursuing his journey, he came to a portion of the road which ran through the primeval forests, he felt it to be rather a relief, for the morning was well advanced, and the sun began to make him uncomfortably warm. He soon had occasion to learn that to be warm is not the most undesirable thing that can happen to a traveller.
Half a mile from the entrance of the wood he saw sitting on the fallen trunk of a tree a rough-looking fellow, whose face looked even more repulsive than usual from a short black beard which appeared to be of a week's growth. He looked like what he was—a tramp, who was so from choice, even more than from necessity.
"What an ill-looking fellow!" thought Robert.
The man looked up, and scanned the boy curiously.
"Have you got any tobacco about you?" inquired the tramp.
"Then have you a cigar? That will do just as well."