Joe the Hotel Boy Part 50

"I'm coming up soon, to find out about that Bill Bodley," said Joe.

As late as it was Joe listened to what Maurice Vane had to tell.

"Now that Caven and Malone are gone I do not antic.i.p.ate further trouble at the mine," said the gentleman. "I am in practical possession of all the shares, and shall have a clear t.i.tle to the whole property inside of a few weeks."

When Joe told him what Bill Badger had had to say about a certain man called Bill Bodley he was much interested.

"Yes, you must find out about this man at once," said he. "I will help you, as soon as certain matters are settled."

The next morning proved a busy one and Joe got no time to call upon Bill Badger's father. He visited the mine and looked over it with interest.

During the middle of the afternoon he went back to town on an errand for Mr. Vane. He was pa.s.sing a cabin on the outskirts when he heard loud words and a struggle.

"Let me go, you ruffian!" cried a weak voice. "Leave that money alone!"

"You shut up, old man!" was the answer. "The money is all right."

"You are trying to rob me!"

Then there was another struggle, and suddenly a door burst open and a man leaped into the roadway. At sight of him Joe came to a halt. The fellow was Bill b.u.t.ts, the man who had tried to swindle Josiah Bean.

"Stop him!" came from the cabin. "He has my gold!"

"Stop!" cried Joe, and ran up to b.u.t.ts. The next moment man and boy tripped and fell, but, luckily, our hero was on top.

"Let me go!" growled the man.

"So we meet again, b.u.t.ts!" cried Joe.

The man stared in amazement and then began to struggle. Seeing this, Joe doubled up his fists and gave him a blow in the nose and in the right eye, which caused him to roar with pain.

"That's right!" came from the doorway of the cabin. "Give it to him!

Make him give me my gold!"

"Give up the gold," ordered Joe.

"There it is!" growled Bill b.u.t.ts, and threw a buckskin bag towards the cabin. The man from within caught it up and stowed it away in his pocket.

"Shall I call a policeman?" asked Joe.

"I don't know," said the man from the cabin. He wore a troubled face and had white hair and a white beard. "It may be--Wha--where did you come from?" he gasped.

"Where did I come from?" asked Joe.

"Yes! yes! Answer me quickly! You are--you must be a ghost! I saw you in my dreams last week!"

"I don't understand you," said Joe, and arose slowly to his feet, at which Bill b.u.t.ts did likewise and began to retreat. "I never met you before."

"No? It's queer." The man brushed his hand over his forehead. "Yes, I must be dreaming. But I am glad I got my gold back."

"So am I, but the rascal has run away."

"Never mind, let him go."

"What makes you think you've seen me before?" questioned Joe, and his breath came thick and fast.

"I--er--I don't know. You mustn't mind me--I have queer spells at times.

You see, I had a whole lot of trouble once, and when I get to thinking about it--" The man did not finish.

"May I ask your name?" asked Joe, and his voice trembled in spite of his efforts at self-control.

"Sure you can. It's Bill Bodley."

"William A. Bodley?"

"Yes. But how do you happen to know my full name?"

"Did you once own a farm in Millville, Iowa?"

"I had a farm in Iowa, yes. It was Millville Center in those days."

Joe drew closer and looked at the man with care and emotion.

"Did you ever have a brother named Hiram Bodley?"

"I did--but he has been dead for years."

"No, Hiram Bodley died only a short time ago," answered Joe. "I used to live with him. My name is Joe Bodley. He told me I was his nephew."

"You his nephew! Hiram Bodley's nephew! We didn't have any brothers or sisters, and he was a bachelor!"

"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 doc.u.ments that were mine."

"A blue tin box!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Joe. "Hiram Bodley had it and it got lost.

I found it a long time afterwards and some parts of the doc.u.ments 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?"