The heirs accused
him of falsifying the accounts and brought him to court. But the case
was deferred, and put on the calender for some distant date. In the
meantime Mr. Richmond lost his all.
"His daughter's needle is now his only support, as Mr. Richmond's
failing sight keeps him unemployed. The other members of the family are
too young to earn anything."
George had been deeply touched by these revelations. He picked a flower
from the bush, and put it into his button-hole. Then he slipped a golden
coin into the old man's hand, asked for the street and number of the
humble house where the Richmonds now resided, and turned his steps in
that direction.
CHAPTER IV
THE TWO FAMILIES
The report that George Acton had returned was the talk of the town and
had reached the ears of the Richmond family in their out-of-the-way
home. Mr. Richmond had gone forth in search of more facts on the
subject. He returned highly elated, with the good news confirmed, and
stood in the midst of his family relating it to them. Lucy stopped
sewing and her hands dropped in her lap, for the news was such a
wonderful surprise to her. Mr. Richmond closed his remarks by saying
that he regretted his inability to find George Acton anywhere, and
nobody seemed to know what had become of him. To search for him in the
cemetery had not occurred to anyone.
Just then a knock at the door announced a visitor. The door was opened,
and George stepped into their midst. Everyone was dumbfounded.
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