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"With all my heart," cried Montgomery, and there the little plot came to a finish. "Joe, the plot worked to perfection!" said Felix Gussing, on the day following. "I have to thank you, and here are twenty dollars for your trouble." "I don't want a cent, Mr. Gussing," answered our hero. "I did it only out of friendliness to you. I hope you have no further trouble in your courtship."
"That sword is from the Holy Land," insisted Mr. Montgomery. "Anybody is a fool to talk that way," cried Felix Gussing. "Ha! do you call me a fool, sir!" stormed Montgomery. "Gentlemen!" put in the major. "I think " "I am not a fool, sir, and I want you to know it!" bellowed Ulmer Montgomery. "It's an outrage to call me such. Take that, sir!" and he slapped Felix Gussing lightly on the cheek.
Some of the regular boarders at the hotel also remembered him. "And how do you like married life?" asked Joe, of Felix Gussing. "We are getting along very nicely," said the dude. "Have you told your wife about the duel yet?" "No, and I don't think I shall," added Felix Gussing. "You see she er she thinks me a very brave man and "
"I must say in all frankness I am sorry we quarrelled in the first place. Perhaps I was wrong about the sword." "And perhaps I was wrong." "Both of you were wrong," put in the major. "I hunted up the letter that came with the blade. It is an old Spanish weapon. Let us all call the affair off, and Mr. Montgomery shall come to Clara's wedding to Mr. Gussing."
"We are going to move to Riverside," said the dude, if such he may still be called, although he was a good business man. "I have rented a house there the old Martin place and if you ever come to the town you must visit us." "Thank you, I will," answered our hero. "My wife thinks a great deal of you and you must stop at the house during your stay at Riverside," went on Felix Gussing.
Mallison put him in charge of all of the boats at the hotel, so that our hero had almost as much work ashore as on the lake. During the week following, the events just narrated, many visitors left the hotel and others came in. Among those to go were Felix Gussing and the two young ladies. The dude bid our hero a cordial good-bye, for he now knew Joe quite well. "Good-bye, Mr. Gussing," said Joe.
"I'm afraid it will be too high-toned for me, Mr. Gussing." "No, it is to be a plain, homelike affair Clara wants it that way. The major has some country cousins who will be there, and they are very plain folks." "Then I'll come if Miss Sampson wishes it."
Some day, when I am rich, I'll return the money to the old fellow," added the impostor. He left the hotel that morning, and it may be said here that Joe did not meet him again for several years. Christmas came and went at the hotel, and our hero received several presents from his friends, including a pair of gloves from Ned Talmadge and a five-dollar gold piece from Felix Gussing.
"Joe's but it will fall to me to help carry it out," said the Jack-of-all-trades, who did not lose sight of the fifty dollars that had been promised to him. On the following day Felix Gussing and Mr. Montgomery took themselves to Major Sampson's residence, where the stranger was introduced as a curiosity hunter from Chicago. "He wishes to look at your collection of swords," said the dude.
Evidently the major wants a fighter for a son-in-law," and Felix Gussing groaned once more. "You'll have to become a fighter," said Joe. "No! no! I am a er a man of peace!" cried the dude, in alarm. "Mr. Gussing, I think I can arrange matters for you," said Joe, struck by a certain idea. "What can you mean, Joe?" "I mean that I can prove to Major Sampson that you are a brave man."
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