Produced by Shane McDonald
FALLING IN
WITH FORTUNE
OR
THE EXPERIENCES OF A YOUNG
SECRETARY
BY
HORATIO ALGER, Jr.
AUTHOR OF "OUT FOR BUSINESS," "THE YOUNG BOATMAN,"
"SINK OR SWIM," "LUCK OR PLUCK," "PAUL, THE
PEDDLER," "ONLY AN IRISH BOY," ETC.
COMPLETED BY
ARTHUR M. WINFIELD
AUTHOR OF "THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL," "THE ROVER BOYS
ON THE OCEAN," "THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE,"
"THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST," ETC.
THE MERSHON COMPANY
RAHWAY, N. J. NEW YORK
Copyright, 1900,
BY
THE MERSHON COMPANY
[Illustration: "IS THIS YOUR RING, AUNT?"]
PREFACE.
"Falling in with Fortune" is a complete tale in itself, but forms the
second of two companion volumes, the first being entitled, "Out for
Business."
In this story are related the adventures of Robert Frost, who figured
in the other volume mentioned. In the first tale we saw how Robert was
compelled to leave home on account of the harsh actions of his
step-father, and what he did while "out for business," as he
frequently expressed it.
In the present tale our hero, by a curious combination of
circumstances, becomes the private secretary to a rich lady, and
travels with this lady to England and other places. The lady has a
nephew whose character is none of the best, and as this young man had
formerly occupied the position now assigned to Robert, our hero's
place becomes no easy one to fill. Yet his natural stoutheartedness
helps him to overcome every obstacle and brings his many surprising
adventures to a satisfactory ending.
The two stories, "Out for Business" and "Falling in with Fortune,"
give to the reader the last tales begun by that famous writer of boys'
tales, Mr. Horatio Alger, Jr., whose books have sold to the extent of
hundreds of thousands of copies, not alone in America, but likewise in
England, Australia, and elsewhere. The gifted writer was stricken when
on the point of finishing the tales, and when he saw that he could not
complete them himself, it was to the present writer that he turned,
and an outline for a conclusion was drawn up which met with his
approval--and this outline had been filled out in order to bring the
stories to a finish and make them, as nearly as possible, what Mr.
Alger intended they should be. The success of the first of the
companion tales causes the present writer to hope that the second will
meet with equal favor.
Arthur M. Winfield.
_July_ 1, 1900.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
I. Thrown Out of Employment
II. The Accusation and What Followed
III. Getting Settled
IV. The Old Secretary and the New
V. A Plot against Robert
VI. Mrs. Vernon's Money
VII. The Doctor's Visit
VIII. Frederic Vernon's Perplexity
IX. Robert Reaches London
X. Matters at Home
XI. Vernon Makes Another Move
XII. An Unexpected Result
XIII. Vernon's High-handed Proceedings
XIV. Vernon's Unwelcome Visitor
XV. A Fight and a Fire
XVI. Robert Shows his Bravery
XVII. A Diamond Scarfpin
XVIII. Vernon Plays the Penitent
XIX. Mrs. Vernon's Bank Account
XX. The Runaway along the Cliff
XXI. The Cablegram from Chicago
XXII. Farmer Parsons' Story
XXIII. Aunt and Nephew's Agreement
XXIV. The Attack in the Stateroom
XXV. A Friend in Need
XXVI. In Chicago Once More
XXVII. Dick Marden's Good News
XXVIII. In which Mrs. Vernon is Missing
XXIX. Doctor Rushwood's Sanitarium
XXX. Frederic Vernon's Demands
XXXI. Robert Decides to Act
XXXII. The Beginning of the End
XXXIII. Robert's Heroism--Conclusion
FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE.
CHAPTER I.
THROWN OUT OF EMPLOYMENT.
"A telegram for you, Robert."
"A telegram for me?" repeated Robert Frost, as he took the envelope
which his fellow clerk, Livingston Palmer, handed him. "I wonder where
it can be from?"
"Perhaps it's from your mother. Your step-father may be sick again,
and she may want you at home."
"No, Mr. Talbot is quite well now; my mother said so in her letter of
yesterday. I imagine this is from Timberville, Michigan."
"Is your friend, Dick Marden, still up there attending to that lumber
business for his uncle?"
"Yes."
"Didn't he want you to stay there with him?"
"He did, but I told him I would rather remain in the city. I like
working for Mr. Gray, here in the ticket office, a great deal better
than I do lumbering."
"I can see that. You are an out and out business boy, Robert. I
shouldn't be surprised some day to see you have a cut-rate ticket
office of your own."
"I'd rather be in a bank, or some large wholesale house, Livingston.
But excuse me while I read the telegram."
"Certainly. Don't mind me."
Tearing open the envelope, Robert Frost pulled out the bit of yellow
paper, upon which was written the following:
"I am called away to California and to Canada on
business. May remain for three months. Will write
to you later on. My uncle's case is in a bad
mix-up again.
"Dick Marden."
Robert read the brief communication with much interest. Dick Marden
was much older than the boy, but a warm friendship existed between the
pair.
"No bad news, I hope," said Livingston Palmer, after waiting on a
customer, who had come in to buy a cut-rate ticket to Denver.
"Dick Marden has gone to California. He says the Amberton claim to
that timber land is in a bad mix-up again."
"I see. Well, that doesn't concern you, does it?"
"Not exactly. But I would like to see Mr. Amberton come out ahead on
the deal, for I think he deserves it."
"I know you worked hard enough to get that map for him," said
Livingston Palmer, laughing. "Have you ever heard anything more of
those two rascals who tried to get the map away from you?"
"No--and I don't want to hear from them. All I want is to be left
alone, to make my own way in the world," concluded Robert.
Robert Frost was a lad of sixteen, strongly built, and with a
handsome, expressive face. He had been born and brought up in the
village of Granville, some fifty or sixty miles from Chicago, but had
left his home several months before to do as he had just said, make
his own way in the world.
The readers of the companion tale to this, "Out for Business," already
know why Robert left home. To new readers I would state that it was on
account of his step-father, James Talbot, who had married the widow
Frost mainly for the purpose of getting possession of the fortune
which had been left to her,--a fortune which upon her death was to go
to her only child, Robert.
From his first entrance into the handsome and comfortable Frost
homestead, James Talbot had acted very dictatorial toward Robert, and
the boy, being naturally high-strung, had resented this, and many a
bitter quarrel had ensued. At last Robert could stand his
step-father's manner no longer, and, with his mother's consent, he
left home for Chicago, to try his fortunes in the great city by the
lakes.
Robert was fortunate in falling in with a rough but kind-hearted miner
named Dick Marden, and the miner, who was well-to-do, obtained for the
youth a position in the cut-rate ticket office of one Peter Gray, an
old acquaintance. Gray gave Robert first five and then seven dollars
per week salary, and to this Marden added sufficient to make an even
twelve dollars, so the boy was enabled to live quite comfortably.
Dick Marden had an uncle living at Timberville, Michigan, who was old
and feeble, and who was having a great deal of trouble about some
timber lands which he claimed, but which an Englishman and a French
Canadian were trying to get away from him. There was a map of the
lands in the possession of an old lumberman named Herman Wenrich, and
his daughter Nettie, who lived in Chicago, and this map Robert
obtained for Marden and his uncle, Felix Amberton, and delivered it to
them, although not until he had had several encounters with the people
who wished to keep the map from Amberton. For his services Robert was
warmly thanked by both Amberton and Marden, and the lumberman promised
to do the handsome thing by the boy as soon as his titles to the
lumber lands were clearly established in law.
During the time spent in Chicago Robert had had considerable trouble
with his step-father, who was trying his best to get hold of some of
Mrs. Talbot's money, with the ostensible purpose of going into the
real estate business in the great city of the lakes. But a stroke of
paralysis had placed Mr. Talbot on a sick bed, and upon his recovery
he had told both his wife and his step-son that he intended to turn
over a new leaf. Mrs. Talbot believed him, but Robert was suspicious,
for he felt that his step-father's nature was too utterly mean for him
to reform entirely.
"I hope he does reform, mother," the boy said to his fond parent. "But
if I were you I would not expect too much--at least, at the start. I
would not trust him with my money."
"He has not asked me for money," had been Mrs. Talbot's reply.
"But he wanted that ten thousand dollars to open up with in Chicago."
"That was before he had the attack of paralysis, Robert."
"He may want it again, as soon as he is himself once more. Take my
advice and be careful what you do." And so mother and son parted, not
to see each other again for a long while. But Robert was right; less
than two months later James Talbot applied again for the money,
stating that he would be very careful of it, so that not a dollar
should be lost. He thought himself a keen business man, but thus far
he had allowed every dollar that had come into his possession to slip
through his fingers.
Robert felt sorry that Dick Marden had gone to California, for he had
reckoned on seeing his friend upon his return to Chicago.
"Now, I suppose I won't see him for a long while," he thought.
Robert had settled down at the office, expecting the position to be a
permanent one, but on the Saturday following the receipt of Marden's
telegram a surprise awaited him. Mr. Gray called him into his private
office.
"Robert," he said, "I have bad news for you."
"Bad news, Mr. Gray? What is it?"
"I am sorry to say it, but I shall have to dispense with your services
from to-night."
Robert flushed, and felt dismayed. This announcement was like a
thunderbolt from a clear sky.
"Are you dissatisfied with me, Mr. Gray?" he asked.
"Not at all. Your services have been entirely satisfactory."
"Then why do you send me away?"
"I cannot very well help it. I have a nephew from the country who
wants a place in the city. His father has written me, asking as a
favor that I will give Donald a place in my office. He is poor, and I
don't see how I can refuse his request."
"Yes, sir, I see. I am glad you are not discharging me on account of
dissatisfaction."
"You may be assured of that. I suppose you have some money saved up?"
"Yes, sir."
"And no doubt your friend Mr. Marden will provide for you?"
"Mr. Marden has gone to California for three months."
"But you know his address there?"
"No, sir."
Peter Gray looked sober, for he was a man of good feelings.
"Perhaps I can arrange to keep you," he said. "You know as much about
the business as Mr. Palmer. I can discharge him and keep you."
"I would not consent to that, sir. Livingston Palmer needs his salary,
and I wouldn't be willing to deprive him of it. I can get along
somehow. When do you wish me to go?"
"My nephew arrived at my house this morning. He will be ready to go
to work on Monday morning."
"Very well, sir."
"Of course I will give you a good recommendation--a first class one."
"Thank you, sir."
At six o'clock the broker handed Robert his week's wages, and Robert
went out of the office, out of a place, and with prospects by no means
flattering.
Fortunately for Robert he had about twenty dollars in his pocket, so
that he was not in any immediate danger of suffering from want. He
would have had more, but had bought some necessary articles of wearing
apparel, assuming that his position was a permanent one.
Of course he began to seek for another place immediately. He examined
the advertising columns of the daily papers, and inquired for anything
he thought would suit him. But it so happened that business was
unusually quiet, and he met with refusals everywhere, even where it
was apparent that he was regarded favorably. There was one exception,
however. He was offered three dollars a week in a small furnishing
goods store, but this he felt that he could not afford to accept.
As he came back to his boarding place every afternoon, he grew more
and more despondent.
"Is there no place open to me in this big city?" he asked himself.
One thing he was resolved upon. He would not go back to his old home.
It would be too much of a triumph for his step-father, who had often
predicted that Robert would fail in his undertaking to support
himself. And yet he must do something.
He began to watch the newsboys near the Sherman House briskly
disposing of their merchandise.
"I wonder if they make much," he thought.
He put the question to one pleasant-looking boy, of whom he bought an
evening paper.
"I make about sixty or seventy cents a day," was the reply.
Sixty or seventy cents a day! That meant about four dollars a week. It
was scarcely better than the salary offered in the furnishing goods
store, and the employment would not be so agreeable. He felt that he
should not like to have his step-father or any one who knew him in his
native town seeing him selling daily papers in the street, so he
decided not to take up that business except as a last resort.
One day he went into a large dry goods store to purchase a small
article. He made his purchase and started to go out.
All at once he heard a cry, proceeding from a lady.
"I have lost my purse."
"That boy's got it!" said a voice.
Then much to his bewilderment Robert found himself seized by the
shoulder, and a pocket-book was drawn out from the side pocket of his
sack coat.
"Send for an officer!" said the floor-walker. "The boy is a thief!"