CONCLUSION.
Henry Martin meanwhile had not stood still. Two years after Sam
entered Mr. Brown's counting-room Henry became chief clerk in the
office of his New York employer. Mr. Hamilton had permitted him to
share in the general ventures of the firm, and this had enabled Henry,
with his habits of prudence, combined with his savings from a largely
increased salary, to lay up four thousand dollars, which were securely
invested. His salary now was one hundred dollars a month, and he was
promised, on the approaching first of January, further increase. His
prudence, industry and self-denial had reaped their fitting reward.
He had never heard a word from Sam since the latter left New York for
Boston.
It would be difficult to explain why Sam had not written, for he had
learned to respect Henry, and to prize the traits he had formerly
laughed at.
"I am afraid Sam has come to no good," Henry sometimes said to
himself. "He was always a harum-scarum fellow, good-natured, but lazy
and heedless. I wish I could do him a good turn. I have been so
prospered that I could afford to help him along if I could only find
him."
But months and years passed, and there were no tidings of Sam.
One day as Henry was engaged at his desk, a young man entered the
counting-room. He was handsomely dressed, with a bright, intelligent
look, and the appearance of one who was on good terms with the world.
He glanced inquiringly at Henry, and then said: "Am I speaking to Mr.
Henry Martin?"
"Yes, sir," said young Martin, politely. "What can I do for you?"
"I believe I used to know you, Mr. Martin," said Sam, smiling; for it
was our old friend, the young outlaw.
"I beg your pardon," said Henry Martin; "I must apologize for my poor
memory, but I cannot recall your face."
"I should have known you at once," said Sam. "You have the same
sedate, grave manner that you had when a boy."
"Did you know me as a boy?" asked Henry, puzzled.
"Slightly," answered Sam, smiling again. "I used to room with you."
"You are not Sam Barker!" exclaimed Henry, in the deepest
astonishment.
"Who says I am not?" said Sam.
Henry Martin jumped from his stool, and grasped Sam's hands
cordially.
"I see it now," he said. "There is the same look, though you are five
years older. I am delighted to see you, Sam. Where have you been all
these years?"
"In and near Boston," answered Sam.
"You look as if you had prospered."
"I have. I am bookkeeper for a Boston merchant, with a handsome
salary."
"Where on earth did you pick up bookkeeping?" asked Henry, in
continued amazement.
"I studied under a private tutor for two or three years," answered
Sam, enjoying his perplexity. "I have only been in business two
years."
"Didn't it make your head ache?" asked Henry, slyly.
"It did at first, but I got over that after a while."
"I can't understand it at all, Sam. It seems like a romance. I never
thought you would turn out like this."
"Nor I, Henry. But it is a long story. Come and see me this evening at
the St. Nicholas, and I will tell you all. I must leave you now, as I
have a little business to attend to."
That evening Henry and Sam met at the hotel, and each told his story,
to the deep interest of the other.
"You have been very lucky, Sam," said Henry, at the end. "I never
supposed you would reform so completely and thoroughly. You were a
pretty hard case when I knew you."
"So I was," said Sam; "and I would have been to this day if I had not
turned over a new leaf. Sometime I hope to introduce you to the two
friends to whom I owe my reformation."
"Who are they?"
"A young lady of Boston, Miss Julia Stockton, and my most valued
friend, Arthur Brown."
"So there is a young lady in the case, Sam?"
"I know what you are thinking of, Henry; but it isn't as you suppose.
Julia Stockton will never be any more than a friend to me. Indeed, she
is engaged to be married next month to Arthur's elder brother,
Charlie, who has just been admitted to the bar. But I shall always
feel indebted to her for first leading me to look upon myself as an
ignorant and heedless boy. I never became ambitious till I met her."
"Then my lectures did no good, Sam?"
"Not at the time. Afterward I thought of them, and saw that you were
right. And now that we have found each other, Henry, don't let us
remain strangers. Can't you come and see me in Boston?"
"I am to visit Boston, on business, in October, Sam. I won't fail to
look you up then."
* * * * * * *
Henry kept his word. Sam received him with cordial hospitality, and
henceforth the two remained fast friends. It is not necessary to
sketch their future. Both are on the right track, though Sam was much
later in finding it; and the young outlaw, as well as his more prudent
companion, is likely to prosper more and more as the years roll by.
* * * * * * *
Transcriber's Note:
Several typographical errors in this edition have been corrected
in keeping with the author's original intent. The corrections
are here listed as chapter followed by a colon, beginning words
of paragraph in which the error appears followed by a semicolon,
and a description of the error and/or the correction made.
Chapter 2: '"Oh! You're the boy I heard him speak of.'; joined to
following paragraph.
Chapter 3: 'They stood before a shabby brick dwelling,';
'ldging-house' changed to 'lodging-house'.
Chapter 5: '"Saturady night, the boss said,'; 'Saturady' changed to
'Saturday'.
Chapter 5: '"I'l lend you a dollar if you'll be sure to pay me'; 'I'l'
changed to 'I'll'.
Chapter 5: '"I don't think you have. You have been extravagent,';
'extravagent' changed to 'extravagant'.
Chapter 6: '"Take that, then; it's the last one I have.'; missing
double-quote at end inserted.
Chapter 10: '"Wasn't that a tiptop dinner?"'; 'would't' changed to
'wouldn't'.
Chapter 10: 'Settlement was made, and Henry,'; 'accomodation' changed
to 'accommodation'.
Chapter 11: '"Thirty-five dollars. It isn't much,' missing
double-quote at end inserted.
Chapter 11: '"He's like Sam," though Henry.' 'though' changed to
'thought'.
Chapter 13: '"Yes sir; I have twenty-six dollars'; 'depost' changed to
'deposit'.
Chapter 14: 'Sam entered the banking house,'; 'windew' was changed to
'window'.
Chapter 15: '"We saw that the signiture was not correct,':
'signiture' changed to 'signature'.
Chapter 16: '"I've got a room of my own,"' missing period at end of
sentence added.
Chapter 16: 'He looks sober,"' paragraph joined with following by same
speaker.
Chapter 16: '"Mr. Dalton looked up as he entered.' spurious
double-quote at beginning of paragraph deleted.
Chapter 18: '"That's the number of your birth."' 'birth' changed to
'berth'.
Chapter 20: 'The birth Sam was to occupy' 'birth' changed to 'berth'.
Chapter 23: '"To-day," said Sam."' spurious double-quote at end of
paragraph deleted.
Chapter 23: 'After a walk they returned to lunch.'; 'astonishmen'
changed to 'astonishment'.
Chapter 23: '"Should't wonder," said Sam.'; 'Should't' changed to
'Shouldn't.
Chapter 24: 'Presently fatigue everpowered Sam,'; 'everpowered'
changed to 'overpowered'.
Chapter 24: '"Only ten dollars and a half!"'; in the sentence 'Let me
me see if there is anything more."' the extra 'me' was removed.
Chapter 24: '"Yes ma'am" said Aner.'; comma added after 'ma'am' and
'Aner' changed to 'Abner'.
Chapter 24: '"Good-by old woman!" muttered Abner ase he closed the
door,' 'ase' changed to 'as'.
Chapter 25: 'By this time Sam began to feel a little desondent.';
'desondent' changed to 'despondent'.
Chapter 25: '"Don't forget to call at the house.'; 'wil' changed to
'will'.
Chapter 26: 'The voice was heard again,'; 'apearance' changed to
'appearance'.
Chapter 27: '"Not as I know of.' missing double-quote at end of
paragraph added.
Chapter 27: 'The door was locked and then Brown said:'; 'Barber' was
changed to 'Barker'.
Chapter 27: '"That book," indicating the photograph album,' missing
double-quote at continuation of dialogue inserted.