BERT SECURES A BOX OF MR. HARDING'S PAPERS.
When our hero went down to breakfast next morning, he found himself the
observed of all observers. Miss Angelica Stubbs and her escort had
already made known that he was a member of the dramatic company, and as
none of the boarders had ever before met "a live actor," all felt great
curiosity and a desire to become acquainted with so distinguished a
public character.
As he took his seat beside Miss Stubbs, she said: "I saw you on the
stage last evening, Mr. Barton."
"Did you? I was not aware that you were in the house."
"Why didn't you tell me that you were an actor? I've got a bone to pick
with you."
"I didn't know it myself, Miss Stubbs."
"You mean to say you didn't play the newsboy? Oh, Mr. Barton!"
"Yes; but when I left the house I had no idea of playing. It so happened
that the young actor who usually takes the part--Bob Hazleton--was sick,
and I was applied to by the manager to take his place."
"Then he knew you were an actor?"
"No; I only fell in with him on the train from New York."
"Why you acted just as if you were used to it."
"I am glad you think so. I hardly dared to accept the part."
"Will you play the rest of the week?"
"I have agreed to do so. Hazleton goes home to-day."
"How nice! I must go again."
"I take that as a compliment."
"Can't you actors take your friends in free?" asked Angelica, whose rule
was to make all she could out of her acquaintances.
"I haven't been an actor long enough to find out."
"I should consider it _such_ a favor. I would get all my friends to go."
"On the same terms?" asked Bert with a smile.
"No. They can pay."
Bert did secure a complimentary ticket for Miss Stubbs, who boasted
everywhere that she was intimately acquainted with one of the leading
actors in "The Streets of Gotham," and that he was really very attentive
to her.
"What would my friends at Lakeville say if they knew my new business?"
thought Bert. "I should be glad if Percy Marlowe could see me on the
stage."
He determined, however, not to say anything in his letters about this
new engagement, for, though he had been successful thus far, his success
and popularity might not last.
"Did you see the notice of your play in the morning paper, Mr. Barton?"
asked Miss Angelica.
"No; I haven't seen the paper yet."
"It speaks of one of the actors. I won't say who," continued Miss
Stubbs, nodding playfully.
"Do you mean me?" asked Bert in excitement.
"Yes, here it is."
Bert ran his eye hastily over the notice, which occupied a quarter of a
column. This is the portion that most interested him:
"The part of the newsboy was effectively taken by Mr. Bert Barton, who
was engaged at the last moment to fill the place of Mr. Hazleton. His
acting was spirited, and the fact that it was liked was shown by the
hearty call before the curtain at the end of the second act. The
management are fortunate in securing so good a substitute for Bob
Hazleton."
Bert's face showed his gratification. It almost seemed a dream to him
that he had really appeared on the stage, and he was glad that he had
given satisfaction.
At ten o'clock he reported at the stage entrance, where he was met by
Mr. Pearson, who was associate manager. He went through a rehearsal
which enabled him to look forward with more confidence to a repetition
of the part.
The afternoon he had to himself, and a part of this he spent in trying
to find out what he could about Ralph Harding. He learned that Harding
had been employed in the shoe factory of Benedict & Co. Two of Mrs.
Stubbs's boarders worked at the same place, but neither had been
intimate with Harding. Bert learned that he was looked upon as "a
rolling stone," never content to remain long in one place. He had been
employed less than six months at the Benedict shop, when, without
assigning any reason, he gave notice that he wanted to leave.
"What sort of a man is he?" asked Bert.
"He is restless and at times gloomy," answered Blanchard, to whom he had
put the question. "I worked next to him, but he seldom made any
conversation with me."
"Was he a good workman?"
"Excellent, but he evidently did not like the business. He often
lamented that he had not the means of getting out of it."
"Have you any idea where he went when he left Harrisburg?"
"From what I have heard him say, I think it probable that he went to
some Western town or city."
"You have not heard from him since he left Harrisburg?"
"No; he was not likely to correspond with me. I doubt if he was intimate
enough with any one here to do so, except possibly with Miss Stubbs,"
added Blanchard, with a smile.
"She tells me Mr. Harding paid her a good deal of attention."
"It is more probable that Miss Stubbs paid him a good deal of attention.
At present you are her favorite."
"I don't want to interfere with you, Mr. Blanchard," said Bert, much
amused.
"I can't undertake to compete with an actor, Mr. Barton."
"I can't get over my surprise at being called an actor. However, as long
as it pays me better than anything else, I don't object."
The next day Mrs. Stubbs intercepted Bert as he was leaving the house.
"My daughter tells me," she said, "that you are willing to pay four
dollars for the papers which Mr. Harding left behind him?"
"Yes," answered Bert eagerly.
"I don't see why I shouldn't sell them. I can't afford to lose eight
weeks' board."
"Quite true, Mrs. Stubbs. I don't see why they won't be just as safe in
my hands as in yours."
"You don't want to do Mr. Harding any harm; though I don't know why I
should think of that, after the way he has served me!"
"Instead of that, Mrs. Stubbs, I can assure you that it will be money in
his pocket, if, through his papers, I am able to find him."
"And in that case you will try to get him to pay his honest debts?"
"I will, Mrs. Stubbs."
"Then, Mr. Barton, if you will come up to the attic I will hand you the
papers."
Bert gladly followed Mrs. Stubbs upstairs, and was shown on the attic
floor a wooden box about half full of old letters and other papers. The
box certainly did not look very valuable, and Bert said so.
"I wouldn't have kept it," said the landlady, "if I could have got hold
of his trunk. But he got the start of me, and it was in the hands of an
expressman before I knew that he was going to move. I was downstairs in
the basement when Mr. Harding took the expressman upstairs, and the
trunk was brought down and put in his wagon before I knew what was going
on. Mr. Harding didn't even say good-by, and I haven't seen or heard of
him from that day to this."
"Well, Mrs. Stubbs, here are your four dollars, and I hope you will some
day get the balance of the debt."
Bert carried the box downstairs and into his room, where he proceeded to
examine the contents, among which he was destined to come across a
document of considerable interest to him.