DISAGREEABLE NEWS
“HOW is father feeling?” asked Frank, when he entered the house with his
packages under his arm.
“I think he is a little feverish,” answered Mrs. Hardy.
“Does his foot hurt him much?”
“He says not. Doctor Basswood put something on to ease the pain.” Mrs.
Hardy paused for a moment. “Your father brought bad news from
Philadelphia,” she continued.
“What bad news, mother?”
“It is about Mr. Garrison. He has got into trouble with that benevolent
order.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“There is a shortage in the funds of the order.”
“For which Jabez Garrison is responsible?”
“So they claim.”
“What does Mr. Garrison say about it?”
“He told your father that it would all be straightened out in a week.”
“Does father believe it?”
“He won’t say. He is much worried, and I don’t wish to ask too many
questions for fear it might make your father worse.”
“Didn’t I say Garrison was a snake?” went on Frank. “I am sorry father
trusted him.”
“So am I—now. But it can’t be helped.”
“Do you know what father was going to do about it?”
“He said he had intended to go to Philadelphia again next Monday. But of
course, he can’t go now.”
“Can’t I go for him?”
“Possibly, although I don’t see what you can do.”
“I could have a talk with Mr. Garrison and also with the other men who
are interested in the order.”
“Well, we’ll wait and see how matters turn,” said Mrs. Hardy, with a
sigh.
The accident had happened on Saturday, and during Sunday Mr. Hardy was
decidedly feverish, so that the doctor had to come and attend him twice.
The night to follow was an anxious one for the whole family, but by
Monday noon the sufferer felt much better, although, on account of his
crushed foot, he did not dare to move.
The store had been closed, but before and after school Frank delivered
the orders that were left on the slate, and also went to such customers
as his father mentioned. Trade was indeed slow, and the boy could
readily see that the two rivals of his parent were doing the larger
portion of the business. And this was not to be wondered at, since each
had a fine location and made a very attractive display. If the truth
must be told, Mr. Hardy was a bit old-fashioned in his ways, and he
allowed his rivals to go ahead of him without much of a protest.
“I wish I knew all about the store,” thought Frank. “I’d go in for all
the business there was.”
A letter had been sent to Jabez Garrison by Mrs. Hardy—the letter being
dictated by her husband—but Wednesday passed without any answer being
received. On this day Frank returned from school, stating that the final
examination was at an end.
“And I received ninety-three per cent. out of a possible hundred,” said
he, with just a little pride.
“You have certainly done very well,” answered Mrs. Hardy, and gave him a
fond kiss. “Then you are sure of your grammar-school diploma?”
“Of course.”
“I am very glad to hear it, Frank.”
“How is father?”
“No different from what he was this morning. He is very anxious to hear
from Mr. Garrison.”
“Then you have no word yet?”
“None whatever.”
“I don’t like that.”
“Neither do I.”
“Perhaps I’d better go to Philadelphia for him after all.”
“He says he will wait another day.”
The next day passed and still no word was received.
“Frank, do you think you could talk to Mr. Garrison?” questioned the
boy’s father.
“Yes, sir—if you’ll tell me about what you’ll want me to say.”
“I want to find out just how he stands in relation to that benevolent
order. If you can’t find out from him I want you to go to Mr. Bardwell
Mason, the secretary. Here is his address on a card. I want to know
exactly how matters stand.”
“What shall I do if I find Mr. Garrison has used up some money that
doesn’t belong to him?”
“Tell him for me that he must straighten out the matter at once. If he
does not I shall apply to the authorities for protection.”
“Could the authorities make you pay that ten thousand dollars if Jabez
Garrison didn’t pay it?”
“Certainly, if he was in arrears that amount.”
“It’s a big sum of money, father.”
“To lose that amount would ruin me, Frank.”
“Ruin you?”
“Yes. Business is so bad that I need the money to help matters along. If
I lose the cash I’ll have to close up or sell out.”
“Then I think you ought to get after Mr. Garrison without delay—or let
me get after him.”
“I do not wish to appear too forward—in case everything turns out right,
Frank. Mr. Garrison has done me some good turns in business in the
past.”
Father and son had a talk lasting the best part of an hour, and then
Frank came up to his room to prepare himself for the journey.
The youth had been to Philadelphia several times during the past two
years, so he knew he would not feel as strange as though the city was
totally new to him.
The wreck on the railroad had been cleared away in a few hours after it
occurred, so there was nothing to hinder the trains from going through
on time. Frank left home at ten in the morning and promised to be back
by eight o’clock in the evening, or else to send a telegram stating why
he was detained. If necessary he was to stop over night at a hotel his
father mentioned to him.
The day was a bright, clear one in late June, and had our hero not had
so much on his mind he would have enjoyed the trip very much. As it was,
however, he could not help but think of what was before him, and of just
how he should approach Mr. Jabez Garrison when he met that individual.
“I mustn’t say too much,” he reasoned. “And yet it won’t do to say too
little. My opinion of it is, that father is altogether too easy on him.
A man who can’t act on the square when he is handling money belonging to
others doesn’t deserve nice treatment.”
It was some time before noon when Frank reached the Quaker City, as
Philadelphia is often called. The ride had made him hungry, but he
determined to call on Jabez Garrison before hunting up a restaurant for
lunch.
The office of the wholesale flour and feed merchant was on Broad Street,
and hither Frank found his way.
“Is Mr. Garrison in?” he asked of the clerk who came forward to meet
him.
“What name, please?”
“Frank Hardy. I was sent here by my father, Thomas Hardy, of Claster.”
“I’ll see if Mr. Garrison will see you. He is very busy at present.”
“Tell him it is very important.”
The clerk walked to the rear of the place and entered a private office,
closing the door behind him.
Frank heard some strong conversation for several minutes and then the
clerk returned.
“Mr. Garrison is very sorry, but just now he cannot see you, as he has
an important account to look after. He says if you will call at three
o’clock this afternoon he will see you, and explain everything to your
father’s entire satisfaction.”
“At three o’clock,” repeated Frank.
“That’s it. Just now he has got to look after an account that is worth
something like fifteen thousand dollars to him.”
“All right then. I’ll call at three o’clock sharp,” said our hero, and
left the place.
The statement the clerk had made was rather reassuring, for if Jabez
Garrison had an account of fifteen thousand dollars coming to him he
certainly could not be in a very bad condition financially.
“Perhaps this unpleasantness will all blow over after all,” thought
Frank. “Father may be right, and I may be misjudging this man.”
He found a restaurant that suited him, and as he had a long time to
wait, took his leisure in eating. Then he visited several department
stores, spending a full hour in the picture and book departments. Books
particularly interested him, and as he had a quarter to spend he let it
go in the purchase of a volume which was slightly soiled, and therefore
sold to him at one-third of its real value.
“I wouldn’t mind owning a bookstore of my own,” he said to himself, as
he set out once again for Jabez Garrison’s offices. “It’s a business
that would just suit me. I wonder if Mr. Philip Vincent has a place as
large as that department I just visited?” And then he wondered when the
gentleman from New York intended to send the book he had promised.
When Frank arrived at the flour dealer’s offices the clerk met him with
rather a troubled look on his face.
“Mr. Garrison isn’t here,” he said. “He went out about two hours ago,
and I can’t say how soon he’ll be back.”
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