A SERIOUS CHARGE.
"What do you want?" asked Hardwick abruptly.
"Is Mr. Sumner in?" returned Hal.
"No."
"Then I'll wait till he comes."
Hardwick stared at Hal.
"Won't I do?" he asked sharply.
"I'm afraid not, sir."
"What do you want to see him about?"
"He asked me to call," replied the youth. He was not particularly
pleased with Hardwick's manner.
"I am the book-keeper here, and I generally transact business during Mr.
Sumner's absence."
"Mr. Sumner asked me to meet him here at ten o'clock."
"Oh! You know him, then?"
"Not very well."
"I thought not." Hardwick glanced at Hal's shabby clothes. "Well, you
had better wait outside until he comes. We don't allow loungers about
the office."
"I will," said Hal, and he turned to leave.
It was bitter cold outside, but he would have preferred being on the
sidewalk than being in the way, especially when such a man as Felix
Hardwick was around.
But, as he turned to leave, a coach drove up to the door, and Mr. Sumner
alighted. His face lit up with a smile when he caught sight of Hal.
"Well, my young friend, I see you are on time," he said, catching Hal by
the shoulder, and turning him back into the office.
"Yes, sir."
"That's right." Mr. Sumner turned to Hardwick. "Where is Dick?" he
asked.
"I don't know, sir," returned the book-keeper.
"Hasn't he been here this morning?"
"I think not."
"The sidewalk ought to be cleaned. That boy evidently doesn't want
work."
"I will clean the walk, if you wish me to," put in Hal.
"I have an office boy who is expected to do such things," replied Mr.
Sumner. "That is, when the janitor of the building doesn't get at it in
time. But he is getting more negligent every day. Yes, you might as well
do the job, and then come into the back office and have a talk with me."
"Yes, sir."
"Mr. Hardwick, just show Carson where the shovel and broom are."
The book-keeper scowled.
"This way," he said, and led the boy to a small closet under a stairs.
Just as Hal was about to leave the office with the broom and the shovel,
a tall, well dressed boy entered.
He was whistling at a lively rate, but stopped short on seeing Mr.
Sumner.
"Well, Ferris, this is a pretty time to come around," said the broker,
sharply.
"I couldn't help it," returned the boy, who was considerably older than
Hal, and had coarse features and fiery red hair.
"Why not?"
"My aunt forgot to call me."
"That is a poor excuse."
Dick Ferris began to drum on the railing with his flat hands.
"Didn't I tell you to be here every morning at nine o'clock?" went on
the broker. "I am sure that is not very early for any one."
"'Tain't my fault when it snows like this," returned the boy. "My aunt
ought to call me."
"Did you arrange that file of papers yesterday afternoon after I left?"
continued Mr. Sumner.
"I was going to do that this morning."
"I told you to do it yesterday. You had plenty of time."
"I ain't got nothing to do this morning."
"There are a great number of things to do, Ferris, but evidently you are
not the boy who cares to do them. I warned you only a week ago that you
must mend your ways. I think hereafter we will dispense with your
service. Mr. Hardwick, please pay him his wages in full for the week. We
will get some one else to fill his position."
Mr. Sumner turned to the rear office.
"I don't care," muttered Ferris. "Hand over the stuff," he said to
Hardwick.
Having received his money, he calmly lit a cigarette, puffed away upon
it for a minute, and then went out slamming the door as hard as possible
after him.
Hal was already at work, clearing away the snow at a lively rate. Ferris
approached him.
"Say, are you the fellow that did me out of my job?" he asked, savagely.
"I haven't done any one out of a job," returned Hal. "Do you work here?"
"I did, but I don't any more."
"Why not?"
"Because old Sumner expects the earth from me and he can't get it; see?"
Ferris winked one eye. "I'm too smart to allow myself to be stepped
onto, I am. You had better quit working; he won't pay you much for your
trouble."
"I'll risk it," replied Hal.
"If I find you played me foul, I'll break you all up," went on Ferris.
And with this threat he hurried off.
Hal looked after the boy for an instant and then continued his work. The
sidewalk was soon cleaned, and he returned to the office.
Hardwick let him in behind the railing, giving him a sharp look as he
passed.
"I've seen him somewhere before," he muttered to himself, as he
continued at his books. "But where I can't remember."
"What! done already?" exclaimed Mr. Sumner to Hal.
"Yes, sir."
"It didn't take long."
"It wasn't much of a job, sir."
"Ferris would have taken all of the morning."
"Was that the boy who just left?"
"Yes."
"He said he would whip me if I played him foul."
"Humph! He is a bad boy. You must be careful, and not get into any
trouble."
"I will, sir. But I am not afraid of him."
"No; you look as if you could take care of yourself." Mr. Sumner rubbed
his chin. "So you say you have no prospects ahead?"
"No, sir, but I am not afraid----"
"Let me see your handwriting."
The broker shoved a pad toward Hal, and handed him a pen filled with
ink.
Hal put down a sentence or two, and added his own name.
"That will do very well. You say you can figure fairly?"
"I have been through the common school arithmetic."
"What would my commission be on six thousand dollars' worth of bonds,
sold at one hundred and fifteen, commission one-quarter of one per
cent?"
Hal figured for a moment.
"Seventeen dollars and twenty-five cents," he said.
Mr. Sumner gave him several other sums. The youth answered all of them
quickly and correctly.
"That will do first-class," said the broker. "Now to come to business.
Would you mind telling me why you left Fairham?"
"Not at all, Mr. Sumner," replied Hal.
And, sitting down, he told how the trustees had intended to use him, and
of his determination to do for himself.
"And I will not go back, no matter what happens," he concluded,
decidedly.
"Well, I cannot say as I blame you," was the slow reply. "Of course, you
owe them something, but perhaps you can pay them back quicker in the way
you have undertaken. Have you any idea in regard to salary?"
"I intended to take what I could get, and then look around for something
better."
"How would you like to work for me?"
"First-rate, sir."
"I need an office boy to take Ferris' place, and also somebody to help
copy contracts and make out bills and statements. If you could combine
the two I would give you seven dollars a week at the start, and increase
the amount as you become more valuable."
Hal's heart beat fast. Seven dollars a week! It was more than twice what
he could have earned at Lawyer Gibson's office in Fairham.
"Oh, thank you!" he cried. "I did not expect so much."
"I expect you to earn the money," replied the broker. He made this
remark, but, nevertheless, he had not forgotten that Hal had saved his
life. "Have you any money with you?"
"Fifty cents, sir."
"Then let me advance you a month's salary. Half of it I would advise you
to invest in an overcoat and a stout pair of shoes. The remainder you
will probably have to pay out for your board. Mr. Hardwick."
The book-keeper came forward.
"Just give Carson twenty-eight dollars for four weeks' salary in
advance. He will take Ferris' place, and also help you on the copying."
"Yes, sir."
Hardwick gave Hal a contemptuous look, and then going to a large safe in
the forward part of the main office, brought out the cash and handed it
over.
"You may go to work at once," said Mr. Sumner. "I would advise you to
hunt up a boarding-house after business hours, three o'clock."
"Yes, sir."
And so Hal was installed at Sumner, Allen & Co.'s place of business. He
cleaned up the place, and then started in on the copying Hardwick
brought him.
Mr. Sumner was well pleased with the boy's work for the day, and so
expressed himself.
After business hours Hal bought the overcoat and the pair of shoes. Then
he started out for a boarding-house, and at last found one on Tenth
Street, kept by Mrs. Amanda Ricket, where he obtained a room on the top
floor, with breakfast and supper, for five dollars a week.
On the second day at the office Hal was astonished to learn that the Mr.
Allen of the firm was the man he had seen in company with Mr. Hardwick
on the Pennsylvania ferry-boat. Mr. Allen did not recognize him, and the
youth thought it just as well not to mention the meeting. During the
afternoon Mr. Sumner and Mr. Allen went out together. They were hardly
gone when Hardwick put on his hat and coat and followed, leaving the
youth in sole charge.
Five minutes later a stranger entered and asked for Mr. Allen. Finding
the broker out, he said he would wait, and sat down inside the railing,
near the stove.
He had hardly seated himself, when a snow-ball crashed against the
plate-glass window. Fearful that the glass might be broken, Hal hurried
out. Two boys had been snow-balling each other, and both ran away as
fast as they could.
Hardly had Hal returned to the office than Hardwick came in. He had been
paying a visit to a near-by wine-room, and his face was slightly
flushed. He nodded to the man who was waiting.
"Anything I can do for you?" he asked.
"I want to see Mr. Allen."
"Gone away for the day, sir."
The stranger at once arose and left. Hardwick saw him to the door, and
then sat down near a desk in the rear.
Hal bent over the writing he was doing. He proceeded with great care, as
it was new work to him and he did not wish to make any errors.
Just before three o'clock Mr. Sumner returned. He walked to the rear
office, gave a turn to the knob of the door of his private safe, and
then addressed Hardwick:
"Anything new?"
"No, sir."
"Then we might as well close up."
Five minutes later the main safe was locked up, the rolled-top desks
closed, and work was over for the day.
Hal spent the evening at his room in the boarding-house, writing to
Lawyer Gibson, his only friend in Fairham. The letter finished, he
walked to the corner and posted it, and then returned and went to bed.
The next morning he was the first at the office. He was engaged in
cleaning up when Hardwick entered. The book-keeper had been out the
greater part of the night, and his face plainly showed the effects of
his dissipation.
"Come, get at the books!" he growled. "The place is clean enough."
"I will just as soon as I have dusted the rear office," replied Hal.
"Do as I told you!" stormed Hardwick.
At that moment Mr. Sumner entered, and with a hasty good-morning passed
to the back. Hal heard him at his safe, and then came a sharp cry.
"The safe has been robbed!"
"What's that?" asked Hardwick, walking to the rear, while Hal followed.
"The safe has been robbed!" gasped Mr. Sumner. "There are seventy-nine
thousand dollars' worth of bonds missing."
"You are sure?" asked the book-keeper, while Hal's heart seemed to
fairly stop beating.
"Yes, they are gone."
"When did you leave them?"
"Yesterday before I went out with Mr. Allen." Mr. Sumner gave a groan.
"This will ruin me! Who could have robbed the safe?"
"Was it broken open?"
"No. Look for yourself."
Hardwick glanced toward the iron box. Then he turned and faced Hal.
"You were here alone yesterday afternoon," he said, sternly.
"Did you leave him here alone?" cried Mr. Sumner.
"I am sorry to say I did, but it was only for a few minutes," replied
the book-keeper. "I called around to Mack & Heath's for that Rock Island
circular."
Hal grew red in the face.
"Mr. Sumner," he began, "I hope you do not think----"
"I think that boy robbed the safe," interrupted Hardwick, pointing to
Hal. "I thought it was a mistake to take such a stranger into the
place."
At these words Hal's eyes flashed fire.
"That is a falsehood!" he cried, indignantly. "I never went near the
safe, excepting to dust the outside."
Mr. Sumner clasped and unclasped his hands nervously. The ring in the
youth's voice made him hesitate as to how to proceed.
"You robbed the safe," went on Hardwick. "You know you are guilty."
"I know no such thing," returned Hal, in a peculiar, strained tone of
voice. "But there is one thing I do know."
"And what is that?" asked Mr. Sumner, eagerly.
"I know Mr. Hardwick contemplated robbing that safe, and I feel certain
in my mind that he is the one who did it."
Hal had hardly spoken before the book-keeper sprang upon him, forcing
him over backward against the safe door.
"I'm the thief, am I?" he cried in Hal's ear. "Take that back, or I'll
make you!"