A BLOW IN THE DARK.
Was Hamington's explanation the correct one?
"By Jove! I believe that's the straight of it!" exclaimed Hardwick.
"So do I," said Mr. Allen. "It is the only way to account for the marks
on the window-frame and the sash."
Mr. Sumner said nothing. Indeed, to tell the truth, his loss had set his
mind in a whirl.
Parker turned to Hal.
"Did you open the office this morning?" he asked.
"Yes, sir."
"You opened the window when you cleaned up?"
"Yes."
"Was it locked?"
Hal tried to think.
"I believe it was."
"You are not sure?"
"No, sir."
"He ought to be," broke in Mr. Allen. "I would know, if I was in his
place."
"See, if you cannot think, Hal," said Mr. Sumner.
"If anything, I think the window was locked," said the youth, candidly.
"You do?" said Parker.
"Yes, for I believe I had some trouble to unfasten it."
The two detectives looked at each other.
"If that is so, it alters the case," said Hamington. "But I believe the
boy is mistaken."
"So do I," added Hardwick, promptly.
Parker opened the window again, and leaping out, made his way to the
alley. Hamington went after him. Then several customers came in, and Mr.
Allen and Hardwick went forward to wait upon them.
It was a quarter of an hour before the detectives came back, and then
they had very little to say, excepting that they would report the
particulars at headquarters and endeavor to run down the criminal.
Mr. Sumner was broken down by his loss. He sat in his private office
nearly all of the remainder of the day, his head resting in his hands.
Mr. Allen went off on business, and Hardwick stuck to his books as if
his life depended on it.
Hal resumed his duties with a heavy weight on his heart. For some reason
he had expected to be discharged, but nothing was said about his
leaving.
Hardwick scowled at the youth every time their eyes met, and kept piling
the work upon Hal. The book-keeper was nervous, and the youth did not
fail to notice this, and it set him to thinking.
If only he had listened more attentively to what had been said on the
ferry-boat that night! Hal was sure if he had done this he would have
known if Hardwick and Allen were guilty or not.
Then Hal began to speculate on the foot-marks on the window-sill. If the
thief had entered the office that way, why were not some of the same
marks visible on the carpet in front of the safe?
When Hardwick went out to lunch, Hal watched him from the office window.
At the corner he saw the book-keeper joined by Dick Ferris, and the two
seemed to be in earnest conversation as they walked along.
When Hardwick came back Hal was given a half hour. The boy put on his
hat and coat and went out. He did not feel like eating, and he walked up
to the corner and around to the back street, intending to pay a visit to
the alley through which the robber was supposed to have escaped.
Just as he was about to turn into the narrow place, now piled high with
snow, somebody caught him by the shoulder. Turning, he found himself
confronted by Dick Ferris.
"Hullo, there!" said the tall boy.
"How are you?" returned Hal coldly.
"I hear you've got my place," went on Ferris.
"What if I have?" asked Hal, abruptly.
"I thought you were hanging around trying to do me out of it."
"I didn't try to do you out of it. Mr. Sumner asked me to call at his
office and I went. Then he offered me the place and I took it."
"Did he know you?"
"May I ask what business that is of yours?"
"Shut up, you little street tramp, you!" retorted Ferris. "Do you know
what I've a good mind to do?"
"I must admit I do not."
"Give you a mighty good thrashing."
"Two can play at that game," replied Hal, with a nervous little laugh.
"What, do you mean to say you can stand up against me?" demanded Ferris.
"Maybe you don't know I am an athlete."
"And perhaps you are not aware that I am perfectly able to take care of
myself," returned Hal.
"Take that!" cried Ferris.
He hauled off and aimed a wicked blow at the youth's nose. Had it struck
Hal it would have injured him considerably.
But the youth dodged; and the next instant Dick Ferris received a crack
fairly between the eyes that made him see stars, and caused him to
stagger up against the side of a building.
"What--what----" he gasped.
"That for attacking me," replied Hal. "Don't you try any such game
again."
"I'll fix you!" roared Ferris. He was boiling with rage. "You miserable
street cur!"
He sprang at Hal and caught him by both arms, intending to trip the
youth up.
But Hal stood his ground, and by a sudden twist freed himself.
"Let me alone, Ferris," he commanded.
"Oh, of course I will!" replied the tall boy, sarcastically.
"If you don't, you'll regret it."
"Will I? Take that, and that!"
Ferris struck out twice. Hal parried the first blow, but the second just
grazed his lip, causing that member to bleed slightly.
"Told you I'd fix you!" roared Ferris.
He had hardly spoken the words before Hal pulled himself together and
went at him. The youth's arms shot out right and left, and before he was
aware of what was taking place, Ferris received a stinging blow on the
forehead, and then came one on the chin that sent him rolling over in
the snow.
"Dat's right, give it ter him!" shouted a newsboy who stood by, grinning
from ear to ear. "Do him up in one round!"
Ferris got upon his feet slowly. His head felt dizzy from the shock he
had received.
"Want any more?" demanded Hal, facing him with clenched fists.
"Cheese it! here comes der cops!" put in the newsboy.
Hal looked up, and saw a policeman bearing toward the spot. Ferris also
gave a glance, and he muttered something under his breath.
"What did you say?" demanded Hal.
"I'll settle with you another time," replied Ferris.
And picking up his hat, which had landed in a near-by drift, he placed
it on his head, and sneaked down the street at a rapid gait.
In a minute the policeman arrived at the spot.
"What is the trouble here?" he demanded.
"A fellow attacked me," replied Hal.
"I see your lip's cut. Why did he do it?"
"I got a job he used to have, and he's angry over it."
"Oh!" The policeman tossed his head. "Did you hit back?"
"I defended myself," replied Hal, briefly.
He was half afraid he might be called on to make some sort of a charge,
a thing he did not wish to do now the encounter was over.
"He did der feller fer keeps!" put in the newsboy.
"Go on with you!" cried the policeman, and the newsboy ran off, while
Hal started on his way back to the office.
"What's the matter with your lip?" inquired Hardwick, as the youth
entered.
"I cut it," replied Hal.
The book-keeper turned and smiled to himself.
"I guess Ferris kept his word," he muttered. "He said he was going to
fix the boy. I wish he had killed the tramp."
That afternoon dragged heavily, but at last it was time to close up. Mr.
Sumner hardly spoke to either when they bade him good-evening.
Hardwick walked up Wall Street, and then turned into Nassau, instead of
continuing to Broadway.
Suddenly an idea entered Hal's head to follow Hardwick.
Despite all the evidence pointing in other directions, the youth thought
Hardwick either guilty of the robbery or else that the book-keeper knew
much concerning it.
Hardwick continued up Nassau Street until he reached Park Row.
Hal kept out of sight behind the man, and presently Hardwick continued
up Park Row until he came to one of the side streets just beyond the
entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge.
He turned into this street, piled high on either side with dirty snow,
and then entered one of the worst thoroughfares in New York City.
By this time it was quite dark, and Hal had to keep close, for fear of
losing sight of his man. He was now thoroughly interested, for he knew
Hardwick boarded somewhere uptown, and it must be some special business
that would bring the book-keeper to this part of the city on such a
disagreeable evening.
At length Hardwick paused and glanced behind him. As soon as he saw the
movement the boy stepped behind a bill-board out of sight.
Presently Hardwick continued on his way, walking faster than ever. The
youth increased his speed.
"Hi! look sharp there!"
Hal was just about to cross a street when he almost ran into a heavy
truck. He stepped back, and allowed the truck to pass. When he reached
the opposite curb Hardwick had disappeared.
"He must have gone on straight ahead," thought the youth. "I will soon
catch up to him again."
But though he continued onward for more than a block, he saw nothing of
the book-keeper.
He looked up and down the side streets, and tried to peep into the
curtained windows of several saloons that were close at hand.
"He must have gone in somewhere, that's certain," said Hal to himself.
"I wonder if he discovered that I was following him?"
This last thought disturbed the youth not a little. His experience with
Hardwick in the office had convinced him that the book-keeper was an
evil man when aroused.
Slowly he retraced his steps, not certain if he could find his way back
to Park Row, a spot he had got to know fairly well since his coming to
the metropolis.
He was just passing a place where a new building was in the course of
construction when a peculiar noise to one side of him attracted his
attention. By instinct he jumped toward the gutter. The next instant a
mass of bricks came tumbling down. One struck him on the head, and this
knocked him insensible.