THE “SPECIAL MESSENGER.”
Will Carden was quite surprised to receive another invitation to confer
with Mr. Williams. This time, however, he was asked to call at the
Williams house in the evening “on a matter of great importance,” and
while this was less formal than the previous appointment it was also
more mysterious. Wondering greatly why he was summoned, the boy dressed
himself with care, kissed his mother good-night, and walked down the
road toward the village, filled with impatient eagerness.
Will’s fortunes were quite prosperous at this juncture; or, as he
reflected in his boyish fashion: “Things seem to be coming my way.” But
he was too wise to attribute it to “luck,” know-full well how much he
owed to the kindness of good Doctor Meigs, backed by his own sturdy
labor and a strict attention to the details of his business.
“These ‘lucky’ fellows,” the doctor had once said, “are usually found
to have created their own luck by hard work and upright methods,”
and the observation struck Will as being very close to the truth.
This spring he had abandoned the idea of raising a variety of small
vegetables, as he had done in previous years, and contented himself
with planting all his available ground with potatoes. These, if
properly cared for, would pay nearly as much profit as the market
garden, and be a good deal less work. Now that the mushrooms were doing
so well the boy felt he could afford to take life a trifle easier, and
this method reduced Egbert’s labors as well as his own.
Pondering these things he rang the bell at the big house and was at
once ushered into Mr. Williams’s study, where he was delighted to find
Doctor Meigs seated.
After the first words of greeting Mr. Williams said:
“Will, how would you like to go to England, on a little business trip?”
The youth was so astonished that for a moment he stared at his
questioner vacantly, and during this interval the mill owner made a
rapid but not less complete inspection of the messenger he was about to
entrust with so important and delicate an errand.
Will Carden could hardly be called a boy any longer. He was nearly
eighteen years of age, and had grown swiftly toward manhood since the
reader was first introduced to him. Tall and well-knit, with broad
shoulders and an erect bearing, a stranger might easily have guessed
the young man to be two or three years older than he really was.
Moreover, there was a sagacious and observant expression upon his young
face that might well have been caused by his vivid appreciation of
the responsibilities thrust upon him so early in life. Yet, lest you
mistake Will for a paragon, let me warn you that the same expression
may often be seen upon the face of a manly young fellow looking broadly
upon the great future, and it is well worth observing, I assure you.
Will had his failings, as all properly constituted boys have; but they
were such as threw his better qualities into strong relief.
Mr. Williams seemed well satisfied with his brief inspection, and felt
intuitively that he might rely upon the youth’s discretion and faith.
“Are you in earnest, sir?” asked Will.
“Very much in earnest,” was the quiet reply. “The errand is a secret
one, yet I do not ask you to go as a spy, but rather to investigate
as fully as possible the business of the Atlas Steel Company of
Birmingham. Upon your success depends to a great extent my future
prosperity as a manufacturer. Will you undertake this mission?”
“If you think I am capable, sir, I will gladly go. It would please me
to be of use to you, and I would enjoy the voyage and the chance to
visit a foreign land.”
“Very good,” said Mr. Williams. “I will pay all of your expenses, and
allow you a hundred dollars a month for salary while you are absent.”
“That is too much, sir, and I cannot accept it,” said Will, firmly. “It
will be enough to pay my expenses. Egbert can look after things while I
am away, so that the business will suffer very little.”
“I am sorry you decline my offer,” replied the manufacturer, rather
stiffly. “It obliges me to find another messenger, to whom I will
probably be forced to pay double the salary I have offered you. Men who
are competent, and whom I may trust, are not to be had for a song, Mr.
Carden.”
Will looked red and embarrassed. He had never been called “Mr. Carden”
by his friend Mr. Williams before, and the formal title led him to
believe he had unwittingly offended the man who had been so kind to
him. He looked appealingly at the doctor.
“You’re a confounded idiot, sir!” said that brusque personage, with a
deeper frown than usual, although in his heart the doctor was secretly
admiring the boy. “Here is a chance to be of great service to Mr.
Williams, who coolly informs you that much of his future prosperity--a
matter of many millions, doubtless--depends upon this mission to
England. Do you wish to rob him, sir, by forcing him to employ a high
priced agent, when you can do as well for a smaller sum?”
Will seemed bewildered.
“You don’t appear to understand me, Doctor,” he said, reproachfully.
“It will be a splendid thing for me, a regular holiday, to make a trip
like that. Why should I ask my friend to pay me a lot of money in
addition?”
“The laborer is worthy of his hire,” quoted Doctor Meigs, bluntly.
“Can’t you see that by accepting the salary--which is little enough, in
all conscience--you give Mr. Williams the right to use your services in
any way he may direct?”
“Come, come, Will!” cried Mr. Williams, springing up to lay a kindly
hand upon the youth’s shoulder. “Don’t let us haggle over a price.
You’re worth the sum I offer, and much more, to me. So take it, and
let’s call the matter settled.”
“As you like, sir,” answered Will, feeling rather helpless between his
two friends. “I am very grateful to you both for all your kindness to
me, and I’ll do anything you say I ought to do.”
“Good!” growled the doctor, approvingly. “We’ll put you through your
paces, all right.”
Mr. Williams laughed, and his laugh was always a pleasant one.
“And now,” said he, “I will tell you why I am anxious to investigate
the business of the Atlas company, which threatens me with a dangerous
competition.”
The conference lasted until a late hour, and when it was ended Will
understood perfectly what was required of him, and undertook to
discover, if possible, where the English concern obtained the secret
of the Carden process for making forge steel.
“When shall I go, sir?” he finally asked.
“As soon as possible. Within a week, if you can get away. Steamers sail
nearly every day, at this season.”
“How will next Wednesday do?” enquired Will, after a moment’s thought.
“Excellently,” returned Mr. Williams. “I will send you money and
further instructions to your home, for Mr. Jordan must not suspect you
are in my employ. It will be best for you to confide in no one but your
mother and Doctor Meigs. Merely tell your brother and sister, or any
other enquirers, that you are going East.”
“Very well, sir.”
One can imagine the eager anticipation that controlled Will Carden
during the next few days. He ordered a new suit of clothes from the
local tailor, and the doctor helped him to select a suitable outfit
for his travels. Although he had never been further away from Bingham
than the city, which was twenty-two miles distant, Will had no fears
of his ability to take good care of himself. He might appear a trifle
“green” to experienced travellers, he admitted; but at his age any
well balanced youth has ample self-command and judgment, so that he
anticipated nothing but pleasure during the next busy month or two.
Only one thing grieved him. He would be away during Annabel’s vacation,
and the young folks had laid many plans to be together during this
time. But he left with Mr. Williams a note for the girl, telling her
this was a business matter of her father’s that could not be delayed,
and begging her not to forget him during his absence. Singularly
enough, neither he nor Annabel saw anything humorous in this request.
Then, just at the last minute, Mr. Williams entrusted to him another
errand that was not wholly agreeable. Letters had come from Mrs.
Williams that she was about to return home, being much improved in
health; and her husband asked Will to proceed directly from Liverpool
to London, there to meet Mrs. Williams at the Savoy Hotel and escort
her to her steamer. Will was to see her safely started toward America
before proceeding to Birmingham upon his more important mission.
At last he was off, and so novel was his journey that he enjoyed even
the tedious trip to New York. The Eastern agent of Mr. Williams met
him on his arrival at the great metropolis, and after a day’s delight
sight-seeing with the good natured agent as guide, Will was deposited
safely aboard the big Cunarder that was to bear him over the vast
expanse of the ocean.
Here was a change, indeed, in Will Carden’s fortunes. From “vegetable
boy” to “special messenger to Europe” seemed like an abrupt transition,
and often as he walked the deck he wondered if it were all a dream,
and he would presently awaken in his bed at home. But then his better
judgment would inform him that there was nothing so very remarkable in
his good fortune, after all. With a good friend such as Dr. Meigs, a
fortunate opportunity to save the life of a millionaire’s daughter, and
the inheritance of an honorable name, much more than this might happen
to a young fellow. Will had been in line for promotion, that was all;
but he resolved to prove worthy, that his friends might not regret
their confidence in him.
There is an old saying that “to be worthy of good fortune is to invite
good fortune,” and there is much wisdom in the adage. The worthy do
not always prove fortunate, it is true; but fortune is not so blind
and fickle as we are sometimes led to believe, and sterling worth is a
magnet that frequently attracts it.