TAKING A CHANCE.
Borak, the black horse Merriwell had bought of Barzy Blunt several weeks
before, was a fast traveler, and it was not many minutes until he had
deposited his two riders at Dolliver’s ranch, at the mouth of the cañon.
The cañon trail was too rough and narrow for an automobile, and so Brad
had been compelled to leave the machine at the rancher’s.
Leaving Borak at the hitching pole in front of the house, Merriwell and
Brad took to the car and were soon hitting it up on the road to Ophir.
Half an hour after leaving Dolliver’s they were drawing to a halt in
front of the mining company’s offices in the town.
Mr. Bradlaugh was the Western representative of the syndicate that owned
the mine, and was in all matters the court of last resort in questions
dealing with mining, milling, and cyaniding on the company’s premises.
Merry and Brad, tumbling out of the machine and making their way into
the outer office of the general manager, were told by the stenographer
that Mr. Bradlaugh was busy with a caller in his private room.
“Who’s the caller?” queried Brad.
“Colonel Hawtrey.”
Brad drew a deep breath and turned to Merriwell.
“He’s here ahead of us, Chip,” said he, “but, if you’ve made up your
mind as to what you’re going to do, I reckon you can get in there and do
your talking along with the colonel. Wait a minute.”
A mumble of voices came from beyond the door leading to the manager’s
private office. Frank could distinguish Mr. Bradlaugh’s voice, colorless
and low-pitched, and Colonel Hawtrey’s, loud and wrathful.
Brad stepped to the door, tapped, and then opened it and passed inside
at a word from his father. A moment later he looked out and beckoned to
Merriwell.
As Frank entered the room, Colonel Hawtrey got up and took him by the
hand.
“Mighty glad to see you again, Merriwell,” said he, “but I hope nothing
Lenning has said has brought you here.”
“Hello, my boy,” smiled Mr. Bradlaugh, waving Merriwell to a chair.
“This looks like a plot, with Hannibal at the bottom of it. You needn’t
go, Han. You’ve got Merriwell here, now stay and see the matter
through.”
Merry and Brad seated themselves.
“I hear that Jode Lenning has asked for a job at the mine,” remarked
Frank, a little embarrassed to find himself in danger of crossing the
colonel’s will at such close quarters.
“That’s what has happened,” replied Mr. Bradlaugh. “We need a watchman
at the cyanide plant for night duty. That’s the work Lenning applied
for. It’s a responsible position, and a man is needed badly and at once.
The superintendent, knowing Lenning’s character was not of the best,
referred the matter to me. It’s against our policy to hire any one whose
record is not clean, so I turned Lenning down. Then he said that he
thought you would be responsible for him. I haven’t an idea that you’re
looking for such a protégé,” laughed the general manager, “and your
coming here is quite a surprise. I called up the colonel, and he took
the trouble to come over. From what he says, I don’t believe we can
consider Lenning’s application at all.”
“If you hire him, Bradlaugh,” said the colonel, “you’ll do it without
any recommendation from me. Lenning is a graceless scamp. The company he
keeps is the worst imaginable. Why, in a week he ran through with a
thousand dollars, which I gave him to use in making something of
himself--squandered it at the gambling tables in Gold Hill, with that
rascal Shoup to help him. His latest exploit is such as to make me blush
to think that he is my dead sister’s son. Highway robbery--with a poor,
old lady for the victim! By George, he ought to have been arrested and
put through for that.”
“Colonel,” said Frank, “you haven’t all the facts connected with that
robbery. It was Shoup who stole the money, and it was Lenning who took
it away from him and returned it to its rightful owner.”
The colonel’s eyes narrowed.
“Merriwell,” said he, with a trace of annoyance, “I know more than you
think. Lenning wanted to revenge himself upon you for some fancied
wrong, and that was why he and Shoup went to the camp in the gulch.
Lenning took the money from his scoundrelly companion and hid it away;
then, aided by Shoup, he attempted to roll a bowlder from Apache Point
and smash the canoe in which you and one of your friends were racing
past the foot of the cliff. His villainous attempts failed. He and Shoup
tried to clear out. As they crossed the river in a stolen canoe, in
order to reach their horses, Shoup struck Lenning with a paddle. Shoup
got away, and you saved Lenning from drowning. He----”
“Clancy and I pulled Lenning out of the water,” Frank broke in.
“Possibly he would have got out himself if we had let him alone.”
“Hardly,” came the crisp protest from the colonel. “Lenning was stunned
and unable to help himself. As soon as he revived, he took you to the
place where he had hidden the money. Why?”
The colonel bored into Frank with his eyes as he put the question.
“Because he wanted to do the square thing,” answered Merriwell, “and
because he wouldn’t stand for any thieving on the part of Shoup. Shoup
was mad about it, and that’s why he hit Lenning with the paddle.”
“I’m surprised at you, Merriwell,” said Hawtrey. “That wasn’t the reason
at all. Lenning wanted all that money for himself. When you got him out
of the water, he--well, he--well, he ‘worked you,’ to use a slang term.
He returned the money and told that yarn in order to keep out of jail.
Lenning is shrewd--you ought to know that.”
Colonel Hawtrey was bitter against his once-cherished nephew. He was a
stern man, and the fact that Lenning was his sister’s son in no wise
tempered his merciless spirit.
“I think you’re wrong, colonel,” said Merriwell quietly.
For a few moments a silence dropped over those in the office. Merriwell
had been still in doubt as to what he would do up to that very moment.
The colonel’s relentless attitude brought him to a conclusion in a
flash. Merriwell believed Lenning had returned the money because he
wanted to do the right thing, while the colonel professed to believe
that it was only a makeshift to save him from arrest. At last, Colonel
Hawtrey spoke, and it was noticeable that his voice had softened.
“You stand pretty high in my regard, my lad,” said he to Merriwell, “and
I recall the time when you believed in Darrel and I did not. As events
proved, I was an unreasonable old fool and your judgment was correct. I
have you to thank for giving me back a nephew who is in every way a
credit to his family. But don’t make any mistake about Jode Lenning.
He’s a thorough-paced villain, and there is not one redeeming feature in
his case. It is hard for me to sit here and talk in this way, but Jode
has made his own bed and must lie in it. He fooled me for a long time,
and I sincerely hope, Merriwell, that you won’t let him deceive you.”
“I believe he has squared around, colonel,” insisted Frank, “and that he
ought to be helped.”
“There’s some black motive back of what he’s doing.”
“The fact that he came to the Ophir and asked for a job proves----”
“You don’t know what it proves,” cut in Col Hawtrey irascibly. “Lenning
is deep. There is no guessing what he has at the back of his head.”
“I think he ought to have a chance.”
“Why didn’t he take his thousand dollars, go away somewhere where no one
knows him and try to make a man of himself? He had a chance then--a
better chance than he’ll ever get again--and he threw it away. He’s
tricky, and he’s not in earnest.”
“He was training with Shoup when he squandered that money, colonel,”
urged Merriwell. “Now he and Shoup have quarreled, and Lenning hasn’t
his influence to fight. If Mr. Bradlaugh will take Lenning on my say-so,
I’m here to ask him to let Lenning have that job as night watchman.”
“You’re making a rash move,” declared the colonel, “and it is a move
that will get you into trouble as sure as fate.” He turned to Mr.
Bradlaugh. “Don’t let Merriwell do something he’ll be sorry for,
Bradlaugh,” said he.
There was a grim expression on the general manager’s face. “How am I to
help myself, colonel?” he asked.
“Help yourself? Why, you can refuse to put Lenning on your pay roll, in
spite of what Merriwell says. That is the best move you could make for
all concerned.”
Bradlaugh sat back in his chair, and, for a few minutes, was deep in
thought. At last he roused up to address Colonel Hawtrey, once more.
“You are under obligations to Merriwell, colonel,” said he, “and so am
I. He came to Ophir and immediately identified himself with the affairs
of the Ophir Athletic Club, which, as you know, were in pretty bad
shape. He and his friends have brought a new spirit into the club, and
from being always on the losing side, now and then we’re able to win.
You remember how he coached our football team, and steered the boys to
victory?” The colonel winced and a smile unfolded itself around
Bradlaugh’s lips. “No,” he went on, “I see you haven’t forgotten that,
colonel. Well, as president of the O. A. C., I’m indebted to Merriwell.
If he asks me to give Lenning a chance, and will become personally
responsible for his actions, I can’t refuse. That’s flat.”
“Merriwell is taking a long chance on Lenning,” growled Colonel Hawtrey,
“and I hate to see the boy make such a mistake. I’m Lenning’s uncle, and
it’s a chance I wouldn’t think of taking myself.” He turned to Frank.
“Think it over,” he urged, “before you finally make up your mind. Don’t
forget that Jode has tried several times to be tricky with you. He may
be trying it now.”
“I’ve got a hunch that he’s trying to be square, and not to be tricky,”
Merriwell answered. “And it’s a man’s fight, colonel, for every one
seems to be down on him. He ought to be given a boost. If I’m willing to
forget the past and take a chance, you ought to be.”
“I think, and you’ll pardon me for saying it, that my judgment is too
sound. What are you going to do, Bradlaugh?”
“Lenning goes on duty at the cyanide plant to-night,” said the general
manager, “but he’s accepted solely and provisionally as Merriwell’s
protégé. I shall phone the superintendent to that effect in a few
minutes.”
The colonel frowned and got to his feet. “I wash my hands of the
consequences,” said he, “but if Merriwell gets into trouble on account
of his rashness, I shall do all I can to help him.”
With that, Colonel Hawtrey strode out of the office, very much wrought
up over the result of his call on Mr. Bradlaugh. As soon as he was gone,
the general manager left his chair and came around to take Merriwell’s
hand.
“This move of yours does you credit, Merriwell,” said he, “and I’m
backing your judgment against the colonel’s. But--and please consider
this a tip--keep track of Lenning as well as you can. That’s all.
Hannibal,” he laughed, turning to his son, “you’re something of a
schemer yourself. Why didn’t you tell me you were going after Chip?”