ROD ACCEPTS THE LEGACY.
"I sha'n't accept it," declared Rod. "I couldn't take a reward for trying
to save a man's life. You couldn't yourself, sir. You know that all the
money in the world wouldn't have tempted you into those flames, while you
were ready enough to go on the simple chance of saving a human being from
an awful death. I'm sure you must feel that way, and so you know just how
I feel about it. I only wish he could have known it too, and known how
willingly we tried to save him. If he only had, he wouldn't have thought
of offering us a reward. Did you find out who he was?"
"Yes, I found out," answered the sheriff, with a queer little smile. "I
found out, too, that he was some one whom you knew quite well and were
deeply interested in."
"Some one I knew!" cried Rod, in surprise, at the same time taking a
rapid mental note of all his railroad friends who might have been
connected with the accident. "Who was he? Was he a railroad man?"
"No, he was not a railroad man, and I can't tell you his name, but if you
feel strong enough, I should like to have you come and take a look at
him."
"Of course I do," replied Rod whose curiosity was now fully aroused. "I
feel almost as well as ever I did, excepting a little shaky, and with a
smart here and there in the burned places."
As the two entered an adjoining room, Rod's attention was instantly
attracted by the motionless form, covered with a sheet, that lay on a bed.
Several persons were engaged in a low-voiced conversation at one end of
the room; but at first the lad did not notice them. He was too anxious to
discover which of all his friends lay there so silently, to heed aught
else just then.
As he and the sheriff stepped to the side of the bed, the latter gently
withdrew the covering and disclosed a peaceful face, from which every
trace of grime and smoke had been tenderly removed.
Rod instantly recognized it. It was the same that he had last seen only
the morning before lying by the forest roadside more than a hundred miles
away. In a tone of awed amazement he exclaimed, "the train robber!"
"I think that settles it, gentlemen," said the sheriff quietly, and
turning to the other occupants of the room who had gathered close behind
Rod. "We thought it must be the train robber," he continued, addressing
the latter "because we found the missing diamonds in a breast pocket of
his coat; but we wanted your evidence to establish the fact. I have also
recognized him as the alleged reporter who interviewed me yesterday
morning, and who was accidentally left alone for a minute with the leather
bag in my office. The moment I discovered that the diamonds were missing I
suspected that he must have taken them, but thought it best to keep my
suspicions to myself until I could trace him. I learned that a man
answering his description had boarded the east-bound freight somewhere
this side of Millbank and telegraphed Conductor Joe Miller to keep him in
sight. By making use of Mr. Appleby's special I hoped to overtake and pass
him before he reached New York. I thus expected to be on hand to welcome
and arrest him at his journey's end, and by so doing relieve you of all
suspicion of being anything but the honest plucky lad you have proved
yourself. At the same time I looked forward to taking some of the conceit
out of that young sprig of a secretary. That all my calculations were not
upset by last night's accident was largely owing to you, for I must
confess that, but for the shame of being outdone in bravery by a mere slip
of a boy, I should have given up the fight to save this man long before
the victory was won. Of course the evidence of his crime would have
vanished with him, and we should never have known for a certainty what had
become of the train robber or the diamonds. Some persons might even have
continued to suspect you of being connected with their disappearance,
while now your record is one that any man may well envy. Was I not right
then, in saying that this poor fellow had left you a reward for your
bravery that you will value so long as you live?"
"Indeed you were," answered Rod, in a low tone, "and it is a legacy that I
can most gratefully accept, I wish he might have lived, though. It is
terrible to think that by following him as I did I drove him to his
death."
"You must not think of it in that way," said one of the other witnesses of
the scene, taking the lad's hand as he spoke, and at the same time
disclosing the well-known features of Mr. Hill, the Superintendent, "You
must only remember that you have done your duty faithfully and splendidly.
Although I should not have approved the course you took at the outset, the
results fully justify all that you have done, and I am very proud to
number you among the employees of our company. You have certainly
graduated with honors from the ranks of brakemen, and have fairly won your
promotion to any position that you feel competent to fill. It only rests
with you to say what it shall be."
"If the young man would accept a position with us," interrupted another
gentleman, whom Rod knew to be a superintendent of the Express Company,
"we should be only too happy to offer him one, that carries with it a
handsome salary and the promise of speedy promotion."
"No, indeed! You can't have him!" exclaimed Mr. Hill. "A railroad company
is said to be a soulless corporation, but it has at least soul enough to
appreciate and desire to retain such services as this lad has shown
himself capable of rendering. He has chosen to be a railroad man, and I
don't believe he is ready to switch off on any other line just yet. How is
it, Blake? Have you had enough of railroading?"
"No, sir," replied Rod, earnestly. "I certainly have not. I have only had
enough of it to make me desirous of continuing in it, and if you think I
could make a good enough fireman, I should be very glad to take Milt
Sturgis' place on number 10, and learn to run a locomotive engine under
Mr. Stump."
"A fireman!" exclaimed Mr. Hill, in surprise. "Is that the height of your
ambition?"
"I think it is at present, sir," replied Rod, modestly.
"But I thought you knew how to run an engine. It looked that way yesterday
morning when you started off with the one belonging to the express
special."
"I thought I did too, sir; but by that very trial I found that I knew just
nothing at all about it. I do want to learn though, and if you haven't
anyone else in view----"
"Of course you shall have the place if you want it," interrupted Mr. Hill.
"Stump has already applied for you, and you should have had it even if all
the events of yesterday had not happened. I must tell you though, that Joe
Miller wants to resign his conductorship of the through freight to accept
a position on a private car belonging to a young millionaire oil prince,
and I was thinking of offering you his place."
"Thank you ever so much, sir; but if you don't mind, I would rather run on
number 10."
"Very well," replied the Superintendent, "you have earned the right to do
as you think best. Now, as the track is again clear, we will all go back
to the city in the wrecking train, which is ready to start."
When Mr. Hill entered his office an hour later his secretary handed him a
report of his investigations in the matter of the express robbery. This
report cast grave suspicions upon Rod Blake as having been connected with
the affair, and advised his arrest. Snyder had spent some hours in
preparing this document, and now awaited with entire self complaisance the
praise which he was certain would reward his efforts. What then was his
amazement when his superior, after glancing through the report,
deliberately tore it into fragments, which he dropped into a waste-basket.
At the same time he said:
"I am pleased to be able to inform you, Mr. Appleby, that the property you
describe as missing has been recovered through the agency of this very
Rodman Blake. I must also warn you that the company has no employee of
whose integrity and faithfulness in the performance of duty they are more
assured than they are of his. As you have evidently failed to discover
this in your dealings with Mr. Blake, and as you have blundered through
this investigation from first to last, I shall hereafter have no use for
your services outside of routine office work." Thus saying, Mr. Hill
closed the door of his private office behind him, leaving Snyder
overwhelmed with bewilderment and indignation.