ROY GAINS A FRIEND
"Come neah gettin' left, sah!" exclaimed the colored porter of Roy's
car, as our hero, followed by Mortimer De Royster, entered the coach.
"Dat were a close call, sah."
"Yes, but I wish I had had a chance to round-up those swindlers. I'd
shown them how we handle such chaps out on the ranch!" exclaimed Roy.
"Swindlers? Was dem nicely dressed gen'men swindlers?" inquired the
porter.
"Swindlers, upon my word, they are the very worst kind," put in De
Royster. "The idea of tricking me into letting them see my watch, and
then keeping it, don't you know! I shall report them to the
authorities."
"I'm afraid it will not do much good," remarked Roy. "They are far
enough away by now, and we're getting farther off from them every
minute."
"That's so. Well, then, my watch and diamond pin are gone," and the
dude seemed to accept the loss quite calmly.
"Excuse me, sah," broke in the colored man, addressing De Royster, "but
has youh a ticket for dis parlor car?"
"Not yet. I could not buy one at the little station back there, but
you may get me one, from the conductor, don't you know," spoke the
well-dressed youth, taking a roll of bills from his pocket. At the
sight of the money the eyes of the colored man shone in anticipation of
a tip he might receive. His opinion of the stranger went up several
points. Such is the effect of money, and it is not always the right
one.
"Are you going to travel in this car?" asked Roy.
"Yes, it looks like a fairly decent coach. I am really quite
particular how I ride."
Roy was rather amused at the airs Mortimer De Royster assumed, and he
did not quite know whether to like him or not. The youth had an
affected manner of speaking, and some oddities, but, in spite of these
Roy thought he might be all right at heart.
The boy from the ranch had learned, from his life in the west, not to
judge persons by outward appearances, though they often give an
indication of character.
"I don't believe I thanked you for what you did for me," went on De
Royster to Roy, when the porter returned with his ticket and the
change. The colored man's heart was made happy by a generous tip.
"I don't know that I did anything in particular. I didn't think they
were going to take your hide off, or I would have warned you sooner."
"My hide off? I don't quite catch your meaning, my dear chap--Oh, yes,
I see. You mean they were going to skin me. Oh, yes. That's a good
joke. Ha! Ha! Well, thanks to you, they didn't."
"Still they got something."
"Yes, that watch was a valuable one, and one my father gave me as a
present. The diamond was worth considerable, too. But I am glad they
did not get my money. Only for your timely warning they might have.
Some of it is mine, but the most of it belongs to the firm I work for."
"They tried to get me into some swindling games, but I refused to have
anything to do with them," and Roy told of the efforts of Baker and his
cronies.
"I was easily taken in," admitted Mortimer De Royster. "I am ashamed
of myself."
"Do you carry a valuable stock?" asked Roy, wondering if it were not
dangerous to have so much jewelry about one.
"Quite valuable, yes, but all traveling jewelry salesmen belong to a
league, and if thieves get away with anything belonging to any member,
we have the services of a good detective agency to run the criminals
down. The professional thieves know this, and, as capture is almost
certain in the end, we have little fear of being robbed. These
swindlers took my personal property, and nothing belonging to the firm,
I'm glad to say."
"Perhaps you will get it back," suggested Roy.
"No, I'm afraid not. But I say, my dear chap, where are you going?
You don't look as if you had traveled much."
"I haven't. I am going to New York on business for my father."
"To New York? Good! Then I shall have company on the way. That is
unless you don't like to be seen with one who lets himself be robbed so
easily."
"That would not make any difference to me."
"Thank you. Perhaps I may be able to be of some service to you in New
York. I know the town fairly well."
"That will be very kind of you. I know nothing about it, and I'm
afraid I'll be rather green when I get there. I have lived on a ranch
all my life."
"On a ranch? Fancy now! Really, don't you know, I often used to think
I would like to be a cowboy," drawled the dude.
Roy looked at the slim figure, and delicate features of Mr. De Royster,
and thought that he would hardly be strong enough for the rough life on
the plains. But he was too polite to mention this.
"Yes," went on the well-dressed youth, "if I had not gone into the
jewelry business I might now be a 'cow-puncher,'--I believe that is
what you call those gentlemen who take charge of wild steers?" and he
looked at his companion inquiringly.
"Yes, some folks call 'em that."
"It must be a very nice sort of life. Now this sort of thing is rather
tame, don't you know."
"Well, you had it exciting enough a while ago."
"So I did," admitted Mr. De Royster with a smile. "But that doesn't
happen every day. I wish I could do you some favor, in return for what
you did for me."
"I didn't do much. I wish I could have gotten them in time to have
saved your watch and chain. But they stampeded before I could rope
them."
"Stampeded?"
"Yes, I mean they started to run."
"Oh, yes. And--er--rope--"
"Oh, I forgot you didn't understand my lingo. I meant catch them.
Whenever we want to catch anything on the ranch, we rope it. Throw a
lariat over it, you know."
"Oh, yes, a lasso. I should like to have seen you lasso those chaps.
Have you a lasso with you?"
"I have one in my large valise."
"Where are you going to stop in New York?"
"I don't know yet. I'm going to look around for a good place to get my
grub, and a bunk after I get there."
"Your grub and bunk?" Mr. De Royster seemed puzzled.
"Well, I mean my meals and a place to sleep."
"Ah, then perhaps I can be of service to you. I know most of the best
hotels, and I can introduce you to the managers of some of them. Do
you intend to remain in the city long?"
"I can't tell. I don't just know how long my father's business will
keep me. Probably I shall be there several weeks."
"Then I'll tell you what I'll do," said De Royster, in a friendly tone.
"I'll get you fixed up at a good hotel, and then I'll show you the
sights."
"But how can you spare the time from your business?" asked Roy, who was
beginning to think he had found a real friend in the rather eccentric
person of Mortimer De Royster.
"Oh, my work is nearly done now for the season. I shall not start out
on the road again until fall, when I shall take goods for the spring
trade. I was selling Christmas stock this trip."
"Christmas stock, and it is only June," exclaimed Roy. "My, but they
hustle things in the East!"
"They have to. That's why I'll have some spare time now. I can show
you various sights of interest, and, in turn, you must promise to
protect me from robbers. I think I'll have to get a guardian if this
keeps on," and the dude laughed at his joke.
"I'll do my best," replied Roy. "If I see those fellows again, they'll
not get off so easily."
"Then we'll consider ourselves friends!" exclaimed De Royster,
extending his hand, which Roy shook warmly.
The boy was quite attracted to the young man, whom he began to like
more and more, as he saw that, under his queer ways, he hid a heart of
real worth and kindness.