DEAN IS ENGAGED AS PRIVATE SECRETARY.
"Brandon," said his father, "I would like to have you call at Adin
Dunham's with a note."
Brandon frowned. He did not fancy being employed as an errand boy.
"Can't you get somebody else?" he asked. "I wouldn't mind going to any
other place, but I don't like to go there on an errand."
"Perhaps that will overcome your objections," said his father,
producing a silver dollar.
"Thank you, papa, I'll go," said Brandon with alacrity, for he was
always in want of money. "Who is the note for?"
"For the boy—Dean."
"Oh!"
Brandon's face changed.
"Seems to me Dean Dunham is getting to be a person of a good deal of
importance," he said. "What is the note about? If you are going to haul
him over the coals I won't mind taking it."
"On the contrary, Mr. Kirby, our guest, is going to offer him a
position as his clerk and private secretary."
"And did you recommend him to Mr. Kirby?" asked Brandon, considerably
disgusted.
Squire Bates was sharp enough to understand the cause of Brandon's
dissatisfaction.
"I don't mind telling you confidentially," he said with a smile, "that
I don't envy the boy who works for Peter Kirby."
"Then it isn't such a great chance after all?"
"I suspect that Dean will be sorry he engaged to work for him within
a week. But of course you won't let drop a word to prejudice the boy
against accepting Mr. Kirby's offer."
"You may rely upon me, papa," said Brandon with a chuckle.
Dean was reading aloud to his uncle when there was a knock at the door,
which was answered by Mrs. Dunham.
"Brandon Bates!" she said in surprise.
"Yes, Mrs. Dunham. Is Dean at home?"
"Won't you come in? Yes, he's at home."
"I won't stop. I should like to see him a minute."
"Dean, here's Brandon Bates wants to see you a minute," said his aunt.
Dean shared in Mrs. Dunham's surprise. He laid down the paper from
which he was reading, and went to the door.
"Good-evening, Brandon!" he said politely, "do you wish to see me?"
"Yes. I've got a note for you. I happened to be coming this way, and
I told my father I'd take it," continued Brandon, anxious to have it
understood that he was not specially sent to the cottage.
"Thank you, Brandon. Won't you come in while I am reading it?"
"No, but I'll wait. I think it's short." Dean tore open the envelope,
and read as follows in the handwriting of Squire Bates:
"DEAN DUNHAM:
"I understand from my son Brandon that you are seeking employment, and
have no objection to leave home. A gentleman at present visiting me is
in want of a clerk and secretary, and he would like to have an interview
with you. As he leaves town to-morrow, I send for you this evening.
"RENWICK BATES."
Dean felt that nothing would suit him better.
He felt grateful to Squire Bates for what he regarded as a piece of
unexpected kindness.
"Your father is very kind, Brandon," he said as he folded up the note.
"He offers me a position with a friend of his."
"He just mentioned the matter to me," Brandon said indifferently.
"I wonder if the gentleman is one to whom I showed the way to your
father's house this afternoon?"
"Like as not. I don't know him; I never saw him before."
"Then you don't know whether he lives far from here or not?"
"No."
"I wonder whether I shall suit him," queried Dean anxiously.
"My father seems to think you will," answered Brandon. "Of course I
don't know anything about it."
"I will try to suit him at any rate," said Dean earnestly.
"Do you think your uncle will let you go?"
"Yes, it is a fair chance. I've talked over the matter with him and he
sees that there isn't anything for me to do in Waterford, and that I
shall have to leave town to get a place that is worth having."
"I shall envy you for one thing," said Brandon.
"What is that?"
"Because you will be leaving Waterford."
"It is a pretty village."
"I am sick and tired of it. There is nothing going on here. I don't see
why a gentleman of my father's wealth should bury himself in such a
one-horse place."
"It isn't very lively," Dean admitted.
"I should say not. Why even the circus doesn't come any nearer than ten
miles. I shall tease papa to go to New York to live. I should like to
live on Madison or Fifth Avenue."
Dean knew very little about either of the avenues referred to,
though he had heard of them as tenanted by rich families. He rather
congratulated himself that Brandon had not sought the place which was
to be offered to him.
By this time they had reached the home of Squire Bates, and Dean
followed Brandon into the house. He soon found himself in the presence
of the squire and of Peter Kirby.
"Good-evening, Dean," said the squire pleasantly. "This is my friend,
Mr. Kirby.
"I have seen the young man before," said Kirby, opening his mouth in
what he tried to make a pleasant smile.
"Yes, sir. I remember you."
Looking at Kirby as his future employer, Dean was not prepossessed in
his favor. He was certainly far from an agreeable looking man, but
Dean was disposed to judge him without prejudice. He knew that a fair
outside sometimes accompanies very undesirable traits, and the reverse
might also be the case.
"If you read my note, you understand that Mr. Kirby is in want of a
young man, or boy, to assist him in the capacity of clerk or private
secretary," the squire put in.
"I hope I may suit you, sir," said Dean earnestly, addressing himself
to Peter Kirby.
"Oh, I am not very hard to suit. If a boy does his duty, and studies my
interests, he won't find me a hard master."
"I think I can promise that I will serve you faithfully, sir."
"Is your uncle willing to have you leave home?" asked the squire.
Dean made the same answer as he had done to Brandon.
"Then there will be no difficulty there."
"How soon would you like to have me begin, sir; that is, if you are
willing to engage me?"
"Well, you can report at French's Hotel on Saturday—day after
to-morrow. I suppose you can find your way to New York alone?"
"Oh, yes, sir. I have never been there, but I am sure I shall have no
difficulty."
"I will give the boy the necessary directions, Kirby," said Squire
Bates. "He has a tongue in his head, and can ask questions."
"What salary do you expect, Master Dunham?" asked Kirby.
"I will leave that to you, sir."
"I am willing to pay a fair salary, say twenty-five dollars a month and
your board and lodging thrown in. Will that be satisfactory?"
"It is more than I anticipated," said Dean, quite dazzled by the offer.
He reckoned that he would be able to send some money home to his uncle
and aunt every month—and thus have the pleasure of making up to some
extent for the expense which they had incurred on his account.
"Then that matter is settled. Here is a card with my address on it. You
will find me at French's Hotel at one o'clock in the day. If anything
occurs to detain me, you can wait in the office till I return. My
friend Bates here will supply money for your journey."
Dean understood that there was nothing more to be said, and he rose and
took his leave. He went home in a fever of excitement, for he felt that
he was about to enter the great world of which he had heard so much,
and which he so earnestly longed to see.