JOHN CRANDALL SEEKS TO INJURE ANDY
Though Simon Rich had succeeded in reinstating his nephew in the store
in place of Andy, he was not altogether happy. John Crandall was
naturally lazy and inefficient, and his temporary discharge did not seem
to have improved him.
When sent out on errands he loitered, and had more than once put his
uncle to considerable inconvenience. He obliged to admit to himself that
Andy had been more satisfactory.
In the midst of this experience John preferred a request to have his
salary raised a dollar a week.
"You know very well that I have no authority to raise your wages," said
his uncle, sharply.
"Why not, Uncle Simon? You have taken me back on your own authority."
"And I begin to think that I have made a great mistake."
"Perhaps you'd like to have the country boy back again?"
"I am not sure but I would. He did not stay away so long on errands as
you do."
"I wonder what he is doing?" said John, starting off on a new tack. "I
don't suppose he can get a new place."
"If you see him, you might ask him to call," said Simon Rich.
"Why?" asked John, suspiciously.
"I may discharge you and take him back."
"In that case, I will tell Mr. Flint about pawning the watch."
Simon Rich looked at his nephew with anger, mingled with dismay. He
began to see, now, that to a certain extent he had put himself in John's
power.
"You treacherous young rascal, I have a great mind to wring your neck!"
he said, wrathfully.
"Uncle Simon," observed John, significantly, "I guess you'd better not
act hastily."
"What a fool I was to put myself in the power of that cub!" soliloquized
the head salesman.
John saw the effect of his words and decided to follow them up.
"Don't you think you can raise my wages?" he asked.
"No, I don't. You will be lucky if you stay here till Mr. Flint comes
back. After that, I can't protect you. He will probably be angry to see
you back here. I shall have to tell him that I took you in temporarily.
Now I will give you some advice. If you want to remain here permanently,
turn over a new leaf, and work faithfully. In that case I can speak well
of you, and Mr. Flint may be induced to retain you."
John began to think that this might be good advice, and for a day or two
paid more attention to his duties.
"I wonder I don't see Andy somewhere," he said to himself.
"I am out a good deal, and I ought to meet him. He is probably hunting
up positions."
It was not till Tuesday afternoon that he did see him. Andy had been
sent to the St. Denis Hotel to meet a customer of the firm. As he came
out he fell in with John.
John was the first to see him.
"Hello, Andy!" he exclaimed. "How are you getting along?"
"Pretty well, thank you."
"I suppose you haven't struck a job yet?"
"Oh, yes, I have."
"You have!" ejaculated John, in surprise. "What kind of a job?"
"I am in a large real estate office down town."
"Did they take you without a recommendation?"
"No."
"My uncle wouldn't give you one."
"I wouldn't ask him for one."
"Who did recommend you, then?"
"Mrs. Mason, of West Fifty-sixth Street."
"I know. She is one of our customers."
"Yes."
"Probably she hasn't heard of your being suspected of pawning a watch
from our stock."
"You might tell her."
"Perhaps I shall," John said to himself. "What pay do you get?"
"Five dollars a week."
"I didn't think you would get a place."
Andy smiled.
"I presume Mr. Rich did not care to have me get another place."
"He thought you would have to go back to the country."
"I am better off than when I was in the jewelry store," said Andy. "How
are you getting along?"
"Oh, first-class."
"I hope you will be able to keep the place."
"I didn't know but you might be wanting to come back."
"I wouldn't go back if I had the chance."
John was pleased to hear this. He was afraid that Mr. Flint might not be
satisfied with his uncle's explanation, and that somehow the truth might
come out.
"You must excuse me now," said Andy. "I ought to go back to the office
at once."
John returned to the jeweler's full of excitement.
"Whom do you think I met just now, Uncle Simon?" he asked.
"Andy?"
"Yes."
"Did you speak with him?"
"Yes."
"I suppose he is hunting for a place."
"No; he has got one."
"Where is he working?"
"In a real estate office down town. He is getting five dollars a week."
"I didn't think he could get a place without a recommendation."
"He was recommended by one of our customers--Mrs. Mason."
"I see. Well, that is lucky for him."
Simon Rich spoke indifferently. He was rather glad that Andy had found a
place, as Mr. Flint would be less likely to find fault with his
dismissal.
Not so John. He had never forgiven Andy for superseding him, and he felt
aggrieved that he had so soon found employment. Thinking it over, there
came to him a mean suggestion. He might be able to get Andy discharged
from his present place.
As his uncle seemed indifferent, and might not approve of his
contemplated action, he decided to say nothing about it.
That evening, after supper, he made his way up to West Fifty-sixth
Street, and sought out the residence of Mrs. Mason.
He rang the bell.
"Can I see Mrs. Mason?" he asked.
"What name shall I mention?"
"Say it is a boy from Mr. Flint's."
Mrs. Mason received the message in some surprise. What could a boy from
Flint's have to say to her?
However, she entered the parlor, where John Crandall was waiting to see
her.
"You are from Mr. Flint's?" she asked.
"Yes, ma'am."
"What business can you have with me? I have bought no jewelry lately."
"I know it, Mrs. Mason. It isn't about jewelry I wish to speak."
"What, then?"
"I met, to-day, a boy who was lately employed by our firm--Andrew
Grant."
"Well?"
"He said you had recommended him to a real estate firm down town."
"I did so."
"Perhaps you didn't know that he had been discharged from our place for
dishonesty."
"I begin to understand," thought Mrs. Mason, and she sat down and
examined John curiously.
"Did he steal anything?"
"Yes, ma'am," answered John, glibly. "He took a watch--a gold watch out
of the case and pawned it."
"That was bad. And you have come up to tell me of it? You are very
considerate. Did Mr. Rich send you, or do you come of your own accord?"
"I came of my own accord. I thought you were deceived in the boy."
"What do you think I ought to do?"
"I thought you would take back the recommendation and get the boy
discharged."
"Can you wait here half an hour while I consider what is best to be
done?"
"Oh, yes, ma'am." ("I guess I've put a spoke in his wheel," thought
John.)
In about half an hour the door opened, and to John's amazement Andy
walked in.
"You here!" he gasped.
"Yes; I hear you have been warning Mrs. Mason against me."
"I thought she ought to know that you were sent away from our store in
disgrace."
"I have something to say to you," said Andy, quietly. "I have been to
the pawnbroker's, and got a description of the boy who pawned the
watch!"
John turned pale.
"I see you understand," Andy went on, "who did it. So do I, and so does
Mrs. Mason. You won't make anything by your attempt to injure me.
Good-evening!"
John Crandall left the house without a word. He began to be alarmed.
"Suppose Andy tells Flint," he soliloquized. "No matter; he can't prove
it."
But he felt uneasy, nevertheless. He did not say anything to his uncle
about his visit.