ST. VICTOR.
"So this is St. Victor," said Fred, as he got out of the train on the
Grand Trunk Railroad, and looked about him curiously.
It was a small, unpretending village, composed entirely of frame
houses, of modest size, and a few small stores kept, as the signs
indicated, by Frenchmen. On a little elevation stood a wooden Catholic
church, surmounted by a cross.
"It seems a quiet place," thought Fred. "I shall find it dull enough,
but if I accomplish my purpose I won't complain of that."
He scarcely needed to inquire for the village inn, for it was in plain
sight, not a hundred yards from the station. As the town seemed to be
peopled chiefly by French residents it would have been natural to
conclude that the hotel also would be French. This, however, was not
the case, for the Lion Inn (there was a swinging signboard adorned by
the figure of a lion, the work of a fourth-rate sign painter) was kept
by a short, stout, red-faced Englishman, who stood in the doorway as
Fred came up, valise in hand.
"Is this the hotel?" asked Fred.
"Yes, sir," was the reply.
"I should like to stay with you for a while."
"All right, sir. Come right in, and we'll accommodate you with a room.
Have you had supper?"
"No. I should like some, for I am very hungry."
"It shall be ready for you, sir, in a jiffy. Will 'am and heggs suit
you, sir?"
"Yes, I shall relish them."
"James, take the young gentleman's bag up to No. 5."
"I should like water and towels, as I have had a long and dusty ride."
Fred was ushered into a small bedroom on the second floor, very plainly
furnished, but the train boy was not accustomed to luxurious
accommodations, and found it satisfactory. He indulged himself in a
thorough ablution, then sat down at the window, which was in the front
of the house.
Soon there was a knock at the door, and the boy James made his
appearance.
"Please, sir, your supper's ready," he said.
"And so am I," returned Fred with alacrity.
He descended to a small dining-room, adjoining the bar. It was not more
than twelve feet square, and from its size it might be inferred that
the Lion Inn was seldom overrun with guests.
Fred sat down at the table alone, but presently a man of thirty-five or
thereabouts entered and took a seat opposite him.
"Good evening, young man," he said. "Where do you come from?"
"Good evening," answered Fred, civilly. "I come from New York."
The other arched his brows.
"So do I," he said. "What sent you here to this out-of-the-way place?"
"There's good hunting hereabouts, isn't there?"
"Yes, are you fond of hunting?"
"I like it pretty well. I've just had a present of a handsome rifle."
It should be mentioned here that before Fred left New York Mr.
Wainwright had given him a gun which would serve him as an excuse for
his journey.
"We'll go out together to-morrow. My name's Bowman."
Fred heard the name with a thrill of excitement. Why, this must be the
man referred to in Sinclair's letter as having instigated him to the
crime. He surveyed Bowman with attention, taking stock of him, so to
speak. He found him to be a man of middle height, rather spare than
stout, with dark, shifty eyes and a sallow complexion. He wore a
mustache, but no whiskers.
"I may find it worth while to get well acquainted with him," thought
Fred. "I shall be glad to go out with you," he said aloud.
"That's all right! But how does a boy like you happen to be traveling
so far from home?"
"I have a vacation," said Fred. "I have never been in Canada, and
thought it would be something new to come here."
"I'm pretty tired of it, I can tell you."
"Then why do you stay?" asked Fred innocently.
"My partner's taken down with rheumatism, and I can't leave him,"
answered Bowman in a tone of hesitation. "When he gets well I may go
back to New York."
"I doubt if you will," thought Fred.
"Were you in a business position in New York?" asked Bowman.
"I have been for some time train boy on the Erie Railroad," answered
Fred, feeling that it would never do to mention his connection with Mr.
Wainwright.
"Train boys don't usually have money to spend on vacation trips," said
Bowman shrewdly.
"That's true," laughed Fred. "If I had depended on my savings, I
shouldn't have been able to go farther than Hoboken, or Coney Island,
but a rich friend supplied me with a moderate sum for expenses."
"Then you were in luck."
Fred was a little afraid that Bowman would inquire the name of the rich
friend, and made up his mind that he would evade answering. However,
his companion showed no curiosity on the subject.
"Will you take a glass of ale with me?" asked Bowman, as he filled his
own glass from a bottle beside his plate.
"No, thank you. I have no taste for it."
"I didn't like it myself at first but I've come to like it."
"Does your partner board with you at the hotel?" asked Fred.
"No," was the careless reply. "We have a small cottage just out of the
village."
"I wonder how he gets along for meals," thought Fred.
However that might be, Paul Bowman didn't permit anxiety to interfere
with his own appetite. He did ample justice to the supper, and so
indeed did Fred. Fortunately the ham and eggs were well cooked, and the
loaf of bread was fresh. In place of ale Fred contented himself with
tea.
At length they rose from the table.
"This is a beastly hole--St. Victor, I mean," said Bowman, as he led
the way to the reading-room, "but the eating is fair. An Englishman
keeps the inn, and though he has no French kickshaws on his table, he
gives you solid food and enough of it. Do you smoke? I believe I have a
cigar somewhere, but I smoke a pipe myself."
"Thank you," answered Fred, "but I don't smoke. I used to smoke
cigarettes, but a young man--an acquaintance of mine--died of
cigarette-smoking, so the doctor said, and I gave it up."
"Smoking never hurt me that I know of," said Bowman. "Even if it did,
what's a man to do in this dull hole? Shall you stay here long?"
"I don't know how long. It's a cheap place to stay in, isn't it?"
"Yes, it has that recommendation."
"Then I may stay a week possibly," said Fred in an off-hand way.
"I've been here six weeks," said Bowman.
"Then you have had a chance to get well acquainted with St. Victor."
"A good deal better than I want to be. I was just getting ready to
leave, when my partner had a sharp attack of rheumatism."
"Is he from New York too?"
"No, from Philadelphia," answered Bowman cautiously, though he had no
suspicion that Fred was other than he represented himself.
"I have never been in Philadelphia," said Fred indifferently. "What is
your partner's name?"
"James Sinclair," answered Bowman after a moment's hesitation. "Have
you ever heard that name before?"
"Yes."
"Where?" I asked Bowman quickly.
"I had a schoolmate of that name."
"Oh! Yes, I suppose the name is not an uncommon one. Do you play
billiards?"
"I have seen it played."
"There is a poor table in the house. Such as it is, it may afford us a
little recreation. Will you try a game?"
"Yes, if you will teach me."
Fred felt that it was his policy to cultivate the acquaintance of Mr.
Bowman, as it might afford him an opportunity to obtain the information
he desired. He had never played a game of billiards, but he was willing
to try it.
"Come in, then," said Bowman.
He led the way into a room opposite the office, where stood a
venerable-looking billiard table, probably twenty years old. It had
been given to the landlord some years before by a gentleman, and it had
seen hard service since then.
They played one game, and were about to commence another when a small
girl with black hair cut short entered the room.
"Monsieur Bowman," she said, "your friend would like to see you. He
feels quite bad."
"Plague take it!" said Bowman pettishly. "I can do him no good, but I
suppose I shall have to go."
"Is it your partner?" asked Fred.
"Yes."
"If you don't mind I will walk over with you."
"Glad of your company. Claudine, tell Mr. Sinclair that I will be with
him directly."
"_Oui, monsieur,_" and the little girl vanished.
"I wish Sinclair would get well or something," grumbled Bowman, as they
walked to the lower end of the main street of the village. "It's hard
luck for me to be tied to a sick man."
"Still he has the worst of it," suggested Fred, who was not altogether
pleased with the cold selfishness of his companion.
"Yes, I suppose so; but it isn't right that I should suffer for his
misfortune."
"Do you employ a doctor?"
"Yes; I called in a doctor once--a Frenchman--Dr. St. Hilaire. He left
some medicines, and Sinclair takes them."
"He doesn't seem to get better, then?"
"At any rate he is very slow about it," said Bowman, who spoke as if
his unfortunate friend were in fault.
At last they reached the cottage. It was very small, containing three
rooms and an attic. Bowman opened the door, and entered what might
perhaps be designated as the sitting-room, though it contained a bed,
on which, propped up by pillows, lay James Sinclair.
"What's amiss with you, Sinclair?" grumbled Bowman.
"Everything is amiss. You have left me alone all day."
"What good could I do you if I were here? It would only mope me to
death."
"I have had nothing to eat since morning, except a boiled egg."
"Why not? Couldn't you send Claudine after food?"
"Of what use would that be, when I had no money to give her? I warrant
you have had your regular meals."
"I took my meals at the hotel--it was more convenient."
"I warrant me you took care to provide for yourself. At least give me
some money so that I may not quite starve."
"Money, money, all the time! Do you know, Sinclair, our stock is
running very low?"
"I demand my share of it as long as it lasts. You take advantage of my
helplessness----"
"There's a dollar! Mind you make it last as long as possible," said
Bowman. "It will be well to put off your complaints till another time,
for I have brought company."
He signaled to Fred, who had remained outside, to enter, and the boy
did so. He regarded the sick man with interest and sympathy, not alone
because he seemed in sorry plight, and ill treated by his companion in
crime, but also because he was clearly the less guilty of the two, and
seemed disposed to make amends to the man whom he had wronged.
James Sinclair, unprepared for the advent of a boy, regarded him with
surprise.
"Who is this?" he asked.
"My name is Fred Fenton," answered the train boy, remembering that
Bowman was as yet ignorant of his name.
"He is a guest at the inn," explained Bowman carelessly. "He arrived
to-night. He will be some company for me in this dull hole. We were
playing a game of billiards when Claudine broke in and told me you
wanted to see me. I expected to find you at the point of death," he
finished impatiently.
"That may come sooner than you think," said Sinclair. "May I ask where
you come from, young man?" he added, in a tone of suppressed eagerness
which Fred well understood.
"I come from New York," answered the boy, trying to throw a degree of
significance into this brief answer.
"From New York!" said Sinclair, in some excitement, and trying to read
in Fred's face whether he was the expected messenger. "You have come
for your health, I suppose?"
"Not exactly for that, for my health is always good, but I thought it
might be a pleasant place to spend an unexpected holiday that has been
granted me."
"Pleasant!" repeated Bowman scornfully. "If you can find anything
pleasant at St. Victor, you will have greater luck than I."
"Is Claudine in the kitchen?" asked the sick man. "Claudine!" he
called, raising his voice.
"Yes, monsieur," answered the little handmaid, appearing at the door.
"Go to the baker's and buy a loaf of bread. Here is money. Is there any
tea left?"
"Yes, monsieur."
"Then buy a cupful of milk and half a pound of sugar. I am almost
famished. A cup of tea and some toast will put new life into me."
Claudine departed on her errand, and Sinclair once more fixed his eyes
on Fred. There was a question he very much wished to ask, but in
Bowman's presence he could not do it safely.