“IN SELF-DEFENSE OR A CAUSE THAT IS HONORABLE”
Townsend Strawbridge, Jack’s father, lived alone in what was left of
a once very large estate in the upper end of the pleasant Champlain
Valley. The old dwelling was located on the outskirts of the village of
Middlebury less than fifty miles from Drueryville, and it was toward
this point that Jack hurried as soon as he received the precious yellow
envelope and final instructions from Dr. Moorland.
Mr. Strawbridge had in his day suffered a double misfortune through
losing his wife and his money almost at the same time. His story was
the same as that of many others in that region of the country. He had
discovered outcroppings of another section of the rich marble vein that
runs from one end of the Champlain Valley to the other and almost
bisects the State of Vermont. Lured on by the vast fortune that certain
other men were making in marble quarrying, Mr. Strawbridge sought to
develop his own property. All the money he had saved, as well as all
that he could borrow on mortgages, was invested in quarrying machines,
derricks and the like. With these and a force of burly Canadian quarrymen
he went to work, opening quarry holes in what had once been the farm’s
pasture lot.
But unfortunately he had not been able to gather together money enough
to more than to tide him over the early part of the operation. This
consisted in removing the top soil and breaking away the upper layers
of worthless stone, a condition he had not reckoned with. The result
was that when the channeling machines were finally put to work to get
out the first blocks Mr. Strawbridge found himself unable to finance
the undertaking much longer. He tried to borrow more money, but before
he could successfully negotiate a loan the quarrymen called a general
strike throughout the State and the men at the Strawbridge quarries
went out with the rest. The strike affected the entire valley and every
one was pressed for money. Instead of making new loans old accounts were
called in, and since Mr. Strawbridge had no way of meeting his debts, the
mortgages on his property were foreclosed. However, he had steadfastly
refused to mortgage his house and the property on which it stood. Nor
would he jeopardize his interest in the old pasture lot where the
quarries were located; consequently these sections alone were saved to
him.
On top of all this trouble Jack’s mother died. This was almost more
than Mr. Strawbridge could stand and for several years he was very much
depressed. But gradually he was mastering his unhappiness. He was, in
fact, working on a plan to organize a company and develop his marble
quarries and this served to keep his mind occupied enough to prevent
unpleasant memories from creeping in.
Naturally his son was very dear to him. In fact, he and Jack were more
like chums than father and son. In summer, during Jack’s long vacation,
they would go hunting and fishing together and have a thoroughly good
time in general. In the fall and winter, when Jack was at Drueryville,
Mr. Strawbridge made weekly visits to the old academy, just for the
pleasure of being able to chat with Jack and his schoolboy companions.
Considering this mutual affection it may seem strange that his father
was willing to let Jack spend his vacation in Mexico, but then, as Mr.
Strawbridge said in his letter to Jack sanctioning the trip, “It is an
opportunity that you cannot well miss, as it will give you a chance to
see a very wonderful country. If you do not avail yourself of this chance
you may have to wait a long time before I can afford to pay the expenses
of such a journey. Besides, you will be able to earn enough money to pay
your tuition next year which also counts for a great deal because I am
now using every penny I have at my command to re-establish my fortune.”
When Jack reached home that Sunday afternoon after leaving the academy,
Mr. Strawbridge was for putting by his plans for organizing a quarry
operating company and devoting the entire week to his son. But Jack
would not hear to this, for he was thoroughly interested in the work of
reopening the quarries. Mr. Strawbridge was well pleased at this and
explained all the intricacies of issuing stock and organizing a company
until the boy had secured an excellent insight into business of this
nature. Many hours were spent in wandering over the old pasture lot and
climbing in and out of the quarry holes. They even visited other quarries
that were being successfully operated in the vicinity of Middlebury.
But though they were employed in working out the more serious problems of
life they did find time to go a-wandering beside babbling trout brooks
with their fly rods. Altogether they crowded more enjoyment into that one
week than they really expected and Friday morning came all too soon for
both of them. This, in spite of the fact that Jack was looking forward to
his voyage to Mexico with as much enthusiasm as ever.
After breakfast the last morning before his departure Jack went over
the contents of his valise to see that nothing important had been
overlooked. While he was thus engaged his father asked him to step into
the library for a moment. When Jack entered the room Mr. Strawbridge was
seated at his desk and before him lay a huge blue steel Colt revolver, a
well-worn leather holster and a cartridge belt studded with brass ends
of many cartridges. Jack had often viewed this weapon in his father’s
room and occasionally he had been allowed to fire it at a target when his
father was at hand.
“My son,” said Mr. Strawbridge kindly as he patted the heavy six-shooter,
“you have been greatly honored by your principal, Dr. Moorland. He has
asked you to undertake a mission of importance. He has entrusted you with
valuable drawings, the loss of which would mean the ruination perhaps of
a man’s most important contribution to the scientific world. All this
has pleased me a great deal for I find satisfaction in knowing others
besides myself have faith in your ability to carry out an undertaking. Do
everything you can, my boy, to have them retain this faith. I realized
when I gave you permission to go to Mexico that I was letting you take
your life in your own hands. This worried me a great deal at first, but I
would not for anything in the world cheat you of the honor of making that
journey successfully. You will be traveling most of the time among people
to whom human life is of little value. These people are violent and
warlike. They are uneducated and untrained, and all the time that you are
in their country your life will be in danger. For that reason I am going
to give you this revolver. Take it and use it only in self-defense or in
a cause that is honorable. If others believe that you are to carry out an
important task I am ready to believe that you are careful enough to know
how to use a weapon of this kind and not misuse it.”
Jack’s heart beat fast as he took the heavy holster and cartridge belt
from the desk. He always liked to feel it in his hands, and to examine it
closely. He had been accustomed to firearms of all kinds, but this huge
army revolver fascinated him because of its massiveness.
“Father,” he said finally, “I shall be as careful with this as you have
been, and you can be certain that whatever use it is put to will be
honorable.”
“Jack, I believe you,” said Mr. Strawbridge heartily, as he grasped his
son’s hand.
The rest of the day Jack and his father devoted to planning the details
of his trip and at four o’clock Mr. Strawbridge opened the heavy door
of his private safe and took the yellow envelope from the compartment
in which it had been reposing since Jack’s arrival from Drueryville. He
also took a heavy waterproof wallet from the safe and emptying the papers
contained therein gave it to Jack with instructions always to keep the
precious drawings in it. The wallet, with drawings inside, Jack placed
in an inner pocket of his coat, taking good care first to see that there
were no small holes that might become enlarged by the weight of the
package, thereby providing a way for it to slip through. Shortly after
that the village bus drove to the door and Jack and his father bundled
inside. Thus did our hero depart on the first stage of what was to prove
an unusual adventure.
The express from Montreal that was to take him to New York was in the
station when he arrived and Jack had but a very few minutes to say a last
good-by to his parent. In fact, the train started as they were shaking
hands and Jack just had time to toss his bag to a dusky Pullman porter
and swing aboard.