IN WHICH JOSHUA COMES TO GRIEF.
Walter went up to his room, and hastily packed his trunk. He felt
wronged and outraged by the unfounded charge that had been made against
him. Why, he argued, should Mr. Drummond so readily decide that he had
cheated him out of five dollars? He felt that he could not, with any
self-respect, remain any longer under the same roof with a man who had
such a poor opinion of him.
He was not sorry that his engagement was at an end. He had obtained some
knowledge of the dry-goods business, and he knew that his services were
worth more than his board. Then again, though he was not particular
about living luxuriously, the fare at Mr. Drummond's was so uncommonly
poor that he did sometimes long for one of the abundant and well-cooked
meals which he used to have spread before him at home, or even at his
boarding-house while a pupil of the Essex Classical Institute.
He was packing his trunk when a step was heard on the stairs, and his
door was opened by Mr. Drummond, considerably to Walter's surprise.
The fact is, that Mr. Drummond, on realizing what a mistake he had made,
and that Joshua was the real culprit, felt that he had gone altogether
too far, and he realized that he would be severely censured by Walter's
friends in Willoughby. Besides, it was just possible that Walter might,
after all, recover a few thousand dollars from his father's estate, and
therefore it was better to be on good terms with him. Mr. Drummond
determined, therefore, to conciliate Walter, and induce him, if
possible, to remain in his house and employ.
"What are you doing, Conrad?" he asked, on entering Walter's chamber.
"Packing my trunk, sir," said Walter.
"Surely you are not going to leave us."
"I think it best," said Walter, quietly.
"You won't--ahem!--bear malice on account of the little mistake I made.
We are all liable to mistakes."
"It was something more than a mistake, Mr. Drummond. What had you seen
in me to justify you in such a sudden charge of dishonesty?"
"Almost anybody would have been deceived under the circumstances," said
Mr. Drummond, awkwardly.
"You did not give me an opportunity to defend myself, or rather you
disbelieved all I said."
"Well, Conrad, I was mistaken. I shall be glad to have you come back to
the store as before."
"Thank you, Mr. Drummond, but I have decided to go back to Willoughby
for a short time. I want to consult Mr. Shaw about the future. It is
time I formed some plans, as I shall probably have to earn my living."
"Don't you think you had better wait a few months?"
"No, sir, I think not."
"If you have made up your mind, all I have to say is that my humble
dwelling will be ever open to receive you in the future. Perhaps, after
a short visit at your old home, you may feel inclined to return to my
employment. I will give you a dollar a week besides board."
Mr. Drummond looked as if he felt that this was a magnificent offer, for
which Walter ought to feel grateful. But our hero knew very well that he
could command better pay elsewhere, and was not particularly impressed.
Still he wished to be polite.
"Thank you for your offer, Mr. Drummond," he said; "but I am not
prepared to say, as yet, what I will do."
"I hope," said Mr. Drummond, rather embarrassed, "you won't speak of our
little difference to your friends at Willoughby."
"No, sir, not if you wish me not to do so."
By this time the trunk was packed, and Walter, locking it, rose from his
knees.
"If it won't be too much trouble, Mr. Drummond," he said, "I will send
for my trunk to-morrow."
"Certainly. Why won't you wait till to-morrow yourself?"
"As I am ready, I may as well take the afternoon train."
"Very well; just as you think best."
"I will go down and bid good-by to Mrs. Drummond."
Mrs. Drummond had just come from the kitchen. She looked with surprise
at Walter and her husband, whose presence in the house at that hour was
unusual.
"What is the matter?" she asked.
"Conrad is going home a short time on business," explained Mr. Drummond.
"When shall we see you back again, Walter?" asked Mrs. Drummond.
"That is uncertain," said Walter. "It depends upon my plans for the
future."
"I have offered him increased pay," said Mr. Drummond, "if he will
return to the store. I hope he may decide to do so. Our humble roof will
ever be ready to shelter him."
Considering that Mr. Drummond had not lately made any such hospitable
references to the humble roof, his wife looked somewhat puzzled.
Just at that moment Joshua, unconscious of the damaging discovery that
had been made relative to himself, entered the room.
"Hallo! what's up?" he asked.
It was the first time his father had seen him since the discovery of his
dishonesty, and his anger was kindled.
"You ought to be ashamed to show your face here, you young reprobate!"
he exclaimed.
Joshua stared in amazement, and Mrs. Drummond exclaimed, "What makes you
talk so, Mr. Drummond? What has he done?"
"What has he done?" ejaculated Mr. Drummond, adding, rather
ungrammatically, "He's a thief, that's what he's done."
"How can you say such things of your own son?"
"Shut up, Mrs. Drummond; you don't know what you're talking about, or
you wouldn't defend him. It would serve him right if I should flog him
within an inch of his life."
"If you try it," said Joshua, sullenly, "I'll have you arrested for
assault and battery."
"Take care, boy! or you may find yourself in custody for theft."
"What do all these dreadful words mean?" asked Mrs. Drummond,
distressed. "Tell me, Walter, if you know."
"I would rather Mr. Drummond informed you," said Walter.
"I'll tell you, Mrs. Drummond," said her husband. "That boy sold a shawl
a fortnight ago, when alone in the store, and pocketed the money."
"Who said I did?" asked Joshua, boldly, though he looked a little pale.
"The woman who bought it of you was in the store to-day."
"Did she say I sold it to her?"
"Yes."
"Did she know my name?"
"No, but she described you."
"So I did," said Joshua, finding it advisable to remember. "I remember
now I sold it for five dollars."
"What made you keep the money?"
"I didn't. I waited till Conrad came into the store, and gave the money
to him. What he did with it, I don't know. Perhaps he forgot to put it
in the drawer," he added, with a spiteful look at Walter.
"That's a lie, Joshua Drummond!" said Walter, quietly, "and you know it
is. I think your father knows it is also."
"Do you mean to say I lie?" blustered Joshua.
"I wouldn't if I wasn't obliged to; but in my own defence I am compelled
to do so."
"What could I want of the money?" demanded Joshua, with a look of
virtuous indignation.
"I might as well ask the same question of myself; but that would be a
poor defence. If you really want me to answer that question, I will do
it."
"Go ahead, then," said Joshua. "I hope my word is better than that of a
beggar living on charity."
"Joshua!" said his mother, in a tone of remonstrance.
"I think you wanted the money to buy lottery tickets with," said Walter,
calmly.
Joshua turned pale, and looked thunderstruck.
"To buy lottery tickets with!" he gasped, staring at Walter in dismay.
"What's that?" asked Mr. Drummond, pricking up his ears.
"Your son can tell you," said Walter.
"What does this mean, Joshua?" demanded his father, sternly.
"It's a lie," said Joshua, unblushingly.
"Have you bought no lottery tickets?"
"No."
"Can you prove this charge which you have made against my son?" asked
Mr. Drummond, turning to Walter.
"I can, but I am sorry to do so. I picked up this letter a day or two
since, and intended to give it back to Joshua, but it escaped my mind. I
would not have exposed him if he had not tried to charge me with theft."
He placed in Mr. Drummond's hands the letter already given, announcing
to Joshua that he had drawn a blank.
Mr. Drummond read it with no little anger, for he detested lotteries.
"Unhappy boy!" he said, addressing Joshua. "I understand now what
became of the five dollars. This decides me to do what I had intended to
do sooner. I have supported you in laziness long enough. It is time you
went to work. Next week you must go to work. I will take you into my
store; but as I am not sure of your honesty, if I find you appropriating
money to your own use, I will put you into a shoe-shop and make a
shoemaker of you."
This was an alarming threat to Joshua, who had a foolish pride, which
led him to look upon a trade as less respectable than the mercantile
profession. He slunk out of the house, and Mr. Drummond went back to the
store, while Walter set out on foot for the railway station,
three-quarters of a mile distant.