THE FACE AT THE WINDOW.
Tony was not only cook and housekeeper, but he was sick-nurse as well.
Nor were his duties easy. The main difficulty was about getting money
to buy what was absolutely necessary. This was very aggravating,
especially since Tony knew what he did about Ben's hidden treasure.
Moreover, he had reason to suspect that Ben had more money concealed
elsewhere.
One morning Tony went to Ben for money, saying:
"There isn't a scrap of food in the house, except a little tea."
"You can make some tea. That will do," said Ben.
"It may do for you, but it won't for me," said Tony, resolutely. "I
ain't going to stay here to starve."
"It costs a sight to support two people," whined the old man.
"I don't know about that. I've only spent two dollars in six days. You
don't call that much, do you?"
"Two dollars!" ejaculated the old man, terrified. "O, it's too much. I
am ruined!"
"Are you?" said Tony, coolly. "Then all I can say is, you're easy
ruined. I want half a dollar."
"I shan't give it to you," snarled Ben.
"Do you mean to starve?"
"I won't part with all I have. You are robbing me."
"That won't make much difference, as you'll be dead in three days,"
said Tony.
"What?" almost shrieked Ben, in dismay. "Who told you so? The doctor?"
"No."
"You ain't goin' to murder me, are you?"
"No; you are going to murder yourself."
"What do you mean?" demanded Ben, peevishly.
"You're not willing to buy anything to eat," explained Tony, "and you
can't live above three days on nothing."
"Is that all? What made you frighten me so?" complained Ben, angrily.
"I only told you the truth. Are you going to give me the money?"
"Perhaps you'll tell me where I am to get so much money?" said Ben, in
the same tone.
"I will tell you if you want me to," answered Tony.
"Where?" asked Ben, eagerly.
"Under the floor," returned Tony, composedly.
"What!" screamed Ben, in consternation.
"Just where I said. There's plenty of money under that plank."
"Who told you?" groaned the old man, livid with terror. "Have--have you
taken any?"
"Not a dollar. It's all there. You needn't be frightened."
"Have you been spying when I was asleep?" demanded Ben, incensed.
"No, I haven't. That ain't my style," answered Tony, independently.
"You did. I know you did."
"Then you know too much."
"How could you find out, then?"
"If you want to know, I'll tell you. The first night I was here you got
up in your sleep and took up the board. Then you drew out two bags of
gold pieces and counted them."
"Oh, I'm ruined! I'm undone!" lamented Ben, when he found that his
secret had been discovered.
"I don't see how you are."
"I shall be robbed. There's only a little there--only a few dollars to
bury me."
"I guess you mean to have a tall funeral, then," said Tony, coolly.
"There's as much as a thousand dollars there."
"No, no--only fifty," answered the old man.
"There's no use talking, I know better. If you don't believe it,
suppose I take up the bags and count the pieces."
"No, no!"
"Just as you say. All is, you've got plenty of money, and I know it,
and if you ain't willing to use some of it, I'll go off and leave you
alone."
"Don't go," said Ben, hastily. "You're a good boy. You wouldn't rob a
poor old man, would you?"
"Nor a rich old man either; but I don't mean to starve. So give me
fifty cents, and I'll go over to the store and get some fresh bread and
butter, and tea and sugar."
"No matter about the butter. It costs too much."
"I want butter myself. My constitution requires it," said Tony. "You
needn't eat it if you don't want to."
Ben groaned again, but he produced the money required, and Tony soon
returned from the grocery store with small supplies of the articles he
had named.
"Now we'll have some breakfast," said Tony, cheerfully. "Don't you feel
hungry?"
"A--a little," acknowledged Ben, reluctantly. "I wish I wasn't. It
costs so much to live."
"I don't think it costs you much," said Tony. "This morning I'm going
to give you a boiled egg besides your tea and toast."
"Where did you get it?"
"I bought it at the store."
"I can't afford it," groaned the old man.
"You may as well eat it as it's here. I bought two, one for myself."
"How much did you pay?"
"Three cents for two."
Ben groaned again, but when breakfast was ready he showed an unusually
good appetite, and did not refrain from partaking of the egg, expensive
as it was.
Dr. Compton came in the next morning, and pronounced the old man better
and stronger.
"Shall I be able to get up soon, doctor?" asked Ben.
"In a day or two, I think."
Ben heaved a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad of it," he said. "I can't afford to be sick."
"Has it cost you much?" asked the doctor, amused.
"It costs a sight to live. He eats a good deal," indicating Tony.
"He's a growing boy; but he's worth all he costs you. You'd better
ask him to stay with you a few weeks, till your strength is entirely
recovered."
"No, no; I can't afford it," said Ben, hastily. "He's a good boy; but
he's very hearty--very hearty."
Tony laughed.
"Don't vex him, doctor," said our hero. "I'm tired of staying here. I
want to get out on the road again. There isn't much fun in staying shut
up here."
Ben looked relieved. He had feared that Tony would be reluctant to go.
"Right, boy," he said, "you're right. It's a dull place. You'll be
better off to go."
"You have been lucky to have him here during your sickness," said the
doctor. "Without his care, or that of some one else, you would probably
have died."
"But I won't die now?" asked old Ben, anxiously, peering up into the
doctor's face.
"Not at present, I hope. But you must live better than you have been
accustomed to do or you will fall sick again."
"I shall be glad to get away," said Tony, hurriedly, to the doctor,
outside of the house. "I'm used to tramping, and I can't stand it much
longer. There's one thing I want to tell you before I go, and I might
as well do it now."
"Go on, my boy."
"I'm afraid the old man will be robbed some time."
"Is there anything to steal?"
"Yes; I think I had better tell you about it."
Tony, in a low tone, imparted to Dr. Compton the discovery he had made
of the old miser's hoards.
"I suspected as much," said the doctor. "I will do what I can to induce
Ben to have the gold moved to a place of safety, but I don't feel
confident of my ability to do it. Such men generally like to have their
hoards within their own reach."
* * * * * *
Two nights later, Tony woke shortly after midnight. It was a bright,
moonlight night, as on the first night he slept there. Again he saw Ben
crouched on the floor, with the plank removed from its place, engaged
in counting his hoards. The old man had recovered enough strength to
get out of bed without assistance. This time, too, he was broad awake.
Tony was not the only witness of the spectacle. Casting his eyes toward
the window he was startled by seeing a dark, sinister face, pressed
against the pane, almost devouring the old man and his gold.
It was a face he well knew, and he trembled not alone for Ben, but for
himself.
_It was the face of Rudolph, the tramp._