THE TRAMP'S UNEXPECTED DEFEAT.
"Has Rudolph tracked me, or is it only accident that has brought him
here?"
This was the thought which naturally suggested itself to our hero, as
in a very disturbed state of mind he stared at Rudolph through the
uncertain light.
He decided that it was accident, for as yet the tramp did not appear
to have discovered him. His eyes were fastened upon old Ben with
unmistakable cupidity. It was the gold that attracted him, and between
him and the possession of the gold it seemed as if there were no
obstacle to intervene. What was the old man's feeble strength, more
feeble still through disease, against this powerful man?
Tony felt the difficulties of the position. Not only would the gold be
taken, but as soon as Rudolph discovered him, as he would, he too would
fall into the power of the tramp.
Old Ben had not yet discovered the sinister face at the window. He was
too busily occupied with his pleasant employment of counting over his
gold for the hundredth time, it might be, to be aware of the dangerous
witness at the window.
But he was speedily aroused by the noise of the window being raised
from the outside.
Then he turned with a startled look which quickly deepened into
astonishment and dismay as he caught the lowering look fixed upon him.
There was more than this. There was recognition besides.
"You here?" he gasped, mechanically gathering up the gold in his
trembling fingers, with the intention of replacing it in the bag.
"Yes, Ben, it's me," answered the tramp, with a sneer. "May I come in?"
"No, no!" ejaculated the old man, hastily.
"I think I must," returned the tramp, in the same mocking tone. "I came
to see you as an old friend, but I never dreamed you were so rich.
That's a pretty lot of gold you have there."
"Rich!" repeated Ben, with his usual whine. "I'm very poor."
"That looks like it."
"It's only a few dollars--enough to bury me."
"Very well, Ben, I'll take charge of it, and when you need burial I'll
attend to it. That's fair, isn't it?"
Rudolph, who had paused outside, now raised the window to its full
height, and despite the old man's terrified exclamations, bounded
lightly into the room.
"Help! help! thieves!" screamed Ben, almost beside himself with terror,
as he spread his feeble hands over the gold which he had so imprudently
exposed.
"Hold your jaw, you driveling old idiot," said Rudolph, harshly, "or
I'll give you something to yell about."
"Help, Tony, help!" continued the old man.
The tramp's eyes, following the direction of Ben's, discovered our hero
on his rude bed in the corner of the room. A quick gleam of exultation
shot from them as he made this discovery.
"Ho, ho!" he laughed with a mirth that boded ill to Tony, "so I've
found you at last, have I? You served me a nice trick the other day,
didn't you? I owe you something for that."
"I hoped I should never set eyes on you again," said Tony.
"I've no doubt you did. You undertook to run away from me, did you? I
knew I should come across you sooner or later."
While this conversation was going on, Ben glanced from one to the other
in surprise, his attention momentarily drawn away from his own troubles.
"Do you know this boy, Rudolph?" he inquired.
"I should think I did," answered the tramp, grimly. "You can ask him."
"_Who is he?_" asked Ben, evidently excited.
"What is that to you?" returned Rudolph. "It's a boy I picked up, and
have taken care of, and this is his gratitude to me, and I've had a
long chase to find him."
"Is this true?" asked Ben, turning to Tony.
"Some of it is true," said our hero. "I've been with him ever since
I could remember, and I ran away because he wanted me to join him in
robbing a house. He calls me his son sometimes, but I know he is not my
father."
"How do you know?" demanded the tramp sternly.
"Didn't you say so just now?"
"It was none of the old man's business, and I did not care what I told
him."
"There's something within me tells me that there's no relationship
between us," said Tony, boldly.
"Is there, indeed," sneered the tramp. "Is there anything within you
tells you you are going to get a good flogging?"
"No, there isn't."
"Then you needn't trust it, for that is just what is going to happen."
He advanced toward Tony in a threatening manner, when he was diverted
from his purpose by seeing the old man hastily gathering up the gold
with the intention of putting it away. Punishment could wait, he
thought, but the gold must be secured now.
"Not so fast, Ben!" he said. "You must lend me some of that."
"I can't," said Ben, hurrying all the faster. "It's all I have, and I
am very poor."
"I am poorer still, for I haven't a red to bless myself with. Come, I
won't take all, but some I must have."
He stooped over, and began to grasp at the gold pieces, some of which
were heaped up in piles upon the floor.
Even the weakest are capable of harm when exasperated, and Ben, feeble
as he was, was gifted with supernatural strength when he saw himself
likely to lose the hoards of a lifetime, and his anger rose to fever
heat against the scoundrel whom he had known years before to be utterly
unprincipled.
With a cry like that of a wild beast he sprang upon the tramp, who, in
his crouching position, was unable to defend himself against a sudden
attack. Rudolph fell with violence backward, striking his head with
great force against the brick hearth. Strong as he was, it was too much
for him, and he lay stunned and insensible, with the blood gushing from
a wound in his head.
The old man stood appalled at the consequence of his sudden attack.
"Have I killed him? Shall I be hanged?" he asked, with anguish.
"No, he's only stunned!" said Tony, springing over the floor with all
his wits about him. "We have no time to lose."
"To run away? I can't leave my gold," said Ben.
"I don't mean that. We must secure him against doing us any harm when
he recovers. Have you got some stout cord?"
"Yes, yes," said Ben, beginning to understand our hero's design. "Stay,
I'll get it right away."
"You'd better, for he may come to any minute."
The old man fumbled round until in some out-of-the-way corner, where
he had laid away a store of odds and ends, he discovered a quantity of
stout cord.
"Will that do?" he asked.
"Just the thing," said Tony.
The boy set to work with rapid hands to tie the prostrate tramp hand
and foot. He was only afraid Rudolph would rouse to consciousness while
the operation was going on, but the shock was too great, and he had
sufficient time to do the job effectually and well.
"How brave you are," exclaimed the old man, admiringly. "I wouldn't
dare to touch him."
"Nor I if he were awake. I didn't think you were so strong. He went
over as if he were shot."
"Did he?" asked the old man, bewildered. "I don't know how I did it. I
feel as weak as a baby now."
"It's lucky for us you threw yourself upon him as you did. A little
more cord, Mr. Hayden. I want to tie him securely. You'd better be
gathering up that gold, and putting it away before he comes to."
"So I will, so I will," said Ben, hastily.
Scarcely was the money put away in its place of concealment, when the
tramp recovered from his fit of unconsciousness, and looked stupidly
around him. Then he tried to move, and found himself hampered by his
bonds. Looking up, he met the terrified gaze of old Ben, and the steady
glance of Tony. Then the real state of the case flashed upon him, and
he was filled with an overpowering rage at the audacity of his late
charge, to whom he rightly attributed his present humiliating plight.