THE DEED IS DONE.
Tony drove rapidly to Thornton and sought the purchaser of the buggy.
There was a delay of half an hour in finding him, but at last his
business was done, and he set out for home.
It was not quite so amusing leading the horse as sitting in a buggy and
driving him. But all our pleasures have to be paid for, and Tony was
ready to pay the price of this one. After all, he reflected, it was
quite as amusing as working about the stable yard, especially after it
occurred to him to mount the animal and thus spare himself fatigue.
Everything went smoothly till he entered the woody part of the road.
"Now I shall be home soon," he said to himself. "But, hallo! who's
that?" as a figure stepped out from the side of the road. "Oh, it's the
Quaker. I wonder what brought him here?"
"Friend, is thee in a hurry?" asked the impostor.
"I suppose I ought to get back as soon as I can," said Tony. "Why,
what's up?"
"Thee is the boy from the hotel, is thee not?" asked Rudolph.
"Yes. You're the Quaker gentleman that is stopping there?"
"Yes."
"Well, what do you want of me?"
"There's a man in the woods that has fallen down a well, and I fear he
is badly hurt."
"A man fallen down a well!" exclaimed Tony.
"Yes."
"Where is the well?"
"Back in the woods."
"How did you find him?"
"I was walking for amusement when I heard groans, and looking down I
could see the poor man."
Tony never thought of doubting this statement, and said, in a tone of
genuine sympathy: "Poor fellow!"
"Will thee go with me and help get him out?" asked the Quaker.
"Yes," said Tony, readily, "I'll do it. Never mind if I am a little
late. Where shall I put the horse?"
"Lead him into the woods and tie him to a tree."
"All right. I guess that'll be the best way."
The horse was disposed of as had been suggested, and the two set forth
on what Tony supposed to be their charitable errand.
"I don't see what made you go into the woods?" said our hero, a little
puzzled.
"I was brought up in the woods, my young friend. It reminds me of the
time when I was a boy like thee."
"Oh, that's it. Well, it was lucky for the man, that is if we can get
him out. Did you speak to him?"
"Yes, verily."
"And did he answer?"
"He groaned. I think he was insensible. I saw that I should need help,
and I came to the road again. Luckily thee came by."
"Had you been waiting long?"
"Only five minutes," answered Rudolph.
In reality he had been compelled to wait near an hour, much to his
disgust. In fact, he had been led to fear that there might be some
other road by which one could return from Thornton, and that Tony had
taken it. Should this be the case, his elaborate trap would be useless.
They had come quite near the ruined dwelling, and already the curb of
the well was visible.
"Is that the well?" asked Tony.
"Yes," answered the Quaker.
"Let us hurry, then," said Tony.
But the time had come when Tony was to have revealed to him the real
character of his companion. A branch, which hung unusually low, knocked
off the hat and wig of the pseudo Quaker, and Tony was petrified with
dismay when he saw revealed the black, cropped head and sinister face
of Rudolph, the tramp.
"Rudolph!" he exclaimed, stopping short in his amazement.
"Yes," said the tramp, avowing himself, now that he saw disguise was
useless; "it's Rudolph. At last I have you, you young scamp!" and he
seized the boy's arm as in the grip of a vise.
Tony tried to shake off the grip, but what could a boy do against an
athletic man.
"It's no use," said the tramp, between his teeth, "I've got you, and I
don't mean to let you go."
"What do you mean to do, Rudolph?" asked Tony, uneasily.
"What do I mean to do? I mean to make you repent of what you've done to
me, you young whelp."
"What have I done?"
"What haven't you done? You've betrayed me, and sold me to my enemies.
That's what you've done."
"I've only done what I was obliged to do. I don't want to do you any
more harm. Let me go, and I won't meddle with you any more, nor say a
word about you at the hotel."
"Really," said Rudolph, with a disagreeable sneer, "I feel very much
obliged to you. You are very kind, upon my soul. So you won't tell them
at the hotel that the Quaker gentleman is only a tramp after all."
"No, I will say nothing about you."
"I don't think you are to be trusted, boy."
"Did you ever know me to tell a lie, Rudolph?" asked Tony, proudly. "I
don't pretend to be a model boy, but there's one thing I won't do, and
that is lie."
"I think I had better make sure that you don't say anything about me,"
said the tramp, significantly.
"How?" asked Tony.
"I don't mean to let you go back to the hotel at all."
"But I must go back. I must drive the horse back."
"That's of no importance."
"Yes, it is," persisted Tony, anxiously. "They will think I have stolen
it."
"Let them think so."
"But I don't want them to think me a thief."
"I can't help it."
"What are you going to do with me? Where are we going?"
"Before I tell you that I will tell you something more. You have often
asked me who you were."
"You always told me I was your son."
"It was not true," said Rudolph, calmly. "You are not related to me."
"I felt sure of it."
"Oh, you did!" sneered the tramp. "You are glad that you are not my
son!"
"Who am I?"
"I will tell you this much, that you are the heir to a fortune."
"I the heir to a fortune!" exclaimed Tony, in natural excitement.
"Yes; and I could help you to secure it if I pleased."
Tony knew not what to say or to think. Was it possible that he--Tony,
the tramp--was a gentleman's son, and heir to a fortune? It was almost
incredible. Moreover, what was the object of Rudolph in imparting this
secret, and at this time, when he sought revenge upon him.
"Is this true?" he asked.
"Perfectly true."
"And you know my real name and family?"
"Yes, I do."
"Oh, Rudolph, tell me who I am," Tony said, imploringly. "Help me to
the fortune which you say I am entitled to, and I will take care that
you are rewarded."
Rudolph surveyed the boy, whom he still held in his firm grasp, and
watched his excitement with malicious satisfaction.
"There is one objection to my doing that, boy," he said.
"What is that?"
"I'll tell you," he hissed, as his grasp grew tighter, and his dark
face grew darker yet with passion, "_I hate you!_"
This he uttered with such intensity that Tony, brave as he was, was
startled and dismayed.
"Then why did you tell me?" he asked.
"That you might know what you are going to lose--that you might repent
betraying me," answered Rudolph, rapidly. "You ask me what I am going
to do with you? I am going to throw you down that well, and leave you
there--to die!"
Then commenced a struggle between the man and boy. Tony knew what he
had to expect, and he fought for dear life. Rudolph found that he had
undertaken no light task, but he, too, was desperate. He succeeded at
last in dragging Tony to the well-curb, and, raising him in his sinewy
arms, he let him fall.
Then, without waiting to look down, he hurried out of the wood with all
speed. He reached the hotel, settled his bill, and paid to have himself
carried over to the nearest railroad station.
Not until he was fairly seated in the cars, and was rushing through
the country at the rate of thirty miles an hour, did he pause to
congratulate himself.
"Now for an easy life!" he ejaculated. "My fortune is made! I shall
never have to work any more."