by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXIII.
CLARENCE BRADFORD.
"My dear little Flora!" exclaimed Clarence, as he glanced from me toher, after he entered the room.
He sprang to her chair, and embraced and kissed her. I perceived that hewas winking rapidly, as though an unmanly weakness was gettingpossession of him.
"Buck!" he added, extending his hand to me, "what does all this mean? Isupposed you were both in Torrentville."
"We are not. We couldn't stand it any longer," I replied.
"Stand what?" he demanded, sternly.
"The way that Captain Fishley's folks treated us."
"You don't mean to say they abused you!"
"That's just what I mean to say. I thought I spoke plain enough in myletters for you to understand me."
"I had no idea that you were actually abused. Boys are always grumblingand complaining, and some of them think their lot is a great deal harderthan it is. Flora didn't say anything in her letters; she didn'tcomplain."
"She wouldn't have said anything if they had killed her," I replied. "Iam not one of the grumbling sort, and I didn't say anything till theypicked upon me so that I couldn't stand it. I was kept at home fromschool half the time to work; and then I was the old man's servant, theold woman's servant, and Ham's servant. I was kept on the jump by someof them all the time."
"But you were only to take care of the horse, and go for the mail everyevening; and I thought you rather liked that," he added; and he wore alook of astonishment and indignation.
"I did like it; but I had to work in the garden, feed the pigs, make thefires, do chores about the house, run of errands, and work in the store.I was kept busy from morning till night."
"That wasn't the bargain I made with them."
"I wouldn't have made any row about the work, if they hadn't treated meso meanly. Ham used me like a dog, and ordered me around as though I hadbeen his nigger servant. It was 'Buck, do this,' and 'Buck, do that, andbe quick about it.' It was 'Buck, black my boots,' in surly tones."
"Black his boots!" exclaimed Clarence.
"Yes, black his boots; and I was fool enough to do it until I found Ionly got kicked for minding. Mrs. Fishley used to snarl at me frommorning till night. I never did anything right, and was never in theplace where I ought to be. But, Clarence, I should have staid there, Isuppose, till the time you named, if they had not abused Flora."
"Flora!" said he, knitting his brow, as he glanced at her.
I told him that our female tyrant had actually shaken her several times,to say nothing of the constant scolding to which she was subjected. Hewas indignant, and assured me, if he had supposed the case was half asbad as I had represented, he should have hastened to Torrentville andremoved us at once. He thought my complaints were simply boyishdissatisfaction, and the situation nothing more than simply unpleasant.
"But you haven't told the worst of the story," interposed Mr. Goodridge.
"I will tell that now, for it was the final cause of our leaving," Icontinued. "A certain gentleman, whose name I cannot mention, gave meone hundred dollars for something I did for him."
"Who was he?" asked Clarence.
"I can't tell you, or anybody, who he was. About this time Ham Fishleyrobbed a letter of forty dollars, and when the money was missed, he laidit to me."
"How do you know he did it?" demanded Clarence.
"I saw him do it. I saw him break the seal, take out the money, and burnthe letter;" and I explained fully the circumstances. "Ham saw mecounting my money, and his father wanted me to tell where I got it. Icouldn't do that. They sent for a constable; but I took to the swamp.Now, I had either to tell where I got the money,--which I couldn'tdo,--or go to jail. Instead of doing either, I took Flora on the raftwith me, and came down the river."
"This is a very strange story, Buck; and I don't much blame CaptainFishley for not believing it," said Clarence. "Somebody gave you ahundred dollars, and you would not tell who, even to save yourself fromgoing to jail. I can't blame him."
"Nor I either, so far as that was concerned; but I do blame Ham, for heknew very well that I did not rob the mail."
"But why can't you tell who gave you the money?"
"Because I promised not to do so, and because my telling would do aninjury to the person who gave it to me."
"I don't like the looks of this thing, Buck," added Clarence, shakinghis head.
"I know it don't look very well," I replied, rather sheepishly, for Irealized that my brother had his suspicions.
"Why should a man give you a hundred dollars?"
"Because I saved his life," I answered, desperately.
"If you did, he ought to be the first one to give you the credit for thenoble deed."
"There's the hitch."
"So I think," said my brother, shaking his head.
"Clarence, I know Buckland is honest and true," interposed Flora. "He isthe best brother that ever was, and you mustn't think hard of him."
"Perhaps you know more about it than I do, Flora; but it looks bad forhim. Why a man should give him a hundred dollars for saving his life,and then not be willing that he should mention his name, passes mycomprehension."
"The gentleman had been drinking a little too much, and that was whatmade him fall into the water," I added, goaded on to reveal thus much bythe doubts and suspicions of my brother.
"Well, that makes it a little more plausible," replied Clarence. "Wasthere no one present when the man fell overboard?"
"I shall not say any more about it, whether you believe it or not," Ianswered, rather indignantly. "I made a promise, and I intend to keepit."
"I am satisfied the young man is honest, Mr. Bradford," said themerchant.
"I know he is," added Emily, with an enthusiasm which was worth thetestimony of all the others.
"After the noble deed he has done, after risking his life to save thatof an entire stranger, as he did for my daughter, I know he is notcapable of robbing the mail," continued Mr. Goodridge.
"Saved your daughter?" asked Clarence, with an inquiring look at Emilyand her father.
Flora volunteered to tell the story of the events following thesteamboat explosion, and my modesty will not permit me to set down thepleasant speeches which Emily added to the narrative.
"Well, Buck, I am willing to grant that you are a hero," said Clarence,good-naturedly; "and you have done things for which I should have beenslow to give you the credit, if the facts were not fully attested by allthese witnesses. So you have made a voyage from Torrentville to NewOrleans on a raft?"
"I have, and brought Flora with me."
"You have proved yourself to be a smart boy, and I only wish you hadleft a better reputation behind you at Torrentville."
I thought this remark was a little harsh. I do not wish to say anythingagainst my brother, but I was very much disappointed in the view whichhe took of the robbery question. I know that he valued reputation as theapple of his eye, and keenly felt that it was cowardice for an innocentperson to run away from the appearance of evil. I know that he was veryindignant at the treatment which the Fishleys had bestowed upon Floraand me; but he seemed to believe that I had exaggerated it, and that Ihad fled from Torrentville solely to escape the consequences of robbingthe mail.
He was not satisfied with my conduct, and declared that my charactermust be cleared from all suspicion. The name he bore must not be taintedeven by the appearance of a crime. He had been an honest man; his fatherhad been an honest man; and he would rather have his brother sunk in thedeepest depths of the Mississippi than that the stigma of a crimeshould be fastened upon him. I was awed and abashed by the dignity ofhis bearing and his speech.
"Buck, dare you go back to Torrentville?" he asked.
"I should only be thrown into jail if I went."
"No matter for that. Dare you trust to your own integrity for the finalresult?"
"I can't bring the gentleman into court to say that he gave me themoney, which is the only thing against me."
"No, I haven't seen him. He lives a hundred miles from Torrentville."
"I suppose so. Such witnesses are always a great way off when they arewanted," added my brother, with an ill-concealed sneer.
"I see that you think I am guilty, Clarence," I replied, wounded beyondmeasure at his severe conclusions.
"I confess that the affair looks to me like a trumped-up story."
"No, no, Clarence," interposed poor Flora, her eyes filled with tears,as she came to my chair and put her arm lovingly around my neck. "DearBuckland, I know you are innocent!"
"So do I," exclaimed Emily.
"Hookie!" ejaculated Sim Gwynn, who had been sitting in silence, withhis eyes and mouth wide open, but rather nervous when the battle seemedto be going against me.
I wanted to cry myself, for I felt that my brother was very hard uponme. While the others were reaching conclusions through their feelingsalone, he was taking the common-sense view of the case. The facts werestubborn, as I had been obliged to acknowledge before; and all I couldbring to attest my innocence was my simple word. But the conference wasinterrupted by the coming of the family physician, who had been sent forto see Emily. She and her father left the room.
Clarence went over the history of the robbery again; and the more heconsidered, the more dissatisfied he became with me. Dear Flora pleadedfor a more gentle judgment, and told him how ill Ham and Mrs. Fishleytreated me.
"I don't blame you for leaving the Fishleys," he added. "I blame myselffor permitting you to remain there, after you complained of them; but Ihad just been taken into partnership with my employers, and I could notwell be absent. But I do blame you for leaving them with a stain uponyour character. Something must be done immediately. I will not permitthem to think you are guilty, unless you are so. If you are guilty, youare no brother of mine."
"I am not guilty," I protested.
"Then you must prove it."
"I can't prove it."
"Are you willing to take your oath before God, in court, that you sawHam Fishley take the money and burn the letter?"
"I am."
"Very well. Then you shall go to Torrentville, and face your accusers."
"I am willing to do what you think is best."
"I can't believe you are guilty of this crime; but you were foolish torun away from it."
"I will write to the person who gave me the money, and he may do as hepleases about helping me out of the scrape."
"My business is nothing compared with this matter, and I will go withyou. Now, where is this raft?"
He wished to see it, and Sim and I went with him to the levee.