A Desperate Chance; Or, The Wizard Tramp's Revelation, a Thrilling Narrative

by Old Sleuth

  CHAPTER VII.

  A SAD PARTING--PROPHETIC WORDS--ON THE TRAIN--ASENATOR'S SON--LEADING UP TO A TRICK--GENUINEFUN AHEAD.

  There came a sad look to the face of Brooks, and he said:

  "I shall miss you, Desmond, but I feel it is for the best. You are ayouth of great promise. I do not mean to flatter you, I am speaking thetruth, and it is in your interest that I so warmly advocate your returnto the East. I desire that you become an educated man, a graduate ofcollege; I wish you to secure your degree. And let me tell you now therewas fate in our meeting, and very remarkable consequences may follow ouracquaintance begun and maintained under such strange circumstances."

  Desmond had never beheld his strange friend, the wizard tramp, under asimilar mood. There appeared to be a prophetic spell prompting the wordsof the strange man.

  "I hope you do not wish to get rid of me."

  "No, I am speaking in your interest alone, lad; my life has been awasted one, yours is just commencing. You can be of some use in theworld, I have been a nuisance. I have a strange tale to tell--yes,Desmond, like many others I have encountered a romance in life. Ideliberately threw myself away, but where I failed you can win; there isa chance for you to become a useful man; great honor may await youbecause you possess the qualities that win success. You are brave, firm,and persistent, also enterprising; with these qualities, in this land,any young man can win a success against the great throng of unambitiousand careless men like myself."

  "Can you trust yourself?"

  "I can."

  "You are certain?"

  "I am."

  "You do not need me?"

  "I do not."

  "Remember, your weakness upon several occasions permitted you to fall."

  "I have considered everything; I have an object in life now and aprospect."

  "A prospect?"

  "Yes."

  "Is there anything you are concealing from me?"

  "I am considering your interests alone," was the reply.

  "But your revelation?"

  "It is not necessary for me to tell you once again that I have providedfor you to learn the secret of my life in case anything should happen tome."

  Desmond at once began his arrangements for a return to the East. He hadbeen away for many months; he had plenty of money; his return would bein great triumph in every way. He purchased fine clothes, which he wasable to do even in the far Western town where he was stopping, and whenhe arrayed himself in his good clothes even Brooks was surprised at thewonderful transformation well-fitting attire made in the youth. Desmondwas indeed a fine-looking fellow, well educated comparatively, and as isnot unusually the case, he was naturally capable of adapting himself tochanged conditions. He did not seem awkward in his good clothes, butappeared as though he had worn fine attire all his life.

  At length the hour came when Desmond and Brooks were to part company.The wizard tramp had a sad look upon his face, although he tried to becheerful and jovial The attempt, however, was a failure. He said:

  "I will not go with you to the train, Desmond, we will part here, andyou can address your letters to me here; I will arrange to have themforwarded to me in case I go prospecting again."

  "You will go prospecting, I suppose, of course."

  "I cannot tell; but remember, if anything happens to me I have arrangedfor you to be communicated with."

  There came a look of concern to our hero's face, and the discerningBrooks said:

  "You have something to say."

  "I have an idea."

  "Well?"

  "There is great peril in the wilderness."

  "Yes."

  "There have been cases where men have lost their lives and their deathshave not become known until many years afterward."

  "That is true, lad, and I have calculated for that."

  "You have?"

  "Yes."

  "How?"

  "You will know if such an event should occur. In the meantime let metell you if a year should pass and you do not hear from me you will knowthat I am dead."

  "And then?"

  "Tell Amy."

  "And then?"

  "She may make a disclosure to you. Remember, I have taken everyprecaution."

  "I do not know why you should withhold from me your life secret. No harmcould come of an immediate revelation, but of course you have your ownreasons for withholding your story."

  "Yes, that is it, I have reasons; no harm might come of an immediaterevelation, but I have reasons of a very satisfactory character tomyself. You will understand and appreciate them when they are made knownto you. Desmond, I am a changed man; you need have no fear concerning menow; time has righted a wrong. I am strong now--that is, normallystrong--all will go well, I believe, if not with me at least with you."

  A little later and our hero was on his way across the country to thetown where he was to take the train, and a better equipped lad foradventure never boarded a train, and lo, he encountered several verythrilling adventures ere he arrived at the valley farm where kind heartsbeat to greet him.

  Desmond had been on the train but a few minutes really when he observeda tall, country-looking young fellow, who fixed his eyes on him. As hasbeen demonstrated all through our narrative, Desmond was a very quick,discerning chap; in the language of the day, he was "up to snuff," andthe instant he caught the eye of the country-looking fellow he knew thatsomething was up, and he discerned more which will be disclosed as ournarrative advances.

  Desmond had not boarded a through train; he was to go to a large townwhere he would meet a through express. The train he had entered was away train, and he seated himself by the window. No one was in the seatwith him at first, but soon the country-looking chap took a seat besidehim. The latter appeared to be a jolly, innocent sort of chap, and headdressed the young adventurer with the words:

  "Hello!"

  There came a merry gleam in Desmond's eyes, as he asked:

  "Do you take me for a telephone?"

  The stranger arched his eyebrows, and demanded:

  "A telephone?"

  "Yes."

  "What makes you ask that question?"

  "Because you yelled 'hello' in my ear."

  "I've heard about telephones, but I never saw one."

  "You never did?"

  "No; what are they like?"

  The question was asked seemingly in the most innocent manner, but thekeen-witted Desmond's suspicions were at once aroused, and on theinstant he made a curious discovery. The fellow was a make-up, under adisguise, and consequently under immediate suspicion also.

  "So you never saw a telephone?"

  "Never."

  "You _tell_ me that?"

  "Yes."

  Our hero knew he had a long journey before him; he was naturally veryfond of a joke and excitement, and besides he had instinctive hatred fordesigning men. Our hero was aware that the trains, as a rule, areinfested with sharps, and the efforts of the railroad companies tosquelch these nuisances are not altogether successful. Our adventurerdetermined to have a little amusement, and if his suspicions were fullyverified he was resolved to teach at least one sharp a good lesson. Wewill repeat, Desmond did not look like an athlete or a youth who hadseen the rough side of life; he could easily be mistaken for anordinarily bright youth who had much to learn.

  "So you really never saw a telephone?"

  "Never," repeated the man.

  Desmond, having determined upon his course of action, assumed a mostserious air, and with the greatest earnestness graphically described atelephone, and the stranger appeared to be all interest and attention,and expressed his surprise by innocent ejaculations, as our hero relatedthe wonderful possibilities of the telephone.

  It was an amusing scene, or would have been to one who was under therose and understood that a game was being played.

  When Desmond's description apparently, as stated, told in the mostearnest manner the sharp, as we shall call him, said:

  "Well that beats me, it beats an
ything I ever heard. See here, stranger,you are making a fool of me with a big fish story because I am a greenWestern man, born and raised on the prairie."

  "No, I've told you the truth."

  "Well, well, you come from the city?"

  "No, I am going to the city."

  "New York?"

  "Yes."

  "Is that your home?"

  "Well, _New York lies near where_ I live."

  "Dear me, what wonderful sights you have seen!"

  "Yes, sir."

  "That New York is a wonderful place."

  "You bet it is."

  "I am going there some day--yes, I've said I'd see New York some day andI will. It must make a man blind for a few days to go around there."

  "Well, yes, it is rather dazzling," said Desmond.

  So the conversation continued for quite a time and finally the strangerrose and went away, saying he would return immediately. Quite arespectable-looking man took the vacated seat beside Desmond, and thelast neighbor asked:

  "Do you know that green-looking chap who was just talking to you?"

  "No, sir, I never saw him before."

  "Then you don't know who he is?"

  "No, sir."

  "That is a son of Senator F----, the richest mine owner out in thissection; he looks like a countryman. You see he was raised in the West,but he is one of the most honest and good-hearted fellows in the world,liberal to a fault, fond of fun, but a good and true friend to any one."

  Desmond studied the man who was giving him this unsolicited information,and he concluded that the nice-looking man was sharp number two; he wasup to this sort of business and perceived the whole game.

  "Yes, he appears like a good, honest fellow," said Desmond.

  "Honest? why, you could trust him with all you had in the world."

  "Yes, he looks that."

  "He is one of the kindest-hearted fellows in the world. I tell you ifyou get into trouble he is the man to aid you. He is the best pistolshot and rifle shot in the land. Why, that fellow has fought off a wholetribe of Indians. The redskins fear him as a white man fears the devil,and his father is one of the richest men out in this section, as I toldyou."

  "Yes. He don't look like a millionaire's son."

  "No, but he is all the same, and he appears to have taken a great fancyto you. I was watching him while he talked to you; I tell you no onewill interfere with you anywhere in this land if they know that he isyour friend."

  "That's good."

  "Yes. He is a splendid fellow."

  The man who had volunteered all this information walked into a forwardcar, and a few moments later the senator's son, so-called, returned, andas frequently occurs in far Western trains, the particular car in whichDesmond was riding was deserted. Our hero and the countryman had the carall to themselves, and after a little further talk the senator's sonsaid:

  "I wish some greeny would come in here, we'd have some fun."

  "How?"

  "I'll tell you, I am a regular juggler; I know all the tricks ofgamblers and I'd fool a fellow."

  "Do you know all the tricks of gamblers?"

  "Yes, and sometimes I beat the game just for fun. You see I am down ongamblers, I just like to beat them. Generally there are one or two ofthose rascals on this train, but they know me; I don't get a chance atthem any more, so I sometimes amuse myself by astonishing greenhorns. Byginger! but it's funny I've never been in New York; I am half a mind togo right on to the great city with you."

  "Yes, come along," said Desmond, a merry twinkle in his eyes.