Down the Slope

by James Otis

  CHAPTER XX

  THE ACCUSED

  Not for a moment did Fred believe it possible Sam had done anythingdishonest in regard to the money, and yet it seemed very singular thathe could have been robbed without knowing when the deed was committed.

  He had no opportunity to speak privately to the accused boy, because ofthe strict watch maintained by the cashier, but he remained very nearhim, as if eager to show confidence in his innocence.

  From the time the miner had been sent in search of an officer not a wordwas spoken. Now and then Sam glanced at his friend as if to ask that hisstory be credited, and the accuser kept a strict watch over everymovement.

  There was no parley when the officer arrived, his duty was to take theprisoner away, and he did so in a matter-of-fact manner which arousedall of Fred's anger.

  "It wouldn't do him any harm to say he knows you ain't a thief," hewhispered, "but never mind, old fellow, Bill an' Joe shall come to seeyou."

  "Believe I've told the truth, an' that is enough for me," Sam replied,with a choking sob. "Tell the folks at home about it, but try to make'em know I never stole a dollar."

  Fred promised to do this, and would have accompanied his friend to thedepot but for the cashier, who said, sternly:

  "I insist on your remaining here. A large amount of money is missing;you boys have got a secret between you, and it may have some connectionwith the robbery. I will not allow you to talk with the prisoner."

  "Do as he says, an' don't have any row," Sam added.

  "I'll stay here," was the reply, "and when Mr. Wright gets back we'llsee what he's got to say about it."

  "It's time for the train," the constable interrupted.

  "Go on quickly, Sam, before a crowd gathers."

  Fred gazed after the accused until he was lost to view in the distance,and then turned away with a heavy heart.

  The cashier had nothing more to say about the robbery, but he foundplenty of work for the boy to do, much as if wishing to keep him insight until Mr. Wright came home.

  It was half-past eight when the last train arrived and thesuperintendent was not on it.

  Fred should have been home two hours before, and his mother, always infear of an accident since the explosion, came in search of him.

  To her the story of Sam's misfortune was told, and she at once demandeda private interview with the cashier.

  "Don't tell him why we wanted to buy land," Fred whispered, and hismother promised to keep the secret for a short time at least.

  Ten minutes' conversation with the angry official sufficed, and then thetwo went to Sam's home, where the sad news was told.

  Not until ten o'clock did Fred and his mother reach the little cottagewhere Bill and Joe were impatiently awaiting their arrival.

  "We've heard something about the trouble," the former said, "and want toknow all the perticlars."

  Fred repeated what has already been told, and added:

  "What he said concerning the land we talked of buying has made thecashier more suspicious than he would have been. It's too bad to givethe secret away, but it must be done unless the money can be found."

  "There's no reason why we can't wait a while," Joe said after somethought. "I'll go to Blacktown to-morrow, an' see him."

  "You surely can't think he took it?"

  "Of course not, an' yet I don't understand how it could 'a been stole."

  "He must have lost the money."

  "It wouldn't be a bad plan for us to walk to Blacktown over the samepath he took," Bill said. "Fred can show us the way."

  "I don't believe they'll let me leave. The cashier seems to think I'mconcerned in the robbery."

  "It won't take me long to tell him he don't run this place. I'll go toMr. Wright's house, find out when he's likely to be back, an' then tendto the other matter. Joe, wait here."

  The miner was not absent more than an hour, and when he returned theothers had come to the conclusion that Sam had lost the money beforereaching the coal vein.

  "Mr. Wright has jest telegraphed that he's on his way to New York, so wemay not see him for two or three days. I've told the folks at the storewhat's to be done, an' though there's some kickin' about Fred's leavin',they don't dare to say very much."

  Then the sad visaged party separated to get as much rest as possible,and at early dawn the miners were at Mrs. Byram's again.

  Believing Sam had traveled over nearly the same course as that taken byhe and Fred, the latter did his best to guide the searchers correctly.

  "There's no use to hunt round very much till we strike the vein, forthere's where he missed the money, so we'd better travel at our bestgait to that place," Joe said, as he led the way with Fred by his side.

  The sun had been above the horizon but a few moments when they reachedthe scene of the discovery, and despite Sam's dangerous position Billinsisted on viewing the out-cropping of coal.

  "It's a true vein, there's no question of that," he said, after acareful examination, "an' we must hustle to get the cash what's neededto buy the property."

  "I'd be willin' to give up my share if Sam was out of his scrape."

  "You won't do any such foolish thing. We'll help the lad an' ourselvesat the same time, for there's a chance to get rich here which mustn't belost," and Bill covered the spur once more.

  Now the search was begun. Fred led the way slowly, the others followinga short distance behind, and all three scrutinized the ground carefully.

  Not a word was spoken by either until they were on the highway nearBlacktown, and then Bill said sadly:

  "If it was lost somebody has found it, an' in case thieves run him downit ain't likely they're going to be so foolish as to give us a chance toget on their track."

  "Where are we to go now?" Fred asked.

  "We'll see a lawyer if there's one in the place, an' then have a talkwith Sam."

  There was no trouble about getting legal advice, and in the company of akindly-faced gentleman the party were ushered into the jail where Sam,in the lowest depths of despair, was found.

  "Oh, I'm so glad you've come!" he cried, seizing Fred by both hands. "Ithas been terrible here."

  "Don't be downhearted, lad," Bill said, with an attempt at cheerfulness."We'll stick by you no matter what happens."

  "I want you to tell me the whole story," the lawyer interrupted."Describe every little particular of the journey."

  "There isn't much to tell. I got the money, an' walked as fast as Icould to a place on the mountain, where I laid down to rest, an' fellasleep. When I woke up the package was gone."

  "Did you see anyone who might be following you?"

  "No sir."

  "Whom did you meet after leaving the town?"

  "Not a single person."

  "Are you certain the money was in your pocket when you laid down?"

  "I felt of it a little while before that."

  The lawyer continued to question Sam for a long while, but withoutgaining any new information, and even the boy's friends were forced toadmit that the story was a strange one.

  "I'd say it was thin if I didn't know Sam so well," Bill mused as theparty left the jail after promising the prisoner they would return atthe earliest opportunity.

  "The boy couldn't 'a took the money, that's certain; but how hecontrived to get rid of it beats me."

  "It is possible we may learn something to our advantage before the trialcan be held," the lawyer suggested in a tone which to Fred sounded thereverse of cheerful; "but I think it very important you should see Mr.Wright without delay."

  "Joe shall go to New York."

  "How could I find him there?"

  "Fred and me'll get right back to Farley's, ask for his address, an'send it to you by telegraph."

  "That is a very good idea. A train leaves in less than an hour," thelawyer said approvingly. "Decide where the message shall be sent, and itwill be there before he arrives."

  Joe was unwilling to take so much responsibility upon himself, and urgedthat he did no
t look fit to visit the city; but Bill overruled all hisobjections.

  "You're the one to go, so that settles it," the miner said as he pulledout his wallet. "Here's what money I've got, an' if more's needed let meknow."

  "What am I to say to the superintendent if I see him?"

  "Urge that no further steps be taken against the boy. After what you sayhe did during the riot the officers of the company should be lenient."

  "But that kind of talk sounds as if you believed he'd stole the money,"Bill exclaimed in surprise.

  "The case looks very bad for him, and if it should be called up beforewe found some evidence in his favor he would most certainly beconvicted."

  Sam's friends gazed at each other in astonishment. That the lawyeremployed to defend him should thus intimate he was guilty almost shooktheir faith in the boy's innocence.

  "You must go all the same," Bill said, after a long pause, "an' me an'Fred will toddle back home."

  The adieus consisted only of the words "good-bye," and then the minerand the boy turned their faces toward Farley's once more.

  "It seems as if finding the coal was bad luck for us," Fred said whenthey were on the mountain. "If it hadn't been for that, poor Sam neverwould have thought of walking home."

  "I don't go very much on what folks call luck, lad. The thing was boundto come whether you saw the vein or not, so we must buck agin it."

  "The lawyer thinks Sam stole the money."

  "An' more'n he'll believe the same if somethin' don't turn up."

  "I can't fancy what could happen to help him unless the thief himselfcame forward to tell the whole story."

  "It does look kinder black, but we mustn't lose heart."

  "Of course this settles our chances of buying the land."

  "Nothin' of the kind. My day is broke up now, an' I'll spend the rest ofit lookin around a bit."

  "Sam will need all the money we've got to spend."

  "I've a little laid by for a rainy day, an' with what Joe can raise weoughter pull through on both jobs."

  On arriving at the spur another search was made with the same result asbefore, and then the two hurried on, sending a telegram to Joeimmediately after reaching the town.