CHAPTER XX.
A FATHER'S RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION
For an instant the old cashier stood like one suddenly paralyzed beforethe door of the private office from which that terrified scream hadissued.
Great God! was he mad or dreaming, that he should imagine he heard hisdaughter Margery's voice calling for help from within?
But even as he stood there, trembling, irresolute, the piercing cry wasrepeated more shrilly, more piteous than before, and it cut through thefrightened father's heart like the thrust of a dagger.
"I am coming, I am here, Margery!" he answered, twisting the bronze knobfiercely; But the door did not yield to his touch as usual, and to hishorror he realized that it was locked upon the inside!
With the fury of a tiger, David Conway threw himself against it with allhis strength; strong as the lock was, it could not withstand the weightthat was brought to bear upon it, and in an instant it was snappedasunder, the door falling in with a crash.
With a terrible imprecation Kendale wheeled about, his grasp around thegirl's waist slackening for a single instant.
And in that instant Margery sprang from him, darting into the arms ofher father, who had leaped over the threshold.
"How dare you enter here?" shrieked Kendale, fairly beside himself withbaffled rage.
The old cashier thrust his daughter behind him and walked up to thefoiled villain, gazing him steadily, unflinchingly in the eye.
"I am here just in time to defend my child," he cried, white to thelips, "and here to chastise you, you villain, old man as I am"--and withthe rapidity of lightning his clinched fist fell upon the face of theman before him with stinging blows, that resounded with all the strengthand force of a steel hammer.
Kendale, who was by this time entirely under the influence of the brandyhe had imbibed, was no match for the enraged cashier, who followed uphis advantage by ringing blows, which fell as thick and fast as drivinghail, until the other, coward as he was, fell down on his knees beforehim, shrieking out for mercy.
The unusual disturbance soon brought a throng of cashiers, bookkeepersand clerks flocking to the scene.
The old cashier turned upon them, holding up his hand to stay theirsteps as they crowded over the threshold, Mr. Wright, the manager,calling upon him anxiously to explain at once this unusual scene--thisdisgraceful encounter between his employer, who seemed unable to speakbecause of his injuries, and himself.
"It is due you all to know just what has happened," replied the oldcashier, in a high, clear voice, "but I say to you, by the God above me,if this hound dares arise from his knees ere I have finished, I willkill him before your very eyes. There is something he has to say beforeyou all while still on his knees. Let no man speak until I have had mysay, and then you--my companions of years, my fellow-workers, my friendsof a lifetime--shall judge of my action in this matter and deal with meaccordingly."
The scene was so extraordinary that no man among them seemed capable ofuttering so much as a syllable, so great was their consternation atbeholding their employer on his knees, groveling before the old cashier,who stood over him like an aroused, avenging spirit.
In a voice high and clear the old cashier, whom they had known andrevered for years, told his story in a simple, straightforward way, yetquivering with excitement, drawing his terror-stricken daughter Margeryinto the shelter of his strong arms as he spoke.
"I am Margery's father--her only protector," he said, in conclusion."Is there a man among you with a father's heart beating in his bosom whowould not have done as I have done to the villain who dared to thusinsult his child. Ay, there are men among you who would not havehesitated to have stricken him dead with a single blow--who would haveconsidered it a crime to have spared him."
By this time Kendale was recovering from the stunning blows which hadbeen dealt him--realized that help was at hand; the employees would bein duty bound to protect him from the enraged man before him.
He realized, too, that the old cashier meant that he should remain thereon his knees and beg the girl's pardon before all these people.
Ere Mr. Conway could judge of his design the bogus Lester Armstrong hadbounded to his feet and into the midst of the crowd.
"You are discharged!" he cried, turning to the old cashier. "I will giveyou just ten minutes to get out of this building--you and the girl, bothof you. It was a plan hatched up between you and her to extort moneyfrom me."
The old cashier attempted to spring at him, but the strong hands ofindignant, pitying friends held him back.
Suddenly he stopped short, saying, with a dignity wonderful to behold:
"It is not necessary, I think, to ask any of you, who all know me sowell and know also my little Margery, not to give credence to so heinousa statement. I am going from this place, friends. I would not stayanother moment in this villain's employ, nor would my Margery, though heweighed us down with all the wealth the world holds. Come, Margery."
The crowd slowly parted, making way for them, and together Margery andher father passed through the line of sympathizing faces, hand inhand--the old man white, stern and resolute, pretty Margery sobbing asthough her heart would break.
Mr. Wright, the manager, who had been--like the old cashier--fully fiveand twenty years beneath that roof, turned and faced the throng, saying,huskily:
"Mr. Armstrong, I herewith tender you my resignation. My friend of alifetime is going, and I shall go, too."
"And I," "And I," "And I," quickly rang out, voice after voice.
"Confound you all, I discharge the whole lot of you!" shouted Kendale,now quite sobered by the excitement he was passing through. "Don't thinkyour going troubles me even a little bit. The set of men don't live whowill ever trouble me or my business!"
With great rapidity the men fled from the private office, and, withoutwaiting even to close their ledgers, took down their coats and hats, gotinto them quickly and filed downstairs.
Kendale never could fully comprehend how it happened that in fiveminutes' time the five hundred employees of the place heard what hadoccurred, and in less time than it takes to recount it the strangestevent that had ever taken place in the annals of a great New Yorkbusiness house occurred--there was a mighty uproar and by one accord thegreat throng of employees quitted their tasks--badly as they neededwork--and dashed out into the street, leaving the vast emporium to thehundreds of astonished customers with which it was crowded at that hour.
For an instant Kendale was horror-stricken when he realized what wasoccurring.
"God Almighty!" he gasped, "I am ruined, disgraced! A thousand furiestake that girl; but she shall pay dearly for this. The police will behere to quell the riot and disperse the crowd outside, and turn out thepeople who are still inside!"
Looking from the window, he saw that the throng of angry employees weregathered around the old cashier and his daughter in a mighty mob.
"Good Lord! if Halloran were only here, to advise me this time," hemuttered, turning pale with fear. He could hear their loud, angry voiceshurling imprecations at him, and he knew full well that he would neverbe able to pass through that throng of thoroughly aroused and angry menwithout their doing him bodily injury, and he told himself in affrightthat all the Marsh millions for which he had bartered his soul would notsave him from the hands of that raging mob.
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