CHAPTER VIII.
FELIX MORTIMER AT THE BANK.
"Can I see the proprietor?" said a boy addressing a clerk at the counterof Richard Goldwin's bank. It was the morning after Herbert's mysteriousdisappearance.
"What is your name?" asked the clerk.
"Felix Mortimer," answered the boy.
"Mr. Goldwin is very busy," replied the man at the counter.
"Very well, I will wait," said Felix; and he seated himself in a chairin the outer office.
In a little while Mr. Goldwin came out of his private room, and, seeingyoung Mortimer there, recognized him.
"Good morning, young man," said he, kindly.
"Good morning," returned Felix, deferentially.
"Have you come to tell us what has become of young Randolph?" asked thebanker.
"I don't understand you," said Felix, innocently. "I came because youasked me to do so."
"Yes, yes, I remember; but I referred to the disappearance of the boy Iengaged at the time you applied for the position."
"Why, isn't he here?" asked Mortimer, feigning surprise.
"No, he hasn't been here today."
"What do you imagine is the trouble?"
"I do not know, unless, like so many other boys, he has got tired of thework, and has left it for some other position."
"That may be, and now you speak of it, I remember he said, the morningwe were all waiting to see you, that if he failed to get this place hehad another position in view that he could get, and that it would payhim five dollars a week."
Young Mortimer told this falsehood with the ease of a veteran. Hismanner could not have been more impressive had he been telling thetruth.
"Five dollars a week!" exclaimed Mr. Goldwin. "And he came here forthree. I don't see what his motive was."
"Perhaps he had a motive," suggested Mortimer.
"I don't understand you," replied the banker.
Felix shrugged his shoulders.
"What do you mean? Do you know anything about him?" pursued Mr. Goldwin,his suspicions aroused.
"No, sir--er--not much."
"Speak up, young man. Tell me what you know about this young Vermonter."
"Vermonter?" repeated Felix, with a rising inflection; and he smiledsuggestively.
"Yes, Vermonter. Do you know anything to the contrary?"
"You know I was an applicant for this position, Mr. Goldwin, so I do notlike to answer your question. I hope you will excuse me."
"I appreciate your sense of honor, young man," said Mr. Goldwin; "but itis to my interest to know the facts. If there is anything against him, Ishould be informed of it. Tell me what you know, and you will losenothing by doing so."
With apparent reluctance, Felix yielded to the persuasion, and said:
"I was on Broadway with a friend of mine, at the close of businesshours, the day that you hired this young fellow. We were walking alongby the Herald building when he came up Broadway and stopped to readthe news on the _Telegram_ bulletin board. I said to my friend, withsurprise, 'There is the fellow I told you about--the one that beat methis morning in getting the position at Goldwin's.' He looked at meincredulously and said: 'Why, you told me he was a country boy--fromVermont.'
"'So he is,' I replied. 'Stuff,' said he. 'I know him well. That was aclever dodge to play the country act.' I protested, but he convinced methat he was right. He is in a lawyer's office, so he has to be in courtmore or less, and he said he saw him up before Judge Duffy only a fewdays ago, charged with stealing a pocket book. The suspicion was strongagainst him, but there wasn't proof enough to fix the theft upon him.The Court came near sending him to the Island, though, for he had beenarrested twice before, so my friend said."
"The young villain!" said the banker, when Felix had finished this blackfalsehood, which he told so glibly, and with such seeming reluctance,that Mr. Goldwin accepted it as all truth. "I am sorry I ever took himinto my office," he continued. "I must have the bank carefully lookedover, to see if he misappropriated anything, as he very likely did."
Felix said nothing, but seemed to look sorry for Herbert.
"Well," said Mr. Goldwin, after a pause, "is it too late to get you?"
"I don't know," answered Mortimer, hesitatingly. "I would like to workfor you, but would not feel right to take the position away from thisVermonter."
Felix laid a special stress upon the word "Vermonter."
"Take it away from him!" replied the banker, scornfully. "He cannotenter this bank again."
"But you see I would feel that I am the means of keeping him out of theposition. You wouldn't have known about his deception if I hadn't toldyou."
Felix now used the word "deception" flippantly, and with no furtherapparent apology for applying it to our hero.
"That is all right," replied Mr. Goldwin; "I am glad to see yousensitive about injuring another. It is much to your credit that youfeel as you do about it."
"Thank you," was the modest reply. "Then if you think it would lookright, and you really want me, I will take the position."
"Of course we can get hundreds and thousands of boys, but I have taken aliking to you. When can you commence?"
"I can commence this morning, if you wish me to," said Felix.
"Very well, I wish you would--er, that is if you feel able. I noticeyour face is swollen, and perhaps you are not feeling well."
"Oh, that will not bother me," replied Mortimer, coolly. "I had a toothfilled yesterday, and have got cold in my jaw."
"You must suffer with it. It is swollen badly and looks red and angry,"said the banker sympathetically.
"It does hurt a good deal, but will not trouble me about my work."
"It looks as if the skin had been injured--more like a bruise, as ifyou had received a heavy blow on your jaw," said Mr. Goldwin, examiningthe swelling more closely.
Felix colored perceptibly, but immediately rallied, and said thepoulticing had given it that appearance.
Could Mr. Goldwin have known the truth about this injured jaw, he wouldhave been paralyzed at the bold falsehood of the young villain beforehim.
He had succeeded admirably in blackening our young hero's reputation.Mr. Goldwin now looked upon Herbert with ill favor, and even disgust.And this change was all caused by the cunning and falsehoods of youngMortimer. He had poisoned Mr. Goldwin's mind, and thus succeeded inestablishing himself in the banker's good opinion and securing thecoveted position.
"Another boy wants to see you, Mr. Goldwin," said the clerk, shortlyafter the man of finance had engaged young Mortimer.
"You may show him in," said the banker.
The door opened, and Bob Hunter stepped into Mr. Goldwin's presence. Ifhe had only had a bundle of newspapers under his arm, he would have feltquite at home; but, as he had nothing of the kind, he was a trifleembarrassed.
"What do you want here?" asked Mr. Goldwin, more sharply than was hiswont.
"I come down, sir, to see if you can tell me anything about HerbertRandolph."
"What do you want to know about him?"
"I want to know where he is. He hain't shown up not sence last night."
"Was he a friend of yours?"
"Yes, sir, me and him roomed together."
"You and he roomed together?" repeated the banker, as if he doubtedBob's word.
"That's what I said, sir," answered the newsboy, showing his dislike ofthe insinuation against his truthfulness.
"I am afraid you are inclined to be stuffy, young man," replied Mr.Goldwin. "I am unable, however, to give you the information you seek."
"You don't know where he is, then?"
"No, I have not seen him since he left here last night."
"Do you know why he is stayin' away?"
"Certainly I do not."
"Done nothin' wrong. I s'pose?" queried Bob.
"I have not fixed any wrong upon him yet."
"Then, if he hain't done no wrong, somethin's keepin' him."
"He may have a motive in staying aw
ay," said the banker, becominginterested in Bob's keen manner.
"What do you s'pose his motive is?"
"That I cannot tell."
"Foul play, that's what I think."
"Nonsense, boy."
"I don't think there's no nonsense about it. I know he wouldn't lightout jest for fun, not much. Herbert Randolph wasn't no such a feller. Hedidn't have no money, n' he had to work. Me an' him had a room together,as I said, an' his things are in the room now."
"When did you see him last?" said Mr. Goldwin.
Bob explained all about Herbert's disappearance, but was careful to saynothing about his suspicions pointing to Felix Mortimer. He saw thelatter in the outer office as he entered, and he thought policy bade himkeep his suspicions to himself for the present.
"You tell a straightforward story, my boy," said Mr. Goldwin, "butI cannot think there has been any foul play. In fact, I have heardsomething against this young Randolph that makes me distrust him. Wereit not for this, I should feel more interest in your story, and would doall in my power to try and find him."
"I don't believe there's nothing against him. He's an honest boy, if Iknow one when I see him. He liked you and his work, and them that speaksagainst him is dishonest themselves. That's what I think about it."
BOB HUNTER SPEAKS UP FOR HERBERT.]
"But that is only your opinion. Certainly he does not appear in afavorable light at the present time."
Presently Bob departed from the bank. He had learned all he expected,and even more. He knew now that Felix Mortimer was in Herbert's place,that Mr. Goldwin had been influenced against his friend by what hebelieved to be falsehoods, and that Herbert's whereabouts was as mucha mystery at the bank as to himself.
These facts pointed suspiciously to Felix Mortimer. Who else could wantto get Herbert out of the way? Bob argued. Having thus settled thematter in his own mind, he was ready to commence testing his theories.
"Tom Flannery," said Bob, when he had returned from Wall Street, "I'vestruck the trail."
"No, you hain't, Bob, not so quick as this?" said Tom, with surprise.
Bob explained what he had learned at the bank.
"Now," said he, "I want you, Tom, to look out for my business tonight.Get some kid to help you, and mind you see he does his work right."
"What you goin' to do, Bob?"
"I'm going to lay round Wall Street till that Mortimer feller comesouter the bank."
"What do you mean? You hain't goin' to knock him out, are you, Bob?"
"Shucks, Tom, you wouldn't make no kind of a detective. Of course Iwouldn't do that. Why, that would spoil the whole game."
"Well, then, what are you goin' to do?"
"Why, I'll do just as any detective would--follow him, of course."
"Is that the way they do it, Bob?"
"Some of 'em do, when they have a case like this one."
"This is a gosh fired hard one, ain't it, Bob?"
"Well, 'tain't no boy's play--not a case like this one."
"So you're goin' to foller him? I wish I could go with you, Bob."
"But, you see, you must sell papers. I'll want you to help me later,when I get the case well worked up."
"It'll be too big for one detective then, I s'pose?"
"That's the idea, Tom. Then I'll call you in," said Bob, with the swellof a professional.
"I wish 'twas all worked up, Bob, so you'd want to call me in now, asyou call it. It'll be exciting, won't it?"
"Well, I should think it would, before we get through with it."
"Say, Bob, will there be any fightin'?" asked Tom, eagerly. He wasalready excited over the prospects.
"Can't say that now--hain't got the case worked up enough to tell.'Tain't professional to say too much about a case. None of thedetectives does it, and why should I? That's what I want to know, TomFlannery."
"Well, you shouldn't, Bob, if the rest doesn't do it."
"Of course not. It's no use to be a detective, unless the job is doneright and professional. I believe in throwin' some style into anythinglike this. 'Tain't often, you know, Tom, when a feller gets a realgenuine case like this one. Why, plenty er boys might make believe theyhad cases, but they'd be baby cases--only baby cases, Tom Flannery, whenyou'd compare 'em with this one--a real professional case."
"I don't blame you for bein' proud, Bob," said Tom, admiringly. "I onlywish I had such a case."
"Why, you've got it now; you're on it with me, hain't you? Don't you besilly now, Tom. You'll get all you want before you get through with thiscase; an', when it's all published in the papers, your name will beprinted with mine."
"Gewhittaker!" exclaimed Tom; "I didn't think of that before. Will ournames really be printed, Bob?"
"Why, of course they will. Detectives' names are always printed,hain't they? You make me tired, Tom Flannery. I should think you'd knowbetter. Don't make yourself so redickerlous by askin' any more questionslike that. But just you tend to business, and you'll get all the gloryyou want--professional glory, too."
"It'll beat jumpin' off the Brooklyn Bridge, won't it?" said Tom.
"Well, if you ain't an idiot, Tom Flannery, I never saw one. To think ofcomparin' a detective with some fool that wants cheap notoriety likethat! You just wait till you see your name in big letters in the papersalong with mine. It'll be Bob Hunter and Tom Flannery."
Tom's eyes bulged out with pride at the prospect. He had never beforerealized so fully his own importance.
Boy Broker; Or, Among the Kings of Wall Street Page 11