CHAPTER XXI.
"THEY MET BY CHANCE."
"Who was asking after Uncle Oliver?" demanded Alonzo superciliously.
"I was," answered Philip.
"Oh! it's you, is it?" said Alonzo, rather disdainfully.
"Yes," answered Phil calmly, though he felt provoked at Alonzo's tone,which was meant to be offensive. "You remember me, don't you?"
"You are the boy that got round Uncle Oliver, and got him to give you aplace in pa's store."
"I deny that I got round him," returned Phil warmly. "I had the goodluck to do him a favor."
"I suppose you have come after money?" said Alonzo coarsely.
"I sha'n't ask you for any, at any rate," said Phil angrily.
"No; it wouldn't do any good," said Alonzo; "and it's no use asking ma,either. She says you are an adventurer, and have designs on Uncle Oliverbecause he is rich."
"I shall not ask your mother for any favor," said Phil, provoked. "I amsorry not to meet your uncle."
"I dare say!" sneered Alonzo.
Just then a woman, poorly but neatly dressed, came down stairs. Her facewas troubled. Just behind her came Mrs. Pitkin, whose face wore a chillyand proud look.
"Mr. Carter has left the city, and I really don't know when he willreturn," Phil heard her say. "If he had been at home, it would not havebenefited you. He is violently prejudiced against you, and would nothave listened to a word you had to say."
"I did not think he would have harbored resentment so long," murmuredthe poor woman. "He never seemed to me to be a hard man."
Phil gazed at the poorly dressed woman with a surprise which he did notattempt to conceal, for in her he recognized the familiar figure of hislandlady. What could she have to do in this house? he asked himself.
"Mrs. Forbush!" he exclaimed.
"Philip!" exclaimed Mrs. Forbush, in a surprise as great as his own,for she had never asked where her young lodger worked, and was not awarethat he was in the employ of her cousin's husband and well acquaintedwith the rich uncle whom she had not seen for years.
"Do you know each other?" demanded Mrs. Pitkin, whose turn it was to besurprised.
"This young gentleman lodges in my house," answered Mrs. Forbush.
"Young gentleman!" repeated Alonzo, with a mocking laugh.
Philip looked at him sternly. He had his share of human nature, andit would have given him satisfaction to thrash the insolent youngpatrician, as Alonzo chose to consider himself.
"And what do you want here, young man?" asked Mrs. Pitkin in a frostytone, addressing Phil of course.
"I wished to see Mr. Carter," answered Phil.
"Really, Mr. Carter seems to be very much in request!" sneered Mrs.Pitkin. "No doubt he will be very much disappointed when he hearswhat he has lost. You will have to go to Florida to see him, I think,however." She added, after a pause: "It will not be well for either ofyou to call again. Mr. Carter will understand the motive of your calls."
"How cruel you are, Lavinia!" said Mrs. Forbush sadly.
"My name is Mrs. Pitkin!" said that lady frigidly.
"You have not forgotten that we are cousins, surely?"
"I do not care to remember it, Mrs. Forbush. Good-day."
There was no alternative but for Mrs. Forbush to say "good-day" also,and to descend the steps.
Philip joined her in the street.
"Are you really the cousin of Mrs. Pitkin?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Mrs. Forbush. "I bear the same relationship to Mr.Carter that she does. We were much together as girls, and were botheducated at the same expensive schools. I offended my relatives bymarrying Mr. Forbush, whose fault was that he was poor, and chiefly,I think, through the efforts of Lavinia Pitkin I was cast out by thefamily. But where did you meet Uncle Oliver?"
Philip explained the circumstances already known to the reader.
"Mr. Carter seems to me to be a kind-hearted man," he said. "I don'tbelieve he would have cast you off if he had not been influenced byother parties."
"So I think," said Mrs. Forbush. "I will tell you," she continued, aftera pause, "what drew me here this afternoon. I am struggling hard to keepmy head above water, Mr. Brent, but I find it hard to meet my expenses.I cannot meet my rent due to-morrow within fifteen dollars, and I daredto hope that if I could meet Uncle Oliver face to face and explainmatters to him, he would let me have the money."
"I am sure he would," said Phil warmly.
"But he is in Florida, and will probably remain there for a month or twoat least," said Mrs. Forbush, sighing. "But even if he were in the city Isuppose Lavinia would do all in her power to keep us apart."
"I have no doubt she would, Mrs. Forbush. Though she is your cousin, Idislike her very much."
"I suppose the boy with whom you were talking was her son Alonzo?"
"Yes; he is about the most disagreeable boy I ever met. Both he andhis mother seem very much opposed to my having an interview with youruncle."
"Lavinia was always of a jealous and suspicious disposition," said Mrs.Forbush. "I have not seen Alonzo since he was a baby. He is two yearsolder than my Julia. He was born before I estranged my relatives bymarrying a poor man."
"What are you going to do, Mrs. Forbush, about the rent?" asked Phil, ina tone of sympathy.
"I don't know. I shall try to get the landlord to wait, but I don't knowhow he will feel about it."
"I wish I had plenty of money. I would gladly lend you all you need."
"I am sure you would, Philip," said Mrs. Forbush. "The offer does megood, though it is not accompanied by the ability to do what your goodheart dictates. I feel that I am not without friends."
"I am a very poor one," said Phil. "The fact is, I am in trouble myself.My income is only five dollars a week, and my expenses are beyond that.I don't know how I am going to keep up."
"You may stay with me for three dollars a week, if you cannot pay four,"said Mrs. Forbush, forgetting her own troubles in her sympathy with ourhero.
"No, Mrs. Forbush, you can't afford it. You need money as much as I do,and perhaps more; for you have more than yourself to support."
"Yes, poor Julia!" sighed the mother. "She is born to a heritage ofpoverty. Heaven only knows how we are going to get along."
"God will provide for us, Mrs. Forbush," said Philip. "I don't know howit is, but in spite of my troubles I feel cheerful. I have a confidencethat things will come out well, though I cannot possibly imagine how."
"You are young, and youth is more inclined to be hopeful than matureryears. However, I do not wish to dampen your cheerfulness. Keep it, andlet it comfort you."
If Phil could have heard the conversation that took place betweenMrs. Pitkin and Alonzo after their departure, he might have felt lesshopeful.
"It is dreadfully annoying that that woman should turn up after allthese years!" said Mrs. Pitkin, in a tone of disgust.
"Is she really your cousin, ma?" asked Alonzo.
"Yes, but she disgraced herself by a low marriage, and was cast off."
"That disposes of her, then?"
"I don't know. If she could meet Uncle Oliver, I am afraid she wouldworm herself into his confidence and get him to do something for her.Then it is unfortunate that she and that boy have fallen in with eachother. She may get him to speak to Uncle Oliver in her behalf."
"Isn't he working for pa?"
"Yes."
"Why don't you get pa to discharge him while Uncle Oliver is away?"
"Well thought of, Alonzo! I will speak to your father this veryevening."
The Errand Boy; Or, How Phil Brent Won Success Page 22