CHAPTER III.
THE SPECIAL DEPOSIT.
Stung with mortification and more incensed against Robert than ever,Halbert hastened home. The house in which he lived was the largest andmost pretentious in Millville--a large, square house, built in modernstyle, and with modern improvements, accessible from the street by asemi-circular driveway terminating in two gates, one at each end of thespacious lawn that lay in front. The house had been built only threeyears, and was the show-place of the village.
Halbert entered the house, and throwing his hat down on a chair in thehall, entered the dining-room, his face still betraying his angryfeelings.
"What's the matter, Halbert?" asked his mother, looking up as heentered.
"Do you see this?" said Halbert, displaying the pieces of his cane.
"How did you break it?"
"I didn't break it."
"How came it broken, then?"
"Robert Rushton broke it."
"The widow Rushton's son?"
"Yes; he's a low scoundrel," said Halbert bitterly.
"What made him break it?"
"He struck me with it hard enough to break it, and then threw the pieceson the ground. I wouldn't mind it so much if he were not a low factoryboy, unworthy of a gentleman's attention."
"How dared he touch you?" asked Mrs. Davis, angrily.
"Oh, he's impudent enough for anything. He walked home with Hester Painelast evening from the writing school. I suppose she didn't know how torefuse him. I met him just now and told him he ought to know his placebetter than to offer his escort to a young lady like Hester. He got madand struck me."
"It was very proper advice," said Mrs. Davis, who resembled her son incharacter and disposition, and usually sided with him in his quarrels."I should think Hester would have more sense than to encourage a boy inhis position."
"I have no doubt she was bored by his company," said Halbert, who fearedon the contrary that Hester was only too well pleased with his rival,and hated him accordingly; "only she was too good-natured to say so."
"The boy must be a young brute to turn upon you so violently."
"That's just what he is."
"He ought to be punished for it."
"I'll tell you how it can be done," said Halbert. "Just you speak tofather about it, and get him dismissed from the factory."
"Then he is employed in the factory?"
"Yes. He and his mother are as poor as poverty, and that's about allthey have to live upon; yet he goes round with his head up as if he werea prince, and thinks himself good enough to walk home with HesterPaine."
"I never heard of anything so ridiculous."
"Then you'll speak to father about it, won't you?"
"Yes; I'll speak to him to-night. He's gone away for the day."
"That'll pay me for my broken cane," said Halbert, adding, in a tone ofsatisfaction: "I shall be glad to see him walking round the streets inrags. Perhaps he'll be a little more respectful then."
Meanwhile Robert decided not to mention to his mother his encounter withthe young aristocrat. He knew that it would do no good, and would onlymake her feel troubled. He caught the malignant glance of Halbert onparting, and he knew him well enough to suspect that he would do whathe could to have him turned out of the factory. This would certainly bea serious misfortune.
Probably the entire income upon which his mother and himself had todepend did not exceed eight dollars a week, and of this he himselfearned six. They had not more than ten dollars laid by forcontingencies, and if he were deprived of work, that would soon meltaway. The factory furnished about the only avenue of employment open inMillville, and if he were discharged it would be hard to find any otherremunerative labor.
At one o'clock Robert went back to the factory rather thoughtful. Hethought it possible that he might hear something before evening of thedismission which probably awaited him, but the afternoon passed and heheard nothing.
On leaving the factory, he chanced to see Halbert again on the sidewalka little distance in front and advancing toward him. This time, however,the young aristocrat did not desire a meeting, for, with a dark scowl,he crossed the street in time to avoid it.
"Is he going to pass it over, I wonder?" thought Robert. "Well, I won'tborrow trouble. If I am discharged I think I can manage to pick up aliving somehow. I've got two strong arms, and if I don't find somethingto do, it won't be for the want of trying."
Two years before, Captain Rushton, on the eve of sailing upon whatproved to be his last voyage, called in the evening at the house of Mr.Davis, the superintendent of the Millville factory. He found thesuperintendent alone, his wife and Halbert having gone out for theevening. He was seated at a table with a variety of papers spread outbefore him. These papers gave him considerable annoyance. He waspreparing his semi-annual statement of account, and found himselfindebted to the corporation in a sum three thousand dollars in excess ofthe funds at his command. He had been drawn into the whirlpool ofspeculation, and, through a New York broker, had invested considerableamounts in stocks, which had depreciated in value. In doing this he hadmade use, to some extent, of the funds of the corporation, which he wasnow at a loss how to replace. He was considering where he could applyfor a temporary loan of three thousand dollars when the captain entered.Under the circumstances he was sorry for the intrusion.
"Good-evening, Captain Rushton," he said, with a forced smile. "Sitdown. I am glad to see you."
"Thank you, Mr. Davis. It will be the last call I shall make upon youfor a considerable time."
"Indeed--how is that?"
"I sail to-morrow for Calcutta."
"Indeed--that is a long voyage."
"Yes, it takes considerable time. I don't like to leave my wife and boyfor so long, but we sailors have to suffer a good many privations."
"True; I hardly think I should enjoy such a life."
"Still," said the captain, "it has its compensations. I like the free,wild life of the sea. The ocean, even in its stormiest aspects, has acharm for me."
"It hasn't much for me," said the superintendent, shrugging hisshoulders. "Seasickness takes away all the romance that poets haveinvested it with."
Captain Rushton laughed.
"Seasickness!" he repeated. "Yes, that is truly a disagreeable malady. Iremember once having a lady of rank as passenger on board my ship--aLady Alice Graham. She was prostrated by seasickness, which is norespecter of persons, and a more forlorn, unhappy mortal I never expectto see. She would have been glad, I am convinced, to exchange placeswith her maid, who seemed to thrive upon the sea air."
"I wish you a prosperous voyage, captain."
"Thank you. If things go well, I expect to come home with quite anaddition to my little savings. And that brings me to the object of myvisit this evening. You must know, Mr. Davis, I have saved up in thelast ten years a matter of five thousand dollars."
"Five thousand dollars!" repeated the superintendent, pricking up hisears.
"Yes, it has been saved by economy and self-denial. Wouldn't my wife besurprised if she knew her husband were so rich?"
"Your wife doesn't know of it?" asked the superintendent, surprised.
"Not at all. I have told her I have something, and she may suppose Ihave a few hundred dollars, but I have never told her how much. I wantto surprise her some day."
"Just so."
"Now, Mr. Davis, for the object of my errand. I am no financier, andknow nothing of investments. I suppose you do. I want you to take thismoney, and take care of it, while I am gone on my present voyage. Imeant to make inquiries myself for a suitable investment, but I havebeen summoned by my owners to leave at a day's notice, and have no timefor it. Can you oblige me by taking care of the money?"
"Certainly, captain," said the superintendent, briskly. "I shall havegreat pleasure in obliging an old friend."
"I am much obliged to you."
"Don't mention it. I have large sums of my own to invest, and it is noextra trouble to look after your money. Am
I to pay the interest to yourwife?"
"No. I have left a separate fund in a savings bank for her to draw upon.As I told you, I want to surprise her by and by. So not a word, if youplease, about this deposit."
"Your wishes shall be regarded," said the superintendent. "Have youbrought the money with you?"
"Yes," said the captain, drawing from his pocket a large wallet. "I havegot the whole amount here in large bills. Count it, if you please, andsee that it is all right."
The superintendent took the roll of bills from the hands of hisneighbor, and counted them over twice.
"It is quite right," he said. "Here are five thousand dollars. Now letme write you a receipt for them."
He drew before him a sheet of paper, and dipping his pen in theinkstand, wrote a receipt in the usual form, which he handed back to thecaptain, who received it and put it back in his wallet.
"Now," said the captain, in a tone of satisfaction, "my most importantbusiness is transacted. You will keep this money, investing it accordingto your best judgment. If anything should happen to me," he added, hisvoice faltering a little, "you will pay it over to my wife and child."
"Assuredly," said the superintendent; "but don't let us think of such asad contingency. I fully expect to pay it back into your own hands withhandsome interest."
"Let us hope so," said the captain, recovering his cheerfulness. "Ourdestinies are in the hands of a kind Providence. And now good-by! Ileave early to-morrow morning, and I must pass the rest of the eveningwith my own family."
"Good-night, captain," said the superintendent, accompanying him to thedoor. "I renew my wish that you have a prosperous and profitable voyage,and be restored in good time to your family and friends."
"Amen!" said the captain.
The superintendent went back to his study, his heart lightened of itsanxiety.
"Could anything be more fortunate?" he ejaculated, "This help comes tome just when it is most needed. Thanks to my special deposit, I can makemy semi-annual settlement, and have two thousand dollars over. It'slucky the captain knows nothing of my Wall Street speculations. Hemight not have been quite so ready to leave his money in my hands. It'snot a bad thing to be a banker," and he rubbed his hands together withhilarity.
Brave and Bold; Or, The Fortunes of Robert Rushton Page 3