CHAPTER XX.
A DISAGREEABLE SURPRISE.
Mr. Davis was seated in his office, but it was his own personal affairsrather than the business of the factory that engaged his attention. Hewas just in receipt of a letter from his broker in New York, statingthat there were but slender chances of a rise in the price of somesecurities in which he had invested heavily. He was advised to sell outat once, in order to guard against a probable further depreciation. Thiswas far from satisfactory, since an immediate sale would involve a lossof nearly a thousand dollars. Mr. Davis felt despondent, and, inconsequence, irritable. It was at this moment that one of the factoryhands came in and told him that Robert Rushton wished to see him.
The superintendent would have refused an interview but for oneconsideration. He thought that our hero was about to beg to be takenback into his employ. This request he intended to refuse, and enjoyed inadvance the humiliation of young Rushton.
"Good-morning, sir," said Robert, removing his hat on entering.
"I suppose you want to be taken back," said the superintendent,abruptly.
"No, sir," said Robert. "I have come on quite a different errand."
Mr. Davis was disappointed. He was cheated of his expected triumph.Moreover, looking into our young hero's face, he saw that he wasentirely self-possessed, and had by no means the air of one about to aska favor.
"Then state your business at once," he said, roughly. "My time is toovaluable to be taken up by trifles."
"My business is important to both of us," said Robert. "We have justreceived a letter from my father."
The superintendent started and turned pale. This was the most unwelcomeintelligence he could have received. He supposed, of course, thatCaptain Rushton was alive, and likely to reclaim the sum, which he wasin no position to surrender.
"Your father!" he stammered. "Where is he? I thought he was dead."
"I am afraid he is," said Robert, soberly.
"Then how can you just have received a letter from him?" demanded Mr.Davis, recovering from his momentary dismay.
"The letter was inclosed in a bottle, which was picked up in the SouthPacific, and brought to the owners of the vessel. My father's ship wasburned to the water's edge, and at the time of writing the letter he wasafloat on the ocean with five of his sailors in a small boat."
"How long ago was this? I mean when was the letter dated."
"Nearly two years ago--in the November after he sailed."
"Then, of course, he must have perished," said the superintendent, witha feeling of satisfaction. "However, I suppose your mother is glad tohave heard from him. Is that all you have to tell me?"
"No, sir," said Robert, looking boldly in the face of his formeremployer. "My father added in his letter, that just before sailing hedeposited with you the sum of five thousand dollars, to be given to mymother in case he never returned."
So the worst had come! The dead had revealed the secret which thesuperintendent hoped would never be known. He was threatened with ruin.He had no means of paying the deposit unless by sacrificing all hisproperty, and it was doubtful whether even then he would be able whollyto make it up. If Robert possessed his acknowledgment he would have nodefense to make. This he must ascertain before committing himself.
"Supposing this story to be true," he said, in a half-sneering tone,"you are, of course, prepared to show me my receipt for the money?"
"That my father carried away with him. He did not send it with theletter."
All the superintendent's confidence returned. He no longer felt afraid,since all evidence of the deposit was doubtless at the bottom of the seawith the ill-fated captain. He resolved to deny the trust altogether.
"Rushton," he said, "I have listened patiently to what you had to say,and in return I answer that in the whole course of my life I have neverknown of a more barefaced attempt at fraud. In this case you haveselected the wrong customer."
"What!" exclaimed Robert, hardly crediting the testimony of his ears;"do you mean to deny that my father deposited five thousand dollars withyou just before sailing on his last voyage?"
"I certainly do, and in the most unqualified terms. Had such been thecase, do you think I would have kept the knowledge of it from yourmother so long after your father's supposed death?"
"There might be reasons for that," said Robert, significantly.
"None of your impertinent insinuations, you young rascal," said Mr.Davis, hotly. "The best advice I can give you is, to say nothing to anyone about this extraordinary claim. It will only injure you, and I shallbe compelled to resort to legal measures to punish you for circulatingstories calculated to injure my reputation."
If the superintendent expected to intimidate Robert by this menace hewas entirely mistaken in the character of our young hero. He bore theangry words and threatening glances of his enemy without quailing, asresolute and determined as ever.
"Mr. Davis," he said, "if there is no truth in this story, do you thinkmy father, with death before his eyes, would have written it to mymother?"
"I have no evidence, except your word, that any such letter has beenreceived."
"I can show it to you, if you desire it, in my father's handwriting."
"We will suppose, then, for a moment, that such a letter has beenreceived, and was written by your father. I can understand how, beingabout to die, and feeling that his family were without provision, heshould have written such a letter with the intention of giving you aclaim upon me, whom he no doubt selected supposing me to be a rich man.It was not justifiable, but something can be excused to a man findinghimself in such a position."
Robert was filled with indignation as he listened to this aspersion uponhis father's memory. He would not have cared half so much for any insultto himself.
"Mr. Davis," he said, boldly, "it is enough for you to cheat my motherout of the money which my father left her, but when you accuse my fatherof fraud you go too far. You know better than any one that everythingwhich he wrote is true."
The superintendent flushed under the boy's honest scorn, and, unable todefend himself truthfully, he worked himself into a rage.
"What! do you dare insult me in my own office?" he exclaimed, halfrising from his desk, and glaring at our hero. "Out of my sight at once,or I may be tempted to strike you!"
"Before I leave you, Mr. Davis," said Robert, undauntedly, "I wish youto tell me finally whether you deny the deposit referred to in myfather's letter?"
"And I tell you, once for all," exclaimed the superintendent, angrily,"if you don't get out of my office I will kick you out."
"I will leave you now," said our hero, not intimidated; "but you havenot heard the last of me. I will not rest until I see justice done to mymother."
So saying, he walked deliberately from the office, leaving Mr. Davis ina state of mind no means comfortable. True, the receipt had doubtlessgone to the bottom of the sea with the ill-fated captain, and, as no onewas cognizant of the transaction, probably no claim could be enforcedagainst his denial. But if the letter should be shown, as Robert woulddoubtless be inclined to do, he was aware that, however the law mightdecide, popular opinion would be against him, and his reputation wouldbe ruined. This was an unpleasant prospect, as the superintendent valuedhis character. Besides, the five thousand dollars were gone and notlikely to be recovered. Had they still been in his possession, thatwould have been some compensation.