CHAPTER XXXI
MR. STANTON IS SURPRISED
While the events recorded in the last chapter were taking place in Mr.Godfrey's counting-room another and a different scene took place at theoffice of Mr. Stanton.
He had just finished reading the morning paper, and, as it slippedfrom his hand, his thoughts turned, transiently, to the nephew whosepersistent failure to claim relationship puzzled him not a little. Hewas glad not to be called upon for money, of course; still, he felt alittle annoyed at Herbert's reticence, especially as it left him unableto decide whether our hero knew of the tie which connected them. It wasscarcely possible to suppose that he did not. But in that case, why didhe not make some sign? The truth did suggest itself to Mr. Stanton'smind that the boy resented his cold and indifferent letter, and thisthought made him feel a little uncomfortable.
While he was thinking over this subject, one of his clerks entered theoffice.
"A gentleman to see you, Mr. Stanton," he said, briefly.
Mr. Stanton raised his head, and his glance rested on a tall, vigorousman of perhaps thirty-five years of age, who closely followed the clerk.The stranger's face was brown from exposure, and there was a certainappearance of unconventionality about his movements which seemedto indicate that he was not a dweller in cities or a frequenter ofdrawing-rooms, but accustomed to make his home in the wilder haunts ofnature.
In brief, for there is no occasion for mystery, Mr. Stanton's visitorwas Ralph the Ranger, who had assisted Herbert from the clutches ofAbner Holden.
Mr. Stanton gazed at the stranger with some curiosity, but was unable torecognize him.
"Have you any business with me?" he asked.
"Yes," said the visitor, in a voice whose depth carried with it anassurance of strength.
"State it, then, as briefly as possible," said the merchant, with alittle asperity, for there was not as much deference in the manner ofthe other as he thought there should have been. Like most new men,he was jealous of his position, and solicitous lest he should not betreated with due respect.
"I will do so," said the stranger, "but as it cannot be summed up in asentence, I will take the liberty of seating myself."
As he spoke he sat down in an office chair, which was placed not farfrom that in which Mr. Stanton was sitting.
"My time is valuable," said the merchant, coldly. "I cannot listen to along story."
As the visitor was plainly, if not roughly, dressed, he suspected thathe desired pecuniary assistance on some pretext or other, and that hisstory was one of misfortune, intended to appeal to his sympathies. Hadsuch been the case, there was very little prospect of help from Mr.Stanton, and that gentleman already enjoyed in anticipation the pleasureof refusing him.
"Don't you know me?" demanded Ralph, abruptly.
Mr. Stanton did not anticipate such a commencement. It had neveroccurred to him to suppose that his rough visitor was one whom he hadever before met.
"No," he said, "I never saw you before."
Ralph smiled a little bitterly.
"So I have passed entirely out of your remembrance, have I?" he said."Well, it is twelve years since we met."
"Twelve years," repeated Mr. Stanton. He scanned the stranger's facewith curiosity, but not a glimmer of recollection came to him.
"I dare say I met many persons at that distance of time, whom I cannotremember in the least now, even by name."
"I think you will remember my name," said Ralph, quietly. "Your memoryof Ralph Pendleton cannot be wholly obliterated."
Mr. Stanton started, and it was evident from the expression of his facethat the memory was not a welcome one.
"Are you Ralph Pendleton?" he asked, in an undecided voice.
"Yes, but not the Ralph Pendleton you once knew. Then I was aninexperienced boy; now I am a man."
"Yes, you have changed considerably," said Mr. Stanton, uncomfortably,"Where have you kept yourself all these years? Why have you not madeyourself known before?"
"Before I answer these questions, I must refer to some circumstanceswell known to both of us. I hope I shall not be tiresome; I will, atleast, be brief. You were my father's friend. At least, he so consideredyou."
"I was so."
"When he died, as I had not yet attained my majority, he left you myguardian."
"Yes."
"I was in rather an idle frame, and being possessed, as I supposed, offifty thousand dollars, I felt no necessity impelling me to work. Yougave me no advice, but rather encouraged me in my idle propensities.When I was of age, I took a fancy to travel, and left my propertyin your hands, with full power to manage it for me. This trust youaccepted."
"Well, this is an old story."
"An old one, but it shall not be a long one. My income being sufficientto defray my expenses abroad, I traveled leisurely, with no thoughtfor the future. In your integrity I had the utmost confidence. Imagine,then, my dismay when, while resident in Paris, I received a letter fromyou stating that, owing to a series of unlucky investments, nearlyall my money had been sunk, and in place of fifty thousand dollars, myproperty was reduced to a few hundreds.'
"It was unlucky, I admit," said Mr. Stanton, moving uneasily in hischair. "My investments were unlucky, as it turned out, but the best andmost judicious cannot always foresee how an investment will turn out.Besides, I lost largely, myself."
"So you wrote me," said Ralph, quietly. "However, that did not make itany the easier for me to bear."
"Perhaps not, but it shows, at any rate, that I took the same risk formy own money that I did for others."
Ralph proceeded without noticing this remark. "What made matters worsefor me was that I had fallen in love with a young American lady who,with her parents, was then traveling in Europe. My circumstances, as Isupposed them to be, justified me in proposing marriage. I was acceptedby the young lady, and my choice was approved by the parents. When,however, I learned of my loss of fortune, I at once made it known, andthat approval was withdrawn. The father told me that, under the alteredcircumstances, the engagement must be considered broken. Still, he heldout the prospect that, should I ever again obtain a property as large asthat I had lost, I might marry his daughter. She, on her part, promisedto wait for me."
"Well?"
"I came to New York, received from you the remnant of my lost fortune,and sailed the next week for California, then just open to Americanenterprise. The most glowing stories were told of fortunes won in anincredibly short time, Having no regular occupation, and having a strongmotive for acquiring money, it is not surprising that I should have beendazzled with the rest, and persuaded to make the journey to the land ofgold."
"A Quixotic scheme, as I thought at the time," said Mr. Stanton, coldly."For one that succeeded, there were fifty who failed. You had betterhave taken the clerkship I offered you."
"You are wrong," said Ralph, composedly. "There were many who weredisappointed, but I was not among the number."
"Did you succeed?" asked Mr. Stanton, surprised.
"So well," answered the other, "that at the end of two years' residence,I found myself as rich as I had ever been."
"Had you made fifty thousand dollars?" demanded the merchant, inamazement.
"I had."
"What did you do? Why did you not let me know of your success?"
"When I once more found myself possessed of a fortune, I took the nextvessel home with my money. I had but one thought, and that was to claimthe hand of my promised bride, who had promised to wait for me tenyears, if necessary."
"Well?"
"I found her married," said Ralph, bitterly. "She had forgotten herpromise, or had been over-persuaded by her parents--I do not knowwhich--and had proved false to me."
"That was unfortunate. But do you still possess the money?"
"I do."
"Indeed! I congratulate you," said Mr. Stanton, with suavity, and heheld out his hand, which Ralph did not appear to see. Ralph Pendletonrich was a very different person from Ralph Pendleton poor,
and itoccurred to him that he might so far ingratiate himself into the favorof his former ward as to obtain the charge of his second fortune. He sawthat it would be safe, as well as politic, to exchange his coldness fora warm and cordial welcome.
"Proceed with your story," he said; "I am quite interested in it."