CHAPTER XXVIII
A HEART OF GOLD
It had been a strenuous day for Frank. He and his mother had put indouble duty at the office that afternoon. Everything in the mail orderbusiness was moving along smoothly. Only this complication of DaleWacker and Markham comprised a disturbing, unsettled element in thesituation.
It was a beautiful moonlight night. Frank enjoyed the quiet of the hourafter the stirring turmoil of the day, and prolonged his stroll. Almostinstinctively his footsteps led him in the direction of the scene of themain commotion of the day--Main Street Block.
“Hello,” said Frank suddenly and in some surprise, as, passing itsgloomy entrance, he observed a solitary figure seated on a step in itsshadow.
Frank recognized the man whom the marshal had appointed as custodian ofthe raided mail order concern up-stairs.
“Oh, that you, Newton?” spoke the man in a somewhat embarrassed way.
“Yes,” replied Frank, “just headed for bed. Enjoying the fine evening?”
“Well,” said the custodian slowly, “I can’t say I am. Sort of lonely.Don’t be in a rush. Dull and sleepy hanging around this desolate oldbarracks.”
“Why don’t you go to bed, then?” suggested Frank. “There’s a comfortablecot upstairs there.”
“Ugh,” responded the custodian, with a grim shudder--“catch me!”
“Why, what’s the matter?” pressed Frank, discerning that somethingreally was wrong.
“I believe the place is haunted. I have heard some awful groans.”
Frank was interested, and finally said he would go with the watchman andmake an investigation. For quarter of an hour they found nothing, thenFrank discovered the form of a man lying in the bottom of a disused coalchute. The man was in great pain. Much to the youth’s amazement thefellow proved to be Gideon Purnell.
Frank questioned the rascal and found out Purnell had been Wacker’spartner in the dishonest mail order scheme. Purnell had fallen down thechute while trying to escape from the marshal. His back was injured andthe fellow was in a dying condition. He begged Frank to take him tosome place where he could die in peace.
“I am sorry for you,” said Frank. “If you really are badly hurt--”
“Don’t doubt it. I know what I’m talking about,” said Purnell. “I’veonly a few days left.”
“I want to do right,” said Frank slowly.
“Then help a poor, broken wretch to die in peace,” pleaded Purnell.
“I’ll be back soon,” said Frank simply, deeply affected himself.
Frank acted on an impulse he could hardly control. He ran to the Havenhome and roused up Darry and Bob. There was animated explanation anddiscussion.
Half-an-hour later, secret and stealthy as midnight marauders, the trioof friends wheeled the Haven Brothers’ delivery hand cart down the alleybehind Main Street Block.
“Bet the fellow played you--bet he’s made off,” predicted Bob.
However, they found Purnell just where Frank had left him, onlyinsensible now. They lifted him, a dead weight, into the cart. Then Bob,piloting the way, warned Frank and Darry of late pedestrians, and thusthey reached Frank’s home.
“Where am I--in a hospital?” spoke Purnell weakly, arousing from hisstupor an hour later.
“You are at my home,” said Frank, coming to the side of the comfortablebed where the sufferer lay.
“Oh, no! no!” panted Purnell. “Let me hide my head with shame--let medie. In your home--under the roof of the people I ruined--robbed! Heavenhave pity on me!”
“Don’t think about that,” said Frank soothingly. “We have tried to makeyou comfortable. In the morning we will get a doctor.”
“Not a doctor, boy, no, but a lawyer,” spoke Purnell in broken tones.“Boy, the meanest thing I ever did was to rob your mother of herfortune. Let the last thing I can do on earth be to give it back toher.”
Frank remained by the side of the sufferer until early morning. Then BobHaven came with a telegram from Stet.
“Hurrah! Markham is found!” cried Frank, reading the message. “Stetfound him in a coal mine. He was a prisoner.”
“Good for Stet!” said Bob.
“Just what I say. Markham is coming here. Bob, the skies are clearing,it would seem.”
“I am glad of it, Frank.”
The news about Markham was indeed true. He had been kept a prisoner inan abandoned mine by an old man who was a tool of Wacker. The old manhad been well-thrashed by Stet and had fled to parts unknown. Markhamhad quite a story to tell, as we shall soon see.