CHAPTER XXXII.
CONCLUSION.
Henry Martin meanwhile had not stood still. Two years after Samentered Mr. Brown's counting-room Henry became chief clerk in theoffice of his New York employer. Mr. Hamilton had permitted him toshare in the general ventures of the firm, and this had enabled Henry,with his habits of prudence, combined with his savings from a largelyincreased salary, to lay up four thousand dollars, which were securelyinvested. His salary now was one hundred dollars a month, and he waspromised, on the approaching first of January, further increase. Hisprudence, industry and self-denial had reaped their fitting reward.
He had never heard a word from Sam since the latter left New York forBoston.
It would be difficult to explain why Sam had not written, for he hadlearned to respect Henry, and to prize the traits he had formerlylaughed at.
"I am afraid Sam has come to no good," Henry sometimes said tohimself. "He was always a harum-scarum fellow, good-natured, but lazyand heedless. I wish I could do him a good turn. I have been soprospered that I could afford to help him along if I could only findhim."
But months and years passed, and there were no tidings of Sam.
One day as Henry was engaged at his desk, a young man entered thecounting-room. He was handsomely dressed, with a bright, intelligentlook, and the appearance of one who was on good terms with the world.He glanced inquiringly at Henry, and then said: "Am I speaking to Mr.Henry Martin?"
"Yes, sir," said young Martin, politely. "What can I do for you?"
"I believe I used to know you, Mr. Martin," said Sam, smiling; for itwas our old friend, the young outlaw.
"I beg your pardon," said Henry Martin; "I must apologize for my poormemory, but I cannot recall your face."
"I should have known you at once," said Sam. "You have the samesedate, grave manner that you had when a boy."
"Did you know me as a boy?" asked Henry, puzzled.
"Slightly," answered Sam, smiling again. "I used to room with you."
"You are not Sam Barker!" exclaimed Henry, in the deepestastonishment.
"Who says I am not?" said Sam.
Henry Martin jumped from his stool, and grasped Sam's handscordially.
"I see it now," he said. "There is the same look, though you are fiveyears older. I am delighted to see you, Sam. Where have you been allthese years?"
"In and near Boston," answered Sam.
"You look as if you had prospered."
"I have. I am bookkeeper for a Boston merchant, with a handsomesalary."
"Where on earth did you pick up bookkeeping?" asked Henry, incontinued amazement.
"I studied under a private tutor for two or three years," answeredSam, enjoying his perplexity. "I have only been in business twoyears."
"Didn't it make your head ache?" asked Henry, slyly.
"It did at first, but I got over that after a while."
"I can't understand it at all, Sam. It seems like a romance. I neverthought you would turn out like this."
"Nor I, Henry. But it is a long story. Come and see me this evening atthe St. Nicholas, and I will tell you all. I must leave you now, as Ihave a little business to attend to."
That evening Henry and Sam met at the hotel, and each told his story,to the deep interest of the other.
"You have been very lucky, Sam," said Henry, at the end. "I neversupposed you would reform so completely and thoroughly. You were apretty hard case when I knew you."
"So I was," said Sam; "and I would have been to this day if I had notturned over a new leaf. Sometime I hope to introduce you to the twofriends to whom I owe my reformation."
"Who are they?"
"A young lady of Boston, Miss Julia Stockton, and my most valuedfriend, Arthur Brown."
"So there is a young lady in the case, Sam?"
"I know what you are thinking of, Henry; but it isn't as you suppose.Julia Stockton will never be any more than a friend to me. Indeed, sheis engaged to be married next month to Arthur's elder brother,Charlie, who has just been admitted to the bar. But I shall alwaysfeel indebted to her for first leading me to look upon myself as anignorant and heedless boy. I never became ambitious till I met her."
"Then my lectures did no good, Sam?"
"Not at the time. Afterward I thought of them, and saw that you wereright. And now that we have found each other, Henry, don't let usremain strangers. Can't you come and see me in Boston?"
"I am to visit Boston, on business, in October, Sam. I won't fail tolook you up then."
* * * * * * *
Henry kept his word. Sam received him with cordial hospitality, andhenceforth the two remained fast friends. It is not necessary tosketch their future. Both are on the right track, though Sam was muchlater in finding it; and the young outlaw, as well as his more prudentcompanion, is likely to prosper more and more as the years roll by.
* * * * * * *
Transcriber's Note:
Several typographical errors in this edition have been correctedin keeping with the author's original intent. The correctionsare here listed as chapter followed by a colon, beginning wordsof paragraph in which the error appears followed by a semicolon,and a description of the error and/or the correction made.
Chapter 2: '"Oh! You're the boy I heard him speak of.'; joined tofollowing paragraph.
Chapter 3: 'They stood before a shabby brick dwelling,';'ldging-house' changed to 'lodging-house'.
Chapter 5: '"Saturady night, the boss said,'; 'Saturady' changed to'Saturday'.
Chapter 5: '"I'l lend you a dollar if you'll be sure to pay me'; 'I'l'changed to 'I'll'.
Chapter 5: '"I don't think you have. You have been extravagent,';'extravagent' changed to 'extravagant'.
Chapter 6: '"Take that, then; it's the last one I have.'; missingdouble-quote at end inserted.
Chapter 10: '"Wasn't that a tiptop dinner?"'; 'would't' changed to'wouldn't'.
Chapter 10: 'Settlement was made, and Henry,'; 'accomodation' changedto 'accommodation'.
Chapter 11: '"Thirty-five dollars. It isn't much,' missingdouble-quote at end inserted.
Chapter 11: '"He's like Sam," though Henry.' 'though' changed to'thought'.
Chapter 13: '"Yes sir; I have twenty-six dollars'; 'depost' changed to'deposit'.
Chapter 14: 'Sam entered the banking house,'; 'windew' was changed to'window'.
Chapter 15: '"We saw that the signiture was not correct,':'signiture' changed to 'signature'.
Chapter 16: '"I've got a room of my own,"' missing period at end ofsentence added.
Chapter 16: 'He looks sober,"' paragraph joined with following by samespeaker.
Chapter 16: '"Mr. Dalton looked up as he entered.' spuriousdouble-quote at beginning of paragraph deleted.
Chapter 18: '"That's the number of your birth."' 'birth' changed to'berth'.
Chapter 20: 'The birth Sam was to occupy' 'birth' changed to 'berth'.
Chapter 23: '"To-day," said Sam."' spurious double-quote at end ofparagraph deleted.
Chapter 23: 'After a walk they returned to lunch.'; 'astonishmen'changed to 'astonishment'.
Chapter 23: '"Should't wonder," said Sam.'; 'Should't' changed to'Shouldn't.
Chapter 24: 'Presently fatigue everpowered Sam,'; 'everpowered'changed to 'overpowered'.
Chapter 24: '"Only ten dollars and a half!"'; in the sentence 'Let meme see if there is anything more."' the extra 'me' was removed.
Chapter 24: '"Yes ma'am" said Aner.'; comma added after 'ma'am' and'Aner' changed to 'Abner'.
Chapter 24: '"Good-by old woman!" muttered Abner ase he closed thedoor,' 'ase' changed to 'as'.
Chapter 25: 'By this time Sam began to feel a little desondent.';'desondent' changed to 'despondent'.
Chapter 25: '"Don't forget to call at the house.'; 'wil' changed to'will'.
Chapter 26: 'The voice was heard again,'; 'apearance' changed to'appearance'.
Chapter 27: '"Not as I know of.' missing double-quote at end ofparagraph added.
Chapter 27: 'The door was locked and then Brown said:'; 'Barber' waschanged to 'Barker'.
Chapter 27: '"That book," indicating the photograph album,' missingdouble-quote at continuation of dialogue inserted.
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