CHAPTER XI.
IN DENVER.
"Did the man find anything of value in your valises?" asked thered-faced man, as the boys turned toward the front part of the car.
"He could have bought everything I had in my valise for two dollars,"said Jack, with a laugh. "It seems funny that he should want to puthimself in danger of arrest for that"
"He got a book in mine," said Julian. "Of course I have read itbefore, but I wanted to read it again. Say, Jack," he continued, whenthe latter reached the door and was about to open it, "if the man wasClaus, don't you suppose he had an eye on that box?"
Jack released the door and leaned up heavily against it. Such an ideahad never occurred to him.
"He watched us while we were in St. Louis, and when he saw us ready tocome out, he got on the same train with us."
"What a lucky thing it was that we sent that box off by express!" Jackalmost gasped. "Of course it was Claus, and we shall not find him onthis train, either. He jumped off at that station back there."
"Let us go and see. If he is going to follow us in this way, we aregoing to be in a fix, the first thing you know."
Jack opened the door and went out, and Julian followed close at hisheels. They went slowly through the cars, looking sharply at every manthey saw on the train, but nobody with "a very German cast ofcountenance" could be seen. The next thing was to try the other end ofthe train. Jack led the way, as before, and when they got into theirown car the red-faced man, who seemed to take an interest in theirsuccess, said, in a low tone,
"Did you find him?"
"No," replied Jack; "he must have got off at the station. We are goingthrough the sleeping-cars, and, if he is not there, we will have togive him up."
In the next car there was no one who looked like Claus, and when theyopened the door of the next car, and entered the vestibuled part ofthe train, they found themselves in an entry which was fitted up inthe most gorgeous manner. A negro porter stood in front of the windowlooking out, and when he saw who the boys were, he stepped up in frontof them.
"Does you want to see somebody on dis train?" he asked.
"Well, I should say we did," replied Jack. "Some one has stolen ourvalises, and we want to find him."
"Dat's bad. Has you got a ticket?"
"Of course we have. Don't you see the slips in our caps?"
"But I mean a ticket for dis part of de train. If you hasn't got one,you can't go in."
This was a new arrangement to Jack. The last time he travelled on therailroad it was when the hands connected with the railroad-shop gavean excursion and a picnic, and then he had no difficulty in going allover the train; but he saw the beauty of it at once.
"Then we will have to give it up," said he, turning toward the door."That man may be here and have our valises, and we can't helpourselves."
"Mebbe not," said the negro. "What kind of a looking man was he? Iwill go over the train and look for him."
Jack described the man as well as he could from the description thepassenger had given him, and the negro went out.
"Just see what we would have got we had taken a sleeping-coach,"whispered Julian. "No one can come near you except those who purchasedtickets at the depot."
"We'll come to that after a while," said Jack. "Wait until we get ourmoney. Just now it seems as though we shall have to be constantly onthe watch."
The negro was gone a long time, but our friends found themselves busyin taking a note of all their surroundings. There must have been agood deal of money spent upon that sleeping-car. There did not seemto be a cheap thing about it. One or two passengers, who had sleptlate and were just getting up, came in, and yawned, and stretched, andprepared to go through their ablutions. They merely glanced at the twoboys, and went on with their work. They did not care for theeating-stations that were scattered along the route; when they werehungry, they could go into the dining-coach and get all they wanted.
"I tell you, it is worth while to know where your money is coming fromwhen you travel," thought Julian; "one feels so much safer."
By the time he had reached this conclusion the negro appeared.
"Dar ain't a man on dis train that looks like the one you spoke of,"said he. "Dey's all Americans; the last man-jack of them."
"Thank you," said Jack. "Our man has got off at the station. I hope hewill get rich on what he found in those valises."
The two friends went back to their own car, and to the inquiry of thepassenger who sat behind them replied that the man had left the trainas soon as he got the valises. Then they settled down and prepared toenjoy their journey; but it must be confessed that Claus came intotheir minds very frequently. If he was the one who took their valises,they were certain that they had not seen the last of him yet.
"And to think that that fellow watched us all the while we were in St.Louis," said Jack, leaning over and whispering the words to Julian."He may watch us after we get in Denver. Who knows?"
But Claus, if that was the man, did not come near them any more duringtheir journey. They grew weary, of course, and Julian, having no bookto read, slept most of the way. Their night was passed in much thesame way that the first one was, and about two o'clock in the morningthey arrived at Denver. The appearance of the city, wrapped though itwas in slumber, surprised them. There were as many people runningabout in the depot as there were in St. Louis, and all appeared tohave work to do. The man to whom they had given their check was thereto show them the way to their omnibus, and Julian, while he was on theway to it, looked all around for Indians, but did not see any. Thehotel was as large as those they had left in St. Louis, and almostbefore they knew it they were in their room with two beds in it, theporter had carried up their trunk, had bid them good-night, and theywere alone.
"Say, Jack, there's more houses than wigwams here, is there not?"
"I was just thinking so myself," said Jack. "Denver is a big city.Now, the next thing is something else. It is something I don't like tothink of. That letter which Mr. Wiggins wrote to the agent here mayhelp us some, but we have something to prove after that."
"Well, don't let us worry about that to-night," said Julian. "Perhapsin the morning it will look different."
Julian had never slept in so comfortable a bed before, and when sleepoverpowered him he did not know a thing until he opened his eyes inthe morning and saw Jack standing at the window, with his suspendersabout his waist, looking through the window at some mountains whichseemed to be looming up close at hand.
"When we get settled, if we ever do, we must walk out there and take aview from the top," said he.
"How far are they away from here?"
"About two or three miles, probably. I believe if we get on the summitof those mountains we can see California."
"I have just thought of another thing that may bother us some," saidJulian. "I don't know whether the express clerks will want us toidentify ourselves before they give us that box, but if they do--thenwhat?"
"Although we are in the right, there is always something to botherus," said Jack, seating himself in the nearest chair. "What will wedo?"
"We can't do anything except to write to St. Louis. There is nobodyhere that knows us from Adam."
That was something that bothered Jack during breakfast, but at eighto'clock, the hour when the express offices are generally open, theywere directed by the clerk how to reach it, and in process of timedrew up before the counter. To Julian's inquiry if there was a boxthere addressed to himself the clerk placed the box before him, andnever asked him who he was or where he came from.
"Now, the next thing is to keep an eye out for the telegraph office.If you see a sign sticking out, let me know it."
"I see a sign already," said Jack, pointing it out.
Julian began to feel a little more at home. He had worked in atelegraph office, and he was certain that he was going among friends.The boys were there, and they came up to wait on him, but Julian wentahead until he confronted the operator at his desk.
"Is Mr. Fay in?" Julian asked.
"Yes, sir. He is in his private office. Would you like to see him?"
"I would thank you first to give me a screw-driver so that I can takethis cover off. There is a letter in here addressed to him."
The screw-driver was soon forthcoming, and while Julian was at work atit, a hustling little man suddenly stood before him.
"Do you want to see me?" he asked, in a business way.
Julian had by this time taken out the letter, which was placed on top,and handed it to Mr. Fay, who leaned against the counter and read it.The boys watched him closely, and finally saw his eyes light up withsurprise.
"This letter has a stamp on it, so I know it is all right," said he."But this man Wiggins I never heard of. Come into the office."
The boys followed him, seating themselves in chairs that were pointedout to them, while Mr. Fay went on reading the letter. He was utterlyamazed, and looked at the two friends as if he could scarcely believeit.
"Which one of you boys is Julian Gray?" he asked. "You are? Then Icongratulate you from the bottom of my heart. You struck it rich oncein buying 'old horse,' didn't you? How long have you been with Mr.Wiggins?"
Julian began, and told as much of his history as he was willing thatany stranger should know--all except about pulling him out from underthe feet of the runaway horses. He thought that that was a sacredmatter between him and Mr. Wiggins, and so he said nothing about it.
"And how about your friend, here, John Sheldon?" said he. "You see, Iwant to get at the bottom of all your doings, so that I can explain itto Mr. Gibson, Mr. Winkleman's lawyer. We know of that man, and weknow why he left; but we want to be certain that you have a right tothe box."
Jack began and related his story; and although Mr. Wiggins did not saymuch about it, never having been acquainted with Jack, the tale hetold was so honest and truthful that Mr. Fay could not but believehim.
"Well, boys, I will go with you to see Mr. Gibson," said the operator."It all rests with him. You see, all these things happened elevenmonths ago, and he has collected considerable money in rent for allthese places. You will come in for fifteen or twenty thousand dollarsat the start. He may want to ask you some questions."
What Mr. Fay said almost took the boys' breath away. They had hardlyanything in their pockets, and to be told that they were worth tenthousand dollars apiece was almost too good for belief. They followedMr. Fay out on the street--the way he moved proved that he had come upfrom the ranks--and up the stairs that led to Mr. Gibson's office.They found the lawyer in there, walking up and down, but he stoppedlong enough to bid Mr. Fay good-morning.
"What have these young men been doing?" said he, pulling up a chairfor each one to sit down. "More lawsuits, I suppose."
"No, sir, there is no law in this except what you have a mind to tellus. Read this letter; but first let me introduce the boys."
Mr. Gibson said he was glad to see them, and then commenced theletter, and before he had read it half-way through he whistled andlooked at them with intense surprise.
"Well, sir, you have done it, have you not?" said he. "Now, whom haveyou to prove that you bought this 'old horse' at the express office?"
"Read on, sir, and I think the letter will answer that question foryou," replied Julian. "I told Mr. Wiggins about it. That is all heknows of it."
Mr. Gibson finished the letter at last, and then turned and gave theboys a good looking over. He evidently was not thinking about them atall, but about some point of law that had just occurred to him.Finally he said,
"I want you to understand that I believe your story, but in order tobe all right in everything, and leave nothing for anybody to pick aflaw with, I would like to know what you did to look up this manHaberstro."
"If I were in your place, Gibson," said Mr. Fay, "I would write to Mr.Wiggins and the president of that bank, and get a full history of theboys. They will tell the truth."
"Let me suggest to you, also, the name of Mr. Dawson," said Jack. "Iused to work for him, and he knows all about me."
The lawyer took down the three addresses of the men he wanted to writeto.
"Have you young fellows any money?" asked the lawyer.
"Yes, sir, a little."
"Will it last you two weeks?"
The two friends were sure it would last them as long as that.
"Where are you stopping?"
Julian replied that they were stopping at some hotel, but they did notknow which one.
"Well, Fay will no doubt direct you to a cheaper boarding-house thanthat. What are you boys going to do with this?" said Mr. Gibson,placing his hand upon the box.
"We want to put it somewhere so it will be safe," said Julian.
"Shall I take charge of it for you? I will put it in the bank. It ismost too valuable for me to carry around."
"Yes, sir."
After a little more conversation his two clients went out. The lawyersat for a long time thinking the matter over, and at last he got up,took the box under his arm and started for the bank. He had decidedthat he would go to St. Louis that very night.