He decided to enter Walter's chamber first, partly because he wantedhis revolver, which would be of service to him in case he were attacked.Then, again, he wanted the satisfaction of triumphing over the boy whohad had the audacity to defy him--a full-grown man, and one whose namehad carried terror to many a traveler.
There was a long ladder leaning against the stable. Dick Ranney couldnot call this providential without insinuating that Providencewas fighting on the side of the transgressor, but he called it,appropriately, a "stroke of luck," as indeed it seemed at the time.
He secured the ladder and put it up against the window of Walter's room.The window, as he could see, was partly open, it being a summer night.
Dick Ranney observed this with a grim smile of satisfaction.
"He's making things easy for me," he said to himself.
As softly and cautiously as a cat he ascended the ladder, but not softlyenough to escape the vigilant ear of Manning, who was expecting him.
Manning at the sound stepped from the bed--he had thrown himself on theoutside, without undressing--and stepped into a closet, as he did notwish Ranney to learn that there were two persons in the chamber. Walterwas awake, but he lay in bed motionless and with his eyes closed.The revolver was in Manning's hands, but he had placed his clothingtemptingly over a chair between the bed and the window, but in such aposition that his companion on coming out of the closet would be betweenthe window and the burglar. Dick Ranney stood on the ladder and lookedin.
What he saw reassured him. Walter was in bed, and seemed to be fastasleep.
"The coast is clear," he murmured softly. "Now, where is the revolver?"
He could not see it, but this did not trouble him. Probably the boyhad it under his pillow, and in that case he could obtain it withouttrouble. Meanwhile, it would be well to secure the boy's pocketbook.Though he underrated Walter's wealth, he thought he might have twentydollars, and this would be worth taking.
He lifted the window softly and entered the room. In order to deadenthe sound of his steps he had taken off his shoes and placed them on theground beside the foot of the ladder.
Having entered the room, he strode softly to the chair over whichWalter had thrown his clothes and began to feel in the pockets of hispantaloons. There was a purse in one of the pockets which containeda few small silver coins, but it is needless to say that Walter haddisposed of his stock of bank bills elsewhere. He felt that preventionof robbery was better than the recovery of the goods stolen.
Meanwhile, Manning, whose hearing was keen, was made aware through itthat the burglar had entered the room. He opened the door of the closetand, walking into the center of the apartment, placed himself, revolverin hand, in front of the window.
Though his motions were gentle, the outlaw's ears were quick. He turnedswiftly, and with a look of dismay realized that he had walked into atrap. He had not felt afraid to encounter a boy of eighteen, but herewas a resolute man, who had the advantage of being armed, and wellarmed.
Dick Ranney surveyed him for a minute in silence, but was very busilythinking what were his chances of escape.
"Well," said Manning, "we meet again!"
"Again?" repeated Ranney, in a questioning tone.
"Yes. When we last met, you had the drop on me and relieved me of mywallet. To-night I have the drop on you."
Dick Ranney paused for reflection.
"That's so," he said. "Do you want your wallet back?"
"Yes."
"Then we'll make a bargain. Give me that revolver, promise not to raisethe house, and I will give you back your wallet."
"With all the money inside?"
"Yes."
"I don't think I will," said Manning, after a pause.
"Don't be a fool! Come, be quick, or the boy will wake up."
"He is awake already," said Walter, raising his head from the pillow.
"Were you awake when I entered the room?" asked Dick Ranney, quickly.
"Yes."
"Fooled again!" exclaimed Ranney, bitterly. "Boy, I believe you are myevil genius. Till I met you, I thought myself a match for any one."
"You were more than a match for me," said Manning, "but he wins best whowins last."
"Well, what do you mean to do?" asked Ranney, doggedly.
"To capture you, Dick Ranney, and hand you over to the law which youhave so persistently violated."
"That you will never do," said Ranney, and he dashed toward the window,thrusting Manning to one side.
But what he saw increased his dismay. The ladder had been removed, andif he would leave the room he must leap to the ground, a distance ofover twenty feet.
"Confusion!" he exclaimed. "The ladder is gone!"
"Yes, I directed the stable-boy to keep awake and remove it," explainedManning.
"I may be taken, but I will be revenged first," shouted Dick Ranney, andhe flung himself on Manning, who, unprepared for the sudden attack,sank to the floor, with Ranney on top. But the outlaw's triumph wasshort-lived. Walter sprang to Manning's rescue, seized the revolver,and, aiming it at the burglar, cried quickly:
"Get up, or I'll fire!"
Dick Ranney rose sullenly. He paid Walter the compliment of believing hemeant what he said.
"It's your turn, boy," he muttered.
"Stay where you are!" ordered Walter, and he walked slowly backward,still covering the robber with the revolver, till he reached the dooropening into the entry.
Dick Ranney watched him closely, and did not offer any opposition,for it occurred to him that the opening of the door would afford him abetter chance for flight.
No sooner, therefore, was the door open than he prepared to availhimself of the opportunity, running the risk of a bullet wound, when hisplans were frustrated by the entrance of two village constables--strong,sturdy men.
"Dick Ranney, do you surrender?" asked Walter, in a clear, resolutetone.
Ranney looked slowly from one to the other and calculated the chances.The ladder was gone and he found himself facing four foes, three of themstrong men, some of them armed.
"It's all up with me!" he said quietly. "I surrender."
"You do wisely," remarked Manning. "Now, will you restore my wallet?"
The outlaw took it out of his pocket and handed it over.
"There it is," he said. "I suppose you won't me to pay interest for theuse of the money."
The two constables advanced, and one of them took out a pair ofhandcuffs.
"Hold out your hands!" he said.
The burglar did so. He saw that opposition would not benefit him, and heyielded to the inevitable with a good grace.
"It seems I walked into a trap," he said. "If you don't mind telling me,were you expecting me?"
"Yes," answered Walter.
"Did the boy betray me?" he asked quickly.
"No; the boy suspected nothing wrong, but his questions excitedsuspicion."
"Dick Ranney," said the outlaw, apostrophizing himself, "you're a fool!I should like to kick you!"
"I think you were imprudent, Mr. Ranney," said Manning,
"It was this revolver that undid me," said Ranney. "I wanted to recoverit, for it was given me by my old captain. It was never out of mypossession till that boy snatched it from me. I suppose it was to be,"and he sighed, comforted, perhaps, by the thought that it would havebeen useless to struggle against fate.
CHAPTER XXVII
WALTER BECOMES A CAPITALIST
Professor Robinson slumbered on, blissfully unconscious of the eventsthat had made the night an exciting one. When he came downstairs earlyin the morning he strayed accidentally into the room where Dick Ranneywas confined under guard. Being short-sighted, he did not see thecaptive until Ranney hailed him.
"Good morning, professor!"
The professor skipped nimbly back and gazed at the prisoner in alarm.
"You here?" he exclaimed.
"Yes," answered Dick, grimly.
"But how did it happen?"
"I came t
o the hotel a little after midnight to make you a call, butwent first to the room of your assistant."
"What, after midnight?"
"Yes. It is hardly necessary to explain what happened. Here I am!"
"Ah, my friend," said the professor, "this may be fortunate for you, ifit leads you to consider and reflect upon the errors of your life."
"Oh, stow that!" exclaimed Ranney, in disgust. "I'm not that kind of aman. I follow my own course and take the consequences."
The professor shook his head sadly and went out. Later, when he heardwhat had happened, he said to Walter: "If that man had come into my roomat midnight I should have died of fright."
"There was no occasion to be alarmed," returned Walter, "We wereprepared for him."
"I--I am afraid I was never cut out for a hero," said the professor. "Mynervous system is easily upset."
The plain truth was that Professor Robinson was a born coward, thoughhe was stronger and more muscular, probably, than Grant, Sherman orSheridan. But it is not brawn and muscle that make a hero, but thespirit that animates the man, and of this spirit the professor had verylittle. Yet in after years when he had retired from business and was atleisure to live over again his past life, he used to tell with thrillingeffect how he and Walter had trapped and captured the daring outlaw,Dick Ranney, and received admiring compliments upon his courage andprowess, which he complacently accepted, though he knew how little hedeserved them.
It so chanced that Stilwell was the county seat and court was in sessionat that time, and nearly ready to wind up its business. It was owingto this circumstance that the trial of Dick Ranney was held at once. Byrequest Walter and the professor remained to bear testimony against theprisoner, and Manning also strengthened the case against him. Withinless than a week the trial was concluded, a verdict of guilty wasbrought in, and the prisoner sentenced to a ten years' term ofimprisonment.
Dick Ranney heard the sentence with philosophical calmness.
"My good friend," said the professor, "I trust that in your long yearsof confinement you will reflect upon--"
"Don't worry about that," interrupted Dick. "I sha'n't be in prisonthree months."
"But I thought--"
"Bolts and bars can be broken, professor. When I do get out I willinquire what part of the country you are in and will make you a visit."
This promise, so far from cheering Professor Robinson, seemed todisconcert him extremely, and he shortened his talk with his roadacquaintance.
After the trial was over Walter was waited upon by an official, whotendered him the reward of one thousand dollars offered for the captureof Dick Ranney.
"Mr. Manning has waived his claim in your favor," explained theofficial, "and therefore there is no question that to you belongs thereward."
"There are two others whose services deserve recognition," said Walter;"the two constables who made the arrest."
"There is no additional sum at our command," explained the official.
"None is needed," returned Walter. "I shall pay each a hundred dollarsout of the reward which has been awarded to me."
It is needless to say that the two constables, both of whom werepoor men with large families, were very grateful for this substantialrecognition of their services.
CHAPTER XXVIII
WALTER GOES OUT OF BUSINESS
By the time Walter received his prize of eight hundred dollars he hadsaved enough out of his wages to make nearly a thousand. He reflectedwith pride that this money had not been left him, but was the fruit ofhis own exertions. He resolved to say nothing in his letters home of hisgood fortune, but wait till he returned, when he would have the pleasureof taking his guardian by surprise.
A day later he received a letter from Doctor Mack, which had beenforwarded from one place to another, and was now nearly three weeks old.
It ran thus:
DEAR WALTER: You give but scanty intelligence of your progress andsuccess, or want of it. I respect you for your determination to supportyourself, but I don't want you to carry your independence too far. Asyou have never fitted yourself for any kind of business, I presumeyour earnings are small. I should not be surprised to hear that youare straitened for money. If you are, don't let your pride prevent yourinforming me. I can easily send you fifty dollars, for your property wasnot all lost, and it is not fitting that you should deprive yourself ofthe comforts of life when there is no occasion for it.
"Nancy often speaks of you, and, indeed, I may say that we both miss youvery much, and wish the year were up, so that you might return to us. Ihave hopes of righting your property, so that you may go back to EuclidCollege at the beginning of the fall session. I am glad to learn by yourlast letter that your health is excellent. Once more, don't hesitate towrite to me for money if you need a remittance.
"Your affectionate guardian,
"EZEKIEL MACK."
Walter smiled as he finished reading the letter.
"I wonder what my good guardian would say," he soliloquized, "if he knewthat I had nearly a thousand dollars saved up? He would open his eyes, Ifancy."
He sat down at once and made a reply, in the course of which he said:"Don't trouble yourself to send me money. I can get along with the wagesI receive. When I left home I made up my mind not to call upon you forhelp, and I am glad to say there is no occasion to do so as yet. I thinkmy year's absence from college will do me good. I am ashamed when Iconsider how poorly I appreciated the advantages of study, and howfoolishly I spent my time and money. If I ever go back to college Ishall turn over a new leaf. I have seen something of the world andgained some experience of life, and feel about half a dozen years olderthan when I left college."
When Doctor Mack, a week later, read these lines he smiled contentedly.
"My experiment is working well," he said. "It is making a man of Walter.He has been a drone, hitherto. Now he has become a worker, and, thoughI may not like him better, for he was always near to my heart, I respecthim more."
A week later Walter, on returning from a walk, found a middle-agedstranger in conversation with Professor Robinson.
The professor seemed a little embarrassed when Walter entered.
"I have some news for you, Walter," he said. "I am afraid it will not bewelcome to you."
"Please let me hear it, professor," said Walter.
"This gentleman is Nahum Snodgrass, of Chicago, who has been for someyears a traveler for a large wholesale-drug-house."
"I am glad to meet you, Mr. Snodgrass," said Walter, politely.
Snodgrass, who was a thin, dry-looking man, nodded briefly.
"I have just sold out my business to him," went on Professor Robinson,"and henceforth shall aim to live more easily and enjoy the presence ofmy family."
"I congratulate you, professor," said Walter. "I think you deserve alife of leisure."
"Mr. Snodgrass is willing to take you into his employ, but he does notthink he can afford to pay you as much as I did."
"No," said Snodgrass, clearing his throat, "I find that ProfessorRobinson has been foolishly liberal. The ten per cent. commission whichhe has paid you is simply--stu--pendous!"
Walter smiled.
"I have not been in the habit of taking that view of it," he said.
"Perhaps not, but I do," said Snodgrass, firmly. "You are a very youngman, and ought not to expect much pay. I will give you two dollars aweek and pay your traveling expenses."
"I beg to decline your offer, Mr. Snodgrass," said Walter, politely. "Ihave thought of changing my business before, but was unwilling to leavethe professor. As we are strangers, I need have no further hesitation."
"Young man," said Snodgrass, "I think you are making a mistake. It willnot be so easy getting another place as you suppose."
"Perhaps not, but I can afford to live a few weeks without work."
"Your savings will soon go"--Snodgrass knew nothing of Walter's prizemoney--"and then what will you do?"
"Trust to luck," answered Walter, lightly.
Nahum Snodgrass shook his head gloomily. He thought Walter a veryfoolish young man.
Had Walter lost his position two months earlier it would have been aserious matter to him, but now, with a capital of nearly a thousanddollars, he could afford to be independent. As he expressed it, hecould afford to be idle for a few weeks. Still, he didn't wish to remainunemployed for a long time. He felt happier when at work, but wished tosecure some employment that would be congenial.
"Mr. Snodgrass," said the professor, "I think you are making a mistakein not employing Walter Sherwood."
Nahum Snodgrass shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't mean to pay away all my profits to an assistant," he said.
"But you can't get along alone very well."
"I will try, unless I can find some one that will take what I am willingto pay."
He finally succeeded in doing this. A young man of eighteen, employed ina drug-store in town, who was on the point of being discharged, agreedto take the position, and stepped into Walter's place. To anticipate alittle, he disappeared two weeks later, carrying with him fifty dollarsbelonging to his employer.
Walter stayed two days longer at the hotel, and then, sending his valiseahead to Burnton, twenty miles farther on, started to walk thedistance. He was in a mountainous country, and the scenery was wild andattractive, so that he felt that this arrangement would prove agreeableto him. He provided himself with a stout staff and started at goodspeed. He had accomplished about eight miles, when he was overtaken bya shabbily dressed traveler riding on the back of a fine horse. Thehorseman slackened his pace when he reached Walter.