A little farther on they saw approaching a buggy similar to their own,driven by a man of middle age. It turned out to be an acquaintance ofthe landlord's, and the two stopped to speak.
"Going to Knoxville on business, Mr. Gates?" asked the newcomer.
"Well, not exactly. I am driving this young man over. By the way, haveyou seen anything of a tall man, with long, black hair, dressed inblack?"
"Yes. Do you want to see him?"
"This young man has some business with him. Where did you see him?"
"He arrived at our hotel about an hour since, I calculate."
Philip's heart bounded with satisfaction at this important news.
"Did he put up there?"
"Yes. I believe he is going to give a reading this evening."
"Thank you!"
"The professor must be a fool!" said the landlord, as they drove away.
"I begin to think so myself," replied Philip.
"That's all in our favor, however. We shall get back that money yet."
The horse was put to his speed, and in fifteen minutes they reachedKnoxville.
CHAPTER XXXI. THE PROFESSOR'S FLIGHT.
Professor Lorenzo Riccabocca was not a wise man. It would have been muchmore to his interest to deal honestly with Philip, paying his shareof the profits of the first performance, and retaining his services asassociate and partner.
But the professor was dazzled by the money, and unwilling to give it up.Moreover, he had the vanity to think that he would draw nearly aswell alone, thus retaining in his own hands the entire proceeds of anyentertainments he might give.
When he met Philip on the road he was well-nigh penniless. Now,including the sum of which he had defrauded our hero and his creditorsin Wilkesville, he had one hundred and fifty dollars.
When the professor went to bed, he had not formed the plan of desertingPhilip; but, on awaking in the morning, it flashed upon him as anexcellent step which would put money in his pocket.
He accordingly rose, dressed himself quietly, and, with one cautiouslook at Philip--who was fast asleep--descended the stairs to the office.
Only the bookkeeper was in the office.
"You are stirring early, professor," he said.
"Yes," answered Riccabocca, "I generally take a morning walk, to get anappetite for breakfast."
"My appetite comes without the walk," said the bookkeeper, smiling.
"If Mr. de Gray comes downstairs, please tell him I will be back soon,"said Riccabocca.
The bookkeeper readily promised to do this, not having the slightestsuspicion that the distinguished professor was about to take Frenchleave.
When Professor Riccabocca had walked half a mile he began to feel faint.His appetite had come.
"I wish I had stopped to breakfast," he reflected. "I don't believe DeGray will be down for an hour or two."
It was too late to go back and repair his mistake. That would spoil all.He saw across the street a baker's shop, just opening for the day, andthis gave him an idea.
He entered, bought some rolls, and obtained a glass of milk, and,fortified with these, he resumed his journey.
He had walked three miles, when he was over-taken by a farm wagon, whichwas going his way.
He hailed the driver--a young man of nineteen orthereabouts--ascertained that he was driving to Knoxville, and, for asmall sum, secured passage there.
This brings us to the point of time when Philip and Mr. Gates drove upto the hotel at Knoxville.
"I can see the professor," said Philip, in eager excitement, when theyhad come within a few rods of the inn.
"Where is he?"
"He is in the office, sitting with his back to the front window. Iwonder what he will have to say for himself?"
"So do I," said the landlord curiously.
"Shall we go in together?" questioned Philip.
"No; let us surprise him a little. I will drive around to the sheds backof the hotel, and fasten my horse. Then we will go round to the front,and you can go in, while I stand outside, ready to appear a littlelater."
Philip thought this a good plan. He enjoyed the prospect of confrontingthe rogue who had taken advantage of his inexperience, and attemptedsuch a bold scheme of fraud. He didn't feel in the least nervous, orafraid to encounter the professor, though Riccabocca was a man and hebut a boy. When all was ready, Philip entered through the frontdoor, which was open, and, turning into the office, stood before theastonished professor.
The latter started in dismay at the sight of our hero. He thought hemight be quietly eating breakfast ten miles away, unsuspiciously waitingfor his return. Was his brilliant scheme to fail? He quickly took hisresolution--a foolish one. He would pretend not to know Philip.
"Well, Professor Riccabocca," Philip said, in a sarcastic tone, "youtook rather a long walk this morning."
The professor looked at him vacantly.
"Were you addressing me?" he inquired.
"Yes, sir," answered Philip, justly provoked.
"I haven't the pleasure of your acquaintance, young man."
"I wish I hadn't the pleasure of yours," retorted Philip.
"Do you come here to insult me?" demanded Riccabocca, frowning.
"I came here to demand my share of the money received for theentertainment last evening, as well as the money paid for the hall, theprinter, and bill-poster."
"You must be crazy!" said Riccabocca, shrugging his shoulders. "I don'tknow you. I don't owe you any money."
"Do you mean to say we didn't give an entertainment together lastevening at Wilkesville?" asked Philip, rather taken aback by the man'ssublime impudence.
"My young friend, you have been dreaming. Prove what you say and I willadmit your claim."
Up to this point those present, deceived by the professor's coolness,really supposed him to be in the right. That was what Riccaboccaanticipated, and hoped to get off before the discovery of the truthcould be made. But he did not know that Philip had a competent witnessat hand.
"Mr. Gates!" called Philip.
The portly landlord of the Wilkesville Hotel entered the room, andRiccaboeca saw that the game was up.
"Mr. Gates, will you be kind enough to convince this gentleman that heowes me money?" asked Philip.
"I think he won't deny it now," said Gates significantly. "He walkedoff from my hotel this morning, leaving his bill unpaid. ProfessorRiccabocca, it strikes me you had better settle with us, unless you wishto pass the night in the lockup."
Professor Riccabocca gave a forced laugh.
"Why, Mr. de Gray," he said, "you ought to have known that I was onlyplaying a trick on you."
"I supposed you were," said Philip.
"No, I don't mean that. I was only pretending I didn't know you, to seeif I could act naturally enough, to deceive you."
"Why did you desert me?" asked Philip suspiciously.
"I started to take a walk--didn't the bookkeeper tell you?--and findinga chance to ride over here, thought I would do so, and make arrangementsfor our appearance here. Of course, I intended to come back, and pay ourgood friend, the landlord, and give you your share of the common fund."
Neither Gates nor Philip believed a word of this. It seemed to themquite too transparent.
"You may as well pay us now, Professor Riccabocca," said the landlorddryly.
"I hope you don't suspect my honor or integrity," said Riccabocca,appearing to be wounded at the thought.
"Never mind about that," said Mr. Gates shortly. "Actions speak louderthan words."
"I am quite ready to settle--quite," said the professor. "The money isin my room. I will go up and get it."
There seemed to be no objection to this, and our two friends saw himascend the staircase to the second story. Philip felt pleased to thinkthat he had succeeded in his quest, for his share of the concert moneywould be nearly seventy dollars. That, with the balance of the money;received from Farmer Lovett, would make over a hundred dollars.
They waited five min
utes, and the professor did not come down.
"What can keep him?" said Philip.
Just then one of the hostlers entered and caught what our hero had said.
"A man has just run out of the back door," he said, "and is cuttingacross the fields at a great rate."
"He must have gone down the back stairs," said the clerk.
"In what direction would he go?" asked Philip hastily.
"To the railroad station. There is a train leaves in fifteen minutes."
"What shall we do, Mr. Gates?" asked Philip, in dismay.
"Jump into my buggy. We'll get to the depot before the train starts. Wemust intercept the rascal."
CHAPTER XXXII. THE RACE ACROSS FIELDS.
It so happened that Professor Riccabocca had once before visitedKnoxville, and remembered the location of the railroad station.Moreover, at the hotel, before the arrival of Philip, he had consulteda schedule of trains posted up in the office, and knew that one wouldleave precisely at ten o'clock.
The impulse to leave town by this train was sudden. He had in his pocketthe wallet containing the hundred and fifty dollars, of which a largepart belonged to Philip, and could have settled at once, without thetrouble of going upstairs to his room.
He only asked leave to go up there in order to gain time for thought.At the head of the staircase he saw another narrower flight of stairsdescending to the back of the house. That gave him the idea of eludinghis two creditors by flight.
I have said before that Professor Riccabocca was not a wise man, orhe would have reflected that he was only postponing the inevitablereckoning. Moreover, it would destroy the last chance of making anarrangement with Philip to continue the combination, which thus far hadproved so profitable.
The professor did not take this into consideration, but dashed down theback stairs, and opened the back door into the yard.
"Do you want anything, sir?" asked a maidservant, eyeing the professorsuspiciously.
"Nothing at all, my good girl," returned the professor.
"You seem to be in a hurry," she continued, with renewed suspicion.
"So I am. I am in a great hurry to meet an engagement."
"Why didn't you go out the front door?" asked the girl.
"Oh, bother! What business is it of yours?" demanded the professorimpatiently.
And, not stopping for further inquiries, he vaulted over a fence andtook his way across the fields to the station.
"Here, Sam," called the girl, her suspicions confirmed that somethingwas wrong, "go after that man as fast as you can!"
This was addressed to a boy who was employed at the hotel to go onerrands and do odd jobs.
"What's he done?" asked Sam.
"I don't know; but he's either run off without paying his bill, or he'sstolen something."
"What good'll it do me to chase him?" asked Sam.
"If he's cheated master, he'll pay you for catching the man."
"That's so," thought Sam. "Besides, I'll be a detective, just like thatboy I read about in the paper. I'm off!"
Fired by youthful ambition, Sam also vaulted the fence, and ran alongthe foot-path in pursuit of the professor.
Lorenzo Riccabocca did not know he was pursued. He felt himself so safefrom this, on account of the secrecy of his departure, that he nevertook the trouble to look behind him. He knew the way well enough, forthe fields he was crossing were level, and half a mile away, perhaps alittle more, he could see the roof of the brown-painted depot, which washis destination. Once there, he would buy a ticket, get on the train,and get started away from Knoxville before the troublesome acquaintanceswho were waiting for him to come down-stairs had any idea where he wasgone.
The professor ran at a steady, even pace, looking straight before him.His eyes were fixed on the haven of his hopes, and he did not notice astone, of considerable size, which lay in his path. The result was thathe stumbled over it, and fell forward with considerable force. He rose,jarred and sore, but there was no time to take account of his physicaldamages. He must wait till he got on the train.
The force with which he was thrown forward was such that the walletwas thrown from his pocket, and fell in the grass beside the path. Theprofessor went on his way, quite unconscious of his loss, but there wereother eyes that did not overlook it.
Sam, who was thirty rods behind, noticed Professor Riccabocca's fall,and he likewise noticed the wallet when he reached the spot of thecatastrophe.
"My eyes!" he exclaimed, opening those organs wide in delight; "here'sluck! The old gentleman has dropped his pocketbook. Most likely it'sstolen. I'll carry it back and give it to Mr. Perry."
Sam very sensibly decided that it wasn't worth while to continue thepursuit, now that the thief, as he supposed Riccabocca to be, haddropped his booty.
Sam was led by curiosity to open the wallet. When he saw the thick rollof bills, he was filled with amazement and delight.
"Oh, what a rascal he was!" ejaculated the boy. "I guess he's beenrobbing a safe. I wonder how much is here?"
He was tempted to sit down on the grass and count the bills, but he wasprevented by the thought that the professor might discover his loss, andreturning upon his track, question him as to whether he had found it.Sam determined that he wouldn't give it up, at any rate.
"I guess I could wrastle with him," he thought. "He looks ratherspindlin', but then he's bigger than I am, and he might lick me, afterall."
I desire to say emphatically that Sam was strictly honest, and never fora moment thought of appropriating any of the money to his own use. Hefelt that as a detective he had been successful, and this made him feelproud and happy.
"I may as well go home," he said. "If he's stolen this money from Mr.Perry, I'll come in for a reward."
Sam did not hurry, however. He was not now in pursuit of any one, andcould afford to loiter and recover his breath.
Meanwhile, Professor Riccabocca, in happy unconsciousness of his loss,continued his run to the station. He arrived there breathless, andhurried to the ticket-office.
"Give me a ticket to Chambersburg," he said.
"All right, sir. Ninety cents."
If Riccabocca had been compelled to take out his wallet, he wouldat once have discovered his loss, and the ticket would not have beenbought. But he had a two-dollar bill in his vest, and it was out of thisthat he paid for the ticket to Chambersburg. Armed with the ticket,he waited anxiously for the train. He had five minutes to wait--fiveanxious moments in which his flight might be discovered. He paced theplatform, looking out anxiously for the train.
At length he heard the welcome sound of the approaching locomotive. Thetrain came to a stop, and among the first to enter it was the eminentelocutionist. He took a seat beside the window looking out toward thevillage. What did he see that brought such an anxious look in his face?
A buggy was approaching the depot at breakneck speed. It contained Mr.Gates, the landlord, and the young musician. Mr. Gates was lashing thehorse, and evidently was exceedingly anxious to arrive at the depotbefore the train started.
Beads of perspiration stood on the anxious brow of the professor. Hisheart was filled with panic terror.
"The girl must have told them of my flight," he said to himself. "Oh,why didn't I think to give her a quarter to keep her lips closed? Whydoesn't the train start?"
The buggy was only about ten rods away. It looked as if Philip and hiscompanion would be able to intercept the fugitive.
Just then the scream of the locomotive was heard. The train began tomove. Professor Riccabocca gave a sigh of relief.
"I shall escape them after all," he said triumphantly, to himself.
He opened the window, and, with laughing face, nodded to his pursuers.
"We've lost him!" said Philip, in a tone of disappointment. "What can wedo?"
"Find out where he is going, and telegraph to have him stopped," saidMr. Gates. "That will put a spoke in his wheel."
CHAPTER XXXIII. THE LOST WALLET.
Mr. Ga
tes was acquainted with the depot-master, and lost no time inseeking him.
"Too late for the train?" asked the latter, who observed in the landlordevidences of haste.
"Not for the train, but for one of the passengers by the train,"responded the landlord. "Did you take notice of a man dressed in ashabby suit of black, wearing a soft hat and having very long blackhair?"
"Yes."
"Where is he going?" asked Mr. Gates eagerly.
"He bought a ticket for Chambersburg."
"Ha! Well, I want you to telegraph for me to Chambersburg."
The station-master was also the telegraph-operator, as it chanced.
"Certainly. Just write out your message and I will send it at once."
Mr. Gates telegraphed to a deputy sheriff at Chambersburg to be at thedepot on arrival of the train, and to arrest and detain the professortill he could communicate further with him.
"Now," said he, turning to Philip, "I think we shall be able to stop theflight of your friend."
"Don't call him my friend," said Philip. "He is anything but a friend."
"You are right there. Well, I will amend and call him your partner. Now,Mr. de Gray--"
"My name is Gray--not de Gray. The professor put in the 'de' because hethought it would sound foreign."
"I presume you have as much right to the name as he has to the title ofprofessor," said Gates.