CHAPTER XXVI--A ROVING COMMISSION
It was difficult for Ralph to sleep after the departure of Big Denny. Hewas still under the disturbing influence of the exciting events of theafternoon and evening. His mother had not been disturbed by thewatchman's visit. Ralph finally strolled out into the garden, and satdown in the little summer house to rest and think.
He did not exactly feel as though he were at the height of his ambition,but Ralph did feel exceedingly thankful and encouraged. He valued mostthe friends he had gained personally, from the lowly walks of life itwas true, but who had been bettered and elevated by the contact.
The pre-eminent thought now in Ralph's mind was concerning GasperFarrington. Had things gone on smoothly, and had the magnate left himalone, Ralph might have been inclined to accept the situation. Hismother did not care to rouse a sleeping enemy, and he would haverespected her decision. But now that Farrington had so palpably shownhis intentions, had declared war to the knife, bitter and vindictive,all the fighting instincts in Ralph's nature arose to the crisis.
"I shall not take Mr. Matthewson's ten dollars a week unless I find thestolen plunder and really earn the money," Ralph reflected. "It ishardly probable I shall succeed along that line, after his expertassistants have failed. But in trying to locate Van's friends I shallprobably be in the neighborhood of Dover, and I may stumble across someclew to Ike Slump's whereabouts."
Ralph went inside the house after an hour and brought out a railroadmap. He studied the route of the Great Northern and the location ofDover, and went to bed full of the plan of his projected journey.
He showed his mother the check for the twenty dollars and his pass overthe road the next morning, and explained his projects fully. They metwith the widow's approbation.
"Not that I want to get rid of Van," she said feelingly. "He has grownvery dear to me, Ralph. Poor fellow! Perhaps it is his affliction thatappeals to me, but I should be very lonely with him away."
"I do not think he has many friends who care for him," theorized Ralph,"or there would have been some search, or inquiry through thenewspapers."
After breakfast Ralph went to the depot. He found his young pensioner,Teddy, in high feather over success in getting two hours' regularemployment a day delivering bundles for a drygoods store. Ralph gavehim some encouraging advice, and went to see the young doctor who hadattended Van.
He explained his intended experiment clearly, and asked the physician'sopinion as to its practicability.
"Try it by all means," advised the doctor heartily. "It can do no harm,and the sight of some familiar place may be the first step towardsclearing the lad's clouded mind. A great shock robbed him of reason; alike event, such as strong, sudden confrontation by some person or placehe has known for years, may restore memory instantly."
Ralph was encouraged. When he went home he sat down with Van and triedto fix his attention.
It was very difficult. His strange guest would listen and look pleasedat his attention, but his eyes would wander irresistibly after somefluttering butterfly, or with a gleam of satisfaction over to the woodpile his careful manipulation had made as neat and symmetrical as astorekeeper's show case.
Ralph pronounced in turn the name of every station on the main line ofthe Great Northern, but Van betokened no recognition of any of them.
Ralph waited in the neighborhood of Griscom's house after the 10.15express came in, and intercepted the engineer on his way homeward.
He showed his pass and explained his project. He wanted Griscom toallow himself and Van to ride on the tender to the end of his run andback.
"That's all right, Fairbanks," said the engineer, "pass or no pass. Beon hand at the water tank yonder as we pull out the afternoon train.I'll slow up and take you on."
Ralph tried to express to Van that afternoon that they were going on ajourney. Van only looked fixedly at him, but when Mrs. Fairbanks handedhim a parcel of lunch, he proudly stowed it under one arm, and when sheput on him a clean collar and necktie, he showed more than normalanimation, as though he caught a dim inkling that something out of theusual was on the programme.
Van went placidly with Ralph. The afternoon train came along a fewminutes after they had reached the water tank.
"Now then," said Ralph, as Griscom slowed up, "be lively, Van!"
His words may have conveyed no particular meaning to his companion, butthe approaching train, the picturesque track environment and Ralph'senergetic motions roused up Van, whose face betokened an eagerness outof the common as he commented:
"Engine."
"Yes, Van."
"Ride."
Ralph bundled him up into the cab, clambered back into the tender, andmade a comfortable seat for Van on top of the coal.
On that perch the lad seemed a happy monarch of all he surveyed. Ralphrealized that the variety and excitement had a stimulating influence onhis mind, and that even if nothing materialized in the way ofdiscoveries from the trip, the general effect on Van would be at leastbeneficial.
Griscom tossed a cheery word to his young passengers ever and anon. Hisfireman, a new hand, was kept busy at the shovel, and had no time toinspect or chum with the boys.
They passed station after station. Ralph kept a close watch on Van'sface. It was as expressionless as ever. His eyes roamed everywhere,and he was evidently at the pinnacle of complacent enjoyment.
Outside of that, however, Van gave no indication that he saw anything inthe landscape or the depot crowds they passed that touched a responsivechord of recognition in his nature.
Forty miles down the road was Wilmer. It was quite a town. Southwestforty miles lay Dover, and west was the wild, wooded stretch known as"The Barrens." This was no misnomer. There were said to be less thantwenty habitations in the desolate eighty miles of territory.
The Great Northern had originally surveyed ten miles into this sectionwith the intention of crossing it, as by that route it could strike afavorable terminal point at a great economy of distance. Thedifficulties of clearing and grading were found so unsurmountable for aninfant road, however, that the project had been finally abandoned.
They passed Wilmer. Signals called for "slow" ahead, as a freight wasrunning for a siding. They had barely reached the limits of the townwhen Griscom put on a little more speed.
"Whoop!" yelled Van suddenly.
Ralph had shifted his seat on account of some undermining of the coalsupply, and at just that moment for the first time was away from theside of his fellow passenger.
Before he could clamber over the coal heap Van had arisen to his feet.
"Stop, Van!" shouted Ralph.
But Van's eyes were fixed on the little winding country road lining therailway fence at the bottom of the embankment.
An antiquated gig, well loaded and attached to a sorry looking nag, anddriven by a man well muffled up in a dilapidated linen duster, wasplodding along the dusty thoroughfare.
Upon this outfit Van's eyes appeared to be set. His hand wavednervously, and he seemed to forget where he was, and was not consciousof what he was doing.
He was in the act of stepping off into nothingness, and in a quiver ofdread Ralph yelled to the engineer:
"Mr. Griscom, stop! stop!"
But the engineer's hearing was occupied with the hiss of steam directlyaround him, and his attention riveted on signals ahead.
Ralph made a spring. Some lumps of coal slipped under his hastyfooting. His hand just grazed a disappearing foot.
The train was going about fifteen miles an hour, and Van had recklesslytaken a header down the embankment.