"Dolly and I reached here safe. Big party at Grandin's to-morrow; sure of grand time. Will take good care of Dolly.
"Rutherford Richmond."
As the writer hurried out the door, Ben followed him with his eyes.There, in a handsome, single-seated carriage, sat a beautiful miss ofthirteen or fourteen, elegantly dressed and looking straight toward him.It was Dolly Willard, more enchanting than ever, her eyes luminous withhealth and her cheeks as pink and rosy as the delicate tint of the coral.
Ben was too shocked to salute her, and probably it was as well he did notdo so, for she simply stared with scarcely less directness than did hercompanion.
Only by the most supreme exertion was the youth enabled to choke down hisrebellious emotions, so that none in the office noticed his excitement.
It was the same on the morrow, and, as if the fates had combined to crushhim in absolute wretchedness, he encountered Rutherford and Dolly ridingout as he was making his way homeward. He affected not to see them, buthe could not avoid furtively watching Dolly, who certainly was the mostwinsome-looking young miss he had ever seen.
"To-night another party is given by the Grandins. Their girls are ladies,and they treated me well when I was there more than two years ago, but inthis matter Dolly has had all to say--that is, she and Rutherford. Well,if she is that sort of girl, I don't want anything to do with her."
That night, in spite of himself, Ben could not stay at home; he strolledalong, a prey to his bitter thoughts, and mechanically walked in thedirection of the splendid grounds of the wealthy jeweler, Mr. Grandin.The sound of music from within aroused him.
He saw the lights glimmering through the beautiful shade trees, and couldcatch sight of the gayly-dressed figures flitting by the open windows.
"I can't feel any worse," muttered Ben, walking through the open gate,confident that he would attract no special attention.
He sauntered up the graveled walk, turning off to the right and movingslowly along, with his gaze fixed upon the gay lads and lasses within,who seemed to be in the very height of enjoyment.
At that instant someone caught his arm, and Ben turned with an apologyfor his forgetfulness.
"I beg pardon, but I was so interested in the scene that I did not noticewhere I stepped----"
He paused, fairly gasping for breath, for there stood Dolly Willard athis side, with her hand upon his arm. The light streaming from thewindows fell upon her charming face, on which there was an expressionthat young Mayberry did not understand.
"Ben," said she, in a voice that sounded unnatural, "I've got something Iwant to say to you."
"And I have a good deal that I would like to say to you," he retorted,firing up, now that the little empress stood before him.
CHAPTER XXIV
STARTLING DISCOVERIES
"You say you have something to speak about," added the boy, looking intothe enchanting face, as it reflected the light from the windows near athand; "I have only to suggest that it took you a good time to find itout."
"It is not I, but you who are to blame."
"Possibly I am to be blamed for being born poor while you are rich; but Ihave paid for my mistake, and it is now too late to correct it."
The conversation had reached this point when the two seemed to concludeit was altogether too public to be in good taste. Several persons,standing near, stepped a little closer, so as to catch every word.
"It is so warm in there," said Dolly; "even with the windows open, that Icame outdoors to get the fresh air. Aunt Maggie put my shawl about myshoulders so that I wouldn't take cold. Now, Ben, if you will walk withme to the summer-house yonder, we can sit down by ourselves, finish ourtalk, and then part forever."
The last expression sent a pang to the boy's heart, but he did not allowher to see it. He followed her a short distance to one of the romanticlittle lattice-work structures which Mr. Grandin had placed on hisgrounds.
A few rays of silvery moonlight penetrated the leafy shelter, so the twowere not in complete darkness when they sat down on the rustic seat.
"I am ready to listen to you," said Ben in his most frigid voice, the twobeing separated by a space of several feet.
"In the first place, if you thought so lightly of me, you never shouldhave told me different nor asked me to correspond with you."
"I do not understand you."
"How can you help understanding me?"
"Because I see no reason for your words. I thought all the world of you;the greatest pleasure of my life was to write to you and to receive yourletters in return. All at once you stopped writing; I sent you threeletters, and you paid no attention----"
"Ben, how dare you! It was you who laughed at my letters, and took nonotice of them, except to show them to your friends and ridicule what Iput on paper."
Ben Mayberry sprang to his feet. Like a flash it came upon him that somedreadful misunderstanding had been brought about by other parties, forwhich Dolly was not to blame.
"Tell me the whole story, Dolly," he said in a kinder voice than he hadused since they met, as he resumed his seat.
"Well," said she, beginning to feel the same suspicion that thrilled hercompanion, "there is a good deal to say, but I will make it short. Youknow my father and Mr. Grandin are cousins, so the girls are really mysecond cousins. Rutherford Richmond is the son of an old friend offather, who lives in Boston. Father has a large insurance office, and heagreed to take Rutherford until he learned the business, so as to takecharge of the same kind of office in Boston, which his father is going tofix up for him. That's how it is Rutherford has been living with us forsome months.
"Well, a good while ago, I wrote you a letter, begging you to come andvisit me; father said I might do so. You didn't accept the invitation. Iwrote you again and got no answer to it; I was frightened, and thoughtmaybe you were ill, and wrote once more, but there was no answer to it. Iwould have sent a letter to Cousin Jane to find out about you, but shewas in Europe. After a while I sent a fourth letter, very long, and fullof things which I wouldn't have anyone else know for the world. Isent----"
"Who by?"
"Rutherford took it and several other letters, and placed them in themail-box at father's office, so they were sure to go. But there was noanswer to the last, and then I gave up. I felt awful bad; but I wasnearly wild when Rutherford came to me one day and said he had somethingwhich he thought he ought to tell me. When he said it was about you, Iwas dreadfully excited. He told me that he had made the acquaintance of ayoung man from Damietta, who was a close friend of yours. That youngperson, whose name Rutherford would not give, said that you showed all myletters to him and several others, and made fun of them. I wouldn't havebelieved it if he hadn't proved what he said?"
"How did he prove it?"
"By repeating what I had written; he gave me half of what was in thatlast letter, which he said was repeated to him by the person you told. Hehad them so exactly that my face burned like fire, and I was never soangry in all my life. I knew you must have done what Rutherford said, forhow could he know what I had written you?"
"He knew it by opening your letter, reading the contents, and thendestroying it. That letter, Dolly, I never saw, nor did I see the threewhich preceded it. I also sent you three letters, of which I neverheard."
Now that the way was opened, full explanations quickly followed. Therecould be no earthly doubt that the last three letters sent by BenMayberry to Dolly Willard had been intercepted by Rutherford Richmond,who had not hesitated to do the same with those sent by Dolly, thoughmost probably he had simply destroyed the three, and read only the last.
"You risked your life to save mine and that of my mother," she said in atremulous voice, "and it was an awful thing for you to believe I couldever fail to think more of you than of anyone else in the world."
"I guess I shall have to own up," laughed the happy Ben; "but we wereboth placed in a false position."
"But we shall never be again---
-"
"Dolly, Dolly! Where are you?"
The cries came from a gay party of misses who came trooping forth to lookfor the belle, whose absence so long from her friends had attractedinquiry.
She sprang up.
"Good-by, Ben; I must go."
She caught his hand and returned the pressure, then hurried out and mether young friends, who escorted her back to the house, while Ben quietlydeparted without attracting attention.
It was past midnight, but Ben thought nothing of time. He had turned offfrom the street and entered the main business avenue of Damietta.
Just as he came opposite the large jewelry establishment of Mr. Grandinhe glanced through the plate-glass window. A light was burning dimly inthe rear of the store, as was the custom with many of the merchants inthe city, but at the instant of looking Ben saw something like a shadowflit by the light. He looked again, and was certain that another movementhad taken place, though he could not define its character.
He paused only an instant, when he walked on again; but in that instanthe became convinced that burglars were operating in the jewelryestablishment of Mr. Grandin.
He walked slowly forward, humming to himself, as was his custom, but wideawake and alert. Fifty feet further, he detected the shadowy figure of aman standing in one of the adjoining doorways. Ben pretended not to seehim, and continued humming gayly to himself.
Ben sauntered along in the same aimless fashion until sure he was notwatched, when he turned and made his way directly to the police office.The chief was there and Ben quickly told him everything he knew.
"Those are the parties who arranged to rob the bank year before last,"said the chief, "but found out they were suspected."
"They certainly managed it well this time; that is, so far, for therehasn't a single cipher telegram passed through our office since."
"Well, we are ready to move," said the chief, as he observed that four ofhis best officers were awaiting his orders.
CHAPTER XXV
IN THE NICK OF TIME
Ben would have liked to accompany the officers, but that would have beenunprofessional on their part, and he did not make the request. He waiteduntil they had been gone several minutes, when he slipped out and passeddown the street, determined to see what was to be seen.
The chief managed the delicate and dangerous business with great skill.
The first notice the burglars had of danger was from the rear. They weredown behind a screen of dark muslin they had put up, carefully working atthe safe, which contained diamonds and jewelry of immense value. They hadalready drilled a considerable distance into the chilled iron, when the"Philistines descended upon them."
The burglars sprang up like tigers, but they were caught so fairly thatthey were borne to the floor and handcuffs clicked around their wrists ina twinkling. There were only two, and the three policemen mastered themwithout difficulty.
But there were two others on the street outside, and they were quick todiscover what was going on within. One of these was Dandy Sam, who ranforward and peered through the front window. His companion was at hiselbow, and they instantly saw that something was wrong.
They turned to flee, when they found themselves face to face with thechief and his aid.
"Hold up your hands!" commanded the chief, leveling his pistol at thevillains.
One of them complied, but Dandy Sam fired point-blank at the chief,whirled on his heel, and ran like a deer down the street. The chief wasnot touched, and pistol in hand he started after the criminal, leavinghis aid to attend to the second one.
Dandy Sam was fleet of foot and was gaining on his pursuer, when he cameface to face with Ben Mayberry, who was hurrying toward the scene of theburglary with a view of seeing how it terminated.
The two encountered where the lamp-light showed the face of each. Benknew the scamp on the instant, from the description given him, and thesight of the flying rascal told him the truth.
Ben had his pistol in his pocket, but he could not bear the thought ofshooting a person, especially when there was a possible doubt of thenecessity.
Ben compromised matters by darting into the road, where he caught up astone weighing fully a pound.
The chief was some distance away shouting "Stop thief!" and firing hispistol over his head, so there could be no doubt that Dandy Sam was"wanted."
Ben Mayberry stood about as far from the fugitive as the space betweenfirst and second base--thirty yards--when the stone left his hand like athunderbolt. As before, it sped true to its aim, but struck higher thanthen, sending the scoundrel forward on his face, and stunning him; onlyfor a minute or so, but this was sufficient.
While he was in the act of climbing to his feet again, the chief droppedupon him; there was a click, and Dandy Sam was at the end of his careerof crime, at least for a considerable time to come.
The chief started for the station-house with his man, whom he watchedclosely despite the stunning blow he had received.
A few minutes later the other three officers came in with theirprisoners, who were caught in the very act of committing burglary.
The aid was absent so long that the chief felt uneasy, and started out inquest of him, but at that moment he appeared with his man.
"He went peaceably enough for a while," explained the aid, "and then hetried to bribe me to let him go. When he found that wouldn't work hebecame ugly, and I had to use my club, but he ain't hurt much."
His face was bleeding, but Ben Mayberry, with a shock, recognized theprisoner as G. R. Burkhill, the uncle of Dolly Willard.
The capture of the burglars made great excitement in Damietta, and thepart taken by Ben Mayberry once more placed his name in everyone's mouth.It was he who discovered the criminals, and was the direct means ofsecuring the desperado, Dandy Sam, the leader of the notorious gang.
It was a great shock to all, except a few, to find that Burkhill, thebrother-in-law of Dolly Willard's father, was also one of the guiltyones. But there were others (and among them Mr. Willard and Mr. Grandin)who were not surprised in the least. The facts in this singular affair,as they ultimately came to light, were as follows:
George R. Burkhill was the black sheep in a most estimable family, ofwhich Mrs. Willard, the mother of Dolly, was a member. She was the sisterof Burkhill, and the only one who clung to the bad brother, pronouncedincorrigible by everyone else, even when a small boy. She believed therewas some good in him, and, in the face of protests, she labored to bringhim to a sense of right. It was through her influence that he was savedfrom condign punishment for more than one serious offense.
All four of the burglars were duly tried, found guilty, and sentenced tothe penitentiary for ten years. Rather curiously, both Dandy Sam andBurkhill died during the third year of their imprisonment, and it is safeto say the world was the gainer thereby.
Some few days after the capture of the burglars, came a glowing letterfrom Dolly, who had gone home to New York, in which she said that herfather insisted that Ben should come and make them a visit, and wouldaccept no excuse for refusing.
"I'll go this time!" exclaimed Ben, knowing he would have no trouble inobtaining permission to take a brief vacation.
And go he did.
CHAPTER XXVI
CONCLUSION
In closing the history of Ben Mayberry, the telegraph messenger boy, itseems to me I can do no better than by using the words of the herohimself. The following letter I received only a few days since. It is thelast which has come to hand from Ben, who writes me regularly, as he hasdone ever since I was transferred from the office in Damietta. I shouldadd that the date of the letter is nine years subsequent to that of hisvisit to the metropolis as the guest of Mr. James Willard:
"My Dear Mr. Melville,--I am now in my twenty-fifth year. In looking back it seems only a few years ago that you called me to you, on the street of my native city, and offered to make me general utility boy in the telegraph office of Damietta. My mother and I were nearly starving at
the time, and no kindness could have been more appropriate than yours, nor could anyone have shown greater tact and wisdom in cultivating the good instincts of a ragged urchin, who, otherwise, was likely to go to ruin.
"You awakened my ambition and incited me to study; you impressed upon me the beauty and truth of the declaration that there is no royal road to learning; that if I expected to attain success in any walk of life it could only be done by hard, unremitting, patient work. There are many rounds to the ladder, and each must climb them one by one.
"Good fortune attended me in every respect. It was the providence of God which saved me and enabled me to help save sweet Dolly when the bridge went down in the storm and darkness, and her mother was lost; yet, but for my determination to do my best at all times, and never to give up so long as I could struggle, I must have succumbed.
"It was extremely fortunate that I saw the burglars at work in the jewelry establishment of Mr. Grandin on that memorable night in Damietta. The same stroke of fortune might have fallen to any boy, but it was incomplete until I was able to bring the leader to the ground with the stone which I hurled at him.
"It may be said that all these are but mere incidents of my history, and possibly I may have magnified their importance; but, though my progress was rapid, it never could have carried me successfully along without the regular, systematic, hard work with which I employed my spare hours, when not devoted to exercise. In this world that which wins, is work, work, work!