CHAPTER XII
THE MYSTERIOUS MR. BAKER
The little express office looked good to Bart as its precincts againsheltered him.
Things appeared better and clearer to him now than at any time duringthe past twenty-four hours, and his heart warmed up as he put his papersand books in order, saw that the safe was secured, and decided to closeup business for the day.
Doctor Griscom from the hospital had dropped in for a few moments, andbrought some news that lifted something of a cloud from the heart of theyoung express agent.
"I do not want to hold out any false hopes," he told Bart, "but there isa bare possibility that your father may not become totally blind."
"That is blessed news!" cried Bart fervently.
"It is all a question of time, and after that of skill," continued thesurgeon. "Your father must have absolute rest and cheerful, comfortablesurroundings; above all, peace of mind. I shall watch his case, and whenI see the first indication of the services of some skilled specialistbeing of benefit to him I will tell you. It will cost you some money,but I will do all I can to make the expert reasonable in his charges."
"Don't think of that," said Bart impetuously. "With such a hope in viewI am willing to work my finger ends off!"
Bart was, therefore, in high spirits as he left the express office,padlocking the door securely.
He was anxious to get home and then to the hospital, to impart to hismother and father in turn the assurance that they had a bread-winnerable to work and glad to do so for their benefit.
Amid the buoyancy of the relief from the continuous strain and troublesof the day, Bart was bent on a quick dash for home when he rememberedsomething that changed his plan.
"The roustabout, the poor fellow that I've got the ten dollars for, thegood fellow, if I don't mistake, who saved the books and the contents ofthe safe!" exclaimed Bart. "Actually, I had forgotten all about him forthe moment."
Bart stood still thinking, looking around speculatively, his fingersmechanically touching the bank note in his pocket which Mr. Leslie hadgiven him in trust.
He did not reflect long. He went at once to the freight car whence hehad seen the ragged arm extended two hours previous, and looked in.
Back at one end were some broken grapevine crates, and it was dim andshadowy there, so he called out.
"Any one here?"
"Yes," came from the corner, and there was a rustling of straw.
"I guess I know who," said Bart. "Come out of that, my good friend, andshow yourself," he continued heartily.
"What for?" propounded a gloomy, wavering voice.
"What for? that's good!" cried Bart. "Oh, I know who you are, if I don'tknow your name."
"Baker will do."
"All right, Mr. Baker, friend Baker, you're true blue and the bestfriend I ever had, and I want to shake hands with you, and slap you onthe back, and--help you."
A timid, muffled figure shifted into full outline, but not into clearview, against the side of the car.
Bart took a step nearer. He promptly caught at one hand of theslouching figure. Then he regarded it in perplexity.
The roustabout held with his other hand a canvas bag on his head so thatit concealed nearly his entire face.
"Why!" said Bart, reaching suddenly up and momentarily pulling theimpromptu hood aside. "What's the matter now? Where is your beard andlong head of hair?"
"Burned."
"False?"
"Yes."
"Then you were disguised?"
"I tried to be," was responded faintly.
Bart stood for a moment or two queerly regarding the roustabout.
"Mr. Baker," he said finally, "I am bound to respect any wish you maysuggest, but I declare I can't understand you."
"Don't try to," advised the roustabout in a dreary way. "I'm not worthit."
"Oh, yes, you are."
"And it wouldn't do any good."
"It might. It must!" declared Bart staunchly, "See here, I want to askyou a few questions and then I want to give you some advice, or rathertender my very friendly services. Do you know what you have done for meto-day?"
"No. If I have done anything to help you I am glad of it. You have beena friend to me--the only friend I've found."
"I'll be a better one--that is, if you will let me," pledged Bartwarmly. "You warned me about the burglars last night; you helped me savemy father's life."
"Anybody would do what I have done."
"No one did but yourself, just the same. Don't be cynical--you'resomething of a hero, if you only knew it. It was you who went into theburning express shed and saved the account books and closed the safedoor."
"Who says so?" muttered Baker.
"I say so, and you know it--don't you?"
Baker made no response.
"Do you know what all this means for me and my family?" went on Bart."You have done for me something I can never pay you for, something I cannever forget. You are true blue, Mr. Baker! That's the kind of aworthless good-for-nothing person you are, and I want to call you myfriend! Hello, now what is the matter?"
The matter was that the roustabout was crying softly like a baby. Bartwas infinitely touched.
"I don't know your secrets," continued Bart earnestly, "and I certainlyshall not pry into them without your permission, but I want to repayyour kindness in some way. I can't rest till I do. All I can do is toguess out that you are in some trouble, maybe hiding. Well, let me shareyour troubles, let me hide you in a more comfortable way than loungingaround cold freight cars with half enough to eat. You've done somethinggrand in the last twenty-four hours--don't lose sight of that inmourning over your sins, if you have any, or in running away from someshadow that scares you. I'm not the only one who thinks you're a hero,either. There's someone else."
"Is there?" murmured the roustabout weakly.
"There is. It is Mr. Leslie, the express superintendent. I told himabout you. He left this ten dollars for you, and the way he did it oughtto make you proud."
Bart forced the bank note into Baker's hand. The man was shaking like aleaf from emotion. He stood like one spellbound, unable to take in allat once the good that was said of him and done him.
"Come," rallied Bart, giving him a ringing slap on the shoulder, "braceup and be what you have proved yourself to be--a man!"
Baker started electrically. His tones showed some force as he said:
"All right--you've made me feel good. But you don't know a whole lot,and I can't tell you. You say you're my friend."
"You believe that I am, do you not?"
"Yes, I do, and that's why I don't want to drag you into anycomplications. This ten dollars is mine, isn't it?"
"Certainly."
"Will you spend it for me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I want you to give me a pencil and some paper, and I will write out alist of some things I want. You take it and the ten dollars and bring methe things here to-morrow. I want you to promise in the meantime,though, that if you come upon me unawares, or when I'm asleep, or underany circumstances whatever, you will turn your head away and not look atmy face."
Bart was very much puzzled.
"I think I see how it is," he said after a brief period of reflection,"you are afraid of being recognized?"
"Think that if you want to, maybe you're right," returned Baker."Anyway, I don't want to do anything or have you do anything that willmix you up in my troubles. My way is the safe way. Will you do what Iask?"
"Yes," answered Bart promptly. "Can't I get the things you wantto-night?"
"I am afraid not, for most of the stores are closed."
"That's right. Well, then, let me make a suggestion: I have two keys tothe new express office. I'll give you one. After dark, if you don't wantto do it in daylight, go over and unlock the door. Pick out two or threedry-goods boxes from the heap behind the shed, carry them in and rig upany kind of private quarters you like at the far corner of the shed.I'll see that nobody disturbs y
ou. In a couple of hours I will bring youa blanket from the house and a nice warm lunch, and you can becomfortable and safe. I will relock the door on you, and if you want toleave at any time you can unfasten a window and get out."
Baker did not reply. Bart heard him mumbling to himself as thoughdebating the proposition submitted to him.
"I don't want to make you a lot of trouble," he finally faltered out.
"Of course you don't, and won't," asserted Bart--"you want to give mepleasure, though, don't you? So you do as I suggest, and I'll sleep agood deal sounder than if you didn't. Here's the key. I will be over tothe express office about eight o'clock. Is it a bargain?"
"Yes," answered the strange man.