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Five Hundred Dollars; or, Jacob Marlowe's Secret, a novel by Horatio Alger |
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Chapter 29. Bert Secures A Box Of Mr. Harding's Papers |
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_ CHAPTER XXIX. BERT SECURES A BOX OF MR. HARDING'S PAPERS When our hero went down to breakfast next morning, he found himself the observed of all observers. Miss Angelica Stubbs and her escort had already made known that he was a member of the dramatic company, and as none of the boarders had ever before met "a live actor," all felt great curiosity and a desire to become acquainted with so distinguished a public character. As he took his seat beside Miss Stubbs, she said: "I saw you on the stage last evening, Mr. Barton." "Did you? I was not aware that you were in the house." "Why didn't you tell me that you were an actor? I've got a bone to pick with you." "I didn't know it myself, Miss Stubbs." "You mean to say you didn't play the newsboy? Oh, Mr. Barton!" "Yes; but when I left the house I had no idea of playing. It so happened that the young actor who usually takes the part--Bob Hazleton--was sick, and I was applied to by the manager to take his place." "Then he knew you were an actor?" "No; I only fell in with him on the train from New York." "Why you acted just as if you were used to it." "I am glad you think so. I hardly dared to accept the part." "Will you play the rest of the week?" "I have agreed to do so. Hazleton goes home to-day." "How nice! I must go again." "I take that as a compliment." "Can't you actors take your friends in free?" asked Angelica, whose rule was to make all she could out of her acquaintances. "I haven't been an actor long enough to find out." "I should consider it _such_ a favor. I would get all my friends to go." "On the same terms?" asked Bert with a smile. "No. They can pay." Bert did secure a complimentary ticket for Miss Stubbs, who boasted everywhere that she was intimately acquainted with one of the leading actors in "The Streets of Gotham," and that he was really very attentive to her. "What would my friends at Lakeville say if they knew my new business?" thought Bert. "I should be glad if Percy Marlowe could see me on the stage." He determined, however, not to say anything in his letters about this new engagement, for, though he had been successful thus far, his success and popularity might not last. "Did you see the notice of your play in the morning paper, Mr. Barton?" asked Miss Angelica. "No; I haven't seen the paper yet." "It speaks of one of the actors. I won't say who," continued Miss Stubbs, nodding playfully. "Do you mean me?" asked Bert in excitement. "Yes, here it is." Bert ran his eye hastily over the notice, which occupied a quarter of a column. This is the portion that most interested him: "The part of the newsboy was effectively taken by Mr. Bert Barton, who was engaged at the last moment to fill the place of Mr. Hazleton. His acting was spirited, and the fact that it was liked was shown by the hearty call before the curtain at the end of the second act. The management are fortunate in securing so good a substitute for Bob Hazleton." Bert's face showed his gratification. It almost seemed a dream to him that he had really appeared on the stage, and he was glad that he had given satisfaction. At ten o'clock he reported at the stage entrance, where he was met by Mr. Pearson, who was associate manager. He went through a rehearsal which enabled him to look forward with more confidence to a repetition of the part. The afternoon he had to himself, and a part of this he spent in trying to find out what he could about Ralph Harding. He learned that Harding had been employed in the shoe factory of Benedict & Co. Two of Mrs. Stubbs's boarders worked at the same place, but neither had been intimate with Harding. Bert learned that he was looked upon as "a rolling stone," never content to remain long in one place. He had been employed less than six months at the Benedict shop, when, without assigning any reason, he gave notice that he wanted to leave. "What sort of a man is he?" asked Bert. "He is restless and at times gloomy," answered Blanchard, to whom he had put the question. "I worked next to him, but he seldom made any conversation with me." "Was he a good workman?" "Excellent, but he evidently did not like the business. He often lamented that he had not the means of getting out of it." "Have you any idea where he went when he left Harrisburg?" "From what I have heard him say, I think it probable that he went to some Western town or city." "You have not heard from him since he left Harrisburg?" "No; he was not likely to correspond with me. I doubt if he was intimate enough with any one here to do so, except possibly with Miss Stubbs," added Blanchard, with a smile. "She tells me Mr. Harding paid her a good deal of attention." "It is more probable that Miss Stubbs paid him a good deal of attention. At present you are her favorite." "I don't want to interfere with you, Mr. Blanchard," said Bert, much amused. "I can't undertake to compete with an actor, Mr. Barton." "I can't get over my surprise at being called an actor. However, as long as it pays me better than anything else, I don't object." The next day Mrs. Stubbs intercepted Bert as he was leaving the house. "My daughter tells me," she said, "that you are willing to pay four dollars for the papers which Mr. Harding left behind him?" "Yes," answered Bert eagerly. "I don't see why I shouldn't sell them. I can't afford to lose eight weeks' board." "Quite true, Mrs. Stubbs. I don't see why they won't be just as safe in my hands as in yours." "You don't want to do Mr. Harding any harm; though I don't know why I should think of that, after the way he has served me!" "Instead of that, Mrs. Stubbs, I can assure you that it will be money in his pocket, if, through his papers, I am able to find him." "And in that case you will try to get him to pay his honest debts?" "I will, Mrs. Stubbs." "Then, Mr. Barton, if you will come up to the attic I will hand you the papers." Bert gladly followed Mrs. Stubbs upstairs, and was shown on the attic floor a wooden box about half full of old letters and other papers. The box certainly did not look very valuable, and Bert said so. "I wouldn't have kept it," said the landlady, "if I could have got hold of his trunk. But he got the start of me, and it was in the hands of an expressman before I knew that he was going to move. I was downstairs in the basement when Mr. Harding took the expressman upstairs, and the trunk was brought down and put in his wagon before I knew what was going on. Mr. Harding didn't even say good-by, and I haven't seen or heard of him from that day to this." "Well, Mrs. Stubbs, here are your four dollars, and I hope you will some day get the balance of the debt." Bert carried the box downstairs and into his room, where he proceeded to examine the contents, among which he was destined to come across a document of considerable interest to him. _ |
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