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Jack's Ward, a fiction by Horatio Alger |
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Chapter 25. Caught In A Trap |
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_ CHAPTER XXV. CAUGHT IN A TRAP Jack and his guide paused in front of a large three-story brick building. The woman rang the bell. An untidy servant girl made her appearance. Mrs. Hardwick spoke to the servant in so low a voice that Jack couldn't hear what she said. "Certainly, mum," answered the servant, and led the way upstairs to a back room on the third floor. "Go in and take a seat," she said to Jack. "I will send Ida to you immediately." "All right," said Jack, in a tone of satisfaction. Peg went out, closing the door after her. She, at the same time, softly slipped a bolt which had been placed upon the outside. Then hastening downstairs she found the proprietor of the house, a little old man with a shrewd, twinkling eye, and a long, aquiline nose. "I have brought you a boarder," she said. "Who is it?" "A lad, who is likely to interfere in our plans. You may keep him in confinement for the present." "Very good. Is he likely to make a fuss?" "I should think it very likely. He is high-spirited and impetuous, but you know how to manage him." "Oh, yes," nodded the old man. "You can think of some pretext for keeping him." "Suppose I tell him he's in a madhouse?" said the old man, laughing, and thereby showing some yellow fangs, which by no means improved his appearance. "Just the thing! It'll frighten him." There was a little further conversation in a low tone, and then Peg went away. "Fairly trapped, my young bird!" she thought to herself. "I think that will put a stop to your troublesome appearance for the present." Meanwhile Jack, wholly unsuspicious that any trick had been played upon him, seated himself in a rocking-chair and waited impatiently for the coming of Ida, whom he was resolved to carry back to New York. Impelled by a natural curiosity, he examined attentively the room in which he was seated. There was a plain carpet on the floor, and the other furniture was that of an ordinary bed chamber. The most conspicuous ornament was a large full-length portrait against the side of the wall. It represented an unknown man, not particularly striking in his appearance. There was, besides, a small table with two or three books upon it. Jack waited patiently for twenty minutes. "Perhaps Ida may be out," he reflected. "Still, even if she is, Mrs. Hardwick ought to come and let me know. It's dull work staying here alone." Another fifteen minutes passed, and still no Ida appeared. "This is rather singular," thought Jack. "She can't have told Ida I am here, or I am sure she would rush up at once to see her brother Jack." At length, tired of waiting, Jack walked to the door and attempted to open it. There was a greater resistance than he anticipated. "Good heavens!" thought Jack, in consternation, as the real state of the case flashed upon him, "is it possible that I am locked in?" He employed all his strength, but the door still resisted. He could no longer doubt that it was locked. He rushed to the windows. They were two in number, and looked out upon a yard in the rear of the house. There was no hope of drawing the attention of passersby to his situation. Confounded by this discovery, Jack sank into his chair in no very enviable state of mind. "Well," thought he, "this is a pretty situation for me to be in. I wonder what father would say if he knew that I had managed to get locked up like this? I am ashamed to think I let that treacherous woman, Mrs. Hardwick, lead me so quietly into a snare. Aunt Rachel was about right when she said I wasn't fit to come alone. I hope she'll never find out about this adventure of mine. If she did, I should never hear the last of it." _ |
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