Reuben Stone's Discovery/Chapter 13

It was evident that Mr. Enos Norton was terribly in earnest. Compared with his present state, his former anger appeared as child's play.

"I have told you the exact truth," I replied. "Andy Carney came in here last night and stole the things."

"Andy Carney! The man you say stole the boat?"

"Yes, sir."

Mr. Norton was silent for a moment.

"Reuben, I don't believe your story," he cried at length. "You've taken that valise yourself, and put away the other things to make your story appear plausible. Now, I want you to tell me exactly all you have discovered, otherwise it will go hard with you."

I remained silent. What more was there to say?

"Did you hear me?" stormed my guardian.

"I hear you," I replied as calmly as I could, which is not saying much.

"Well, why don't you answer then?"

​"I have told the truth."

I had hardly uttered the words before Mr. Norton sprang at me.

"You will find I am not to be trifled with!" he exclaimed.

"And you will find out that I am not to be treated like a dog," I returned. And I ran across the room and towards the door leading to the store-room.

"No, you don't! You sha'n't escape me like this!" he shouted. And he ran after me and placed himself directly in front of the door.

For an instant I was dismayed. Then I thought of the window close at hand, and throwing it open, sprang out.

"Stop! stop!" he cried as he darted towards the opening.

Instead of heeding his command, I made the best possible use of my time in putting a good distance between us. I had got at least three rods away from the house when he appeared at the door and started after me.

"I tell you to stop, Reuben!" he called for at least the tenth time.

"I'm going to the village," I yelled back.

"If you don't come back it will be the worse for you!"

"I'll chance it."

​A look down towards the boat-landing proved that my boat was not there, and I hurried along the main road. I did not stop running until I was fully a quarter of a mile from the mill, and then it was only to drop into a quick walk.

As I hurried along I thought over my situation, and made up my mind that the best thing I could do was to call on Squire Slocum and state my case. The squire had been a warm friend of my father, and I felt certain that he would give me some sound advice, and tell me how to proceed.

I reached Bend Center long before seven o'clock. I was not certain whether I would find Squire Slocum up, so I walked around to the back of the house to ask the hired girl when I could best see him.

"The squire went over to Bayport an hour ago," she said.

"To Bayport?" I repeated. "It's pretty early in the morning."

"There's some trouble at the bank there," replied the girl. "A messenger came over and woke us all up. He wanted the squire right away, and he had to go off without waiting to get his breakfast."

My curiosity was aroused at once.

"What was the trouble at the bank?" I asked.

"I don't know."

"And you don't know when the squire will return?"

​"No, sir."

I walked away slowly, my head filled with, all sorts of thoughts. Could there be any connection between the visit of the two strangers and the trouble over at Bayport? and where had Mr. Norton gone during the previous evening? Had he spent the time at the tavern?

I soon had a chance to solve the last question. A tall, ragged fellow came along, and I recognized him at once as Joe Kent, a ne'er-do-well of the Bend.

"Hullo, Joe!" I sang out.

"Hullo, Rube," he returned. "What brings you to the Bend so early in the morning?"

"A little business, Joe. Tell me, were you over at Bender's tavern last evening?"

"What you want to know for?"

"I want to know who was there."

"I was there from about eight o'clock till Bender closed up."

"Was there a tall stranger there?"

"No; only Bender, Hallet, Forms, and myself."

"No one else?"

"No."

"You are sure?"

"Of course I am. Why, what's up?"

"Nothing, Joe. I am much obliged;" and I hurried away before he could say any more.

​I walked down the main street hardly knowing what to do next. In front of the post-office I met Ford, who had just come from his home to look for a job of some kind.

"Well, Rube, how do you make out with your uncle?" he asked, as he jumped down from the barrel upon which he had been sitting.

"Don't call him my uncle, Dan," I returned. "He may be a relative according to law, but he isn't in heart."

"Why, has he been after you again?"

"Rather," I returned bitterly. And taking Ford aside I told him of all that had occurred.

"The mean rascal!" exclaimed the ex-mill-hand. "It would do me good to punch his head."

"I don't know what to do," I went on. "If I go back he may do me up."

"He wouldn't if I was around," replied Ford with a decided shake of the head.

"I am satisfied that he is a wicked man at heart," I went on. "It is an awful surprise to me too, because I always heard father speak well of him."

"You can't tell how some men will act when they have a little power. He, no doubt, thinks he can boss you just as he pleases."

"Well, he'll find out that he is mistaken."

There was a moment of silence, and then Ford said,—

​"Tell you what to do, Rube. You go back and I'll go with you."

"Thank you, Dan; but you will lose your time by that."

"A day or two won't matter. It isn't likely I'll strike anything at once, things are so dull."

"Maybe Mr. Norton won't have you around."

"Then I'll sit on a rock on the other side of the road," laughed Ford. "He can't stop me from doing that."

"Suppose you go back with me and keep out of sight until I give you some sort of a signal," I suggested.

"That's an idea. If I show myself at once he'll keep in till I go away."

We decided to act on this plan at once. There was no telling when Squire Slocum would get back from Bayport, and, strange as it may seem, I did not like the idea of leaving Mr. Norton in sole charge of the mill.

He knew nothing of the business, which must be looked after; and besides, I was afraid to trust him.

We started at once. When in sight of the mill, Ford stepped into the bushes, saying he would draw up close on the water side, and if I needed him to give a loud whistle.

This arranged, I walked boldly up to the mill ​door and entered. Mr. Norton was nowhere to be seen; but an instant later he appeared with a flushed face.

"Oh, so you've concluded to come back," he said.

"I didn't intend to stay away for good," I replied, as lightly as possible, though I watched him closely.

"Have you seen the squire?"

I paid no attention to this question, and presently he repeated it.

"I was at the squire's house," I responded.

"And what did he say?" asked Mr. Norton, though he did not appear to be as much interested as I supposed would be likely.

I pretended not to hear, and passed into the living room. Here on the table everything remained just as I had left it. Mr. Norton had evidently no appetite for breakfast.

"Did you hear my question?" he demanded.

"I heard it."

"Why don't you answer then?"

"Because I don't choose to do so."

I expected this would bring out another storm of passion. But I was mistaken. Mr. Norton merely shut his mouth hard, and walked up and down the room.

"Reuben, you are smarter than I thought you ​were," he said presently. "I thought you were a mere backwoods boy, but I find I am mistaken."

"Do you want your breakfast, sir?"

"No; I'm not hungry. You sit down and eat."

I did so, and he walked around and eyed me curiously.

"Reuben, your father died rather poor," he continued. "He was a hard worker, but he didn't know how to manage."

"It was the hard times, and not the managing," I put in, eager to defend the parent I had just lost.

"When your father fell over the ravine, he and I were just getting ready to make a pile of money," went on Mr. Norton slowly. "If he had lived two months longer he would have been a rich man."

In my wonder at this statement I stopped eating at once.

"You must be joking," I cried.

"No; it's the sober truth. We had all our plans ready when your father's death upset everything. It was a splendid scheme, and only needed a little nerve to carry it out."

"And what kind of a scheme was it?" I asked eagerly, for this news was totally new to me.

"It's the same one mentioned in those letters in my valise," replied Mr. Norton.