Reuben Stone's Discovery/Chapter 14

I was more mystified than ever. Evidently Mr. Norton still supposed that I had taken his bag and examined its contents.

"What was the scheme?"

"Didn't you read the letters?"

"I didn't even see them. Carney has the valise, as well as the other things; and if you want to get the stuff back you had better go after him."

"You still stick to that statement?"

"Of course, for it's the truth."

Mr. Norton drew a long breath. I felt pretty certain that at last he believed me.

"Well, if Carney did really steal the bag, why didn't you stop him?"

"I couldn't. He had a pistol, and he threatened to shoot me if I moved out of the chair."

"I ought to get that bag back," he went on, with a decided shake of his head.

"What was the scheme father and you had?" I asked.

​"Can you keep a secret?" questioned Mr. Norton in a low voice.

"Certainly I can," I replied, never dreaming of what was coming.

"It was a plan to get hold of twenty thousand dollars worth of bonds and cash," whispered the man.

"How?" was all I could say.

"Out of the bank."

"But how could you do it?" I asked innocently.

Mr. Norton looked at me with a sneer on his lips.

"Reuben, you're a fool!" he cried. "You haven't any sand in you at all."

"A little while ago you said I was pretty smart," I returned, for it seemed about the only thing to say.

"You are in some ways, but in others you are as blind as a mule. Of course, you don't suppose the bank officials would hand the amount right over if it was asked for."

"Then I don't see how father or you could get it, unless you had that sum on deposit."

"You don't, eh?"

"No, I don't."

"Then you're a fool."

And Mr. Norton turned on his heel.

Suddenly a wave of light broke over me. I jumped to my feet, trembling from head to foot.

​"Do you mean to say you were going to steal that money?" I demanded.

"Hush! not so loud."

"That isn't answering my question," I went on, ignoring his caution.

"We were going to get that money, that's all I have to say," returned my guardian with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Perhaps you were, but not my father," I cried, with flashing eyes. "You will never make me believe that he consented to do anything that was wrong!"

"You don't know anything about it," retorted Mr. Norton angrily. "Your father was hard up, and that was. the only way to get money. It was his plan, not mine. I have always been an honest man, even though I was poor."

"Mr. Norton, you are a villain!" I cried in high indignation. "My father never did a willfully wrong action in his life, and I won't allow you or any other man to say he did."

"Come, come, don't get on a high horse," replied my guardian. "You know just how poor your father was. His estate is deeply in my debt, and I want the money paid. I have found out that there are other claims against this mill, and that will leave you without a penny. Now if you will only listen to ​me, I will put you in a way of getting so much that you can leave work alone for a good while to come."

And the man placed his hand on my shoulder as if to thus persuade me to accede to his wishes.

I threw the hand off.

"Don't you dare to touch me!" I cried. "You are a bad man, and I will have nothing to do with you. You may be my uncle, but you are so in law only, and not in my heart."

"Take care!" stormed Mr. Norton, now thoroughly aroused. "I won't allow any one, least of all a boy, to talk to me like that."

"I don't care. I never liked you from the start, and I want you to know it. I shall not consider you my guardian any longer."

"You won't, eh?"

"No, sir, I won't."

"Then I'll hand you over to the police the first chance I get. I can tell them a fine story about you."

At that instant a shadow fell across my window, and looking up, we saw four men approaching the mill. They were Constable Pointer, President Webster of the Bayport Bank, and two strangers.

"Constable Pointer!" I exclaimed, as the quartet filed in.

"Ha!" cried Mr. Norton, and I saw him turn pale. "What do you men want here?"

​"Reuben, we want you," said the constable, as he placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Want me!" I cried, starting back.

"Exactly."

"About that boat matter?" I asked.

"No, not about any boat matter," put in President Webster. "Constable, I demand that the boy be searched."

"What for?" I asked, and I saw that Mr. Norton was equally curious to know.

There was no reply to this, and I backed away.

"Stop, Rube," said Pointer. "Remember you are now under arrest."

"Arrest!" I gasped.

"Exactly, young man," added Mr. Webster. "Search him at once."

I was too much taken aback to protest, and the constable quickly turned my pockets inside out.

"Nothing much of value," said Pointer.

"Are you sure?" questioned the president of the bank eagerly.

The constable made another search, and finally brought to light the stone I had picked up on the floor.

"Here is one of 'em!" he cried. "By George, Rube, to tell the honest truth, I didn't think it of you," he added in a lower tone.

​"Didn't think what of me?"

"That you would turn thief."

"I haven't done so."

"Oh, come, it won't do to deny this."

"You say my nephew has turned thief?" put in Mr. Norton, pressing forward.

"Are you this boy's uncle?" asked President Webster.

"Yes; and his guardian too."

"It's a pity you wouldn't guard him better," sneered the big man from Bayport.

"What has he stolen?" asked my guardian, with apparent deep concern.

"He's helped to steal a bag of diamonds from one of the safes in the Bayport Bank," returned Constable Pointer. "Is this one of the stones, Mr. Ditson?" he continued, turning to one of the strangers.

"I think it is," was the reply, after an examination. "What do you think, Mr. Camp?" he added to the other stranger.

"I should say it was," was the quick reply. "It ought to be plain enough that such a boy would never have a diamond of his own like this."

"I didn't steal that diamond!" I burst out.

"Perhaps you will state where you did get it?" remarked Mr. Webster sarcastically.

"I found it here on the floor."

​There was a general sniff at this.

"Quite likely!" said Mr. Ditson. "Diamonds are not lying around so loosely as all that. I am pretty sure, officer, you have got one of the thieves. The question is, has he any more of the stones?"

"We'll have to search around and see," said Pointer.

"Did you know your nephew was out last night?" asked Mr. Webster of Mr. Norton sharply.

"Yes, he was," replied my guardian.

"How long?"

"I don't know when he came in," was the answer. "But, oh, sir, I cannot believe that he is a thief!"

And Mr. Norton's voice trembled with apparent emotion.

"And neither I am!" I cried. "He was out as well as I was, and I found that stone right here on the floor early this morning."

"Too thin," sneered Mr. Webster. "Hold him, Pointer. Have we a right to search the house?"

"Yes, yes; search all you please," put in Mr. Norton hastily. "If the dear boy has done wrong, let it be made right as quickly as possible!"

At that moment Ford came in. He had seen the crowd of men, and he wanted to know what was up.

"Can't make me believe that Rube stole any diamonds!" he ejaculated, when he had heard the story. ​"I'd rather believe his uncle here was the guilty party."

He had hardly spoken before Mr. Norton had him by the throat.

"You scamp!" he howled. "Call me a thief!"