Adrift in New York: Tom and Florence Braving the World by Jr. Horatio Alger (top 100 novels of all time .TXT) 📖

be very sick?”

“He’s wake as a rat. Curtis would kill him soon if we didn’t interfere. But we’ll soon circumvent him, the snake in the grass! Miss Florence will soon come to her own, and Curtis Waring will be out in the cold.”

“The most I have against him is that he tried to marry Florence when he had a wife already.”

“He’s as bad as they make ’em, Dodger. It won’t be my fault if Mr. Linden’s eyes are not opened to his wickedness.”

Chapter XXXVII. The Diplomacy Of Mrs. O’Keefe.

Mrs. O’Keefe was a warm-hearted woman, and the sad, drawn face of Mr. Linden appealed to her pity.

“Why should I let the poor man suffer when I can relieve him?” she asked herself.

So the next morning, after Curtis had, according to his custom, gone downtown, being in the invalid’s sick chamber, she began to act in a mysterious manner. She tiptoed to the door, closed it and approached Mr. Linden’s bedside with the air of one about to unfold a strange story.

“Whist now,” she said, with her finger on her lips.

“What is the matter?” asked the invalid, rather alarmed.

“Can you bear a surprise, sir?”

“Have you any bad news for me?”

“No; it’s good news, but you must promise not to tell Curtis.”

“Is it about Florence? Your messenger can hardly have reached Chicago.”

“He isn’t going there, sir.”

“But you promised that he should,” said Mr. Linden, disturbed.

“I’ll tell you why, sir. Florence is not in Chicago.”

“I—I don’t understand. You said she was there.”

“Begging your pardon, sir, it was Curtis that said so, though he knew she was in New York.”

“But what motive could he have had for thus misrepresenting matters?”

“He doesn’t want you to take her back.”

“I can’t believe you, Mrs. Barnes. He loves her, and wants to marry her.”

“He couldn’t marry her if she consented to take him.”

“Why not? Mrs. Barnes, you confuse me.”

“I won’t deceive you as he has done. There’s rason in plinty. He’s married already.”

“Is this true?” demanded Mr. Linden, in excitement.

“It’s true enough; more by token, to-morrow, whin he’s out, his wife will come here and tell you so herself.”

“But who are you who seem to know so much about my family?”

“I’m a friend of the pore girl you’ve driven from the house, because she would not marry a rascally spalpeen that’s been schemin’ to get your property into his hands.”

“You’re a friend of Florence? Where is she?”

“She’s in my house, and has been there ever since she left her home.”

“Is she—well?”

“As well as she can be whin she’s been workin’ her fingers to the bone wid sewin’ to keep from starvin’.”

“My God! what have I done?”

“You’ve let Curtis Waring wind you around his little finger—that’s what you’ve done, Mr. Linden.”

“How soon can I see Florence?”

“How soon can you bear it?”

“The sooner the better.”

“Then it’ll be to-morrow, I’m thinkin’, that is if you won’t tell Curtis.”

“No, no; I promise.”

“I’ll manage everything, sir. Don’t worry now.”

Mr. Linden’s face lost its anxious look—so that when, later in the day, Curtis looked into the room he was surprised.

“My uncle looks better,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” answered the nurse. “I’ve soothed him like.”

“Indeed! You seem to be a very accomplished nurse.”

“Faith, that I am, sir, though it isn’t I that should say it.”

“May I ask how you soothed him?” inquired Curtis, anxiously.

“I told him that Miss Florence would soon be home.”

“I do not think it right to hold out hopes that may prove ill-founded.”

“I know what I am about, Mr. Curtis.”

“I dare say you understand your business, Mrs. Barnes, but if my uncle should be disappointed, I am afraid the consequences will be lamentable.”

“Do you think he’ll live long, sir?”

Curtis shrugged his shoulders.

“It is very hard to tell. My uncle is a very feeble man.”

“And if he dies, I suppose the property goes to you?”

“I suppose so.”

“But where does Florence come in?”

“It seems to me, Mrs. Barnes, that you take a good deal of interest in our family affairs,” said Curtis, suspiciously.

“That’s true, sir. Why shouldn’t I take an interest in a nice gentleman like you?”

Curtis smiled.

“I am doing my best to find Florence. Then our marriage will take place, and it matters little to whom the property is left.”

“But I thought Miss Florence didn’t care to marry you?”

“It is only because she thinks cousins ought not to marry. It’s a foolish fancy, and she’ll get over it.”

“Thrue for you, sir. My first husband was my cousin, and we always agreed, barrin’ an occasional fight——”

“I don’t think Florence and I will ever fight, Mrs. Barnes.”

“What surprises me, Mr. Curtis, is that a nice-lookin’ gentleman like you hasn’t been married before.”

Curtis eyed her keenly, but her face told him nothing.

“I never saw one I wanted to marry till my cousin grew up,” he said.

“I belave in marryin’, meself. I was first married at sivinteen.”

“How long ago was that, Mrs. Barnes?”

“It’s long ago, Mr. Curtis. I’m an old woman now. I was thirty-five last birthday.”

Curtis came near laughing outright, for he suspected—what was true—that the nurse would never see her fiftieth birthday again.

“Then you are just my age,” he said.

“If I make him laugh he won’t suspect nothing,” soliloquized the wily nurse. “That’s a pretty big lie, even for me.”

“Shure I look older, Mr. Curtis,” she said, aloud. “What wid the worry of losin’ two fond husbands, I look much older than you.”

“Oh, your are very well preserved, Mrs. Barnes.”

Curtis went into his uncle’s chamber.

“How are you feeling, uncle?” he asked.

“I think I am better,” answered Mr. Linden, coldly, for he had not forgotten Mrs. Barnes’ revelations.

“That is right. Only make an effort, and you will soon be strong again.”

“I think I may. I may live ten years to annoy you.”

“I fervently hope so,” said Curtis, but there was a false ring in his voice that his uncle detected. “How do you like the new nurse?”

“She is helping me wonderfully. You made a good selection.”

“I will see that she is soon discharged,” Curtis inwardly resolved. “If her being here is to prolong my uncle’s life, and keep me still waiting for the estate, I must clear the house of her.”

“You must not allow her to buoy you up with unfounded hopes. She has been telling you that Florence will soon return.”

“Yes; she seems convinced of it.”

“Of course she knows nothing of it. She may return, but I doubt whether she is in Chicago now. I think the family she was with has gone to Europe.”

“Where did you hear that, Curtis?” asked Mr. Linden, with unwonted sharpness.

“I have sources of information which at present I do not care to impart. Rest assured that I am doing all I can to get her back.”

“You still want to marry her, Curtis?”

“I do, most certainly.”

“I shall not insist upon it. I should not have done so before.”

“Have you changed your mind, uncle?”

“Yes; I have made a mistake, and I have decided to correct it.”

“What has come over him?” Curtis asked himself. “Some influence hostile to me has been brought to bear. It must be that nurse. I will quietly dismiss her to-morrow, paying her a week’s wages, in lieu of warning. She’s evidently a meddler.”

Chapter XXXVIII. The Closing Scene.

The next day Tim Bolton, dressed in a jaunty style, walked up the steps of the Linden mansion.

“Is Mr. Waring at home?” he asked.

“No, sir; he has gone downtown.”

“I’ll step in and wait for him. Please show me to the library.”

Jane, who had been taken into confidence by the nurse, showed him at once into the room mentioned.

Half an hour later Curtis entered.

“How long have you been here, Bolton?”

“But a short time. You sent for me?”

“I did.”

“On business?”

“Well, yes.”

“Is there anything new?”

“Yes, my uncle is failing fast.”

“Is he likely to die soon?”

“I shouldn’t be surprised if he died within a week.”

“I suspect Curtis means to help him! Well, what has that to do with me?” he asked. “You will step into the property, of course?”

“There is a little difficulty in the way which I can overcome with your help.”

“What is it?”

“I can’t get him to give up the foolish notion that the boy he lost is still alive.”

“It happens to be true.”

“Yes; but he must not know it. Before he dies I want him to make a new will, revoking all others, leaving all the property to me.”

“Will he do it?”

“I don’t know. As long as he thinks the boy is living, I don’t believe he will. You see what a drawback that is.”

“I see. What can I do to improve the situation?”

“I want you to sign a paper confessing that you abducted the boy——”

“At your instigation?”

“That must not be mentioned. You will go on to say that a year or two later—the time is not material—he died of typhoid fever. You can say that you did not dare to reveal this before, but do so now, impelled by remorse.”

“Have you got it written out? I can’t remember all them words.”

“Yes; here it is.”

“All right,” said Bolton, taking the paper and tucking it into an inside pocket. “I’ll copy it out in my own handwriting. How much are you going to give me for doing this?”

“A thousand dollars.”

“Cash?”

“I can’t do that. I have met with losses at the gaming table, and I don’t dare ask money from my uncle at this time. He thinks I am thoroughly steady.”

“At how much do you value the estate?”

“At four hundred thousand dollars. I wormed it out of my uncle’s lawyer the other day.”

“And you expect me to help you to that amount for only a thousand dollars?”

“A thousand dollars is a good deal of money.”

“And so is four hundred thousand. After all, your uncle may not die.”

“He is sure to.”

“You seem very confident.”

“And with good reason. Leave that to me. I promise you, on my honor, to pay you two thousand dollars when I get the estate.”

“But what is going to happen to poor Dodger, the rightful heir?”

“Well, let it be three hundred dollars a year, then.”

“Where is he now?”

“I don’t mind telling you, as it can do no harm. He is in California.”

“Whew! That was smart. How did you get him there?”

“I drugged him, and had him sent on board a ship bound for San Francisco, around Cape Horn. The fact is, I was getting a little suspicious of you, and I wanted to put you beyond the reach of temptation.”

“You are a clever rascal, Curtis. After all, suppose the prize should slip through your fingers?”

“It won’t. I have taken every precaution.”

“When do you want this document?”

“Bring it back to me this afternoon, copied and signed. That is all you have to do; I will attend to the rest.”

While this conversation was going on there were unseen listeners.

Behind a portière Mrs. Barnes, the nurse, and John Linden heard every word that was said.

“And what do you think now, sir?” whispered Mrs. O’Keefe (to give her real name).

“It is terrible. I would not have believed Curtis capable of such a crime. But is it really true, Mrs. Barnes? Is my lost boy alive?”

“To be sure he is.”

“Have you seen him?”

“I know him as well as I know you, sir, and better, too.”

“Is he—tell me, is he a good boy? Curtis told me that he might be a criminal.”

“He might, but he isn’t. He’s as dacent and honest a boy as iver trod shoe leather. You’ll be proud of him, sir.”

“But he’s in California.”

“He was; but he’s got back. You shall see him to-day, and Florence, too. Hark! I hear the door bell. They’re here now. I think you had better go in and confront Curtis.”

“I feel weak, Mrs. Barnes. Let me lean on you.”

“You can do that, and welcome, sir.”

The nurse pushed aside the portière, and the two entered the library—Mrs. Barnes rotund and smiling, Mr. Linden gaunt and spectral looking, like one risen from the grave.

Curtis eyed the pair with a startled look.

“Mrs. Barnes,” he said, angrily, “what do you mean by taking my uncle from his bed and bringing him down here? It is as much as his life is worth. You seem unfit for your duties as nurse. You will leave the house to-morrow, and I will engage a substitute.”

“I shall lave whin I git ready, Mr. Curtis Waring,” said the nurse, her arms akimbo. “Maybe somebody else will lave the house. Me and Mr. Linden have been behind the curtain for twenty minutes, and he has heard every word you said.”

Curtis turned livid, and his heart sank.

“It’s true, Curtis,” said John Linden’s hollow voice. “I have heard all. It was you who abducted my boy, and have made my life a lonely one all these years. Oh, man! man! how could you have the heart to do it?”

Curtis stared at him with parched lips, unable to speak.

“Not content with this, you drove from the house my