"You are a true friend," said Robert, gratefully. "I wish my father had intrusted his money to you instead of to the superintendent."
"I wish he had as matters have turned out, I should have taken care that your interests did not suffer."
"Oh," exclaimed Robert, fervently, "if I could only find my father, and bring him home to confront this false friend, and convict him of his base fraud, I believe I would willingly give ten years of my life."
"That question can only be solved by time. I, too, should earnestly rejoice if such an event could be brought about. And now, Robert, good-by, and Heaven bless you. Don"t forget that you can count always on my friendship and a.s.sistance."
On the way home Robert fell in with Halbert Davis. Halbert, of course, knew nothing of the claim made upon his father, but he had heard that Robert proposed to leave home. He was both sorry and glad on account of this--sorry because he had hoped to see our hero fall into poverty and dest.i.tution, and enjoy the spectacle of his humiliation. Now he was afraid Robert would succeed and deprive him of the enjoyment he had counted upon. On the other hand, Robert"s departure would leave the field free so far as concerned Hester Paine, and he hoped to win the favor of that young lady in the absence of any compet.i.tor. Of this there was not the slightest chance, but Halbert was blinded by his own vanity to the obvious dislike which Hester entertained for him.
Now when he saw Robert approaching he couldn"t forego the pleasure of a final taunt.
"So you"re going to leave town, Rushton?"" he commenced.
"Yes, Davis," answered Robert, in the same tone. "Shall you miss me much?"
"I guess I shall live through it," said Halbert. "I suppose you are going because you can"t make a living here!"
"Not exactly. However, I hope to do better elsewhere."
"If you"re going to try for a place, you"d better not mention that you got turned out of the factory. You needn"t apply to my father for a recommendation."
"I shan"t need any recommendation from your father," said Robert. "He is about the last man that I would apply to."
"That"s where you are right," said Halbert. "What sort of a place are you going to try for?"
He knew nothing of Robert"s intention to seek his father, but supposed he meant to obtain a situation in New York.
"You seem particularly interested in my movements, Davis."
"Call me Mr. Davis, if you please," said Halbert, haughtily.
"When you call me Mr. Rushton, I will return the compliment."
"You are impertinent."
"Not more so than you are."
"You don"t seem to realize the difference in our positions."
"No, I don"t, except that I prefer my own."
Disgusted with Robert"s evident determination to withhold the respect which he considered his due, Halbert tried him on another tack.
"Have you bidden farewell to Hester Paine?" he asked, with a sneer.
"Yes," said Robert.
"I suppose she was very much affected!" continued Halbert.
"She said she was very sorry to part with me."
"I admire her taste."
"You would admire it more if she had a higher appreciation of you."
"I shall be good friends with her, when you are no longer here to slander me to her."
"I am not quite so mean as that," said Robert. "If she chooses to like you, I shan"t try to prevent it."
"I ought to be very much obliged to you, I am sure."
"You needn"t trouble yourself to be grateful," returned Robert, coolly.
"But I must bid you good-by, as I have considerable to do."
"Don"t let me detain you," said Halbert, with an elaborate share of politeness.
"I wonder why Halbert hates me so much!" he thought. "I don"t like him, but I don"t wish him any harm."
He looked with satisfaction upon a little cornelian ring which he wore upon one of his fingers. It was of very trifling value, but it was a parting gift from Hester, and as such he valued it far above its cost.
CHAPTER XXIII.
A DISHONEST BAGGAGE-SMASHER.
On the next Monday morning Robert started for the city. At the moment of parting he began to realize that he had undertaken a difficult task. His life hitherto had been quiet and free from excitement. Now he was about to go out into the great world, and fight his own way. With only two hundred dollars in his pocket he was going in search of a father, who, when last heard from was floating in an open boat on the South Pacific.
The probabilities were all against that father"s being still alive. If he were, he had no clew to his present whereabouts.
All this Robert thought over as he was riding in the cars to the city.
He acknowledged that the chances were all against his success, but in spite of all, he had a feeling, for which he could not account, that his father was still living, and that he should find him some day. At any rate, there was something attractive in the idea of going out to unknown lands to meet unknown adventures, and so his momentary depression was succeeded by a return of his old confidence.
Arrived in the city, he took his carpetbag in his hand, and crossing the street, walked at random, not being familiar with the streets, as he had not been in New York but twice before, and that some time since.
"I don"t know where to go," thought Robert. "I wish I knew where to find some cheap hotel."
Just then a boy, in well-ventilated garments and a rimless straw hat, with a blacking box over his shoulder, approached.
"Shine your boots, mister?" he asked.
Robert glanced at his shoes, which were rather deficient in polish, and finding that the expense would be only five cents, told him to go ahead.
"I"ll give you the bulliest shine you ever had," said the ragam.u.f.fin.
"That"s right! Go ahead!" said Robert.