The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Guardsman, by Homer Greene This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: The Guardsman Author: Homer Greene Release Date: October 18, 2017 [EBook #55768] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GUARDSMAN *** Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net cover THE GUARDSMAN THE KNIFE DROPPED FROM THE MAN’S HAND The Guardsman By HOMER GREENE Author of “The Flag,” “Pickett’s Gap,” etc. logo PHILADELPHIA GEORGE W. JACOBS & COMPANY PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1919, by George W. Jacobs & Company H All rights reserved Printed in U. S. A. Table of Contents CHAPTER I 13 CHAPTER II 33 CHAPTER III 62 CHAPTER IV 84 CHAPTER V 99 CHAPTER VI 113 CHAPTER VII 130 CHAPTER VIII 146 CHAPTER IX 162 CHAPTER X 179 CHAPTER XI 194 CHAPTER XII 209 CHAPTER XIII 225 CHAPTER XIV 248 CHAPTER XV 263 CHAPTER XVI 283 CHAPTER XVII 300 CHAPTER XVIII 315 List of Illustrations The knife dropped from the man’s hand Frontispiece “I will go to-day, Mr. Barriscale,” responded Hal Facing p. 154 He helped to lift Chick into the car Facing p. 302 The Guardsman CHAPTER I allowe’en! Religion, romance and mischief give life and color to the name. But in the mind of the American boy mischief is the predominating thought when the name is spoken. It is still a mystery why this particular night should have been chosen for indulgence in that form of juvenile pleasure which consists chiefly in removing loose property of Mr. Smith to the front yard of Mr. Jones. But that it has been so chosen no early promenader of the streets on the first morning in November will have the temerity to deny. Convincing evidence of such transfers may be seen in almost every block. The boys of the city of Fairweather were not different from the boys of other American cities and villages in this respect. So it was that on Hallowe’en in the year 1909, groups of these young citizens, on mischief bent, were plainly visible to the discerning eye. In the well-lighted and peopled streets they paraded boisterously, through the darker ways [13] [14] they stole quietly with whispered words. It was not a pleasant night to be out, rain had fallen during the day, and with the cessation of the storm had come a mist that shrouded the town, blurred the lights, and made the wet air heavy and lifeless. A small group of boys, perhaps a half dozen, ranging in age from twelve to sixteen years, moved quietly up a side street and approached the business quarter of the city. If they had been in mischief the evidences of it were not visible among them. If they contemplated mischief, only a reader of minds could have discovered that fact. It was past midnight. Few people were abroad. A loitering policeman stopped at a street-corner as the boys went by and carelessly scanned the group. They were not openly violating any law nor breaking any city ordinance, therefore it was not his duty to interfere with their proper use of the highway, nor to investigate their proposed activities. So he swung his club back against his forearm, hummed under his breath a tune that he used to know as a boy, and went placidly on about his business. But if he had been suspicious, and had stealthily followed them, he might have seen something that would have aroused within him a measure of zeal in the performance of his undeniable duties. For, passing down the main street of the city, not three blocks distant from the corner where they had met the guardian of the public peace, these young American citizens came to a cobbler’s shop on the door-casing of which hung a board sign inscribed with the words: “Puppies for Sale Here.” “That sign,” said Halpert McCormack, the apparent leader of the group, “ought to come down. In my opinion a cobbler has no business to be selling puppies. ‘Shoemaker, stick to your last!’ That’s a proverb we parsed in Miss Buskin’s class this morning. What do you say, fellows?” “Sure it ought to come down,” was the immediate and unanimous response. “Besides,” added Little Dusty, the youngest boy in the company, “his puppies is no good anyway. My cousin Joe bought one off of him last week, and he can’t even bark yet.” One member of the group, inclined to be facetious, inquired: “Who can’t bark? Joe or the dog?” “Neither one of ’em,” was the quick reply. “But the puppy’s got fleas an’ Joe ain’t.” “That settles it,” said Hal McCormack, gravely. “A man that will sell puppies with fleas on ’em deserves no consideration from us.” “Right you are!” was the response. “Here goes!” It took but a minute to cut the sign loose from its fastenings and to carry it around into a side street where darkness threw a protecting mantle over mischief. One of the other boys turned to Hal. “Well,” he said, “you told us to take it down; now you got to say what we do with it.” “Blessed if I know,” replied Hal. “Stick it up somewheres,” suggested Little Dusty. “Sure, stick it up somewheres,” exclaimed the first boy, “but where?” “We might fasten it to the sign o’ Jim Nagel, the butcher,” responded Little Dusty. Then a boy known as Slicker spoke up. “Butchers don’t sell puppies,” he said, “they buy ’em. Folks’d think he was goin’ out o’ business if he put up a sign like that.” “Oh,” commented Hal, “can that joke. It’s got whiskers.” “Besides,” continued Slicker, “I know a better stunt than that. We’ll take it up to Barriscale’s, an’ fasten it on the gate-post.” “Gee!” exclaimed Little Dusty. “My dad works at Barriscale’s, and if Mr. Barriscale found out I had a hand in it, Pop might get fired.” “Well,” replied Slicker, “nobody’s goin’ to know who had a hand in it. We ain’t goin’ to hire no brass band an’ go around shoutin’ what we done. Are we, Hal?” “No,” said Hal soberly. “This is secret business. No boy’s got a right to tell on anybody but himself, not even if they skin him alive. I won’t.” “Nor I,” “Nor I.” The response was unanimous and whole-hearted. “I don’t know about this Barriscale business, though,” added Hal. “If Mr. Barriscale should get mad about it, he’d scour the city to find out who did it, and then he’d have us all put in jail. Young Ben isn’t any easy proposition to butt up against, either.” “Oh, you’re chicken-hearted!” exclaimed Slicker. “It’s no fun to swipe things if you don’t put ’em where folks don’t like it. I say hang the puppy sign on the king’s gate-post an’ let the consekences take care o’ theirselves. Am I right?” “Right you are!” responded one member of the group after another. But Hal said: “Well, whatever you fellows say, [15] [16] [17] goes. I’m game if you are. Where’s your sign? Let me have it!” He took the oblong board and concealed it under the capacious folds of his rain-coat. “Now,” he added, “come on!” So they started, heading again toward the main street of the city. Two blocks up that street they once more passed the loitering policeman on duty. If he had any suspicion that the outer garment of the leader of the group hid contraband property from his sight he did not mention it. But when they were well by he turned and called to them. “You boys,” he said, “have no business on the street this time o’ night. I want you to go home, every one o’ you.” “That’s where we’re headed for,” replied Slicker; and with that the incident was closed. Benjamin Barriscale, toward whose private property the boys were moving, was at the head of the principal industry of the city, operated by a corporation known as the Barriscale Manufacturing Company. He was reputed to be a man of great wealth, of unbending will, generous or domineering as best suited his purpose. To invade his premises at midnight, on a mischief-making errand, was therefore an adventure which called for both courage and caution. His mansion was a full half mile from the center of the city; a square, stately house set well back from the street in the midst of a spacious lawn. Two massive, ornamental gate-posts guarded the entrance to the grounds, but the gates that swung between them were rarely closed. When the boys reached the place it was well past midnight and the lights in the electric lamps at the porch entrance had been extinguished. A single gleam showed faintly at an upper window; for the rest the darkness was complete save that a street lamp, a block away, endeavored, quite ineffectually, to send its rays into the thick mist overhanging the Barriscale grounds. For the perpetration of undiscoverable mischief the night was ideal. Midway of the journey the heavy board sign had been transferred from its hiding-place under Hal’s rain-coat to the possession of two of the younger boys. Even to them it had grown increasingly substantial, and they were not loath now to relieve themselves of their burden. After careful inspection of the gate-post it was the consensus of opinion that there was but one place on it where the sign could be conspicuously and safely fastened, and that was at the moulding near the top of the post. And to hold it in place a piece of stout twine of sufficient length to pass across the face of the board and be tied behind the iron ornament at the summit was absolutely necessary. But the twine was immediately forthcoming. There was scarcely a boy in the company who had not that necessary equipment in one or another of his pockets. And the combined supply of the group, doubled and twisted and knotted, left nothing in the way of fastening material to be desired. So the puppy sign was hoisted into place, and two boys, at the risk of tumbling and breaking their necks, anchored it securely to the stone coping and the iron ornaments of Benjamin Barriscale’s massive gate-post. But the incident was not yet quite closed. Before the mischief-makers were ready to turn their faces toward the street Slicker bethought himself of a supplementary task. “Who’s got some black crayon?” he asked of the company. No one appeared to have black crayon, but Little Dusty was able to produce a stub of a carpenter’s pencil which he had somewhere acquired, and he turned it over to the questioner. “That’s the goods,” said Slicker. “Now hoist me up again.” Supported on the shoulders of two of his comrades, and steadying himself with his left hand, he scrawled on the lower face of the board, in large black letters: “Buy young Ben. He’s the only puppy left.” When he had been carefully lowered to the sidewalk Slicker told his inquiring companions what he had written. “That was a mistake!” exclaimed Hal. “They’ll have it in for us now, sure!” “Let ’em,” replied Slicker. “But you don’t know what you’ll be up against.” “Maybe they’ll tell me if I ask ’em,” responded Slicker lightly. Then Little Dusty spoke up. “I hope Ben sees it himself,” said Dusty. “He’ll know what some boys thinks of him.” “And we ain’t the only ones that think that way, either,” added another member of the group. “You bet we ain’t!” exclaimed still another. “I know lots o’ fellows that’s got no use for him at all.” It was very true that Benjamin Barriscale, Jr., was not especially popular with boys of his age. He was the only son of the wealthiest man in the city; he appreciated that fact, and was self-important accordingly. He was not offensively aristocratic or domineering, but he was unsocial, undemocratic, uncompanionable. He had his own group of friends, boys who followed him and flattered him, but he never seemed to inspire a spirit of true comradeship in any one. Having at last finished the work in hand the Hallowe’en mischief-makers again faced toward the street, prepared now to follow the friendly advice of the down-town policeman. But Slicker, with a low whistle, brought them to a sudden halt. [18] [19] [20] [21] “We forgot somethin’,” he said in a hoarse whisper. “What?” was the unanimous inquiry. “We ain’t takin’ anything away. We got to take as much as we bring. ’Twouldn’t be fair to the rest o’ the places we visited if we didn’t do anything here but just leave a sign on a gate-post.” “What is they to take?” inquired Little Dusty. “I don’t know,” replied Slicker, “but we got to find somethin’. Come on back!” Hal began to demur, but he was speedily overruled by the rest, and was quickly prevailed upon to accompany them. In single file, led by Slicker, they passed between the gate-posts and up the paved walk. Then they stopped to listen. Out from the darkness at the left came gently the sound of splashing water. The boys knew, every one knew, that there was an ornamental fountain there. It had been a feature of the Barriscale lawn for many years. They also knew that, peering into the basin from the rim was the marble figure of a kneeling boy. “Sh!” said Slicker. “What do you say if we cop the marble kid?” “Great!” replied two of the boys. “Fine!” exclaimed Little Dusty. “But can we get her loose?” “Sure we can. It ain’t spiked down. I know how it sets.” Slicker had already started across the lawn, and the others followed. But when they reached the fountain Hal again put in a word of protest. “We mustn’t do that,” he said. “That thing cost money. S’pose we should drop it an’ break it?” “Aw, we’ll be careful. See! It’s loose.” And Slicker, moving the corner of the statue gently, proved his contention that it could be easily removed. Indeed, one stout boy could have lifted it from its resting place and carried it away. “Here you, Billy,” added Slicker, “give us a lift.” “Sh!” whispered Little Dusty. “Somebody’s comin’. Drop it an’ duck!” They left the statue and threw themselves prostrate on the grass to await the passing by of the person whose footsteps they had heard. It was a man, evidently belated and walking rapidly down the street. And he never dreamed that, less than forty feet away from him, a group of mischievous boys were about to commit an act of vandalism unlicensed and unwarranted even by the rules and customs of Hallowe’en. Removing the cobbler’s sign had been taking sufficiently daring liberties with the property of other people, and fastening it to Mr. Barriscale’s gate-post had been hardly a meritorious invasion of the rights of private persons, even though it had all been done by virtue of the license assumed to be granted to Hallowe’en revelers. But what was now contemplated went far beyond the limit of harmless mischief, and the project, if carried to completion, would become not only a violation of law, but of good manners and good morals as well. Yet Hal was the only one of the company who appeared to look upon it in this light. And when the sound of passing footsteps had died away in the distance, and bodies were raised from the grass, he again protested. “We’re getting in too deep,” he whispered. “It isn’t right. It isn’t fair. It’s carrying the thing too far.” “We won’t carry it far,” replied Slicker. “Just up street a ways an’ drop it on somebody’s porch.” “You know what I mean,” insisted Hal. “I’m ready for fun, or mischief either, up to a certain limit. But this is going beyond the limit.” “Aw! you’re a piker! If you don’t like what we’re goin’ to do, you can take a sneak an’ go home. Come on, fellows! Who’s game?” From the response it appeared that every one in the crowd was game except Hal. His judgment had been overruled and he made no further objection. But he did not “take a sneak.” “All right!” he said. “If you fellows think it’s decent, and think you can get away with it, I’ll go along; but I’m not crazy about the job, I can tell you.” That settled it. There was no other protest, and the process of removal began at once. Two boys, one at each end, lifted the statue carefully from its resting place. But then an accident happened. Slicker, leaning too far toward the fountain in his effort at assistance, tumbled inadvertently into the basin. The boys, frightened at the mishap, lowered their burden to the grass, dropped on their knees, and awaited developments. It was possible that the noise of the splash might arouse the inmates of the house and lead to an investigation. Wet to his waist the victim of misplaced confidence in his own ability to preserve his balance, dragged himself slowly up across the rim of the basin, and joined his drooping comrades on the lawn. No one laughed. It was too serious a moment. Slicker himself was the first to speak. “Gee!” he whispered through his chattering teeth, “that water’s cold.” Then Hal had his innings. “You’re the guy,” he said, “that better take a sneak for home, and get some dry duds on.” “Not on your life,” was the reply. “I ain’t no sugar lump. A drop o’ water won’t hurt me. I’m goin’ to stay by till we land this stone cupid on somebody’s porch.” [22] [23] [24] [25] “Whose porch?” asked Little Dusty. “Well, I’ll s-s-say, Jim Perry’s. That’s only two or three blocks away, and we ain’t done nothin’ for J-J-Jim yet to- night.” “That’s right! We mustn’t forget Jim.” Evidently the noise of Slicker’s misadventure had aroused no one. Absolute silence still reigned in and about the Barriscale mansion. The boys got to their feet, again lifted the marble figure, and two of them bore it silently to the street and turned up the walk. They passed the electric light at the corner in safety, went one more block, and then turned into a side street. It was very dark here. From two or three upper windows there were gleams of faint light, otherwise the darkness was impenetrable. Jim Perry lived midway of this block, but to locate his house in this kind of a night was next to impossible. It was not until one of the members of the group, known as Billy, whose home was just across the street, had gone back to the corner and counted the houses, that the boys felt at all sure of their exact location. But, having satisfied themselves that their selection of a resting-place for the “stone cupid” was fully justified, they lost no time in carrying their burden up the steps and depositing it on the Perry porch, much to the relief of Hal, who had been in constant fear lest some accident should happen to it. And, having thus performed their duties and finished their night’s adventures, the Hallowe’en marauders decided to disband and seek their respective homes. “Remember,” warned Slicker, “mum’s the word. No fellow’s got a right to squeal if they skin him alive.” “I won’t peach,” replied one. “Nor I,” “Nor I,” added others. But Hal said: “I’ll tell on myself if I want to, but wild horses won’t drag out of me anything about the rest of you.” “All right! That’s fair!” So, by ones and twos, they slipped away into the thick mist, leaving the marble figure of a kneeling boy reposing quietly on Jim Perry’s front porch, and peering silently into a crack in the floor, as he had peered for many years at his own image mirrored in the water of the fountain on the Barriscale lawn. A half hour later another group of boys, marching up the main residence street of the city, reached the mansion of Benjamin Barriscale. And in this group was Benjamin Barriscale, Jr. They were returning from an evening of Hallowe’en adventures not dissimilar to the adventures of the company that had preceded them. At the entrance to the grounds they stopped to say good-night to Ben, for they too had finished their evening of sport and were on their way home. In the mist and darkness no one saw the sign with which the big gate-post at the left had been ornamented. That work of skill and art was destined not to be discovered until the light of morning should disclose its beauty and appropriateness to the passer-by. The splashing of the water in the fountain on the lawn came musically to the ears of the tired strollers, but no one of them dreamed that the kneeling water-sprite was no longer peering from the rim of the basin into the liquid depth beneath him. “Well, boys,” said Ben, “I want the rest of you to do just as I’m going to do.” A shrill voice piped up: “Do you know what you’re goin’ to do?” “Sure I do,” replied Ben; “I’m going up to the house and turn in so quick you can’t see me do it.” “No, you’re not. You’re goin’ with us.” “Where?” “Well, you see, we haven’t taken anything off of Jim Perry’s porch yet. We always do that, every Hallowe’en, and if we pass him by this year he’d feel hurt.” “That’s right!” added another boy. “We’ve got to do it. He’d never get over it if we didn’t. Come on!” But Ben hung back. “I’m too tired,” he said. “You go ahead and swipe what you want to, but count me out.” Again the shrill, piping voice broke in: “Oh, don’t spoil the fun, Ben. Don’t be a piker. You’re the captain of the crew. You’ve got to go along to give orders. Come on!” Thus adjured, Ben’s resolution wavered. He was fond of being considered the leader of his group. He felt that he was born to command. “All right,” he said. “I’ll go this once if you insist on it. But this is the last prank for to-night, you understand.” “Sure we understand.” Silently the boys left the stately entrance to the Barriscale mansion and moved up the street and around the corner, following unwittingly in the footsteps of those boys who had taken the same journey so short a time before. [26] [27] [28] [29] This group also found it difficult to locate the Perry house in the thick mist and deep darkness that shrouded the side street. But, having at last satisfied themselves that they were on the right spot, they selected two of their number to mount the porch and seek for booty while the rest stood guard below. The reconnoitering squad at once entered upon the performance of the duties assigned to them, but it was no easy task to find their way about in the pitch darkness that surrounded the Perry house. Those who were waiting on the pavement heard a noise as of some one stumbling, and a smothered exclamation of surprise. “What’s the matter?” asked Ben, mounting half-way up the steps leading to the porch. “What is it?” “Don’t know,” was the whispered reply. “Feels like stone. Heavy as the dickens!” “Can you lift it?” “Sure! The two of us have it now.” “Then bring it along.” Bearing the burden between them, and slowly feeling their way, the committee of search descended to the sidewalk and halted. “What is it, anyway?” asked one. “Let’s feel of it,” said another. So the investigation began, but it resulted in no definite knowledge concerning the character of the prize. Eyes were of course useless, and fingers were of little less avail. “It feels something like the boy on the rim of our fountain basin,” said Ben after passing his hand carefully over the object from end to end. “But of course it can’t be that. Anyway, now we’ve got it what are we going to do with it?” “Carry it to Hal McCormack’s and leave it on his porch,” said the boy with the shrill voice. “Let him find out what it is, an’ whose it is, an’ carry it home to-morrow morning. I bet he’s had plenty of fun to-night at somebody else’s expense; now let’s have a little fun at his expense.” “Well, don’t waste time,” cautioned Ben. “If you’re going to take it to McCormack’s, come along!” But the boy who was bearing the heavy end of the burden hesitated. “Say,” he whispered, “can’t one o’ you fellows take my end? I barked my shin on the blamed thing up there, and it hurts.” “Sure!” replied Ben. “Here; let me have it. Hurry up!” But, in attempting to relieve his comrade, Ben failed to make his grasp secure; the end of the marble figure slipped from his hands, fell to the pavement, and was broken off almost midway of the statue, the remaining portion still secure in the grip of a boy named Bob. The crash of the fall broke ominously into the stillness of the deserted street. For the first time that night the boys were really frightened. “The jig’s up!” whispered one of them, as the fog-muffled echoes died away. “Let’s leave the thing here on the walk an’ skedaddle,” said another. “Let’s take it back on the porch,” said a third. “No! I tell you, no!” exclaimed Ben. “We can’t leave it here now. We’ve got to take it away.” He stooped and picked up the fragment nearest to him as he spoke. “Can you handle that other end alone, Bob?” he asked. “I’ve got this one; come on!” Leading the way, he started off into the darkness, and his fellows followed him. There was little attempt now to soften their footsteps. It was primarily a question of haste. At the corner of the street the boy with the shrill voice asked where they were going. “To Hal McCormack’s, you simpleton!” answered Ben impatiently. “Isn’t that where you said you wanted to go?” “Yes.” “Then come along, and don’t stop to ask fool questions.” The accident, and the thought of its possible consequences, had irritated him beyond measure, though he alone had been responsible for the breaking of the marble. So to Hal McCormack’s house, three blocks away, they went. No words were spoken. The matter had become too serious. The two boys carrying the separated fragments mounted the steps cautiously and deposited their several burdens on the porch floor. “Now,” said Ben, as he retraced his steps to the sidewalk, “beat it!” They did not wait upon the order of their going, but went at once. Up-stairs, in bed, Hal faintly heard a shuffling, scraping noise on the porch beneath his room, then, overcome by [30] [31] [32] W weariness, indifferent to all noises from whatever source they might proceed, he fell asleep. CHAPTER II hen Hal McCormack came down to breakfast on the morning following Hallowe’en, he found that the other members of the family had almost completed their morning meal. But it was apparent, from the atmosphere surrounding the table, that something had gone wrong. His mother looked worried, his young sisters looked curious, and his father, who was captain of the local company of the National Guard, had a stern and military air. “Halpert,” said Captain McCormack, “before you take your seat at the table you will please go to the front porch and see what is there.” The request was such an unusual one that Hal stood for a moment wondering and motionless. But only for a moment. He had been accustomed from childhood to give ready obedience to his father’s commands, and, without comment or question, he obeyed now. Two minutes later he again entered the dining-room. “Well,” questioned his father, “what did you find there?” “Why,” stammered the boy, “I found that marble statue; and it’s broken in two.” “So I discovered. Who broke it?” “Honest, father, I don’t know. We didn’t. It was perfectly all right when we left it.” “Where did you leave it?” “On Jim Perry’s porch.” “When?” “I guess it was about twelve o’clock.” “And where did you get it?” “From Mr. Barriscale’s lawn.” “I thought as much. I recognized it. Who helped you take it?” For the first time Hal hesitated. Hitherto his answers had been prompt and frank. But he could not betray his companions. He had promised not to do so. He would not have done so if he had not promised. “Well?” His father was looking at him sternly and questioningly. He knew that he must make some reply. “Well,” he said, “you see, it’s this way. We all promised not to peach on each other. And, if you’d just as soon, I’d rather not tell.” “As you like about that. I’ll not press the question. But, in that event, I take it that you are ready, yourself, to assume full responsibility for the damage that has been done to the statue.” “But, father, we didn’t break it. We didn’t bring it here.” “That may be. But you removed it from Mr. Barriscale’s lawn. That was the primary offense. If you had not carried it away in the first place it would not have been broken.” “I suppose not.” “Of course not. And since you choose to assume full responsibility for the damage, you must make it right with Mr. Barriscale.” “I’d pay him in a minute but I haven’t any money, except what little I’ve got in the bank.” “Then you must earn it; provided he is willing to make a cash settlement.” At this point Hal’s mother broke into the conversation. “I just knew something was going to happen,” she wailed, “when you went out with those rough boys last night. Why couldn’t you have stayed at home; or else gone with Emily and Lucy?” “Oh, we didn’t want any boys with us!” exclaimed Emily. “We just dressed up in old clothes and false faces, and went around visiting. We had the best time, and Mrs. Grimstone gave us doughnuts and——” “Emily, be still!” admonished Mrs. McCormack. “You wouldn’t speak so lightly of your pleasures if you understood what a terrible misfortune has fallen on us.” Mr. McCormack had been smiling grimly at the interruption, but Hal had paid little attention to it. He was considering the course that lay before him. “I suppose,” he said, “I’ll have to take it back home.” “If you refer to the statue,” replied Mr. McCormack, “I think undoubtedly that is the best course to pursue.” [33] [34] [35] [36] “And what else shall I do?” “Well, you must go to see Mr. Barriscale, and acknowledge your offense, and submit to whatever penalty he imposes on you.” At the grim possibilities of such an interview Hal became really frightened. The idea of having to face Mr. Barriscale personally had not before occurred to him. He was willing to take the broken statuary home, and to pay for the damage done, in any way that was possible to him; but to present himself as an offender before the stern and autocratic Mr. Barriscale, that was a part of his punishment the thought of which struck terror to his heart. For the first time in his life the spirit of cowardice entered into his soul. “I can’t face Mr. Barriscale, father,” he said. “He’s too severe. He’d frighten me to death.” Captain McCormack straightened up in his chair and looked his son in the eyes. “I’ve heard you say,” he replied, “that when you reach the proper age you want to be a member of my company of the National Guard. Is that still true?” “Why, yes; I think I’d like to be a soldier.” “Well, a soldier must never be afraid to face whatever duty lies before him. His own comfort and safety must be a second consideration. He must always be brave enough to be fair and honorable. If he is not he has no business to be a soldier.” Hal had risen from the table, and he stood for a moment in serious thought. At last he said simply: “I will go to see Mr. Barriscale.” That closed the incident so far as Captain McCormack was concerned. But Hal’s mother was not so easily pacified. She continued alternately to pity and to blame her boy, and to make dire predictions of what was likely to happen to him when he should come in contact with Mr. Barriscale. And as for Hal’s young sisters, they would not be appeased until they had drawn from him a full recital of the escapade of Hallowe’en. But he did not permit either his mother’s lamentations or the volubility of his sisters to impede the carrying out of his programme. As it was Saturday morning and there was no school he was able to set about at once the performance of his most unwelcome task. He resurrected a boy’s express wagon that he had used with delight a few years back, loaded the fragments of broken statuary carefully into it, covered them discreetly with a piece of burlap, and started out on his journey to the Barriscale mansion. Two blocks from home he ran unexpectedly into Slicker, who stood for a moment gazing at him and his outfit in wild-eyed astonishment. “What you got there?” asked Slicker. “Stolen goods,” replied Hal sententiously. “What you mean stolen goods? It ain’t the stone cupid, is it?” “Yes.” “Where you takin’ him?” “Back home.” “Perry make you take it back?” “No.” “Who did then?” “My father.” “How’d he come to know about it? Who peached?” Hal decided to throw off his reserve and explain. “Well, you see, after we left the thing on Perry’s porch some other crowd must have come along and picked it up and brought it to our house. That wouldn’t have been so bad, but those fellows, whoever they were, broke it.” “Gee whiz! Is it bust bad?” “Yes. Broke in two. Ruined.” “That’s a crime! Let’s see!” Slicker lifted the burlap carefully and inspected the broken image. “It’s done for,” he said as he replaced the covering. “What you takin’ it back for? It ain’t no good now.” “My father thought I’d better.” “What you goin’ to do about it?” “I’ve got to stand the damage.” “Why, you didn’t break it.” [37] [38] [39] “I know. But I helped carry it off; and if it hadn’t been carried off it wouldn’t have been broken.” “I guess that’s right, too. But you didn’t snitch it alone. What about the rest of us?” “I didn’t give any of you away. I shouldered the whole job.” Slicker stood for a moment in deep contemplation. Finally he said: “That’s mighty decent, Hal; and you’re a regular brick. But it don’t go down with me. We’ll cut the rest of the fellows out and you and me’ll share the consekences. We’ll go fifty-fifty on it.” “No; you don’t have to do that, Slicker.” “I know I don’t; but I’m goin’ to. It’s settled. Come on!” He took hold of one side of the cross-piece of the handle of the wagon and motioned to his companion to take hold of the other side. Hal knew that when Slicker had made up his mind to do a thing there was no turning him. So he acquiesced in the plan. And together the two boys dragged their unlovely load toward its destination. Two blocks farther on they met Hal’s aunt, Miss Sarah Halpert, a lady approaching middle age, of decided opinions about persons and things, prominent in the civic and social life of the city, keen in intellect, quick in resourcefulness. Hal would not, at this moment, have willingly come in contact with her. When he saw her approaching he looked about for some means of escape, but they were in the middle of a block, and the meeting was inevitable. “What’s all this about?” she inquired as she came up to them. “Are you boys returning stolen goods this morning?” “That’s about it, Aunt Sarah,” replied Hal. “Well,” she continued, “if I’d caught the little rascals that left a load of turnips in my front yard last night, they’d have thought the day of judgment had come, sure enough. Who’s this other boy? What’s your name, young man?” Then, before the “other boy” could reply, she answered her own question. “Oh, you’re Slicker. You’re the boy that fastened a tick-tack on Jerry Minahan’s window, aren’t you?” Slicker colored a little and acknowledged that he had committed the offense named. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” she said. But her eyes twinkled so as she spoke that Slicker knew she was not angry with him. “We’re in a hurry,” explained Hal. “We’ve got to be going.” He started on, dragging both the wagon and his team-mate in his haste to escape. But she held up a warning hand. “None of that!” she exclaimed. “I know better. I want to know what you’ve got there, where you got it, and where you’re taking it.” Hal knew, from long experience, that evasion was out of the question, and that it would be utterly useless to deny her request. So, with Slicker nodding occasional confirmation, he gave her the whole story. She did not interrupt him during the recital. But when he had finished, she said: “Well, I don’t envy you your job. I guess I’m the only person in town who isn’t afraid of Benjamin Barriscale. I don’t know what he’ll do to you, but, whatever it is, you’ll richly deserve it, both of you. I hope he’ll give it to you, good and plenty. The idea of stealing a thing like that! What put it into your crazy heads, anyway?” “It was my idea, Miss Halpert,” responded Slicker. “Hal, he didn’t want to do it. I got him into this trouble. I’m goin’ to help him out if I can.” “Good boy!” she replied. “That’s the stuff! You’ve both got the making of men in you, once you get over this foolish age. Now trot along and do your duty. And you, Hal, let me know this afternoon how it comes out.” She started on, and the boys bent again to their task; but before she had gone many steps she turned and called: “Hal! come here a minute. I want to speak to you.” When the boy reached her side she asked: “Have you got any money?” “Just a few dollars in the savings bank,” replied Hal. “My case exactly. Maybe Mr. Barriscale will want money damages. If he does, don’t you ask your father for the cash, nor your mother. Do you hear me? I won’t give you the money. Don’t dream it! But I guess I can fix it up so you can earn some. Do you understand?” “Yes, Aunt Sarah, and thank you; but I wouldn’t——” “Yes, you would. You do as I tell you. Now go on about your business.” She turned and swept up the street, and Hal and Slicker again took up the line of march toward the Barriscale mansion. Avoiding the busy streets, they went a roundabout way, until, at last, they reached their destination. There they lifted the broken marble from the wagon and, each boy carrying his portion, they deposited it on its base at the rim of the fountain from which it had been so rudely removed the night before. No one about the premises intercepted or interfered with them. Apparently no one saw them save one passer-by [40] [41] [42] [43] who stopped for a moment to watch them curiously, and then, with a quizzical smile on his face, went on about his business. “Well,” said Slicker, when they had returned safely to the sidewalk, “what’s the next move?” “The next move,” replied Hal, “is to face Mr. Barriscale.” “Gee whiz! That’s a tough one.” “I know it’s tough. But it’s got to be done.” “Sure it has. It’s the only proper thing to do. Might as well order harps for the glory land, though. There won’t be enough left of us to make a decent dish-rag of when he gets through with us. Well, come along!” “But you’re not going.” “Sure I’m going.” “No, you’re not. I won’t stand for it. I won’t take any other boy with me on this errand. If I’m alone I can face the music. If you go along it’ll take the starch right out of me.” “Rats! I’ve got to take my share.” “I know how you feel. But you can help more by staying away. I’ve made up my mind.” For a moment Slicker looked earnestly at his companion to discover if possible whether he really meant what he was saying, and when he found that he did, he made no further effort to accompany him. “All right!” he said. “You’re the judge and jury. But don’t forget that I wanted to go.” “I won’t forget it. There isn’t another boy in the crowd would make that offer. But I’m going alone.” “Well, I’ll take the buggy home anyway.” Slicker started back up the hill dragging the express wagon after him, and Hal faced toward the central city to meet whatever fate awaited him there. The rain of the night before had not yet quite ceased, the skies were lowering, and mist still lay heavily on the town. Hal noticed as he came into the business portion of the city that in many of the stores and offices lights were burning to dispel the gloom. This was true also at the Barriscale plant. A hundred windows of the big buildings that faced the plaza were illuminated from within. But in Hal’s mind the lights gave no cheerful aspect to the scene. They were like so many eyes trying to stare him out of countenance. It required a new mustering of courage to mount the steps that led to the office door and make his entrance there. The clerk who approached him to inquire as to the nature of his business said that Mr. Barriscale had not yet arrived. Hal turned away with a sense of temporary relief, left the building, crossed the plaza, and went back toward the central city. Just as he reached the corner of the main street he saw Mr. Barriscale’s car turn and go down toward the factory. It pulled up in front of the big building, and the manufacturer descended from it and entered his office. But Hal did not immediately return. He reasoned that the head of the company would be very busy for a little while, getting his day’s work started, and there would be a better chance to see him later. It was a full half-hour afterward that he returned to the mills. The same clerk who had met him on his first visit told him that the president of the company was now in and asked him to give his name and to state the nature of his business. “I am Halpert McCormack,” was the reply. But his voice was so low and seemed so strangely weak that the young man was not able to hear it plainly above the hum of voices in the room, the clicking of typewriters, and the muffled roar of distant machinery. “I am Halpert McCormack,” repeated the boy. “I want to see Mr. Barriscale about taking away the marble figure from his fountain last night.” “Very well, wait here.” The clerk disappeared through a door marked “Private Office,” and reappeared in a few moments and requested Hal to enter. So the midnight marauder found himself standing, cap in hand, in the presence of the great man of the city. Mr. Barriscale was seated at a table in the center of the room, and seemed to be absorbed in the scrutiny of a document he was holding in both hands. When he finally laid the paper down and looked at his visitor it was with no friendly gaze. “Well,” he inquired brusquely, “what’s your errand?” If the anticipation of this meeting had filled Hal’s heart with foreboding, the reality was no less fear-compelling. Mr. Barriscale’s presence was imposing, his manner was forbidding. Stern-eyed, square-jawed, formidable in every aspect, he bore the appearance of a man ready to crush any one who opposed his wish or refused to bend to his will. But when Hal replied his voice was firm and his speech was without hesitation. “I’m the boy,” he said, “who took the marble image away from your fountain last night, and it got broke, and I carried it back there this morning.” Mr. Barriscale’s frown deepened, his heavy, clipped moustache bristled perceptibly, and a slight flush overspread his face. Evidently the subject was not an agreeable one to him. [44] [45] [46] “Who told you to come here?” he asked abruptly. “My father,” replied Hal. “Who is your father?” “Captain Lawrence McCormack; and my name is Halpert McCormack.” “Your father is a respectable citizen. How comes it that he has a night-prowler for a son?” “I don’t know, sir.” “Who was with you on this job?” “Some boy friends. I’d rather not tell their names. I want to be responsible for the whole thing myself.” “I see. Shielding your accomplices in crime. A very mistaken idea of magnanimity. But if you want to bear the brunt of this thing I’ll accommodate you.” The flush in the big man’s face grew deeper, and there was a perceptible note of anger in his voice. The outlook was indeed menacing. “I want to bear the brunt of it,” replied Hal. “Very well!” Mr. Barriscale picked up a paper-knife and tapped on the table with it as he spoke, apparently for the purpose of emphasizing his words. “You admit that you entered my lawn under cover of darkness, without permission, for the purpose of removing my property?” “Yes, sir!” “And that you did take the marble figure from my fountain and carry it away and break it?” “Yes, sir!” “Are you aware that you have committed a crime?” “I didn’t know it was a crime, sir. I knew it was wrong, but we just did it for fun.” “Then let me enlighten you, young man. In trespassing on my lawn with evil intent you committed a misdemeanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment. In breaking my statuary you are guilty of malicious mischief, also punishable by fine and imprisonment. In taking my property and carrying it away you are guilty of the crime of larceny and can be sent to state’s prison for a term of years. What do you think of the situation?” “I had not thought of it that way, sir.” Hal’s voice began to show weakness, his face paled a little, and his knees began to tremble at this recital of his offenses against the law, and the possible punishment for them. “Well,” responded the big man in a voice plainly indicative of increasing anger, “you can think of it that way now. And perhaps you will also be willing to tell me now who your confederates in crime were.” Mr. Barriscale tapped the table more vigorously with his paper-knife, straightened up in his chair, and became peremptory in his anger. “I will find out,” he continued. “They shall all be treated as they deserve to be, every one of them. You say the statue was broken. Who broke it?” “I don’t know, sir.” Mr. Barriscale half rose from his chair, his face purple with passion. “Don’t evade my question, sir,” he cried. “I’ll have none of it! Answer me! Who broke the marble?” “I did.” It was not Hal who spoke this time. The voice in reply came from a boy sitting at a desk in a far corner of the room. In his trepidation and excitement Hal had not before noticed him. The boy rose from his chair as he spoke and advanced toward the central figures in the conversation. It was Ben Barriscale, Jr. Heretofore there had been only a casual acquaintance between the two boys. They attended the same high school, but they were not in the same class, had seen little of each other, and had had no companionship. It was evident that Mr. Barriscale was no less surprised at the interruption than was Hal himself. He sank back in his chair and the color went suddenly from his face. “You!” he exclaimed; “you broke it? Were you with this crowd of midnight marauders?” “No,” was Ben’s reply. “I wasn’t. But I was with another crowd, and we were doing the same things. We found the statue on Jim Perry’s porch. It was very dark and I didn’t know what it was. We took it over to McCormack’s, and I let it fall and it broke. I didn’t know till this morning that it was our fountain figure.” Mr. Barriscale’s anger seemed suddenly to have cooled. There was no sharpness or severity in his voice when he spoke again, only a note of reproof. “That you didn’t know whose property it was,” he said, “is no excuse for your conduct. To remove things from Mr. Perry’s porch is as reprehensible as it is to remove things from my lawn. I can’t see but that you are both equally guilty.” “I think so myself, father,” replied Ben. “And I’m ready to share any punishment that Hal gets.” [47] [48] [49] [50] Benjamin Barriscale, Sr., looked slowly from one boy to the other, and it was evident that he was in a quandary. For a full minute he was silent; but he resumed the nervous tapping on the table with his paper-knife. Finally he turned to Hal and asked: “Where is the statue now?” “Back on your fountain, sir,” was the reply. “You say it’s broken?” “Yes, sir. Broken in two.” “Then it’s beyond repair, and you two boys shall pay for it.” He spoke firmly still, but quietly. He said nothing more about crimes, nor about penalties, nor about the state’s prison. The question now appeared to be simply one of compensation. “That piece of marble,” he continued, after a moment of consideration, “was of considerable value.” He turned suddenly to Hal. “Have you any money?” he asked. “No,” replied the boy; “except a few dollars in the savings bank.” “Well, it doesn’t matter. On second thought I’ll not permit you to pay me money. Nor will I permit your father to pay for your misdeeds. You boys must work out your punishment. It will be no easy job. I intend that before you finish it you shall appreciate the sacredness of the rights that people have in their own property.” Again, for a minute, he was silent while the two boys stood apprehensively awaiting his decision. Then he turned again suddenly to Hal. “Your father,” he said, “is captain of the local company of state militia?” “Yes, sir,” was the reply, “he is.” “And it is a very honorable and responsible position. As president of the local Armory Board engaged in the erection of the new armory, I have come into frequent contact with him, and I have great respect for his ability, and for his willingness to be guided in this important military undertaking by men of greater business experience than his, and familiar with large affairs. I am sure he will approve of the sentence I am about to impose on you.” He spoke as though he were a judge sitting in the criminal courts, about to impose sentence on a convicted prisoner. “Ben,” he continued, turning to his son, “are you ready to share in the punishment I propose to provide for this young man?” “I’m ready, father.” The boy answered without hesitation, and with apparent frankness. “Very well!” Mr. Barriscale pressed a button under the edge of his table, and a young woman entered the room with pencil and pad in her hand. “Miss Lawranson,” he said, “you will please take dictation.” She seated herself at the opposite side of the table from him, and, after a moment of consideration, he dictated the following letter: “James McCrae, Superintendent of Construction of the State Armory, Fairweather, Pa. “Dear Sir: “You will do me a favor by employing two boys, Halpert McCormack and Benjamin Barriscale, Jr., at such laborious tasks as they are fitted to perform in and about the State Armory. Their hours will be from 7 to 8:45 in the morning, and from 4:15 to 6 in the afternoon, with a full day on Saturdays. You will please keep them at such labor until their combined wages, at the rate of one dollar each per day, and at the rate of two dollars per day for Saturdays, shall amount to the sum of sixty dollars, at which time you will kindly make a report to me, accompanied by the appropriate extracts from your time-sheets, and I will arrange, through the proper channels, for their compensation. They will report to you for service on Monday morning of the coming week. “Very tr...