by Fred Thorpe
CHAPTER X.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR.
Al's ride home after his queer adventure was an uneventful one. He wasglad enough to reach the solitude of his own room. Although his body wastired, his mind seemed abnormally active, and for at least two hours helay tossing sleeplessly on his bed, reviewing not only the excitingevents of the day, but much of his past life.
We have thus far said nothing of our hero's past, nor shall we now; wewill let him tell the story himself, as he did the next morning when hevisited the mayor's office.
Ten o'clock was the time Mr. Anderson had appointed for their interview,but Al was off hand a little before that hour. Mr. Wattles had told himthat he must leave Boomville for the next town at noon, and he knew hehad no time to waste.
The mayor received him cordially.
"I'm delighted to see you, my dear young friend," was his greeting, ashe grasped the boy's hand. "We had a grand success last night, did wenot? And it was all due to your efforts. If it had not been for yourpersistency Mrs. Anderson would not have appeared."
"Then you are not sorry that she played, sir?" questioned Al, somewhatsurprised at the mayor's enthusiasm.
"Sorry? Not a bit of it! Why, it was one of the grandest triumphs in thehistory of the American stage."
Al had his own opinion on that point, but he did not express it; he onlysaid:
"The audience seemed to be very much pleased with Mrs. Anderson's work."
"Pleased! Of course they were pleased. How could they help it? As formyself, I was as much delighted as I was surprised. I have given myconsent to Mrs. Anderson's second appearance to-night."
"Indeed, sir?"
"Yes. Mr. Wattles came to me and, in the most respectful manner, askedthe favor. You see, the woman who has been playing the part was soangered by my wife's success that she refused to appear. I could donothing but yield, especially as Mr. Wattles assures me that there was awidespread feeling of disappointment on the part of those who wereunable to gain admission last night. Mr. Wattles, my lad, considers Mrs.Anderson one of the greatest geniuses on the American stage; he told meso this morning."
Al could not help thinking that the "foxy" manager was overdoing thething a little; but he did not express any opinion. In fact, Mr.Anderson did not give him a chance to do so, for he went on as soon ashe had caught his breath:
"But never mind about all that now. Some day you will doubtless rememberwith pride that you assisted at the debut of Mrs. Anderson; but let usnow talk of yourself."
"We might find a more interesting subject, sir," suggested Al.
"It is like your modesty to say so, but I cannot agree with you. Now, mylad, I have taken a great interest in you, and I am going to do what Ican to help you along in the world. What do you most need now, Mr.Allston?"
"Good health, sir," laughed Al; "or, rather, a continuance of it. I haveabout everything else I want."
"Well, I am about to offer you something that you haven't got."
"What is that, sir?"
"A position under the city government, a position with very little workand a good salary. It has never been held by anyone as young as youbefore, but I haven't the slightest doubt that you will be able todischarge its duties satisfactorily. In fact, it is almost a sinecure."
"You are very kind, sir," said Al, as the mayor paused, "but I cannotaccept the position."
"Eh? You cannot? Why not?"
"For two reasons, sir."
"What are they?"
"One is that the position you are kind enough to offer to me is not thekind I am looking for. I am not looking for an easy berth. I want aplace where there will be plenty to do."
The mayor stared at the boy incredulously.
"Well," he said, "you are an original. And what is your other reason forrefusing?"
"It is that I have a good place now, sir."
"Ah, indeed? What is it?"
"Mr. Wattles has engaged me as advance agent for his company."
Mr. Anderson's face clouded.
"And you would rather travel with a show than have an easy, respectableposition here at home?"
"I would, sir."
"Well, that is a matter of taste. I should prefer the berth I have justoffered you."
"I hope you are not offended, Mr. Anderson?" said Al, a littlediffidently.
"Offended! No, no, my boy; but I think you are making a mistake."
"The end will show, sir."
"Yes, yes, the end will show. Well, I can't help feeling an interest inyou, not only because you rescued my child, but because you seem to meto be a rather unusual lad. Do you mind answering me a few questions?Believe me, I shall not ask them out of mere idle curiosity."
"Ask as many as you like, sir."
"Do you live in Boomville?"
"A little way out of the town, sir."
"Are your parents living?"
"Only my mother."
"And your father--has he been dead long?"
"He died before I was born, sir."
"Can it be that your father was John Allston?"
"That was his name, sir."
"Why, good gracious!" exclaimed the mayor, with a new interest, "I knewhim. It was years ago, and we were never intimate, but I had a speakingacquaintance with him. Let me see, was there not something peculiarabout the manner of his death? I remember hearing something said aboutit at the time, but it was so long ago that I cannot remember just whatit was."
"People said, sir," replied Al, "and I guess they were right, that myfather died of a broken heart."
"I remember now!" interrupted Mr. Anderson. "His child, your sister, wasstolen. Her loss was such a blow to him that he only survived the shocka few months."
"Yes, sir; that is true."
"It is a sad story. Was your sister never found?"
"No, sir."
"Nor any clew to the mystery gained?"
"Nothing of any importance, sir. It was suspected that her nurse hadsomething to do with the affair, and she was shadowed for a long time.But nothing was ever learned."
"I can sympathize with your poor father and mother, my boy," said themayor, with more emotion than Al had seen him manifest before. "I canunderstand his feelings. But the depth of a mother's love is somethingwe of the grosser sex cannot ever quite comprehend. I suppose yourmother has never entirely recovered from the blow."
"She never has, Mr. Anderson; and it is in the hope that I may help herto do so that I have taken this engagement with Mr. Wattles' company."
