Walter Sherwood's Probation

by Jr. Horatio Alger

"You may think me foolish," said Walter hesitatingly.

  "I don't know. Let me hear what you have to propose."

  "I thought," said Walter eagerly, "I would like to go out West."

  "What would you do when you got there?"

  "There must be lots of things to do."

  "Very likely. You might buy an ax and clear the virgin forests."

  "I am afraid I wouldn't be a success at that."

  "You have no definite idea as to what you would do?"

  "No. I could tell better when I got out there."

  "Now, about the expense. How much money would you need? You wouldrequire to live till you begin to earn something."

  "How much will it cost me to get to Chicago?"

  "Say about twenty-five dollars."

  "I think, guardian, if you will advance me a hundred dollars, that willbe sufficient."

  "For how long a time?"

  "For a year. You see, I expect to earn my own living by the time I havespent fifty dollars in all. I should go to a cheap boarding-place, ofcourse. I should be able to pay my way."

  "You will be content, then, with a hundred dollars, Walter?"

  "Yes; perhaps I could make it do on less."

  "No; you shall have a hundred. If absolutely necessary, you can send formore."

  "No," said Walter confidently; "I won't do that. I shall get alongsomehow. I want to make a man of myself."

  "That is a commendable ambition. Still, sometimes a young man findsit hard to obtain employment. If you had a trade, now, it might bedifferent. Suppose, for instance, you were a journeyman tailor, youcould readily find a place in Chicago or any good-sized city."

  "I shouldn't care to be a tailor."

  "I shouldn't care to employ you if you were," said his guardian,smiling. "One thing I would like to guard you against. Don't be tooparticular about what you take up. With so small an outfit as you havestipulated for, you will have to go to work at something soon. Then,again, you won't be able to live as well as you have been accustomed todo here and in college."

  "I understand that, and am prepared for it. I want to rough it."

  "Possibly you will have your wish granted. I don't want to discourageyou, Walter. I only want to prepare you for what may, and probably will,come."

  "Do you know any one in Chicago, Doctor Mack? I might find it pleasantto have an acquaintance."

  "Yes, I know a retired merchant named Archer. He lives on IndianaAvenue. I don't remember the number, but you can easily find his name inthe directory. His name is Allen Archer."

  Walter noted the name in a new memorandum book which he had purchased.

  "Where would you advise me to put up on my arrival in Chicago?" heasked.

  "There are several good houses--the Sherman, Tremont, Palmer House; butthey will be beyond your means. Indeed, any hotel will be. Still youmight go to some good house for a day. That will give you time to huntup a modest boarding-house."

  "An excellent plan!" said Walter, in a tone of satisfaction. "Doyou know, my dear guardian, I shall go out in the best of spirits. Ifeel--in Shakespeare's words--that the world is mine oyster."

  "I hope you will be able to open it, Walter. You have my best wishes.Don't forget that you will have to depend on yourself."

  "I won't forget it. I wish it was time for me to start."

  "It will come soon enough. You had better get out your clothes, and getthem mended, if necessary, and put in order. Nancy will do all she canfor you, and the tailor will do the rest. Better not take much with you.When you get settled I will forward your trunk by express."

  When Nancy Sprague heard of Walter's plans she was much disturbed.

  "Oh, Master Walter," she said, in a tragic tone, "is it true that you'velost all your money and have got to go out into the cold world to make aliving?"

  "I believe I have lost some money, Nancy, but I rather like the idea ofworking for my living."

  "Oh, you poor child, you little know what it is. I can't bear to thinkof it. I can't see how Doctor Mack can let you go."

  "I should be very sorry if he refused. It isn't so bad, to work for aliving. Haven't you always done it?"

  "Yes, but that's different. I was always poor, and I am used to it."

  "I'm going to get used to it."

  "Walter--don't tell your guardian what I am saying--but I've got twohundred dollars in the savings bank, and I shall be very glad to giveyou some of it. You will take it, now, won't you? I can get it outto-morrow."

  "Nancy, you are a true friend," said Walter, really moved by theunselfish devotion of the house-keeper; "but I sha'n't need it. I shalltake a hundred dollars with me, and long before it is gone I shall beearning my living."

  "You'll send for it if you need it?"

  "Yes; if I find I am very hard up, and there is no other way, I willsend for it."

  Nancy brightened up, much pleased and relieved by this assurance.

  "I couldn't bear to think of your suffering for a meal of victuals whenwe have so much in the house. I don't see why you can't stay at home andget a place in the village."

  Walter laughed.

  "It wouldn't suit me at all, Nancy. I am going West to grow up with thecountry."

  "I wish I could be somewhere near, to look after you."

  "It would be of no use, Nancy. Women are in great demand out there--atany rate in Dakota--and you'd be married in less than no time, if youwent."

  "You are only joking now, Master Walter."

  "Not at all! I read the other day that of ten schoolma'ams who went outto Dakota last fall, eight were married within three months."

  "Nobody could marry me against my will," said Nancy resolutely.

  "Perhaps he would find a way of overcoming your objections," saidWalter, laughing. "But I am afraid Doctor Mack couldn't do without you.He couldn't spare you and me both."

  "That's true," assented Nancy, who had not been so much alarmed at thematrimonial dangers hinted at by Walter as might have been anticipated.Had a good opportunity offered, I am inclined to think Nancy would havebeen willing to change her name. After all, she was only forty-nine, andI have known more than one to surrender single blessedness with all itscharms at and beyond that age.

  At last the day of departure came. Valise in hand, Walter jumped aboardthe stage that was to convey him to the railroad-station. He shook handswith his guardian and Nancy, the driver whipped up his horses, and a newperiod in Walter's life had commenced.

  "I wonder how he'll come out?" mused Doctor Mack thoughtfully. "Have Iacted for the best in letting him go? Well, time alone can tell."

  CHAPTER VIII

  WALTER BUYS A WATCH

  Walter was tempted to stop over at Niagara, as his ticket would haveallowed him to do, but he was also very anxious to reach Chicago and getto work. "I can visit Niagara some other time," he reflected. "Now I canspare neither the money nor the time."

  Hour after hour sped by, until with a little thrill of excitement Walterlearned by consulting his railroad guide that he was within fifty milesof Chicago. He looked out of the car window, and surveyed with interestthe country through which they were speeding at the rate of thirty-fivemiles an hour. His attention was drawn from the panorama outside by avoice:

  "Is this seat engaged?"

  Walter looked up, and his glance rested on a man of perhaps thirty-five,dressed in a light suit, and wearing a tall white hat.

  "No, sir," answered Walter politely, removing his gripsack from theseat.

  "I don't want to incommode you," said the stranger, as he took the placethus vacated.

  "You don't in the least," said Walter.

  "I suppose you are going to Chicago?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Are you going farther--out to Dakota, for instance?"

  "No, sir. Chicago is far enough west for me at present."

  "I live in Dakota. I have a long journey to make after we reachChicago."

  "I don't know about Dakota. Is it a good place for business?"

&n
bsp; "It is going to be. Yes, Dakota has a bright future. I have a pleasantlittle home out there. I had to go East on business, and stayed a littlelonger than I intended. In fact I spent more money than I anticipated,and that makes me a little short."

  It struck Walter that his new acquaintance for a stranger was veryconfidential.

  "Is it possible he will propose to borrow money of me?" he askedhimself. He did not quite know what to say, but politeness required himto say something.

  "I am sorry," he replied, in a sympathizing tone.

  "I should like to take a train this evening for my home," continued thestranger.

  "I hope you will be able to do so."

  "Well, there's one drawback. I haven't got money enough to buy a throughticket. Under these circumstances I am going to offer you a bargain."

  Walter looked surprised and expectant. The stranger drew a gold watchfrom his pocket--a very handsome gold watch, which looked valuable.

  "You see that watch?" he said. "How much do you think it is worth?"

  "It looks like a nice watch. I am no judge of values."

  "It cost me ninety dollars six months since. Now I need the money, and Iwill sell it to you for twenty-five."

  "But that would be a great sacrifice."

  "So it would, but I need the money. Of course, if you haven't got themoney--"

  "I have that amount of money," said Walter, "but I haven't got it tospare. I might need it."

  "Then all you need to do is to sell the watch or pawn it. You could sellit for fifty dollars without trouble."

  "Why don't you do that?" asked Walter shrewdly.

  "Because I haven't the time. I want, if possible, to go on to-night. Ifyou had a wife and two children waiting for you, whom you had not seenfor two months, you wouldn't mind losing a few dollars for the sake ofseeing them a little sooner."

  "Very likely," answered Walter, to whom his companion's explanationseemed plausible.

  Walter was tempted, but he reflected that twenty-five dollarsrepresented a third of the money he had with him, so he put away thetemptation, but with reluctance. He had a silver watch, bought for him,when he entered college, at a cost of fifteen dollars, and like themajority of boys of his age he felt that he should much prefer to carrya gold one. Still he must be prudent.

  "No," he said, shaking his head, "I don't think I had better buy thewatch. I presume you will find some one else on the train who would beglad of the bargain."

  "Very likely, but we are near Chicago, and I haven't time to lookaround. Come, I'll make you a still better offer, though I ought not todo so. You may have the watch for twenty dollars. That money will get methrough, and I won't haggle about five dollars."

  "Twenty dollars!" repeated Walter thoughtfully.

  "Yes, look at the watch. Isn't it a beauty?"

  "Yes; I like the appearance of it very much."

  "If you get out of money, you can easily pawn it for more than the sum Iask for it."

  Certainly this was an important consideration. Walter felt that he wouldbe foolish to lose so good a chance. It was a pity that the strangershould be forced to make such a sacrifice, yet it really seemed that hewould be doing him a favor, as well as benefiting himself, by acceptinghis proposition.

  "You will guarantee it to be solid gold?" he said, with momentarysuspicion.

  "Certainly. You will see that it is an Elgin watch. Of course you knowthe reputation of that make. They don't make any sham watches at theirfactory."

  "I thought the case might be gilt," said Walter, half ashamed of hissuspicions.

  "You do well to be cautious, but I will guarantee the watch to be all Irepresent it. I only wish you were a jeweler. Then you could judge foryourself."

  It sounded very plausible. Then, the watch was a very handsome one.

  "Let me open it and show you the works."

  The stranger did so. Walter was no judge of the mechanism of a watch,but what he saw impressed him favorably. The stranger seemed very frankand fair-spoken. Walter knew, of course, that in traveling one waslikely to meet with sharpers, but that did not justify him in suspectingeverybody he met.

  "It would look very nice at the end of my chain," he thought. "I supposeI cannot afford it; but, as he says, I can raise money on it at anytime."

  "Well, young man, what is your decision? You must excuse me forhurrying, but we are not far from Chicago, and I want to make sure thatI can continue my journey to-night. I shall telegraph to my wife that Iam coming."

  "I will take the watch," said Walter. "There doesn't seem to be muchrisk in doing so."

  "Bosh! I should say not. Young man, I congratulate you. You have madethe best bargain of your life. Have you got the money handy?"

  Walter took out two ten-dollar bills and handed them to his companion,receiving the watch in exchange.

  "Well, that settles my mind," said the stranger, in a tone ofsatisfaction. "I shall see the old woman and the kids very soon, thanksto your kindness."

  "Don't mention it," said Walter complacently. "I feel indebted to you,rather, as you have given me much more than an equivalent for my money."

  "That is true, but under present circumstances money is worth a gooddeal to me. Now, if you don't mind I will go into the smoking-car andhave a little smoke before we arrive. Will you join me?"

  "No, sir, thank you; I don't smoke."

  "Good-day, then. Hope we shall meet again."

  Walter responded politely, and the stranger, rising, walked forward tothe front part of the car and disappeared.

  Walter detached the silver watch from the plated chain to which it wasattached, substituted the new gold watch, and put the silver watch inhis pocket. It occurred to him that if he should really need money itmight be better for him to sell the silver watch and retain the goldone.

  "I have made thirty dollars at the very least on my purchase," hereflected, "for I am sure I can sell the watch for fifty dollars if Iwish to do so. This is a white day for me, as the Romans used to say. Iaccept it as a good omen of success. I wish Doctor Mack and Nancy werehere to see it. I think the doctor would give me credit for a littleshrewdness."

  The car sped on perhaps a dozen miles farther, when the door opened andthe conductor entered, followed by a stout man of perhaps fifty years ofage, who looked flushed and excited.

  "This gentleman has been robbed of his gold watch," explained theconductor. "He is convinced that some one on the train has taken it. Ofcourse, no one of you is suspected, but I will trouble you to show meyour watches."

  As Walter heard these words a terrible fear assailed him. Had he boughta stolen watch?

  CHAPTER IX

  AN INGENIOUS SCHEME

  The passengers, though somewhat surprised, generally showed theirwatches with a good grace. One old man produced a silver watch fiftyyears old.

  "That watch belonged to my grandfather," he said. "You don't claim that,do you?"

  "Wouldn't take it as a gift," said the loser crustily.

  "You couldn't get it in exchange for yours!" retorted the owner.

  Presently they came to Walter. If he had not attached the gold watch tohis chain, instead of his old silver one, he would have been temptedto leave it in his pocket and produce the less valuable one. But hewas saved from the temptation, as this would now have been impossible.Besides, had the gold watch been found on him afterward it would havelooked very suspicious.

  "Well, youngster," said the stout man, "show us your watch."

  With a flushed face and an uneasy feeling Walter drew out the goldtimepiece.

  "Is that your watch?" he said.

  "Yes!" almost shouted the stout passenger, fiercely. "So you are thethief?"

  "No, sir," answered Walter, pale but firm. "I am not the thief."

  "Where did you get it, then?"

  "I bought it."

  "You bought it? That's a likely story."

  "Why, it was taken from me this very afternoon."

  "That may be, but I bought it, all the same." />
  The owner was about to protest, when the conductor said quietly: "Listento the young fellow's explanation."

  Walter proceeded:

  "A man came to my seat and told me he wanted to raise enough money toget to Dakota. He offered me the watch for twenty-five dollars, thoughhe said it cost him ninety six months ago."

  "And you paid him twenty-five dollars?"

  "No; I had no money to spare, but when he offered it for twenty, andtold me I could more than get my money back either by pawning or sellingit, I made up my mind to purchase, and did so."

  "Where is this man?" asked the conductor.

  "He said he was going into the smoking-car."

  "That's a likely story," sneered the stout gentleman.

  "Do you charge me with taking the watch?" demanded Walter hotly. "I havenever left this car. Have you seen me before?"

  "No; but you are probably a confederate of the man from whom you got it.But I am not sure if there was any such man."

  "I will describe him," said Walter.

  As he did so, the conductor said: "There was such a man on the train. Hegot off at the last station."

  "I don't know anything about that," said the claimant; "but I'll troubleyou, young man, for that watch."

  "Will you return me the twenty dollars I gave for it?" asked Walter.

  "Of course not. I don't propose to buy back my own watch."

  An elderly gentleman who sat just behind Walter spoke up here.