CHAPTER XXII
ANDREW TEMPLE
About half-past four o’clock one afternoon a tall, dark-complexionedman, wearing a white hat, inscribed his name in the register of theWrayburn hotel.
“Can you tell here Mr. Leech lives?” he inquired of the landlord.
“He lives about a quarter of a mile from here. I can send some one withyou to show you the house.”
Just then Herbert came downstairs from Mr. Cameron.
“Herbert,” said the landlord, “here is a gentleman wants to go to SquireLeech’s. Would you mind showing him the way?”
“I will do so with pleasure,” said our hero, politely. “Are you ready togo now, sir?”
“Yes,” said the stranger. “Landlord, please assign me a room and have mybag carried up.”
“All right, sir.”
“Now, my lad, I am ready. It isn’t far, is it?”
“About five minutes’ walk--that is all, sir.”
“I never was in Wrayburn--much going on here?”
“Not much, sir. It is a quiet town.”
“Mr. Leech--Squire Leech, I think you call him--was an old schoolmateof mine. We went to the Brandon Academy together. I suppose he is rich,eh?”
“He is the richest man in Wrayburn.”
“I am glad to hear it,” said the other, in a tone of satisfaction. “Whatdo you think he is worth?”
“Some say a hundred thousand dollars.”
“Very good!” commented Andrew Temple, for this was his name in the hotelregister--“for the country, I mean. In the city that wouldn’t make arich man.”
“Wouldn’t it?” asked Herbert, who had supposed a man worth a hundredthousand dollars rich anywhere.
“No, to be sure not. It costs a great deal more to live. Why, I myselfam worth something like that; but in New York nobody regards me asrich.”
“I should feel rich with ten thousand,” said Herbert.
“That would about pay my expenses for a year.”
“Squire Leech doesn’t spend anywhere near that. I don’t believe it costshim two thousand dollars a year.”
“Very likely. There’s a great deal of difference between the country andthe city.”
“Is it easy to make money in the city?” asked Herbert.
“Yes, if a man is sharp and has some money to start with. Do you thinkof going there?”
“I am afraid it would be of no use. I have no money to start with, and Iam afraid I am not smart.”
“Wait and I may give you a lift. Here’s my card.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Herbert, as he read: “Andrew Temple, No.--NassauStreet, Room 12.”
“That’s my office; I speculate in stocks.”
“Is that a good business?”
“Capital, if you know the ropes. If you ever come to the city, call atmy office.”
“Thank you, sir. Here is Squire Leech’s house.”
“I am much obliged to you. Allow me to compensate you for your trouble”;and Mr. Temple thrust his thumb and forefinger into his vest pocket.
“Oh, no, sir, I don’t want pay,” said Herbert, hurriedly.
Mr. Temple had made the offer as a matter of form and was relieved tofind it declined. He said “good-night” graciously and advanced to thefront door.
“Is Squire Leech at home?” he inquired of the servant.
“Yes, sir; I believe so. Won’t you walk in?”
“Thank you. Please hand your master that card.”
Squire Leech did not recall Mr. Temple’s name, and greeted himdistantly. Not so Mr. Temple. He rose, and shook the squire’s passivehand energetically.
“Why, Leech, it seems like old times seeing you again.”
“You have the advantage of me,” said the squire.
“You don’t mean to say you’ve forgotten Temple--Andrew Temple? Why, wewere at the Brandon Academy together.”
“I suppose I ought to remember you.”
“To be sure you ought. We were very good friends in the old days.”
One reason of the squire’s distant manner was that Mr. Temple, thougha rich man according to his own account, had a somewhat seedy look.The squire was afraid he intended to ask for help on the score of oldfriendship. It was with a hesitating voice, therefore, that he asked:
“How has the world treated you?”
“I am not rich, to be sure. Probably I am not worth more than a hundredthousand dollars, at the outside; but before five years roll over myhead, I see my way clear to half a million.”
Squire Leech’s manner changed instantaneously.
“I am glad to see you,” he said, cordially. “How long have you been intown?”
“Only just arrived. I inquired my way here as soon as I heard that youwere living here.”
“Are you at the hotel?”
“Yes. I left my luggage there.”
“You must come and stop with me. We will talk over old times.”
“Thank you; it would be much pleasanter for me, of course. In fact, Icame to Wrayburn on account of your being here. I happened to be in theneighborhood, and I said ‘I must see Leech at any rate.’ So here I am.Fortune has smiled on you, I hope?”
“Yes,” said the squire, “I am comfortable.”
“The boy that guided me here said that you were the richest man inWrayburn.”
“I believe I am,” said the squire, complacently. “I am worth somewhereabout the same as you.”
“That’s fair; it is more for you than for me. It costs me ten thousanddollars a year to live in the city.”
“Does it?” inquired Leech.
“I’ve sometimes thought of going to the country, where my expenses wouldbe much less; but, after all, you can make much more money in the city.”
“You think there are opportunities of making money rapidly there?” askedhis companion.
“No doubt of it.”
“I should like to talk with you on that subject after supper. Now,I will go and tell Mrs. Leech you are here. We will send for yourcarpetbag after supper.”
Squire Leech was a covetous man. He had a passion for money-makingand he had availed himself of all the opportunities which the countryafforded. He had about as much property as his friend. He began to thinkhe had been plodding along in a very slow, unsatisfactory manner. Hewould make careful inquiries and perhaps Temple would put him in the wayof doubling his money. Upon the whole, therefore, he was very gladto see Mr. Temple, and introduced him to his wife and son as an oldschoolmate with whom he had once been very intimate.
Herbert Carter's Legacy; Or, the Inventor's Son Page 22
