Hector's heart stood still as he realized the peril of the child. Hedashed forward on the impulse of the moment, and barely succeeded incatching up the little girl and drawing her back out of harm's way.The driver, who had done his best to rein up his horses, but withoutsuccess, ejaculated with fervent gratitude, for he, too, had a child ofhis own about the age of the little girl, "God bless you, boy."
The little girl seemed less concerned than anyone of the spectators. Sheput her hand confidently in Hector's, and said: "Take me to Mary."
"And who is Mary?" asked Hector, kindly.
He did not require an answer, for the nurse, who, rather late in theday, had awakened to the fact that her charge was in danger, camerunning forward, crying: "Oh! Miss Gracie, what made you run away?"
"The little girl would have been killed but for this boy's timely help,"said a middle-aged spectator, gravely.
"I'm sure I don't know what possessed her to run away," said Mary,confusedly.
"She wouldn't if she had been properly looked after," said thegentleman, sharply, for he had children of his own.
Hector was about to release the child, now that he had saved her, butshe was not disposed to let him go.
"You go with me, too!" she said.
She was a pretty child, with a sweet face, rimmed round by golden curls,her round, red cheeks glowing with exercise.
"What is her name?" asked Hector, of the nurse.
"Grace Newman," answered the nurse, who felt the necessity of sayingsomething in her own defense. "She's a perfect little runaway. Sheworries my life out running round after her."
"Grace Newman!" said the middle-aged gentleman already referred to."Why, she must be the child of my friend, Titus Newman, of PearlStreet."
"Yes, sir," said the nurse.
"My old friend little knows what a narrow escape his daughter has had."
"I hope you won't tell him, sir," said Mary, nervously.
"Why not?"
"Because he would blame me."
"And so he ought!" said the gentleman, nodding vigorously. "It's nomerit of yours that she wasn't crushed beneath the wheels of thatcarriage. If you had been attending to your duty, she wouldn't have beenin danger."
"I don't see as it's any business of yours," said Mary, pertly. "Youain't her father, or her uncle."
"I am a father, and have common humanity," said the gentleman, "and Iconsider you unfit for your place."
"Come along, Grace!" said Mary, angry at being blamed. "You've behavedvery badly, and I'm going to take you home."
"Won't you come, too?" asked the little girl, turning to Hector.
"No, there's no call for him to come," said the nurse, pulling the childaway.
"Good-by, Gracie," said Hector, kindly.
"Good-by!" responded the child.
"These nursemaids neglect their charges criminally," said the gentleman,directing his remarks to Hector. "Mr. Newman owes his child's safety,perhaps her life, to your prompt courage."
"She was in great danger," said Hector. "I was afraid at first I couldnot save her."
"A second later and it would have been too late. What is your name, mybrave young friend?"
"Hector Roscoe, sir."
"It is a good name. Do you live in the city?"
"At present I do, sir. I was brought up in the country."
"Going to school, I take it."
"I am looking for a place, sir."
"I wish I had one to give you. I retired from business two years since,and have no employment for anyone."
"Thank you, sir; I should have liked to serve you."
"But I'll tell you what, my young friend, I have a considerableacquaintance among business men. If you will give me your address, I mayhave something to communicate to you ere long."
"Thank you, sir."
Hector drew a card from his pocket, and added to it the number of Mr.Ross' house.
"I am much obliged to you for your kind offer," he said.
"You don't look as if you stood in need of employment," said thegentleman, noticing the fine material of which Hector's suit was made.
"Appearances are sometimes deceitful," said Hector, half smiling.
"You must have been brought up in affluence," said Mr. Davidson, forthis was his name.
"Yes, sir, I was. Till recently I supposed myself rich."
"You shall tell me the story some time; now I must leave you."
"Well," thought Hector, as he made his way homeward, "I have hadadventures enough for one morning."
When Hector reached the house in Forty-second Street, he found Walterjust rising from his lessons.
"Well, Hector, what have you been doing?" asked Walter.
"Wandering about the city."
"Did you see anybody you knew while doing so?"
"Oh, yes! I was particularly favored. I saw Allan Roscoe and Guy--"
"You don't say so! Were they glad to see you?"
"Not particularly. When Guy learned that I was staying here, he proposedto call and make your acquaintance."
"I hope you didn't encourage him," said Walter, with a grimace.
"No; I told him that we were generally out in the afternoon."
"That is right."
"I suppose you have been hard at work, Walter?"
"Ask Mr. Crabb."
"Walter has done very well," said the usher. "If he will continue tostudy as well, I shall have no fault to find."
"If I do, will you qualify me to be a professor in twelve months' time?"
"I hope not, for in that case I should lose my scholar, and have to bowto his superior knowledge."
"Then you don't know everything, Mr. Crabb?"
"Far from it! I hope your father didn't engage me in any such illusion."
"Because," said Walter, "I had one teacher who pretended to know allthere was worth knowing. I remember how annoyed he was once when Icaught him in a mistake in geography."
"I shall not be annoyed at all when you find me out in a mistake, for Idon't pretend to be very learned."
"Then I think we'll get along," said Walter, favorably impressed by theusher's modesty.
"I suppose if I didn't know anything we should get along even better,"said Mr. Crabb, amused.
"Well, perhaps that might be carrying things too far!" Walter admitted.
In the afternoon Hector and Walter spent two hours at the gymnasium inTwenty-eighth Street, and walked leisurely home after a healthful amountof exercise.
For some reason, which he could not himself explain, Hector said nothingto Walter about his rescue of the little girl on Madison Avenue, thoughhe heard of it at the gymnasium.
One of the boys, Henry Carroll, said to Walter: "There was a little girlcame near being run over on Madison Avenue this noon!"
"Did you see it?"
"No, but I heard of it."
"Who was the little girl?"
"Grace Newman."
"I know who she is. How did it happen?"
The boy gave a pretty correct account.
"Some boy saved her," he concluded, "by running forward and hauling herout of the road just in time. He ran the risk of being run over himself.Mr. Newman thinks everything of little Grace. I'd like to be in thatboy's shoes."
Neither of the boys noticed that Hector's face was flushed, as helistened to the account of his own exploit.
The next morning, among the letters laid upon the breakfast table wasone for Hector Roscoe.
"A letter for you, Hector," said Mr. Ross, examining the envelope insome surprise. "Are you acquainted with Titus Newman, the Pearl Streetmerchant?"
"No, sir," answered Hector, in secret excitement.
"He seems to have written to you," said Mr. Ross.
Hector took the letter and tore open the envelope.
CHAPTER XXXI. AN IMPORTANT LETTER.
Hector's Inheritance, Or, the Boys of Smith Institute Page 30
