Down the Slope

by James Otis

  CHAPTER XXIV

  BILL'S MISHAP

  Joe Brace returned to Farley's on the morning after he warned Bill andFred of what the cashier intended to do, and went directly to Mrs.Byram's.

  "I've bought the land!" he cried, exultantly. "The farmer was mightyglad of a chance to sell for five hundred dollars, an' if I'd had moretime the price could have been whittled down to four. There's a mortgageof three hundred to be paid in a year, an' that'll be jest the same asnothin' after we show up what's there."

  "Did you see Fred?" the widow asked, anxiously, paying but littleattention to the good news.

  "Met him an' Bill last night; told 'em what was up, and they'll keepshady 'till things can be fixed."

  "Then nothing was accomplished by their going to Blacktown?"

  Joe explained why that excursion had been a failure, and added:

  "They're on the right track, so we can count on everything comin' outright before long."

  "Are you intending to stay here?"

  "No; I only came to tell you what had been done, an' shall go back onthe train to make sure my deed is recorded. I bought in the name ofByram, Thorpe, Thomas & Brace. How does that strike you for a firm?"

  "Although you and Mr. Thomas are so sure the discovery will be a sourceof great wealth, I can't feel much interest in it while Fred is indanger. I wish they would go to some city, rather than remain so nearhome."

  "I shall see 'em this afternoon an' now that the business of the land issettled, will advise them to take a little pleasure trip."

  "Please see to it that they do not suffer for food."

  "I'll tend to everything in great shape. Have you heard whether Mr.Wright has got back?"

  "He sent word that he would be home to-night."

  "Then, perhaps, I'd better wait an' have another talk with him."

  "No, no; I will see him myself. It is more important you care for thosewho are hiding in the woods."

  Joe had no further time for conversation. The train by which he intendedto return to Blacktown was already due and he hurried away afterrepeating confidently:

  "I'll see'em to-night, ma'am, an' you can rest easy. They shall live onthe fat of the land now we own a coal mine."

  There was barely time for the miner to leap on board the cars, and asthey were whirled away by the puffing engine, the constable who hadarrested Sam accosted him.

  "Where you bound, Joe?"

  "To Blacktown," was the gruff reply. "What are you up to? Servin'warrants for that fool of a cashier?"

  "Yes, I reckon that's about the size of it."

  "Got one for me?"

  "Of course not; what makes you talk such nonsense?"

  "I heard that Bill was goin' to be 'rested, 'cause he'd tried to helpSam, an' seem's he's a mate of mine I didn't know but you'd planned topull in the whole family."

  "But now be honest, an' admit that the case looks pretty black for thetwo boys."

  "That's all nonsense. Sam lost the money, an' it was the fault of thecompany, not his."

  "How do you make that out?"

  "Easy enough. They'd no business to send him with so much stuff. It wasthe cashier's duty, an' that's what makes him so sore, 'cause Mr.Wright's bound to blame such slip-shod ways of shirkin' work."

  "Allowin' you're right, it don't help Sam Thorpe's case any."

  "We'll see about it before the world's many days older. I ain't quite afool, an' when I get through your precious cashier will feel sick."

  After this threat Joe refused to indulge in further conversation, andthe constable left him to seek more agreeable company.

  The words of the officer had aroused a new train of thought in theminer's mind, he fancied the lawyer whom Bill had consulted should beinformed of what had happened.

  With this idea he visited the legal gentleman, immediately after thetrain arrived in Blacktown, and not only told him all which had happenedrelative to the robbery; but divulged the secret of the vein.

  The knowledge that his clients were in a fair way to be rich, and,consequently, influential, caused a very decided change in the lawyer'smanner, and he displayed more zeal than Joe had expected.

  "We can easily get bail for your friends in case they are arrested," hesaid, "and in the meanwhile I will attend to the deeds. It is necessarythe titles should be searched before the discovery is known by thepublic, and if you need any money I shall be glad to advance it."

  "If the farmer can't back out of his trade, we've got all that'll bewanted yet awhile," Joe replied "but the most important thing jest nowis to get Bill an' the boys out of their scrape."

  "Can you find Mr. Thomas?"

  "I reckon so."

  "Then tell him to come here at once. Perhaps it will be well for the boyto remain in hiding a day or two longer, and I shall make it mybusiness to ascertain what evidence there is against him."

  "I'll go for Bill now," and Joe left the office, after having been againassured by the lawyer that the transfer of the property would beattended to without delay.

  The miner prepared for his walk by buying a small stock of provisions,and then he set off in the direction of the mountain, believing it wouldbe possible to find his mate with but little difficulty.

  An hour's tramp brought him to the famous vein on which he had alreadybuilt many air-castles; but neither Bill nor Fred could be seen.

  Satisfying himself that there were no strangers in the vicinity hecalled them loudly by name; but without receiving any reply.

  Then he trudged on around the mountain, shouting alternately for one andthe other, until afar off in the distance it seemed as if an answeringhail could be heard.

  Now he ran with all speed in that direction, and soon he heard Bill'svoice crying:

  "Joe! Is it you, Joe?"

  "Indeed it is, my hearty. Where are you?"

  "Here in the bushes with what come mighty nigh bein' a broken leg."

  Joe was soon by the side of his mate, whom he found lying on the groundapparently in the last stages of exhaustion.

  "What's the matter, old man? Are you hurt?"

  Bill told of what he and Fred had seen, and about the proposed chase,concluding by saying:

  "When the little villains started around the mountain I follered, as theboy an' me had agreed on; but after a two-hour's tramp I fell into ahole, an' reckon my leg is broke."

  "I don't see any hole," Joe said, as he looked about him.

  "It happened a long bit back. I didn't want to break up the game bylettin' Fred know what was wrong, an' so tried to crawl toward the vein,thinkin' if folks were sent out to look for the money they'd find me;but this is as far as I could get. It would 'a been a case of starvin'if you hadn't come along."

  "If you're hungry I can fix that part of it all right," and Joe producedthe package of provisions. "Have a good time with this while I take alook at the leg."

  Only the most superficial examination was necessary. The broken bonescould be plainly felt, and the limb was so swollen that it seemedessential, that the boot and trousers should be cut from it.

  "I don't see my way clear in this job," Joe exclaimed, as he removed thegarments. "It ain't safe to leave you here alone, an' yet help must behad to carry you to Farley's."

  "Now that I've got a mouthful I can lay here a few hours longer. Go on,I'll keep till you get back."

  "If there was some water near by I could tie you up more comfortablelike."

  "Never mind that, but leave at once, so to be the sooner here."

  Joe hesitated no longer, but set off across the mountain at a speedwhich brought him to Farley's in less than half an hour.

  Here it was only necessary to state what had happened in order to findplenty of volunteers for the task of bringing Bill home, and as theparty set out Mrs. Byram followed a short distance by Joe's side, inorder to say:

  "I've seen Mr. Wright, and he evidently believes both Sam and Fred areguilty."

  "Won't he let up till we can run down them fellers what Bill wasfollerin'?" />
  "He says to me, as he did to you, that the law must take its course, andwill not even do anything to prevent Bill's arrest."

  "We're goin' to bring the poor feller home, an' this company what thinkthey own Farley's an' every soul in it had better let him alone."

  "Take him to my house, where he can have more care than at aboarding-place."

  "All right, an' thank ye, ma'am."

  "But what about Fred? Where is he?"

  "There's no call to worry because of him. As soon as Bill is off myhands I'll hunt the boy up, an' p'rhaps the two of us will bring homethe real thieves."

  The widow could go no farther, and Joe took his place at the head of theparty, walking at his best pace.

  Bill was suffering a great deal of pain when his friends arrived, butnot a word of complaint escaped his lips, and some pleasant word wasexchanged for every greeting.

  "It'll be a hard pull to get me over the mountain, but I'll not seeFarley's for many a long day if you can't hold out."

  "We'll have you there, old man, an' not spend any too much breath overthe job," Joe said cheerily, as he began to build a litter.

  Several of the party were curious to learn why Bill had come into thatout-of-the-way place, but he refused to make any explanations, and Joepretended not to hear the many questions.

  It was nearly dark before the injured man arrived at Mrs. Byram's home,and then nature had so far asserted her rights that he lay unconsciousuntil after the physician arrived.

  "I reckon I've done all that's possible," Joe said to the widow, "an'now I'll start back."

  "You won't think of searching through the woods in the night."

  "No; but I'll trudge over to where I found Bill, so's the hunt can bebegun bright an' early. It ain't likely I'll bring Fred home till afterI've seen the lawyer agin."

  "If he isn't in trouble it will be better to remain away a few dayslonger."

  "I'll answer for it that he's all right, ma'am, an it sha'n't be manyhours now 'till he can hold his head up with the best of 'em."

  With these cheering words Joe left the house, intending to go home forsupper before continuing his task; but on arriving opposite the storeMr. Wright stopped him by saying sternly:

  "I would like to have a few words with you, Mr. Brace."

  "My time has come," Joe muttered to himself; "but I'll show these smartfellows that they can't haul up everybody in town jest because itpleases 'em."