CHAPTER XXI.
CONTINUED ILL LUCK.
Rodney set himself to work searching for a new situation. Butwherever he called he found Some one ahead of him. At length he saw anadvertisement for an entry clerk in a wholesale house in Church Street.He applied and had the good fortune to please the superintendent.
"Where have you worked before?" he asked.
"At Otis Goodnow's, on Reade Street."
"How much were you paid there?"
"Seven dollars a week."
"Very well, we will start you on that salary, and see if you earn it."
Rodney was surprised and relieved to find that he was not asked for arecommendation from Mr. Goodnow, knowing that he could not obtain one.He went to work on a Monday morning, and found his duties congenial andsatisfactory.
Seven dollars a week was small, compared with what he had received as atutor, but he had about two hundred and fifty dollars in the Union DimeSavings Bank and drew three dollars from this fund every week in orderthat he might still assist Mike, whose earnings were small.
One of his new acquaintances in the store was James Hicks, a boy about ayear older than himself.
"Didn't you use to work at Otis Goodnow's?" asked James one day whenthey were going to lunch.
"Yes."
"I know a boy employed there. He is older than either of us."
"Who is it?"
"Jasper Redwood. Of course you know him."
"Yes," answered Rodney with a presentiment of evil.
He felt that it would be dangerous to have Jasper know of his presentposition, but did not venture to give a hint of this to James.
His fears were not groundless. Only the day after James met Jasper onthe street.
"Anything new?" asked Jasper.
"Yes; we've got one of your old friends in our store."
"Who is it?"
"Rodney Ropes."
Jasper stopped short, and whistled. He was excessively surprised, as hesupposed Rodney still to be Arthur Sargent's tutor.
"You don't mean it?" he ejaculated.
"Why not? Is there anything so strange about it?"
"Yes. Did Ropes bring a recommendation from Mr. Goodnow?"
"I suppose so. I don't know."
"If he did, it's forged."
"Why should it be?"
"Goodnow wouldn't give him a recommendation."
"Why wouldn't he?"
"Because he discharged Ropes. Do you want to know why?"
"Yes."
"For stealing articles from the store."
It was the turn of James Hicks to be surprised.
"I can't believe it," he said.
"Its true. Just mention the matter to Ropes, and you'll see he won'tdeny it."
"I think there must be some mistake about it. Rodney doesn't look like afellow that would steal."
"Oh, you can't tell from appearances--Rogues are always plausible."
"Still mistakes are sometimes made. I'd trust Rodney Ropes sooner thanany boy I know."
"You don't know him as well as I do."
"You don't like him?" said James shrewdly.
"No I don't. I can't like a thief."
"You talk as if you had a grudge against him."
"Nothing but his being a thief. Well, what are you going to do aboutit?"
"About what?"
"What I have just told you."
"I don't feel that I have any call to do anything."
"You ought to tell your employer."
"I am no telltale," said James scornfully.
"Then you will let him stay in the store, knowing him to be a thief?"
"I don't know him to be a thief. If he steals anything it will probablybe found out."
Jasper urged James to give information about Rodney, but he steadilyrefused.
"I leave others to do such dirty work," he said, "and I don't think anybetter of you, let me tell you, for your eagerness to turn the boy outof his position."
"You are a queer boy."
"Think so if you like," retorted Hicks. "I might give my opinion ofyou."
At this point Jasper thought it best to let the conversation drop. Hewas much pleased to learn that Rodney had lost his fine position astutor, and was now in a place from which he might more easily be ousted.
As he could not prevail upon James Hicks to betray Rodney he decided towrite an anonymous letter to the firm that employed him.
The result was that the next afternoon Rodney was summoned to theoffice.
"Sit down Ropes," said the superintendent. "For what store did you workbefore you came into our house?"
"Otis Goodnow's."
"Under what circumstances did you leave?"
"I was accused of theft."
"You did not mention this matter when you applied for a situation here."
"No, sir. I ought perhaps to have done so, but I presumed in that caseyou would not have given me a place."
"You are right he would not."
"Nor would I have applied had the charge been a true one. Articles werecertainly missing from Mr. Goodnow's stock, but in accusing me they didme a great injustice."
"How long since you left Mr. Goodnow's?"
"Four months."
"What have you been doing since?"
"I was acting as tutor to the son of Mr. Sargent, of West Fifty EighthStreet."
"A well known citizen. Then you are a scholar?"
"Yes, sir, I am nearly prepared for college."
"Of course he did not know you were suspected of dishonesty."
"On the contrary he did know it. I told him, and later he received ananonymous letter, notifying him of the fact."
"We also have received an anonymous letter. Here it is. Do you recognizethe hand writing?"
"Yes," answered Rodney after examining the letter. "It was written byJasper Redwood."
"Who is he?"
"A boy employed by Mr. Goodnow. For some reason he seems to have a spiteagainst me."
"I admit that it is pretty small business to write an anonymous lettercalculated to injure another. Still we shall have to take notice ofthis."
"Yes, sir, I suppose so."
"I shall have to bring it to the notice of the firm. What they may do Idon't know. If the matter was to be decided by me I would let you stay."
"Thank you, sir," said Rodney gratefully.
"But I am not Mr. Hall. You can go now and I will see you again."
Rodney left the office fully persuaded that his engagement wouldspeedily terminate. He was right; the next day he was sent for again.
"I am sorry to tell you, Ropes," said the superintendent kindly "thatMr. Hall insists upon your being discharged. He is a nervous man andrather suspicious. I spoke in your favor but I could not turn him."
"At any rate I am grateful to you for your friendly effort."
The superintendent hesitated a moment, and then said: "Will thisdischarge seriously embarrass you? Are you short of money?"
"No, sir. I was very liberally paid by Mr. Sargent, and I saved money.I have enough in the savings bank to last me several months, should I beidle so long."
"I am glad of it. I hope you will remember, my boy, that this is none ofmy doing. I would gladly retain you. I will say one thing more, shouldJasper Redwood ever apply for a situation here, his name will not beconsidered."
So Rodney found himself again without a position. It seemed hard in viewof his innocence, but he had confidence to believe that something wouldturn up for him as before. At any rate he had enough money to live onfor some time.
When Mike Flynn learned the circumstances of his discharge he was veryangry.
"I'd like to meet Jasper Redwood," he said, his eyes flashing. "If Ididn't give him a laying out then my name isn't Mike Flynn."
"I think he will get his desert some time, Mickey, without any help fromyou or me."
"Should hope he will. And what'll you do now, Rodney?"
"I don't know. Sometimes I think it would be well
to go to some othercity, Boston or Philadelphia, where Jasper can't get on my track."
"Should hope you won't do it. I can't get along widout you."
"I will stay here for a few weeks, Mike, and see if anything turns up."
"I might get you in as a telegraph boy."
"That wouldn't suit me. It doesn't pay enough."
Rodney began to hunt for a situation again, but four weeks passed andbrought him no success. One afternoon about four o'clock he was walkingup Broadway when, feeling tired, he stepped into the Continental Hotelat the corner of Twentieth Street.
He took a seat at some distance back from the door, and in a desultoryway began to look about him. All at once he started in surprise, forin a man sitting in one of the front row of chairs he recognized LouisWheeler, the railroad thief who had stolen his box of jewelry.
Wheeler was conversing with a man with a large flapping sombrero, andwhose dress and general appearance indicated that he was a Westerner.
Rodney left his seat and going forward sat down in the chair behindWheeler. He suspected that the Western man was in danger of beingvictimized.
Cast Upon the Breakers Page 21
