Under the Chinese Dragon: A Tale of Mongolia

by F. S. Brereton

  CHAPTER III

  Wanted a Job

  The rattle of wheels in the street outside, and the brilliant rays ofthe morning sun awakened David on his first morning in London. In atwinkling he was up and dressed.

  'Suppose you've come up to start life, sir,' said Constable Hemming whenhis lodger put in an appearance. 'Breakfast's ready, and you can have itat the back in the parlour, or here in the kitchen along with the missusand me.'

  'Then I'll stop with you,' declared David, smiling. 'Yes, constable, I'mhere to start life. I shall have to look round for work; but first ofall I must go into the city to see a firm of solicitors. I shall have tofind my way there.'

  'I'll guide you,' came the answer. 'House rent is that dear towards thecity that I have to come out here. Every morning I take a 'bus to thecentral police station and there get my orders. I'm on special dutythese days. We're hunting for a gang of foreign burglars that have cometo London to bother us; but what are you going to do? Medical student,eh?'

  David shook his head vigorously. 'Nothing so grand,' he said. 'I haveto find work of some sort, and I don't care what it is at first, so longas I can earn something with which to pay my way while I look round.'

  The constable's eyes opened wide with astonishment, and for a littlewhile he regarded his lodger critically, while his wife busied herselfwith putting the breakfast on the table. He remembered the conversationwhich he had had with her on the previous night. They had agreed withoutthe smallest hesitation that David was a young gentleman used to more orless fine surroundings. There was nothing secret or underhand about him;but they did not imagine that he had left home with the intention ofmaking his way alone in the world. This information that he must findsome sort of work showed at once that he was dependent solely onhimself.

  'Why,' declared Hemming, 'you look as if you ought to be in an office,or in the army as an officer. Want to find work? What about yourparents?'

  Probably his official training caused him to regard David again, andthis time with some suspicion.

  'I left home hurriedly after a row,' said our hero promptly. 'I was toldI was not wanted. There was a quarrel about money; I came awaydetermined to make my own way.'

  'But,' began the constable, like Andus, the breezy sailor, feeling thathe ought to give some good advice here, advice culled from his own ageand somewhat wide experience. 'But, look here, sir. Ain't you made agreat mistake? Wouldn't it be better to think things over and turnback? Most like your parents are advertising for you. I should have togive information.'

  David stopped him with a pleasant smile, lifting his hand as he did so.Then in a few short words he told the constable and his wife what hadhappened, refraining, however, from telling them about the will.

  'Now,' he said, looking from one to the other.

  'I take it all back; no chap with a bit of pride could do otherwise,'declared Hemming, warmly. 'So you want work, any sort of work?'

  David nodded. 'Anything to tide me over for the time being,' he said.'Ultimately I mean to leave the country.'

  'You wouldn't sniff if I was to mention the job of lift-boy?' askedHemming, somewhat bashfully, as if he were almost ashamed to introducesuch a job to David's notice.

  'Where? When is it open? Could I work the lift?' asked our heropromptly. 'To-day I could hardly begin; to-morrow I shall be free.'

  'Then you can come along with me to the city,' said the constable,laughing at his eagerness. 'It so happens that an old soldier, whobelongs to the corps of commissionaires, told me a night or two backthat his firm would be wanting a young chap. It's one of the big Londonstores; we'll see what we can do for you.'

  David thanked him warmly, and then, remembering his bicycle, mentionedit.

  'I want to sell it,' he said. 'I have some ready money on me; but themachine will be useless here, and the cash I could get for it useful.'

  'Of course, and I could take you to a place where a fair price would begiven; but if you'll take my advice you'll wait a little. Supposing thisLondon firm is a good way from your lodgings, a bicycle would be handyto take you to work; the machine'll come to no harm for the moment, andwill fetch it's price whenever you want to part with it. You keep it fora while. Now, sir, if you're ready we'll set out.'

  In five minutes the two were in the street, the constable looking fineand burly in his uniform, while the gentlemanly appearance of the youngfellow walking beside him caused the neighbours to remark. Theyclambered on to a motor-bus at the end of the street, and made their wayinto the city. Then they descended close to the Mansion House, and weresoon in conversation with the commissionaire.

  'You mentioned a firm as wanted a young fellow for the lift,' said theconstable. 'Is that job still going?'

  The commissionaire looked David up and down with an experienced eye, andnoted his straight figure, his good looks, and his general air ofsuperiority. Then he nodded his head several times in succession.

  'That job's still going,' he said, 'and a young chap same as this isjust what's wanted; but he don't want to have kid gloves on his handsall the while. This firm's looking for a lad as can appear smart whenhe's in the lift, and can strip his livery off next moment and clean andtidy things. Chaps as don't care to dirty their fingers ain't wanted.'

  'Then I'm your man,' David blurted promptly. 'I'm not afraid of dirtyingmy fingers with clean work--honest work I mean. As to smartness, there Ican't pretend to judge.'

  Hemming winked slyly at his friend, who went by the name of Tiller,while the latter again surveyed David with a critical eye, till thelatter flushed red under the scrutiny. Then Sergeant Tiller's head beganto wag forward and backward again, in a manner evidently characteristicof him, while a smile broke out on his face.

  'You'll do I should say,' he declared. 'Ready to work now?'

  David thought for a moment. 'Ready to begin at this moment,' he said.'But I must see some one in the city during business hours to-day.To-morrow I could take to work steadily.'

  'Then you can leave him to me, Hemming,' said the sergeant, 'I'll takehim right along, and the chances are he'll get the post. I used to workfor the same firm, and seeing as they knew that I had the best idea ofwhat sort of young chap they wanted, they left it to me to find a man.One moment, mister, I'll get leave to be off for a while; then we'lltake a 'bus along to Oxford Street. The firm I'm talking about have abig fashionable store close to Bond Street.'

  Within an hour David and his new friend were at their destination,waiting within the huge glass doors of an establishment, the size andrich decoration of which filled our hero with amazement; for trips toLondon had not often come his way. Mrs. Clayhill, his stepmother, hadnever troubled to take him with her.

  'There's thousands of pounds worth of things here,' whispered thesergeant, as they waited for an interview with the manager, 'and, verynaturally, the firm is careful as to whom it employs. There's the liftyonder. The man working it should really be at the door. From that Itake it that the hand who was here has left. That'll make 'em extraanxious to get a substitute. Ah, come along.'

  David's heart fluttered a trifle as he was ushered into the sanctum ofthe manager; for he felt that the interview meant much to him. To betruthful, he would rather have begun his life at some post more inaccordance with his upbringing; but then, he reflected, beggars must notbe choosers, and so long as the work was honest, it would tide him overa difficult time. Besides, there was his interview with the solicitors.It would be fine to be able to declare that he had already found a job,and was in need of nothing. A second later he was before a diminutiveman, dressed very smartly, who regarded him with the same critical eyeas in the case of the sergeant.

  'Just the young fellow, sir,' said the latter, nodding towards our hero.'Constable Hemming introduced him to me. He's fresh to London, and thiswill be his first job.'

  'Know anything about lifts and machinery?' demanded the manager sharply.

  'Yes, sir; I've worked in the shops at school, and meant to become anengineer.'

  Davi
d blurted the words out thoughtlessly, and then could have bittenhis tongue off the next instant. For if he had been candid with otherpeople, and described how he had left home, here, where he might beemployed to work, he wished his past history to remain unknown. But heforgot that his whole appearance, his speech, his carriage, all told thetale of his upbringing. He did not see the old sergeant wink at themanager. He watched him bend forward and whisper.

  'Constable tells me he was driven away from home, sir,' said thesergeant, in the manager's ear. 'The lad's as honest as they make them.I'll back him to give satisfaction. Give him a trial. He's the kind oflad you could turn on to anything; he's a gentleman all over.'

  David would have flushed red could he have heard the words, but he waswatching the manager. The latter looked closely at him again, smiledsuddenly, and then asked a question.

  'What wages?' he asked.

  'Fifteen shillings a week,' answered our hero.

  'Nonsense! We start our men with a pound a week. We will give you amonth's trial. Hours eight-thirty in the morning till six. When can youcome?'

  'To-morrow, sir. I'd like to have a trial now, but I must see some onein the city this afternoon.'

  'Then go to the lift and have a lesson. To-morrow we shall expect you.Have you a dark suit?'

  David nodded promptly.

  'Then come in that: we have livery which ought to fit you. Good-bye.'

  It was a much-excited David who emerged from the manager's office. Thesudden succession to a post at a pound a week made him feel giddy, itwas such good fortune. He hardly heard the old sergeant explaining hiserrand to the lift-man. Almost unconsciously he shook hands with theformer and thanked him for his help. Then he entered the lift, andwatched his instructor as he ran it up and down. Ten minutes later hewas controlling the affair himself, and within half an hour wasefficient. That morning, he ran the elevator for some two hours allalone, to the entire satisfaction of his employers, conveying a numberof purchasers to other parts of the building.

  'You'll do,' declared the manager, when mid-day arrived. 'You're steadyand keep your head. Don't forget, it is a strict rule that all doors beclosed before the lift is moved. Accidents so easily happen. Now take aword of advice. Every one can see what you are. Don't talk; keepyourself to yourself and you'll make no enemies. To-morrow morning athalf-past eight.'

  He dismissed him with a nod, and very soon David was out in the streetonce more.

  'And now for Mr. Jones, the solicitor,' he told himself. 'I don't feelhalf so bad about the interview as I did yesterday. That job makes sucha difference. I'll telephone down to his address, and ask when he cansee me.'

  He went at once to a call office, and promptly was able to arrange tosee the solicitor at two o'clock. Then he journeyed down into the city,ate heartily at a cheap restaurant, and finally went to Mr. Jones'soffice. It was a very astonished solicitor who received him.

  'Why, you of all people!' he declared, as our hero entered. 'Sit downthere. You've got something to tell me; something is troubling you, thatI can detect at once. What is it?'

  David at once told him how he had left home, and the cause for suchaction.

  'I made up my mind to fend for myself,' he said. 'I decided to find workin London, and to decline the post in an office which Mr. Clayhilloffered.'

  There was a serious air on Mr. Jones's face as he listened. 'That was abold course to pursue,' he said. 'Work is hard to find in this hugecity. There are so many applicants; but, of course, there is yourallowance. It will enable you to live for the time being.'

  David shook his head promptly. 'I've got work already at twentyshillings a week,' he said. 'I want you and the others to understandthat I mean to stand alone and fight my own battle. I mean to beindependent; I'll not call for that allowance till I actually need it.'

  'Then, my lad, all the more honour to you,' declared Mr. Jones, grippinghis hand. 'But, of course, the allowance is yours. I shall makearrangements to have it at my own disposal, not at that of yourstepmother's. So there was a scene, David? You were told to go. But why?Money, I suppose.'

  In a few words David recounted what had happened, and how he had beentold that he had next to no interest in his father's possessions.

  'I knew that father had written home,' he declared. 'He sent me a lettersaying that he proposed to change his will, and he wrote to mystepmother intimating the same. She denies this fact; but there is myletter.'

  He drew it from his pocket and waited, watching Mr. Jones while thelatter perused it And slowly he saw the solicitor's expression becomesterner and sterner.

  'This is very serious, David,' he said at last, 'and though this letterproves without doubt that your father made a later will, and that yourstepmother has deliberately obscured that fact, yet I fear that matterscannot be altered. This later will is not to be found. Evidence has cometo hand which is so conclusive that the courts have presumed yourfather's death. Nothing can now prevent the execution of the will now inour possession.'

  He looked thoughtfully at David for some few moments, and then pushedhis spectacles back on to his furrowed forehead. 'Nothing can alter thematter now,' he added, 'unless this later will is found. That seems tome to be out of the question.'

  'I think not. I intend to find it; I shall go to China.'

  David's sudden and unexpected declaration took the breath from Mr.Jones. He pulled his spectacles from his forehead, wiped the glassesfeverishly, and put them back on to his nose. He gripped the two arms ofhis chair before he replied.

  'What!' he demanded. 'Go to China! But--'

  'China is a vast country, yes,' agreed our hero, taking the words fromhis mouth; 'but I was in close correspondence with my father. I knowprecisely where he was staying, and the roads he travelled. That limitsthe part to be searched. How I shall go out there I do not know. It maytake years to bring about; but go I will. Something tells me that Ishall be fortunate.'

  There was a long silence between them before Mr. Jones ventured to breakit. At first he had been inclined to look upon David as a foolish youngfellow; but he had some knowledge of the lad, and of his father beforehim, and knew our hero to be a steady-going individual. Moreover he hadheard that he was practical, and extremely persistent. He conjured up inhis mind's eye the figures of Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer Clayhill, and turnedfrom them with some amount of annoyance.

  'The whole matter is very unfortunate,' he said at last, 'and were itnot that I now feel that I have your interests to protect, I should betempted to retire from the post of executor to which your fatherexpressly appointed me. Of course, I shall have an interview with Mr.Ebenezer and Mrs. Clayhill, and, as I have said, I shall insist that Ihave the paying of your allowance. Further, I will consult one of mylegal friends on your behalf. With this letter before him, it ispossible he will advise you to apply to the courts to arrest theadministration of the will by Mr. Ebenezer Clayhill and his wife,pending a further search. In that case you would have time to go toChina, and traverse the ground covered by your father. But how you willmanage to get there passes my comprehension.'

  He looked across at David, and slowly his serious expression melted intoa smile. He recollected some words which Mrs. Clayhill had let fall atan interview he had once had with her. Of David she had remarked, whenMr. Jones had asked after him, 'he is an obstinate boy. Once he has madeup his mind to accomplish a thing, nothing will shake him. He is justlike his father.' And there was David searching the solicitor's face,unconsciously wearing an expression of dogged resolution. The squarechin, already at such a youthful age showing firmness of purpose, wasset in bulldog fashion. The thin lips were closed in one strong line.The eyes never flinched nor wavered.

  'George!' cried Mr. Jones, suddenly stirred out of his professionalcalm, 'I'll help you. I like your spirit immensely, and, unofficially ofcourse, I believe that you are being victimised. If it's money, why--.'

  David held up his hand promptly. 'No thank you, Mr. Jones,' he said,warmly. 'I am going to do this on my own. It's awfully kin
d of you tothink of offering money; but I'll make what I want, and put it to myallowance if need be. If I can, I won't touch the latter. Those peopleat 'The Haven' shall see that I am equal to my word. But you are helpingme enormously by discussing the matter. Consult with this friend ofyours, and if he says that an application on my part, with this letterof my father's, can arrest the splitting up of all his possessions forthe time being, then there is hope. I shall have some time. I may beable to find the will we know he made.'

  Looking at the matter when left to himself, Mr. Jones could not butadmit that there was something of the wild-goose chase about our hero'sresolution to go to China. The finding of the will left by Mr. EdwardHarbor, since murdered by Boxers, was so extremely improbable that theeffort seemed but wasted energy, failure but a foregone conclusion.

  'But, on the contrary, the boy might have luck,' he told himself. 'Thereis a Providence that watches over such young fellows when their ownparents ill-treat them. Perhaps David will come across the document,perhaps he will not. In any case, travel to China will open his mind andhelp him in the future, and if that is so, the time will not be wasted.That he will go there I am absolutely certain.'

  He had dismissed our hero with a warm and encouraging shake of the hand,and a promise to communicate with him; and less than a week had passedwhen David was in the solicitor's office again.

  'I have consulted with my friend,' Mr. Jones told him, 'and he believesthat an application to the courts would be successful. I shall have itmade on your behalf, and, of course, I shall bear the expense. Some dayyou may be able to repay me. If not--.'

  David stood up at once. 'I shall repay you without doubt,' he declaredsolemnly. 'I mean to get on in the world; some day I shall be able tospare the money.'

  'And that "some day" will be soon enough. In the meanwhile I shall go tothe courts. This letter of yours, which I shall take care of, will beput in as evidence, and the judge will be told that you are going toChina. As a result he may very well order that the estate be left in thehands of trustees, the income to be given as in the will we have, whilethe estate itself will remain untouched for a certain period. In threeweeks' time the case should come forward.'

  During those days our hero worked very hard at the establishment wherehe had charge of the lift.

  'We couldn't have obtained a smarter young fellow,' the manager haddeclared more than once, 'while nothing seems a trouble to him. He keepshis lift and his livery spotlessly clean, and is most careful with ourclients. I shall raise his wages.'

  And raise them he did, David receiving twenty-two shillings a week afterhe had been there a fortnight. Up and down he travelled all day long inhis lift, announcing at each floor the various departments of the storeto be found there. Sharp young fellow that he was, he soon knew the insand outs of the establishment, and was a perfect mine of information. Helooked up trains for the firm's clients, directed others to variousparts of London, and always displayed willingness and politeness. It wasnot to be wondered at, therefore, that he gained the esteem andconfidence of his employers. As to the other employees, he was onexcellent terms with them, except in a very few cases, the latter beingmen who, like the rest, detected our hero's evident superiority, andbeing jealous endeavoured to make matters unpleasant for him.

  'Call David Harbor,' sounded across the floor of the store one day, whenthe place was empty of customers, while our hero was engaged in cleaninghis lift. Promptly he rolled down his sleeves, slipped on his liveryjacket, and stepped briskly to the manager's office, wondering why hewas wanted.

  'Sit down,' said the latter, when he had entered and closed the door.'Now, Harbor, I wish to be confidential. For six weeks past we have beenmissing a number of valuables.'

  At the words David rose from his seat, flushing a furious red, while hiseyes flashed at the manager.

  'You don't mean to suggest that I----'

  'Tut, tut,' came the interruption instantly. 'Sit down, Harbor. I saidthat valuables had been disappearing for the past six weeks. You havebeen here one month exactly; things were going before you came. Yourarrival here has made no difference.'

  David pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and mopped his forehead;for the news, the sudden thought that he might be the suspected person,had thrown him into a violent heat. 'I'm glad you put it like that,sir,' he said. 'I began to feel uncomfortable.'

  'And I endeavoured at once to show you that you were by no means thesuspected person. I told you I wished to talk to you confidentially.Well now, there is some one engaged here, we believe, who is robbing thefirm. Up till now our efforts to trace the miscreant have provedunavailing. We applied to the police. They advised us that some one,wholly trustworthy, Mr. Harbor, wholly trustworthy, and whoseresolution and pluck we could count on, should be left here to watch.The directors asked me to suggest a name. I gave yours withouthesitation.'

  He sat back in his chair to watch the effect his news had on our hero,and smiled serenely when he saw the latter tuck his handkerchief awayand assume his most business-like expression.

  'Yes, sir,' said David promptly, awaiting further information.

  'This is the plan. You and the police are to work together, and whenevery one has left this establishment, you will pass in again with thehelp of a key I shall hand you. You will patrol the various departmentsduring the night, and slip out before the hands arrive in the morning.Your place at the lift will be taken by a substitute for the time being.It will be given out that you are ill. Of course, there might be somerisk attached to the undertaking.'

  'I'll chance that,' declared David at once. 'I should rather enjoy theexperience, not that I am anxious to be a thief taker. Still, I am inyour employ and will obey whatever orders are given me.'

  'Then you consent?' asked the manager.

  'Certainly: I shall obey your orders seeing that I am in your service.'

  'But you could decline to take this risk if you wished. However, we haveconsidered the matter. There will be a salary of a pound a night whileyou are watchman, and a liberal reward if the offender is apprehended.Now I want you to finish your work, and join me at the police station.Don't let other employees see you going there. We will make our finalarrangements with the officials of the police.'

  It may be imagined that David was somewhat excited after such anannouncement. Not for one moment did he think of declining the taskrequired of him; for he looked upon it as a duty. He obtained goodwages, these people had been kind to him, and if he could serve them,all the better. Besides, it might lead to a better and more highly-paidpost. He polished the brass of his lift, put aside his livery, andemerged from the building, leaving one of the officials to close theestablishment. Then, taking a side street, he hurried to the policestation. Once there the final arrangements were soon made. The manageralready knew that David was lodging with a policeman, and to our hero'spleasure he learned that Constable Hemming was to take duty outside thestore, being relieved by a friend. Both were to be provided with keys,while David was presented with a basket containing food and drink. Anelectric torch was handed to him, as well as a life preserver and awhistle. Thus equipped he drove back to the establishment at ten thatnight, and slipped cautiously into the store.

  Just keep moving and doing things all the while,' Hemming advised him.'Lights are always kept going on all the floors, so that you'll have nodifficulty in seeing. But it's wonderful how sleepy a fellow gets,especially when he's done the job on more than one occasion. Keep movingis the thing. Always remember to walk softly. If you spot anythingfunny, keep quiet, and come along to warn me. The end of a stick pushedthrough the letter-box will tell me I'm wanted. Don't get scared. It'sonly fools and babies as fly from their own shadows.'

  Nevertheless David found the ordeal of promenading the huge store allalone in the silent hours of the night something of an ordeal. For therewere a hundred minor sounds and queer noises to arrest his attention androuse his suspicions. However, he mastered his fears, and soon beganreally to like the work. Nor did he forget t
he constable's advice.During the whole time he was on duty he never once sat down, save to eata meal. All the rest of the time he was walking through the place,making not a sound with his cotton-padded soles, and because of themovement easily managing to keep awake. Indeed, so well did he sleepduring the day when he returned with the constable, that he found nowish to rest at night. The exercise he took kept him wakeful and brisk,ready for anything. But a week came and went, and till then nothing hadhappened. It was on a Saturday night, soon after midnight, that our herosuddenly realised that another strange mixture of sounds was coming tohis ear and echoing dully through the store. Instantly he was on the_qui vive_.

  'Some one moving down below,' he told himself. 'Yes, in the basement:I'll slip down in that direction.'

  Gripping his life preserver, and with the electric torch in his otherhand, he stole across to the stairway, and crouching there peered overthe banisters. No one was to be seen, and now his ear could not detect anoise. Then, suddenly, a sound reached him. It was a man whispering.Instantly David clutched the banister and lowered himself head foremosttill he was able to look into the basement, in the centre of which onesingle light glimmered. Click! There was the sound of a muffledfootstep, and then a sudden gleam of light over on the far wall. AsDavid looked he saw the door of a huge cupboard, in which employees werewont to hang their hats and coats, slide open, while the figure of a manappeared. There was an electric torch in his hand, and with this he litthe way behind him. Then another figure appeared, and following him twoothers. They stepped into the store, carrying a heavy burden with them.

  'At last,' said our hero, struggling back into the stairway. 'Time Iwent to warn Constable Hemming.'