Dan, the Newsboy, Jr. Horatio Alger [fantasy novels to read txt] 📗

with some thought. When he spoke it was in a more conciliatory tone.

"I don't doubt that she is in good hands," he said. "I am sure you will treat her kindly. Perhaps you are a better guardian than I. I am willing to leave her in your hands, but I ought to have some compensation."

"What do you mean?"

"Althea has a hundred thousand dollars, yielding at least five thousand dollars income. Probably her expenses are little more than one-tenth of this sum. While my child is rich I am poor. Give me half her income—say three thousand dollars annually—and I will give you and her no further trouble."

"I thought that was the object of your visit," said Mrs. Vernon, coldly. "I was right in giving you no credit for parental affection. In regard to your [Pg 214]proposition, I cannot entertain it. You had one half of my sister's fortune, and you spent it. You have no further claim on her money."

"Is this your final answer?" he demanded, angrily.

"It is."

"Then I swear to you that I will be even with you. I will find the child, and when I do you shall never see her again."

Mrs. Vernon rang the bell.

Margaret entered.

"Margaret," she said, coldly, "will you show this gentleman out?"

John Hartley rose and bowed ironically.

"You are certainly very polite, Harriet Vernon," he said. "You are bold, too, for you are defying me, and that is dangerous. You had better reconsider your determination, before it is too late."

"It will never be too late; I can at any time buy you off," she said, contemptuously. "All you want is money."

"We shall see," he hissed, eying her malignantly.

"Margaret," said Mrs. Vernon, when her visitor had been shown out, "never admit that person again; I am always out to him."

"Yes, mum," said the girl. "I wonder who 'twas," she thought, curiously.

[Pg 215]

CHAPTER XXX. HOW HARTLEY GOT A CLEW.

John Hartley, when a young man, had wooed and won Althea's mother. Julia Belmont was a beautiful and accomplished girl, an heiress in her own right, and might have made her choice among at least a dozen suitors. That she should have accepted the hand of John Hartley, a banker's clerk, reputed "fast," was surprising, but a woman's taste in such a case is often hard to explain or justify. Her sister—now Mrs. Vernon—strenuously objected to the match, and by so doing gained the hatred of her future brother-in-law. Opposition proved ineffectual, and Julia Belmont became Mrs. Hartley. Her fortune amounted to two hundred thousand dollars. The trustee and her sister succeeded in obtaining her consent that half of this sum should be settled on herself, and her issue, should she have any.

This proved to be a wise precaution. John Hartley resigned his position immediately after marriage, and declined to enter upon any business.

"Why should I?" he said. "Julia and I have[Pg 216] enough to live upon. If I am out of business I can devote myself more entirely to her."

This reasoning satisfied his young wife, and for a time all went well. But Hartley joined a fashionable club, formed a taste for gambling, indulged in copious libations, not unfrequently staggering home drunk, to the acute sorrow of his wife, and then excesses soon led to ill-treatment. The money, which he could spend in a few years, melted away, and he tried to gain possession of the remainder of his wife's property. But, meanwhile, Althea was born, and a consideration for her child's welfare strengthened the wife in her firm refusal to accede to this unreasonable demand.

"You shall have the income, John," she said—"I will keep none back; but the principal must be kept for Althea."

"You care more for the brat than you do for me," he muttered.

"I care for you both," she answered. "You know how the money would go, John. We should all be left destitute."

"That meddling sister of yours has put you up to this," he said, angrily.

"There was no need of that. It is right, and I have decided for myself."

"Your first duty is to your husband."

[Pg 217]

"I feel that in refusing I am doing my duty by you."

"It is a strange way—to oppose your husband's wishes. Women ought never to be trusted with money—they don't know how to take care of it."

"You are not the person to say this, John. In five years you have wasted one hundred thousand dollars."

"It was bad luck in investments," he replied.

"I am afraid you are right. Investing money at the gaming-table is not very profitable."

"Do you mean to insult me, madam?" exclaimed Hartley, furiously.

"I am only telling the sad truth, John."

He forgot himself and struck her.

She withdrew, flushed and indignant, for she had spirit enough to resent this outrage, and he left the house in a furious rage.

When Hartley found that there was no hope of carrying his point, all restraint seemed removed. He plunged into worse excesses, and his treatment became so bad that Mrs. Hartley consented to institute proceedings for divorce. It was granted, and the child was given to her. Hartley disappeared for a time. When he returned his wife had died of pneumonia, and her sister—Mrs. Vernon, now a widow—had assumed the care of Althea. An attempt to gain possession of the child induced her to find another[Pg 218] guardian for the child. This was the way Althea had come into the family of our young hero.

Thus much, that the reader may understand the position of affairs, and follow intelligently the future course of the story.

When John Hartley left the presence of his sister-in-law, he muttered maledictions upon her.

"I'll have the child yet, if only to spite her," he muttered, between his teeth. "I won't allow a jade to stand between me and my own flesh and blood. I must think of some plan to circumvent her."

This was not easy. He had absolutely no clew, and little money to assist him in his quest. But Fortune, which does not always favor the brave, but often helps the undeserving, came unexpectedly to his help.

At an American banker's he ran across an old acquaintance—one who had belonged to the same club as himself in years past.

"What are you doing here, Hartley?" he asked.

"Not much. Luck is against me."

"Sorry to hear it. By the way, I was reminded of you not long since."

"How is that?"

"I saw your child in Union Square, in New York."

"Are you sure of it?" asked Hartley, eagerly. "Are you sure it was my child?"

[Pg 219]

"Of course; I used to see it often, you know. She is a bright little thing."

"Do you know where she lives?" asked Hartley. "Did you follow her?"

"Don't you know where she lives?"

"No; her aunt is keeping the child from me. I am very anxious to find her."

"That accounts for it. She was with a middle-aged lady, who evidently was suspicious of me, for she did not bring out the child but once more, and was clearly anxious when I took notice of her."

"She was acting according to instructions, no doubt."

"Very probably."

"I wish you had learned more."

"So do I. Why do they keep you away from her?"

"Because she has money, and they wish to keep it in their hands," said Hartley, plausibly. "The aunt is a very mercenary woman. She is living here in London, doubtless on my little girl's fortune."

John Hartley knew that this was not true, for Mrs. Vernon was a rich woman; but it suited his purpose to say so, and the statement was believed by his acquaintance.

"This is bad treatment, Hartley," he said, in a tone of sympathy.

"Isn't it?"

[Pg 220]

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Try to find out where the child is placed, and get possession of her."

"I wish you success."

This information John Hartley felt to be of value. It narrowed his search, and made success much less difficult.

In order to obtain more definite information, he lay in wait for Mrs. Vernon's servant.

Margaret at first repulsed him, but a sovereign judiciously slipped into her hand convinced her that Hartley was quite the gentleman, and he had no difficulty, by the promise of a future douceur, in obtaining her co-operation.

"What is it you want, sir?" she asked. "If it's no harm you mean my missus——"

"Certainly not, but she is keeping my child from me. You can understand a father's wish to see his child, my dear girl."

"Indeed, I think it's cruel to keep her from you, sir."

"Then look over your mistress' papers and try to obtain the street and number where she is boarding in New York. I have a right to know that."

"Of course you have, sir," said the girl, readily.

So it came about that the girl obtained Dan's address, and communicated it to John Hartley.

[Pg 221]

As soon as possible afterward Hartley sailed for New York.

"I'll secure the child," he said to himself, exultingly, "and then my sweet sister-in-law must pay roundly for her if she wants her back."

All which attested the devoted love of John Hartley for his child.

[Pg 222]

CHAPTER XXXI. ALTHEA'S ABDUCTION.

Arrived in New York, John Hartley lost no time in ascertaining where Dan and his mother lived. In order the better to watch without incurring suspicion, he engaged by the week a room in a house opposite, which, luckily for his purpose, happened to be for rent. It was a front window, and furnished him with a post of observation from which he could see who went in and out of the house opposite.

Hartley soon learned that it would not be so easy as he had anticipated to gain possession of the little girl. She never went out alone, but always accompanied either by Dan or his mother.

Hartley was disappointed. If, now, Althea were attending school, there would be an opportunity to kidnap her. As it was, he was at his wits' end.

At last, however, opportunity favored him.

On the evening of the party Mrs. Mordaunt chanced to need some small article necessary to the work upon which she was engaged. She might indeed wait until the next day, but she was repairing a vest of Dan's,[Pg 223] which he would need to wear in the morning, and she did not like to disappoint him.

"My child," she said, "I find I must go out a little while."

"What for, mamma?"

"I want to buy some braid to bind Dan's vest. He will want to wear it in the morning."

"May I go with you, mamma?"

"No, my child. You can be reading your picture-book till I come back. I won't be long."

So Mrs. Mordaunt put on her street dress, and left the house in the direction of Eighth avenue, where there was a cheap store at which she often traded.

No sooner did Hartley see her leave the house, as he could readily do, for the night was light, than he hurried to Union Square, scarcely five minutes distant, and hailed a cab-driver.

"Do you want a job, my man?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Can you hold your tongue?"

"Yes, sir, if necessary."

"It is necessary."

"There is nothing wrong, sir, I hope."

"Certainly not. My child has been kidnapped during my absence in Europe. With your help I mean to recover her."

"All right, sir."

[Pg 224]

"She is in the custody of some designing persons, who keep possession of her on account of a fortune which she is to inherit. She does not know me to be her father, we have been so long separated; but I feel anxious to take her away from her treacherous guardians."

"You are right, sir. I've got a little girl of my own, and I understand your feelings. Where shall we go?"

Hartley gave the proper address. Fifteen minutes afterward the cab drew up before Mrs. Brown's door, and Hartley, springing from it, rang the bell. It so happened that Mrs. Brown was out, and a servant answered the bell. She looked inquiringly at the visitor.

"A lady lives here with a little girl," he said, quickly.

"Yes, sir; Mrs. Mordaunt."

"Precisely; and the little girl is named Althea."

"You are right, sir."

"Mrs. Mordaunt has been run over by a street-car, and been carried into my house. She wishes the little girl to come at once to her."

"Is she much hurt?" asked Nancy, anxiously.

"I am afraid her leg is broken; but I can't wait. Will you bring the little girl down at once?"

"Oh, yes, sir. I'll lose no time."

[Pg 225]

Nancy went up stairs two steps at a time, and broke into Mrs. Mordaunt's room breathless.

"Put on your hat at once, Miss Althea," she said.

"What for?" asked the child, in surprise.

"Your ma has sent