Helping Himself; Or, Grant Thornton's Ambition, Jr. Horatio Alger [most important books to read txt] 📗

Mr. Graham turned to the broker and addressed further remarks to him.

“Your statement that four hundred dollars remained to be accounted for, led me to conclude that they would be found in the possession of the party who had abstracted the others. I therefore obtained a search warrant and visited the room occupied by that gentleman, whose name I believe is Willis Ford.”

This was an unexpected stroke. Ford did not speak, but kept his eyes fixed upon the detective in evident panic.

“I have just come from Mr. Ford's room,” he resumed. “These are what I found there.”

He drew from his pocket a long envelope, from which he took four government bonds.

“Will you be kind enough, Mrs. Estabrook,” said the broker, gravely, “to examine these bonds and determine whether they are yours?”

The housekeeper took them mechanically and examined them.

“They are mine,” she said; “but I cannot believe Willis took them.”

“I did not,” said Ford, hoarsely, but his eyes were downcast.

“Will you account for their being in your room, then, Mr. Ford?” inquired the broker, sternly.

“That boy must have put them there. I know nothing of them. I am as much surprised as you are.”

“We have had enough of this, Mr. Ford,” said the broker, coldly. “Your guilt is evident. In robbing your stepmother you have committed a serious crime; but in attempting to throw the guilt upon an innocent boy, you have been guilty of an offense still more detestable, and one which I cannot forgive. You cannot remain in my employment another day. If you will call at the office in the morning, I will pay your salary to the end of the month. That will end all relations between us.”

Willis Ford looked like a convicted criminal. For the moment all his hardihood and bravado deserted him.

“Can this be true, Willis?” wailed his stepmother. “Is it possible that you took my bonds, and would have left me to an old age of poverty?”

“No,” answered Ford, with a return of his usual assurance. “I am as innocent as a babe unborn. I am the victim of a conspiracy. As Mr. Reynolds is determined to shield his favorite by throwing the blame on it, I must submit. The time will come when he will acknowledge my innocence. Mother, I will satisfy you later, but I do not believe you will think me guilty. Gentlemen, I bid you all good-evening.”

No one spoke as he withdrew from the room, and not even Morrison offered to follow him.

When he was fairly out of the room, the broker turned to Morrison.

“Mr. Morrison,” he said, “I have a question or two to put to you. I think you will find it to your interest to answer correctly. Do you still maintain that these bonds were given you by Grant Thornton?”

“I may as well make a clean breast of it,” said Morrison. “They were given me by Willis Ford.”

“To satisfy a gambling debt, was it not?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I take it for granted you did not know they were stolen?”

“If I had known it I wouldn't have touched them. I might have been suspected of stealing them myself.”

“I believe you.”

“You're a gentleman,” said Morrison, gratified that his word was accepted.

“Of course you have lost the amount which you consider due you. To be entirely candid with you, I do not feel any sympathy with you. Money won at play must be classed among ill-gotten gains. I hope you will realize this, and give up a discreditable profession.”

“I have no doubt your advice is good, sir. Do you want me and Tom any longer?”

“You are at liberty to go. I am indebted to you for coming. You have helped to clear up the mystery of the theft.”

“He's a little hard on us, Tom,” said Morrison, as they went down the front steps, “but he's treated us like a gentleman. That Ford is a rascal.”

“I think so, too,” Tom assented.

“And I shall never see a cent of that six hundred dollars,” continued Jim Morrison, ruefully.

“If you'll excuse me, I'll go to my own room,” said Mrs. Estabrook, pertly. “I want to think quietly of all this.”

“Go, by all means,” said the broker, courteously. “To-morrow morning your property shall be restored to you.”

Next the detective and the telegraph boy withdrew, the latter rich by a five-dollar note, which Mr. Reynolds presented him.

Johnny's eyes sparkled.

“That will make mother happy,” he said. “She'll think I am in luck.”

“Keep your eyes open, my boy, and be faithful to your employer, and this won't be the last piece of luck that will come your way.”

When they were alone Mr. Reynolds turned to Grant and said kindly, “I congratulate you, Grant, on your complete vindication. Those who have wickedly conspired against you have come to grief, and you come out of the trial unscathed. As I am to part with Willis Ford, though you are not competent to take his place, your duties will be somewhat enlarged, and I