Walter Sherwood's Probation, Jr. Horatio Alger [best pdf reader for ebooks txt] 📗
- Author: Jr. Horatio Alger
Book online «Walter Sherwood's Probation, Jr. Horatio Alger [best pdf reader for ebooks txt] 📗». Author Jr. Horatio Alger
“The boy is right,” said another in a deep voice. “Men, we are acting like cowards and brutes.”
“So say I!” a third man broke in, and he ranged himself beside the other two.
“This is all folly!” exclaimed the leader angrily. “You men are milksops and chicken-hearted.” Walter's face flamed.
“Will you allow this?” he exclaimed, as the leader seized him by the collar and drew him to a tree.
“I won't!” said the first man to pronounce in his favor. “Seth Pendleton, let go your hold!”
“Look out!” cried Pendleton fiercely, “or you may swing, too!”
“You hear what he says,” said Walter's friend. “Why are you so hard on the boy?”
“Why am I so hard on horse thieves? I'll tell you. Ten years ago I had a horse that was as dear to me as a brother. One morning I found the stable door open and the horse gone. I followed him, but I never recovered him.”
“Who stole him?”
“A man named Dick Ranney, who has since become a noted highwayman.”
This was astonishing news to Walter.
“Do you know where Dick Ranney is now?” he asked.
“I heard that he had been captured.”
“I am the one who captured him, and for this I received a reward of a thousand dollars!” answered Walter.
CHAPTER XXXV THE EMPTY JAIL
Walter drew from his pocket a folded paper.
“Read that!” he said.
“MR. WALTER SHERWOOD:“I have pleasure in sending you the reward for the capture of the noted criminal, Dick Ranney.
“MILES GRAY, Sheriff.”
“Shall I tell you the story?” asked Walter.
“Yes! Yes!” exclaimed more than one.
Walter gave an account of the affair in a clear, distinct manner.
“Now, gentlemen,” said Walter, as he concluded, “do you believe that I would stoop to steal a horse?”
There were shouts of “No! No!”
And Walter might have gone scot free had he chosen, but he did not choose.
“No, gentlemen,” he said, “take me back to the lockup.
“The door is broken!”
“That will make no difference with me. I prefer to stand trial and let my innocence be proved.”
“He's a brave lad!” said more than one.
“I wish my John would turn out like him,” added one of Walter's original supporters. “You shall go with me, and have the best bed in the house,” he continued.
Walter accepted this proposal with thanks.
Of all that had passed during the night Constable Stokes was blissfully unconscious. At an early hour he bent his steps toward the jail. When he saw the door broken he was astounded.
He felt it necessary to report what had happened to some magistrate. He had walked but a few steps when he met Mr. Barry, Walter's lawyer.
“And how is my young client this morning, Stokes?” inquired the lawyer pleasantly.
“Blessed if I know! He's bolted!”
“That is amazing! Let me see how it was done.”
“The door was broken from the outside!” he said, after a pause.
“Was it?”
“Of course it was.”
“Then you don't think the men could have done it?”
CHAPTER XXXVI COLONEL RICHARD OWEN
At this moment a boy of fifteen made his way from the street to the rear entrance. It was Arthur Waters, the son of a jeweler.
“Perhaps I can tell you something about it,” he said.
“Last night I heard a noise in the street, and, getting up, I went to the window. I saw a lot of men filing through the street, all wearing masks.”
“They must have been in search of the prisoners to lynch them!” said the lawyer, turning pale.
“And you think they broke open the doors, Mr. Barry?”
“Yes.”
“And what would they do with the prisoners?”
“Hang them, I fear, without judge or jury.”
“I don't mind the man, sir, but I hope the boy escaped.”
“Thank you, constable. I am alive and well, as you see.”
Both the lawyer and the constable looked up, and there, to their great relief, stood Walter.
“Where did you come from?” asked the lawyer quickly.
Walter told his story, adding: “Constable Stokes, I give myself into your hands.”
“Perhaps, as I am his counsel,” said the lawyer, “I had better take him with me.”
“Yes, that will be the best way,” said the constable.
Walter was ushered into the office of the lawyer.
At this moment the office door opened, and an old gentleman entered.
The lawyer rose from his seat with alacrity.
“Colonel Owen,” he exclaimed, “I am glad to see you.”
“Yes, sir. I received your telegram, and came by the first morning train. So the man who stole my horse has been caught?”
“The man who is charged with the theft has been caught,” said Mr. Barry.
“Mr. Barry, you have not introduced me to this young gentleman,” continued Colonel Owen, eyeing Walter with favor.
“I didn't know that you would care for an introduction,” said the lawyer demurely.
“Why not?” asked the old gentleman, opening his eyes in surprise.
Comments (0)