Bound to Rise 14

Bound to Rise 14

"It must be great fun to be a ventriloquist."

 

"So I regarded it at first. It may not be a very high vocation but I

make the people laugh and so I regard myself as a public benefactor.

Indeed, I once did an essential service to a young man by means of my

ventriloquism."

 

"I should like very much to hear the story."

 

"I will tell you. One day, a young man, a stranger, came to me and

introduced himself under the name of Paul Dabney. He said that I

might, if I would, do him a great service. His father had died the year

previous, leaving a farm and other property to the value of fifteen

thousand dollars. Of course, being as only son, he expected that this

would be left to himself, or, at least, the greater part of it. Conceive

his surprise, therefore, when the will came to be read, to find that the

entire property was left to his Uncle Jonas, his father brother, who,

for three years past, had been a member of the family. Jonas had never

prospered in life, and his brother, out of pity, had offered him

an asylum on his farm. He had formerly been a bookkeeper and was an

accomplished penman.

 

"The will was so extraordinary--since Paul and his father had always

been on perfectly good terms--that the young man was thunderstruck. His

uncle expressed hypocritical surprise at the nature of the will.

 

"'I don't believe my father made that will,' exclaimed Paul, angrily.

 

"'What do you mean by that?' demanded the uncle.

 

"His anger made Paul think that he had hit upon the truth, particularly

as his uncle was an adroit penman.

 

"He carefully examined the will; but the writing so closely resembled

his father's that he could see no difference. The witnesses were

his Uncle Jonas and a hired man, who, shortly after witnessing

the signature, had been discharged and had disappeared from the

neighborhood. All this excited Paul's suspicions.

 

"His uncle offered him a home on the farm; but positively refused to

give him any portion of the property.

 

"'I sympathize with you,' I said at the conclusion of Paul's story; 'but

how can I help you?'

 

"'I will tell you, sir,' he replied. 'You must know that my Uncle Jonas

is very superstitious. I mean, through your help, to play upon his fears

and thus induce him to give up the property to me.'

 

"With this he unfolded his plan and I agreed to help him. His uncle

lived ten miles distant. I procured a laborer's disguise and the morning

after--Paul having previously gone back--I entered the yard of the

farmhouse. The old man was standing outside, smoking a pipe.

 

"'Can you give me work?' I asked.

 

"'What kind of work?' inquired Jonas.

 

"'Farm work,' I answered.

 

"'How much do you want?'

 

"'Eight dollars a month.'

 

"'I'll give you six,' he said.

 

"'That's too little.'

 

"'It's the most I'll give you.'

 

"'Then I'll take,' I replied, and was at once engaged.

 

"Delighted to get me so cheap, the sordid old man asked me no

troublesome questions. I knew enough of farm work to get along pretty

well and not betray myself.

 

"That night I concealed myself in the old man's apartment without

arousing his suspicions, Paul helping me. After he had been in bed about

twenty minutes, I thought it time to begin. Accordingly I uttered a

hollow groan.

 

"'Eh! What's that?' cried the old man, rising in bed.

 

"'I am the spirit of your dead brother,' I answered, throwing my voice

near the bed.

 

"'What do you want?' he asked, his teeth chattering.

 

"'You have cheated Paul out of his property.'

 

"'Forgive me!' he cried, terror-stricken.

 

"'Then give him back the property.'

 

"'The whole?' he groaned.

 

"'Yes, the whole.'

 

"'Are--are you really my brother?'

 

"'I will give you this proof. Unless you do as I order you, in three

days you will be with me.'

 

"'What, dead?' he said, shuddering.

 

"'Yes,' I answered in sepulchral a tone as possible.

 

"'Are--are you sure of it?'

 

"'If you doubt it, disobey me.'

 

"'I'll do it, but--don't come again.'

 

"'Be sure you do it then.'

 

"I ceased to speak, being tired, and escaped as soon as I could. But the

battle was not yet over. The next day gave Jonas courage. Afternoon

came and he had done nothing. He was with me in the field when I threw a

hollow voice, which seemed to be close to his ear. I said, 'Obey, or in

three days you die.'

 

"He turned pale as a sheet and asked me if I heard anything. I expressed

surprise and this confirmed him in his belief of the ghostly visitation.

He went to the house, sent for a lawyer and transferred the entire

property to his nephew. The latter made him a present of a thousand

dollars and so the affair ended happily. Paul paid me handsomely for

my share in the trick and the next day I made an excuse for leaving the

farm."

 

"Did the old man ever discover your agency in the affair, Professor

Henderson?"

 

"Never. He is dead now and my friend Paul is happily married, and has

a fine family. His oldest boy is named after me. But here we are in

Holston."

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XXVII. A MYSTIFYING PERFORMANCE

 

 

The people of Holston turned out in large numbers. Among the first to

appear was the old lady whom the professor had taken up on his way over.

 

"You're the boy that was so sassy to me this mornin'," she said, peering

at Harry through her spectacles.

 

"I didn't say a word to you," said Harry.

 

"I'm afraid you're tellin' fibs. I heerd you."

 

"It was the professor. He put the words in my mouth."

 

"Well, come to think on't the voice was different from yours. Then there

wa'n't nobody in the trunk?"

 

"No, ma'am," said Harry, smiling.

 

"It's wonderful, I declare for't. This is my darter, Mrs. Nehemiah

Babcock," continued the old lady. "Nancy, this is the ventriloquer's

boy. I thought he was sassy to me this mornin'; but he says he didn't

speak a word. How much is to pay?" said the old lady.

 

"I won't charge you anything," said Harry. "Professor Henderson told me,

if you came to let you in free, and any of your family."

 

"Really, now, that's very perlite of the professor," said the old lady.

"He's a gentleman if ever there was one. Do you hear, Nancy, we can go

in without payin' a cent. That's all on, account of your marm's being

acquainted with the professor. I'm glad I come."

 

The old lady and her party entered the hall, and being early, secured

good seats. Tom, her grandson, was glad to be so near, as he was

ambitious to assist the professor in case volunteers were called for.

 

"Will any young gentleman come forward and assist me in the next trick?"

asked the professor, after a while.

 

Tom started from his seat. His grandmother tried to seize him by the

coat but he was too quick for her.

 

"Oh, let him go," said his mother. "He won't come to any harm."

 

"Is this your first appearance as a magician?" asked the professor.

 

"Yes, sir," answered Tom, with a grin.

 

"Very good. I will get you to help me, but you mustn't tell anybody how

the tricks are done."

 

"No, sir, I won't."

 

"As I am going trust you with a little money, I want to ask you whether

you are strictly honest."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"I am glad to hear it. Do you see this piece of gold?"

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"What is its value?"

 

"Ten dollars," answered Tom, inspecting it.

 

"Very good. I want you hold it for me. I give you warning that I mean to

make it pass out of you hand."

 

"I don't think you can do it, sir."

 

"Well, perhaps not. You look like a pretty sharp customer. It won't be

easy to fool you."

 

"You bet."

 

"Nancy," whispered the old lady to her daughter. "I hope you don't allow

Tom to talk so."

 

"Look, mother, see want he's going to do."

 

"What I propose to do," said the professor, "is to make that coin pass

into the box on the table. I may not be able to do it, as the young

gentleman is on his guard. However, I will try. Presto, change!"

 

"It didn't go," said Tom. "I've got it here."

 

"Have you? Suppose you open your hand."

 

Tom opened his hand.

 

"Well, what have you got? Is it the gold piece?"

 

"No sir," said Tom, astonished; "it's a cent."

 

"Then, sir, all I can say is, you have treated me badly. In order to

prevent my getting the gold piece into the box, you changed it into a

cent."

 

"No, I didn't," said Tom.

 

"Then perhaps I have succeeded, after all. The fact is, I took out the

gold piece and put a penny in its place, so that you might not know the

difference. Now here is the key of that box. Will you unlock it?"

 

Tom unlocked it, only to find another box inside. In fact, it was a

perfect nest of boxes. In the very last of all was found the gold coin.

 

"It's very strange you didn't feel it go out of your hand," said the

professor.

 

"I am afraid you are not quick enough to make a magician. Can you fire a

pistol?"

 

"Yes, sir," said Tom.

 

"Will any lady lend me a ring?" asked the professor.

 

One was soon found

 

"I will load the pistol," said the professor, "and put the ring in with

the rest of the charge. It appears to be rather too large. I shall have

to hammer it down."

 

He brought down a hammer heavily upon the ring and soon bent it

sufficiently to get it into the pistol.

 

"Now, sir," he said, "take the pistol, and stand off there. All right,

sir. When I give the word, I want you to fire. One, two, three!"

 

Tom fired, his grandmother uttering a half suppressed shriek at the

report. When the smoke cleared away, the professor was holding the ring

between his thumb and finger, quite uninjured.

 

Professor Henderson's attention had been drawn to his companion of the

morning. He observed that she had taken off her bonnet. He went up to

her, and said, politely, "Madam, will you kindly lend me your bonnet?"

 

"Massy sakes, what do you want of it?"

 

"I won't injure it, I assure you."

 

"You may take it, ef you want to," said the old lady; "but be keerful

and don't bend it."

 

"I will be very careful; but, madam," he said, in seeming surprise,

"what have you got in it?"

 

"Nothing, sir."

 

"You are mistaken. See there, and there, and there"; and he rapidly drew

out three onions, four turnips, and a couple of potatoes. "Really, you

must have thought you were going to market."

 

"They ain't mine," gasped the old lady.

 

"Then it's very strange how they got into your bonnet. And--let me

see--here's an egg, too."

 

"I never see sich doin's."

 

"Granny, I guess a hen made her nest in your bonnet," whispered Tom.

 

The old lady shook her head in helpless amazement.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER XXVII. AN UNEXPECTED PAYMENT

 

 

A week later Harry reached a brisk manufacturing place which I will call

Centreville. He assisted the professor during the afternoon to get ready

the hall for his evening performance and, at half past five, took his

seat at the supper table in the village hotel.

 

Just as Harry began to eat, he lifted his eyes, and started in surprise

as he recognized, in his opposite neighbor, Luke Harrison, whose abrupt

departure without paying his debts the reader will remember. Under the

circumstances, it will not be wondered at that our hero's look was not

exactly cordial. As for Luke, he was disagreeably startled at Harry's

sudden appearance. Not knowing his connection with Professor Henderson,

he fancied that our hero was in quest of him and not being skilled in

the law, felt a little apprehension as to what course he might take. It

was best, he concluded to conciliate him.

 

"How are you, Walton?" he said.

 

"I am well," said Harry, coldly.

 

"How do you happen to be in this neighborhood?"

 

"On business," said Harry, briefly.

 

Luke jumped to the conclusion that the business related to him and,

conscious of wrong-doing, felt disturbed.

 

"I'm glad to see you," he said. "It seems pleasant to see an old

acquaintance"--he intended to say "friend."

 

"You left us rather suddenly," said Harry.

 

"Why, yes," said Luke, hesitating. "I had reasons. I'll tell you about

it after supper."

 

As Harry rose from the table, Luke joined him.

 

"Come upstairs to my room, Walton," he said, "and have a cigar."

 

"I'll go upstairs with you; but I don't smoke."

 

"You'd better learn. It's a great comfort."

 

"Do you board here?"

 

"Yes. I found I shouldn't have to pay any more than at a boarding house

and the grub's better. Here's my room. Walk in."

 

He led the way into a small apartment on the top floor.

 

"This is my den," he said. "There isn't but one chair; but I'll sit on

the bed. When did you reach town?"

 

"About noon."

 

"Are you going to stop long?" asked Luke.

 

"I shall stay here till I get through with my errand," answered Harry,

shrewdly; for he saw what Luke thought, and it occurred to him that he

might turn it to advantage.

 

Luke looked a little uneasy.

 

"By the way, Walton," he said, "I believe I owe you a little money."

 

"Yes. I believe so."

 

"I'm sorry I can't pay you the whole of it. It costs considerable to

live, you know; but I'll pay part."

 

"Here are five dollars," he said. "I'll pay you the rest as soon as I

can--in a week or two."

 

Harry took the bank note with secret self-congratulation, for he had

given up the debt as bad, and never expected to realize a cent of it.

 

"I am glad to get it," he said. "I have a use for all my money. Are you

working in this town?"

 

"Yes. The shoe business is carried on here considerably. Are you still

working for Mr. Leavitt?"

 

"No; I've left him."

 

"What are you doing, then?"

 

"I'm traveling with Professor Henderson."

 

"What, the magician?"