CHAPTER XXII. THE COMING OF THE MAGICIAN
The week passed and Luke carefully avoided our hero going so far as tocross the street so as not to meet him. On Saturday evening, accordingto his arrangement, Luke was to have paid the surplus of his wages,after meeting his board bill, to Mr. Merrill, for Harry.
But he did not go near him. On Monday, the tailor meeting him, inquiredwhy he had not kept his agreement.
"The fact is," said Luke, "I have been unlucky."
"How unlucky?"
"I had my wages loose in my pocket, and managed to lose them somehow."
"That is very singular," said the tailor, suspiciously.
"Why is it singular?" asked Luke. "Didn't Harry Walton lose his money?"
"You seem to have lost yours at a very convenient time."
"It's hard on me," said Luke. "Owing so much, I want to pay as quick asI can, so as to have my wages to myself. Don't you see that?"
"Where do you think you lost the money?"
"I'm sure I don't know," said Luke.
"Well," said Merrill, dryly, "I hope you will take better care of yourwages next Saturday evening."
"I mean to. I can't afford to lose anymore."
"I don't believe, a word of what he says about losing his money," saidthe tailor, privately, to Harry. "I think it's only a trick to get ridof paying you."
"Don't you think he'll pay me?" asked Harry.
"He won't if he can help it," was the answer. "He's a slippery customer.I believe his money is in his pocket at this moment."
Mr. Merrill was not quite right; but it was only as to the whereaboutsof the money. It was in Luke's trunk. He intended to run away, leavingall his creditors in the lurch. This was the "new way to pay old debts,"which occurred to Luke as much the easiest.
The next Saturday evening, Mr. Merrill waited in vain for a call fromhis debtor.
"What excuse will he have now?" he thought.
On Monday morning he learned that Luke had left town without acquaintinganyone with his destination. It transpired, also, that he was owing athis boarding house for two weeks' board. He was thus enabled to departwith nearly thirty dollars, for parts unknown.
"He's a hard case," said Mr. Merrill to Harry. "I am afraid he means toowe us for a long time to come."
"Where do you think he is gone?" asked Harry.
"I have no idea. He has evidently been saving up money to help him outof town. Sometime we may get upon his track, and compel him to pay up."
"That won't do me much good," said Harry, despondently. And then he toldthe tailor why he wanted the money. "Now," he concluded, "I shan't beable to have the money ready in time."
"You'll have most of it ready, won't you?"
"I think I will."
"I would lend you the money myself," said the tailor, "but I've got aheavy payment to meet and some of my customers are slow pay, though Ihave not many as bad as Luke Harrison."
"Thank you, Mr. Merrill," said Harry. "I am as much obliged to you as ifyou could lend the money."
But it is said that misfortunes never come singly. The very next day Mr.Leavitt received a message from the wholesale dealer to whom he sold hisshoes, that the market was glutted and sales slow.
"I shall not want any more goods for a month or two," the letterconcluded. "I will let you know, when I more."
Mr. Leavitt read this letter aloud in the shop.
"So it seems we are to have a vacation," he said. "That's the worst ofthe shoe trade. It isn't steady. When it's good everybody rushes intoit, and the market soon gets overstocked. Then there's no work forweeks."
This was a catastrophe for which Harry was no prepared. He heard theannouncement with a grave face, for to him it was a serious calamity.Twenty-three dollars were all that he had saved from the money lost andthis would be increased by a dollar or two only, when he had settled upwith Mr. Leavitt. If he stayed here did not obtain work, he must pay hisboard, and that would soon swallow up his money. Could he get work inany other shop? That was an important question.
"Do you think I can get into any other shop in town?" he inquiredanxiously of Mr. Leavitt.
"You can try, Harry; but I guess you'll find others no better off thanI."
This was not very encouraging, but Harry determined not to give upwithout an effort. He devoted the next day to going around among theshoe shops; but everywhere he met with unfavorable answers. Some hadready suspended. Others were about to do so.
"It seems as if all my money must go," thought Harry, lookingdespondently at his little hoard. "First the ten dollars Luke Harrisonstole. Then work stopped. I don't know but it would be better for me togo home."
But the more Harry thought of this, the less he liked it. It would be aninglorious ending to his campaign. Probably now he would not be able tocarry out his plan of paying for the cow; but if his father shouldlose it, he might be able, if he found work, to buy him another SquireGreen's cow was not the only cow in the world and all would not be lostif he could not buy her.
"I won't give up yet," said Harry, pluckily. "I must expect to meet withsome bad luck. I suppose everybody does. Something'll turn up for me ifI try to make it."
This was good philosophy. Waiting passively for something to turn up isbad policy and likely to lead to disappointment; but waiting actively,ready to seize any chance that may offer, is quite different. The worldis full of chances, and from such chances so seized has been based manya prosperous career.
During his first idle day, Harry's attention was drawn to a handbillwhich had been posted up in the store, the post office, the tavern, andother public places in the village. It was to this effect:
"PROFESSOR HENDERSON,
"The celebrated Magician,
"Will exhibit his wonderful feats of Magic and Sleight of Hand in theTown Hall this evening, commencing at 8 o'clock. In the course of theentertainment he will amuse the audience by his wonderful exhibition ofVentriloquism, in which he is unsurpassed.
"Tickets 25 cents. Children under twelve, 15 cents."
In a country village, where amusements are few, such entertainmentsoccupy a far more important place than in a city, where amusementsabound.
"Are you going to the exhibition, Walton?" asked Frank Heath.
"I don't know," said Harry.
"Better come. It'll be worth seeing."
In spite of his economy, our hero wanted to go.
"The professor's stopping at the tavern. Come over, and we may see him,"said Frank.