CHAPTER V.
THE CONTEST BETWEEN HERBERT AND FELIX.
Presently the inner doors of the banking house were thrown open, and agentleman of perhaps a little more than middle age stepped lightly intothe corridor, where the boys awaited his arrival. He had a kindly face,and a sharp but pleasant blue eye.
All seemed to know intuitively that he was Richard Goldwin, the banker,and consequently each one made a dashing, but somewhat comical effort toappear to good advantage.
"Good morning, boys," said the banker, pleasantly, "I am glad to seeso many of you here, and I wish I was able to give each one of you aposition. I see, however, that many of you are too young for my purpose;therefore it would be useless to waste your time and mine by furtherexamination."
In a little time the contest had narrowed down to but two, and they wereHerbert Randolph, and the boy who had so ineffectually attempted todrive him away.
"What is your name?" asked the banker of the city lad.
"My name is Felix Mortimer."
"Felix Mortimer?"
"Yes, sir."
"Mortimer, Mortimer," repeated Mr. Goldwin. "The name sounds familiar,but I can't place it. Do you live in New York?"
"Yes, sir."
"In what part of the city?"
"In Eleventh Street, sir--on the East Side."
"Well, you appear like a bright boy. Are you ambitious to work your wayup in a solid, reliable business?"
"Yes, sir, I am; and banking is just what I would like."
"And you are willing to work hard?"
"Yes, sir, I think I could satisfy you that I am."
"What is your age?"
"I am seventeen years old."
"Have you ever worked in any business house?"
"Yes, I have had two years' experience in business."
"You commenced rather young--so young that I am afraid your educationwas neglected."
"Well, I was a good scholar in school; here is a recommendation from myteacher."
Richard Goldwin read the letter, which purported to be signed by theprincipal of a well known school.
"This speaks well of you," said the banker.
Felix looked pleased, and cast a triumphant glance at Herbert, who satat a little distance off, anxiously awaiting his turn to be examined. Hewas afraid the banker might settle upon young Mortimer without eveninvestigating his own fitness for the position.
"For what firm did you work?" asked Richard Goldwin.
"For Wormley & Jollup," replied Felix, firmly.
"The large trunk manufacturers up Broadway?"
"Yes, sir."
"Why didn't you remain with them?"
This question would have confused some boys, had they been in the placeof Felix; but it did not affect him in the slightest degree, though thekeen and practiced eye of the banker watched him closely.
"Why, don't you remember that Wormley & Jollup had a big strike in theirfactory?"
"Yes, the papers printed a great deal about it."
"Well, you see, they couldn't get any trunks made; so business got dullin the store."
"They wouldn't give in to the strikers, I believe?"
"No; and the result was they had to let a lot of us go."
"It was an unfortunate affair. But I suppose you got a recommendationfrom Wormley & Jollup?"
"Yes, sir," said Felix, with all the assurance of one who was tellingthe truth; "there it is--signed by Mr. Jollup himself."
The letter was highly complimentary to Felix Mortimer.
"No one could ask for a better recommendation than this," said thebanker, looking as if he thought he had found a prize in the boy beforehim.
Had he suspected that this very recommendation was forged, he would havebeen angry. Now, however, he felt quite the reverse; and decided to giveHerbert a hearing more as a matter of courtesy than otherwise, for hehad practically settled upon young Mortimer for the position in hisbanking house.
Felix saw this and could hardly restrain his happiness, as he sawpictured on the young Vermonter's face unmistakable discomfiture.
"Well, you may be seated," said Mr. Goldwin; "I wish to see what thisyoung man has to say for himself before engaging any one."
"So you came from Vermont, right from the farm?" said the banker toHerbert, after a few minutes' conversation.
"Yes, sir," returned young Randolph.
"And I suppose you expect to make your fortune in this city?"
"I have not got so far along as that yet, sir. I hope, however, that Ishall do well here."
"You look like a plucky lad, and those red cheeks of yours are worth afortune. I remember well when mine were as full of rich young blood asyours are now. I was a country lad myself."
"Then your career shows that a boy from the country may make a success."
"Yes, that is very true. Many of our most successful men came from thefarm; but I assure you, my boy, that success is not an easy thing topick up in a big city. The chances are a hundred to one against any boywho comes here from the country. If, however, he does not succumb totemptation, and has sufficient pluck and perseverance, he can do well inthis city."
"I am quite ready to take that hundredth chance," said Herbert, in a waythat pleased the banker.
"Well, I admire your courage, young man, but now to return to business.Suppose I were to give you a situation, how could you live on threedollars a week? You say you have no means, and must earn your ownliving. I cannot pay a larger salary at first."
"I am sure I can manage that all right, sir; one can do what he mustdo."
"That is true; your ideas are sound there, surely. What is your age?"
"I am nearly seventeen, sir."
"You are so strongly built, perhaps you could get a place where moremoney could be paid for your services; some place where heavy work is tobe done."
"I am not afraid of hard work, for I have always been accustomed to it;but I would much rather have a chance where there are good prospectsahead."
"Again you are right," said the banker, now becoming interested in theyoung Vermonter. "What is your education?"
"I passed through our district school, and went for several terms to theGreen Mountain Academy. I have taught three terms of school."
"Three terms! You certainly must have commenced young."
"Yes; I was not very old. I got my first school when I was fifteen."
"Do you write a good hand? Please come to this desk, and show me whatyou can do."
Herbert complied readily with the request, and was most happy to do so,for he had spent many hours in practicing penmanship, and now wrote abeautiful hand.
Richard Goldwin was surprised when he took up the sheet of paper and ranhis eye over the well formed letters.
"Mr. Mortimer, will you please show me what you can do with the pen?"said the banker.
Felix rose to his feet, and the color rose to his face. He wasn't verypowerful with the pen, and he knew it; but another matter disconcertedhim. He feared, and well he might, that his writing would resemble,only too closely, that in the recommendation which he had shown to Mr.Goldwin. But he was equal to the emergency, and, to make the disguiseperfect, he gave to his writing the left hand or backhand stroke. Thiswas done at the expense of his penmanship, which, however, would nothave been considered absolutely bad, had it not been compared with thegracefully and perfectly cut letters of Herbert Randolph.
The banker looked at both critically for a moment, and then, after apause, said:
"Mr. Mortimer, I would like to speak with you alone."
The latter followed him to the outer office.
"Your manner pleases me, young man," said Mr. Goldwin, pleasantly, "andwith one exception I see but little choice between you two boys, butthat little is in your competitor's favor."
The color left Felix Mortimer's face.
"I refer," continued the banker, "to his penmanship, which you mustacknowledge is far superior to your own; and a good handwritingadds much to one's value i
n an office of this sort. I see you aredisappointed, and I knew you would be. Do not, however, feeldiscouraged, as it is possible I may do something for you yet. If Mr.Randolph should prove unsatisfactory in any respect, he will not beretained permanently. You may, therefore, if you choose, run in hereagain in a day or two."
Young Mortimer was greatly disappointed and even deeply chagrined, forhe had supposed himself more than capable of holding his own againstthis unsophisticated country lad. Had he not attempted to bully himwhile waiting for the banker and failed, thus arousing a spirit ofrivalry and hostility between young Randolph and himself, he would ofcourse have felt differently, but now an intense hatred was kindledwithin him, and with burning passion he determined upon revenge.
Felix Mortimer went direct from Richard Goldwin's banking house tothe Bowery, and from there he soon found his way to a side street,which contained many old buildings of unattractive appearance. Theneighborhood was a disreputable one. Squalor was on every hand, andmany individuals of unsavory reputations made this locality theirheadquarters. One of these was Christopher Gunwagner, a repulsivespecimen of humanity, who had been in business here for several yearsas a "fence," or receiver of stolen goods.
To this fence Felix directed his steps.
"Good morning, Mr. Gunwagner," said young Mortimer, briskly.
The former eyed him sharply for a moment.
"What do you want now?" growled the fence by way of reply. "Why don'tyou bring me something, as you ought to?"
Felix cut him short, and at once proceeded to business.
"I came," said he, "to get you to help me and thereby help yourself.I've got a chance to get into a bank----"
"Into a bank?" interrupted Gunwagner, now interested.
"Yes."
"Where?"
"On Wall Street, in Richard Goldwin's banking house."
"If you don't take it, you're a fool. Goldwin's, hey?" he went on; "wecan make it pay us; yes, yes, we are in luck." And he rubbed his thinhands together greedily.
"I expect to take it as soon as I can get it," said Felix; and then hedescribed the competitive examination between himself and the youngVermonter.
"So you want to get him out of the way, eh?"
"You have struck it right this time. That's just what I want, andpropose to do."
"And you expect me to help you?"
"Certainly I do. To whom else should I go?"
"What do you want me to do?"
"I haven't quite got the plan yet, and want your advice. You see if Ican get him out of the way for a few days, so he won't show up, why oldGoldwin will take me in his place. If I can once get in there, andremain till I get the run of things, we can have it our own way."
GUNWAGNER AND FELIX AGREE UPON A PLAN.]
Gunwagner's face grew more and more avaricious. The plan looked well tohim, and he felt it would be a great thing to have Mortimer in a richbanking house. The possibilities of bold pilferings from the heaps ofgold were most tempting to him, and he was now quite ready to commithimself to any feasible scheme to carry out Mortimer's evil design. Theold fence was an unscrupulous man, and he was ready to go to almost anylength in crime to avail himself of an opportunity so tempting to hisgreed of gain.
The two confederates discussed the matter for some time, and at lengththey agreed upon a plan of action, which boded ill for our hero.