CHAPTER XIII
A VISIT TO MR. ANNISTER
Roy turned and looked at the boy who had made the somewhat insultingremark.
"I beg your pardon, stranger," he replied in his western drawl. "Ididn't quite catch your remark."
"Aw, come off!" slangily replied the brass-buttoned boy, one of many inthe hotel employed to show guests to their rooms whenever summoned by abell rung by the clerk. "What are you, anyhow? Selling patentmedicine or some Indian cure?" For Roy plainly showed the effect ofhis western life, his hair being a little longer than it is worn in theeast, his clothes rather too large for him, and his broad-brimmed hatquite conspicuous.
"So you think I'm rustling medicine, eh?" he asked the boy.
"I don't know what you're 'rustling' but I know if you try to sellanything in this joint, you'll get the poke, see!"
Roy began to think the language of the East was almost as effective asthat of the West in expressing ideas.
"I'm not selling medicine, stranger," Roy went on, using the term hehad picked up among the cowboys when they meet one whom they do notknow. "I'm going to put up at this bunk-house, I reckon."
"That's a good one!" exclaimed the boy with a laugh. "What Wild Westshow are you from? This is no theatrical boarding house. Better beatit out of here before the clerk sees you."
But the talk between the two boys had been overheard by the clerk, who,in a hotel, holds authority next to the owner.
"What's the trouble there, Number twenty-six?" he asked, addressing thebell boy.
"Aw, here's a guy what t'inks he's goin' to stay here an' sell patentmedicines," replied the boy.
"What's that? Of course we don't allow any peddling schemes in thehotel. Send him out."
"I did, but he won't go."
"Your boy is mistaken, stranger," replied Roy, walking up to the desk,and looking around for Mortimer De Royster, who, it seemed, had beendelayed in speaking to a friend. Several men in the hotel lobby drewnear and listened with interest to what was going on. "I came here toput up at this hotel," went on Roy. "I was sent here by a friend ofmine."
"We don't take theatrical people," said the clerk, stiffly.
"I'm not from a theatre. I tell you my friend sent me here. He'll behere himself in a minute."
The clerk did not look very much impressed, and Roy feared he was goingto order him out of the hotel. The boy did not want to be thuspublicly put to shame.
"Who's your friend?" asked the clerk.
"Mr. Mortimer De Royster."
"Oh, that's all right!" exclaimed the clerk with a great change ofmanner. "Any friend of Mr. De Royster is welcome. Boy, take thegentleman's grip. What sort of a room would you like?"
The bell boy, who had thought to put Roy out of the place, was obligedmuch against his will to take his valise.
"That's all right," said Roy good-naturedly to the boy. "I can carrymy baggage. It isn't heavy. I don't know that I'm going to stop hereafter all. I think--"
Just then De Royster came pushing his way through the little crowdabout the desk.
"Hello, Charlie!" he exclaimed, addressing the clerk. "How are you,old chap? Looking fine, upon my word!"
"Good afternoon, Mr. De Royster," replied the clerk cordially,extending his hand. "Glad to see you. So you're back from your trip?"
"Yes, but I came pretty near not coming. Might not be alive if itwasn't for my friend, Mr. Bradner, here. By the way, I want you togive him the best in the house. He's a great friend of mine. Treathim well."
"Of course we shall. We were just going to give him a goodroom--er--ahem, Mr. Bradner, will you please register?" and he swungthe book around on the desk, dipping a pen in an ink bottle at the sametime.
Roy hesitated, and smiled just a little. He was contrasting thetreatment he might have received if Mr. De Royster had not been there.
"What's the matter?" asked the jewelry salesman, seeing that somethingunusual had taken place.
"Oh, nothing much," replied Roy. "They took me for a member of a WildWest show, I guess, and they were a little doubtful whether they'd letme bunk here or not."
"Ahem! All a mistake! It was the bell boy's fault," said the clerk,somewhat embarrassed.
"Here, Number twenty-six, take the gentleman's grip. Any friend ofyours, Mr. De Royster, is doubly welcome here. We can give you a fineroom, Mr. Bradner."
"All right," replied Roy, good naturedly. "I'll take one."
"I'll select it for you," put in Mr. De Royster, as he was in somedoubt as to Roy's finances, and he did not want to take too extravagantan apartment.
Roy was soon shown to a pleasant room, Mortimer accompanying him.Every one connected with the hotel seemed anxious to aid the boy fromthe ranch, now that it was shown he had wealthy friends. Roy thoughtDe Royster must be a person of some influence. He was partly right,though the influence came more from the rich and respected relatives ofthe young jewelry salesman, than from himself. However, it answeredthe same purpose.
"I am sorry you were annoyed by that clerk, my dear chap," said DeRoyster, when he was seated in the room he had selected for Roy. "Iwas unavoidably detained, speaking to a friend I met, don't you know."
"It's all right," replied Roy. "It all adds to my experience, and Iexpect to get a lot of it while I'm in the East."
"What are your next plans?"
"Well, I hardly know. I have certain business to do for my father, butI hardly know how to set about it."
"Perhaps I can tell you."
"I wish you could."
"If it is a secret don't tell me," said De Royster, noting that Royhesitated.
"It is a sort of a secret mission. I'm here to round up a man, and seewhat sort of branding marks he has on him--that is, whether he's honestor not."
"That is a queer mission for a boy like you to be sent on."
"Perhaps, but my father had no one else. I will tell you as much as Ican, and see what you have to say."
Thereupon Roy told his friend about the real estate matter, and Mr.Annister's connection with it, though he mentioned no names.
"Let me consider it a bit," said the dude, when Roy had finished. Thelatter began to think his friend was more capable than had at firstappeared, and, in spite of his rather affected talk, could be reliedupon for good advice.
"Here is what I would do, in your place," said De Royster, at length."I would get my hair cut, order a new suit of clothes or perhaps twoand appear as much as possible like a New Yorker, don't you know. Yousay you don't want that man to know you are here from the ranch. Well,he certainly would if you appeared before him as you are now. But, ifyou--er--well, we'll say 'spruce up' a bit, you can be sure he'll neverconnect you with the West. Then you can make whatever inquiries youlike."
"That's good advice. I'll follow it. I'm much obliged to you."
"Don't mention it, my dear chap. Now, old man"--(Roy thought it wasstrange to be addressed as "old man")--"I've got to go. I'll leave youmy card, and address, and, if you get into trouble, why, telephone orcall on me. Now, good luck."
He shook hands with Roy and left. The boy from the ranch was a littlelonesome after De Royster had gone, but he knew he would from now on,very probably have to rely on himself, and he decided to start in atonce.
After supper he went to the hotel barber shop, and had his hair cut tothe length it was worn by New Yorkers. He wanted to go out and get anew suit, but he knew the clothing stores would not be open at night.
His trunk arrived the next morning, and, having arranged his things inhis room, the boy from the ranch set out to buy some new garments,following De Royster's advice.
"Well, I certainly don't look like a cowboy now," thought Roy, as hesurveyed himself in the glass, after the change. "Now to call on Mr.Annister. I don't believe he'll suspect me of being on his trail."
A little later Roy was on his way down-town, having inquired from theclerk how to get to the office of the real estate agent. He was soonat
the place, a big office building, in which several firms had theirquarters.
He got in the express elevator, which went up at a speed that took awayhis breath, and was let out at the twentieth floor, where the realestate agent had his rooms.
"Is Mr. Annister in?" Roy asked the office boy.
"I don't know. What's your business?"
"My business is with Mr. Annister."
"What's your name?"
"That doesn't matter. Tell Mr. Annister I called to see him regardingthe renting of some property on Bleecker street," for that was wherethe building was located in which Roy and his father were interested.
"All right. I'll tell him, but I don't believe he'll see you," repliedthe office boy, not very good-naturedly, as he went into an inner room.In a little while he returned and said:
"Walk in. He'll see you a few minutes, but he's very busy."
A few seconds later Roy stood in the presence of Caleb Annister.