CHAPTER XII.
MR. SCHUYLER HAS A BAD TIME.
"I SHALL have to stay here till I am let out," thought Mark.
He didn't worry particularly, as he knew that even if the rings werekept they would not involve his employer in any serious loss.
In about half an hour he heard steps ascending the stairs, then he hearda bolt shoved back, and he was not surprised when the young man, whosename he did not know, entered the room. He noted, not without amusement,that his face betrayed dissatisfaction.
"What does your aunt think of the rings?" asked Mark ingenuously.
"Look here, young fellow!" said Schuyler, sitting down and glaring atthe messenger, "you've played a pretty trick on me!"
"What kind of a trick?" asked Mark, arching his eyebrows.
"Those rings are not diamond rings."
"What are they, then?" asked Mark in assumed surprise.
"Paste--bogus!" answered Schuyler scornfully.
"Are you sure of that, Mr.----?"
"Schuyler."
"Mr. Schuyler."
"Yes. I took them round to a--jeweler, and had him test them."
"It must be a mistake," murmured Mark.
"It is a very strange mistake, then, for a first-class house to make,"rejoined Schuyler in a tone of sarcasm.
"So it is. They must have given me the wrong rings," said Markinnocently.
"My aunt is very much disappointed. She wanted to start this evening forBuffalo."
"I thought she lived in Syracuse."
"She is going to visit her son in Buffalo," explained Schuyler withready wit.
"I am really sorry. If she would go down to the jeweler's with me, or ifyou would, the matter could be set right at once."
Mr. Hamilton Schuyler thought over this suggestion, and on the wholeregarded it favorably.
"I will go down in about an hour," he said. "You can explain matters toMr. Swan. Just think if my aunt had taken the rings and paid full pricefor them, and not found out till she got to Buffalo that they were notgenuine!"
"In that case Mr. Swan would have paid her the money or exchanged therings."
"I hope so."
"Perhaps you had better hand me back the caskets, and I will carry themback to the store."
Mr. Schuyler returned the boxes to Mark, who opened them to see if therings were inside.
"You will go down in an hour then?" he said.
"Yes, or--upon second thought you had better come right back with thegenuine rings. I have an appointment at the Windsor Hotel, but will beback to receive them."
Mark understood why Schuyler did not care to go to the jeweler's. Hecould not get possession of the genuine rings without paying for them,whereas, if Mark should bring them, he could carry out his original planand retain them by stratagem.
Schuyler accompanied Mark to the front door.
"Now hurry down and back," he said. "My aunt is anxious to catch theevening train."
"Very well, Mr. Schuyler."
At this moment Schuyler noted for the first time a familiar look inMark's face.
"Haven't I seen you before?" he asked abruptly.
"Very likely," said Mark with self-possession. "Perhaps you have been inthe store."
"No; my aunt called there, but I did not. You look very much like someboy I saw recently," and Schuyler wrinkled up his forehead in the vainendeavor to place Mark.
"I hope I remind you of a good-looking boy," he said, laughing.
"I see it now. You look like a telegraph boy I recently met in a FifthAvenue stage."
"I should like to see him, but I shouldn't think you'd remember a commontelegraph boy."
"He was impertinent to me, that is why I remember him," frownedSchuyler. "I hope to meet him alone some time. I will give him a lessonhe won't be likely to forget."
"Then I'm glad I'm not the boy you mean. Good day!"
"Good day. Hurry back as fast as you can."
When Mark re-entered the jewelry store Mr. Swan advanced to meet him.
"Well," he said, "how did you make out?"
"I've got the rings with me."
"Did you see Mrs. Montgomery?"
"No, but I saw a young man who claimed to be her nephew."
"What did he say about the rings?"
"He left me alone in a back room on the second floor. When I went to thedoor I found that it was locked. But I didn't trouble myself. Iconcluded that he had gone out to pawn or sell the rings. He returned inhalf an hour quite angry, and told me he had ascertained that thediamonds were not genuine."
"Why did you think he went out to pawn or sell them?"
"Because I recognized him."
"You recognized him?"
"Yes, as the young man in the Fifth Avenue stage who robbed an old ladyof her wallet."
"The day that we first met?"
"Yes, sir."
The jeweler looked surprised.
"Didn't he recognize you?"
"He asked if we hadn't met before. He said there was something familiarin my face. Finally, he said I reminded him of an impudent telegraph boyhe had fallen in with. He wants to meet that telegraph boy alone," addedMark with a smile.
"He has had his wish."
"Yes, but luckily for me he didn't recognize me."
"How did you explain about the rings being false?"
"I said you had probably made a mistake."
"I see you are quick-witted. Well, was that satisfactory?"
"He expects me to bring back the genuine rings this afternoon, as hisaunt wants to leave the city this evening."
"I think he will have to wait. Perhaps it may be as well to notify himthat she needn't put off her journey on that account. I don't want tospare you to go there again, however."
"There's a boy I know out on the street," suggested Mark. "He would beglad to go."
"Who is it?"
"Tom Trotter, a friend of mine. He's a good boy, though he's only abootblack."
"Is he reliable?"
"Yes, sir; I will answer for him."
"Very well. Call him in."
Mark went to the door and called "Tom! Tom Trotter!"
Tom looked around and recognized Mark.
"You ain't left de telegraph, have you, Mark?" he said.
"No, but I'm working here for a day or two. Would you like to go up townon an errand?"
"Yes," answered Tom with alacrity. "Will I be paid?"
"Of course. Can't you leave your blacking box somewhere and get yourface and hands washed?"
"Yes, Mark; there's a small s'loon near by, where I hang out sometimes.Just wait for me and I'll be back in a jiffy."
Tom reappeared in a very short time with his appearance greatly improvedby the application of cold water and soap.
"Mr. Swan," said Mark, smiling, "this is Mr. Thomas Trotter, the younggentleman I spoke to you about."
"Oh, stow that, Mark!" expostulated Tom; "I ain't Mr. Trotter. I'm Tom."
"Mr. Trotter," said the jeweler, smiling, for he had a sense of humor,"I have a letter here which I wish you to take to the address named."
"And to walk, sir."
"No; I will give you ten cents for car fare, and when you return andmake your report you shall be paid for doing the errand."
"All right, governor."
Tom started up town, and in due time reached the house on Forty-SeventhStreet.
He rang the bell, and the door was opened by the hall boy alreadyreferred to.
"Is Mr. Schuyler at home?" asked Tom. "I've got a letter for him."
Mr. Schuyler, who was anxiously awaiting Mark's return, came out of aroom to the left of the hall. When he saw Tom he looked disappointed.
"I was expecting a boy from Mr. Swan's jewelry store."
"That's where I come from."
"Did you bring the rings?" asked Schuyler eagerly.
"I don't know nothin' about no rings," answered Tom. "I've brought you aletter."
"Give it to me quick."
He o
pened the letter, and this is what he read with contracted brow.
* * * * *
"MR. HAMILTON SCHUYLER:
"When I called here this morning I recognized you as the young man whostole an old lady's pocketbook in a Fifth Avenue stage not long since.Of course I knew that this was another scheme of yours to get hold ofmoney that did not belong to you. If you had been all right I wouldmyself have brought back the real diamond rings which your aunt wishedto buy. Tell her not to put off her journey to Buffalo, as Mr. Swan hasmade up his mind not to send them."
"Yours as ever,
"A. D. T. 79."
* * * * *
"Then it was the telegraph boy, after all!" ejaculated Schuyler in arage. "I only wish I had known it. Are you a friend of--the telegraphboy?"
"Am I a friend of Mark Mason? I should smile."
"Step in a minute, then!" said Schuyler, with an assumed friendliness.
As the unsuspecting Tom stepped inside the hall, the young man began toshower blows on his shoulders with a cane that he snatched from the hatrack.
Tom was for a minute dazed. Then his wits returned to him. He loweredhis head and butted Schuyler in the stomach with such force that thelatter fell over backwards with an ejaculation of pain.
Then Tom darted through the open door, but paused on the steps to say,"With the compliments of Tom Trotter."
Schuyler picked himself up, uttering execrations, and looked for theboy, but he was gone!
"Schuyler fell over backwards with a cry of pain."--Page98.
_Mark Mason's Victory._]