CHAPTER IX.
KATY TALKS WITH THE MAYOR, AND RECOVERS THE WATCH.
Katy followed the servant man, whose name was John, up-stairs; but atthe first turn he stopped, and begged her not to mention that he hadshut the door upon her.
"I don't know," said Katy. "I gave you no reason to treat me in thatugly manner."
"You didn't, but, you see, I thought you was some beggar, coming todisturb his honor."
"Do I look like a beggar?" asked Katy.
"Indeed you don't; that was a bad blunder of mine. If you mention it, Ishall lose my place."
"Well, I won't say a word then; but I hope you will learn bettermanners next time."
"Thank you, miss; and be sure I'll treat you like a lady next time."
John then conducted her up-stairs into a room the walls of which werealmost covered with books. Katy thought what a wise man the mayor mustbe, for she had never seen so many books before in her life, and tookit for granted the mayor had read them all. As she entered theapartment she saw a fat gentleman sitting at the desk, very busyexamining a great pile of papers. When he turned his head, Katy was notmuch surprised to see that it was the nice gentleman who had given herhalf a dollar for fourteen cents' worth of candy.
"Ah, my dear, is it you!" exclaimed the mayor, as he recognized thelittle candy merchant.
"Yes, sir; if you please, it is me," stammered Katy, making herobeisance, and feeling very mush confused, for it was the first timeshe had ever come into the presence of a great man, and she could notexactly tell whether she ought to get down on her knees, as she hadread that people did when they approached a king, or to remain standing.
"Well my dear, what is your name?" continued the mayor.
"Katy Redburn, if you please, sir," replied Katy with another courtesy.
"I am glad you have come to me with this business, Katy. Mrs. Gordonspeaks very handsomely of you."
"She is very kind, sir."
"You have lost your watch--have you, Katy?"
"My father's watch, if you please, sir," and having gained a littleconfidence from the kind tones of the mayor, she proceeded to tell himthe whole story of her adventure in the pawnbroker's shop.
The mayor listened attentively to the artless recital, and promised todo all in his power to regain the watch.
"Were you alone, Katy, when you went to the pawnbroker's?"
"No, sir; there was one of your friends with me," replied she with asimple smile.
"One of my friends?"
"Yes, sir; and he promised to see you about it."
"I am afraid you have been imposed upon, Katy."
"No, sir; he has often spoken to me about his friend the mayor."
"But who was he?"
"Master Simon Sneed."
"Sneed? Sneed?" mused the mayor.
"Yes, sir; Master Simon Sneed."
"Master? What is he? A schoolmaster?"
"O, no, sir. Everybody calls him master. He keeps store."
"Sneed? I never heard the name before. Where is his store?"
"In Washington Street. It says Sands & Co. on the sign."
"O, you mean the boy that makes the fires, sweeps out, and does theerrands. I remember him now," said the mayor, laughing heartily at poorKaty's account of Simon. "I never heard his name before; but he is theoldest boy of his age I ever saw."
"He was very kind to me."
"No doubt he is a very good boy; but I supposed from your account ofhim that he was a member of the firm."
"Master Simon says the firm would not be able to get along withouthim," replied Katy, who began to have some doubts whether Simon was sogreat a man as he had represented himself to be.
"Master Simon is very kind to stay with them then, and I hope theMessrs. Sands will properly appreciate his merit. Now, Katy," continuedthe mayor, who had been writing while he questioned his visitor, "youmay take this note to the City Hall and deliver it to the city marshal,he will do all he can to recover your lost treasure."
"Thank you, sir," replied Katy, as she took the note.
"Now, good-by, Katy, and I hope you will always be as good as yourcandy is."
"I will try; good-by, sir;" and she left the library and passeddown-stairs.
John let her out very civilly and seemed very grateful to her that shehad not exposed his rudeness. She hastened to the City Hall, surealmost of recovering the watch, and gladdening her mother with thesight of it on her return home.
Simon Sneed, after parting with Katy, had felt a little uneasy inrelation to the watch. He was jealous of his own good credit, for heforesaw that Katy could not very well avoid telling the mayor that hehad been with her at the time of the unfortunate transaction. Besides,he did not exactly like the idea of Katy's going to the mayor at all.Katy Redburn going to see the mayor! By and by everybody would know hishonor, and there would be no glory in being acquainted with him!
His conscience seemed to reprove him because he had done nothingtowards the recovery of the watch. What would his friend the mayor sayif Katy should happen to tell him of his neglect?
"Here I am," said Master Simon to himself, as he entered the store, "aperson of influence, enjoying the friendship of the chief magistrate ofthe city and have not exerted my influence, or used my powerful friend,to redress the injury which this poor girl has received. I will correctmy error at once, for if the mayor should happen to invite me to dinnersome time, very likely he would reproach me for my neglect."
Having thus resolved to preserve his credit with the chief magistrateof the city, there was fortunately a lull in the waves of the Messrs.Sand & Co.'s affairs which enabled him to be absented for half an hourwithout serious injury to their business. He hastened to thepawnbroker's at which the robbery had been committed.
"I presume you know me, sir?" said Simon.
"I haven't that honor," replied the broker.
"Perhaps you may be able to recall the circumstance of a little girlpresenting herself here with a silver watch."
"Well, I do."
"I was with her."
"Then I suppose you helped her steal it."
"Such an insinuation, sir, is unworthy a gentleman, I have come, sir,with a benevolent purpose, as I came before. In half an hour thehistory of that transaction will be conveyed to the mayor who, allow meto inform you, is my friend."
"Your friend!" sneered the broker who was not particularly impressed bythe magnificent manners and the magnificent speech of Master Simon.
"The little girl has just gone with a note from Mrs. Gordon of TempleStreet to seek redress of the mayor. I doubt not you will be prosecutedat once. You have an opportunity to save yourself."
"What do you mean by that, you young puppy?" said the broker, angrily."Do you mean to say I stole the watch?"
"By no means; only that you took what did not belong to you," repliedMaster Simon, blandly.
"Get out of my shop!"
"Understand me, sir; I come as your friend."
"You are a fool, I believe."
"You have an undoubted right to your opinion, as I have to mine; but ifyou do not restore the watch within half an hour, you will be arrestedfor stealing--I beg your pardon, for taking what did not belong to you."
There was something in the earnest manner of Simon which arrested theattention of the broker, in spite of the former's high-flown speech. Hewas satisfied that something had been done, and he was disposed toavoid any unpleasant consequences.
"I spoke to a policeman about the watch," said the man. "I told him Ihad it, and if he found that such a watch had been stolen, it could befound at my shop."
"And if he did not find that watch had been stolen, you meant to keepit yourself," answered Master Simon, whose earnestness made him forgetfor a moment to use his high-flown words.
"Keep a civil tongue in your head," growled the broker. "I notified thepolice that I had it; that's enough."
"Perhaps it is I will ask my friend the mayor about it;" and Simonmoved towards the door.
r /> "Stop a moment."
"Can't stop now."
"Here! I will go up to the city marshal with you. May be I made amistake in keeping the watch; but if I did, it was only to prevent itfrom falling into the hands of some one less scrupulous than myself."
"Do I look like a thief?" asked Master Simon, indignantly.
"It don't do to judge by appearances," replied the broker, locking hisshop door, and walking towards the City Hall with Simon. "There aresome very respectable thieves about."
Master Simon Sneed was satisfied with this explanation. He did not careto quarrel with any one who acknowledged his respectability. In a fewmoments they reached the City Hall, and ascended the stone steps to thevestibule. As they did so, Katy entered from the opposite door.
"How glad I am to find you, Master Simon!" exclaimed she. "Can you tellme where the city marshal's office is?"
"Here it is, Katy," replied Simon, pointing to the door. "But what areyou going to do?"
"I have got a note for the city marshal. The mayor gave it to me."
"You hear that, sir," said Master Simon to the broker, with becomingdignity. "This, Katy, is the man that has your silver watch; and he hasconsented to deliver it to the rightful owner."
"Let me see the note," said the broker.
"No, I won't," replied Katy, pretty sharply. "You are a naughty man,and I won't trust you with it."
"But I will give you, the watch."
"Give it to me, and then I will show you the note," replied Katy, whowas thinking more of getting the precious relic than of having thebroker punished.
The broker took the watch from his pocket and handed it to her, and inreturn she produced the mayor's note.
"I suppose there is no need of your delivering this note now?"continued the broker, with a cunning smile.
"No; I don't care anything about it, now that I have got the watch,"replied Katy, rejoiced beyond measure to recover the treasure.
"Well, then, I am somewhat acquainted with the marshal, and I will handhim the note, and explain the circumstances. He will be perfectlysatisfied."
Katy didn't care whether he was satisfied or not, so long as she hadthe watch. But the broker entered the marshal's office, and they couldnot see him put the note in his pocket.
"I am so glad I got it!" exclaimed Katy.
"I doubt whether you could have recovered it if I had not used myinfluence in your favor," remarked Simon, complacently. "I went to hisoffice, and assured him my friend the mayor had already taken thematter in hand. I talked pretty severely to him, and he got frightened.After all, the best way is to use very pointed language to thesefellows."
"I thank you very much, Master Simon, and I hope I shall be able to dosomething for you some time."
But Messrs. Sands & Co.'s affairs were suffering, perhaps, and Simonhastened back to the store, and Katy ran home to cheer her mother withthe sight of the recovered relic.