CHAPTER XIV.
HOW RUFUS SUCCEEDED IN BUSINESS.
Very little has been said of Rufus in his business relations. When heentered Mr. Turner's office, he resolved to spare no pains to makehimself useful, and his services satisfactory to his employer. He knewvery well that he owed his situation entirely to the service which hehad accidentally been able to do Mr. Turner, and that, otherwise, thelatter would never have thought of selecting an office-boy from theclass to which he belonged. But Rufus was resolved that, whatever mighthave been his original motive, he should never regret the selection hehad made. Therefore he exerted himself, more than under ordinarycircumstances he would have done, to do his duty faithfully. He tried tolearn all he could of the business, and therefore listened attentivelyto all that was going on, and in his leisure moments studied up thestock quotations, so that he was able generally to give the latestquotations of prices of the prominent stocks in the market.
Mr. Turner, who was an observant man, watched him quietly, and waspleased with his evident pains to master the details of the business.
"If Rufus keeps on, Mr. Marston," he said to his chief clerk, one day,"he will make an excellent business-man in time."
"He will, indeed," said the clerk. "He is always prompt, and doesn'tneed to be told the same thing twice. Besides, he has picked up a gooddeal of outside information. He corrected me yesterday on a stockquotation."
"He did me a great service at one time, and I mean to push him as fastas he will bear it. I have a great mind to increase his pay to tendollars a week at once. He has a little sister to take care of, and tendollars a week won't go far in these times."
"Plenty of boys can be got for less, of course; but he is one in ahundred. It is better to pay him ten dollars than most boys five."
In accordance with this resolution, when Rufus, who had gone to thebank, returned, Mr. Turner called him. Rufus supposed it was to receivesome new order, and was surprised when, instead, his employerinquired:--
"How is your little sister, Rufus?"
"Very well, thank you, sir."
"Have you a comfortable boarding-place?"
"Yes, sir."
"How much board do you pay?"
"Eight dollars a week for both of us, sir."
"That takes up the whole of your salary,--doesn't it?"
"Yes, sir; but I have invested the money I had in a stationery store onSixth Avenue, and get a third of the profits. With that I buy clothesfor myself and sister, and pay any other expenses we may have."
"I see you are a great financier, Rufus. I was not aware that you had abusiness outside of mine. How long have you been with me?"
"About four months, sir."
"Your services have been quite satisfactory. I took you into the officefor other reasons; but I feel satisfied, by what I have noticed of you,that it will be well worth my while to retain your services."
"Thank you, sir," said Rufus.
He was exceedingly gratified at this testimony, as he had reason to be,for he had already learned that Mr. Turner was an excellentbusiness-man, and bore a high reputation in business circles for probityand capacity.
"I intended, at the end of six months," pursued Mr. Turner, "to raiseyour pay to ten dollars a week if you suited me; but I may as wellanticipate two months. Mr. Marston, you will hereafter pay Rufus tendollars a week."
"Very well, sir."
"I am very much obliged to you, Mr. Turner," said Rufus, gratefully. "Ididn't expect to have my pay raised for a good while, for I knew that Ireceived more already than most office-boys. I have tried to do my duty,and shall continue to do so."
"That is the right way, Rufus," said his employer, kindly. "It will besure to win success. You are working not only for me, but most of allfor yourself. You are laying now the foundation of future prosperity.When an opportunity occurs, I shall promote you from the post oferrand-boy to a clerkship, as I judge from what I have seen that youwill be quite competent to fill such a position."
This intelligence was of course very gratifying to Rufus. He knew thatas yet he was on the lowest round of the ladder, and he had acommendable desire to push his way up. He saw that Mr. Turner was welldisposed to help him, and he resolved that he would deserve promotion.
When he returned home to supper, he carried to Miss Manning and Rose thetidings of his increase of pay, and the encouraging words which had beenspoken by Mr. Turner.
"I am not surprised to hear it, Rufus," said Miss Manning. "I felt sureyou would try to do your duty, and I knew you had the ability tosucceed."
"Thank you for your good opinion of me," said Rufus.
"I can tell you of some one else who has a good opinion of you," saidMiss Manning.
"Who is it?"
"Mrs. Clifton. She said this forenoon, that she considered you one ofthe most agreeable and wittiest young men she was acquainted with."
"I suppose I ought to blush," said Rufus; "but blushing isn't in myline. I hope Mr. Clifton won't hear of it. He might be jealous."
"He doesn't seem much inclined that way," said Miss Manning.
At this moment Mrs. Clifton herself entered.
"Good-evening, Mr. Rushton," she said. "Where do you think I called thisafternoon?"
"I couldn't guess."
"At your store in Sixth Avenue."
"I hope you bought something. I expect my friends to patronize me."
"Yes. I bought a package of envelopes. I told Mr. Black I was a friendof yours, so he let me have it at the wholesale price."
"Then I'm afraid I didn't make anything on that sale. When I want somedry goods may I tell your husband that I am a friend of yours, and askhim to let me have it at the wholesale price?"
"Certainly."
"Then I shall take an early opportunity to buy a spool of cotton."
"Can you sew?"
"I never took in any fine work to do, but if you've got anyhandkerchiefs to hem, I'll do it on reasonable terms."
"How witty you are, Mr. Rushton!"
"I am glad you think so, Mrs. Clifton. I never found anybody else whocould appreciate me."
Several days had passed since the accidental encounter with Martinoutside of the Academy of Music. Rufus began to hope that he had goneout of the city, though he hardly expected it. Such men as Martin preferto live from hand to mouth in a great city, rather than go to thecountry, where they would have less difficulty in earning an honestliving. At any rate he had successfully baffled Martin's attempts tolearn where Rose and he were boarding. But he knew his step-father toowell to believe that he had got rid of him permanently. He had no doubthe would turn up sooner or later, and probably give him additionaltrouble.
He turned up sooner than Rufus expected.
The next morning, when on the way from the bank with a tin boxcontaining money and securities, he suddenly came upon Martin standingin front of the general post office, with a cigar in his mouth. Therespectable appearance which Martin presented in his new clothes filledRufus with wonder, and he could not avoid staring at his step-fatherwith surprise.
"Hillo!" said Martin, his eye lighting up with malicious pleasure. "Soyou didn't know me, eh?"
"No," said Rufus.
"I'm in business now."
"I'm glad to hear it," said Rufus.
"I get a hundred dollars a month."
"I'm glad you are prosperous, Mr. Martin."
"Maybe you'll be more willing to own the relationship now."
"I'm glad for your sake only," said Rufus. "I can take care of Rose wellenough alone. But I must be going."
"All right! I'll go along with you."
"I am in a hurry," said Rufus, uneasily.
"I can walk as fast as you," said Martin, maliciously. "Seein' you're mystep-son, I'd like to know what sort of a place you've got."
The street being free to all, Rufus could not shake off his unwelcomecompanion, nor could he evade him, as it was necessary for him to goback to the office at once. He consoled himself, however, by thereflec
tion that at any rate Martin wouldn't find out his boarding-place,of which he was chiefly afraid, as it might affect the safety of Rose.
"What have you got in that box?" asked Martin.
"I don't care to tell," said Rufus.
"I know well enough. It's money and bonds. You're in a broker's office,aint you?"
"I can't stop to answer questions," said Rufus, coldly. "I'm in ahurry."
"I'll find out in spite of you," said Martin. "You can't dodge me aseasy as last time. I aint so poor as I was. Do you see that?"
As he spoke he drew out a roll of bills (they were counterfeit, butRufus, of course, was not aware of that), and displayed them.
Our hero was certainly astonished at this display of wealth on the partof his step-father, and was puzzled to understand how in the briefinterval since he last saw him he could have become so favored byfortune, but his conjectures were interrupted by his arrival at theoffice.
"TURNER!" repeated Martin to himself, observing the sign. "So this iswhere my dootiful step-son is employed. Well, I'm glad to know it. It'llcome handy some day."
So saying, he lighted a fresh cigar, and sauntered away with the air ofa man of independent means, who had come down to Wall Street to lookafter his investments.