CHAPTER VI.
A MR. HABERSTRO APPEARS.
As Casper Nevins uttered these words he turned into an entry, ran up aflight of stairs, and opened the door of the pool-room. The apartmentwas always crowded at night, and the players were mostly young men whoought by rights to have been somewhere else. One end of the room wasoccupied with pool-tables, and the other was taken up by billiards,which were in full blast. Casper gave out among the players that hewas a broker's clerk, and the story seemed to satisfy the young men,who asked no further questions. There was no chance for him in a poolgame, and consequently he did not look for it. He looked all around,and finally discovered his man Claus, who was sitting near one of thetables, watching the game.
This man was one of the loafers about the pool-rooms. He alwaysdressed very neatly, but he was never known to have any money. He wasa German, and that fitted the name of the man to whom the box wasaddressed.
"I am living on the interest of my debts," said he, when some oneasked what his occupation was. "I never have any money. I don't needit. I can get along without it. You fellows have to work every day,while I do nothing but sit around the pool-room and wait for some oneto challenge me for a game."
"But you must make some money sometime, or else you couldn't play poolas often as you do."
"Oh, as to that, I make a dollar or two when I find the right man whocan play a little, and sometimes I make more. If I could get a chanceto make a hundred thousand dollars I would take it in a minute. Afterthat, I would not be obliged to work."
These remarks were made in the presence of Casper Nevins, whoremembered them. After he had stolen the box, and before Julian hadgot it back again, he thought it best to try him on a new tack.
"Supposing you didn't get a hundred thousand dollars the first timetrying," said he. "Would not fifty thousand do you?"
"Well, I think I could live on that much. Fifty thousand would temptme awfully. I wish I had a chance to try it."
"There is Claus, and I am going to speak to him the first thing I do,"said Casper. "If there is anybody who can play the part of the missingHaberstro, he is the man."
"Ah! Good-evening, Casper," he exclaimed, as the boy approached him."How is the brokerage business to-day? Have you made any money?"
"I don't make any. The boss does all that."
"Well, why don't you pick up some money and go in yourself? You willnever be a man in the world as long as you stay in the background. Doyou want to see me? Here I am, and all ready for business. Is thereany money in this thing you have to propose?"
Claus, following Casper's lead, occupied an arm-chair in a remotecorner of the room, away from everybody, and Casper sat downalongside of him. It was not any work for him to begin theconversation, for Claus "had given himself away" every time thesubject of money was introduced.
"Were you in earnest the other day when you said that if you had achance to steal a hundred thousand dollars you would try it on?" saidCasper. "I want you to deal fairly with me now. I want to know justhow you feel about it."
"My dear boy, I was never more in earnest in my life," said Clausemphatically. "Just give me a chance, and you will see whether or notI meant what I said."
"Well, I have got a chance for you to make something," said Casper.
"You have? Let her rip. I am all attention. But hold on a bit. Let usget a cigar. Have you any money?"
"I have ten cents."
"That is enough. Anything to keep our jaws puffing. I can listen agreat deal better with a cigar than I can without it."
The two arose from their seats and made a trip to the bar. Theylighted their cigars, and Casper paid ten cents for them. It made nodifference to Claus that Casper had paid out some of his hard earningsand wondered where his next morning's breakfast was coming from. Aslong as he got the cigar, it mattered little to him whether Casper hadany more money or not.
"Now I am all ready to listen," said Claus, seating himself in hisarm-chair once more. "Be explicit; go into all the minutiae, so that Imay know what I have to do."
There was no need that Claus should tell Casper this, and for the nextfifteen minutes Claus never said a word, but listened intently. Hetold about Julian's habit of going to the express office on the daythat "old horse" was offered for sale, until finally he bought thesecret of a gold-mine which was hidden away in a box that came nearbeing sold for twenty-five cents. The box was addressed to S. W.Haberstro, and the boys had put four advertisements in the papersasking that man to show himself; and, if he did not show up inreasonable time, the money was to be theirs.
"Here is a copy of the _Democrat_, with a copy of the advertisement init," said Casper. "I knew you would want to know everything, and so Ibrought it along. A hundred thousand dollars! Now, why couldn't I havebid on that box? That little snipe does not get any more money than Ido, and yet he had to go and buy himself rich."
"Then it seems that you are not a broker's clerk after all," saidClaus. "I don't know as I blame you."
"You see I would get discharged if any of the company officers shouldfind me dressed up in citizen's rig," said Casper. "I can go among theboys, now, and have a good time."
"I don't know that I blame you," repeated Claus. "I will keep yoursecret. Well, go on. I begin to understand the matter now."
"I tell you I was mad when I found out that they were going toadvertise for old man Haberstro," said Casper. "I called themeverything but decent boys, and went to work to conjure up some planfor getting the box for my own. I got it, too----"
"You did? Then you are all right."
"Not so near right as you think I am. Julian got some keys that wouldfit my door, and went in and stole it."
"Whew! They are a desperate lot; ain't they?"
"That is just what they did; and, furthermore, Julian gave the boxinto the hands of Mr. Wiggins, our chief telegraph operator. Now, Iwant you to come down there, pass yourself off for Haberstro, andclaim that box. Can you do it?"
Mr. Claus did not answer immediately. He stretched his legs out beforehim and slid down in his chair until his head rested on the back ofit. He was thinking over the details of the plan. Casper did notinterrupt him, but waited to see what he was going to say about it.
"And you are willing to give me half the contents of that box if Iwill get it for you?" said he. "You have given me the hardest part ofthe work. Where do you suppose that man Wiggins keeps the box?"
"In the bank, of course. He's pretty sharp, and you must look out forthat. If we can get that box, I won't go near the mine. I am not goingto handle a pick and shovel when I have fifty thousand dollars to fallback upon. I am not going to work every day when I am afraid thatsomething will come up and scare me to death. I will take half theblock of buildings described there, and you can take the other half.That is fair, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is fair enough, but I am afraid of that man Wiggins. Whatsort of a looking man is he?"
"The worst part about him is his eyes. They are steel-gray, and whenhe turns them on a culprit in the office you would think he was goingto look him through. You will have to be pretty sharp to get aroundhim."
"Well, suppose I go and see Julian first. If I can get around him,that will be so much gained."
This was the beginning of a long conversation between Casper andClaus, and when it was done the latter felt greatly encouraged, andtold himself that he was nearer getting the box for his own than heever was before. Casper told him everything he could think of thatrelated to the matter, and when Claus got up, removed his hat andwiped his face with his handkerchief, Casper said that if he wouldjust act that way in the presence of Mr. Wiggins, he would carry theday.
"You act more like a German than I ever saw you act before," said he."If you will just do that way to-morrow, I will answer for yoursuccess."
"I can act the German all over, if that is what he wants," said Claus,with a laugh. "You haven't got another ten cents, have you? Well, letit go. I will go home and sleep upon it."
"But look here,
" said Casper, earnestly. "If you come to thattelegraph office you must not know me. You never saw me before."
"Of course not. I won't give you away. That money is worth trying for.What is the reason that you and I have not some good friends to leaveus that amount of money?"
"Because we are not honest enough," said Casper, bitterly.
"Honesty has nothing to do with it. We ain't sharp; that is what's thematter with us. Well, good-night. I will go and see Julianto-morrow night, and the next day I may be down to the telegraphoffice. I want to go easy, because I don't want to spoil the thing bybeing too brash."
As it was already late, Casper did not attempt to enter any game thatnight. He went home and tumbled into bed, and for a long time he laythinking over what he had said to Claus. There was another thing thatcame into his mind every once in a while, and that was, where was hisbreakfast to come from?
"I was not going to get any cigars to-night, because ten cents was allI had left," said Casper. "But I could not well refuse Claus. Nomatter. If he succeeds in getting that box, I will have all the cigarsI want."
The next morning Casper went to the office without any breakfast; butthe first message he had to carry took him to a saloon where they seta free-lunch table. There he took the edge off his appetite and ateenough to last him until supper-time, when he was to get his pay.Julian was there, looking as happy as ever. Casper did not blame himfor that. If he had a box with that amount of money in it, he would behappy, too.
"By George! It is six o'clock," said Casper, at length. "In two hoursmore I will know what Julian says to Claus. Till then, I must havepatience."
Casper received his money when the others did, and without saying aword to anybody set out for home. Julian was not in quite so big ahurry. He walked along with his hands in his pockets, and once, whenpassing by a baker's shop, he went in and bought some cakes with whichto top off their supper. Jack Sheldon always reached home before hedid, and Julian found him in his usual act of getting supper. In replyto his ordinary greetings, he answered that there had been nothingunusual going on in the telegraph office, and that no man who said hisname was Haberstro had been there to see about the advertisement thathad appeared in the papers.
"I tell you, Jack, that fortune in the box is ours," said Julian."That man has had ample time to show up, and it won't be long beforewe will be on our way to Denver."
"Don't be too sure of that," said Jack. "Haberstro may be off on avacation somewhere. I shall believe we are in Denver when we getthere, and not before."
Almost as Jack said the words there was a sound of somebody coming upthe stairs. He stopped in front of the door, and called out tosomebody he left below,
"Does Mr. Julian Gray live here? Thank you;" and a moment afterwardhis rap sounded upon the door.
"What did I tell you?" whispered Jack. "That's Haberstro, as sure asyou live."
For an honest boy, Julian's heart fell. His fortune was gone, andthere were no two ways about it. He stepped to the door and opened it,and there stood Claus, more neatly dressed than ever.
"Good-evening," said he, while his eyes roved from one boy to theother. "Which one of you is Julian Gray?"
"I am, sir."
"I am delighted to meet you," said he; and he thrust out his hand,into which Julian put his own. Then he put his hand into his pocketand pulled out a card on which the name S. W. Haberstro was engraved."I got belated in my hotel while waiting for the train, and I pickedup this paper and saw this advertisement in it. As it happened to bemy name, I read it through."
"Come in, sir," said Jack, placing a chair for him. "It is one of fouradvertisements that we put into the daily papers. Your name isHaberstro, I believe?"
"That is my name. You said you had something of great value to tellme. What is it?"
Julian could not have opened his mouth to save him. He was obliged tolet Jack do all the talking.