paul the peddler-第27部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



him。〃



Meanwhile　Mr。　Tiffany；　after　a　prolonged　examination；　said：　　〃The

ring　is　worth　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。〃



〃That　will　be　satisfactory；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　promptly。



〃Shall　I　give　you　a　check　for　the　amount？〃　asked　the　jeweler。



〃I　should　prefer　the　money；　as　I　am　a　stranger　in　the　city；　and

not　known　at　the　banks。〃



〃I　can　make　the　check　payable　to　bearer；　and　then　you　will　have

no　difficulty　in　getting　it　cashed。〃



While　this　conversation　was　going　on；　the　clerk　entered　the　store

with　the　policeman；　but　Mr。　Montgomery's　back　was　turned；　and　he

was　not　aware　of　the　fact　till　the　officer　tapped　him　on　the

shoulder；　saying：　〃You　are　my　prisoner。〃



〃What　does　this　mean？　　There　is　some　mistake；〃　said　the

adventurer；　wheeling　round　with　a　start。



〃No　mistake　at　all。　　You　must　come　with　me。〃



〃What　have　I　done？　　You　take　me　for　some　one　else。〃



〃You　have　stolen　a　diamond　ring。〃



〃Who　says　so？〃　demanded　the　adventurer；　boldly。　　〃It　is　true　I

brought　one　here　to　sell；　but　it　has　belonged　to　me　for　years。〃



〃You　are　mistaken；　Mr。　Montgomery；〃　said　Paul；　who　had　come　up

unperceived。　　〃You　stole　that　ring　from　me　this　morning；　after

dosing　me　with　chloroform　at　Lovejoy's　Hotel。〃



〃It　is　a　lie；〃　said　the　adventurer；　boldly。　　〃That　boy　is　my　son。



He　is　in　league　with　his　mother　to　rob　me。　　She　sent　him　here

this　morning　unknown　to　me。　　Finding　it　out；　I　took　the　ring　from

him；　and　brought　it　here　myself。〃



Paul　was　certainly　surprised　at　being　claimed　as　a　son　by　the　man

who　had　swindled　him；　and　answered：　〃I　never　saw　you　before　this

morning。　　I　have　no　father　living。〃



〃I　will　guarantee　this　boy's　truth　and　honesty；〃　said　Mr。

Preston；　speaking　for　the　first　time。　　〃I　believe　you　know　me；

Mr。　Tiffany。〃



〃I　need　no　other　assurance；〃　said　the　jeweler；　bowing。　　〃Officer；

you　may　remove　your　prisoner。〃



〃The　game　is　up；〃　said　the　adventurer；　finding　no　further　chance

for　deception。　　〃I　played　for　high　stakes；　and　I　have　lost　the

game。　　I　have　one　favor　to　ask。　　Will　some　one　let　my　wife　know

where　I　am？〃



〃Give　me　her　address；〃　said　Paul；　〃and　I　will　let　her　know。〃



〃No。　　Amity　street。　　Ask　her　to　come　to　the　station…house　to

see　me。〃



〃I　will　go　at　once。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　〃as　I　am　not　to　have　the　ring；

I　don't　know　that　I　am　sorry　it　has　fallen　into　your　hands。　　One

piece　of　advice　I　will　venture　to　offer　you；　my　lad；〃　he　added；

smiling。　　〃Beware　of　any　jewelers　hailing　from　Syracuse。　　They

will　cheat　you；　if　you　give　them　a　chance。〃



〃I　will　be　on　my　guard；〃　said　Paul。　　〃Can　I　do　anything　more　for

you？〃



〃Nothing；　thank　you。　　I　have　a　fast　friend　at　my　side；　who　will

look　after　me。〃



The　officer　smiled　grimly　at　the　jest；　and　the　two　left　the　store

arm　in　arm。



〃Do　you　still　wish　to　sell　this　ring？〃　asked　Mr。　Tiffany；

addressing　Paul。



〃Yes；　sir。〃



〃I　renew　my　offer　of　this　morning。　　I　will　give　you　two　hundred

and　fifty　dollars。〃



〃I　shall　be　glad　to　accept　it。〃



The　sale　was　quickly　effected；　and　Paul　left　the　store　with　what

seemed　to　him　a　fortune　in　his　pocket



〃Be　careful　not　to　lose　your　money；〃　said　Mr　Preston。



〃I　should　like　to　place　a　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　in　your

hands；〃　said　Paul；　turning　to　Mr。　Preston。



〃I　will　willingly　take　care　of　it　for　you；　and　allow　you　interest

upon　it。〃



The　transfer　was　made；　and；　carefully　depositing　the　balance　of

the　money　in　his　pocketbook；　our　hero　took　leave　of　his　friend

and　sought　the　house　in　Amity　street。







CHAPTER　XXV



PAUL'S　FINAL　SUCCESS



Mrs。　Montgomery　impatiently　awaited　the　return　of　her　husband。　

Meanwhile　she　commenced　packing　the　single　trunk　which　answered

both　for　her　husband　and　herself。　　She　was　getting　tired　of　New

York；　and　anxious　to　leave　for　Philadelphia；　being　fearful　lest

certain　little　transactions　in　which　she　and　her　husband　had

taken　part　should　become　known　to　the　police。



She　had　nearly　completed　her　packing　when　Paul　rang　the　doorbell。



The　summons　was　answered　by　the　landlady　in　person。



〃Is　Mrs。　Montgomery　at　home？〃　asked　Paul。



〃No　such　lady　lives　here；〃　was　the　answer。



It　occurred　to　Paul　as　very　possible　that　Mr。　Montgomery　might

pass　under　a　variety　of　names。　　He　accordingly　said；　〃Perhaps　I

have　got　the　name　wrong。　　The　lady　I　mean　is　tall。　　I　come　with　a

message　from　her　husband；　who　is　a　stout　man　with　black　hair　and

whiskers。　　He　gave　me　this　number。〃



〃Perhaps　you　mean　Mr。　Grimsby。　　He　and　his　wife　live　here。〃



〃Probably　that　is　the　name；〃　said　Paul。



〃I　will　give　Mrs。　Grimsby　your　message；〃　returned　the　landlady；

whose　curiosity　was　excited　to　learn　something　further　about　her

boarders。



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Paul；　〃but　it　is　necessary　for　me　to　see　the

lady　myself。〃



〃Well；　you　can　follow　me；　then；〃　said　the　landlady；　rather

ungraciously。



She　led　the　way　upstairs；　and　knocked　at　the　door　of　Mrs。

Grimsby；　or　as　we　will　still　call　her；　Mrs。　Montgomery；　since

that　name　is　more　familiar　to　the　reader；　and　she　was　as　much

entitled　to　the　one　as　the　other。



Mrs。　Montgomery　opened　the　door；　and　regarded　our　hero

suspiciously；　for　her　mode　of　life　had　taught　her　suspicion　of

strangers。



〃Here's　a　boy　that　wants　to　see　you；〃　said　the　landlady。



〃I　come　with　a　message　from　your　husband；〃　said　Paul。



Mrs。　Montgomery　remembered　Paul　as　the　boy　who　was　the　real　owner

of　the　diamond　ring；　and　she　eyed　him　with　increased　suspicion。



〃Did　my　husband　send　you？　　When　did　you　see　him。〃



〃Just　now；　at　Tiffany's；〃　answered　Paul；　significantly。



〃What　is　his　message？〃　asked　Mrs。　Montgomery；　beginning　to　feel

uneasy。



Paul　glanced　at　the　landlady；　who；　in　the　hope　of　gratifying　her

curiosity；　maintained　her　stand　by　his　side。



〃The　message　is　private；〃　he　said。



〃I　suppose　that　means　that　I　am　in　the　way；〃　remarked　the

landlady；　sharply。　　〃I　don't　want　to　pry　into　anybody's　secrets。　

Thank　Heaven；　I　haven't　got　any　secrets　of　my　own。〃



〃Walk　in；　young　man；〃　said　Mrs。　Montgomery。



Paul　entered　the　room；　and　she　closed　the　door　behind　him。　

Meanwhile　the　landlady；　who　had　gone　part　way　downstairs；

retraced　her　steps；　softly；　and　put　her　ear　to　the　keyhole。　　Her

curiosity；　naturally　strong；　had　been　stimulated　by　Paul's

intimation　that　there　was　a　secret。



〃Now；〃　said　Mrs。　Montgomery；　impatiently；　〃out　with　it！　　Why　does

my　husband　send　a　message　by　you；　instead　of　coming　himself？〃



〃He　can't　come　himself。〃



〃Why　can't　he？〃



〃I　am　sorry　to　say　that　I　am　the　bearer　of　bad　news；〃　said　Paul；

gravely。　　〃Your　husband　has　been　arrested　for　robbing　me　of　a

diamond　ring。〃



〃Where　is　he？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Montgomery；　not　so　much　excited　or

overcome　as　she　would　have　been　had　this　been　the　first　time　her

husband　had　fallen　into　the　clutches　of　the　law。



〃At　the　street　station…house。　　He　wants　you　to　come　and　see　him。〃



〃Have　you　got　the　ring　back？〃



〃Yes。〃



Mrs。　Montgomery　was　sorry　to　hear　it。　　She　hoped　her　husband

might　be　able　to　secrete　it；　in　which　case　he　would　pass　it　over

to　her　to　dispose　of。　　Now　she　was　rather　awkwardly　situated；

being　without　money；　or　the　means　of　making　any。



〃I　will　go；〃　she　said。



Paul；　who　was　sitting　next　to　the　door；　opened　it　suddenly；　with

unexpected　effort；　for　the　landlady；　whose　ear　was　fast　to　the

keyhole；　staggered　into　the　room　involuntarily。



〃So　you　were　listening；　ma'am；　were　you？〃　demanded　Mrs。

Montgomery；　scornfully。



〃Yes；　I　was；〃　said　the　landlady；　rather　red　in　the　face。



〃You　were　in　good　business。〃



〃It's　a　better　business　than　stealing　diamond　rings；〃　retorted

the　landlady；　recovering　herself。　　〃I've　long　suspected　there　was

something　wrong　about　you　and　your　husband；　ma'am；　and　now　I　know

it。　　I　don't　want　no　thieves　nor　jail　birds　in　my　house；　and　the

sooner　you　pay　your　bill　and　leave；　the　better　I'll　like　it。〃



〃I'll　leave　as　soon　as　you　like；　but　I　can't　pay　your　bill。〃



〃I　dare　say；〃　retorted　the　landlady。　　〃You're　a　nice　character　to

cheat　an　honest　woman　out　of　four　weeks'　board。〃







〃Well；　Paul；　what　news？〃　asked　Barry。



〃I　am　ready　to　buy　your　stand；〃　said　Paul。



〃Can　you　pay　me　all　the　money　down？〃



〃On　the　spot。〃



〃Then　it　is　all　settled；〃　said　Barry；　with　satisfaction。　　〃I　am

glad　of　it；　for　now　I　shall　be　able　to　go　on　to　Philadelphia

to…morrow。〃



Paul　drew　a　roll　of　bills　from　his　pocket；　and　proceeded　to　count

out　thirty…five　dollars。　　Barry　noticed　with　surprise　that　he　had

a　considerable　amount　left。



〃You　are　getting　rich；　Paul；〃　he　said。



〃I　am　not　rich　yet；〃　answered　Paul；　〃but　I　mean　to　be　some　time

if　I　can　accomplish　it　by　industry　and　attention　to　business。〃



〃You'll　be　sure　to　succeed；〃　said　George　Barry。　　〃You're　just