Jr. Horatio Alger

“ Squire Davenport kept silence, and thought, with guilty joy, "They haven't found the note; I can keep the money, and no one will be the wiser!"
How a rich man could have been guilty of such consummate meaness I will not undertake to explain, but "the love of money is the root of evil," and Squire Davenport had love of money in no common measure.
Five years passed. Mrs. Barclay was obliged to mortgage her house to obtain the means of living, and the very man who supplied her with the money was the very man whom her husband had blindly trusted. ”

“ She did not fancy this speech.
"I don't think we shall have to wait so long," she said. "When you are twenty-one Cousin Hamilton will probably do something for you."
"That's almost five years," grumbled Conrad.
"At any rate we have got Ben Barclay out of the house, that's one comfort."
"Yes, I am glad of that; but I'd rather be in my old place than this, if I am to get only five dollars a week."
"Young people are so impatient," sighed Mrs. Hill. "You don't seem to consider that it isn't alone taking Ben's place, but you have got rid of a dangerous rival for the inheritance." ”

“ The lunch was plain but substantial, and Ben, who had taken an early breakfast, enjoyed it.
"I suppose we shall not have Conrad at lunch to-morrow?" said Mrs. Hamilton. "He will be at the store."
Conrad made a grimace. He world have enjoyed his freedom better.
"I won't have much of my four dollars left if I have to pay for lunch," he said in a surly tone.
"You shall have a reasonable allowance for that purpose."
"I suppose Mr. Barclay will lunch at home," said Mrs. Hill.
"Certainly, since his work will be here. He is to be my home clerk, and will keep my accounts." ”

“ Barclay."
"I have always considered it worth fifteen hundred dollars," said the widow, very much disturbed.
"A fancy price, my dear madam; quite an absurd price, I assure you. What do you say, Kirk?"
"I quite agree with you, squire," said Kirk, in a strong, nasal tone. "But then, women don't know anything of business."
"I know that you and your cousin are trying to take advantage of my poverty," said Mrs. Barclay bitterly. "If you are a carpenter, why don't you build a house for yourself, instead of trying to deprive me of mine?" ”

“ Barclay.
"Do you think you had better go, Ben?" she said doubtfully. "Two dollars would buy you some new stockings and handkerchiefs."
"I will do without them, mother. Something has got to be done, or we shall be turned into the street when three months are up. Squire Davenport is a very selfish man, and he will care nothing for our comfort or convenience."
"That is true," said the widow, with a sigh. "If I thought your going to New York would do any good, I would not grudge you the money—"
"Something will turn up, or I will turn up something," said Ben confidently. ”

“ Hamilton.
"No; we have three months to look around."
"Three months is a long time," said the lady cheerfully. "A good deal can happen in three months. Do the best you can, and keep up hope."
"I shall try to do so."
"You have reason to do so. You may not save your house, but you have, probably, a good many years before you, and plenty of good fortune may be in store for you."
The cheerful tone in which the lady spoke some how made Ben hopeful and sanguine, at any rate, for the time being.
"In this country, the fact that you are a poor boy will not stand in the way of your success. ”

“ CHAPTER XI — THE MADISON AVENUE STAGE
Ben was naturally hopeful, but he had counted more than he was aware on the chance of obtaining assistance from Absalom Peters toward paying off his mother's mortgage. As Mr. Peters was in Europe nothing could be done, and them seemed absolutely no one else to apply to. They had friends, of course, and warm ones, in Pentonville, but none that were able to help them.
"I suppose we must make up our minds to lose the house," thought Ben. "Squire Davenport is selfish and grasping, and there is little chance of turning him." ”

“ I don't choose it," said Tom decidedly.
"Well, well; you won't have to do it."
"It would put me on a level with Ben Barclay, if I stepped into his shoes. Won't he be down in the month when he hears he has lost his place?" and Tom chuckled at the thought.
"That is no concern of mine," said the squire. "I suppose he can hire out to a farmer."
"Just the business for him", said Tom, "unless he should prefer to go to New York and set up as a bootblack. I believe I'll suggest that to him!"
"Probably he won't thank you for the suggestion."
"I guess not. He's as proud as he is poor. ”

“ All he paid for his ticket was five dollars."
"And is this the way you expect to make some money?"
"Yes; I am almost sure of winning."
"Suppose you don't?"
"Oh, what's the use of looking at the dark side?"
"You are not so sensible as I thought, Conrad," said Ben. "At least a hundred draw a blank to one who draws a small prize, and the chances are a hundred to one against you."
"Then you won't lend me the money?" said Conrad angrily. ”

“ On the evening of the nineteenth of December, Ben stood on the piazza of the village hotel when the stage returned from the depot. He examined anxiously the passengers who got out. His eyes lighted up joyfully as he recognized in one the man he was looking for.
"Mr. Dinsmore," he said, coming forward hastily.
"You see I have kept my word," said Harvey Dinsmore, with a smile.
"I feared you would not come."
"I wished to see the discomfiture of our friend Squire Davenport. So to-morrow is the day?" ”

“ If he could only sell Mrs. Hamilton's farm for half that he felt that he would be doing an excellent thing.
"I suppose you are interested in some of the petroleum wells?" he said.
"Not yet, but I hope to be. In fact, I don't mind confessing that I represent a New York syndicate, and that my object in making this journey is to purchase, if I can, the Jackson farm."
"The Jackson farm!" repeated Ben, his breath almost taken away by his surprise.
"Yes; do you know anything about it?" asked his companion.
"I have heard of a farmer in Centerville named Peter Jackson."
"That is the man." ”

“ Barclay. He was admitted by Ben.
"Mother," said Ben, "this is Mr. Harvey Dinsmore."
"I believe we have met before," said Dinsmore, smiling. "I fear my first visit was not welcome. To-day I come in more respectable guise and as a friend."
"You are welcome, sir," said the widow courteously. "I am glad to see you. I should hardly have known you."
"I take that as a compliment. I am a tramp no longer, but a respectable and, I may add, well-to-do citizen. Now I have a favor to ask." ”

“ Every one likes and respects Mrs. Barclay."
Any boy, who is worth anything, likes to hear his mother praised, and Ben liked Mr. Brown better for this tribute to the one whom he loved best on earth. He was not slow in making his way home. He went at once to the kitchen, where his mother was engaged in mixing bread.
"What's the matter, Ben? You look excited," said Mrs. Barkley.
"So I am, mother. I am offered a position."
"Not in the store?"
"No; it is in New York."
"In New York!" repeated his mother, in a troubled voice. ”

“ We must do what we can in an underhand way to undermine him with Cousin Hamilton. She ought to make you her heir, as she has no children of her own."
"I don't think she likes me," said the boy. "She only gives me two dollars a week allowance, and she scolded me the other day because she met me in the hall smoking a cigarette."
"Be sure not to offend her, Conrad. A great deal depends on it. Two dollars ought to answer for the present. When you are a young man, you may be in very different circumstances." ”

“ However, I don't wish to interfere with Cousin Hamilton, or obtrude my son upon her."
"Strong jealousy there!" thought the detective.
"So you think this Ben Barclay may have taken the glass?" he said inquiringly.
"I do. Since he visits gambling houses, he doubtless squanders money, and can find a market for more than he can honestly earn."
"As you say, gambling often leads to dishonesty. Does Mrs. Hamilton know that her protege visited a gambling house?" ”

“ If Ben had been wiser he would have judged differently. To be born to wealth removes all the incentives to action, and checks the spirit of enterprise. A boy or man who finds himself gradually rising in the world, through his own exertions, experiences a satisfaction unknown to one whose fortune is ready-made. However, in Ben's present strait it is no wonder he regarded with envy the supposed young man of fortune.
Our hero was destined to be strangely surprised. ”

“ He asked for some supper, and I gave it to him."
"What bad news did he bring?"
"None. It was not he. On the other hand, what he hinted would be good news if it were true. He said that your father left property, and that he was the only man that possessed the secret."
"Do you think this can be so?" said Ben, looking at his mother in surprise.
"I don't know what to think. He said he was a barkeeper in the hotel where your poor father died, and was about to say more when a knock was heard at the door, and he hurried away, as if in fear of encountering somebody." ”

“ Wondering what it was, she entered the room after Conrad had vacated it, and found the ticket Conrad had placed there.
Susan knew what a pawnbroker's ticket was, and read it with curiosity.
She saw that it was made out to Ben Barclay.
"How, then, did Master Conrad get hold of it?" she said to herself. "It's my belief he's trying to get Master Ben into trouble. It's a shame, it is, for Master Ben is a gentleman and he isn't." ”

“ It did not occur to Ben that he dressed well the better to avert suspicion from his real character. Besides, a man who lives at other people's expense can afford to dress well.
"What shall I do?" thought Ben, disturbed in mind. "Ought I not to warn the lady that she is in danger of losing her money?"
While he was hesitating the deed was accomplished. A pearl portemonnaie was adroitly drawn from the lady's pocket and transferred to that of the young man. It was done with incredible swiftness, but Ben's sharp eyes saw it. ”

“ Do you mind telling me how much you paid?"
"I paid forty-five dollars. It's worth more."
"Forty-five dollars!" ejaculated Conrad. "Why, you must be a millionaire. Where did you get so much money?"
"I didn't find it in the street," answered Fred jocularly.
"Can't you tell a feller? You didn't save it out of your wages, did you?"
"My wages? I should say not. Why, I only get six dollars a week, and have to pay car fare and lunches out of that." ”

“ No interest has been paid on the note for more than five years. The amount due must be quite double the amount of the mortgage."
"How can I thank you for this information?" said Ben. "We shall not be forced to give up our little cottage, after all. But how could Squire Davenport so wickedly try to cheat us of our little property?"
"My dear boy," said the tramp, shrugging his shoulders, "your question savors of verdancy. Learn that there is no meanness too great to be inspired by the love of money." ”

“ There were two other clerks besides Ben, one the son, another the nephew, of Simon Crawford, the proprietor.
"Did you collect any money, Ben?" asked Simon, who chanced to be standing at the door when our hero drove up.
"Yes, sir; I collected twenty-five dollars, but came near losing it on the way home."
"How was that? I hope you were not careless."
"No, except in taking a stranger as a passenger. When we got to that piece of woods a mile back, he asked me for all the money I had."
"A highwayman, and so near Pentonville!" ejaculated Simon Crawford. "What was he like?" ”