The Store Boy | Page 7

for other purposes?" asked the widow keenly.
"He is a near relative of my wife, and that makes the difference, I apprehend."
"Well, madam, what do you say?" asked Kirk briskly.
"I say this, that I will keep the house if I can."
"You needn't expect that I will relent," said the squire hastily.
"I do not, for I see there is no consideration in your heart for a poor widow; but I cannot help thinking that Providence will raise up some kind friend who will buy the mortgage, or in some other way will enable me to save my home."
You are acting very foolishly, Mrs. Barclay, as you will realize in time. I give you a week in which to change your mind. Till then my friend Kirk's offer stands good. After that I cannot promise. If the property sold at auction I shouldn't he surprised if it did not fetch more than the amount of my lien upon it."
"I will trust in Providence, Squire Davenport."
"Providence won't pay off your mortgage, ma'am," said Kirk, with a coarse laugh.
Mrs. Barclay did not answer. She saw that he was a man of coarse fiber and did not care to notice him.
"Come along, Kirk," said the squire. "I apprehend she will be all right after a while. Mrs. Barclay will see her own interest when she comes to reflect."
"Good-evening, ma'am," said Kirk.
Mrs. Barclay inclined her head slowly, but did not reply.
When the two had left the house she sank into a chair and gave herself to painful thoughts. She had known that Squire Davenport had the right to dispossess her, but had not supposed he would do so as long as she paid the interest regularly. In order to do this, she and Ben had made earnest efforts, and denied themselves all but the barest necessities. Thus far she had succeeded. The interest on seven hundred dollars at six per cent. had amounted to forty-two dollars, and this was a large sum to pay, but thus far they had always had it ready. That Squire Davenport, with his own handsome mansion, would fix covetous eyes on her little home, she had not anticipated, but it had come to pass.
As to raising seven hundred dollars to pay off the mortgage, or induce any capitalist to furnish it, she feared it would be quite impossible.
She anxiously waited for Ben's return from the Town Hall in order to consult with him.
CHAPTER V
PROFESSOR HARRINGTON'S ENTERTAINMENT
Meanwhile Ben Barclay was enjoying himself at Professor Harrington's entertainment. He was at the Town Hall fifteen minutes before the time, and secured a seat very near the stage, or, perhaps it will be more correct to say, the platform. He had scarcely taken his seat when, to his gratification, Rose Gardiner entered the hall and sat down beside him.
"Good-evening, Ben," she said pleasantly. "So you came, after all."
Ben's face flushed with pleasure, for Rose Gardiner was, as we have said, the prettiest girl in Pentonville, and for this reason, as well as for her agreeable manners, was an object of attraction to the boys, who, while too young to be in love, were not insensible to the charms of a pretty face. I may add that Rose was the niece of the Rev. Mr. Gardiner, the minister of the leading church in the village.
"Good-evening, Rose," responded Ben, who was too well acquainted with the young lady to address her more formally; "I am glad to be in such company."
"I wish I could return the compliment," answered Rose, with a saucy smile.
"Don't be too severe," said Ben, "or you will hurt my feelings."
"That would be a pity, surely; but how do do you happen to get off this evening? I thought you spent your evenings at the store."
"So I do, generally, but I was excused this evening for a special reason," and then he told of his adventure with the tramp.
Rose listened with eager attention.
"Weren't you terribly frightened?" she asked.
"No," answered Ben, adding, with a smile: "Even if I had been, I shouldn't like to confess it."
"I should have been so frightened that I would have screamed," continued the young lady.
"I didn't think of that," said Ben, amused. "I'll remember it next time."
"Oh, now I know you are laughing at me. Tell me truly, weren't you frightened?"
"I was only afraid I would lose Mr. Crawford's money. The tramp was stronger than I, and could have taken it from me if he had known I had it."
"You tricked him nicely. Where did he go? Do you think he is still in town?"
"He went into the woods. I don't think he is in the village. He would be afraid of being arrested."
At that very moment the tramp was in Ben's kitchen, but of that Ben had no idea.
"I don't know what I should do if I met him," said