joe the hotel boy-第13节

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〃Thanks；　but　IerI　don't　smoke　much。〃

〃Just　one　mild　cigar。　　That　won't　hurt　you；　I'm　sure。　　I　love　to　meet　old　friends；〃　continued　Henry　Davis。

In　the　end　the　old　farmer　was　pursuaded　to　walk　into　the　smoking　car　and　here　the　slick…looking　individual　found　a　corner　seat　where　they　would　be　undisturbed。

〃I　expect　to　spend　a　week　or　more　in　Philadelphia；　Mr。　Bean；〃　said　the　stranger；　〃if　I　can　be　of　service　to　you　during　that　time；　command　me。〃

〃Well；　perhaps　ye　can　be　of　service　to　me。　Do　ye　know　many　folks　in　the　city？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　a　great　many。　　Some　are　business　friends　and　some　are　folks　in　high　society。〃

〃I　don't　care　for　no　high　society。　　But　I've　got　to　collect　six　hundred　dollars　an'　I　want　somebody　to　identify　me。〃

〃Oh；　I　can　do　that　easily；　Mr。　Bean。〃

〃Kin　ye？〃　The　farmer　grew　interested　at　once。　　〃If　ye　kin　I'll　be　much　obliged　to　ye。〃

〃Where　must　you　be　identified？〃

〃Down　to　the　office　of　Barwell　&　Cameron；　on　Broad　street。　　Do　ye　know　'em？〃

〃I　know　of　them；　and　I　can　find　somebody　who　does　know　them；　so　there　will　not　be　the　least　trouble。〃

〃It's　a　load　off　my　mind；〃　said　Josiah　Bean；　with　a　sigh。　　〃Ye　see；　the　money　is　comin'　to　my　wife。　　She　writ　to　'em　that　I　was　comin'　to　collect　an'　they　writ　back　it　would　be　all　right；　only　I　would　have　to　be　identified。　　Jest　as　if　everybody　in　Haydown　Center　don't　know　I'm　Josiah　Bean　an'　a　piller　in　the　Union　Church　down　there；　an'　a　cousin　to　Jedge　Bean　o'　Lassindale。〃

〃Well；　they　have　to　be　mighty　particular　when　they　pay　out　any　money　in　the　city。　There　are　so　many　sharpers　around。〃

〃I　ain't　no　sharper。〃

〃To　be　sure　you　are　not；　and　neither　am　I。　But　I　once　had　trouble　getting　money。〃

〃Is　thet　so？〃

〃Yes。　　But　after　I　proved　who　I　was　the　folks　were　pretty　well　ashamed　of　themselves；〃　went　on　Henry　Davis；　smoothly。

So　the　talk　ran　on　and　at　the　end　of　half　an　hour　the　old　farmer　and　the　slick…looking　individual　were　on　exceedingly　friendly　terms。　Henry　Davis　asked　much　about　the　old　man　and　gathered　in　a　good　stock　of　information。

When　Philadelphia　was　gained　it　was　dark；　and　coming　out　of　the　big　railroad　station　Joe　at　first　knew　not　which　way　to　turn。　　The　noise　and　the　crowd　of　people　confused　him。

〃Have　a　cab？　　Carriage？〃　bawled　the　hackmen。

〃Paper！〃　yelled　a　newsboy。　　〃All　the　evenin'　papers！〃

〃Smash　yer　baggage！〃　called　out　a　luggage　boy；　not　near　as　tall　as　our　hero。

Looking　ahead；　Joe　saw　Josiah　Bean　and　the　slick…looking　individual　moving　down　the　street　and　without　realizing　it；　our　hero　began　to　follow　the　pair。

〃He　must　be　some　friend；〃　said　our　hero　to　himself。

He　wondered　where　they　were　going　and　his　curiosity　getting　the　better　of　him　he　continued　to　follow　them　for　half　a　dozen　blocks。　　At　last　they　came　to　a　halt　in　front　of　a　building　displaying　the　sign：

　　　　　　　　　　JOHNSON'S　QUAKER　HOTEL

　　　　　　　　　　MODERATE　TERMS　FOR　ALL。

〃This　hotel　is　all　right　and　the　prices　are　right；　too；〃　Joe　heard　the　slick…looking　man　tell　the　old　farmer。

〃Then　thet　suits　me；〃　answered　Josiah　Bean。　〃I'll　go　in　an'　git　a　room　fer　the　night。〃

〃I　think　I　might　as　well　do　the　same；〃　said　Henry　Davis。　　〃I　don't　care　to　go　away　over　to　my　boarding　house　at　Fairmount　Park。〃

The　pair　walked　into　the　hotel；　and　Joe　saw　them　register　and　pass　down　the　corridor　in　the　company　of　a　bell　boy。　　Then　our　hero　entered　the　place。

〃Can　I　get　a　room　here　for　the　night？〃　he　asked　of　the　clerk　behind　the　desk。

〃Certainly。〃

〃What　is　the　charge？〃

〃Seventy…five　cents。〃

〃That　suits　me。〃

The　register　was　shoved　forward　and　Joe　wrote　down　his　name。　　Then　he　was　shown　to　a　small　room　on　the　third　floor。　　The　building　was　but　four　stories　high。

Joe　was　tired　and　soon　went　to　bed。　　In　the　next　room　he　heard　a　murmur　of　voices　and　made　out　that　the　old　farmer　and　his　friend　were　talking　earnestly。

〃They　must　be　very　friendly；〃　was　his　comment；　and　thinking　the　matter　over　he　fell　asleep。

Bright　and　early　in　the　morning　our　hero　arose；　dressed　himself；　and　went　below。　　He　had　breakfast　in　the　restaurant　attached　to　the　hotel　and　was　just　finishing　up　when　the　old　farmer　and　the　slick…looking　individual　came　in。


〃Hullo！〃　cried　Josiah　Bean。　　〃What　are　you　doin'　here？〃

〃I　got　a　room　overnight；〃　answered　our　hero。

〃We're　stopping　here；　too。　　This　is　my　friend；　Mr。　Henry　Davis。〃

〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　slick…looking　man。　He　did　not　seem　to　fancy　meeting　Joe。

They　sat　down　close　at　hand　and；　while　eating；　the　farmer　asked　Joe　half　a　dozen　questions。

He　spoke　about　his　own　business　until　Henry　Davis　nudged　him　in　the　side。

〃I　wouldn't　tell　that　boy　too　much；〃　he　said　in　a　low　tone。

〃Oh；　he's　all　right；〃　answered　the　old　farmer。

Joe　heard　the　slick…looking　individual's　words　and　they　made　his　face　burn。　　He　looked　at　the　man　narrowly　and　made　up　his　mind　he　was　not　a　fellow　to　be　desired　for　an　acquaintance。

Having　finished；　our　hero　paid　his　bill　and　left　the　restaurant。　　He　scarcely　knew　which　way　to　turn；　but　resolved　to　look　over　the　newspapers　first　and　see　if　any　positions　were　offered。

While　in　the　reading　room　he　saw　Josiah　Bean　and　his　acquaintance　leave　the　hotel　and　walk　in　the　direction　of　Broad　street。

A　little　later　Joe　took　from　the　paper　he　was　reading　the　addresses　of　several　people　who　wanted　help；　and　then　he；　too；　left　the　hotel。

The　first　place　he　called　at　was　a　florist's　establishment；　but　the　pay　was　so　small　he　declined　the　position。

〃I　could　not　live　on　three　dollars　per　week；〃　he　said。

〃That　is　all　we　care　to　pay；〃　answered　the　proprietor；　coldly。　　〃It　is　more　than　other　establishments　pay。〃

〃Then　I　pity　those　who　work　at　the　other　places；〃　returned　Joe；　and　walked　out。



CHAPTER　XV。


WHAT　HAPPENED　TO　JOSIAH　BEAN。


In　the　meantime　Josiah　Bean　and　the　slick…looking　individual　turned　into　Broad　street　and　made　their　way　to　a　certain　establishment　known　as　the　Eagle's　Club。

Here　Henry　Davis　called　another　man　aside。

〃Say；　Foxy；　do　you　know　anybody　down　to　Barwell　&　Cameron's？〃　he　asked；　in　a　low　tone；　so　that　the　old　farmer　could　not　hear。

〃Yesa　clerk　named　Chase。〃

〃Then　come　down　and　introduce　me。〃

〃What's　the　game？〃

〃Never　mindthere's　a　tenner　in　it　for　you　if　it　works。〃

〃Then　I'm　on；　Bill。〃

〃Hushmy　name　is　Henry　Davis。〃

〃All　right；　Hank；〃　returned　Foxy；　carelessly。

He　came　forward　and　was　introduced　to　the　old　farmer　in　the　following　fashion：

〃Mr。　Richard　Barlowof　Barlow　&　Small；　manufacturers。〃

All　three　made　their　way　to　the　establishment　of　Barwell　&　Cameron；　and　then　Henry　Davis　was　introduced　under　that　name　to　a　clerk。

As　soon　as　Foxy　had　departed　the　slick…looking　individual　turned　to　the　clerk　and　called　the　old　farmer　forward。

〃This　is　my　esteemed　friend；　Mr。　Josiah　Bean；　of　Haydown　Center。　　He　has　business　with　Mr。　Cameron；　I　believe。〃

〃I'm　here　to　collect　six　hundred　dollars；〃　said　Josiah　Bean。　　〃Mr。　Cameron　writ　me　some　letters　about　it。〃

〃Very　well；　sir。　　Sit　down；　gentlemen；　and　I'll　tell　Mr。　Cameron。〃

The　two　were　kept　waiting　for　a　few　minutes　and　were　then　ushered　into　a　private　office。　Through　Chase；　the　clerk；　Henry　Davis　was　introduced　and　then　Josiah　Bean。　　All　the　papers　proved　to　be　correct；　and　after　the　old　farmer　had　signed　his　name　he　was　given　a　check。

〃See　here；　I　want　the　cash；〃　he　demanded。

〃Very　well；〃　said　Mr。　Cameron。　　〃Indorse　the　check　and　I'll　have　the　money　drawn　for　you　across　the　street。〃

The　farmer　wrote　down　his　name　once　more；　and　a　few　minutes　later　received　his　six　hundred　dollars　in　twelve　brand…new　fifty…dollar　bills。

〃Gosh！　Them　will　be　nice　fer　Mirandy　to　look　at；〃　was　his　comment；　as　he　surveyed　the　bills。

〃Be　careful　that　you　don't　lose　them；　Mr。　Bean；〃　cautioned　Henry　Davis；　as　the　two　left　the　establishment。

〃Reckon　the　best　thing　I　can　do　is　to　git　back　to　hum　this　afternoon；〃　remarked　Josiah　Bean；　when　he　was　on　the　street。

〃Oh；　now　you　are　in　town　you'll　have　to　look　around　a　bit；〃　said　the　slick…looking　individual。　　〃You　can　take　a　train　back　to…　morrow　just　as　well。　　Let　me　show　you　a　few　of　the　sights。〃

This　tickled　the　old　farmer　and　he　agreed　to　remain　over　until　the　next　noon。　　Then　Henry　Davis　dragged　the　old　man　around　to　various　points　of　interest　and　grew　more　familiar　than　ever。

While　they　were　at　the　top　of　one　of　the　big　office　buildings　Henry　Davis　pretended　to　drop　his　pocketbook。

〃How　careless　of　me！〃　he　cried。

〃Got　much　in　it？〃　queried　Josiah　Bean。

〃Three　thousand　dollars。〃

〃Do　tell！　It's　a　powerful　sight　o'　money　to　carry　so　careless　like。〃

〃It　is。　　Maybe　you　had　better　carry　it　for　me；　Mr。　Bean。〃

〃Not　me！　I　ain't　goin'　to　be　responsible　fer　nobody's　money　but　my　ownan'　Mirandy's。〃

〃Better　see　if　your　own　money　is　safe。〃

Josiah　Bean　got　out　his　wallet　and　counted　the　bills。

〃Safe　enough。〃

〃Are　you　sure？　　I　thought　there　was　only　five　hundred　and　fifty。〃

〃No；　six　hundred。〃

〃I'll　bet　you　ten　dollars　on　it。〃

〃What！　　can't　I　count　straight；〃　gasped　the　old　farmer；　much　disturbed。　　〃Six　hundred　I　tell　you；〃　he　added；　after　he　had　gone　over　the　amount　once　more。

〃If　there　is　I'll　give　you　the　ten　dollars；〃　answered　the　slick　one。　　〃Let　m