joe the hotel boy-第17节

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〃Will　you　wait　until　to…morrow；　Mr。　Gussing？〃

〃Certainly；　but　do　not　keep　me　in　suspense　too　long。〃

〃This　may　cost　you　a　little　money。〃

〃I　don't　care　if　it　costs　a　hundred　dollars。〃

〃Then　I　am　sure　I　can　fix　it　up　for　you；〃　answered　Joe。

There　was　stopping　at　the　hotel　a　man　named　Montgomery。　　He　had　at　different　times　been　an　auctioneer；　a　book…agent；　a　schoolmaster；　and　a　traveling　salesman。　　He　was　just　now　selling　curiosities　and　Joe　felt　that　he　would　be　only　too　glad　to　do　Felix　Gussing　a　good　turn　if　he　were　paid　for　it。

Our　hero　had　a　talk　with　this　man；　and　the　upshot　of　the　matter　was　that　Montgomery　and　the　dude　were　introduced　on　the　following　morning。

〃I　think　I　can　help　you；　Mr。　Gussing；〃　said　the　curiosity　man；　who；　it　may　be　mentioned　here；　was　a　tall　and　important…looking　personage。　　〃I　was　once　in　the　army。〃

〃What　can　you　do？〃　questioned　the　dude；　hopefully。

〃Will　it　be　worth　fifty　dollars　to　you　if　I　aid　you　in　winning　the　consent　of　Major　Sampson　to　wed　his　daughter？〃

〃Decidedly。〃

〃This　is　also　Joe's　plan；　so　you　will　have　to　pay　him；　too。〃

〃I　don't　want　any　money；〃　put　in　our　hero。

〃Joe　shall　have　ten　dollarsif　your　plan　wins　out。　　But　how　is　all　this　to　be　accomplished？〃　　continued　Felix　Gussing。

〃We　will　take　the　earliest　possible　opportunity　to　visit　Major　Sampson；〃　said　Ulmer　Montgomery。

〃Well？〃

〃When　we　are　all　together；　we'll　get　into　some　sort　of　an　argument。　　You　shall　call　me　a　fool　and　I'll　slap　you　in　the　face。　　Then　you　shall　challenge　me　to　a　duel。〃

〃A　duel！　Why；　sir；　IerI　never　could　shoot　you；　and　I　don't　want　to　be　shot　myself。〃

〃My　dear　Mr。　Gussing；　you　don't　understand　me。　　Don't　you　comprehend；　the　pistols　shall　be　loaded　with　powder　only。〃

〃Ah；　that's　the　idea！〃　exclaimed　the　dude；　much　relieved。

〃Yes。　　You　see　it　will　only　be　a　sham　duel　so　far　as　we　are　concerned；　but　will；　in　the　most　harmless　fashion　possible；　prove　you　to　be　a　man　of　honor　and　courage。　　Major　Sampson's　scruples　will　vanish；　and　you　will　have　the　pleasure　of　gaining　his　daughter's　hand　in　marriage。

〃I　agree；　Mr。　Montgomerythe　plan　is　a　famous　one。　　Is　it　yours　or　is　it　Joe's？〃

〃Joe'sbut　it　will　fall　to　me　to　help　carry　it　out；〃　said　the　Jack…of…all…trades；　who　did　not　lose　sight　of　the　fifty　dollars　that　had　been　promised　to　him。

On　the　following　day　Felix　Gussing　and　Mr。　Montgomery　took　themselves　to　Major　Sampson's　residence；　where　the　stranger　was　introduced　as　a　curiosity　hunter　from　Chicago。

〃He　wishes　to　look　at　your　collection　of　swords；〃　said　the　dude。

〃I　shall　be　delighted　to　show　them；〃　said　the　major；　who　was　a　person　of　great　self…importance。

〃Ah；　this　is　a　fine　sword　from　the　Holy　Land；〃　said　Mr。　Montgomery；　handling　one　of　the　blades。

〃I　don't　know　where　it　came　from；〃　said　the　major。　　〃It　was　presented　to　me　by　a　friend　from　Boston。〃

〃That　is　a　Russian　sword；〃　said　the　dude。　　〃I　know　it　by　its　handle。〃

〃That　sword　is　from　the　Holy　Land；〃　insisted　Mr。　Montgomery。

〃Anybody　is　a　fool　to　talk　that　way；〃　cried　Felix　Gussing。

〃Ha！　do　you　call　me　a　fool；　sir！〃　stormed　Montgomery。

〃Gentlemen！〃　put　in　the　major。　　〃I　think〃

〃I　am　not　a　fool；　sir；　and　I　want　you　to　know　it！〃　bellowed　Ulmer　Montgomery。　〃It's　an　outrage　to　call　me　such。　　Take　that；　sir！〃　and　he　slapped　Felix　Gussing　lightly　on　the　cheek。

〃Gentlemen；　this　must　cease！〃　cried　the　major；　coming　between　them。　　〃In　my　house；　too！　Disgraceful！〃

〃He　has　got　to　apologize　to　me！〃　roared　the　dude；　acting　his　part　to　perfection。

〃Never！〃　shouted　Montgomery。

〃If　you　will　not；　I　demand　satisfaction。　　I　I　will　fight　you　in　a　duel。〃

〃A　duel！〃

〃Yes；　a　duel。　　Pistols；　at　ten　paces；〃　went　on　Felix　Gussing。

〃Well！　well！〃　came　from　the　major　in　amazement。

〃Can　I　do　less？〃　demanded　the　would…be　son…in…law。　　〃My　honor　is　at　stake。〃

〃Then　stand　by　your　honor　by　all　means；〃　cried　the　military　man；　who；　at　times；　was　as　hot…blooded　as　anybody。

During　the　talk　the　major's　daughter　had　come　upon　the　scene。

〃Oh；　Felix；　what　does　this　mean？〃　she　demanded。

〃I　am　going　to　fight　thisthis　fellow　a　duel；　pistols　at　ten　paces；〃　answered　Felix；　firmly。

〃Felix！〃　she　gasped。　　〃You　will　not；　you　cannot　fight。　　For　my　sake；　do　not。〃

〃Clara；〃　answered　the　dude；　smiling　affectionately　upon　her。　　〃For　your　sake　I　would　forego　any　personal　gratification；　but　I　must　not　suffer　a　stain　upon　the　honor。〃

〃Well　said！〃　exclaimed　the　major。　　〃Felix　is　behaving　well。　　I　couldn't　have　done　better　myself。　　I　admire　his　courage　and　I　give　him　free　permission　to　wed　you　after　thethe〃

〃But　father；　if　he　should　be　killed？〃　faltered　the　fair　Clara。

〃Never　fear；　Clara；　all　will　go　well；〃　interposed　Felix。

More　words　followed；　but　the　dude　pretended　to　be　stubborn　and　so　did　Ulmer　Montgomery。　Both　went　off　to　arrange　about　the　duel；　and　the　major　insisted　upon　it　that　he　must　be　on　hand　to　see　the　affair　come　off。

Matters　were　hurried　along　with　all　speed；　and　it　was　arranged　that　the　duel　should　take　place　on　the　following　morning　at　ten　o'clock；　in　a　country　spot　just　outside　of　the　city。　　Joe　was　invited　to　go　along；　and　carried　the　pistols；　and　two　others　were　let　into　the　secret；　including　a　doctor；　who　went　fully　prepared　to　attend　to　any　wounds　that　might　be　inflicted。

It　did　not　take　long　to　load　the　pistols；　with　powder　only。　　Great　care　was　taken　so　that　Major　Sampson　should　not　suspect　the　truth。

〃Major；〃　said　Felix；　in　a　trembling　voice。　〃If　Iif　anything　serious　happens　to　me　tell　Clara　thatthat　I　died　like　a　man。〃

〃Noble　boy！　I　will！　I　will！〃　answered　the　military　man。

〃When　I　give　the　word；　gentlemen；　you　will　both　fire！〃　said　one　of　the　seconds。

〃Very　well；〃　answered　both　of　the　duelists。

〃Ready？　　Onetwothreefire！〃

Both　pistols　were　simultaneously　discharged。　When　the　smoke　cleared　away　it　was　ascertained　that　both　parties　were　unharmed。

〃Gentlemen；　are　you　satisfied？〃　asked　the　seconds。

〃I　am；〃　answered　Ulmer　Montgomery；　quickly。

〃Then　I　shall　be；〃　put　in　Felix　Gussing。　〃And　now　that　this　affair　is　at　an　end；　Mr。　Montgomery　will　you　shake　hands？〃　he　added。

〃With　pleasure；　Mr。　Gussing！〃　was　the　reply。　　〃I　must　say　in　all　frankness　I　am　sorry　we　quarrelled　in　the　first　place。　　Perhaps　I　was　wrong　about　the　sword。〃

〃And　perhaps　I　was　wrong。〃

〃Both　of　you　were　wrong；〃　put　in　the　major。　　〃I　hunted　up　the　letter　that　came　with　the　blade。　　It　is　an　old　Spanish　weapon。　　Let　us　all　call　the　affair　off；　and　Mr。　Montgomery　shall　come　to　Clara's　wedding　to　Mr。　Gussing。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　cried　Montgomery；　and　there　the　little　plot　came　to　a　finish。



CHAPTER　XX。


ATTACKED　IN　THE　DARK。


〃Joe；　the　plot　worked　to　perfection！〃　said　Felix　Gussing；　on　the　day　following。　　〃I　have　to　thank　you；　and　here　are　twenty　dollars　for　your　trouble。〃

〃I　don't　want　a　cent；　Mr。　Gussing；〃　answered　our　hero。　　〃I　did　it　only　out　of　friendliness　to　you。　　I　hope　you　have　no　further　trouble　in　your　courtship。〃

〃Oh；　that　was　all　settled　last　night。　　Clara　and　I　are　to　be　married　next　week。　　We　are　going　to　send　out　the　cards　to…day。　　You　see；〃　went　on　the　young　man　in　a　lower　tone。　　〃I　don't　want　to　give　the　major　a　chance　to　change　his　mind；　or　to　suspect　that　that　duel　was　not　just　what　it　ought　to　have　been。〃

〃Does　he　suspect　anything　as　yet？〃

〃Not　a　thing。〃

〃Then　you　are　wise　to　have　the　wedding　as　quickly　as　possible。〃

〃When　we　are　married　I　am　going　to　let　Clara　into　the　secret。　　I　know　she'll　enjoy　it　as　much　as　anybody。〃

〃Well；　you　had　better　warn　her　to　keep　mum　before　her　father。　　He　looks　as　if　he　could　get　pretty　angry　if　he　wanted　to。〃

〃As　you　won't　take　any　money　for　this；　Joe；　wouldn't　you　like　to　come　to　the　wedding？〃

〃I'm　afraid　it　will　be　too　high…toned　for　me；　Mr。　Gussing。〃

〃No；　it　is　to　be　a　plain；　homelike　affair　Clara　wants　it　that　way。　　The　major　has　some　country　cousins　who　will　be　there；　and　they　are　very　plain　folks。〃

〃Then　I'll　comeif　Miss　Sampson　wishes　it。〃

So　it　was　arranged　that　Joe　should　attend　the　wedding；　and　as　he　was　in　need　of　a　new　Sunday　suit　he　purchased　it　at　once；　so　that　he　could　use　it　at　the　wedding。

〃You're　in　luck；　Joe；〃　remarked　Frank；　when　he　heard　the　news。　　〃And　that　suit　looks　very　well　on　you。〃

In　some　manner　it　leaked　out　among　the　boys　that　Joe　was　going　to　the　wedding；　and　two　days　before　the　affair　came　off　Jack　Sagger　learned　of　it。　　He　immediately　consulted　with　some　of　his　cronies；　and　it　was　unanimously　resolved　to　watch　for　Joe　after　the　wedding　was　over　and　chastise　him　severely　for　the　manner　in　which　he　had　treated　〃the　gang。〃

〃We'll　fix　him；〃　said　Sagger；　suggestively。

At　the　proper　time　Joe　took　a　car　to　the　Sampson　home　and　was　there　introduced　to　a　dozen　or　more　people。　　The　wedding　proved　an　enjoyable　affair　and　the　elegant　supper　that　was　served　was　one　long　to　be　remembered。

It　was　nearly　eleven　o'clock　when　Joe　started　for　the　hotel　again。　　He　had　thought　to　take　a　car；　but　afterwards　concluded　to　walk。

〃A　walk　will　do　me　goodafter　such　a　hearty　supper；〃　he　told　himself。　　〃If　I　ride　home　I　won't　be　able　to　sleep。〃

At　the　corner　the　Sagger　crowd　was　waiting　for　him。　　One　gave　a　low　whistle；　and　all　slun