Dick Darling's Money; or, The Rise of an Office Boy; and Other Stories

by Self-made man; Various

Dick instinctively put his hand to his throat, for he felt the after effects of the impress of Bulger's fingers. With some difficulty at first, which wore off as he proceeded, Dick told his story.

He explained that the man who attacked him and put him out was one of the two rascals he encountered down in New Jersey, and whom his testimony had materially helped to fasten the crime of the burglary of Mr. Mason's house upon. The men, he said, had escaped from the Carlin jail within a day or two of being locked up, and it was now clear that they had not been recaptured, but had made their escape to New York. It seemed strange, he thought, that Bulger should have the nerve to enter the store in quest of him, as his few words had indicated he had. It showed what a vindictive and desperate scoundrel he was. Dick wound up by asking if he had stolen anything, for it seemed likely that he would not go away without helping himself to some of the valuable articles that were within his easy reach.

That caused the clerks to examine the showcases, and they reported that some of the small samples in the case nearest the closet were missing from their place. Dick got up and confirmed their statement, for he knew exactly what was in the showcase at the time he was attacked. An inventory of the loss showed that it was not very considerable—probably not over $100. Mr. Bacon went downstairs to notify the police department over the telephone about the affair, acquaint them with the amount of the loss, and the fact that the rascal who was implicated in the job had escaped, with his pal, from the Carlin jail a few days before, and furnish Bulger's name and description. Dick got his pay envelope, and by that time felt all right again. The store was then locked up by the porter and all hands separated for their homes. Bulger and Parker were caught that night at a low resort frequented by men of their stamp, and Mr. Bacon was notified by a policeman who called at the store on Monday morning.

Dick was sent up to headquarters to identify the men, which he had no trouble in doing. The Carlin authorities were notified of their arrest, and of the charge made against Bulger of assault and grand larceny, on which the New York authorities proposed to hold him until the grand jury returned an indictment against him. The Carlin authorities at once started extradition proceedings in order to get the two men back to stand trial for the robbery of Mr. Mason's house. In the end when the papers were served on the New York police department, the indictment against Bulger was pigeonholed for future use, and the men were delivered to representatives of the Carlin police. They were tried for the burglary almost immediately, and Dick appeared as a witness against them. They were convicted, Bulger, on account of his record, getting ten years, while Parker, as it was his first offence, was let off with five years. Dick was given a vacation of two weeks at the time, as he had received a pressing invitation to stay with the Mason family.

He would have got a week's vacation, anyway, as it was the month of August. The Masons treated him as an honored guest, and he spent most of his time in the company of Madge Mason, who was a very pretty and companionable girl.

As an evidence of his appreciation of Dick's services, Mr. Mason deeded to Mrs. Darling, in trust for Dick, a five-acre piece of ground, worth about $250, which had come to him some years before as part of a deal he made, and which he had no use for. Dick visited the place, which was fenced in and was rented as a pasture to a farmer whose property adjoined it. Mr. Mason told Dick that some day he might be able to sell it to a small farmer for twice its present value. At any rate, he could easily hold it as long as he chose, for the taxes on it were light, and it could be kept rented at a profit over all expenses.

The boy was delighted to come into possession of a piece of real estate. His ambition had always been to own property when he grew up. He thanked Mr. Mason for his gift, and took the deed home with him when he returned to New York. He handed it to his mother, as the property stood in her name, and was so recorded at Carlin, but the deed contained the trust clause which practically settled the ownership of the ground on her son. The trial of Jack Hurley came on about the time Dick got back to the city. The woman, who proved to be no relation of the thief, had been found and held in the House of Detention for Witnesses, as she agreed to appear against the man in consideration of the charge as a confederate being withdrawn. The result of the trial was that Hurley got three years up the river. After the conviction of the rascal, Mr. Bacon presented Dick with $100. With that sum he started a bank account in his own name.

"You'll be wealthy some day, Dick," said his eldest sister, Gertie.

"How?" he asked.

"Why, you have $100 and a piece of property estimated to be worth $250, and which is likely to increase in value as you grow older."