Struggling Upward: Luke Larkin's Luck

LUKE SECURES A NEW FRIEND

Luke was engaged in copying when Mr. Armstrong called.  Though he felt surprised to see his visitor, Luke did not exhibit it in his manner, but welcomed him politely, and invited him into the sitting-room.

“I have called to inquire the address of your friend, Mr. Roland Reed,” said Mr. Armstrong.  Then, seeing a little uneasiness in Luke’s face, he added quickly:  “Don’t think I have the slightest suspicion of him as regards the loss of the bonds.  I wish only to consult him, being myself at a loss what steps to take.  He may be able to help me.”

Of course, Luke cheerfully complied with his request.

“Has anything been heard yet at the bank?” he asked.

“Nothing whatever.  In fact, it does not appear to me that any very serious efforts have been made to trace the robber or robbers.  I am left to undertake the task myself.”

“If there is anything I can do to help you, Mr. Armstrong, I shall be very glad to do so,” said Luke.

“I will bear that in mind, and may call upon you.  As yet, my plans are not arranged.  Perhaps Mr. Reed, whom I take to be an experienced man of the world, may be able to offer a suggestion.  You seem to be at work,” he added, with a look at the table at which Luke had been sitting.

“Yes, sir, I am making out some bills for Mr. Reed.”

“Is the work likely to occupy you long?”

“No, sir; I shall probably finish the work this week.”

“And then your time will be at your disposal?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Pardon me the question, but I take it your means are limited?”

“Yes, sir; till recently they have been very limited—­now, thanks to Mr. Reed, who pays a liberal salary for his little girl’s board, we are very comfortable, and can get along very well, even if I do not immediately find work.”

“I am glad to hear that.  If I should hear of any employment likely to please you I will send you word.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Would you object to leave home?”

“No, sir; there is little or no prospect in Groveton, and though my mother would miss me, she now has company, and I should feel easier about leaving her.”

“If you can spare the time, won’t you walk with me to the depot?”

“With great pleasure, sir,” and Luke went into the adjoining room to fetch his hat, at the same time apprising his mother that he was going out.

On the way to the depot Mr. Armstrong managed to draw out Luke with a view to getting better acquainted with him, and forming an idea of his traits of character.  Luke was quite aware of this, but talked frankly and easily, having nothing to conceal.

“A thoroughly good boy, and a smart boy, too!” said Armstrong to himself.  “I must see if I can’t give him a chance to rise.  He seems absolutely reliable.”

On the way to the depot they met Randolph Duncan, who eyed them curiously.  He recognized Mr. Armstrong as the owner of the stolen bonds—­and was a good deal surprised to see him in such friendly conversation with Luke.  Knowing Mr. Armstrong to be a rich man, he determined to claim acquaintance.

“How do you do, Mr. Armstrong?” he said, advancing with an ingratiating smile.

“This is Randolph Duncan,” said Luke—­whom, by the way, Randolph had not thought it necessary to notice.

“I believe I have met the young gentleman before,” said Mr. Armstrong politely, but not cordially.

“Yes, sir, I have seen you at our house,” continued Randolph—­“my father is president of the Groveton Bank.  He will be very glad to see you.  Won’t you come home with me?”

“I have already called upon your father,” said Mr. Armstrong.

“I am very sorry your bonds were stolen, Mr. Armstrong.”

“Not more than I am, I assure you,” returned Mr. Armstrong, with a quizzical smile.

“Could I speak with you a moment in private, sir?” asked Randolph, with a significant glance at Luke.

“Certainly; Luke, will you cross the road a minute?  Now, young man!”

“Probably you don’t know that the boy you are walking with was suspected of taking the box from the bank.”

“I have heard so; but he was acquitted of the charge, wasn’t he?”

“My father still believes that he had something to do with it, and so do I,” added Randolph, with an emphatic nod of his head.

“Isn’t he a friend of yours?” asked Mr. Armstrong quietly.

“No, indeed; we go to the same school, though father thinks of sending me to an academy out of town soon, but there is no friendship between us.  He is only a working boy.”

“Humph!  That is very much against him,” observed Mr. Armstrong, but it was hard to tell from his tone whether he spoke in earnest or ironically.

“Oh, well, he has to work, for the family is very poor.  He’s come out in new clothes and a silver watch since the robbery.  He says the strange man from whom he received a tin box just like yours gave them to him.”

“And you think he didn’t get them in that way?”

“Yes, I think they were leagued together.  I feel sure that man robbed the bank.”

“Dear me, it does look suspicious!” remarked Armstrong.

“If Luke was guiding you to the train, I will take his place, sir.”

“Thank you, but perhaps I had better keep him with me, and cross-examine him a little.  I suppose I can depend upon your keeping your eyes upon him, and letting me know of any suspicious conduct on his part?”

“Yes, sir, I will do it with pleasure,” Randolph announced promptly.  He felt sure that he had excited Mr. Armstrong’s suspicions, and defeated any plans Luke might have cherished of getting in with the capitalist.

“Have you anything more to communicate?” asked Mr. Armstrong, politely.

“No, sir; I thought it best to put you on your guard.”

“I quite appreciate your motives, Master Randolph.  I shall keep my eyes open henceforth, and hope in time to discover the real perpetrator of the robbery.  Now, Luke.”

“I have dished you, young fellow!” thought Randolph, with a triumphant glance at the unconscious Luke.  He walked away in high self-satisfaction.

“Luke,” said Mr. Armstrong, as they resumed their walk, “Randolph seems a very warm friend of yours.”

“I never thought so,” said Luke, with an answering smile.  “I am glad if he has changed.”

“What arrangements do you think I have made with him?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“I have asked him to keep his eye on you, and, if he sees anything suspicious, to let me know.”

Luke would have been disturbed by this remark, had not the smile on Mr. Armstrong’s face belied his words.

“Does he think you are in earnest, sir?”

“Oh, yes, he has no doubt of it.  He warned me of your character, and said he was quite sure that you and your friend Mr. Reed were implicated in the bank robbery.  I told him I would cross-examine you, and see what I could find out.  Randolph told me that you were only a working boy, which I pronounced to be very much against you.”

Luke laughed outright.

“I think you are fond of a practical joke, Mr. Armstrong,” he said.  “You have fooled Randolph very neatly.”

“I had an object in it,” said Mr. Armstrong quietly.  “I may have occasion to employ you in the matter, and if so, it will be well that no arrangement is suspected between us.  Randolph will undoubtedly inform his father of what happened this morning.”

“As I said before, sir, I am ready to do anything that lies in my power.”

Luke could not help feeling curious as to the character of the service he would be called upon to perform.  He found it difficult to hazard a conjecture, but one thing at least seemed clear, and this was that Mr. Armstrong was disposed to be his friend, and as he was a rich man his friendship was likely to amount to some thing.

They had now reached the depot, and in ten minutes the train was due.

“Don’t wait if you wish to get to work, Luke,” said Mr. Armstrong kindly.

“My work can wait; it is nearly finished,” said Luke.

The ten minutes passed rapidly, and with a cordial good-bye, the capitalist entered the train, leaving Luke to return to his modest home in good spirits.

“I have two influential friends, now,” he said to himself—­“Mr. Reed and Mr. Armstrong.  On the whole, Luke Larkin, you are in luck, your prospects look decidedly bright, even if you have lost the janitorship.”