Bound to Succeed/Chapter 28
CHAPTER XXVIII
A HEART OF GOLD
It had been a strenuous day for Frank. He and his mother had put in double duty at the office that afternoon. Everything in the mall order business was moving along smoothly. Only this complication of Dale Wacker and Markham comprised a disturbing, unsettled element in the situation.
It was a beautiful moonlight night. Frank enjoyed the quiet of the hour after the stirring turmoil of the day, and prolonged his stroll. Almost instinctively his footsteps led him in the direction of the scene of the main commotion of the day—Main Street Block.
"Hello," said Frank suddenly and in some surprise, as, passing its gloomy entrance, he observed a solitary figure seated on a step in its shadow.
Frank recognized the man whom the marshal had appointed as custodian of the raided mail order concern up-stairs.
"Oh, that you, Newton?" spoke the man in a somewhat embarassed way.
"Yes," replied Frank, "just headed for bed. Enjoying the fine evening?"
"Well," said the custodian slowly, "I can't say I am. Sort of lonely. Don't be in a rush. Dull and sleepy hanging around this desolate old barracks."
"Why don't you go to bed, then?" suggested Frank. "There's a comfortable cot upstairs there."
"Ugh," responded the custodian, with a grim shudder—"catch me!"
"Why, what's the matter?" pressed Frank, discerning that something really was wrong.
"I believe the place is haunted. I have heard some awful groans."
Frank was interested, and finally said he would go with the watchman and make an investigation. For quarter of an hour they found nothing, then Frank discovered the form of a man lying in the bottom of a disused coal chute. The man was in great pain. Much to the youth's amazement the fellow proved to be Gideon Purnell.
Frank questioned the rascal and found out Purnell had been Wacker's partner in the dishonest mail order scheme. Purnell had fallen down the chute while trying to escape from the marshal. His back was injured and the fellow was in a dying condition. He begged Frank to take him to some place -where he could die in peace.
"I am sorry for you," said Frank. If you really are badly hurt—"
"Don't doubt it. I know what I'm talking about," said Purnell. "I've only a few days left."
"I want to do right," said Frank slowly.
"Then help a poor, broken wretch to die in peace," pleaded Purnell.
"I'll be back soon," said Frank simply, deeply affected himself.
Frank acted on an impulse he could hardly control. He ran to the Haven home and roused up Darry and Bob. There was animated explanation and discussion.
Half-an-hour later, secret and stealthy as midnight marauders, the trio of friends wheeled the Haven Brothers' delivery hand cart down the alley behind Main Street Block.
"Bet the fellow played you—bet he's made off," predicted Bob.
However, they found Purnell just where Frank had left him, only insensible now. They lifted him, a dead weight, into the cart. Then Bob, piloting the way, warned Frank and Darry of late pedestrians, and thus they reached Frank's home.
"Where am I—in a hospital?" spoke Purnell weakly, arousing from his stupor an hour later.
"You are at my home," said Frank, coming to the side of the comfortable bed where the sufferer lay.
"Oh, no! no!" panted Purnell. "Let m.e hide my head with shame—let me die. In your home—under the roof of the people I ruined—robbed! Heaven have pity on me!"
"Don't think about that," said Frank soothingly. "We have tried to make you comfortable. In the morning we will get a doctor."
"Not a doctor, boy, no, but a lawyer," spoke Purnell in broken tones. "Boy, the meanest thing I ever did was to rob your mother of her fortune. Let the last thing I can do on earth be to give it back to her."
Frank remained by the side of the sufferer until early morning. Then Bob Haven came with a telegram from Stet.
"Hurrah! Markham is found!" cried Frank, reading the message. "Stet found him in a coal mine. He was a prisoner."
"Good for Stet!" said Bob.
"Just what I say. Markham is coming here. Bob, the skies are clearing, it would seem."
"I am glad of it, Frank."
The news about Markham was indeed true. He had been kept a prisoner in an abandoned mine by an old man who was a tool of Wacker. The old man had been well-thrashed by Stet and had fled to parts unknown. Markham had quite a story to tell, as we shall soon see.