American library books ยป Fiction ยป Walter Sherwood's Probation by Jr. Horatio Alger (good romance books to read txt) ๐Ÿ“•

Read book online ยซWalter Sherwood's Probation by Jr. Horatio Alger (good romance books to read txt) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Jr. Horatio Alger



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โ€œNo, sir, thank you; I don't smoke.โ€

โ€œGood-day, then. Hope we shall meet again.โ€

Walter responded politely, and the stranger, rising, walked forward to the front part of the car and disappeared.

Walter detached the silver watch from the plated chain to which it was attached, substituted the new gold watch, and put the silver watch in his pocket. It occurred to him that if he should really need money it might be better for him to sell the silver watch and retain the gold one.

โ€œI have made thirty dollars at the very least on my purchase,โ€ he reflected, โ€œfor I am sure I can sell the watch for fifty dollars if I wish to do so. This is a white day for me, as the Romans used to say. I accept it as a good omen of success. I wish Doctor Mack and Nancy were here to see it. I think the doctor would give me credit for a little shrewdness.โ€

The car sped on perhaps a dozen miles farther, when the door opened and the conductor entered, followed by a stout man of perhaps fifty years of age, who looked flushed and excited.

โ€œThis gentleman has been robbed of his gold watch,โ€ explained the conductor. โ€œHe is convinced that some one on the train has taken it. Of course, no one of you is suspected, but I will trouble you to show me your watches.โ€

As Walter heard these words a terrible fear assailed him. Had he bought a stolen watch?





CHAPTER IX AN INGENIOUS SCHEME

The passengers, though somewhat surprised, generally showed their watches with a good grace. One old man produced a silver watch fifty years old.

โ€œThat watch belonged to my grandfather,โ€ he said. โ€œYou don't claim that, do you?โ€

โ€œWouldn't take it as a gift,โ€ said the loser crustily.

โ€œYou couldn't get it in exchange for yours!โ€ retorted the owner.

Presently they came to Walter. If he had not attached the gold watch to his chain, instead of his old silver one, he would have been tempted to leave it in his pocket and produce the less valuable one. But he was saved from the temptation, as this would now have been impossible. Besides, had the gold watch been found on him afterward it would have looked very suspicious.

โ€œWell, youngster,โ€ said the stout man, โ€œshow us your watch.โ€

With a flushed face and an uneasy feeling Walter drew out the gold timepiece.

โ€œIs that your watch?โ€ he said.

โ€œYes!โ€ almost shouted the stout passenger, fiercely. โ€œSo you are the thief?โ€

โ€œNo, sir,โ€ answered Walter, pale but firm. โ€œI am not the thief.โ€

โ€œWhere did you get it, then?โ€

โ€œI bought it.โ€

โ€œYou bought it? That's a likely story.โ€

โ€œWhy, it was taken from me this very afternoon.โ€

โ€œThat may be, but I bought it, all the same.โ€

The owner was about to protest, when the conductor said quietly: โ€œListen to the young fellow's explanation.โ€

Walter proceeded:

โ€œA man came to my seat and told me he wanted to raise enough money to get to Dakota. He offered me the watch for twenty-five dollars, though he said it cost him ninety six months ago.โ€

โ€œAnd you paid him twenty-five dollars?โ€

โ€œNo; I had no money to spare, but when he offered it for twenty, and told me I could more than get my money back either by pawning or selling it, I made up my mind to purchase, and did so.โ€

โ€œWhere is this man?โ€ asked the conductor.

โ€œHe said he was going into the smoking-car.โ€

โ€œThat's a likely story,โ€ sneered the stout gentleman.

โ€œDo you charge me with taking the watch?โ€ demanded Walter hotly. โ€œI have never left this car. Have you seen me before?โ€

โ€œNo; but you are probably a confederate of the man from whom you got it. But I am not sure if there was any such man.โ€

โ€œI will describe him,โ€ said Walter.

As he did so, the conductor said: โ€œThere was such a man on the train. He got off at the last station.โ€

โ€œI don't know anything about that,โ€ said the claimant; โ€œbut I'll trouble you, young man, for that watch.โ€

โ€œWill you return me the twenty dollars I gave for it?โ€ asked Walter.

โ€œOf course not. I don't propose to buy back my own watch.โ€

An elderly gentleman who sat just behind Walter spoke up here.

โ€œIt is rather hard on the boy,โ€ he said. โ€œI can confirm his story about the purchase of the watch. I heard the bargaining and saw the purchase-money paid.โ€

โ€œThat makes no difference to me,โ€ said the claimant. โ€œI've identified the watch and I want it.โ€

Walter removed it from his chain and was about to hand it to the claimant, when a quiet-looking man, dressed in a drab suit, rose from a seat farther down the car and came forward. He was a small man, not over five feet five inches in height, and he would not have weighed over one hundred and twenty pounds, but there was a look of authority on his face and an accent of command in his voice.

โ€œYou needn't give up the watch, my boy,โ€ he said.

Walter drew back his hand and turned round in surprise. The claimant uttered an angry exclamation, and said testily: โ€œBy what right do you interfere?โ€

โ€œThe watch isn't yours,โ€ said the small man nonchalantly.

โ€œIt isn't, hey? Well, of all the impertinentโ€”โ€

โ€œStop there, Jim Beckwith! You see I know youโ€โ€”as the stout man turned pale and clutched at the side of the seat.

โ€œWho are you?โ€ he demanded hoarsely.

โ€œDetective Green!โ€

The claimant lost all his braggadocio air, and stared at the detective with a terrified look.

โ€œThat isn't my name,โ€ he managed to ejaculate.

โ€œVery likely not,โ€ said the detective calmly, โ€œbut it is one of your names. It is a very clever game that you and your confederate are playing. He sells the watch, and you

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