Struggling Upward, or Luke Larkin's Luck. Alger Horatio Jr.
I needed the money, but no doubt you do, also. I have no grudge against you."
Luke had just started in his work. He explained to Tim how to do it, and remained with him till it was done.
"I'll come again to-morrow, Tim," he said. "I will get you well started, for I want to make it easy for you."
Tim was by no means a model boy, but he was warm-hearted, and he was touched by Luke's generous treatment.
"I say, Luke," he exclaimed, "I don't want to take your job. Say the word, and I'll tell mother and the squire I don't want it."
"No, Tim, it's your duty to help your mother. Take it and do your best."
On his way home Luke chanced to meet the squire, walking in his usual dignified manner toward the bank, of which he was president.
"Squire Duncan," he said, walking up to him in a manly way, "I would like to speak a word to you."
"Say on, young man."
"Tim Flanagan handed me a note from you this morning ordering me to turn over my duties as janitor to him."
"Very well?"
"I have done so, but I wish to ask you if I have been removed on account of any complaints that my work was not well done?"
"I have heard no complaints," answered the squire. "I appointed Timothy in your place because I approved of rotation in office.
It won't do any good for you to make a fuss about it."
"I don't intend to make a fuss, Squire Duncan," said Luke, proudly. "I merely wished to know if there were any charges against me."
"There are none."
"Then I am satisfied. Good morning, sir."
"Stay, young man. Is Timothy at the schoolhouse?"
"Yes, sir. I gave him some instruction about the work, and promised to go over to-morrow to help him."
"Very well."
Squire Duncan was rather relieved to find that Luke did not propose to make any fuss. His motive, as has already been stated, was a political one. He wished to ingratiate himself with Irish voters and obtain an election as representative; not that he cared so much for this office, except as a stepping-stone to something higher.
Luke turned his steps homeward. He dreaded communicating the news to his mother, for he knew that it would depress her, as it had him. However, it must be known sooner or later, and he must not shrink from telling her.
"Mother," he said, as he entered the room where she was sewing, "I have lost my job as janitor."
"I expected you would, Luke," said his mother, soberly.
"Who told you?" asked Luke, in surprise.
"Melinda Sprague was here yesterday and told me Tim Flanagan was to have it."
"Miss Sprague seems to know everything that is going on."
"Yes, she usually hears everything. Have you lost the place already?"
"Tim brought me a note this morning from Squire Duncan informing me that I was removed and he was put in my place."
"It is going to be a serious loss to us, Luke," said Mrs. Larkin, gravely.
"Yes, mother, but I am sure something will turn up in its place."
Luke spoke confidently, but it was a confidence he by no means felt.
"It is a sad thing to be so poor as we are," said Mrs. Larkin, with a sigh.
"It is very inconvenient, mother, but we ought to be glad that we have perfect health. I am young and strong, and I am sure I can find some other way of earning a dollar a week."
"At any rate, we will hope so, Luke."
Luke went to bed early that night. The next morning, as they were sitting at breakfast, Melinda Sprague rushed into the house and sank into a chair, out of breath.
"Have you heard the news?"
"No. What is it?"
"The bank has been robbed! A box of United States bonds has been taken, amounting to thirty or forty thousand dollars!"
Luke and his mother listened in amazement.
CHAPTER X
MELINDA MAKES MISCHIEF
"Where did you hear this, Melinda?" asked Mrs. Larkin.
"I called on Mrs. Duncan just now—I was doing some work for her—and she told me. Isn't it awful?"
"Was the bank broken open last night, Miss Sprague?" asked Luke.
"I don't know when it was entered."
"I don't understand it at all," said Luke, looking puzzled.
"All I know is that, on examining the safe, the box of bonds was missing."
"Then it might have been taken some time since?"
"Yes, it might."
The same thought came to Luke and his mother at once. Was the mysterious stranger the thief, and had he robbed the bank and transferred the tin box to Luke? It might be so, but, as this happened more than a fortnight since, it would have been strange in that case that the box had not been missed sooner at the bank. Luke longed to have Miss Sprague go, that he might confer with his mother on this subject. He had been told to keep the possession of the box secret, and therefore he didn't wish to reveal the fact that he had it unless it should prove to be necessary.
"Were any traces of the robber discovered?" he added.
"Not that I heard of; but I pity the thief, whoever he is," remarked Melinda. "When he's found out he will go to jail, without any doubt."
"I can't understand, for my part, how an outside party could open the safe," said Mrs. Larkin. "It seems very mysterious."
"There's many things we can't understand," said Melinda, shaking her head sagely. "All crimes are mysterious."
"I hope they'll find out who took the bonds," said the widow.
"Did they belong to the bank?"
"No, they belonged to a gentleman in Cavendish, who kept them in the bank, thinking they would be safer than in his own house. Little did he know what iniquity there was even in quiet country places like Groveton."
"Surely, Melinda, you don't think any one in Groveton robbed the bank?" said Mrs. Larkin.
"There's no knowing!" said Miss Sprague, solemnly. "There's those that we know well, or think we do, but we cannot read their hearts and their secret ways."
"Have you any suspicions, Miss Sprague?" asked Luke, considerably amused at the portentous solemnity of the visitor.
"I may and I may not, Luke," answered Melinda, with the air of one who knew a great deal more than she chose to tell; "but it isn't proper for me to speak at present."
Just then Miss Sprague saw some one passing who, she thought, had not heard of the robbery, and, hastily excusing herself, she left the house.
"What do you think, Luke?" asked his mother, after the spinster had gone. "Do you think the box we have was taken from the bank?"
"No, I don't, mother. I did think it possible at first, but it seems very foolish for the thief, if he was one, to leave the box in the same village, in the charge of a boy. It would have been more natural and sensible for him to open it, take out the bonds, and throw it away or leave it in the woods."
"There is something in that," said Mrs. Larkin, thoughtfully. "There is certainly a mystery about our box, but I can't think it was stolen from the bank."
Meanwhile, Miss Sprague had formed an important resolve. The more she thought of it, the more she believed the missing box was the one of which she had caught a glimpse of in Mrs. Larkin's trunk. True, Luke and the widow had not betrayed that confusion and embarrassment which might have been anticipated when the theft was announced, but she had noticed the look exchanged between them, and she was sure it meant something. Above all, her curiosity was aroused to learn how it happened