True to his Trust, etc

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HE RAN INTO THE ARMS OF THE SECOND MAN (Page _oo.) TRUE TO HIS TRUST BY EDWARD S. ELLIS, A. M. Author of "Comrades True," "Among the Esquimaux," Etc. ILLUSTRATED BY J. STEEBLE DAVIS THE BENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA MDCCCXCVII Copyright, 1897, by The Penn Publishing Company CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I Nephew and Uncle 7 II A Champion 17 III School Days 29 IV A Piece of Mischief 41 V The Sober Second Thought 49 VI Face to Face 56 VII The Re-union 66 VIII Queer Doings 76 IX On the Ki_.g's Highway 89 X A Rough Experience 101 XI Into the Wood 113 XII Like a Dream 12."> XIII What it all Meant 137 XIV Coe Crawford 150 XV At the Savings Bank 163 XVI Companions on the Road 174 XVII Leading the Way 187 XVIII At the Old Cabin ■ CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE XIX How it Came Out 212 XX In the Blizzard 222 XXI The New Home 232 XXII Working His Way 242 XXIII The Sound of Footsteps 252 XXIV What it all Meant 261 XXV A Friendly Warning 270 XXVI What Followed 280 XXVII "Wait!" 289 XXVIII The Dark Shadow 299 XXIX Done by a Crank 309 XXX "1804"

Chapter I Nephew And Uncle

Weldon Stafford was the brightest and most jiopular boy in the Copeland village school. He easily led all the others in his studies, but never showed any consciousness of his unusual ability in that respect. He was always ready to help the dull boy or girl, even to the extent of sometimes violating the rules of the teacher ; he was a fine runner, skater, and swimmer and in short was so full of rugged life and spirits that tbe wonder was how he managed to be half as good as he was. It seems to be the law among youths that the most talented are brimming over with mischief, which, so long as it is not of a harmful cbar acter, cannot be severely condemned. It is when such a disposition tramples upon the rights of others and disregards their sensibilities and feelings that it should be frowned upon and suppressed.

There was sound philosophy in a remark of the wise superintendent, who, like the teacher, was fond of Weldon. At tbe close of one of the terms when the official was present, the in structor read aloud the marks of the boys and girls in their studies and deportment. Of course Weldon led all in the former, but he stood fifth in conduct. " Let me congratulate you," said the superintendent, as he took the blushing boy's hand before the whole school ; " in a certain sense, you deserve the highest credit in dej:>ortment." Observing the looks of surprise on the faces of teacher and pupils, the superintendent ex jDlained : " It is because it was a good deal harder for you to reach fifth position than it was for the honor lad to attain first ; the puzzle to me," added tbe gentleman, with a twinkle of his eyes, " is that you don't stand at the very foot."

" I can't understand myself why I don't," replied Weldon amid the laughter of teacher and pupils. Mr. Freeman, the instructor, came to the rescue of his favorite pupil. " I gave Weldon full credit for his efforts, rather than for the success which attended those efforts." The superintendent laid his hand on the curly head. " Be encouraged, my young friend, to keep on trying. Fortunate it is for all of us that there is One who makes no error in keeping the ac counts against us. I find that your demerits are chiefly for whispering to others and helping them in their lessons, varied now and then by a prank which you can understand would destroy all discipline if your teacher overlooked it." The superintendent took care not to refer to one fact, which Weldon never suspected. Had the teacher debited the boy with all the slips that ought to have been charged against him, he would in truth have stood very near the foot in deportment ; but, when Mr. Freeman knew that in nearly every instance, Weldon was help ing another boy in his studies, and that his motive was to do his classmate a kindness, the teacher quite often forgot to put a black mark against Weldon's name.

" It would have made me feel mean," he ex plained to the superintendent, "and since he did not know that I was aware of his infraction of the rules, no harm was done." "Surely not, but in my opinion, you acted justly. He is a manly fellow and if his life is spared, is sure to make a noble man." Now, since Weldon and two other lads have much to do in the story that follows, some infor mation about the three is necessary at this point. Weldon was the son and only child of a widow, who lived about two miles from the town of Copeland, where the boy attended school. Her husband had been dead ever since tbe infancy of the son, and he left his widow in such straitened circumstances that it was bard to understand how she lived in seeming com fort and was able to send Weldon to school. It was done by a rigid economy which no one suspected, and which was not dreamed of by Weldon in tbe happy, overflowing good nature of his youtb.

He almost worshiped that pale, quiet, frail parent, wliose hand had never been lifted against him, and whose gentle request was more powerful in influencing bim tban the rod could ever have been. The brother of Mrs. Stafford was Jabez Bur winkle, who must have been born a " crank," for no one could remember when he failed to answer to that description. His home was on a small farm at the foot of Hurricane Mountain, where the stone house was put up long before the Revolution, and was occupied by his ancestor, who had to figbt Indians, shoot bears, panthers, and wolves, and to shiver iu winter and half suffocate in summer ; for that structure, somehow or other, seemed to have been located in a spot afflicted with the worst climate of a section which can furnish as great a variety of weather as any spot on the habit able globe.

But the old man and his wife held fast, and in due time were succeeded by their sturdy, law less children, until, at the time to which I refer, Jabez Burwinkle was past threescore, had been a widower for ten years, and had two sons, Daniel and Samuel. They were twins, and in herited all the bad qualities of their father. A curious fact was that the twins were born on the same day with Weldon Stafford, so that the three boys were of precisely the same age. Jabez Burwinkle, without any reason at all except his own brutal meanness of disposition, refused to speak to his sister, or to allow her to visit his home. Once, when Weldon was quite young, he ventured to call upon his cousins. He had hardly appeared on the scene when the snarling old man demanded his name. " Weldon Stafford, sir," replied the lad, re spectfully removing his hat.

" Is your mother Mrs. Susan Stafford, who lives up the road ?" " Yes, sir, and I'm your nephew." " Wait a minute," said the old man, turning away and hastily entering the house. " I guess he's going to bring me a piece of cake," mused young Weldon, wondering why neither of his cousins came out-doors, but stood at one of the windows looking out and grinning at him. " Mother said Uncle Jabez was a queer sort of man, but she doesn't know how clever he is. I feel just like having a big piece of cake. I wonder whether it has white sugar on the top, like she sometimes makes — " At this point in the lad's musings his uncle came out of the door with a rush. Instead of bearing a toothsome gift for him, he held a big switch in his right hand, and before Weldon knew what it meant, it was descending about his plump legs, and every blow cut like red-hot wire.

" You young brat ! I'll teach you better than to come snooping over here ! Don't ever dare to show your face again in sight of my house !" It has been said that Weldon Stafford was an unusually fleet runner, and it was fortunate that such was the case. He was barely ten years old at this time, but with a yell of dismay and pain, he whirled about and sped down the lane with a speed which even Jabez Burwinkle could not equal. When the fugitive looked around, he saw the irate old fellow standing motionless, switch in hand, and scowling at him as if with disappointment because the boy did not wait and take more punishment. And in range with the father stood the twins, who had come out of the front door and seemed in danger of falling to the ground with mirth. They had never witnessed anything quite so amusing.

"I don't see what there is to laugh at," muttered Weldon ; " but Dan and Sam think it's mighty funny. I wonder why their father switched me ? It must have been because I'm his nephew ; I don't see how I'm to blame for that, for I'm as much ashamed of it as he is." It was just like Weldon not to tell his mother anything about his treatment. He knew it would grieve her loving heart, and he was not the boy willingly to cause her jiain. Besides, it couldn't reduce the welts on his legs. " Hello, Weldon, when are you coming round to visit us?" asked Dan Burwinkle the next day, when they met at school, while he and his brother grinned. It was a mean question, but Weldon replied : " I think I'll wait for an invitation next time." " A good idea ; I say, boys, you oughter seen him yesterday," said Sam, addressing the curious youngsters who gathered round.

" He stood out in front of our house with that sweet smile on his face, till suddenly the old man got tired of it and began walloping him with a big switch. You could have heard him yell for two miles, and he begged off aud said he wouldn't do so again, and finally the old man let up on him. I'd have give a dollar if you could have seen him ; you'd died laughing." This account was not strictly in accordance with the facts, but it was near enough to prevent any contradiction on the part of the victim. Boys are thoughtless and unfeeling, and despite Weldon's popularity, there was a general laugh at his expense which he took with the best grace jiossible. It was during the following winter that Jabez Burwinkle was seized with what threatened to prove a mortal illness. He was so grievously ill that Dan and Sam were kept out of school.

The unexpected vacation was so welcome that it was useless for them to pretend to any grief. Their parent at times was terribly harsh with them, and they would have been glad of a release, even if it came in the most dreadful of all forms. When Weldon brought the news home, his mother was much affected. The thought of los ing her only brother without a reconciliation between them distressed her beyond measure. Undecided what to do, she stopped the doctor when he was riding past her home, and inquired concerning the sick man. " I guess he'll die this time," replied the phy sican in his matter-of-fact manner. " What is the trouble with him ?" " It is hard to say, except there is a general breaking up of his system ; he is well along in years, and hasn't the reserve force that otherwise might pull him through."

" How long do you think he will last ?" " Perhaps a week or a fortnight ; sometimes one in his condition lingers for months, but gen erally they go off much sooner." " You do not feel able to benefit him ?" " Medicine is of little help in such a case, but I have known the best of results to follow from a severe nervous shock, when a person is in his condition. It seems to rouse and give life to the patient." Jabez Burwinkle received the needed shock that evening. Mrs. Stafford waded through the snow and tempest to the door of her brother, whose only companions were his unfilial boys, and entered the home whose threshold she had not crossed for years. The sight of his sister roused the old man to new life, and he drove her angrily out in the storm and forbade her ever intruding again. She departed without a word and they never met afterward, but the smiling physician insisted that thegood woman had builded better than she knew, for straightway the old man rallied and soon was his crank v, churlish self again.

Chapter II

A CHAMPION Where there was such strong contrast of character between the twins and their cousin, the danger of collision was imminent. They had come perilously near fighting more than once. That they did not was due to the self restraint of AVeldon and that self-restraint was due to the teaching of his mother. " It seems to me," said the son in one of those sweet, confidential talks with his jiarent which remained the greatest consolation of his life, " that sometimes a boy ought to fight." " There may be occasions when it is justifi able, but they rarely occur." " Tell me some of them, mother." " Well, if a lad is wantonly attacked, he can not be blamed for defending himself against injurj% or," she added, hesitatingly, "in defend ing some helpless boy or girl from the attacks of others."

Weldon sighed. "I haven't had anything like that, and I 2 don't have any trouble in school except with Cousin Sam and Dan. They provoke me be yond what I can stand." " Tell me in what way." " They sneer at me, call me a coward, and say that you are so poor that you can't dress me much better than a beggar : that makes me madder tban anything else," said Weldon, with a flash of his eyes ; " I don't mind what they say about me, but they must be careful of what they say about you." " If I can stand the truth, why need you fret yourself? I am poor and it is no disgrace." " Maybe not, but it roils me dreadfully to hear any one say so." "You are getting the right sort of training; it will benefit you through life." "How?" " In many ways ; you are learning self-control, which is one of the most blessed moral victories that a human being can attain.

The man who holds his temper in subjection is the greatest of conquerors ; never were truer words written than that such a man is greater than he that taketh a city ; not one person in a thousand is capable of such mastery, but he who is holds an advantage over every one who has never attained that power." " I am sure you are right, mother, as you always are, but I wish you would give me per mission to do just one thing." " I will gladly do so if it is for your good." " Let me give Sam and Dan one good all round whipping. I will make it so complete that neither of them will ever want another. I would like to have some other fellows train me in self-control ; it's getting tiresome to have the same teachers. I'll juromise that there won't be any need of doing it again." Strange as it may seem, Weldon inherited a good deal of his waggishness from his mother.

Sorrow, trial, and suffering had left their im press upon that gentle countenance, but the sense of the ludicrous never wholly departed. She smiled in spite of herself as she looked into that frank, handsome, pleading face. " I sympathize with you, my son, but such an act on your part would be like the yielding of the reformed drunkard to temptation. It would undo the work of months past." "And of months to come," groaned the lad, who, however, resolved to obey his parent in spirit and letter. The following morning, when Weldon was on his way to school, he found a boy waiting for him at the Corners — that is, where the high ways crossed, a half-mile before reaching Cope land. This lad was Jim, a colored "bound boy," who attended school during the winter months. He had done so for several winters.

When he began receiving instruction it was with the alphabet, of which he remembered only two letters— "I" and "O." Upon the coming of spring, when he had to leave school, he had gained a pretty fair knowledge of the whole aljdiabet, but that knowledge oozed away during the summer, so that he always began at the same place in his primer, which was the beginning. Jim was several years younger than Weldon. He had an immense mouth, splendid teeth which were always in sight, for rarely did the grin leave his face except to give way to a peal of laughter, so loud and comical that it always made every one who heard it laugh in sym pathy. Jim was sitting on the fence, with his dogeared primer under his arm. The colored boy was very fond of Weldon, and had hurried across fields and perched himself thus a half an hour before, so as to be sure of not missing him.

When his friend saw the broad black face, sur mounted by the well-known cap with the single button at the crown, the big bulging eyes, and the shining white teeth, he called out: " Hello, Jim ! Are you going to school ?" " Yes ; I start agin fur de winter." He slid off the top rail and joined Weldon, who asked : " How many of your letters do you remember ?" "Two," was the proud response; "I corned mighty neah forgottin' dem, but I held fast, and wouldn't let 'em get away from me." " Which letters are they ?" " T ' and ' O.' " " What does ' I ' look like ?" " Haw ! haw !" roared Jim ; " you can't fool me ; ' I ' am dat big round letter dat looks like a knot hole in de fence, and ' O ' am de straight up-and-down one dat looks like a hitchin' post ; sometimes dey got sort ob hazy in my mind, but I hung onto 'em and I'm gwine to work hard dis winter, so as to scoop in two, free more letters."

Weldon laughed, for he was amused with the simplicity of the fellow. The temptation to indulge in some sport at his expense was strong, but he felt that it would be wrong and he refrained. Before they reached school he succeeded in impressing upon Jim the identity of the two letters that he had got mixed. Not only that, but he actually taught him three others, " Q," " Z," and " X," and to Weldon's credit be it recorded, that the five characters thus im pressed uj>on Jim's memory never left him. In that brief walk the dull lad learned more than he had ever learned in a month at school. Jim's welcome was uproarious. His good nature made him the butt of the boys, who never seemed weary of jdaying tricks upon him. " Hello, Jim, I was waiting for you," said Dan Burwinkle, walking up and solemnly ex tending his hand.

As Jim, with an immense grin, reached out to take it, Dan snatched off the other's cap and ran. Jim made a plunge after him, but Sam, who was waiting for such action, thrust out his foot and Jim fell violently on his face. He was hurt and Weldon ran forward to help him up. As he did so he saw blood on his cheek, and the poor boy was not laughing. " What a shame !" exclaimed the indignant Weldon ; " no one but a coward would do that." Neither of the twins heard this remark, for Dan having reached some distance with the cap, was flinging it in the air, while Sam and several other boys were hurling stones at it as it went up and came down. It was this fact that caused Jim more uneasiness than his own hurts. " Say, Weldon, can't yo' git my cap ?" he asked through the tears which he could not keep back ; " Mrs. Cummings said she would whip me if dat cap was hurt, and I has to wear it ebery day and Sundays too."

" I'll get it for you," replied Weldon, darting off to where it was serving as a target. None of the boys suspected his purpose, or the task would not have been so easy. As the cap dropped to the ground he snatched it up and came back like a race-horse. " Here, Jim, keep it on your head ; it's a little soiled, but isn't hurt." " Wery much 'bliged fur yo' kindness," replied the colored lad, who shoved his primer in his pocket, so that he could use both hands to keep his cap in place. The Burwinkle twins were angered that their sport should be interfered with in this manner, and they arrived on the scene the next minute. Dan made straight for Jim, intending again to secure his cap, but the lad read his purpose and held fast with both hands. He could not prevent his tormentor, however, from seizing hold of it.

The two tugged fiercely, and soon a tear ing sound was heard. " Oh, please, don't ! Yo's ruinin' my caj3 ! I'll get a lickin' fur dat !" The twins laughed, aud Dan paused an instant to get a better hold, meaning to have the head gear if he had to tear it to shreds. Before he could do so, Weldon did some quick think ing. " Mother says it is right for me to defend myself or to protect any boy or girl from being injured by others. It looks to me as if it is about time for me to sail in." And he sailed in. Catching Dan Burwinkle by the nape of his coat, he wrenched him away from the colored boy and hurled him backward with such force that the bully fell to the ground, his own hat flying a dozen feet from him. " What do you mean, you sneak ?" demanded Sam, plunging like an angry bull at Weldon, who, although his face was white with passion, was as cool as if sitting at his studies in school.

Just as Sam raised his fist to strike, he received a blow full in the face, which sent him over on his back, as if he had been struck by the piston rod of a steam engine. It cannot be said that thus far Weldon had gone outside of the counsel of his mother. He was surely saving an unfortunate boy from per secution, and it was necessary to use violence in order to do so, but he had carried matters with such a rush that it may be said the task was completed. Certainly Sam Burwinkle would be unwise to attack him again after his dis astrous repulse, while Dan, having climbed to his feet, stood irresolute, looking for a chance to get in a foul blow. But, instead of awaiting an assault from Dan, Weldon discounted it. " You're a coward to impose on Jim that way ; why don't you take a boy of your own size?" demanded Weldon, advancing upon him.

Dan would have turned and fled, but for the ridicule of the other lads, who gathered round delighted, as is generally the case, over the rumpus. " Don't hurt him too much, Dan ! Easy now ; look out ! he's coming for you !" Dan's main hope was his brother, whose face was smarting from the blow he had received. Surely, when three boys of the same age are involved, and two are on the same side, there ought to be a chance of two to one in favor of the twins. So it was that unfortunately for himself, Dan Burwinkle stood his ground. He had a little time in which to prej)are for the charge and quickly formulated a plan of campaign which ought to have brought him victory. Possibly it would have done so, had Weldon followed the expected line of action, but he did not. Dan made a terrific sweep, but in a flash he was on his back with Weldon on top, and show ing him no mercy.

Dan did his best to jn'otect himself, but he was powerless. Blinking through the tempest of blows, he saw his brother a few paces away, bareheaded and rubbing his forehead, but indifferent to everything else. " Sam ! Sam !" he shouted ; " pull us apart ! don't you see we're killing each other ?" " My eye is so bunged up that I can't see straight ; you keep it up for an hour or two and then I'll try to help." Seeing that he was deserted by his natural ally, Dan did not hesitate to shout " Enough !" Instantly Weldon ceased his blows. " Are you sure you've got enough ?" he asked, disappointed that he had no excuse for keeping the thing going a little while longer. " Of course I am ! Don't I know ? Let me up !" " Will you promise to let Jim alone after this ?" " No ; I'll be hanged if I will," replied Dan, maddened at the sight of the grinning boys standing round.

He furiously twisted his body about in the effort to displace the incubus, but it was impossible. " Sam, pull him off! Then we'll both down him !" " You will, eh ?" said Weldon, who managed to keep an eye on Sam ; " take that !" " Murder ! help ! Didn't I holler 'Enough'? " " But you must promise me that you won't plague Jim any more." " All right ; I promise." Weldon took his knee from the breast of Dan and allowed that battered individual to climb to his feet. He kept his eye on him for a minute, and seeing he intended doing nothing, turned toward Sam. " Now, I'll settle with you." " Confound it ! Haven't you just settled with me ?" whined the thoroughly frightened twin, still rubbing his eye ; " I'll let the darkey alone." Weldon had no pretext for further hostilities, and turned away. " Gib meyo' hand," said the delighted colored boy ; " let's shake ; dey didn't hurt my cap, and I couldn't hab walloped dem any better myself."

Chapter III School Days

One commendable trait about Weldon Staf ford was that he cherished ill-will against no one. This, too, was mostly due to the training of that noble mother who taught him the great truth, so hard for many to grasp, that revenge never pays, and hurts the one who indulges in it more than the victim. In the case of his bout with his cousins, it may be claimed that there was no cause for any purpose of revenge on his part. It was Dan and Sam who might be expected to nurse that sentiment, and that they did so, for a long, long time, was proven by the events which followed. Still it was natural for the one who had chastised them for their meanness to hold them in con tempt and dislike, but there was nothing of that nature in Wei don's disposition. It often happens that a boy who is dull finds some study in which he shows a singular pro ficiency.

It was thus with the Burwinkle twins. They were of fair intelligence in most of their lessons, but Sam was exceptionally good in grammar, while Dan was unevenly good in spelling. It was the custom at the beginning of the term for the boys and girls to draw for their places in the class. Weldon, when this practice was begun, drew the lowest number, and, of course, went to the foot. Dan Bur winkle was directly above him, but during the first week Weldon mowed down the whole class on a difficult word, and reached the head. The rule was that the one who was there at the close of school each day should take his or her place at the foot on the following day, the rotation being regular, so that if a pupil never missed a word he was certain to reach the head several times during the term. The habit of " telling " had become so com mon in the class that the teacher was forced to adojat a harsh rule to break it up.

He decreed that if any boy or girl helped another in the spelling of a word, such offender should go to the foot of the class if detected, while the one exposing the act should be entitled to the vacated place, provided it was higher in the class than his own. This proved effective, for the penalty was severe, and few cared to incur the risk of being shut out from all chance of gaining one of tbe prizes, for, as the term drew to a close, the con test became close and stirring. The rewards offered by the teacher were a first and second medal, so handsome that there was little choice between them. The last day of the fall term came during the week which succeeded the fight between Weldon Stafford and his cousins. He had told the whole story to his mother, who did not reprove him, but after a moment's silence asked the singular question : " Wouldn't you like to punish Dan more se verely than you did ?"