Who is his Father?

Front matter

WHO IS HIS FATHER? BY CHARLES JAMES SCOTTER. W LOLT^fDOT^C : Field & Tuer, The Leadenhall Press, S.C Simpkin oMa rshall & Co.; Hamilton, oAdams & Co. 1886. FIELD <_7» TUER, THE LEADENHALL PRRSS, (T.4283) CONTENTS. chap. PAGE I. FOUND, ....... 1 II. JOE JOLLY — AT YOUR SERVICE, . . ... 11 III. THE LITTLE SERJEANT, ..... 22 IV. WHO GOES THERE ? . . . . .32 V. JOE JOLLY REPORTS HIMSELF, . . . .43 VI. CHARLIE ENTERS THE LAW, . . . .54 VII. A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS, . . . .62 VIII. POOR TOMKINS ! ..... 73 IX. A LITTLE TREASONABLE, ENDING WITH A SURPRISE, . 80 X. A SPLIT AT TWISTER MOUNT, . . . .91 XI. "MY LADY" ON WOMAN'S RIGHTS, . . .99 XII. " MY LADY'S " MOTHER CONTINUES THE FIGHT, . 109 XIII. CHARLES, WHERE ARE YOU . .... 119 XIV. " HERE I AM, DAD ! " ..... 126 XV. FALL OF SILVER, JUNIOR, .... 134 XVI.

MURDER ! . . . ... 143 XVII. ON THE TRACK— A CLUE, .... 151 XVTII. VICISSITUDES, ...... 160 XIX. "AN ACTOR'S STORY," . ... CONTENTS. CHAP. PACK XX. A BAD HAP'NEY TURNS UP, .... 177 XXI. "YOU HAVE BETRAY'ED YOUR OWN FATHER," . . 185 XXII. JOB TO THE FORE — A CLUE, . . .192 XXIII. THE BAD HAP'NEY TURNS UP AGAIN, AND IS DISPOSED OF FOR GOOD AND ALL, .... 199 XXIV. CAPTURED, ...... 206 XXV. FATHER AND SON, . . . . .214 XXVI. CONCLUSION, ...... WHO IS HIS FATHER?

Chapter I. Found

" Chaeles," cried Mr Silver, as he finished reciting a whole list of his son's malefactions, " can nothing bring you to a sense of duty ? " Charles, who was fat, thick-headed and thick-skinned, and intolerably slow at understanding nice distinctions of duty or anything else (always excepting the good points of a dog), moved sluggishly from one side of the chair, and reclined against the arm on the other, without affording any reply to the question. "You have been away from the office for three days," continued the old gentleman, walking the floor with some impatience. " You come back at five o'clock to-day, and have scarcely put your foot inside, when you ask me for a cheque for twenty pounds. When I inquire what was the cause of your absence from business, you reply, that sick ness — biliousness — is the simple explanation.

I do not forget, Charles, that it is never anything else. I am thus forced to embrace the conclusion, that this particular kind of indisposition is a spurious article which you keep in stock, in order to avoid the disclosure of the genuine thing. Moreover, Charles, these fits of distemper are invariably followed by total bankruptcy. Is this the usual accompani ment of sickness and seclusion ? Why, at a time 'when a man has less opportunities for spending money, should you be compelled to borrow 1 " "Well, you know, dad, a fellow must live," quoth Charles, with a smile at the absurdity of Mr Silver's remarks. "Make A FOUND. it fifteen pounds. I want to pay the laundry woman to-night ; I owe her three weeks — and — and her husband — poor chap ! — is down with rheumatics, and two youngsters with the measles.

She wants the money badly." " It's quite unnecessary, Charles," exclaimed Mr Silver, shaking his head very earnestly at his son, " to introduce these harrowing details in order to support your case. If the woman has been so reckless as to allow you to become her debtor, she must be prepared to face the consequences. No argument that you can advance, no promises that you make, will alter my determination to pay you by results." " Kind of piece-work, eh ! dad ? " inquired Charles, with undisturbed composure. Mr Silver made no reply to a question which he thought singularly out of place just then, and proceeded intones of mild expostulation : — " Had you possessed the slightest interest in the business, or been desirous of relieving me of some of the work, you would not, I am persuaded, have absented yourself at a time of great pressure like the present.

You know that the collection of Sir Joshua's rents at the end of every half year employs me for several days together, and necessitates my absence from London the whole time. For the last three days, therefore, the firm has not been repre sented at the office at all. The whole management of the business during that time devolved upon the incapable shoulders of Mr Tomkins, who, as you know, is usually intoxicated during one part of the day, and an imbecile thc remainder." " Well, look here, dad ! " cried Silver junior, who was intelligent enough to see that his father was getting the best of the argument. " Make it ten pounds, and say no more about it." " Charles ! " exclaimed the old gentleman, standing still to gaze in wonder at his worthy offspring. " Charles ! I am astonished at your effrontery.

Do you imagine that I am arbitrating upon a matter of right, where an offer of com promise may be reasonably entertained ? Do you assume that I am in your debt, and hope by making a concession to obtain a settlement? If that is your meaning, then the bare proposal affords ample evidence that you hold my discernment in very small esteem." FOUND, 3 " I'll be hanged if I do, dad ! " laughed Charles. " It's a perpetual source of discomforture to me. In fact, you've too much. But there — dropping big words and compliments — let's have the cheque, will you ? I was going to tell you, before you cut up rough, that I've turned over a new leaf. Half-past nine sharp in the morning to com mence business, one o'clock to half-past for lunch, pen down at six — that is to be my daily programme for the future, and I trust " " Ah !

" sighed Mr Silver, " if this programme of yours, Charles, was being paraded for the first time only, I should be sanguine enough to believe that there was some probability of its being carried out. Experience is against you, Charles. Your promises are like a well-worn argument or a thread-bare coat, for you can no more support yourself by the one than sufficiently cover yourself with the other. Candidly, I cannot urge myself to place any reliance upon your promises until you give them solid, practical effect. Let me remind you, Charles, that after spending two whole days at some races last week — losing your money — spoiling your clothes — and procuring a disfigurement of the eye, which I should be very glad to believe was the result of an accident, you gave me your word that your future conduct should atone for all past shortcomings — that henceforth I should be conspicuously free from complaints.

Has that promise been fulfilled , A few days before that, you were down, so I was given to understand, with one of those stock ailments which seem to afflict you with periodical punc tuality ; but, I may tell you, Charles, that the damaged condition of your hat, the lump upon your forehead, and the loss of your watch chain, were circumstances attending your indisposition which did not help me to place much faith in your veracity. Unsolicited, you then made promises of reform, only to show me once more how unstable you can be. And, indeed, you always have been so. The good qualities of a particular horse are of much more interest to you than the telling points in a client's case ; sporting items have a relish that legal notes appear to be incapable of affording ; instead of laying up a store of valuable precedents, you exercise your memory over a bundle of worthless pedigrees of knackers and mongrels, FOUND. that are of little value to anybody, and none to you, who never possessed a more valuable article of animation than a goat!"

Under this powerful indictment Mr Silver junior was constrained to preserve a discreet silence. Meanwhile, he lit a cigarette, and smoked with philosophical coolness. " What have you to say ? " at length inquired the lawyer. "Well — make it a fiver, dad; come on," was the reply. " Not five-pence, Charles," was the emphatic rejoinder. Charles shrugged his shoulders, and smiled. " It isn't for myself," he said ; " I can very well go without. But what is that poor laundress to do? Think of her wretched husband stiff with rheumatics — her two children down with the measles — houseless, homeless — well, no, not exactly that, but starving, and all that kind of thing, you know dad. It's awful to think of." •' You've become very sympathetic all on a sudden, Charles ! " remarked his father, with hesitating incredulity.

"Not more so than I always have been," replied Charles. " But I shouldn't like to know there was a whole family starving, just because I hadn't come up to the scratch. Would you, dad— eh ? " " Certainly not," returned Mr Silver ; " and to show you, Charles, that I do not make a vain profession, here is thc five pound note you ask for. I had made up my mind to send you away as you came ; but as I am unwilling that others should suffer through your misdeeds, I do not own it weakness to modify my resolution. Pray discharge your debt to the poor laundress without loss of time; and I beseech you, as you value my esteem, to lose no time in giving me proofs of your sincere desire to improve your acquaintance with the business." " Right, dad ! " exclaimed Silver junior, rising to go, " I'll be off at once.

No more dog shows, horse races, sports, betting, or what not, from this time forward. I renounce them all. Grinding — steady, merciless grinding — shall bu the order of the day, and if I do not succeed in gorging myself to the neck with legal precedents, and turning my head into a prominent authority on Common Law, within the next few months, then, dad, I will forfeit my claim to any degree of intelligence. Ta ta ! " FOUND, "I've made a fool of myself again, I know I have," apostrophised the lawyer when his son had gone. " Laun dress indeed ! I don't believe he could find one who would trust him beyond a shilling — the young scamp ! But there, the thing is done, and talking is of no avail." Looking at his watch, and finding that it was six o'clock, Mr Silver determined to leave off work for the day.

So putting on his overcoat, and a muffler round his neck (for it was a cold December night), he extinguished the candles, and walked slowly into the front office, pulling on his gloves meanwhile. His expectations of finding Mr Tomkins steadily pursuing his work were doomed to disappointment ; and indeed, a glance at the candles, which were both gutter ing and throwing off streams of grease upon the desk, induced the lawyer to accept the painful conviction that his clerk must have ceased employment altogether quite an hour ago. He was now fast asleep. His elbows were laid upon the desk before him, and his head buried in them. " Well !" cried Mr Silver presently, after he had walked two or three times round the slumbering Tomkins, with mingled wonder and vexation. " Well, this is very en couraging to an overworked man, I must say.

Charles and Tomkins are about a pair. I do not know which of them manages to do the least work. Here's a man who has been two days copying a short brief, and it is a question whether he will finish it in three. " He gave the clerk a smart pull by the coat sleeve, and waited the result. Slowly — like the automaton movement of a wax figure — Mr Tomkins lifted his head from the desk, and looked around. For the first few moments it was abundantly evident, that he did not recognise the awkwardness of the situation. His eyes were dimmed by the relaxation he had been enjoying, and his brain, besides suffering from the deleterious effects of a large absorption of beer, was a victim to that indistinctness of apprehension which accom panies a premature waking. At length, perceiving some one by his side, he rubbed his eyes, and inquired whether the person spoke.

" Yes, I did." Tomkins gave a start, looked round with affright at the FOUND, speaker, and searched about for his pen with precipitate haste. "But I should like to know," continued Mr Silver, " when you expect to finish that brief." " Very little to do — very little to do," replied Tomkins with hurried alarm. "In fact, I — I shall finish it this evening." " I scarcely think so — at the pace you have been work ing," observed the lawyer. "You have been drinking, Mr Tomkins." In reply, Mr Tomkins was understood to declare that he had not tasted beer or tobacco for a fortnight. "I remember your making the same remark before," retorted Mr Silver, " and at a time when you were border ing on to a state of hopeless intoxication. I suppose, Mr Tomkins, when a man smells like a beer and tobacco shop combined it is natural to infer he has had something to do with the articles themselves."

Tomkins made no reply, but gave his eyes another rub, and went on with the brief. "Am I to understand you will finish that brief to-night?" " Oh yes, sir ! A few minutes — very little to do." " I'm glad to hear it. Good night !" '"Night, sir." Anything but satisfied that Mr Tomkins would be as good as his word, the lawyer took his departure. Upon reaching the bottom of the steep flight of stone steps that led out into Constables Inn, he noticed a dark figure crouching in the doorway of an adjoining office — cold and motionless. On approaching nearer the figure, it turned out to be a boy, who had apparently chosen the spot (it being somewhat sheltered) to get a little rest. Wondering within himself what circumstances could have driven the boy to this extremity, the kind-hearted lawyer shook him by the arm, and asked him why he was sleeping there, in the cold.

In response a pale, pretty face was turned up towards him — so eloquent of suffering — so pleading, that Mr Silver could not forbear exclaiming, "Poor lad, poor lad !" "Why don't you go home?" he repeated. "Little, delicate boys like you shouldn't sleep in doorways." FOUND, 7 " They can't keep me no longer, sir," said the lad, tear fully. " Who— surely not your parents ?" "The people I was living with, sir. They said they couldn't keep me any longer, because they were going away, and I should have to go somewhere else." " They were friends, or relations I suppose." " Friends or relations, sir V repeated the boy with an inquiring look, as though he scarcely understood the meaning of the words. " They were kind to me, and when they had anything to eat they always gave me some ; but some times Job couldn't get anything to do, and then we only had dry bread.

Some days we went without altogether, sir." "But your father and mother, my lad — where are they?" "Father or mother?" again repeated the boy, opening wide his eyes. " I once heard Job say that father was ' rummy,' but he never spoke of my mother, sir ; I never knew her." " Never seen either of them, eh?" The lad shook his head. " Do you know where Job has gone to ?" " No, I don't, sir," was the sorrowful reply. " I went up to the old place just before I came in here, and the curtain was down, and the room was empty. They were the only friends I had in the world, sir, and now I'm all alone." The poor boy buried his head in his hands, and wept as though his heart would break. It would not have been Mr Silver, if he had listened to this short, pitiful story without a touch of commiseration for the lad's most unhappy lot.

Indeed, the old lawyer himself had been well-nigh moved to tears, and it required a strong effort on his part to subdue the outward signs of sympathy which his tender heart was only too quick to afford. But, apart from this, the lad's story had awakened Mr Silver's interest. He argued within himself, that he might probably be the means of restoring the poor boy to his parents, or of putting him under the care of those persons who were responsible for his maintenance. The task, it is true, might be a difficult one ; but whatever the result, the lad could not be worse off than he was now. FOUND, Meanwhile, he must be rescued from this miserable state. Humanity could not look upon it with indifference— no breast could be proof against its touching sorrow. Having determined, therefore, to give the boy a home for the present, Mr Silver told him to wipe his tears away, for he should be happy again yet, and to follow him to the keeper's lodge.

As the door was. open (for "old Joe "—or Mr Joseph Rackstraw, if you please— had just gone out to shut the Inn gates), Mr Silver was compelled to dispense with any preliminary announcement, and came upon Mrs Rackstraw just as she was tasting from a spoon the contents of a saucepan, which was then steaming on the fire. " Lor', sir, you quite frightened me ! " she cried, as she raised her eyes from the fire, and caught sight of Mr Silver for the first time. " Don't let me interrupt you, I pray ! " quoth the lawyer, seeing Mrs Rackstraw put down the spoon, and become suddenly anxious about her personal appearance and the tidiness of the room. " It's only tripe, sir," said the lady, as though it were necessary to offer an apology on behalf of the saucepan. " But, I must say, I don't think there's a nicer thing to have for supper on a cold night like this.

I'm sure Mr Rackstraw would say so too, if he were here ; and we get such good tripe, and so reasonable ! " " I quite agree with you, it makes a very nice supper," returned Mr Silver, " and I hope you will enjoy it. But what I came for oh, here is Mr Rackstraw ! " At this moment the object of the exclamation walked, or rather waddled into the room, and relieved his feet (which were spreading, old, and tender) by falling back into the nearest chair with a deep sigh of relief. It is noticeable that hall porters, and Inn porters, generally are weak upon their feet, and the fact may be accounted for by their disinclination to use them, except under a combina tion of unavoidable circumstances. Added to Mr Rack straw's difficulty of locomotion, was his inability to stand upright, a calamity not so much the result of natural infirmity, as too great a liking for that portion of his duties, which consisted in reclining in the arm chair, and falling to FOUND. 9 sleep at intervals throughout the day.

The cultivation of this sedate performance of his functions produced in the course of years a very marked effect upon " Old Joe's " back, which was now very nearly forming a semi-circle. To these ailments must again be added a chest that could not be relied upon ; for at any sudden change in the atmosphere it did its best to choke the old porter ; and it may safely be said that nothing short of that extraordinary vitality, which distinguishes porters in general, sufficed to bring " Old Joe " safely through the ordeal. Upon gaining his breath, he responded to Mr Silver's greeting, and then relapsed. " I was just about to tell Mrs Rackstraw," proceeded the lawyer, " that my reason for looking in, is to ask you whether you would be kind enough to take charge of this lad for a few days, while I am making inquiries about his parents.

All the expense of his keep I shall of course pay, and I shall take it as a favour if you will feed him well, and do your best to make him comfortable. Can you do this for me ? " " La', yes, Mr Silver ! " exclaimed Mrs Rackstraw ; " he shall have the little bed in the top room, and I'll take the greatest pleasure in making him happy. In fact, I'll be a mother to him, and treat him as if he was my own son. Pray what's your name, my little man ? " " Charlie, if you please, maam." "Charlie what?" " I don't know of any other name, maam," answered the lad. " Job sometimes called me ' Young Down-in-Luck,' but I don't think that was my right name. I once asked him if I had one, and what it was, and he said it didn't matter, because one was as good as another." "Your friend Job, my boy, was wrong," remarked Mr Rackstraw, with a very emphatic jerk of his body forwards.

" Wrong — that's what he was — wrong. He might just as well have said that it did not matter what my Inn was called, because one Inn is like another Inn. Yes, he might have gone so far as to say that. But, mind you, I should have told Mr Job, very plainly, that there was Inns and Inns — likewise porters and porters ; and when you come to talk about Constable's Inn and Mr Rackstraw (that's me) FOUND, it aint to be denied there's nothing in the common way about 'em. So much for Mr Job, who, I say again, was wrong." Having delivered himself of these observations with an air of stateliness and judicial solemnity, Mr Rackstraw fell back in his chair to gain a little breath, and enjoy the repose of a contented mind. " Then I understand I may leave the lad here for the present ? " inquired the lawyer, preparing to go.

"Oh, certainly, sir," returned the porter. " To be sure, sir," added Mrs Rackstraw, " we'll take great care of him ; and, mark my words, you'll soon see a vast improvement in him, that you will." Mr Silver entei'tained no doubt upon the point. He then wished all three " good-night," and took his departure.

Chapter II. Joe Jolly

— AT YOUR SERVICE. The intention which Mr Silver had formed of inquiring into the parentage of the boy was frustrated by an unforeseen calamity. This was nothing less than a serious illness over taking the little object of his benevolence, which, after prostrating the lad for a few days, and apparently wavering in its designs, finally developed into a fever of the most pronounced type. So strongly and virulently did it seize upon the young and delicate frame, that for some time it was a matter of uncertainty whether the disorder or its victim would come out master of the struggle ; although it was hoped (and indeed it was the only hope in the case) that the buoyancy of youth would achieve more towards Charlie's recovery than the doctor and all his nostrums combined. It may be readily imagined that Mr Silver regarded this new feature in the lad's history with feelings of sorrow and disappointment ; for his keen sensibility would not allow him to regard with indifference the sufferings of others, while the postponement (perhaps prevention) of his efforts to secure a home for the boy was a positive affliction to a heart as impulsive as it was warm.

The misgivings, nay the grief, of the old porter and his wife were hardly less poignant. For the two or three days preceding Charlie's illness, he had by his cheerfulness and innocence found a place in their affections to a degree they were not aware of, until he lay helpless before them. Everything that kindness and love could suggest went to alleviate the sufferings of the boy; and when a slight change gave rise to a ray of hope, they rejoiced as though he were their own and only son. The responsibility for some of the anxiety which afflicted AT YOUR SERVICE. the minds of these good people must certainly rest upon the shoulders of a certain Dr Puff, who, having been called in, in the first instance, to prescribe for the lad, was at great pains to enforce upon them the absolute necessity of his continuing to superintend the case.

He therefore entered upon his duties with more than the usual professional assiduity, and was not above taking a cup of tea with the two old people, or a glass of hot grog with Mr Rackstraw, in return, enlarging upon the extent and importance of his practice, and the many proofs he had received from the public of their appreciation of his humble efforts. This condescension on the part of Dr Puff secured the entire confidence of the porter and his wife ; so much so, that Mrs Rackstraw was often induced to exclaim, what a blessing it was they had called him in, for, beyond doubt, no other living doctor could have preserved the boy's life so long, and indeed, would have hurried it out of his body days before. Probably, nothing contributed more to this high estimation of the doctor than the profound mystery with which he clothed his thoughts regarding the condition and progress of the youthful patient.

His mute and grave concern were taken as emblems of greatness, and inspired the old people with a confident belief that genius was at work beneath that calm unruffled brow, that nothing more on earth could be done for the boy than what Dr Puff was doing. An illustration of the doctor's professional manner may help the reader to recognise what, in some measure, may be called a representative portrait. Upon entering he always had the appearance of a man with a bad headache, or perhaps it would be better to say, of one who had just sustained a heavy loss. His smile of recognition was bilious in the extreme ; and was to be regarded as a concession, if you please, for it was not in his line of business. He then proceeded to the bedside, held the lad's wrist, took out his watch, and stood like a mourner at a funeral.

While meditating thus he shook his head dubiously several times, then gave an ominous " um !" Looked at his watch again, pursed his lips, frowned, let go thc lad's wrist, scratched his head, and cried " um !" again. "Mrs Rackstraw," he would say in rather severe tones — — AT YOUR SERVICE. 13 severity dictated solely by the gravity of the patient's con dition — "Mrs Rackstraw, you must be careful." These words, accompanied by a grave inclination of the head, immediately produced in Mrs Rackstraw (as was perhaps designed) the most intense alarm, the more so because they seemed specially framed to avoid giving rise to any apprehension. " Is there any danger, sir ? I hope not," she anxiously inquired. "Ah — well, well, we'll see to-morrow," was the careful reply. This answer, which asserted nothing, admitted nothing, denied nothing, could not be expected to calm the old lady's fears, or assuage her grief.

On the contrary, she construed it to be a kind and considerate way of implying a sorrowful fact, and without questioning the doctor further upon the point, she was intelligent enough to accept the conviction that the young patient's life was trembling in the balance. Occasionally the doctor altered his tactics. "Mrs Rackstraw!" he would exclaim under his breath, " you have not been obeying my directions closely." " In everything, sir," was the immediate reply ; "I do assure you, I have." "What time did you give the dose last night? ' Eight o'clock, to the minute, sir." " And this morning — this morning, Mrs Rackstraw 1" " The very same. Well, I was a little behind time this morning, sir." This admission produced in the doctor a smile of quiet satisfaction, as who should say, " You see, my good woman, I knew it all the while."

" I do hope, sir, it won't do the poor dear boy any harm," observed the old lady pitifully. " I can do no more," was the grave reply, thus leaving Mrs Rackstraw a prey to anxiety and remorse. In due time the fever turned, and Charlie began to make such rapid strides towards recovery, that the little doctor was disposed to resent it as a usurpation of his medical functions. However, as he could not very consistently pro test to the boy against his getting well again so rapidly, he satisfied his dignity by continually making it known that — AT YOUR SERVICE. people required more care when recovering from sickness than at the height of their disorder. So firmly did he establish this idea in the minds of the old people, that their anxiety did not cease, nor the visits of Dr Puff, until Charlie was strong enough to rise from his bed, and sit in the porter's arm chair.