“Good morning,” said Gerald courteously1. “Won’t you come in and share our breakfast?”
On hearing this invitation the boy’s face brightened up.
“You are very kind, and I accept thankfully,” said the father. “Oscar and myself are both hungry, for we have eaten nothing since one o’clock yesterday.”
“Come in then,” said Gerald hospitably2.
“I shall be glad to hear your story, and so will[102] my friend, Mr. Brooke, but you must breakfast first. Then you will feel probably in much better condition for talking.”
Though Gerald and his guest had eaten heartily4 there was enough left for the two new arrivals, and it was very evident that both thoroughly5 enjoyed their meal.
“I hope I haven’t taken up your time,” said the visitor as he pushed back his chair from the table. “And now, as in duty bound, I will tell you my story.”
“Don’t think we require it,” said Gerald courteously. “The slight favor we have done you gives us no right to ask your confidence.”
“Still you look friendly and I am glad to tell you about myself. I am, as you will judge from my appearance, a working-man, and have ever since I attained6 my majority been employed in woolen7 mills. The last place where I was employed was at Seneca, in the factory of——”
“Bradley Wentworth?” asked Gerald quickly.
“Yes. Do you know him?” inquired the stranger in surprise.
“Yes; he has been making me a visit here. If you had come here twenty-four hours earlier you would have seen him.”
“Then I am glad I was delayed.”
[103]
“Why? Has he wronged you?”
“I don’t know whether I can rightly say that, but he has treated me without mercy. Let me explain. Fifteen years ago I was employed in an Eastern factory. Among my fellow-workmen was one I thought my friend. We were so intimate that we occupied the same room at a factory boarding-house. All went well. I received excellent wages, and had money laid by. My companion, as I soon found, was given to extravagance, and frequently indulged in drink, so that he found it hard work to make both ends meet. Then he began to borrow money of me, but after a time I refused to accommodate him any further. He earned the same wages as myself, and I felt that he ought to maintain himself without help as I did.
“The result of my refusal was to make him my enemy. He said little but looked ugly. Though I did not expect it he schemed a revenge. One day a pocketbook containing money was missing from an adjoining room. A fuss was made, and a search instituted, which resulted to my utter dismay in the pocketbook being found in my trunk. It contained no money, but a couple of papers which attested8 the ownership. Of course I asserted my innocence9, but no one believed me.[104] The proof was held to be too convincing. I was brought to trial, and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment10. That imprisonment,” he continued bitterly, “has shadowed all my life since. Of course I could not get back to the factory where I had been employed, and I went to another State. I was left in peace for ten months when one of my fellow-workmen made his appearance and told the superintendent11 that I had served a sentence of imprisonment for theft. I was summoned to the office, informed of the charge, and had to admit it. I was instantly discharged. To assert my innocence was of no avail. ‘You were found guilty. That is enough for us,’ said the superintendent.
“I had to leave the factory. I found employment elsewhere, but was hounded down again, and by the same man. But before denouncing me, he came to me, and offered to keep silent if I would pay him a hundred and fifty dollars. I raised the money, but the treacherous12 scoundrel did not keep faith with me. He went to the superintendent, and told him all, exacting13 that the source of the information should not be divulged14. So I was sent adrift again, knowing very well, though I couldn’t prove it, that Clifton Haynes had betrayed me.”
[105]
“Why didn’t you thrash the scoundrel?” asked Noel Brooke indignantly.
“It would only have increased the prejudice against me,” answered the visitor wearily.
“Well,” he continued, “I needn’t prolong the story, for it is always the same. I went from one factory to another, but this man followed me. When we met he had the assurance to demand another sum of money in payment for his silence. I had no money to give him, nor would I have done so if I had, knowing his treachery. The result was that again I was discharged. A year ago I went to Seneca, and obtained employment from Mr. Wentworth. Month after month passed and I began to congratulate myself, when one unlucky day Haynes again made his appearance. He tried to extort15 money from me, but though I had some, I refused to bribe16 him. He went to Mr. Wentworth and denounced me. I was discharged unceremoniously, though I told him my story and appealed to his humanity. Then at last, in my despair and anger, I lay in wait for Haynes, and gave him an unmerciful beating until he roared for mercy.”
“Good! good!” exclaimed the Englishman, clapping his hands, “you served the scoundrel right.”
[106]
“I always think of it with pleasure, though I am not a revengeful man.”
“Were you arrested?” asked Gerald.
“Yes, but I escaped with a fine which I paid gladly. I am glad to say when it got out that Haynes had dogged me so persistently17 none of the men would associate with him, and he was obliged to leave the factory.”
“I wish I had been Mr. Wentworth,” said Brooke. “I would have retained you in my employ even if you had been guilty in the first place. I don’t believe in condemning18 a man utterly19 for one offense20.”
“I wish more men were as charitable as yourself,” said John Carter, for this, as he afterward21 informed Gerald, was his name.
“But how did you happen to come to Colorado?” asked Noel Brooke.
“I was tired of persecution22. In fact I had been employed in so many factories, all of which were now closed against me, that I decided23 to earn a living some other way. I had a little money left, and I traveled westward24. I came to Colorado because it was a new country, and there must be something here for an industrious25 man to do. It has been rather hard on poor Oscar,” he added with an affectionate glance at his son.[107] “For latterly my money gave out, and we have more than once gone hungry, as we would have done to-day but for your kindness.”
He was about to rise and leave the cabin but Gerald stopped him.
“Wait a minute, Mr. Carter,” he said. “I have an arrangement to propose.”
“I have made an engagement to travel with my friend, Mr. Brooke,” Gerald went on, “and this cabin will be untenanted. If you are willing to occupy it you are welcome to do so. You will be sure to find some employment, and if not you can hunt and fish. What do you say?”
“What can I say except that I am grateful? I am not afraid but that I can make a living for myself and Oscar, and I shall not live in constant fear that Clifton Haynes will find me out and expose me.”
“I wish he would happen along about this time,” said Noel Brooke. “I should like nothing better than to get a chance at the fellow. One thrashing isn’t enough for him.”
“I think you would make thorough work with him, Mr. Brooke,” said Gerald laughing.
“I would try to at all events,” rejoined the Englishman.
[108]
“Jake Amsden,” exclaimed John Carter in surprise. “Why, he is the man for whose crime I suffered. He was the man who stole the wallet and put it in my trunk to incriminate me.”
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1
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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3
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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4
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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5
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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6
attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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7
woolen
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| adj.羊毛(制)的；毛纺的 | |
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8
attested
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| adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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9
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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10
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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11
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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12
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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13
exacting
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| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
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divulged
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| v.吐露，泄露( divulge的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
extort
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| v.勒索，敲诈，强要 | |
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16
bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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17
persistently
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| ad.坚持地；固执地 | |
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18
condemning
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| v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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persecution
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| n. 迫害,烦扰 | |
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23
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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25
industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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26
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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attesting
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| v.证明( attest的现在分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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