Poor and Proud or the Fortunes of Katy Redburn Part 12

"O, no, sir. Everybody calls him master. He keeps store."

"Sneed? I never heard the name before. Where is his store?"

"In Was.h.i.+ngton Street. It says Sands & Co. on the sign."

"O, you mean the boy that makes the fires, sweeps out, and does the errands. I remember him now," said the mayor, laughing heartily at poor Katy's account of Simon. "I never heard his name before; but he is the oldest boy of his age I ever saw."

"He was very kind to me."

"No doubt he is a very good boy; but I supposed from your account of him that he was a member of the firm."

"Master Simon says the firm would not be able to get along without him," replied Katy, who began to have some doubts whether Simon was so great a man as he had represented himself to be.

"Master Simon is very kind to stay with them then, and I hope the Messrs. Sands will properly appreciate his merit. Now, Katy," continued the mayor, who had been writing while he questioned his visitor, "you may take this note to the City Hall and deliver it to the city marshal, he will do all he can to recover your lost treasure."

"Thank you, sir," replied Katy, as she took the note.

"Now, good-by, Katy, and I hope you will always be as good as your candy is."

"I will try; good-by, sir;" and she left the library and pa.s.sed down-stairs.

John let her out very civilly and seemed very grateful to her that she had not exposed his rudeness. She hastened to the City Hall, sure almost of recovering the watch, and gladdening her mother with the sight of it on her return home.

Simon Sneed, after parting with Katy, had felt a little uneasy in relation to the watch. He was jealous of his own good credit, for he foresaw that Katy could not very well avoid telling the mayor that he had been with her at the time of the unfortunate transaction. Besides, he did not exactly like the idea of Katy's going to the mayor at all.

Katy Redburn going to see the mayor! By and by everybody would know his honor, and there would be no glory in being acquainted with him!

His conscience seemed to reprove him because he had done nothing towards the recovery of the watch. What would his friend the mayor say if Katy should happen to tell him of his neglect?

"Here I am," said Master Simon to himself, as he entered the store, "a person of influence, enjoying the friends.h.i.+p of the chief magistrate of the city and have not exerted my influence, or used my powerful friend, to redress the injury which this poor girl has received. I will correct my error at once, for if the mayor should happen to invite me to dinner some time, very likely he would reproach me for my neglect."

Having thus resolved to preserve his credit with the chief magistrate of the city, there was fortunately a lull in the waves of the Messrs.

Sand & Co.'s affairs which enabled him to be absented for half an hour without serious injury to their business. He hastened to the p.a.w.nbroker's at which the robbery had been committed.

"I presume you know me, sir?" said Simon.

"I haven't that honor," replied the broker.

"Perhaps you may be able to recall the circ.u.mstance of a little girl presenting herself here with a silver watch."

"Well, I do."

"I was with her."

"Then I suppose you helped her steal it."

"Such an insinuation, sir, is unworthy a gentleman, I have come, sir, with a benevolent purpose, as I came before. In half an hour the history of that transaction will be conveyed to the mayor who, allow me to inform you, is my friend."

"Your friend!" sneered the broker who was not particularly impressed by the magnificent manners and the magnificent speech of Master Simon.

"The little girl has just gone with a note from Mrs. Gordon of Temple Street to seek redress of the mayor. I doubt not you will be prosecuted at once. You have an opportunity to save yourself."

"What do you mean by that, you young puppy?" said the broker, angrily.

"Do you mean to say I stole the watch?"

"By no means; only that you took what did not belong to you," replied Master Simon, blandly.

"Get out of my shop!"

"Understand me, sir; I come as your friend."

"You are a fool, I believe."

"You have an undoubted right to your opinion, as I have to mine; but if you do not restore the watch within half an hour, you will be arrested for stealing--I beg your pardon, for taking what did not belong to you."

There was something in the earnest manner of Simon which arrested the attention of the broker, in spite of the former's high-flown speech. He was satisfied that something had been done, and he was disposed to avoid any unpleasant consequences.

"I spoke to a policeman about the watch," said the man. "I told him I had it, and if he found that such a watch had been stolen, it could be found at my shop."

"And if he did not find that watch had been stolen, you meant to keep it yourself," answered Master Simon, whose earnestness made him forget for a moment to use his high-flown words.

"Keep a civil tongue in your head," growled the broker. "I notified the police that I had it; that's enough."

"Perhaps it is I will ask my friend the mayor about it;" and Simon moved towards the door.

"Stop a moment."

"Can't stop now."

"Here! I will go up to the city marshal with you. May be I made a mistake in keeping the watch; but if I did, it was only to prevent it from falling into the hands of some one less scrupulous than myself."

"Do I look like a thief?" asked Master Simon, indignantly.

"It don't do to judge by appearances," replied the broker, locking his shop door, and walking towards the City Hall with Simon. "There are some very respectable thieves about."

Master Simon Sneed was satisfied with this explanation. He did not care to quarrel with any one who acknowledged his respectability. In a few moments they reached the City Hall, and ascended the stone steps to the vestibule. As they did so, Katy entered from the opposite door.

"How glad I am to find you, Master Simon!" exclaimed she. "Can you tell me where the city marshal's office is?"

"Here it is, Katy," replied Simon, pointing to the door. "But what are you going to do?"

"I have got a note for the city marshal. The mayor gave it to me."

"You hear that, sir," said Master Simon to the broker, with becoming dignity. "This, Katy, is the man that has your silver watch; and he has consented to deliver it to the rightful owner."

"Let me see the note," said the broker.

"No, I won't," replied Katy, pretty sharply. "You are a naughty man, and I won't trust you with it."