Part 48 (1/2)
”What a nice young man!” murmured Laura, as the outer door closed.
”He is little more than a boy, pet,” said her father. ”That mustache he wears is a false one.”
”Why, papa?”
”He is playing a part. He is a very smart young man.”
”I am glad to hear it. Where did you meet him?”
”It was he who saved my life the night I told you of.”
”Indeed! That was grand of him. But, papa,” Laura's voice grew serious, ”these missing bonds--are they going--going to ruin you?”
Horace Sumner turned away.
”If they are not recovered, yes,” he answered, in a low tone.
”My poor papa!”
”They are worth seventy-nine thousand dollars, and that, coupled with some bad investments made through Allen, will send me to the wall.”
”Can nothing be done to get the bonds back?”
”I am doing everything I can. Besides Carson, there are two regular detectives from the department on the case, and a private man from the agency.”
”Then all together ought to bring in a good result.”
”We will hope for the best, Laura,” said the old broker, bravely.
”If you do not recover the bonds, cannot you get outside help to tide over the crisis?”
”I could have done so years ago. But I find that I made a big mistake in going into partners.h.i.+p with Caleb Allen. While many are willing to help me individually, they do not trust Allen, and therefore will not now a.s.sist me.”
”Is Mr. Allen, then, such a bad man?”
”I don't know how bad he is. He is in with Hardwick, so Carson says, and Hardwick is a villain.”
At the mention of the ex-book-keeper's name, Laura drew herself up.
”I never liked him, papa, and I am glad to find that you have discovered his true character.”
Horace Sumner looked in surprise at his daughter.
”Why, pet, I do not understand you.”
”Then let me tell you something. For the past two months Mr. Hardwick has been paying his addresses to me, and--”
”Laura!”
”Yes, it's so. I did not mention it to you, because I did not wish to humiliate him. I told him there was no hope for him, and asked him to drop the matter.”