Part 44 (2/2)

For about an hour he was closeted with one of the officers there whom he had met earlier on his visit in the gig. They had a spirited confidential talk.

Ralph was on railroad business now, pure and simple, for he was acting in accordance with Road Detective Matthewson's instructions and on the strength of his written authority.

”I ran catch a Midland Central train west to Osego in about an hour,” he planned, as he left the police station and walked towards the depot.

”There's a ten-mile cut across country on foot to Springfield, and then I am headed for Stanley Junction by daylight.”

Ralph boarded the train at Springfield at about six o'clock in the morning. His pa.s.s from Matthewson won him a comfortable seat in the chair car, and he had a sound, refres.h.i.+ng nap by the time the 10.15 rolled into Stanley Junction.

Griscom had this run, but Ralph did not make his presence known to his st.u.r.dy engineer friend. He left the train at a crossing near home, and was soon seated at the kitchen table doing ample justice to a meal hurriedly prepared for him by his delighted mother.

Almost her first solicitous inquiry was for Van.

”Van is well and happy, mother,” Ralph Answered. ”Grateful, too. And, mother, he remembers 'the dear lady who sung the sweet songs.'”

”Ralph, do you mean,” exclaimed Mrs. Fairbanks tremulously--”do you mean his mind has come back to him?”

”Yes, mother.”

”Oh, G.o.d be praised!” murmured the widow, the tears of joy streaming down her beaming face, lifted in humble thankfulness to heaven.

Then Ralph hurriedly went over the details and results of his trip with Van Sherwin.

Later he spent half an hour at a careful toilet, and just as the town clock announced the noon hour Ralph walked into the law office of Jerome Black.

Mr. Black was a well-known attorney of Stanley Junction. He was an austere, highly efficient man in his line, had a good general record, and all Ralph had against him was that he was Gasper Farrington's lawyer.

It was upon this account that Ralph had decided to call upon him. All the way to the attorney's office Ralph had reflected seriously over what he would say and do.

The lawyer nodded curtly to Ralph as he came into his presence. He knew the youth by sight, knew nothing against him, and because of this had granted him an audience, supposing Ralph wanted his help in securing him work, or something of that kind.

But the leading lawyer of Stanley Junction was never so astonished in his life as now, when Ralph promptly, clearly and in a business-like manner outlined the object of his visit.

”Mr. Black,” Ralph said, ”I know you are the lawyer of Mr. Gasper Farrington. I also know you to have the reputation of being an exact and honorable business man. I do not know the ethics of your profession, I do not know how you will treat some information I am about to impart to you, but I feel that you will in any case treat an honest working boy, looking only for his rights, fairly and squarely.”

”Why, thank you, Fairbanks,” acknowledged Black, looking very much mystified at this strange preface--”but what are you driving at?”

Then Ralph told him. He did not tell him all--there was no occasion to do so. He simply said that he could produce evidence that Gasper Farrington had treated his dead father in a most dishonorable manner, and that, further, he could produce a sworn affidavit showing that the mortgage on his mother's homestead was in reality only a deed of trust.

The lawyer's brows knitted as Ralph told his story. He could not fail to be impressed at Ralph's straightforwardness. When Ralph had concluded he said briefly:

”Fairbanks, you are an earnest, truthful boy, and I respect you for it.

What you tell me is my client's personal business, not mine. But I see plainly that he must adopt some action to avoid a scandal. Your grounds seem well taken, and I am pleased that you came to me instead of making public what can do you no good, and might do Mr. Farrington considerable harm. What do you want?”

”Simply two things--they are my right. After that let Mr. Farrington leave us alone, and we will not disturb him.”

”What are those two things?” inquired the lawyer.

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