Part 26 (1/2)
”I'll wait till my friend comes back,” said Carl quietly.
Wampole had not yet seen him, but he heard the youth's voice and now looked around the edge of the paper.
”Carl Ross,” he murmured, as he fell back in his seat.
”Yes, Mr. Wampole. You didn't expect to see me here.”
”Well-er-not exactly. But it's very fortunate, very fortunate, indeed!”
went on Nathan Wampole, gathering himself together with an effort.
”Why, do you want to pay me off?”
”Well-er-not exactly that, Carl,” with a reproachful glance. ”But the fact of it is, I'm thinking of reorganizing. I've seen four of our company already.”
As he spoke Nathan Wampole drew a folded doc.u.ment from his pocket and thrust it across the table.
”There's my new scheme,” he said earnestly. ”A grand thing, too. We'll make money hand over fist. Of course you'll go in.”
Carl looked at the paper.
”Hardly, sir. I don't care to work for nothing but fame.”
”But this is dead sure, Carl, dead sure. A fortune--”
”The other company was to bring me a fortune, Mr. Wampole. No, henceforth I'm going to travel with a responsible manager or on my own hook.”
”Do you mean to insinuate I'm not responsible?” cried Nathan Wampole, bristling up.
”You haven't proved yourself to be.”
”I've had a misfortune, that's all. But I'll get on my feet again, and-hullo, here's my friend, Leo Dunbar!”
”Nathan Wampole!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the young gymnast.
”I want you for my newly organized company,” commenced the old manager, but Leo cut him short.
”I overheard your offer to Carl, Wampole. My answer is the same as his.”
”You won't join me?”
”No.”
Nathan Wampole's face grew dark and bitter.
”You'll regret it-mark my words, you'll regret it!” he hissed; and gulping down the liquor set before him, he arose and hurried from the place.
”The fraud!” murmured Leo. ”I'll never perform for him again.”
”Nor will I,” added Carl.