poor and proud-第14章

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〃Here　I　am；〃　said　Master　Simon　to　himself；　as　he　entered　the　store；　〃a　person　of　influence；　enjoying　the　friendship　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　pawnbroker'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　circumstance　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　stealingI　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。〃

〃But　I　will　give　you；　the　watch。〃

〃Give　it　to　me；　and　then　I　will　show　you　the　note；〃　replied　Katy；　who　was　thinking　more　of　getting　the　precious　relic　than　of　having　the　broker　punished。

The　broker　took　the　watch　from　his　pocket　and　handed　it　to　her；　and　in　return　she　produced　the　mayor's　note。

〃I　suppose　there　is　no　need　of　your　delivering　this　note　now？〃　continued　the　broker；　with　a　cunning　smile。

〃No；　I　don't　care　anything　about　it；　now　that　I　have　got　the　watch；〃　replied　Katy；　rejoiced　beyond　measure　to　recover　the　treasure。

〃Well；　then；　I　am　somewhat　acquainted　with　the　marshal；　and　I　will　hand　him　the　note；　and　explain　the　circumstances。　He　will　be　perfectly　satisfied。〃

Katy　didn't　care　whether　he　was　satisfied　or　not；　so　long　as　she　had　the　watch。　But　the　broker　entered　the　marshal's　office；　and　they　could　not　see　him　put　the　note　in　his　pocket。

〃I　am　so　glad　I　got　it！〃　exclaimed　Katy。

〃I　doubt　whether　you　could　have　recovered　it　if　I　had　not　used　my　influence　in　your　favor；〃　remarked　Simon；　complacently。　〃I　went　to　his　office；　and　assured　him　my　friend　the　mayor　had　already　taken　the　matter　in　hand。　I　talked　pretty　severely　to　him；　and　he　got　frightened。　After　all；　the　best　way　is　to　use　very　pointed　language　to　these　fellows。〃

〃I　thank　you　very　much；　Master　Simon；　and　I　hope　I　shall　be　able　to　do　something　for　you　some　time。〃

But　Messrs。　Sands　&　Co。's　affairs　were　suffering；　perhaps；　and　Simon　hastened　back　to　the　store；　and　Katy　ran　home　to　cheer　her　mother　with　the　sight　of　the　recovered　relic。



CHAPTER　X。

KATY；　IN　DISTRESS；　FINDS　A　CHAMPION。


Now　that　she　had　recovered　the　precious　watch　Katy　had　nothing　to　engage　her　attention　but　the　business　of　selling　candy。　The　success　that　had　attended　her　forenoon's　exertions　was　gratifying　beyond　her　expectations；　and　she　felt　as　though　she　had　already　solved　the　problem；　that　she　was　not　only　willing　but　able　to　support　her　mother。　She　had　originated　a　great　idea；　and　she　was　proud　of　it。

Just　as　soon；　therefore；　as　she　had　told　her　mother　all　about　the　recovery　of　the　watch；　she　prepared　another　tray　of　candy；　resolved　to　sell　the　whole　of　it　before　she　returned。　Her　mother　tried　to　induce　her　to　stay　in　the　house　and　rest　herself；　but　her　impatience　to　realize　the　fruits　of　her　grand　idea　would　not　permit　her　to　remain　inactive　a　single　hour。

〃Now；　mother；　I　shall　sell　all　this　candy　before　dark；　so　don't　be　uneasy　about　me。　I　am　going　to　make　lots　of　money；　and　you　shall　have　everything　you　want　in　a　few　weeks；〃　said　Katy；　as　she　put　on　her　bonnet。

〃I　wish　you　would　stay　at　home；　and　rest　yourself；　you　have　done　enough　for　one　day。〃

〃I　am　not　tired　a　bit；　mother；　I　feel　just　as　if　I　could　walk　a　hundred　miles。〃

〃That's　because　you　have　got　a　new　notion　in　your　head。　I　am　afraid　you　will　be　sick；　and　then　what　should　we　do？〃

〃O；　I　shan't　get　sick；　I　promise　you　I　won't；〃　replied　Katy；　as　she　left　the　room。

Unfortunately　for　the　little　candy　merchant　it　was　Wednesday　afternoon；　and　as　the　schools　did　not　keep；　there　were　a　great　many　boys　in　the　street；　and　many　of　them　were　very　rude；　naughty　boys。　When　she　passed　up　the　court；　some　of　them　called　out　to　her；　and　asked　her　where　she　was　going　with　all　that　candy。　She　took　no　notice　of　them；　for　they　spoke　very　rudely；　and　were　no　friends　of　hers。　Among　them　was　Johnny　Grippen；　whose　acquaintance　the　reader　made　on　the　pier　of　South　Boston　bridge。　This　young　ruffian　led　half　a　dozen　others　down　the　court　in　pursuit　of　her；　for　possibly　they　were　not　satisfied　with　the　cavalier　manner　in　which　Katy　had　treated　them。

〃Where　are　you　going　with　all　that　candy？〃　repeated　the　juvenile　bully；　when　he　overtook　her　in　Essex　Street。

〃I　am　going　to　sell　it；〃　replied　Katy；　finding　she　could　not　escape。

〃Give　us　a　junk；　will　you？〃　said　Johnny。

〃I　can't　give　it　away；　I　am　going　to　sell　it；　to　get　money