Fame and Fortune Weekly, No. 801, February 4, 1921 Read online

  Produced by David Edwards, Demian Katz and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (Imagescourtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University(https://digital.library.villanova.edu/))

  No. 801 FEBRUARY 4, 1921. 7 Cents

  Fame and Fortune Weekly.

  STORIES OF

  BOYS THAT MAKE MONEY.

  DICK DARLING'S MONEY OR THE RISE OF AN OFFICE BOY

  AND OTHER STORIES

  By A Self-Made Man

  Dick's head, falling forward when he lost consciousness,hit the door and the sound attracted the attention of the proprietorand his two clerks. "What's that?" exclaimed Mr. Bacon. He pulled thedoor open and the office boy fell out.]

  CONTENTS

  Dick Darling's Money; or, The Rise of an Office Boy CHAPTER I.--The Office Boy's Peril. CHAPTER II.--Dick Escapes. CHAPTER III.--Dick Meets the Mason Family. CHAPTER IV.--The Missing Diamond. CHAPTER V.--Dick Carries His Point. CHAPTER VI.--Knocked Out. CHAPTER VII.--Dick and His Eldest Sister. CHAPTER VIII.--Dick Has His Fortune Told. CHAPTER IX.--In the Mirror. CHAPTER X.--Dick's Strenuous Experience. CHAPTER XI.--Guilt Sees Its Finish. CHAPTER XII.--The Man in the Tree. CHAPTER XIII.--The Hidden Treasure. Current News A Lawyer At Nineteen; or, Fighting Against a Fraud CHAPTER I.--(continued) CHAPTER II.--The Result of the Young Lawyer's Keen Management of the Smollett Case. The News in Short Articles The Renegade's Fate Items of Interest Laughs Items of General Interest

  FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY

  Issued Weekly--Subscription price, $3.50 per year; Canada, $4.00; Foreign, $4.50. Harry E. Wolff, Publisher, 166 West 23d Street, New York, N. Y. Entered as Second-Class Matter, October 4, 1911, at the Post-Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879.

  No. 801 NEW YORK, FEBRUARY 4, 1921. Price 7 Cents

  Dick Darling's Money

  OR, THE RISE OF AN OFFICE BOY

  BY A SELF-MADE MAN

  CHAPTER I.--The Office Boy's Peril.

  "Dick, come into my office," said Mr. Roger Bacon, a well-knownwholesale dealer in watches, jewelry and silverware, on John street,New York City.

  "Yes, sir," replied Dick Darling, his fifteen-year-old officeboy--a bright, good-looking lad, who had not yet graduated out ofknickerbockers, though most boys of his age would have dispensed withthem for trousers. Somehow or another Dick looked to unusual advantagein knickerbockers, and he made a pretty figure in the store, whichnaturally made his employer partial to that kind of attire in him. Thatwas one reason why he continued to wear them at his age.

  Another reason was because being the youngest of a family of four,the older members being all girls, he was regarded by his mother andsisters as the baby of the family, and they wouldn't hear to his makingany change in his attire. He was only a baby in name, however, forthere wasn't a pluckier young chap of his years in his neighborhood, orin the city for that matter. The boys in his block, who knew him well,and those employed in the vicinity of Mr. Bacon's store, downtown,often made his knickerbockers the butt of their witticism, but Dickwas a self-reliant, independent youth, and he didn't care a rap forthe fun and criticism that was directed at his apparel. He surprisedthe downtown lads by polishing off a couple of them who got too gay onthe subject, which made the rest rather shy about tackling him, sinceit was apparent that he knew how to use his fists if forced to callupon them. When Dick followed his employer into his private office themerchant pointed at the chair beside the desk, so the office boy satdown and awaited developments.

  "Dick," said Mr. Bacon, "I'm going to send you on an unusual mission. Iwant you to take this package," laying his hand on a square one whichstood on his desk, "to Springville, New Jersey. The village is aboutan hour's ride from Jersey City, on the line of the Central Railroadof New Jersey. A train that will stop there leaves Jersey City atfour-thirty, and you have thirty minutes to catch it. You will deliverthe package at the home of Mr. Goodrich--his name and address arewritten on the outside. As he is well known in the place, the stationagent or anybody in the village will direct you to his house, which Ibelieve is not over ten minutes' walk from the station. Under ordinarycircumstances this package would be sent by express, but the ordercame only a short time ago, and the article must reach the gentlemanearly this evening. I may as well tell you that it is a weddingpresent, and is worth about $330. You ought to be able to deliver thepackage and get back to the station in time to take the train forJersey City which stops at Springville at six-fifteen. That is all.Go to the cashier and he will hand you money enough to cover all yourexpenses."

  Dick took the package and carried it with him into the counting room,where the cashier handed him a five-dollar bill and told him to turnin the change in the morning. Then he put on his hat and started forthe Cortlandt street ferry. He landed in Jersey City in ample time tocatch the accommodation train which stopped at all points north of itsdestination. Dick enjoyed the ride to Springville, where he arrivedabout half-past five.

  He found no trouble in reaching the Goodrich house, where he asked forMr. Goodrich and delivered the package to him. The gentleman presentedhim with a dollar, treated him to some cake and lemonade, after whichDick started back for the station. He arrived there five minutes beforetrain time and went to the window to buy a return ticket. The agent wasbusy at the telegraph key and Dick had to wait for him to get through.

  "I want a ticket for Jersey City," said the office boy.

  "Sorry, but there's just been an accident down the road. The train youexpect to take, due here in five minutes, ran into a number of freightcars on a siding, owing to a switch having been imperfectly locked, andit stuck there. It may be hours before the tangle is straightened out.You will have to wait for the nine-ten, which is the next train thatstops here."

  "Nine-ten!" exclaimed Dick. "That's three hours from now."

  The agent nodded.

  "This is only a small place, and but few of the trains stop here," hesaid.

  "If I have to wait for that train I won't get home till after eleveno'clock, and my folks will be worried to death about me, for they don'tknow that I was sent down here."

  The agent looked at the clock.

  "Well, I'll tell you what you can do if you are a spry walker. Theexpress which passes here at seven-thirty stops at Carlin, six milesnorth of this station. There's a good road running straight tothat town. If you think you can cover the distance between now andseven-thirty-eight, why, you will be able to get that train, which willland you in Jersey City about eight-ten."

  "I'll try it. Where's the road?"

  The agent came out of his office, took Dick to the rear door of thestation, and showed him the road.

  "It goes right to Carlin, you say?" said Dick.

  "Yes."

  "Will it land me near the station?"

  "Within a short distance of it. You ought to make the train, for youhave an hour and twenty-five minutes to do it in. You ought to be ableto walk five miles in an hour if you do your best. It's a good hardroad on which a person can make good time."

  Dick started at a brisk walk for Carlin. He came to a fork in theroad after going about a mile. After due deliberation he took what hethought was the right road, but which turned out to be the wrong one.After he had walked what he thought at least six miles and no townin sight, he felt he had taken the wrong road. An old and apparentlydeserted house stood near where Dick halted and a storm coming up, hedecided to seek shelter there. It was now nearly dark. Dick soughtshelter in the old house. The door was nearly off its hinges. Soon thestorm came on, and by a flash of lightning he saw a couple of men e
achwith a bag over his shoulder, putting for the house. He drew back intowhat had apparently been a bedroom, as he did not wish to be seen bythe strangers.

  As soon as the two men entered, they started to talk of dividing thecontents of the bags as soon as they reached the house of one of themen, who was called Parker by the other, whose name was Bulger. Dicksoon learned the bag contained the contents of a burglary which thetwo men had committed on a large house in the vicinity, and that theyhad had an exciting encounter with one of the servants. Dick felt thathe was in bad company. In leaning a little too heavily on one foot aboard creaked, which sound the two thieves heard, and they startedto investigate. Dick retreated into a corner of the room. One of thethieves heard him and made a dive for the spot. As Dick could not seethe crook any better than that individual could see him, he was takenby surprise when the muscular arms of the man suddenly encountered himand he was immediately seized and dragged out of the corner. The crooksaw that it was a boy he had hold of.

  "Now, you young imp, I've got you!" he cried triumphantly. "What areyou hidin' up in this place for?"

  "What's that to you?" replied Dick pluckily.

  "Sassy, are you? I reckon I'll take some of the sass out'r you beforeI'm through with you. Come along."

  He dragged the boy into the next room.

  "Open the winder and let's take a squint at this chap," said Bulger.

  Parker threw up the dirty window overlooking the road, but the amountof light that came in did not greatly help matters out.

  "How came you in this house?" said Bulger.

  "I came here to get out of the storm," replied Dick.

  "Oh, you did; then why didn't you show yourself when we came in?"

  "Why should I?"

  "You heard us come in, didn't you?"

  "Yes."

  "And you didn't let on you were here. You've been listenin' to ourtalk."

  Dick made no reply.

  "You heard all we said, didn't you?" said Bulger, giving the boy arough shake.

  "You say I did."

  "I know you did."

  "Then what's the use of asking me, if you know so much?"

  "Because I want you to admit it."

  "I'll admit nothing."

  "I'll choke the life out of you if you don't!" said the crook savagely.

  "I haven't done you any harm, what do you want to treat me this wayfor?"

  "But you intend to squeal on us as soon as you get away."

  "What will I squeal about?"

  "About what you heard."

  "I haven't said that I heard anything."

  "Who are you, anyway?" said Bulger, suddenly changing his line ofquestioning.

  "My name is Dick Darling."

  "Where do you live around here?"

  "I don't live around here at all."

  "You don't? Know anybody named Darling about here, Parker?"

  "No. He looks like a stranger to me as well as I can see him," saidParker.

  "Where do you live, then?" demanded Bulger.

  "In New York."

  "New York!" roared the crook. "What are you givin' me?"

  "That's the truth."

  "What are you doin' 'way down here in Jersey, then? Who are youvisitin'?"

  "Nobody. I was sent to Springville on an errand by my boss."

  "Where's Springville, Parker?"

  "It's a village on the railroad about eight miles from here."

  "If you were sent to Springville, how is it that you are over here?"

  "An accident happened to the train I was going to take for Jersey City,and the agent told me that I could catch an express if I walked toCarlin. That's what brought me over here."

  "Did you start to walk to Carlin from Springville?" asked Parker.

  "Yes," replied Dick.

  "And instead of keepin' to your left, you turned into the road to theright and came over here, eh?"

  "Yes, I did that. And I walked away from the town instead of toward it?"

  "That's what you've been doin'."

  "That's tough. I'll have to go back to the Carlin road, then, beforeI'm on the right track again."

  "I reckon you won't go nowheres at present," said Bulger. "You've heardtoo much for some people's good. We'll take him over to your place,Parker, and hold on to him till I'm ready to dig out, and then I'lltake him with me."

  Having decided that point, the crook took a firm hold of the boy by thearm, and led him outside, followed by his pal, who shouldered the twobags.

  CHAPTER II.--Dick Escapes.

  Dick was marched along the road to a field, lifted over the fence, andcompelled to tramp it through the sodden turf and high grass. At lengththey reached another fence and he was lifted over that, too. The grasswasn't so tall in this meadow, but it was high enough to keep his shoesand stockings well soaked. They passed downhill here into a wood, andthrough the wood to another meadow, and across the meadow to a road,a narrow branch one, and along the road to a small weather-beatenpicket gate, in the center of a picket fence, which admitted them toa ruinous-looking plot of ground, in the foreground of which stood adisreputable-looking two-story house, with a light shining from one ofthe windows. Dick was marched around the house to a crazy barn in therear. The door, held by a hasp and staple, was opened and he was pushedin, followed by the man, Parker dropping the bags on the floor. Parkerfumbled about on a beam till he found a match, with which he lighteda lantern. Then he got a piece of rope and with it Dick was bound toa post on which some odd pieces of harness were hanging. The men thenconferred in a low tone. Finally, after Bulger had examined Dick'sbonds to make sure that he was well tied, the men took the bags up andleft the barn, after blowing out the light, and secured the door afterthem.

  For the next half hour Dick worked hard to get free from the post. Hetwisted and pulled and shoved his arms this way and that, stoppingoccasionally to rest himself. Perseverance, they say, will conquer inthe end; at any rate, it did in Dick's case, for at the end of thirtyminutes he pulled one of his hands out of the bonds. The other soonfollowed, but still he wasn't free, for the rope around his chest heldhim close to the post. Even though his hands were free, he could notreach the knot that held him a prisoner. However, that did not greatlymatter, for he managed to work his right arm to the front so he couldput his hand in his pocket and pull out his knife. He had to put itbehind his back to open it, but once that was done all he had to do wasto crook his arm and begin sawing at the rope. The blade was sharp sothe strands were quickly severed, and he stepped away from the post,free at last. The next thing was to get out of the barn. He tried thedoor, but that was beyond him. Then he felt his way around the wallsin the dark, stumbling over various obstacles in his path. He found aplace at the back where the boards appeared to be loose. He struck atone with his heel and it began to give way. Encouraged by this, he keptat it and in a short time detached the end of the board. He succeededin knocking out a second board, and ripping both off, made a holesufficiently large for him to crawl through. He knew where the road wasand he started for it, taking care to give the house a wide berth.

  There was a light in the room he judged was the kitchen, and hebelieved the two men were there, drying their clothes. He climbed overthe picket fence, and when he stood in the road the problem of whereit led to struck him with some force. He would have to follow the roadin one direction or the other, and he had no idea at all where he wouldfetch up at. The night was dark and the strangeness and uncertainty ofhis situation made him feel all at sea. He started down the road atrandom, hoping he would meet with a house where, if the inmates wereup, he could get information that would enable him to reach Carlin. Hesaw the lighted windows of a house up the road and decided to go thereand make his inquiries. As he approached the gate he saw three menstanding there talking. Two of them seemed to be rural policemen. Theylooked at him as he came up.

  "Is this the road that runs into the Carlin road?" he asked the partygenerally.

  "Yes," replied the well-dressed third person,
who was evidentlyconnected with the house.

  "Would you favor me with the time?"

  "It is about ten o'clock."

  "Thank you, sir; now maybe you'll tell me whether this house was robbedthis evening just before the thunderstorm?"

  The three looked at Dick with some surprise and curiosity.

  "Yes, it was," replied the gentleman. "How did you learn about it?"

  "From the two thieves themselves."

  His reply created something of a sensation.

  "You learned the fact from the thieves?" said the gentleman.

  "Yes, sir."

  "Pray, who are you, young man? You seem to be a stranger in thisvicinity."

  "I am a stranger. My name is Dick Darling. I live in New York, andam employed by Roger Bacon, wholesale dealer in watches, jewelry andsilverware. I was sent with a package to Mr. Goodrich, of Springville,a few miles from here, this afternoon, but after delivering it Ifound that the accommodation train for Jersey City, which stops atSpringville at six-fifteen, had met with an accident which put it outof business, and being anxious to get home, the agent told me that ifI walked to Carlin, six miles north, I could catch the next express,which stopped there at seven-thirty-eight. I started to walk, and goton all right till I came to where the road joined another, this one,in fact. I took this one by mistake and it brought me out here, awayfrom Carlin, though I did not know at the time that I was going wrong.Then the thunderstorm came on and I took refuge in the vacant house upyonder."

  Dick then went on to describe the arrival of the two rough characterswith a bag each, and how not liking their looks he retreated to anotherroom, from which spot he overheard them speaking about the robbery theyhad committed, and what their plans were for the immediate future.Then he told how they discovered his presence in the house and made aprisoner of him, and after questioning him closely they took him overto the house where the man named Parker lived, where they locked himup in the barn, after tying him to a post to make sure he wouldn't getaway; but he had made his escape in spite of their precautions, andfound his way over to that road, his object being to reach Carlin and,after reporting the robbery and all the facts connected with it, takethe first train he could get for home. Dick's story interested thegentleman, whose name was Mason. They said they would go and arrest thethieves, while Dick was to stay at Mason's house until they came back.This plan was carried out.