Chapter XI: Harrison's Story

"Be sure your sins will find you out."

"FOR six months," began Harrison, "I have been in the store of Grant & Co., on Central Wharf."

Mr. Clarkson started, stood for a moment irresolute, and then sat down again.

"I was engaged to do the work of a boy, and was to have thirteen dollars a month, with a promise of increase of wages if I did well. You know I am not afraid of work; and I tried to do my very best. It was just such a store as I had longed to be in, and at first I was delighted with my situation."

Harrison sighed heavily and then went on. "As errand-boy I was around in all parts of the store, and one day I overheard Mr. Grant swearing terribly at the head clerk. They were alone in the office. I suppose he did not realize that any one could hear him. I was dreadfully frightened, and stood still. The clerk, whose name is Ransom, answered him back in the same angry tone, 'I'll expose you then.'"

"'And criminate yourself,' said Mr. Grant."

"'Kilby will forgive that, for exposing your villainy,' retorted the clerk."

"I crawled softly away and went up stairs. What could they have meant? At first, I could only imagine that the life of some one was in danger; but, after lying awake almost all night over it, I determined to be on my guard and watch the actions of my employer."

"A part of my duty was to clear the office of rubbish, which had accumulated through the day. Newspapers and old letters were generally crumpled and thrown under the table, to show they were of no further use. These I gathered in a basket and carried away to the place assigned them. One day I wanted a piece of paper, and, having noticed that often there was a half-sheet thrown under the table, I went and selected one which had only a few words written on it. It was the beginning of a letter addressed to L. F. Kilby, Esq. Then, in the first line, a word was misspelled, and the whole was thrown aside. The next piece I took was this letter, which had been copied but not filed. Hardly knowing what I was doing, I began to read, but was just going to throw it aside when my curiosity was roused by these words: 'Trade still dreadfully dull. Haven't sold a hundred bushels for a week. Mr. Ransom has concluded to take the front store, as I wrote in my last, for storage. He has some scheme, a wild one I fear. I waited for your answer till the last moment, hoping you would veto the bargain; but, as' —This too," added Harrison, "for some reason was left incomplete. I put it in my pocket."

"During the week of which he spoke we had been sending off immense quantities of wheat, corn, and other grains. I began to understand the game. All this time I was very much excited, and lost my appetite. I didn't know what it was my duty to do. I suppose I felt worse in consequence of knowing that Mr. Haven's partner had ruined him, and caused his death. I used to see Mr. Grant open his office door and beckon Mr. Ransom in. Sometimes I used to loiter up near the partition, so as to hear what they were saying.

"One day I heard Mr. Grant say, 'I'm afraid he's got wind of it. He'll pounce right upon us some day.'"

"'We must prepare for him,' said the clerk, in an indifferent tone."

"'How is it possible to do it?' asked the other."

"'Why, by a false set of books,' suggested Mr. Ransom."

"I had access to all the books, as well as to the safe, for the key I always left with the store-key at Mr. Grant's house. After this I noticed that Mr. Ransom was very much engaged in writing and the accountant was required to copy from this day-book into another which he calls the journal."

"One day he did not make his appearance; and the clerk, after sending to his boardinghouse, and finding that he was ill, asked me if I could post the accounts for the day. I answered that I could, if he would explain to me his method. This he did in a few minutes; and, as the book-keeper has not returned, I have done his work ever since, in addition to my own."

"Perhaps you do not comprehend that the books I was required to keep were the false ones I had heard spoken of."

Mr. Clarkson arose suddenly, and going to the door, said, "Excuse me one moment," and left the room.

"I'm afraid I'm keeping you too long, sir," said Harrison, anxiously, as the gentleman returned; "but I am almost through now."

"Oh no!" responded the gentleman, "I'm entirely at your service. I'm quite curious to know what the gentlemen intend to gain by these books while they still retain the genuine ones."

"That is just it, sir. One day, Mr. Grant and the clerk were in the office, supposing all the men had gone to dinner, and got to disputing very angrily on that subject. Mr. Grant wanted to destroy them, but the other wouldn't consent to it. They called each other all kinds of hard names; but at length agreed that the books should be boxed up and sent to a place of security."

"I suppose, then," suggested Mr. Clarkson, "that Mr. Ransom wished to hold these as a proof of the villainy of the other, in case he turned against him."

"Yes, sir; and also to prove his own part of the profits, in case they are not found out."

"Oh yes! Well, go on."

"I have nothing more to tell, sir; only that I have seized every opportunity to copy a few pages from the real books,—enough to compare with the books which will be presented Mr. Kilby, if he should inquire for them."

"Are you willing to take your oath that these are correct?" asked Mr. Clarkson, advancing and taking the sheets from the boy's hand.

"I am willing, sir," answered the boy, seriously, "to take my oath that they are correct in dates and figures, and in every particular and respect, as far as I was capable of making them so."

"Well, then, come with me to a magistrate."

"What will it be necessary for me to do, sir?"

"Simply to state in brief what you have said to me, and take your oath upon it."

"If you think best, I will go; my only object has been that justice should be done to Mr. Kilby."

"I wish poor Haven had had such a clerk," sighed the gentleman. "Remain here a moment, and I will accompany you."

Harrison, when left alone, began to feel a reaction from the excitement. He leaned his head on the table; and, when Mr. Clarkson returned, after an absence of about fifteen minutes, he found him faint and languid. A good cup of coffee, however, soon revived him, and they set out for the office of the attorney.

When they arrived, two gentlemen were seated there; and Mr. Clarkson, having shaken hands with them, stated his business, and requested Harrison to repeat the substance of what he had said to him.

The lad began, and the cross-questioning of the lawyers, as he thought them, brought out the rest.

When he produced his roll containing the sheets copied from the books, one of the gentlemen caught his hand, and exclaimed, "Noble boy! you have helped me to unmask the villains, and you shall be well rewarded."

Harrison stared at him in astonishment.

"This is Mr. Kilby," said Mr. Clarkson; "so you can imagine that he has listened to your story with some interest."

The secret partner then inquired if Harrison would return to the store that afternoon.

"No, sir," replied the boy, drawing himself up to his full height; "I shall never go there again. I should have left at the end of a month, but for the hope of being able to prove something against them, as I was sure they were meditating some crime."

"Which you have well done," said the lawyer; "and I advise you not to leave your work incomplete."

"Go, as usual, to your business in the morning," added Mr. Kilby; "and when the safe is open, keep the key in your own possession. It may be that the old books have not yet been removed; or, if they have been, try to ascertain to what place. They will be so taken by surprise to see me, they may betray themselves. If so, it will be unnecessary to have you appear connected with the affair."

Poor Harrison was really very unwilling to show himself at the store, after what he had done. It seemed to him like deception. Mr. Ransom, and indeed, Mr. Grant, had always been kind to him. On his own account he bore them no ill-will and nothing but his desire to save one whom they were trying to ruin, would have induced him to conduct as he had done. Then the reaction, from his excitement and hard labor at the store, was coming on. He felt as if he would like to lie down and sleep for a week.

The gentlemen, however, overruled all his objections; and Mr. Kilby promised him rest after to-morrow. The arrangements for the morning were then agreed upon, and Harrison left them to hasten home.

Notwithstanding his head was aching severely, his heart was so much lightened of its heavy load that he sprung up the stairs, and entered the room with a smile of pleased anticipation. He knew his mother would be gratified at the course he had pursued.

She was sitting in a low chair at the table, upon which lay the open Bible. Little imagining that she was strengthening her heart to bear some great sorrow, he advanced and put his arms around her neck as in days long gone by. "O, mother!" he exclaimed, kissing her cheek, "I feel like myself once more. Such a burden as I have carried for six long, weary months. I would not surely bear it again for— for anything—short of duty, of course, I mean."

Mrs. Danforth burst into tears. "O, my son!" she sobbed out, "tell me that you have never departed from the instructions of this holy book; I care for nothing else."

"I cannot say that," he replied, in a subdued tone; "for you have taught me that we do depart from God's commands every hour; but I can relieve you at once with regard to the present case. It does not at all concern myself, except as I have been the means of exposing the villainy of two rogues."

"You, Harrison! You are young for such business."

"Yes, mother, and therefore unsuspected; but please give me some supper, and I will tell you the whole story. Here, let me wipe your eyes, and see you smile once more. I am sorry I did not tell you all from the beginning. Mr. Cowles must hear it too. I wonder whether he suspected what I was about?"

It had been agreed by Mr. Kilby and the lawyer that Harrison's first business at the store should be to ascertain whether the old books had been removed. Upon opening the safe, he found that they were taken out, and the new ones arranged neatly in their places. He was much disturbed at this, and walked to the front of the store, reflecting what he should do. Among a pile of bags of grain his eyes rested for a moment upon a square box, nailed up and directed to William Ransom, Calender street. His heart beat wildly as his eye measured the size to compare it with the books. Ho was almost sure it contained them.

The truckman would be here soon with his team. How should he contrive to detain it? Seizing a favorable moment, when the porter was employed at another part of the store, he attempted to lift the box, but found it required the exertion of all his strength to convey it ever so short a distance. He relinquished at once the idea of carrying it up stairs; but merely opened a door near by, leading into a closet used for rubbish, pushed it in and threw a basketful of papers over it.

It was unnecessary now to retain in his possession the key of the safe; and therefore he proceeded in his usual business, after writing on a scrap of paper, "All safe; search closet,—right hand of office,— for square box;" or some word to signify his success, he had been directed to give Mr. Kilby or the police who would accompany him, on their entrance to the store. All his anxiety now was lest some inquiry should be made for the books by Mr. Ransom before Mr. Kilby should appear; but he comforted himself that even in that case he could direct them to Mr. Ransom's room in Calender street.

Presently the truckman came in to take the grain which had been left on the floor over night. He looked around a moment for the box, and then said to Harrison, who was the only one in sight, "Mr. Ransom told me to carry a box to Calender street. He said he'd leave it here, marked and directed; won't you tell him I didn't find it, and I'll take it next time."

"If he wants to send it then, I suppose he'll have it ready," replied the youth, gravely.

Scarcely ten minutes after the load of grain had left the store, Mr. Ransom made his appearance, and Harrison noticed his quick glance in the direction from which the box had been taken. He desired now to ward off any attention to himself; for he trembled with apprehension of some violence on the part of the guilty men. He bent over his writing, that his palid face might not attract notice, though his brain absolutely refused to do its usual work of posting accounts. Every moment he grew more excited. He felt oppressed for breath, and walked to the door for air.

Fortunately for him, Mr. Grant and his clerk were shut close in their office, concerting measures to insure themselves against exposure, if, as they feared, the secret partner should present himself or send an agent to investigate the state of the firm. How little they thought that a net had been woven around them which, in a few moments, would enclose them in its folds.

Just as Harrison reached the door, he saw Mr. Kilby and two policemen, standing in close counsel just at the corner of the street.

Advancing quickly toward them, he put the paper into their hands, turned back, and was, apparently, writing at his desk, when they entered.

Mr. Kilby presently appeared at the door, alone, and advancing toward the office, inquired, in a loud, cheerful voice, of the young clerk, "Good morning! is Mr. Grant in?"

"He is, sir!" replied Harrison, in an almost inarticulate voice, and then proceeded to call the gentleman from his office. But that familiar voice had penetrated the closed door; and, hastily casting a glance around to the safe to see that all was in order, Mr. Grant, with a certain wildness of the eye, but a braggadocio air, walked forward to meet his partner.

I do not intend to describe the scene which followed. The officers entered, and served a writ upon Mr. Grant and his clerk; and, as it was a criminal prosecution, for fraud, on behalf of the government, no bail was allowed, and the villains were carried to prison to await their trial. Upon examination, all the bags of grain in the fourth story were marked with the letter R, so that in case an agent should appear, it would seem that this room had been hired for storage by Mr. Ransom; otherwise it would have been difficult to account for such a large stock in trade; while the false books were intended to show the unparelled dullness of the times. The real books were readily found, and showed that an immense and profitable business had been carried on. Before night the clerks were paid and dismissed, and the business of the great house of Grant & Co. was brought to a summary close.