"robert," said his guardian, "this is mr. cromwell, who is to take charge of you on the journey. mr. cromwell, this is my ward, whom i hope you will find a pleasant traveling companion."
"how do you do?" said james cromwell, holding out his hand rather stiffly to the boy.
"i am well, thank you," said robert, looking with curiosity, and it must be confessed, disappointment, at the young man who was to be his companion.
he had hoped that he would be a congenial person, with whom he might be on terms of pleasant familiarity; but when he looked at the small, ferreting eyes and mean features of james cromwell, his first impressions were unfavorable. every man's face is to a certain extent indicative of his disposition and prevailing traits; and robert, who was quicker than most boys in reading character, concluded without delay, that the companion with[pg 91] which his guardian had provided him would not be to his taste. still, he possessed a great deal of natural courtesy and politeness, and he determined to conceal this feeling as well as he might, and treat mr. cromwell with as much respect and politeness as if he had liked him better. though he would have liked to travel with a different person, still, the natural scenery which he would behold would be none the less attractive, and would afford him some compensation for the absence of a congenial companion.
james cromwell was on his side not without sharpness of insight. as he met the boy's gaze with the glance of his small ferret-like eyes, he perceived the look of disappointment, however carefully it was veiled, and with the spite of a small, mean mind, it inspired him with instant dislike for robert. instead of determining to win his confidence and regard by kindness, he resolved as soon as he fairly had him in his power, to annoy him by petty tyranny, and so wreak vengeance upon him for the feelings which he could not help. but the time for this had not yet come. he knew that policy dictated a courteous and polite treatment for the present. accordingly he said in a soft voice:
[pg 92]
"i hope i shall be able to make mr. raymond's time pass pleasantly."
"thank you," said robert, politely.
"oh, i have no doubt you will get on well together," said mr. morton. "robert, i shall expect you to follow the directions of mr. cromwell, as i have confidence that he will act with good judgment."
robert bowed.
"i have obtained tickets for you by the middle train," proceeded the merchant. "here they are, mr. cromwell."
"thank you, sir," said cromwell, taking them and putting them in his pocket.
"you will remain at niagara two or three days if you like," continued paul morton. "i have no doubt you will enjoy yourself. what do you say, robert?"
"i shall be sure to enjoy it," said robert, with animation.
"so shall i," said cromwell. "i have never visited the falls."
"well," said the merchant, drawing on his gloves, "i am sorry, but i shall be obliged to leave you. i have considerable business awaiting me at my counting-room. i have ordered a carriage at[pg 93] eleven to convey you with your trunks to the railroad depot. good-bye, robert, good-bye, mr. cromwell. a pleasant journey to you."
"good-bye, sir," said both.
"oh, by the way, mr. cromwell," said the merchant, turning as he reached the door, and looking significantly at cromwell, "if you meet with any mishap, telegraph me at once."
again a greenish pallor overspread the face of james cromwell, for he understood the allusion, and his cowardly nature recoiled with fear, not with abhorrence.
"yes, sir," he said, "i will remember."
"once more, good-bye, then," and paul morton closed the door behind him.
"i hope i shall never see that boy alive again," he said to himself. "once get him out of the way and the money is mine. a hundred and twenty thousand dollars will be a great windfall to me. to be sure, there will be ten thousand to pay to cromwell, but it will leave over a hundred thousand. egad! it would be a capital arrangement if they both would tumble over the falls together. it would be the best joke of the season."
and paul morton laughed to himself, a low,[pg 94] wicked laugh, at the prospect of the two from whom he had just parted being hurled together into a death so frightful, and all that he might gain money. as if human life were to be weighed against perishing dross! yet every day life is bartered for it; not always criminally, but sacrificed by overwork, or undue risk, so insatiable is the hunger for gold, and so desperate are the efforts by which men seek to obtain it.
in due time they reached the station, and entering one of the long cars, selected their seats. they did not sit down together, but took seats directly in front of each other, giving a window to each.
"i suppose i ought to say something to him," thought robert, "but i don't know what to say."
indeed, there seemed to be no common ground on which they could meet. with some persons the boy would have been engaged in animated conversation long before this, but he seemed to have nothing to say to james cromwell.
"do you like traveling, mr. cromwell?" he asked, at length.
"pretty well," said cromwell.
"i think we shall have a pleasant journey."
"yes; i expect so."
[pg 95]
"do you know when we shall reach niagara, mr. cromwell?"
"i think mr. morton said it would take us about twenty-four hours."
"then we shall get there about this time to-morrow."
"yes; we shall be all night on the cars."
"i am sorry for that, for we shall lose the scenery on the way—i mean, that we pass through during the night."
here the conversation dropped. james cromwell bought a paper from a boy who came through the cars, and began to read. robert, with all the eager interest of his age, employed himself in looking out of the window, watching the fields and houses among which they were wending their rapid way.
it will be unnecessary to chronicle the incidents of the journey, for there were none worth mentioning. in due time they reached niagara, and secured rooms at the principal hotel on the american side.
it was afternoon, and they only went round a little before supper. they decided to defer the principal part of their sightseeing until the next day.
[pg 96]
the next day was pleasant. together the two walked about, enjoying views of the cataract from various points.
at length cromwell said, "how would you like to go to goat island? i am told the view is fine from there."
"i should like it very much. suppose we go," said robert, promptly.
had he known the sinister purpose with which this proposition was made, he would have recoiled from it as from a deadly serpent, but the boy was wholly unconscious of the peril that menaced him, nor did he observe the nervous agitation that affected james cromwell, whose timidity made him shrink with fear at the risk he was about to incur.
"then we will go," said the young man.
they soon found themselves on the island, and advancing, reached an exposed point from which they could look down upon the foaming waters beneath. cromwell man?uvered so as to have the boy on the side toward the water.
"what a grand sight!" exclaimed robert, surveying the great fall with boyish enthusiasm.
he had scarcely uttered these words when he felt a violent push at the side, and felt himself[pg 97] impelled toward the brink of the precipice. he would infallibly have fallen if he had not seized with the desperate clutch of self-preservation the arm of james cromwell. as it was, he hung balancing over the brink, and nearly carried the clerk with him. cromwell saw that it must be either both or neither, and he drew robert back to a place of safety.
"good heavens! mr. cromwell," exclaimed the boy, his face pale with horror, "what does this mean? did you mean to push me over?"
"what a question!" returned cromwell, himself pale. "thank heaven! i have saved you!"
"but you pushed me!" said the boy, suspiciously. "if i hadn't clung to you, i should have fallen!" and he shuddered at the thought.
"yes; it is true. i will explain. i am troubled with fits occasionally which make me rigid and convulsed. whenever i feel one coming on i grasp convulsively at whatever is nearest me. i felt one coming on a moment ago, and that led me to seize you. but i believe my terror, for i came near going over the precipice with you, has saved me from the threatened attack."
"do you often have these fits?" asked robert.
"i have not had one for three months, but[pg 98] lately i have been apprehending one, for i have not felt as well as usual. indeed, i have a violent headache now. i think i will go to the hotel and lie down, if you can amuse yourself for awhile."
"yes, you had better do so. i can get along quite well."
robert easily credited the plausible explanation which had been given, for he could not believe that cromwell would deliberately seek his life. he did not know the powerful motive which prompted him.
