Mark Manning's Mission

John Hardy looked thoughtful. He appeared to be pondering something. Finally he said: "Then send him. He is a boy, but he is faithful and discreet. Moreover, I could advise him."

"Let it be so!"

"Can you spare him?"

"Yes, I am quite recovered, and he may not be gone many weeks. If I need help I can easily receive it."

"I would suggest a delay of a week or two, or till the will is drawn up and signed, and some other business attended to."

"I shall be guided entirely by your advice."

"Now shall I leave you some money?"

"No, I have enough to last for some time to come."

"You don't keep it in this cabin, do you? It would be imprudent. You would be exposed to robbery."

"No, I have a place of concealment in the woods. I shall go this afternoon, taking Mark with me, to draw from it. It is my bank."

"The bank of the woods," suggested Hardy, laughing.

"Yes."

Presently Mark returned, and conducted the lawyer back to the station. Without the boy's remarking it, his elderly companion drew him out, weighed him mentally in the balance, and decided that his client was not, after all, rash in confiding in a mere boy.

"He's smart and honest!" was his mental verdict.

At the station, he handed Mark a card containing the address of his office.

"Unless I am much mistaken," he said, "Mr. Taylor will have occasion to send you to my office in the city before long."

"I shall be very glad to come," answered Mark, gladly. "I don't often get a chance to come to New York."

The lawyer shook hands with Mark, and boarded the train.

Turning to leave the station, Mark encountered the gaze of his two hunting companions, James Collins and Tom Wyman, fixed curiously upon him.

"Who is that old file?" asked James, with his usual want of ceremony.

"A gentleman from New York," answered Mark, briefly.

"What's his name?"

"John Hardy."

"How did you run across him?"

"I didn't; he ran across me."

"How did you get acquainted with him?"

"He asked me to be his guide. I walked about with him."

"O, a tourist! Did he give you anything?"

"No."

"Then all your time and trouble was thrown away," sneered James.

"I don't know about that. He invited me to call at his office when I came to the city."

"That is hardly likely to do you any good. Business doesn't call you to the city very often."

"That is true," said Mark, his temper undisturbed.

"A quarter would have helped you more, especially now that you are out of work."

"I am glad you sympathize with me, James. Perhaps you will ask your father to take me back into the shop?"

"Not after the mean way in which you treated me. I swore I'd come up with you, and I have."

"I hope you'll enjoy your revenge."

"I do, you may be sure of that. If you had minded your own business, it would have been better for you."

"I am not sure about that. It may surprise you, James, to hear that I wouldn't go back to the shop, if your father were to call and ask me to do so."

"That's a likely story!"

"Likely or not, it's true."

"I suppose you have come into a fortune," said James, with a sneer.

This was what had actually happened, but Mark had no more knowledge of his good fortune than James.

Later in the day Mark presented himself at the cabin in the woods.

"I thought you might have an errand for me," he said.

"So I have," returned the hermit. "Take yonder spade and come with me."

CHAPTER XV.

THE HERMIT'S BANK

Mark was considerably surprised by the order he had received. What was he do with a spade? They were in the woods, and there was no arable land near. However, Mark was sensible enough to understand that it was his duty to obey, not to question.

"All right, sir!" he said, but there was a wonder in his look which old Anthony noticed with a smile. However, he did not immediately throw any light on the mystery.