Walter Sherwood's Probation. Alger Horatio Jr.

and get a place in the village.”

      Walter laughed.

      “It wouldn’t suit me at all, Nancy. I am going West to grow up with the country.”

      “I wish I could be somewhere near, to look after you.”

      “It would be of no use, Nancy. Women are in great demand out there—at any rate in Dakota—and you’d be married in less than no time, if you went.”

      “You are only joking now, Master Walter.”

      “Not at all! I read the other day that of ten schoolma’ams who went out to Dakota last fall, eight were married within three months.”

      “Nobody could marry me against my will,” said Nancy resolutely.

      “Perhaps he would find a way of overcoming your objections,” said Walter, laughing. “But I am afraid Doctor Mack couldn’t do without you. He couldn’t spare you and me both.”

      “That’s true,” assented Nancy, who had not been so much alarmed at the matrimonial dangers hinted at by Walter as might have been anticipated. Had a good opportunity offered, I am inclined to think Nancy would have been willing to change her name. After all, she was only forty-nine, and I have known more than one to surrender single blessedness with all its charms at and beyond that age.

      At last the day of departure came. Valise in hand, Walter jumped aboard the stage that was to convey him to the railroad-station. He shook hands with his guardian and Nancy, the driver whipped up his horses, and a new period in Walter’s life had commenced.

      “I wonder how he’ll come out?” mused Doctor Mack thoughtfully. “Have I acted for the best in letting him go? Well, time alone can tell.”

      CHAPTER VIII

      WALTER BUYS A WATCH

      Walter was tempted to stop over at Niagara, as his ticket would have allowed him to do, but he was also very anxious to reach Chicago and get to work. “I can visit Niagara some other time,” he reflected. “Now I can spare neither the money nor the time.”

      Hour after hour sped by, until with a little thrill of excitement Walter learned by consulting his railroad guide that he was within fifty miles of Chicago. He looked out of the car window, and surveyed with interest the country through which they were speeding at the rate of thirty-five miles an hour. His attention was drawn from the panorama outside by a voice:

      “Is this seat engaged?”

      Walter looked up, and his glance rested on a man of perhaps thirty-five, dressed in a light suit, and wearing a tall white hat.

      “No, sir,” answered Walter politely, removing his gripsack from the seat.

      “I don’t want to incommode you,” said the stranger, as he took the place thus vacated.

      “You don’t in the least,” said Walter.

      “I suppose you are going to Chicago?”

      “Yes, sir.”

      “Are you going farther—out to Dakota, for instance?”

      “No, sir. Chicago is far enough west for me at present.”

      “I live in Dakota. I have a long journey to make after we reach Chicago.”

      “I don’t know about Dakota. Is it a good place for business?”

      “It is going to be. Yes, Dakota has a bright future. I have a pleasant little home out there. I had to go East on business, and stayed a little longer than I intended. In fact I spent more money than I anticipated, and that makes me a little short.”

      It struck Walter that his new acquaintance for a stranger was very confidential.

      “Is it possible he will propose to borrow money of me?” he asked himself. He did not quite know what to say, but politeness required him to say something.

      “I am sorry,” he replied, in a sympathizing tone.

      “I should like to take a train this evening for my home,” continued the stranger.

      “I hope you will be able to do so.”

      “Well, there’s one drawback. I haven’t got money enough to buy a through ticket. Under these circumstances I am going to offer you a bargain.”

      Walter looked surprised and expectant. The stranger drew a gold watch from his pocket—a very handsome gold watch, which looked valuable.

      “You see that watch?” he said. “How much do you think it is worth?”

      “It looks like a nice watch. I am no judge of values.”

      “It cost me ninety dollars six months since. Now I need the money, and I will sell it to you for twenty-five.”

      “But that would be a great sacrifice.”

      “So it would, but I need the money. Of course, if you haven’t got the money—”

      “I have that amount of money,” said Walter, “but I haven’t got it to spare. I might need it.”

      “Then all you need to do is to sell the watch or pawn it. You could sell it for fifty dollars without trouble.”

      “Why don’t you do that?” asked Walter shrewdly.

      “Because I haven’t the time. I want, if possible, to go on to-night. If you had a wife and two children waiting for you, whom you had not seen for two months, you wouldn’t mind losing a few dollars for the sake of seeing them a little sooner.”

      “Very likely,” answered Walter, to whom his companion’s explanation seemed plausible.

      Walter was tempted, but he reflected that twenty-five dollars represented a third of the money he had with him, so he put away the temptation, but with reluctance. He had a silver watch, bought for him, when he entered college, at a cost of fifteen dollars, and like the majority of boys of his age he felt that he should much prefer to carry a gold one. Still he must be prudent.

      “No,” he said, shaking his head, “I don’t think I had better buy the watch. I presume you will find some one else on the train who would be glad of the bargain.”

      “Very likely, but we are near Chicago, and I haven’t time to look around. Come, I’ll make you a still better offer, though I ought not to do so. You may have the watch for twenty dollars. That money will get me through, and I won’t haggle about five dollars.”

      “Twenty dollars!” repeated Walter thoughtfully.

      “Yes, look at the watch. Isn’t it a beauty?”

      “Yes; I like the appearance of it very much.”

      “If you get out of money, you can easily pawn it for more than the sum I ask for it.”

      Certainly this was an important consideration. Walter felt that he would be foolish to lose so good a chance. It was a pity that the stranger should be forced to make such a sacrifice, yet it really seemed that he would be doing him a favor, as well as benefiting himself, by accepting his proposition.