Dave Porter and His Double Part 26

Now that he was really going to leave home, Mrs. Wadsworth, as well as Laura and Jessie, took it upon their shoulders to see that Dave should be properly taken care of so far as wearing apparel went.

"But oh, Dave! it's awful to think of your going so far away!" said Jessie, one day, when the two were alone in the library. "The house will be dreadfully lonely after you are gone."

"It won't be much different from when I was at Oak Hall, Jessie," he answered.

"Oh, yes, it will be, Dave. Texas is a long way off. And my father says the construction work that the Mentor Company is doing is close to the Mexican border. What if you should have trouble with some of those awful Mexican bandits?" and the girl shuddered.

"I don't expect any trouble of that kind. Practically all the fighting that has been going on has been on Mexican soil on the other side of the Rio Grande. As I understand it, the nearest point that the Mentor Construction Company reaches to Mexico is some miles from the border."

"Well, that's close enough with so much fighting going on," Jessie pouted. "I don't want any of those awful Mexican revolutionists to fire at you."

"Don't worry, Jessie," Dave answered; and then caught her by both hands and drew her closer. "You're going to write to me regularly, aren't you?" he continued, earnestly.

"Of course, Dave! And don't you forget to answer every letter," she replied quickly.

"Oh, I'll do that, never fear!"

"And do you really think you are going to enjoy becoming a civil engineer?"

"I'm positive of it, Jessie. The more I see of the profession, the more I am in love with it. It's a wonderful thing. Just think of being able to plan out a great big bridge across a broad river, or some wonderful dam, or a tall sky-sc.r.a.per, or an elevated railroad, or a tunnel under a gigantic mountain, or a tube under some river, or--"

"Oh, my gracious me, Dave! are you going to do all those wonderful things?" gasped the girl, her eyes opening widely.

"I don't expect I'll ever have the chance to do all those things, Jessie; but I'm going to try my best to do some of them. Of course, you must remember that at the present time civil engineering is divided into a great many branches. Now, for instance, I didn't mention anything about mining engineering, and that's a wonderful profession in itself."

"Oh, Dave! it's wonderful--simply wonderful!" cried the girl. "And you are going to be a wonderful man--I know it!" and she looked earnestly into his eyes.

"If I ever do get to be a wonderful man, it's going to be on your account, Jessie," he returned in a low voice. "You have been my inspiration. Don't forget that;" and he drew her closer than before.

"Oh, Dave!"

"It's true, Jessie. And I only hope that I'll make good--and that too before I am very much older. Then I think you already know what I am going to do?"

"What?" she whispered, and dropped her eyes.

"I am going to ask your folks for your hand in marriage," he continued firmly, reading his answer in her face.

Word had come in from Roger that he too was getting ready to go to Texas, and that both of the youths were to work together, as had been antic.i.p.ated. As the senator's son was in Washington, it was arranged that Dave was to join him in the Capitol City, and then the two were to journey to Texas.

Ben had heard about Dave's proposed departure for the South, and he came over several times to see his former Oak Hall chum before the latter left home.

"Any news regarding the miniatures?" questioned Dave, during the last of these visits.

"Not much," answered the real estate dealer's son. "The police thought they had one or two clues, but they have all turned out to be false.

They arrested one fellow in Pittsburgh, thinking he was Tim c.r.a.psey, but he turned out to be somebody else."

"Then they haven't any word at all about Ward Porton?"

"No, that rascal seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth."

"How is your father getting along, Ben?"

"He isn't doing so well, Dave. This loss of the miniatures was a terrible blow to him. You see, the real estate business lately has not been quite as good as it might be. My father went into several pretty heavy investments, and he needed a little more money to help him through. So when he got word about this fortune in pictures, he at once thought that he could sell some of the miniatures and use the proceeds in his real estate deals. Now that end of the business is at a standstill."

"Is your father actually suffering for the want of some cash?" asked our hero, quickly. "If he is, I think my father or my Uncle Dunston can help him out."

"Your father has already promised to a.s.sist him, and so has Mr.

Wadsworth, Dave. But that isn't the thing. You know my father is an independent sort of man, and it worries him to think that he can't stand entirely on his own feet in his real estate transactions. Of course, if he were well enough to be around I suppose he could adjust matters without any special a.s.sistance. But it's hard lines when things go wrong and you are flat on your back in bed."

"Yes, I can understand that. And it must worry your mother, too."

"Oh, it does! Ma isn't the same woman. She is awfully pale and quite thin. The doctor told her not to worry so, or she'd be down on her back, too."

"Well, you'll have to do what you can to cheer up both of them." Dave drew a long breath. "I do wish somebody would catch those two rascals, not only on your account but on my account also. I'd like to settle matters with Porton, for having impersonated me at those stores, and for taking my cap and overcoat."

"We've offered a reward of five thousand dollars for the return of the miniatures, and another thousand each for the capture of the thieves,"

announced Ben. "That ought to be a strong inducement for the detectives to do all they possibly can."

"We thought you might possibly get an offer from Porton or c.r.a.psey, or both of them, to return the miniatures for a certain amount," went on Dave. "But you say no such offer has come in?"

"No."

"Would your father consider it if it did come in?"

"I don't know what he would do, Dave. Of course, he'd hate to give up money to a thief; but, just the same, he'd hate it worse if he never got the miniatures back."

At last came the time for Dave to leave home. His trunk had been packed and shipped on ahead. There was still considerable snow on the ground; so he was taken to the depot in the big Wadsworth sleigh, the girls and his father accompanying him.

"Good-bye, Davy, my boy!" cried his Uncle Dunston, when he was ready to leave the house. "Now I expect you to give a good account of yourself while with that construction company."

"I'll do what I can," he answered.

"And do keep away from the Mexicans," added Mrs. Wadsworth with a sigh.

"You trust David to do the right thing," came from old Caspar Potts, his mellow eyes beaming brightly. "David is all right. He's my boy, and I'm proud of him," and he nodded his head over and over again.

For the girls, the drive to the depot was all too short. Laura had so many things to say to her brother that she hardly knew what to speak of first. As for poor Jessie, she felt so bad she could scarcely speak, and when she looked at Dave there were unbidden tears in her eyes.

"Now don't look at it that way," David whispered, when he caught sight of the tears. "I'll be back again before a great while."

"Oh, Dave, I--I--ca--can't help it," she murmured. "I--I--think so--so--much of--of--you!" and then, for the moment, she hid her face on his shoulder.

Mr. Porter had a few words of advice to give, and he had hardly finished when the train rolled into the station. Then Dave shook hands with his father, and kissed each of the girls, and climbed on board.

"Good-bye, my son!" called Mr. Porter.

"Good-bye, Dad! Take care of yourself while I'm gone," he shouted back. "Good-bye, Laura! Good-bye, Jessie!"