"Please let me hear it, professor," said Walter.

"This gentleman is Nahum Snodgra.s.s, of Chicago, who has been for some years a traveler for a large wholesale-drug-house."

"I am glad to meet you, Mr. Snodgra.s.s," said Walter, politely.

Snodgra.s.s, who was a thin, dry-looking man, nodded briefly.

"I have just sold out my business to him," went on Professor Robinson, "and henceforth shall aim to live more easily and enjoy the presence of my family."

"I congratulate you, professor," said Walter. "I think you deserve a life of leisure."

"Mr. Snodgra.s.s is willing to take you into his employ, but he does not think he can afford to pay you as much as I did."

"No," said Snodgra.s.s, clearing his throat, "I find that Professor Robinson has been foolishly liberal. The ten per cent. commission which he has paid you is simply--stu--pendous!"

Walter smiled.

"I have not been in the habit of taking that view of it," he said.

"Perhaps not, but I do," said Snodgra.s.s, firmly. "You are a very young man, and ought not to expect much pay. I will give you two dollars a week and pay your traveling expenses."

"I beg to decline your offer, Mr. Snodgra.s.s," said Walter, politely.

"I have thought of changing my business before, but was unwilling to leave the professor. As we are strangers, I need have no further hesitation."

"Young man," said Snodgra.s.s, "I think you are making a mistake. It will not be so easy getting another place as you suppose."

"Perhaps not, but I can afford to live a few weeks without work."

"Your savings will soon go"--Snodgra.s.s knew nothing of Walter's prize money--"and then what will you do?"

"Trust to luck," answered Walter, lightly.

Nahum Snodgra.s.s shook his head gloomily. He thought Walter a very foolish young man.

Had Walter lost his position two months earlier it would have been a serious matter to him, but now, with a capital of nearly a thousand dollars, he could afford to be independent. As he expressed it, he could afford to be idle for a few weeks. Still, he didn't wish to remain unemployed for a long time. He felt happier when at work, but wished to secure some employment that would be congenial.

"Mr. Snodgra.s.s," said the professor, "I think you are making a mistake in not employing Walter Sherwood."

Nahum Snodgra.s.s shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't mean to pay away all my profits to an a.s.sistant," he said.

"But you can't get along alone very well."

"I will try, unless I can find some one that will take what I am willing to pay."

He finally succeeded in doing this. A young man of eighteen, employed in a drug-store in town, who was on the point of being discharged, agreed to take the position, and stepped into Walter's place. To antic.i.p.ate a little, he disappeared two weeks later, carrying with him fifty dollars belonging to his employer.

Walter stayed two days longer at the hotel, and then, sending his valise ahead to Burnton, twenty miles farther on, started to walk the distance. He was in a mountainous country, and the scenery was wild and attractive, so that he felt that this arrangement would prove agreeable to him. He provided himself with a stout staff and started at good speed. He had accomplished about eight miles, when he was overtaken by a shabbily dressed traveler riding on the back of a fine horse. The horseman slackened his pace when he reached Walter.

"Good morning, stranger!" he said.

"Good morning!" responded Walter, turning his head.

"I am glad to have company. It's a lonesome stretch of road here."

"Yes," answered Walter, carelessly. "But there isn't any danger, is there?"

"Well, there might be. A friend of mine was stabbed and robbed here three months since."

"Indeed!"

"Yes; and though I haven't much money with me, I shouldn't like to be robbed of what I have."

"It would be inconvenient."

"Do you carry much money with you?" asked the other, in a careless tone.

Walter was not disposed to take a stranger into his confidence.

"Not much!" he responded.

"You are prudent. Are you armed?"

Walter drew out d.i.c.k Ranney's revolver, which he still carried. The stranger eyed him respectfully.

"That's a mighty handsome weapon," he said. "Just let me look at it."

Walter began to think he had fallen in with a highwayman again.

CHAPTER XXIX

WALTER BUYS A HORSE

"You can look at the pistol as I hold it," said Walter, in response to the request recorded at the close of the preceding chapter.

"I say," remarked the stranger suddenly, "don't you want to buy a horse?"

"How much do you ask for the horse?" he inquired.

"I want to get her off my hands. Give me fifty dollars, and she's yours."

Walter had a pad in his satchel and a fountain pen in his pocket. He hastily wrote out the following form: