Alger Horatio Jr.
Frank and Fearless; or, The Fortunes of Jasper Kent
CHAPTER X.
NICHOLAS APPEARS UPON THE SCENE
The funeral was over. Mrs. Kent was considered by those present to display a great deal of fortitude. As she felt no real grief for the death of her husband, this was not remarkable. Jasper looked pale and sorrowful, but gave way to no violent demonstrations of sorrow, though he began to understand that he had not only lost his best friend, but become at the same time exposed to the machinations of a resolute and relentless enemy.
In due time the will was read.
It was very brief, and clear in its provisions.
To Mrs. Kent was left one-third of the estate, real and personal, of which the deceased was possessed, and the balance was willed to his only child and dear son Jasper, of whom his step-mother was left guardian.
When this clause was read Mrs. Kent directed a brief and triumphant glance at Jasper. He met the glance, and understood what it meant. He knew that it boded him no good.
The company assembled gradually dispersed, and Jasper was left alone with his step-mother.
"You see that I am left your guardian," she said.
"Yes," answered Jasper, briefly.
"Perhaps you would have chosen a different one if the choice had been left to you," she continued, with a sneer.
"I should," said Jasper, promptly.
"Well, that is plain language."
"I suppose you expected a plain answer," said the boy, firmly.
"I did not expect a polite one. You appear to forget that I am a lady."
"You are mistaken, madam. I am ready to treat you as well as you treat me. I won't pretend that I like your guardianship, as I fear that we shall not agree."
"If we don't, you will have to yield," said his step-mother.
"I would rather not dispute till it is absolutely necessary," said Jasper. "May I ask whether you desire me to return to school?"
"I have not made up my mind. I may be able to tell you to-morrow."
"Until you make up your mind you expect me to remain at home, I suppose?"
"Yes."
Jasper bowed and turned away. He went down stairs into the hall just as the front door was opened, and the familiar voice of Nicholas Thorne was heard. Jasper stared in some surprise at the intruder, not knowing that he was expected.
"Halloo, Jasper!" said Thorne, boisterously. "How are you?"
"I am well," said Jasper, distantly.
"Where's mother?"
"Your mother? Your aunt, you mean."
"No, I don't. That's all gammon. She's my mother."
"She is!" exclaimed Jasper. "What made you deny it, then?"
"Policy," said Thorne, laughing. "Your father might not have liked it. Now it's all right."
"Did your mother send for you?" asked Jasper.
"Yes, of course she did. This is to be my home now."
Jasper made no comment. What could he say? If Thorne were his step-mother's son, it was only natural that he should live in the house of which she was mistress.
But it seemed to him as if he were being pushed out of his own father's house, and these strangers were coming in to occupy it He felt that it would no longer seem like home to him.
"Well, where's my mother?" asked Thorne.
"She's up stairs. Shall I show you the way?"
"If you're a mind to. I guess I'll know my own way round here pretty soon."
"What a detestable fellow!" thought Jasper. "I am afraid we shall quarrel soon."
He led the way up stairs, and ushered Nicholas into his mother's presence.
This uncouth boy was the one object this selfish woman loved. She uttered an exclamation of delight.
"Welcome home, my dear Nicholas!" she exclaimed, advancing hastily and throwing her arms round his neck.
He received the embrace apathetically, but made no opposition, as at another time he might have done. He felt on good terms with his mother and the whole world, in the face of the brilliant improvement of his prospects.
"Are you well, my dear boy?" asked Mrs. Kent.
"Oh, I'm well enough, mother. This is a splendid old place, isn't it?"
Mrs. Kent laughed at Jasper.
"Yes, it is a fine country-place."
Jasper left the two, and went down stairs.
"Say, mother, how about the will?" asked Thorne. "Is it all right?"
"A third of the estate is left to me."
"Only a third! Does Jasper get the rest?"
"Yes."
"That's a shame. You ought to have had half."
"I shall have control of the whole till Jasper is of age. I am left his guardian."
"That's good, anyhow. You must make him toe the mark, mother."
"I mean to."
"He's always had his own way, and he may give you trouble. He feels high and mighty. I can tell you."
"I shall know how to deal with him," said Mrs. Kent, closing her thin lips resolutely. "He will find me as firm as himself."
"I guess that's so, mother. You'll prove a tough customer."
Mrs. Kent smiled, as if she enjoyed the compliment.
"I'll stand by you, mother. If you have any trouble, just call me in."
"I don't expect to need any help, Nicholas; but I am glad to find I have a brave son, who will stand by his mother."
Certainly no one believed in Nicholas so thoroughly as his mother. To the world generally he was a cowardly bully, rough, brutal, and selfish. In his mother's eyes he was manly and a paragon of youthful virtue. I have already said that Thorne's affection for his mother was far less disinterested, as is very apt to be the case with boys. His intention to benefit by the change of circumstances was shown at once.
"What allowance are you going to give me, mother?" he asked.
"I have not thought, yet, Nicholas."
"Then I want you to think, mother."
"How much do you want?"
"I want as much as Jasper gets."
"You shall receive as much," said his mother, promptly. "Do you know how much he has received?"
"Yes—he has had five dollars a week."
"That's too much."
"It isn't too much for me."
"I shall reduce his allowance to three dollars a week."
"You don't expect me to get along on three dollars?" grumbled Thorne.
"I will give you five."
"And Jasper only three?"
"Yes."
"Won't he be mad!" exclaimed Nicholas, with malicious satisfaction. "What'll you say to him about it?"
"I shall merely announce my decision," said Mrs. Kent, coolly. "I am not bound to assign any reasons."
"Won't there be a precious row!" said Thorne.
"I presume he will complain, but he has not conducted himself toward me in a manner to secure any favors."
"I say, mother, can you give me my first week's allowance in advance? I'm awful hard up."
"Here, my son," said Mrs. Kent, drawing out her pocket-book and placing a five-dollar bill in her son's hand.
"Good for you, mother. When are you going to have supper?"
"In an hour."
"How much property did the old man leave?"
"The estate is probably fully up to one hundred thousand dollars. This place is worth fifteen thousand. The rest is in good interest-paying stocks and bonds."
"And a third belongs to you! I say, mother, you've feathered your nest well. I guess I'll go out and take a look round."
In the rear of the house, in front of the stable, Nicholas caught sight of Jasper.
He smiled maliciously.
"I'll go and tell him about the reduction in his allowance," he said to himself.
CHAPTER XI.
THE OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES
Jasper was quietly thinking over his change of circumstances when he was roused by a rather violent slap on the shoulder.
Turning hastily, he saw that it was Nicholas.
"I say, this is a jolly place, Jasper," said Thorne.
"Yes," said Jasper. "It has been my home as far back as I can remember."
"That's where you have the advantage of me, but after all it doesn't make much difference, as long as it's going to be my home now."
Jasper didn't reply.
"I say, Kent, it seems odd that me and you are brothers," said Thorne, not very grammatically.
"We are not," said Jasper, quickly.
"It's all the same—we've got the same mother."
"You are mistaken," said Jasper, coldly.
"You know what I mean. She's my mother and your step-mother."
"That's very different. Besides, the relationship is so very recent that I find it hard to think of your mother as any relation at all."
"She is, though. I suppose me and you will be a good deal together now."
"I don't know what my future plans will be," said Jasper, not very much elated by this prospect.
"No, I suppose not. Mother'll arrange about them. How much allowance did your father use to give you?"
Jasper thought at first of refusing to reply, but it occurred to him that under the new and strange circumstances it was not an improper question for Nicholas to ask. He therefore decided to reply.
"Five dollars a week," he answered.
"When was it paid?"
"On Saturday."
"See here," said Thorne, drawing from his vest pocket the five-dollar bill his mother had given him.
"What of it?" said Jasper.
"It's my allowance for this week," said Thorne, triumphantly.
"I congratulate you," said Jasper, coldly.
"That's kind in you," returned Thorne, with a sneer, "especially as you are cut down."
"What do you mean?" asked Jasper, hastily.
"Mother says five dollars a week is too much for you. She's going to cut you down to three."
The indignant color came to Jasper's cheek. Was this interloper—this stranger—to be preferred to him in his own father's house? He was not excessively fond of money, and had there been need would not have objected to a reduction of his allowance. But to be deprived of his rights in favor of a fellow like Thorne was intolerable. If Nicholas wished to annoy and anger him, he had succeeded.
"Who told you this?" demanded Jasper, sharply.
"My mother," answered Nicholas, with a gratified smile.
"When?"
"About fifteen minutes ago," replied Thorne, with provoking coolness.
"I don't think she would do anything so outrageous."
"Don't you? You'll find mother's got plenty of grit."
"So have I," said Jasper, his face hardening. "If your mother undertakes to wrong me she will repent it."
"You had better not say that to her," said Thorne, insolently.
"I shall when the proper time comes. My allowance is not due yet. I don't care for the money, but my father knew what it was proper for me to have."
"There's going to be a row," thought Nicholas, with satisfaction. "I'll bet on mother. She'll put down this whipper-snapper."
Jasper turned away, and walked out of the yard.
"Where are you going?" asked Thorne.
"To walk."
"I guess I'll go along, too."
"I would rather go alone."
"You're not very polite."
"Excuse me," said Jasper, with the instinct of a gentleman. "You would find me very poor company. Another time we will walk together."
"Oh, just as you like; I don't want to intrude," said Thorne, sulkily.
They did not meet again till supper. Mrs. Kent presided. On one side sat Nicholas, on the other Jasper. Our hero looked sad. The kind, worn face he was accustomed to see at the head of the table was gone forever. He felt that he was indeed desolate. His appetite was very small, while, on the other hand, Nicholas seemed to be famished. His mother kept plying him with dainties and tidbits, and he appeared to like the treatment amazingly.
"Why don't you eat, Jasper?" asked Thorne with his mouth full.
"I am not hungry."
"I should think your walk might have given you an appetite."
"It doesn't appear to."
"You look awful glum. Is it what I said this afternoon?"
"About what?"
"Your allowance being cut down."
"I wasn't thinking about that particularly. Besides, you are not the one from whom I expect to receive such communications."
"It's all true, though, as you will find. Ain't it, mother?" persisted Nicholas, who was anxious to have the row come off as soon as possible.
Jasper turned his glance upon Mrs. Kent.
"You needn't have introduced the subject, Nicholas," she said, with slight reproof.
"Why not, mother?"
"It isn't a proper subject to introduce at the supper-table."
"You see, Jasper didn't half believe what I told him."
"He may rely upon your statement," said Mrs. Kent.
"Am I to understand that my allowance is reduced to three dollars a week?" asked Jasper, who felt that he had been dragged into the discussion.
"Yes. I consider that three dollars a week is a liberal allowance for a boy of your age."
"My father gave me five."
"Your father acted according to his judgment," said Mrs. Kent, coldly. "On some points I differ from him in judgment. I think that he indulged you too much, probably because you were his only child."
"He was always kind to me," said Jasper. "It was his nature to be kind."
"You will find me kind, too, if you deserve it," said his step-mother. But her tone belied her words.
"Nicholas tells me that his allowance is to be five dollars," said Jasper.
"I conceive that the amount of his allowance has nothing to do with yours," said Mrs. Kent.
"Is it true?" persisted Jasper.
"It is," said Mrs. Kent, with a defiant look, which Jasper interpreted to mean "What are you going to do about it?"
"Why is he to receive five dollars, if I am only to get three?"
"Because I choose."
"You have answered rightly," said Jasper, scornfully. "Even you are unable to defend it on the score of fairness or justice."
Mrs. Kent's thin lips compressed.
"Audacious boy!" she exclaimed, "do you dare to speak to me in this style?"
"I am not aware of any impropriety, madam. I am protesting against your unjust partiality for Nicholas."
"He is my son."
"I am aware of that; but the money out of which the allowance is paid came to you from my father."
"Do you dare to continue your impertinent remarks?" exclaimed his step-mother, pale with rage.
"Madam, I am only stating the truth," said Jasper, sturdily. "You cannot expect me to submit tamely to such an injustice. Had you reduced my allowance and given Nicholas no more I would have let it pass."
"I won't submit to this impertinence!" exclaimed Mrs. Kent, furiously. "Nicholas, will you sit there and see your mother insulted?"
"What do you want me to do, mother?" asked Thorne, not exactly liking the turn matters had taken.
"Put that unmannerly boy out of the room."
"Oh, there ain't any need of that," said Thorne, who knew by experience Jasper's strength.
"Do as I say, or I will give you no allowance at all!" said Mrs. Kent, stamping her foot angrily.
Nicholas unwillingly arose from his seat and approached Jasper.
"You'd better not try it, Thorne," said Jasper, coolly.
"Do you hear that, sir? He has insulted you, too," said Mrs. Kent, in a furious passion.
It was these words, perhaps, that spurred Nicholas to his task. Jasper had now risen, and Thorne threw himself upon him.
But Jasper was prepared. In less time than I have required to tell it, Thorne found himself prostrate on the floor.
"Madam," said Jasper, turning to his step-mother, "I am ready to leave your presence now, but of my own accord."
He left the room. Mrs. Kent was too astonished to speak. She had felt no doubt that Nicholas was more than a match for Jasper, as he certainly was bigger, and weighed twenty pounds more.
"My poor boy!" she said, pitifully, bending over her son; "are you much hurt?"
"Yes," said Nicholas; "and it's all on account of you!"
"I thought you were stronger than he."
"So I am, but he knows how to wrestle; besides, he's so quick."
"I thought you could have put him out easily."
"Well, don't set me to doing it again," said Thorne, sulkily. "I didn't want to fight. You made me."
"Don't mind it, my dear boy. It was because I was angry with him."
"Oh, how my head aches!"
"I'll put on some cologne. I'll give you an extra five dollars, too, for standing by your mother."
"All right, mother," said Thorne, in a more cheerful tone. "That's the way to talk. Give it to me now."
Jasper did not see either of them again that evening. He called on a friend, and, entering the house at ten o'clock, went directly to his own room.
CHAPTER XII.
A SCHEME OF VENGEANCE
Mrs. Kent had never cared for Jasper. Since the marriage she had disliked him. Now that he had struck down Nicholas in her presence, she positively hated him. She did not stop to consider that he was provoked to it, and only acted in self-defense. She thirsted for revenge—more, indeed, than Nicholas, who, bully as he was, having been fairly worsted, was disposed to accept his defeat philosophically. If he could annoy or thwart Jasper he would have been glad to do it, but he did not desire to injure him physically.
Not so Mrs. Kent.
Her darling had been assaulted and defeated in her presence. She did not again wish to put him against Jasper lest he should be again defeated, but she wished Jasper, her detested step-son, to drink the same cup of humiliation which had been forced upon Nicholas.
So she sat pondering how to accomplish the object she had in view. She could not herself beat Jasper, though, had he been younger and smaller, she would certainly have attempted it. She must do it by deputy.
Under the circumstances she thought of Tom Forbes, a strong and stalwart hired man, who had been for some months working on the place. Probably he would not like the task, but she would threaten to discharge him if he refused to obey her commands, and this, she thought, would bring him around.
"I wonder where Jasper is?" said Nicholas, about eight o'clock, as he sat opposite the little table where his mother was sewing.
"Gone out, I suppose," said Mrs. Kent.
"He found the house too hot to hold him," suggested Thorne.
"He certainly will if he conducts himself in the future as he has already done. He makes a mistake if he thinks I will tolerate such conduct."
"It's because you're a woman," said her son. "Boys of his age don't make much account of women."
"Do you speak for yourself as well as for him?" asked Mrs. Kent, sharply.
"Of course not," said Nicholas, whose interest it was to keep on good terms with his mother. "Of course not; besides, you are my mother."
"You are much more of a gentleman than Jasper is," said his mother, appeased.
"I hope so," said Nicholas.
"As for him, I consider him a young ruffian."
"So he is," said Thorne, who was ready to assent to anything that his mother might say.
"And yet his father thought him a paragon!" continued Mrs. Kent, her lip curling. "It is strange how parents can be deceived!"
Unconsciously she illustrated the truth of this remark in her own person. She considered Nicholas handsome, spirited, and amiable—indeed, as an unusually fascinating and attractive boy. To others he was big, overgrown, malicious, and stupid. But then mothers are apt to look through different spectacles from the rest of the world.
"I guess Jasper'll want to change his guardian," said Thorne, laughing. "You and he won't hitch horses very well."
"Don't use such a common expression, Nicholas. I want you to grow up a well-bred gentleman."
"Oh, well, I mean to. But I say, if his father liked him so much, what made him appoint you to take care of him?"
"He didn't know how I felt toward Jasper. I humored his fancies, and treated him better than I felt toward him."
"Then you wanted to be his guardian?"
"Yes, I wanted to pay off old scores," said Mrs. Kent, again compressing her lips with unpleasant firmness.
"What made you dislike him?" asked her son, with curiosity.
"He was opposed to my marriage. He would have stopped it if he could, but there I got the better of him. When he found that he was too late he treated me with coldness. He never liked me."
"By Jove! I don't think he's had much reason," said Nicholas, laughing boisterously.
"He'll regret not having treated me with more attention. I can thwart all his plans and make his life very uncomfortable."
"I'll trust you to do that, mother. You've got spunk enough."
"Don't say 'spunk,' Nicholas."
"What shall I say, then?"
"Resolution—firmness."
"It's all the same."
"There is a choice in words. Remember, my dear boy, I want you to be a refined and cultivated gentleman."
"Well, I can be, now you're rich. But I say, mother, what are you going to do? You ain't going to stick down in this dull place all your life, are you?"
"No, Nicholas. In the summer we'll go travelling."
"Good!" exclaimed Nicholas, with satisfaction. "Where will we go?"
"How would you like to go to Niagara Falls?"
"Bully!"
"Or to Saratoga?"
"I don't know much about that."
"It is a fashionable place."
"Can a fellow have fun there?"
"Of course he can."
"Then I'd like to go. But I say, are you going to take Jasper, too?"
"No," said Mrs. Kent, decidedly. "I certainly shall not give him so much pleasure."
"I don't know. I might like it better if I had a fellow of my own age to go around with."
"You will find plenty of companions more agreeable than Jasper."
"All right, mother. I suppose you know best."
"You can trust me to provide for your happiness, Nicholas. It is all I live for."
The next morning Mrs. Kent arose early, and summoned the hired man, Tom Forbes.
"Tom," said she, "have you a good whip?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"And a strong arm?"
"Middlin', ma'am," answered the wondering hired man.
"I want you to be in the kitchen, provided with your whip, when breakfast is over."
"What for?" asked Tom, in surprise.
"Never mind now. I shall inform you at the time."
"All right, ma'am."
Twenty minutes later, Jasper, unaware of his step-mother's benevolent intentions, took his seat at the breakfast-table.
