when mark came to himself he realized that he was lying on his back on the ground. it was a bright moonlight night, and he could see for some distance.
first of all he moved his arms and legs to ascertain whether any of his limbs were broken. reassured on this point he felt next for the diamond pin. to his great relief it was safe.
all about him was confusion. he was just thinking of getting up when a man came along with a lantern, and stooping over, began to feel in the pockets of a prostrate figure lying near by. instantly mark was on the alert, for he felt sure that this man must be a thief intent on robbing the victims of the disaster.
he peered into the face of the robber who fancied himself unobserved, and with a thrill of excitement he recognized the man whom he had met twice before in new york, and who had called himself hamilton schuyler. at the same time, glancing at the upturned face of the recumbent figure he saw that it was his uncle, solon talbot, still insensible.
schuyler had just drawn mr. talbot's watch from his pocket, when mark, putting a whistle to his mouth, blew a sharp note on it.
schuyler started, let the watch drop, and rose in a state of nervous alarm.
"what was that?" he cried.
"mr. hamilton schuyler," said mark calmly, "that gentleman will have occasion for his watch. you had better let it alone."
"i was only going to take care of it for him," muttered schuyler.
"you'd take care of it well," retorted mark.
"who are you?" demanded schuyler, and he stepped over to where mark lay and peered into his face.
"by jingo, if it isn't the telegraph boy!" he exclaimed. "how came you here?"
"by the train."
"have you any more bogus diamonds about you?" inquired schuyler sarcastically.
"i might have had if i had expected to meet you."
"i'll see what i can find at any rate."
as he spoke he leaned over and was about to feel in mark's pockets when the telegraph messenger blew another blast on his whistle so loud that a relief party came running up in haste.
"what's the matter?" asked the leader.
"the matter is that here is a thief, rifling the pockets of the passengers. he was just feeling in mine."
schuyler started to run, but was quickly captured.
"what are you about, you scoundrel?" asked his captor.
"trying to relieve the victims of the disaster," answered schuyler. "on my honor that is all i was doing."
"is this true?" asked his captor, turning to mark.
"yes; he was trying to relieve us of our valuables. he had that gentleman's watch out of his pocket when i first whistled. as you came up, he was trying to rob me."
"that's enough! take him along."
two strong men tied schuyler's hands together and marched him away.
"i'll get even with you for this, you young rascal!" he exclaimed in a rage, shaking his fist at mark.
just then solon talbot recovered consciousness.
"where am i?" he groaned.
"there has been an accident, uncle solon," said mark, now on his feet. "we went over an embankment and were spilled out. are you all right? are any of your limbs broken?"
"i—i don't think so, but i have had a shock, and my head is bruised."
"you'll do!" said a surgeon, who was one of the relief party. "you'll be as good as new in a day or two."
"is there a hotel near by? i want to be moved."
"as soon as we can attend to the matter. we are looking for the bad cases."
"i'll look after you, uncle solon," said mark. "see if you can't get up."
with much ado mr. talbot arose, and leaning on mark's arm left the scene of the disaster. mark procured a carriage and directed the driver to take them to the nearest hotel.
when they reached it the messenger ordered a room and helped his uncle up to it.
"just look and see if you've lost anything," he suggested. "i saw a thief trying to relieve you of your watch, but i interrupted him and gave him in charge."
with a look of alarm solon talbot examined his pockets, but ascertained to his relief that nothing was missing.
"can't you stay with me, mark?" he asked almost imploringly, for the nervous alarm inspired by the accident had made him quite a different man for the time being. "there is another bed in the room, and you can lie there."
"i will stay with you till morning, uncle solon, but i shall have to leave you then, as i have business to attend to."
"what kind of business?"
"i don't care to mention it just now. i am traveling for another party."
"i had no idea there would be an accident," said mr. talbot. "good heavens, we might have been in eternity by this time," he added with a shudder.
"i feel very much alive," said mark, laughing.
"i suppose the accident will be in the new york morning papers."
"so it will. i must telegraph that i am all right, or my mother will be frightened."
"telegraph for me too," said solon talbot.
"all right. tell me to whom to telegraph, uncle solon, and where."
"to edgar, i think."
few more words were spoken, as mark and his uncle were both dead tired. it was eight o'clock when mark opened his eyes. he dressed himself as quickly as possible and prepared to go down-stairs. as he was moving toward the door, mark espied a scrap of paper. it contained what appeared to be a memorandum in his uncle's handwriting.
it was brief, and a single glance revealed its purpose to mark. it ran thus: "crane and lawton told me to-day that their agent writes them from nevada that the golden hope mine is developing great richness. i shouldn't wonder if it would run up to one hundred dollars per share. at this rate the 400 shares i hold will make a small fortune. c. & l. advise holding on for at least six months."
it may be imagined that mark read this memorandum with interest. he knew very well that the mining stock referred to belonged to his grandfather's estate, but hitherto had been ignorant of the number of shares held by the same. if there were four hundred, and the price ran up to one hundred dollars per share, this would make his mother's share twenty thousand dollars!
this would be a fortune indeed, and it made his blood boil to think that his uncle proposed to cheat her out of it. the munificent sum of twenty-five dollars was all that he had offered for a receipt in full that would give him a title to the whole value of the golden hope shares.
mark turned to the bed.
his uncle was fast asleep. he was not a strong man, and the shock and fatigue of the night previous had quite exhausted him.
"what shall i do with the memorandum?" thought mark.
he felt that it was not quite the thing to keep a private paper belonging to his uncle, yet under the circumstances, considering that his uncle was deliberately seeking to defraud his mother and himself, he decided that he was justified in doing so. accordingly he put the memorandum carefully in his pocketbook, and opening the chamber door prepared to go down-stairs.
just then solon talbot opened his eyes.
"where am i?" he asked, in temporary bewilderment.
"in the merchants' hotel," replied mark. "don't you remember the accident of last night?"
"oh, yes," answered solon shuddering. "where are you going?"
"out to telegraph to my mother."
"you have my telegram?"
"yes."
mark went out and despatched two telegrams, one to his mother, and the second to mr. swan. the latter ran thus: "there has been a railroad accident, but i am all right. nothing lost."
the last two words were intended to assure the jeweler of the safety of the diamond pin.
mark ascertained that the next train westward would start at eleven o'clock, and so reported to his uncle.
"i shall go by the next train," he said.
as they went up to the office to pay their bills, the clerk asked mr. talbot, "do you pay for this young man as well as yourself?"
solon talbot hesitated and looked confused.
"no," answered mark promptly, "i pay for myself."
he drew out a ten-dollar bill and tendered it to the clerk.
"you seem to be well provided with money," said his uncle curiously.
"yes, uncle solon, i can pay my way," replied mark.
"it is very strange," thought mr. talbot, "how a common telegraph boy should have so much money."
he did not seem to miss the memorandum. had he known that it was snugly reposing in mark's pocketbook he would have felt disturbed.
