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been deceived； tricked； and fooled！ For it flashed upon him for
the first time that the vague sense of wrong which had always
haunted him was thisthat this was the vile culmination of a plan
to GET RID OF HIM； and that he had been deliberately lost and led
astray by his relatives as helplessly and completely as a useless
cat or dog！
Perhaps there was something of this in his face； for the clerk；
staring at him； bade him sit down for a moment； and again vanished
into the mysterious interior。 Clarence had no conception how long
he was absent； or indeed anything but his own breathless thoughts；
for he was conscious of wondering afterwards why the clerk was
leading him through a door in the counter into an inner room of
many desks； and again through a glass door into a smaller office；
where a preternaturally busy…looking man sat writing at a desk。
Without looking up； but pausing only to apply a blotting…pad to the
paper before him； the man said crisply
〃So you've been consigned to some one who don't seem to turn up；
and can't be found； eh？ Never mind that；〃 as Clarence laid
Peyton's letter before him。 〃Can't read it now。 Well； I suppose
you want to be shipped back to Stockton？〃
〃No！〃 said the boy； recovering his voice with an effort。
〃Eh； that's business； though。 Know anybody here？〃
〃Not a living soul； that's why they sent me；〃 said the boy； in
sudden reckless desperation。 He was the more furious that he knew
the tears were standing in his eyes。
The idea seemed to strike the man amusingly。 〃Looks a little like
it； don't it？〃 he said； smiling grimly at the paper before him。
〃Got any money？〃
〃A little。〃
〃How much？〃
〃About twenty dollars；〃 said Clarence hesitatingly。 The man opened
a drawer at his side； mechanically； for he did not raise his eyes；
and took out two ten…dollar gold pieces。 〃I'll go twenty better；〃
he said； laying them down on the desk。 〃That'll give you a chance
to look around。 Come back here； if you don't see your way clear。〃
He dipped his pen into the ink with a significant gesture as if
closing the interview。
Clarence pushed back the coin。 〃I'm not a beggar；〃 he said
doggedly。
The man this time raised his head and surveyed the boy with two
keen eyes。 〃You're not； hey？ Well； do I look like one？〃
〃No；〃 stammered Clarence； as he glanced into the man's haughty
eyes。
〃Yet； if I were in your fix； I'd take that money and be glad to get
it。〃
〃If you'll let me pay you back again；〃 said Clarence； a little
ashamed； and considerably frightened at his implied accusation of
the man before him。
〃You can；〃 said the man； bending over his desk again。
Clarence took up the money and awkwardly drew out his purse。 But it
was the first time he had touched it since it was returned to him
in the bar…room； and it struck him that it was heavy and full
indeed； so full that on opening it a few coins rolled out on to the
floor。 The man looked up abruptly。
〃I thought you said you had only twenty dollars？〃 he remarked
grimly。
〃Mr。 Peyton gave me forty；〃 returned Clarence； stupefied and
blushing。 〃I spent twenty dollars for drinks at the barand；〃 he
stammered； 〃III don't know how the rest came here。〃
〃You spent twenty dollars for DRINKS？〃 said the man； laying down
his pen； and leaning back in his chair to gaze at the boy。
〃Yesthat isI treated some gentlemen of the stage； sir； at
Davidson's Crossing。〃
〃Did you treat the whole stage company？〃
〃No； sir； only about four or fiveand the bar…keeper。 But
everything's so dear in California。 I know that。〃
〃Evidently。 But it don't seem to make much difference with YOU；〃
said the man； glancing at the purse。
〃They wanted my purse to look at；〃 said Clarence hurriedly； 〃and
that's how the thing happened。 Somebody put HIS OWN MONEY back
into MY purse by accident。〃
〃Of course；〃 said the man grimly。
〃Yes； that's the reason；〃 said Clarence； a little relieved； but
somewhat embarrassed by the man's persistent eyes。
〃Then； of course；〃 said the other quietly； 〃you don't require my
twenty dollars now。〃
〃But；〃 returned Clarence hesitatingly； 〃this isn't MY money。 I
must find out who it belongs to； and give it back again。 Perhaps；〃
he added timidly； 〃I might leave it here with you； and call for it
when I find the man； or send him here。〃
With the greatest gravity he here separated the surplus from what
was left of Peyton's gift and the twenty dollars he had just
received。 The balance unaccounted for was forty dollars。 He laid
it on the desk before the man； who； still looking at him； rose and
opened the door。
〃Mr。 Reed。〃
The clerk who had shown Clarence in appeared。
〃Open an account with〃 He stopped and turned interrogatively to
Clarence。
〃Clarence Brant；〃 said Clarence； coloring with excitement。
〃With Clarence Brant。 Take that deposit〃pointing to the money
〃and give him a receipt。〃 He paused as the clerk retired with a
wondering gaze at the money； looked again at Clarence； said； 〃I
think YOU'LL do；〃 and reentered the private office； closing the
door behind him。
I hope it will not be deemed inconceivable that Clarence； only a
few moments before crushed with bitter disappointment and the
hopeless revelation of his abandonment by his relatives； now felt
himself lifted up suddenly into an imaginary height of independence
and manhood。 He was leaving the bank； in which he stood a minute
before a friendless boy； not as a successful beggar； for this
important man had disclaimed the idea； but absolutely as a
customer！ a depositor！ a business man like the grown…up clients who
were thronging the outer office； and before the eyes of the clerk
who had pitied him！ And he； Clarence； had been spoken to by this
man； whose name he now recognized as the one that was on the door
of the buildinga man of whom his fellow…passengers had spoken
with admiring envya banker famous in all California！ Will it be
deemed incredible that this imaginative and hopeful boy； forgetting
all else； the object of his visit； and even the fact that he
considered this money was not his own； actually put his hat a
little on one side as he strolled out on his way to the streets and
prospective fortune？
Two hours later the banker had another visitor。 It chanced to be
the farmer…looking man who had been Clarence's fellow…passenger。
Evidently a privileged person； he was at once ushered as 〃Captain
Stevens〃 into the presence of the banker。 At the end of a familiar
business interview the captain asked carelessly
〃Any letters for me？〃
The busy banker pointed with his pen to the letter 〃S〃 in a row of
alphabetically labeled pigeon…holes against the wall。 The captain；
having selected his correspondence； paused with a letter in his
hand。
〃Look here； Carden； there are letters here for some chap called
'John Silsbee。' They were here when I called； ten weeks ago。〃
〃Well？〃
〃That's the name of that Pike County man who was killed by Injins
in the plains。 The 'Frisco papers had all the particulars last
night； may be it's for that fellow。 It hasn't got a postmark。 Who
left it here？〃
Mr。 Carden summoned a clerk。 It appeared that the letter had been
left by a certain Brant Fauquier； to be called for。
Captain Stevens smiled。 〃Brant's been too busy dealin' faro to
think of 'em agin； and since that shootin' affair at Angels' I hear
he's skipped to the southern coast somewhere。 Cal Johnson； his old
chum； was in the up stage from Stockton this afternoon。〃
〃Did you come by the up stage from Stockton this afternoon？〃 said
Carden； looking up。
〃Yes； as far as Ten…mile Stationrode the rest of the way here。〃
〃Did you notice a queer little old…fashioned kidabout so high
like a runaway school…boy？〃
〃Did I？ By Gd； sir； he treated me to drinks。〃
Carden jumped from his chair。 〃Then he wasn't lying！〃
〃No！ We let him do it； but we made it good for the little chap
afterwards。 Hello！ What's up？〃
But Mr。 Carden was already in the outer office beside the clerk who
had admitted Clarence。
〃You remember that boy Brant who was here？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Where did he go？〃
〃Don't know； sir。〃
〃Go and find him somewhere and somehow。 Go to all the hotels；
restaurants； and gin…mills near here； and hunt him up。 Take some
one with you； if you can't do it alone。 Bring him back here；
quick！〃
It was nearly midnight when the clerk fruitlessly returned。 It was
the fierce high noon of 〃steamer nights〃； light flashed brilliantly
from shops； counting…houses； drinking…saloons； and gambling…hells。
The streets were yet full of eager； hurrying feetswift of
fortune； ambition； pleasure； or crime。 But from among these deeper
harsher footfalls the echo of the homeless boy's light； innocent
tread seemed to have died out forever。
CHAPTER VIII
When Clarence was once more in the busy street before the bank； it
seemed clear to his boyish mind that； being now cast adrift upon
the world and responsible to no one； there was no reason why he
should not at once proceed to the nearest gold mines！ The idea of
returning to Mr。 Peyton and Susy； as a disowned and abandoned
outcast； was not to be thought of。 He would purchase some kind of