CHAPTER V.
FRANKLIN VISITS EDISON'S WORKS.
Franklin walked slowly away from the Mace mansion. In some manner he felt the sting of disgrace upon him, and, though he was perfectly innocent, he could not shake off the feeling, which kept growing worse as he thought over what had occurred.
"Mr. Fells is right. I ought to have told him at once," he muttered to himself, as he reached the electrician's place of business. "I might have been sure that Andrew Gresson was there for no good purpose."
The shop was locked up, and the youth sat down on the steps to await Silas Fells's return.
"It isn't fair to treat me in this fashion," he went on, bitterly. "It was not my business to watch Mrs. Mace's jewels, even though I was in the room. I suppose if they are not recovered there will always be some one who will consider me guilty."
At last Silas Fells returned; pushing the little cart before him. His face wore a sour and dark look.
He unlocked the door and marched into the shop without saying a word, and it was not until Franklin began to carry some of the things into the place that he began.
"Drop those things, Bell!" he cried, sharply.
Franklin did so.
"I won't need your services any longer," went on Silas Fells. "If I had a-known what I know now I would never have hired you. I've lost one good customer by it."
"Did Mrs. Mace—" began the youth.
"Yes, she did! She says she ain't got no use to have a boy around like you, and I don't much blame her."
"But I had nothing to do with the robbery," pleaded Franklin.
"Didn't you see the casket open on the chair?" demanded the old man.
"I did, but—"
"Very well, you might have known something was wrong. Women, especially folks like Mrs. Mace, don't leave their diamonds lying around loose. Of course I don't believe you took the rings, and I'm willing to believe your story that Andy Gresson took 'em, but Mrs. Mace sticks to it that you are guilty, and as long as you can't prove different, why I can't keep you to work."
"Then I'm to consider myself discharged?" faltered the young electrician.
"Yes. If you catch Gresson and get back them rings, maybe I'll take you back, but not otherwise."
Franklin stood for a moment in silence, and then walked toward the door slowly.
Suddenly he turned about and faced Silas Fells.
"Mr. Fells," he said, in a voice which he found it very hard to keep steady. "Do you think you are treating me fairly? Supposing you were in my place, how would you like to be sent off in this fashion, after you had done what you thought was right? If you discharge me, people will say you think I am guilty, and—"
Here Franklin's voice choked him, and he found it impossible to go on. Silas Fells shifted uneasily, and pretended to be busy putting some stock on the shelf.
"I've got to look out for my own interests," he replied somewhat doggedly. "If I didn't it would go all to smash in less'n a week. People ain't going to have electric appliances put in their houses by men they can't trust—I mean," he added hastily, "by a man who allowed things to be stolen under his very nose; that's all. I ain't got nothing against you Bell, but you can't blame me, an' you can see how things are yourself."
Franklin did not know that Mrs. Mace had insisted on his discharge, and for the sake of retaining the woman's good wishes, Silas Fells had agreed to send the youth off.
"I do understand," replied Franklin, pointedly.
And without another word he walked out of the shop and up the street.
His mind was in a whirl, and he took no notice of where he was going, until he found himself on a country road some distance from the city. Coming to a sunny spot, he threw himself on some piled-up logs and gave himself up to bitter meditations.
How brief had been his brightest hopes! He had gone to work for Silas Fells in the early morning full of ambition, and here it was not yet noon, and he was in the sorest trouble of his life.
He wondered what his uncle and aunt and cousins would say when they heard of it. Would they blame him, or would their hearts be full of nothing but sympathy?
And then, the money! He had intended to hand his Aunt Martha every dollar he earned, and now he would not be able to give her a cent.
He sat for a long time without moving, It came twelve o'clock, and he heard the distant bells and factory whistles announce the mid-day hour. But he had not the heart to go home and face those who loved him. The slightest unkind word from any of them he felt would cut like a knife, and he was afraid to risk it.
Besides, he could not have eaten a mouthful. He felt half choked now, right here in the open air, and he had taken off his tie and loosed his collar, despite the cold air.
At length there was a noise down the road, and a minute later a horse attached to a light business wagon dashed by, driven by a gentleman slightly past middle age.
Franklin instantly recognized the gentleman as Thomas A. Edison, the world-renowned inventor of electrical appliances.
The wagon disappeared, and Franklin sank back once more.
"I wish I could become a second Edison." he murmured to himself, "Gracious, what a lot he must know about electricity and applied mechanics!" His brows contracted for an instant. "I wonder if it would do any good to apply to him for a job!"
Franklin knew that Edison's electrical works, the one at which the great inventor himself labored, were not far distant, just outside of Llewellyn Park.
Here, the youth knew, many men and boys were employed, and why might not he obtain a situation there?
He jumped to his feet, and adjusted his collar and tie.
"I'll strike Edison himself," he declared to himself. "He can't say more than no, and he may say yes. It won't do any harm, at any rate."
In less than a minute he was striding off in the direction the wagon had taken.
The walk, which was a trifle over a mile long, did him good, and when he reached the works he was more collected than he had been since Mrs. Mace had accused him.
He walked around to the office of the factory, and on peering through one of the windows, saw the great inventor inside, talking to an assistant.
Franklin hesitated for an instant, and then knocked boldly on the door.
"Come in," said a voice.
Franklin pushed open the door and found himself in a rather plain, but neat office. No one was present but the inventor and his assistant, and the latter looked up inquiringly.
Franklin could not help but survey the man he thought greater than the President. He saw an earnest but not unpleasant face, backed by rather a tall, loose-hung figure and hands that showed their possessor was not afraid of hard work.
"This is Mr. Thomas Edison's place, I believe," he said to the assistant, as he removed his hat.
"Yes. What can we do for you?"
"I came to see if you could give me work of any kind in your factory here. I have always taken to electricity, and I believe I could do such work about as well as anything."
The great inventor's assistant shook his head.
"I'm afraid not," he said. "Have you any experience?"
"I have experimented a little on my own hook."
"In what way?"
Franklin told him, and quite a little conversation followed.
"Evidently you are cut out for the work," said the electrician, at the conclusion. "But the only place we have vacant is for an experienced man on electric meters, and that position you could not fill."
"And there is nothing else?"
"No." The assistant caught up a pencil and pad. "Write down your name and address, and if we want young hands I will let you know."
"Thank you," returned Franklin. He wrote down what was asked for and handed the pad back. "I trust you will want me soon."
"Don't be too sanguine. The trade is rather dull at present." He gave Franklin another sharp look. "Since you have told me about yourself, would you like to take a look through the works?"
"Oh, yes, sir," replied the youth, eagerly. He had wanted to ask for the permission, but had hardly dared. "It will be a great treat."
The great inventor's assistant called a man from the rear.
"Show Mr. Bell through the works, Frank," he said. "Good day."
"Good day," returned Franklin. "And thank you."
The man at once took the youth from one shop to another, explaining this machine and that. The young electrician was thoroughly interested, and he was astonished to find, when he had finished, that it was after two o'clock.
He walked away in a thoughtful mood. The sights he had seen had driven his trouble of the morning from his mind for the time.
"Gracious, what a fine place!" he kept saying to himself. "I've got to work pretty hard and prove myself wonderfully smart if ever I wish to own as good a one."