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Contents

Preface vii

1 Computers and Programs 1

1.1 Computers and computation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 Programs and programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 A first C program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.4 The task of programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.5 Be careful . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2 Numbers In, Numbers Out 13

2.1 Identifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2.2 Constants and variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.3 Operators and expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.4 Numbers in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.5 Numbers out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.6 Assignment statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2.7 Case study: Volume of a sphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

3 Making Choices 29
3.1 Logical expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.2 Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
3.3 Pitfalls to watch for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
3.4 Case study: Calculating taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.5 The switch statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

4 Loops 45
4.1 Controlled iteration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
4.2 Case study: Calculating compound interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
4.3 Program layout and style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4.4 Uncontrolled iteration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
4.5 Iterating over the input data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

iii
PAGE X P ROGRAMMING , P ROBLEM S OLVING , AND A BSTRACTION

all of the Computer Science staff that worked at the University of Canterbury in New
Zealand during the period 1977–1979. Worth special mention is Tadao Takaoka: in
his own inimitable way, it was he who interested me in algorithms, and who served
as a role model for the academic life that I have pursued for thirty years.
Since then, it has primarily been academic colleagues at the University of Can-
terbury and at the University of Melbourne that have influenced me, by sharing their
knowledge and skills. I first taught introductory programming in 1982, and have done
so every year since then. The people that I have worked with on those subjects, or on
other academic projects, have all left a mark on this book. In roughly chronological
order, they include: Rod Harries, Robert Biddle, Tim C. Bell, Ian Witten, Ed Morris,
Rodney Topor, Justin Zobel, Liz Sonenberg, Lee Naish, Harald Søndergaard, Roy
Johnston, Peter Stuckey, Tim A.H. Bell, Bernie Pope, Peter Hawkins, Martin Sulz-
mann, Owen de Kretser, Michael Kirley, Lars Kulik, and Alan Blair. Many students
have pointed out errors or assisted in various ways, and will continue to do so into
the future; I thank them all.
Finally, there is family, and I gratefully acknowledge the long-ago input of my
parents, Duncan and Hilda Moffat; and the more recent encouragement supplied by
my wife Thau Mee, and our own children, Anne and Kate.

Alistair Moffat,
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.csse.unimelb.edu.au/˜alistair
November 28, 2012
Discovering Diverse Content Through
Random Scribd Documents
 CHAPTER XXI.
A CONSULTATION.

Mr. Sharp was seated in his office. A complacent smile played over
his features. Perhaps he was thinking of the adroit manner in which
he had secured one hundred dollars of the sum intrusted to him for
Robert Ford. The bottle and glass, on the table before him, testified
that his present occupation could hardly be considered of a
professional character.
While Mr. Sharp was holding up the glass before him, and admiring
the rich warm tint of its contents, Lewis Rand quietly opened the
door of the office and walked in. Had Mr. Sharp been consulted, he
would prefer to have been forewarned of the visit.
“Business driving as ever,” remarked Lewis, in his dry sarcastic way,
taking in at a quick glance the scene before him.
“Well, yes,” said Mr. Sharp, in some embarrassment, putting down
his glass, its contents untasted.
It may be remarked, that whenever Mr. Sharp was perplexed, it was
his habit to run his hands vigorously through his blushing locks, till
they stood upon his head erect, and bristled like so many porcupine
quills. By the time this was well over his faculties returned, and
“Richard was himself again.” To this he had recourse on the present
occasion, immediately after which he resumed his usual air of easy
assurance.
“I am, as you see,” he remarked affably, “taking my little symposium,
in humble imitation of the ancient Greeks and Romans,
—‘Champagne,’ as somebody has said, ‘is admirably calculated to
clear cobwebs from the brain.’”
“In that case,” dryly returned his client, who could not resist the
temptation of a hit at his coadjutor, “I advise you by all means to try
it.”
“Truly,” replied Mr. Sharp, who was dimly conscious of the covert
sarcasm, but deemed it politic not to notice it directly, “there is no
profession that racks the brain like mine, sir. The mightiest intellects
of ancient as well as of modern times——”
Mr. Sharp here assumed a standing posture, and was about to
pronounce a eulogy upon the different great men who had, during
the last twenty centuries, graced the profession which he adorned.
But the lawyer was saved the trouble of proceeding, by the
expression of a wish on the part of Lewis to attend to business.
“Certainly, by all means,” said Mr. Sharp, briskly resuming his seat,
and drawing before him a sheet of blank paper. “Business before
pleasure, or rather, with me, business is pleasure.”
“I have, as you know,” Lewis commenced, “lent the sum of three
hundred dollars to Robert Ford, through your agency.”
“And very liberal it was in you, I am sure,” said Mr. Sharp, with
benignant approval.
“By no means. I never professed to be a philanthropist, and I freely
acknowledge that in this act I was influenced by any but benevolent
motives. It was done solely with a view to promote my own
interests.”
Here he paused; and Mr. Sharp, while waiting for a further
explanation, rubbed his hands and nodded genially, as if to indicate
how thoroughly he indorsed the views of his principal.
“I need not remind you,” continued Lewis, not heeding this little
manifestation, “of how great importance it is to me that Robert Ford,
who is the only obstacle between me and his father’s fortune, should
be kept entirely out of the way of any possibility of meeting his
father. Such an encounter fortunately is not very probable, since
neither is aware of the other’s presence in the city. When, however I
consider how trifling a chance, such for instance as a glance at a
Directory, might lead to that knowledge, I feel more and more how
essential it is to my interests that some decisive step should be
taken. I may say in confirmation of this, that my uncle, whose health
is in a very critical state, has conceived a fancy, Heaven knows how,
that my cousin is still alive, notwithstanding the evidence of his
death in Chicago, which I placed in his hands.”
“That is awkward.”
“Yes, it is very awkward, especially as he has insisted on my drawing
up an advertisement for this precious cousin of mine, and having it
inserted in the daily papers.”
“And you have done so?”
“Not I. It would be suicidal. I drew up the advertisement, however,
as he requested, and he supposes that it has been inserted.”
Mr. Sharp surveyed Lewis with a glance of approval. It was a tribute
to superior rascality.
“Now I will explain to you,” pursued Lewis, “why I have lent money
to Robert Ford. My uncle is dangerously ill; he cannot live many
weeks at farthest. It is absolutely essential that some attempt should
be made to place my cousin where he cannot do me any harm. If
the laws permitted it, I would gladly have him imprisoned for debt.
That is, unluckily, out of the question. I have it in my power,
however, to annoy him in such a way as perhaps to drive him from
the city.”
“What do you propose to do?”
“Seize the furniture in execution, either with or without legal
sanction. Robert is far from being a man of the world, and there is
no risk in going to lengths with him, which would be dangerous with
others.”
“I have it,” said Sharp, eagerly.
“Well.”
“Your cousin is quite devoted to a heap of old machinery, out of
which he expects to make a flying machine or something of the kind.
To seize upon that would be the most serious blow you could inflict
upon him.”
“I believe you are right. Robert was always a visionary. If that should
prove insufficient to drive him away, I will authorize you to offer him
some pecuniary inducements in a guarded manner—some
remunerative employment which will call him elsewhere, and which
he will be the more tempted to undertake if his present occupation is
gone. Only let him be kept out of the way until——”
“You are called upon to lament the death of your venerable relation,”
suggested Sharp.
“Then,” pursued Lewis, “he may go where he pleases, so far as I am
concerned.”
“My dear sir, you should have been a lawyer. You would have been
an ornament to the profession,” said Mr. Sharp, with complimentary
emphasis.
“Rather an equivocal compliment, I am afraid,” returned Lewis, dryly.
“But in order to carry out this plan of ours, beyond a doubt, we must
ascertain that my cousin will be unable to pay the money when
called upon.”
“I think I may pledge you,” said the lawyer, “that you need entertain
no apprehensions on that score. From what I have seen I conjecture
that at the time of your loan he had but little money on hand, and I
know that he has expended a considerable sum since.”
“It is best to be certain, however.”
“Undoubtedly. I will myself call down there this afternoon, if you
think best, and ascertain this point without exciting his suspicions.”
“Do so; and should you find the prospect favorable, take measures
to have the demand presented to-morrow. If not discharged, you
know how to proceed.”
“You may rely upon my following your directions to the letter,”
returned the attorney, as sweeping his fingers once more through
his blushing locks, he bowed his client gracefully out.
 CHAPTER XXII.
PREPARING THE WAY.

Promptness was one of the valuable characteristics of Mr. Sharp. But

no general remark is without its exceptions.
On the present occasion our legal friend decided to call at once on
Mr. Ford, in pursuance of the commission which he received from
Lewis Rand. It involved a species of double dealing for which Mr.
Sharp felt that he had peculiar qualifications.
Taking down from the nail his invariable white hat, he adjusted it
somewhat jauntily upon his head, and walked forth with a
benevolent smile irradiating his countenance, as if he were
meditating some scheme by which he expected to add largely to the
sum-total of human happiness. There are others than he who go out
with a smile upon the lips, but an evil purpose in their hearts.
The lawyer took his way to Mrs. Morton’s lodging-house. He went up
stairs, and entered Mr. Ford’s room without ceremony, knowing that
Helen would be absent at that hour, and that the habitual
abstraction of her father would probably prevent his knock being
heard.
“Ah, good afternoon, Mr. Ford,” he said, with affability, cordially
grasping the inventor’s hand. “Still at your work, I see. I could not
resist the impulse to call and inquire after your progress. It seems
such a welcome relief to come from the close, dusty court-room to
this little retreat of yours. And how are you getting on, my dear
friend?”
“I am advancing as rapidly as I anticipated,” said Mr. Ford, pausing in
the midst of an intricate calculation. “I feel that I have every reason
to be encouraged.”
“I am delighted to hear it,” exclaimed the lawyer, with friendly
enthusiasm. “Then you really think that before many years we shall
be able to skim from country to country on the wings of the wind, so
to speak.”
“I have not a doubt of it,” answered the inventor, in a tone of quiet
confidence. “We already know how great a degree of speed has
been attained by our steamers and locomotives, in the face of far
greater obstacles than are to be encountered in the case of aërial
navigation. The great impediment to the speed of the locomotive is,
as you are doubtless aware, the friction that necessarily results from
its constant contact with the earth.”
Mr. Sharp nodded assent.
“While the speed of the ocean-steamer is in like manner very
materially lessened by the resistance of the water.”
Mr. Sharp had often been struck by this very thought. Indeed, he
had expended considerable time and thought in the leisure stolen
from his professional cares in attempting to devise means for
remedying to some extent these causes of loss. For, as he had
before assured Mr. Ford, though a lawyer by profession, his tastes
lay in quite a different direction.
“Now in traversing the air,” continued Mr. Ford, “we have the
advantage of not being obliged to contend either with the friction
generated by constant contact with the earth, or with the resistance
of a foreign element like water. All that needs to be overcome is the
resistance of the air, which is no greater than in the other cases,
while the other obstacles are removed.”
“Very true,” said Mr. Sharp, with an air of profound conviction.
“All that is needed to establish aërial navigation on a firm basis is to
find some means of steadying and regulating the motion, which no
doubt would be incredibly rapid. It is intended that the machine shall
partake of the nature of a balloon, as buoyancy will of course be
requisite.”
“My dear sir,” said Mr. Sharp, warmly grasping the hand of the
inventor, “nothing could be more clear and lucid than your
explanation. The same course of reasoning, if you will permit me to
say so, has more than once suggested itself to me, but, if I may be
allowed the expression, it is an idiosyncrasy of mine to possess more
theoretical than practical ability. Therefore even if my many
engagements would suffer it, I doubt whether I should become a
successful inventor. You, my dear sir, who so happily combine both,
are admirably adapted to that high vocation.”
“I ought to succeed,” said Mr. Ford, with a little sigh, “if the labor
and thought of many years employed in one direction can achieve
success.”
“I hope,” said the visitor, as if the question had just occurred to him,
“that you have made free use of the money it was my privilege to
offer you recently.”
Mr. Ford replied gratefully, that he had expended about one half of
it. He hoped to be able to repay it some day.
“Of course,” argued the lawyer to himself, “he could not pay it now.
That is what I wanted to know.”
“I ought perhaps to mention,” he said, carelessly, “that having a
large claim unexpectedly presented for payment yesterday, I raised
money upon your note, expressly stipulating that you should not be
called upon for it, as I should be able to redeem it in a day or two.”
“You are very kind,” said Mr. Ford. “Perhaps I had better return you
the money yet remaining in my hands.”
“By no means, my dear sir,” exclaimed Mr. Sharp, almost indignantly;
“shall I recall the humble offering which I have laid upon the altar of
science? Nay, I am resolved that my name shall be humbly
connected with yours, when the world has learned to recognize your
genius, and numbers you among its benefactors.”
How was it possible to suspect a friendship so disinterested?
 CHAPTER XXIII.
THE BLOW FALLS.

The next morning found Mr. Sharp closeted with a brother

practitioner equally unprincipled with himself. There was this
difference between them, however, that while Mr. Sharp concealed
his real character beneath a specious show of affability and suavity,
his companion, whom, by way of distinction, we will call Blunt, was
rough in his manners, and had not art enough to compass the
consummate duplicity of the other. Indeed, so accustomed was Mr.
Sharp to its use, that he did not lay it aside even where he knew it
to be useless.
“My dear friend Blunt,” he exclaimed, with charming cordiality, “I am
delighted to see you looking so well.”
“Humph?” was the somewhat dubious rejoinder.
“I should have called upon you instead of sending for you to my
office, but I have really been so harassed by business that I could
not get a single spare moment.”
“And you presumed that I was not overburdened in that way, eh?”
“My dear Blunt,” said Sharp, with wounded feeling, “how can you
imagine such a thing?”
“I only judged from what you said. You hadn’t time to call upon me,
but judged that I had plenty of time to spend in calling upon you.”
“My dear Blunt,” said Sharp, impressively, “if the extent of a man’s
business were always commensurate with his merits——”
“We should neither of us stand a very good chance.”
“That was not exactly what I intended to say,” said Sharp, blowing
his nose, “your modesty, my dear Blunt——”
“Modesty! I am sure you’re joking now, Sharp, and although my time
is not particularly valuable, I don’t care to stand here discussing
personal qualities; so if you had any object in sending for me, out
with it.”
“You are somewhat abrupt in your speech, my dear friend; an
evidence of your sincerity, for which no one has a greater respect
than myself.”
“I have heard,” muttered Blunt, “that people are apt to set a high
value on qualities which they lack.”
“However,” pursued Sharp, evading a reply to his last remark, “I
have a little professional business to offer you, if your engagement
will permit.”
“No fear on that score,” said Blunt, dryly; “but this business—why
don’t you do it yourself? You needn’t tell me it’s on account of a
pressure of the other engagements, for I know better.”
“That is not the reason, as with your usual penetration you have
discovered, my dear Blunt. Do not for a moment think I would
attempt to deceive you. With others it might do; but with you I know
there would be no chance of succeeding.”
Mr. Sharp nodded with pleasant affability to his visitor, and resumed:
“The fact is, it is a matter in which I do not wish to appear. One of
my clients (Mr. Sharp brought out these words with an emphasis
calculated to convey the idea that it was one of a very large
number), for a reason which I need not mention, employed me
some weeks since to lend a sum of money to a certain individual.
This was only to establish a power over him which, some time, it
might be convenient to use. That time has come; it is his desire that
the note should be presented with a demand for immediate
payment; in default of which a particular article in possession of the
borrower should be seized in execution. This, as you may readily
imagine, would have a tendency to harrow up my feelings, and——”
“Therefore you intrust the business to me, who have no feelings to
be harrowed up.”
“My dear Blunt, I desire you to undertake this, because of your
superior strength of mind. I am well aware of my own deficiency in
that respect.”
“Well, well, have it as you will. I won’t trouble you to assign reasons
for throwing business into my hands. I sha’n’t let any scruples stand
between me and my own interest. Where’s the note!”
“One thing more,” said Sharp, slowly unclasping the wallet which
contained the note. “This man—Robert Ford—thinks I lent him the
money on my own responsibility, and naturally regards me as a firm
friend. I called on him yesterday, and hinted that I had been forced
to raise money to meet a pressing engagement, and had given up
this note as collateral, on condition that it should not be presented.
Very probably he may mention this. I don’t wish him to suspect that
there is any understanding between us, as it will destroy what little
influence I may have over him. You will be kind enough, therefore,
to say nothing to undeceive him on that point, and if you could make
it convenient to abuse me a little, just to show that there is no
collusion between us, I should regard it as a particular favor.”
“Abuse you! I will do it with the greatest pleasure in the world.”
“I knew it, my dear Blunt; it was what I expected of your friendship.
But I must give you his direction. Have you all necessary
instructions?”
“You have not told me what I am to seize on execution?”
“Very true, an important omission. You must know that this Ford, an
estimable man, by the way, has taken a fancy to invent a flying
machine, and to that end has collected an odd jumble of machinery.
This is what I wish you to seize. Here is the address.”
“And where am I to bring it?”
“You may as well bring it here.”
“How unfortunate that you cannot complete the invention,” said
Blunt, dryly. “If it is just as convenient I shouldn’t mind receiving the
pay in advance; not,” he continued, with a pointed imitation of his
companion’s manner,—“not that I doubt in the least your high-souled
integrity, my dear Sharp, but simply because, just at present,
singularly enough, I happen to be out of cash.”
“I shall be most happy to discharge your claim forthwith,” said
Sharp, rather ostentatiously displaying a roll of bills, and placing a
five in the hands of his agent.
Blunt examined the bill with some minuteness, a sudden suspicion
having entered his mind as to its genuineness. Satisfied on this
point, he slipped it into his vest pocket, saying, “All right, you shall
hear from me in the course of the day.”
An hour afterwards a loud authoritative knock aroused Robert Ford,
who, it is needless to say, was employed after his usual fashion.
“Come in!”
The invitation was quickly accepted by a shock-headed man, stout
and burly, who without ceremony drew out a note, and said,
abruptly, “You are Robert Ford, I presume?”
“That is my name, sir,” said the inventor, in some surprise.
“Very well. Here is a note with your signature, payable on demand. I
presume it will be perfectly convenient for you to pay it now.”
Mr. Ford took the note with an absent air, and said, glancing at the
man before him, “Excuse me, but I do not recollect having seen you
before.”
“Very probably,” said Blunt, with sang froid. “We never had the
pleasure of meeting before.”
“Then,” said the inventor, “how comes it that you have a demand
against me?”
“If you will take the trouble to examine the note, you will find that it
comes through a third person, Richard Sharp. You probably
remember him.”
“Yes, I know him.”
Mr. Ford glanced at the paper in his hand.
“I think there must be some mistake,” he said. “The sum should be
two hundred dollars, not three.”
“There is no mistake,” said Blunt, positively. “It is just as he gave it
to me.”
“Mr. Sharp mentioned yesterday,” said Mr. Ford, with a sudden effort
at recollection, “that he had parted with this note to some one, but
on condition that it should not be presented. You had better see him
about it.”
“I have nothing further to do with him,” replied Blunt, “I believe he
did mention something of the kind; but of course he cannot expect
me to keep this note when I want the money.”
“Then, sir,” said Mr. Ford, “if, as you admit, Mr. Sharp made this
condition, it is incumbent on you, as a man of honor, to keep it. I am
sure it is very far from Mr. Sharp’s intention to trouble me for the
payment of a sum which he loaned without the expectation of
immediate repayment. I should wrong his disinterested generosity
by harboring such a suspicion.”
“His disinterested generosity!” repeated Blunt, with a loud laugh.
“Sir,” said the inventor, with calm dignity, “I must request you to
forbear insinuating by word or manner anything derogatory to a man
who has proved himself my benefactor, and, solely impelled by his
interest in science, has offered me the aid of his purse, without even
an application on my part.”
“Very well,” said Blunt, “although it’s rather amusing to me to hear
Sharp spoken of as interested in science, I won’t quarrel with your
opinion of him, especially as his character isn’t in question just now.
The main point is, can you pay this note?”
“I cannot.”
“Then I shall be under the disagreeable necessity of calling two of
my friends in waiting.”
Two Irishmen, who appeared to have been waiting outside, entered
at Blunt’s call.
“Take that machinery,” said Blunt, in a tone of command, “and carry
it down stairs.”
“Stay!” said Mr. Ford, in alarm; “what do you intend to do?”
“I am only acting in self-defence,” said Blunt, doggedly. “You cannot
pay your money. If I can’t get my pay in one way, I must in another;
therefore, I take this machinery of yours in execution.”
The thought of this calamity nearly overcame Mr. Ford. He did not
pause to consider whether the seizure was legal or illegal, but, in an
agitated voice, urged, “Take everything else, but spare me this. It is
to me of inestimable value,—greater than you can possibly imagine.”
“That’s the very reason I take it,” said Blunt. “All the rest of your
trumpery,” glancing contemptuously at the plain furniture, “wouldn’t
be worth carrying away.”
“At least,” implored the inventor, “wait till to-morrow, till I can see
Mr. Sharp.”
“And where would you be?” sneered Blunt. “Don’t think to catch me
with such chaff; I’m too old a bird. I will take it while it is here.”
“But,” urged Mr. Ford, “it can be of little value to you. You cannot sell
it for one quarter of the debt.”
“Perhaps not. But that isn’t what I take it for.”
“What then?”
“As a pledge for its final payment. I care nothing for the trumpery,
while you, I know, do. When you come forward and pay the note,
you shall have it back again.”
“Do you promise that?” asked the inventor, more cheerfully.
“I will agree to wait a reasonable time.”
Little ceremony was used in the removal of the complicated
machinery. Within ten minutes, all that had so fully occupied the
thoughts of Mr. Ford, and furnished the pleasure and the occupation
of his quiet life, was swept away, and he was left alone. That the
labor was to no purpose, and the hopes which he cherished vain,
imported little. To him, at least, they were realities, and upon them
he had built a dazzling superstructure, which now suddenly
crumbled into pieces at his feet.
Lewis Rand’s triumph was thus far complete.
 CHAPTER XXIV.
HELEN’S GOOD FORTUNE.

Mr. Bowers, the manager, sat at his desk in the little office adjoining
the stage, running his eye over a manuscript play presented for
examination by an ambitious young man in spectacles.
“Bah!” said the manager, tossing aside the play after a very brief
examination, “what can the man be thinking of? Two murders in the
first act, and a suicide in the first scene of the second! Such an
accumulation of horrors will never do. Here, Jeffries.”
The messenger made his appearance, and stood awaiting orders.
“Here,” said Mr. Bowers, tossing the play towards him, “just do this
thing up, and when the author calls this afternoon, tell him from me
that it is a very brilliant production, and so on, but, like Addison’s
Cato, for example, not adapted for dramatic representation. That will
sugar the pill.”
“Is it the tall young man, with a thin face?”
“Yes; his name is Ichabod Smith; but he writes under the nom de
plume of Lionel Percy.”
“Yes, sir; I have seen his name in the story papers. He has just
written one called ‘The Goblin Lover; or, The Haunted Tower.’”
“Any further orders, sir?” inquired Jeffries, deferentially.
“Has Miss Ford come?”
“No, sir; I think not.”
“Notice when she does, and request her to call at the office a
moment.”
“Yes, sir.”
“It is no more than fair that I should increase her salary,”
soliloquized Mr. Bowers. “She has really proved quite a card, and
richly deserves double what I have hitherto paid. Besides,” he
mused, for the manager was by no means neglectful of his own
interests, “I should not be surprised if another establishment should
try to entice her away by a larger offer. I must bind her till the end
of the season.”
At this moment Helen was announced by Jeffries.
She entered, not without a little feeling of embarrassment. She had
not often been brought into communication with Mr. Bowers, since
her engagement, and now the only reason that occurred to her to
account for this unexpected summons was, that she might in some
way have given dissatisfaction, although the applause which greeted
her nightly seemed hardly consistent with this idea.
Her apprehensions were at once dispelled by the unusually gracious
manner in which she was received.
“I am glad to see you, Miss Ford,” said Mr. Bowers, affably;
motioning her to a seat. “I have sent for you to say that your
services are in the highest degree acceptable to me and to the
public. The marks of approval which you receive nightly must be
very gratifying to you as they are to me.”
Quite overpowered by this extraordinary condescension on the part
of the manager, whom she had been accustomed to regard with a
feeling of distant awe and respect, Helen answered that she was
very glad that he was satisfied with her.
“To prove how highly I value your services,” continued Mr. Bowers, “I
have decided to double your weekly salary, provided you will sign an
engagement to remain with us till the end of the season.”
Helen, who had feared on being summoned to the manager’s
presence, that it was to be told that her services were dispensed
with, hardly knew how to express her gratitude for what was so far
beyond her expectations.
“It is very generous in you, sir,” she said, “to increase my salary
without my asking for it.”
“I always make it a point,” was the reply, “to recompense merit to
the extent of my means.”
“And now,” he added, pushing towards her a contract already drawn
up, “if you will sign this obligation to sing for me the remainder of
the season on these terms, I shall have no further cause to trespass
on your time.”
Helen wrote her name hastily, and withdrew from the manager’s
presence, it being already time for rehearsal.
“A very pretty little girl, and not at all aware of her own value,”
mused Mr. Bowers. “I am lucky to have secured her.”
Eager to communicate her increase of salary to her father and good
Martha Grey, who had always shown so warm an interest in her
welfare, Helen hastened home immediately after rehearsal.
Flushed with exercise, and with a bright smile playing over her face,
she danced into Martha Grey’s little room.
“O Martha!” she ejaculated, sinking into a chair, “I am all out of
breath running, I was so anxious to tell you of my good fortune. You
are the very first that I wanted to tell it to.”
“What is it, Helen?” inquired Martha, looking up from her never-
ceasing work with an expression of interest.
“What do you think it is? Guess now,” said Helen, smiling.
“I never was good at guessing, Helen. I think the shortest way will
be to tell me at once.”
“I have had my salary raised to twelve dollars a week; just think of
that, Martha: and all without my asking. I shall be able to buy ever
so many nice things for papa, now, that I couldn’t afford before; and
I mean to make you a present, besides, Martha; you’ve been so very
kind to me.”
“Thank you for the kind thought, my dear child. I will take the will
for the deed. But you mustn’t think yourself too rich. If you have any
money to spare you had better be laying it up against a time of
need. Remember the theatre will be closed for a time in the summer,
and your salary will stop. You will want to lay up money to carry you
through that time.”
“At any rate, Martha, if you won’t let me spend any money for you, I
shall insist on coming in now and then and helping you with your
work, so that you can gain time to walk out with me. I am afraid you
work too hard. You are looking pale.”
“It is long since I had much color,” said Martha. “You have enough
for us both.”
“Then you must go out and get some. But I mustn’t stop a minute
longer; I must go up and tell papa;” and she bounded up stairs with
a light heart, little suspecting what had taken place during her
absence.
What was her surprise to find her father listlessly looking out of the
window into the little court below, and otherwise quite unoccupied.
“What is the matter, papa?” inquired Helen, in apprehension; “and
where,” for the first time noticing the absence of the work which
usually engaged her father,—“where is your machine?”
“It is gone, my child,” said Mr. Ford, despondently.
“Gone! what do you mean, papa? You have not got discouraged, and
sent it away?”
“Discouraged! No, Helen; on the contrary, I never felt nearer success
than I did a few hours since. But all is changed now.”
“What has become of it, papa?” questioned Helen, in increasing
alarm.
“It has been seized for debt, Helen.”
“For debt?”
“Yes; for the note which I gave Mr. Sharp. I had not the money to
pay it, so they carried off my machine for security.”
“Is it possible he has been so cruel and unfeeling?” exclaimed Helen,
indignantly.
“Do not blame him, my child. I am convinced that it is far from his
intention to trouble or distress us. But he parted with the note a day
or two since, as he himself told me, on the express condition that it
should not be presented for payment, and this stipulation has been
disregarded.”
“And how large was this note, papa?”
“For three hundred dollars.”
“Three hundred! I thought it was only two hundred that were lent
you.”
“That was my own impression,” said Mr. Ford, with an air of
perplexity. “But you know,” he continued, with a melancholy smile,
“that I have no head for business. I have been so occupied in other
ways. It is quite possible that I have made a mistake.”
“I am afraid,” said Helen, gravely, “that Mr. Sharp is not so much
your friend as you imagine.”
“Not my friend, Helen? He offered to lend me this money voluntarily,
without any expectation of immediate return. I am certain that when
he hears of this affair, he will hasten to make it right.”
“Perhaps I do him wrong,” said Helen, thoughtfully, “and indeed I do
not know what good it would do him to annoy us. But, papa, there is
one thing I haven’t told you,—a piece of great good news. I have
had my salary doubled at the theatre. I shall earn twelve dollars a
week. Think of that, papa.”
“But are you not working too hard, Helen?”
“I, working hard! It is only a pleasure for me to sing. I am very lucky
in being paid for what I would rather do than not. It is different with
poor Martha. She doesn’t earn more than four dollars a week, and
has to sit at her sewing from morning till night. I wish I could do
something to help her. She looks so tired and pale all the time.”
“God has favored you, my child, in bestowing upon you so choice a
gift. I hope you do not fail to thank him for this goodness.”
“Never, papa. I thank him every night.”
“How much money have you left, papa?” she inquired, after a pause.
“I don’t know exactly how much. I had better give it to you to help
pay our daily expenses.”
“There are one hundred and twenty dollars,” said Helen, counting it.
“Then we shall need one hundred and eighty to make up the
balance of the sum mentioned in the note.”
“Surely, I cannot have expended that sum,” said Mr. Ford, with a
perplexed look. “If I could see Mr. Sharp?”
“I will go and see him, papa.”
“Perhaps it will be best.”
In five minutes Helen was on her way to the lawyer’s office.