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diff --git a/363-h/363-h.htm b/363-h/363-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea72848 --- /dev/null +++ b/363-h/363-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5686 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Oakdale Affair, by Edgar Rice Burroughs + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Oakdale Affair, by Edgar Rice Burroughs + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Oakdale Affair + +Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs + +Release Date: July 8, 2008 [EBook #363] +Last Updated: March 14, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OAKDALE AFFAIR *** + + + + +Produced by Judith Boss, and David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + THE OAKDALE AFFAIR + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Edgar Rice Burroughs + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Chapter One + </h2> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + [And only chapter ED.]</pre> + <p> + The house on the hill showed lights only upon the first floor—in the + spacious reception hall, the dining room, and those more or less + mysterious purlieus thereof from which emanate disagreeable odors and + agreeable foods. + </p> + <p> + From behind a low bush across the wide lawn a pair of eyes transferred to + an alert brain these simple perceptions from which the brain deduced with + Sherlockian accuracy and Raffleian purpose that the family of the + president of The First National Bank of—Oh, let's call it Oakdale—was + at dinner, that the servants were below stairs and the second floor + deserted. + </p> + <p> + The owner of the eyes had but recently descended from the quarters of the + chauffeur above the garage which he had entered as a thief in the night + and quitted apparelled in a perfectly good suit of clothes belonging to + the gentlemanly chauffeur and a soft, checked cap which was now pulled + well down over a pair of large brown eyes in which a rather strained + expression might have suggested to an alienist a certain neophytism which + even the stern set of well shaped lips could not effectually belie. + </p> + <p> + Apparently this was a youth steeling himself against a natural repugnance + to the dangerous profession he had espoused; and when, a moment later, he + stepped out into the moonlight and crossed the lawn toward the house, the + slender, graceful lines which the ill-fitting clothes could not entirely + conceal carried the conviction of youth if not of innocence. + </p> + <p> + The brazen assurance with which the lad crossed the lawn and mounted the + steps to the verandah suggested a familiarity with the habits and customs + of the inmates of the house upon the hill which bespoke long and careful + study of the contemplated job. An old timer could not have moved with + greater confidence. No detail seemed to have escaped his cunning + calculation. Though the door leading from the verandah into the reception + hall swung wide to the balmy airs of late Spring the prowler passed this + blatant invitation to the hospitality of the House of Prim. It was as + though he knew that from his place at the head of the table, with his back + toward the great fire place which is the pride of the Prim dining hall, + Jonas Prim commands a view of the major portion of the reception hall. + </p> + <p> + Stooping low the youth passed along the verandah to a window of the + darkened library—a French window which swung open without noise to + his light touch. Stepping within he crossed the room to a door which + opened at the foot of a narrow stairway—a convenient little stairway + which had often let the Hon. Jonas Prim pass from his library to his + second floor bed-room unnoticed when Mrs. Prim chanced to be entertaining + the feminine elite of Oakdale across the hall. A convenient little + stairway for retiring husbands and diffident burglars—yes, indeed! + </p> + <p> + The darkness of the upper hallway offered no obstacle to this familiar + housebreaker. He passed the tempting luxury of Mrs. Prim's boudoir, the + chaste elegance of Jonas Prim's bed-room with all the possibilities of + forgotten wallets and negotiable papers, setting his course straight for + the apartments of Abigail Prim, the spinster daughter of the First + National Bank of Oakdale. Or should we utilize a more charitable and at + the same time more truthful word than spinster? I think we should, since + Abigail was but nineteen and quite human, despite her name. + </p> + <p> + Upon the dressing table of Abigail reposed much silver and gold and ivory, + wrought by clever artisans into articles of great beauty and some utility; + but with scarce a glance the burglar passed them by, directing his course + straight across the room to a small wall safe cleverly hidden by a bit of + tapestry. + </p> + <p> + How, Oh how, this suggestive familiarity with the innermost secrets of a + virgin's sacred apartments upon the part of one so obviously of the male + persuasion and, by his all too apparent calling, a denizen of that + underworld of which no Abigail should have intimate knowledge? Yet, truly + and with scarce a faint indication of groping, though the room was dark, + the marauder walked directly to the hidden safe, swung back the tapestry + in its frame, turned the knob of the combination and in a moment opened + the circular door of the strong box. + </p> + <p> + A fat roll of bills and a handful of jewelry he transferred to the pockets + of his coat. Some papers which his hand brushed within the safe he pushed + aside as though preadvised of their inutility to one of his calling. Then + he closed the safe door, closed the tapestry upon it and turned toward a + dainty dressing table. From a drawer in this exquisite bit of Sheraton the + burglar took a small, nickel plated automatic, which he slipped into an + inside breast pocket of his coat, nor did he touch another article therein + or thereon, nor hesitate an instant in the selection of the drawer to be + rifled. His knowledge of the apartment of the daughter of the house of + Prim was little short of uncanny. Doubtless the fellow was some plumber's + apprentice who had made good use of an opportunity to study the lay of the + land against a contemplated invasion of these holy precincts. + </p> + <p> + But even the most expert of second story men nod and now that all seemed + as though running on greased rails a careless elbow raked a silver + candle-stick from the dressing table to the floor where it crashed with a + resounding din that sent cold shivers up the youth's spine and conjured in + his mind a sudden onslaught of investigators from the floor below. + </p> + <p> + The noise of the falling candlestick sounded to the taut nerved + house-breaker as might the explosion of a stick of dynamite during prayer + in a meeting house. That all Oakdale had heard it seemed quite possible, + while that those below stairs were already turning questioning ears, and + probably inquisitive footsteps, upward was almost a foregone conclusion. + </p> + <p> + Adjoining Miss Prim's boudoir was her bath and before the door leading + from the one to the other was a cretonne covered screen behind which the + burglar now concealed himself the while he listened in rigid apprehension + for the approach of the enemy; but the only sound that came to him from + the floor below was the deep laugh of Jonas Prim. A profound sigh of + relief escaped the beardless lips; for that laugh assured the youth that, + after all, the noise of the fallen candlestick had not alarmed the + household. + </p> + <p> + With knees that still trembled a bit he crossed the room and passed out + into the hallway, descended the stairs, and stood again in the library. + Here he paused a moment listening to the voices which came from the dining + room. Mrs. Prim was speaking. “I feel quite relieved about Abigail,” she + was saying. “I believe that at last she sees the wisdom and the advantages + of an alliance with Mr. Benham, and it was almost with enthusiasm that she + left this morning to visit his sister. I am positive that a week or two of + companionship with him will impress upon her the fine qualities of his + nature. We are to be congratulated, Jonas, upon settling our daughter so + advantageously both in the matter of family and wealth.” + </p> + <p> + Jonas Prim grunted. “Sam Benham is old enough to be the girl's father,” he + growled. “If she wants him, all right; but I can't imagine Abbie wanting a + bald-headed husband with rheumatism. I wish you'd let her alone, Pudgy, to + find her own mate in her own way—someone nearer her own age.” + </p> + <p> + “The child is not old enough to judge wisely for herself,” replied Mrs. + Prim. “It was my duty to arrange a proper alliance; and, Jonas, I will + thank you not to call me Pudgy—it is perfectly ridiculous for a + woman of my age—and position.” + </p> + <p> + The burglar did not hear Mr. Prim's reply for he had moved across the + library and passed out onto the verandah. Once again he crossed the lawn, + taking advantage of the several trees and shrubs which dotted it, scaled + the low stone wall at the side and was in the concealing shadows of the + unlighted side street which bounds the Prim estate upon the south. The + streets of Oakdale are flanked by imposing battalions of elm and maple + which over-arch and meet above the thoroughfares; and now, following an + early Spring, their foliage eclipsed the infrequent arclights to the + eminent satisfaction of those nocturnal wayfarers who prefer neither + publicity nor the spot light. Of such there are few within the well + ordered precincts of law abiding Oakdale; but to-night there was at least + one and this one was deeply grateful for the gloomy walks along which he + hurried toward the limits of the city. + </p> + <p> + At last he found himself upon a country road with the odors of Spring in + his nostrils and the world before him. The night noises of the open + country fell strangely upon his ears accentuating rather than relieving + the myriad noted silence of Nature. Familiar sounds became unreal and + weird, the deep bass of innumerable bull frogs took on an uncanny + humanness which sent a half shudder through the slender frame. The burglar + felt a sad loneliness creeping over him. He tried whistling in an effort + to shake off the depressing effects of this seeming solitude through which + he moved; but there remained with him still the hallucination that he + moved alone through a strange, new world peopled by invisible and + unfamiliar forms—menacing shapes which lurked in waiting behind each + tree and shrub. + </p> + <p> + He ceased his whistling and went warily upon the balls of his feet, lest + he unnecessarily call attention to his presence. If the truth were to be + told it would chronicle the fact that a very nervous and frightened + burglar sneaked along the quiet and peaceful country road outside of + Oakdale. A lonesome burglar, this, who so craved the companionship of man + that he would almost have welcomed joyously the detaining hand of the law + had it fallen upon him in the guise of a flesh and blood police officer + from Oakdale. + </p> + <p> + In leaving the city the youth had given little thought to the + practicalities of the open road. He had thought, rather vaguely, of + sleeping in a bed of new clover in some hospitable fence corner; but the + fence corners looked very dark and the wide expanse of fields beyond + suggested a mysterious country which might be peopled by almost anything + but human beings. + </p> + <p> + At a farm house the youth hesitated and was almost upon the verge of + entering and asking for a night's lodging when a savage voiced dog + shattered the peace of the universe and sent the burglar along the road at + a rapid run. + </p> + <p> + A half mile further on a straw stack loomed large within a fenced + enclosure. The youth wormed his way between the barbed wires determined at + last to let nothing prevent him from making a cozy bed in the deep straw + beside the stack. With courage radiating from every pore he strode toward + the stack. His walk was almost a swagger, for thus does youth dissemble + the bravery it yearns for but does not possess. He almost whistled again; + but not quite, since it seemed an unnecessary provocation to disaster to + call particular attention to himself at this time. An instant later he was + extremely glad that he had refrained, for as he approached the stack a + huge bulk slowly loomed from behind it; and silhouetted against the + moonlit sky he saw the vast proportions of a great, shaggy bull. The + burglar tore the inside of one trousers' leg and the back of his coat in + his haste to pass through the barbed wire fence onto the open road. There + he paused to mop the perspiration from his forehead, though the night was + now far from warm. + </p> + <p> + For another mile the now tired and discouraged house-breaker plodded, + heavy footed, the unending road. Did vain compunction stir his youthful + breast? Did he regret the safe respectability of the plumber's apprentice? + Or, if he had not been a plumber's apprentice did he yearn to once again + assume the unharried peace of whatever legitimate calling had been his + before he bent his steps upon the broad boulevard of sin? We think he did. + </p> + <p> + And then he saw through the chinks and apertures in the half ruined wall + of what had once been a hay barn the rosy flare of a genial light which + appeared to announce in all but human terms that man, red blooded and + hospitable, forgathered within. No growling dogs, no bulking bulls + contested the short stretch of weed grown ground between the road and the + disintegrating structure; and presently two wide, brown eyes were peering + through a crack in the wall of the abandoned building. What they saw was a + small fire built upon the earth floor in the center of the building and + around the warming blaze the figures of six men. Some reclined at length + upon old straw; others squatted, Turk fashion. All were smoking either + disreputable pipes or rolled cigarets. Blear-eyed and foxy-eyed, bearded + and stubbled cheeked, young and old, were the men the youth looked upon. + All were more or less dishevelled and filthy; but they were human. They + were not dogs, or bulls, or croaking frogs. The boy's heart went out to + them. Something that was almost a sob rose in his throat, and then he + turned the corner of the building and stood in the doorway, the light from + the fire playing upon his lithe young figure clothed in its torn and ill + fitting suit and upon his oval face and his laughing brown eyes. For + several seconds he stood there looking at the men around the fire. None of + them had noticed him. + </p> + <p> + “Tramps!” thought the youth. “Regular tramps.” He wondered that they had + not seen him, and then, clearing his throat, he said: “Hello, tramps!” + </p> + <p> + Six heads snapped up or around. Six pairs of eyes, blear or foxy, were + riveted upon the boyish figure of the housebreaker. “Wotinel!” ejaculated + a frowzy gentleman in a frock coat and golf cap. “Wheredju blow from?” + inquired another. “'Hello, tramps'!” mimicked a third. + </p> + <p> + The youth came slowly toward the fire. “I saw your fire,” he said, “and I + thought I'd stop. I'm a tramp, too, you know.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh,” sighed the elderly person in the frock coat. “He's a tramp, he is. + An' does he think gents like us has any time for tramps? An' where might + he be trampin', sonny, without his maw?” + </p> + <p> + The youth flushed. “Oh say!” he cried; “you needn't kid me just because + I'm new at it. You all had to start sometime. I've always longed for the + free life of a tramp; and if you'll let me go along with you for a little + while, and teach me, I'll not bother you; and I'll do whatever you say.” + </p> + <p> + The elderly person frowned. “Beat it, kid!” he commanded. “We ain't + runnin' no day nursery. These you see here is all the real thing. Maybe we + asks fer a handout now and then; but that ain't our reg'lar way. You ain't + swift enough to travel with this bunch, kid, so you'd better duck. Why we + gents, here, if we was added up is wanted in about twenty-seven cities fer + about everything from rollin' a souse to crackin' a box and croakin' a + bull. You gotta do something before you can train wid gents like us, see?” + The speaker projected a stubbled jaw, scowled horridly and swept a + flattened palm downward and backward at a right angle to a hairy arm in + eloquent gesture of finality. + </p> + <p> + The boy had stood with his straight, black eyebrows puckered into a + studious frown, drinking in every word. Now he straightened up. “I guess I + made a mistake,” he said, apologetically. “You ain't tramps at all. You're + thieves and murderers and things like that.” His eyes opened a bit wider + and his voice sank to a whisper as the words passed his lips. “But you + haven't so much on me, at that,” he went on, “for I'm a regular burglar, + too,” and from the bulging pockets of his coat he drew two handfuls of + greenbacks and jewelry. The eyes of the six registered astonishment, mixed + with craft and greed. “I just robbed a house in Oakdale,” explained the + boy. “I usually rob one every night.” + </p> + <p> + For a moment his auditors were too surprised to voice a single emotion; + but presently one murmured, soulfully: “Pipe de swag!” He of the frock + coat, golf cap, and years waved a conciliatory hand. He tried to look at + the boy's face; but for the life of him he couldn't raise his eyes above + the dazzling wealth clutched in the fingers of those two small, slim + hands. From one dangled a pearl necklace which alone might have ransomed, + if not a king, at least a lesser member of a royal family, while diamonds, + rubies, sapphires, and emeralds scintillated in the flaring light of the + fire. Nor was the fistful of currency in the other hand to be sneezed at. + There were greenbacks, it is true; but there were also yellowbacks with + the reddish gold of large denominations. The Sky Pilot sighed a sigh that + was more than half gasp. + </p> + <p> + “Can't yuh take a kid?” he inquired. “I knew youse all along. Yuh can't + fool an old bird like The Sky Pilot—eh, boys?” and he turned to his + comrades for confirmation. + </p> + <p> + “He's The Oskaloosa Kid,” exclaimed one of the company. “I'd know 'im + anywheres.” + </p> + <p> + “Pull up and set down,” invited another. + </p> + <p> + The boy stuffed his loot back into his pockets and came closer to the + fire. Its warmth felt most comfortable, for the Spring night was growing + chill. He looked about him at the motley company, some half-spruce in + clothing that suggested a Kuppenmarx label and a not too far association + with a tailor's goose, others in rags, all but one unshaven and all more + or less dirty—for the open road is close to Nature, which is + principally dirt. + </p> + <p> + “Shake hands with Dopey Charlie,” said The Sky Pilot, whose age and + corpulency appeared to stamp him with the hall mark of authority. The + youth did as he was bid, smiling into the sullen, chalk-white face and + taking the clammy hand extended toward him. Was it a shudder that passed + through the lithe, young figure or was it merely a subconscious + recognition of the final passing of the bodily cold before the glowing + warmth of the blaze? “And Soup Face,” continued The Sky Pilot. A battered + wreck half rose and extended a pudgy hand. Red whiskers, matted in little + tangled wisps which suggested the dried ingredients of an infinite + procession of semi-liquid refreshments, rioted promiscuously over a + scarlet countenance. + </p> + <p> + “Pleased to meetcha,” sprayed Soup Face. It was a strained smile which + twisted the rather too perfect mouth of The Oskaloosa Kid, an appellation + which we must, perforce, accept since the youth did not deny it. + </p> + <p> + Columbus Blackie, The General, and Dirty Eddie were formally presented. As + Dirty Eddie was, physically, the cleanest member of the band the youth + wondered how he had come by his sobriquet—that is, he wondered until + he heard Dirty Eddie speak, after which he was no longer in doubt. The + Oskaloosa Kid, self-confessed 'tramp' and burglar, flushed at the lurid + obscenity of Dirty Eddie's remarks. + </p> + <p> + “Sit down, bo,” invited Soup Face. “I guess you're a regular all right. + Here, have a snifter?” and he pulled a flask from his side pocket, holding + it toward The Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + “Thank you, but;—er—I'm on the wagon, you know,” declined the + youth. + </p> + <p> + “Have a smoke?” suggested Columbus Blackie. “Here's the makin's.” + </p> + <p> + The change in the attitude of the men toward him pleased The Oskaloosa Kid + immensely. They were treating him as one of them, and after the lonely + walk through the dark and desolate farm lands human companionship of any + kind was to him as the proverbial straw to the man who rocked the boat + once too often. + </p> + <p> + Dopey Charlie and The General, alone of all the company, waxed not + enthusiastic over the advent of The Oskaloosa Kid and his priceless loot. + These two sat scowling and whispering in the back-ground. “Dat's a wrong + guy,” muttered the former to the latter. “He's a stool pigeon or one of + dese amatoor mugs.” + </p> + <p> + “It's the pullin' of that punk graft that got my goat,” replied The + General. “I never seen a punk yet that didn't try to make you think he was + a wise guy an' dis stiff don't belong enough even to pull a spiel that + would fool a old ladies' sewin' circle. I don't see wot The Sky Pilot's + cozyin' up to him fer.” + </p> + <p> + “You don't?” scoffed Dopey Charlie. “Didn't you lamp de oyster harness? To + say nothin' of de mitful of rocks and kale.” + </p> + <p> + “That 'ud be all right, too,” replied the other, “if we could put the guy + to sleep; but The Sky Pilot won't never stand for croakin' nobody. He's + too scared of his neck. We'll look like a bunch o' wise ones, won't we? + lettin' a stranger sit in now—after last night. Hell!” he suddenly + exploded. “Don't you know that you an' me stand to swing if any of de + bunch gets gabby in front of dis phoney punk?” + </p> + <p> + The two sat silent for a while, The General puffing on a short briar, + Dopey Charlie inhaling deep draughts from a cigarette, and both glaring + through narrowed lids at the boy warming himself beside the fire where the + others were attempting to draw him out the while they strove desperately + but unavailingly to keep their eyes from the two bulging sidepockets of + their guest's coat. + </p> + <p> + Soup Face, who had been assiduously communing with a pint flask, leaned + close to Columbus Blackie, placing his whiskers within an inch or so of + the other's nose as was his habit when addressing another, and whispered, + relative to the pearl necklace: “Not a cent less 'n fifty thou, bo!” + </p> + <p> + “Fertheluvomike!” ejaculated Blackie, drawing back and wiping a palm + quickly across his lips. “Get a plumber first if you want to kiss me—you + leak.” + </p> + <p> + “He thinks you need a shower bath,” said Dirty Eddie, laughing. + </p> + <p> + “The trouble with Soup Face,” explained The Sky Pilot, “is that he's got a + idea he's a human atomizer an' that the rest of us has colds.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I don't want no atomizer loaded with rot-gut and garlic shot in my + mug,” growled Blackie. “What Soup Face needs is to be learned ettyket, an' + if he comes that on me again I'm goin' to push his mush through the back + of his bean.” + </p> + <p> + An ugly light came into the blear eyes of Soup Face. Once again he leaned + close to Columbus Blackie. “Not a cent less 'n fifty thou, you tinhorn!” + he bellowed, belligerent and sprayful. + </p> + <p> + Blackie leaped to his feet, with an oath—a frightful, hideous oath—and + as he rose he swung a heavy fist to Soup Face's purple nose. The latter + rolled over backward; but was upon his feet again much quicker than one + would have expected in so gross a bulk, and as he came to his feet a knife + flashed in his hand. With a sound that was more bestial than human he ran + toward Blackie; but there was another there who had anticipated his + intentions. As the blow was struck The Sky Pilot had risen; and now he + sprang forward, for all his age and bulk as nimble as a cat, and seized + Soup Face by the wrist. A quick wrench brought a howl of pain to the + would-be assassin, and the knife fell to the floor. + </p> + <p> + “You gotta cut that if you travel with this bunch,” said The Sky Pilot in + a voice that was new to The Oskaloosa Kid; “and you, too, Blackie,” he + continued. “The rough stuff don't go with me, see?” He hurled Soup Face to + the floor and resumed his seat by the fire. + </p> + <p> + The youth was astonished at the physical strength of this old man, + seemingly so softened by dissipation; but it showed him the source of The + Sky Pilot's authority and its scope, for Columbus Blackie and Soup Face + quitted their quarrel immediately. + </p> + <p> + Dirty Eddie rose, yawned and stretched. “Me fer the hay,” he announced, + and lay down again with his feet toward the fire. Some of the others + followed his example. “You'll find some hay in the loft there,” said The + Sky Pilot to The Oskaloosa Kid. “Bring it down an' make your bed here by + me, there's plenty room.” + </p> + <p> + A half hour later all were stretched out upon the hard dirt floor upon + improvised beds of rotted hay; but not all slept. The Oskaloosa Kid, + though tired, found himself wider awake than he ever before had been. + Apparently sleep could never again come to those heavy eyes. There passed + before his mental vision a panorama of the events of the night. He smiled + as he inaudibly voiced the name they had given him, the right to which he + had not seen fit to deny. “The Oskaloosa Kid.” The boy smiled again as he + felt the 'swag' hard and lumpy in his pockets. It had given him prestige + here that he could not have gained by any other means; but he mistook the + nature of the interest which his display of stolen wealth had aroused. He + thought that the men now looked upon him as a fellow criminal to be + accepted into the fraternity through achievement; whereas they suffered + him to remain solely in the hope of transferring his loot to their own + pockets. + </p> + <p> + It is true that he puzzled them. Even The Sky Pilot, the most astute and + intelligent of them all, was at a loss to fathom The Oskaloosa Kid. + Innocence and unsophistication flaunted their banners in almost every act + and speech of The Oskaloosa Kid. The youth reminded him in some ways of + members of a Sunday school which had flourished in the dim vistas of his + past when, as an ordained minister of the Gospel, he had earned the + sobriquet which now identified him. But the concrete evidence of the + valuable loot comported not with The Sky Pilot's idea of a Sunday school + boy's lark. The young fellow was, unquestionably, a thief; but that he had + ever before consorted with thieves his speech and manners belied. + </p> + <p> + “He's got me,” murmured The Sky Pilot; “but he's got the stuff on him, + too; and all I want is to get it off of him without a painful operation. + Tomorrow'll do,” and he shifted his position and fell asleep. + </p> + <p> + Dopey Charlie and The General did not, however, follow the example of + their chief. They remained very wide awake, a little apart from the + others, where their low whispers could not be overheard. + </p> + <p> + “You better do it,” urged The General, in a soft, insinuating voice. + “You're pretty slick with the toad stabber, an' any way one more or less + won't count.” + </p> + <p> + “We can go to Sout' America on dat stuff an' live like gents,” muttered + Dopey Charlie. “I'm goin' to cut out de Hop an' buy a farm an' a + ottymobeel and—” + </p> + <p> + “Come out of it,” admonished The General. “If we're lucky we'll get as far + as Cincinnati, get a stew on and get pinched. Den one of us'll hang an' de + other get stir fer life.” + </p> + <p> + The General was a weasel faced person of almost any age between + thirty-five and sixty. Sometimes he could have passed for a hundred and + ten. He had won his military title as a boy in the famous march of Coxey's + army on Washington, or, rather, the title had been conferred upon him in + later years as a merited reward of service. The General, profiting by the + precepts of his erstwhile companions in arms, had never soiled his + military escutcheon by labor, nor had he ever risen to the higher planes + of criminality. Rather as a mediocre pickpocket and a timorous confidence + man had he eked out a meager existence, amply punctuated by seasons of + straight bumming and intervals spent as the guest of various inhospitably + hospitable states. Now, for the first time in his life, The General faced + the possibility of a serious charge; and his terror made him what he never + before had been, a dangerous criminal. + </p> + <p> + “You're a cheerful guy,” commented Dopey Charlie; “but you may be right at + dat. Dey can't hang a guy any higher fer two 'an they can fer one an' + dat's no pipe; so wots de use. Wait till I take a shot—it'll be + easier,” and he drew a small, worn case from an inside pocket, bared his + arm to the elbow and injected enough morphine to have killed a dozen + normal men. + </p> + <p> + From a pile of mouldy hay across the barn the youth, heavy eyed but + sleepless, watched the two through half closed lids. A qualm of disgust + sent a sudden shudder through his slight frame. For the first time he + almost regretted having embarked upon a life of crime. He had seen that + the two men were conversing together earnestly, though he could over-hear + nothing they said, and that he had been the subject of their nocturnal + colloquy, for several times a glance or a nod in his direction assured him + of this. And so he lay watching them—not that he was afraid, he kept + reassuring himself, but through curiosity. Why should he be afraid? Was it + not a well known truth that there was honor among thieves? + </p> + <p> + But the longer he watched the heavier grew his lids. Several times they + closed to be dragged open again only by painful effort. Finally came a + time that they remained closed and the young chest rose and fell in the + regular breathing of slumber. + </p> + <p> + The two ragged, rat-hearted creatures rose silently and picked their way, + half-crouched, among the sleepers sprawled between them and The Oskaloosa + Kid. In the hand of Dopey Charlie gleamed a bit of shiny steel and in his + heart were fear and greed. The fear was engendered by the belief that the + youth might be an amateur detective. Dopey Charlie had had one experience + of such and he knew that it was easily possible for them to blunder upon + evidence which the most experienced of operatives might pass over + unnoticed, and the loot bulging pockets furnished a sufficient greed + motive in themselves. + </p> + <p> + Beside the boy kneeled the man with the knife. He did not raise his hand + and strike a sudden, haphazard blow. Instead he placed the point + carefully, though lightly, above the victim's heart, and then, suddenly, + bore his weight upon the blade. + </p> + <p> + Abigail Prim always had been a thorn in the flesh of her stepmother—a + well-meaning, unimaginative, ambitious, and rather common woman. Coming + into the Prim home as house-keeper shortly after the death of Abigail's + mother, the second Mrs. Prim had from the first looked upon Abigail + principally as an obstacle to be overcome. She had tried to 'do right by + her'; but she had never given the child what a child most needs and most + craves—love and understanding. Not loving Abigail, the house-keeper + could, naturally, not give her love; and as for understanding her one + might as reasonably have expected an adding machine to understand higher + mathematics. + </p> + <p> + Jonas Prim loved his daughter. There was nothing, within reason, that + money could buy which he would not have given her for the asking; but + Jonas Prim's love, as his life, was expressed in dollar signs, while the + love which Abigail craved is better expressed by any other means at the + command of man. + </p> + <p> + Being misunderstood and, to all outward appearances of sentiment and + affection, unloved had not in any way embittered Abigail's remarkably + joyous temperament. She made up for it in some measure by getting all the + fun and excitement out of life which she could discover therein, or invent + through the medium of her own resourceful imagination. + </p> + <p> + But recently the first real sorrow had been thrust into her young life + since the half-forgotten mother had been taken from her. The second Mrs. + Prim had decided that it was her 'duty' to see that Abigail, having + finished school and college, was properly married. As a matchmaker the + second Mrs. Prim was as a Texas steer in a ten cent store. It was nothing + to her that Abigail did not wish to marry anyone, or that the man of Mrs. + Prim's choice, had he been the sole surviving male in the Universe, would + have still been as far from Abigail's choice as though he had been an + inhabitant of one of Orion's most distant planets. + </p> + <p> + As a matter of fact Abigail Prim detested Samuel Benham because he + represented to her everything in life which she shrank from—age, + avoirdupois, infirmity, baldness, stupidity, and matrimony. He was a + prosaic old bachelor who had amassed a fortune by the simple means of + inheriting three farms upon which an industrial city subsequently had been + built. Necessity rather than foresight had compelled him to hold on to his + property; and six weeks of typhoid, arriving and departing, had saved him + from selling out at a low figure. The first time he found himself able to + be out and attend to business he likewise found himself a wealthy man, and + ever since he had been growing wealthier without personal effort. + </p> + <p> + All of which is to render evident just how impossible a matrimonial + proposition was Samuel Benham to a bright, a beautiful, a gay, an + imaginative, young, and a witty girl such as Abigail Prim, who cared less + for money than for almost any other desirable thing in the world. + </p> + <p> + Nagged, scolded, reproached, pestered, threatened, Abigail had at last + given a seeming assent to her stepmother's ambition; and had forthwith + been packed off on a two weeks visit to the sister of the bride-groom + elect. After which Mr. Benham was to visit Oakdale as a guest of the + Prims, and at a dinner for which cards already had been issued—so + sure was Mrs. Jonas Prim of her position of dictator of the Prim menage—the + engagement was to be announced. + </p> + <p> + It was some time after dinner on the night of Abigail's departure that + Mrs. Prim, following a habit achieved by years of housekeeping, set forth + upon her rounds to see that doors and windows were properly secured for + the night. A French window and its screen opening upon the verandah from + the library she found open. “The house will be full of mosquitoes!” she + ejaculated mentally as she closed them both with a bang and made them + fast. “I should just like to know who left them open. Upon my word, I + don't know what would become of this place if it wasn't for me. Of all the + shiftlessness!” and she turned and flounced upstairs. In Abigail's room + she flashed on the center dome light from force of habit, although she + knew that the room had been left in proper condition after the girl's + departure earlier in the day. The first thing amiss that her eagle eye + noted was the candlestick lying on the floor beside the dressing table. As + she stooped to pick it up she saw the open drawer from which the small + automatic had been removed, and then, suspicions, suddenly aroused, as + suddenly became fear; and Mrs. Prim almost dove across the room to the + hidden wall safe. A moment's investigation revealed the startling fact + that the safe was unlocked and practically empty. It was then that Mrs. + Jonas Prim screamed. + </p> + <p> + Her scream brought Jonas and several servants upon the scene. A careful + inspection of the room disclosed the fact that while much of value had + been ignored the burglar had taken the easily concealed contents of the + wall safe which represented fully ninety percentum of the value of the + personal property in Abigail Prim's apartments. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Prim scowled suspiciously upon the servants. Who else, indeed, could + have possessed the intimate knowledge which the thief had displayed. Mrs. + Prim saw it all. The open library window had been but a clever blind to + hide the fact that the thief had worked from the inside and was now + doubtless in the house at that very moment. + </p> + <p> + “Jonas,” she directed, “call the police at once, and see that no one, + absolutely no one, leaves this house until they have been here and made a + full investigation.” + </p> + <p> + “Shucks, Pudgy!” exclaimed Mr. Prim. “You don't think the thief is waiting + around here for the police, do you?” + </p> + <p> + “I think that if you get the police here at once, Jonas, we shall find + both the thief and the loot under our very roof,” she replied, not without + asperity. + </p> + <p> + “You don't mean—” he hesitated. “Why, Pudgy, you don't mean you + suspect one of the servants?” + </p> + <p> + “Who else could have known?” asked Mrs. Prim. The servants present looked + uncomfortable and cast sheepish eyes of suspicion at one another. + </p> + <p> + “It's all tommy rot!” ejaculated Mr. Prim; “but I'll call the police, + because I got to report the theft. It's some slick outsider, that's who it + is,” and he started down stairs toward the telephone. Before he reached it + the bell rang, and when he had hung up the receiver after the conversation + the theft seemed a trivial matter. In fact he had almost forgotten it, for + the message had been from the local telegraph office relaying a wire they + had just received from Mr. Samuel Benham. + </p> + <p> + “I say, Pudgy,” he cried, as he took the steps two at a time for the + second floor, “here's a wire from Benham saying Gail didn't come on that + train and asking when he's to expect her.” + </p> + <p> + “Impossible!” ejaculated Mrs. Prim. “I certainly saw her aboard the train + myself. Impossible!” + </p> + <p> + Jonas Prim was a man of action. Within half an hour he had set in motion + such wheels as money and influence may cause to revolve in search of some + clew to the whereabouts of the missing Abigail, and at the same time had + reported the theft of jewels and money from his home; but in doing this he + had learned that other happenings no less remarkable in their way had + taken place in Oakdale that very night. + </p> + <p> + The following morning all Oakdale was thrilled as its fascinated eyes + devoured the front page of Oakdale's ordinarily dull daily. Never had + Oakdale experienced a plethora of home-grown thrills; but it came as near + to it that morning, doubtless, as it ever had or ever will. Not since the + cashier of The Merchants and Farmers Bank committed suicide three years + past had Oakdale been so wrought up, and now that historic and classical + event paled into insignificance in the glaring brilliancy of a series of + crimes and mysteries of a single night such as not even the most sanguine + of Oakdale's thrill lovers could have hoped for. + </p> + <p> + There was, first, the mysterious disappearance of Abigail Prim, the only + daughter of Oakdale's wealthiest citizen; there was the equally mysterious + robbery of the Prim home. Either one of these would have been sufficient + to have set Oakdale's multitudinous tongues wagging for days; but they + were not all. Old John Baggs, the city's best known miser, had suffered a + murderous assault in his little cottage upon the outskirts of town, and + was even now lying at the point of death in The Samaritan Hospital. That + robbery had been the motive was amply indicated by the topsy-turvy + condition of the contents of the three rooms which Baggs called home. As + the victim still was unconscious no details of the crime were obtainable. + Yet even this atrocious deed had been capped by one yet more hideous. + </p> + <p> + Reginald Paynter had for years been looked upon half askance and yet with + a certain secret pride by Oakdale. He was her sole bon vivant in the true + sense of the word, whatever that may be. He was always spoken of in the + columns of The Oakdale Tribune as 'that well known man-about-town,' or + 'one of Oakdale's most prominent clubmen.' Reginald Paynter had been, if + not the only, at all events the best dressed man in town. His clothes were + made in New York. This in itself had been sufficient to have set him apart + from all the other males of Oakdale. He was widely travelled, had an + independent fortune, and was far from unhandsome. For years he had been + the hope and despair of every Oakdale mother with marriageable daughters. + The Oakdale fathers, however, had not been so keen about Reginald. Men + usually know more about the morals of men than do women. There were those + who, if pressed, would have conceded that Reginald had no morals. + </p> + <p> + But what place has an obituary in a truthful tale of adventure and + mystery! Reginald Paynter was dead. His body had been found beside the + road just outside the city limits at mid-night by a party of automobilists + returning from a fishing trip. The skull was crushed back of the left ear. + The position of the body as well as the marks in the road beside it + indicated that the man had been hurled from a rapidly moving automobile. + The fact that his pockets had been rifled led to the assumption that he + had been killed and robbed before being dumped upon the road. + </p> + <p> + Now there were those in Oakdale, and they were many, who endeavored to + connect in some way these several events of horror, mystery, and crime. In + the first place it seemed quite evident that the robbery at the Prim home, + the assault upon Old Baggs, and the murder of Paynter had been the work of + the same man; but how could such a series of frightful happenings be in + any way connected with the disappearance of Abigail Prim? Of course there + were many who knew that Abigail and Reginald were old friends; and that + the former had, on frequent occasions, ridden abroad in Reginald's French + roadster, that he had escorted her to parties and been, at various times, + a caller at her home; but no less had been true of a dozen other perfectly + respectable young ladies of Oakdale. Possibly it was only Abigail's added + misfortune to have disappeared upon the eve of the night of Reginald's + murder. + </p> + <p> + But later in the day when word came from a nearby town that Reginald had + been seen in a strange touring car with two unknown men and a girl, the + gossips commenced to wag their heads. It was mentioned, casually of + course, that this town was a few stations along the very road upon which + Abigail had departed the previous afternoon for that destination which she + had not reached. It was likewise remarked that Reginald, the two strange + men and the GIRL had been first noticed after the time of arrival of the + Oakdale train! What more was needed? Absolutely nothing more. The tongues + ceased wagging in order that they might turn hand-springs. + </p> + <p> + Find Abigail Prim, whispered some, and the mystery will be solved. There + were others charitable enough to assume that Abigail had been kidnapped by + the same men who had murdered Paynter and wrought the other lesser deeds + of crime in peaceful Oakdale. The Oakdale Tribune got out an extra that + afternoon giving a resume of such evidence as had appeared in the regular + edition and hinting at all the numerous possibilities suggested by such + matter as had come to hand since. Even fear of old Jonas Prim and his + millions had not been enough to entirely squelch the newspaper instinct of + the Tribune's editor. Never before had he had such an opportunity and he + made the best of it, even repeating the vague surmises which had linked + the name of Abigail to the murder of Reginald Paynter. + </p> + <p> + Jonas Prim was too busy and too worried to pay any attention to the + Tribune or its editor. He already had the best operative that the best + detective agency in the nearest metropolis could furnish. The man had come + to Oakdale, learned all that was to be learned there, and forthwith + departed. + </p> + <p> + This, then, will be about all concerning Oakdale for the present. We must + leave her to bury her own dead. + </p> + <p> + The sudden pressure of the knife point against the breast of the Oskaloosa + Kid awakened the youth with a startling suddenness which brought him to + his feet before a second vicious thrust reached him. For a time he did not + realize how close he had been to death or that he had been saved by the + chance location of the automatic pistol in his breast pocket—the + very pistol he had taken from the dressing table of Abigail Prim's + boudoir. + </p> + <p> + The commotion of the attack and escape brought the other sleepers to + heavy-eyed wakefulness. They saw Dopey Charlie advancing upon the Kid, a + knife in his hand. Behind him slunk The General, urging the other on. The + youth was backing toward the doorway. The tableau persisted but for an + instant. Then the would-be murderer rushed madly upon his victim, the + latter's hand leaped from beneath the breast of his torn coat—there + was a flash of flame, a staccato report and Dopey Charlie crumpled to the + ground, screaming. In the same instant The Oskaloosa Kid wheeled and + vanished into the night. + </p> + <p> + It had all happened so quickly that the other members of the gang, + awakened from deep slumber, had only time to stumble to their feet before + it was over. The Sky Pilot, ignoring the screaming Charlie, thought only + of the loot which had vanished with the Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + “Come on! We gotta get him,” he cried, as he ran from the barn after the + fugitive. The others, all but Dopey Charlie, followed in the wake of their + leader. The wounded man, his audience departed, ceased screaming and, + sitting up, fell to examining himself. To his surprise he discovered that + he was not dead. A further and more minute examination disclosed the + additional fact that he was not even badly wounded. The bullet of The Kid + had merely creased the flesh over the ribs beneath his right arm. With a + grunt that might have been either disgust or relief he stumbled to his + feet and joined in the pursuit. + </p> + <p> + Down the road toward the south ran The Oskaloosa Kid with all the + fleetness of youth spurred on by terror. In five minutes he had so far + outdistanced his pursuers that The Sky Pilot leaped to the conclusion that + the quarry had left the road to hide in an adjoining field. The resultant + halt and search upon either side of the road delayed the chase to a + sufficient extent to award the fugitive a mile lead by the time the band + resumed the hunt along the main highway. The men were determined to + overhaul the youth not alone because of the loot upon his person but + through an abiding suspicion that he might indeed be what some of them + feared he was—an amateur detective—and there were at least two + among them who had reason to be especially fearful of any sort of + detective from Oakdale. + </p> + <p> + They no longer ran; but puffed arduously along the smooth road, searching + with troubled and angry eyes to right and left and ahead of them as they + went. + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid puffed, too; but he puffed a mile away from the + searchers and he walked more rapidly than they, for his muscles were + younger and his wind unimpaired by dissipation. For a time he carried the + small automatic in his hand; but later, hearing no evidence of pursuit, he + returned it to the pocket in his coat where it had lain when it had saved + him from death beneath the blade of the degenerate Charlie. + </p> + <p> + For an hour he continued walking rapidly along the winding country road. + He was very tired; but he dared not pause to rest. Always behind him he + expected the sudden onslaught of the bearded, blear-eyed followers of The + Sky Pilot. Terror goaded him to supreme physical effort. Recollection of + the screaming man sinking to the earthen floor of the hay barn haunted + him. He was a murderer! He had slain a fellow man. He winced and + shuddered, increasing his gait until again he almost ran —ran from + the ghost pursuing him through the black night in greater terror than he + felt for the flesh and blood pursuers upon his heels. + </p> + <p> + And Nature drew upon her sinister forces to add to the fear which the + youth already felt. Black clouds obscured the moon blotting out the soft + kindliness of the greening fields and transforming the budding branches of + the trees to menacing and gloomy arms which appeared to hover with + clawlike talons above the dark and forbidding road. The wind soughed with + gloomy and increasing menace, a sudden light flared across the southern + sky followed by the reverberation of distant thunder. + </p> + <p> + Presently a great rain drop was blown against the youth's face; the + vividness of the lightning had increased; the rumbling of the thunder had + grown to the proportions of a titanic bombardment; but he dared not pause + to seek shelter. + </p> + <p> + Another flash of lightning revealed a fork in the road immediately ahead—to + the left ran the broad, smooth highway, to the right a dirt road, + overarched by trees, led away into the impenetrable dark. + </p> + <p> + The fugitive paused, undecided. Which way should he turn? The better + travelled highway seemed less mysterious and awesome, yet would his + pursuers not naturally assume that he had followed it? Then, of course, + the right hand road was the road for him. Yet still he hesitated, for the + right hand road was black and forbidding; suggesting the entrance to a pit + of unknown horrors. + </p> + <p> + As he stood there with the rain and the wind, the thunder and the + lightning, horror of the past and terror of the future his only companions + there broke suddenly through the storm the voice of a man just ahead and + evidently approaching along the highway. + </p> + <p> + The youth turned to flee; but the thought of the men tracking him from + that direction brought him to a sudden halt. There was only the road to + the right, then, after all. Cautiously he moved toward it, and at the same + time the words of the voice came clearly through the night: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “'... as, swinging heel and toe, + + 'We tramped the road to Anywhere, the magic road + + to Anywhere, + + 'The tragic road to Anywhere, such dear, dim years + + ago.'” + </pre> + <p> + The voice seemed reassuring—its quality and the annunciation of the + words bespoke for its owner considerable claim to refinement. The youth + had halted again, but he now crouched to one side fearing to reveal his + presence because of the bloody crime he thought he had committed; yet how + he yearned to throw himself upon the compassion of this fine voiced + stranger! How his every fibre cried out for companionship in this night of + his greatest terror; but he would have let the invisible minstrel pass had + not Fate ordained to light the scene at that particular instant with a + prolonged flare of sheet lightning, revealing the two wayfarers to one + another. + </p> + <p> + The youth saw a slight though well built man in ragged clothes and + disreputable soft hat. The image was photographed upon his brain for life—the + honest, laughing eyes, the well moulded features harmonizing so well with + the voice, and the impossible garments which marked the man hobo and bum + as plainly as though he wore a placard suspended from his neck. + </p> + <p> + The stranger halted. Once more darkness enveloped them. “Lovely evening + for a stroll,” remarked the man. “Running out to your country place? Isn't + there danger of skidding on these wet roads at night? I told James, just + before we started, to be sure to see that the chains were on all around; + but he forgot them. James is very trying sometimes. Now he never showed up + this evening and I had to start out alone, and he knows perfectly well + that I detest driving after dark in the rain.” + </p> + <p> + The youth found himself smiling. His fear had suddenly vanished. No one + could harbor suspicion of the owner of that cheerful voice. + </p> + <p> + “I didn't know which road to take,” he ventured, in explanation of his + presence at the cross road. + </p> + <p> + “Oh,” exclaimed the man, “are there two roads here? I was looking for this + fork and came near passing it in the dark. It was a year ago since I came + this way; but I recall a deserted house about a mile up the dirt road. It + will shelter us from the inclemencies of the weather.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh!” cried the youth. “Now I know where I am. In the dark and the storm + and after all that has happened to me tonight nothing seemed natural. It + was just as though I was in some strange land; but I know now. Yes, there + is a deserted house a little less than a mile from here; but you wouldn't + want to stop there at night. They tell some frightful stories about it. It + hasn't been occupied for over twenty years—not since the Squibbs + were found murdered there—the father, mother, three sons, and a + daughter. They never discovered the murderer, and the house has stood + vacant and the farm unworked almost continuously since. A couple of men + tried working it; but they didn't stay long. A night or so was enough for + them and their families. I remember hearing as a little—er—child + stories of the frightful things that happened there in the house where the + Squibbs were murdered—things that happened after dark when the + lights were out. Oh, I wouldn't even pass that place on a night like + this.” + </p> + <p> + The man smiled. “I slept there alone one rainy night about a year ago,” he + said. “I didn't see or hear anything unusual. Such stories are ridiculous; + and even if there was a little truth in them, noises can't harm you as + much as sleeping out in the storm. I'm going to encroach once more upon + the ghostly hospitality of the Squibbs. Better come with me.” + </p> + <p> + The youth shuddered and drew back. From far behind came faintly the shout + of a man. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, I'll go,” exclaimed the boy. “Let's hurry,” and he started off at a + half-run toward the dirt road. + </p> + <p> + The man followed more slowly. The darkness hid the quizzical expression of + his eyes. He, too, had heard the faint shout far to the rear. He recalled + the boy's “after all that has happened to me tonight,” and he shrewdly + guessed that the latter's sudden determination to brave the horrors of the + haunted house was closely connected with the hoarse voice out of the + distance. + </p> + <p> + When he had finally come abreast of the youth after the latter, his first + panic of flight subsided, had reduced his speed, he spoke to him in his + kindly tones. + </p> + <p> + “What was it that happened to you to-night?” he asked. “Is someone + following you? You needn't be afraid of me. I'll help you if you've been + on the square. If you haven't, you still needn't fear me, for I won't + peach on you. What is it? Tell me.” + </p> + <p> + The youth was on the point of unburdening his soul to this stranger with + the kindly voice and the honest eyes; but a sudden fear stayed his tongue. + If he told all it would be necessary to reveal certain details that he + could not bring himself to reveal to anyone, and so he commenced with his + introduction to the wayfarers in the deserted hay barn. Briefly he told of + the attack upon him, of his shooting of Dopey Charlie, of the flight and + pursuit. “And now,” he said in conclusion, “that you know I'm a murderer I + suppose you won't have any more to do with me, unless you turn me over to + the authorities to hang.” There was almost a sob in his voice, so real was + his terror. + </p> + <p> + The man threw an arm across his companion's shoulder. “Don't worry, kid,” + he said. “You're not a murderer even if you did kill Dopey Charlie, which + I hope you did. You're a benefactor of the human race. I have known + Charles for years. He should have been killed long since. Furthermore, as + you shot in self defence no jury would convict you. I fear, however, that + you didn't kill him. You say you could hear his screams as long as you + were within earshot of the barn—dead men don't scream, you know.” + </p> + <p> + “How did you know my name?” asked the youth. + </p> + <p> + “I don't,” replied the man. + </p> + <p> + “But you called me 'Kid' and that's my name—I'm The Oskaloosa Kid.” + </p> + <p> + The man was glad that the darkness hid his smile of amusement. He knew The + Oskaloosa Kid well, and he knew him as an ex-pug with a pock marked face, + a bullet head, and a tin ear. The flash of lightning had revealed, upon + the contrary, a slender boy with smooth skin, an oval face, and large dark + eyes. + </p> + <p> + “Ah,” he said, “so you are The Oskaloosa Kid! I am delighted, sir, to make + your acquaintance. Permit me to introduce myself: my name is Bridge. If + James were here I should ask him to mix one of his famous cocktails that + we might drink to our mutual happiness and the longevity of our + friendship.” + </p> + <p> + “I am glad to know you, Mr. Bridge,” said the youth. “Oh, I can't tell you + how glad I am to know you. I was so lonely and so afraid,” and he pressed + closer to the older man whose arm still encircled his shoulder, though at + first he had been inclined to draw away in some confusion. + </p> + <p> + Talking together the two moved on along the dark road. The storm had + settled now into a steady rain with infrequent flashes of lightning and + peals of thunder. There had been no further indications of pursuit; but + Bridge argued that The Sky Pilot, being wise with the wisdom of the owl + and cunning with the cunning of the fox, would doubtless surmise that a + fugitive would take to the first road leading away from the main artery, + and that even though they heard nothing it would be safe to assume that + the gang was still upon the boy's trail. “And it's a bad bunch, too,” he + continued. “I've known them all for years. The Sky Pilot has the + reputation of never countenancing a murder; but that is because he is a + sly one. His gang kills; but when they kill under The Sky Pilot they do it + so cleverly that no trace of the crime remains. Their victim disappears—that + is all.” + </p> + <p> + The boy trembled. “You won't let them get me?” he pleaded, pressing closer + to the man. The only response was a pressure of the arm about the + shoulders of The Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + Over a low hill they followed the muddy road and down into a dark and + gloomy ravine. In a little open space to the right of the road a flash of + lightning revealed the outlines of a building a hundred yards from the + rickety and decaying fence which bordered the Squibbs' farm and separated + it from the road. + </p> + <p> + “Here we are!” cried Bridge, “and spooks or no spooks we'll find a dry + spot in that old ruin. There was a stove there last year and it's + doubtless there yet. A good fire to dry our clothes and warm us up will + fit us for a bully good sleep, and I'll wager a silk hat that The + Oskaloosa Kid is a mighty sleepy kid, eh?” + </p> + <p> + The boy admitted the allegation and the two turned in through the gateway, + stepping over the fallen gate and moving through knee high weeds toward + the forbidding structure in the distance. A clump of trees surrounded the + house, their shade adding to the almost utter blackness of the night. + </p> + <p> + The two had reached the verandah when Bridge, turning, saw a brilliant + light flaring through the night above the crest of the hill they had just + topped in their descent into the ravine, or, to be more explicit, the + small valley, where stood the crumbling house of Squibbs. The purr of a + rapidly moving motor rose above the rain, the light rose, fell, swerved to + the right and to the left. + </p> + <p> + “Someone must be in a hurry,” commented Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “I suppose it is James, anxious to find you and explain his absence,” + suggested The Oskaloosa Kid. They both laughed. + </p> + <p> + “Gad!” cried Bridge, as the car topped the hill and plunged downward + toward them, “I'd hate to ride behind that fellow on a night like this, + and over a dirt road at that!” + </p> + <p> + As the car swung onto the straight road before the house a flash of + lightning revealed dimly the outlines of a rapidly moving touring car with + lowered top. Just as the machine came opposite the Squibbs' gate a woman's + scream mingled with the report of a pistol from the tonneau and the + watchers upon the verandah saw a dark bulk hurled from the car, which sped + on with undiminished speed, climbed the hill beyond and disappeared from + view. + </p> + <p> + Bridge started on a run toward the gateway, followed by the frightened + Kid. In the ditch beside the road they found in a dishevelled heap the + body of a young woman. The man lifted the still form in his arms. The + youth wondered at the great strength of the slight figure. “Let me help + you carry her,” he volunteered; but Bridge needed no assistance. “Run + ahead and open the door for me,” he said, as he bore his burden toward the + house. + </p> + <p> + Forgetful, in the excitement of the moment, of his terror of the horror + ridden ruin, The Oskaloosa Kid hastened ahead, mounted the few steps to + the verandah, crossed it and pushed open the sagging door. Behind him came + Bridge as the youth entered the dark interior. A half dozen steps he took + when his foot struck against a soft and yielding mass. Stumbling, he tried + to regain his equilibrium only to drop full upon the thing beneath him. + One open palm, extended to ease his fall, fell upon the upturned features + of a cold and clammy face. With a shriek of horror The Kid leaped to his + feet and shrank, trembling, back. + </p> + <p> + “What is it? What's the matter?” cried Bridge, with whom The Kid had + collided in his precipitate retreat. + </p> + <p> + “O-o-o!” groaned The Kid, shuddering. “It's dead! It's dead!” + </p> + <p> + “What's dead?” demanded Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “There's a dead man on the floor, right ahead of us,” moaned The Kid. + </p> + <p> + “You'll find a flash lamp in the right hand pocket of my coat,” directed + Bridge. “Take it and make a light.” + </p> + <p> + With trembling fingers the Kid did as he was bid, and when after much + fumbling he found the button a slim shaft of white light fell downward + upon the upturned face of a man cold in death—a little man, + strangely garbed, with gold rings in his ears, and long black hair matted + in the death sweat of his brow. His eyes were wide and, even in death, + terror filled, his features were distorted with fear and horror. His + fingers, clenched in the rigidity of death, clutched wisps of dark brown + hair. There were no indications of a wound or other violence upon his + body, that either the Kid or Bridge could see, except the dried remains of + bloody froth which flecked his lips. + </p> + <p> + Bridge still stood holding the quiet form of the girl in his arms, while + The Kid, pressed close to the man's side, clutched one arm with a fierce + intensity which bespoke at once the nervous terror which filled him and + the reliance he placed upon his new found friend. + </p> + <p> + To their right, in the faint light of the flash lamp, a narrow stairway + was revealed leading to the second story. Straight ahead was a door + opening upon the blackness of a rear apartment. Beside the foot of the + stairway was another door leading to the cellar steps. + </p> + <p> + Bridge nodded toward the rear room. “The stove is in there,” he said. + “We'd better go on and make a fire. Draw your pistol—whoever did + this has probably beat it; but it's just as well to be on the safe side.” + </p> + <p> + “I'm afraid,” said The Oskaloosa Kid. “Let's leave this frightful place. + It's just as I told you it was; just as I always heard.” + </p> + <p> + “We can't leave this woman, my boy,” replied Bridge. “She isn't dead. We + can't leave her, and we can't take her out into the storm in her + condition. We must stay. Come! buck up. There's nothing to fear from a + dead man, and—” + </p> + <p> + He never finished the sentence. From the depths of the cellar came the + sound of a clanking chain. Something scratched heavily upon the wooden + steps. Whatever it was it was evidently ascending, while behind it clanked + the heavy links of a dragged chain. + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid cast a wide eyed glance of terror at Bridge. His lips + moved in an attempt to speak; but fear rendered him inarticulate. Slowly, + ponderously the THING ascended the dark stairs from the gloom ridden + cellar of the deserted ruin. Even Bridge paled a trifle. The man upon the + floor appeared to have met an unnatural death—the frightful + expression frozen upon the dead face might even indicate something verging + upon the supernatural. The sound of the THING climbing out of the cellar + was indeed uncanny—so uncanny that Bridge discovered himself looking + about for some means of escape. His eyes fell upon the stairway leading to + the second floor. + </p> + <p> + “Quick!” he whispered. “Up the stairs! You go first; I'll follow.” + </p> + <p> + The Kid needed no second invitation. With a bound he was half way up the + rickety staircase; but a glance ahead at the darkness above gave him pause + while he waited for Bridge to catch up with him. Coming more slowly with + his burden the man followed the boy, while from below the clanking of the + chain warned them that the THING was already at the top of the cellar + stairs. + </p> + <p> + “Flash the lamp down there,” directed Bridge. “Let's have a look at it, + whatever it is.” + </p> + <p> + With trembling hands The Oskaloosa Kid directed the lens over the edge of + the swaying and rotting bannister. His finger slipped from the lighting + button plunging them all into darkness. In his frantic effort to find the + button and relight the lamp the worst occurred—he fumbled the button + and the lamp slipped through his fingers, falling over the bannister to + the floor below. Instantly the sound of the dragging chain ceased; but the + silence was even more horrible than the noise which had preceded it. + </p> + <p> + For a long minute the two at the head of the stairs stood in tense silence + listening for a repetition of the gruesome sounds from below. The youth + was frankly terrified; he made no effort to conceal the fact; but pressed + close to his companion, again clutching his arm tightly. Bridge could feel + the trembling of the slight figure, the spasmodic gripping of the slender + fingers and hear the quick, short, irregular breathing. A sudden impulse + to throw a protecting arm about the boy seized him—an impulse which + he could not quite fathom, and one to which he could not respond because + of the body of the girl he carried. + </p> + <p> + He bent toward the youth. “There are matches in my coat pocket,” he + whispered, “—the same pocket in which you found the flash lamp. + Strike one and we'll look for a room here where we can lay the girl.” + </p> + <p> + The boy fumbled gropingly in search of the matches. It was evident to the + man that it was only with the greatest exertion of will power that he + controlled his muscles at all; but at last he succeeded in finding and + striking one. At the flare of the light there was a sound from below—a + scratching sound and the creaking of boards as beneath a heavy body; then + came the clanking of the chain once more, and the bannister against which + they leaned shook as though a hand had been laid upon it below them. The + youth stifled a shriek and simultaneously the match went out; but not + before Bridge had seen in the momentary flare of light a partially open + door at the far end of the hall in which they stood. + </p> + <p> + Beneath them the stairs creaked now and the chain thumped slowly from one + to another as it was dragged upward toward them. + </p> + <p> + “Quick!” called Bridge. “Straight down the hall and into the room at the + end.” The man was puzzled. He could not have been said to have been + actually afraid, and yet the terror of the boy was so intense, so real, + that it could scarce but have had its suggestive effect upon the other; + and, too, there was an uncanny element of the supernatural in what they + had seen and heard in the deserted house—the dead man on the floor + below, the inexplicable clanking of a chain by some unseen THING from the + depth of the cellar upward toward them; and, to heighten the effect of + these, there were the grim stories of unsolved tragedy and crime. All in + all Bridge could not have denied that he was glad of the room at the end + of the hall with its suggestion of safety in the door which might be + closed against the horrors of the hall and the Stygian gloom below stairs. + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid was staggering ahead of him, scarce able to hold his + body erect upon his shaking knees—his gait seemed pitifully slow to + the unarmed man carrying the unconscious girl and listening to the chain + dragging ever nearer and nearer behind; but at last they reached the + doorway and passed through it into the room. + </p> + <p> + “Close the door,” directed Bridge as he crossed toward the center of the + room to lay his burden upon the floor, but there was no response to his + instructions—only a gasp and the sound of a body slumping to the + rotting boards. With an exclamation of chagrin the man dropped the girl + and swung quickly toward the door. Halfway down the hall he could hear the + chain rattling over loose planking, the THING, whatever it might be, was + close upon them. Bridge slammed-to the door and with a shoulder against it + drew a match from his pocket and lighted it. Although his clothing was + soggy with rain he knew that his matches would still be dry, for this + pocket and its flap he had ingeniously lined with waterproof material from + a discarded slicker he had found—years of tramping having taught him + the discomforts of a fireless camp. + </p> + <p> + In the resultant light the man saw with a quick glance a large room + furnished with an old walnut bed, dresser, and commode; two lightless + windows opened at the far end toward the road, Bridge assumed; and there + was no door other than that against which he leaned. In the last flicker + of the match the man scanned the door itself for a lock and, to his + relief, discovered a bolt—old and rusty it was, but it still moved + in its sleeve. An instant later it was shot—just as the sound of the + dragging chain ceased outside. Near the door was the great bed, and this + Bridge dragged before it as an additional barricade; then, bearing nothing + more from the hallway, he turned his attention to the two unconscious + forms upon the floor. Unhesitatingly he went to the boy first though had + he questioned himself he could not have told why; for the youth, + undoubtedly, had only swooned, while the girl had been the victim of a + murderous assault and might even be at the point of death. + </p> + <p> + What was the appeal to the man in the pseudo Oskaloosa Kid? He had scarce + seen the boy's face, yet the terrified figure had aroused within him, + strongly, the protective instinct. Doubtless it was the call of youth and + weakness which find, always, an answering assurance in the strength of a + strong man. + </p> + <p> + As Bridge groped toward the spot where the boy had fallen his eyes, now + become accustomed to the darkness of the room, saw that the youth was + sitting up. “Well?” he asked. “Feeling better?” + </p> + <p> + “Where is it? Oh, God! Where is it?” cried the boy. “It will come in here + and kill us as it killed that—that—down stairs.” + </p> + <p> + “It can't get in,” Bridge assured him. “I've locked the door and pushed + the bed in front of it. Gad! I feel like an old maid looking under the bed + for burglars.” + </p> + <p> + From the hall came a sudden clanking of the chain accompanied by a loud + pounding upon the bare floor. With a scream the youth leaped to his feet + and almost threw himself upon Bridge. His arms were about the man's neck, + his face buried in his shoulder. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, don't—don't let it get me!” he cried. + </p> + <p> + “Brace up, son,” Bridge admonished him. “Didn't I tell you that it can't + get in?” + </p> + <p> + “How do you know it can't get in?” whimpered the youth. “It's the thing + that murdered the man down stairs—it's the thing that murdered the + Squibbs—right here in this room. It got in to them—what is to + prevent its getting in to us. What are doors to such a THING?” + </p> + <p> + “Come! come! now,” Bridge tried to soothe him. “You have a case of nerves. + Lie down here on this bed and try to sleep. Nothing shall harm you, and + when you wake up it will be morning and you'll laugh at your fears.” + </p> + <p> + “Lie on THAT bed!” The voice was almost a shriek. “That is the bed the + Squibbs were murdered in—the old man and his wife. No one would have + it, and so it has remained here all these years. I would rather die than + touch the thing. Their blood is still upon it.” + </p> + <p> + “I wish,” said Bridge a trifle sternly, “that you would try to control + yourself a bit. Hysteria won't help us any. Here we are, and we've to make + the best of it. Besides we must look after this young woman—she may + be dying, and we haven't done a thing to help her.” + </p> + <p> + The boy, evidently shamed, released his hold upon Bridge and moved away. + “I am sorry,” he said. “I'll try to do better; but, Oh! I was so + frightened. You cannot imagine how frightened I was.” + </p> + <p> + “I had imagined,” said Bridge, “from what I had heard of him that it would + be a rather difficult thing to frighten The Oskaloosa Kid—you have, + you know, rather a reputation for fearlessness.” + </p> + <p> + The darkness hid the scarlet flush which mantled The Kid's face. There was + a moment's silence as Bridge crossed to where the young woman still lay + upon the floor where he had deposited her. Then The Kid spoke. “I'm + sorry,” he said, “that I made a fool of myself. You have been so brave, + and I have not helped at all. I shall do better now.” + </p> + <p> + “Good,” said Bridge, and stooped to raise the young woman in his arms and + deposit her upon the bed. Then he struck another match and leaned close to + examine her. The flare of the sulphur illuminated the room and shot two + rectangles of light against the outer blackness where the unglazed windows + stared vacantly upon the road beyond, bringing to a sudden halt a little + company of muddy and bedraggled men who slipped, cursing, along the slimy + way. + </p> + <p> + Bridge felt the youth close beside him as he bent above the girl upon the + bed. + </p> + <p> + “Is she dead?” the lad whispered. + </p> + <p> + “No,” replied Bridge, “and I doubt if she's badly hurt.” His hands ran + quickly over her limbs, bending and twisting them gently; he unbuttoned + her waist, getting the boy to strike and hold another match while he + examined the victim for signs of a bullet wound. + </p> + <p> + “I can't find a scratch on her,” he said at last. “She's suffering from + shock alone, as far as I can judge. Say, she's pretty, isn't she?” + </p> + <p> + The youth drew himself rather stiffly erect. “Her features are rather + coarse, I think,” he replied. There was a peculiar quality to the tone + which caused Bridge to turn a quick look at the boy's face, just as the + match flickered and went out. The darkness hid the expression upon + Bridge's face, but his conviction that the girl was pretty was unaltered. + The light of the match had revealed an oval face surrounded by dark, + dishevelled tresses, red, full lips, and large, dark eyes. + </p> + <p> + Further discussion of the young woman was discouraged by a repetition of + the clanking of the chain without. Now it was receding along the hallway + toward the stairs and presently, to the infinite relief of The Oskaloosa + Kid, the two heard it descending to the lower floor. + </p> + <p> + “What was it, do you think?” asked the boy, his voice still trembling upon + the verge of hysteria. + </p> + <p> + “I don't know,” replied Bridge. “I've never been a believer in ghosts and + I'm not now; but I'll admit that it takes a whole lot of—” + </p> + <p> + He did not finish the sentence for a moan from the bed diverted his + attention to the injured girl, toward whom he now turned. As they listened + for a repetition of the sound there came another—that of the + creaking of the old bed slats as the girl moved upon the mildewed + mattress. Dimly, through the darkness, Bridge saw that the victim of the + recent murderous assault was attempting to sit up. He moved closer and + leaned above her. + </p> + <p> + “I wouldn't exert myself,” he said. “You've just suffered an accident, and + it's better that you remain quiet.” + </p> + <p> + “Who are you?” asked the girl, a note of suppressed terror in her voice. + “You are not—?” + </p> + <p> + “I am no one you know,” replied Bridge. “My friend and I chanced to be + near when you fell from the car—” with that innate refinement which + always belied his vocation and his rags Bridge chose not to embarrass the + girl by a too intimate knowledge of the thing which had befallen her, + preferring to leave to her own volition the making of any explanation she + saw fit, or of none—“and we carried you in here out of the storm.” + </p> + <p> + The girl was silent for a moment. “Where is 'here'?” she asked presently. + “They drove so fast and it was so dark that I had no idea where we were, + though I know that we left the turnpike.” + </p> + <p> + “We are at the old Squibbs place,” replied the man. He could see that the + girl was running one hand gingerly over her head and face, so that her + next question did not surprise him. + </p> + <p> + “Am I badly wounded?” she asked. “Do you think that I am going to die?” + The tremor in her voice was pathetic—it was the voice of a + frightened and wondering child. Bridge heard the boy behind him move + impulsively forward and saw him kneel on the bed beside the girl. + </p> + <p> + “You are not badly hurt,” volunteered The Oskaloosa Kid. “Bridge couldn't + find a mark on you—the bullet must have missed you.” + </p> + <p> + “He was holding me over the edge of the car when he fired.” The girl's + voice reflected the physical shudder which ran through her frame at the + recollection. “Then he threw me out almost simultaneously. I suppose he + thought that he could not miss at such close range.” For a time she was + silent again, sitting stiffly erect. Bridge could feel rather than see + wide, tense eyes staring out through the darkness upon scenes, horrible + perhaps, that were invisible to him and the Kid. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly the girl turned and threw herself face downward upon the bed. “O, + God!” she moaned. “Father! Father! It will kill you—no one will + believe me—they will think that I am bad. I didn't do it! I didn't + do it! I've been a silly little fool; but I have never been a bad girl—and—-and—I + had nothing to do with that awful thing that happened to-night.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge and the boy realized that she was not talking to them—that + for the moment she had lost sight of their presence—she was talking + to that father whose heart would be breaking with the breaking of the new + day, trying to convince him that his little girl had done no wrong. + </p> + <p> + Again she sat up, and when she spoke there was no tremor in her voice. + </p> + <p> + “I may die,” she said. “I want to die. I do not see how I can go on living + after last night; but if I do die I want my father to know that I had + nothing to do with it and that they tried to kill me because I wouldn't + promise to keep still. It was the little one who murdered him—the + one they called 'Jimmie' and 'The Oskaloosa Kid.' The big one drove the + car—his name was 'Terry.' After they killed him I tried to jump out—I + had been sitting in front with Terry—and then they dragged me over + into the tonneau and later—the Oskaloosa Kid tried to kill me too, + and threw me out.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge heard the boy at his side gulp. The girl went on. + </p> + <p> + “To-morrow you will know about the murder—everyone will know about + it; and I will be missed; and there will be people who saw me in the car + with them, for someone must have seen me. Oh, I can't face it! I want to + die. I will die! I come of a good family. My father is a prominent man. I + can't go back and stand the disgrace and see him suffer, as he will + suffer, for I was all he had—his only child. I can't bear to tell + you my name—you will know it soon enough—but please find some + way to let my father know all that I have told you—I swear that it + is the truth—by the memory of my dead mother, I swear it!” + </p> + <p> + Bridge laid a hand upon the girl's shoulder. “If you are telling us the + truth,” he said, “you have only a silly escapade with strange men upon + your conscience. You must not talk of dying now—your duty is to your + father. If you take your own life it will be a tacit admission of guilt + and will only serve to double the burden of sorrow and ignominy which your + father is bound to feel when this thing becomes public, as it certainly + must if a murder has been done. The only way in which you can atone for + your error is to go back and face the consequences with him—do not + throw it all upon him; that would be cowardly.” + </p> + <p> + The girl did not reply; but that the man's words had impressed her seemed + evident. For a while each was occupied with his own thoughts; which were + presently disturbed by the sound of footsteps upon the floor below—the + muffled scraping of many feet followed a moment later by an exclamation + and an oath, the words coming distinctly through the loose and splintered + flooring. + </p> + <p> + “Pipe the stiff,” exclaimed a voice which The Oskaloosa Kid recognized + immediately as that of Soup Face. + </p> + <p> + “The Kid musta croaked him,” said another. + </p> + <p> + A laugh followed this evidently witty sally. + </p> + <p> + “The guy probably lamped the swag an' died of heart failure,” suggested + another. + </p> + <p> + The men were still laughing when the sound of a clanking chain echoed + dismally from the cellar. Instantly silence fell upon the newcomers upon + the first floor, followed by a—“Wotinel's that?” Two of the men had + approached the staircase and started to ascend it. Slowly the uncanny + clanking drew closer to the first floor. The girl on the bed turned toward + Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “What is it?” she gasped. + </p> + <p> + “We don't know,” replied the man. “It followed us up here, or rather it + chased us up; and then went down again just before you regained + consciousness. I imagine we shall hear some interesting developments from + below.” + </p> + <p> + “It's The Sky Pilot and his gang,” whispered The Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + “It's The Oskaloosa Kid,” came a voice from below. + </p> + <p> + “But wot was that light upstairs then?” queried another. + </p> + <p> + “An' wot croaked this guy here?” asked a third. “It wasn't nothin' nice—did + you get the expression on his mug an' the red foam on his lips? I tell + youse there's something in this house beside human bein's. I know the + joint—it's hanted—they's spooks in it. Gawd! there it is now,” + as the clanking rose to the head of the cellar stairs; and those above + heard a sudden rush of footsteps as the men broke for the open air—all + but the two upon the stairway. They had remained too long and now, their + retreat cut off, they scrambled, cursing and screaming, to the second + floor. + </p> + <p> + Along the hallway they rushed to the closed door at the end—the door + of the room in which the three listened breathlessly—hurling + themselves against it in violent effort to gain admission. + </p> + <p> + “Who are you and what do you want?” cried Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “Let us in! Let us in!” screamed two voices. “Fer God's sake let us in. + Can't you hear IT? It'll be comin' up here in a minute.” + </p> + <p> + The sound of the dragging chain could be heard at intervals upon the floor + below. It seemed to the tense listeners above to pause beside the dead man + as though hovering in gloating exultation above its gruesome prey and then + it moved again, this time toward the stairway where they all heard it + ascending with a creepy slowness which wrought more terribly upon tense + nerves than would a sudden rush. + </p> + <p> + “The mills of the Gods grind slowly,” quoted Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, don't!” pleaded The Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + “Let us in,” screamed the men without. “Fer the luv o' Mike have a heart! + Don't leave us out here! IT's comin'! IT's comin'!” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, let the poor things in,” pleaded the girl on the bed. She was, + herself, trembling with terror. + </p> + <p> + “No funny business, now, if I let you in,” commanded Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “On the square,” came the quick and earnest reply. + </p> + <p> + The THING had reached the head of the stairs when Bridge dragged the bed + aside and drew the bolt. Instantly two figures hurled themselves into the + room but turned immediately to help Bridge resecure the doorway. + </p> + <p> + Just as it had done before, when Bridge and The Oskaloosa Kid had taken + refuge there with the girl, the THING moved down the hallway to the closed + door. The dragging chain marked each foot of its advance. If it made other + sounds they were drowned by the clanking of the links over the time + roughened flooring. + </p> + <p> + Within the room the five were frozen into utter silence, and beyond the + door an equal quiet prevailed for a long minute; then a great force made + the door creak and a weird scratching sounded high up upon the old + fashioned panelling. Bridge heard a smothered gasp from the boy beside + him, followed instantly by a flash of flame and the crack of a small + caliber automatic; The Oskaloosa Kid had fired through the door. + </p> + <p> + Bridge seized the boy's arm and wrenched the weapon from him. “Be + careful!” he cried. “You'll hurt someone. You didn't miss the girl much + that time—she's on the bed right in front of the door.” + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid pressed closer to the man as though he sought protection + from the unknown menace without. The girl sprang from the bed and crossed + to the opposite side of the room. A flash of lightning illuminated the + chamber for an instant and the roof of the verandah without. The girl + noted the latter and the open window. + </p> + <p> + “Look!” she cried. “Suppose it went out of another window upon this porch. + It could get us so easily that way!” + </p> + <p> + “Shut up, you fool!” whispered one of the two newcomers. “It might hear + you.” The girl subsided into silence. + </p> + <p> + There was no sound from the hallway. + </p> + <p> + “I reckon you croaked IT,” suggested the second newcomer, hopefully; but, + as though the THING without had heard and understood, the clanking of the + chain recommenced at once; but now it was retreating along the hallway, + and soon they heard it descending the stairs. + </p> + <p> + Sighs of relief escaped more than a single pair of lips. “IT didn't hear + me,” whispered the girl. + </p> + <p> + Bridge laughed. “We're a nice lot of babies seeing things at night,” he + scoffed. + </p> + <p> + “If you're so nervy why don't you go down an' see wot it is?” asked one of + the late arrivals. + </p> + <p> + “I believe I shall,” replied Bridge and pulled the bed away from the door. + </p> + <p> + Instantly a chorus of protests arose, the girl and The Oskaloosa Kid being + most insistent. What was the use? What good could he accomplish? It might + be nothing; yet on the other hand what had brought death so horribly to + the cold clay on the floor below? At last their pleas prevailed and Bridge + replaced the bed before the door. + </p> + <p> + For two hours the five sat about the room waiting for daylight. There + could be no sleep for any of them. Occasionally they spoke, usually + advancing and refuting suggestions as to the identity of the nocturnal + prowler below-stairs. The THING seemed to have retreated again to the + cellar, leaving the upper floor to the five strangely assorted prisoners + and the first floor to the dead man. + </p> + <p> + During the brief intervals of conversation the girl repeated snatches of + her story and once she mentioned The Oskaloosa Kid as the murderer of the + unnamed victim. The two men who had come last pricked up their ears at + this and Bridge felt the boy's hand just touch his arm as though in mute + appeal for belief and protection. The man half smiled. + </p> + <p> + “We seen The Oskaloosa Kid this evenin',” volunteered one of the + newcomers. + </p> + <p> + “You did?” exclaimed the girl. “Where?” + </p> + <p> + “He'd just pulled off a job in Oakdale an' had his pockets bulgin' wid + sparklers an' kale. We was follerin' him an' when we seen your light up + here we t'ought it was him.” + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid shrank closer to Bridge. At last he recognized the voice + of the speaker. While he had known that the two were of The Sky Pilot's + band he had not been sure of the identity of either; but now it was borne + in upon him that at least one of them was the last person on earth he + cared to be cooped up in a small, unlighted room with, and a moment later + when one of the two rolled a 'smoke' and lighted it he saw in the flare of + the flame the features of both Dopey Charlie and The General. The + Oskaloosa Kid gasped once more for the thousandth time that night. + </p> + <p> + It had been Dopey Charlie who lighted the cigaret and in the brief + illumination his friend The General had grasped the opportunity to scan + the features of the other members of the party. Schooled by long years of + repression he betrayed none of the surprise or elation he felt when he + recognized the features of The Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + If The General was elated The Oskaloosa Kid was at once relieved and + terrified. Relieved by ocular proof that he was not a murderer and + terrified by the immediate presence of the two who had sought his life. + </p> + <p> + His cigaret drawing well Dopey Charlie resumed: “This Oskaloosa Kid's a + bad actor,” he volunteered. “The little shrimp tried to croak me; but he + only creased my ribs. I'd like to lay my mits on him. I'll bet there won't + be no more Oskaloosa Kid when I get done wit him.” + </p> + <p> + The boy drew Bridge's ear down toward his own lips. “Let's go,” he said. + “I don't hear anything more downstairs, or maybe we could get out on this + roof and slide down the porch pillars.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge laid a strong, warm hand on the small, cold one of his new friend. + </p> + <p> + “Don't worry, Kid,” he said. “I'm for you.” + </p> + <p> + The two other men turned quickly in the direction of the speaker. + </p> + <p> + “Is de Kid here?” asked Dopey Charlie. + </p> + <p> + “He is, my degenerate friend,” replied Bridge; “and furthermore he's going + to stay here and be perfectly safe. Do you grasp me?” + </p> + <p> + “Who are you?” asked The General. + </p> + <p> + “That is a long story,” replied Bridge; “but if you chance to recall Dink + and Crumb you may also be able to visualize one Billy Burke and Billy + Byrne and his side partner, Bridge. Yes? Well, I am the side partner.” + </p> + <p> + Before the yeggman could make reply the girl spoke up quickly. “This man + cannot be The Oskaloosa Kid,” she said. “It was The Oskaloosa Kid who + threw me from the car.” + </p> + <p> + “How do you know he ain't?” queried The General. “Youse was knocked out + when these guys picks you up. It's so dark in here you couldn't reco'nize + no one. How do you know this here bird ain't The Oskaloosa Kid, eh?” + </p> + <p> + “I have heard both these men speak,” replied the girl; “their voices were + not those of any men I have known. If one of them is The Oskaloosa Kid + then there must be two men called that. Strike a match and you will see + that you are mistaken.” + </p> + <p> + The General fumbled in an inside pocket for a package of matches carefully + wrapped against possible damage by rain. Presently he struck one and held + the light in the direction of The Kid's face while he and the girl and + Dopey Charlie leaned forward to scrutinize the youth's features. + </p> + <p> + “It's him all right,” said Dopey Charlie. + </p> + <p> + “You bet it is,” seconded The General. + </p> + <p> + “Why he's only a boy,” ejaculated the girl. “The one who threw me from the + machine was a man.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, this one said he was The Oskaloosa Kid,” persisted The General. + </p> + <p> + “An' he shot me up,” growled Dopey Charlie. + </p> + <p> + “It's too bad he didn't kill you,” remarked Bridge pleasantly. “You're a + thief and probably a murderer into the bargain—you tried to kill + this boy just before he shot you.” + </p> + <p> + “Well wot's he?” demanded Dopey Charlie. “He's a thief—he said he + was—look in his pockets—they're crammed wid swag, an' he's a + gun-man, too, or he wouldn't be packin' a gat. I guess he ain't got + nothin' on me.” + </p> + <p> + The darkness hid the scarlet flush which mounted to the boy's cheeks—so + hot that he thought it must surely glow redly through the night. He waited + in dumb misery for Bridge to demand the proof of his guilt. Earlier in the + evening he had flaunted the evidence of his crime in the faces of the six + hobos; but now he suddenly felt a great shame that his new found friend + should believe him a house-breaker. + </p> + <p> + But Bridge did not ask for any substantiation of Charlie's charges, he + merely warned the two yeggmen that they would have to leave the boy alone + and in the morning, when the storm had passed and daylight had lessened + the unknown danger which lurked below-stairs, betake themselves upon their + way. + </p> + <p> + “And while we're here together in this room you two must sit over near the + window,” he concluded. “You've tried to kill the boy once to-night; but + you're not going to try it again—I'm taking care of him now.” + </p> + <p> + “You gotta crust, bo,” observed Dopey Charlie, belligerently. “I guess me + an' The General'll sit where we damn please, an' youse can take it from me + on the side that we're goin' to have ours out of The Kid's haul. If you + tink you're goin' to cop the whole cheese you got another tink comin'.” + </p> + <p> + “You are banking,” replied Bridge, “on the well known fact that I never + carry a gun; but you fail to perceive, owing to the Stygian gloom which + surrounds us, that I have the Kid's automatic in my gun hand and that the + business end of it is carefully aiming in your direction.” + </p> + <p> + “Cheese it,” The General advised his companion; and the two removed + themselves to the opposite side of the apartment, where they whispered, + grumblingly, to one another. + </p> + <p> + The girl, the boy, and Bridge waited as patiently as they could for the + coming of the dawn, talking of the events of the night and planning + against the future. Bridge advised the girl to return at once to her + father; but this she resolutely refused to do, admitting with utmost + candor that she lacked the courage to face her friends even though her + father might still believe in her. + </p> + <p> + The youth begged that he might accompany Bridge upon the road, pleading + that his mother was dead and that he could not return home after his + escapade. And Bridge could not find it in his heart to refuse him, for the + man realized that the boyish waif possessed a subtile attraction, as + forceful as it was inexplicable. Not since he had followed the open road + in company with Billy Byrne had Bridge met one with whom he might care to + 'Pal' before The Kid crossed his path on the dark and storm swept pike + south of Oakdale. + </p> + <p> + In Byrne, mucker, pugilist, and MAN, Bridge had found a physical and moral + counterpart of himself, for the slender Bridge was muscled as a Greek god, + while the stocky Byrne, metamorphosed by the fire of a woman's love, + possessed all the chivalry of the care free tramp whose vagabondage had + never succeeded in submerging the evidences of his cultural birthright. + </p> + <p> + In the youth Bridge found an intellectual equal with the added charm of a + physical dependent. The man did not attempt to fathom the evident appeal + of the other's tacitly acknowledged cowardice; he merely knew that he + would not have had the youth otherwise if he could have changed him. + Ordinarily he accepted male cowardice with the resignation of surfeited + disgust; but in the case of The Oskaloosa Kid he realized a certain + artless charm which but tended to strengthen his liking for the youth, so + brazen and unaffected was the boy's admission of his terror of both the + real and the unreal menaces of this night of horror. + </p> + <p> + That the girl also was well bred was quite evident to Bridge, while both + the girl and the youth realized the refinement of the strange companion + and protector which Fate had ordered for them, while they also saw in one + another social counterparts of themselves. Thus, as the night dragged its + slow course, the three came to trust each other more entirely and to + speculate upon the strange train of circumstances which had brought them + thus remarkably together—the thief, the murderer's accomplice, and + the vagabond. + </p> + <p> + It was during a period of thoughtful silence when the night was darkest + just before the dawn and the rain had settled to a dismal drizzle + unrelieved by lightning or by thunder that the five occupants of the room + were suddenly startled by a strange pattering sound from the floor below. + It was as the questioning fall of a child's feet upon the uncarpeted + boards in the room beneath them. Frozen to silent rigidity, the five sat + straining every faculty to catch the minutest sound from the black void + where the dead man lay, and as they listened there came up to them, + mingled with the inexplicable footsteps, the hollow reverberation from the + dank cellar—the hideous dragging of the chain behind the nameless + horror which had haunted them through the interminable eons of the ghastly + night. + </p> + <p> + Up, up, up it came toward the first floor. The pattering of the feet + ceased. The clanking rose until the five heard the scraping of the chain + against the door frame at the head of the cellar stairs. They heard it + pass across the floor toward the center of the room and then, loud and + piercing, there rang out against the silence of the awful night a woman's + shriek. + </p> + <p> + Instantly Bridge leaped to his feet. Without a word he tore the bed from + before the door. + </p> + <p> + “What are you doing?” cried the girl in a muffled scream. + </p> + <p> + “I am going down to that woman,” said Bridge, and he drew the bolt, rusty + and complaining, from its corroded seat. + </p> + <p> + “No!” screamed the girl, and seconding her the youth sprang to his feet + and threw his arms about Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “Please! Please!” he cried. “Oh, please don't leave me.” + </p> + <p> + The girl also ran to the man's side and clutched him by the sleeve. + </p> + <p> + “Don't go!” she begged. “Oh, for God's sake, don't leave us here alone!” + </p> + <p> + “You heard a woman scream, didn't you?” asked Bridge. “Do you suppose I + can stay in up here when a woman may be facing death a few feet below me?” + </p> + <p> + For answer the girl but held more tightly to his arm while the youth + slipped to the floor and embraced the man's knees in a vice-like hold + which he could not break without hurting his detainer. + </p> + <p> + “Come! Come!” expostulated Bridge. “Let me go.” + </p> + <p> + “Wait!” begged the girl. “Wait until you know that it is a human voice + that screams through this horrible place.” + </p> + <p> + The youth only strained his hold tighter about the man's legs. Bridge felt + a soft cheek pressed to his knee; and, for some unaccountable reason, the + appeal was stronger than the pleading of the girl. Slowly Bridge realized + that he could not leave this defenseless youth alone even though a dozen + women might be menaced by the uncanny death below. With a firm hand he + shot the bolt. “Leave go of me,” he said; “I shan't leave you unless she + calls for help in articulate words.” + </p> + <p> + The boy rose and, trembling, pressed close to the man who, involuntarily, + threw a protecting arm about the slim figure. The girl, too, drew nearer, + while the two yeggmen rose and stood in rigid silence by the window. From + below came an occasional rattle of the chain, followed after a few minutes + by the now familiar clanking as the iron links scraped across the + flooring. Mingled with the sound of the chain there rose to them what + might have been the slow and ponderous footsteps of a heavy man, dragging + painfully across the floor. For a few moments they heard it, and then all + was silent. + </p> + <p> + For a dozen tense minutes the five listened; but there was no repetition + of any sound from below. Suddenly the girl breathed a deep sigh, and the + spell of terror was broken. Bridge felt rather than heard the youth + sobbing softly against his breast, while across the room The General gave + a quick, nervous laugh which he as immediately suppressed as though + fearful unnecessarily of calling attention to their presence. The other + vagabond fumbled with his hypodermic needle and the narcotic which would + quickly give his fluttering nerves the quiet they craved. + </p> + <p> + Bridge, the boy, and the girl shivered together in their soggy clothing + upon the edge of the bed, feeling now in the cold dawn the chill + discomfort of which the excitement of the earlier hours of the night had + rendered them unconscious. The youth coughed. + </p> + <p> + “You've caught cold,” said Bridge, his tone almost self-reproachful, as + though he were entirely responsible for the boy's condition. “We're a nice + aggregation of mollycoddles—five of us sitting half frozen up here + with a stove on the floor below, and just because we heard a noise which + we couldn't explain and hadn't the nerve to investigate.” He rose. “I'm + going down, rustle some wood and build a fire in that stove—you two + kids have got to dry those clothes of yours and get warmed up or we'll + have a couple of hospital cases on our hands.” + </p> + <p> + Once again rose a chorus of pleas and objections. Oh, wouldn't he wait + until daylight? See! the dawn was even then commencing to break. They + didn't dare go down and they begged him not to leave them up there alone. + </p> + <p> + At this Dopey Charlie spoke up. The 'hop' had commenced to assert its + dominion over his shattered nervous system instilling within him a new + courage and a feeling of utter well-being. “Go on down,” said he to + Bridge. “The General an' I'll look after the kids—won't we bo?” + </p> + <p> + “Sure,” assented The General; “we'll take care of 'em.” + </p> + <p> + “I'll tell you what we'll do,” said Bridge; “we'll leave the kids up here + and we three'll go down. They won't go, and I wouldn't leave them up here + with you two morons on a bet.” + </p> + <p> + The General and Dopey Charlie didn't know what a moron was but they felt + quite certain from Bridge's tone of voice that a moron was not a nice + thing, and anyway no one could have bribed them to descend into the + darkness of the lower floor with the dead man and the grisly THING that + prowled through the haunted chambers; so they flatly refused to budge an + inch. + </p> + <p> + Bridge saw in the gradually lighting sky the near approach of full + daylight; so he contented himself with making the girl and the youth walk + briskly to and fro in the hope that stimulated circulation might at least + partially overcome the menace of the damp clothing and the chill air, and + thus they occupied the remaining hour of the night. + </p> + <p> + From below came no repetition of the inexplicable noises of that night of + terror and at last, with every object plainly discernible in the light of + the new day, Bridge would delay no longer; but voiced his final + determination to descend and make a fire in the old kitchen stove. Both + the boy and the girl insisted upon accompanying him. For the first time + each had an opportunity to study the features of his companions of the + night. Bridge found in the girl and the youth two dark eyed, good-looking + young people. In the girl's face was, perhaps, just a trace of weakness; + but it was not the face of one who consorts habitually with criminals. The + man appraised her as a pretty, small-town girl who had been led into a + temporary escapade by the monotony of village life, and he would have + staked his soul that she was not a bad girl. + </p> + <p> + The boy, too, looked anything other than the role he had been playing. + Bridge smiled as he looked at the clear eyes, the oval face, and the fine, + sensitive mouth and thought of the youth's claim to the crime battered + sobriquet of The Oskaloosa Kid. The man wondered if the mystery of the + clanking chain would prove as harmlessly infantile as these two whom some + accident of hilarious fate had cast in the roles of debauchery and crime. + </p> + <p> + Aloud, he said: “I'll go first, and if the spook materializes you two can + beat it back into the room.” And to the two tramps: “Come on, boes, we'll + all take a look at the lower floor together, and then we'll get a good + fire going in the kitchen and warm up a bit.” + </p> + <p> + Down the hall they went, Bridge leading with the boy and girl close at his + heels while the two yeggs brought up the rear. Their footsteps echoed + through the deserted house; but brought forth no answering clanking from + the cellar. The stairs creaked beneath the unaccustomed weight of so many + bodies as they descended toward the lower floor. Near the bottom Bridge + came to a questioning halt. The front room lay entirely within his range + of vision, and as his eyes swept it he gave voice to a short exclamation + of surprise. + </p> + <p> + The youth and the girl, shivering with cold and nervous excitement, craned + their necks above the man's shoulder. + </p> + <p> + “O-h-h!” gasped The Oskaloosa Kid. “He's gone,” and, sure enough, the dead + man had vanished. + </p> + <p> + Bridge stepped quickly down the remaining steps, entered the rear room + which had served as dining room and kitchen, inspected the two small + bedrooms off this room, and the summer kitchen beyond. All were empty; + then he turned and re-entering the front room bent his steps toward the + cellar stairs. At the foot of the stairway leading to the second floor lay + the flash lamp that the boy had dropped the night before. Bridge stooped, + picked it up and examined it. It was uninjured and with it in his hand he + continued toward the cellar door. + </p> + <p> + “Where are you going?” asked The Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + “I'm going to solve the mystery of that infernal clanking,” he replied. + </p> + <p> + “You are not going down into that dark cellar!” It was an appeal, a + question, and a command; and it quivered gaspingly upon the verge of + hysteria. + </p> + <p> + Bridge turned and looked into the youth's face. The man did not like + cowardice and his eyes were stern as he turned them on the lad from whom + during the few hours of their acquaintance he had received so many + evidences of cowardice; but as the clear brown eyes of the boy met his the + man's softened and he shook his head perplexedly. What was there about + this slender stripling which so disarmed criticism? + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” he replied, “I am going down. I doubt if I shall find anything + there; but if I do it is better to come upon it when I am looking for it + than to have it come upon us when we are not expecting it. If there is to + be any hunting I prefer to be hunter rather than hunted.” + </p> + <p> + He wheeled and placed a foot upon the cellar stairs. The youth followed + him. + </p> + <p> + “What are you going to do?” asked the man. + </p> + <p> + “I am going with you,” said the boy. “You think I am a coward because I am + afraid; but there is a vast difference between cowardice and fear.” + </p> + <p> + The man made no reply as he resumed the descent of the stairs, flashing + the rays of the lamp ahead of him; but he pondered the boy's words and + smiled as he admitted mentally that it undoubtedly took more courage to do + a thing in the face of fear than to do it if fear were absent. He felt a + strange elation that this youth should choose voluntarily to share his + danger with him, for in his roaming life Bridge had known few associates + for whom he cared. + </p> + <p> + The beams of the little electric lamp, moving from side to side, revealed + a small cellar littered with refuse and festooned with cob-webs. At one + side tottered the remains of a series of wooden racks upon which pans of + milk had doubtless stood to cool in a long gone, happier day. Some of the + uprights had rotted away so that a part of the frail structure had + collapsed to the earthen floor. A table with one leg missing and a + crippled chair constituted the balance of the contents of the cellar and + there was no living creature and no chain nor any other visible evidence + of the presence which had clanked so lugubriously out of the dark depths + during the vanished night. The boy breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief and + Bridge laughed, not without a note of relief either. + </p> + <p> + “You see there is nothing,” he said—“nothing except some firewood + which we can use to advantage. I regret that James is not here to attend + me; but since he is not you and I will have to carry some of this stuff + upstairs,” and together they returned to the floor above, their arms laden + with pieces of the dilapidated milk rack. The girl was awaiting them at + the head of the stairs while the two tramps whispered together at the + opposite side of the room. + </p> + <p> + It took Bridge but a moment to have a roaring fire started in the old + stove in the kitchen, and as the warmth rolled in comforting waves about + them the five felt for the first time in hours something akin to relief + and well being. With the physical relaxation which the heat induced came a + like relaxation of their tongues and temporary forgetfulness of their + antagonisms and individual apprehensions. Bridge was the only member of + the group whose conscience was entirely free. He was not 'wanted' + anywhere, he had no unexpiated crimes to harry his mind, and with the + responsibilities of the night removed he fell naturally into his old, + carefree manner. He hazarded foolish explanations of the uncanny noises of + the night and suggested various theories to account for the presence and + the mysterious disappearance of the dead man. + </p> + <p> + The General, on the contrary, seriously maintained that the weird sounds + had emanated from the ghost of the murdered man who was, unquestionably, + none other than the long dead Squibb returned to haunt his former home, + and that the scream had sprung from the ghostly lungs of his slain wife or + daughter. + </p> + <p> + “I wouldn't spend anudder night in this dump,” he concluded, “for both + them pockets full of swag The Oskaloosa Kid's packin' around.” + </p> + <p> + Immediately all eyes turned upon the flushing youth. The girl and Bridge + could not prevent their own gazes from wandering to the bulging coat + pockets, the owner of which moved uneasily, at last shooting a look of + defiance, not unmixed with pleading, at Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “He's a bad one,” interjected Dopey Charlie, a glint of cunning in his + ordinarily glassy eyes. “He flashes a couple o' mitsful of sparklers, + chesty-like, and allows as how he's a regular burglar. Then he pulls a gun + on me, as wasn't doin' nothin' to him, and 'most croaks me. It's even + money that if anyone's been croaked in Oakdale last night they won't have + to look far for the guy that done it. Least-wise they won't have to look + far if he doesn't come across,” and Dopey Charlie looked meaningly and + steadily at the side pockets of The Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + “I think,” said Bridge, after a moment of general silence, “that you two + crooks had better beat it. Do you get me?” and he looked from Dopey + Charlie to The General and back again. + </p> + <p> + “We don't go,” said Dopey Charlie, belligerently, “until we gets half the + Kid's swag.” + </p> + <p> + “You go now,” said Bridge, “without anybody's swag,” and he drew the boy's + automatic from his side pocket. “You go now and you go quick—beat + it!” + </p> + <p> + The two rose and shuffled toward the door. “We'll get you, you colledge + Lizzy,” threatened Dopey Charlie, “an' we'll get that phoney punk, too.” + </p> + <p> + “'And speed the parting guest,'” quoted Bridge, firing a shot that + splintered the floor at the crook's feet. When the two hoboes had departed + the others huddled again close to the stove until Bridge suggested that he + and The Oskaloosa Kid retire to another room while the girl removed and + dried her clothing; but she insisted that it was not wet enough to matter + since she had been covered by a robe in the automobile until just a moment + before she had been hurled out. + </p> + <p> + “Then, after you are warmed up,” said Bridge, “you can step into this + other room while the kid and I strip and dry our things, for there's no + question but that we are wet enough.” + </p> + <p> + At the suggestion the kid started for the door. “Oh, no,” he insisted; “it + isn't worth while. I am almost dry now, and as soon as we get out on the + road I'll be all right. I—I—I like wet clothes,” he ended, + lamely. + </p> + <p> + Bridge looked at him questioningly; but did not urge the matter. “Very + well,” he said; “you probably know what you like; but as for me, I'm going + to pull off every rag and get good and dry.” + </p> + <p> + The girl had already quitted the room and now The Kid turned and followed + her. Bridge shook his head. “I'll bet the little beggar never was away + from his mother before in his life,” he mused; “why the mere thought of + undressing in front of a strange man made him turn red—and posing as + The Oskaloosa Kid! Bless my soul; but he's a humorist—a regular, + natural born one.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge found that his clothing had dried to some extent during the night; + so, after a brisk rub, he put on the warmed garments and though some were + still a trifle damp he felt infinitely more comfortable than he had for + many hours. + </p> + <p> + Outside the house he came upon the girl and the youth standing in the + sunshine of a bright, new day. They were talking together in a most + animated manner, and as he approached wondering what the two had found of + so great common interest he discovered that the discussion hinged upon the + relative merits of ham and bacon as a breakfast dish. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, my heart it is just achin',” quoted Bridge, + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “For a little bite of bacon, + + “A hunk of bread, a little mug of brew; + + “I'm tired of seein' scenery, + + “Just lead me to a beanery + + “Where there's something more than only air to + + chew.” + </pre> + <p> + The two looked up, smiling. “You're a funny kind of tramp, to be quoting + poetry,” said The Oskaloosa Kid, “even if it is Knibbs'.” + </p> + <p> + “Almost as funny,” replied Bridge, “as a burglar who recognizes Knibbs + when he hears him.” + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid flushed. “He wrote for us of the open road,” he replied + quickly. “I don't know of any other class of men who should enjoy him + more.” + </p> + <p> + “Or any other class that is less familiar with him,” retorted Bridge; “but + the burning question just now is pots, not poetry—flesh pots. I'm + hungry. I could eat a cow.” + </p> + <p> + The girl pointed to an adjacent field. “Help yourself,” she said. + </p> + <p> + “That happens to be a bull,” said Bridge. “I was particular to mention + cow, which, in this instance, is proverbially less dangerous than the + male, and much better eating. + </p> + <p> + “'We kept a-rambling all the time. I rustled grub, he rustled rhyme— + </p> + <p> + “'Blind baggage, hoof it, ride or climb—we always put it through.' + Who's going to rustle the grub?” + </p> + <p> + The girl looked at The Oskaloosa Kid. “You don't seem like a tramp at all, + to talk to,” she said; “but I suppose you are used to asking for food. I + couldn't do it—I should die if I had to.” + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid looked uncomfortable. “So should—” he commenced, + and then suddenly subsided. “Of course I'd just as soon,” he said. “You + two stay here—I'll be back in a minute.” + </p> + <p> + They watched him as he walked down to the road and until he disappeared + over the crest of the hill a short distance from the Squibbs' house. + </p> + <p> + “I like him,” said the girl, turning toward Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “So do I,” replied the man. + </p> + <p> + “There must be some good in him,” she continued, “even if he is such a + desperate character; but I know he's not The Oskaloosa Kid. Do you really + suppose he robbed a house last night and then tried to kill that Dopey + person?” + </p> + <p> + Bridge shook his head. “I don't know,” he said; “but I am inclined to + believe that he is more imaginative than criminal. He certainly shot up + the Dopey person; but I doubt if he ever robbed a house.” + </p> + <p> + While they waited, The Oskaloosa Kid trudged along the muddy road to the + nearest farm house, which lay a full mile beyond the Squibbs' home. As he + approached the door a lank, sallow man confronted him with a suspicious + eye. + </p> + <p> + “Good morning,” greeted The Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + The man grunted. + </p> + <p> + “I want to get something to eat,” explained the youth. + </p> + <p> + If the boy had hurled a dynamite bomb at him the result could have been no + more surprising. The lank, sallow man went up into the air, figuratively. + He went up a mile or more, and on the way down he reached his hand inside + the kitchen door and brought it forth enveloping the barrel of a shot gun. + </p> + <p> + “Durn ye!” he cried. “I'll lam ye! Get offen here. I knows ye. Yer one o' + that gang o' bums that come here last night, an' now you got the gall to + come back beggin' for food, eh? I'll lam ye!” and he raised the gun to his + shoulder. + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid quailed but he held his ground. “I wasn't here last + night,” he cried, “and I'm not begging for food—I want to buy some. + I've got plenty of money,” in proof of which assertion he dug into a side + pocket and brought forth a large roll of bills. The man lowered his gun. + </p> + <p> + “Wy didn't ye say so in the first place then?” he growled. “How'd I know + you wanted to buy it, eh? Where'd ye come from anyhow, this early in the + mornin'? What's yer name, eh? What's yer business, that's what Jeb Case'd + like to know, eh?” He snapped his words out with the rapidity of a machine + gun, nor waited for a reply to one query before launching the next. “What + do ye want to buy, eh? How much money ye got? Looks suspicious. That's a + sight o' money yew got there, eh? Where'dje get it?” + </p> + <p> + “It's mine,” said The Oskaloosa Kid, “and I want to buy some eggs and milk + and ham and bacon and flour and onions and sugar and cream and + strawberries and tea and coffee and a frying pan and a little oil stove, + if you have one to spare, and—” + </p> + <p> + Jeb Case's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. “You're in the wrong pasture, + bub,” he remarked feelingly. “What yer lookin' fer is Sears, Roebuck & + Company.” + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid flushed up to the tips of his ears. “But can't you sell + me something?” he begged. + </p> + <p> + “I might let ye have some milk an' eggs an' butter an' a leetle bacon an' + mebby my ol' woman's got a loaf left from her last bakin'; but we ain't + been figgerin' on supplyin' grub fer the United States army ef that's what + yew be buyin' fer.” + </p> + <p> + A frowsy, rat-faced woman and a gawky youth of fourteen stuck their heads + out the doorway at either side of the man. “I ain't got nothin' to sell,” + snapped the woman; but as she spoke her eyes fell upon the fat bank roll + in the youth's hand. “Or, leastwise,” she amended, “I ain't got much + more'n we need an' the price o' stuff's gone up so lately that I'll hev to + ask ye more'n I would of last fall. 'Bout what did ye figger on wantin'?” + </p> + <p> + “Anything you can spare,” said the youth. “There are three of us and we're + awful hungry.” + </p> + <p> + “Where yew stoppin'?” asked the woman. + </p> + <p> + “We're at the old Squibbs' place,” replied The Kid. “We got caught by the + storm last night and had to put up there.” + </p> + <p> + “The Squibbs' place!” ejaculated the woman. “Yew didn't stop there over + night?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes we did,” replied the youth. + </p> + <p> + “See anything funny?” asked Mrs. Case. + </p> + <p> + “We didn't SEE anything,” replied The Oskaloosa Kid; “but we heard things. + At least we didn't see what we heard; but we saw a dead man on the floor + when we went in and this morning he was gone.” + </p> + <p> + The Cases shuddered. “A dead man!” ejaculated Jeb Case. “Yew seen him?” + </p> + <p> + The Kid nodded. + </p> + <p> + “I never tuk much stock in them stories,” said Jeb, with a shake of his + head; “but ef you SEEN it! Gosh! Thet beats me. Come on M'randy, les see + what we got to spare,” and he turned into the kitchen with his wife. + </p> + <p> + The lanky boy stepped out, and planting himself in front of The Oskaloosa + Kid proceeded to stare at him. “Yew seen it?” he asked in awestruck tone. + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” said the Kid in a low voice, and bending close toward the other; + “it had bloody froth on its lips!” + </p> + <p> + The Case boy shrank back. “An' what did yew hear?” he asked, a glutton for + thrills. + </p> + <p> + “Something that dragged a chain behind it and came up out of the cellar + and tried to get in our room on the second floor,” explained the youth. + “It almost got us, too,” he added, “and it did it all night.” + </p> + <p> + “Whew,” whistled the Case boy. “Gosh!” Then he scratched his head and + looked admiringly at the youth. “What mought yer name be?” he asked. + </p> + <p> + “I'm The Oskaloosa Kid,” replied the youth, unable to resist the + admiration of the other's fond gaze. “Look here!” and he fished a handful + of jewelry from one of his side pockets; “this is some of the swag I stole + last night when I robbed a house.” + </p> + <p> + Case Jr. opened his mouth and eyes so wide that there was little left of + his face. “But that's nothing,” bragged The Kid. “I shot a man, too.” + </p> + <p> + “Last night?” whispered the boy. + </p> + <p> + “Yep,” replied the bad man, tersely. + </p> + <p> + “Gosh!” said the young Mr. Case, but there was that in his facial + expression which brought to The Oskaloosa Kid a sudden regret that he had + thus rashly confided in a stranger. + </p> + <p> + “Say,” said The Kid, after a moment's strained silence. “Don't tell + anyone, will you? If you'll promise I'll give you a dollar,” and he hunted + through his roll of bills for one of that lowly denomination. + </p> + <p> + “All right,” agreed the Case boy. “I won't say a word—where's the + dollar?” + </p> + <p> + The youth drew a bill from his roll and handed it to the other. “If you + tell,” he whispered, and he bent close toward the other's ear and spoke in + a menacing tone; “If you tell, I'll kill you!” + </p> + <p> + “Gosh!” said Willie Case. + </p> + <p> + At this moment Case pere and mere emerged from the kitchen loaded with + provender. “Here's enough an' more'n enough, I reckon,” said Jeb Case. “We + got eggs, butter, bread, bacon, milk, an' a mite o' garden sass.” + </p> + <p> + “But we ain't goin' to charge you nothin' fer the garden sass,” + interjected Mrs. Case. + </p> + <p> + “That's awfully nice of you,” replied The Kid. “How much do I owe you for + the rest of it?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh,” said Jeb Case, rubbing his chin, eyeing the big roll of bills and + wondering just the limit he might raise to, “I reckon 'bout four dollars + an' six bits.” + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid peeled a five dollar bill from his roll and proffered it + to the farmer. “I'm ever so much obliged,” he said, “and you needn't mind + about any change. I thank you so much.” With which he took the several + packages and pails and turned toward the road. + </p> + <p> + “Yew gotta return them pails!” shouted Mrs. Case after him. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, of course,” replied The Kid. + </p> + <p> + “Gosh!” exclaimed Mr. Case, feelingly. “I wisht I'd asked six bits more—I + mought jest as well o' got it as not. Gosh, eh?” + </p> + <p> + “Gosh!” murmured Willie Case, fervently. + </p> + <p> + Back down the sticky road plodded The Oskaloosa Kid, his arms heavy and + his heart light, for, was he not 'bringing home the bacon,' literally as + well as figuratively. As he entered the Squibbs' gateway he saw the girl + and Bridge standing upon the verandah waiting his coming, and as he + approached them and they caught a nearer view of his great burden of + provisions they hailed him with loud acclaim. + </p> + <p> + “Some artist!” cried the man. “And to think that I doubted your ability to + make a successful touch! Forgive me! You are the ne plus ultra, non est + cumquidibus, in hoc signo vinces, only and original kind of hand-out + compellers.” + </p> + <p> + “How in the world did you do it?” asked the girl, rapturously. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, it's easy when you know how,” replied The Oskaloosa Kid carelessly, + as, with the help of the others, he carried the fruits of his expedition + into the kitchen. Here Bridge busied himself about the stove, adding more + wood to the fire and scrubbing a portion of the top plate as clean as he + could get it with such crude means as he could discover about the place. + </p> + <p> + The youth he sent to the nearby brook for water after selecting the least + dirty of the several empty tin cans lying about the floor of the summer + kitchen. He warned against the use of the water from the old well and + while the boy was away cut a generous portion of the bacon into long, thin + strips. + </p> + <p> + Shortly after, the water coming to the boil, Bridge lowered three eggs + into it, glanced at his watch, greased one of the new cleaned stove lids + with a piece of bacon rind and laid out as many strips of bacon as the lid + would accommodate. Instantly the room was filled with the delicious odor + of frying bacon. + </p> + <p> + “M-m-m-m!” gloated The Oskaloosa Kid. “I wish I had bo—asked for + more. My! but I never smelled anything so good as that in all my life. Are + you going to boil only three eggs? I could eat a dozen.” + </p> + <p> + “The can'll only hold three at a time,” explained Bridge. “We'll have some + more boiling while we are eating these.” He borrowed his knife from the + girl, who was slicing and buttering bread with it, and turned the bacon + swiftly and deftly with the point, then he glanced at his watch. “The + three minutes are up,” he announced and, with a couple of small, flat + sticks saved for the purpose from the kindling wood, withdrew the eggs one + at a time from the can. + </p> + <p> + “But we have no cups!” exclaimed The Oskaloosa Kid, in sudden despair. + </p> + <p> + Bridge laughed. “Knock an end off your egg and the shell will answer in + place of a cup. Got a knife?” + </p> + <p> + The Kid didn't. Bridge eyed him quizzically. “You must have done most of + your burgling near home,” he commented. + </p> + <p> + “I'm not a burglar!” cried the youth indignantly. Somehow it was very + different when this nice voiced man called him a burglar from bragging of + the fact himself to such as The Sky Pilot's villainous company, or the + awestruck, open-mouthed Willie Case whose very expression invited heroics. + </p> + <p> + Bridge made no reply, but his eyes wandered to the right hand side pocket + of the boy's coat. Instantly the latter glanced guiltily downward to flush + redly at the sight of several inches of pearl necklace protruding + accusingly therefrom. The girl, a silent witness of the occurrence, was + brought suddenly and painfully to a realization of her present position + and recollection of the happenings of the preceding night. For the time + she had forgotten that she was alone in the company of a tramp and a + burglar—how much worse either might be she could only guess. + </p> + <p> + The breakfast, commenced so auspiciously, continued in gloomy silence. At + least the girl and The Oskaloosa Kid were silent and gloom steeped. Bridge + was thoughtful but far from morose. His spirits were unquenchable. + </p> + <p> + “I am afraid,” he said, “that I shall have to replace James. His defection + is unforgivable, and he has misplaced the finger-bowls.” + </p> + <p> + The youth and the girl forced wan smiles; but neither spoke. Bridge drew a + pouch of tobacco and some papers from an inside pocket. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “'I had the makings and I smoked + + “'And wondered over different things, + + “'Thinkin' as how this old world joked + + “'In callin' only some men kings + + “'While I sat there a-blowin' rings.'” + </pre> + <p> + He paused to kindle a sliver of wood at the stove. “In these parlous + times,” he spoke as though to himself, “one must economize. They are + taking a quarter of an ounce out of each five cents worth of chewing, I am + told; so doubtless each box must be five or six matches short of full + count. Even these papers seem thinner than of yore and they will only sell + one book to a customer at that. Indeed Sherman was right.” + </p> + <p> + The youth and the girl remained occupied with their own thoughts, and + after a moment's silence the vagabond resumed: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + “'Me? I was king of anywhere, + + “'Peggin' away at nothing, hard. + + “'Havin' no pet, particular care; + + “'Havin' no trouble, or no pard; +</pre> + <p> + “'"Just me,” filled up my callin' card.' “Say, do you know I've learned to + love this Knibbs person. I used to think of him as a poor attic prune + grinding away in his New York sky parlor, writing his verse of the things + he longed for but had never known; until, one day, I met a fellow between + Victorville and Cajon pass who knew His Knibbs, and come to find out this + Knibbs is a regular fellow. His attic covers all God's country that is out + of doors and he knows the road from La Bajada hill to Barstow a darned + sight better than he knows Broadway.” + </p> + <p> + There was no answering sympathy awakened in either of his listeners—they + remained mute. Bridge rose and stretched. He picked up his knife, wiped + off the blade, closed it and slipped it into a trousers' pocket. Then he + walked toward the door. At the threshold he paused and turned. “'Good-bye + girls! I'm through,'” he quoted and passed out into the sunlight. + </p> + <p> + Instantly the two within were on their feet and following him. + </p> + <p> + “Where are you going?” cried The Oskaloosa Kid. “You're not going to leave + us, are you?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, please don't!” pleaded the girl. + </p> + <p> + “I don't know,” said Bridge, solemnly, “whether I'm safe in remaining in + your society or not. This Oskaloosa Kid is a bad proposition; and as for + you, young lady, I rather imagine that the town constable is looking for + you right now.” + </p> + <p> + The girl winced. “Please don't,” she begged. “I haven't done anything + wicked, honestly! But I want to get away so that they can't question me. I + was in the car when they killed him; but I had nothing to do with it. It + is just because of my father that I don't want them to find me. It would + break his heart.” + </p> + <p> + As the three stood back of the Squibbs' summer kitchen Fate, in the guise + of a rural free delivery carrier and a Ford, passed by the front gate. A + mile beyond he stopped at the Case mail box where Jeb and his son Willie + were, as usual, waiting his coming, for the rural free delivery man often + carries more news than is contained in his mail sacks. + </p> + <p> + “Mornin' Jeb,” he called, as he swerved his light car from the road and + drew up in front of the Case gate. + </p> + <p> + “Mornin', Jim!” returned Mr. Case. “Nice rain we had last night. What's + the news?” + </p> + <p> + “Plenty! Plenty!” exclaimed the carrier. “Lived here nigh onto forty year, + man an' boy, an' never seen such work before in all my life.” + </p> + <p> + “How's that?” questioned the farmer, scenting something interesting. + </p> + <p> + “Ol' man Baggs's murdered last night,” announced the carrier, watching + eagerly for the effect of his announcement. + </p> + <p> + “Gosh!” gasped Willie Case. “Was he shot?” It was almost a scream. + </p> + <p> + “I dunno,” replied Jim. “He's up to the horspital now, an' the doc says he + haint one chance in a thousand.” + </p> + <p> + “Gosh!” exclaimed Mr. Case. + </p> + <p> + “But thet ain't all,” continued Jim. “Reggie Paynter was murdered last + night, too; right on the pike south of town. They threw his corpse outen a + ottymobile.” + </p> + <p> + “By gol!” cried Jeb Case; “I hearn them devils go by last night 'bout + midnight er after. 'T woke me up. They must o' ben goin' sixty mile an + hour. Er say,” he stopped to scratch his head. “Mebby it was tramps. They + must a ben a score on 'em round here yesterday and las' night an' agin + this mornin'. I never seed so dum many bums in my life.” + </p> + <p> + “An' thet ain't all,” went on the carrier, ignoring the other's comments. + “Oakdale's all tore up. Abbie Prim's disappeared and Jonas Prim's house + was robbed jest about the same time Ol' man Baggs 'uz murdered, er most + murdered—chances is he's dead by this time anyhow. Doc said he + hadn't no chance.” + </p> + <p> + “Gosh!” It was a pater-filius duet. + </p> + <p> + “But thet ain't all,” gloated Jim. “Two of the persons in the car with + Reggie Paynter were recognized, an' who do you think one of 'em was, eh? + Why one of 'em was Abbie Prim an' tother was a slick crook from Toledo er + Noo York that's called The Oskaloosie Kid. By gum, I'll bet they get 'em + in no time. Why already Jonas Prim's got a regular dee-dectiff down from + Chicago, an' the board o' select-men's offered a re-ward o' fifty dollars + fer the arrest an' conviction of the perpetrators of these dastardly + crimes!” + </p> + <p> + “Gosh!” cried Willie Case. “I know—“; but then he paused. If he told + all he knew he saw plainly that either the carrier or his father would + profit by it and collect the reward. Fifty dollars!! Willie gasped. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Jim, “I gotta be on my way. Here's the Tribune—there + ain't nothin' more fer ye. So long! Giddap!” and he was gone. + </p> + <p> + “I don' see why he don't carry a whip,” mused Jeb Case. “A-gidappin' to + that there tin lizzie,” he muttered disgustedly, “jes' like it was as good + as a hoss. But I mind the time, the fust day he got the dinged thing, he + gets out an' tries to lead it by Lem Smith's threshin' machine.” + </p> + <p> + Jeb Case preferred an audience worthy his mettle; but Willie was better + than no one, yet when he turned to note the effect of his remarks on his + son, Willie was no where to be seen. If Jeb had but known it his young + hopeless was already in the loft of the hay barn deep in a small, + red-covered book entitled: “HOW TO BE A DETECTIVE.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge, who had had no intention of deserting his helpless companions, + appeared at last to yield reluctantly to their pleas. That indefinable + something about the youth which appealed strongly to the protective + instinct in the man, also assured him that the other's mask of criminality + was for the most part assumed even though the stories of the two yeggmen + and the loot bulging pockets argued to the contrary. There was the chance, + however, that the boy had really taken the first step upon the road toward + a criminal career, and if such were the case Bridge felt morally obligated + to protect his new found friend from arrest, secure in the reflection that + his own precept and example would do more to lead him back into the path + of rectitude than would any police magistrate or penal institute. + </p> + <p> + For the girl he felt a deep pity. In the past he had had knowledge of more + than one other small-town girl led into wrong doing through the deadly + monotony and flagrant hypocrisy of her environment. Himself highly + imaginative and keenly sensitive, he realized with what depth of horror + the girl anticipated a return to her home and friends after the childish + escapade which had culminated, even through no fault of hers, in criminal + tragedy of the most sordid sort. + </p> + <p> + As the three held a council of war at the rear of the deserted house they + were startled by the loud squeaking of brake bands on the road in front. + Bridge ran quickly into the kitchen and through to the front room where he + saw three men alighting from a large touring car which had drawn up before + the sagging gate. As the foremost man, big and broad shouldered, raised + his eyes to the building Bridge smothered an exclamation of surprise and + chagrin, nor did he linger to inspect the other members of the party; but + turned and ran quickly back to his companions. + </p> + <p> + “We've got to beat it!” he whispered; “they've brought Burton himself down + here.” + </p> + <p> + “Who's Burton?” demanded the youth. + </p> + <p> + “He's the best operative west of New York City,” replied Bridge, as he + moved rapidly toward an outhouse directly in rear of the main building. + </p> + <p> + Once behind the small, dilapidated structure which had once probably + housed farm implements, Bridge paused and looked about. “They'll search + here,” he prophesied, and then; “Those woods look good to me.” + </p> + <p> + The Squibbs' woods, growing rank in the damp ravine at the bottom of the + little valley, ran to within a hundred feet of the out-building. Dense + undergrowth choked the ground to a height of eight or ten feet around the + boles of the close set trees. If they could gain the seclusion of that + tangled jungle there was little likelihood of their being discovered, + provided they were not seen as they passed across the open space between + their hiding place and the wood. + </p> + <p> + “We'd better make a break for it,” advised Bridge, and a moment later the + three moved cautiously toward the wood, keeping the out-house between + themselves and the farm house. Almost in front of them as they neared the + wood they saw a well defined path leading into the thicket. Single-file + they entered, to be almost instantly hidden from view, not only from the + house but from any other point more than a dozen paces away, for the path + was winding, narrow and closely walled by the budding verdure of the new + Spring. Birds sang or twittered about them, the mat of dead leaves oozed + spongily beneath their feet, giving forth no sound as they passed, save a + faint sucking noise as a foot was lifted from each watery seat. + </p> + <p> + Bridge was in the lead, moving steadily forward that they might put as + much distance as possible between themselves and the detective should the + latter chance to explore the wood. They had advanced a few hundred yards + when the path crossed through a small clearing the center of which was + destitute of fallen leaves. Here the path was beaten into soft mud and as + Bridge came to it he stopped and bent his gaze incredulously upon the + ground. The girl and the youth, halting upon either side, followed the + direction of his eyes with theirs. The girl gave a little, involuntary + gasp, and the boy grasped Bridge's hand as though fearful of losing him. + The man turned a quizzical glance at each of them and smiled, though a bit + ruefully. + </p> + <p> + “It beats me,” he said. + </p> + <p> + “What can it be?” whispered the boy. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, let's go back,” begged the girl. + </p> + <p> + “And go along to father with Burton?” asked Bridge. + </p> + <p> + The girl trembled and shook her head. “I would rather die,” she said, + firmly. “Come, let's go on.” + </p> + <p> + The cause of their perturbation was imprinted deeply in the mud of the + pathway—the irregular outlines of an enormous, naked, human foot—a + great, uncouth foot that bespoke a monster of another world. While, still + more uncanny, in view of what they had heard in the farm house during the + previous night, there lay, sometimes partially obliterated by the + footprints of the THING, the impress of a small, bare foot—a woman's + or a child's—and over both an irregular scoring that might have been + wrought by a dragging chain! + </p> + <p> + In the loft of his father's hay barn Willie Case delved deep into the + small red-covered volume, HOW TO BE A DETECTIVE; but though he turned many + pages and flitted to and fro from preface to conclusion he met only with + disappointment. The pictures of noted bank burglars and confidence men + aided him not one whit, for in none of them could he descry the slightest + resemblance to the smooth faced youth of the early morning. In fact, so + totally different were the types shown in the little book that Willie was + forced to scratch his head and exclaim “Gosh!” many times in an effort to + reconcile the appearance of the innocent boy to the hardened, criminal + faces he found portrayed upon the printed pages. + </p> + <p> + “But, by gol!” he exclaimed mentally, “he said he was The Oskaloosie Kid, + 'n' that he shot a man last night; but what I'd like to know is how I'm + goin' to shadder him from this here book. Here it says: 'If the criminal + gets on a street car and then jumps off at the next corner the good + detective will know that his man is aware that he is being shadowed, and + will stay on the car and telephone his office at the first opportunity.' + 'N'ere it sez: 'If your man gets into a carriage don't run up an' jump on + the back of it; but simply hire another carriage and follow.' How in hek + kin I foller this book?” wailed Willie. “They ain't no street cars 'round + here. I ain't never seen a street car, 'n'as fer a carriage, I reckon he + means bus, they's only one on 'em in Oakdale 'n'if they waz forty I'd like + to know how in hek I'd hire one when I ain't got no money. I reckon I + threw away my four-bits on this book—it don't tell a feller nothin' + 'bout false whiskers, wigs 'n' the like,” and he tossed the book + disgustedly into a corner, rose and descended to the barnyard. Here he + busied himself about some task that should have been attended to a week + before, and which even now was not destined to be completed that day, + since Willie had no more than set himself to it than his attention was + distracted by the sudden appearance of a touring car being brought to a + stop in front of the gate. + </p> + <p> + Instantly Willie dropped his irksome labor and slouched lazily toward the + machine, the occupants of which were descending and heading for the Case + front door. Jeb Case met them before they reached the porch and Willie + lolled against a pillar listening eagerly to all that was said. + </p> + <p> + The most imposing figure among the strangers was the same whom Bridge had + seen approaching the Squibbs' house a short time before. It was he who + acted as spokesman for the newcomers. + </p> + <p> + “As you may know,” he said, after introducing himself, “a number of crimes + were committed in and around Oakdale last night. We are searching for + clews to the perpetrators, some of whom must still be in the neighborhood. + Have you seen any strange or suspicious characters around lately?” + </p> + <p> + “I should say we hed,” exclaimed Jeb emphatically. + </p> + <p> + “I seen the wo'st lookin' gang o' bums come outen my hay barn this mornin' + thet I ever seed in my life. They must o' ben upward of a dozen on 'em. + They waz makin' fer the house when I steps in an' grabs my ol' shot gun. I + hollered at 'em not to come a step nigher 'n' I guess they seed it wa'n't + safe monkeyin' with me; so they skidaddled.” + </p> + <p> + “Which way did they go?” asked Burton. + </p> + <p> + “Off down the road yonder; but I don't know which way they turned at the + crossin's, er ef they kept straight on toward Millsville.” + </p> + <p> + Burton asked a number of questions in an effort to fix the identity of + some of the gang, warned Jeb to telephone him at Jonas Prim's if he saw + anything further of the strangers, and then retraced his steps toward the + car. Not once had Jeb mentioned the youth who had purchased supplies from + him that morning, and the reason was that Jeb had not considered the young + man of sufficient importance, having cataloged him mentally as an + unusually early specimen of the summer camper with which he was more or + less familiar. + </p> + <p> + Willie, on the contrary, realized the importance of their morning + customer, yet just how he was to cash in on his knowledge was not yet + entirely clear. He was already convinced that HOW TO BE A DETECTIVE would + help him not at all, and with the natural suspicion of ignorance he feared + to divulge his knowledge to the city detective for fear that the latter + would find the means to cheat him out of the princely reward offered by + the Oakdale village board. He thought of going at once to the Squibbs' + house and placing the desperate criminals under arrest; but as fear + throttled the idea in its infancy he cast about for some other plan. + </p> + <p> + Even as he stood there thinking the great detective and his companions + were entering the automobile to drive away. In a moment they would be + gone. Were they not, after all, the very men, the only men, in fact, to + assist him in his dilemma? At least he could test them out. If necessary + he would divide the reward with them! Running toward the road Willie + shouted to the departing sleuth. The car, moving slowly forward in low, + came again to rest. Willie leaped to the running board. + </p> + <p> + “If I tell you where the murderer is,” he whispered hoarsely, “do I git + the $50.00?” + </p> + <p> + Detective Burton was too old a hand to ignore even the most seemingly + impossible of aids. He laid a kindly hand on Willie's shoulder. “You bet + you do,” he replied heartily, “and what's more I'll add another fifty to + it. What do you know?” + </p> + <p> + “I seen the murderer this mornin',” Willie was gasping with excitement and + elation. Already the one hundred dollars was as good as his. One hundred + dollars! Willie “Goshed!” mentally even as he told his tale. “He come to + our house an' bought some vittles an' stuff. Paw didn't know who he wuz; + but when Paw went inside he told me he was The Oskaloosie Kid 'n' thet he + robbed a house last night and killed a man, 'n' he had a whole pocket full + o' money, 'n' he said he'd kill me ef I told.” + </p> + <p> + Detective Burton could scarce restrain a smile as he listened to this + wildly improbable tale, yet his professional instinct was too keen to + permit him to cast aside as worthless the faintest evidence until he had + proven it to be worthless. He stepped from the car again and motioning to + Willie to follow him returned to the Case yard where Jeb was already + coming toward the gate, having noted the interest which his son was + arousing among the occupants of the car. Willie pulled at the detective's + sleeve. “Don't tell Paw about the reward,” he begged; “he'll keep it all + hisself.” + </p> + <p> + Burton reassured the boy with a smile and a nod, and then as he neared Jeb + he asked him if a young man had been at his place that morning asking for + food. + </p> + <p> + “Sure,” replied Jeb; “but he didn't 'mount to nothin'. One o' these here + summer camper pests. He paid fer all he got. Had a roll o' bills 's big as + ye fist. Little feller he were, not much older 'n' Willie.” + </p> + <p> + “Did you know that he told your son that he was The Oskaloosa Kid and that + he had robbed a house and killed a man last night?” + </p> + <p> + “Huh?” exclaimed Jeb. Then he turned and cast one awful look at Willie—a + look large with menace. + </p> + <p> + “Honest, Paw,” pleaded the boy. “I was a-scairt to tell you, 'cause he + said he'd kill me ef I told.” + </p> + <p> + Jeb scratched his head. “Yew know what you'll get ef you're lyin' to me,” + he threatened. + </p> + <p> + “I believe he's telling the truth,” said detective Burton. “Where is the + man now?” he asked Willie. + </p> + <p> + “Down to the Squibbs' place,” and Willie jerked a dirty thumb toward the + east. + </p> + <p> + “Not now,” said Burton; “we just came from there; but there has been + someone there this morning, for there is still a fire in the kitchen + range. Does anyone live there?” + </p> + <p> + “I should say not,” said Willie emphatically; “the place is haunted.” + </p> + <p> + “Thet's right,” interjected Jeb. “Thet's what they do say, an' this here + Oskaloosie Kid said they heered things las' night an' seed a dead man on + the floor, didn't he M'randy?” M'randy nodded her head. + </p> + <p> + “But I don't take no stock in what Willie's ben tellin' ye,” she + continued, “'n' ef his paw don't lick him I will. I told him tell I'm good + an' tired o' talkin' thet one liar 'round a place wuz all I could stand,” + and she cast a meaning glance at her husband. + </p> + <p> + “Honest, Maw, I ain't a-lyin',” insisted Willie. “Wot do you suppose he + give me this fer, if it wasn't to keep me from talkin',” and the boy drew + a crumpled one dollar bill from his pocket. It was worth the dollar to + escape a thrashing. + </p> + <p> + “He give you thet?” asked his mother. Willie nodded assent. + </p> + <p> + “'N' thet ain't all he had neither,” he said. “Beside all them bills he + showed me a whole pocket full o' jewlry, 'n' he had a string o' things + thet I don't know jest what you call 'em; but they looked like they was + made outen the inside o' clam shells only they was all round like + marbles.” + </p> + <p> + Detective Burton raised his eyebrows. “Miss Prim's pearl necklace,” he + commented to the man at his side. The other nodded. “Don't punish your + son, Mrs. Case,” he said to the woman. “I believe he has discovered a + great deal that will help us in locating the man we want. Of course I am + interested principally in finding Miss Prim—her father has engaged + me for that purpose; but I think the arrest of the perpetrators of any of + last night's crimes will put us well along on the trail of the missing + young lady, as it is almost a foregone conclusion that there is a + connection between her disappearance and some of the occurrences which + have so excited Oakdale. I do not mean that she was a party to any + criminal act; but it is more than possible that she was abducted by the + same men who later committed the other crimes.” + </p> + <p> + The Cases hung open-mouthed upon his words, while his companions wondered + at the loquaciousness of this ordinarily close-mouthed man, who, as a + matter of fact, was but attempting to win the confidence of the boy on the + chance that even now he had not told all that he knew; but Willie had told + all. + </p> + <p> + Finding, after a few minutes further conversation, that he could glean no + additional information the detective returned to his car and drove west + toward Millsville on the assumption that the fugitives would seek escape + by the railway running through that village. Only thus could he account + for their turning off the main pike. The latter was now well guarded all + the way to Payson; while the Millsville road was still open. + </p> + <p> + No sooner had he departed than Willie Case disappeared, nor did he answer + at noon to the repeated ringing of the big, farm dinner bell. + </p> + <p> + Half way between the Case farm and Millsville detective Burton saw, far + ahead along the road, two figures scale a fence and disappear behind the + fringing blackberry bushes which grew in tangled profusion on either side. + When they came abreast of the spot he ordered the driver to stop; but + though he scanned the open field carefully he saw no sign of living thing. + </p> + <p> + “There are two men hiding behind those bushes,” he said to his companions + in a low whisper. “One of you walk ahead about fifty yards and the other + go back the same distance and then climb the fence. When I see you getting + over I'll climb it here. They can't get away from us.” To the driver he + said: “You have a gun. If they make a break go after 'em. You can shoot if + they don't stop when you tell 'em to.” + </p> + <p> + The two men walked in opposite directions along the road, and when Burton + saw them turn in and start to climb the fence he vaulted over the panel + directly opposite the car. He had scarcely alighted upon the other side + when his eyes fell upon the disreputable figures of two tramps stretched + out upon their backs and snoring audibly. Burton grinned. + </p> + <p> + “You two sure can go to sleep in a hurry,” he said. One of the men opened + his eyes and sat up. When he saw who it was that stood over him he grinned + sheepishly. + </p> + <p> + “Can't a guy lie down fer a minute in de bushes widout bein' pinched?” he + asked. The other man now sat up and viewed the newcomer, while from either + side Burton's companions closed in on the three. + </p> + <p> + “Wot's de noise?” inquired the second tramp, looking from one to another + of the intruders. “We ain't done nothin'.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course not, Charlie,” Burton assured him gaily. “Who would ever + suspect that you or The General would do anything; but somebody did + something in Oakdale last night and I want to take you back there and have + a nice, long talk with you. Put your hands up!” + </p> + <p> + “We—.” + </p> + <p> + “Put 'em up!” snapped Burton, and when the four grimy fists had been + elevated he signalled to his companions to search the two men. + </p> + <p> + Nothing more formidable than knives, dope, and a needle were found upon + them. + </p> + <p> + “Say,” drawled Dopey Charlie. “We knows wot we knows; but hones' to gawd + we didn't have nothin' to do wid it. We knows the guy that pulled it off—we + spent las' night wid him an' his pal an' a skoit. He creased me, here,” + and Charlie unbuttoned his clothing and exposed to view the bloody scratch + of The Oskaloosa Kid's bullet. “On de level, Burton, we wern't in on it. + Dis guy was at dat Squibbs' place wen we pulls in dere outen de rain. He + has a pocket full o' kale an' sparklers an' tings, and he goes fer to + shoot me up wen I tries to get away.” + </p> + <p> + “Who was he?” asked Burton. + </p> + <p> + “He called hisself de Oskaloosa Kid,” replied Charlie. “A guy called + Bridge was wid him. You know him?” + </p> + <p> + “I've heard of him; but he's straight,” replied Burton. “Who was the + skirt?” + </p> + <p> + “I dunno,” said Charlie; “but she was gassin' 'bout her pals croakin' a + guy an' turnin' 'im outten a gas wagon, an' dis Oskaloosa Kid he croaks + some old guy in Oakdale las' night. Mebby he ain't a bad 'un though!” + </p> + <p> + “Where are they now?” asked Burton. + </p> + <p> + “We got away from 'em at the Squibbs' place this mornin',” said Charlie. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Burton, “you boes come along with me. If you ain't done + nothing the worst you'll get'll be three squares and a place to sleep for + a few days. I want you where I can lay my hands on you when I need a + couple of witnesses,” and he herded them over the fence and into the + machine. As he himself was about to step in he felt suddenly of his breast + pocket. + </p> + <p> + “What's the matter?” asked one of his companions. + </p> + <p> + “I've lost my note book,” replied Burton; “it must have dropped out of my + pocket when I jumped the fence. Just wait a minute while I go look for + it,” and he returned to the fence, vaulted it and disappeared behind the + bushes. + </p> + <p> + It was fully five minutes before he returned but when he did there was a + look of satisfaction on his face. + </p> + <p> + “Find it?” asked his principal lieutenant. + </p> + <p> + “Yep,” replied Burton. “I wouldn't have lost it for anything.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge and his companions had made their way along the wooded path for + perhaps a quarter of a mile when the man halted and drew back behind the + foliage of a flowering bush. With raised finger he motioned the others to + silence and then pointed through the branches ahead. The boy and the girl, + tense with excitement, peered past the man into a clearing in which stood + a log shack, mud plastered; but it was not the hovel which held their mute + attention—it was rather the figure of a girl, bare headed and bare + footed, who toiled stubbornly with an old spade at a long, narrow + excavation. + </p> + <p> + All too suggestive in itself was the shape of the hole the girl was + digging; there was no need of the silent proof of its purpose which lay + beside her to tell the watchers that she worked alone in the midst of the + forest solitude upon a human grave. The thing wrapped in an old quilt lay + silently waiting for the making of its last bed. + </p> + <p> + And as the three watched her other eyes watched them and the digging girl—wide, + awestruck eyes, filled with a great terror, yet now and again half closing + in the shrewd expression of cunning that is a hall mark of crafty + ignorance. + </p> + <p> + And as they watched, their over-wrought nerves suddenly shuddered to the + grewsome clanking of a chain from the dark interior of the hovel. + </p> + <p> + The youth, holding tight to Bridge's sleeve, strove to pull him away. + </p> + <p> + “Let's go back,” he whispered in a voice that trembled so that he could + scarce control it. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, please,” urged the girl. “Here is another path leading toward the + north. We must be close to a road. Let's get away from here.” + </p> + <p> + The digger paused and raised her head, listening, as though she had caught + the faint, whispered note of human voices. She was a black haired girl of + nineteen or twenty, dressed in a motley of flowered calico and silk, with + strings of gold and silver coins looped around her olive neck. Her bare + arms were encircled by bracelets—some cheap and gaudy, others well + wrought from gold and silver. From her ears depended ornaments fashioned + from gold coins. Her whole appearance was barbaric, her occupation cast a + sinister haze about her; and yet her eyes seemed fashioned for laughter + and her lips for kissing. + </p> + <p> + The watchers remained motionless as the girl peered first in one direction + and then in another, seeking an explanation of the sounds which had + disturbed her. Her brows were contracted into a scowl of apprehension + which remained even after she returned to her labors, and that she was ill + at ease was further evidenced by the frequent pauses she made to cast + quick glances toward the dense tanglewood surrounding the clearing. + </p> + <p> + At last the grave was dug. The girl climbed out and stood looking down + upon the quilt wrapped thing at her feet. For a moment she stood there as + silent and motionless as the dead. Only the twittering of birds disturbed + the quiet of the wood. Bridge felt a soft hand slipped into his and + slender fingers grip his own. He turned his eyes to see the boy at his + side gazing with wide eyes and trembling lips at the tableau within the + clearing. Involuntarily the man's hand closed tightly upon the youth's. + </p> + <p> + And as they stood thus the silence was shattered by a loud and human + sneeze from the thicket not fifty feet from where they stood. Instantly + the girl in the clearing was electrified into action. Like a tigress + charging those who stalked her she leaped swiftly across the clearing + toward the point from which the disturbance had come. There was an + answering commotion in the underbrush as the girl crashed through, a + slender knife gleaming in her hand. + </p> + <p> + Bridge and his companions heard the sounds of a swift and short pursuit + followed by voices, one masterful, the other frightened and whimpering; + and a moment afterward the girl reappeared dragging a boy with her—a + wide-eyed, terrified, country boy who begged and blubbered to no avail. + </p> + <p> + Beside the dead man the girl halted and then turned on her captive. In her + right hand she still held the menacing blade. + </p> + <p> + “What you do there watching me for?” she demanded. “Tell me the truth, or + I kill you,” and she half raised the knife that he might profit in his + decision by this most potent of arguments. + </p> + <p> + The boy cowered. “I didn't come fer to watch you,” he whimpered. “I'm + lookin' for somebody else. I'm goin' to be a dee-tectiff, an' I'm + shadderin' a murderer;” and he gasped and stammered: “But not you. I'm + lookin' for another murderer.” + </p> + <p> + For the first time the watchers saw a faint smile touch the girl's lips. + </p> + <p> + “What other murderer?” she asked. “Who has been murdered?” + </p> + <p> + “Two an' mebby three in Oakdale last night,” said Willie Case more glibly + now that a chance for disseminating gossip momentarily outweighed his own + fears. “Reginald Paynter was murdered an' ol' man Baggs an' Abigail Prim's + missin'. Like es not she's been murdered too, though they do say as she + had a hand in it, bein' seen with Paynter an' The Oskaloosie Kid jest + afore the murder.” + </p> + <p> + As the boy's tale reached the ears of the three hidden in the underbrush + Bridge glanced quickly at his companions. He saw the boy's horror-stricken + expression follow the announcement of the name of the murdered Paynter, + and he saw the girl flush crimson. + </p> + <p> + Without urging, Willie Case proceeded with his story. He told of the + coming of The Oskaloosa Kid to his father's farm that morning and of + seeing some of the loot and hearing the confession of robbery and killing + in Oakdale the night before. Bridge looked down at the youth beside him; + but the other's face was averted and his eyes upon the ground. Then Willie + told of the arrival of the great detective, of the reward that had been + offered and of his decision to win it and become rich and famous in a + single stroke. As he reached the end of his narrative he leaned close to + the girl, whispering in her ear the while his furtive gaze wandered toward + the spot where the three lay concealed. + </p> + <p> + Bridge shrugged his shoulders as the palpable inference of that cunning + glance was borne in upon him. The boy's voice had risen despite his + efforts to hold it to a low whisper for what with the excitement of the + adventure and his terror of the girl with the knife he had little or no + control of himself, yet it was evident that he did not realize that + practically every word he had spoken had reached the ears of the three in + hiding and that his final precaution as he divulged the information to the + girl was prompted by an excess of timidity and secretiveness. + </p> + <p> + The eyes of the girl widened in surprise and fear as she learned that + three watchers lay concealed at the verge of the clearing. She bent a + long, searching look in the direction indicated by the boy and then turned + her eyes quickly toward the hut as though to summon aid. At the same + moment Bridge stepped from hiding into the clearing. His pleasant 'Good + morning!' brought the girl around, facing him. + </p> + <p> + “What you want?” she snapped. + </p> + <p> + “I want you and this young man,” said Bridge, his voice now suddenly + stern. “We have been watching you and followed you from the Squibbs house. + We found the dead man there last night;” Bridge nodded toward the quilt + enveloped thing upon the ground; “and we suspect that you had an + accomplice.” Here he frowned meaningly upon Willie Case. The youth + trembled and stammered. + </p> + <p> + “I never seen her afore,” he cried. “I don' know nothin' about it. Honest + I don't.” But the girl did not quail. + </p> + <p> + “You get out,” she commanded. “You a bad man. Kill, steal. He know; he + tell me. You get out or I call Beppo. He keel you. He eat you.” + </p> + <p> + “Come, come, now, my dear,” urged Bridge, “be calm. Let us get at the root + of this thing. Your young friend accuses me of being a murderer, does he? + And he tells about murders in Oakdale that I have not even heard of. It + seems to me that he must have some guilty knowledge himself of these + affairs. Look at him and look at me. Notice his ears, his chin, his + forehead, or rather the places where his chin and forehead should be, and + then look once more at me. Which of us might be a murderer and which a + detective? I ask you. + </p> + <p> + “And as for yourself. I find you here in the depths of the wood digging a + lonely grave for a human corpse. I ask myself: was this man murdered? but + I do not say that he was murdered. I wait for an explanation from you, for + you do not look a murderer, though I cannot say as much for your desperate + companion.” + </p> + <p> + The girl looked straight into Bridge's eyes for a full minute before she + replied as though endeavoring to read his inmost soul. + </p> + <p> + “I do not know this boy,” she said. “That is the truth. He was spying on + me, and when I found him he told me that you and your companions were + thieves and murderers and that you were hiding there watching me. You tell + me the truth, all the truth, and I will tell you the truth. I have nothing + to fear. If you do not tell me the truth I shall know it. Will you?” + </p> + <p> + “I will,” replied Bridge, and then turning toward the brush he called: + “Come here!” and presently a boy and a girl, dishevelled and fearful, + crawled forth into sight. Willie Case's eyes went wide as they fell upon + the Oskaloosa Kid. + </p> + <p> + Quickly and simply Bridge told the girl the story of the past night, for + he saw that by enlisting her sympathy he might find an avenue of escape + for his companions, or at least a haven of refuge where they might hide + until escape was possible. “And then,” he said in conclusion, “when the + searchers arrived we followed the foot prints of yourself and the bear + until we came upon you digging this grave.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge's companions and Willie Case looked their surprise at his mention + of a bear; but the gypsy girl only nodded her head as she had occasionally + during his narrative. + </p> + <p> + “I believe you,” said the girl. “It is not easy to deceive Giova. Now I + tell you. This here,” she pointed toward the dead man, “he my father. He + bad man. Steal; kill; drink; fight; but always good to Giova. Good to no + one else but Beppo. He afraid Beppo. Even our people drive us out he, my + father, so bad man. We wander 'round country mak leetle money when Beppo + dance; mak lot money when HE steal. Two days he no come home. I go las' + night look for him. Sometimes he too drunk come home he sleep Squeebs. I + go there. I find heem dead. He have fits, six, seven year. He die fit. + Beppo stay guard heem. I carry heem home. Giova strong, he no very large + man. Beppo come too. I bury heem. No one know we leeve here. Pretty soon I + go way with Beppo. Why tell people he dead. Who care? Mak lot trouble for + Giova whose heart already ache plenty. No one love heem, only Beppo and + Giova. No one love Giova, only Beppo; but some day Beppo he keel Giova now + HE is dead, for Beppo vera large, strong bear—fierce bear—ogly + bear. Even Giova who love Beppo is afraid Beppo. Beppo devil bear! Beppo + got evil eye. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Bridge, “I guess, Giova, that you and we are in the same + boat. We haven't any of us done anything so very bad but it would be + embarrassing to have to explain to the police what we have done,” here he + glanced at The Oskaloosa Kid and the girl standing beside the youth. + “Suppose we form a defensive alliance, eh? We'll help you and you help us. + What do you say?” + </p> + <p> + “All right,” acquiesced Giova; “but what we do with this?” and she jerked + her thumb toward Willie Case. + </p> + <p> + “If he don't behave we'll feed him to Beppo,” suggested Bridge. + </p> + <p> + Willie shook in his boots, figuratively speaking, for in reality he shook + upon his bare feet. “Lemme go,” he wailed, “an' I won't tell nobody + nothin'.” + </p> + <p> + “No,” said Bridge, “you don't go until we're safely out of here. I + wouldn't trust that vanishing chin of yours as far as I could throw Beppo + by the tail.” + </p> + <p> + “Wait!” exclaimed The Oskaloosa Kid. “I have it!” + </p> + <p> + “What have you?” asked Bridge. + </p> + <p> + “Listen!” cried the boy excitedly. “This boy has been offered a hundred + dollars for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the men + who robbed and murdered in Oakdale last night. I'll give him a hundred + dollars if he'll go away and say nothing about us.” + </p> + <p> + “Look here, son,” said Bridge, “every time you open your mouth you put + your foot in it. The less you advertise the fact that you have a hundred + dollars the better off you'll be. I don't know how you come by so much + wealth; but in view of several things which occurred last night I should + not be crazy, were I you, to have to make a true income tax return. + Somehow I have faith in you; but I doubt if any minion of the law would be + similarly impressed.” + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid appeared hurt and crestfallen. Giova shot a suspicious + glance at him. The other girl involuntarily drew away. Bridge noted the + act and shook his head. “No,” he said, “we mustn't judge one another + hastily, Miss Prim, and I take it you are Miss Prim?” The girl made a half + gesture of denial, started to speak, hesitated and then resumed. “I would + rather not say who I am, please,” she said. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said the man, “let's take one another at face value for a while, + without digging too deep into the past; and now for our plans. This wood + will be searched; but I don't see how we are to get out of it before dark + as the roads are doubtless pretty well patrolled, or at least every farmer + is on the lookout for suspicious strangers. So we might as well make the + best of it here for the rest of the day. I think we're reasonably safe for + the time being—if we keep Willie with us.” + </p> + <p> + Willie had been an interested auditor of all that passed between his + captors. He was obviously terrified; but his terror did not prevent him + from absorbing all that he heard, nor from planning how he might utilize + the information. He saw not only one reward but several and a glorious + publicity which far transcended the most sanguine of his former dreams. He + saw his picture not only in the Oakdale Tribune but in the newspapers of + every city of the country. Assuming a stern and arrogant expression, or + rather what he thought to be such, he posed, mentally, for the newspaper + cameramen; and such is the power of association of ideas that he was + presently strolling nonchalantly before a battery of motion picture + machines. “Gee!” he murmured, “won't the other fellers be sore! I s'ppose + Pinkerton'll send for me 'bout the first thing 'n' offer me twenty fi' + dollars a week, er mebbie more 'n thet. Gol durn, ef I don't hold out fer + thirty! Gee!” Words, thoughts even, failed him. + </p> + <p> + As the others planned they rather neglected Willie and when they came to + assisting Giova in lowering her father into the grave and covering him + over with earth they quite forgot Willie entirely. It was The Oskaloosa + Kid who first thought of him. “Where's the boy?” he cried suddenly. The + others looked quickly about the clearing, but no Willie was to be seen. + </p> + <p> + Bridge shook his head ruefully. “We'll have to get out of this in a hurry + now,” he said. “That little defective will have the whole neighborhood on + us in an hour.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, what can we do?” cried the girl. “They mustn't find us! I should + rather die than be found here with—” She stopped abruptly, flushed + scarlet as the other three looked at her in silence, and then: “I am + sorry,” she said. “I didn't know what I was saying. I am so frightened. + You have all been good to me.” + </p> + <p> + “I tell you what we do.” It was Giova speaking in the masterful voice of + one who has perfect confidence in his own powers. “I know fine way out. + This wood circle back south through swamp mile, mile an' a half. The road + past Squeebs an' Case's go right through it. I know path there I fin' + myself. We on'y have to cross road, that only danger. Then we reach leetle + stream south of woods, stream wind down through Payson. We all go Gypsies. + I got lot clothing in house. We all go Gypsies, an' when we reach Payson + we no try hide—jus' come out on street with Beppo. Mak' Beppo dance. + No one think we try hide. Then come night we go 'way. Find more wood an' + leetle lake other side Payson. I know place. We hide there long time. No + one ever fin' us there. We tell two, three, four people in Payson we go + Oakdale. They look Oakdale for us if they wan' fin' us. They no think look + where we go. See?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, I can't go to Payson,” exclaimed the other girl. “Someone would be + sure to recognize me.” + </p> + <p> + “You come in house with me,” Giova assured her, “I feex you so your own + mother no know you. You mens come too. I geeve you what to wear like Gypsy + mens. We got lots things. My father, him he steal many things from our + people after they drive us out. He go back by nights an' steal.” + </p> + <p> + The three followed her toward the little hovel since there seemed no + better plan than that which she had offered. Giova and the other girl were + in the lead, followed by Bridge and the boy. The latter turned to the man + and placed a hand upon his arm. “Why don't you leave us,” he asked. “You + have done nothing. No one is looking for you. Why don't you go your way + and save yourself from suspicion.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge did not reply. + </p> + <p> + “I believe,” the youth went on, “that you are doing it for me; but why I + can't guess.” + </p> + <p> + “Maybe I am,” Bridge half acknowledged. “You're a good little kid, but you + need someone to look after you. It would be easier though if you'd tell me + the truth about yourself, which you certainly haven't up to now.” + </p> + <p> + “Please don't ask me,” begged the boy. “I can't; honestly I can't.” + </p> + <p> + “Is it as bad as that?” asked the man. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, it's worse,” cried The Oskaloosa Kid. “It's a thousand times worse. + Don't make me tell you, for if I do tell I shall have to leave you, and—and, + oh, Bridge, I don't want to leave you—ever!” + </p> + <p> + They had reached the door of the cabin now and were looking in past the + girl who had halted there as Giova entered. Before them was a small room + in which a large, vicious looking brown bear was chained. + </p> + <p> + “Behold our ghost of last night!” exclaimed Bridge. “By George! though, + I'd as soon have hunted a real ghost in the dark as to have run into this + fellow.” + </p> + <p> + “Did you know last night that it was a bear?” asked the Kid. “You told + Giova that you followed the footprints of herself and her bear; but you + had not said anything about a bear to us.” + </p> + <p> + “I had an idea last night,” explained Bridge, “that the sounds were + produced by some animal dragging a chain; but I couldn't prove it and so I + said nothing, and then this morning while we were following the trail I + made up my mind that it was a bear. There were two facts which argued that + such was the case. The first is that I don't believe in ghosts and that + even if I did I would not expect a ghost to leave footprints in the mud, + and the other is that I knew that the footprints of a bear are strangely + similar to those of the naked feet of man. Then when I saw the Gypsy girl + I was sure that what we had heard last night was nothing more nor less + than a trained bear. The dress and appearance of the dead man lent + themselves to a furtherance of my belief and the wisp of brown hair + clutched in his fingers added still further proof.” + </p> + <p> + Within the room the bear was now straining at his collar and growling + ferociously at the strangers. Giova crossed the room, scolding him and at + the same time attempting to assure him that the newcomers were friends; + but the wicked expression upon the beast's face gave no indication that he + would ever accept them as aught but enemies. + </p> + <p> + It was a breathless Willie who broke into his mother's kitchen wide eyed + and gasping from the effects of excitement and a long, hard run. + </p> + <p> + “Fer lan' sakes!” exclaimed Mrs. Case. “Whatever in the world ails you?” + </p> + <p> + “I got 'em; I got 'em!” cried Willie, dashing for the telephone. + </p> + <p> + “Fer lan' sakes! I should think you did hev 'em,” retorted his mother as + she trailed after him in the direction of the front hall. “'N' whatever + you got, you got 'em bad. Now you stop right where you air 'n' tell me + whatever you got. 'Taint likely it's measles, fer you've hed them three + times, 'n' whoopin' cough ain't 'them,' it's 'it,' 'n'—.” Mrs. Case + paused and gasped—horrified. “Fer lan' sakes, Willie Case, you come + right out o' this house this minute ef you got anything in your head.” She + made a grab for Willie's arm; but the boy dodged and reached the + telephone. + </p> + <p> + “Shucks!” he cried. “I ain't got nothin' in my head,” nor did either sense + the unconscious humor of the statement. “What I got is a gang o' thieves + an' murderers, an' I'm callin' up thet big city deetectiff to come arter + 'em.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Case sank into a chair, prostrated by the weight of her emotions, + while Willie took down the receiver after ringing the bell to attract + central. Finally he obtained his connection, which was with Jonas Prim's + bank where detective Burton was making his headquarters. Here he learned + that Burton had not returned; but finally gave his message reluctantly to + Jonas Prim after exacting a promise from that gentleman that he would be + personally responsible for the payment of the reward. What Willie Case + told Jonas Prim had the latter in a machine, with half a dozen deputy + sheriffs and speeding southward from Oakdale inside of ten minutes. + </p> + <p> + A short distance out from town they met detective Burton with his two + prisoners. After a hurried consultation Dopey Charlie and The General were + unloaded and started on the remainder of their journey afoot under guard + of two of the deputies, while Burton's companions turned and followed the + other car, Burton taking a seat beside Prim. + </p> + <p> + “He said that he could take us right to where Abigail is,” Mr. Prim was + explaining to Burton, “and that this Oskaloosa Kid is with her, and + another man and a foreign looking girl. He told a wild story about seeing + them burying a dead man in the woods back of Squibbs' place. I don't know + how much to believe, or whether to believe any of it; but we can't afford + not to run down every clew. I can't believe that my daughter is wilfully + consorting with such men. She always has been full of life and spirit; but + she's got a clean mind, and her little escapades have always been entirely + harmless—at worst some sort of boyish prank. I simply won't believe + it until I see it with my own eyes. If she's with them she's being held by + force.” + </p> + <p> + Burton made no reply. He was not a man to jump to conclusions. His success + was largely due to the fact that he assumed nothing; but merely ran down + each clew quickly yet painstakingly until he had a foundation of fact upon + which to operate. His theory was that the simplest way is always the best + way and so he never befogged the main issue with any elaborate system of + deductive reasoning based on guesswork. Burton never guessed. He assumed + that it was his business to KNOW, nor was he on any case long before he + did know. He was employed now to find Abigail Prim. Each of the several + crimes committed the previous night might or might not prove a clew to her + whereabouts; but each must be run down in the process of elimination + before Burton could feel safe in abandoning it. + </p> + <p> + Already he had solved one of them to his satisfaction; and Dopey Charlie + and The General were, all unknown to themselves, on the way to the gallows + for the murder of Old John Baggs. When Burton had found them simulating + sleep behind the bushes beside the road his observant eyes had noticed + something that resembled a hurried cache. The excuse of a lost note book + had taken him back to investigate and to find the loot of the Baggs's + crime wrapped in a bloody rag and hastily buried in a shallow hole. + </p> + <p> + When Burton and Jonas Prim arrived at the Case farm they were met by a new + Willie. A puffed and important young man swaggered before them as he + retold his tale and led them through the woods toward the spot where they + were to bag their prey. The last hundred yards was made on hands and + knees; but when the party arrived at the clearing there was no one in + sight, only the hovel stood mute and hollow-eyed before them. + </p> + <p> + “They must be inside,” whispered Willie to the detective. + </p> + <p> + Burton passed a whispered word to his followers. Stealthily they crept + through the underbrush until the cabin was surrounded; then, at a signal + from their leader they rose and advanced upon the structure. + </p> + <p> + No evidence of life indicated their presence had been noted, and Burton + came to the very door of the cabin unchallenged. The others saw him pause + an instant upon the threshold and then pass in. They closed behind him. + Three minutes later he emerged, shaking his head. + </p> + <p> + “There is no one here,” he announced. + </p> + <p> + Willie Case was crestfallen. “But they must be,” he pleaded. “They must + be. I saw 'em here just a leetle while back.” + </p> + <p> + Burton turned and eyed the boy sternly. Willie quailed. “I seen 'em,” he + cried. “Hones' I seen 'em. They was here just a few minutes ago. Here's + where they burrit the dead man,” and he pointed to the little mound of + earth near the center of the clearing. + </p> + <p> + “We'll see,” commented Burton, tersely, and he sent two of his men back to + the Case farm for spades. When they returned a few minutes' labor revealed + that so much of Willie's story was true, for a quilt wrapped corpse was + presently unearthed and lying upon the ground beside its violated grave. + Willie's stock rose once more to par. + </p> + <p> + In an improvised litter they carried the dead man back to Case's farm + where they left him after notifying the coroner by telephone. Half of + Burton's men were sent to the north side of the woods and half to the road + upon the south of the Squibbs' farm. There they separated and formed a + thin line of outposts about the entire area north of the road. If the + quarry was within it could not escape without being seen. In the mean time + Burton telephoned to Oakdale for reinforcements, as it would require fifty + men at least to properly beat the tangled underbrush of the wood. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + In a clump of willows beside the little stream which winds through the + town of Payson a party of four halted on the outskirts of the town. There + were two men, two young women and a huge brown bear. The men and women + were, obviously, Gypsies. Their clothing, their head-dress, their barbaric + ornamentation proclaimed the fact to whoever might pass; but no one + passed. + </p> + <p> + “I think,” said Bridge, “that we will just stay where we are until after + dark. We haven't passed or seen a human being since we left the cabin. No + one can know that we are here and if we stay here until late to-night we + should be able to pass around Payson unseen and reach the wood to the + south of town. If we do meet anyone to-night we'll stop them and inquire + the way to Oakdale—that'll throw them off the track.” + </p> + <p> + The others acquiesced in his suggestion; but there were queries about food + to be answered. It seemed that all were hungry and that the bear was + ravenous. + </p> + <p> + “What does he eat?” Bridge asked of Giova. + </p> + <p> + “Mos' anything,” replied the girl. “He like garbage fine. Often I take him + into towns late, ver' late at night an' he eat swill. I do that to-night. + Beppo, he got to be fed or he eat Giova. I go feed Beppo, you go get food + for us; then we all meet at edge of wood just other side town near old + mill.” + </p> + <p> + During the remainder of the afternoon and well after dark the party + remained hidden in the willows. Then Giova started out with Beppo in + search of garbage cans, Bridge bent his steps toward a small store upon + the outskirts of town where food could be purchased, The Oskaloosa Kid + having donated a ten dollar bill for the stocking of the commissariat, and + the youth and the girl made their way around the south end of the town + toward the meeting place beside the old mill. + </p> + <p> + As Bridge moved through the quiet road at the outskirts of the little town + he let his mind revert to the events of the past twenty four hours and as + he pondered each happening since he met the youth in the dark of the storm + the preceding night he asked himself why he had cast his lot with these + strangers. In his years of vagabondage Bridge had never crossed that + invisible line which separates honest men from thieves and murderers and + which, once crossed, may never be recrossed. Chance and necessity had + thrown him often among such men and women; but never had he been of them. + The police of more than one city knew Bridge—they knew him, though, + as a character and not as a criminal. A dozen times he had been arraigned + upon suspicion; but as many times had he been released with a clean bill + of morals until of late Bridge had become almost immune from arrest. The + police who knew him knew that he was straight and they knew, too, that he + would give no information against another man. For this they admired him + as did the majority of the criminals with whom he had come in contact + during his rovings. + </p> + <p> + The present crisis, however, appeared most unpromising to Bridge. Grave + crimes had been committed in Oakdale, and here was Bridge conniving in the + escape of at least two people who might readily be under police suspicion. + It was difficult for the man to bring himself to believe that either the + youth or the girl was in any way actually responsible for either of the + murders; yet it appeared that the latter had been present when a murder + was committed and now by attempting to elude the police had become an + accessory after the fact, since she possessed knowledge of the identity of + the actual murderer; while the boy, by his own admission, had committed a + burglary. + </p> + <p> + Bridge shook his head wearily. Was he not himself an accessory after the + fact in the matter of two crimes at least? These new friends, it seemed, + were about to topple him into the abyss which he had studiously avoided + for so long a time. But why should he permit it? What were they to him? + </p> + <p> + A freight train was puffing into the siding at the Payson station. Bridge + could hear the complaining brakes a mile away. It would be easy to leave + the town and his dangerous companions far behind him; but even as the + thought forced its way into his mind another obtruded itself to shoulder + aside the first. It was recollection of the boy's words: “Oh, Bridge, I + don't want to leave you—ever.” + </p> + <p> + “I couldn't do it,” mused Bridge. “I don't know just why; but I couldn't. + That kid has certainly got me. The first thing someone knows I'll be + starting a foundlings' home. There is no question but that I am the soft + mark, and I wonder why it is—why a kid I never saw before last night + has a strangle hold on my heart that I can't shake loose—and don't + want to. Now if it was a girl I could understand it.” Bridge stopped + suddenly in the middle of the road. From his attitude he might have been + startled either by a surprising noise or by a surprising thought. For a + minute he stood motionless; then he shook his head again and proceeded + along his way toward the little store; evidently if he had heard anything + he was assured that it constituted no menace. + </p> + <p> + As he entered the store to make his purchases a foxeyed man saw him and + stepped quickly behind the huge stove which had not as yet been taken down + for the summer. Bridge made his purchases, the volume of which required a + large gunny-sack for transportation, and while he was thus occupied the + fox-eyed man clung to his coign of vantage, himself unnoticed by the + purchaser. When Bridge departed the other followed him, keeping in the + shadow of the trees which bordered the street. Around the edge of town and + down a road which led southward the two went until Bridge passed through a + broken fence and halted beside an abandoned mill. The watcher saw his + quarry set down his burden, seat himself beside it and proceed to roll a + cigaret; then he faded away in the darkness and Bridge was alone. + </p> + <p> + Five or ten minutes later two slender figures appeared dimly out of the + north. They approached timidly, stopping often and looking first this way + and then that and always listening. When they arrived opposite the mill + Bridge saw them and gave a low whistle. Immediately the two passed through + the fence and approached him. + </p> + <p> + “My!” exclaimed one. “I thought we never would get here; but we didn't see + a soul on the road. Where is Giova?” + </p> + <p> + “She hasn't come yet,” replied Bridge, “and she may not. I don't see how a + girl can browse around a town like this with a big bear at night and not + be seen, and if she is seen she'll be followed—it would be too much + of a treat for the rubes ever to be passed up—and if she's followed + she won't come here. At least I hope she won't.” + </p> + <p> + “What's that?” exclaimed The Oskaloosa Kid. Each stood in silence, + listening. + </p> + <p> + The girl shuddered. “Even now that I know what it is it makes me creep,” + she whispered, as the faint clanking of a distant chain came to their + ears. + </p> + <p> + “We ought to be used to it by this time, Miss Prim,” said Bridge. “We + heard it all last night and a good part of to-day.” + </p> + <p> + The girl made no comment upon the use of the name which he had applied to + her, and in the darkness he could not see her features, nor did he see the + odd expression upon the boy's face as he heard the name addressed to her. + Was he thinking of the nocturnal raid he so recently had made upon the + boudoir of Miss Abigail Prim? Was he pondering the fact that his pockets + bulged to the stolen belongings of that young lady? But whatever was + passing in his mind he permitted none of it to pass his lips. + </p> + <p> + As the three stood waiting in silence Giova came presently among them, the + beast Beppo lumbering awkwardly at her side. + </p> + <p> + “Did he find anything to eat?” asked the man. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, yes,” exclaimed Giova. “He fill up now. That mak him better nature. + Beppo not so ugly now.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I'm glad of that,” said Bridge. “I haven't been looking forward + much to his company through the woods to-night—especially while he + was hungry!” + </p> + <p> + Giova laughed a low, musical little laugh. “I don' think he no hurt you + anyway,” she said. “Now he know you my frien'.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope you are quite correct in your surmise,” replied Bridge. “But even + so I'm not taking any chances.” + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + Willie Case had been taken to Payson to testify before the coroner's jury + investigating the death of Giova's father, and with the dollar which The + Oskaloosa Kid had given him in the morning burning in his pocket had + proceeded to indulge in an orgy of dissipation the moment that he had been + freed from the inquest. Ice cream, red pop, peanuts, candy, and soda water + may have diminished his appetite but not his pride and self-satisfaction + as he sat alone and by night for the first time in a public eating place. + Willie was now a man of the world, a bon vivant, as he ordered ham and + eggs from the pretty waitress of The Elite Restaurant on Broadway; but at + heart he was not happy for never before had he realized what a great + proportion of his anatomy was made up of hands and feet. As he glanced + fearfully at the former, silhouetted against the white of the table cloth, + he flushed scarlet, assured as he was that the waitress who had just + turned away toward the kitchen with his order was convulsed with laughter + and that every other eye in the establishment was glued upon him. To + assume an air of nonchalance and thereby impress and disarm his critics + Willie reached for a toothpick in the little glass holder near the center + of the table and upset the sugar bowl. Immediately Willie snatched back + the offending hand and glared ferociously at the ceiling. He could feel + the roots of his hair being consumed in the heat of his skin. A quick side + glance that required all his will power to consummate showed him that no + one appeared to have noticed his faux pas and Willie was again slowly + returning to normal when the proprietor of the restaurant came up from + behind and asked him to remove his hat. + </p> + <p> + Never had Willie Case spent so frightful a half hour as that within the + brilliant interior of The Elite Restaurant. Twenty-three minutes of this + eternity was consumed in waiting for his order to be served and seven + minutes in disposing of the meal and paying his check. Willie's method of + eating was in itself a sermon on efficiency—there was no lost motion—no + waste of time. He placed his mouth within two inches of his plate after + cutting his ham and eggs into pieces of a size that would permit each + mouthful to enter without wedging; then he mixed his mashed potatoes in + with the result and working his knife and fork alternately with + bewildering rapidity shot a continuous stream of food into his gaping maw. + </p> + <p> + In addition to the meat and potatoes there was one vegetable in a + side-dish and as dessert four prunes. The meat course gone Willie placed + the vegetable dish on the empty plate, seized a spoon in lieu of knife and + fork and—presto! the side-dish was empty. Whereupon the prune dish + was set in the empty side-dish—four deft motions and there were no + prunes—in the dish. The entire feat had been accomplished in 6:34 + 1/2, setting a new world's record for red-headed farmer boys with one + splay foot. + </p> + <p> + In the remaining twenty five and one half seconds Willie walked what + seemed to him a mile from his seat to the cashier's desk and at the last + instant bumped into a waitress with a trayful of dishes. Clutched tightly + in Willie's hand was thirty five cents and his check with a like amount + written upon it. Amid the crash of crockery which followed the collision + Willie slammed check and money upon the cashier's desk and fled. Nor did + he pause until in the reassuring seclusion of a dark side street. There + Willie sank upon the curb alternately cold with fear and hot with shame, + weak and panting, and into his heart entered the iron of class hatred, + searing it to the core. + </p> + <p> + Fortunately for youth it recuperates rapidly from mortal blows, and so it + was that another half hour found Willie wandering up and down Broadway but + at the far end of the street from The Elite Restaurant. A motion picture + theater arrested his attention; and presently, parting with one of his two + remaining dimes, he entered. The feature of the bill was a detective + melodrama. Nothing in the world could have better suited Willie's psychic + needs. It recalled his earlier feats of the day, in which he took + pardonable pride, and raised him once again to a self-confidence he had + not felt since he entered the ever to be hated Elite Restaurant. + </p> + <p> + The show over Willie set forth afoot for home. A long walk lay ahead of + him. This in itself was bad enough; but what lay at the end of the long + walk was infinitely worse, as Willie's father had warned him to return + immediately after the inquest, in time for milking, preferably. Before he + had gone two blocks from the theater Willie had concocted at least three + tales to account for his tardiness, either one of which would have done + credit to the imaginative powers of a Rider Haggard or a Jules Verne; but + at the end of the third block he caught a glimpse of something which drove + all thoughts of home from his mind and came but barely short of driving + his mind out too. He was approaching the entrance to an alley. Old trees + grew in the parkway at his side. At the street corner a half block away a + high flung arc swung gently from its supporting cables, casting a fair + light upon the alley's mouth, and just emerging from behind the nearer + fence Willie Case saw the huge bulk of a bear. Terrified, Willie jumped + behind a tree; and then, fearful lest the animal might have caught sight + or scent of him he poked his head cautiously around the side of the bole + just in time to see the figure of a girl come out of the alley behind the + bear. Willie recognized her at the first glance—she was the very + girl he had seen burying the dead man in the Squibbs woods. Instantly + Willie Case was transformed again into the shrewd and death defying + sleuth. At a safe distance he followed the girl and the bear through one + alley after another until they came out upon the road which leads south + from Payson. He was across the road when she joined Bridge and his + companions. When they turned toward the old mill he followed them, + listening close to the rotting clapboards for any chance remark which + might indicate their future plans. He heard them debating the wisdom of + remaining where they were for the night or moving on to another location + which they had evidently decided upon but no clew to which they dropped. + </p> + <p> + “The objection to remaining here,” said Bridge, “is that we can't make a + fire to cook by—it would be too plainly visible from the road.” + </p> + <p> + “But I can no fin' road by dark,” explained Giova. “It bad road by day, + ver' much worse by night. Beppo no come 'cross swamp by night. No, we got + stay here til morning.” + </p> + <p> + “All right,” replied Bridge, “we can eat some of this canned stuff and + have our ham and coffee after we reach camp tomorrow morning, eh?” + </p> + <p> + “And now that we've gotten through Payson safely,” suggested The Oskaloosa + Kid, “let's change back into our own clothes. This disguise makes me feel + too conspicuous.” + </p> + <p> + Willie Case had heard enough. His quarry would remain where it was over + night, and a moment later Willie was racing toward Payson and a telephone + as fast as his legs would carry him. + </p> + <p> + In an old brick structure a hundred yards below the mill where the + lighting machinery of Payson had been installed before the days of the + great central power plant a hundred miles away four men were smoking as + they lay stretched upon the floor. + </p> + <p> + “I tell you I seen him,” asserted one of the party. “I follered this + Bridge guy from town to the mill. He was got up like a Gyp; but I knew him + all right, all right. This scenery of his made me tink there was something + phoney doin', or I wouldn't have trailed him, an' its a good ting I done + it, fer he hadn't ben there five minutes before along comes The Kid an' a + skirt and pretty soon a nudder chicken wid a calf on a string, er mebbie + it was a sheep—it was pretty husky lookin' fer a sheep though. An' I + sticks aroun' a minute until I hears this here Bridge guy call the first + skirt 'Miss Prim.'” + </p> + <p> + He ceased speaking to note the effect of his words on his hearers. They + were electrical. The Sky Pilot sat up straight and slapped his thigh. Soup + Face opened his mouth, letting his pipe fall out into his lap, setting + fire to his ragged trousers. Dirty Eddie voiced a characteristic + obscenity. + </p> + <p> + “So you sees,” went on Columbus Blackie, “we got a chanct to get both the + dame and The Kid. Two of us can take her to Oakdale an' claim the reward + her old man's offerin' an' de odder two can frisk de Kid, an'—an'—.” + </p> + <p> + “An' wot?” queried The Sky Pilot. + </p> + <p> + “Dere's de swamp handy,” suggested Soup Face. + </p> + <p> + “I was tinkin' of de swamp,” said Columbus Blackie. + </p> + <p> + “Eddie and I will return Miss Prim to her bereaved parents,” interrupted + The Sky Pilot. “You, Blackie, and Soup Face can arrange matters with The + Oskaloosa Kid. I don't care for details. We will all meet in Toledo as + soon as possible and split the swag. We ought to make a cleaning on this + job, boes.” + </p> + <p> + “You spit a mout'ful then,” said Columbus Blackie. + </p> + <p> + They fell to discussing way and means. + </p> + <p> + “We'd better wait until they're asleep,” counseled The Sky Pilot. “Two of + us can tackle this Bridge and hand him the k.o. quick. Eddie and Soup Face + had better attend to that. Blackie can nab The Kid an' I'll annex Miss + Abigail Prim. The lady with the calf we don't want. We'll tell her we're + officers of the law an' that she'd better duck with her live stock an' + keep her trap shut if she don't want to get mixed up with a murder trial.” + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + Detective Burton was at the county jail in Oakdale administering the third + degree to Dopey Charlie and The General when there came a long distance + telephone call for him. + </p> + <p> + “Hello!” said the voice at the other end of the line; “I'm Willie Case, + an' I've found Miss Abigail Prim.” + </p> + <p> + “Again?” queried Burton. + </p> + <p> + “Really,” asserted Willie. “I know where she's goin' to be all night. I + heard 'em say so. The Oskaloosie Kid's with her an' annuder guy an' the + girl I seen with the dead man in Squibbs' woods an' they got a BEAR!” It + was almost a shriek. “You'd better come right away an' bring Mr. Prim. + I'll meet you on the ol' Toledo road right south of Payson, an' say, do I + get the whole reward?” + </p> + <p> + “You'll get whatever's coming to you, son,” replied Burton. “You say there + are two men and two women—are you sure that is all?” + </p> + <p> + “And the bear,” corrected Willie. + </p> + <p> + “All right, keep quiet and wait for me,” cautioned Burton. “You'll know me + by the spot light on my car—I'll have it pointed straight up into + the air. When you see it coming get into the middle of the road and wave + your hands to stop us. Do you understand?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes,” said Willie. + </p> + <p> + “And don't talk to anyone,” Burton again cautioned him. + </p> + <p> + A few minutes later Burton left Oakdale with his two lieutenants and a + couple of the local policemen, the car turning south toward Payson and + moving at ever accelerating speed as it left the town streets behind it + and swung smoothly onto the country road. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + It was after midnight when four men cautiously approached the old mill. + There was no light nor any sign of life within as they crept silently + through the doorless doorway. Columbus Blackie was in the lead. He flashed + a quick light around the interior revealing four forms stretched upon the + floor, deep in slumber. Into the blacker shadows of the far end of the + room the man failed to shine his light for the first flash had shown him + those whom he sought. Picking out their quarry the intruders made a sudden + rush upon the sleepers. + </p> + <p> + Bridge awoke to find two men attempting to rain murderous blows upon his + head. Wiry, strong and full of the vigor of a clean life, he pitted + against their greater numbers and cowardly attack a defense which was + infinitely more strenuous than they had expected. + </p> + <p> + Columbus Blackie leaped for The Oskaloosa Kid, while The Sky Pilot seized + upon Abigail Prim. No one paid any attention to Giova, nor, with the noise + and confusion, did the intruders note the sudden clanking of a chain from + out the black depths of the room's further end, or the splintering of a + half decayed studding. + </p> + <p> + Soup Face entangling himself about Bridge's legs succeeded in throwing the + latter to the floor while Dirty Eddie kicked viciously at the prostrate + man's head. The Sky Pilot seized Abigail Prim about the waist and dragged + her toward the doorway and though the girl fought valiantly to free + herself her lesser muscles were unable to cope successfully with those of + the man. Columbus Blackie found his hands full with The Oskaloosa Kid. + Again and again the youth struck him in the face; but the man persisted, + beating down the slim hands and striking viciously at body and head until, + at last, the boy, half stunned though still struggling, was dragged from + the room. + </p> + <p> + Simultaneously a series of frightful growls reverberated through the + deserted mill. A huge body catapulted into the midst of the fighters. + Abigail Prim screamed. “The bear!” she cried. “The bear is loose!” + </p> + <p> + Dirty Eddie was the first to feel the weight of Beppo's wrath. His foot + drawn back to implant a vicious kick in Bridge's face he paused at the + girl's scream and at the same moment a huge thing reared up before him. + Just for an instant he sensed the terrifying presence of some frightful + creature, caught the reflected gleam of two savage eyes and felt the hot + breath from distended jaws upon his cheek, then Beppo swung a single + terrific blow which caught the man upon the side of the head to spin him + across the floor and drop him in a crumpled heap against the wall, with a + fractured skull. Dirty Eddie was out. Soup Face, giving voice to a scream + more bestial than human, rose to his feet and fled in the opposite + direction. + </p> + <p> + Beppo paused and looked about. He discovered Bridge lying upon the floor + and sniffed at him. The man lay perfectly quiet. He had heard that often + times a bear will not molest a creature which it thinks dead. Be that as + it may Beppo chanced at that moment to glance toward the doorway. There, + silhouetted against the lesser darkness without, he saw the figures of + Columbus Blackie and The Oskaloosa Kid and with a growl he charged them. + The two were but a few paces outside the doorway when the full weight of + the great bear struck Columbus Blackie between the shoulders. Down went + the man and as he fell he released his hold upon the youth who immediately + turned and ran for the road. + </p> + <p> + The momentum of the bear carried him past the body of his intended victim + who, frightened but uninjured, scrambled to his feet and dashed toward the + rear of the mill in the direction of the woods and distant swamp. Beppo, + recovering from his charge, wheeled in time to catch a glimpse of his + quarry after whom he made with all the awkwardness that was his birthright + and with the speed of a race horse. + </p> + <p> + Columbus Blackie, casting a terrified glance rearward, saw his Nemesis + flashing toward him, and dodged around a large tree. Again Beppo shot past + the man while the latter, now shrieking for help, raced madly in a new + direction. + </p> + <p> + Bridge had arisen and come out of the mill. He called aloud for The + Oskaloosa Kid. Giova answered him from a small tree. “Climb!” she cried. + “Climb a tree! Ever'one climb a small tree. Beppo he go mad. He keel + ever'one. Run! Climb! He keel me. Beppo he got evil-eye.” + </p> + <p> + Along the road from the north came a large touring car, swinging from side + to side in its speed. Its brilliant headlights illuminated the road far + ahead. They picked out The Sky Pilot and Abigail Prim, they found The + Oskaloosa Kid climbing a barbed wire fence and then with complaining + brakes the car came to a sudden stop. Six men leaped from the machine and + rounded up the three they had seen. Another came running toward them. It + was Soup Face, so thoroughly terrified that he would gladly have embraced + a policeman in uniform, could the latter have offered him protection. + </p> + <p> + A boy accompanied the newcomers. “There he is!” he screamed, pointing at + The Oskaloosa Kid. “There he is! And you've got Miss Prim, too, and when + do I get the reward?” + </p> + <p> + “Shut up!” said one of the men. + </p> + <p> + “Watch this bunch,” said Burton to one of his lieutenants, “while we go + after the rest of them. There are some over by the mill. I can hear them.” + </p> + <p> + From the woods came a fear-filled scream mingled with the savage growls of + a beast. + </p> + <p> + “It's the bear,” shrilled Willie Case, and ran toward the automobile. + </p> + <p> + Bridge ran forward to meet Burton. “Get that girl and the kid into your + machine and beat it!” he cried. “There's a bear loose here, a regular + devil of a bear. You can't do a thing unless you have rifles. Have you?” + </p> + <p> + “Who are you?” asked the detective. + </p> + <p> + “He's one of the gang,” yelled Willie Case from the fancied security of + the tonneau. “Seize him!” He wanted to add: “My men”; but somehow his + nerve failed him at the last moment; however he had the satisfaction of + thinking it. + </p> + <p> + Bridge was placed in the car with Abigail Prim, The Oskaloosa Kid, Soup + Face and The Sky Pilot. Burton sent the driver back to assist in guarding + them; then he with the remaining three, two of whom were armed with + rifles, advanced toward the mill. Beyond it they heard the growling of the + bear at a little distance in the wood; but the man no longer made any + outcry. From a tree Giova warned them back. + </p> + <p> + “Come down!” commanded Burton, and sent her back to the car. + </p> + <p> + The driver turned his spot light upon the wood beyond the mill and + presently there came slowly forward into its rays the lumbering bulk of a + large bear. The light bewildered him and he paused, growling. His left + shoulder was partially exposed. + </p> + <p> + “Aim for his chest, on the left side,” whispered Burton. The two men + raised their rifles. There were two reports in close succession. Beppo + fell forward without a sound and then rolled over on his side. Giova + covered her face with her hands and sobbed. + </p> + <p> + “He ver' bad, ugly bear,” she said brokenly; “but he all I have to love.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge extended a hand and patted her bowed head. In the eyes of The + Oskaloosa Kid there glistened something perilously similar to tears. + </p> + <p> + In the woods back of the mill Burton and his men found the mangled remains + of Columbus Blackie, and when they searched the interior of the structure + they brought forth the unconscious Dirty Eddie. As the car already was + taxed to the limit of its carrying capacity Burton left two of his men to + march The Kid and Bridge to the Payson jail, taking the others with him to + Oakdale. He was also partially influenced in this decision by the fear + that mob violence would be done the principals by Oakdale's outraged + citizens. At Payson he stopped long enough at the town jail to arrange for + the reception of the two prisoners, to notify the coroner of the death of + Columbus Blackie and the whereabouts of his body and to place Dirty Eddie + in the hospital. He then telephoned Jonas Prim that his daughter was safe + and would be returned to him in less than an hour. + </p> + <p> + By the time Bridge and The Oskaloosa Kid reached Payson the town was in an + uproar. A threatening crowd met them a block from the jail; but Burton's + men were armed with rifles which they succeeded in convincing the mob they + would use if their prisoners were molested. The telephone, however, had + carried the word to Oakdale; so that before Burton arrived there a dozen + automobile loads of indignant citizens were racing south toward Payson. + </p> + <p> + Bridge and The Oskaloosa Kid were hustled into the single cell of the + Payson jail. A bench ran along two sides of the room. A single barred + window let out upon the yard behind the structure. The floor was littered + with papers, and a single electric light bulb relieved the gloom of the + unsavory place. + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid sank, trembling, upon one of the hard benches. Bridge + rolled a cigaret. At his feet lay a copy of that day's Oakdale Tribune. A + face looked up from the printed page into his eyes. He stooped and took up + the paper. The entire front page was devoted to the various crimes which + had turned peaceful Oakdale inside out in the past twenty four hours. + There were reproductions of photographs of John Baggs, Reginald Paynter, + Abigail Prim, Jonas Prim, and his wife, with a large cut of the Prim + mansion, a star marking the boudoir of the missing daughter of the house. + As Bridge examined the various pictures an odd expression entered his eyes—it + was a mixture of puzzlement, incredulity, and relief. Tossing the paper + aside he turned toward The Oskaloosa Kid. They could hear the sullen + murmur of the crowd in front of the jail. + </p> + <p> + “If they get any booze,” he said, “they'll take us out of here and string + us up. If you've got anything to say that would tend to convince them that + you did not kill Paynter I advise you to call the guard and tell the + truth, for if the mob gets us they might hang us first and listen + afterward—a mob is not a nice thing. Beppo was an angel of mercy by + comparison with one.” + </p> + <p> + “Could you convince them that you had no part in any of these crimes?” + asked the boy. “I know that you didn't; but could you prove it to a mob?” + </p> + <p> + “No,” said Bridge. “A mob is not open to reason. If they get us I shall + hang, unless someone happens to think of the stake.” + </p> + <p> + The boy shuddered. + </p> + <p> + “Will you tell the truth?” asked the man. + </p> + <p> + “I will go with you,” replied the boy, “and take whatever you get.” + </p> + <p> + “Why?” asked Bridge. + </p> + <p> + The youth flushed; but did not reply, for there came from without a sudden + augmentation of the murmurings of the mob. Automobile horns screamed out + upon the night. The two heard the chugging of motors, the sound of brakes + and the greetings of new arrivals. The reinforcements had arrived from + Oakdale. + </p> + <p> + A guard came to the grating of the cell door. “The bunch from Oakdale has + come,” he said. “If I was you I'd say my prayers. Old man Baggs is dead. + No one never had no use for him while he was alive, but the whole county's + het up now over his death. They're bound to get you, an' while I didn't + count 'em all I seen about a score o' ropes. They mean business.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge turned toward the boy. “Tell the truth,” he said. “Tell this man.” + </p> + <p> + The youth shook his head. “I have killed no one,” said he. “That is the + truth. Neither have you; but if they are going to murder you they can + murder me too, for you stuck to me when you didn't have to; and I am going + to stick to you, and there is some excuse for me because I have a reason—the + best reason in the world.” + </p> + <p> + “What is it?” asked Bridge. + </p> + <p> + The Oskaloosa Kid shook his head, and once more he flushed. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said the guard, with a shrug of his shoulders, “it's up to you + guys. If you want to hang, why hang and be damned. We'll do the best we + can 'cause it's our duty to protect you; but I guess at that hangin's too + good fer you, an' we ain't a-goin' to get shot keepin' you from gettin' + it.” + </p> + <p> + “Thanks,” said Bridge. + </p> + <p> + The uproar in front of the jail had risen in volume until it was difficult + for those within to make themselves heard without shouting. The Kid sat + upon his bench and buried his face in his hands. Bridge rolled another + smoke. The sound of a shot came from the front room of the jail, + immediately followed by a roar of rage from the mob and a deafening + hammering upon the jail door. A moment later this turned to the heavy + booming of a battering ram and the splintering of wood. The frail + structure quivered beneath the onslaught. + </p> + <p> + The prisoners could hear the voices of the guards and the jailer raised in + an attempt to reason with the unreasoning mob, and then came a final crash + and the stamping of many feet upon the floor of the outer room. + </p> + <p> + Burton's car drew up before the doorway of the Prim home in Oakdale. The + great detective alighted and handed down the missing Abigail. Then he + directed that the other prisoners be taken to the county jail. + </p> + <p> + Jonas Prim and his wife awaited Abigail's return in the spacious living + room at the left of the reception hall. The banker was nervous. He paced + to and fro the length of the room. Mrs. Prim fanned herself vigorously + although the heat was far from excessive. They heard the motor draw up in + front of the house; but they did not venture into the reception hall or + out upon the porch, though for different reasons. Mrs. Prim because it + would not have been PROPER; Jonas because he could not trust himself to + meet his daughter, whom he had thought lost, in the presence of a possible + crowd which might have accompanied her home. + </p> + <p> + They heard the closing of an automobile door and the sound of foot steps + coming up the concrete walk. The Prim butler was already waiting at the + doorway with the doors swung wide to receive the prodigal daughter of the + house of Prim. A slender figure with bowed head ascended the steps, guided + and assisted by the detective. She did not look up at the expectant butler + waiting for the greeting he was sure Abigail would have for him; but + passed on into the reception hall. + </p> + <p> + “Your father and Mrs. Prim are in the living room,” announced the butler, + stepping forward to draw aside the heavy hangings. + </p> + <p> + The girl, followed by Burton, entered the brightly lighted room. + </p> + <p> + “I am very glad, Mr. Prim,” said the latter, “to be able to return Miss + Prim to you so quickly and unharmed.” + </p> + <p> + The girl looked up into the face of Jonas Prim. The man voiced an + exclamation of surprise and annoyance. Mrs. Prim gasped and sank upon a + sofa. The girl stood motionless, her eyes once again bent upon the floor. + </p> + <p> + “What's the matter?” asked Burton. “What's wrong?” + </p> + <p> + “Everything is wrong, Mr. Burton,” Jonas Prim's voice was crisp and cold. + “This is not my daughter.” + </p> + <p> + Burton looked his surprise and discomfiture. He turned upon the girl. + </p> + <p> + “What do you mean—” he started; but she interrupted him. + </p> + <p> + “You are going to ask what I mean by posing as Miss Prim,” she said. “I + have never said that I was Miss Prim. You took the word of an ignorant + little farmer's boy and I did not deny it when I found that you intended + bringing me to Mr. Prim, for I wanted to see him. I wanted to ask him to + help me. I have never met him, or his daughter either; but my father and + Mr. Prim have been friends for many years. + </p> + <p> + “I am Hettie Penning,” she continued, addressing Jonas Prim. “My father + has always admired you and from what he has told me I knew that you would + listen to me and do what you could for me. I could not bear to think of + going to the jail in Payson, for Payson is my home. Everybody would have + known me. It would have killed my father. Then I wanted to come myself and + tell you, after reading the reports and insinuations in the paper, that + your daughter was not with Reginald Paynter when he was killed. She had no + knowledge of the crime and as far as I know may not have yet. I have not + seen her and do not know where she is; but I was present when Mr. Paynter + was killed. I have known him for years and have often driven with him. He + stopped me yesterday afternoon on the street in Payson and talked with me. + He was sitting in a car in front of the bank. After we had talked a few + minutes two men came out of the bank. Mr. Paynter introduced them to me. + He said they were driving out into the country to look at a piece of + property—a farm somewhere north of Oakdale—and that on the way + back they were going to stop at The Crossroads Inn for dinner. He asked me + if I wouldn't like to come along—he kind of dared me to, because, as + you know, The Crossroads has rather a bad reputation. + </p> + <p> + “Father had gone to Toledo on business, and very foolishly I took his + dare. Everything went all right until after we left The Inn, although one + of the men—his companion referred to him once or twice as The + Oskaloosa Kid—attempted to be too familiar with me. Mr. Paynter + prevented him on each occasion, and they had words over me; but after we + left the inn, where they had all drunk a great deal, this man renewed his + attentions and Mr. Paynter struck him. Both of them were drunk. After that + it all happened so quickly that I could scarcely follow it. The man called + Oskaloosa Kid drew a revolver but did not fire, instead he seized Mr. + Paynter by the coat and whirled him around and then he struck him an awful + blow behind the ear with the butt of the weapon. + </p> + <p> + “After that the other two men seemed quite sobered. They discussed what + would be the best thing to do and at last decided to throw Mr. Paynter's + body out of the machine, for it was quite evident that he was dead. First + they rifled his pockets, and joked as they did it, one of them saying that + they weren't getting as much as they had planned on; but that a little was + better than nothing. They took his watch, jewelry, and a large roll of + bills. We passed around the east side of Oakdale and came back into the + Toledo road. A little way out of town they turned the machine around and + ran back for about half a mile; then they turned about a second time. I + don't know why they did this. They threw the body out while the machine + was moving rapidly; but I was so frightened that I can't say whether it + was before or after they turned about the second time. + </p> + <p> + “In front of the old Squibbs place they shot at me and threw me out; but + the bullet missed me. I have not seen them since and do not know where + they went. I am ready and willing to aid in their conviction; but, please + Mr. Prim, won't you keep me from being sent back to Payson or to jail. I + have done nothing criminal and I won't run away.” + </p> + <p> + “How about the robbery of Miss Prim's room and the murder of Old Man + Baggs?” asked Burton. “Did they pull both of those off before they killed + Paynter or after?” + </p> + <p> + “They had nothing to do with either unless they did them after they threw + me out of the car, which must have been long after midnight,” replied the + girl. + </p> + <p> + “And the rest of the gang, those that were arrested with you,” continued + the detective, “how about them? All angels, I suppose.” + </p> + <p> + “There was only Bridge and the boy they called The Oskaloosa Kid, though + he isn't the same one that murdered poor Mr. Paynter, and the Gypsy girl, + Giova, that were with me. The others were tramps who came into the old + mill and attacked us while we were asleep. I don't know who they were. The + girl could have had nothing to do with any of the crimes. We came upon her + this morning burying her father in the woods back of the Squibbs' place. + The man died of epilepsy last night. Bridge and the boy were taking refuge + from the storm at the Squibbs place when I was thrown from the car. They + heard the shot and came to my rescue. I am sure they had nothing to do + with—with—” she hesitated. + </p> + <p> + “Tell the truth,” commanded Burton. “It will go hard with you if you + don't. What made you hesitate? You know something about those two—now + out with it.” + </p> + <p> + “The boy robbed Mr. Prim's home—I saw some of the money and jewelry—but + Bridge was not with him. They just happened to meet by accident during the + storm and came to the Squibbs place together. They were kind to me, and I + hate to tell anything that would get the boy in trouble. That is the + reason I hesitated. He seemed such a nice boy! It is hard to believe that + he is a criminal, and Bridge was always so considerate. He looks like a + tramp; but he talks and acts like a gentleman.” + </p> + <p> + The telephone bell rang briskly, and a moment later the butler stepped + into the room to say that Mr. Burton was wanted on the wire. He returned + to the living room in two or three minutes. + </p> + <p> + “That clears up some of it,” he said as he entered. “The sheriff just had + a message from the chief at Toledo saying that The Oskaloosa Kid is dying + in a hospital there following an automobile accident. He knew he was done + for and sent for the police. When they came he told them he had killed a + man by the name of Paynter at Oakdale last night and the chief called up + to ask what we knew about it. The Kid confessed to clear his pal who was + only slightly injured in the smash-up. His story corroborates Miss + Penning's in every detail, he also said that after killing Paynter he had + shot a girl witness and thrown her from the car to prevent her squealing.” + </p> + <p> + Once again the telephone bell rang, long and insistently. The butler + almost ran into the room. “Payson wants you, sir,” he cried to Burton, “in + a hurry, sir, it's a matter of life and death, sir!” + </p> + <p> + Burton sprang to the phone. When he left it he only stopped at the doorway + of the living room long enough to call in: “A mob has the two prisoners at + Payson and are about to lynch them, and, my God, they're innocent. We all + know now who killed Paynter and I have known since morning who murdered + Baggs, and it wasn't either of those men; but they've found Miss Prim's + jewelry on the fellow called Bridge and they've gone crazy—they say + he murdered her and the young one did for Paynter. I'm going to Payson,” + and dashed from the house. + </p> + <p> + “Wait,” cried Jonas Prim, “I'm going with you,” and without waiting to + find a hat he ran quickly after the detective. Once in the car he leaned + forward urging the driver to greater speed. + </p> + <p> + “God in heaven!” he almost cried, “the fools are going to kill the only + man who can tell me anything about Abigail.” + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + With oaths and threats the mob, brainless and heartless, cowardly, + bestial, filled with the lust for blood, pushed and jammed into the narrow + corridor before the cell door where the two prisoners awaited their fate. + The single guard was brushed away. A dozen men wielding three railroad + ties battered upon the grating of the door, swinging the ties far back and + then in unison bringing them heavily forward against the puny iron. + </p> + <p> + Bridge spoke to them once. “What are you going to do with us?” he asked. + </p> + <p> + “We're goin' to hang you higher 'n' Haman, you damned kidnappers an' + murderers,” yelled a man in the crowd. + </p> + <p> + “Why don't you give us a chance?” asked Bridge in an even tone, unaltered + by fear or excitement. “You've nothing on us. As a matter of fact we are + both innocent—” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, shut your damned mouth,” interrupted another of the crowd. + </p> + <p> + Bridge shrugged his shoulders and turned toward the youth who stood very + white but very straight in a far corner of the cell. The man noticed the + bulging pockets of the ill fitting coat; and, for the first time that + night, his heart stood still in the face of fear; but not for himself. + </p> + <p> + He crossed to the youth's side and put his arm around the slender figure. + “There's no use arguing with them,” he said. “They've made up their minds, + or what they think are minds, that we're guilty; but principally they're + out for a sensation. They want to see something die, and we're it. I doubt + if anything could stop them now; they'd think we'd cheated them if we + suddenly proved beyond doubt that we were innocent.” + </p> + <p> + The boy pressed close to the man. “God help me to be brave,” he said, “as + brave as you are. We'll go together, Bridge, and on the other side you'll + learn something that'll surprise you. I believe there is 'another side,' + don't you, Bridge?” + </p> + <p> + “I've never thought much about it,” said Bridge; “but at a time like this + I rather hope so—I'd like to come back and haunt this bunch of rat + brained rubes.” + </p> + <p> + His arm slipped down the other's coat and his hand passed quickly behind + the boy from one side to the other; then the door gave and the leaders of + the mob were upon them. A gawky farmer seized the boy and struck him + cruelly across the mouth. It was Jeb Case. + </p> + <p> + “You beast!” cried Bridge. “Can't you see that that—that's—only + a child? If I don't live long enough to give you yours here, I'll come + back and haunt you to your grave.” + </p> + <p> + “Eh?” ejaculated Jeb Case; but his sallow face turned white, and after + that he was less rough with his prisoner. + </p> + <p> + The two were dragged roughly from the jail. The great crowd which had now + gathered fought to get a close view of them, to get hold of them, to + strike them, to revile them; but the leaders kept the others back lest all + be robbed of the treat which they had planned. Through town they haled + them and out along the road toward Oakdale. There was some talk of taking + them to the scene of Paynter's supposed murder; but wiser heads counselled + against it lest the sheriff come with a posse of deputies and spoil their + fun. + </p> + <p> + Beneath a great tree they halted them, and two ropes were thrown over a + stout branch. One of the leaders started to search them; and when he drew + his hands out of Bridge's side pockets his eyes went wide, and he gave a + cry of elation which drew excited inquiries from all sides. + </p> + <p> + “By gum!” he cried, “I reckon we ain't made no mistake here, boys. Look + ahere!” and he displayed two handsful of money and jewelry. + </p> + <p> + “Thet's Abbie Prim's stuff,” cried one. + </p> + <p> + The boy beside Bridge turned wide eyes upon the man. “Where did you get + it?” he cried. “Oh, Bridge, why did you do it? Now they will kill you,” + and he turned to the crowd. “Oh, please listen to me,” he begged. “He + didn't steal those things. Nobody stole them. They are mine. They have + always belonged to me. He took them out of my pocket at the jail because + he thought that I had stolen them and he wanted to take the guilt upon + himself; but they were not stolen, I tell you—they are mine! they + are mine! they are mine!” + </p> + <p> + Another new expression came into Bridge's eyes as he listened to the boy's + words; but he only shook his head. It was too late, and Bridge knew it. + </p> + <p> + Men were adjusting ropes about their necks. “Before you hang us,” said + Bridge quietly, “would you mind explaining just what we're being hanged + for—it's sort of comforting to know, you see.” + </p> + <p> + “Thet's right,” spoke up one of the crowd. “Thet's fair. We want to do + things fair and square. Tell 'em the charges, an' then ask 'em ef they got + anything to say afore they're hung.” + </p> + <p> + This appealed to the crowd—the last statements of the doomed men + might add another thrill to the evening's entertainment. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said the man who had searched them. “There might o' been some + doubts about you before, but they aint none now. You're bein' hung fer + abductin' of an' most likely murderin' Miss Abigail Prim.” + </p> + <p> + The boy screamed and tried to interrupt; but Jeb Case placed a heavy and + soiled hand over his mouth. The spokesman continued. “This slicker + admitted he was The Oskaloosa Kid, 'n' thet he robbed a house an' shot a + man las' night; 'n' they ain't no tellin' what more he's ben up to. He + tole Jeb Case's Willie 'bout it; an' bragged on it, by gum. 'Nenny way we + know Paynter and Abigail Prim was last seed with this here Oskaloosa Kid, + durn him.” + </p> + <p> + “Thanks,” said Bridge politely, “and now may I make my final statement + before going to meet my maker?” + </p> + <p> + “Go on,” growled the man. + </p> + <p> + “You won't interrupt me?” + </p> + <p> + “Naw, go on.” + </p> + <p> + “All right! You damn fools have made up your minds to hang us. I doubt if + anything I can say to you will alter your determination for the reason + that if all the brains in this crowd were collected in one individual he + still wouldn't have enough with which to weigh the most obvious evidence + intelligently, but I shall present the evidence, and you can tell some + intelligent people about it tomorrow. + </p> + <p> + “In the first place it is impossible that I murdered Abigail Prim, and in + the second place my companion is not The Oskaloosa Kid and was not with + Mr. Paynter last night. The reason I could not have murdered Miss Prim is + because Miss Prim is not dead. These jewels were not stolen from Miss + Prim, she took them herself from her own home. This boy whom you are about + to hang is not a boy at all—it is Miss Prim, herself. I guessed her + secret a few minutes ago and was convinced when she cried that the jewels + and money were her own. I don't know why she wishes to conceal her + identity; but I can't stand by and see her lynched without trying to save + her.” + </p> + <p> + The crowd scoffed in incredulity. “There are some women here,” said + Bridge. “Turn her over to them. They'll tell you, at least that she is not + a man.” + </p> + <p> + Some voices were raised in protest, saying that it was a ruse to escape, + while others urged that the women take the youth. Jeb Case stepped toward + the subject of dispute. “I'll settle it durned quick,” he announced and + reached forth to seize the slim figure. With a sudden wrench Bridge tore + himself loose from his captors and leaped toward the farmer, his right + flew straight out from the shoulder and Jeb Case went down with a broken + jaw. Almost simultaneously a car sped around a curve from the north and + stopped suddenly in rear of the mob. Two men leaped out and shouldered + their way through. One was the detective, Burton; the other was Jonas + Prim. + </p> + <p> + “Where are they?” cried the latter. “God help you if you've killed either + of them, for one of them must know what became of Abigail.” + </p> + <p> + He pushed his way up until he faced the prisoners. The Oskaloosa Kid gave + him a single look of surprise and then sprang toward him with outstretched + arms. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, daddy, daddy!” she cried, “don't let them kill him.” + </p> + <p> + The crowd melted away from the immediate vicinity of the prisoners. None + seemed anxious to appear in the forefront as a possible leader of a mob + that had so nearly lynched the only daughter of Jonas Prim. Burton slipped + the noose from about the girl's neck and then turned toward her companion. + In the light from the automobile lamps the man's face was distinctly + visible to the detective for the first time that night, and as Burton + looked upon it he stepped back with an exclamation of surprise. + </p> + <p> + “You?” he almost shouted. “Gad, man! where have you been? Your father's + spent twenty thousand dollars trying to find you.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge shook his head. “I'm sorry, Dick,” he said, “but I'm afraid it's + too late. The open road's gotten into my blood, and there's only one thing + that—well—” he shook his head and smiled ruefully—“but + there ain't a chance.” His eyes travelled to the slim figure sitting so + straight in the rear seat of Jonas Prim's car. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly the little head turned in his direction. “Hurry, Bridge,” + admonished The Oskaloosa Kid, “you're coming home with us.” + </p> + <p> + The man stepped toward the car, shaking his head. “Oh, no, Miss Prim,” he + said, “I can't do that. Here's your 'swag.'” And he smiled as he passed + over her jewels and money. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Prim's eyes widened; he looked suspiciously at Bridge. Abigail laughed + merrily. “I stole them myself, Dad,” she explained, “and then Mr. Bridge + took them from me in the jail to make the mob think he had stolen them and + not I—he didn't know then that I was a girl, did you?” + </p> + <p> + “It was in the jail that I first guessed; but I didn't quite realize who + you were until you said that the jewels were yours—then I knew. The + picture in the paper gave me the first inkling that you were a girl, for + you looked so much like the one of Miss Prim. Then I commenced to recall + little things, until I wondered that I hadn't known from the first that + you were a girl; but you made a bully boy!” and they both laughed. “And + now good-by, and may God bless you!” His voice trembled ever so little, + and he extended his hand. The girl drew back. + </p> + <p> + “I want you to come with us,” she said. “I want Father to know you and to + know how you have cared for me. Won't you come—for me?” + </p> + <p> + “I couldn't refuse, if you put it that way,” replied Bridge; and he + climbed into the car. As the machine started off a boy leaped to the + running-board. + </p> + <p> + “Hey!” he yelled, “where's my reward? I want my reward. I'm Willie Case.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh!” exclaimed Bridge. “I gave your reward to your father—maybe + he'll split it with you. Go ask him.” And the car moved off. + </p> + <p> + “You see,” said Burton, with a wry smile, “how simple is the detective's + job. Willie is a natural-born detective. He got everything wrong from A to + Izzard, yet if it hadn't been for Willie we might not have cleared up the + mystery so soon.” + </p> + <p> + “It isn't all cleared up yet,” said Jonas Prim. “Who murdered Baggs?” + </p> + <p> + “Two yeggs known as Dopey Charlie and the General,” replied Burton. “They + are in the jail at Oakdale; but they don't know yet that I know they are + guilty. They think they are being held merely as suspects in the case of + your daughter's disappearance, whereas I have known since morning that + they were implicated in the killing of Baggs; for after I got them in the + car I went behind the bushes where we discovered them and dug up + everything that was missing from Baggs' house, as nearly as is known—currency, + gold and bonds.” + </p> + <p> + “Good!” exclaimed Mr. Prim. + </p> + <p> + On the trip back to Oakdale, Abigail Prim cuddled in the back seat beside + her father, told him all that she could think to tell of Bridge and his + goodness to her. + </p> + <p> + “But the man didn't know you were a girl,” suggested Mr. Prim. + </p> + <p> + “There were two other girls with us, both very pretty,” replied Abigail, + “and he was as courteous and kindly to them as a man could be to a woman. + I don't care anything about his clothes, Daddy; Bridge is a gentleman born + and raised—anyone could tell it after half an hour with him.” + </p> + <p> + Bridge sat on the front seat with the driver and one of Burton's men, + while Burton, sitting in the back seat next to the girl, could not but + overhear her conversation. + </p> + <p> + “You are right,” he said. “Bridge, as you call him, is a gentleman. He + comes of one of the finest families of Virginia and one of the wealthiest. + You need have no hesitancy, Mr. Prim, in inviting him into your home.” + </p> + <p> + For a while the three sat in silence; and then Jonas Prim turned to his + daughter. “Gail,” he said, “before we get home I wish you'd tell me why + you did this thing. I think you'd rather tell me before we see Mrs. P.” + </p> + <p> + “It was Sam Benham, Daddy,” whispered the girl. “I couldn't marry him. I'd + rather die, and so I ran away. I was going to be a tramp; but I had no + idea a tramp's existence was so adventurous. You won't make me marry him, + Daddy, will you? I wouldn't be happy, Daddy.” + </p> + <p> + “I should say not, Gail; you can be an old maid all your life if you want + to.” + </p> + <p> + “But I don't want to—I only want to choose my own husband,” replied + Abigail. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Prim met them all in the living-room. At sight of Abigail in the + ill-fitting man's clothing she raised her hands in holy horror; but she + couldn't see Bridge at all, until Burton found an opportunity to draw her + to one side and whisper something in her ear, after which she was + graciousness personified to the dusky Bridge, insisting that he spend a + fortnight with them to recuperate. + </p> + <p> + Between them, Burton and Jonas Prim fitted Bridge out as he had not been + dressed in years, and with the feel of fresh linen and pressed clothing, + even if ill fitting, a sensation of comfort and ease pervaded him which + the man would not have thought possible from such a source an hour before. + </p> + <p> + He smiled ruefully as Burton looked him over. “I venture to say,” he + drawled, “that there are other things in the world besides the open road.” + </p> + <p> + Burton smiled. + </p> + <p> + It was midnight when the Prims and their guests arose from the table. + Hettie Penning was with them, and everyone present had been sworn to + secrecy about her share in the tragedy of the previous night. On the + morrow she would return to Payson and no one there the wiser; but first + she had Burton send to the jail for Giova, who was being held as a + witness, and Giova promised to come and work for the Pennings. + </p> + <p> + At last Bridge stole a few minutes alone with Abigail, or, to be more + strictly a truthful historian, Abigail outgeneraled the others of the + company and drew Bridge out upon the veranda. + </p> + <p> + “Tell me,” demanded the girl, “why you were so kind to me when you thought + me a worthless little scamp of a boy who had robbed some one's home.” + </p> + <p> + “I couldn't have told you a few hours ago,” said Bridge. “I used to wonder + myself why I should feel toward a boy as I felt toward you,—it was + inexplicable,—and then when I knew that you were a girl, I + understood, for I knew that I loved you and had loved you from the moment + that we met there in the dark and the rain beside the Road to Anywhere.” + </p> + <p> + “Isn't it wonderful?” murmured the girl, and she had other things in her + heart to murmur; but a man's lips smothered hers as Bridge gathered her + into his arms and strained her to him. + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + Partial list of correctioins made in the previous reproofing: + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + PAGE PARA. LINE ORIGINAL CHANGED TO + 10 6 emminent eminent + 15 4 2 it's warmth its warmth + 15 5 13 promisculously promiscuously + 16 1 3 appelation appellation + 19 3 it's scope its scope + 21 6 by with seasons by seasons + 25 1 8 Prim manage Prim menage + 25 2 20 then, suspicious, then, suspicions, + 28 12 even his even this + 34 6 1 it's quality its quality + 37 3 10 have any- have any + 38 4 4 tin tear. tin ear. + 39 2 6 Squibbs farm Squibbs' farm + 40 2 2 his absence, his absence,” + 47 5 1 sudden, clanking sudden clanking + 47 8 3 its the thing it's the thing + 48 5 2 was moment's was a moment's + 59 9 4 bird aint bird ain't + 60 8 3 dum misery dumb misery + 71 2 dead Squibbs dead Squibb + 74 1 2 tend during tent during + 75 7 3 Squibbs house Squibbs' house + 76 1 6 Squibbs home. Squibbs' home. + 76 8 4 business, thats business, that's + 78 1 1 Squibbs place Squibbs' place + 78 2 1 Squibbs place!” Squibbs' place!” + 80 6 4 Squibbs gateway Squibbs' gateway + 84 6 1 Squibb's summer Squibbs' summer + 85 6 1 thet aint thet ain't + 85 7 5 on em on 'em + 85 8 1 An' thet aint An' thet ain't + 85 10 1 But thet aint But thet ain't + 85 10 3 of em of 'em + 85 10 3 of em of 'em + 86 2 2 there aint there ain't + 87 5 others' mask other's mask + 88 6 1 Squibbs woods Squibbs' woods + 91 2 “They aint “They ain't + 91 3 I aint I ain't + 91 2 3 Squibbs house Squibbs' house + 91 6 aint got ain't got + 92 6 it wa'nt safe it wa'n't safe + 92 4 10 Squibbs house Squibbs' house + 94 2 1 to nothin. to nothin'. + 94 8 1 Squibbs place,” Squibbs' place,” + 97 4 2 “We aint “We ain't + 98 1 8 Squibbs place Squibbs' place + 98 3 1 hiself de hisself de + 98 5 4 he aint he ain't + 98 7 1 Squibbs place Squibbs' place + 98 8 2 you aint you ain't + 107 4 3 wont tell won't tell + 113 3 5 its measles it's measles + 113 3 6 cough aint cough ain't + 113 3 6 its 'it,' it's 'it,' + 113 4 1 I aint I ain't + 114 2 6 Squibb's place Squibbs' place + 114 2 13 simply wont simply won't + 116 6 3 few minutes few minutes' + 116 7 5 Squibb's farm Squibbs' farm + 121 4 she wont she won't + 121 5 wont.” won't.” + 128 7 4 can knab can nab + 134 2 2 an upraor. an uproar. + 136 8 5 we aint we ain't + 139 2 8 had all drank had all drunk + 141 3 9 Squibb's place. Squibbs' place. + 146 1 its sort of it's sort of + 146 2 3 nings entertainment ning's entertainment + 146 4 5 aint no tellin' ain't no tellin' + 146 7 1 “You wont “You won't + 151 2 4 wont make won't make + 152 1 2 Nettie Penning Hettie Penning +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Oakdale Affair, by Edgar Rice Burroughs + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OAKDALE AFFAIR *** + +***** This file should be named 363-h.htm or 363-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/363/ + +Produced by Judith Boss, and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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