CHAPTER V.
FINDING BAIL
Jack hardly realized what arrest meant until he heard the iron doorclang shut, and found himself in a stone cell, scarcely six feet square,with nothing but a rough board upon which to rest.
He sat down with a heart that was heavier than ever before. The variousmisfortunes of the day had piled themselves up until he thought they hadsurely reached the end, and now, as if to cap the climax, here he wasarrested for the burning of a place that he had worked like a beaver fortwo hours to save.
He wondered how Mr. Felix Gray had come to make the charge against him.He could think of no reason that could excite suspicion, saving,perhaps, his rather hasty words in the tool manufacturer's library theafternoon previous.
"I suppose he thinks I did it out of revenge," thought the youngmachinist; "but then there are men--like Andy Mosey, for instance--whohave threatened far more than I. Guess I can clear myself--by an alibi,or some such evidence."
Nevertheless, he chafed under the thought of being a prisoner, and feltdecidedly blue when Deb entered his mind. What would his sister thinkof his absence, and what would she say when told what had happened?
"Maybe I can send her word," he said to himself, and knocked loudly uponthe door.
The watchman was just asleep on a sofa in an adjoining room and did nothear him.
Failing to attract attention in this way, Jack began to kick, and sovigorously did he apply his heels that he awoke the sleeper with such astart that he came running to the spot instantly.
"Can I send a message home?" asked the young machinist.
"Not till morning," was the surly reply; "is that all you want?"
"Yes. Isn't there any way at all?" persisted Jack. "I have a sisterwho will worry over my absence."
The man gaped and opened his eyes meditatively.
"You might if you was willing to pay for it," he replied, slowly.
"I have no money with me," replied Jack, feeling in his pockets to makesure.
"Have to wait till morning then," was the short reply, and the youngmachinist was once more left alone.
He was utterly tired out, and in the course of half an hour fell into atroubled slumber, from which he did not awaken until called.
"Some one to see you," were the watchman's words, and the door opened toadmit Mont Gray.
Mont was a tall, thin young man. He had a large brow, deep, dark eyes,and a strangely earnest face. He was quiet in his way, attendedpunctually to his office duties, and was on much better terms with thehands at the tool works than his uncle had ever been. He was the onlyson of Mr. Felix Gray's youngest brother, who had died a widower sometwelve years before--died, some said, and put out of the way, otherswhispered. That there was some mystery connected with those times wascertain. Rumor had it that Felix Gray had crowded his brother out ofthe business in which he originally owned a half share. Thistransaction was followed by Monterey Gray's sudden disappearance. FelixGray gave it as his opinion that his brother had departed for Australia,a place of which he had often spoken.
Young Mont--he was named after his father--had been taken to live withhis uncle, who kept bachelor's hall in fine style.
The boy got along as best he could under the sharp guardianship of Mr.Felix Gray, who, as soon as he could, placed Mont at one of the desks,where he was now allowed to earn his board and four dollars a week.
His position at the tool works brought him into daily contact with Jack;and, during the past two years, a warm friendship had sprung up betweenthem. He knew all about the young machinist's ambition, and had spentmany an evening at the Willingtons' apartments watching Jack work, andchatting to Deb, with whom, as is known, he was on good terms.
"Hello, Mont!" exclaimed Jack, "what brings you here? Did your unclesend you?"
"Send me!" said the young man. "No, indeed! he doesn't even suspect I'mhere; if he did he would raise a row, sure."
"Then you don't believe I'm guilty?" began Jack, somewhat relieved.
"Humph! Nonsense! I only wonder uncle Felix thinks so," returned Mont."It seems to me that the evidence of a match safe is a mighty slim one."
This was news to the young machinist.
"Why, what about a match safe?" he asked.
"Didn't you hear?" was Mont's question, in surprise. "They found amatch safe with your last name on it, in the basement."
Jack sprang up in astonishment.
"Was it a small silver safe, with a bear's head on one side, and alion's on the other?" he asked.
"Yes; then it is yours?"
"Yes, it's mine. But I haven't seen it for nearly a month," burst outthe young machinist. "I missed it out of my pocket, and suspected AndyMosey of having taken it, though I could not prove it. But I see it allnow. Mosey was speaking of revenge up at the bank yesterday morning,and he has done the deed, and used my property to throw suspicion onme."
"But he wouldn't do such a mean thing unless he had a grudge againstyou," remarked Mont.
"He has several of them. More than once, when he was drunk, and cameinterfering around my work, I threatened to report him. Besides, I havethe job he always thought his son Mike should have."
"I see. But can you prove that he had the safe?"
"I don't think I can. But I believe I can prove that I lost it, and washome when the fire started?"
"Does Deb know you are here?" asked Mont, suddenly.
"Not unless some one else has let her know. Will you take her a note?"
"Certainly; I was going to suggest that very thing. I intended to callon her."
Jack took the sheet of paper that Mont supplied and wrote a few words ofcheer to his sister.
"I'll tell her the particulars," said the young man, as he pocketed theletter. "Is there anything else you want done?"
"Nothing now. Maybe there will be later on."
"I'll do what I can for you," continued Mont, "even if my uncle doesn'tlike it;" and he stepped out of the cell.
Half an hour later Jack was brought out for examination. The court roomwas crowded with the now idle men, and many were the expressions ofsympathy for the young machinist, and denunciation for Mr. Felix Gray'shasty action.
The tool manufacturer himself did not appear. The officer who made thearrest said that the excitement of the past two days had made theplaintiff quite ill.
The hearing was a brief one. The match safe was the only evidenceproduced against Jack, and as he had no means of proving his innocencethen and there, it was decided to hold him to wait the action of thegrand jury, three weeks later. Bail was fixed at one thousanddollars--a sum that was thought amply sufficient to keep any one frombecoming his bondsman.
Meanwhile, Mont had delivered the note, as already recorded, and whilebeing led out of the court room, Jack recognized the young man in thecrowd, and an instant later found Deb at his side.
"Oh, Jack!" was all the poor girl could say, and clinging to his arms,she began to sob outright.
To see Deb cry made the young machinist feel worse than did hisincarceration. He drew his sister to one side--away from the publicgaze, and comforted her the best he could.
But the thought of going to prison was too terrifying to be subdued.
"Three weeks before they will hear what you have to say!" she exclaimed."If you could only find that Mosey!"
"But he has left," put in Mont; "I tried everywhere to find him. Maybeyou can get bail."
"I can't get it while I'm in prison," returned Jack, gloomily.
"I'll take you anywhere you wish to go," said the under-sheriff, who hadhim in charge. He was a married man, had daughters of his own, andDeb's anguish went straight to his heart.
Jack thought a moment. "Perhaps I might get Mr. Benton to go on mybond," he said.
The man he referred to was the wealthy speculator who had examined themodel and praised the invention.
"But he would want security. Perhaps I'd have t
o sign over my rights tohim," he continued with a sigh.
"It would be a shame to do that," said Mont. "You expect so much fromthe patent."
"But you wouldn't lose it unless you ran away," put in Deb; "and ofcourse you're not going to do that."
Jack gave another sigh.
"I'll go and see him anyway," he said.