CHAPTER V.
THE TRAMP ON DECK.
For full a minute not a word passed between the two men. The sodden eyesof the tramp were fixed in a sullen gaze on the face of Ransom Vane.
"What do you want here?" finally demanded Vane in a harsh voice.
"I came to see you."
"To see me?"
"That's what I said."
"I have no money to give you, so you can travel," retorted Vaneimpatiently.
"I hain't just ready to travel," grated the tramp. "You act jest asthough you didn't know me, Rans Vane?"
"Know you?"
The young man glanced fixedly into the face of the ragged, filthy lookingbeing before him.
"Wal?"
"I never saw you before."
"Sure?"
"I am sure."
"Didn't you once live in New York State?"
"Yes."
"Near Rochester?"
"Yes."
"On a farm?"
"Yes."
"Hev' you forgot the young feller that drove the team, the chap that gothis walkin' papers in the dead o' winter, and was actually kicked intothe road jest because he was absent one time to see his sister who wastendin' school in the city? You called me lazy then, Rans Vane, and youstruck me, yes _you_ did, and don't you remember, I swore I'd get even?More, you insulted my sister by speakin' ill of her, and that chit of agal, Miss Victory, laughed. I was mad--"
"You are Perry Jounce."
"That's it the fust time guessin'."
"And you have come to this. I knew you would never amount to anything,even if you did have a smart sister."
"Hush, now! Don't you dare speak of her."
"Did she do well?"
"Better 'n yours."
A deadly pallor struck the face of Ransom Vane. His sister was dead, hadbeen cruelly murdered, and at that moment he believed that thisvillainous tramp had had a hand in her death.
"Scoundrel!" exclaimed Vane, advancing toward the tramp. "You are thewretch who murdered my poor Victoria."
"Stand back."
There was an evil glare in the eyes of the speaker.
Vane continued to advance threateningly.
"Stand back, I say, or you'll get a taste o' _this_."
He displayed a huge knife, the same with which he had threatened Bordineon a former occasion.
"Scoundrel!"
"It won't do no good to sling words. Rans, I ain't afeard of em."
For several minutes the two stood glaring at each other with glitteringeyes and gleaming teeth.
"Rans Vane, I swore I'd git even with ye fur all you did agin' me andmine ten year ago. I reckin you're gittin' a leetle o' the sufferin--"
"Stop," hoarsely.
"No I won't. I want ye ter know that I hain't forgot. I know'd you'n thegal came West arter the ole man died, but I didn't know whar. I've been atramp fur a year, and I 'lowed I'd run onter ye sometime, but 'twas allunexpected when I seed the gal t'other day."
"And you murdered her, murdered my sister?"
"Wal, 'twould a-b'en justice ef I had."
"Oh, you wretch--"
"'Twont do no good to call names, pard; they never hurted anybody yet 'atI knows of," sneered the tramp, still holding his knife ready for instantuse.
The slender frame of Ransom Vane trembled, and his white hands wereclinched fiercely. He well understood the vicious nature of the manbefore him, however, and realized that a movement of aggression on hispart would lead to his own doom.
Now, more than ever, was he convinced that Perry Jounce was the oneguilty of the death of poor Victoria. Vane was placed in a terribleposition just then. The tramp had him completely in his power, and itmight be that he meditated another murder.
"Perry Jounce, listen to me."
The young man forced a calmness he did not feel, while speaking to theman before him.
"Perceed, Rans, old boy."
"Why did you murder an innocent child like my poor Victoria? Surely shehad not harmed you."
Ransom Vane began now, with the intention of talking against time, withthe hope that some one might happen along, and assist in capturing thetramp.
"Nothin' but a child, eh?" with a brutal sneer. "I'd like ter know wharyou git yer old gals then, ef Miss Vic war a spring chicken."
The young man's blood boiled to resent the insult.
Nevertheless, his prudence still held his passions down.
"Perry, why will you speak so brutally?"
"Look a-here, Rans, I ain't none o' your kid-glove kind. I allus speaksout what I hev to say. I hate you and yourn, and I jest tell you in plainEnglish 'at I'm glad your sister's dead; not fur her sake, but because itmakes you suffer."
"And this is why you murdered her?"
"Who said I did it?"
"You have just admitted as much."
"That's a lie! I never make such foolish admissions as that. I'd lookwell owning up to somethin' I didn't do."
"Do you mean to tell me that you did not murder Victoria?" cried theyoung man in a tone of intense feeling.
"Of course I didn't. I ain't no fool."
"I cannot believe you."
"I don't ask ye to."
The tramp polished the blade of his huge knife on his greasy sleeve.
"I might spill a little blood I s'pose," he muttered aloud, "but I reckinI'll let you live awhile yet."
Then he turned as if to depart.
"Don't go yet," cried the young cottage-owner, as his eye caught sight ofa man approaching from the wood road. His thought was that with help hemight capture the tramp.
"Wal, why not?"
Perry Jounce halted.
"I want you to answer a few questions."
"Heave ahead."
"Tell me what you know about my poor Victoria's death. You were here justbefore."
"Who told you so?"
"It doesn't matter."
"I know now. It was that engineer from Grandon. I've forgot his name. Hepeached on me, I reckin."
"You have guessed the truth."
"Rans, don't you trust that man."
"Why not?"
"_He_ kin tell you how Vic come ter die, he kin. 'Twas jealousy and thelike that did it."
"Do you mean that?"
Ransom Vane sprang forward and clutched the arm of the tramp.
"Let go. Yes, I mean it. _He_ killed Victoria 'cause he thought she'dmake trouble atwixt him an' another gal, that's the truth ef I hang furit."
"My soul! it is as I feared."
Ransom Vane still clung to the arm of the tramp, however. The man wasrapidly approaching, and carried a gun. Young Vane recognized him asBordine, and he was anxious to secure his assistance in securing thetramp.
"Let go, Rans, I must be traveling."
"But wait. Will you testify to what you have jast said?"
"Mebbe."
"Then remain--"
"Let go, I tell ye."
Vane, however, still clung to the arm of Jounce. The latter became angry,and flung him off furiously.
"Help! Murder!" shouted Vane.
"Take that, you fool!"
The tramp struck a vicious blow with his knife at the heart of youngVane.
The latter sunk bleeding to the ground.
"Hello!"
A tall, slender young man in hunter's costume peered upon the scene.
Perry Jounce walked forward, glanced keenly into the young hunter's face,then said:
"I've fixed him, I take it; but don't you peep, or--"
He did not finish his sentence, but strode swiftly away.
"Stop, August Bordine. I am badly hurt by that scoundrel. Will you helpme?"
Ransom Vane sat up, with blood streaming from a wound in his breast.
The hunter at once sprang to his assistance, and made a swift examinationof the wound.
He tore strips of cloth from the wounded man's shirt and succeeded, aftera little, in staunching the blo
od.
"How do you feel?"
"Weak as a cat, but I don't believe the blade touched a vital spot,"answered Vane, who now sat on the bench at the end of the porch.
"Of course he didn't. Shall I help you to the doctor's office?"
"No. You are going to the village?"
"Yes."
"Then you may send Dr. Helling to me."
"I will do so."
"Stay one moment."
The hunter turned about and waited for what his young friend had to say.
"You saw that tramp, August?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you stop him? He gave me this wound, and I believe he is theman we need for--for the murder of poor Vic."
"No?" in evident surprise. "I was so startled I didn't think far enoughto stop the fellow."
Then the young hunter proceeded on his way with his gun under his arm anda peculiar smile on his countenance.
"There's a little mistake it seems," he muttered.
Just then a man stepped from a clump of bushes near and touched thehunter's arm.
He halted and turned about quickly.
"Andrew Barkswell, I'm glad to meet you."
It was Perry Jounce, the tramp, who uttered the words.