XI
ELAINE CAVENDISH
"May we have seen the last of you!" said Macloud, as the buggydisappeared among the trees; "and may the police provide for you infuture."
"And while you're about it," said Croyden, "you might pray that we findthe treasure--it would be quite as effective." He glanced at his watch."It's four o'clock. Now, to resume where those rogues interrupted us.We had the jewels located, somewhere, within a radius of fifty feet.They must be, according to our theory, either on the bank or in theBay. We can't go at the water without a boat. Shall we tackle the landat once? or go to town and procure a boat, and be ready for either inthe morning."
"I have an idea," said Macloud.
"Don't let it go to waste, old man, let's have it!" Croydenencouraged.
"If you can give up hearing yourself talk, for a moment, I'll try!"laughed Macloud. "It is conceded, I believe, that digging on the Pointby day may, probably will, provoke comment and possibly investigationas well. My idea is this. Do no work by day. Then as soon as duskyNight has drawn her robes about her----"
"Oh, Lord!" ejaculated Croyden, with upraised hands.
"Then, as soon as dusky Night has drawn her robes about her," Macloudrepeated, imperturbably, "we set to work, by the light of the silverymoon. We arouse no comment--provoke no investigation. When morningdawns, the sands are undisturbed, and we are sleeping as peacefully asguinea pigs."
"And if there isn't a moon, we will set to work by the light of thesilvery lantern, I reckon!" said Croyden.
"And, when we tackle the water, it will be in a silver boat and withsilver cuirasses and silver helmets, a la Lohengrin."
"And I suppose, our swan-song will be played on silver flutes!" laughedCroyden.
"There won't be a swan-song--we're going to find Parmenter's treasure,"said Macloud.
Leaving Axtell in camp, they drove to town, stopping at the North endof the Severn bridge to hire a row-boat,--a number of which were drawnup on the bank--and to arrange for it to be sent around to the far endof the Point. At the hotel, they found a telephone call from theMayor's office awaiting them.
The thieves had been duly captured, the Mayor said, and they had beensent to Baltimore. The Chief of Detectives happened to be in theoffice, when they were brought in, and had instantly recognized them aswell-known criminals, wanted in Philadelphia for a particularlyatrocious hold-up. He had, thereupon, thought it best to let the Chieftake them back with him, thus saving the County the cost of a trial,and the penitentiary expense--as well as sparing Mr. Croyden and hisfriend much trouble and inconvenience in attending court. He had hadthem searched, but found nothing which could be identified. He hopedthis was satisfactory.
Croyden assured him it was more than satisfactory.
That night they began the hunt. That night, and every night for thenext three weeks, they kept at it.
They tested every conceivable hypothesis. They dug up the entire zoneof suspicion--it being loose sand and easy to handle. On the plea thata valuable ruby ring had been lost overboard while fishing, theydragged and scraped the bottom of the Bay for a hundred yards around.All without avail. Nothing smiled on them but the weather--it hadremained uniformly good until the last two days before. Then there hadset in, from the North-east, such a storm of rain as they had neverseen. The very Bay seemed to be gathered up and dashed over the Point.They had sought refuge in the hotel, when the first chilly blasts ofwind and water came up the Chesapeake. As it grew fiercer,--and a negrosent out for information returned with the news that their tents hadbeen blown away, and all trace of the camp had vanished--it wasdecided that the quest should be abandoned.
"It's a foolish hunt, anyway!" said Croyden. "We knew from the first itcouldn't succeed."
"But we wanted to prove that it couldn't succeed," Macloud observed."If you hadn't searched, you always would have thought that, maybe, youcould have been successful. Now, you've had your try--and you'vefailed. It will be easier to reconcile yourself to failure, than not tohave tried."
"In other words, it's better to have tried and lost, than never to havetried at all," Croyden answered. "Well! it's over and there's no profitin thinking more about it. We have had an enjoyable camp, and the campis ended. I'll go home and try to forget Parmenter, and the jewel boxhe buried down on Greenberry Point."
"I think I'll go with you," said Macloud.
"To Hampton!" Croyden exclaimed, incredulously.
"To Hampton--if you can put up with me a little longer."
A knowing smile broke over Croyden's face.
"The Symphony in Blue?" he asked.
"Maybe!--and maybe it is just you. At any rate, I'll come if I may."
"My dear Colin! You know you're more than welcome, always!"
Macloud bowed. "I'll go out to Northumberland to-night, arrange a fewmatters which are overdue, and come down to Hampton as soon as I canget away."
* * * * *
The next afternoon, as Macloud was entering the wide doorway of theTuscarora Trust Company, he met Elaine Cavendish coming out.
"Stranger! where have you been these many weeks?" she said, giving himher hand.
"Out of town," he answered. "Did you miss me so much?"
"I did! There isn't a handy dinner man around, with you and Geoffreyboth away. Dine with us this evening, will you?--it will be strictly_en famille_, for I want to talk business."
"Wants to talk business!" he thought, as, having accepted, he went onto the coupon department. "It has to do with that beggar Croyden, Ireckon."
* * * * *
And when, the dinner over, they were sitting before the open gratefire, in the big living room, she broached the subject withouttimidity, or false pride.
"You are more familiar with Geoffrey Croyden's affairs than any oneelse, Colin," she said, crossing her knees, in the reckless fashionwomen have now-a-days, and exposing a ravishing expanse of blue silkstockings, with an unconscious consciousness that was delightfullynaive. "And I want to ask you something--or rather, several things."
Macloud blew a whiff of cigarette smoke into the fire, and waited.
"I, naturally, don't ask you to violate any confidence," she went on,"but I fancy you may tell me this: was the particular business in whichGeoffrey was engaged, when I saw him in Annapolis, a success or afailure?"
"Why do you ask!" Macloud said. "Did he tell you anything concerningit?"
"Only that his return to Northumberland would depend very much on theoutcome."
"But nothing as to its character?"
"No," she answered.
"Well, it wasn't a success; in fact, it was a complete failure."
"And where is Geoffrey, now?" she asked.
"I do not know," he replied.
She laughed lightly. "I do not mean, where is he this minute, but whereis he in general--where would you address a wire, or a letter, and knowthat it would be received?"
He threw his cigarette into the grate and lit another.
"I am not at liberty to tell," he said.
"Then, it is true--he is concealing himself."
"Not exactly--he is not proclaiming himself----"
"Not proclaiming himself or his whereabouts to his Northumberlandfriends, you mean?"
"Friends!" said Macloud. "Are there such things as friends, when onehas been unfortunate?"
"I can answer only for myself," she replied earnestly.
"I believe you, Elaine----"
"Then tell me this--is he in this country or abroad?"
"In this country," he said, after a pause.
"Is he in want,--I mean, in want for the things he has been used to?"
"He is not in want, I can assure you!--and much that he was used tohaving, he has no use for, now. Our wants are relative, you know."
"Why did he leave Northumberland so suddenly?" she asked.
"To reduce expenses. He was forced to give up the old life, so he chosewisely, I thi
nk--to go where his income was sufficient for his needs."
"But _is_ it sufficient?" she demanded.
"He says it is."
She was silent for a while, staring into the blaze. He did notinterrupt--thinking it wise to let her own thoughts shape the way.
"You will not tell me where he is?" she said suddenly, bending her blueeyes hard upon his face.
"I may not, Elaine. I ought not to have told you he was not abroad."
"This business which you and he were on, in Annapolis--it failed, yousay?"
He nodded.
"And is there no chance that it may succeed, some time?"
"He has abandoned it."
"But may not conditions change--something happen----" she began.
"It is the sort that does not happen. In this case, abandonment spellsfinis."
"Did he know, when we were in Annapolis?" she asked.
"On the contrary, he was very sanguine--it looked most promisingthen."
Her eyes went back to the flames. He blew ring after ring of smoke, andwaited, patiently. He was the friend, he saw, now. He could never hopeto be more. Croyden was the lucky fellow--and would not! Well, he hadhis warning and it was in time. Since she was baring her soul to him,as friend to friend, it was his duty to help her to the utmost of hispower.
Suddenly, she uncrossed her knees and sat up.
"I have bought all the stock, and the remaining bonds of the VirginiaDevelopment Company, from the bank that held them as collateral forRoyster & Axtell's loan," she said. "Oh, don't be alarmed! I didn'tappear in the matter--my broker bought them in _your_ name, and paidfor them in actual money."
"I am your friend--use me!" he said, simply.
She arose, and bending swiftly over, kissed him on the cheek.
"Don't, Elaine," he said. "I am, also, Geoffrey Croyden's friend, butthere are temptations which mortal man cannot resist."
"You think so?" she smiled, leaning over the back of his chair, andputting her head perilously close to his--"but I trust you--though Ishan't kiss you again--at least, for the present. Now, you have been so_very_ good about the bonds, I want you to be good some more. Will you,Colin?"
He held his hands before him, to put them out of temptation.
"Ask me to crawl in the grate, and see how quickly I do it!" hedeclared.
"It might prove my power, but I should lose my friend," she whispered.
"And that would be inconvenient!" he laughed. "Come, speak up! it'salready granted, that you should know, Elaine."
"You're a very sweet boy," she said, going back to her seat.
"Which needs demonstration. But that you're a very sweet girl, needs noproof--unless----" looking at her with a meaning smile.
"Would that be proof, think you?" with a sidelong glance.
"I should accept it as such," he averred--"whenever you choose toconfer it."
"_Confer_ smacks of reward for service done," she said. "Will it bidetill then?"
"Not if it may come sooner?"
"Wait--If you choose such pay, the----"
"I choose no pay," he interrupted.
"Then, the reward will be in kind," she answered enigmatically. "I wantyou----" She put one slender foot on the fender, and gazed at it,meditatively, while the firelight stole covert glances at the silkenankles thus exposed. "I want you to purchase for me, from GeoffreyCroyden, at par, his Virginia Development Company bonds," she said."You can do it through your broker. I will give you a check, now----"
"Wait!" he said; "wait until he sells----"
"You think he won't sell?" she inquired.
"I think he will have to be satisfied, first, as to the purchaser--inplain words, that it isn't either you or I. We can't give Geoffreymoney! The bonds are practically worthless, as he knows only toowell."
"I had thought of that," she said, "but, isn't it met by this veryplan? Your broker purchases the bonds for your account, but he,naturally, declines to reveal the identity of his customer. You can,truthfully, tell Geoffrey that _you_ are not buying them--for you'renot. And _I_--if he will only give me the chance--will assure him thatI am _not_ buying them from him--and you might confirm it, if heasked."
"Hum! It's juggling with the facts--though true on the face," saidMacloud, "but it's pretty thin ice we're skating on."
"You are assuming he suspects or questions. He may take the two hundredthousand and ask no question."
"You don't for a moment believe that!" he laughed.
"It _is_ doubtful," she admitted.
"And you wouldn't think the same of him, if he did."
"I admit it!" she said.
"So, we are back to the thin ice. I'll do what I can; but, you forgot,I am not at liberty to give his address to my brokers. I shall have totake their written offer to buy, and forward it to him, which, initself will oblige me, at the same time, to tell him that _I_ am notthe purchaser."
"I leave it entirely to you--manage it any way you see fit. All I ask,is that you get him to sell. It's horrible to think of Geoffrey beingreduced to the bare necessities of life--for that's what it means, whenhe goes 'where his income is sufficient for his needs.'"
"It's unfortunate, certainly: it would be vastly worse for a woman--togo from luxury to frugality, from everything to relatively nothing ispositively pathetic. However, Croyden is not suffering--he has anattractive house filled with old things, good victuals, a more thancompetent cook, and plenty of society. He has cut out all thenon-essentials, and does the essentials economically."
"You have been there?" she demanded. "You speak of your own knowledge,not from his inferences?"
"I have been there!" he answered.
"And the society--what of it?" she asked quickly.
"Better than our own!" he said, instantly.
"Indeed!" she replied with lifted eye-brows. "Our own in the aggregateor differentiated?"
"In the aggregate!" he laughed; "but quite the equal of our owndifferentiated. If Croyden were a marrying man--with sufficient incomefor two--I should give him about six months, at the outside."
"And how much would you give one with sufficient for two--_yourself_,for instance?"
"Just long enough to choose the girl--and convince her of the proprietyof the choice."
"And do you expect to join Geoffrey, soon?" meaningly.
"As soon as I can get through here,--probably in a day or two."
"Then, we may look for the new Mrs. Macloud in time for the holidays, Ipresume.--Sort of a Christmas gift?"
"About then--if I can pick among so many, and she ratifies the pick."
"You haven't, yet, chosen?"
"No!--there are so many I didn't have time to more than look them over.When I go back, I'll round them up, cut out the most likely, and try totie and brand her."
"Colin!" cried Miss Cavendish. "One would think, from your talk, thatGeoffrey was in a cowboy camp, with waitresses for society."
He grinned, and lighted a fresh cigarette.
She tossed him an alluring look.
"And nothing can induce you to tell me the location of the camp?" sheimplored.
He smoked, a bit, in silence. Should he or should he not?...
"No!--not now!" he said, slowly. "Let us try the bond matter, first. Ifhe sells, I think he will return; if not, I'll then consider telling."
"You're a good fellow, Colin, dear!" she whispered, leaning over andgiving his hand an affectionate little pat. "You're so nice andcomfortable to have around--you never misunderstand, nor drawinferences that you shouldn't."
"Which means, I'm not to draw inferences now?" he said.
"Nor at any other time," she remarked.
"And the reward?"
"Will be forthcoming," with an alluring smile.
"I've a mind to take part payment now," said he, intercepting the handbefore she could withdraw it.
"If you can, sir!" whisking it loose, and darting around a table.
"A challenge, is it? Oh, very well!" and he sprang after.
&nbs
p; With a swift movement, she swept up her skirts and fled--around chairs,and tables, across rugs, over sofas and couches--always manoeuvring togain the doorway, yet always finding him barring the way;--until, atlast, she was forced to refuge behind a huge davenport, standing withone end against the wall.
"Now, will you surrender?" he demanded, coming slowly toward her in thecul de sac.
She shook her head, smiling the while.
"I'll be merciful," he said. "It is five steps, until I reachyou--One!--Will you yield?"
"No!"
"Two!--will you yield?"
"No!"
"Three!--will you yield?"
"No!"
"Four----"
Quick as thought, she dropped one hand on the back of the davenport;there was a flash of slippers, lingerie and silk, and she was acrossand racing for the door, now fair before her, leaving him only the echoof a mocking laugh.
"Five!" she counted, tauntingly, from the hall. "Why don't youcontinue, sir?"
"I stop with four," he said. "I'll be good for to-night, Elaine--youneed have no further fear."
She tossed her head ever so slightly, while a bantering look came intoher eyes.
"I'm not much afraid of you, now--nor any time," she answered. "But youhave more courage than I would have thought, Colin--decidedly more!"