XVIII
THE LONE HOUSE BY THE BAY
When Croyden and Macloud left the Carrington residence that evening,after their call and tea, Elaine and Davila remained for a little whilein the drawing-room rehearsing the events of the day, as women will.Presently, Davila went over to draw the shades.
"What do you say to a walk before we dress for dinner?" she inquired.
"I should like it, immensely," Elaine answered.
They went upstairs, changed quickly to street attire, and set out.
"We will go down to the centre of the town and back," said Davila."It's about half a mile each way, and there isn't any danger, so longas you keep in the town. I shouldn't venture beyond it unescorted,however, even in daylight."
"Why?" asked Elaine. "Isn't Hampton orderly?"
"Hampton is orderly enough. It's the curse that hangs over the Southsince the Civil War: the negro."
"Oh! I understand," said Elaine, shuddering.
"I don't mean that all black men are bad, for they are not. Many areentirely trustworthy, but the trustworthy ones are much, very much, inthe minority. The vast majority are worthless--and a worthless niggeris the worst thing on earth."
"I think I prefer only the lighted streets," Elaine remarked.
"And you will be perfectly safe there," Davila replied.
They swung briskly along to the centre of the town--where the two mainthoroughfares, King and Queen Streets, met each other in a wide circlethat, after the fashion of Southern towns, was known, incongruouslyenough, as "The Diamond." Passing around this circle, they retracedtheir steps toward home.
As they neared Ashburton, an automobile with the top up and sidecurtains on shot up behind them, hesitated a moment, as thoughuncertain of its destination and then drew up before the Carringtonplace. Two men alighted, gave an order to the driver, and went acrossthe pavement to the gate, while the engine throbbed, softly.
Then they seemed to notice the women approaching, and stepping backfrom the gate, they waited.
"I beg your pardon!" said one, raising his hat and bowing, "can youtell me if this is where Captain Carrington lives?"
"It is," answered Davila.
"Thank you!" said the man, standing aside to let them pass.
"I am Miss Carrington--whom do you wish to see?"
"Captain Carrington, is he at home?"
"I do not know--if you will come in, I'll inquire."
"You're very kind!" with another bow.
He sprang forward and opened the gate. Davila thanked him with a smile,and she and Elaine went in, leaving the strangers to follow.
The next instant, each girl was struggling in the folds of a shawl,which had been flung over her from behind and wrapped securely aroundher head and arms, smothering her cries to a mere whisper. In a trice,despite their struggles--which, with heads covered and arms held closeto their sides, were utterly unavailing--they were caught up, tossedinto the tonneau, and the car shot swiftly away.
In a moment, it was clear of the town, the driver "opened her up," andthey sped through the country at thirty miles an hour.
"Better give them some air," said the leader. "It doesn't matter howmuch they yell here."
He had been holding Elaine on his lap, his arms keeping the shawl tightaround her. Now he loosed her, and unwound the folds.
"You will please pardon the liberty we have taken," he said, as hefreed her, "but there are----"
Crack!
Elaine had struck him straight in the face with all her strength, and,springing free, was on the point of leaping out, when he seized herand forced her back, caught her arms in the shawl, which was stillaround her, and bound them tight to her side.
"Better be a little careful, Bill!" he said. "I got an upper cut on thejaw that made me see stars."
"I've been very easy with mine," his companion returned. "She'll nothand me one." However, he took care not to loosen the shawl from herarms. "There you are, my lady, I hope you've not been greatlyinconvenienced."
"What do you mean by this outrage?" said Davila.
"Don't forget, Bill!--mum's the word!" the chief cautioned.
"At least, you can permit us to sit on the floor of the car," saidElaine. "Whatever may be your scheme, it's scarcely necessary to holdus in this disgusting position."
"Will you make no effort to escape?" the chief asked.
"No!"
"I reckon that is a trifle overstated!" he laughed. "What about you,Miss Carrington?"
Davila did not answer--contenting herself with a look, which was farmore expressive than words.
"Well, we will take pleasure in honoring your first request, MissCavendish."
He caught up a piece of rope, passed it around her arms, outside theshawl, tied it in a running knot, and quietly lifted her from his lapto the floor.
"I trust that is satisfactory?" he asked.
"By comparison, eminently so."
"Thank you!" he said. "Do you, Miss Carrington, wish to sit beside yourfriend?"
"If you please!" said Davila, with supreme contempt.
He took the rope and tied her, likewise.
"Very good, Bill!" he said, and they placed her beside Elaine.
"If you will permit your legs to be tied, we will gladly let you havethe seat----"
"No!----"
"Well, I didn't think you would--so you will have to remain on thefloor; you see, you might be tempted to jump, if we gave you theseat."
They were running so rapidly, through the night air, that the countrycould scarcely be distinguished, as it rushed by them. To Elaine, itwas an unknown land. Davila, however, was looking for something shecould recognize--some building that she knew, some stream, sometopographical formation. But in the faint and uncertain moonlight,coupled with the speed at which they travelled, she was baffled. Thechief observed, however.
"With your permission!" he said, and taking two handkerchiefs from hispocket, he bound the eyes of both.
"It is only for a short while," he explained--"matter of an hour orso, and you suffer no particular inconvenience, I trust."
Neither Elaine nor Davila condescended to reply.
After a moment's pause, the man went on:
"I neglected to say--and I apologize for my remissness--that you needfear no ill-treatment. You will be shown every consideration--barringfreedom, of course--and all your wants, within the facilities at ourcommand, will be gratified. Naturally, however, you will not bepermitted to communicate with your friends."
"How nice of you!" said Elaine. "But I should be better pleased if youwould tell us the reason for this abduction."
"That, I regret, I am not at liberty to discuss."
"How long are we to remain prisoners?" demanded Davila.
"It depends."
"Upon what?"
"Upon whether something is acceded to."
"By whom?"
"I am not at liberty to say."
"And if it is not acceded to?" Elaine inquired.
"In that event--it would be necessary to decide what should be donewith you."
"Done with us! What do you mean to imply?"
"Nothing!--the time hasn't come to imply--I hope it will not come."
"Why?" said Davila.
"Because."
"Because is no reason."
"It is a woman's reason!" said he, laughing lightly.
"Do you mean that your failure would imperil our lives?"
"Something like it?" he replied, after a moment's thought.
"Our lives!" Davila cried. "Do you appreciate what you are saying!"
The man did not answer.
"Is it possible you mean to threaten our lives?" Davila persisted.
"I threaten nothing--yet."
"Oh, you threaten nothing, yet!" she mocked. "But you will threaten,if----"
"Exactly! if--you are at liberty to guess the rest."
"I don't care to guess!" she retorted. "Do you appreciate that thewhole Eastern Shore will be searching for us
by morning--and that, ifthe least indignity is offered us, your lives won't be worth a penny?"
"We take the risk, Miss Carrington," replied the man, placidly.
Davila shrugged her shoulders, and they rode in silence, for half anhour.
Then the speed of the car slackened, they ran slowly for half a mile,and stopped. The chief reached down, untied the handkerchiefs, andsprang out.
"You may descend," he said, offering his hand.
Elaine saw the hand, and ignored it; Davila refused even to see thehand.
They could make out, in the dim light, that they were before a long,low, frame building, with the waters of the Bay just beyond. A lightburned within, and, as they entered, the odor of cooking greeted them.
"Thank goodness! they don't intend to starve us!" said Elaine. "Isuppose it's scarcely proper in an abducted maiden, but I'm positivelyfamished."
"I'm too enraged to eat," said Davila.
"Are you afraid?" Elaine asked.
"Afraid?--not in the least!"
"No more am I--but oughtn't we be afraid?"
"I don't know! I'm too angry to know anything."
They had been halted on the porch, while the chief went in, presumably,to see that all was ready for their reception. Now, he returned.
"If you will come in," he said, "I will show you to your apartment."
"Prison, you mean," said Davila.
"Apartment is a little better word, don't you think?" said he."However, as you wish, Miss Carrington, as you wish! We shall try tomake you comfortable, whatever you may call your temporaryquarters.--These two rooms are yours," he continued, throwing open thedoor. "They are small, but quiet and retired; you will not, I am sure,be disturbed. Pardon me, if I remove these ropes, you will be lesshampered in your movements. There! supper will be served in fifteenminutes--you will be ready?"
"Yes, we shall be ready," said Elaine, and the man bowed and retired."He has some manners!" she reflected.
"They might be worse," Davila retorted.
"Which is some satisfaction," Elaine added.
"Yes!--and we best be thankful for it."
"The rooms aren't so bad," said Elaine, looking around.
"We each have a bed, and a bureau, and a wash-stand, and a couple ofchairs, a few chromos, a rug on the floor--and bars at the window."
"I noticed the bars," said Davila.
Elaine crossed to her wash-stand.
"They've provided us with water, so we may as well use it," she said."I think my face needs--Heavens! what a sight I am!"
"Haven't you observed the same sight in me?" Davila asked. "I've lostall my puffs, I know--and so have you--and your hat is a trifle awry."
"Since we're not trying to make an impression, I reckon it doesn'tmatter!" laughed Elaine. "We will have ample opportunity to put them torights before Colin and Geoffrey see us."
She took off her hat, pressed her hair into shape, replaced a few pins,dashed water on her face, and washed her hands.
"Now," she said, going into the other room where Miss Carrington wasdoing likewise, "if I only had a powder-rag, I'd feel dressed."
Davila turned, and, taking a little book, from the pocket of her coat,extended it.
"Here is some Papier Poudre," she said.
"You blessed thing!" Elaine exclaimed, and, tearing out a sheet, sherubbed it over her face. "Is my nose shiny?" she ended.
A door opened and a young girl appeared, wearing apron and cap.
"The ladies are served!" she announced.
The two looked at each other and laughed.
"This is quite some style!" Davila commented.
"It is, indeed!" said Elaine as she saw the table, with its candles andsilver (plated, to be sure), dainty china, and pressed glass.
"If the food is in keeping, I think we can get along for a few days. Wemay as well enjoy it while it lasts."
Davila smiled. "You always were of a philosophic mind."
"It's the easiest way."
She might have added, that it was the only way she knew--her wealthhaving made all roads easy to her.
The meal finished, they went back to their apartment, to find the bedturned down for the night, and certain lingerie, which they werewithout, laid out for them.
"Better and better!" exclaimed Elaine. "You might think this was ahotel."
"Until you tried to go out."
"We haven't tried, yet--wait until morning." A pack of cards was on thetable. "See how thoughtful they are! Come, I'll play you Camden for acent a point."
"I can't understand what their move is?" said Davila, presently. "Whatcan they hope to accomplish by abducting us--or me, at any rate. Itseems they don't want anything from us."
"I make it, that they hope to extort something, from a third party,through us--by holding us prisoners."
"Captain Carrington has no money--it can't be he," said Davila, "andyet, why else should they seize me?"
"The question is, whose hand are they trying to force?" reflectedElaine. "They will hold us until something is acceded to, the man said.Until _what_ is acceded to, and _by whom_?"
"You think that we are simply the pawns?" asked Davila.
"Undoubtedly!"
"And if it isn't acceded to, they will kill us?"
"They will doubtless make the threat."
"Pleasant prospect for us!"
"We won't contemplate it, just yet. They may gain their point, or we maybe rescued; in either case, we'll be saved from dying!" Elaine laughed."And, at the worst, I may be able to buy them off--to pay our ownransom. If it's money they want, we shall not die, I assure you."
"You would pay what they demand?" Davila asked, quickly.
"If I have to choose between death and paying, I reckon I'll pay."
"But can you pay?"
"Yes, I think I can pay," she said quietly. "I'm not used to boastingmy wealth, but I can draw my check for a million, and it will behonored without a moment's question. Does that make you feel easier, mydear?"
"Considerably easier," said Davila, with a glad laugh. "I couldn't drawmy check for much more than ten thousand cents. I am only----" Shestopped, staring.
"What on earth is the matter, Davila?" Elaine exclaimed.
"I have it!--it's the thieves!"
"Have you suddenly lost your mind?"
"No! I've found it! I've come out of my trance. It's Parmenter'schest."
"Parmenter's chest?" echoed Elaine. "I reckon I must be in a trance,also."
"Hasn't Mr. Croyden told you--or Mr. Macloud?"
"No!"
"Then maybe I shouldn't--but I will. Parmenter's chest is a fortune injewels."
"A what?"
"A fortune in jewels, which Mr. Croyden has searched for and notfound--and the thieves think----"
"You would better tell me the story," said Elaine, pushing back thecards.
And Davila told her....
"It is too absurd!" laughed Elaine, "those rogues trying to forceGeoffrey to divide what he hasn't got, and can't find, and we abductedto constrain him. He couldn't comply if he wanted to, poor fellow!"
"But they will never believe it," said Davila.
"And, meanwhile, we suffer. Well, if we're not rescued shortly, I canadvance the price and buy our freedom. They want half a million. Hum! Ireckon two hundred thousand will be sufficient--and, maybe, we cancompromise for one hundred thousand. Oh! it's not so bad, Davila, it'snot so bad!"
She smiled, shrewdly. Unless she were wofully mistaken, this abductionwould release her from the embarrassment of declaring herself toGeoffrey. She could handle the matter, now.
"What is it?" asked Davila. "Why are you smiling so queerly?"
"I was thinking of Colin and Geoffrey--and how they are pretty sure toknow their minds when this affair is ended."
"You mean?"
"Exactly! I mean, if this doesn't bring Colin to his senses, he ishopeless."
"And Mr. Croyden?" Davila queried. "How about him?"
"He will surrender,
too. All his theoretical notions of relative wealthwill be forgotten. I've only to wait for rescue or release. On thewhole, Davila, I'm quite satisfied with being abducted. Moreover, it isan experience which doesn't come to every girl." She looked at herfriend quizzically. "What are you going to do about Colin? I ratherthink you should have an answer ready; the circumstances are apt tomake him rather precipitate."
The next morning after breakfast, which was served in their rooms,Elaine was looking out through the bars on her window, trying to getsome notion of the country, when she saw, what she took to be, thechief abductor approaching. He was a tall, well-dressed man of middleage, with the outward appearance of a gentleman. She looked at him amoment, then rang for the maid.
"I should like to have a word with the man who just came in," shesaid.
"I will tell him, Miss."
He appeared almost immediately, an inquiring look on his face.
"How can I serve you, Miss Cavendish?" he said, deferentially.
"By permitting us to go out for some air--these rooms were notdesigned, apparently, for permanent residence."
"It can be arranged," he answered. "When do you wish to go?"
"At once!"
"Very good!" he said. "You will have no objection to being attended, tomake sure you don't stray off too far, you know?"
"None whatever, if the attendant remains at a reasonable distance."
He bowed and stood aside.
"You may come," he said.
"Is the locality familiar?" Elaine asked, when they were some distancefrom the house.
Davila shook her head. "It is south of Hampton, I think, but I can'tgive any reason for my impression. The car was running very rapidly; wewere, I reckon, almost two hours on the way, but we can't be more thanfifty miles away."
"If they came direct--but if they circled, we could be much less,"Elaine observed.
"It's a pity we didn't think to drop something from the car to informour friends which way to look for us."
"I did," said Elaine. "I tossed out a handkerchief and a glove a shortdistance from Hampton--just as I struck that fellow. The difficulty is,there isn't any assurance we kept to that road. Like as not, we startednorth and ended east or south of town. What is this house, a fishingclub?"
"I rather think so. There is a small wharf, and a board-walk down tothe Bay, and the house itself is one story and spread-out, so tospeak."
"Likely it's a summer club-house, which these men have either rented orpreempted for our prison."
"The country around here is surely deserted!" said Davila.
"Hence, a proper choice for our temporary residence."
"I can't understand the care they are taking of us--the deference withwhich we are treated, the food that is given us."
"Parmenter's treasure, and the prize they think they're playing for,has much to do with it. We are of considerable value, according totheir idea."
After a while, they went back to the house. The two men, who hadremained out of hearing, but near enough to prevent any attempt toescape, having seen them safely within, disappeared. As they passedthrough the hall they encountered the chief. He stepped aside.
"You enjoyed your walk, I trust?" he said.
Davila nodded curtly. Elaine stopped.
"I feel sorry for you!" she said, smiling.
"You are very kind," he replied. "But why?"
"You are incurring considerable expense for nothing."
He grinned. "It is a very great pleasure, I assure you."
"You are asking the impossible," she went on. "Mr. Croyden told youthe simple truth. He _didn't_ find the Parmenter jewels."
The man's face showed his surprise, but he only shrugged his shouldersexpressively, and made no reply.
"I know you do not believe it--yet it's a fact, nevertheless. Mr.Croyden couldn't pay your demands, if he wished. Of course, we enjoythe experience, but, as I said, it's a trifle expensive for you."
The fellow's grin broadened.
"You're a good sport!" he said--"a jolly good sport! But we're dealingwith Mr. Croyden and Mr. Macloud, so, you'll pardon me if I decline todiscuss the subject."