CHAPTER IX
A DARING PLOT
Mark Sampson lay an inert mass in the arms of the man who had attackedhim. Through the sagging door of the old, deserted house the captivelad was carried, and up creaking stairs.
"I guess no one saw me," whispered the man. "I'm safe, so far, and Ican work my scheme to perfection. Everything turned out well for me. Iwas just wondering how I could get this youth in my power, and hefairly walked into my hands! Now to keep him safe until I can take hisplace in the projectile, and have my revenge. I have waited a long timefor it, but it has come at last!"
Pausing at the head of the creaking stairs the man looked behind him,to make sure that he was not being followed, but not a sound broke thestillness of the old house, save the rattle and bang of the ruinedshutters.
"I'm safe! Safe!" exulted the man, with a cruel chuckle. "Now to bindhim, and hide him in the secret chamber."
He laid Mark down on a pile of bagging in a corner of a room at thehead of the stairs. Then, still glancing behind him, as if fearful ofbeing observed, the man walked over to a mantlepiece, fumbled about abit of carving that adorned the centre, and pressed on a certain spot.A moment later the mantle seemed to swing out, and there was revealed asecret room, the existence of which would never have been suspected bythe casual observer.
Taking some of the bags from the pile where the unconscious lad was,the man made a rude bed in the secret room. Then he carried Mark in,and placed him in a fairly comfortable position, first taking theprecaution, however, of binding his hands and feet.
"There," whispered the man, when he had finished, "I guess you'll notget away in a hurry. Now I'll wait until dark, and then I'll give yousomething to eat, for I don't want you to starve. But I must keep inhiding, for, very likely, there'll be a search made for him. Guess I'dbetter stay here, and see what happens," and the mysterious man pressedthe spring that sent the mantle back into place again, hiding alltraces of the secret room.
"It's a good thing I stumbled upon this hiding place," he said tohimself. "It couldn't be better for what I want. Now to see whathappens next."
He did not have long to wait, for in a short time Jack, as we haveseen, appeared on the scene, and began his search. At the sound of hisvoice, calling for Mark, the man started in his hiding place, andglanced uneasily at Mark.
"He may hear, and wake up," he whispered.
Jack came upstairs in the deserted house, and continued his searchthere, calling from time to time. He gave one loud shout at the head ofthe stairs, and the very thing that the man feared would happen came topass.
The effect of the drug having worn off, Mark stirred uneasily, andstarted up. He heard Jack's cry, and uttered a half-articulate answer.In an instant the man was at his side, and had quickly gagged him. Thishad the further effect of awakening the unfortunate lad; and hestruggled to loosen his bonds, but they were too strongly tied. Heendeavored to answer Jack, but only a meaningless mumble resulted, forthe gag was effective.
"All you have to do is to keep quiet," urged the man, as he kneltbeside Mark in the darkness. "As soon as your chum goes, I'll take thatthing out of your mouth, and give you something to eat."
Jack's voice died away, and presently, as the ears of the man told him,the boy left the old house. Waiting some time, to make sure that hewould not return, the man removed the knot of rags from Mark's mouth,and slightly loosened his bonds, first warning him, however, that if heattempted to escape he would be harshly dealt with.
"But what right have you to keep me here?" demanded the youth. "Who areyou, and what have I done to you, that you should treat me this way?Are you crazy? Don't you know that you are liable to arrest for this?"
"No one can arrest me," boasted the fellow.
"But why have you made me a prisoner?" demanded Mark.
"For reasons of my own. You'll see very soon."
"But what have I done to you?" persisted the lad. "I never saw youbefore, that I know of, unless you are the man who sent me the note,and who ran when my chum and I came to the bridge to meet you."
"I'm the man," was the answer, with a chuckle.
"Then you must be the one who tried to wreck our projectile," went onMark.
"Yes, I did that, and now I am sorry for it, for I have thought of amuch better scheme for getting even, and having my revenge on you."
"But why do you want to be revenged on us?"
"Because of what you have done!" and the man's voice took on an uglytone.
"But what did we do?" begged Mark.
"You'll know soon enough," was the answer, with a cunning laugh, andthen Mark was sure he had to deal with a lunatic. He ceased hisstruggles to loosen the bonds, and resolved to meet cunning withcunning. He would bide his time.
"Will you promise to be quiet, and not kick up a fuss if I get yousomething to eat?" asked the man.
"Yes; but I'd rather have a drink of water first. I feel sick."
"Very well, you shall have some water. I'll have to go out and get it,but I must first blindfold you, so that you will not discover thesecret of this room."
Mark could not help himself, for he was bound, and when the man hadtied a handkerchief over his eyes, Mark heard his captor moving about.
Next there came a sound as of some heavy body, or object, being pushedacross the room. Mark felt a draught of wind on his face, but it ceasedinstantly, and he knew that he was alone. He tried to work the bandagefrom over his eyes, and he endeavored to loosen his bonds, for he didnot consider that this violated his promise. But it was of no effect.
Presently he heard the moving, shoving sound again, and once more feltthe wind on his face. Then he heard the voice of his captor speaking.
"Here is food and drink. I'm going to untie your hands so you can eat,but mind, no fighting, for I'm a desperate man, and I won't stand anynonsense!"
He fumbled about the bonds, and soon Mark was free to stand up and usehis hands. The bandage was taken from his eyes, and he was able to peerabout his prison by the light of a candle which his captor had brought.
Mark's first glance was at the man. He was the same one who had emergedfrom the house to attack and drug him, but as for recognizing in himthe person who had been at the bridge, this was impossible. As far asMark could tell he had never seen the man before, nor did he answer thedescription given by Dick Johnson.
There was little danger that Mark would attempt violence. He was tooweak, and his jailer seemed a powerful fellow. Then, too, the lad feltill from the effects of the drug.
"Drink some water, and eat a bit, and you'll feel better," urged theman, which advice Mark followed, though, his appetite was not of thebest, and he was much worried as to what his friends would think abouthis strange disappearance.
"What do you intend to do with me?" asked Mark, when he felt a littlebetter from the effects of the food and drink. The man had sat on anold soap box, and watched his captive while he ate.
"Do with you? Why, I'm going to keep you here until your friends haveleft in the projectile," was the answer.
"But why don't you want me to go with them?"
"Oh, I have my reasons. You'll find out soon enough. You can't go,that's all."
"But why do you take such an interest in me? Why didn't you capture mychum Jack, too, while you were about it?"
"Two reasons. One was that Jack wouldn't answer my purpose, and theother was that I didn't have a chance to get him. You walked right intomy trap, just when I was doing my best to think of another plan to gethold of you, since my first one failed."
"But what is your purpose?" insisted the lad. "What do you want withme?" He thought perhaps if he questioned the man closely enough hemight discover something that would give him a clew, or might aid himto escape.
"You'll learn soon enough," was the answer.
"Will you tell me your name?" asked Marie quietly.
"No--why should I?" was the quick reply. "If I told you who I was youwould at once know why I have made you a captive here. No; you shal
lhear all in good time, but that will not be until I am ready.
"Now," went on his captor, after a period of silence, "I shall have tobind and blindfold you again."
"Why?" asked Mark, in some alarm.
"Because I don't want you to see how I get in and out of this room, andthat's the only way I can guard my secret. Though if you promise not toremove the bandage from your eyes within five minutes from the time Ileave you, I will not have to tie your hands and feet. After I am goneyou may take the handkerchief off, but when you hear me rap on thewall, ready to come back again, you must once more blindfold yourself.Otherwise I shall have to tie you up."
Mark considered a moment. It was not pleasant to be tied with the cruelropes, and he felt that in time he could penetrate the mystery of howthe room opened, even if he did not see his jailer enter and leave.
"I promise," he said finally.
"That's good. It simplifies matters. Now you can blindfold yourself,and I trust to your honor. You may remove the bandage in five minutes,but when you hear me knock, you must replace it until I am in theapartment. Then you can take it off again."
There was little choice but to obey, and Mark tied the handkerchiefover his eyes. He listened intently, heard the man moving about theroom, felt the wind on his cheeks, and then came silence.
He waited until he thought five minutes had passed, and then took offthe bandage. The candle was burning where the man had set it, but thefellow himself was gone. He had taken with him the broken dishes, andremains of the food Mark had not eaten. The glass and a pitcher ofwater stood on a broken table, and Mark took a big drink.
"Now to see if I can't get out of this place," he murmured to himself.
Mark had invented many pieces of apparatus, and he was considered agood mechanician. Consequently he went about his task in a systematicmanner. He examined the walls carefully by the candle, which he carriedin his hand, but no opening was apparent.
"Of course, there must be some secret spring to press," said the lad."That's how he gets in and out. A section of the wall moves, but whereit is I can't see. It will take time. I must look at every inch."
He was in the midst of his investigations when there sounded on thewall back of him three raps.
"Ha! At least, that tells me where the opening is," thought the lad."It's on that side, but now I have to put that blamed bandage on. Well,I may be able to escape yet."
True to his promise, he blindfolded himself well, and presently heheard a noise, felt a draught of air, and he knew his captor was in theroom.
"You can now take off the handkerchief," said the man. "I have broughtyou some more bags for bed clothing. It isn't much, but it is all Ihave. They will keep you warm tonight."
"Are you going to imprison me over night?" asked Mark.
"Yes, and I'll stay here with you. No one can find us here. The secretroom is well hidden. But first I have another matter that needsattention. I am going to ask you a question."
"What?" asked the captive, wondering what strange request the mentallyunbalanced man would make now.
The man leaned forward and whispered something in Mark's ear, as if hewas afraid the very walls would hear.
"I'll not do it!" cried the youth. "I'll never aid you to deceive myfriends, for that is your object. I'll never do it!"
"Then I shall have to use force," was the determined response. "You maytake your choice!"
Poor Mark did not know what to do, yet there was little he could choosebetween. The man had him in his power, yet the lad was terribly afraidof the result of the daring scheme which he knew was in the mind of thelunatic, for such he believed the man to be.
"Will you not give up this plan?" begged Mark. "I know ProfessorHenderson will pay you any sum in reason to let me go. You can become arich man."
"I don't want riches--I want revenge!" exclaimed the man. And he glaredat Mark, while throughout the dismal, deserted house there sounded therattle and bang of the flapping shutters.