CHAPTER XVI.
THE PRICE OF TREACHERY.
This most astounding event had left everybody gasping. A ghastly pallorhad rushed into Sercomb's face. His three companions were hardly inbetter case. All four realized that the unexpected had happened, andthat it boded ill for them.
But Sercomb was not long in pulling himself together.
"Why, uncle!" he exclaimed, forcing a laugh; "this is a tremendoussurprise, and a glad one. I have been worried to death about you!"
He offered his hand. Mr. Lawton looked at him steadily. Under that lookSercomb's assurance faded, his hand dropped, and he fell back.
"I would like you better, sir," said the old Englishman, "if youshowed the courage to acknowledge what you have done and face theconsequences. You must know that I am aware of all that has taken placehere; and yet you have the brazen insolence to step forward and offerme your hand!"
"I guess we'd better be going, Sercomb, old chap," said Mings.
"I think so, too," spoke up Balt Finn. "It's getting along toward noon,and we'll get out the car and start north."
"Come on, boys," urged Packard.
They started toward the door. At a gesture from Mr. Lawton, Tippoostepped in front of the door and drew the revolver from his sash. TheDenver man fell back in trepidation.
"You'll start north very soon," said Mr. Lawton keenly, "and when yougo you'll take Sercomb with you. First, however, there is something tobe told, and you'll wait to hear it.
"Ever since I came to America I have had Ralph and Dick in mind. EitherI was to divide my property between them, or else I was to cut off oneand leave all to the other. In some respects I am a particular man.What property I have collected I want to fall into hands that will dothe most good with it. With that end in view I have tried to make astudy of Ralph and Dick.
"It was easy for me to study Ralph. Whenever I asked him to come hereand see me, he came; and he remained, as a rule, until I asked him togo. He had ways about him which I did not like, but I feared that wasmerely a prejudice. I like the youth who is open and aboveboard, whosays what he means and who is frank and fearless. Ralph did not seem tobe that.
"Dick I never could get to come to me." Mr. Lawton lifted his hand andrested it on Ferral's shoulder. "I couldn't understand this, for bymaking a little of me he had everything to gain. He was serving hisking afloat--I liked that--but I felt that he might take a little timeoff for a visit, every two or three years, with the forlorn old man'way off here in the American wilds.
"When Dick wrote me from Texas, I conceived a plan. By this plan Ihoped to bring both my nephews here, and to find out, beyond all cavil,just which was the better entitled to what I shall some day leave.
"With the Lamy lawyer to help, the little conspiracy was hatched.Identically the same letters were sent to Ralph and Dick, each statingthat I was tired of living alone, that I was going to get out of theway, and that wherever I was found my _will_ would be found with me."
A grim smile hovered about the bristling gray mustache of the old man.
"I did not say what the will was," he went on, "but I will remark herethat it was purely the mental process by which I intended to judgewhich of my nephews was the more worthy.
"Ralph lost no time in coming to La Vita Place. He brought with himthese friends of his"--Mr. Lawton swept his hand about to indicateFinn, Mings and Packard--"and they carried on with liquor and cards,spending their time sleeping, eating, gambling and hunting for thewill. There was never any concern about Uncle Jack--their interest wasall in the will and Uncle Jack's money. Everything that went on in thishouse I knew about--as well as everything that went on outside. Tippoo,with the aid of the runabout, kept me informed of events beyond thewalls; and, as for the others, I heard and saw for myself.
"This old adobe house is like a medieval castle. In the old times, whensettlers were even fewer in this country than they are now, lawlessMexicans used the place for nefarious purposes; and, back beyond theirtime, the old friars who were here under the Spaniards made this theirretreat. The walls are honeycombed with passages, and every room can bereached secretly and secretly watched. I discovered these passages formyself, and have passed many a lonely hour unearthing the mysteries ofthe place.
"Ralph, during one of his visits here, found the passage leading fromthe bushes to my sleeping-room, up-stairs. He knew of that, but none ofthe others.
"One thing I did not know about until now was Ralph's plan to haveMings meet Dick in Lamy, when he was coming here, and steal his money.It is hard to think one of my blood is a thief----"
"Uncle!" gasped Sercomb.
"Stand as you are, sir!" cried Mr. Lawton sternly. "Let us name thetruth as it should be! It was not your hand that struck Dick down, andhis money is not now in your pocket, but yours was the plan, and youare even more guilty than Mings. Although I could not protect Dick fromthat danger, yet he was equal to it himself.
"When he came here, I was watching Ralph and his friends playing cardsup-stairs; I saw them put out the light and retreat noiselessly to mybedroom; and I heard the shot that was fired at Dick before the youngrascals left the house by the secret way.
"All the rest that followed, during the night, I understood, save thatI did not know, until I heard Matt talking with Carl and Dick in myroom, how he had been able to spy upon Sercomb and his friends andgather a clue to Sercomb's duplicity.
"The ruffianly attack on Dick and Carl by Mings and Packard, who, underorders from Sercomb, were plotting to carry Dick off to the quicksands,horrified me. I would have shown myself then and there had not Dick andCarl protected themselves so valiantly and turned the tables on Dick'swould-be abductors.
"Tippoo, in the car, was watching the automobile in front, and hedisabled the machine so that Dick could not be carried off, in caseMings and Packard succeeded.
"The most contemptible act of all was that where Mings and Packardfollowed Dick and his friends, when they had been ordered away, andattempted Dick's life----"
"I did not sanction that!" cried Sercomb desperately. His hopes werecrumbling in his grasp like a rope of sand. "I did not tell Mings totie Dick in the car and set the car toward the cliffs! Uncle! I----"
"Silence!" thundered Mr. Lawton. "I will have no false excuses. I knowwhat you wanted! You wanted to get Dick out of the way. In your greedto get all of my property you shut your eyes to the heinousness of yourconduct and struggled only to achieve your aim.
"Here, in this house, Ralph, I have watched barefaced duplicity andmurderous resolve battling with frankness and fearlessness! I have seenyou deliberately, and with three unscrupulous friends to help, playevery card you could in an attempt to beat your own cousin. And I havefelt shame that one of our line could act so like a cur.
"Had I known, in the beginning, just how far your greed would leadyou, had I even remotely imagined all the dangers that would encompassDick when he tried to follow out my last request, I would never haveproceeded in the way I did.
"But now it is over. I have seen you both when you could not know I wasnear; I have watched your actions, weighed even your words, and I amable to judge between you."
A certain grimness of resolve came into the fine old face as Mr. Lawtonwent on.
"Ralph, you can expect from me--nothing. When I leave this place forgood and all, and go to Denver--which will be in a few days--therewill not be even a deed to La Vita Place to go to you. Consideringmy present mood, not a shilling of my money, sir, will go to you. Towhom it _does_ go, I will leave you to guess. Go back to your racing;and if, before I die, you have come nearer making a man of yourself,perhaps I will reconsider. You and your friends have an automobile inthe barn. Take it, at once, and leave here."
A deep silence fell over the room. Tippoo stepped away from the doorand tucked the revolver back into his sash. Mings, Packard and Finnbolted--glad, no doubt, to get away so easily. Sercomb started afterthem, but hesitated.
"Uncle," he began tremulously, "if you will----"
"Go!"
ordered Mr. Lawton sternly.
Then Sercomb's true character came uppermost. Halting in the door heshook his fist at Matt and Dick.
"I'll play even with both of you for this!" he gritted, then whirledand darted after his crestfallen companions.
"Come, Carl," said Matt, hurrying toward the hall door, "we'll go andkeep an eye on the car."
"You bed you," exulted Carl, running after Matt. "It vas easy forVerral to be jeerful now, hey? Aber id don'd vas so easy for dose odderchaps. Donnervetter, vat a surbrise!"
When the other touring-car whisked out of the barn, through the groveand into the road, there were four very gloomy passengers aboard.Hardly looking at Matt and Carl, they kicked up the dust toward SantaF? and Denver.
Tippoo appeared, as soon as the car had vanished.
"Sahib," said he to Matt, "you go to de house. I take care of bot'cars. Naboob sahib say so."
"Napoo sahip cuts a goot deal oof ice mit us, Tibboo," said Carl, "undI guess dot ve go, hey, Matt?"
"Sure, we will," replied Matt. "But be careful of this car, Tippoo. Ithas had so many close calls lately that I am scared of my life whenit's out of my hands."
"Me take good care, sahib," answered Tippoo reassuringly.
Matt and Carl, full of wonder and satisfaction because of the way theaffair had ended, started back along the foot-path to the house.