CHAPTER XXIXA STARTLING EVENT
Sometimes, the mere presence of a person in the room is sufficient tointerrupt even sound repose. At all events, whether it was theentrance of Fairfax, acting in some mysterious way upon Andy, or thelight that streamed into the room, his slumber was disturbed, and hiseyes opened just as the adventurer was retiring, with his supposedbooty.
Our hero did not immediately take in the situation. He was naturally alittle bewildered, being just aroused from sleep, but in a short timethe real state of the case dawned upon him.
"By the powers!" he said to himself, "it's that man that went to themuseum with me! He saw my money, and he came in for it! I'll get upand see."
Quietly and noiselessly he got out of bed, and, going to the chair,felt in his pockets, and so discovered the loss of the stuffedpocketbook.
Andy wanted to laugh, but forbore, lest the sound should be heard inthe next room.
"It's a good joke on the dirty thafe!" said Andy, to himself. "He'swelcome to all the money, he's got--it won't carry him far, I'mthinkin'."
Prudence suggested another thought. When Fairfax found out theworthlessness of his booty, would he not come back and search for thereal treasure?
"If he does, I'll fight him," thought Andy.
Still, he knew the conflict would be unequal, since the other wasconsiderably his superior in strength. However, Andy determined that,come what might, he would defend his trust, "or perish in theattempt." But, while he was coming to this determination, he heard thedoor of the adjoining chamber open softly, and then he could hearsteps along the corridor. Evidently, the thief had not found out theactual character of his booty, but was going off under the impressionthat it was valuable.
"Maybe he'll come back," thought Andy. "I guess I'd better go down andgive notice at the desk. Then, if he comes back, he'll get into hotwater."
He hastily dressed himself, and, locking his door, went downstairs.First, however, he removed the money from under his pillow, and put itinto his pocket. He found the clerk at the desk.
"Has the man that came in with me gone out?" asked Andy.
"Mr. Marvin?"
"Yes."
"He went out about five minutes ago."
"Did he say anything about coming back?"
"He said it would be late when he returned. He asked me if we keptopen after twelve. Did you want to find him?"
"I should like to have the police find him," said Andy.
"How is that?" asked the clerk, surprised.
"He has robbed me."
"Did you leave your door unlocked?"
"No; but there was a door between our rooms. He opened it, and stole apocketbook from the pocket of my coat."
"While you were asleep?"
"Yes; but I awoke just in time to see him go through the door."
"How much money was there in it?"
"That's the joke of it," said Andy, laughing; "there was no money atall, only some folds of paper. He got hold of the wrong pocketbook."
Thereupon, he told the story of the "drop game," of which he came nearbeing a victim, and what a useful turn the bogus treasure had donehim.
"There's the right pocketbook," he said, in conclusion. "I wish youwould take care of it for me till to-morrow. The money isn't mine, andI don't want to run any more risk with it."
"I'll lock it up in the safe for you," said the clerk. "Is theremuch?"
"Several hundred dollars."
"You were very fortunate in escaping as you did," said the clerk.
"True for you," said Andy. "He may come back when he finds out how hehas been fooled."
"If he does, I'll call a policeman. We'll make short work with him."
The reader has already heard how Fairfax (or Marvin) did return, andhow he met with a reception he had not calculated upon. Andy wasinformed in the morning that it would be necessary for him to appearas a witness against him in order to secure his conviction. This hedid the next day, but the judge delayed sentence, on being informedthat the accused was charged with a more serious offense, that ofstopping a traveler on the highway. His trial on this count must comebefore a higher court, and he was remanded to prison till his case wascalled in the calendar. Andy was informed that he would be summoned asa witness in that case also, as well as Colonel Preston, and answeredthat he would be ready when called upon.
We will so far anticipate events as to say that the testimony of Andyand the colonel was considered conclusive by the court, and, on thestrength of it, Mr. Fairfax, alias Marvin, was sentenced to severalyears' imprisonment at hard labor.
Andy met with no further adventures in his present visit, but had thesatisfaction of delivering the money he had been sent to collect toMiss Priscilla Grant.
Now, advancing our story some three months, we come to an afternoonwhen Miss Sophia Grant, returning from a walk, with visible marks ofexcitement, rushed, breathless and panting, into her sister'spresence.
"What's the matter, Sophia?" asked Priscilla.
"Such an awful thing!" she gasped.
"What is it?"
"You won't believe it."
"Tell me at once what it is!"
"It seems so sudden!"
"Good heavens! Sophia, why do you tantalize me so?"
"Just so!" gasped Sophia.
"If you don't tell me, I'll shake you!"
"Colonel Preston's dead--dropped dead in the store ten minutes ago. Iwas there, and saw him."
This startling intelligence was only too true. Suddenly, without aninstant's warning, the colonel had been summoned from life--succumbingto a fit of apoplexy. This event, of course, made a great sensation inthe village, but it is of most interest to us as it affects thefortunes of our young hero.