CHAPTER XXVI.
THE TRAIL OF THE ASSASSIN.
During the night there was little change in Bethel's condition, and inthe gray of dawn Miss Barnard went reluctantly home, having been assuredby the doctor that the patient was in no immediate danger, and, by Jimand myself, converted to the belief that he might be safely trusted fora short time to our care.
A little later, with the first clear light of the dawn, I left Jim onguard at the bedside, and went to take a survey of the premises.
I was not long in convincing myself that there was little to bediscovered outside, and returning to the house seated myself in Bethel'seasy-chair.
"Long," I called softly,--somehow since last night I could not bringmyself to use the familiar "Jim," as of old.
He came from the inner room looking a mute inquiry.
"Long, you had ought to know something about your own gun; was thatwound of Bethel's made at long or short range?"
He looked surprised at first, then a gleam of intelligence leaped to hiseyes.
"What do you mean by short range?" he asked.
"Suppose Bethel to have stood on the steps outside, was the gun firedfrom behind that evergreen just beyond, and close to the gravel walk, orfrom some other point equally distant?"
He opened the door and glanced out at the tree, seeming to measure thedistance with his eye.
"It was further away," he said, after a moment's reflection. "If thescoundrel had stood as you suggest, the muzzle of the gun would havebeen almost at Bethel's breast. The powder would have scorched hisclothing and his flesh."
"Do you think it may have been fired from the gate, or a few feet beyondit?"
"Judging by the appearance of the wound, I should say it must have beenfrom a little beyond the gate."
"I think so too," I said. "I think some one drove to the gate lastnight with a light buggy, and two small horses. He or they drove quiteclose to the fence and stopped the horses, so that they were hidden fromthe view of any one who was nearer the house. The buggy was directlybefore the gate and so close that it could not have been opened, as itswings outward. The horses were not tied, but they were doubtless welltrained animals. A man jumped out of the buggy, and, standing beside it,on the side farthest from the gate, of course, leveled your gun acrossthe vehicle and called aloud for the doctor. Bethel was alone, sittingin this chair by this table. His feet were on this footstool," touchingeach article as I named it. "He was smoking this pipe, and reading thisbook. The window was open, and the blinds only half closed. The man, whoprobably drove close to the fence for that purpose, could see him quitedistinctly, and from his attitude and occupation knew him to be alone.
"When Bethel heard the call, he put down the book and pipe with cooldeliberation, pushed back the footstool and opened the door, coming fromthe light to the darkness. At that moment he could see nothing, andleaving the door open he stepped outside, standing clearly outlined inthe light from within. _Then_ the assassin fired."
"When Bethel heard the call, he put down the book andpipe with cool deliberation, pushed back the footstool and opened thedoor,"--page 312.]
Jim Long came toward me, his eyes earnestly searching my face.
"In Heaven's name, what foundation have you for such a theory," heasked, slowly.
"Excellent foundation," I replied. "Let us demonstrate my theory."
Long glanced at his charge in the inner room, and then said, "go on."
"Suppose me to be Bethel," I said, leaning back in the big chair. "Thatwindow is now just as it was last night, I take it?"
"Just the same."
"Well, if you choose to go outside and walk beside the fence, you willbe able to decide whether I could be seen as I have stated."
He hesitated a moment, and then said:
"Wait; I'll try it;" and opened the door.
"Long," I whispered, as he passed out, "keep _this side_ of the fence."
"Yes."
He was back in a moment.
"I can see you plainly," he said.
"And, of course, with a light within and darkness outside you could seeme still more plainly."
"I suppose so," he assented.
"Now for the second test. I hear my name called, I lay aside my book andmeerschaum, push back my footrest, and go to the door. I can see nothingas I open it," I was suiting the action to the word, "so I fling it wideopen, and step outside. Now, Long, that spot of blood tells me justabout the location of Bethel's head when you discovered him. Will youpoint out the spot where his feet rested?"
Long considered a moment and then laid two fingers on the step.
"There, as nearly as I can remember," he said.
I planted my own feet on the spot indicated by him.
"Now, please go to the gate. Go outside of it. There are some bits ofpaper scattered about; do not step where you see any of these."
He obeyed my directions, striding over and around the marked places.
"Now," I called, retaining my position on the door-step, "step aboutfour feet from the gate, and from that distance how must you stand totake aim at me, on this spot?"
He shifted his position a trifle, went through the motion of taking aim,looking down at his feet, then dropped his arms, and said:
"I can't do it; to aim at you there, I would have to stand just whereyou have left some bits of paper. In any other position the bushesobstruct the sight."
I came down to the gate and swung it open.
"Just what I wanted to establish. Now for the next test," I said. "Markme, Long; do you see those bits of paper along the fence? Go and look atthe ground, where they lie, and you will see the faint impression of awheel. Just before the gate where the vehicle stood for a moment, theprint is deeper, and more easily noticed. I said that the gun was firedacross the buggy; you have convinced yourself that aim could be takenfrom only one position, at this distance. The man must stand where thosebits of paper are scattered. Now, look;" I bent down and gathered up thefragments of paper; "look close. Here is a fine, free imprint from theheel of a heavy boot. As there is but one, and that so marked, it isreasonable to suppose that the assassin rested one foot upon the buggywheel, thus throwing his weight upon this heel."
Long bent to examine the print and then lifted his head to ejaculate:
"It is wonderful!"
"It is simplicity itself," I replied; "the a, b, c of the detective'salphabet. I said there were two horses; look, here is where one of themscraped the fence with his teeth, and here the other has snatched amouthful of leaves from the doctor's young shade tree. Here, too, aresome faint, imperfect hoof-prints, but they are enough to tell us, fromtheir position, that there were two horses, and from their size, thatthe animals were pretty small."
Long examined the different marks with eager attention, and then stoodgazing fixedly at me, while I gathered up my bits of paper.
"I shall not try to preserve these as evidence in the case," I said. "Ithink we shall do very well without them. They were marked for yourbenefit, solely. Are you convinced?"
"Convinced! Yes, convinced and satisfied that you are the man for thisbusiness."
We returned to the house, each intent on his own thoughts.
The sun was rising in a cloudless sky. It would not be long beforecurious visitors would be thronging the cottage. After a time I went tothe door of the room where Jim had resumed his watch.
"Long," I asked, in a low tone, "do you know any person in Ireton?"
He shook his head.
"Do you know whether this fellow Tom Briggs has any relatives aboutTrafton?"
He pondered a moment.
"Yes," he said, finally. "He has a brother somewhere in theneighborhood. I don't know just where. He comes to Traftonoccasionally."
"What is he like?"
"He is not unlike Tom, but goes rather better dressed."
"Do you know his occupation?"
"A sort of horse-trading character, I think."
I considered for a time, and then
resumed my catechism.
"Among the farmers whose horses have been stolen, do you know one who isthoroughly shrewd, cautious and reliable?"
"I think so," after a moment's reflection. "I think Mr. Warren is such aman."
"Where can he be found?"
"He lives five miles northwest of Trafton."
"If you wished to organize a small band of regulators, say six or eight,where could you find the right men, and how soon?"
"I should look for them among the farmers. I think they could beorganized, _for the right purpose_, in half a day's ride about thecountry."
As my lips parted to launch another question, the outer door openedslowly and almost noiselessly, and Louise Barnard brushed past me andhurried to the bedside.
"Miss Barnard--"
"Don't lecture me, please," she said, hurriedly. "Mamma is better andcould spare me, and I _could_ not sleep. I have taken a cordial, andsome food. You must let me stay on guard until Dr. Denham arrives. Iwill resign my post to him."
"Which means that you will not trust to us. You are a 'willful woman,'Miss Barnard, and your word is our law, of course. There is actuallynothing to do here just now but to sit at the bedside and watch ourpatient. And so, if you _will_ occupy that post, Long and myself willtake a look at things out of doors."
She took her seat by the bedside, and, beckoning Jim to follow me, Iwent out, and, turning to see that he was close behind me, walked to therear of the house.
Here we seated ourselves upon the well platform, where Jim had oncebefore stationed himself to watch the proceedings of the raiding party,and for a full half-hour remained in earnest consultation.
At the end of that time, Jim Long saddled and bridled the doctor'shorse, led him softly from the yard, mounted, and rode swiftly away tothe northwest.