CHAPTER XVII
THE PROFESSOR SUMS UP
In Upper Asquewan Falls the clock on the old town hall struck nine. Mr.Magee, on guard in Baldpate's dreary office, counted the strokes. Shemust be half-way down the mountain now--perhaps at this very moment sheheard Quimby's ancient gate creaking in the wind. He could almost seeher as she tramped along through the snow, the lovely heroine of themost romantic walk of all romantic walks on Baldpate to date. Half-wayto the waiting-room where she had wept so bitterly; half-way to thecurious station agent with the mop of ginger hair. To-night there wouldbe no need of a troubadour to implore "Weep no more, my lady". WilliamHallowell Magee had removed the cause for tears.
It was a long vigil he had begun, but there was no boredom in it forBilly Magee. He was too great a lover of contrast for that. As he lookedaround on the ill-assorted group he guarded, he compared them with thehappier people of the inn's summer nights, about whom the girl had toldhim. Instead of these surly or sad folk sitting glumly under the pistolof romantic youth he saw maids garbed in the magic of muslin flitthrough the shadows. Lights glowed softly; a waltz came up from thecasino on the breath of the summer breeze. Under the red and whiteawnings youth and joy and love had their day--or their night. The hermitwas on hand with his postal-carded romance. The trees gossiped inwhispers on the mountain.
And, too, the rocking-chair fleet gossiped in whispers on the veranda,pausing only when the admiral sailed by in his glory. Eagerly it randown its game. This girl--this Myra Thornhill--he remembered, hadherself been a victim. After Kendrick disappeared she had come there nomore, for there were ugly rumors of the man who had fled. Mr. Magee sawthe girl and her long-absent lover whispering together in the firelight;he wondered if they, too, imagined themselves at Baldpate in the summer;if they heard the waltz in the casino, and the laughter of men in thegrill-room.
Ten o'clock, said the town hall pompously. She was at the station now.In the room of her tears she was waiting; perhaps her only companion thejacky of the "See the World" poster, whose garb was but a shade bluerthan her eyes. Who was she? What was the bribe money of the SuburbanRailway to her? Mr. Magee did not know, but he trusted her, and he wasglad she had won through him. He saw Professor Bolton walk through theflickering half-light to join Myra Thornhill and Kendrick.
It must be half past by now. Yes--from far below in the valley came thewhistle of a train. Now--she was boarding it. She and the money.Boarding it--for where? For what purpose? Again the train whistled.
"The siege," remarked Mr. Magee, "is more than half over, ladies andgentlemen."
The professor of Comparative Literature approached him and took a chairat his side.
"I want to talk with you, Mr. Magee," he said.
"A welcome diversion," assented Magee, his eyes still on the room.
"I have discussed matters with Miss Thornhill," said the professor in alow voice. "She has convinced me that in this affair you have acted froma wholly disinterested point of view. A mistaken idea of chivalry,perhaps. The infatuation of the moment for a pretty face--a thing towhich all men with red blood in their veins are susceptible--a pleasantthing that I would be the last to want banished from the world."
"Miss Thornhill," replied Billy Magee, "has sized up the situationperfectly--except for one rather important detail. It is not theinfatuation of the moment, Professor. Say rather that of a lifetime."
"Ah, yes," the old man returned. "Youth--how sure it always is of that.I do not deprecate the feeling. Once, long ago, I, too, had youth andfaith. We will not dwell on that, however. Miss Thornhill assures methat Henry Bentley, the son of my friend John Bentley, esteems youhighly. She asserts that you are in every respect, as far as herknowledge goes, an admirable young man. I feel sure that after calmcontemplation you will see that what you have done is very unfortunate.The package of money which in a giddy moment you have given into a younglady's keeping is much desired by the authorities as evidence against avery corrupt political ring. I am certain that when you know all thedetails you will be glad to return with me to Reuton and do all in yourpower to help us regain possession of that package."
And now the town hall informed Mr. Magee that the hour was eleven. Hepictured a train flying like a black shadow through the white night. Wasshe on it--safe?
"Professor Bolton," he said, "there couldn't possibly be any oneanywhere more eager than I to learn all the details of this affair--tohear your real reason for coming to Baldpate Inn, and to have theperoxide-blond incident properly classified and given its niche inhistory. But let me tell you again my action of to-night was no meremadness of the moment. I shall stick to it through thick and thin. Now,about the blondes."
"The blondes," repeated the professor dreamily. "Ah, yes, I must make asmall confession of guilt there. I did not come here to escape theresults of that indiscreet remark, but I really made it--about a yearago. Shall I ever forget? Hardly--the newspapers and my wife won't letme. I can never again win a new honor, however dignified, without beingreferred to in print as the peroxide-blond advocate. The thing has mademe furious. However, I did not come to Baldpate Inn to avoid the resultsof a lying newspaper story, though many a time, a year ago, when Istarted to leave my house and saw the reporters camped on my door-step,I longed for the seclusion of some such spot as this. On the night whenMr. Kendrick and I climbed Baldpate Mountain, I remarked as much to him.And so it occurred to me that if I found any need of explaining mypresence here, the blond incident would do very well. It was only--awhite lie."
"A blond one," corrected Mr. Magee. "I forgive you, Professor. And I'mmighty glad the incident really happened, despite the pain it causedyou. For it in a way condones my own offense--and it makes you human,too."
"If to err is human, it does," agreed Professor Bolton. "To begin with,I am a member of the faculty of the University of Reuton, situated, asyou no doubt know, in the city of the same name. For a long time I havetaken a quiet interest in our municipal politics. I have been up inarms--linguistic arms--against this odd character Cargan, who came fromthe slums to rule us with a rod of iron. Every one knows he is corrupt,that he is wealthy through the sale of privilege, that there is actuallya fixed schedule of prices for favors in the way of city ordinances. Ihave often denounced him to my friends. Since I have met him--well, itis remarkable, is it not, the effect of personality on one's opinions? Iexpected to face a devil, with the usual appurtenances. Instead I havefound a human, rather likable man. I can well understand now why it isthat the mob follows him like sheep. However, that is neither here northere. He is a crook, and must be punished--even though I do like himimmensely."
Mr. Magee smiled over to where the great bulk of Cargan slouched in achair.
"He's a bully old scout," he remarked.
"Even so," replied the professor, "his high-handed career of graft inReuton must come to a speedy close. He is of a type fast vanishingthrough the awakening public conscience. And his career will end, Iassure you, despite the fact that you, Mr. Magee, have seen fit to sendour evidence scurrying through the night at the behest of a chit of agirl. I beg your pardon--I shall continue. Young Drayton, the new countyprosecutor, was several years back a favorite pupil of mine. After heleft law school he fell under the spell of the picturesque mayor ofReuton. Cargan liked him and he rose rapidly. Drayton had no thought ofever turning against his benefactor when he accepted the first favors,but later the open selling of men's souls began to disgust him. WhenCargan offered him the place of prosecutor, a few months ago, Draytonassured him that he would keep his oath of office. The mayor laughed.Drayton insisted. Cargan had not yet met the man he could not handle. Hegave Drayton the place."
The old man leaned forward, and tapped Magee on the knee.
"It was in me, remember," he went on, "that Drayton confided his resolveto serve the public. I was delighted at the news. A few weeks ago heinformed me his first opportunity was at hand. Through one of the men inhis office he had learned that Hayden of the Suburban Electric wasseeking to cons
olidate that road, which had fallen into partialdisrepute under his management during the illness of Thornhill, thepresident, with the Civic. The consolidation would raise the value ofthe Suburban nearly two million dollars--at the public's expense. Haydenhad seen Cargan. Cargan had drafted Ordinance Number 45, and informedHayden that his price for passing it through the council would be thesum you have juggled in your possession on Baldpate Mountain--twohundred thousand dollars."
"A mere trifle," remarked Magee sarcastically.
"So Cargan made Hayden see. Through long experience in these matters themayor has become careless. He is the thing above the law, if not the lawitself. He would have had no fear in accepting this money on Main Streetat midday. He had no fear when he came here and found he was being spiedon.
"But Hayden--there was the difficulty that began the drama of BaldpateInn. Hayden had few scruples, but as events to-night have well proved,Mr. Magee, he was a coward at heart. I do not know just why he lies onyour bed up-stairs at this moment, a suicide--that is a matter betweenKendrick and him, and one which Kendrick himself has not yet fathomed.As I say, Hayden was afraid of being caught. Andy Rutter, manager ofBaldpate Inn for the last few summers, is in some way mixed up in theSuburban. It was he who suggested to Hayden that an absolutely secludedspot for passing this large sum of money would be the inn. The ideaappealed to Hayden. Cargan tried to laugh him out of it. The mayor didnot relish the thought of a visit to Baldpate Mountain in the dead ofwinter, particularly as he considered such precautions unnecessary. ButHayden was firm; this spot, he pointed out, was ideal, and the mayor atlast laughingly gave in. The sum involved was well worth taking a littletrouble to gain."
Professor Bolton paused, and blinked his dim old eyes.
"So the matter was arranged," he continued. "Mr. Bland, a clerk inHayden's employ, was sent up here with the money, which he placed in thesafe on the very night of our arrival. The safe had been left open byRutter; Bland did not have the combination. He put the package inside,swung shut the door, and awaited the arrival of the mayor."
"I was present," smiled Magee, "at the ceremony you mention."
"Yes? All these plans, as I have said, were known to Drayton. A fewnights ago he came to me. He wanted to send an emissary to Baldpate--aman whom Cargan had never met--one who could perhaps keep up thepretense of being here for some other reason than a connection with thebribe. He asked me to undertake the mission, to see all I could, and ifpossible to secure the package of money. This last seemed hardly likely.At any rate, I was to gather all the evidence I could. I hesitated. Mylibrary fire never looked so alluring as on that night. Also, I wasengaged in some very entertaining researches."
"I beg your pardon?" said Billy Magee.
"Some very entertaining research work."
"Yes," reflected Magee slowly, "I suppose such things do exist. Go on,please."
"I had loudly proclaimed my championship of civic virtue, however, andhere was a chance to serve Reuton. I acquiesced. The day I was to startup here, poor Kendrick came back. He, too, had been a student of mine; afriend of both Drayton and Hayden. Seven years ago he and Hayden wererunning the Suburban together, under Thornhill's direction. The twoyoung men became mixed up in a rather shady business deal, which wasmore of Hayden's weaving than Kendrick's. Hayden came to Kendrick withthe story that they were about to be found out, and suggested that oneassume the blame and go away. I am telling you all this in confidence asa friend of my friends, the Bentleys, and a young man whom I like andtrust despite your momentary madness in the matter of yellow locks--weare all susceptible.
"Kendrick went. For seven years he stayed away, in an impossible tropictown, believing himself sought by the law, for so Hayden wrote him. Notlong ago he discovered that the matter in which he and Hayden hadoffended had never been disclosed after all. He hurried back to thestates. You can imagine his bitterness. He had been engaged to MyraThornhill, and the fact that Hayden was also in love with her may havehad something to do with his treachery to his friend."
Magee's eyes strayed to where the two victims of the dead man'sfalsehood whispered together in the shadows, and he wondered at thecalmness with which Kendrick had greeted Hayden in the room above.
"When Kendrick arrived," Professor Bolton went on, "first of all heconsulted his old friend Drayton. Drayton informed him that he hadnothing to fear should his misstep be made public, for in reality therewas, at this late day, no crime committed in the eyes of the law. Healso told Kendrick how matters stood, and of the net he was spreadingfor Hayden. He had some fears, he said, about sending a man of my yearsalone to Baldpate Inn. Kendrick begged for the chance to come, too. So,without making his return known in Reuton, three nights ago heaccompanied me here. Three nights--it seems years. I had secured keysfor us both from John Bentley. As we climbed the mountain, I noticedyour light, and we agreed it would be best if only one of us revealedourselves to the intruders in the inn. So Kendrick let himself in by aside door while I engaged you and Bland in the office. He spent thenight on the third floor. In the morning I told the whole affair toQuimby, knowing his interest in both Hayden and Kendrick, and securedfor Kendrick the key to the annex. Almost as soon as I arrived--"
"The curtain went up on the melodrama," suggested Mr. Magee.
"You state it vividly and with truth," Professor Bolton replied. "Nightbefore last the ordinance numbered 45 was due to pass the council. Itwas arranged that when it did, Hayden, through his man Rutter, orpersonally, would telephone the combination of the safe to the mayor ofReuton. Cargan and Bland sat in the office watching for the flash oflight at the telephone switchboard, while you and I were Max's prisonersabove. Something went wrong. Hayden heard that the courts would issue aninjunction making Ordinance Number 45 worthless. So, although thecouncil obeyed Cargan's instructions and passed the bill, Hayden refusedto give the mayor the combination."
The old man paused and shook his head wonderingly.
"Then melodrama began in dead earnest," he continued. "I have alwaysbeen a man of peace, and the wild scuffle that claimed me for one of itsleading actors from that moment will remain in my memory as long as Ilive. Cargan dynamited the safe. Kendrick held him up; you held upKendrick. I peeked through your window and saw you place the package ofmoney under a brick in your fireplace--"
"You--the curtains were down," interrupted Magee.
"I found a half-inch of open space," explained the old man. "Yes, Iactually lay on my stomach in the snow and watched you. In the morning,for the first time in my life, I committed robbery. My punishment wasswift and sure. Bland swooped down upon me. Again this afternoon, I cameupon the precious package, after a long search, in the hands of theHermit of Baldpate. I thought we were safe at last when I handed thepackage to Kendrick in my room to-night--but I had not counted on thewild things a youth like you will do for love of a designing maid."
Twelve o'clock! The civic center of Upper Asquewan Falls proclaimed it.Mr. Magee had never been in Reuton. He was sorry he hadn't. He had toconstruct from imagination alone the great Reuton station through whichthe girl and the money must now be hurrying--where? The question wouldnot down. Was she--as the professor believed--designing?
"No," said Mr. Magee, answering aloud his own question. "You are wrong,sir. I do not know just what the motives of Miss Norton were in desiringthis money, but I will stake my reputation as an honest hold-up man thatthey were perfectly all right."
"Perhaps," replied the other, quite unconvinced. "But--what honestmotive could she have? I am able to assign her no role in this littledrama. I have tried. I am able to see no connection between her and theother characters. What--"
"Pardon me," broke in Magee. "But would you mind telling me why MissThornhill came up to Baldpate to join in the chase for the package?"
"Her motive," replied the professor, "does her great credit. For severalyears her father, Henry Thornhill, has been forced through illness toleave the management of the railway's affairs to his vice-president,Hayden. Late yesterday the
old man heard of this proposed bribe--on hissick bed. He was very nearly insane at the thought of the disgrace itwould bring upon him. He tried to rise himself and prevent the passingof the package. His daughter--a brave loyal girl--herself undertook thetask."
"Then," said Mr. Magee, "Miss Thornhill is not distressed at the loss ofthe most important evidence in the case."
"I have explained the matter to her," returned Professor Bolton. "Thereis no chance whatever that her father's name will be implicated. BothDrayton and myself have the highest regard for his integrity. The wholeaffair was arranged when he was too ill to dream of it. His good namewill be smirched in no way. The only man involved on the giver's side isdead in the room above. The man we are after now is Cargan. MissThornhill has agreed that it is best to prosecute. That eliminates her."
"Did Miss Thornhill and Kendrick meet for the first time, after hisexile, up-stairs--in number seven?" Mr. Magee wanted to know.
"Yes," answered Professor Bolton. "In one of his letters long ago Haydentold Kendrick he was engaged to the girl. It was the last letterKendrick received from him."
There was a pause.
"The important point now," the old man went on, "is the identity of thisgirl to whom you have made your princely gift, out of the goodness ofyour young heart. I propose to speak to the woman she has introduced asher mother, and elicit what information I can."
He crossed the floor, followed by Mr. Magee, and stood by the woman'schair. She looked up, her eyes heavy with sleep, her appearance moretawdry than ever in that faint light.
"Madam," remarked the professor, with the air of a judge trying a case,"your daughter has to-night made her escape from this place with a largesum of money earnestly desired by the prosecuting attorney of Reutoncounty. In the name of the law, I command you to tell me herdestination, and what she proposes to do with that package ofgreenbacks."
The woman blinked stupidly in the dusk.
"She ain't my daughter," she replied, and Mr. Magee's heart leaped up."I can tell you that much. I keep a boarding-house in Reuton andMiss--the girl you speak about--has been my boarder for three years. Shebrought me up here as a sort of chaperon, though I don't see as I'm oldenough for that yet. You don't get nothing else out of me--except thatshe is a perfectly lovely young woman, and your money couldn't be saferwith the president of the United States."
The puzzled professor of Comparative Literature caressed his bald headthoughtfully. "I--er--" he remarked. Mr. Magee could have embraced thisfaded woman for her news. He looked at his watch. It was twelve-twenty.
"The siege is over," he cried. "I shall not attempt to direct youractions any longer. Mr. Peters, will you please go down to the villageand bring back Mr. Quimby and--the coroner?"
"The coroner!" The mayor of Reuton jumped to his feet. "I don't want tobe in on any inquest scene. Come on, Max, let's get out of here."
Bland stood up, his face was white and worried, his gay plumage nolonger set the tone for his mood.
"I think I'll go, too," he announced, looking hopefully at Magee.
"I'm no longer your jailer," Magee said. "Professor, these gentlemen areyour witnesses Do you wish to detain them?"
"See here," cried the mayor angrily, "there ain't no question but thatyou can find me in Reuton any time you want me. At the little room onMain Street--anybody can tell you my hours--the door's always open toany reformer that has the nerve to climb the stairs. Look me up there.I'll make it interesting for you."
"I certainly shall," the professor replied. "And very soon. Until thenyou may go when and where you please."
"Thanks," sneered the mayor. "I'll expect you. I'll be ready. I've hadto get ready to answer your kind before. You think you got me, eh? Well,you're a fool to think that. As for Drayton, the pup, theyellow-streaked pup--I'll talk to Mister Drayton when I get back toReuton."
"Before you go, Bland," remarked Magee, smiling, "I want to ask aboutArabella. Where did you get her?"
"Some of it happened to a friend of mine," the ex-haberdasher answered,"a friend that keeps a clothing store. I got this suit there. I changedthe story, here and there. He didn't write her no note, though hethought seriously of it. And he didn't run away and hide. The last Iseen of him he was testing the effect of the heart-balm on sale behindthe swinging doors."
Mr. Magee laughed, but over the long lean face of Bland not the ghost ofa smile flitted. He was frightened, through and through.
"You're a fine bunch," sneered Mr. Max. "Reformers, eh? Well, you'll getwhat the rest of 'em always got. We'll tie you up in knots and leave youon the door-step of some orphan asylum before we're through with you."
"Come on, Lou," said Cargan. "Drayton's a smart guy, Doc. Where's hisproof? Eloped with the bundle of dry goods this young man's taken afancy to. And even if he had the money--I've been up against this many atime. You're wasting your talents, Doc. Good night! Come on, boys."
The three stamped out through the dining-room, and from the window Mr.Magee watched them disappear down the road that stretched to AsquewanFalls.