CHAPTER VIII
Alone in her room, with the key turned in the lock, Miss Dollie Meredithhad a perfectly delightful time. She wept and laughed and sobbed andshuddered; she was pensive and doleful and happy and melancholy; shedreamed dreams of the future, past and present; she sang foolish littleecstatic songs--just a few words of each--and cried again copiously. Herfather had sent her to her room with a stern reprimand, and she giggledjoyously as she remembered it.
"After all, it wasn't anything," she assured herself. "It was silly forhim to--to take the stuff, of course, but it's back now, and he told methe truth, and he intended to return it, anyway." In her present moodshe would have justified anything. "And he's not a thief or anything. Idon't suppose father will ever give his consent, so, after all, we'llhave to elope, and that will be--perfectly delightful. Papa will go ondreadfully and then he'll be all right."
After a while Dollie snuggled down in the sheets and lay quite still inthe dark until sleep overtook her. Silence reigned in the house. It wasabout two o'clock in the morning when she sat up suddenly in bed withstartled eyes. She had heard something--or rather in her sleep she hadreceived the impression of hearing something. She listened intently asshe peered about.
Finally she _did_ hear something--something tap sharply on the windowonce. Then came silence again. A frightened chill ran all the way downto Dollie's curling pink toes. There was a pause, and then again camethe sharp click on the window, whereupon Dollie pattered out of bed inher bare feet and ran to the window, which was open a few inches.
With the greatest caution she peered out. Vaguely skulking in theshadows below she made out the figure of a man. As she looked it seemedto draw up into a knot, then straighten out quickly. Involuntarily shedodged. There came another sharp click at the window. The man below wastossing pebbles against the pane with the obvious purpose of attractingher attention.
"Dick, is that you?" she called cautiously.
"Sh-h-h-h!" came the answer. "Here's a note for you. Open the window soI may throw it in."
"Is it really and truly you?" Dollie insisted.
"Yes," came the hurried, whispered answer. "Quick, someone is coming!"
Dollie threw the sash up and stepped back. A whirling, white object camethrough and fell noiselessly on the carpet. Dollie seized upon iteagerly and ran to the window again. Below she saw the retreating figureof a man. Other footsteps materialised in a bulky policeman, whostrolled by seeking, perhaps, a quiet spot for a nap.
"She opened the note eagerly and sat down upon the floorto read it"]
Shivering with excitement, Dollie closed the window and pulled down theshade, after which she lighted the gas. She opened the note eagerly andsat down upon the floor to read it. Now a large part of this note wasextraneous verbiage of a superlative emotional nature--its vitalimportance was an outline of a new plan of elopement, to take place onWednesday in time for them to catch a European-bound steamer athalf-past two in the afternoon.
Dollie read and reread the crumpled sheet many times, and when finallyits wording had been indelibly fixed in her mind she wasted anunbelievable number of kisses on it. Of course this was sheerextravagance, but--girls are wonderful creatures.
"He's the dearest thing in the world!" she declared at last.
She burned the note reluctantly and carefully disposed of the ashes bythrowing them out of the window, after which she returned to her bed. Onthe following morning, Monday, father glared at daughter sternly as shedemurely entered the breakfast-room. He was seeking to read that whichno man has ever been able to read--a woman's face. Dollie smiled uponhim charmingly.
After breakfast father and daughter had a little talk in a sunny cornerof the library.
"I have planned for us to return to Baltimore on next Thursday," heinformed her.
"Oh, isn't that delightful?" beamed Dollie.
"In view of everything and your broken promise to me--the promise not tosee Herbert again--I think it wisest," he continued.
"Perhaps it is," she mused.
"Why did you see him?" he demanded.
"I consented to see him only to bid him good-by," replied Dolliedemurely, "and to make perfectly clear to him my position in thismatter."
Oh, woman! Perfidious, insincere, loyal, charming woman! All the tangledskeins of life are the work of your dainty fingers. All the sins andsorrows are your doing!
Mr. Meredith rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"You may take it as my wish--my order even," he said as he cleared histhroat--for giving orders to Dollie was a dangerous experiment, "thatyou must not attempt to communicate in any way with Mr. Herbertagain--by letter or otherwise."
"Yes, papa."
Mr. Meredith was somewhat surprised at the ease with which he got awaywith this. Had he been blessed with a little more wisdom in the ways ofwomen he would have been suspicious.
"You really do not love him, anyway," he ventured at last. "It was onlya girlish infatuation."
"I told him yesterday just what I thought of him," she repliedtruthfully enough.
And thus the interview ended.
It was about noon that day when Hutchinson Hatch called on Dick Herbert.
"Well, what did you find out?" he inquired.
"Really, old man," said Dick kindly, "I have decided that there isnothing I can say to you about the matter. It's a private affair, afterall."
"Yes, I know that and you know that, but the police don't know it,"commented the reporter grimly.
"The police!" Dick smiled.
"Did you see her?" Hatch asked.
"Yes, I saw her--and her father, too."
Hatch saw the one door by which he had hoped to solve the riddle closingon him.
"Was Miss Meredith the girl in the automobile?" he asked bluntly.
"Really, I won't answer that."
"Are you the man who stole the gold plate?"
"I won't answer that, either," replied Dick smilingly. "Now, look here,Hatch, you're a good fellow. I like you. It is your business to find outthings, but, in this particular affair, I'm going to make it my businessto keep you from finding out things. I'll risk the police end of it." Hewent over and shook hands with the reporter cordially. "Believe me, if Itold you the absolute truth--all of it--you couldn't print itunless--unless I was arrested, and I don't intend that that shallhappen."
Hatch went away.
That night the Randolph gold plate was stolen for the second time.Thirty-six hours later Detective Mallory arrested Richard Herbert withthe stolen plate in his possession. Dick burst out laughing when thedetective walked in on him.
PART III
THE THINKING MACHINE