CHAPTER FOURTEEN--THE EARLY EXCURSION
IN every Anglo-Saxon there is something of the bloodhound. Sorrow forHaynes' tragic death had merged with and intensified in the mind ofDick Colton a haggard demand for vengeance. He was surprised to findhow strong a liking for the reporter had grown out of so brief anacquaintance. With equal surprise, he realised that his every instinctnow was set to the blood-trail, that the duty of following the mysteryto a definite conclusion possessed his mind to the exclusion of allelse. Not quite all, either, for the thought of Dolly Ravenden laydeeper than the mind.
One salient fact asserted itself: Whatever may have been the agency ofthe other murders, Harris Haynes' slaying was indubitably the same asthat of Paul Serdholm. But what possible motive of murder could comprisethese two? Could Bruce be the solution? Following what he thought wouldhave been the processes of the reporter's keen mind, Colton, aftersending necessary telegrams, visited the Bow Hill station. Bruce wasnot in. He had gone out early that morning, ostensibly to fish. To theofficer in charge Colton briefly stated the facts, and suggested thatBruce be detained when he returned, which was agreed to readily, thoughnot without the expression of a hearty disbelief in the coast-guard'shaving had anything to do with the killing.
"Give a dog a bad name!" said the officer. "Because Bruce was aroundwhen Serdholm was killed, he's suspected of this job. He told me Mr.Haynes was helping to clear him of the other killing."
"That is true," replied Colton. "Haynes did not think him guilty. Nor doI. But there are suspicious circumstances."
It was late in the afternoon when the Coroner, who had driven fifteenmiles to reach the spot, had finished his work, and Haynes' body wasbrought to the house. From the official investigation nothing hadresulted. Bruce was examined, and was pitifully nervous, but told astraight enough story of his fishing and exhibited several fish incorroboration.
Colton felt helpless in this maze. Late in the afternoon Dolly Ravendencame to him. Her brilliant beauty was dimmed and softened by traces oftears, and to the man's longing heart she never had appealed with soirresistible a charm.
"Dr. Colton," she said, "I don't know what to do about Helga. She islike a dazed person. Your brother and I have been with her constantly.She has not broken down once. The tears seem frozen within her. I amfrightened for her reason. She seems to blame herself for this dreadfulthing."
"There is something I want her to know," said Dick. "Will you tell her?"
"Had you not better see her yourself?"
"I think not. You will tell her better. It is this: Poor Haynes had nota year to live. He knew this himself."
"How did you know?" asked the girl incredulously.
"He told me of the disease that was killing him. It was when I asked himwhether I might send for Everard to come down."
"Then you let me accuse you wrongly," she said very low. "Why did younot tell me that Mr. Haynes knew of Everard's coming? Was it fair in youto let me be so unfair? I am ashamed of myself for the way I spoke toyou. I have been ashamed----"
She raised her appealing eyes to his and moved a step nearer him. Dickheld his breath like a man afraid of dispelling some entrancing vision.
"I did not mean it," she went on bravely, though her eyes fell beforehis look. "When I saw how it hurt you I was sorry."
"It is for me to beg your pardon," said Dick hoarsely, "for believingyour words against what my own heart told me of you. You know why ithurt me so?"
"Yes," she said, in sweet acceptance of his reason.
"Dolly, do you care at all?" he cried, stretching out his hands to her.
"I don't know," she faltered. "Don't ask me yet. It has been so short atime. I must speak of Helga now."
"Yes," said Dick, "I shall wait, and wait happily." And--so strange athing is the heart of woman--a pang of disappointment accompanied thequick thrill of admiration in Dolly's heart at her lover's loyalty andself-repression.
"I will tell her what you say," said Dolly. She paused for a moment, andthen a wonderful smile flickered over her sobered beauty.
"It ought to have been Helga you cared for," she said. "But I'm glad itisn't!" And she was gone.
The evening train brought, in response to Dick's telegram, a grave andquiet young fellow who introduced himself as Eldon Smith, a reporterfrom _The New Era_, Haynes' paper, and an older man with a face ofsingular beauty, whose name was a national word by virtue of his giftsas an editorial writer. Archer Melbourne had been the dead man's onlyconfidant. He at once took charge.
"I have heard from Mr. Haynes within a week," he said to Dick Colton."If I believed in such things, I should say that he had a premonitionof death. He is to be buried in the hill behind Third House, so he wroteme. His property, which is considerable, including his life insurance,goes to Miss Helga Johnston, in trust, until her marriage. I am named asone trustee, and he writes me to ask you to act as the other."
"Surely Haynes must have had friends of older standing," began Dick,"who----"
"Haynes had few intimates. He was a quick and keen judge of men, and youseem to have inspired a strong confidence. There is a peculiar requestattached. He asks that you use all your influence to guard Miss Johnstonagainst making any marriage under conditions which you could not approvefor the woman you loved best in the world."
"God helping me, I will!" said Dick solemnly.
"As for the circumstances of Haynes' death, the stories I heard are toowild for credence."
"So are the facts," said Dick briefly.
"Eldon Smith came down on the train with me. There is no keener mind inthe newspaper business than his. Of course, he comes to represent hispaper at Haynes' funeral. The managing editor and others of the staffwill be down to-morrow. Meantime, I think Smith will be investigating.Perhaps you will tell him what you know."
To the two newspaper men Dick Colton recited the facts. Smith tookan occasional note, and left with the brief comment: "I've never comeacross anything like this before. If Mr. Haynes couldn't make it out,there isn't much chance for anyone else. But I'll do my best."
After the close of the interview, Everard Colton came into Dick's room.
"Good Heavens, Ev," said Dick. "You look ten years older. Brace yourselfup, man."
"Dick," said his brother, "I've given up. I see now I was a fool tothink I ever could win Helga. I'm going to stick by her until this thingis over, and then I'll go back."
"Don't be too sure," began Dick; but checked himself, remembering hispromise to the girl.
"That is what Dolly said," replied the other hopelessly. "But I've hadmy eyes opened. I know now what sort of fellow Haynes really was. Howcould a man such as I win out against that kind of man?"
"Anyway," said Dick, "Helga needs you at this time; you and MissRavenden. You won't leave now, Ev."
"Oh, I'll stand by," came the weary answer. "I don't mean to whine;but I'll be glad when I can get away. Even if I thought there was anychance--Oh, a fellow can't fight the dead; it's too cowardly!"
"Ev," said Dick affectionately, "you don't know--How is she now?" heasked, breaking off suddenly.
"Just the same. Mr. Melbourne saw her for a few minutes, and broughther some old letters of Haynes'. She has them, but we can't rouse her toread them."
"Has Miss Ravenden told her of Haynes' illness?"
"What illness? Dolly's been trying to tell her something; but Helgadoesn't seem to comprehend."
"She will come out of that daze presently," said Dick. "You'd better goback to her, Ev."
Late that evening Eldon Smith knocked at Dick's door, and found Dicktalking with Professor Ravenden.
"It certainly is the most extraordinary case in my experience," said theyoung reporter. "So many people had wallowed all over the place beforeI got there that there was nothing to be had from the sand, except twotrampled remains of those remarkable tracks. You are sure there were nofootprints?"
"Absolutely," replied the professor and Colton in a breath.
"And you say Mr. Haynes was su
re that there was none leading to the bodyof the man Serd-holm?"
"So he positively declared."
"Of course the pteranodon theory is out of the question."
"Professor Ravenden does not so consider," said Dick.
"I beg your pardon, Professor; I understand--"
"That the pteranodon still exists is by no means impossible," saidProfessor Ravenden. "That the mysterious marks correspond to the fossiltrack is undeniable. I cannot so lightly dismiss the theory that areptile of this supposedly extinct species did the killing."
"Well, all that I can do is to try again tomorrow. Good-night," and thereporter left.
"If Haynes were alive," said Colton as the young man went, "he wouldgo down to the beach the first thing in the morning. That is what I amgoing to do."
"Do you think it safe?" queried the professor. "Not entirely," repliedthe other frankly; "but I'll have a revolver."
"Little enough avail was that to our poor friend," said ProfessorRavenden. "Suppose I accompany you?"
"Thank you, sir," said Dick. "If you care to go, I should be glad tohave you. But suppose you come across the knolls while I follow Haynes'course along the beach. We'll meet at the spot. You of course will goarmed?"
"Certainly. Yes, I think your plan a good one."
For Dick Colton there was little sleep that night. After midnight he wassent for to see Helga. At last she had come out of her semi-stupor, andhad given way to such a violence of grief that Dolly and Everard wereterrified. Having given her an opiate and ordered Everard to bed, Dicksat up with his own troubled conjectures until nearly dawn. Barely threehours of dozing had been his portion when he woke again.
With his shoes in his hand, he crept downstairs and started for thebeach. He had set out early, because, despite the chill in the air, hewished to take a plunge in the sea to freshen himself up. Brief indeedwas the plunge; consequently Dick Colton was in a fair way to reach therendezvous some minutes before the arrival of the professor.
At Graveyard Point he climbed the cliff and took a long look around. Amist, moving along from east to west, cut off his view in one direction.Descending to the beach, he readily found the spot where Haynes' bodyhad lain. By way of precaution he made sure that his revolver was incondition for instant use. Although a slight rain had fallen, blurringthe writings on the sand, and there had been almost total destruction bythe trampling of those who had taken Haynes' body away, there stillwas left some material for study. The remains of the five-taloned marksColton set himself to consider.
Once there came a startling interruption, in the sliding of some graveldown the gully. Pistol in hand, Dick whirled, and for ten monstrouslyelongated seconds listened to the irregular beats of his heart as hewaited. Satisfied at length that it was only a chance avalanche inminiature, he got down on his hands and knees above the plainest of thevestigia. There was the secret, if he only could read it. Had Haynessolved it and met his death at the moment of success? For perhaps twoor three minutes the young doctor remained in his crouched posture, hismind immersed in speculation. Then he rose, facing the sea, and as hestood and looked down there came to him a sudden glow of illumination.
"By the heavens! I've got it!" he cried.
He started forward to the next mark. As he advanced, something sang inthe air behind him. He knew it was some swiftly flying thing; knew inthe same agonised moment that the doom of Haynes and Serdholm was uponhim: tried to turn and face his death--and then there was a dreadful,grinding shock, a flame with jagged edges tore through his brain, and hefell forward into darkness.