CHAPTER VI _A Wild Ride_
"One of the best points in this case," Mary Louise observed, in her mostprofessional tone, "is its secrecy."
"Why do you say that?" questioned Jane.
The girls were returning from their second visit that day to Dark Cedarsand were walking as fast as they could towards home. It was almost sixo'clock, and Mary Louise usually helped her mother a little with thesupper. But Freckles was there; she knew he would offer his services.
"What I mean is, since the robbery hasn't been talked about, nobody is onguard," she explained. "If any of those relatives did take the money,probably they think the theft hasn't been discovered yet, or Miss Grantwould have called them over to see her. In a way, it's pretty tricky ofher."
"But, do you know, I can hardly believe any of them stole all that gold,"returned Jane. "Because, what would they do with it? Nobody is supposedto use gold nowadays, and it would arouse all sorts of suspicions."
"Yes, that's true. But then, they might want to hoard it, the same asMiss Grant did."
"A man like Harry Grant wouldn't want to hoard any! From what I hear ofhim, he spends money before he even gets it."
"True. But there are other relatives. And somebody did steal it!"
"Yes, somebody stole it, all right. Only, the fact that a lot of it wasgold makes Elsie look guilty. She probably wouldn't know about the newlaw."
Mary Louise frowned: she didn't like that thought. "Well, I'm not goingto suspect Elsie till I've investigated everybody else. Every one ofthose five relations--Mrs. Grant, John Grant, Harry Grant, Mrs. Pearson,and her daughter Corinne!"
"Have you any plan at all?" inquired Jane.
"Yes, I'd like to do a little snooping tonight."
"Snooping? Where? How?"
"Sneak around those two houses in Riverside--the Grants', where John andHarry live with their mother, and the Pearsons'! It's such a warm eveningthey'll probably be on their porches, and we might overhear something toour advantage."
"But suppose we were arrested for prowling?"
"Oh, they wouldn't arrest two respectable-looking girls like us! Besides,if they did, Daddy could easily get us out."
"Is he home?"
"No, he isn't. But he'll be back in a day or two."
"A day or two in the county jail wouldn't be so good!"
"Nonsense, Jane! Nothing will happen," Mary Louise assured her. "We'vegot to take some chances if we're going to be detectives. Daddy takesterrible ones sometimes."
"Do you know where these people live?" inquired her chum. "The Grants andthe Pearsons, I mean?"
"I know where the Grants live: in that big red brick house on GreenStreet. Old-fashioned, set back from the street. Don't you remember?"
"Yes, I guess I do."
"We can pass it on our way home, if we go one block farther down beforewe turn in at our street."
"How about the Pearsons?" asked Jane.
"I don't know where they live. But I think we can get the address fromthe phone book."
The girls stepped along at a rapid rate, entirely forgetful of the tenniswhich had tired Jane so completely a couple of hours ago. In a minute orso they came in sight of the red brick house. It was an ugly place, butit was not run down or dilapidated like Miss Mattie Grant's. John Grantevidently believed in keeping things in repair.
The house stood next to a vacant lot, and it was enclosed by a woodenfence, which was overgrown with honeysuckle vines. A gravel drive ledfrom the front to the back yard, alongside of this fence, and there werehalf a dozen large old trees on the lawn.
"We could easily hide there after dark," muttered Mary Louise. "Climbover that fence back by the garage and sneak up behind those trees to aspot within hearing distance of the porch."
"I don't see what good it would do us," objected Jane.
"It might do us lots of good! Look at that car! That must be HarryGrant's, judging from Elsie's description. If his car's there, he must behome. And if we hear him say anything about spending money, then we canbe suspicious. Because, where would he get the money unless he stole hisaunt's?"
Jane nodded her head.
"Yes, I see your logic," she agreed. "But there isn't a soul around now,and likely as not there won't be all evening."
"They're probably eating supper. Come on, let's hurry and get ours over.And meet me as soon as you can afterwards."
The girls separated at their gates, and Mary Louise ran inside quickly tobe on hand to help her mother.
"Daddy isn't home yet?" she asked, as she carried a plate of hot biscuitsto the table.
"No, dear," answered her mother. "He's in Chicago--I had aspecial-delivery letter from him today. He can't be back before theweekend--Saturday or Sunday."
Mary Louise sighed. She had been hoping that perhaps she could get someadvice from him without giving away any names or places.
Freckles dashed into the room, with Silky close at his heels.
"Where have you been, Sis?" he demanded. "Why didn't you take Silky withyou? He's been fussing for you."
"Jane and I had an errand to go," the girl explained. "And we couldn'ttake him along. But we'll take him with us for a walk after supper."
"Walk again?" repeated Mrs. Gay, her forehead wrinkled in disapproval."Mary Louise, you're doing too much! You must get some rest!"
"We shan't be out long, Mother. It isn't a date or anything. Jane and Iwant to take a little stroll, with Silky, after supper. Isn't it allright if I promise to go to bed very early?"
"I suppose so. If you get in by nine-thirty----"
"I promise!" replied Mary Louise, little thinking how impossible it wasgoing to be for her to keep her word.
She did not start upon her project until she had finished washing thedishes for her mother. Then, slipping upstairs, she changed into a darkgreen sweater dress and brown shoes and stockings. Through the window ofher bedroom she signaled to her chum to make a similar change.
"Might as well make ourselves as inconspicuous as possible," sheexplained, as the two girls, followed by Silky, walked down the streetten minutes later. "Did you have any trouble getting away, Jane? I mean,without giving any explanation?"
"Yes, a little. Mother can't understand all this sudden passion forwalking, when I used to have to ride everywhere in Norman's or Max's car.I really think she believes I have a new boy-friend and that I meet himsomewhere so as not to make Norman jealous. As if I'd go to all thattrouble!"
Mary Louise nodded.
"A little jealousy does 'em good," she remarked. "Of course, Motherdoesn't think it's so queer for me, because I always did have to takeSilky for walks. And he's a good excuse now."
"Oh, well, we'll be home early tonight," concluded Jane. "So there won'tbe any cause for worry."
"There's somebody on the porch--several people, I think," said MaryLouise as the girls turned into the street on which the Grants' house wassituated.
"Two men," added Jane as they came nearer. "I think the person sittingdown is a woman. But it's getting too dark to see clearly."
"All the better! That's just what we want. Let's cut across the lot tothe back of the place, and sneak up behind the car in the driveway. Wecan see the porch from there."
"But I'm afraid we'll be caught," objected Jane fearfully.
Nevertheless, she followed Mary Louise around a side street to the rearof the lot, and together they climbed the Grants' fence, cautiously andsilently. Once inside, they crept noiselessly along the grass near thefence until they came to the back of Harry Grant's car.
There could be no doubt that it was his. At least five years old, withbattered mudguards and rusted trimmings, it looked like the relic Elsiehad laughed about. It was a small black coupe, with a compartment behindfor carrying luggage.
"If Mr. Harry Grant goes for a ride in this, we're going with him!"announced Mary Louise.
"No!" cried her chum. "How could we?"
"In the luggage compartmen
t."
"We'd smother."
"No, we wouldn't. We'd open the lid after we got started."
"Suppose he locked us in?"
"He can't. I just made sure that the lock has rusted off."
"But what good would it do us to ride with him?" demanded Jane.
"Sh! They might hear us!" warned Mary Louise. She turned to the dog andpatted him. "You keep quiet too, Silky.... Why," she explained in awhisper, "we could watch to see whether Mr. Harry spends any money. If hebrings out a fifty-dollar bill, he's a doomed man!"
"You are clever, Mary Lou!" breathed her chum admiringly. "But it's anawful risk to take."
"Oh no, it isn't. Mr. Grant isn't a gangster or a desperate character. Hewouldn't hurt us."
Jane looked doubtful.
"Have you made out who the people are on the porch?" she asked.
"It must be Mrs. Grace Grant--and her two sons. Yes, and I feel sure thatis Harry, coming down the steps now.... Listen!"
The girls' eyes, more accustomed to the darkness, could distinguish thefigures quite plainly by now. The younger of the two men, with a satchelin his hand, was speaking to his mother.
"I ought to be back by Saturday," he said in a loud, cheerful voice. "Andif this deal I've been talking about over in New York goes through, I'llbe driving home in a new car."
"You better pay your debts first, Harry," cautioned his mother.
"I hope to make enough money to do both," he returned confidently. "Andif you see Aunt Mattie, you can tell her I don't need her help!"
Mary Louise nudged Jane's arm at this proud boast and repressed a giggle.
"Maybe he can fool his mother," she whispered. "But he can't fool us!Come on, get in, Jane."
Holding open the lid of the car's compartment she lifted Silky in andgave her hand to her chum.
"Suppose he puts his satchel in here," said Jane, when they were allhuddled down in the extremely small space and Mary Louise had cautiouslylet down the lid, shutting them in absolute darkness.
"He won't--not if it has money in it. He'll keep it right on the seatbeside him.... He will anyway, because it doesn't take up much room."
The car rocked to one side, indicating that Harry Grant had stepped inand was seating himself at the wheel. Jane's lip trembled.
"It's so dark in here! So terribly dark! Where's your hand, Mary Lou?"
"Here--and here's Silky. Oh, Jane, this is going to be good!"
The motor started, and the car leaped forward with a sudden uneven bound.Jane repressed a cry of terror. It turned sharply at the gate and buzzedalong noisily for several minutes before Mary Louise cautiously raisedthe lid and looked out.
Oh, how good it was to see the lights again, and the sky--after thathorrible blackness!
The car had reached the open highway which led out of Riverside, and itpicked up speed until it was rattling along at a pace of about sixtymiles an hour. Growing bolder, Mary Louise continued to raise the lid ofthe compartment until it was upright at its full height. The girlsstraightened up, with their heads and shoulders sticking out of theenclosure.
"Quite a nice ride after all, isn't it?" observed Mary Louise, gazing upat the stars.
"I don't know," returned Jane. "It sounds to me as if there weresomething wrong with that engine. If we have an accident----"
"That's just what I'm hoping for," was the surprising reply. "Or rather,a breakdown."
"Whatever would you do?"
"I'll tell you. Listen carefully, so we'll be prepared to act the minutethe car stops. While Harry gets out on the left--he surely will, becausehis wheel is on the left--we jump out on the right. If there are woodsbeside the road, as I remember there are for some distance along here, wedisappear into them. If not, we get to the path, and just walk along asif we were two people out for a walk with their dog. He won't thinkanything about that, for he doesn't know us, or know that we came withhim."
"But how will that help us to find out whether he is the thief?" inquiredJane.
"My plan is to grab that satchel, if we get a chance, and run off withit!"
"But that's stealing, Mary Lou! He could have us arrested."
"Detectives have to take chances like that. It isn't really stealing, forwe want to get hold of it merely to give its contents to the rightfulowner. Of course, if there's no money in it, we could return it later."
They were silent for a while, listening to the pounding of the engine.Fifteen minutes passed; Mary Louise saw by her watch when they rode undera light that it was quarter after nine, and she recalled her promise toher mother. But she couldn't do anything about it now.
They were ascending a hill, and the speed of the car was diminishing; itseemed to the girls that they were not going to make it. The enginewheezed and puffed, but the driver was evidently doing his best. Ahead,on the left, shone the lights of a gas station, and this, Mary Louisedecided, must be the goal that Harry was now aiming for.
But the engine refused to go the full distance: it sputtered and died,and the girls felt the car jerked close to the right side, with no signof civilization about except the lighted gas station about fifty yardsahead.
But, lonely or not, the time had come for action, and there was not asecond to be lost. Before Harry Grant's feet were off the running boardboth girls were out of the car on the other side, holding Silky close tothem and hiding in the shadow.
Mr. Grant stepped forward and raised the hood of his motor, peeringinside with a flashlight. Keeping her eye on him through the open windowof the car, Mary Louise crept cautiously along the right side towards thefront.
The young man turned about suddenly and swore softly to himself. But itwas not because he had seen or heard the girls, although Jane did notwait to find that out. Desperately frightened, she dashed wildly into theprotecting darkness of the bushes at the side of the road.
Mary Louise, however, remained steadfastly where she was, waiting for heropportunity.
It came in another moment. Lighting a cigarette, Mr. Grant started towalk to the gas station.
"What could be sweeter!" exclaimed Mary Louise rapturously to herself,for Jane was out of hearing distance by this time. "My big chance!"
She reached her hand quickly through the open window and picked up thesatchel from the seat. Then, with Silky close at her heels, she too madefor the protecting woods. In another moment she was at Jane's side,breathless and triumphant.
"You're all right?" demanded her chum exultantly. "Oh, Mary Lou, you'remarvelous!"
"Not so marvelous as you think," replied the other, feeling for Jane'shand in the darkness. "Lift that satchel!"
Jane groped about, and took it from Mary Louise, expecting a heavyweight.
But it was surprisingly, disappointingly light!
"It can't possibly contain any gold," said Mary Louise, dropping to theground in disgust. "All our trouble--and we're only a common pair ofthieves ourselves!"
Silky came close to her and licked her hand reassuringly, as if he didnot agree with her about the name she was calling herself and Jane.
"Stranded on a lonely road--at least ten miles from home!" wailed Jane.
"Sh!" warned Mary Louise. "They're at the car--Harry and another man. Wemight be caught!"
But she stopped suddenly: something was coming towards them, as theycould sense from the snapping of a twig close by. Not from the road,however, but from the depth of the woods!