Shifting Sands

by Sara Ware Bassett

  Chapter XI

  Either the book for which Marcia searched was not to be found or she wasin no haste to return to her awaiting suitor.

  Whatever the explanation, her absence lengthened from a few moments intoa quarter of an hour.

  In the meantime Elisha, like his predecessor, was formulating his modeof attack.

  Eleazer, apparently, had not been successful.

  Might not this be his own golden opportunity?

  Before another snatched the prize from him; before Heath with his yachtand his monogrammed silken garments recovered his strength, he would puthis fate to the test.

  Women were unaccountable creatures.

  You never could predict what they might do.

  Smoothing a man's pillow and feeding broth to him sometimes broughtabout surprising results.

  Furthermore, thus far no one had been able to find out how well Marciareally knew this Stanley Heath. Perhaps a romance of long standing, ofwhich the village was ignorant, existed between them.

  Who could tell?

  In any case, it behooved an aspirant for the hand of this matchlesscreature to put in his claim without delay.

  Elisha wandered about the empty kitchen, mentally summing up thesituation.

  He had a small deposit in the bank which, added to Marcia's largerfortune, would provide sumptuously for his old age. In addition, if shebecame his wife she would, of course, do the cooking and housework andhe could dismiss May Ellen Howard, his housekeeper, thereby saving hersalary.

  As to a house, he could not quite decide whether it would be wiserto take up residence in the Homestead or continue to live in his ownsmaller abode in Wilton. The Homestead undoubtedly was finer andmore pretentious, but it was large and probably expensive to heat.Furthermore, its location was breezy and draughts always aggravated hisrheumatism. If it could be sold, it should net a neat sum.

  Well, he need not decide these questions now. There would be time enoughto smooth out all such trivial details after the wedding.

  He strolled up to the stove and, standing on the hearth with his back tothe fire, rocked back and forth on his heels reflectively.

  As he did so, a brick beneath his feet rocked with him.

  Elisha looked down.

  He saw it was quite loose.

  "That thing's goin' to trip up somebody some fine day," commented he."It oughter be cemented."

  He stooped to investigate.

  It was then he noticed for the first time an edge of linen projectingabove the masonry.

  "Marcia must 'a' stuffed a rag in there to keep the thing fromwobblin'," he mused. "Ain't that like a woman? She ain't helped mattersnone, neither. It wobbles just the same. I can fix it better'n that."

  Producing his knife, Elisha pried the brick from its place.

  As he lifted it out, a handkerchief came with it disgorging at his feeta flat, blue leather case.

  If the sheriff's eyes bulged when he caught sight of it, they all butpopped from his head when, egged on by curiosity, he pressed the catchon the box.

  Quick as a flash the whole situation clarified in his mind.

  These were the widely heralded Long Island jewels; and the thief who hadstolen them was here beneath this roof!

  It was plain as a pikestaff. Hidden by fog he had escaped in his boatand inadvertently run aground at the mouth of Wilton Harbor.

  Of course Marcia did not know. Even though a friendship existed betweenherself and Heath, she was unquestionably ignorant of the nefariousmeans by which he earned his living.

  Far from cherishing anger or resentment toward the person who exposedhis villainy and prevented her from sacrificing herself to such anunprincipled adventurer, would she not regard her rescuer with deepestgratitude? Elisha's head whirled.

  Nevertheless, confused though he was, it was clear to him he must notmake a misstep and neglect to perform his official duty with dignity.

  Heath was ill. There would be no danger of his leaving the Homesteadat present, especially as he had no suspicion the jewels had beendiscovered.

  The best plan was for him to return to the mainland; get his badge andhandcuffs; find out what formalities such a momentous event as an arrestdemanded; and return later and round up the criminal.

  He did not dally. Carefully putting the gems back where he had foundthem, he placed the telegram upon the table and went out, softly closingthe door behind him.

  It flashed into his mind that as the tide was coming in it might be wellto borrow Marcia's boat and row back to shore.

  This would serve two purposes. He would reach home sooner; and Heath,cut off by the sweep of the channel, would in the meantime be unable toescape.

  Elisha rubbed his hands. He was pretty farsighted--pretty cute. In fact,his management of this affair was going to put a big feather in hiscap. He could see now his name emblazoned on the front pages of thepapers:

  _Elisha Winslow, Wilton sheriff, makes daring arrest! Cape officialrounds up gem thief!_

  All over the country people would read that it was he who had trackeddown this notorious criminal.

  And the police--those brass-buttoned city men who rated themselves sohigh and looked down on village constables and sheriffs as if they werethe dirt beneath their feet--they would be given a lesson they wouldremember!

  They would be pretty sore about it, too, when they found the glory ofmaking this capture going to a small-town deputy.

  Never had Elisha rowed as he rowed that day! The dory fairly leapedthrough the water. Reaching shore, he sprang from it and dragged it upon the sand. Then, trembling with excitement, he set out for home.

  Everything must be done in ship-shape fashion. There must be nobungling--no slips that would detract from the dignity of the event. Hewas almost at his gate when to his consternation he saw Eleazer puffingafter him.

  "You didn't make much of a stop at The Widder's, I see," jeered he.

  "No. Had other business," came crisply from Elisha.

  "You don't say! I can't imagine your havin' business important enough tocut short a call on Marcia Howe. Mebbe she didn't urge you to loiter."

  "I didn't see Marcia. I come away 'fore she got back," snapped thesheriff.

  Unbelievingly, Eleazer scanned his countenance.

  "You 'pear to be kinder stirred up, 'Lish," he commented. "What's thematter?"

  Elisha determined upon a sudden and bold move.

  "Say, Eleazer," began he cautiously, "was you ever at an arrest?"

  "An arrest!"

  "Yes. Did you ever see a man arrested?"

  "Wal, I dunno as I ever did--not really. I've seen it done, though, inthe movies."

  "That oughter be up-to-date an' proper. Just how was the proceedin' putthrough?"

  Thoughtfully Eleazer regarded the toes of his boots.

  "Wal, near's I can recollect, the policeman went up to the criminal an'grabbin' him by the arm says: 'You villain! I've got you now. Scram!'I ain't exactly positive he says Scram at that precise minute, but inall such scenes, somebody always says Scram to somebody else 'fore themix-up is through. That, in the main, is what happens."

  "I s'pose the policeman wore a badge an' carried handcuffs."

  "Oh, law, yes. But what's the game? What do you want to know for?"

  Furtively Elisha glanced up and down the empty road and after peeringover his shoulder, he dropped his voice to a confidential whisper andhissed:

  "'Cause I'm goin' to make an arrest--a big arrest! I've tracked down thethief that committed the Long Island burglary. Moreover, I know thisvery second where the jewels are."

  Eleazer's jaw dropped.

  "I'm goin' to 'phone the New York police I've got their man," heconcluded, drawing himself to his full height and expanding his chestuntil the buttons on his coat threatened to burst off.

  "You be? My soul an' body!"

  "Yes, I'm goin' to call long distance straight away."

  Eleazer's cunning mind worked quickly.

  "I don't know, 'Lish, as I'd
do that," he cautioned.

  "Why not?"

  "Wal, in the first place, you might be mistook in your calculationsan' not only get yourself into hot water but make the town a laughin'stock. Furthermore, was you wrong, you might get sued for defamin' theaccused's character."

  "I ain't wrong. I'm right."

  "Wal, even so, I'd move careful," urged his companion. "Most likelythere's a reward out for this criminal. Why split it with a host ofothers? Why don't you an' me divide it? I'll help you land your man,since you're a bit--" Eleazer, fearing to offend, hesitated, "--a bitout of practice 'bout arrestin'."

  The advice was good. Elisha, shrewd in his dealings, instantly saw theadvantages of the plan proposed.

  "Wal, mebbe 'twould be better if I didn't let too many ignorant citychaps in on a big thing like this," he conceded pompously. "You an' meknow what we're about. I figger we could handle it."

  "Sure we could. We can put it through in first-class shape. First youmust change your ole clothes for your Sunday ones. A black frock coat'swhat you really oughter wear. I wish we dared borrow the minister's.Still, I reckon your Sunday suit'll do. Then you must pin your sheriff'sbadge on your chest where it'll show good an' plain. Be sure to bringalong your handcuffs, 'cause you're certain to need 'em with anexperienced criminal such as this. He won't have no mind to be took up.He'll have a gun an' put up a fight."

  "Have a gun?"

  "Sure he'll have a gun! In fact he'll prob'ly have several of 'em."

  Elisha paled and a tremor twitched his lips.

  "That needn't concern you none, though. All you'll have to do will beto steal up behind him, put your pistol 'twixt his shoulder-blades an'shout: 'Stick 'em up!'"

  "Stick 'em up?"

  "Yes."

  "Stick what up?"

  "His hands, man--his hands," explained Eleazer impatiently.

  "I ain't got no pistol."

  "For the land's sake! You ain't got a pistol? You--a sheriff?"

  "Somehow I never got round to purchasin' a pistol," Elisha apologized."I ain't fond of fire-arms. In fact, I don't know's I ever shot off arevolver in my life."

  "Wal, I have. I've shot dozens of skunks."

  "You might lend me yours."

  "I s'pose I might. It ain't, though, workin' very well right now. It'skinder rusty. Furthermore, I'm out of ammunition."

  "That wouldn't matter. I ain't calculatin' to fire it."

  "But you'll have to."

  Elisha's mounting disapproval changed to consternation.

  Turning, he faced Eleazer.

  "Say, Eleazer," he faltered, "s'pose we was to make a deal on thisthing. S'pose, for the time bein' I was to take over your job an' youwas to take over mine. S'pose you did the arrestin'? This affair's abig one an' oughter be given all the frills a city policeman would giveit. That's due the town. Now you seem to know a sight more 'bout how tomanage it than I do."

  "You put on the badge; you tell the thief to stick 'em up; you put thepistol 'twixt his shoulders, or wherever you think 'twill do the mostgood; an' you snap the handcuffs on him. I'll see you get full creditfor it. Meanwhile, if there's a fire or an undertakin' job, I'll manage'em somehow."

  Eleazer shook his head.

  "That wouldn't do, 'Lish, no way in the world," he objected. "We can'tgo swappin' offices voted us by the town. Folks wouldn't like it. WasI, a common citizen, to shoot the criminal, I'd likely be hauled up formurder. I'm willin' to stand by you to the extent of goin' along an'keepin' you company; but you must be the one that bears the brunt of thejob."

  "I could resign my office."

  "When?"

  "Right now. In fact, I've had a notion to do so, off an' on, for sometime. You see, I never did want to be sheriff. The office was foisted onme. I'm findin' it pretty wearin'."

  "Man alive! Bein' sheriff in Wilton can't be wearin'."

  "U--m. Wal, mebbe it don't 'pear to be to an onlooker. Still, it's analmighty big responsibility for all that," Elisha insisted. "Besides,'twas kinder understood when I took the office there'd be no arrestin'nor shootin'. Jewel robberies warn't in the contract."

  "But man alive, you ain't been burdened with jewel robberies. 'Tain't asif they come every day in the week."

  "They're wearin' when they do come," Elisha persisted.

  "Everything's wearin' when it comes--fires an' all such things. Did theyhappen seven days in the week, we'd all be wore to the bone. But theydon't."

  "N--o."

  "Wal, then, what you wailin' about? I should think you'd kinder welcomea break in the monotony instead of groanin' over it. 'Twill give you achance to show folks what you can do. The feller can't do more'n shootyou an' should you be shot at the post of duty, why the town would giveyou a big funeral an' I myself would lay you out in just the style you'dhanker to be laid out in."

  "But--but--I don't hanker to be laid out," whimpered Elisha in anaggrieved tone.

  "I don't s'pose you do. None of us does. Still, you might display ameasure of gratitude for the offer."

  "Oh, I appreciate your kindness," amended the wretched sheriff, fearfulof losing his solitary prop. "I appreciate it very much indeed."

  Eleazer appeared mollified.

  "You ain't told me yet none of the details of this business," hesuddenly remarked. "If I'm goin' to help you, I'd oughter be toldeverything about it. Who is the criminal? An' where is he? An' how'd youcome to get track of him?"

  Alas, the questions were the very ones Elisha had hoped to escapeanswering.

  He had no mind to lay his cards on the table. Nevertheless, he knew ofno way to evade his confederate's curiosity. Eleazer was touchy. Itwould not do to risk offending him a second time.

  Reluctantly, cautiously, Elisha poured out his story and was rewarded tosee the other town official gape at him, open-mouthed.

  "Bless my soul," he reiterated. "Bless my soul! Who would 'a' dremptit?" he burst out when he could contain himself no longer. "Wal, Inever did like that feller Heath. I suspected from the first there wassomethin' wrong about him. Prob'ly he has queer eyes. You can alwaysspot a criminal by his eye. Kinder shifty an' fishy."

  "I didn't notice he had fishy eyes," mildly rejoined Elisha.

  "You ain't seen as much of the world as I have, 'Lish," was thepatronizing retort.

  "I don't know why," bristled the sheriff. "You ain't never been twentymiles beyond Wilton."

  "Possibly I ain't. Possibly I ain't," grudgingly confessed Eleazer."Travelin' ain't all there is to life, though. I'm observin', I am. Iunderstand human nature. This Heath feller, now. I understand him."

  "Then p'raps you can foretell what he's likely to do when I arrest him,"put in Elisha eagerly.

  "I can," Eleazer nodded. "I can prophesy just about what he'll do."

  "What?"

  "It's better I shouldn't tell you. 'Twouldn't be wise. We must do ourduty no matter what comes of it."

  Again Elisha's knees weakened beneath him.

  "Seems to me," went on Eleazer, "that 'stead of loiterin' herediscussin' the calamities of the future you'd better be gettin' on toyour house. You've got to put on your other clothes. The press, mostlikely, will want to photograph you. Then you must hunt up your badge,your handcuffs an' all your paraphernalia. I'd better cut across thefield, meantime, an' oil up my pistol. Mebbe I can fix it so'st it'llgo off. I'll try an' find you some cartridges, too. I wouldn't wantto stand by an' see you struck down without your havin' some slightdefense, poor as 'tis."

  With this dubious farewell, Eleazer bustled off across the dingle andwas lost to sight.