CHAPTER XII--SATURDAY
"Woodmere," the Forresters' summer estate, lay between Sheridan Road andthe lake. The house, a long, two-storied building of white stucco, withgreen shutters and a green tile roof, looked much smaller than it reallywas because of the many great trees that towered above it. On the lakeside a wide, paved terrace extended the length of the house. A shortstretch of lawn spread from the terrace to the edge of the little bluffthat dropped down to a sandy beach. On the edge of this bluff stood avine-clad pergola, furnished with comfortable willow chairs. Here, onwarm summer days, Forrester liked to sit with his pipe, and the ladiesbrought their reading and fancy work. From the pergola one had awonderful view up and down the shore line, while the great lakestretched as far as the eye could see. Even during the sultry days ofmidsummer this spot was sure to pick up a cooling breeze.
Large ornamental gateways stood at the north and south ends, and fromthese a wide driveway swung in a crescent shape up to the front door. Abranch drive turned off at the south side of the house and passing theend of the terrace wound through a mass of shrubbery to the garage.
Shortly after noon on Saturday Forrester turned his car in at the southgateway and drove to the garage. The doors stood wide open, and William,the family chauffeur, who was working on the big car, came out to takecharge of Forrester's roadster.
"I'm glad to see you arrived safe, sir," William greeted Forrester. "Theladies were a bit worried at your staying alone in the town house lastnight. Stormed dreadful here, sir."
"It was a bad night, William," agreed Forrester. "But that's just thesort of night to make one sleep soundly. Did that man, Green, arrive?"
"A few minutes ago, sir. He's up in his room now."
"I'll go up," said Forrester, and entering a door at the side of thegarage, climbed to the chauffeur's quarters. Green had been given a cozyroom overlooking the lake and Forrester found him in the midst of hisunpacking.
"Gee!" exclaimed Green, on sighting Forrester, "I hope that mysteryain't solved all summer. I sure like this here room."
"The mystery will be solved tonight, I believe, Green."
"What!" gasped Green. "Who's got the dope? Not them city dicks?"
"You guessed it. Drop that work for awhile, and I'll tell you the wholestory. Here, have a fresh cigar," offered Forrester, catching sight of acold and much-chewed cigar end in the corner of Green's mouth.
The two men sat down near the window and lighted their cigars.
"An amazing lot of things have happened since I saw you on Thursday,Green," began Forrester. "For a time I thought I was getting on theactual trail--then the city detectives called Thursday night and told aplausible story that knocked all the props from under my theories; andyours, too, for the matter of that."
"Huh!" scoffed Green.
"I know how you feel," assented Forrester. "I wondered myself, until anincident occurred Friday night which half convinced me they were right.Now, let me tell you the whole story, and then we will talk it over. Onething I want to impress upon you, however. Some things I am about totell you, especially about a certain young lady, are to be keptabsolutely quiet--no matter what happens."
"That's part o' my business," assured Green. "A detective don't getnowhere if he talks too much."
"I'll take that as a valuable hint," laughed Forrester.
He then related the occurrences of the last two days; his meeting withMary Sturtevant, his visit to Lucy, the call from Cahill and O'Connor,their theories and plans, the mystifying telephone calls, and finallythe startling discovery of the notice in his humidor.
"And now," Forrester concluded, "I want your opinion on all these facts.Forget your natural animosity to the city detectives, Green, andconsider their clues and theories in the light of cold reason."
Green shifted his chair so that he could rest his feet on the windowsill, relighted his cigar which had gone out while Forrester talked, andsmoked for a while in silence.
"Look here," he said, at length. "You remember _my_ theory and argumentsthat these here 'Friends o' the Poor' lived _near_ that tree?"
"Yes," replied Forrester, "and that newspaper fellow, Humphrey, hadsomething of the same idea. I half agreed with both of you after mydiscoveries."
"All right," continued Green, "I'll bet you a week's pay them _Italians_out there on the West Side--miles away--are just plain auto bandits.They're pullin' some game o' their own, and most likely never even heardo' the 'Friends o' the Poor.' Them city dicks is coverin' up their poorwork by misleadin' you. Get me?"
"But the telephone calls," protested Forrester. "Especially the man'svoice with the foreign accent!"
"Bunk!" sneered Green. "Reporters, most likely, tryin' to get next toyour plans. See here," he added, dropping his feet to the floor andshifting his chair to face Forrester, "I bet there's so many o' themreporter guys around that tree tonight that the 'Friends o' the Poor'can't get near it!"
"And that notice--unaccountably slipped into my cigar humidor while Isat in the library. How do you place that?"
"_That's_ the only _real_ thing that happened," maintained Green. "Butit ain't any way mysterious, though they tried to scare you intothinkin' it was. Them guys just crawled through a window while you wasout to dinner. It was there all the evenin'--only you didn't happen towant a cigar till late, that's all. Did you find any open or unlockedwindows?"
"Not on the first floor. I discovered a second floor window open afterhearing a door slam."
"Any floor would suit them guys," asserted Green. "Take it from me, Mr.Forrester; you and me's nearer the solution o' this thing than them citybulls. We're right on the ground _now_, and we're goin' to locatesomethin'. Let them detective guys play around with their _Italians_.They'll never get 'em near that tree--never on your life!"
----
The library at "Woodmere" faced the terrace, upon which a row of Frenchwindows opened. Forrester sat by the big center table that evening, idlyturning the pages of a book. Heavy footsteps clattered along theterrace, and a moment later Green entered at one of the windows.
"I was waiting for you," Forrester greeted him, rising as he spoke. "Mymother and sister have just left. Now, one last word of instruction,Green. You're to stick close to the windows of the drawing room overthere at the Prentices'. After dinner I will walk to one of the windowswith Miss Sturtevant. Take a good look at her. While I'm away try andkeep an eye on her. If she slips out, trail her! That's your job fortonight."
"Count on me," assured Green. "Is that the money?" he asked, indicatinga long flat package on the table.
"That's the package I'm going to put in the tree."
Green picked up the package and weighed it in his hand while his eyessparkled. "Gee!" he exclaimed. "Twenty-five thousand bucks!"
"No," laughed Forrester, "only a few ounces of paper!"
"Goin' to fool 'em, eh?" grinned the detective.
"That's what I hope to do. I made a very open and noisy visit to my bankthis morning, and remained for some time in the president's privateoffice. The idea was to give anyone who might be watching the impressionthat I was drawing the money from the bank. What actually happened,however, was that I explained my plans to the president, and heinstructed a clerk to make up this dummy package."
Forrester took the package from Green and slipped it into an innerpocket. "Come," he said, and led the way out to his car.
----
"Am I too late to ask for the first dance?" inquired Forrester, as heapproached Mary Sturtevant after dinner.
"I'm sorry," she replied, smiling, "but you were very late in arriving.A New Yorker seems to be popular in Chicago."
"Depends greatly upon the New Yorker," returned Forrester.
"You haven't changed a bit since Thursday, have you?" cried the girl."How many dances do you wish?" and she extended her card.
"I'm afraid," declared Forrester, a doleful note creeping into his voiceas he glanced over the card, "th
at I shall have to forego any. I mustleave before you have completed this long list of engagements."
"Oh, of course," she exclaimed. "I had forgotten. You have a _most_important engagement yourself at ten-thirty."
Forrester looked at her sharply.
"How do you know?" he asked.
Miss Sturtevant looked surprised.
"Why, you told me--and it has been in all the papers."
"Not the exact hour," returned Forrester, his eyes still observing herkeenly.
"Oh," she murmured, flushing, "wasn't it? Well, then, I must have heardit somewhere."
"Over the telephone, perhaps," suggested Forrester.
"One hears gossip in so many ways, it is hard to remember the source,"she returned, easily. "If you won't have time to dance, we can at leastchat until the dancing starts. Let's look for a quiet corner."
It was an opportunity which Forrester welcomed. He guided her carelesslytoward one of the large windows that opened out on the lawn. Themusicians, concealed among palms and flowers at the other end of theroom, were playing a tender little air--one that seemed to throw amantle of romance about them. Forrester looked down at the girl insilence. It seemed hard to believe that she could in any way be linkedwith the abominable men who had committed so many murders, and now,threatened his own life. Yet her actions had been strange, and her slipof a few minutes before seemed inexplicable. In spite of his misgivingsForrester longed for the girl. Love at first sight had always seemed amere trick of the novelist to Forrester. As he stood there beside MarySturtevant he knew that in his case at least it was a fact! Whoever orwhatever she was, he wanted her! If she had made a mistake--well, thenhe would save her from herself.
"I thought we came here to chat," and she smiled mischievously up athim.
"I think we have been chatting," he returned, and added, "with ourminds."
Once more Mary Sturtevant flushed slightly. "You could never guess whatI was thinking," she declared, watching him with a peculiar smile.
"I wish I could," he replied, earnestly. "It might solve my greatestproblem."
"Sometimes you say such strange things," she asserted. Then, as themusic for the first dance started up, she added, extending her handimpulsively, "There, I must go. I wish you the best of luck tonight."
Her last words struck him as ominous. How often he had heard a similarphrase on French battlefields just before a futile sortie. He seized herhand, held it a trifle too long, perhaps, and murmured, lamely, "Thankyou."
Then, as she was swept away by her first dancing partner, Forresterslipped through the window to the lawn. After that few minutes ofdelightful nearness to her he did not want to dance. To hold anothergirl to him now would seem like sacrilege. He was glad that he hadneglected to place his name on any dance cards.
"She's _some_ girl, ain't she, Mr. Forrester?" whispered a gruff voiceat his side, and romance fled at the sight of the prosaic Green.
The thought that this rough man was to spy upon the girl who had justleft his side was revolting to Forrester in his present mood. He had thecomforting feeling, however, that it was for her own good. If she hadentangled herself in some way with these people he would save her!
"That's the girl you must keep an eye on, Green. And," instructedForrester, "see that she is protected also. If anything happens to hertonight you'll have to answer to me."
"I getcha," assented Green. "You don't want them bulls to beat you to acapture."
"What's the plot?" called a cheerful voice, and the two men turnedquickly to find Prentice close at hand.
"I thought you were dancing by this time," said Forrester.
"Haven't danced for years," returned Prentice. "I came out to have aquiet smoke, and just spotted you fellows with your heads together."
"This is my body-guard, Detective Green," stated Forrester.
"Looks like an able-bodied protector," laughed Prentice. "But I supposeyou won't need him after tonight." Then he added, throwing his cigaretteaway, "Think I'll go in. You'll be back, won't you, Bob?"
"I hope to return if all goes well."
"Remember my advice--get away from the tree if there is going to be abattle. See you later," and Prentice strolled in through the windowForrester had recently left.
"Ten o'clock!" exclaimed Green, consulting his watch. "Gee, you swellseat late. Better start, hadn't you?"
"I think I will," decided Forrester. "There's just about time to walkover, instead of using the car."
Green watched Forrester until he disappeared in the darkness, thenstrolled over to a large tree which commanded a view of all the windowson that side of the house. If any other person contemplated leaving thedance Green was sure they would try to slip out of one of these windows,selecting that way as the one least likely to attract attention. In thedeep shadow under the tree the detective appeared a part of the trunkagainst which he leaned.
Presently, though no sound had reached Green, he saw a man's figureappear in silhouette against the lighted window which faced him; a tall,broad-shouldered man, wearing a sack suit and a cap. Green knew from hisdress that he was not one of the guests. While the man might be only achauffeur, or a neighbor's employee, Green decided to take no chances,and remained in motionless expectancy. His suspicions grew as he notedthat the man did not attempt to peer in as a merely curious visitorwould have done. Instead he remained where he had paused when Greenfirst discovered him, standing in the same tense, motionless attitude asthe detective. Either the man was keeping watch as Green was doing, orhe was there to keep an appointment.
Green was enlightened in a few minutes. The music ceased and immediatelyafterward he saw Mary Sturtevant appear in the window. Glancing hastilyabout, probably to make sure that she was not observed, the girl quicklystepped through the window and into the shadow at one side. A low,peculiar whistle came from the man, and the girl instantly reappeared asshe approached him. Green could not hear their greeting, but they turnedand moved toward his place of concealment, evidently seeking the shadowof the tree for a conference. Green cautiously moved around the tree,placing its massive trunk between himself and the approaching couple.They came so near that Green dared not look around the trunk at them. Hestood with his back pressed against the tree and listened.
"And now, tell me how matters stand tonight," requested the man,evidently ending a report of his own.
"No one has left the room except Mr. Forrester," replied MarySturtevant. "He started for the tree a few minutes ago."
"Take anyone with him?"
"I'm not sure. He arrived with that private detective and he may havetaken him along."
"Very likely," assented the man. "And there will be city detectivesthere, too, that I know. It will be very difficult for anybody toapproach that tree tonight. It may spoil our plans."
"Mr. Forrester's case certainly seems to be attracting more attentionthan the others," commented the girl.
"That's because he is putting up a real fight. To tell you the truth, Ihave my doubts about the package of money he is putting in the treetonight. It probably isn't worth the danger involved to get it."
"Do you think he will take the risk? Surely he knows that punishmentwould be certain."
"I think it will take a lot to scare that chap. He will probably stillbe fighting after we have listed other victims. I must hurry now if I amto get there on time. I'll phone you after you get home."
"Yes, do; I shall be worried until I hear from you," urged the girl.
Green waited a moment before cautiously peering around the tree trunk.The man had disappeared as quietly as he had come, and Mary Sturtevantwas just passing back into the house through the window.
"Gee!" muttered Green. "I've got the dope _now_. I'm wastin' timehere--me for the tree!"
He started off at a run.
----
By going north along the road on which the Prentice estate was located,Forrester could reach the western end of Jasper lane. He began hisjourney at a brisk pace.
The night was clear but dark, the white stripof roadway being barely distinguishable. Forrester knew the way well,however, and arrived at the lane without further adventure than thekeeping out of the way of occasional motors that flashed by. As theheadlights of these cars threw his figure into prominence against thebackground of the night he thought with amusement of the wonder of theoccupants at seeing a hatless man in evening clothes straying along adeserted road.
Forrester did not make any effort to conceal himself as he approachedthe great oak. Both the detectives and the emissaries of the "Friends ofthe Poor" would be expecting him. For the time being at least he hadnothing to fear, and it would be well for all those who might bewatching to know definitely when the package was deposited.
He paused for a moment in front of the tree and listened. Nothing was tobe seen, and there was no sound save the distant wail of a locomotivewhistle and the faint rustling of leaves overhead. Cautiously pickinghis way through the darkness so as not to disturb the detectives'strings if they were in place, Forrester reached the tree, found theopening and placed the package in it. Then he carefully returned to theroad and walked noisily along it for a short distance. Suddenly heleaped aside and paused. When he was assured that everything remainedquiet he crept silently back in the direction of the tree, but on theopposite side of the road, and close to the woods. He had slightly losthis bearings during these maneuvers in the darkness, and had difficultyin again locating the tree. By glancing toward the sky from time to timehe finally saw the huge bulk of the oak against the stars. Feelingaround for an opening in the underbrush directly opposite the tree,Forrester moved back a little way from the road and waited.
As the minutes slipped by without incident, Forrester grew restless. Thenecessity of remaining absolutely motionless to prevent making any noisecramped his muscles, and the continued silence in the impenetrabledarkness grated upon his nerves. He had expected action of some kind,yet it almost seemed now as if he were doomed to disappointment. Heremembered that on other occasions detectives had waited therethroughout the night, only to discover in the morning that their quarryhad come and gone. Was this about to happen once more? Had the packageover which he and the detectives were watching already been removed? Ithardly seemed possible, in view of the precautions which the detectiveshad taken. He had a feeling, too, that somewhere in that silentdarkness, others beside the detectives and himself were concealed. Hedid not hear a sound, however, outside of the occasional stirring of theleaves as a gentle breeze passed through the woods.
Suddenly, far down the lane, Forrester heard a slight creak that seemedto him like the application of the brake on an automobile. Listeningintently, he felt sure that he could also hear the soft purr of anidling engine. At last they must be coming!
Strain his ears as he might, however, Forrester could detect no othersound. If anyone were approaching the tree it was with a catlike treadthat no human ear could hear.
Then, in a moment, everything changed. There was a short, sharpexclamation, followed by stifled oaths and the rush of feet. Forrestercould tell from the rustling of leaves on the ground and the cracking oftwigs that a struggle was taking place. He longed to rush forward andhelp, yet reason told him that it was better to leave the matter in thehands of the detectives until they were sure of their men. The nextmoment the darkness was scattered by two electric pocket lamps andForrester recognized Cahill and O'Connor standing halfway between theroad and the tree, each with a man in his grasp.
Forrester darted across the road, but at the same moment there came ablinding flash of light that blotted out everything about him. This wasfollowed by shouts and oaths and several pistol shots. The flash hadlasted for only a second, but the intensity of the light, followed byutter darkness, left Forrester practically blinded, and he stoodhelpless in the road.
He did not know which way to turn, or what had happened, until anelectric pocket lamp once more spread its rays across the road.Forrester then saw that the man who held it remained alone in front ofthe tree, and he hurried over to join him.
"What happened?" cried Forrester.
"That's what I'd like to know," growled the man, who proved to beCahill.
Just then another pocket lamp flashed out. It was held by O'Connor, whonow approached from the roadway and joined them.
"No use," groaned O'Connor, "they got away. I stood no chance chasin' anautomobile."
"What do you know about that?" muttered Cahill. "Those Dagos right inour hands! Then that flash went off and blinded us, and piff--they weregone!"
"That'll make some picture!" came a gleeful exclamation, and Humphreyappeared within the circle of light cast by the pocket lamps.
"Picture, hell!" bellowed Cahill. "They got away!"
Humphrey stared around with a bewildered air. "Why," he exclaimed, "whenyou turned on your lights I thought you had them fast. I decided thatwas the time to set off my flash light and shoot a picture of you in thevery act of capturing your prisoners."
"Bright idea, young fellow," snorted Cahill, "but in one second youkilled a whole year's detective work!"
At this moment a wheezing sound was heard in the road. All turned inthat direction and saw Green come staggering up, out of breath andalmost speechless with his exertions.
"Did--you--get--him?" gasped Green, with an effort.
"Don't see any strangers hanging around, do you?" sneered Cahill.
"Well--the--man--started--for--the tree," declared Green, "andI--followed him." He gave a gulp and partly recovered his breath. "Justas I turned in--from the main road--down here--I heard the rumpus--and Ithought you had got the man."
"THE man?" exclaimed Cahill. "What are you talking about?"
"Why--I was keepin' watch at a house--up the road here--for Mr.Forrester. I heard a man arrangin' to come down to the tree--to get thepackage."
"Well, he split into _two_ by the time he got here," sneered Cahill."You've been looking through last year's almanac, partner."
Forrester took the puffing Green by the arm and pushed him to one side."If you know anything," he whispered, "keep it to yourself. We'll talkit over later."
"Look here," said O'Connor, suddenly, turning to Humphrey, "What yougoin' to do with that picture you took?"
"Put it in the paper tomorrow," answered Humphrey, triumphantly. "A bigheadline across the top will read: 'Friends of the Poor' caught whiletrying to collect their secret toll."
"Don't do it!" commanded O'Connor. "They ain't caught yet. Keep it quietabout that picture. Give the negative to us. We'll have the facesenlarged. Perhaps we can pick up these Dagos from their photos."
"I get you," assented Humphrey. "I see I spoiled the game all right; andI'll do all I can to help you. I'll have that negative over at thedetective bureau first thing in the morning."
"O'Connor don't talk much," observed Cahill, "but when he does, he sayssomething. You get that picture to us quick, young fellow, and we'llclose this thing up with a bang! There's no question about who the'Friends of the Poor' are now."
"Did those fellows get my package?" inquired Forrester.
"Not on your life!" returned Cahill. "They never got near enough to thetree for that."
"Then," said Forrester, turning to Green, "you would better get thatpackage and we'll take it back with us. It may come in handy some othertime."
Green went to the tree and inserted his hand in the opening. He feltcarefully around, then withdrew his arm and turned to face the others.In the dim light of the pocket lamps they saw that his eyes were staringwildly.
"_It's gone!_" he cried.
The Secret Toll Page 12
