The Deserted Yacht
Page 12
CHAPTER XII An Unusual History
Upon reaching the mainland in the motor boat, Madge instructed the sailorwho had piloted her from the yacht to return for her in an hour. She thenmade her way toward the Dewitt and Prager Jewelry store, walkinghurriedly, for her wrist watch warned her that it was nearly closingtime.
As she entered the shop, she observed that already the salesmen wereremoving trays from the windows and returning expensive jewelry to thevaults.
"Is Mr. Dewitt in?" she questioned anxiously.
"You are the owner of the jade pin?" the clerk inquired, and as sheassented, added: "Mr. Dewitt is expecting you. Right this way, please."
He led her to the rear of the store and opened the door of a privateoffice. Mr. Dewitt, an elderly man with gray hair and keen, alert eyes,arose and politely offered Madge a chair opposite his desk.
"I shouldn't have taken your time," Madge began apologetically, "but oneof your salesmen said he thought you might be interested in my pin. Idon't suppose it is really jade."
"Indeed it is," the jeweler assured her. "A small stone but one of themost perfect I have ever seen. May I ask how it came into yourpossession?"
Madge explained that the pin had been found but did not mention underwhat circumstance.
"You have made no attempt to find the owner?"
"I thought I'd come to you first."
"You did quite right," he assured her. "In fact, I intended to warn youagainst advertising in the paper. This pin is valuable and you must bevery cautious in seeking its owner. Perhaps you are acquainted with thestone's history."
"No," Madge responded eagerly, "what can you tell me of it?"
"It is the carven symbol upon the stone which makes it so interesting. Ibelieve it to be the mark of a fanatical religious sect which at one timewas known to exist in India."
"Not--Zudi worshipers?" Madge questioned.
"Yes," the jeweler acknowledged, surprised, "the sect is no longeractive, to all accounts. It is odd that the pin which years agodoubtlessly belonged to one of the members, should turn up in thiscountry. If the owner is located I should like very much to questionhim."
"You may be sure I'll not leave a stone unturned in attempting to findthe person who lost it," Madge declared. "I think perhaps I know who itwas."
She opened her purse and took out the paper upon which she had made arough sketch of the symbol used on the Zudi Drum Bowl. She offered it tothe jeweler.
"Would you say that the two symbols are alike?" she asked.
"There is a striking similarity. Yes, in my opinion they are the same."
Madge nodded in satisfaction. She now had all the information that sherequired for her case. There no longer was any doubt in her mind as tothe owner of the jade pin. She was of the opinion that it belonged eitherto the boatman who had rowed her to The Flora on the day of her arrivalat Cheltham Bay, or else to a fellow member of the fanatical Zudi sect.
In only one particular did she feel that her theory fell short. Mr.Dewitt had said that the sect no longer existed, and Enid held the sameopinion.
"They both may be mistaken," she thought. As soon as she reached theyacht she planned to lay all the facts before her chum, confident thatshe would then see the folly of trying to deal single handed with herfather's abductors.
Madge divined that Mr. Dewitt intended to ask questions concerning herknowledge of the strange Zudi symbols. Since she was not ready to answerthem, she hastily arose.
"If you wish, we will keep the stone here in our vaults until you claimit," the jeweler offered.
Madge was glad to accept the offer for she had no immediate use for thejade pin, and hesitated to be responsible for its safety. She thanked thejeweler for his kindness and left the store.
As she walked slowly toward the waterfront she considered the informationgleaned from the interview. Had she felt free to do so, she would havegone directly to the police with her findings.
"I promised I wouldn't bring them into it again," she thought, "so beforedoing anything I must consult Enid. I'm sure she'll see my viewpointnow."
Aboard The Flora an hour later, she reported in detail her talk with Mr.Dewitt. And to her deep chagrin, she encountered stubborn resistance fromEnid.
"No, I don't feel that it's a case for the police," she insisted. "Whathave they done so far? Nothing at all."
"But the situation is different now," Madge explained patiently. "Do yourealize that you're not dealing with an ordinary band of kidnappers?You're negotiating with a group of fanatics--or at least that's myopinion. You can't trust them."
"You may be right," Enid admitted wearily, "but at any rate they're onlyafter the Zudi Drum. When I turn it over to them, they'll be satisfied."
Madge realized that her arguments were making not the slightestimpression upon her chum. In her intense desire to aid her father, Enidhad lost sight of everything save the main objective.
"If you won't give up the idea of going to Cedar Point, then at leastpermit Rex or me to go with you," Madge pleaded.
Enid grasped her friend's hand and squeezed it gratefully.
"It's noble of you to offer, but of course I shan't accept."
Madge gave up. Until now she had hoped that she could find some means ofconvincing Enid of the mistake she was making. She considered ignoringher promise and taking the matter to the police, but loyalty wouldscarcely permit that. She told herself she must find some other way.
"I wish Jack French would hurry and arrive if he's actually decided tocome," she thought. "He would know what to do."
Since she had sent off her telegram to Loon Lake, she had received noreply and she knew that in the present situation she must depend upon herown ingenuity. In vain she cudgeled her brain for some scheme which wouldsecure Mr. Burnett's release and at the same time not endanger Enid.
"It's a shame to hand over the Zudi Drum Bowl without making theslightest attempt to save it," she mused. "Mr. Burnett must value ithighly or he would have given it to the kidnappers of his own accord."
Supper time found her still turning the matter over in her mind. She wasunusually quiet during the meal, but Enid did not notice. Neither ate agreat deal although Jose had made a special effort to serve appetizingdishes. After they had finished, they sat out on the deck, watching thesunset.
Later in the evening, Rex drew alongside the yacht in his motor boat andwas invited to come aboard. He had no news to report, and after Madge hadtalked with him a few minutes, she left him alone with Enid and went backto her deck chair.
For some time she sat there, staring intently toward the city, and yetcompletely unaware of the twinkling lights or the orchestra music whichcame faintly over the water from a beach front hotel. Then suddenly shestraightened.
"Why didn't I think of it before?" she asked herself jubilantly. "Rexwill help me I'm sure! If only I can manage to talk with him when Enidisn't around!"
She immediately sought her two friends, but the opportunity she awaiteddid not come. Madge had begun to fear that she would never have a chanceto speak privately with Rex when Enid announced that she was cold.Excusing herself, she went to her cabin for a coat.
In a few brief sentences, Madge explained the situation to Rex but therewas no time to tell him of her plan, for they could hear Enid returning.
"I'll tell you more tomorrow!" Madge whispered. "There's just one thingyou must do. Get another bowl the same size as the Zudi Drum and smuggleit aboard before nightfall. Remember how much is at stake, and don'tfail!"