CHAPTER XXII
GRACE AND ELEANOR MAKE A FORMAL CALL
Before recess the next day the news that Grace Harlowe and EleanorSavelli had been seen in earnest conversation together traveled likewild fire around the study hall. The members of the Phi Sigma Tau couldscarcely believe their eyes, and when at recess they sought forenlightenment, Grace would give them no satisfaction save that she andEleanor had really become friendly again.
"I love you all dearly, but I can't tell you about it yet, so pleasedon't ask me. When I do tell you, you'll understand and be as glad as Iam," she informed them affectionately, and with this they were obligedto content themselves.
At one o'clock that afternoon Grace was summoned from the study hall,and her friends' curiosity went up to the highest pitch and did not inthe least abate when Eleanor Savelli was also excused and hurriedlyfollowed Grace out.
"This must mean that they have caught him," said Eleanor, as she andGrace turned their steps in the direction of the police station.
Grace nodded silently. Her mind was busy with Marian's problem. She mustget back the money that Henry Hammond had wheedled Marian into givinghim. If the stranger had been apprehended and if Hammond were really hisconfederate, then the stranger might, under cross-examination, betrayHammond, who would at once be arrested.
Now that Eleanor had become her friend, Grace knew that she would neverexpose Marian in class meeting, but even with this menace removed, stillnothing could disguise the fact that the judge's gift could not behonestly accounted for.
Grace believed that Henry Hammond had appropriated the money for his ownuse. She did not place any dependence in his story of having lost itthrough speculation. She therefore resolved that he should return it ifshe could devise any means of making him do so, without subjecting himto public exposure.
For Marian's sake, she would refrain from carrying the matter intocourt, and she reluctantly decided to say nothing about the meetingbetween Hammond and the prisoner that she had witnessed at the stationon the night of her return from New York.
Eleanor's surmise proved to be correct. At the door of the stationhouse, Grace's father awaited them, and they were conducted into thecourt room, where the first thing that caught Grace's attention was theeyes of the prisoner, that glared ferociously at her.
"So you're the fresh kid that got me jugged, are you!" he snarled with amenacing gesture. "I'd like to get my hands on you for a couple ofminutes."
"Silence!" roared Chief Burroughs.
Then the examination began. The strong box had been turned over to thepolice that morning by Miss Nevin, to be held as proof against thethief.
Grace identified the man as the one she had seen tampering with the lockthe previous night, repeating what she had heard him say as he left theold house. She then told her story of the removal of the box, which wascorroborated by Eleanor and John, the coachman.
"This is not the first time this man and I have met," declared Grace atthe conclusion of her testimony. Then she related the incident of thetrain to the chief, while the prisoner glowered at her as though hewould enjoy tearing her in pieces.
When examined, he gave his name as Jones, denied ever having seen Gracebefore, but under rigid cross-examination finally admitted the truth ofher story, and that he had been in Oakdale on the previous Thanksgivingand had assisted in the theft of the strong box. He had left for NewYork the following morning, supposing that his confederate would have notrouble in unlocking the box.
"Why did you leave Oakdale?" questioned Chief Burroughs.
"Robbing kids was too small business for me," growled the man. "We heardthis was a rich town, but when we got here I sized it up, and it didn'tlook good to me. So I beat it for New York the next day."
But no amount of grilling could induce him to reveal the identity of hispartner.
"He's too good a pal to squeal on. Nothing doing in that line," was theunvarying answer.
When questioned as to his second visit to Oakdale, he said that hispartner had been unable to open the strong box, and after looking aboutfor some safe hiding place, had accidentally discovered the secretrecess in the cupboard, while prowling about the haunted house.
This had seemed an ideal place of concealment, and he had secretlyconveyed the box there until the prisoner, who was an expert cracksman,should be on hand to open it.
"And was that your sole object in coming to Oakdale?" was the chief'ssharp query.
"Of course," replied the prisoner.
But the chief shook his head. "There is a good deal more back of this.You have not answered truthfully. Your real motive for coming here wasrobbery."
Grace and Eleanor were not detained throughout the entire examination.After giving their testimony, they were allowed to go. Once they werefairly outside the police station, Grace took Eleanor by the arm andsaid:
"Eleanor, I have a call to make, and I wish you to go with me. Wehaven't a moment to spare, for the First National Bank closes at three,and it's a quarter after two now."
"I am very glad to hear that useful and interesting fact about the FirstNational Bank. Are you going to deposit money there!" asked Eleanor,laughing.
"No," answered Grace mysteriously. "I am going to draw money from thereafter I have called upon a certain person."
"But what have I to do with it!" questioned Eleanor.
"Come with me and see," Grace replied. "After we have succeeded in ourundertaking, I'll answer any questions you may ask. I warn you, however,that the call I am about to make is not a friendly one. Are you willingto stand by me through what may be a rather disagreeable scene?"
"I certainly am," replied Eleanor emphatically. "You ought to know frompast experiences that disagreeable scenes are my forte."
"I know that I'd rather have you with me on this expedition than any oneelse I know," responded Grace. "You are not easily intimidated."
The two girls by this time had left Main Street and turned into PutnamSquare.
"Grace," said Eleanor suddenly. "I believe I can guess the place you areheaded for. You are going to Henry Hammond's office, aren't you?"
"Yes," said Grace, surprised at the accuracy of Eleanor's guess, "I am."
"And you are going there about the money that he stole from Marian. Am Iright!"
"You are," answered Grace truthfully. "But how did you know?"
"Because," said Eleanor quietly, "I intended going there myself."
"Then you think that----" began Grace.
"I think that Henry Hammond is a thief and an impostor," finishedEleanor. "He tried to interest Aunt Margaret in some real estate, andcalled at 'Heartsease' on two different occasions. She is a very shrewdbusiness woman and he couldn't fool her in the least. Both times hecalled he kept looking about him all the time, as though he were tryingto see whether we had any valuables. He raved over the house, and hintedto be shown through it, but we weren't so foolish.
"When Chief Burroughs was questioning the prisoner to-day about hisconfederate, it suddenly flashed across me that it might be this manHammond. He appeared here for the first time on the night of the bazaarand--"
"Eleanor," exclaimed Grace, "you've missed your vocation. You shouldhave been a detective. I believe what you say to be the truth and havethought so for some time. We can hardly denounce Henry Hammond uponsuspicion, but we can scare him and make him give back the class money.Perhaps we are defeating the ends of justice by not telling what wesuspect, but if we have him arrested on suspicion, then the only way wecan get back our money is to publicly charge him with extorting it fromMarian. Think what a disgrace that would be for her in her graduatingyear, too," Grace added. "She would feel too ashamed to ever again faceher best friends."
"I have thought of all that, too, and now that we are both of the samemind, let's on to victory," said Eleanor.
The two girls paused and shook hands as they entered the building inwhich Henry Hammond had his office, then mounted the stairs with thefull determination of winning in their cause.
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"Good afternoon, Mr. Hammond," called Eleanor, as she opened the doorand walked serenely in, followed by Grace.
Henry Hammond started nervously up from his desk at the sound of hervoice. The bland smile with which he greeted her changed to a frown ashis eyes rested upon Grace, and he saluted her coldly.
"I am, indeed, honored, this afternoon," he said with sarcasm. "MissHarlowe has never before visited my office."
"We had a few minutes to spare and thought we'd run in and tell you thenews," replied Grace sweetly. "We have just come from the policestation."
"Rather a peculiar place for two High School girls to visit, isn't it!"asked the man with a suspicion of a sneer.
"Yes, but we were the heroines in an adventure last night," repliedGrace evenly. "We found the bazaar money that was stolen lastThanksgiving."
"What!" exploded Hammond. Then trying to conceal his agitation, he saidwith affected carelessness, "I believe I do remember something aboutthat robbery."
"I was sure that you would," returned Grace, looking squarely at him."That was the night of the day you came to Oakdale, was it not?"
"I really can't recollect the exact date," murmured Hammond.
"One of the thieves was caught to-day, at the old haunted house, wherehe had hidden the box," volunteered Eleanor.
A grayish pallor overspread Hammond's face. With a desperate effort atself-control, he said:
"Ah, there was more than one, then!"
"Oh, yes," declared Grace cheerfully. "There were two in it. The otherwill probably be apprehended soon. The prisoner hasn't revealed hisidentity, as yet. The funny thing is that I had seen the prisonerbefore. On the train that we took from New York, after seeing AnnePierson in the play, I saw this same man try to steal a watch and chainfrom an old gentleman, who would not believe me when I warned him of hisdanger."
"When we finally reached Oakdale," continued Grace, "I watched to see ifhe got off the train, and he did. We saw a man meet him at the station,who--"
Henry Hammond sprang up and seizing his hat, said harshly, "I hope youyoung ladies will excuse me, what you have told me is so interestingthat I believe I shall go over to the station house and get all thedetails. Will you remain until I return?" He fumbled in a drawer of hisdesk, and both girls saw him take out a bankbook.
"Thank you," said Grace politely. "We can't stay, but before we go weshould like to have you write us a check for the five hundred dollarsthat Marian Barber foolishly loaned you. You see she had no right to doso. Besides, she is still a minor. If you do it at once we can cash itto-day. It is now fifteen minutes of three. I'll call the bank and tellthem that I am coming. But first I must send a message to my father."
With these words, Grace walked to the telephone without giving Hammondtime to answer. "Give me Main 268a, please," she said. With a bound hesprang to the door, but it closed in his face, and he heard the turn ofthe key in the lock, just as Grace calmly called, "Hello, is this ChiefBurroughs? Is my father there?" Then she answered, "You say he is there?Well, this is his daughter, Grace. Please tell him that Miss Savelli andI are just about to leave Mr. Hammond's office, and wish him to meet usoutside."
Hammond sprang toward Grace, but instantly realizing that it would befolly to molest her, drew back, scowling savagely.
Grace hung up the receiver and rang again. This time she called thebank, asking for the president. "Is this Mr. Furlow?" she said. "This isGrace Harlowe. I am at the office of Mr. Henry Hammond, who is about towrite my father a check for five hundred dollars, which he wishes tocash before the bank closes. It is now ten minutes of three. He will bethere inside of seven minutes. Thank you. Good-bye."
"Now," she commanded, turning to Hammond, the expression of whose facewas a combination of baffled rage, disappointment and fear, "write thecheck."
With a muttered imprecation he went to his desk, jerked out a checkbookand wrote the desired check.
"To whom shall I make it payable?" he muttered.
"To Thomas G. Harlowe," replied Grace composedly.
Inserting her father's name, he fairly flung the check in her face, andstrode to the door.
"Open this door," he commanded.
There was no response.
"You may open the door, Eleanor," called Grace. "Mr. Hammond is ready togo now."
The key turned in the lock. With a savage jerk, Henry Hammond flung openthe door, and brushing Eleanor aside, bolted for the stairway.
Five seconds later the two girls reached the sidewalk and found Mr.Harlowe waiting for them.
"Father, dear," exclaimed Grace. "Here is a check for five hundreddollars, made payable to you by Mr. Henry Hammond. You have five minutesin which to cash it, before the bank closes. I'll tell you the story ofit later. I haven't time now."
The First National Bank was just around the corner, and three minuteslater Mr. Harlowe walked in, accompanied by Grace and Eleanor, andcashed the check without any trouble.
"Tom Harlowe must have made money on some deal with Hammond," thoughtthe cashier, as he closed the window. "He is about the only one who hasthat I know of."
"And now, daughter, whose money is this, and what is it all about?"asked her father gravely, as they left the bank.
"I can have no better confidant than my father," declared Grace, and shethereupon told him the whole story.
Mr. Harlowe heard her story with mingled emotions of pride anddisapproval.
"Never take such a risk again, Grace," he said sternly. "Suppose thisman had carried a revolver. He might easily have turned the tables."
"I never stopped to think what he might do, father," said Graceruefully. "The honor of the senior class was at stake, and I knew that Ihad to get that money somehow. Besides, I had notified Chief Burroughsas to my whereabouts, and sent word for you to wait for me, so he wasreally cornered, that's why Eleanor locked the door."
"Grace, you are incorrigible," sighed her father, "but if ever again youfind yourself in a snarl over the rashness of your friends, thenremember that I am the wisest person to consult. It may save youconsiderable worry, and will be at least a safer method."
Nevertheless, he could not refrain from smiling a little as he added,"What do you propose to do with this money?"
"Deposit it in Upton Bank, to-morrow," was Grace's prompt reply.
"And in whose name?" asked her father.
"In Marian Barber's father," said Grace steadily. "This time it will besafe, for she has learned her lesson."
Grace Harlowe's Senior Year at High School Page 22
