CHAPTER XV--BEHIND THE BARS
Andy stopped running at the loud alarm from the automobile. Severalpersons started to block his course and one man caught him by the coatsleeve. Andy recognized his pursuer at once. It was Seth Talbot.
The Princeville garage owner ran his car up to the curb and jumped out.His face was red with exertion and excitement, and he grasped Andyroughly by the arm.
"What's the trouble?" queried the man who had detained Andy.
"Escaped criminal--firebug," mumbled Talbot. "In with you," and he forcedAndy into the machine. "Hey, officer, take charge of this prisoner."
Talbot hailed a man in uniform pressing his way through the gatheringcrowd.
"What is he charged with?" inquired the officer.
"Burning a barn at Princeville. Get him to the station and I'll explainto your chief."
There was no chance for Andy to expostulate or struggle. The officerheld him tightly by one wrist, while Talbot whisked them away till theyreached a police station.
Here the garage owner drew the officer in charge to one side. They helda brief consultation. Andy caught a word here and there. It wassufficient to apprise him of the fact that there was a reward offeredfor his arrest, and Talbot was agreeing to divide it with the officer ifhe would take charge of Andy till he was delivered over to theauthorities at Princeville.
"You are in charge of the law now, young man," said the officer, leadingAndy back to the automobile. "I won't shackle you, but don't try anytricks."
He and Andy occupied the rear seat in the automobile, while Talbot drovethe machine.
"May I say something to you?" inquired Andy of the officer.
"About what?" asked the officer.
"My being arrested this way. I don't see what right Mr. Talbot has tochase me and give orders about me like some condemned felon. I haven'tseen any warrant for my arrest."
"You'll see it soon enough. Meanwhile don't say anything to incriminateyourself," returned the officer, glibly using the pet phrase of hiscalling.
"I've done nothing to be incriminated," declared Andy indignantly. "WhatI wanted to ask was the simple favor of getting word to some people herein Greenville, who have sent me on an errand, and will be put out anddisappointed if I don't show up."
"What people?" quizzed Talbot, overhearing Andy and half turning aroundin his seat.
"A firm of lawyers here----" began Andy.
"Yah!" derided the garage owner. "Guessed it was something of that sort.Want to tangle up this affair with some legal quibble! Officer, you justhold on to him tight. He's a slippery fellow."
Andy saw that it would be useless to appeal to either of his companionsin the automobile, and put in his time doing some pretty seriousthinking as the machine sped over the landscape.
"This is a bad fix at a bad time," reflected Andy. "The lawyer willexpect me back as I promised, and think all kinds of things about mebecause I don't come. And there's Mr. Parks. And the race. I mustn'tmiss that! But then, I am arrested. They'll lock me up. Suppose theyreally prove I fired that barn?" Andy's heart beat painfully with dreadand suspense.
The town hall at Princeville was reached. Andy had been in the mainoffices of the structure many times, but this was his first visit to thelower floor of the building where the prisoners were kept. He onlycasually knew the deputy sheriff in charge of the barred cage, and wholooked Andy over as he would any criminal brought to him to lock up.
"This is Andy Nelson--Jones' barn--ran away--reward." Andy was somewhatchilled as the deputy nodded and proceeded to enter his name in a bigbook before him on the desk.
"Search him," said the official to the turnkey.
"Hello!" ejaculated Talbot, as Andy's watch was brought into view, and"hello!" he repeated with eyes goggling still more, as Andy's pocketbookcame to light, and outside of some small bills and silver, aneatly-folded bill was produced.
The officer himself looked surprised at this. Andy, however, did nottell them that this represented the prize he had won at the aviationmeet, treasured proudly in its entirety.
"Wonder if that's some of the money I've found short in my business?"insinuated Talbot.
"If there is any shortage in your receipts," retorted Andy indignantly,"you had better ask your son about it."
The shot told. The garage owner flushed up.
"What's that?" he covered his evident confusion by asking, as theofficer unfolded a slip of printed paper.
It was the advertisement about the lost leather pocketbook, that Andyhad preserved. Glancing over the shoulder of the officer and taking inits purport, Talbot gave a start. Then he eyed Andy in an eager,speculative way, but was silent.
"What are you going to do with me?" Andy asked of the officer.
"Lock you up, of course."
"Won't I be allowed to send word to my friends?"
"Who are they?" demanded the officer.
"I think Mr. Dawson, the banker, is one of them," replied Andy.
"Mr. Dawson has been away from town for a week, and will not return fortwo."
Andy's face fell. The thought of the banker had come to him hopefully.
"Can I telegraph, then?" he asked, "to friends out of town?"
"Telegraph," sneered Talbot. "My great pumpkins, with your new suit ofclothes and watch and one hundred dollar bills and telegrams!"
"I can grant you no favors before I have notified the prosecutingattorney of your arrest," said the deputy. "Lock him up, turnkey."
All this seemed very harsh and ominous to Andy, but he did not allow itto depress him. He followed the turnkey without another word. The latterunlocked a great barred door, and Andy felt a trifle chilled as itreclosed on him and he was a prisoner.
"How do you do, Mr. Chase?" he said, as he recognized the lockup-keeper,an old grizzled man, who limped towards him.
"Got you, did they?" spoke the man. "Sorry, Andy."
"Yes, I am sorry, too, just at this time. Of course you know, I'm notthe kind of a fellow to burn down a man's barn."
"Know it--guess I know. I can prove----" began Chase, so excitedly, thatAndy stared at him in some wonder. "See here," continued Chase,controlling himself, "I've got something to say to you later on. Justfor the present, you count on me as your friend. I'll see you get thebest going in this dismal place."
"Thank you, Mr. Chase," said Andy.
"You needn't sleep in any cell. I'll let you have a cot in my room,"continued Chase with earnestness and emotion. "Andy----" and there thespeaker choked up, and he grasped Andy's hand, and turning away trembledall over. "You're a blessed good boy, and you've got a true friend inme, and remember what I tell you--they will never find you guilty ofburning down Jones' barn."
Andy returned the pressure of the hand of the man whom he was meetingunder peculiar circumstances, feeling sure that his avowed friendshipwas genuine. He had good reason to believe this.
When Andy had come to Princeville, Chase was a worthless drunkard, whoworked rarely and who was in the lockup most of the time. One winter'snight, as Andy was returning from taking a customer to the lake, helined a swampy stretch and noticed a huddled-up figure lying at itshalf-frozen edge.
Andy got out of the automobile and discovered a man, his body andclothes half frozen down into the reeds and grass. It was Chase, soddenwith drink and fast perishing.
Andy managed to get the poor fellow in the tonneau and drove home. Itwas late, and Talbot had left the garage for the night. Andy dragged hishelpless guest into his little den of a room and hurried for a doctor.He was a favorite with the physician, for whom he had done many littlefavors, and the latter worked over the half-frozen Chase for nearly twohours. He refused to think of taking any pay, and at Andy's requestpromised to say nothing about the incident.
Andy kept his little oil stove going all night and plied the patientwith warm drinks. When morning came Chase was awake and sober, but hewas so weak and full of pain he could hardly move.
All that day and into the next Andy managed to house
and care for Chasewithout detection. Talbot finally discovered the intruder, however. Hestormed fearfully. He was for at once sending for an officer and havingChase sent to jail or the workhouse.
Andy pleaded hard for the poor refugee. Talbot declared that his wetgarments had spoiled the automobile cushions. Andy got Chase to agreethat he would work this out when he got well, and Talbot was partlymollified.
When Chase got about he did some drudgery at Talbot's home. Then one dayhe came to tell Andy that Talbot had got him a position. Chase was wellacquainted with prison ways. Talbot had quite some political influence,and the forlorn old wreck was installed as lockup-keeper at the townjail.
Once a week regularly he came to visit Andy at the garage. It wasusually Saturday nights, after the others had gone home. Chase wouldbring along some dainty for Andy to cook, and they would have quite acongenial time. During all this time Chase never touched a drop ofliquor. He told Andy he had received the lesson of his life, leaving himcrippled in one limb, and that he would show Andy his gratitude for hisrescue by keeping the pledge.
"Mr. Chase," now said Andy, "there is something you can do for me, ifyou will."
"Speak it out, Andy," responded the lockup keeper eagerly.
"I want to send a telegram to a friend right away. They have taken allmy money from me, but the message can go collect."
Chase hobbled down the corridor rapidly to return with paper and pencil.
"Write out your message, Andy," he said. "I'll see that it goes withoutdelay."
Andy wrote out a telegram to John Parks. It ran:
"Under arrest on a false charge. I want to see you on importantbusiness."
Chase took the message, put on his hat, and going to the barred doortapped on it.
The turnkey appeared and unlocked the door. As Chase passed out, Andyobserved that someone passed into the cell room. It was Seth Talbot.
"I want a little talk with you, Andy Nelson," spoke the garage owner,"and it will pay you to listen to what I have to say."
Airship Andy; Or, The Luck of a Brave Boy Page 15
