CHAPTER XI
I did not struggle. I would have done so if I had been able, but I wascaught in a grip so skillful that the smallest move gave me the mostexquisite pain. At that time I had not even heard the words _jiu jitsu_,but I have looked them up since. Cortinez, the sleepy sentry, withoutchanging his position, had opened his eyes and was grinning at me.
I was forced to my feet and marched to the open door of the corner room.There I was released, and turned around to face Hooper himself. The oldman's face was twisted in a sardonic half-snarl that might pass for agrin; but there was no smile in his unblinking wildcat eyes. Thereseemed to be trace neither of the girl nor the girl's occupation.
"Thank you for your warning of your intended visit," said Hooper insilky tones, indicating my bandana which lay on the table. "And now mayI inquire to what I owe the honour of this call? Or it may be that thevisit was not intended for me at all. Mistake in the rooms, perhaps. Ioften shift and change my quarters, and those of my household;especially if I suspect I have some reason for doing so. It addsinterest to an otherwise uneventful life."
He was eying me sardonically, evidently gloating over the situation ashe found it.
"How did you get on that roof? Who let you inside the walls?" hedemanded, abruptly.
I merely smiled at him.
"That we can determine later," he observed, resuming command of himself.
I measured my chances, and found them at present a minus quantity. Theold man was separated from me by a table, and he held my own revolverready for instant use. So I stood tight and waited.
The room was an almost exact replica of the one in which I had spent thenight so short a time before; the same long narrow transom near theceiling, the same barred windows opening on the court, the same closetagainst the blank wall. Hooper had evidently inhabited it for some days,for it was filled with his personal belongings. Indeed he must havemoved in _en bloc_ when his ward had been moved out, for none of thefurnishings showed the feminine touch, and several articles could havebelonged only to the old man personally. Of such was a small iron safein one corner and a tall old-fashioned desk crammed with papers.
But if I decided overt action unwise at this moment, I decidedly wentinto action the next. Hooper whistled and four Mexicans appeared withropes. Somehow I knew if they once hog-tied me I would never get anotherchance. Better dead now than helpless in the morning, for what that oldbuzzard might want of me.
One of them tossed a loop at me. I struck it aside and sailed in.
It had always been my profound and contemptuous belief that I could lickany four Mexicans. Now I had to take that back. I could not. But I gavethe man argument, and by the time they had my elbows lashed behind meand my legs tied to the legs of one of those big solid chairs they liketo name as "Mission style," I had marked them up and torn their prettyclothes and smashed a lot of junk around the place and generally gotthem so mad they would have knifed me in a holy second if it had notbeen for Old Man Hooper. The latter held up the lamp where it wouldn'tget smashed and admonished them in no uncertain terms that he wanted mealive and comparatively undamaged. Oh, sure! they mussed me up, too. Iwasn't very pretty, either.
The bravos withdrew muttering curses, as the story books say; and afterHooper had righted the table and stuck the lamp on it, and taken a goodlook at my bonds, he withdrew also.
Most of my time until the next thing occurred was occupied in figuringon all the things that might happen to me. One thing I acknowledged tomyself right off the reel: the Mexicans had sure trussed me up forfurther orders! I could move my hands, but I knew enough of ropes andties to realize that my chances of getting free were exactly nothing. Myplans had gone perfectly up to this moment. I had schemed to get insidethe ranch and into Old Man Hooper's room; and here I was! What morecould a man ask?
The next thing occurred so soon, however, that I hadn't had time tothink of more than ten per cent. of the things that might happen to me.The outside door opened to admit Hooper, followed by the girl. He stoodaside in the most courtly fashion.
"My dear," he said, "here is Mr. Sanborn, who has come to call on you.You remember Mr. Sanborn, I am sure. You met him at dinner; and besides,I believe you had some correspondence with him, did you not? He hastaken so much trouble, so very much trouble to see you that I think it agreat pity his wish should not be fulfilled. Won't you sit down here, mydear?"
She was staring at me, her eyes gone wide with wonder and horror. Halfthinking she took her seat as indicated. Instantly the old man had boundher elbows at the back and had lashed her to the chair. After the firststart of surprise she made no resistance.
"There," said Hooper, straightening up after the accomplishment of thistask; "now I'm going to leave you to your visit. You can talk it allover. Tell him all you please, my dear. And you, sir, tell her all youknow. I think I can arrange so your confidences will go no further."
For the first time I heard him laugh, a high, uncertain cackle. The girlsaid nothing, but she stared at him with level, blazing eyes. Also forthe first time I began to take an interest in her.
"Do you object to smoking?" I asked her, suddenly.
She blinked and recovered.
"Not at all," she answered.
"Well then, old man, be a sport. Give me the makings. I can get my handsto my mouth."
The old man transferred his baleful eyes on me. Then without saying aword he placed in my hands a box of tailor-made cigarettes and a dozenmatches.
"Until morning," he observed, his hand on the door knob. He inclined ina most courteous fashion, first to the one of us, then to the other,and went out. He did not lock the door after him, and I could hear himaddressing Cortinez outside. The girl started to speak, but I waved myshackled hand at her for silence. By straining my ears I could just makeout what was said.
"I am going to bed," Hooper said. "It is not necessary to stand guard.You may get your blankets and sleep on the verandah."
After the old man's footsteps had died, I turned back to the girlopposite me and looked her over carefully. My first impression ofmeekness I revised. She did not look to be one bit meek. Her lips werecompressed, her nostrils wide, her level eyes unsubdued. A person ofsense, I said to myself, well balanced, who has learned when it isuseless to kick against the pricks, but who has not necessarily on thataccount forever renounced all kicking. It occurred to me that she musthave had to be pretty thoroughly convinced before she had come to thisframe of mind. When she saw that I had heard all I wanted of themovements outside, she spoke hurriedly in her low, sweet voice:
"Oh, I am so distressed! This is all my doing! I should have knownbetter----"
"Now," I interrupted her, decisively, "let's get down to cases. You hadnothing to do with this; nothing whatever. I visited this ranch thefirst time out of curiosity, and to-night because I knew that I'd haveto hit first to save my own life. You had no influence on me in eithercase."
"You thought this was my room--I wrote you it was," she countered,swiftly.
"I wanted to see you solely and simply that I might find out how to getat Hooper. This is all my fault; and we're going to cut out theself-accusations and get down to cases."
I afterward realized that all this was somewhat inconsiderate andungallant and slightly humiliating; I should have taken the part of theknight-errant rescuing the damsel in distress, but at that moment onlythe direct essentials entered my mind.
"Very well," she assented in her repressed tones.
"Do you think he is listening to what we say; or has somebodylistening?"
"I am positive not."
"Why?"
"I lived in this room for two months, and I know every inch of it."
"He might have some sort of a concealed listening hole somewhere, justthe same."
"I am certain he has not. The walls are two feet thick."
"All right; let it go at that. Now let's see where we stand. In thefirst place, how do you dope this out?"
"What do you mean?"
; "What does he intend to do with us?"
She looked at me straight, eye to eye.
"In the morning he will kill you--unless you can contrive something."
"Cheering thought."
"There is no sense in not facing situations squarely. If there is a wayout, that is the only method by which it may be found."
"True," I agreed, my admiration growing. "And yourself; will he killyou, too?"
"He will not. He does not dare!" she cried, proudly, with a flash ofthe eyes.
I was not so sure of that, but there was no object in saying so.
"Why has he tied you in that chair, then, along with the condemned?" Iasked.
"You will understand better if I tell you who I am."
"You are his deceased partner's daughter; and everybody thinks you arein Europe," I stated.
"How in the world did you know that? But no matter; it is true. Iembarked three months ago on the Limited for New York intending, as yousay, to go on a long trip to Europe. My father and I had been alone inthe world. We were very fond of each other. I took no companion, nor didI intend to. I felt quite independent and able to take care of myself.At the last moment Mr. Hooper boarded the train. That was quiteunexpected. He was on his way to the ranch. He persuaded me to stop overfor a few days to decide some matters. You know, since my father's deathI am half owner."
"Whole owner," I murmured.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. Go ahead. Sure you don't mind my smoking?" I lit one of thetailor-mades and settled back. Even my inexperienced youth recognizedthe necessity of relief this long-continued stubborn repression mustfeel. My companion had as yet told me nothing I did not already know orguess; but I knew it would do her good to talk, and I might learnsomething valuable.
"We came out to the ranch, and talked matters over quite normally; butwhen it came time for my departure, I was not permitted to leave. Forsome unexplained reason I was a prisoner, confined absolutely to thefour walls of this enclosure. I was guarded night and day; and I soonfound I was to be permitted conversation with two men only, Mexicansnamed Ramon and Andreas."
"They are his right and left hand," I commented.
"So I found. You may imagine I did not submit to this until I found Ihad to. Then I made up my mind that the only possible thing to do was toacquiesce, to observe, and to wait my chance."
"You were right enough there. Why do you figure he did this?"
"I don't know!" she cried with a flash of thwarted despair. "I haveracked my brains, but I can find no motive. He has not asked me for athing; he has not even asked me a question. Unless he's stark crazy, Icannot make it out!"
"He may be that," I suggested.
"He may be; and yet I doubt it somehow. I don't know why; but I _feel_that he is sane enough. He is inconceivably cruel and domineering. Hewill not tolerate a living thing about the place that will not or cannottake orders from him. He kills the flies, the bees, the birds, thefrogs, because they are not his. I believe he would kill a man asquickly who stood out even for a second against him here. To that extentI believe he is crazy: a sort of monomania. But not otherwise. That iswhy I say he will kill you; I really believe he would do it."
"So do I," I agreed, grimly. "However, let's drop that for right now.Do you know a man named Brower, Artie Brower?"
"I don't think I ever heard of him. Why?"
"Never mind for a minute. I've just had a great thought strike me. Justlet me alone a few moments while I work it out."
I lighted a second cigarette from the butt of the first and fell into astudy. Cortinez breathed heavily outside. Otherwise the silence was asdead as the blackness of the night. The smoke from my cigarettes floatedlazily until it reached the influence of the hot air from the lamp; thenit shot upward toward the ceiling. The girl watched me from under herlevel brows, always with that air of controlled restraint I found soadmirable.
"I've got it," I said at last, "--or at least I think I have. Now listento me, and believe what I've got to say. Here are the facts: first, yourfather and Hooper split partnership a while back. Hooper took his shareentirely in cash; your father took his probably part in cash, butcertainly all of the ranch and cattle. Get that clear? Hooper owns nopart of the ranch and cattle. All right. Your father dies before thepapers relating to this agreement are recorded. Nobody knew of thosepapers except your father and Hooper. So if Hooper were to destroy thosepapers, he'd still have the cash that had been paid him, and an equalshare in the property. That plain?"
"Perfectly," she replied, composedly. "Why didn't he destroy them?"
"Because they had been stolen by this man Brower I asked you about--anex-jockey of Hooper's. Brower held them for blackmail. Unless Hoopercame through Brower would record the papers."
"Where do I come in?"
"Easy. I'm coming to that. But answer me this: who would be your heir incase you died?"
"Why--I don't know!"
"Have you any kin?"
"Not a soul!"
"Did you ever make a will?"
"I never thought of such a thing!"
"Well, I'll tell you. If you were to die your interest in this propertywould go to Hooper."
"What makes you think so? I thought it would go to the state."
"I'm guessing," I acknowledged, "but I believe I'm guessing straight. Alot of these old Arizona partnerships were made just that way. Life wasuncertain out here. I'll bet the old original partnership between yourfather and Hooper provides that in case of the extinction of one line,the other will inherit. It's a very common form of partnership in a newcountry like this. You can see for yourself it's a sensible thing toprovide."
"You may be right," she commented. "Go on."
"You told me a while ago it was best to face any situation squarely. Nowbrace up and face this. You said a while ago that Hooper would not darekill you. That is true for the moment. But there is no doubt in my mindthat he has intended from the first to kill you, because by that hewould get possession of the whole property."
"I cannot believe it!" she cried.
"Isn't the incentive enough? Think carefully, and answer honestly:don't you think him capable of it?"
"Yes--I suppose so," she admitted, reluctantly, after a moment. Shegathered herself as after a shock. "Why hasn't he done so? Why has hewaited?"
I told her of the situation as it concerned Brower. While thedissolution of partnership papers still existed and might still berecorded, such a murder would be useless. For naturally the dissolutionabrogated the old partnership agreement. The girl's share of theproperty would, at her demise intestate, go to the state. That is,provided the new papers were ever recorded.
"Then I am safe until----?" she began.
"Until he negotiates or otherwise settles with Brower. Until he hasdestroyed all evidence."
"Then everything seems to depend on this Brower," she said, knitting herbrows anxiously. "Where is he?"
I did not answer this last question. My eyes were riveted on the doorknob which was slowly, almost imperceptibly, turning. Cortinez continuedto breathe heavily in sleep outside. The intruder was evidently at greatpains not to awaken the guard. A fraction of an inch at a time the dooropened. A wild-haired, wild-eyed head inserted itself cautiously throughthe crack. The girl's eyes widened in surprise and, I imagine, a littlein fear. I began to laugh, silently, so as not to disturb Cortinez.Mirth overcame me; the tears ran down my cheeks.
"It's so darn complete!" I gasped, answering the girl's horrified lookof inquiry. "Miss Emory, allow me to present Mr. Artie Brower!"
The Killer Page 11
