CHAPTER XL.
THE STORY OF HARVEY JAMES.
It is late in the afternoon when I awake, for Mrs. Harris has beenbetter than her word.
Jim is already up, and conversing with Mr. Harris on the all-absorbingtopic, of course.
After a bountiful and well-cooked dinner has received our attention, Jimand I go together to the cottage.
Here we are put upon the witness stand by "our old woman," who takesample vengeance for having been kept so long in the dark concerning mybusiness in Trafton.
After he has berated us to his entire satisfaction, and after Bethel,who, having heard a little, insists upon hearing more, has beengratified by an account of the capture, given for the most part by JimLong, we go southward again and come to a halt in Jim's cottage. Here weseat ourselves, and, at last, I hear the story of Jim Long, or the manwho has, for years, borne that name.
* * * * *
"My name is Harvey James," he begins, slowly. "My father was a farmer,and I was born upon a farm, and lived there until I became of age.
"Except two years passed at a college not far from my home, I had neverbeen a week away from my father's farm. But after my twenty-firstbirthday, I paid a visit to the city.
"It was short and uneventful, but it unsettled me. I was never contentupon the home farm again.
"After my father died and the property came into my possession, Iresolved to be a farmer no longer, but to go and increase my fortune inthe city.
"My farm was large and valuable, and there was considerable money in thebank. My mother clung to the farm; so, as the house was a large one, Ireserved for her use, and mine when I should choose to come home, a fewof the pleasantest rooms, and put a tenant into the remainder of thehouse.
"I was engaged to be married to a dear girl, the daughter of our nearestneighbor. She was pretty and ambitious. She heartily approved of my newdeparture, but when I urged our immediate marriage, she put the matteroff, saying that she preferred to wait a year, as by that time I shouldbe a city gentleman; and until I should have become established inbusiness, I would have no time to devote to a rustic wife. If she hadmarried me then, my fate might have been different, God knows! But Iwent to the city alone, and before the year had elapsed I was in aprison cell!
"I took with me a considerable sum of money, and I commenced to enjoycity life. I began with the theaters and billiards, and went on down thegrade. Before I had been in town a mouth I became acquainted withBrooks, the name then used by 'Squire Brookhouse. He professed to be alawyer, and this profession, together with his superior age, won myconfidence, as, perhaps, a younger man could not have done. After a timehe made me acquainted with Joe Blaikie and Jake Lowenstein, bothbrokers, so he said.
"I was an easy victim; I soon began to consult the 'brokers' as to thebest investment for a small capital.
"Of course they were ready to help me. I think I need not enter intodetails; you know how such scoundrels work. We soon became almostinseparable, and I thought myself in excellent company, and wroteglowing letters to my mother and sweetheart, telling them of my fine newfriends and the promising prospect for a splendid investment, which wasto double my money speedily, and laying great stress upon the fact thatmy prospective good fortune would be mainly brought about by my'friends,' the lawyer and the brokers, who 'knew the ropes.'
"At last the day came when I drew a considerable sum of money from myhome bankers, to invest in city stock. The 'brokers' strongly advised meto put in all I could command, even to the extent of mortgaging my farm,but this I would not do. I adhered to my stern old father's principle,'never borrow money to plant,' and I would not encumber my land; but Idrew every dollar of my ready capital for the venture.
"I had established myself in comfortable rooms at a hotel, which,by-the-by, was recommended me by Brooks, as a place much frequented by'solid men.' And soon the three blacklegs began dropping in upon meevenings, sometimes together, sometimes separately. We would then amuseourselves with 'harmless' games of cards. After a little we began to betchips and coppers, to make the game more interesting.
"They worked me with great delicacy. No doubt they could have snared mejust as easily with half the trouble they took. I was fond of cards, andit was not difficult to draw me into gambling. I had learned to drinkwine, too, and more than once they had left me half intoxicated afterone of our 'pleasant social games,' and had laughingly assured me, when,after sobering up, I ventured a clumsy apology, that 'it was not worthmentioning; such things would sometimes happen to gentlemen.'
"On the night of my downfall I had all my money about my person,intending to make use of it early on the following morning. I expectedthe three to make an evening in my room, but at about eight o'clockLowenstein came in alone and looking anxious.
"He said that he had just received a telegram from a client who hadentrusted him with the sale of a large block of buildings, and he mustgo to see him that evening. It was a long distance, and he would be outlate. He had about him a quantity of gold, paid in to him after bankinghours, and he did not like to take it with him. He wanted to leave it inmy keeping, as he knew that I intended passing the evening in my rooms,and as he was not afraid to trust me with so large a sum.
"I took the bait, and the money, three rouleaux of gold; and then, afterI had listened to his regrets at his inability to make one at our socialgame that evening, I bowed him out and locked the door.
"As I opened my trunk and secreted the money in the very bottom,underneath a pile of clothing and books, I was swelling with gratifiedvanity, blind fool that I was, at the thought of the trust imparted tome. Did it not signify the high value placed upon my shrewdness andintegrity by this discriminating man of business?
"Presently Brooks and Blaikie came, and we sat down to cards and wine.Blaikie had brought with him some bottles of a choice brand, and it hadan unusual effect upon me.
"My recollections of that evening are very indistinct. I won some goldpieces from Brooks, and jingled them triumphantly in my pockets, whileBlaikie refilled my glass. After that my remembrance is blurred and thenblank.
"I do not think that I drank as much wine as usual, for when I awoke itwas not from the sleep of intoxication. I was languid, and my headached, but my brain was not clouded. My memory served me well. Iremembered, first of all, my new business enterprise, and then recalledthe events of the previous evening, up to the time of my drinking asecond glass of wine.
"I was lying upon my bed, dressed, as I had been when I sat down to playcards with Brooks and Blaikie. I strove to remember how I came there onthe bed, but could not; then I got up and looked about the room.
"Our card table stood there with the cards scattered over it. On thefloor was an empty wine-bottle--where was the other, for Blaikie hadbrought two? On a side table sat _two_ wine-glasses, each containing afew drops of wine, and a third which was _clean_, as if it had beenunused.
"Two chairs stood near the table, as if lately occupied by players.
"What did it mean?
"I stepped to the door and found that it had not been locked. Then Ithought of my money. It was gone, of course. But I still had in mypockets the loose gold won at our first game, and the three rouleauxleft by Lowenstein were still in my trunk. I had also won from Brookstwo or three bank notes, and these also I had.
"You can easily guess the rest. The three sharpers had planned tosecure my money, and had succeeded; and to protect themselves, and getme comfortably out of the way, they had laid the trap into which I fell.
"Blaikie appeared at the police station, and entered his complaint. Hehad been invited to join in a social game of cards at my rooms. When hearrived there, Brooks was there, seemingly on business, but he hadremained but a short time. Then we had played cards, and Blaikie hadlost some bank-notes. Next he won, and I had paid him in gold pieces. Hehad then staked his diamond studs, as he had very little money abouthim. These I had won, and next had permitted him to win a few more goldpieces. Blaikie did not a
ccuse me of cheating, oh, no; but he had justfound that I had won his diamonds and his honest money, and had paid himin _counterfeit coin_.
"At that time, Blaikie had not become so prominent a rogue as he now is.His story was credited, and, while I was yet frantically searching formy lost money, the police swooped down upon me, and I was arrested forhaving circulated counterfeit money. The scattered cards, the twowine-glasses, the two chairs, all substantiated Blaikie's story.
"A search through my room brought to light Blaikie's diamonds, and someplates for engraving counterfeit ten dollar bills, hidden in the samereceptacle. In my trunk were the three rouleaux of freshly-coinedcounterfeit gold pieces, and in my pockets were some more loosecounterfeit coin, together with the bank-notes which Blaikie haddescribed to the Captain of police.
"It was a cunning plot, and it succeeded. I fought for my liberty asonly a desperate man will. I told my story. I accused Blaikie and hisassociates of having robbed me. I proved, by my bankers, that a largesum of money had actually come into my possession only the day before myarrest. But the web held me. Brooks corroborated Blaikie's statements;Lowenstein could not be found.
"I was tried, found guilty, and condemned for four years to State'sprison. A light sentence, the judge pronounced it, but those four yearsput streaks of gray in my hair and changed me wonderfully, physicallyand mentally.
"I had gone in a tall, straight young fellow, with beardless face andfresh color; I came out a grave man, with stooping shoulders, sallowskin, and hair streaked with gray.
"My mother had died during my imprisonment; my promised wife had marriedanother man. I sold my farm and went again to the city; this time with afixed purpose in my heart. I would find my enemies and revenge myself.
"I let my beard grow, I dropped all habits of correct speaking, I becamea slouching, shabbily-dressed loafer. I had no reason to fearrecognition,--the change in me was complete."
He paused, and seemed lost in gloomy meditations, then resumed:
"It was more than three months before I struck the trail of the gang,and then one day I saw Brooks on the street, followed him, and trackedhim to Trafton. He had just purchased the 'Brookhouse farm' and Ilearned for the first time that he had a wife and family. I found thatLowenstein, too, had settled in Trafton, having been arrested, andescaped during my long imprisonment; and I decided to remain also. I hadlearned, during my farm life, something about farriery, and introducedmyself as a traveling horse doctor, with a fancy for 'settling' in agood location. And so I became the Jim Long you have known.
"I knew that the presence of ''Squire Brookhouse' and 'Captain Manvers,late of the navy,' boded no good to Trafton; I knew, too, thatLowenstein was an escaped convict, and I might have given him up atonce; but that would have betrayed my identity, and Brooks might thenescape me. So I waited, but not long.
"One day 'Captain Manvers,' in his seaman's make-up, actually venturedto visit the city. He had so changed his appearance that, but for myinterference, he might have been safe enough. But my time had come. Isent a telegram to the chief of police, telling him that Jake Lowensteinwas coming to the city, describing his make-up, and giving the time andtrain. I walked to the next station to send the message, waited to haveit verified, and walked back content.
"When Jake Lowenstein arrived in the city, he was followed, and inattempting to resist the officers, he was killed.
"Since that time, I have tried, and tried vainly, to unravel the mysterysurrounding these robberies. Of course, I knew Brooks and his gang to bethe guilty parties, but I was only one man. I could not be everywhere atonce, and I could never gather sufficient evidence to insure theirconviction, because, like all the rest of Trafton, I never thought offinding the stolen horses in the very midst of the town. I assisted inorganizing the vigilants, but we all watched the roads leading out fromthe town, and were astounded at our constant failures.
"And now you know why I hailed your advent in Trafton. For four years Ihave hoped for the coming of a detective. I would have employed one onmy own account, but I shrank from betraying my identity, as I must do inorder to secure confidence. In every stranger who came to Trafton I havehoped to find a detective. At first I thought Bethel to be one, and Iwas not slow in making his acquaintance. I watched him, I weighed hiswords, and, finally, gave him up.
"When you came I made your acquaintance, as I did that of everystranger who tarried long in Trafton. You were discreetness itself, andthe man you called Barney was a capital actor, and a rare good fellowtoo. But I studied you as no other man did. When I answered yourcareless questions I calculated your possible meaning. Do you remember aconversation of ours when I gave my opinion of Dr. Bethel, and the'average Traftonite'?"
"Yes; and also told us about Miss Manvers and the treasure-ship. Thosebits of gossip gave us some pointers."
"I meant that they should. And now you know why I preferred to hang onthe heels of Joe Blaikie rather than go with the vigilants."
"I understand. Has Blaikie been a member of the gang from the first?"
"I think not. Of course when I heard that Brooks intended to employ adetective, I was on the alert. And when Joe Blaikie and that otherfellow, who was a stranger to me, came and established themselves at theTrafton House, I understood the game. They were to personate detectives.Brooks was too cunning to make their pretended occupations tooconspicuous; but he confided the secret to a few good citizens who mighthave grown uneasy, and asked troublesome questions, if they had not beenthus confided in. I think that Blaikie and Brooks went their separateways, when the latter became a country gentleman. Blaikie is toocowardly a cur ever to succeed as a horse-thief, and Brooks was the manto recognize that fact. I think Blaikie was simply a tool for thisemergency."
"Very probable. When you told my landlord that Blaikie was a detective,did you expect the news to reach me through him?"
"I did," with a quizzical glance at me; "and it reached you, I take it."
"Yes; it reached me. And now, Long--it seems most natural to call youso--I will make no comments upon your story now. I think you are assuredof my friendship and sympathy. I can act better than I can talk. But besure of one thing, from henceforth you stand clear of all chargesagainst you. The man who shot Dr. Bethel is now in limbo, and he willconfess the whole plot on the witness stand; and, as for the oldtrouble, Joe Blaikie shall tell the truth concerning that."
He lifts his head and looks at me steadfastly for a moment.
"When that is accomplished," he says, earnestly, "I shall feel myselfonce more a man among men."
Out of a Labyrinth Page 40
