Part 23 (1/2)
”Are--are you sure? I had not been drinking intoxicants.”
”Brandy, I tell ye, Hopewell!” exclaimed the druggist exasperated. ”You keep away from the Inn. They're playing tricks on you down there, them fellers are. You ain't fit to run alone, anyway--and never was,” he added, too low for Hopewell to hear.
”And look out for that violin, Mr. Drugg, if you prize it at all,” added Frank Bowman.
”Why do you say that?” asked Hopewell puzzled.
”I believe there was a fellow down there trying to steal it,” the engineer said. ”He had got it away from you and was looking inside of it. Is the name of the maker inside the violin? Is it a valuable instrument, Mr. Drugg?”
”I--I don't know,” the other said slowly. ”Only for its a.s.sociations, I presume. It was my father's instrument and he played on it a great many years. I--I think,” said Hopewell diffidently, ”that it has a wonderfully mellow tone.”
”Well,” said Frank, ”that black-haired fellow had it. And he looks like a fellow that's not to be trusted. There's more than Joe Bodley around that hotel who will bear watching, I guess.”
”I will not go down to Lem Parraday's again,” sighed Hopewell. ”I--I felt that I should earn all the extra money possible. You see, my little girl may have to return to Boston for treatment.”
”It's a mean shame!” muttered the civil engineer.
”Oh! I hope you are wrong about Lottie,” Janice said quickly. ”The dear little thing! She seemed very bright to-night,” she added, with more cheerfulness in her tone than she really felt.
”Say, you don't want that violin stole, Hopewell,” said Mr. Ma.s.sey reflectively. ”Enough's been stole in Polktown to-day, I should say, to last us one spell.”
”Never mind,” put in Frank Bowman, scornfully, looking full at the druggist. ”You won't have to pay for Mr. Drugg's violin if it is stolen.”
”Hum! Don't I know that?” snarled Ma.s.sey. ”We committeemen have our hands full with that missin' collection. Wish't we'd never voted to have the coins brought over here. Them lectures are mighty foolish things, anyway. That is scored up against young Haley, too. He wanted the lecture to come here.”
”And you are foolish enough to accuse Nelson of stealing the coins,” said Bowman, in a low voice. ”I should think you'd have more sense.”
”Hey!” exclaimed the druggist. ”Who would _you_ accuse?”
”Not Haley, that's sure.”
”n.o.body but the committee, the janitor, and Haley knew anything about the coins,” the druggist said earnestly. ”They were delivered to me last night right here in the store by Mr. Hobart, the lecturer. He came through from Middletown a-purpose. He took the boat this morning for the Landing. Now, n.o.body else knew about the coins being in town----”
”Who was here with you, Mr. Ma.s.sey, when the coins were delivered to your keeping?” Janice Day interposed, for she had been listening.
”Warn't n.o.body here,” said Mr. Ma.s.sey promptly.
”You were alone in the store?”
”Yes, I was,” quite as positively.
”What did you do with the trays?”
”Locked 'em in my safe.”
”At once?” again asked Janice.
”Say! what you tryin' to get at, young lady?” snorted the druggist.
”Don't you s'pose I knew what I was about last night? I hadn't been down to Lem Parraday's.”