Part 31 (2/2)
”Why--why, no! That is, Colonel Huff----”
”Have you the stock in your possession?” demanded the Colonel peremptorily. ”Yes or no, now; and no 'buts' about it!”
”Why, yes; I have,” admitted Blount in a scared voice, ”but I came by it according to law!”
”You did not, sir!” retorted the Colonel, ”because it was all in my name and my wife had no authority to transfer it. Do you deny the fact? Well, then give me back my stock or I shall hold you, sir, personally responsible!”
Blount started back, for he knew the import of those dread words, and then he heaved a great sigh.
”Very well,” he said, ”but I loaned her eight hundred dollars----”
”Wiley!” called the Colonel, beckoning him quickly from the crowd. ”Give me the loan of eight hundred dollars.”
And at that Blount opened up his eyes.
”Oho!” he said, ”so Wiley is with you? Well, just a moment, Mr. Huff.”
He turned to a man who stood beside him. ”Arrest that man!” he said. ”He killed my watchman, George Norcross.”
”Not so fast!” rapped out the Colonel, fixing the officer with steely eyes. ”Mr. Holman is under my protection. Ah, thank you, Wiley--here is your money, Mr. Blount, with fifty dollars more for interest. And now I will thank you for that stock.”
”Do you set yourself up,” demanded Blount with sudden bl.u.s.ter, ”as being above the law?”
”No, sir, I do not,” replied the Colonel tartly. ”But before we go any further I must ask you to restore my stock. Your order is sufficient, if the certificates are elsewhere----”
”Well--all right!” sighed Blount, and wrote out an order which Colonel Huff gravely accepted. ”And now,” went on Blount, ”I demand that you step aside and allow Wiley Holman to be taken.”
The Colonel's eyes narrowed, and he motioned the officer aside as he laid his own hand on Wiley's shoulder.
”Every citizen of the state,” he said with dignity, ”has the authority to arrest a fugitive--and Mr. Holman is my prisoner. Is that satisfactory to you, Mr. Officer?”
”Why--why, yes,” stammered the Constable and as the Colonel smiled Blount forgot his studied repose. He had been deprived in one minute of a block of stock that was worth a round million dollars and the sting of his great loss maddened him.
”You may smile, sir,” he burst out, ”but as sure as there's a law I'll put Wiley Holman in the Pen. And if you knew the truth, if you knew what he has done; I wonder, now, if you would go to such lengths? You might ask your wife how she has fared in your absence--or ask Virginia there!
Didn't he send her as his messenger, to make a fake payment that would have deprived her and her mother of their rights? If it hadn't been for me your two hundred thousand shares wouldn't be worth two hundred cents.
I ask Virginia now--didn't he send you to my bank----”
”What?” demanded the Colonel, suddenly whirling upon his daughter, but Virginia avoided his eyes.
”Yes,” she said, ”he did send me down--and I betrayed my trust. But it's just because of that that we'll stand by him now----”
”Virginia!” said the Colonel, speaking with painful distinctness. ”Do I understand that you were--that woman? And did Mr. Blount here, by any means whatever, persuade you to violate your trust?”
”Yes, he did!” cried out Virginia, ”but it was all my fault and I don't want Mr. Blount blamed for it. I did it out of meanness, but I was sorry for it afterwards and--oh, I wonder if I've got any mail.” She broke away and dashed into the house and the Colonel brushed back his hair.
”A Huff!” he murmured. ”My G.o.d, what a blow! And Wiley, how can we ever repay you?”
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