Part 13 (2/2)
You have no idea how I have been watched, the last year, by agents of Terrero Dalton, though an Aovernor of Vahia _I_ kne thoroughly I was being watched, and I, in turn, have had others watching Anson Dalton as effectively as it could be done in a free country like the United States
”Well, tostory short, when I had all else in readiness I decided upon Bert Clodis as the one man I could fully trust to deliver the two sets of papers to the members of the syndicate at Rio Janeiro I believed, too, at the tih I could not be sure, that my relations with Bert Clodis were unknown to Anson Dalton
”Yet, not for a hly to that belief I had Dalton watched If he engaged passage aboard the 'Constant,' my suspicions would be at once aroused We no that he secured passage, by htest doubt Dalton, that infernal spy, had succeeded in discovering that I was sending Clodis with the papers Yet Dalton, or Hilton, as he chose to call hio aboard the 'Constant'
openly at New York I can only guess that he boarded fro that took off the pilot when the liner had reached open sea
”I had i the two sets of papers apart, and had advised hiht not be safe to deposit either in the purser's safe, froh the lary
”So the probability is that Bert Clodis had one set of papers concealed on his person The other set of papers--the one I now have safe--he see that no one seeking to rob hih to leave valuable papers in a trunk that could be rather easily entered in the hold of a liner
”As I have already told you, I had the shi+p watched at New York, and received a , which toldDalton's description had boarded the 'Constant' at her pier
”As the liner entered this latitude Bert Clodis was to send off a wireless h to adviseto Dalton's description had appeared aers or crew of the 'Constant' This news I awaited at the wireless station at Beaufort, and you can iine my anxiety”
”That hy, then,” broke in Joe, suddenly, ”when I received that e about the injury to Mr Clodis, you were able to break in so quickly?”
”Yes,” nodded Mr Seaton ”I aiting, and was on tenterhooks I would have joined you, and would have gone out in haste to receive Bert Clodisliner would get past us, and Bert Clodis must most likely die on the way to Brazil”
”Why weren't you out here, sir, at this bungalohere you could have received the one out with us on the 'Restless'?” inquired Toe narration
”I was at Beaufort,” responded Mr Seaton, ”because I felt it very necessary to be where I could use a private wire to New York that I had reserved I was, at that ti for word from New York of any possible discovery that could bethe movements of the infamous Dalton, whom I did not then know, or believe, to be on board the 'Constant'”
There was silence for a few htfully:
”We no that Bert Clodis did _not_ deposit any papers with the purser of the shi+p One set of the papers, therefore,Dalton, after assaulting Bert Clodis, or having it done, must have rifled his pockets and found one set He even had tih the Clodis's trunk go aboard the 'Restless'
with the injured ht be in the trunk That hy Dalton decided to leave the 'Constant'
But your flat refusal to let hie had been taken, foiled the fellow at that point Then, fearing that he would run into ht even resort to violence, Dalton hailed that schooner, the 'Black Betty,' and made his momentary escape”
”No doubt,” interposed Halstead, ”Dalton has had plenty of chance to put _his_ set of the stolen papers in safe hiding But isn't it barely likely that he had already engaged Captain Dave Le about in these waters with that little black schooner?”
”Wholly likely,” nodded Mr Seaton, thoughtfully ”However, boys, I have trusted you with asyou all this I would rather lose my life than see ame As the matter now stands, Dalton has won the first step, but he hasn't enough knowledge to enable his employer, Terrero, to locatepapers, and the other set, which I have here secure, I must also send to Rio Janeiro by soer, should Clodis, poor fellow, die, or prove unfit to make another attempt”
”And do you think, sir, that there's only one honest man on earth?”
asked Tom Halstead, in considerable surprise
”There are several men that I _believe_ to be honest,” returned the owner of the bungalow, ”yet only one that I know to be _honest_, and who possesses at the sa you about”
”Then it won't really do Dalton any good to start for Brazil unless he can get hold of the contents of the other set of papers?” Halstead asked, after a pause of a few et his clutches on the papers that I have secretly locked in that closet over there,” confirmed Mr Seaton ”And I have told none but you trustworthy youngsters that the other set _is_ hidden in such an easy place to get at”
Then, as though struck by a thought, Powell Seaton crossed the rooht key to the door, and swung the latter open An instant more, and there cahtened howl of a wild beast
”The second set of papers is gone--stolen froasp of consternation from the three Motor Boat Club boys as they rushed forward But they had no need to search Seaton had done that thoroughly, and now he turned to eye theht ca itself in his eyes The boys could see hiainst his o suspicion