Part 21 (1/2)
From the depths of the carriage a native's voice replied:
”Probably you're the party I'm looking for. If you're Mr. Garth from New York, step in.”
Garth obeyed, and they drove off along a road for the most part flanked by thick woods.
Without warning, through an open s.p.a.ce, Garth saw a flame spring upward, tearing the mist and splas.h.i.+ng the sky with wanton scarlet.
”What's that?” he asked sharply.
The glare diminished and died. The native clucked to his horse.
”Mr. Alden's furnaces,” he answered.
Garth stirred.
”I see. Iron. Steel. And now it works night and day?”
”On war orders,” the native answered. ”Now you wouldn't think we'd ever have got in the war, would you? There's a whole town--board shacks--to take care of the men--more'n fifteen hundred of them.”
Garth nodded thoughtfully. Here at the start was a condition that might make the presence of a detective comforting to his host.
As they penetrated deeper into the woods the driver exhibited an increasing desire to talk, and from time to time, Garth remarked, he glanced over his shoulder.
”None of my business,” the man said, ”but it's funny Mr. Alden's having company now.”
Garth smiled. He was certainly on the threshold of a case he had been asked to enter wholly unprepared.
”Maybe you'll tell me why,” he encouraged.
”Because,” the driver answered, ”although Mr. Alden stands to make a pile of money, he's paying for it in some ways. You didn't hear about his yacht?”
Garth shook his head.
”Maybe some of these rough workmen he's got up from the city, or maybe somebody wanted to pay him out. Took it out of his boat-house a few nights ago, started on a joy-ride, I suppose, and ran it on the rocks.”
”Much loss?” Garth asked.
”Total, except for the furnis.h.i.+ngs.”
”Are you one of Mr. Alden's servants?”
The driver's laugh was uncomfortable.
”That's what I meant about his having company. There aren't any servants except the old butler. A woman from the village goes to get breakfast and lunch for them, but she won't stay after dark.”
Garth grinned, recalling the inspector's comment about spooks.
”Why did the servants quit?”
The driver glanced over his shoulder again. He hurried his horse.
”Laughing's cheap,” he said, ”but you can judge for yourself how lonely it is, and Mr. Alden's right on the ocean--only house for two miles. You see he owns a big piece of this coast--woods right down to the water.