Part 40 (1/2)
An hour later Sam Harris was closeted with Detective Simms, in his office.
”I believe the fellow who escaped from the cabin last night,” said Sam, ”was Jack Sh.o.r.e's partner Philip Rutley, otherwise known as 'Lord Beauchamp'.”
”Why do you suspect the lord to be Philip Rutley?” inquired the detective.
”Because they were partners in business, and inseparable chums socially,” replied Sam. ”And where one was to be found, the other was not far away.”
”You say he got ten thousand dollars from the bank on your uncle's indors.e.m.e.nt?” inquired the detective.
”Yes,” replied Sam, ”and tomorrow afternoon he is to be uncle's guest at Rosemont.”
”Well, tonight my lord will attempt to leave the city, but he will find it impracticable,” remarked the detective, dryly. ”I desire you to keep strictly mum on this matter for twenty-four hours, and I promise you positive identification of his lords.h.i.+p.”
Later, Detective Simms, smoking a cigar, sauntered carelessly into the ”sweatbox,” where Jack Sh.o.r.e was still confined, and dumb as a stone statue on the question of kidnapping.
After silently looking at Jack for a time, he said with a smile: ”If you had been shrewd you would not be here. You were sold.”
”Then I am either a knave or a fool?” interrogated Jack, carelessly.
”To be frank,” laughed Simms, ”you are both. A knave for trusting Rutley, and a fool for doing his dirty work. I suppose you will think it is a lie when I say he 'tipped' us to the cabin for the ten thousand dollars reward offered by Mr. Thorpe for recovery of the child, and a promise of immunity from imprisonment.”
”Who is Rutley?” nonchalantly asked Jack.
”Why, your partner; that fellow who has been masquerading as a lord.”
”Lord who?”
”Come, now,” Simms laughed. ”Why, me Lord Beauchamp! Surprised, eh?”
and again Simms laughed and looked at Jack questioningly. ”Well,” he continued at length, ”you must be a cheap guy to believe that fellow true to you. See here, he gave the whole thing away. Don't believe it, eh? Well, I'll prove it. We knew the time Miss Thorpe was to be at the cabin. We knew the dog was on watch and removed it. We knew the exact time Rutley was to be with you, and arranged for him to get away without your suspicion. Why, our man was waiting with a boat as soon as he got out of the cabin.”
”Did he get away?” It was the first question that Jack had asked, though non-committal, in which Simms detected a faint anxiety. Simms was the very embodiment of coolness and indifference. ”Not from us, no; but he is out on bail.”
That a.s.sertion was a masterstroke of ingenuity, and he followed it up with the same indifference. ”Would you like to know who his sureties are?”
Jack maintained a gloomy silence.
”Just to convince you that I am not joking, I will show you the doc.u.ment.” And Simms turned lazily on his heel and left him. Returning a few moments later with a doc.u.ment, he held it for Jack to look at.
”Do you note the amount? And the signatures?--James Harris, John Thorpe. You must be familiar with them,” and the detective smiled as he thought of the trick he was employing to fool the prisoner, for he had himself written the signatures for the purpose.
”Jack's breathing was heavier and his face somewhat whiter, yet by a superhuman effort he still maintained a gloomy frown of apparent indifference.
”The reward was paid to him this morning,” continued the detective, between his puffs of smoke.
”How much?” asked Jack, unconcerned.
”Ten thousand dollars!”