Part 8 (2/2)
When the man had gone Mr. Brindle turned to Hal, and, pointing to a hand-bag, said:
”All save that may remain in the sleeping saloon, but the bag you see contains notes, gold, and valuable securities. Now, I am going to give you a job. Your duties will commence from this moment, for I place you in charge of the bag, and will beg of you never to allow it out of your sight.”
”Then you may rely upon me to look after it, and wherever I go your bag shall come with me.”
Hal was as good as his word. Hour after hour the train hurried on.
Occasionally the cars would pull up at some wayside station to allow a change of locomotives, and then the pa.s.sengers would descend and take a short walk to stretch their legs and take the stiffness out of them. On such an occasion Hal strolled along the platform, leaving Mr. Brindle reading in the car. It was a sultry morning, and, feeling hot and fatigued, he sat down on a bench, being joined first by one pa.s.senger and then by a second, the former entering into conversation with him.
”Busy scene, sir,” he said with some foreign accent. ”Traveling alone, sir?” continued the stranger. ”I should say you're not. The gentleman with you is Senor--I mean, Mr. Brindle of Cuba?”
Hal felt annoyed at the catechism through which he was being put.
”Well,” he answered curtly, ”and what if he is?”
What reply the dark-bearded stranger was about to give was cut short by the sudden clanging of a bell, and by the cry from the conductor, ”All aboard!”
Starting from the seat, Hal ran some dozen paces, when he remembered the bag intrusted to him, and which he had placed by his side. To his consternation it was not where he had left it on the bench; a moment later, however, he noticed with a thrill of surprise that the stranger had it, and was hastening with it along the platform.
”Hi, there! Stop!” cried Hal, running after him. ”What do you mean by taking my bag?” he demanded indignantly, rus.h.i.+ng up to the man, and grasping the handle.
”Senor's bag! Pardon, but this is my friend's,” replied the dark, Spanish-looking stranger, feigning astonishment and some amount of anger.
”Your friend's! Nonsense! It's mine! Give it up!” Hal cried, and without more ado wrenched the bag away.
”Sir, how do you dare? Ah, but here is my friend himself. He will explain,” the stranger replied hotly. ”Then, senor, you shall answer.”
”What is this? What is the trouble?” the second man, a short, swarthy-looking fellow, asked, joining them at this moment. ”Come, the cars are about to start.”
”The trouble!” his friend replied. ”See; we hasten to board the train, and you forget your bag. I would rescue it for you when this fine gentleman wishes to prevent me.”
”But the bag is not mine; it belongs to him,” the second man replied blandly, indicating Hal with a wave of his hand.
At once the face of the first speaker changed. He smiled, showing an excellent set of teeth, and made a profuse apology.
”My dear senor, but you must pardon me,” he said. ”It was my error, and a grievous one indeed. A thousand pardons. Senor must have thought me a thief!”
Hal certainly did, but it was not quite wise to admit it, and as the cars were moving, he acknowledged by a curt nod the theatrical bow with which he was favored, and hurriedly exclaiming, ”I am glad the matter is settled,” turned on his heel and boarded the cars. But one thing struck his attention at the last moment and filled his mind with suspicion. In the hurry of replacing his hat the Spanish-looking stranger had displaced a coal-black beard, and disclosed for the fraction of a minute a clean-shaven chin. Next moment the beard was back in its place, and the two men had leaped on to the train.
”I don't like the look of those fellows,” thought Hal, as he took his place beside Mr. Brindle. ”It was a trick to steal the bag, and from what was said I feel sure that they know who we are, and what valuables I was in charge of. Do you happen to know either of those two men who were speaking to me on the platform?” he suddenly asked, leaning forward to address his companion.
”Do you mean those who joined the cars after you? No, I cannot say that I do; and yet something about the bearded one struck me as familiar.
What about them? They seemed to me to be holding a heated conversation with you.”
”They very nearly walked off with your bag,” Hal answered. Then he described the facts of the case.
”Yes, it looks nasty,” said Mr. Brindle at last. ”It appears to me that those two are scoundrels. Strange, but one certainly seems to have a familiar face. Pshaw! It cannot be! But we must be on our guard in future.”
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