Part 41 (1/2)

This consisted of several sheets of legal paper, attached to which was an official seal which had been recently broken. This was the third time that Mr. Westcote had read it and when he was through he sat for a while in deep thought. He paid no attention to the click of the typewriters in the adjoining room, and so engrossed was he that he did not at first hear a tap upon the office door. When it was repeated, he started from his reverie and called to the visitor to enter, thinking that perhaps it was one of the clerks. It was not his habit to be caught off guard, for he prided himself upon his alertness and strict attention to every business detail.

The office door slowly opened, and instead of a clerk, there stood before him a man dressed in rough working clothes. He recognised him at once as one of the men employed at the falls, and whom he had met on several occasions. It was Mr. Westcote's kindness and courtesy which always won for him the hearty support of his employees. They knew that they would receive justice and consideration at his hands and that he did not look upon them with contempt and as inferior beings. Mr.

Westcote at once arose from his chair and held out his hand.

”Why, Dobbins,” he exclaimed, ”this is a surprise. I did not know you were in the city. How are things going on at the falls? Nothing wrong, I hope? Sit down, please,” and he motioned him to a chair.

”The work is going on all right, sir,” Dobbins replied, as he took the offered seat. ”But I have come to see you, sir, on very important business. It has troubled me so much that I have not been able to sleep ever since Randall was arrested.”

”Oh, I see, it has to do with that murder case, has it?” Mr. Westcote asked, now greatly interested.

”I wouldn't like to say that, sir,” and Dobbins twirled his hat in his hands. ”But it might throw some light upon the matter. You see, somebody killed old David. That's certain, isn't it?”

Mr. Westcote nodded his a.s.sent.

”Well, if you knew for sure that somebody had tried to but a short time before, it would make you rather suspicious of that somebody, wouldn't it?”

”I should say so!” Mr. Westcote exclaimed. ”But do you know of any one who made the attempt, Dobbins?”

”You can judge of that, sir, when you hear what I have to say. It was this way. The day of the big wind I was sent to the sh.o.r.e to get a piece of mill belting, which was to come from the city on the afternoon boat. I had almost reached the brow of logs on the edge of the clearing when I stopped to get a drink from that little spring by the side of the road. I sat down for a minute or two under the shade of a small thick fir tree to fill my pipe, when happening to glance to my left I saw a man running up the road. I at once saw it was that artist fellow, and curious to know what he was running for I moved back a little behind the fir so's he couldn't see me. He stopped right by the logs and peered down the bank. Then he looked cautiously around and, picking up a stick, he pried loose one of the logs lying on top, and which was almost ready to go anyway. As soon as he had done this, he dropped the stick and ran like a streak of lightning down the road, and that was the last I saw of him.”

”Well?” Mr. Westcote questioned as Dobbins paused and wiped the perspiration from his forehead with a big red handkerchief.

”This is the part, sir, which I am ashamed to tell,” the man continued.

”I heard the crash of that log down the bank and the splash in the water. Then there fell upon my ears a shriek of terror. I knew it was a woman's voice and I leaped from my hiding place and peeked down the bank. And there I saw old David and that girl Betty Bean standing there frightened almost out of their senses. Say, I wasn't long getting back under cover again, for I knew that if they saw me they would say for sure that I had rolled that log down the bank on purpose.

I didn't dare to go to the sh.o.r.e on the road so I cut up through the woods and came out another way. I didn't dare to say a word about it for fear I might get into trouble. But when young Randall, who is a chap we all think a lot of, was arrested for the murder of that old man I couldn't sleep a wink. If that artist fellow tried to kill old David once he would try again, and put the blame off on some one else. At last I could stand it no longer and so made up my mind to tell you all I know. You can judge now, sir, for yourself.”

Mr. Westcote was greatly excited at this story, though outwardly he remained very calm. Twice during the narration he had glanced at the ma.n.u.script lying upon the desk, and once he had reached out his hand as if to pick it up. For a few seconds he remained silent when the story was ended. Then he rose to his feet and reached out his hand.

”Dobbins,” he began, ”I wish to thank you for what you have told me to-day. You have done a good deed by thus unburdening your mind. Will you be willing to swear to what you have just told me?”

”Swear! Indeed I will. I'll swear on a dozen Bibles any time and anywhere.”

”That's good,” Mr. Westcote replied, as he bade him good-day. ”We shall need you before long, if I'm not much mistaken, so be ready.”

Dobbins had scarcely left the office when Lois and Margaret arrived.

”My, how the morning has gone!” Mr. Westcote remarked as he greeted Lois with a hearty shake of the hand. ”I suppose we had better get down to business at once, as no doubt you wish to go home this afternoon. I hope you will pardon my sending for you and giving you all this trouble.”

”I do not mind in the least,” Lois replied, ”for I am sure it has something to do with the murder, and I am so anxious to learn whether you have found out anything new.”

”Only something this morning, Miss Sinclair, which may be of considerable value. I trust that we may unearth more in a few days.”

”Oh, don't wait for a few days, Mr. Westcote,” Lois pleaded. ”You must act at once, this very afternoon, if the criminal is to be caught.”

”How can we, Miss Sinclair,” was the reply, ”when we are not sure who the real criminal is?”

”But I know, and I think you will agree with me when I tell you my story. Listen.”

Lois then related what she had heard from Andy Forbes and Betty Bean.