Part 28 (1/2)
”I raced 'em, but I didn't beat 'em!”
”Couldn't you?”
”Couldn't I? Say, you know what the _Pickerel_ can do when she's pushed to it. I held back the throttle.”
Cora started. Her suspicions were unexpectedly confirmed.
”You can see them from over here,” whispered Belle, pulling Cora's sleeve. Cora moved to where an opening in the bushes afforded a glimpse of the strangers.
She saw three men, and one of them she knew in an instant to be the young chap who had raced with her. His boat, too, was on the beach. It was from her that the men had come.
”Well, you know how fast the _Chelton_ can go now, that's sure,” spoke a voice.
”Yes,” answered the young man, ”I know. We needn't fear her if it comes to a chase. That's what I wanted to make sure of.”
”Then all we have to do is to get the rest of the evidence, and the property is ours.”
”Yes. We can turn the widow and the daughter out, all right, if we get the necessary papers. Then we can go ahead and build the dam across the brook.”
”That's going to arouse a lot of opposition!” exclaimed the third member of the trio. ”It will spoil the park.”
”Well, we can't help it. We need the dam for power for our factory, and the people don't really need the park. We'll do it.”
”You mean we'll make Shane do it!” exclaimed the young man who had raced with Cora.
CHAPTER XX
THE NIGHT PLOT
The girls looked at one another with startled glances. Cora bent forward eagerly in order to better hear what else was said. She had no compunctions as to eavesdropping, feeling that it was justified under the circ.u.mstances.
”They must mean Denny Shane, the old fisherman,” whispered Bess.
”Hus.h.!.+” cautioned Cora. Not only did she want to listen, but she was fearful lest the men on the other side of the hedge discover the presence of herself and her chums.
”Yes,” resumed the speaker, ”we must make old Shane do it. Once we get him in the proper frame of mind he'll testify just as we want him to.
And we need some testimony to offset that of the widow and her girl.
Otherwise we'll never get the property without a long delay.”
”But how can we get Shane in the proper frame of mind to testify as we want him to?” asked another of the trio.
”Leave that to me,” answered the one who had been in the fast motor boat. And Cora started as she noted the difference in his tone now. It was hard and cruel, while, in speaking to her, his accents had been those of a cultured gentleman, used to polite society. There was a metallic ring to his voice now that boded no good to Denny Shane.
”Yes, I guess we'll leave it to you, Bruce,” said a voice, ”though maybe Kelly could put it over him with a bit of blarney. You know Shane is Irish.”
”Hus.h.!.+ No names, and not so loud!” cautioned the one who had been addressed as Bruce.
”Who'd be listening?” asked the other.