Part 42 (1/2)
Steell, staggered at this unexpected revelation, almost stumbled in his eagerness to hear more. Turning to his companion, he exclaimed in a horror-stricken whisper:
”My G.o.d! Did you hear that? It's even worse than I feared. They've done away with Kenneth. That man at the house is an impostor!”
”An impostor?” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed d.i.c.k. ”Impossible. Don't we all know Kenneth when we see him?”
”Nothing's impossible!” rejoined the lawyer hurriedly. ”Kenneth had a twin brother--the resemblance was so extraordinary as children that no one knew them apart. The brother disappeared years ago. They thought him dead. Kenneth must have come across him in South Africa. This brother killed him and took his place. It's all clear to me now.
We're in a den of a.s.sa.s.sins!”
Inside the conversation began again.
”Hus.h.!.+ Listen!” whispered Steell.
The voice of Keralio was once more raised in angry tones.
”Didn't I tell you that I wanted the child brought here at once?”
”_Oui_, monsieur, but I could not. I had ze rest of ze money to get rid of and ze suitcase to carry. I will bring her in a taxi to-morrow.”
”Where is she?”
”Safe in the care of the woman who runs my boarding house.”
”When did you bring her from Philadelphia?”
”Yesterday afternoon.”
”Did you have any trouble?”
”_Non_, monsieur. I didn't even have to go to ze house, although I had a plausible story all ready. I was going to say that Mrs. Traynor had sent me to fetch Miss Dorothy because her mother wanted her home for ze coming marriage of Miss Ray. But it wasn't necessary to lie about it.
I found ze child playing in ze street near the house. I merely told her her mamma wanted her to come home, gave her some candy, and she followed me willingly enough.”
”By this time the alarm has been given.”
”_Sans doute_, monsieur. They probably telegraphed Mrs. Traynor last night that ze child was missing----”
The voices again stopped. Steell, his face white, and fists clenched, turned to his companion:
”Good Heavens, d.i.c.k, did you hear that? They've kidnapped Mrs.
Traynor's little girl--no doubt, with the idea of demanding ransom.
Thank G.o.d, we're in time to frustrate that crime----”
”Hus.h.!.+” exclaimed his companion. ”Listen!”
Keralio proceeded:
”Now you understand what you are to do. You bring the child here to-morrow morning. Meantime, I have already written in a disguised hand to Mrs. Traynor telling her that her child is safe--for the present, and that if she wants to see her she must come here to-morrow afternoon. I warned her that if she communicated with the police or informed any of her friends, the child would be put to death before it would be possible to effect a rescue. That ought to bring her here----”