Part 33 (1/2)
”Heavens! but you look like your sister!”
”Like Claire! they all say so; you know her?”
”It is at her request I am here; you need not fear to tell me your story.”
”Oh, I do not. I can see your uniform. But d.a.m.n it, I don't know any too much about what is up myself. This is Red f.a.gin's outfit.”
”I thought so. Where did he get you? How long have you been a prisoner?”
The boy laughed recklessly, his eyes upon the others.
”Well, my story is a short one, Lawrence. I had a fellow in the British service who occasionally gave me information. Word came to me to meet him at a certain spot--”
”You mean Captain Grant?”
”h.e.l.l! How did you know that?”
”Never mind; I do know--so you can go on.”
He hesitated, as though suspicious of me, yet finally resumed.
”I had no intention of speaking names.”
”Oh, let that pa.s.s. You may think Grant all right, but the rest of us know he is at the bottom of the whole matter.”
”You mean he betrayed me?”
”There is no doubt of it. He is in with f.a.gin.”
The lad drew a long breath.
”I half suspected it,” he said slowly, ”only it didn't seem possible. Now listen, and perhaps together we can make something out of all this. I went to the place where we were to meet, and had a talk with Grant--yes, it was Grant all right. He told me some things, but needed a day or two to get other information. While waiting I came over here to Elmhurst, and found Claire. She's the kind of a girl you can tell things to, and I wrote out what I had learned, and left some of my papers. Then I went back to Lone Tree. It was dark when I got there, and I rode right into f.a.gin and three of his men. They had me before I could lift a hand.”
”Just wait a minute, Mortimer,” I broke in, becoming suddenly aware there was a grayness in the eastern sky. ”I want to creep in toward the house while it remains dark. You can tell the rest as we go along. Tom, take these ropes and tie your man up. Make him safe, and then come along after us.”
”All right, sir. I'll fix the lad so he'll be safe enough for a while.”
CHAPTER x.x.xII
WE ATTAIN THE HOUSE
”Come on, Mortimer, and we'll soon find out what is going on.” I turned to the prisoner. ”Where are the rest of your gang?”
”You'll find out fer yerself, Mister,” he answered sullenly, ”an' maybe d.a.m.n quick too.”
”They are in the grape arbor to the south of the house,” broke in Eric.
”That was where f.a.gin told them to lie quiet and wait orders.”
”Then we will explore along the north side, keeping the fence between us.