CHAPTER VI.THE BLACKMAILER.
After dinner music and merriment resounded through the many rooms of Meadwold. The guests were free to go wherever they chose, and all seemed to feel perfectly at home. A little group had gathered around a girl who was seated at the piano, and Jack Randall led in the familiar songs of old Harvard, being joined by both boys and girls in the choruses.
One of the servants found Casper Steele and spoke a low word to him. Steele left the room, and was absent a few minutes. Returning, he sought for Sparkfair, whom he found chatting in his airiest manner with Agnes Locke, who was holding her own with him in the way of persiflage.
Begging the girl’s pardon, Casper drew Spark aside.
“There’s a friend of yours in the next room, Sparkfair,” he said. “He’s just arrived, and seems very anxious to see you.”
“That’s natural,” said Dale. “My friends can’t bear to be separated from me. It breaks their hearts. Did he send in his autograph?”
“He told me to tell you that he was a classmate from Cambridge.”
“I will flee to him on the wings of the morning—no, I mean the wings of the evening. It’s too late for this morning, and too early for to-morrow morning. But say, old man, don’t let any giddy youth get away with my find, Miss Locke. We’ve been flinging bon mots and chunks of scintillating conversation at each other, and at the present time she has me pretty nearly backed off the map. After holding converse with my friend from Cambridge I’m going out into thecool night air and think up a few neat ones to spring on Miss Locke.”
Spark danced into the adjoining room, but stopped as if shot when his eyes fell on the new arrival. This was a fellow about Dale’s age, with restless black eyes, an unnaturally pale face, and startlingly red lips. He was dressed in a spring suit of the latest cut and most popular style. He wore a bright red necktie.
“Hanks!” breathed Spark, in astonishment.
“That’s me,” nodded the other.
For a single moment Sparkfair had seemed staggered. He recovered quickly, and assumed his usual air of nonchalance.
“Aren’t you lost, strayed, or stolen, Hanksy?” he inquired.
“Oh, I guess not,” was the answer, with a touch of insolence in both manner and tone; “but I was afraid you might become lost if I didn’t take pains to look you up.”
“It was distressingly kind of you, Hanksy.”
“Cut out the Hanksy. You can’t afford to be too flip with me just now.”
“I can’t afford much of anything since the squeezing you gave me,” confessed Spark. “My dear fellow, you’re certainly destined to become a millionaire, or a stone breaker in an institution for people who are too eager to acquire sudden wealth.”
“None of that,” advised Hanks. “It doesn’t sound well from a chap who was caught in a piece of gumshoe work that would have done credit to a second-story man. You can’t throw any stones, Mr. Dale Sparkfair. If you do, you’re liable to get a few of your own windows broken. I don’t wonder that you ducked out of Cambridge in a hurry, but you made a mistake in thinking you could get away without settling with yours truly, Jimmy Hanks.”
“Didn’t you see Hunnewell after I left?”
Hanks permitted his red lips to curve contemptuously.
“I’m not making any settlement through a third party. I propose to do business with you direct, my boy. Hunnewell chased me round, but I declined to enter into dealings with him. I found out where you had gone, and decided to take a little vacation myself, and look you up. I am here. Now, take my advice and be good. Unless you do, your goose is cooked at Harvard.”
“Why don’t you find an elevated platform somewhere and tell people about it?” chirped Dale. “Hadn’t you better hire a hall?”
“If you don’t want your friends here to hear any of our conversation, you might step outside with me.”
“I’d like to step outside. I’d like to see you in some quiet, secluded spot where I could put a few dents in your face, Hanks!”
“If you want to try that on, you have my permission, but you know what will follow. I have the proofs, Sparkfair—I have witnesses. You were caught with the goods. I’m not choosing this as the proper place to discuss the matter. If you wish to maintain secrecy, there’s a fine veranda and a broad lawn outdoors.”
“This is no time to talk of such things,” protested Dale, doing his best to hide the annoyance and exasperation which threatened to get the upper hand. “If you wish to see me to-morrow——”
“But I don’t. To-morrow I return to Cambridge. We’ll come to an understanding to-night. If not, you’ll be a fool if you ever again show your head at Harvard.”
“As long as you’re so urgent,” smiled Spark, “I suppose I’ll have to give you a modicum of my valuabletime. Toddle along, Hanksy, and I will follow your lead.”
A couple who happened to be standing on the veranda saw them come out of the house and stroll away on the lawn, chatting freely in a way that was deceptive in its seeming friendliness. It happened, also, that Jack Randall had seen them leave the house, and had recognized the fellow with Sparkfair.
“What the dickens does that mean?” muttered Randall. “That was Hanks. Where did he come from, and what is he doing here?”
Jack was tempted to follow them, but finally decided not to do so. Some twenty minutes later Sparkfair reappeared in the house and sought Jack, whom he drew apart from the others.
“Randall, old man,” said Dale, “I’d like to borrow a little filthy lucre. Have you some molding simoleons in your clothes?”
“What do you want of money?”
“Now, that’s not nice, you know. If a friend asks you for a loan you should submit gracefully and without question to the holdup. I’m sure to pay you if I ever raise the dough. If I don’t, you may rest assured that you have performed a worthy action in contributing to the peace of mind of a distressed comrade.”
“You can’t spend any money here, Spark. How do you expect to get rid of it?”
“I’m going to plug up a rat hole with it. I’ve got to plug that hole, or the rat will eat my cheese. Now, don’t—don’t distress me by further inquiry. Don’t you observe the beads of cold and clammy perspiration upon my noble brow? Can’t you detect the haunting terror in my eye with fine frenzy rolling?”
“I know what you want with the money.”
“Tell me not in mournful numbers that this can be true.”
“I saw Jim Hanks.”
“You’re on.”
“Yes, I’m on. Where is he?”
“Lingering near, like the vulture awaiting the feast.”
“He’s under this roof?”
“I expect the shingles of Meadwold shelter him at this moment.”
“The dishonest crook, he ought to be kicked out! I’ll see that he is kicked out at once.”
But Dale grasped Randall’s arm.
“Be not too hasty in your violent resentment against this pernicious person,” implored Spark. “You can’t kick him to-night, Randy, without hitting me. He has me nailed to the wall, and it’s useless to squirm.”
“Are you going to let that blackmailer squeeze money out of you?” indignantly demanded Randall. “I wouldn’t do it.”
“If I refuse, he’ll proclaim to the world my iniquities. I can’t stand for that to-night, Jack. I’ve got to choke him off, and there’s only one way to do it. For goodness’ sake, let me have a paltry one hundred dollars.”
“So he demands a hundred, does he? He’s modest!”
“Modesty is no name for it,” grinned Dale, still endeavoring to be cheerful.
“And this is only the beginning, Sparkfair. If you give in to him now, he’ll suck you dry. You’ll have to pay hush money to that fellow whenever he demands it. You’ll become his slave.”
“Unless I find some way to trip him. All I want is a little time, Randall, and I’ll find a way. In order to get time, I’ve got to hoist the white flag at present. You know where I’d stand if this fellow should tell afew things in the presence of the assembled merrymakers. I can get rid of him at once by forking over the sum he demands. If you don’t help me out, I shall have to give Merriwell the touch, and perhaps he hasn’t that amount in his jeans.”
“It certainly galls me to see you stand for blackmail, Sparkfair.”
“It can’t gall you any worse than it does me, but when a fellow’s guilty he has to cough if the blackmailer puts on the screws. Let’s not procrastinate. I want to hasten Hanks forth into the coolness of the outer air. The knowledge that he is beneath this roof hangs over me like a fog.”
“Do you think he’ll go if he gets the money?”
“He says he will.”
“I wouldn’t do this for any one else, Sparkfair. I haven’t the money in my pocket, but I’ll get it for you.”
“Thanks, a thousand thanks,” said Dale. “I’m so deeply moved that I fear I may fall on your bosom and weep. I won’t forget it, Randall. On my word, I won’t. I’m going to get a twist on Hanks if I live, and I’ll find a way to squirm out of his grip. While I’m planning such a coup I’ll have to soothe him with the long green. I’ll tell him he shall have it directly, but don’t be too long in providing the needful, old man.”
“Don’t worry. If he thinks he’s going to get a hundred, he’ll keep his face closed.”
Randall turned away, while Dale once more sought Hanks.