CHAPTER VIII.HUSH MONEY.
Two of the rooms of the old house had been converted into one, which was now the dance room of Meadwold. This was thrown open, and the alluring strains of the orchestra brought the young people flocking to the polished floor. Having left Mabel Ditson for a moment, Buckhart hastened to look for her at the first strains of the dreamy waltz, and was filled with consternation on discovering her just whirling onto the floor with Claxton. Some one touched Brad on the arm as he stood glowering after the lucky Virginian.
“Don’t give yourself away like that,” said the voice of Barbara Midhurst. “Why, you look ready to eat some one up.”
“I see a gent from Virginia that I feel it my solemn duty to assassinate,” growled the Westerner.
“Is Mabel Ditson the only girl here?”
“She is sure the only one for me,” admitted Brad.
“Haven’t you any finesse?”
“I don’t know. Down in Texas we don’t run to that a great deal.”
“I gave you credit for more artfulness, Brad. The first time you met Mabel you were on your guard, and you upset all her preconceived notions of you. Don’t spoil it all to-night. You can’t keep her to yourself every minute of the time.”
“I notice my pard is hanging onto June Arlington right solid. There they are waltzing together.”
“But he hasn’t seen her for a long time. It’s different with you and Mabel. Now, look at Jack and me. Where is he? I haven’t the remotest idea. BradBuckhart, if you don’t dance with me I shall be a wall flower. You’re going to dance.”
“I reckon I am,” said Brad submissively. “I hope you can stand for it.”
“Why, you’re really a splendid waltzer,” said Bab, after they had swept once round the floor. “Somehow, I didn’t fancy you were.”
“That’s it,” he muttered, “and I’ll bet Mabel thought the same. If that’s the case, I won’t trouble her. I’ll dance with somebody else.”
Bab laughed.
“You are the most jealous, touchy person I ever saw, Brad Buckhart. Why, you’re worse than the Virginian you dislike so much.”
“I don’t dislike him, begging your pardon. I thought I did once, but I guess he’s all right in his way. We don’t tie to each other a whole lot, but there’s no longer any hard feelings. We have planted the tomahawk. If Mabel likes him better than she does me, she sure can have him as much as she wants.”
Dale Sparkfair and Agnes Locke swung past them. Spark was laughing and chattering as if he had not a care in the world. Certainly, trouble sat lightly on the shoulders of this irresponsible fellow. Nevertheless, Spark caught his breath on passing the wide door of the dance room and discovering Jim Hanks standing there, hands in pockets, serenely following Dale with his dark eyes.
Jack Randall appeared in the door a few moments later. At the conclusion of the waltz Sparkfair excused himself and joined Randall. They moved way. Hanks leisurely turning to watch them.
“Here’s the money,” said Randall, slipping the roll into Dale’s hand. “Get that fellow out of here.”
“I’ll chase him out with great alacrity and unspeakable glee,” said Dale. “Leave it to me.”
But when he signalled for Hanks to follow him the intruder seemed utterly oblivious to his meaning. Dale was compelled to walk up to Hanks and speak to him in a low tone. This was precisely what Hanks wanted.
“Oh,” he said, “here you are, Spark, old chap, Didn’t know what had become of you.”
“I noticed that,” scoffed Dale. “You were looking right at me, but you didn’t see me. If you want to close that business, just stroll outside for a moment.”
Chester Arlington, having abandoned cigarettes, had wandered out onto the veranda to whiff a cigar. Lighting the weed, he was tempted to stroll down across the lawn, and finally seated himself in a shrub-sheltered arbor. Two minutes later two persons stopped near this arbor. They were Sparkfair and Hanks.
“So you succeeded in raising the wind, did you?” chuckled the latter.
“Yes, I succeeded in raising the wind,” answered Dale, “and, having done so, I expect you to fan the wind with your heels. Your room is much preferable to your company.”
“But I’m enjoying myself,” chuckled Hanks. “It’s really a jolly little party. I wouldn’t mind staying and joining the gay throng.”
“But you won’t,” said Dale, with a grimness in his voice. “Having blackmailed me to the tune of a hundred, you’ll promptly hit the high places.”
“But I haven’t seen the hundred yet.”
“Here it is.”
The word blackmail had caused Chester to check himself in the act of coughing, to give them notice that he was sitting near. He now listened with great interest, peering forth at the dark figures to be seen behind the shrubbery.
“It feels like the real stuff,” laughed Hanks, with satisfaction. “Are you certain it’s an even hundred?”
“I didn’t count it.”
“Then I think I will.”
Hanks struck a match and held it with one hand while he thumbed over the money with his other hand.
“Four twenties, a ten, and two fives,” he said triumphantly. “That’s quite right, Spark, old chap. It looks like good money, too. I need it in my business, you know.”
“I don’t know why you should, for you’ve certainly fleeced enough greenhorns to be good and flush. I caught you at your crooked game and exposed you.”
“You did make something of a fuss,” acknowledged Hanks, as he dropped the expiring match. “You seemed to have me on the hip just then, but a little later you made a bad mess for yourself. Of course, I shall stand by my agreement and say nothing about that. I’ll likewise keep silent the two friends who were with me when we caught you sacking my room.”
“When you caught me trying to recover some of my goods which you had beaten me out of,” said Dale hotly.
“Were the watch and the ring we found on you goods of yours?” sneered Hanks. “If I remember right, the watch bore my monogram, and I think I can prove that I bought the ring with my own money.”
“With the money you had cheated your victims out of.”
“You were doing a little fine burglar work, Spark. You can’t deny that.”
“I took that watch and ring with the idea of holding them until I could force you to give up my property.”
“That’s a nice little excuse, Sparkfair, but it happened that several other fellows who had never obtained any of your property recently lost valuable articles from their rooms. It was believed that the thiefwas a college man, and it was freely stated that he would be expelled and punished if detected. You know well enough what is coming to you if I ever tell or permit my friends to tell how you were caught.”
“I’ll not take the pains to deny that I am the suspected thief,” said Dale. “I have hopes that the real thief will be found.”
“That’s a pretty little bluff,” sneered Hanks, “but it doesn’t go with me. Now, don’t get excited. Don’t make any fighting talk. You won’t fight, because you don’t dare.”
“Not at present,” acknowledged Dale. “But my time will come. I’m going back to the house.”
“And I’ll go with you.”
“Go with me? You agreed to leave the moment I gave you that money! Aren’t you going to keep that agreement?”
“I meant to keep it when I made it,” said Hanks. “But since then I’ve changed my mind. I’m going back to the house with you, and you’ll introduce me to your friends. I think I shall enjoy myself very much.”
“On my word, I’ll wear stripes before I’ll ever introduce you to any of my friends!” flared Dale, as he whirled and strode away.
“We’ll see about that,” muttered Hanks, following promptly. “I think another twist of the screws will bring you to terms.”