“It’s all false. I am a friend of Burlein. I can explain much to you. I must see you.“A Friend of Alfred Burlein.”
“It’s all false. I am a friend of Burlein. I can explain much to you. I must see you.
“A Friend of Alfred Burlein.”
A few moments later and the maid returned, stating that Miss Smith would see the lady.
Our hero was shown into the rear library and after some time a very handsome and stately looking young lady, who had evidently been weeping and who was in great distress, appeared. She said:
“I received your note.”
“And I am glad you granted me an interview.”
Ike’s disguise, as stated, was perfect, and besides he acted his role to perfection.
“What have you to say?” came the question.
“I have this to say: Burlein is innocent of all the charges made against him.”
“Who are you?”
“It does not matter. What I tell you is the truth.”
“You say he is innocent?”
“Yes.”
“Can you prove his innocence?”
“I can.”
“Why not do so at once, and stop these terrible stories that are going around about him?”
“We must go slow, miss.”
“What do you mean?”
“A mere declaration of his innocence is not enough. We must be prepared to prove his innocence and establish the guilt of his enemy.”
“His enemy did you say?”
“I did.”
“He has an enemy?”
“He has.”
“Who is his enemy?”
“The man who has started these charges.”
“His partner makes the charges.”
“His partner is a villain.”
The young lady started and gazed aghast and declared:
“Is it possible?”
“It is true.”
“I fear you are mistaken. I do not know what object his partner would have in defaming him.”
“Do you wish his innocence established?”
“I do.”
“If he is alive we can fully establish his innocence.”
“If he is alive?”
“Yes.”
“If he is innocent he must be alive. He would not make away with himself if he is innocent.”
“No, but he has an enemy.”
“What do you mean?”
“He may have been foully dealt with.”
“You are using strange language, madam.”
“I am, but I know exactly what I say and what I mean.”
“Why did you come here? You had a purpose in coming here.”
“I did.”
“What is your purpose?”
“Merely to tell you under all circumstances to hold fast your faith in Alfred Burlein.”
“I wish you would tell me who you are, and your special interest in the young man?”
“Some day you will know who I am. He was my friend, I am his friend, and I tell you he is innocent. I tell you further his partner is a villain.”
“What object could he have in defaming the missing man?”
“Can you not discern?”
“I cannot.”
“I will tell you.”
“Do so.”
“He is the thief, the forger,and he desires to cover his own guilt.”
The young lady looked amazed and our hero added:
“I wonder that you could for one moment believe these terrible stories.”
“I did not believe them, but——”
“Go on, miss.”
“The proofs——”
“What proofs?”
“The proofs of his guilt.”
“Who has seen them?”
“My father.”
“They were shown to your father by Fellman?”
“Yes.”
“They are false.”
“My father says they are absolute.”
“Your father has been misled.”
“I hope what you say is true.”
“I am telling you the truth. I will establish the innocence of Alfred Burlein.”
“What can I do to aid you?”
“Nothing.”
“You do not need my aid?”
“I do not.”
“You can call upon me.”
“No, I do not need your aid. All I ask is that you save yourself much distress and maintain your faith in the missing man.”
“You suggest it is possible he has been foully dealt with.”
“Yes.”
“Have you grounds for your belief?”
“I have one proof.”
“Will you talk with my father? Oh, please do.”
“Not now; but you can ask your father to withhold his judgment for the present. Tell him you still have faith in the young man, and I promise you that if he is alive your faith will be verified.”
Ike would not reveal any further to the young lady. He merely reiterated his statement that he had called to restore her peace of mind. He left the house and determined to work Fellman for awhile, and proceeded down town. He imagined his man would go to his meal in company with another. Ike got himself up in a new disguise and went down and hung around the man’s office, and, as he had anticipated, in due time Fellman appearedin company with another man, and proceeded to a fashionable down-town lunch-room.
Ike had a special purpose in following the man. He desired to learn if young Burlein was dead, and he proposed to adopt a very novel plan for obtaining his information.
Fellman entered the dining-room and immediately a number of men came forward to speak to him. Great sympathy was expressed and Fellman acted the rôle of the injured party to perfection.
The banker took a seat at a table. Our hero had followed in and secured a seat several tables distant. He had worked up in the rôle of an old gentleman. He did it well, and he was a perfect imitation or counterfeit. Possibly no living person could have excelled or even equaled him in his skill in this direction.
A little time passed and quite a number of men gathered around Fellman’s table, and a great many questions were asked and finally there came the question:
“Do you really believe your late partner is dead?”
No one appeared to notice who had asked the question but Fellman quickly replied:
“Yes, he is dead. I have no doubt of his death.”
There came a smile to Ike’s face—a smile of delight. He was a cute reasoner, and he made up his mind at once that young Burlein was not dead. Had the young man been dead Fellman he knew would have answered: “No, he is not dead. He is only pretending to have committed suicide.” And when he answered that he had no doubt of Burlein’s death, our hero concluded that the original scheme had been carried out, and at once there came the question:
“Do you own a house out on Long Island?”
Fellman’s face assumed a ghastly hue. He looked around and finally demanded:
“Who asked that question?”
No one fathered the question, and Fellman appeared greatly perplexed. An instant later, however, the question was repeated:
“Do you own a house on Long Island?”
All the party looked round to see who had asked the question, and Fellman, in a tone seemingly of anger, but really of alarm, again demanded:
“Who asked that question?”
There was a dead silence.
“I’d like to know,” demanded Fellman, “who asked that question.”
A voice said, “No matter who asked the question. Answer it.”
Fellman leaped to his feet and pleaded:
“Gentlemen, will you tell me who asked that question?”
No one appeared willing or able to tell him. But the voice once more put in:
“Have you a house down on Long Island?”
Fellman looked over to some of the other tables. No one appeared to have put the question, but the voice again said:
“Oh, you villain, you know very well the young man is not dead. Yes, you do.”
Fellman appeared like one confronted by an apparition. The perspiration stood out on his face, and he said:
“The scoundrel who says that is a liar.”
The gentlemen who had gathered around one by one dropped away. They appeared to think that a row was imminent, especially when the voice repeated.
“It’s a nice job you’ve put up.”
It is hard to describe the effect of the strange voice on Fellman. He did not suspect any supernatural agency, nor did he suspect ventriloquism. He merely suspected that some person in the crowd was shouting off the questions,and he believed that whoever it was the party was representing the real sentiments of some people who had thus expressed themselves concerning the mystery. He was a cunning man. He did not propose to remain around and be “guyed” and he left the lunch-room without even stopping to say good-day to his friend.
Meantime our hero had gathered up all he needed to know. He was assured that Burlein still lived and was beyond question an inmate of that mysterious country house.
Ike considered a long time, and finally decided upon his course of action. He knew he could trace the affair down and might possibly succeed in freeing young Burlein from confinement, but he knew the full advantage of evidence. He calculated that Fellman had laid his plans well and was well fortified for the carrying out of his scheme. Ike had often heard of a well-known detective and he had evidence that the officer was a square man. The boy knew that a fair reward would be paid. Indeed Fellman had offered a reward of five thousand dollars for his partner alive, or conclusive evidence of his death.
Ike proceeded down to headquarters. He visited the detective quarters and asked for the man of whom he had heard. He was answered in an indifferent manner that the officer was out of town.
“When will he be in town?”
“I don’t know.”
The party who made the answers was a clerk. Another man came from a private office and asked:
“Did you inquire for Murray?”
“I did.”
“You wish to see him personally?”
“I do.”
“He will be here in about an hour.”
“Can I wait here?”
“Yes.”
Ike sat down and not more than fifteen minutes passed when a very plain-looking man, but who possessed a clear gray eye and who was very quiet in his manner, entered the office. The clerk spoke to the newcomer and pointed to Ike. The lad was a little on his ear. He had not fancied the indifferent manner in which the clerk had announced him.
“Do you wish to see me?” demanded the plain-looking man, stepping over to where our hero was seated.
“Are you Detective Murray?”
“My name is Murray.”
“Well, mebbe you are the man I want to see. I don’t know, it depends how smart you are.”
“I am not very smart,” said the officer with a smile. “All I know I’ve learned by hard work.”
“Then you are pretty smart,” said Ike, “since you admit that there are some people who know something and that you don’t know it all, like that young man there.”
“What is your business?” demanded the detective in a rather sharp tone.
“Come with me and I will tell you all about it,” said Ike.
The detective meditated a moment. He was a busy man usually, and he had no time to listen to long romances.
“If you have anything to say speak out, lad. I am very busy.”
“Come with me and I will let you on to the job of your life.”
Murray looked the youth over, and being necessarily a keen reader of faces he concluded our hero was a very bright youngster, as he put it.
Ike had spoken in a low tone, and after an interval the detective said:
“Come into the office with me.”
“No, not there.”
“Why not?”
“Don’t waste time, sir; time is money.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Go with me.”
“Where?”
“Anywhere away from sharp ears.”
“Come along.”
The detective went with our hero down to the street and said:
“Now talk up.”
“No.”
“What now?”
“We must sit down. I’ve got a long story to tell you.”
“See here, lad, if you fool me I’ll cuff you.”
“All right; I’ll chance the cuffing.”
The detective led the way to a hotel reading-room, both sat down and the officer asked:
“Does this suit you?”
“Yes.”
“Then go ahead.”
“You know about the disappearance of young Alfred Burlein?”
“Yes.”
The officer was all attention at once.
“What do you think of it, sir?”
“Did you lead me around here to ask me that question?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve a mind to cuff you.”
“No, you will not cuff me.”
“You deserve a cuffing.”
“If you will answer my question you will change your mind.”
“I will?”
“Yes.”
“What have you to say?”
“Answer my question.”
“Make your question definite.”
“Do you believe he is dead?”
“I do.”
“Well, he is not dead.”
“Oh, he only skipped, eh?”
The officer was getting down to business.
“No, he didn’t skip.”
“He didn’t?”
“No.”
“Then where is he?”
“He was kidnaped.”
The officer laughed.
“Don’t laugh too soon. I am not saying things for fun.”
“Do you know what you are talking about?”
“I do.”
“And you say he was abducted?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
“His partner.”
“Are you giving me a theory?”
“No.”
“What then?”
“I know what I am talking about.”
“Then talk plain.”
Ike started in and told his story. The detective listened attentively and when the narrative was concluded he said:
“You are a romancer.”
“You think so?”
“Yes.”
“I can prove my words.”
“Do so.”
“I know what you doubt.”
“You do?”
“I do.”
“Well?”
At that moment the detective made a slash at a fly, but there was no fly there, and Ike asked:
“What are you doing? Are you trying to cuff me?”
“No, I am brushing away that fly.”
“Have you got ’em?” demanded Ike, assuming a very serious tone.
“Got what?”
“You know.”
The fly buzzed again and the detective, who was thinking intensely and deeply absorbed, unconsciously made a second dash at the fly.
“You have got ’em,” said Ike.
“Got what?”
“Oh, you know. You think there are flies in the room. Yes, you’ve got ’em. If you will find a fly in this room I’ll give you a hundred dollars.”
The detective stared and the next instant a little dog barked at the officer’s feet, but there was no dog there. Then a rattlesnake rattled right under his hand. The officer knew well the sound of a rattler, but he was on to that last, and he said:
“Boy, you are a wonder.”
“You believe me now?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Good enough; every word I have told you is the truth; and now I’ve got a plan.”
“Name it.”
“I gave Fellman a scare.”
“Well?”
“He will go to his house down on Long Island. He will want to make sure that his man is there.”
“You are a wonderfully keen lad.”
“I’ve got this business down fine, and now are you prepared to leave town?”
“Yes.”
“We will go down town and lay for Fellman. He will leave on the afternoon train for Long Island, I’ll bet a big apple.”
“I will meet you in half an hour,” said Murray.
“All right, sir.”