Rigby did not for a moment appear to suspect the truthfulness of the detective's story.
"Who were they?" he demanded.
"Detectives."
"And Vance was one of them?"
"No."
"Were they connected with him?"
"That I cannot answer."
"And what do you propose to do?"
"Lay around for my man, if I am not interfered with. It is my game to appear as one of the gang, and that will give me a chance to get well in on his trail when he comes."
"I can fix that part of the business for you."
"That is all I want; but, if I am to be jumped at every time I make a move, I'll get away."
"You were hiding around here?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you cone out openly?"
"I was waiting to got a chance to see you alone. I did not want to be known to all your friends—you never can tell who, will talk too much."
"Our men don't talk."
"Some of them must have talked."
"What makes you think so?"
"How, else would Vance find out about the death of old TomPearce?"
"The death of Tom Pearce is as much a mystery to our men as to anyone else."
"Vance thinks your men did it."
"How do you know?"
"I've lain on his track, and overheard him talking with theUnited States District Attorney."
"Our men know nothing, about the death of Tom Pearce."
"Have they a suspicion?"
"I have not heard them say."
"I wish I had a point on that affair."
"Why?"
"It would give me a sure hitch on Vance."
"It's a good scheme; I will talk with the boys and see if any of them have any suspicion."
"What will you tell them about me?"
"Oh, I will fix that all right."
"They must not bother me."
"You will not be bothered."
"That's all right; go and see if you can pick up any points."
The detective was left alone; he was really only working the game to learn all he could about the death of old Tom Pearce, and all he wished to know was whether the smugglers had killed the old man or not; if they were innocent, he knew just in what direction to look for the assassin, and also where to look for the beautiful Renie.
Meantime the gang were anxiously waiting to hear the result of Rigby's conference with the man whom they had caught eavesdropping around the tavern.
Rigby rejoined his friends and customers, who at once crowded around him.
"Well, who is the fellow?"
"He's all right, boys; you remember what I told you about strangers being around here on the lookout for Vance!"
"Is that fellow one, then?"
"He's all right."
"Have you seen his credentials?"
"I tell you he is all right."
"Don't like his looks," said one man.
"Don't like his actions," said another.
"The way we found him looks bad," said a third.
"Now you fellows rest quiet; I know who the man is, and he's all right, the man don't travel who can fool me."
"You are satisfied he's all right?"
"Yes."
"Who were the other two men who were up at the cabin where the body of old Pearce lies?"
"Those are the fellows you ought to have nipped."
"Was Vance one of them?"
"That we can't tell, but Vance will be here to-night; and if you men do not spoil the game we can fix things all right."
"Is that what that fellow told you?"
"I know what I am talking about."
"Vance is to be here to-night?"
"Yes."
"Well, it's time he was here."
The answer caused a laugh.
Rigby saw that the men were not satisfied, and he sought to change the subject. He said:
"So old Pearce is dead?"
"He is."
"Where's the girl?"
"That's more than we'll tell you."
"I always thought Renie's good looks would bring trouble to someone sooner or later," said Rigby.
"You don't think any of the gang had anything to do with bringing harm to the old man?"
There came a general denial of any such suspicion.
The men, however, appeared to be quite restive as to the identity of the man whom they had found prowling around. Rigby went inside to report what he had heard to the detective, and upon opening the door he uttered an exclamation of astonishment.
"Well, this gets me," he muttered.
The room was vacant—the man had left.
"Where can he be?" muttered Rigby and he commenced a search, but the man was nowhere to be found.
A curse fell from his lips.
"Have I been fooled, after all?" he muttered. "I'll be shot if it don't look so."
The tavern-keeper continued his search, but it proved fruit less; the man was nowhere to be found.
"I daren't go and tell the boys about this," he muttered: "but it looks as though I had bees fooled."
The real fact was the tavern-keeper had been fooled.
Vance was not the man to depend upon hearsay. He had followed after Rigby, and had overheard every word that had passed between the man and his friends.
The detective a was fully convinced, from what he overheard, that the smugglers were innocent of old Tom Pearce's death; indeed, he had so believed from the first; but it was one of his methods to make sure, and when once really convinced he knew as stated, where to look for the real assassin, and he folded his tent, like the Arab, and as silently stole away.
Upon the day following the scenes described in our preceding chapter, a strange interview was in progress in a magnificent apartment in a house situated in one of the most fashionable quarters of New York.
A beautiful young lady, richly attired, had been sitting alone in the elegant apartment described when a man of dark complexion entered the room, and, with silent step and a pleased smile upon his dark face, he advanced toward the girl.
Just a moment preceding the entrance of the dark-faced man, the girl had indulged in a brief soliloquy. She murmured:
"Well-well, my mind is made up. I have fooled that villain! He thinks I love him. He thinks I have been dazzled and bewildered by the possession of all these fine clothes and the wearing of these costly jewels; but he is mistaken. I hate him—I abhor him! He is an assassin! He thinks I do not know it; but I saw him strike down that good old man, Tom Pearce, and I have but hired him on with a promise of my love, only that I might hold him until an opportunity offers to hand him over to justice."
A moment the girl was thoughtful and silent, but speedily she resumed her soliloquy, salving:
"I wonder what could have become of Vance! He lives—he has been successful, I saw in a paper yesterday. Why does he not come to me? Well, well! as he does not come to me, I will go to him. It is time that I unmasked before this scoundrel, who thinks he has won me by the tragedy through which he temporarily obtained possession of me. But we shall see! I am 'Renie, the Wild Girl of the Shore,' as Vance once called rue, and I will prove myself more than a match for this deep, designing scoundrel."
The girl had just uttered the words above quoted when the door opened, and the man entered the room.
As stated, he advanced with a pleased smile upon his face.
"Renie, darling," he said. "I have pleasant news for you."
"Indeed!"
"Yes, my dear. To-day we sail for my beautiful home in Cuba where you will be the belle of society, and where we shall be married."
"We sail for Cuba to-day?"
"Yes, to-day."
"I thought you did not intend to go until the season was more advanced?"
"I have decided to go to-day; business calls me there."
"And you sail to-day?"
"Yes."
"I cannot go with you."
"You cannot go with me?"
"No."
At that moment a most extraordinary incident occurred, but its real character cannot be revealed until our narrative has progressed. The incident, however, caused a complete change to come over the girl. She had glanced in a mirror behind the man who had just made the announcement to her, and she had beheld a sight which caused, as stated, a complete change to come over her demeanor. "You must go without me," sail the girl. The latter spoke in a different tone.
The man glanced at her, and asked:
"Why Renie, what has come over you. Did you not give me to understand that you were prepared to go with me to Cuba any time I desired?"
"Yes; I gave you so to understand."
"Then why do you now refuse to go?"
"I will tell you; the time has come for me to unmask, Mr.Garcia."
"The time has come for you to unmask?"
"Yes."
"I do not understand."
"You shall."
"I must."
"Murderer, I have been playing you that I might in the end entrap you into the hands of justice."
A change had come over the demeanor of the girl; but a still more remarkable change came over the face of Garcia. He glanced at the girl with blazing eyes, and his hands worked nervously and there was a tremulousness in his voice as he asked:
"Are you mad, girl?"
"No, I am not mad. Do you not think I have been deceived; I know you, I have known who you were all the time, thou chief of the smugglers."
"And you have been deceiving me?"
"I have."
"And what has been your purpose?"
"To wait until a favorable moment when I could denounce you, and hand you over to justice."
Our readers have already discerned the truth; but we will make plain the incident which led up to the scene we are about describing. Upon the very night Vance sailed on the yacht, Garcia, with a gang of men, appeared after midnight at the cottage of Tom Pearce. The old fisherman was murdered and Renie was drugged and carried away; but the girl had been a witness of the murder before she was found insensible lying beside her bed.
When the girl recovered from the drug which had been administered to her, she found herself in a magnificently furnished apartment, and the man Garcia was at her side.
The villain had told the girl a cunning tale. He told her that Tom Pearce had consigned her to his care, and proceeded with a story which it is not necessary for us to repeat.
The girl knew the tale to be a lie, but, at the moment she resolved to pretend to believe the story and fool the man, when she could lure him on to justice and condign punishment.
She had played her part well and Garcia, who was a conceited man, believed he had won the girl's love; and matters were going on in the most pleasant manner, when had received news of the capture of the gang of smugglers, and at once realized his peril, when he determined to fly with Renie to Cuba.
It was thus matters stood when the man made the announcement to the girl.
"Renie," said the man, "you are trifling with me; you are having a joke at my expense."
"I am not; I am resolved to bring you to justice!"
"And you do not love me?"
"I loathe you; your presence is a curse!"
"And you have been deceiving me?"
"I Have been deliberately deceiving you."
"And you announce your perfidy?"
"Yes; I do!"
"I cannot believe that you speak truly."
"The hour has come when I must speak truly. I have been deceiving you, but now I speak the truth."
"Girl, do you fully comprehend what you are saying!"
"I do."
"Do you know your peril?"
"Yes."
"And you dare tell me that you are a beautiful cheat?"
"I dare."
"I am amazed."
"You will be more amazed, you villain."
"You think I am a villain?"
"I know you are."
"And you hate me?"
"Yes, I hate you!"
"Once for all, are you telling me the truth now?"
"I any telling you the truth."
"Then, rash girl, beware!"
As the man Garcia spoke a figure darted in through the door-way, and with a cry of joy Renie exclaimed: "You have come at last!"
"Yes; I am here."
Garcia rose to his feet, a look of terror upon his face. Herecognized the intruder at a glance; it was Vance, theGovernment detective. The latter but exchanged a word withRenie, when he drew a pair of handcuffs and advanced towardGarcia. The latter recoiled and demanded:
"What would you do?"
"Arrest you as a smuggler."
"Approach me at your peril," exclaimed the felon, and he raised his hand in a threatening manner.
Vance had no time to spare, and Garcia was quickly overpowered and handcuffed.
Vance led Renie from the room.
The detective had come prepared. He found several officers at the door, who took possession of the house and the villain Garcia.
Our hero heard Renie's story while taking her to a place of safety, and after leaving her, he proceeded to the hotel to meet the gentleman named Selton, whom he had season to believe had a strange story to tell.
Upon reaching the hotel Vance was shown to a handsome suite of rooms, and a few moments later, was joined by the gentleman whom he had met under such strange circumstances at the coast.
The meeting was cordial, and Mr. Selton said:
"I have been waiting for you."
"Well, sir, and here I promised to call and I have kept my word."
"Now, sir, one word. Have you learned any of the circumstances surrounding the death of old Tom Pearce?"
"He was murdered."
"And the murderer has been discovered?"
"Yes he has been arrested."
"Will you tell me all the circumstances?"
The detective told him the details of Garcia's arrest.
Mr. Selton showed a great deal of agitation as he asked: "And the girl Renie?"
Vance assumed a grave look as he said:
"Mr. Selton, you must satisfy me that you have an honest right to inquire about that girl before I answer your question."
"I have a right."
"State the facts, sir."
"First tell me your own interest in the girl."
Vance told the real facts of his meeting with Renie, and when he had concluded, Mr. Selton said:
"So you are Vance the great Government detective!"
"I am."
"I can confide in you; had you told me who you were, I Should have been pleased to have told my story, sooner."
"Better late than never."
"My tale is briefly told. Renie is my daughter."
"Your daughter?"
"Yes."
"How came you to place her in the hands of old Tom Pearce?"
"I never did. I supposed the child dead all these years; listen: Renie's mother died when the child was a week old, and a year later I married again; business called me to California, and while I was away I received a letter from my wife announcing the death of my infant child. I remained away one year, and upon my return accepted as true all the circumstances as related to me concerning the death of my child.
"The years sped on, and another child, a son, was born to me; the latter lived to be fifteen a year ago. He died, and then my wife was taken sick, and on her death-bed she made to me a terrible confession. She told me bow she had employed a man to carry my child away, and lose it so that the infant's identity could never be discovered. She told me that her motive was to secure my whole fortune for her unborn child. Before she died she told me the name of the man to whom she had committed the business. I spent a year searching for the man; I found him a few weeks ago, a convict for life. He told me how he had disposed of the child, and I came here to search for her, and you know all the rest."
When Mr. Selton had concluded, Vance said:
"I am satisfied, sir, that you have told me a true tale."
"Yes, sir, my tale is true, and now, please tell me of myChild."
"Your child is safe."
"You have found her?"
"I have."
"Where is she? lead me to my child at once."
"No sir, that will not do, I must prepare her for the meeting; but first let me tell you of her."
Vance proceeded and related all the facts concerning Renie, and when the father learned that his child was educated to her rightful position in life he was rejoiced.
"Yes," said Vance, "your child is fitted to adorn any station in life; but you must see her and judge for yourself. I will go and tell her the strange revelations that have come from your lips."
Vance proceeded to the place where he had left the girl, and by degrees prepared her for the wonderful announcement. The girl listened to the story calmly, and when the detective had finished his tale, she said:
"I am not surprised; I had hoped some day to know both father and mother, but I am happy in having found a father."
"Will you go to your father?"
"I will."
"When?"
"Now, at once."
The two entered a carriage, and half an hour later father and daughter were clasped in each other's arms.
The father had a little surprise for Vance. He had removed certain little disguise appliances, and when father and daughter stood side by side, a most striking resemblance was apparent.
We will not attempt to describe all that passed between father and child, but the facts of their relationship were fully established, and the mystery of the box containing the supposed jewels was explained.
The convict who had committed the child to Mrs. Pearce had given her the box, and had represented that it was filled with costly jewels; but his statement was a lie, and the old lady's imagination had aided her in swelling the value of the contents of the box.
Mr. Selton proved to be a very wealthy man, living in aWestern city, and Renie was taken to her grand home.
Meantime, Vance remained in New York to appear as a witness against the band of conspirators, and the result of his labors was the breaking up of one of the best organized smuggling schemes that was ever attempted in America.
When our hero's duties were over, upon invitation he went to pay a visit to Mr. Selton and his daughter, and there's a certain rumor in the air; but as yet we are not permitted to record that another of our heroes has hooked on to one of our heroines; but we will say that the chances very much favor the prospect that when Vance met the "Wild Girl of the Coast" upon that night, he met his future wife.