CHAPTER III
Miss Todd
Frank Hardy lost no time on the run back to Bayport. Instead of proceeding directly to the boathouse, he docked theSleuthat one of the city wharves. There the lads were fortunate enough to find a taxi. The woman was still unconscious when they arrived, so with the assistance of the taxi driver they lifted her out of the boat and into the car.
Frank instructed the man to drive to the office of a doctor they knew well, and there the woman received attention.
"She has evidently been under a great strain," the doctor told them. "The shock of the explosion and her struggle in the water were just the finishing touches."
Under his expert administrations the woman was soon revived sufficiently to sit up. She looked about her.
"What happened?" she asked weakly.
"You are in good hands, madam," the doctor assured her. "Just be quiet for a while and you will be all right."
In a few minutes, the woman had recovered. First of all, she insisted on thanking the boys for rescuing her.
"If it hadn't been for these brave lads I would have been drowned. It was foolish of me to jump off that yacht, but I've been very nervous lately, and when I heard the explosion and saw all that smoke I lost my head completely."
"Well," said the doctor genially, "there's been no harm done. You were on your way to Bayport, weren't you, and here you are."
"Am I in Bayport now?"
"Yes."
"You must take me to Fenton Hardy at once, please," said the woman, sitting up. "I must see him."
"There'll be no trouble about that. These boys are Fenton Hardy's sons."
The woman gazed at the Hardy boys in surprise.
"His sons!" she exclaimed.
"Fenton Hardy is our father," stated Frank.
The woman was evidently astonished.
"Isn't that strange! To think that your father should be the very man I was coming to see."
"He's at home now," said Joe. "As soon as you're feeling well enough we'll take you there."
"That will be good of you. I came to Bayport for the sole purpose of seeing your father."
"Are you coming to visit us?" asked Joe.
The woman shook her head.
"No. I want to see your father on business. Important business. It is private, so I'm afraid I can't tell you any more about it."
The boys forbore to question her.
"I suppose I should tell you my name. I am Miss Evangeline Todd."
They bowed in acknowledgement.
"Will you take me to your father now? I feel much better. I'm very anxious to see him at once. There is no time to lose."
Miss Todd seemed quite agitated, and although the lads felt that a few minutes more or less would make no particular difference, they decided that it would be best to humor her. Miss Todd got to her feet, and although she was still physically weak, she evidently had a mind of her own for she was determined to remain no longer in the doctor's office when she was so near her goal.
Accordingly, the Hardy boys helped her out of the office to the waiting taxi.
During the brief drive she repeatedly expressed her astonishment at having been rescued by the Hardy boys "of all people."
"I've often heard of you boys," she said. "You often help your father, don't you?"
"Whenever we can," laughed Frank.
"Well, I hope you can help him now. I want to learn the truth about poor Todham."
The lads waited expectantly, but the elderly lady said no more about the object of her call. She seemed somewhat eccentric, and muttered to herself a great deal.
"Poor Todham," she repeated, over and over again. "I do hope Mr. Hardy can help me. It's all very strange."
The car drew up at the door of the Hardy home and the boys helped Miss Todd alight. They brought her into the house and their father met them at the door, evidently surprised.
"A client for you, Dad," explained Frank. "We picked her up just a little while ago."
He did not tell his father just how they had "picked up" the elderly woman.
"And is this Fenton Hardy?" said Miss Todd. She grasped the noted detective by the hand. "I've come a long distance to see you. These fine boys of yours saved my life."
"You've been in the water!" exclaimed Mr. Hardy. He called to his wife. "Laura, will you look after this lady and make her comfortable?"
Miss Todd's clothing was not entirely dry, owing to her immersion in the waters of Barmet Bay, and when Mrs. Hardy appeared she insisted on taking the guest upstairs and providing her with a complete change of garments. Miss Todd insisted that her business could not wait, even for such an important detail as dry clothes, but the better counsel of Mrs. Hardy prevailed.
When Miss Todd came downstairs some time later she was still very weak and nervous but in a more settled frame of mind.
"If you'll come into my office," suggested Fenton Hardy, courteously, "I'll be glad to hear your story."
Miss Todd looked around.
"I had intended to keep it private," she said; "but you've all been so kind to me that I'm sure it will do no harm if you all know. That is, if you would care to listen," she added, turning to Mrs. Hardy and the boys.
Both Frank and Joe were very curious to know the nature of the mysterious affair that had brought Miss Todd to Bayport and it did not require any persuasion for them to remain.
Miss Todd sat down in an armchair, and after she was duly settled began a long, rambling narrative.
"It's about my brother," she said. "My twin brother, Todham. He's a very clever man—a professor. Perhaps you've heard of him. Professor Todham Todd, Ph.D. It all started when Todham and I went on that railway journey to visit Cousin Albert. At the time I said that I had a strange feeling that something was going to happen, and perhaps we had better not go, but Todham said I was foolish, so we went. And I was right. It turned out that I was right after all."
"Yes?" said Mr. Hardy encouragingly, wondering to what all this was leading.
"I was quite right," declared Miss Todd emphatically. "Because somethingdidhappen. There was a wreck. The train jumped off the track. It was a terrible wreck. There were five people killed and it was a blessing Todham and I weren't killed too. But we were hurt. We were badly hurt. I've never felt the same since. My nerves have never been right. As for Todham, he always had been a nervous sort of man, and after that wreck he went all to pieces. The doctor said he would be all right after a while, that all he needed was rest and quiet, and I believed he was right. But we sued the railway for damages."
"Did you win the suit?" asked Mr. Hardy.
"It has not come to trial. The lawyers delayed everything. In the meantime, poor Todham was acting strangely. You wouldn't think he was the same man. He was very queer. I used to wonder if the railway wreck had affected his mind. Instead of getting better, he became worse. Then one night, just before the trial was to come off, he disappeared."
"Disappeared!"
"He walked out of the house one night and from that minute to this we haven't seen hide nor hair of him," declared Evangeline Todd. "We have heard of him, but he's like a will-o'-the-wisp. We have heard of him in different places, but when we come to look for him, he's gone. He has never written to us. There hasn't been any real trace of him. The shock was too much for me, and I collapsed and I haven't been well since. Not a bit well. My nerves have been completely shattered."
"When did your brother disappear?" asked the detective.
"Months ago. This happened four months back."
Fenton Hardy frowned.
"Four months ago! That makes it more difficult. If you had come to me earlier I would have had a better chance of helping you."
"Don't say you won't help me, Mr. Hardy," entreated the woman. "Please don't say you won't take the case."
"I didn't mean it that way," said the detective kindly. "I meant that the chances of tracing your brother are not as good now as they would have been four months ago. I'll do what I can, of course, but I'm afraid it will be a hard task."
"We searched for him everywhere, Mr. Hardy. I'm sure he is still alive, for we've had reports of him from different places. But I have no idea what can have happened to him."
"It's just possible that he has had a mental breakdown," said the detective. "You say he was acting strangely after the wreck. He may be in a hospital somewhere, and unable to communicate with you."
"I'm quite sure he didn't deliberately run away. Todham has always been so quiet and studious and so anxious to give no trouble to any one. Something dreadful must have happened to him. If it weren't for hearing that he has been seen in these different places, I would believe that he is dead. As it is, I'm sure he is still alive."
"Perhaps we can find some trace of him," said Mr. Hardy. "I'll take the case, Miss Todd, and, although I can't promise to find your brother, you may be sure that I'll do the best I can."
"Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hardy. I knew you wouldn't refuse. I wish now I had come to you in the first place, instead of wasting so much precious time."
"Perhaps we can recover the lost ground. With a bit of luck, we may be able to pick up his trail."
Miss Todd sank back in her chair.
"Oh, I hope so. I hope so. I have been so worried." She clasped her hands nervously. "Find him for me, Mr. Hardy, and I'll pay you well. I must know what has become of Todham."
Her face suddenly became pale. The strain of the narrative had been too much for her. She relaxed limply.
Mrs. Hardy hurried forward.
"Get me a glass of water, Frank," she said quickly. "She has fainted."