JACK DISCOVERS A TRAITOR
Two figures stood at the door of the radio station power house. The
station was a duplicate of Mr. Hampton's other station on his Long
Island estate, earlier described. So engrossed were the two men in
whispered conversation that they were unaware of Jack's noiseless
approach.
The soft sibilant sound of whispering which came to his ears just as
he was about to approach the door roused Jack from his reflections.
His suspicions were on the alert because of the happenings of recent
days, and he halted. Certain, after standing a moment with every nerve
tensed, that he had not been seen, Jack backed cautiously until again
around the corner of the building.
Who were the two men? What were they whispering about? Pressing
against the side of the building, Jack thought quickly. One of the two
must be the night watchman. Perhaps the other was the man who kept
guard at the station by day. If he were, thought Jack, then, perhaps,
some new danger menaced and the night man had called the day man to
help him. This theory also would account for the fact that they were
whispering, instead of conversing in normal tones.
So probable did this supposition seem to Jack that he decided to join
the men and ask what the danger was. Caution, however, prompted him to
reconnoitre by peeping around the corner before stepping into the
open. The next moment he was thankful he had done so. For, as he
looked, one of the two struck a match and held it in cupped hands to a
cigarette, and Jack saw the man was Remedios.
Drawing his head back quickly, Jack leaned against the building,
trying to compose his thoughts. What was Remedios doing here? Not many
hours before he had foiled the plan of the traitorous Mexican
chauffeur to deliver him and his friends to the enemy. Was Tom, the
ex-cowboy, on guard at the radio plant, a traitor? Jack could not
believe it.
Footsteps were approaching from around the corner. Jack looked around
wildly. There was no shelter near enough to which to flee. He whipped
out his automatic, flung himself down alongside the wall, and waited.
Two men appeared, but instead of rounding the corner they moved
straight ahead. They were in earnest, but low-voiced conversation.
They did not see him.
Jack stifled an exclamation. The man with Remedios was Rollins, his
father's trusted assistant. So stunned was Jack at the revelation that
he did not strain to overhear what they were saying. In a moment they
were beyond earshot.
Trembling with rage at this evidence of treachery on the part of
Rollins, Jack rose to his feet. He intended to stalk the two
conspirators. Then a new idea occurred to him. What were they doing at
the radio plant? Perhaps, for reasons of their own, they had damaged
it or put it out of commission. He decided to investigate.
Rollins and Remedios were now out of sight toward the front of the
ranch house. Perhaps Rollins would have the audacity to take the other
into his room, which opened like the other rooms directly upon the
porch or gallery. If so, Jack could surprise them later. First, he
would investigate at the radio plant.
Walking swiftly, he approached the door of the power house. An
electric light shone within. The guard, Tom, jumped up from a chair
where he had been sitting, reading, at the sound of Jack's hurried
footsteps. His hand reached for the ready revolver at his side, but
was withdrawn at sight of his visitor.
"Oh, it's you, Jack," he said, addressing him familiarly, for a warm
friendship had sprung up between the two. "I thought it might be a
Greaser."
"Tom," said Jack, without any preliminaries, and showing his
excitement in his voice and manner, "what was Mr. Rollins doing here?
Who was that with him?"
Well enough Jack knew who the stranger was. But good friend though Tom
was, Jack wanted to test him. The circumstances certainly were
suspicious.
"Didn't see the other feller," Tom answered. "He stayed outside. Mr.
Rollins said he was an oil driller. Mr. Rollins went into the station
there." Tom motioned to the radio operating room beyond a closed door.
"Asked me to throw on the juice so he could use the telephone."
"Whom did he talk to?"
"Why, I don't know," said Tom. "How would I?"
"How long was he in there?"
"Why, fifteen, twenty minutes. Maybe half an hour. Why, Jack? Anything
wrong?"
"Yes, Tom, there is," said Jack. "Can I trust you?"
Tom looked hurt.
"That's fer you to say."
"Excuse me, Tom," said Jack. "But after what I've just seen I don't
know whom to trust. Yes, I believe you're true blue, Tom. I'll tell
you. But wait a minute."
He walked to the door and looked out. The coast was clear.
"Tom," said he, returning, "I'm going to take you into my confidence.
Listen."
In as few words as possible he related their adventures that day and
the part played by Remedios. Then he added that in Mr. Rollins's
companion he had recognized the Mexican chauffeur.
"What do you make of it?" he asked.
"Treachery," said Tom, emphatically. "But who'da thought it of Mr.
Rollins?"
They looked at each other puzzled.
"I wish I knew whom he spoke to by radio and what he said," declared
Jack.
"Wish I'da listened," mourned Tom.
Both stood silent. Suddenly the still night was shattered by a series
of racketing explosions. Jack sprang for the door.
"Remedios's flivver," he cried to his companion. "There isn't another
car in the world can cough like that."
By the time he had emerged from the radio station the car could be
heard shooting away down the desert trail toward Ransome.
"Too late," said Jack, disgustedly. "He's gone. I should have
surprised them together."
He thought a moment, then turned to the other.
"Listen, Tom," said he. "Not a word about all this. I think I'll not
let Rollins know that I suspect him, but will talk this over first
with my friends. And if he comes here to radio again listen to him,
and report to me what he says."
"All right," said the big ex-cowboy. Then as a new idea occurred to
him, he asked: "But how about tellin' my side pard, Dave? He's on duty
days. He oughta know, too."
"I don't know Dave as well as I do you," said Jack. "Certainly he
ought to be informed, so that he can be on the watch, too. Can he be
trusted?"
"You can count on Dave," said Tom. "We been pardners for years. That
bow-legged son o' Satan an' me been through lots o' ruckuses in our
time. If there's any shootin' to be done, count us in. You know how I
kin shoot."
"I ought to know," said Jack. "You taught me."
"Well, then, I'll let Dave in on the secret."
"All right," said Jack, moving away toward the house. "Good night."
He started for the ranch house, but again came back.
"Rollins mustn't know I was down here," he said.
"He won't know from me," Tom assured him.
When Jack reached the house, he found Mr. Temple, Bob and Jack on the
front porch in their night-clothes. Rollins was there and had
introduced himself. All four were discussing the disappearance of the
flivver.
"You know how I sleep," said Bob. "But it made so much noise it waked
even me."
"Where have you been, Jack?" asked Frank. "Why, you haven't undressed.
I thought you turned in when I did. But I was so sleepy I never
noticed when I tumbled out of bed that you weren't there."
Jack felt Mr. Rollins's eyes on him. It made him uncomfortable.
"Oh, I couldn't sleep," he said. "So I came out for a turn in the
night air before going to bed."
"Where were you walking?" asked Mr. Rollins quickly.
Jack found lying distasteful, but decided it would not do in this case
to tell the whole truth. Fortunately, on leaving the radio station, he
had swung about in a circle, so as to approach the house from an
almost opposite direction.
"Over there," said Jack, indicating the direction from which he had
come. "There's a little rise some distance beyond there, but in this
feeble moon-light you can't see much, so I came back. Then I heard the
flivver."
"Do you think that fellow Remedios came here himself and drove it
off?" asked Frank.
"He certainly had his nerve, if it was he," said Bob.
Jack noticed that while Rollins was watching him keenly Mr. Temple,
who had not taken part in the conversation, was studying Rollins.
"Oh, it must have been Remedios," Jack said boldly. "Did anybody get
close enough to see him? Who came out first? Did you notice, Mr.
Rollins? You must have just arrived. I see you are still dressed."
"Yes, I had put my horse up in the corral," said Rollins, calmly, "and
was walking over here to the house, when I heard the car. I came
around to see who was calling at this late hour, but all I could see
was the disappearing car. Of course, I knew nothing of your day's
adventures until your friends came out, when we introduced ourselves
and explanations followed."