It was Friday. The goods taken in the previous day had been examined
and found correct. Mr. Leonard, however, in accordance with his promise
to Will, had kept faithfully the latter’s secret.
The merchant and detective were seated in earnest conversation this
afternoon, the latter in the same disguise in which he had formerly
visited the store.
Their conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Will, in company
with Miss Arlington.
He turned a quizzical look upon the apparent country merchant as he
politely handed the lady a seat.
Mr. Leonard looked on in utter surprise at this unexpected visit.
“I’ve got a trifle of secret bizness with you, Mr. Leonard,” said Will,
quietly. “But your friend needn’t go. I guess he won’t blow.”
“Secret business?” repeated Mr. Leonard. “Well, as it is no secret from
all present, let us have it.”
“Ever see that handwriting before?” asked Will, handing an open letter
to the country merchant.
“Me?” said the latter, in surprise.
“Yes, you,” replied Will. “Didn’t think you sold me with that toggery,
I hope? Know you like a breeze, Mr. Fitler. Jist look at that letter.”
“Ah! where did you get this?” he exclaimed, as he glanced at the letter.
“You know it then?” asked Will.
“Of course I do. It is the very handwriting of the scrap we found in
the cellar signed Jesse Powers. The same initials, J. P. This is most
important. Who is Jesse Powers?”
“He is the man who gave Mr. Elkton the scrap of silk which has
consigned him to a prison cell,” said Miss Arlington, excitedly. “He
little dreamed that it would fall into my hands, and under the eyes of
the man whom they had robbed. So it is that villains fall when most
they seem secure.”
“But how have you learned this?” cried Mr. Leonard. “Through Mr.
Elkton?”
“No. He was too loyal to his friend to reveal it. He owed this man a
debt of gratitude, and was willing to repay it by suffering in his
stead, rather than injure one who had saved his life. It was I who
learned the secret, and who obtained from Powers a letter addressed to
his imprisoned friend. That letter you now hold.”
“Where can this man be found?”
“In Brown and Felger’s store, next door to you.”
“This is so. I know him,” cried Mr. Leonard. “Shall we arrest him?”
“We will do nothing precipitately,” said the officer. “We may be
enabled after to-night’s work, to arrest the whole gang. If you will
excuse me I will take Will outside for awhile. I wish to talk this
matter over with him.”
“Certainly,” said Mr. Leonard.
The guardian and ward were left together.
Deep silence reigned between them. Neither appeared willing to break
it. At length Mr. Leonard spoke:
“You have done me a great service, Jennie,” he said. “To me and to
Mr. Elkton both, in fact. Of course all charges against him will now
be withdrawn, and he can be released at once. I am sorry you took the
precipitate step you did in leaving my house. I hope that you will now
return.”
“Not until John Elkton is fully vindicated,” she firmly replied.
“But he will be vindicated. I could not do otherwise than I did. His
refusal to explain forced me to this arrest. You must return home,
Jennie.”
“I have other reasons for not doing so,” was her resolute answer.
“Other reasons?”
“Yes; you hinted at something disgraceful connected with me; yet
refused to tell me what it was. You must explain this mystery ere I set
foot in your house again.”
“You would force me to a most unpleasant task,” he replied.
“Be it so, sir. There are certain paths it is best never to start on,
for there is no turning back.”
“You would oblige me now to do you the only injury I have ever thought
of.”
“Proceed, sir. I can bear it, however severe your revelation may be.”
“My revelation is simply this, Jennie,” said the merchant,
impressively. “You have no claim to the name of Arlington.”
“No claim to my name?” she cried, clinching her hand on the chair.
“You were only an adopted daughter of Mr. Arlington’s,” he continued,
as if in haste to dispose of an unpleasant subject.
“Can this be true? Who were my parents?”
“That I cannot tell you. He adopted you from an alms-house.”
She gave a quick gasp, as of a person drowning; turned, and walked to
the door with trembling step. In a moment she was gone.
It was the hardest blow her proud spirit could receive. Sick at heart,
she walked resolutely on, spurning the proffered sympathy of Mr.
Leonard, who had followed her in alarm.
But we must accompany the reader to a different scene.
That night found Will Somers safely in the basement of Mr. Leonard’s
store, where he had managed to remain without attracting attention.
He did not act as on the previous occasion, but hid himself carefully
away in a corner, among the numerous heavy cases that covered the
floor. Here he awaited developments.
The hours slipped by and found Will resolutely awake. Sleep did visit
his eyelids once or twice, but could not remain long with such a
pressing weight upon his mind. After a hard fight, which lasted till
late in the night, sleep was getting the best of him, and he was
gradually sinking into a deeper oblivion than before, when he was
suddenly and fully awakened by a peculiar noise.
With all his senses on the alert, he listened attentively. It was the
sound of muffled steps, and low, cautious voices. A faint light struck
through the lines of boxes and reached his covert eye.
There seemed to be two or three persons besides himself. They were
evidently acting carefully, but hastily. The low, shuffling steps were
incessant.
This lasted for fifteen or twenty minutes, during which time Will did
not risk raising his head above the boxes.
At the end of this time the light receded, and the steps seemed to be
going from him. The youthful spy rose, and cautiously followed, taking
care that not a sound should arise from his movement.
The light was turned from him, and he advanced in almost total
darkness. It glimmered on the head of the sub-cellar stairs, where
stood, sharply defined, the forms of two men.
Will could scarcely repress a chuckle of triumph, as his quick eye
recognized both these men.
Step by step he pursued the men, down the stairs, into the sub-cellar.
There were three of them now. They were gathered in the corner of the
cellar where the fragment of letter had been found.
The light faintly shone on several bundles of goods which they were
handling.
But what was this? The goods had disappeared! One--two--of the men were
gone. Only the third remained.
Will pushed more boldly forward. He had seen a man disappear in almost
the same spot on the former occasion of his cellar adventure. He was
determined not to be foiled now.
The light had gone. Only a faint glimmer remained. This, too
disappeared for a moment, and Will drew within a few feet of the
mysterious spot.
The light again shone, and at a flash the secret lay revealed before
him. It shone from the neighboring cellar, through a hole quite large
enough for a man to pass through.
While Will stood looking in admiration at this contrivance two large
stones were pushed back into the hole, fitting it closely, and leaving
Will again in darkness.
“It’s a good dodge, but if you ain’t sold I’m a Hoosier!” was his only
remark.