"It's the easiest way."
She might have added, that it was the only way she knew--her wealth
having made all roads easy to her.
The meal finished, they went back to their apartment, to find the bed
turned down for the night, and certain lingerie, which they were
without, laid out for them.
"Better and better!" exclaimed Elaine. "You might think this was a
hotel."
"Until you tried to go out."
"We haven't tried, yet--wait until morning." A pack of cards was on the
table. "See how thoughtful they are! Come, I'll play you Camden for a
cent a point."
"I can't understand what their move is?" said Davila, presently. "What
can they hope to accomplish by abducting us--or me, at any rate. It
seems they don't want anything from us."
"I make it, that they hope to extort something, from a third party,
through us--by holding us prisoners."
"Captain Carrington has no money--it can't be he," said Davila, "and
yet, why else should they seize me?"
"The question is, whose hand are they trying to force?" reflected
Elaine. "They will hold us until something is acceded to, the man said.
Until _what_ is acceded to, and _by whom_?"
"You think that we are simply the pawns?" asked Davila.
"Undoubtedly!"
"And if it isn't acceded to, they will kill us?"
"They will doubtless make the threat."
"Pleasant prospect for us!"
"We won't contemplate it, just yet. They may gain their point, or we may
be rescued; in either case, we'll be saved from dying!" Elaine laughed.
"And, at the worst, I may be able to buy them off--to pay our own
ransom. If it's money they want, we shall not die, I assure you."
"You would pay what they demand?" Davila asked, quickly.
"If I have to choose between death and paying, I reckon I'll pay."
"But can you pay?"
"Yes, I think I can pay," she said quietly. "I'm not used to boasting
my wealth, but I can draw my check for a million, and it will be
honored without a moment's question. Does that make you feel easier, my
dear?"
"Considerably easier," said Davila, with a glad laugh. "I couldn't draw
my check for much more than ten thousand cents. I am only----" She
stopped, staring.
"What on earth is the matter, Davila?" Elaine exclaimed.
"I have it!--it's the thieves!"
"Have you suddenly lost your mind?"
"No! I've found it! I've come out of my trance. It's Parmenter's
chest."
"Parmenter's chest?" echoed Elaine. "I reckon I must be in a trance,
also."
"Hasn't Mr. Croyden told you--or Mr. Macloud?"
"No!"
"Then maybe I shouldn't--but I will. Parmenter's chest is a fortune in
jewels."
"A what?"
"A fortune in jewels, which Mr. Croyden has searched for and not
found--and the thieves think----"
"You would better tell me the story," said Elaine, pushing back the
cards.
And Davila told her....
"It is too absurd!" laughed Elaine, "those rogues trying to force
Geoffrey to divide what he hasn't got, and can't find, and we abducted
to constrain him. He couldn't comply if he wanted to, poor fellow!"
"But they will never believe it," said Davila.
"And, meanwhile, we suffer. Well, if we're not rescued shortly, I can
advance the price and buy our freedom. They want half a million. Hum! I
reckon two hundred thousand will be sufficient--and, maybe, we can
compromise for one hundred thousand. Oh! it's not so bad, Davila, it's
not so bad!"
She smiled, shrewdly. Unless she were wofully mistaken, this abduction
would release her from the embarrassment of declaring herself to
Geoffrey. She could handle the matter, now.
"What is it?" asked Davila. "Why are you smiling so queerly?"
"I was thinking of Colin and Geoffrey--and how they are pretty sure to
know their minds when this affair is ended."
"You mean?"
"Exactly! I mean, if this doesn't bring Colin to his senses, he is
hopeless."
"And Mr. Croyden?" Davila queried. "How about him?"
"He will surrender, too. All his theoretical notions of relative wealth
will be forgotten. I've only to wait for rescue or release. On the
whole, Davila, I'm quite satisfied with being abducted. Moreover, it is
an experience which doesn't come to every girl." She looked at her
friend quizzically. "What are you going to do about Colin? I rather
think you should have an answer ready; the circumstances are apt to
make him rather precipitate."
The next morning after breakfast, which was served in their rooms,
Elaine was looking out through the bars on her window, trying to get
some notion of the country, when she saw, what she took to be, the
chief abductor approaching. He was a tall, well-dressed man of middle
age, with the outward appearance of a gentleman. She looked at him a
moment, then rang for the maid.
"I should like to have a word with the man who just came in," she
said.
"I will tell him, Miss."
He appeared almost immediately, an inquiring look on his face.
"How can I serve you, Miss Cavendish?" he said, deferentially.
"By permitting us to go out for some air--these rooms were not
designed, apparently, for permanent residence."
"It can be arranged," he answered. "When do you wish to go?"
"At once!"
"Very good!" he said. "You will have no objection to being attended, to
make sure you don't stray off too far, you know?"
"None whatever, if the attendant remains at a reasonable distance."
He bowed and stood aside.
"You may come," he said.
"Is the locality familiar?" Elaine asked, when they were some distance
from the house.
Davila shook her head. "It is south of Hampton, I think, but I can't
give any reason for my impression. The car was running very rapidly; we
were, I reckon, almost two hours on the way, but we can't be more than
fifty miles away."
"If they came direct--but if they circled, we could be much less,"
Elaine observed.
"It's a pity we didn't think to drop something from the car to inform
our friends which way to look for us."
"I did," said Elaine. "I tossed out a handkerchief and a glove a short
distance from Hampton--just as I struck that fellow. The difficulty is,
there isn't any assurance we kept to that road. Like as not, we started
north and ended east or south of town. What is this house, a fishing
club?"
"I rather think so. There is a small wharf, and a board-walk down to
the Bay, and the house itself is one story and spread-out, so to
speak."
"Likely it's a summer club-house, which these men have either rented or
preempted for our prison."
"The country around here is surely deserted!" said Davila.
"Hence, a proper choice for our temporary residence."
"I can't understand the care they are taking of us--the deference with
which we are treated, the food that is given us."
"Parmenter's treasure, and the prize they think they're playing for,
has much to do with it. We are of considerable value, according to
their idea."
After a while, they went back to the house. The two men, who had
remained out of hearing, but near enough to prevent any attempt to
escape, having seen them safely within, disappeared. As they passed
through the hall they encountered the chief. He stepped aside.
"You enjoyed your walk, I trust?" he said.
Davila nodded curtly. Elaine stopped.
"I feel sorry for you!" she said, smiling.
"You are very kind," he replied. "But why?"
"You are incurring considerable expense for nothing."