A FRIEND IN NEED.
I was a prisoner in the Bend Center jail. It was far from being a
pleasant situation, and with a heavy heart I sank down into a seat and
gave myself up to my bitter feelings.
For the past few days misfortunes had been piling themselves upon me,
and I could not help but wonder what the end would be, or when it would
be reached.
My prison was a cold, stony place, scarcely eight feet square, and
lighted by one narrow window, heavily barred, and facing a high brick
wall a few feet beyond.
At first I entertained some wild hope of trying to escape. The iron
bars at the window were loose in the sill, and I was sure that by using
all the strength at my command I could remove at least two of them, and
thus make a space wide enough to allow the passage of my body.
I was on the point of putting this plan into execution when I paused
and reflected that such a course would avail me nothing! I did not want
to leave the district altogether, and to thus break jail would only be
taken as an evidence that I was guilty of the crime charged against me.
So I sat down again, resolved to take matters as calmly as I could.
There seemed to be no other prisoners in the building outside of Mr.
Norton and myself; and after Squire Slocum and the crowd had left all
became as silent as a graveyard.
I wondered what my guardian was doing and thinking. Certainly nothing
good; for I was convinced beyond a doubt that Mr. Norton was a thorough
rascal.
Presently I heard a slight scraping sound far down the corridor. I
hoped fervently that Pointer or some of the other officers would
capture the two strangers,――Avery and Yates,――and recover the stolen
diamonds.
At noon Mr. Harris, the jailer, brought me my dinner. I asked him a
number of questions, but he politely but firmly declined to answer them.
“Can’t do it, prisoner,” he said. “It’s against the rules.”
And I was left alone once more.
At length, about the middle of the afternoon, I heard a noise in the
squire’s office overhead. Several men had entered, and a loud and rapid
conversation was in progress. I listened, and was almost certain I
distinguished the voice of Mr. Markham.
For some reason my heart gave a bound of joy. I felt sure he had come
to assist me, notwithstanding all that had been said against him.
Ten minutes passed; then there was a noise on the stairs, and a moment
later Squire Slocum, the jailer, and Mr. Markham appeared.
“Well, my young friend, I see they have thought best to lock you up,”
remarked Mr. Markham lightly, as he stepped into the cell and extended
his hand to me cordially.
“Yes, Mr. Markham, they have,” was all I could say.
He gave my hand a tight grasp.
“You are having a pile of trouble,” he went on, “and partly on my
account.”
“Why, you have nothing to do with the robbery,” I put in quickly.
“No, not exactly,” he laughed; “but I have caused you trouble enough in
other ways.”
“I thought you would straighten out matters some time,” I could not
help replying. “I knew you were a gentleman, no matter what Mr. Webster
or any one else said to the contrary.”
“Webster is a fool!” cried Mr. Markham with energy. “A downright fool,
and I told him so. Just because I had a slight trouble with my bank
account, brought on by my clerk, he takes it for granted that I am a
swindler.”
And Mr. Markham’s eyes flashed, and he showed plainly that he was
thoroughly aroused.
“I came back to Bayport to-day, in reply to a pretty sharp letter I
received from Mr. Williams,” he went on. “I had important business in
New York, but when I saw what an awful mess things had got into here I
took the first train. Williams was another of the idiots that thought I
was going to swindle him simply because I left in a great hurry without
writing him a check.”
“And he was convinced I was trying to rob him of his boat,” I said.
“So I have heard. But I have fixed that matter all up with him. The
boat is paid for, and is at this moment lying at the wharf here in Bend
Center. She is your property, and here is the bill of sale for her.”
And Mr. Markham pulled an envelope from his pocket and passed it over.
With hands that trembled I took the bill of sale and glanced it over.
True enough, it certified that for the sum of four hundred dollars the
Catch Me was now the sole property of Reuben Stone.
“Thank you, Mr. Markham,” I said. “I――I――can’t say more, but I am――I
am――”
“Don’t try to say more,” laughed the gentleman. “I am ashamed of myself
to think that my gift should have cost you so much trouble. But you
shall lose nothing by me. I have not forgotten what more I intended to
do for you.”
“Well, Mr. Markham, about this other matter,” broke in Squire Slocum,
who had thus far remained silent.
“True, Squire, excuse me for keeping you waiting. Stone, I am told that
they hold you on a very serious charge.”
“They do,” I returned. “But I am not guilty, sir.”
“You don’t look like a fellow who would steal.”
“I never took a thing that didn’t belong to me in my life, sir.”
“I believe you.”
“Mr. Webster thinks I am guilty, but I know nothing of the matter; that
is, nothing but what I have told. Mr. Webster also insinuates that
you might have had something to do with it,” I added, bound that Mr.
Markham should know all.
“I heard something of that sort. I have also heard that there is a
streak of insanity in the Webster family,” he added, with a twinkle in
his eye that made even Squire Slocum smile. “He is so upset by this
robbery that he doesn’t know what he is doing. I suppose he would
accuse the President if it came into his head.”
“He says you were in the office when Mr. Ditson brought in the
diamonds, and that you overheard him say that they would be safe in
the old vault as long as the safe of the jeweler was being repaired,”
explained the squire.
“I remember seeing a gentleman come in with a small bag,” replied Mr.
Markham; “but I paid no attention to what he had to say or what was
done with the bag; I was too excited over my own affairs.”
“Then the diamonds belonged to Mr. Ditson and Mr. Camp?” I asked, for I
was still in the dark on this point.
“Yes,” said Squire Slocum. “They are a couple of jewelers that were
stopping at the Bayport Grand Hotel with some diamonds for several
parties who are putting up there, or were to come. They left the
diamonds at the bank for safe keeping. Mr. Webster says you saw Mr.
Ditson with the stones.”
“If I did I don’t remember it,” I replied. “The janitor was very rude
to me, and I soon went outside and stood by the gutter till Mr. Markham
came out.”
“Mr. Webster told me you had a diamond in your possession.”
“I am willing to swear that I picked the stone up on the mill floor. It
was dropped there either by Mr. Norton or Andy Carney, or else somebody
that came in while I was asleep. I know that statement sounds rather
queer, but it’s the plain truth.”
“You certainly stick to it,” commented the squire.
“I believe the young man,” said Mr. Markham. “And now, since I have
caused him so much trouble, I think it my duty to see if I cannot help
him. Can you let him out on bail?”
“I don’t know,” said Squire Slocum slowly. “We haven’t had a regular
hearing yet.”
“If I’m let out I’ll be on hand whenever wanted,” I put in quickly.
“Suppose you see what can be done,” said Mr. Markham. “I will bear all
the expense, Squire, and I guess I can convince you I am perfectly
reliable, even if Webster won’t believe it.”
“Let us go over to Judge Green’s office in Bayport,” said Squire Slocum.
“Maybe we can fix it up. I wouldn’t care to take the responsibility
alone.”
This was agreed to, and the two went off at once, and the jailer locked
me in once more.
But I was now lighter hearted and time passed quickly. Three hours
later Mr. Markham and the squire returned, and I was let out under five
thousand dollars bail.
The necessary papers had hardly been made out in Squire Slocum’s office
when the jailer rushed in pale as a ghost.
“Norton has escaped!” he ejaculated.