BILLIE MAKES A DISCOVERY.
Having released Lieut. Grimes and taken the plotters into
custody, the next task was to locate Strong, the mountebank, and
to solve the mystery of the box.
Outside the one exclamation which Donald had uttered when he
recognized Strong as the third of the plotters, he had not
betrayed his secret to any one, and when Lieut. Grimes told his
story to Gen. Funston and described the American, Donald
vouchsafed no information which might help to apprehend him.
"The plotter told the Mexicans that he could be found at the
Hidalgo Hotel whenever he was wanted," explained Lieut. Grimes.
"While he may have lied about it, I think we should send a force
and try to locate him."
The advice was acted upon and a corporal and four soldiers sent
to the hotel, but to no purpose. No such man was known there.
"What was the use of my saying anything about it?" asked Donald
of the other two boys when he returned to Santiago's house and
narrated to them the story of his evening's adventure. "I was
sure he was not there and I have no idea where he is; but we'll
find him and the ten thousand dollars given him by the Mexicans
for his treachery."
"That's right, Don," was Billie's comment. "If you can get that
money and I can get my ten thousand pounds, this trip won't be so
bad."
"In the meantime," said Adrian, "I propose that some of us go to
bed. It's nearly two o'clock and there is mighty little chance
that any one will try to steal the box again."
"I think you are right," said Billie. "We might as well all go.
The doctor is still with Santiago and will stay until he is
better. It isn't at all likely that any one will try to come into
this room while he is here."
Billie voiced the unanimous opinion, and a few minutes later the
young people had all sought their beds, leaving instructions with
the physician and the servants that they were to be called if any
change for the worse occurred in Santiago's condition.
It was probably two hours later, just about daylight, that the
entire household was awakened by a terrible shriek and one of the
maids rushed out into the patio.
The boys came to their feet with a bound and hurried from their
room on the ground floor, while the others appeared at the head
of the stairs.
"What is it?" asked Donald as soon as he could quiet the
shrieking maid. "What are you yelling about?"
"Oh, señor!" she cried. "I have seen the devil."
"Nonsense," laughed the boy. "You had a nightmare."
"No, señor. It was the devil. He had horns and a tail and he had
the little box under his arm. I saw him!"
"The box!" cried Billie. "Quick, Lucia, look and see if the box
is gone!"
The girl rushed back into the library and she, too, gave a
shriek.
"It's gone!" she cried. "It's gone!"
The boys sprang up the stairs three at a time and into the
library. Lucia was right. The box was gone.
"It must be the old boy, sure enough," said Billie, "or at least
one of his imps." Then to the maid: "How did he get in?"
"I don't know, señor. I only saw him go out. He went right
through the door without opening it."
"Nonsense!" from Donald. "His Satanic majesty might go through
a solid door, but the box wouldn't. There is some other
explanation."
"But who could it be?" queried Lucia in great fear.
"Some one who knows the house," declared Adrian emphatically. "He
may have put on some masquerade costume just to frighten these
superstitious servants in case he was discovered."
"I believe Ad is right," agreed Donald. "What do you think,
Billie?"
"Maybe, Don; but I have a theory of my own. If I am right, I can
work it better if I tell no one."
At this moment the physician entered the room.
"How is Santiago?" asked Donald.
"Better! He has gone to sleep, and if he is not disturbed, I
expect him to be greatly improved when he awakens. I should not
be surprised if this were the turning point in his illness."
"Then we had all better go down on to the first floor and leave
him alone with his nurses."
"I'd give a good deal to know where Strong is," remarked Donald
as they were drinking their coffee an hour later.
"So would I," declared Billie. "I believe, if we can find him, we
can solve this entire mystery."
"As soon as we finish our coffee," suggested Donald, "let's get
busy and find him. He can't be far."
"That's right," said Adrian. "We'll round him up in short order.
Hey, Billie?"
"We ought to; but I'll tell you what. You fellows go out and see
if you can get a line on him, and I'll hang round the house to
see that the devil doesn't come and steal the rest of the house."
"Especially Lucia," laughed Donald.
"That's all right," was the good-natured reply; "but I have an
idea that the devil and Strong may have something in common."
"You don't think it was Strong who came and took the box, do
you?" queried Adrian.
"I don't know just what I do think, Ad; but I'm going to do a
little detective work and I want to give the impression that we
are all out. When you fellows go out, don't say anything that
would cause any one in hiding to think we are not all going out
together. Do you sabe?"
"Sure. I hope you'll get a clue if we do not."
When the others had gone, Billie sat quietly in his room for a
long time. He could easily have gone to sleep, as he had had only
a couple of hours' rest, but he made up his mind that he would
not be caught napping again if anything should happen.
But nothing happened.
The minutes passed into hours and it was rapidly nearing noon
when Billie made up his mind that it was a bad job.
"We had our chance at daylight," he muttered, "and now we will
not get another. Whoever is after the box, has it and is not
going to take any further chance of being caught."
He went out into the patio and looked up at the sun. It was
almost in the zenith and the air was stifling.
"Any one would be a fool to go out at this time of day," he
mused. "I wonder where the fellows are?"
He stepped back under the shade of the arcade that extended clear
around the patio and threw himself onto a stone seat.
"Queer old place," he thought, "and a queer old seat."
He laid his hand on one of the carved arms and mechanically toyed
with an eagle's head that formed one of the decorations. To his
surprise the head turned in his hand.
"I hope I haven't broken it," he said as he examined it more
closely.
It was clearly made to revolve and so he turned it clear around,
when of a sudden the arm of the seat fell apart and the bottom
collapsed, disclosing to Billie's astonished eyes a pair of
stairs.
Almost thrown to the pavement by the giving way of the seat,
Billie picked himself up and looked about to see if he were
observed.
There was no one in sight and he stooped down and examined the
stairs carefully. Then he straightened up and rubbed his chin as
a sudden gleam of intelligence passed through his brain.
"So," he muttered, "this is why Santiago dwells in a house that
is directly back of the banker's. That was his box and he is the
strange man who made the million-dollar deposit in Don Esteban's
bank."
Then he stopped and pondered.
"But who stole the box? Not Santiago, for he has not left his
room for days. If it was Strong, he must have entered the bank
from some direction other than this. I don't understand, but I'm
going to make some further investigation."
He reëntered his room, buckled on his automatic and took from his
suit case--which, by the way, he had located at the railway
station along with that of his companions after the occupation of
the city by the marines--his electric torch. Then he went out and
descended the stairs, which he discovered were twenty-four in
number.
Reaching the bottom he found himself upon a landing some six or
eight feet square, from the opposite side of which another flight
of stairs ascended.
"I reckon I better see where they lead to," was his comment as he
slowly began their ascent.
After going up eighteen stairs his head touched the floor above.
He counted the remaining steps by the light of his torch and
found that there were six more. This would make the floor over
his head on an exact level with the floor of Santiago's house.
"It's just as I expected," he muttered. "If I can get
through this floor, I shall find myself in Don Esteban's
residence--somewhere. But just where? That's the question."
He pushed upon the stone above his head, but it refused to move.
Then he held up his torch and examined the ceiling carefully.
Whatever the method by which the stones could be moved, it was
carefully concealed.
Much chagrined, Billie at length decided to retrace his steps and
await the coming of his companions. He reached the landing and
crossed over to the steps by which he had descended.
Glancing up, he uttered an exclamation of surprise, for there at
the opening and peering down the stairs was Ambrosio, the ape.
With a cry of recognition the simian started to descend the
stairs, but at a noise from above he hesitated and then sprang
back and out of sight.
An instant later the opening was closed and Billie was left in
the darkness, except for the light of his torch.