_VI.--ON THE TRACK._
The night passed slowly away. Just as Sol was pouring his earliest
morning rays into the little room where Walter had lain unconsciously
for so many hours, the sleeper awoke, rubbed his eyes, and called aloud
for his companion, but, to his surprise, received no answer. He was
astonished to find that he had gone to bed without taking off his
clothes, but he suspected nothing until he saw that Seppi was not in the
room, and at the same moment missed the belt from his waist and the
papers from his pockets. When the whole extent of the calamity flashed
upon him, he felt completely overwhelmed. A cold perspiration started to
his face; he trembled in every limb, and but for the support of the bed,
would have fallen on the floor. "Merciful powers!" he exclaimed, when he
recovered his speech, "can it be possible that Seppi has robbed me and
gone?"
He rushed to the door, which he found was locked. After kicking at it
with great violence for some time, he aroused the attention of André,
who came up, and, after opening the door, demanded the reason of such
behavior.
"Where is Seppi?" exclaimed Walter, paying no heed to his inquiries.
"Tell me instantly what has become of him."
"How should I know?" was the rough reply. "He left the inn before
daybreak."
Walter's fears were fully confirmed. He sank into a chair, and gave way
to an outburst of indignation.
"Don't trouble yourself about being left alone," said André; "your
friend told me last night that he would be sure to return to-morrow, and
has given me orders to let you have everything you ask for."
"You've seen the last of him," returned the youth. "He has robbed me,
and has got safe away by this time. But I won't rest till I have hunted
him down; and woe to him then!"
He rushed to the door to carry out his purpose; but André stopped him.
"Oho, my fine fellow, that's what you're up to," said he. "I see now
that your friend was right when he told me that you were not quite right
in the upper story. You will please stay quietly here till to-morrow
morning, and then you can make it all right with him yourself. You
sha'n't stir out of this room till he comes back, so make up your mind
for it."
With these words the fellow quietly turned on his heel and left the
room, and having locked the door, went down stairs again without paying
further regard to Walter's indignant remonstrances.
There being no possibility of escape by the door, Walter ran to the
window, and looking out, saw that the window-sill was scarcely twenty
feet from the ground, and that no one was visible outside. His plans
were quickly formed. Tying the sheets together, he fastened one end to
the window-frame, and lowered himself to the ground. But a new
difficulty presented itself. Which direction should he take? While he
thus stood for an instant in doubt, he heard a shout from the window
overhead, and looking up, beheld André, who by this time had brought his
breakfast.
"What game is this you're up to?" exclaimed the unwelcome custodian.
"Stir a foot from there till I come, and it will be the worse for you."
Paying no heed to this threat, Walter ran at the top of his speed toward
the main road, and would perhaps have made good his escape had not a
broad ditch barred his way, which he was in the act of crossing, when he
slipped, and was overtaken by André, who, after a struggle, managed to
secure his charge.
"I've got you again, my boy!" said his captor, triumphantly. "You might
as well have paid attention to what I told you, for now you must march
back again, and take up your quarters in the cellar, instead of having a
comfortable room. I'll warrant you'll not get away again in a hurry."
The unfortunate youth, half stunned with the events of the morning, and
considerably bruised with the fall, was overpowered by the superior
strength of his pursuer, and had to resign himself quietly to his fate.
They had just got back to the inn, and were in the act of entering, when
the sound of wheels was heard; and on looking back, a post-chaise with
four horses was seen rapidly approaching the inn.
The carriage was open, and two young men reclined upon the soft
cushions, while a handsome dog lay upon the front seat, and looked up
with an intelligent glance at one of the gentlemen, who seemed to be its
master.
"Let us have some refreshment," said the gentleman to André, who was
somewhat taken aback by the unexpected arrival of travellers at that
early hour. "Look sharp, my man! We must be in Paris in an hour, and
have no time to lose."
Forgetting his prisoner, André hurried in to make the necessary
preparations, while Walter, pale and breathless, leaned against the side
of the door.
"Mr. Seymour!" he suddenly exclaimed, on beholding one of the
travellers. "Mr. Seymour! Pray assist me."
The stranger leaped from the carriage and hastened toward the unhappy
youth.
"Can I believe my eyes?--Watty!" he exclaimed--"Watty, from the Bernese
Oberland! Look here, Lafond; this is the boy that got me the young
vultures from the Engelhorn, the narrative of whose courage you admired
so much. But what are you doing here, my boy? And what is the meaning of
all this distress?"
"I have been robbed of a large sum of money here, and the thief has
escaped with it. I was going in pursuit of him--"
"Don't believe a word of what he says, Sir," interrupted André, who at
that moment issued from the inn. "The poor fellow is not right in his
mind. His companion told me so, and I am going to take care of him till
he comes back. He'll be here to-morrow."
"Fool!" exclaimed Mr. Seymour, angrily, "this young man is an old
acquaintance of mine. Don't you dare to lay hands on him, or you shall
suffer for it! And now, Walter, tell me the whole story as quickly as
you can."
The young man related all that had happened since his arrival in Paris.
"It's a bad affair, my good fellow," said Mr. Seymour, shaking his head
and shrugging his shoulders thoughtfully. "Your companion has most
likely travelled all night, and it will be hard work to find out which
way he has gone. But never mind; we must try what can be done. Come with
us to Paris, and I will get the police to make instant search for the
thief. But in the first place," he continued, turning to André, who
looked on in sullen astonishment, "let us have something to eat; and
then we'll be off to Paris, where the scoundrel is most likely hiding
himself."
Mr. Seymour's companion, a pale and delicate-looking man, had listened
in silence to all that had passed, but while they were partaking of the
refreshment that had been hastily prepared, he joined in the
conversation.
"My dear Seymour," said he, "I think I know a better plan to get on the
track of this swindler than if we had the help of all the policemen of
Paris."
"Name it," returned his friend.
"Well, you know the St. Bernard dogs are the best in the world for
following up a scent; and as Hector is a capital specimen of the breed,
I think we can not do better than set him on the track."
"But the dog doesn't know him, so how can he trace him?"
"The fellow has perhaps left something behind him in his hurry; if so,
then let Hector get his nose to it, and I'll wager anything that he'll
follow him up even if he is fifty miles off."
"That's a capital idea," assented Mr. Seymour, delighted at the prospect
of serving his young friend. "Hector knows that we're speaking about
him. See how knowing he looks! Run, Walter, and see if your precious
companion has left anything behind him."
Accompanied by André, who began to perceive that Seppi had cheated him,
Walter sped up stairs to the room in which he had slept, and soon
returned in triumph.
"He has left some of his clothes," exclaimed the now excited youth.
"They are worthless things; and certainly no loss to him, after getting
possession of all that money."
"Not so worthless after all," signified Mr. Seymour. "Who knows but we
may find this bundle worth fifty thousand francs to you, Walter, or
rather to Mr. Frieshardt? Lay it down here. Now then, Hector, take a
good sniff."
The hound jumped from the carriage, smelled the bundle all round, then
looked up at his master in an intelligent way, and gave a short deep
bark.
"Hector will be on the track immediately," was the assurance given by
Mr. Lafond. "Find--lost--find, my fine fellow!" he exclaimed.
The animal thoroughly understood its master's wish, and ran round the
inn with its nose close to the ground. Suddenly it came to a stand,
looked back, and gave another short bark, as if to say, "Here!"
"Bravo, Hector!" exclaimed both the gentlemen, in delight. "Come and
smell again. Good dog!"
The dog sniffed the bundle once more, and after making another detour of
the inn, stood still at the old spot.
"He has got the scent now, without a doubt," said the stranger. "Keep up
your heart, young man, and we'll get the money out of this scoundrel's
clutches just as certain as you got the birds from the Engelhorn for my
friend. Jump into the carriage. Follow the dog, postilion. Off with
you!"
The pursuit continued rapidly. The sharp-scented hound never showed the
least doubt or wandering. On a few occasions it turned off into by-paths
to the right or left, but always returned in a few seconds to the main
road that led to Havre.
The horses were changed two or three times, but the dog seemed as fresh
as when the pursuit commenced. It was growing late in the afternoon; but
although Hector continued to hold on as before, Mr. Lafond shook his
head, and began to doubt whether they were on the right track after all.
The two friends made a careful calculation of the time and distance, and
Mr. Seymour also began to feel rather anxious. He stopped the carriage,
called the dog back, and made him smell Seppi's bundle again, which they
had taken care to bring with them. The dog gave the same short sharp
bark as before, then turned round again, and continued the journey in
the old direction.
"I haven't the least doubt now," said Mr. Seymour, cheerfully. "We must
be on the right track. Go on, postilion!"
After the lapse of half an hour the dog stopped suddenly, threw its head
up in the air, and sniffed all around in evident confusion; then, after
making a slight detour with anxious speed, leaped across the ditch by
the road-side. With a loud bark that seemed to express satisfaction, the
intelligent creature made for a small clump of bushes at a little
distance from the road, into which it disappeared. In the course of a
minute or two the barking was renewed, but this time in a threatening
tone.
"We've got him!" exclaimed Mr. Seymour. "There's no doubt the fellow
found he could get no farther, and has taken up his quarters in the
cover yonder, to make up for the sleep he lost last night."
"Let us go over there, then," said his companion, leaping from the
carriage and across the ditch. "Hector is calling us, and is sure to be
right."
[Illustration: "PINNED TO THE EARTH BY THE SAGACIOUS ANIMAL."]
Mr. Seymour leaped the ditch, followed by Walter and one of the two
postilions. Guided by the barking of the dog, they soon reached the
thicket, and there found the man they were in quest of, pinned to the
earth by the sagacious animal.
"Oh, Seppi! Seppi!" exclaimed Walter, in astonishment and sorrow, "how
could you be guilty of such an act as this!"
The conscience-stricken man paled before the indignant youth.
"I will give you back everything, and beg your pardon for all I've
done," whined the wretched drover, "if you will only release me from
this savage brute that has nearly been the death of me."
At the call of his master the dog quitted his hold, and Seppi handed
Walter the money-belt.
Walter counted the notes and gold, and was glad to find the contents
untouched. Seppi rose to his feet meanwhile, but stood looking to the
ground in shame and fear.
Walter, feeling compassion for him, begged that he might be let off; and
Mr. Seymour consented.
Seppi was overjoyed at being let off so easily. He had not dared to
expect that Walter would have taken his part, and felt really thankful
that his first great crime had not met with a severe and terrible
punishment. With earnestness in his tone, he thanked his former
companion, and with unaffected emotion assured him solemnly that he
would never again stretch out his hand to that which did not belong to
him.
He kissed Walter's hand and moistened it with his tears, and was gone.
"Now," said Mr. Seymour, "I think we must set off toward Paris, if we
are to get there to-night."
After a long journey, the travellers reached the French metropolis; and
Walter repaired with Mr. Seymour to one of the best hotels, where, in a
soft and luxurious bed, he soon forgot the toil and anxiety of the day,
and slept sounder than he had ever done in his life.
[TO BE CONTINUED.]