FINDING BAIL
Jack hardly realized what arrest meant until he heard the iron door
clang shut, and found himself in a stone cell, scarcely six feet square,
with nothing but a rough board upon which to rest.
He sat down with a heart that was heavier than ever before. The various
misfortunes of the day had piled themselves up until he thought they had
surely reached the end, and now, as if to cap the climax, here he was
arrested for the burning of a place that he had worked like a beaver for
two hours to save.
He wondered how Mr. Felix Gray had come to make the charge against him.
He could think of no reason that could excite suspicion, saving,
perhaps, his rather hasty words in the tool manufacturer's library the
afternoon previous.
"I suppose he thinks I did it out of revenge," thought the young
machinist; "but then there are men--like Andy Mosey, for instance--who
have threatened far more than I. Guess I can clear myself--by an alibi,
or some such evidence."
Nevertheless, he chafed under the thought of being a prisoner, and felt
decidedly blue when Deb entered his mind. What would his sister think
of his absence, and what would she say when told what had happened?
"Maybe I can send her word," he said to himself, and knocked loudly upon
the door.
The watchman was just asleep on a sofa in an adjoining room and did not
hear him.
Failing to attract attention in this way, Jack began to kick, and so
vigorously did he apply his heels that he awoke the sleeper with such a
start that he came running to the spot instantly.
"Can I send a message home?" asked the young machinist.
"Not till morning," was the surly reply; "is that all you want?"
"Yes. Isn't there any way at all?" persisted Jack. "I have a sister
who will worry over my absence."
The man gaped and opened his eyes meditatively.
"You might if you was willing to pay for it," he replied, slowly.
"I have no money with me," replied Jack, feeling in his pockets to make
sure.
"Have to wait till morning then," was the short reply, and the young
machinist was once more left alone.
He was utterly tired out, and in the course of half an hour fell into a
troubled slumber, from which he did not awaken until called.
"Some one to see you," were the watchman's words, and the door opened to
admit Mont Gray.
Mont was a tall, thin young man. He had a large brow, deep, dark eyes,
and a strangely earnest face. He was quiet in his way, attended
punctually to his office duties, and was on much better terms with the
hands at the tool works than his uncle had ever been. He was the only
son of Mr. Felix Gray's youngest brother, who had died a widower some
twelve years before--died, some said, and put out of the way, others
whispered. That there was some mystery connected with those times was
certain. Rumor had it that Felix Gray had crowded his brother out of
the business in which he originally owned a half share. This
transaction was followed by Monterey Gray's sudden disappearance. Felix
Gray gave it as his opinion that his brother had departed for Australia,
a place of which he had often spoken.
Young Mont--he was named after his father--had been taken to live with
his uncle, who kept bachelor's hall in fine style.
The boy got along as best he could under the sharp guardianship of Mr.
Felix Gray, who, as soon as he could, placed Mont at one of the desks,
where he was now allowed to earn his board and four dollars a week.
His position at the tool works brought him into daily contact with Jack;
and, during the past two years, a warm friendship had sprung up between
them. He knew all about the young machinist's ambition, and had spent
many an evening at the Willingtons' apartments watching Jack work, and
chatting to Deb, with whom, as is known, he was on good terms.
"Hello, Mont!" exclaimed Jack, "what brings you here? Did your uncle
send you?"
"Send me!" said the young man. "No, indeed! he doesn't even suspect I'm
here; if he did he would raise a row, sure."
"Then you don't believe I'm guilty?" began Jack, somewhat relieved.
"Humph! Nonsense! I only wonder uncle Felix thinks so," returned Mont.
"It seems to me that the evidence of a match safe is a mighty slim one."
This was news to the young machinist.
"Why, what about a match safe?" he asked.
"Didn't you hear?" was Mont's question, in surprise. "They found a
match safe with your last name on it, in the basement."
Jack sprang up in astonishment.
"Was it a small silver safe, with a bear's head on one side, and a
lion's on the other?" he asked.
"Yes; then it is yours?"
"Yes, it's mine. But I haven't seen it for nearly a month," burst out
the young machinist. "I missed it out of my pocket, and suspected Andy
Mosey of having taken it, though I could not prove it. But I see it all
now. Mosey was speaking of revenge up at the bank yesterday morning,
and he has done the deed, and used my property to throw suspicion on
me."
"But he wouldn't do such a mean thing unless he had a grudge against
you," remarked Mont.
"He has several of them. More than once, when he was drunk, and came
interfering around my work, I threatened to report him. Besides, I have
the job he always thought his son Mike should have."
"I see. But can you prove that he had the safe?"
"I don't think I can. But I believe I can prove that I lost it, and was
home when the fire started?"
"Does Deb know you are here?" asked Mont, suddenly.
"Not unless some one else has let her know. Will you take her a note?"
"Certainly; I was going to suggest that very thing. I intended to call
on her."
Jack took the sheet of paper that Mont supplied and wrote a few words of
cheer to his sister.
"I'll tell her the particulars," said the young man, as he pocketed the
letter. "Is there anything else you want done?"
"Nothing now. Maybe there will be later on."
"I'll do what I can for you," continued Mont, "even if my uncle doesn't
like it;" and he stepped out of the cell.
Half an hour later Jack was brought out for examination. The court room
was crowded with the now idle men, and many were the expressions of
sympathy for the young machinist, and denunciation for Mr. Felix Gray's
hasty action.
The tool manufacturer himself did not appear. The officer who made the
arrest said that the excitement of the past two days had made the
plaintiff quite ill.
The hearing was a brief one. The match safe was the only evidence
produced against Jack, and as he had no means of proving his innocence
then and there, it was decided to hold him to wait the action of the
grand jury, three weeks later. Bail was fixed at one thousand
dollars--a sum that was thought amply sufficient to keep any one from
becoming his bondsman.
Meanwhile, Mont had delivered the note, as already recorded, and while
being led out of the court room, Jack recognized the young man in the
crowd, and an instant later found Deb at his side.
"Oh, Jack!" was all the poor girl could say, and clinging to his arms,
she began to sob outright.
To see Deb cry made the young machinist feel worse than did his
incarceration. He drew his sister to one side--away from the public
gaze, and comforted her the best he could.
But the thought of going to prison was too terrifying to be subdued.
"Three weeks before they will hear what you have to say!" she exclaimed.
"If you could only find that Mosey!"
"But he has left," put in Mont; "I tried everywhere to find him. Maybe
you can get bail."
"I can't get it while I'm in prison," returned Jack, gloomily.
"I'll take you anywhere you wish to go," said the under-sheriff, who had
him in charge. He was a married man, had daughters of his own, and
Deb's anguish went straight to his heart.
Jack thought a moment. "Perhaps I might get Mr. Benton to go on my
bond," he said.
The man he referred to was the wealthy speculator who had examined the
model and praised the invention.
"But he would want security. Perhaps I'd have to sign over my rights to
him," he continued with a sigh.
"It would be a shame to do that," said Mont. "You expect so much from
the patent."
"But you wouldn't lose it unless you ran away," put in Deb; "and of
course you're not going to do that."
Jack gave another sigh.
"I'll go and see him anyway," he said.