Philip’s face changed suddenly, and he uttered an exclamation of
dismay. He really believed that his life was in danger.
“There he is!” he ejaculated, his eyes nearly starting out of his head.
Harry turned, and his glance, too, fell on the menacing face of the
outlaw. But his face did not reflect the terror so plainly to be seen
on Philip’s. It should be remembered, however—for I do not wish to give
our hero more credit than he really deserves for his courage—that he
knew help was near at hand, and Philip didn’t.
Ralph Temple didn’t speak at first. Then he looked from Philip to
Harry, and demanded, savagely:
“Who released that boy?”
“I did,” answered Harry, undaunted.
“How dared you do it!” again demanded Temple, in the same tone.
“I thought he must be uncomfortable.”
Temple looked at him as if puzzled to account for his cool courage. It
was evident that here was a boy who would not be easily scared.
“Did you know that I tied him?” asked Temple, fiercely.
“Yes.”
“And yet you dared to untie him?”
“Certainly. You had no business to tie him.”
“What! you dare say this to my face?”
“Why shouldn’t I? What did you tie him for?”
“Didn’t he tell you?”
“No.”
“Then I will, though it’s none of your business. He stole my property.”
“Did you do that, Philip?” asked Harry, who was not yet aware of
Temple’s suspicion.
“No; I hope to die. I did not!” answered Philip, solemnly.
“What does he say that you stole?” continued Harry.
“He says I stole a tin box, containing some bonds or something.”
“I begin to understand,” thought Harry. “Philip is suffering for what I
have done. I must free him, if I can.
“Was the box in the cabin?” he asked, not considering it prudent to
betray all that he knew.
“No; it was buried in the earth, out in the woods,” said Philip.
“That’s true,” said Temple, with an oath. “It was all the property I
had.”
“It’s a queer place to keep articles of value,” said Harry, looking
steadily at Temple.
“I shall keep my own property where I please,” said Temple, doggedly.
“You don’t suppose I’d keep it here in this hut. It wouldn’t be safe
for twenty-four hours.”
“Did you see Philip take it?” continued Harry, assuming, unconsciously,
the tone of a judge or advocate.
“No; but I saw him prowling round near-by, and the earth had been
disturbed. As for the tin box, that was gone, and he stays here till it
is found.”
As he spoke he approached Philip, to tie him anew.
“Oh, please don’t tie me again, Mr. Temple!” pleaded the terrified boy.
“Indeed, I didn’t carry off your tin box. I didn’t know you had any.”
“Perhaps the box dug itself up and walked off,” said Temple, with
withering sarcasm. “You must think I am a fool. Somebody dug it up, and
knows where it is now.”
“It wasn’t me.”
“At any rate, it won’t do any harm to tie you up until I find out more
about it.”
Temple picked up the rope which Harry had thrown on the floor, and was
about to repeat his work, when Philip exclaimed, partly from the
instinct of self-preservation, partly to gratify his mean spite against
Harry:
“I shouldn’t wonder if Harry Gilbert carried it off himself. He was
prowling about the wood yesterday.”
Harry could hardly believe his ears. This boy who accused him was the
one he had just released from his bonds.
He looked at Philip, his face expressing the contempt he felt.
“I suppose this is to pay me for untying you?” he said.
“I can’t help it; I am sure you did it,” persisted Philip, thinking
what a fine thing it would be for Harry to change places with him. “I
am rich, and I have no need to steal. You are poor, and, I dare say,
would like to get hold of Mr. Temple’s bonds.”
Temple paused a moment, and then said:
“The boy may be right. I’ll tie both of you. One of you knows something
about it, or I’m mistaken.”
Philip’s face fell. He had hoped to get free himself. It would be some
satisfaction for him to see the boy he hated in the same plight, but
still he would rather go free.
“Tie him first,” he said.
It occurred to him that while Harry was being tied he might slip away.
“I know my own business best, youngster,” said Temple.
And he made Philip sit down again in the chair from which he had been
released.
“Don’t you dare leave the cabin, unless you want to be brought back,”
he said to Harry. “Your turn will come next.”
Harry did not answer, but coughed. It was the signal agreed upon
between him and the officer outside.
Temple was on his knees beside Philip’s chair, tying the boy, with his
back toward the door. He listened to hear whether our hero made any
attempt to escape, being prepared to pursue and bring him back by
force.
He heard a slight motion, and looked around quickly.
There in the doorway stood a stranger, quietly covering him with a
revolver.
Temple jumped to his feet, in surprise and alarm.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
“I am an officer of the law, Ralph Temple, and I call upon you to
surrender,” said the stranger, coolly.
“An officer? I don’t believe it. Where is your uniform?”
“I had my reasons for not wearing it. Do you surrender?”
“Why should I? What do you want of me?” asked the outlaw, uneasily.
“I want you for the theft of a tin box of bonds, taken from an office
in New York.”
“I know nothing about it,” said Temple, hastily.
“That is too late! I have heard you charge that boy with stealing it
from you. You admitted that you had concealed it in the wood.”
“That was my own property. I have been robbed of it.”
“You will have a chance to prove that in a court of law.”
“I’ll do that, if you’ll let me alone.”
“I have orders to arrest you.”
“Then you’ll have to show that you are a stronger man than I!”
exclaimed Temple, with an oath, and he prepared to dash forward.
“Stay where you are, or I fire!” said the officer, sternly.
Temple looked in his eyes, and saw that he was dealing with a man of
resolution. He knew something of faces, and he saw that this man would
be as good as his word.
“What do you want of me?” he said, sullenly.
“You must go with me.”
“Lead on, then. I’ll follow.”
“I must adopt a little prudential measure first, Harry, take these
handcuffs.”
Harry stepped forward and received them from the officer.
“Hold out your hands”—this was said to Temple—“and let this boy put on
the handcuffs.”
“I’ll kill him before I’ll allow him to do it!” exclaimed Temple,
violently.
“I don’t think you will, or even make the attempt,” said the officer,
quietly. “You forget that I hold your life in my hands,” and he made a
slight motion with the revolver.
“You wouldn’t dare to shoot?”
“If you should prove to be mistaken, it would be a serious mistake,”
said the officer, quietly.
It was his very quietness and freedom from excitement that daunted
Temple.
“You’ll repent this!” he said. “You’ve got the whip hand on me now, but
the time will come when I’ll get even with you.”
“I have been threatened before,” said the officer, briefly. “Harry, do
what I told you.”
Temple sullenly held out his wrists, and Harry put on the handcuffs.
“Now, follow me!”
They went out of the cabin, Philip following. He tried to be social
with Harry, but our hero had not forgotten his mean attempt to throw
suspicion upon him, after a service received at his hands, and received
his advances very coldly.