THE FORTUNE SAVED
Little time was lost in transferring Mr. Cameron to Dick's big car. The
young engineer was soon himself again, the slight feeling of illness,
caused by the chloroform, passing off.
"Those blowouts came just in time to let us get you," remarked Dick, as
he looked at the stalled car.
"Yes," agreed Mr. Cameron. "They ran so fast they overheated the shoes.
I didn't think you could catch us."
"Oh, the _Last Word_ can go some when she has to," said Dick, proudly.
"I never called on her for as much speed as this before though. What did
they do to you?"
"Nothing much, after they took me by surprise, and bundled me into their
car. Then they gagged me, as I found out when I recovered my senses, and
they trussed me up pretty well with the ropes. I could hear them
talking, though."
"Were they some of Uncle Ezra's gang?" asked Dick.
"Yes, they were taking the place of my two former guards, Sam and Bill.
I guess they had their orders to hide me away somewhere so you boys
couldn't find me until it was too late. But what are you going to do
now?"
"Get something to eat, and then head for San Francisco as fast as the
car will take us," said Dick. "We won't waste another minute. No telling
what trick they may try next."
The meal, served in the big auto, revived them, for they were tired with
the chase and worn by anxiety. Soon they all felt better and a little
later they were on the move again, leaving the stalled car where
doubtless the men would come back and get it.
"It's a wonder they didn't show fight when they found we were
overhauling them," said Paul.
"I guess they didn't dare risk it," said Mr. Cameron. "They were taking
enough chances with the law as it was. Well, I'll be glad when this is
over so I can settle down to business again. I'll give my testimony as
soon as I can, and then the case will be over."
As Mr. Cameron knew the roads well they made a night journey of it,
coming at dawn to a fair-sized city where they stopped for gasoline.
Then they continued on, and in due time came to San Francisco.
"Now what's the program?" asked Paul, when they realized that they were
at the end of their journey. They had crossed this great continent.
"Get to a good lawyer, explain the case to him and have him fix matters
up so your friend Wardell won't lose his fortune," said Mr. Cameron, and
this was done, a call being made on Mr. Whitfield Ainslie, who was
recommended by Mr. Tunison.
The lawyer agreed that no time was to be lost. Matters were put in shape
for presentation to the courts, and Mr. Cameron's affidavits were filed.
The papers Dick had taken such care of came in useful, though their
importance was not as great as they would have been had not Mr. Cameron
been able to tell what he knew.
Then came the day in court, when the other side, with the lawyers
representing Mr. Larabee fighting in every way their trained legal minds
could think of.
The judge heard all the testimony, including how Mr. Cameron had
discovered the unexpected evidence, and how, under a misapprehension, he
had agreed to keep silent about it. The manner in which Mr. Wardell gave
up his railroad stock was also recited.
"Why is he himself not here to give testimony?" the judge asked.
"Because, your honor," said Mr. Ainslie, "he is really not needed. He
has given Mr. Hamilton power of attorney to act for him. Besides Mr.
Wardell is, I am informed by credible authority, in South America,
trying to make a new fortune for himself."
"Well," remarked the judge with a little smile, "in that case I think
we shall have to give him back his old one. I find for Mr. Wardell, let
judgment be entered accordingly," and he signed the papers and turned
them over to his clerk for formal filing.
"What does that mean?" whispered Dick to his lawyer.
"It means that you have saved Mr. Wardell's fortune for him. I
congratulate you."
"Well, I had a race for it!" said Dick, grimly. "But it was fun after
all."
Of course Uncle Ezra's lawyers tried their best to upset the judgment in
Mr. Wardell's favor, but they were ruled out of court. Uncle Ezra even
came on himself, crabbed and angry at having spent money on railroad
fare.
"And so you're responsible for my losing all this money, be you, Nephew
Richard?" he snarled, when he found he had lost his case.
"It wasn't yours by rights," declared Dick. "I'm sorry to have to go
against you, but it was the only thing I could do."
"Humph!" sniffed Mr. Larabee. "Don't you let that pesky dog of yours nip
me, or I'll sue you for damages!" he cried, as Grit growled and showed a
desire to get nearer to Uncle Ezra's legs.
"Down, Grit," said Dick, quietly. "I don't suppose, Uncle Ezra," he went
on, "that you'll want to ride back with us in the big auto. We'll be
touring back after we see something of California."
"I wouldn't ride with you for a farm!" snapped the old man. "Besides,
I've got a return ticket an' I'm not goin' to let the railroad get the
best of me. I've lost enough money as it is."
"You might sell the ticket," suggested Dick, but he hoped his relative
would not ride back with him.
"Huh! Yes, and lose nigh half of it. No, sir, I'm going back in the
cars!"
"Thank goodness!" exclaimed Paul in a low voice. And then, as Mr.
Larabee left Dick's chum asked:
"Well, what's next on the program, old man? Do you think we'll have any
more adventures like those we've just passed through?"
"I don't know," remarked, Dick, musingly. And what new adventures befell
him and his friends will be related in the next book of this series, to
be called "Dick Hamilton's Airship; Or, A Young Millionaire in the
Clouds."
Uncle Ezra departed for the East next day, a very much put-out man. He
said he never would forgive his nephew.
"Now look here, Uncle Ezra," remarked our hero, solemnly. "I don't care
what you think, for I know I did right in this matter. You may have been
fully within the law in what you did----"
"I was, Nephew Richard. I had the law with me."
"But not the moral law," went on Dick. "You might have been the cause of
Mr. Wardell taking his life. He actually contemplated that as he was in
such despair at losing his fortune. I was lucky enough to prevent him,
and I saved his fortune for him, for the honor of my family."
"Humph!" sniffed Uncle Ezra, as he went for his train, Grit growling a
good-bye. "Wa'al, maybe it's all for the best," he added grudgingly.
"I've lost a pile of money, but still I wouldn't want anybody to suicide
on my account."
"And now let's forget law and legal papers and all such stuff!" cried
Dick, a little later. "We're going to have a good time the rest of the
summer."
And that they did need not be doubted. Dick informed his father by
telegraph of the success of the trip, and later wrote the main facts to
him. In turn Mr. Hamilton sent Dick a letter that had come from Mr.
Wardell in South America.
Thus in possession of the address Dick wrote telling of the saving of
the fortune. And, as Mr. Wardell had not been as successful in South
America as he had hoped to be, he came on home, and took up the
management of his affairs, so luckily preserved to him. Mr. Cameron, in
recognition of his services, was made chief engineer of the railroad, a
position that exactly suited him. Mr. Wardell offered Dick a substantial
sum, but the young millionaire turned it over to charity.
Criminal action might have been taken against the men who practically
kidnapped him, but it was decided best to drop the matter, so they were
not sought out, nor were those who had annoyed and tried to get the
papers from Dick.
"And now let's tour California," said Dick one day, some time after all
court matters were over. "We'll see the sights and start back across the
continent so as to get to Kentfield when the football season opens!"
"That's the talk!" cried Paul Drew.
And here we will take leave of Dick Hamilton and his friends.
THE END
End of Project Gutenberg's Dick Hamilton's Touring Car, by Howard R. Garis