"_Now, if Fellows will stay away_"
"Yes. Such is the understanding if I do not telephone my pals to hold
off. He's not at home; he's with my friends. They don't care very much
about old men, and if I have not a decent show of money by half-past
eleven this morning the orders are to knock him on the head. It won't
take a very hard knock. He was far from being in prime condition this
morning."
She had shown great feeling at the beginning of this address, but at its
close she drew herself up again and met him with something of her old
composure.
"These are all lies," said she. "My father would never leave his house
at the instigation of any gang. In the first place, he is not strong
enough to attempt the stairs. You cannot deceive me in this fashion."
"He might be carried down."
"He wouldn't submit to that, nor would the other lodgers in the house
allow it without an express order from me."
"They got the order; not from you, but from him. He demanded to be
allowed to go. You see, Mr. Fellows sent a message that you were hurt--I
will speak the whole truth, and say dying. The old man could not be held
after that. He went with the messenger."
Her cheeks were now like ashes. She had gauged the man before her and
felt that he was fully capable of this villainy. How great a villainy
she alone knew who had the history of this old man in her heart.
"He went with the messenger," repeated Johnson, watching her face with a
cruel leer. "That messenger knew where to take him. You may be sure it
was to a place quite unknown to the police and to every one else but
myself. Five minutes more gone, miss. In just twenty-five minutes more
you will be an orphan and one impediment to your marriage will be at an
end. How about the other?"
"Oh!" she wailed. "If I could really believe you!"
"I can smooth away that doubt. If you will promise not to compromise me
with the clerks or any one inside there, I will allow you to telephone
home and learn the truth of what I have told you. Anything further will
end all business between us and wind up your father's affairs at the
hour set. I can afford to humor you for ten minutes more in this
nonsense."
"I will do it," she cried. "I must know what I am fighting before----"
She caught herself back, but he was quite able to finish the sentence
for her.
"Before you submit to the inevitable," he smiled.
Her head fell and he pointed toward the door.
"I will trust you to guard my--our interests," said he. "Open and go
directly to your own telephone."
With a staggering step she obeyed. Creeping up stealthily behind her he
watched her manner of opening the door and profited by the one quick
glance he got of the office as she stepped through and passed hurriedly
forward to her desk. There was no one within sight. Mr. Fellows had not
yet returned and the clerks were too remote to notice her agitation or
pay attention to her gait or the tremulousness of her tone as she called
for her home number.
"Couldn't be better," thought he. "Now if Fellows will stay away long
enough, I'll be able to double the boodle I've promised myself." This
with a chuckle.
Meantime Miss Lee had got in her message. The answer sent her flying
toward him.
"He's gone! He's gone!" she gasped. "My old, old father! Oh, you wretch!
Save him and----"
"You save me first," he whispered, and was about to draw her back into
the room with the safe, when the outer door opened and a stranger
entered on business.
Her agony at the interruption and the few necessary words it involved
caused the visitor to stare. But she was able to make herself
intelligible and to turn him over to one of the clerks, after which she
rejoined Johnson, closing the door quietly behind her.
His greeting was characteristic.
"You waste breath," said he, "by all this emotion. You'll need it to
open the safe."
"What guarantee have I that you will keep your part of the contract?"
she cried. "I sing--the door opens--you help yourself, and you go. That
does not restore to me my father."
"Oh, I'll play fair. In proof of it, here's my pistol. If on our going
out I do not stop with you at the telephone and let you communicate with
your father and send my own message of release, then shoot me in the
back. I give you leave."
Taking the pistol he held out, she cocked it, and looking into the
chambers, found they were all full.
"I know how to use it," she said simply.
Admiration showed in his face. He bowed and pointed toward the tube.
"Now for the song," he cried.