NIGHT-WALKERS
Tuttle had returned by the time Garrison came once more to his office.
He entered the room behind his chief, and Garrison closed the door.
"Well?" said Jerold, "any news?"
"I got a line on young Robinson," answered Tuttle. "He's gone to a
small resort named Rockbeach, up on the coast of Massachusetts, but his
father doesn't know his business, or if he does he denies it."
"Rockbeach?" said Garrison, who realized at once that Theodore had gone
there to search out the justice of the peace who had married Dorothy
and Fairfax. "Is he up there still?"
"He hadn't come home this morning."
What so long an absence on Theodore's part might signify was a matter
purely of conjecture. There was nothing more to be done but await
developments. Whatever young Robinson's scheme, it might be wholly
disorganized by the latest will that John Hardy had drawn.
"What about the two dagos--the fellows who attacked me in the park?"
inquired Garrison. "Have you found out anything concerning them?"
Tuttle replied with a question. "Haven't you seen it in the papers?"
"Seen what?"
"Why, the bomb explosion and the rest of it--all Black Hand business
last night," answered Tuttle. "One of our pair was killed outright,
and the other one's dying, from a premature explosion of one of their
gas-pipe cartridges. They attempted to blow up a boiler, under a
tenement belonging to a man they'd tried to bleed, and it got 'em both."
He took from his pocket a two-column clipping from a morning newspaper,
and placed it on the desk.
"Out of my hands, then; no chance to help send them up," commented
Garrison reflectively, as he glanced through the article. "I'll keep
this, if you don't mind," he added. "It may be useful with
Robinson--in helping to warm up his blood."
"I tried to carry out instructions," said Tuttle, "but I couldn't find
out where they were till this came out in print. I hope there's
something else I can do."
Garrison thought for a moment.
"How many times have you been here to report?"
"Two or three times every day."
"Have you noticed a tall, light-haired man, with a long mustache,
around here at all, either to-day or yesterday?"
"If he's got blue eyes and wears a brown striped suit, he was here this
morning and asked me where he could find you," Tuttle answered. "Is
that your man?"
"The same. His name is Fairfax. He's the real Fairfax. He'll be
likely to return. Until Robinson appears again, you can keep your eye
on this office, spot Fairfax, and then keep him shadowed for a time.
Find where he lives, where he goes, and what he does."
"Anything more?"
"Keep track of old man Robinson, and let me know as soon as Theodore
returns."
Tuttle rose as if to go. He hesitated, turning his hat in his hands.
"Would it be asking too much if I suggested I need a little money?" he
inquired. "The Robinsons pay with hot air."
"I can let you have twenty-five," said Garrison, pulling out his
rapidly diminishing roll. "That do?"
"Fine," said Tuttle, receiving the bills. "When shall I----"
A messenger boy came plunging in at the door without the slightest
formality.
"Telegram for Garrison," he said. "Sign here."
"Wait half a minute, Tuttle," said Garrison, tearing open the envelope,
as the boy was departing, and he read the wire almost at a glance.
It was dated from Branchville.
Come up here as soon as possible. Important.
JAMES PIKE.
For a moment Garrison failed to remember the personality of James Pike.
Then it came with a flash--the coroner! Aware at once that the tale of
possible murder in the Hardy case had been spread and discussed all
over the State, he realized that Pike, and others who had been
concerned when John Hardy's body was found in their jurisdiction, might
have come upon new material.
"Nothing to add to instructions," he said to Tuttle. "I shall be out
of town to-night, and perhaps a part of to-morrow."
Tuttle took his leave. Garrison paced up and down the office floor for
half an hour. He was very much in hopes that word might come from
Dorothy as to where she had chosen a room. The afternoon was gone, and
he was famished.
He left at last, went to a restaurant, ate a hearty meal, and returned
to the office rather late. On the floor lay a notification of a
special delivery letter, to be had at the nearest substation.
He was there in the shortest possible time.
The letter was from Dorothy. It began "Dear Jerold," but it merely
informed him she had found apartments on Madison Avenue, not far from
Twenty-ninth Street.
He wrote her a note to acquaint her with the fact that new developments
called him at once to Branchville, whence he might continue to Albany,
and this, with a dozen magnificent roses, he sent by special messenger
to Miss Jeraldine Root.
He was still enabled to catch a fairly early train from Grand Central
Station.
A little after eight o'clock he arrived in Branchville, found James
Pike's real-estate office ablaze with light, and walked in on that busy
gentleman, who rose in excitement to grasp him by the hand.
"You got my wire?" demanded Mr. Pike. "I'm awful glad you came. I
turned up something in the Hardy case that I think you ought to know.
Got a man coming 'round here in fifteen minutes who read up on the
murder suspicions and the rest of it, and he saw a stranger, down in
Hickwood the night of Hardy's death, get into Hardy's room at Mrs.
Wilson's. It just struck me you ought to know, and so I wired."
"Thank you very much," said Garrison. "I consider this highly
important. Who is your man?"
"He ain't a man, he's a boy; young Will Barnes," amended the coroner.
"Most people think he's just a lazy, no-account young feller, but I've
always said he was growin'. Goes fishin' a good deal, of course,
but---- There he goes, now!" He ran to the door, through the glass of
which he had seen a tall, lanky youth across the way.
"Hi, Will!" he yelled, "come over, the New York man is waiting!"
Young Barnes came slowly across the highway.
"I've got to git some hooks," he said. "If I don't get 'em now the
store'll close."
"This is more important than hooks," answered Pike. "Come in here.
Mr. Garrison, this is Mr. Barnes. Will, Mr. Garrison, the New York
detective."
Quite unimpressed by Garrison's personality or calling, Will advanced
and shook his hand.
Garrison looked him over quickly.
"You're the man who saw a stranger going into Hardy's room, at Mrs.
Wilson's, the night that Hardy died, I believe?" he said. "How did you
happen to be there?"
"He lives right near," volunteered Mr. Pike.
"I was gettin' night-walkers," said Will.
"Night-walkers?" repeated Garrison. "People?"
"Fishin' worms," supplied Mr. Pike. "Angleworms walk at night and Will
gits 'em for bait. Goes out with a dark lantern and picks 'em up."
"I see," said Garrison. "What sort of a looking person was the man who
got into Mrs. Wilson's house?"
"A little shaver, that's all I could see," said the youthful angler.
The description tallied closely with all that Garrison had heard before
of Hiram Cleave, or Foster Durgin.
"Very good," he said. "Did you see what he did in the room?"
"Didn't do nuthin' but steal a couple of cigars," informed the disciple
of Walton. "He wasn't there more'n about a minute."
"But he _did_ steal a couple of cigars?" echoed Garrison, keenly alert
to the vital significance of this new evidence. "Did he take them from
the table?"
"Nope. Took 'em out of a box."
"Then came out by the window and departed?"
"Yep, he sneaked."
"Why didn't you tell anyone of this before?"
"Nobody asked me."
"And he ain't got no use for Mrs. Wilson, nor she for him,"
supplemented the coroner. "But I thought you ought to know."
"Would you know the man again if you should see him?" Garrison inquired.
"Sure."
"Do you know where he went when he left the house, or yard? Did you
follow him at all?"
"No, the night-walkers was too thick."
Garrison knew the lay of the yard at Mrs. Wilson's. He knew the room.
There was no particular reason for visiting the scene again. There was
nothing, in fact, to do at all except to visit the dealer in New York
who had sold the cigars to Dorothy, and hope for news of Foster Durgin
or the speedy arrival of the photograph of Cleave, which the old man in
Rockdale had promised. He asked one more question.
"Was he young or old?"
"Don't know," said Will, grinning. "He didn't say."
Garrison rose to go.
"This is all of the utmost importance. I may be obliged to have you
come down to New York--if I can find the man. But when you come it
will be at my expense."
"The fishin's awful good right now," objected Will. "I don't know
about New York."
"You can pick yourself out a five-dollar rod," added Garrison. "I'll
wire you when to come."
Garrison left for Albany at once. He found himself obliged to take a
roundabout course which brought him there late in the night.
In the morning he succeeded in running down a John W. Spikeman, who had
served as Hardy's lawyer for many years.
The man was ill in bed, delirious, a condition which had lasted for
several days. Naturally no word concerning the Hardy affair had come
to his notice--hence his silence on the subject, a silence which
Garrison had not heretofore understood.
He could not be seen, and to see him would have been of no avail, since
his mind was temporarily deranged.
The utmost that Garrison could do was to go to the clerk at his office.
This man, a very fleshy person, decidedly English and punctilious, was
most reluctant to divulge what he was pleased to term the professional
secrets of the office.
Under pressure of flattery and a clever cross-examination, he at length
admitted that Mr. Hardy had drawn a will, within a week of his death,
that Mr. Spikeman had declared it perfect, and that he and another had
signed it as witnesses all in proper form. Concerning the contents of
the document he was absolutely dumb. No amount of questioning,
flattery, or persuasion would induce him to divulge so much as a word
of what he had witnessed.
Garrison gave up with one more inquiry:
"Was the will deposited here in Mr. Spikeman's vault?"
"No, sir," said the clerk; "Mr. Hardy took it with him when he went."
Garrison's hopes abruptly wilted.