As Lawrence Croft walked down Pine Top Hill his mind was in a good deal
of a hubbub. The mind of almost any lover would be stirred up if he came
fresh from an interview, in which his lady had pinned him, to use a
cruel figure, in various places on the wall to see how he would spin and
buzz in different lights. But the disdainful pin had not yet gone
through a vital part of Lawrence's hopes, and they had strength to spin
and buzz a good deal yet. As soon as he should have an opportunity he
would rack his brains to find out what it was that had put Roberta March
into such a strange humor. No one who simply desired to decline the
addresses of a gentleman would treat her lover as Miss March had treated
him. It was quite evident that she wished to punish him. But what had
been his crime?
But the immediate business on his hands was to go and see what man it
was who wished to see him. Ordinarily the fact that a man had called
upon him would not be considered by Lawrence a matter for cogitation,
but as he walked toward the house it seemed to him very odd that any one
should call upon him in such an out-of-the-way place as this, where so
few people knew him to be. He was not a business man, but a large
portion of his funds were invested in a business concern, and it might
be that something had gone wrong, and that a message had been sent him.
His address at the Green Sulphur Springs was known, and the man in
charge there knew that he was visiting Mrs Keswick.
These considerations made him a little anxious, and helped to keep his
mind in the hubbub which has been mentioned.
When he reached the front of the house, Lawrence saw a lean, gray horse
tied to a tree, and a man sitting upon the porch; and as soon as he made
his appearance the latter came down the steps to meet him.
"I didn't go into the house, sir," he said, "because I thought you'd
just as lief have a talk outside."
"What is your business?" asked Croft.
The man moved a few steps farther from the house, and Lawrence followed
him.
"Is it anything secret you have to tell me?" he asked.
"Well, yes, sir, I should think it was," replied the other, a tall man,
with sandy hair and beard, and dressed in a checkered business suit,
which had lost a good deal of the freshness of its early youth. "I may
as well tell you at once who I am. I am an anti-detective. Never heard
of that sort of person, I suppose?"
"Never," said Lawrence, curtly.
"Well, sir, the organization which I belong to is one which is filling a
long felt want. You know very well, sir, that this country is full of
detective officers, not only those who belong to a regular police force,
but lots of private ones, who, if anybody will pay them for it, will go
to Jericho to hunt a man up. Now, sir, our object is to protect society
against these people. When we get information that a man is going to be
hounded down by any of these detectives--and we have private ways of
knowing these things--we just go to that man, and if he is willing to
become one of our clients, we take him into our charge; and our
business, after that, is to keep him informed of just what is being done
against him. He can stay at home in comfort with his wife, settle up his
accounts, and do what he likes, and the day before he is to be swooped
down on, he gets notice from us, and comfortably goes to Chicago, or
Jacksonville, where he can take his ease until we post him of the next
move of the enemy. If he wants to take extra precautions, and writes a
letter to anybody in the place where he lives, dated from London or Hong
Kong, and sends that letter under cover to us, we'll see that it is
mailed from the place it is dated from, and that it gets into the hands
of the detectives. There have been cases where a gentleman has had six
months or a year of perfect comfort, by the detectives being thrown off
by a letter like this. That is only one of the ways in which we help
and protect persons in difficulties who, if it wasn't for us, would be
dragged off, hand-cuffed, from the bosom of their families; and who,
even if they never got convicted, would have to pay a lot of money to
get out of the scrape. Now, I have put myself a good deal out of the
way, sir, to come to you, and offer you our assistance."
"Me!" exclaimed Croft. "What are you talking about?"
The man smiled. "Of course, it's all right to know nothing about it, and
it's just what we would advise; but I assure you we are thoroughly
posted in your affair, and to let you know that we are, I'll just
mention that the case is that of Croft after Keswick, through Candy."
"Stuff and nonsense!" exclaimed Lawrence, getting red in the face.
"There is no such case!"
He was about to say more, when a few words from the anti-detective
stopped him suddenly.
"Look here, Mr Keswick," said the man, leveling a long fore-finger at
him, and speaking very earnestly, "don't you go and flatter yourself
that this thing has been dropped, because you haven't heard of it for a
month or two; and if you'll take my advice, you'll make up your mind on
the spot, either to let things go on and be nabbed, or to put yourself
under our protection, and live in entire safety until this thing has
blown over, without any trouble, except a little travelling." At the
mention of Keswick's name, Lawrence had seen through the whole affair at
a single mental glance. The man was after Junius Keswick, and his
business was to Lawrence more startling and repugnant than it could
possibly be to any one else. It was necessary to be very careful. If he
immediately avowed who he was, the man might yet find Keswick, before
warning and explanation could be got to him, and not only put that
gentleman in a very unpleasant state of mind, but do a lot of mischief
besides. He did not believe that Mr Candy had recommenced his
investigations without consultation with him, but this person evidently
knew that such an investigation had been set on foot, and that would be
sufficient for his purposes. Lawrence decided to be very wary, and he
said to the man, "Did you ask for me here by name?"
"No, _sir_," said the other, "I had information that you were here, and
that you were the only gentleman who lived here and although you are in
your own home, I did not know but this was one of those cases in which
names were dropped and servants changed, to suit an emergency. I asked
the little darkey I saw at the front of the house if she lived here, and
she told me she had only just come. That put me on my guard, and so I
merely asked if the gentleman was in, and she went and got you. We're
very careful about calling names, and you needn't be afraid that any of
our people will ever give you away on that line."
Lawrence reflected for a moment, and then he said: "What are your terms
and arrangements for carrying on an affair of this kind?"
"They are very simple and moderate," said the man, taking a wallet from
his pocket. "There is one of our printed slips, which we show but don't
give away. To become a client all you have to do is to send fifteen
dollars to the office, or to pay it to me, if you think no time should
be lost. That will entitle you to protection for a year. After that we
make the nominal charge of five dollars for each letter sent you, giving
you information of what is going on against you. For extra services,
such as mailing letters from distant points, of course there will be
extra charges."
Lawrence glanced over the printed slip, which contained information very
similar to that the man had given him, and as he did so, he came to the
conclusion that there would be nothing dishonest in allowing the fellow
to continue in his mistake, and to endeavor to find out what mischief
was about to be done in his, Lawrence's, name, and under his apparent
authority. "I will become a subscriber," said he, taking out his
pocket-book, "and request that you give me all the information you
possess, here and immediately."
"That is the best thing to do," said the man, taking the money, "for, in
my opinion, no time is to be lost. I'll give you a receipt for this."
"Don't trouble yourself about that," said Lawrence; "let me have your
information."
"You're very right," said the man. "It's a great deal better not to
have your name on anything. And now for the points. Candy, who has
charge of Croft's job, is going more into the detective business than he
used to be, and we have information that he has lately taken up your
affair in good, solid earnest. He found out that Croft had put somebody
else on your track, without regularly taking the business out of his
hands, and this made him mad; and I don't wonder at it, for Croft, as I
understand, has plenty of money, and if he concluded to throw Candy
over, he ought to have done it fair and square, and paid him something
handsome in consideration for having taken the job away. But he didn't
do anything of the kind, and Candy considers himself still in his
employment, and vows he's going to get hold of you before the other
party does; so, you see, you have got two sets of detectives after you,
and they'll be mighty sharp, for the first one that gets you will make
the money."
"Where are Candy's detectives now?" asked Lawrence.
"That I can't tell you positively, as I am so far from our New York
office, to which all information comes. But now that you are a
subscriber, I'll communicate with head-quarters and the necessary points
will be immediately sent to you by telegraph, if necessary. All that you
have to do is to stay here until you hear from us."
"From the way you spoke just now," said Lawrence, "I supposed the
detective would be here to-day or to-morrow."
"Oh no," said the other, "Candy has not the facilities for finding
people that we have. But it takes some time for me to communicate with
head-quarters and for you to hear from there; and so, as I said before,
there isn't an hour to be lost. But you're all right now."
"I expected you to give me more definite information than this," said
Lawrence, "but now, I suppose, I must wait until I hear from New York,
at five dollars a message."
"My business is to enlist subscribers," said the other. "You couldn't
expect me to tell you anything definite when I am in an out-of-the-way
place like this."
"Did you come down to Virginia on purpose to find me?" asked Lawrence.
"No," said the man, "I am on my way to Mobile, and I only lose one train
by stopping here to attend to your business."
"How did you know I was here?"
"Ah," said the anti-detective, with a smile, "as I told you, we have
facilities. I knew you were at this house, and I came here, straight as
a die."
"It is truly wonderful," said Lawrence, "how accurate your information
is. And now I will tell you something you can have, gratis. You have
made one of the most stupid blunders that I ever heard of. Mr Keswick
went away from here, nearly a week ago, and I am the Mr Croft whom you
supposed to be in pursuit of him."
The man started, and gave vent to an unpleasant ejaculation.
"To prove it," said Lawrence, "there is my card, and," putting his hand
into his pocket, "here are several letters addressed to me. And I want
to let you know that I am not in pursuit of Mr Keswick; that he and I
are very good friends; and that I have frequently seen him of late; and
so you can just drop this business at once. And as for Candy, he has no
right to take a single step for which I have not authorized him. I
merely employed him to get Mr Keswick's address, which I wished for a
very friendly motive. I shall write to Candy at once."
The man's face was not an agreeable study. He looked angry; he looked
baffled; and yet he looked incredulous. "Now, come," said he, "if you
are not Keswick, what did you pay me that money for?"
"I paid it to you," said Lawrence, "because I wanted to find out what
dirty business you were doing in my name. I have had the worth of my
money, and you can now go."
The man did not go, but stood gazing at Lawrence in a very peculiar way.
"If Mr Keswick isn't here," he said, "I believe you are here waiting
for him, and I am going to stay and warn him. People don't set private
detectives on other men's tracks just for friendly motives."
Lawrence's face flushed and he made a step forward, but suddenly
checking himself, he looked at the man for a moment and then said: "I
suppose you want me to understand that if I become one of your
subscribers in my own name, you will be willing to withhold the
information you intended to give Mr Keswick."
"Well," said the man, relapsing into his former confidential tones,
"business is business. If I could see Mr Keswick, I don't know whether
he would employ me or not. I have no reason to work for one person more
than another, and, of course, if one man comes to me and another
doesn't, I'm bound to work for the man who comes. That's business!"
"You have said quite enough," said Lawrence. "Now leave this place
instantly!"
"No, I won't!" said the man, shutting his mouth very tightly, as he drew
himself up and folded his arms on his chest.
Lawrence was young, well-made, and strong, but the other man was taller,
heavier, and perhaps stronger. To engage in a personal contest to compel
a fellow like this to depart, would be a very unpleasant thing for
Lawrence to do, even if he succeeded. He was a visitor here, the ladies
would probably be witnesses of the conflict, and although the natural
impulse of his heart, predominant over everything else at that moment,
prompted him to spring upon the impudent fellow and endeavor to thrash
him, still his instincts as a gentleman forbade him to enter into such a
contest, which would probably have no good effect, no matter how it
resulted. Never before did he feel the weakness of the moral power of a
just cause when opposed to brutal obstinacy. Still he did not retreat
from his position. "Did you hear what I said?" he cried. "Leave this
place!"
"You are not master here," said the other, still preserving his defiant
attitude, "and you have no right to order me away. I am not going."
Despite his inferiority in size, despite his gentlemanly instincts, and
despite his prudent desire not to make an exhibition of himself before
Miss March and the household, it is probable that Lawrence's anger would
have assumed some form of physical manifestation, had not Mrs Keswick
appeared suddenly on the porch. It was quite evident to her, from the
aspect of the two men, that something was wrong, and she called out:
"Who's that?"
"That, madam," said Lawrence, stepping a little back, "is a very
impertinent man who has no business here, and whom I've ordered off the
place, and, as he has refused to go, I propose--"
"Stop!" cried the old lady. And turning, she rushed into the house.
Before either of the men could recover from their surprise at her sudden
action, she reappeared upon the porch, carrying a double-barreled gun.
Taking her position on the top of the flight of steps, with a quick
movement of her thumb she cocked both barrels. Then, drawing herself up
and resting firmly on her right leg, with the left advanced, she raised
the gun; her right elbow well against her side, and with her extended
left arm as steady as one of the beams of the roof above her. She hooked
her forefinger around one of the triggers, her eagle eye glanced along
the barrels straight at the head of the anti-detective, and, in a
clarion voice she sang out "Go!"
The man stared at her. He saw the open muzzles of the gun barrels;
beyond them, he saw the bright tops of the two percussion caps; and
still beyond them, he saw the bright and determined eye that was taking
sight along the barrels. All this he took in at a glance, and, without
word or comment, he made a quick dodge of his head, jumped to one side,
made a dash for his horse, and, untying the bridle with a jerk, he
mounted and galloped out of the open gate, turning as he did so to find
himself still covered by the muzzles of that gun. When he had nearly
reached the outer gate and felt himself out of range, he turned in his
saddle, and looking back at Lawrence, who was still standing where he
had left him, he violently shook his fist in the air.
"Which means," said Lawrence to himself, "that he intends to make
trouble with Keswick."
"That settled him," said the old lady, with a grim smile, as she lowered
the muzzle of the gun, and gently let down the hammers. "Madam," said
Lawrence, advancing toward her, "may I ask if that gun is loaded?"
"I should say so," replied the old lady. "In each barrel are two
thimblefuls of powder, and half-a-box of Windfall's Teaberry Tonic
Pills, each one of them as big and as hard as a buckshot. They were
brought here by a travelling agent, who sold some of them to my people;
and I tell you, sir, that those pills made them so sick that one man
wasn't able to work for two days, and another for three. I vowed if that
agent ever came back, I'd shoot his abominable pills into him, and I've
kept the gun loaded for the purpose. Was this a pill man? I scarcely
think he was a fertilizer, because it is rather late in the season for
those bandits."
"He is a man," said Lawrence, coming up the steps, "who belongs to a
class much worse than those you have mentioned. He is what is called a
blackmailer."
"Is that so?" cried the old lady, her eyes flashing as she brought the
butt of the gun heavily upon the porch floor. "I'm very glad I did not
know it; very glad, indeed; for I might have been tempted to give him
what belonged to another, without waiting for him to disobey my order to
go. I am very much troubled, sir, that this annoyance should have
happened to you in my house. Pray do not allow it to interfere with the
enjoyment of your visit here, which I hope may continue as long as you
can make it convenient." The words and manner convinced Lawrence that
that they did not merely indicate a conventional hospitality. The old
lady meant what she said. She wanted him to stay.
That morning he had become convinced that he had been invited there
because Mrs Keswick wished him to marry Miss March; and she had done
this, not out of any kind feeling toward him, because that would be
impossible, considering the shortness of their acquaintance, but because
she was opposed to her nephew's marriage with Miss March, and because
he, Lawrence, was the only available person who could be brought forward
to supplant him. "But whatever her motive is," thought Lawrence, "her
invitation comes in admirably for me, and I hope I shall get the proper
advantage from it."
Shortly after this, Lawrence sat in the parlor, by himself, writing a
letter. It was to Junius Keswick; and in it he related the facts of his
search for him in New York, and the reason why he desired to make his
acquaintance. He concealed nothing but the fact that Keswick's cousin
had had anything to do with the affair. "If she wants him to know that,"
he thought, "she can tell him herself. It is not my business to make any
revelations in that quarter." He concluded the letter by informing Mr
Keswick of the visit of the anti-detective, and warning him against any
attempts which that individual might make upon his pocket, assuring him
that the man could tell him nothing in regard to the affair that he now
did not know.
After dinner, during which meal Miss March appeared in a very good
humor, and talked rather more than she had yet done in the bosom of that
family, Lawrence had his horse saddled, and rode to the railroad
station, about six miles distant, where he posted his letter; and also
sent a telegram to Mr Junius Keswick, warning him to pay no attention to
any man who might call upon him on business connected with Croft and
Keswick, and stating that an explanatory letter had been sent.
The anti-detective had left on a train an hour before, but Lawrence felt
certain that the telegram would reach Keswick before the man could
possibly get to him, especially as the latter had probably not yet found
out his intended victim's address.