WE PREPARE FOR A "PARTY."
My first movement, after having made the discovery chronicled in the
last chapter, was to go to the telegraph office and send the following
despatch:
Arrest Blake Simpson instantly, on charge of attempted
assassination. Don't allow him to communicate with any one.
This message was sent to the Agency, and then I turned my attention to
other matters, satisfied that Blake, at least, would be properly
attended to.
Early the following morning Gerry Brown presented himself at the door of
my room, to communicate to me something that instantly roused me to
action.
At midnight, or a little later, Mr. Arch Brookhouse had dropped in at
the telegraph office; he was in evening dress, and he managed to convey
to Gerry in a careless fashion the information that he, Arch, had been
enjoying himself at a small social gathering, and on starting for home
had bethought himself of a message to be sent to a friend. Then he had
dashed off the following:
ED. DWIGHT, Amora, etc.
Be ready for the party at The Corners to-morrow eve. Notify
Lark. B.---- will join you at Amora. A. B.
"There," he had said, as he pushed the message toward the seemingly
sleepy operator, "I hope he will get that in time, as I send it in
behalf of a lady. Dwight's always in demand for parties."
Then, with a condescending smile as he drew on his right glove, "Know
anybody at Amora?"
"No," responded Gerry, with a yawn, "nor anywhere else on this blasted
line; wish they had sent me East."
"You must get acquainted," said the gracious young nabob. "I'll try and
get you an invitation to the next social party; should be happy to
introduce you."
And then, as Gerry was too sleepy to properly appreciate his
condescension, he had taken himself away.
"Gerry," I said, after pondering for some moments over the message he
had copied for my benefit, "I'm inclined to think that this means
business. You had better sleep short and sound this morning, and be on
hand at the office as early as twelve o'clock. I think you will be
relieved from this sort of duty soon, and as for Mr. Brookhouse, perhaps
you may be able to attend this 'party' in question, even without his
valuable patronage."
After this I went in search of Jim Long. I found him at Bethel's
cottage, and in open defiance of "our old woman," led him away where we
could converse without audience or interruption. Then I put the telegram
in his hand, telling him how it had been sent, much as Gerry had told
the same to me.
"What do you make of it?" asked Jim, as he slowly folded the slip of
paper and put it in my hand.
"Well, I may be amiss in my interpretation, but it seems to me that we
had better be awake to-night. The moon has waned; it will be very dark
at ten o'clock. I fancy that _we_ may be wise if we prepare for this
party. I don't know who B---- may stand for, but there is, at Clyde, a
man, who is a friend of Dwight's, and whose name is _Larkins_."
"Larkins! To be sure; the man is often in Trafton."
"Exactly. He appears like a good-natured rustic, but he is a good judge
of a horse. Do you know of a place in this vicinity called The Corners?"
"No."
"Well, you are probably aware that the south road forks, just two miles
north of Clyde, and that the road running east goes to the river, and
the coal beds. It would not be a long drive from Amora to these corners,
and Larkins is only two miles off from them. Both Dwight and Larkins own
good teams."
"Ah!" ejaculated Jim, in a tone which conveyed a world of meaning. "Ah,
yes!" Then after a moment's silence, and looking me squarely in the
face, "what do you want me to do?"
"Our movements must be regulated by theirs. We must see Warren and all
the others."
"All?"
"Yes, all. It will not be child's play. I think Mr. Warren is the man to
lead one party, for there must be two. I, myself, will manage the other.
As for you and Gerry--"
"Gerry?" inquiringly.
"Gerald Brown, our night operator. You will find him equal to most
emergencies, I think."
"And what are we to do?"
"Some special business which will depend on circumstances. We must
capture the gang outside of the town, if possible, and the farther away
the better."
"But--"
"Wait. There are others who must not take the alarm too soon."
"They will ride fleet horses; remember that."
"Long," I said, earnestly, "we won't let them escape us. If they ride,
we will pounce upon them at the very outset. But if my theory, which has
thus far proven itself correct, holds good to the end _they will not
ride_."