Verbeck put his car in the garage, returned to his apartment and
slept. He awakened at eleven o’clock, rushed through bath and
breakfast, got the car out again, purchased groceries, and whirled
away toward the old house.
There he found Muggs pacing back and forth, with the pistol in his
hand, reading the Black Star a lecture on the evils of a nefarious
existence. The Black Star looked disgusted.
“If you’re going to keep me prisoner,” he told Verbeck, “I’d be
obliged if you’d give me another jailer.”
“What’s the matter with Muggs?”
“Barring the fact that he is insane, he may be all right. I don’t want
to be talked to death.”
Verbeck gave him a grin for answer and unpacked the groceries. He had
small time to spend here, and, taking Muggs into a corner, he bade him
be sure to guard the prisoner carefully.
“You may not see me again until to-morrow morning, Muggs,” he said.
“I’ll be busy this afternoon, and to-night I’m going to that house
where the Black Star has his headquarters and start some plans going.”
“You’ll be careful, boss?”
“I’ll be careful, Muggs. When it comes time for sleep what are you
going to do here?”
“Stay awake, I guess.”
“There is a vegetable pit in the basement, remember. Get plenty of
blankets from the closet and put them there, and make him climb down
and sleep on them. You can bolt the trapdoor and sleep in peace here
before the fire. Careful, now. I’m off!”
At one o’clock he put the car in the garage again, for he had decided
he’d not use it that afternoon. Precisely at ten minutes of two he was
standing at the corner on which he had directed the crook the night
before to fumble with his hat and await orders.
It happened to be a pet day with shoppers. Traffic officers worked
furiously to keep the crossings free of vehicles; uniformed footmen
opened limousine doors and helped well-dressed women across the walks
and into shops. Conversations seemed limited to dry goods and
bargains.
Verbeck had not remembered how the corner would be thronged when he
gave the Black Star’s man his orders. The corner now was a jam of
human beings. Verbeck crossed the street and stood beside a stone
pillar in front of a show window, from where he could watch easily.
The hour of two arrived, and Verbeck scrutinized every man who passed
the corner. Five minutes passed, and no one had given him the signal.
And then he saw Howard Wendell, the brother of his fiancée, walking
slowly down the street close to the curbing.
Verbeck drew back quickly behind the pillar. If Howard Wendell saw
him, he undoubtedly would stop to talk, and Verbeck did not want to
hold a conversation just then.
Wendell passed without seeing him. He stopped for an instant on the
corner; he removed his hat, and he ran one hand around the brim of it
as if brushing away dust.
Verbeck’s jaw dropped and his eyes bulged with amazement. The next
instant he was chuckling at the coincidence of it. There was no
possibility of Howard Wendell being a member of the Black Star’s band,
of course. The boy accidentally had done what Verbeck had ordered the
crook to do, that was all, and when he came to think of it Verbeck
realized it was a natural thing for any man to do, and wished he had
told the crook to use some other sign.
Howard Wendell walked on up the street, and Verbeck continued his
watch. The minutes slipped by, and no other man gave the sign. A doubt
entered Verbeck’s mind. That boast he had made at the reception—Howard
Wendell had heard that, and the Black Star had known of it soon
afterward. And Howard had given the correct sign.
“Bosh! Can’t be!” Verbeck muttered to himself. “I’m a fool to think it
for a minute. Why on earth would Howard be mixed up with a gang of
crooks? Even if he wanted to be, how could he get into a first-order
gang like that of the Black Star? They’d not have him! I’m crazy to
think of it!”
He looked at his watch; it was a quarter of three. He decided to go to
the hotel where the unknown crook was to hold conversation with Miss
Freda Brakeland. Perhaps he could decide the matter there, learn the
crook’s identity.
The lobby of the hotel was thronged when Verbeck entered. He met men
and women he knew, but managed to keep free from lingering
conversation. He wanted to be at liberty to make a complete
investigation.
Then he met Faustina Wendell face to face.
“Why, Roger!” she gasped. “Fancy meeting you here! I’ve heard you say
you hate hotel lobbies.”
“I came in to take a peek so I’ll hate them more,” Verbeck replied.
“And you?”
“Browning Club meeting, dear.”
“It is over already?”
“A quarter of an hour ago. In fact, we met only to postpone it, for
every one is talking of the Charity Ball to-morrow night.”
“I see,” said Verbeck. He did see—that he had missed his chance to
learn the identity of the crook.
“I came down in the electric,” Faustina continued. “Come along home
with me, if you haven’t an engagement.”
He entered the electric and sat beside her as she piloted the car
through the busy streets. She was giving all her attention to the
driving, and he did not attempt conversation. And now that her face
was in repose, it seemed to Verbeck that there was a peculiar
expression on it, one that he was not used to seeing. He would have
sworn that the girl beside him, who had promised to be his wife, was
anxious, worried—and that was foreign to her nature.
The Wendells had been wealthy once, but were not now. Mr. Wendell had
died two years before, leaving an estate much smaller than was
anticipated. His widow had built a modern apartment house, and from it
derived an income, the Wendells living in one of the apartments on the
first floor. Yet they had enough to maintain their position in
society, and this was an important position, for the Wendells were an
old pioneer family, noted for piety and pride.
“You are looking tired,” Verbeck observed.
“You’re not very complimentary, Roger. Perhaps I am a bit tired,
though.”
“Too much Charity Ball?” he asked.
“I am not worrying much about that. I intend going, of course.”
“I should hope so,” Verbeck said.
“Would it disappoint you very much if I said I’d rather not?”
“Nothing you can do will disappoint me,” he said loyally; “but I
cannot imagine a Charity Ball without you in attendance. Are you
thinking of remaining away?”
She was looking ahead, and Verbeck imagined that her lips quivered for
an instant.
“Is anything the matter?” he asked. “You don’t seem to be yourself
to-day.”
“I—oh, it is nothing, Roger! Perhaps I am a bit nervous. Let us talk
of something else. Here we are at home. You’ll come in, of course?”
He followed her inside, and greeted her mother, who immediately left
them alone.
“Now,” Verbeck said, bending toward her, “tell me what is troubling
you. I can see that there is something.”
“Really it is nothing, Roger. Perhaps I am a bit out of sorts.
And—what I said about the ball—forget that, please.”
“But if you do not wish to go——” he said.
“Can’t we decide it to-morrow afternoon, dear? All right—let us leave
it until then. Perhaps I’ll be feeling better.”
“And there is no trouble—nothing I can do to help?” he persisted.
“Foolish boy! I’m just—just tired.”
“Then I’m going to run right away and let you rest. I ought to be
downtown, anyway. I’ll telephone the garage for my car.”
He went to the telephone and sent in his call, then returned to sit
beside her. She was trying hard to smile and act naturally, but
Verbeck knew something was troubling her. But he imagined it might be
something connected with the family finance, and so did not press her
for an answer.
The car came from the garage, and Verbeck left, and drove through the
streets in a way that defied all traffic ordinances. He had failed to
identify the crook who had received orders to speak with Miss Freda
Brakeland. And something was troubling his fiancée, and Faustina had
refused to confide in him. It had been an unprofitable afternoon.
And there was a busy and dangerous night before him.