CHAPTER XXXIV.
A SLIGHT COMPLICATION.
And what of Celine, or Madeline, as we may call her once more?
She had said, when writing to Olive, that her stay in the city must bevery brief. But even her strong will could not keep off the lightattack of fever that was the result of fatigue and exposure to nightbreezes. And the morning following her arrival at the villa, found herunable to rise from her bed.
Dr. Vaughan was summoned in haste, and his verdict anxiously waitedfor. "It was a slight fever attack," he said, "but the wearied-outbody must not be hurried. It must rest."
And he forbade Madeline to leave her room for a week at least, unlessshe wished to bring upon herself a return of her summer's illness.
Much to his surprise and gratification, Madeline did not rebel, butreplied, philosophically: "I can't afford to take any risks now; Iwill be good. But you must watch my interests."
During the first day of her "imprisonment," as she laughingly calledit, Clarence and Olive were put in possession of all the facts thathad not already been communicated by letter.
Upon one thing they were all agreed, namely, that it would be wise forClarence to make another journey to Bellair.
"They won't be able to accomplish much during the week that I mustremain inactive," said Madeline. "But it will be safest to know justwhat they are about. Besides, I have reasons for thinking that Henryis growing dissatisfied, and it is to our interest to keep him wherehe is for the present. Had a suitable opportunity offered, I shouldhave made him aware of my identity. But as it did not present itself,I left it with Hagar to inform him that he was serving me byremaining."
Dr. Vaughan prepared to visit Bellair on the second day after thearrival of Madeline. But almost at the moment of starting there came asummons from one of his patients, who was taken suddenly worse.Thinking to take a later train he hastened to the sick man; but thehour for the last train arrived and passed, and still he stood at thebedside, battling with death. So it transpired that nearly three dayshad elapsed since the flitting of Celine Leroque, when Dr. Vaughanentered the train that should deposit him at dusk in the village ofBellair.
It had been prearranged by Madeline and Hagar that, in case of anyevent which should delay the return of the former on the dayappointed, the latter was to visit the post-office and look fortidings through that medium. Madeline had been due at Oakley the daybefore, and so, of course, to-day Hagar would be in attendance at theoffice.
Dr. Vaughan had written, at the moment of quitting his office to visithis patient, a hasty supplement to Madeline's letter, stating that hewas delayed one train, but not to give him up if he did not appearthat evening. He would certainly come on the next day's train.
Clarence was somewhat fatigued as he entered the railway carriage,having spent the entire previous night at the bedside of his patient.He went forward to the smoking car, thinking to refresh himself with aweed.
Four men were engrossed in a game of cards not far from him. As theybecame more deeply interested, and their voices more distinct abovethe roar of the cars, something in the tones of one of the men caughthis ear, reminding him of some voice he had sometime heard or known.The speaker sat with his back to the young man, and nothing of hiscountenance visible save the tips of two huge ears. These, too, had afamiliar look.
Clarence arose and sauntered to the end of the car, in order to get aview of the face that, he felt assured, was not unknown to him.
The man was absorbed in his game and never once glanced up. Our herohaving taken a good look at the not very prepossessing face, returnedto his seat. He had recognized the man. It was Jarvis, the detectivewho had been recently employed by him to shadow Lucian Davlin.
It was not a remarkable thing that Jarvis should leave the city on thesame train with himself, but the circumstance, nevertheless, setClarence thinking. Could it be possible that the man had foundsomething to arouse his suspicions, and was he following up the clueon his own account?
Clarence felt an unaccountable desire to know where the detective wasgoing. If he were going to Bellair, then he must be bought over. If hewere going to Bellair, he, Clarence, must know it before the villagewas reached. It was hardly probable that the man's destination wasidentical with his own, but he had now determined to run no risks.
Throwing back his overcoat, and setting his hat a trifle on one side,Clarence sauntered up to the group of card players, assuming anappearance of interest in the game. As he paused beside them, Jarvisswept away the last trick of a closely-contested game, and then said,consulting his watch the while:
"There's for you! I've got just three-quarters of an hour to clean youout in, so come on."
"Jarvis swept away the last trick of aclosely-contested game."--page 324.]
Three-quarters of an hour! The exact time it would take to run toBellair.
Clarence shifted his position so as to put himself behind the two menseated opposite Jarvis. As he did so, the expert glanced up,encountering the eye of Dr. Vaughan.
"How are you?" said that young man, nonchalantly.
Jarvis shot him a keen glance of intelligence, and replied, in thesame off-hand tone: "High, you bet!"
Jarvis was attired like a well-to-do farmer; and Clarence guessed, ata glance, that his three companions were strangers, two of them beingcommercial tourists, without a doubt, and the third, a ruddy-lookingold gent, who might have been anything harmless. Taking his cue fromthe "make up" of the detective, Clarence, after giving him anexpressive glance, said, easily, "Sold your stock?"
Jarvis cocked up one eye as he replied, while shuffling the cards:"Every horn!"
"Want to buy?"
Jarvis looked him straight in the eye. "Want to sell?"
"Yes, rather."
Jarvis dealt round with great precision, and then said: "All right,Cap. I'll talk with you when I get through this game."
Clarence nodded, and presently sauntered away. As soon as his back wasturned, Jarvis jerked his thumb toward him, saying, confidentially:
"Young fellow; swell farmer; big stock-raiser." And then he plungedinto the game with much enthusiasm.
Clarence resumed his seat and, for a few moments, thought veryearnestly. The words of the detective had confirmed his suspicion. Henow felt assured that Jarvis was bound for Bellair, and if so he was,no doubt, in the employ of Lucian Davlin, for some unknown purpose.What that purpose was, he must know at any cost.
By the time his plans were fairly matured, he observed that the groupof card-players was breaking up. In another moment, Jarvis loungedlazily along and threw himself down upon the seat beside him.
In little more than half an hour they would be due in Bellair, andwhat Clarence desired to say must be said quickly. Taking out hiscigar-case, he offered the man a weed, which was accepted withalacrity, and while it was being lighted, Clarence said: "Are youespecially busy now?"
"N-o; only so-so."
"Learned anything more in regard to my man?"
"Davlin?" interrogatively.
"Yes."
"No," puffing contentedly; "we don't move in a case after it's paidoff."
"I see," smiling; and then, making his first real venture: "Could youdo some work for me to-morrow?"
Jarvis looked keenly at him, and Clarence hastened to say, withperfect, apparent, candor:
"The fact is I have been put back by a patient, and my own personalaffairs have been neglected. So I have been unable to look you up atthe office, in order to put a little matter into your hands. To-day Iam called away unexpectedly." Then, as if struck by a sudden thought,"How long will you be out of town?"
Jarvis shook his head. "Don't know."
"By Jove, what a pity. I'd rather have you than any other man, and Iwon't stand about money; but my work won't keep long."
The doctor's flattery and the detective's avarice combined, had thedesired effect. Jarvis unbent, and became more communicative. "Factis," he said, squaring about, "I don't know my lay just yet."
"No?" inquiringly: "Going far out?"
"No."
"Well," as if about to drop the conversation, "I'm sorry you can't dothe job. It's big pay and success sure. The truth is," lowering hisvoice confidentially, "there are two parties beside myself interested,and both have plenty of money. It's a snug sum to the man who does ourwork."
The detective looked grave, and then became confidential in his turn.
"The fact is,"--he was fond of using "facts" when it was possible tolug one in--"I am sent out to a small town as a sub."
"A sub.?"
"Yes; substitute. You see, one of our men was detailed to do some workfor a chap who came to the Agency from this little town. It was a caseof record hunting. Well, the man went out last night all O. K.; he wasa little on the sport when off duty, but a tip-top chap when at work.Well, he got into a gambling brawl, and this morning they brought himin, done up."
"Done up?"
"Yes; killed, you know."
"Oh!"
"And so, you see, I am ordered down here to take the instructions ofmy gentleman, in the place of my pard, who won't receive any moreorders here below."
"Then you don't yet know precisely what is required of you?"
"No; I was packed off at half an hour's notice, and don't even knowthe name of my employer. I have my instructions and his address here,"tapping his breast pocket. "I believe the party lives out of town, atsome manor or other."
Clarence was thinking very fast. There was but one "Manor" in or nearBellair. He looked at his time-card; there was but one town betweenthem and that village. Holding the card in his hand he said:
"Well, I will try and tell you what I want done; that is, if there istime--how soon do you leave the train?"
Jarvis now scented a fat job, and thinking only of getting theparticulars of that replied, rather incautiously, as he consulted thetime-card in the hand of Clarence.
"By goshen! it's only two stations off--Bellair."
"Oh! Bellair, eh?"
Jarvis nodded ruefully, and then asked: "Where do you land?"
Clarence smiled a little as he replied: "Wait until you hear mybusiness, then you will know where I am going."
"All right; fire away."
And the expert settled himself into a listening attitude. "The truthis, Jarvis, I want you back on the old case."
"What, the gambler's?"
"Yes, Davlin; he is about at the end of his rope, and will, in a shorttime, be trying to quit the country. Did you ever see the woman who ishis partner in iniquity? You heard considerable of her while lookingup this business."
"Heard of her? I should think so. Never saw her, though."
"No matter; you may see her soon. You see, they are now at work upon afine piece of rascality. She has actually married an old man,supposing him to be wealthy, and Davlin is figuring as her brother.In reality, the old man, their victim, holds only a life interest inthe property. So you see, even if they succeed with the thing in hand,they won't make much. And the person who will inherit, after the oldgentleman passes away, is aware of their real character and is readyto spring upon them at the proper moment."
Jarvis gave a long, low whistle.
"Now, then, there is another crime--one that occurred some years ago,with which this man and woman are connected, and they are allowed togo free for a little time in order to complete the evidence in thissecond case."
Jarvis nodded sagely.
"So you see there will be double fees, and large ones. First, from theheir, and next, from the parties interested in the last case. The twoare friends, in fact, and work together. Of course, I should expect toact according to the rules of your office, and I know that you arepaid by your manager, but--if you can put me in possession of all themovements of Lucian Davlin for the next week, in addition to thesalary paid you by your head officials, I will promise you onethousand dollars. If, later, you can supply the missing evidence, itshall be five thousand."
Jarvis looked hastily behind him. "Is he in this train?"
"No."
"Then were the dev--"
"Wait," interrupted Clarence. "I'll tell you where he is. But firstyou may attend to the business on which you came to Bellair. You mayobey the instructions you shall receive to the letter. But I must knowwhat it is you are bidden to do."
Jarvis knitted his brows and finally said, as if giving up a knottyproblem, "Make things plainer; I am befogged."
"Plainly, then," said Clarence, "you are going to Bellair; and,"drawing out his pocket-book, "you are not retained as yet for thiswork?"
"No."
"Well," placing a one hundred dollar bill in his hand, "I retain youfor my case, here and now, and you may accept the other fee if youlike."
"How?"
"Look at the address of your new client."
Jarvis took from his pocket a number of cards, shuffled them offdeftly and, selecting the right one at last, read slowly the name ofhis unseen employer. Then he glanced quickly up at Clarence, re-readhis card, and leaning back upon the cushion, shook with silentlaughter.
"Well, if you ain't the rummest one yet! And I'm your man! Why, blessmy soul, you are a lawyer and detective all in one!"
Clarence smiled, but he knew this was the highest compliment thatJarvis was capable of. "Then I may depend upon you?" he asked.
"You bet!"
They were nearing the village of Bellair now, and Clarence, who didnot intend to let Jarvis know too much concerning his movements, gavehim some hasty instructions, and ended by asking: "When do you go backto the city to report?"
"By the next train. Davlin is expecting me, and I shall take hisorders and then go back."
"Very well; I'll see you in town to-morrow. Now, as it won't do torisk the chance of being seen together, I will go into the other car."And Clarence sauntered away.
Madeline Payne, the Detective's Daughter Page 35