by Edith Lavell
CHAPTER IX
_Suspicions_
Someone from the crowd handed Ralph a cup filled with water, and beforethey had gone half a dozen steps, Linda had recovered consciousness.She dropped down to the ground and stared questioningly about her.
"What was it, my dear?" asked Ralph gently, as he held the water to herlips. "Was the man hurt so horribly?"
"No--it wasn't that," replied Linda slowly, remembering all that hadhappened. "It was just--oh, Ralph! I hate to tell you!"
"Please tell me, Linda," he begged.
She looked about her for a moment. The ambulance had gone, and thecrowd, seeing that the girl was all right, began to withdraw, some toexamine the shattered plane, others to go back to their cars parkedalong the roadside. There was nobody listening now, so she decided toanswer Ralph's question.
"It wasn't our thief at all," she said. "It was--Ted Mackay."
"Ted Mackay?" he repeated, as if he could not believe his ears.
"Yes."
"Then how do you explain it? That couldn't have been Mackay we met onthat field--Mackay disguised, or anything?"
"No. He wasn't tall enough. And he had black hair. Oh, Ralph, I'm sureof that!"
"Then how do you explain it?"
"I don't explain it," she said weakly.
He said nothing more, but he knew that she was not only terriblydisappointed in not being able to trace the necklace, but that she wasentertaining grave doubts about Mackay's part in the whole miserableaffair. Were he and this thief in partnership, playing a wicked game,and had Ted hired the man because he would not let them know his partin the robbery?
But there was no use talking about that now, for Ralph realized thatLinda was almost ready to collapse. Drawing her arm through his, heled her silently back to the Pursuit, and put her into the cockpit,indicating that he would pilot them back to Green Falls. Not a word didshe utter during the entire flight homeward; she drooped listlesslyback in her seat, with an expression of disappointment and despair onher face. How she wished that she had not come!
No one was waiting for them at the airport, so they took a taxi to MissCarlton's bungalow. They found the latter on the porch, with only Kittyand Maurice beside her.
"Any news?" demanded the girl, jumping out of the hammock, and rushingdown the steps before the taxi had been stopped.
"Some news, yes," replied Linda, while Ralph paid the driver. "But I'mafraid it doesn't mean much. Ralph will tell you all about it."
But the young man was not willing to tell his story until he had askedMiss Carlton to take care of Linda.
"She fainted at the field," he explained. "The hot sun and the crowd, Iexpect." He did not want to speak of Ted Mackay before her, while shefelt so ill. "So if you'll take Linda up to her room, Miss Carlton,I'll tell Kitty what I know--and tell you later."
The words aroused Linda's aunt immediately, and she lost interest inthe necklace temporarily. What were a few pearls, anyway, in comparisonto her precious girl? She hurried her off to bed, and Ralph turned toKitty and Maurice.
"You see it was this way," he began, and Kitty stamped her foot inexasperation.
"Don't be so slow, Ralph!" she commanded.
"Why, here comes Linda's father!" interrupted Maurice, as another taxistopped at the bungalow. "What do you think of that?"
Kitty looked vexed. Another interruption! But Ralph was already on hisfeet, greeting him, and explaining the absence of Linda and her aunt.
"And I was just going to tell Kitty about our pursuit of the thief," headded, "so if you care to hear the story, Mr. Carlton, perhaps you willsit here with us?"
The older man was glad to comply with the request. Naturally, anythingthat was connected with Linda's first flights was of paramount interestto him.
So, in spite of Kitty's impatience, her brother began the story withthe day that he and Linda received their licenses, and ended it withthe latter's identification of Ted Mackay, unconscious on the stretcherin the ambulance.
"Mackay!" repeated Mr. Carlton, shaking his head knowingly. "So he wasthe brains of the crime!"
"I'm afraid so, sir. And I'm afraid that's what made Linda faint."
"Of course it is! She believed in that fellow. But I warned her not totrust him. You see his father worked for me out in Texas and he's anunprincipled fellow. Stole from everybody--not only myself, but eventhe rest of the help. And got into a mix-up with some Mexicans, andturned them against me.... Yes, it must run in the family. The fathermay even be in on this necklace robbery. I don't know where he is now."
"That explains a good deal," mused Ralph, who had been listeningthoughtfully. "I never did like Ted Mackay." He would not admit even tohimself that jealousy was the main reason for this dislike. "Besides,Linda probably told him about the Midsummer Ball, and our carryingKit's necklace to Green Falls. I thought it was funny if that otherchap caught on so quickly."
"Did Linda see much of Mackay while she was at the school?" her fatherasked, sharply.
"I can't say that, although I wasn't always with her. Towards the endof our time we did so much solo flying, that when I was up in theair I didn't know where she was, although she was usually up too--inanother plane. But one time I did find her in a pretty intimateconversation--and that was right before we left. She probably told himthen."
"Too bad! Too bad!" muttered Mr. Carlton, regretfully. He was wishingnow that he had sent Linda to some other flying school.
At this moment, Miss Carlton, having left Linda asleep in her room,came out on the porch to see her young guests. She showed no surpriseat finding her brother; for fifteen years she had been accustomed tohaving him drop in when least expected, without a moment's notice.
"Well, Tom," was all that she said, as she presented her cheek for hisbrotherly kiss. "I suppose these children have told you the news."
"Yes, and if you don't mind, Emily, I think I'll drive over with themto see Mr. Clavering," he added, for the young people had all risen,and were showing signs of departure. "I'd like to have a talk withhim--at least if you'll excuse me."
"Certainly," replied his sister. "And will you be back in time fordinner?"
"I'll come home in half an hour," stated her brother, laughing, for healways teased her about her insistence upon his promptness.
It was natural that he should want to meet Kitty's parents, that hemight at least offer to do his part in trying to recover or make goodthe girl's loss.
But Mr. Clavering seemed to take the matter almost lightly.
"Of course it's too bad," he said, "but as long as it is only a theft,and not an injury to one of the children, I think it's foolish toworry. And, after all, we may get insurance."
"_May_ get insurance?" repeated Mr. Carlton, frowning. "Why shouldn'tyou get it? I thought that was what insurance was for!"
"I'm afraid ordinary insurance will not cover travel by air," explainedthe other man.
At these words his daughter burst into tears. Her last hope was gone!
"I never thought of that," said Mr. Carlton, gravely. "That makes adifference.... Well, Mr. Clavering, in that case, I guess we had betterdivide the obligation. I'll raise my twenty-five thousand--the necklacewas worth fifty, I understand--as soon as I can."
"You'll do nothing of the sort!" protested the other, firmly. "Yourdaughter was not the least bit at fault. It was natural for her to tryher stunts--she wouldn't be human if she didn't! I put the whole blameupon Ralph."
"No! No----"
"Yes, yes! I won't hear anything else. But we'll wait and give thedetectives time. If we have caught the leader, as you and Ralph think,it ought to be an easy matter to locate the accomplice. At least,provided Mackay doesn't die."
"That's true!" exclaimed Ralph. "I never thought of that. We better getover to the hospital to see him as soon as possible."
"How about tomorrow morning?" suggested Mr. Carlton. "I'd like to gowith you, my boy--I've had some experience in dealing with criminals,ever since the episode with Mackay's father."
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br /> "I'll be delighted to have you," replied Ralph. "And in the meantime,I'll call my detective and put him on the other man's trail."
So while Linda slept peacefully at home, her father and her best boyfriend made plans to verify their suspicions against Ted Mackay, lyinghelpless in the hospital, twenty-five miles from Green Falls.