The Brand of Silence

by Harrington Strong

  CHAPTER XIV

  MORE MYSTERY

  Jim Farland went from the hotel to Coadley's office, to ascertainwhether the attorney's private investigators, who were workingindependently of him, had unearthed anything of importance in connectionwith the case.

  Sidney Prale stated that he would go for a walk, and the policedetective, now thoroughly convinced that he would not try to run away,raised no objection. It was Prale's intention to make an attempt to meetKate Gilbert. Murk hurried around getting his coat and hat and glovesand stick.

  "Fool idea!" Prale told himself. "Kate Gilbert has given me the coldshoulder already, and she certainly will do it now, since I standaccused of murder. Not a chance in the world of getting betteracquainted with her now."

  "What do you want me to do, boss?" Murk asked. "I don't seem to beamountin' to much in this game. I'd like to be in action, I would! Can'tI take a hand?"

  "As soon as possible," Prale told him. "Remember, Farland said he wantedyou to help him later."

  "I'd rather help you or work alone," Murk said. "I reckon he is prettydecent for a detective, but I don't put much stock in any of 'em."

  Prale laughed as he finished dressing, put on his hat and gloves, andreached for his stick.

  "Suppose you just shadow me this fine day," he told Murk. "Get a littlepractice in that line. Don't bother me, but just follow and watch."

  "I getcha, boss. You want me to be within hailin' distance in case youneed help?"

  "Exactly, Murk. We never can tell what is going to happen, you know. Imay need you in a hurry."

  "I'll be on hand," Murk promised.

  Sidney Prale went down in the elevator, Murk going down in the same car.Prale lounged about the lobby for a time, and Murk made himself asinconspicuous as possible in a corner. Prale believed, as Farland hadintimated, that he was being followed and watched, possibly by theorders of George Lerton, his cousin. He did not know why Lerton shouldhave done it, but it angered him, and he wanted to discover the manfollowing him.

  He saw nobody in the lobby who appeared at all conspicuous, and after ashort time he left and started walking briskly down the Avenue, like anygentleman taking a constitutional. The midday throngs were on thestreets. Prale was forced to walk slower, and now and then he stopped tolook in at a shop window. Once in a while he stepped to the curb andglanced behind. But if there was a "shadow" Prale did not see him.

  He did see Murk, however, and he smiled at Murk's methods. Murk remaineda short distance behind him, moving up closer whenever Prale was forcedto cross the street, so he would not lose him in the throng. Murk wasordinary-looking and had a happy faculty of effacing himself in a crowd.He was on the job every minute, watching Sidney Prale, glancing at everyman or woman who approached Prale or as much as looked at him.

  Prale reached Forty-second Street, crossed it, and came opposite thelibrary. He glanced aside--and saw Miss Kate Gilbert walking down thewide steps.

  It was a ticklish moment for Sidney Prale, but he remembered that he wasfighting to protect himself. If Kate Gilbert ignored him, he could nothelp it. At least, he would give her the chance.

  She could not avoid seeing him, for they met face to face at the bottomof the steps. Prale lifted his hat.

  "Good morning, Miss Gilbert," he said.

  She turned and met his eyes squarely, and he could see that shehesitated for a moment. Then her face brightened, and she stepped towardhim.

  "Good morning," she replied. "Although it is a little after noon, I amafraid."

  Her words might have been for the benefit of any who heard. They werelight enough and cordial enough, but she did not offer him her hand, andthe expression on her face was scarcely one of welcome.

  "I am glad to see you again," Prale said.

  "You are settled and feeling at home?"

  "In a measure," he said.

  She had not mentioned the crime of which he was accused, and he did notwish to be the first to speak of it. She stepped still closer.

  "I want to talk to you, Mr. Prale," she said. "Kindly get a taxi andhave the chauffeur drive us through the Park."

  Prale scarcely could believe his good fortune. He had doubted whether hewould have a chance to talk to her, and here she was asking him toengage a taxicab so that they could enjoy a conversation.

  He hailed a passing taxi, put her in, gave the chauffeur his directions,and sprang in himself. The machine turned at the first corner andstarted back up the Avenue in the heavy traffic.

  "You wished to speak to me about something in particular?" Prale asked.

  "Yes. I have read of the crime of which you are accused. I am sure thatyou are not guilty."

  "Thank you, Miss Gilbert. I assure you that I am not. It is anunfortunate affair, which we hope to have cleared up within a shorttime."

  "I hope that you will be free soon," she said. "And then you will beable to enjoy yourself, I suppose."

  "I hope to have my vacation yet," Prale said.

  "You are going to remain in New York?"

  "Certainly; it is my home."

  "Sometimes a man does better away from home."

  "But I have been away from home for ten years. I have made my pile, asthe saying is, and have come home to show off and lord it over myneighbors," Prale replied, laughing.

  They had reached the lower end of Central Park now, and the taxi turnedinto a driveway, and made its way around the curves toward the upperend. The chauffeur was busy nodding to others of his craft and paying noattention to his fares. Sweethearts, he supposed, talking silly nothingsas they were driven through the Park. The chauffeur was used to such; hehauled many of them.

  Kate Gilbert leaned a bit closer to Prale, and when she spoke it was ina low, tense voice.

  "Go away from New York, Mr. Prale!"

  "Why should I do that?" he asked.

  "It would be better for you, I feel sure."

  "Because of the absurd charge against me? I intend to have my innocenceproved, and I'd hate to run away and let people think that perhaps I wasguilty after all."

  "You have the right to prove your innocence of such a charge to all theworld," she said. "But, after you have done it conclusively, you shouldgo away."

  "Why?" he asked, again.

  "Because--you have enemies, Mr. Prale!"

  "I have discovered that; but I do not know why I should have enemies."

  "Perhaps you did something, some time, to create them."

  "But I haven't," Prale declared.

  "Retribution comes when we least expect it, Mr. Prale."

  "Yes. I believe that you wrote that in one of your notes."

  He had said it! And Jim Farland had told him not to let her suspect thatthey knew. Well, he couldn't help it now.

  Kate Gilbert gasped and sat back from him.

  "In my note?" she said.

  "The notes interested me greatly, Miss Gilbert. I have saved them. Butwhy should you send them to me?"

  "You can ask me that!" she exclaimed. "So you know that I wrote them, doyou? In that case, Mr. Prale, you know why I spoke of retribution, youprobably know my identity and intentions, and you know why you haveenemies!"

  "But I do not!" he protested.

  "Please do not attempt to tell a falsehood, Mr. Prale. You know I wrotethe notes, do you? Then you know everything else. So you are going tofight."

  "I fail to understand all this."

  "Another falsehood!" she cried. "I have asked you to leave New Yorkand----"

  "And I fail to see why I should."

  "Then remain--and receive the retribution!" she said. "You will deserveall you get, Sidney Prale! When I think of what you have done----"

  She ceased speaking, and turned to glance through the window.

  "You were kind enough to say that you believed me innocent of the murdercharge----"

  "I do. I hate to have you facing a thing like that when you areinnocent. But this other thing is----"

  "Can't you explain? I give you my word of honor that I d
o not understandthis."

  "Your word of honor!" she sneered, facing him again. "You speak ofhonor--you? That is the best jest of all!"

  Sidney Prale's face flushed.

  "I had hoped that I was a man of honor," he said. "I always have triedto be honorable in my dealings with men and women, all my life. Pleaseunderstand that, Miss Gilbert."

  "If you have tried, you have failed miserably. Why do you persist intelling falsehoods, Mr. Prale. Do you think that I am a weak, sillywoman ready to be hoodwinked by lies?"

  "But I assure you----"

  "I do not care for any of your assurances," she interrupted. "I wish itunderstood that we are strangers hereafter. You are going to fight, areyou? Fight, Sidney Prale--and lose! What I said was correct--you cannotdodge retribution. It will take more than a million dollars to be ableto do that."

  "My dear young lady----"

  "I am done, Mr. Prale. I have said all that I intend saying to you."

  "Then it is my turn to talk!" Prale said. "This thing is getting to beso serious that I demand an explanation. Why should you, and others, beso eager to run me out of New York?"

  "Others?"

  "Yes--particularly one man we both know."

  "His name, please?"

  "Why ask, Miss Gilbert?"

  "Very well."

  "Why do you want me to run away?"

  "I did not know that others were trying to get you to leave," she said."I suggested it because--well, because I am a woman, I suppose. Youdeserve the worst that can happen to you. But a woman, has a kindthought now and then. I hate to see any man ground down and down, nomatter how much he deserves it--and that is what is to happen to you ifyou do not go away. If you leave, your enemies will not use such harshmeasures, perhaps. But when you are here before their very eyes, theywill lift their hands against you!"

  "Who are these enemies, and why are they after my scalp?"

  "You know, Sidney Prale, as well as I. I can see that it is useless totalk to you. I am sorry that I had a moment's compassion and made theattempt. Please stop the cab and let me out here."

  "But I demand to know----"

  "Do as I say, or I shall make a scene!"

  Prale gave the signal, and the taxi stopped. He helped her out, and shestarted briskly down the nearest path. Sidney Prale paid the chauffeur,and started to follow.

  He glanced back, and saw Murk getting out of another taxicab. He hadforgotten Murk in his interest in the conversation with Kate Gilbert.But Murk had not forgotten. Murk had his orders, and he was carryingthem out; he was keeping in sight, to be on hand if he was needed.

  Murk had a little money Prale had given him, enough to pay the taxichauffeur. Prale motioned for him to approach.

  "Here's a roll of bills," he said. "Keep up the game, Murk. Don't gettoo far away."

  "I'll be right at your heels, boss."

  "And keep your eyes open."

  "Yes, sir."

  "That woman was Kate Gilbert."

  "Then I'll know her whenever I see her again, sir."

  Prale hurried on down the path. Murk kept pace with him, a shortdistance behind.

  Kate Gilbert had been walking swiftly. She had reached the street, and,as Prale watched, she crossed it. Prale followed.

  The girl did not look behind. She came to the middle of the block andran up the steps of an apartment house. Prale passed the entrance,glanced at the number, and continued down the street. At the corner heallowed Murk to catch up with him.

  "She turned in at the address Jim Farland gave us," Prale said. "She hasgone home, Murk. I fancy that we are done with her for to-day!"

  A lot he knew about it!