The Brand of Silence

by Harrington Strong

  CHAPTER XXIV

  HIGH-HANDED METHODS

  Sidney Prale closed the door and turned around to face a grinning Murk.

  "Some pair of chickens!" Murk said. "That Marie girl may be a bear forsize and strength, but she's got a lot of good common sense. I'm strongfor her!"

  "Sit down!" Prale commanded.

  And then, walking up and down across the room, he told Murk what KateGilbert had revealed to him, simply because he felt that he had to tellit to somebody.

  "How is that for a dirty deal, Murk?" he asked when he had finished."Doesn't that make ordinary dirty work look rather pale?"

  "Who did it, boss? Name the gent, and I'll get his address out of thecity directory and pay him a visit!" Murk said. "I'll have some thingsto say to him--and some things to do, maybe."

  "I'm a sort of husky individual myself, Murk, and, if I knew him, Ithink I'd beat you to it," Prale replied. "Now we must get busy!"

  "Just say the word, Mr. Prale. What is it to be?"

  "I haven't quite decided yet, Murk. How far will you go?"

  "I'll croak him, if it's necessary!"

  "That'd be a bit too far, Murk, and might lead to the electric chair anda far country. Let's take a walk and think it over. We will confineourselves to the Avenue, and you may trail me as before. I scarcelythink they'll assault us on the Avenue."

  Ten minutes later, Sidney Prale was walking down the street, and thefaithful Murk was trailing in his wake, watching carefully. That walklasted for an hour. Then they returned to the hotel and Prale ordered anearly dinner. He did not say what he had decided to do, despite Murk'shints that he should state his plans.

  But Murk had noticed that Prale had stopped in at a printing officeduring the walk, and shortly after they finished dinner, a bell boybrought a small package to the suite. Prale unwrapped it, and some cardsspilled out.

  "Nice cards, Murk," he said. "I had them printed this afternoon. Theybear the name of Horace Greenman, whoever he may be, and state that heis connected with the General Utilities Company--whatever that is."

  "What's the big idea, Mr. Prale?" Murk asked wonderingly.

  "I wish to get into a certain place, Murk, and I'd never do it if I sendin my own card. What time is it?"

  "A few minutes of eight, sir."

  "Then we'll be going. Let us hope that we find our man at home. If thishappens to be his opera or theater evening, we are going to be delayed."

  Murk followed him down in the elevator and to the street, where Praleengaged a taxicab. The machine took them up past the Park and to anexclusive residence section, where it stopped on a corner. Prale andMurk got out, and Prale instructed the chauffeur to wait. Then he ledthe way to the middle of the block.

  "Murk, you remain just outside this gate," he instructed. "If I havegood luck, I'll come out with a man, and I may want to take him with us.Be ready to help in case I get in wrong."

  "Sure thing, sir," Murk said.

  Prale passed through the gate, went up the walk, and lifted the knockeron the front door. A moment, and a servant appeared and looked at himsearchingly.

  "I wish to see Mr. Griffin at once on important business," Prale said."Kindly take my card to him."

  Then Prale waited with his heart in his mouth. Was Griffin at home? Theservant instantly assured him of that, and carried the card away. Pralehad written "Important Business" on it.

  The servant returned soon and announced that Mr. Griffin would see thevisitor. Prale followed him down the hall to the library. He was gladthat Griffin had chosen to receive him there, for there was lesslikelihood of an interruption. The servant opened the door, and SidneyPrale stepped inside.

  Griffin was sitting beside the long table, and he arose immediately andturned.

  "You!" he gasped.

  "Pardon the deception----"

  "James! James!" Griffin thundered.

  The servant was in the room instantly.

  "Show this fellow the door!" Griffin commanded. "Look at him well, andnever admit him again!"

  James took a step forward and indicated the door. But Sidney Pralereached into the pocket of his coat, drew out an automatic pistol, andheld it menacingly.

  "Close the door, James--softly!" he commanded in a stern voice. "Nowadvance to the table and stand where I can watch you. Don't you make amove, Mr. Griffin! I used to handle men down in Honduras, and I feelconfident that I can take care of this situation."

  "You thug!" Griffin cried. "I'll have you sent up for this, Prale, ifit's the last thing I do!"

  "I know that it is against the law to be carrying a gun without apermit, but this situation demands a show of force," Prale said. "Imerely want you to listen to me for a moment, Mr. Griffin."

  "I don't want to hear anything you may have to say to me, Sidney Prale!"the financier said.

  "You are going to hear it, nevertheless! Mr. Griffin, I did not knowuntil this afternoon why I had secret enemies and why they were tryingto cause me endless trouble. Miss Kate Gilbert was kind enough toenlighten me."

  "Well, sir?"

  "I am sorry that you believe me guilty of such base ingratitude to youand of such dishonorable conduct, for I am not guilty, Mr. Griffin! Youwere like a father to me--which was enough to compel my loyalty--and,aside from that, you had taught me several things regarding honor inbusiness deals. I went away on the spur of the moment because a womanhad jilted me. But before I went, I did not betray you and yourassociates."

  "A likely story!"

  "But a true one, Mr. Griffin! I did not sell you out for a hundredthousand dollars or any other sum. My conscience is clear, and I cameback to New York expecting to greet old friends and have a pleasanttime. You know what I found instead of that happy state of affairs. I amnot here to talk at length. I demand a chance to prove my innocence!"

  "How can you do the impossible, sir?"

  "It is not the impossible, Mr. Griffin! I intend to prove to you that Iwas not disloyal, and then I shall prove that I had nothing to do withthe murder of Rufus Shepley. I have an idea, sir, what is behind allthis."

  "We are wasting time----"

  "I think not, sir! Time is not wasted in which a man shows that he isnot a scoundrel! I think you owe it to me to give me a chance. You havecondemned me unheard."

  "I would give almost anything to have you prove your innocence," Griffinsaid. "You don't know how it hurt me. But the case against you was sostrong--and is so strong----"

  "Let us waste no more time," Prale said. "I remember the details of thebig deal that was under way when I left New York ten years ago. If yourecall, sir, I helped plan the campaign. If I can look at papers in youroffice, I think I can show that I am not guilty."

  "I'd like to believe you, but this is preposterous!" Griffin cried. "Itell you the evidence----"

  "It probably was strong, because the guilty man wanted to make it so.Mr. Griffin, were I guilty I should not be here. Please give me a fewminutes, and let us talk this over. Then, if you wish, we can go to youroffice and continue the investigation."

  Griffin sat down and motioned for Sidney Prale to do the same. Pralereturned the automatic to his pocket, much to the relief of the servant.

  Murk, standing outside by the gate, paced back and forth and wonderedwhether he should attempt to take the house by storm and rescue hisemployer. The chauffeur, waiting at the corner, wondered whether hisfare had slipped down the next street without paying the bill. Murkrelieved him on that point and threatened to beat him up because heintimated that Prale might do such a thing.

  It was more than two hours later when Prale left the house and went outto the street. He paid the chauffeur and dismissed him, and told Murk toreturn to the hotel. Then he went back into the house and joined Mr.Griffin again, and after Griffin had telephoned several persons, heordered his car, got into it with Prale, and started downtown.

  An astonished watchman took them up in an elevator in an office buildingin the financial district, and a little later he took up several othergentlemen. />
  "Them financiers make me sick!" the watchman told himself. "Why can'tthey lay their schemes in the daytime?"

  It was almost dawn when they left the building and scattered. They hadspent hours investigating books and papers. Sidney Prale had even sent amessenger to the hotel with an order to Murk for certain books andpapers of his own, and these had been investigated, too.

  "And there we are, gentlemen," Prale had said, at the last. "I haveshown you, I think, that I did not do this thing. I do not want you tobelieve me fully until I have proved my innocence by revealing the manwho is guilty. I merely ask you to give me a fair chance to prove mycase. I have told you my suspicions. Now it is up to me to demonstratewhether they are just or worthless."

  Griffin had little to say as they rode back uptown. But when he droppedPrale at the hotel just before daylight, he gripped him by the hand.

  "I want to believe you, Sidney!" he said. "I hope that you have told methe truth. If you have, I hope you'll be able to clear yourself. If youonly can show me that the boy I was glad to help was not ungrateful,after all----"

  "I'll do it, sir!"

  "And then I'll never forgive myself, Sidney!"

  "You'll show your forgiveness by handling my affairs for me, sir, inthat event, and by treating me as your son again!" Prale said.

  He hurried up to the suite. Murk had been sleeping in a chair in theliving room, as if expecting a call at any moment. He was somewhatstartled to hear Sidney Prale whistling merrily at four o'clock in themorning.