Death Points a Finger

by Will Levinrew

  Chapter XVIII

  Jimmy had not been sleeping well nights. On this night he dreamedthat he was alone in the city room of the Eagle doing the dogwatch. He was reading a history of the Civil War in which wasstressed the reconstruction period with its harrowing details, aperiod under which serious dismemberment of the country wasthreatened. While he was reading this, the telegraph instrument inthe telegraph room kept up its intermittent tapping.

  He awoke with the tapping still in his ears, as though incontinuation of his dream. He lay still thinking of theeccentricities of dreams in general when the tapping of which hehad been conscious in his dreams was repeated at his window. Thistime it did not sound like a telegraph instrument. It seemed thata number of pebbles had struck the upper window panes, the lowerbeing open. He distinctly heard some of the pebbles strike thefloor. He lay still when he was aware of a repetition of thesound.

  He got out of bed and went to the window. Standing in the grayingdawn was his youthful pilot, Harry Stoy. The youth was beckoningearnestly for Jimmy to come down stairs. Slipping on some clothesand a pair of soft soled moccasins Jimmy stole out of the housebeing careful not to awaken any of its inmates.

  Harry held his finger to his mouth as a signal for silence and ledthe way down to the water front. Here he whispered excitedly:

  "Say, Mr. Hale, I think I know where the kid is?"

  Jimmy stared at the youth who was shivering with excitement.

  "You mean Tommy, Harry?"

  "Yeah, Tommy. Let's row out a little bit in the boat then start itwhere your folks can't hear the motor. Come on, Mr. Hale. Are yougame?"

  Jimmy grinned and tingled. His first thought was that he ought tocall Jack; he decided against it. There was the danger ofawakening Professor Brierly and Norah. He did not want to arouseany false hopes, the kid might be mistaken. He also did not wantto lose face in the eyes of this youngster. The question ofwhether he was game decided him. He stole back into the housewhere he took from the drawer of the living-room table a loadedrevolver; he decided against a shotgun or rifle.

  When they got out far enough to start the motor without fear ofwaking up those in the house, Harry spoke. He was panting withexcitement.

  "This place we're goin' to Mr. Hale is about five miles up thelake, and about two miles in on the other side. There's a sort offarm up there. A guy by the name of Brown lives up there alone.He's got a small airplane there too.

  "He's a nice sort of guy but he's funny, kind of, like a man whohas a secret, if you know what I mean. When I heard Mr. Matthewstell what a fast motor the man had who got away from him, I kindathought it might be this Brown, 'cause he's got a fast motor, oneof the fastest on the lake.

  "So I been watchin', Mr. Hale. When I seen him up in the plane, Iwent over there. He's got a collie dog, but no dog ever bites me,Mr. Hale, they all make friends with me and I like 'em too. I wentup there late this evenin' meanin' last night, when you told meyou wouldn't need me any more.

  "The plane was gone and the collie was in the yard. But I madefriends with the dog. The house was locked up. I clumb up theporch and there in an upstairs room I seen Tommy asleep. I wasgonna take him and bring him home, but just then I heard theplane, or I thought I did.

  "I hid in the woods and it wasn't the plane at all, I wasmistaken. Gee, just think of it, Mr. Hale, I coulda got the kidall by myself, then I thought I better come for you. Mebbe while Iwas takin' the kid, this Brown might come and what could I doalone. And the kid might be hurt, see?"

  A lump rose in Jimmy's throat. He was rather unnerved from therecent ordeal. He noticed that Harry did not once mention thepossible danger to himself. The phrase rang in his mind: "And thekid might be hurt, see?"

  Harry ran the small boat into a tiny cove where it might behidden, both from the water and from the shore. For severalhundred feet from the shore there was a clear, well-defined pathrunning nearly straight westward through the woods.

  After a short distance Harry swung off from this path; then hetook several turns. He seemed to know the way. At the end of ahalf hour's walk, Jimmy judged they had gone about two miles.Harry put his hand on Hale's arm as a signal for caution.

  Ahead of Jimmy lay a large, well-tilled and well-cared for farm.There was the loud, ringing, penetrating bark of a collie, thenall was silence. Harry uttered an exclamation of disappointment.He pointed and Jimmy understood. About two hundred yards away atone end of a large level field a small plane was plainly visiblein its hangar. Brown, the owner of the farm, was evidently home.

  Jimmy debated swiftly and fiercely with himself on his course ofaction. Tommy was there; a false step and Tommy might be hurt. Hemight even be killed. No consideration of personal safety wouldhave prevented Jimmy from taking immediate action. But--loominglarge in his mind--was a picture of the little boy and his grievingmother on the other side of the lake.

  To Harry's vast disappointment, his hero, James Hale, the starreporter, turned and retraced his steps, Harry perforce followinghim. Harry had looked up at his hero doubtfully. He had beencertain in his mind that they would return home triumphant,bearing the kidnapped boy. Gee, he could have done it himself,almost. But his hero turned tail. Feet of clay! Harry did not knowthe phrase, but all his thoughts expressed it very well.

  The trip back was made in silence. The sun, a red, brilliant ballof fire was in their eyes as they retraced their steps through thewoods. Still in silence, Harry started the boat, and pushed to itscapacity of speed, the fast sea sled made short work of the fivemiles separating them from their camp.

  Here Jimmy found that there was no need for silence. All thehousehold was awake. Indeed, Norah, in her anxiety had not sleptat all, and she said that she had heard Jimmy leave with the boy.

  Matthews was restlessly pacing the short stretch of beach when theboat tied up to the wharf. Norah and Professor Brierly joinedMatthews as Jimmy and Harry Stoy got out of their boat.

  Harry burst out:

  "Gee, Mr. Matthews, we found Tommy. We would have brought him homebut Mr. Hale thought--he thought we'd better come back for help."

  Three wide-eyed persons, each reflecting his emotions in his ownway stared at the youth; from the youth to Jimmy. Jimmy with tightlips, explained.

  "Oh, Jack, Jack, Professor," panted Norah. "Let us go, let us--"Jack did not hear. He was racing toward the shack. He returnedready for the trip, a rifle in his hand.

  Professor Brierly suggested:

  "The mounted police--"

  "No!" Matthews shook his head emphatically. "We won't need themounted police or any help. There's only one man."

  "I shall go with you," announced Professor Brierly.

  "No, Professor. We must make speed. We'll take both sea sleds, butthen there's a long tramp."

  "But you do not understand, John. This man's name is Brown. It isAmos Brown, the man we are looking for. I traced him up to Canada.It was only a question of a day or two before I should have foundhim. I must be there, John."

  "Please, Professor, don't insist. This job is not for you. Tell uswhat to do and Jimmy and I can do what needs be done. The firstthing is to get Tommy, then there will be time--"

  "But there may not be time, John. Men's lives may depend on--oh,well have it your way. Hale, if you and John are insistent onacting like impulsive fools and not taking along qualifiedofficers, see to it that you get whatever papers you can at thisman's house. And for God's sake, boys, be careful. This is adangerous man. He will be on his own ground."

  The three were on their way. As the two sea sleds put offsputtering to a crescendo roar as they made a wide curving wake onthe still water, McCall disturbed by the noise came to the door.

  After they beached their boats in the tiny cove, Jimmy andMatthews, following Harry, alternately running and jogging,hurried along the dim trail. When Jimmy judged they had coveredthree-quarters of the distance they heard a ringing bark followedby a faint crack of a firearm. This was shortly followed byanother. The three stood stock still for a moment and then put onan
additional burst of speed. Before they came into the clearingof the farm, they heard the sound of a motor car, fading into thedistance.

  As the three panting figures came into the clearing they saw thetawny figure of a collie racing frantically back and forth about adark mass lying near the house. The collie was whimpering andwhining. The collie looked at the three approaching figuresexpectantly; it stopped its whining, leading the way directly tothe thing lying near the rear door of the small farm house.

  A tall figure lay there with its sightless eyes staring into thesun. A dark, red stain was widening on its shirt front.

  At this moment a shrill treble yell was heard from the house.Matthews raced through the open door and bounded up the steps.Finding the door locked, from behind which the crying was coming,he stepped back. He called out:

  "Stand away from the door Tommy, Uncle Jack's going to break itopen."

  The door flew open under the impetus of a large foot planted nearthe lock. A small figure rushed into his arms hugging him tightly.

  "Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack! Where's Mummie? Where's Pop?"

  Matthews held the small figure off and looked at him anxiously.Except that his clothes were in a state that would have sent hisfinicky mother frantic, the youngster did not seem the worse forwear.

  "Did the man hurt you, Tommy?"

  "Oh, no, Uncle Jack. He is a good man, nice man. He gimme candy,he gimme pie." The voice went prattling on as Jack carried himdownstairs.

  Harry Stoy with youthful enthusiasm and the morbidity oftenobserved in the young wanted to examine the thing that lay on theground. Jimmy, with full knowledge of police regulations andrequirements, objected. He went into the house and made a carefulsearch, taking such papers as he thought might be of use toProfessor Brierly, the scientist, and to Jimmy, the newspaper man.

  When Jack came with the boy, Jimmy called the telephone operatorand after identifying himself he told her where he was and askedthat the nearest police authorities be notified. Then the groupstarted back for the lake.

  Professor Brierly and Norah were pacing the lake front in an agonyof impatience, each for a different reason. Norah ran into theshallow water several steps, the sooner to have the child in herhungry arms. Professor Brierly's eyes were burning as he waved atelegram.

  As the happy group stepped ashore, Professor Brierly said:

  "It was Amos Brown, of course. This wire tells me. I should haveknown but perhaps this is best. Tell me, was there a boxwoodhedge, a collie, running water, a sorrel horse, a pear tree?"

  Jimmy and Matthews looked at one another sheepishly. They had beentoo much absorbed in their errand to see. They both wrinkled theirbrows in an effort to visualize the farmyard where that thing lay,when Professor Brierly exploded into wrath.

  "Oh, you futile, inane, incompetent creatures. You, John, with allyour scientific training. I cannot expect anything else from Hale.A newspaper man lives on emotional sensations. They form his stockin trade, but you--" Harry Stoy interrupted:

  "Professor, if you're askin' about Mr. Brown's farm all themthings you mentioned are there and there's some leghorn chickensand some--"

  Professor Brierly's eyes glowed approvingly. "Good boy, Harry, younot only have eyes, but you can see." He looked down and a smilebroke over his tired features. Tommy had been tugging his coatdemanding attention. Professor Brierly took the child in his armsand hugged him tight.

  After the excitement was over he bent eagerly over the papers thatJimmy brought from Brown's farm. He was thus engaged and theothers were making a fuss over Tommy when the telephone bell rang.

  "For you, Professor," called Martha.

  The voice that came to Professor Brierly over the wire had a breakin it. In the voice it was difficult to recognize the finelymodulated diction of Justice Isaac Higginbotham.

  "For God's sake, Professor, come at once. Two of us were killed.Come--" The voice ended in a croak and there was no more.

  When it became apparent that the other had dropped his receiver,Professor Brierly turned the crank until he got the attention ofthe operator. It took a long time to be connected with the nearestpolice officer.

  Professor Brierly identified himself and said:

  "Two men were killed in Justice Higginbotham's camp. You knowwhere that is?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "How soon can you have a man or two down there?"

  "Hold the wire a moment, sir. I'll tell you." After a briefinterval the voice asked: "Are you there, sir?"

  "Yes."

  "We can have one man, perhaps two there in half an hour, sir."

  "Very well. I was going down there. Will your man stop here for meon the way down?"

  "Yes, sir. This is at Mr. McCall's camp, is it not?"

  "Yes."

  "Good-by."

  Professor Brierly now called up the Higginbotham camp foradditional details. The overhanging rock had fallen, carrying withit the porch. The house was not much damaged. Professor Brierlysurmised that the one thing that saved the house was the weaknesswith which the porch had been attached to the main building.