Mary Louise
Page 23
CHAPTER XXIII
A KISS FROM JOSIE
That evening, as Sarah Judd was sitting in her room reading a book, herwork for the day being over, she heard a succession of little tapsagainst her window-pane. She sat still, listening, until the taps wererepeated, when she walked straight to the window, drew the shade andthrew tip the sash. O'Gorman's face appeared in the opening and thegirl put a hand on each of his cheeks and leaning over kissed him fullupon his lips.
The man's face, lighted by the lamp from within the room, was radiant.Even the fat nose was beatified by the love that shone in his smallgray eyes. He took one of her hands in both of his own and held itclose a moment, while they regarded one another silently.
Then he gave a little beckoning signal and the girl turned to slip on alight coat, for the nights were chill on the mountain. Afterward sheunfastened her outside door and joined the detective, who passed an armaround her and led her to one of the benches on the bluff.
The new moon was dim, but a sprinkling of stars lit the sky. The manand girl were far enough from the Lodge not to be overheard.
"It's good to see you again, Josie," said O'Gorman, as they seatedthemselves on the bench. "How do you like being a sleuth?"
"Really, Daddy," she replied, "it has been no end of a lark. I'm deadsick of washing other folks' dishes, I confess, but the fun I've hadhas more than made up for the hard work. Do you know, Dad, I had asession with Nan Shelley one day, and she didn't have much the best ofit, either, although she's quick as a cat and had me backed off the mapin every way except for the matter of wits. My thoughts didn't crumblemuch and Nan was good enough to congratulate me. She knew, as soon as Idid, about the letter the crippled girl found in a book, but I managedto make a copy of it, while Nan is still wondering where it is hid. I'mpatting myself on the back, Dad, because you trained me and I want toprove myself a credit to your training. It's no wonder, with such amaster, that I could hold my own with Nan Shelley!"
He gave a little amused laugh.
"You're all right, Josie dear," he replied. "My training wouldn't haveamounted to shucks if you hadn't possessed the proper gray matter towork with. But about that letter," more seriously; "your telegram toldme a lot, because our code is so concise, but it also left a good dealto be guessed at. Who wrote the letter? I must know all the details inorder to understand it properly."
"It's all down in my private shorthand book," said Josie O'Gorman, "butI've never dared make a clear copy while Nan was so near me. You can'tread it, Dad, and I can't read it to you in the dark; so you'll have towait."
"Have you your notebook here?"
"Always carry it."
He drew an electric storage-lamp from his pocket and shielded the tinycircle of light with his coat.
"Now, then," said he, "read the letter to me, Josie. It's impossiblefor anyone to see the light from the house."
The girl held her notebook behind the flap of his coat, where the lampshed its white rays upon it, and slowly read the text of the letter.O'Gorman sat silent for some time after she had finished reading.
"In all my speculations concerning the Hathaway case," he said to hisdaughter, "I never guessed this as the true solution of the man'sextraordinary actions. But now, realizing that Hathaway is a gentlemanto the core, I understand he could not have acted in any other way."
"Mrs. Burrows is dead," remarked Josie.
"I know. It's a pity she didn't die long ago."
"This thing killed her, Dad."
"I'm sure of it. She was a weak, though kind-hearted, woman and thistrouble wore her out with fear and anxiety. How did the girl--MaryLouise--take her mother's death?"
"Rather hard, at first. She's quieter now. But--see here, Dad--are youstill working for the Department?"
"Of course."
"Then I'm sorry I've told you so much. I'm on the other side. I'm hereto protect Mary Louise Burrows and her interests."
"To be sure. I sent you here myself, at my own expense, both to testyour training before I let you into the regular game and for the sakeof the little Burrows girl, whom I fell in love with when she was sofriendless. I believed things would reach a climax in the Hathawaycase, in this very spot, but I couldn't foresee that your clevernesswould ferret out that letter, which the girl Irene intended to keepsilent about, nor did I know that the Chief would send me here inperson to supervise Hathaway's capture. Mighty queer things happen inthis profession of ours, and circumstances lead the best of us by thenose."
"Do you intend to arrest Mr. Hathaway?"
"After hearing that letter read and in view of the fact that Mrs.Burrows is dead, I think not. The letter, if authentic, clears up themystery to our complete satisfaction. But I must get the story fromHathaway's own lips, and then compare his statement with that in theletter. If they agree, we won't prosecute the man at all, and thefamous case that has caused us so much trouble for years will be filedin the office pigeonholes and pass into ancient history."
Josie O'Gorman sat silent for a long time. Then she asked:
"Do you think Mr. Hathaway will come here, now that--now that--"
"I'm quite sure he will come."
"When?"
"To-morrow."
"Then I must warn them and try to head him off. I'm on his side, Dad;don't forget that."
"I won't; and because you're on his side, Josie, you must let him comeand be vindicated, and so clear up this matter for good and all."
"Poor Mary Louise! I was thinking of her, not of her grandfather. Haveyou considered how a knowledge of the truth will affect her?"
"Yes. She will be the chief sufferer when her grandfather's innocenceis finally proved."
"It will break her heart," said Josie, with a sigh.
"Perhaps not. She's mighty fond of her grandfather. She'll be glad tohave him freed from suspicion and she'll be sorry--about the otherthing."
Sarah Judd--otherwise Josie O'Gorman--sighed again; but presently shegave a little chuckle of glee.
"Won't Nan be wild, though, when she finds I've beaten her and won thecase for Hathaway?"
"Nan won't mind. She's an old hand at the game and has learned to takethings as they come. She'll be at work upon some other case within aweek and will have forgotten that this one ever bothered her."
"Who is Agatha Lord, and why did they send her here as principal, withNan as her maid?"
"Agatha is an educated woman who has moved in good society. The Chiefthought she would be more likely to gain the friendship of the Conantsthan Nan, for poor Nan hasn't much breeding to boast of. But she wasreally the principal, for all that, and Agatha was instructed to reportto her and to take her orders."
"They were both suspicious of me," said the girl, "but as neither ofthem had ever set eyes on me before I was able to puzzle them. On theother hand, I knew who Nan was because I'd seen her with you, whichgave me an advantage. Now, tell me, how's mother?"
"Pretty chirky, but anxious about you because this is your first caseand she feared your judgment wasn't sufficiently matured. I told heryou'd pull through all right."
For an hour they sat talking together. Then Officer O'Gorman kissed hisdaughter good night and walked back to the Bigbee house.