The Vanishing of Betty Varian

by Carolyn Wells

  CHAPTER XIII Where is North?

  Pennington Wise was at his wits' end. His wits were of the finest typeand had always stood him in good stead; but he had reached their limit,at least regarding this present case.

  Baffling was too mild a word for it. Uncanny it was not, for there was nohint or evidence of anything supernatural in the taking off of LawrenceNorth. He was a big, strong personality, and he had gone out of thathouse by natural means, whether voluntarily or not.

  That is, of course, if he _had_ gone out of the house.

  Wise was inclined to think he had, but Rodney Granniss still held to thepossibility of some concealed room,--perhaps a dungeon, where themysterious disappearances could be compassed.

  Wise paid no attention to Granniss' opinions, not from any ill-willtoward the young man, but because he had concluded to his ownsatisfaction that there was really no space for a concealed room in thehouse.

  North had come up there for the purpose of helping him look for such amatter, and North had agreed that it could not be.

  And now North himself was gone,--carried off,--yet the mere phrase,"carried off" seemed to Wise incongruous.

  Could North have been carried off without making noise enough to rousesome of the sleeping household? It was incredible!

  Before discussing the matter with Minna, or calling the local policeagain, Wise went to the bedroom North had occupied and locked himself in.

  "If I can't tell," he said to himself, "whether that man was kidnapped orwhether he sneaked himself off--yet _why_ would he do such a thing asthat? My desperation over this puzzle is leading my mind astray."

  Carefully, without touching a thing, Wise considered the state of theroom.

  The bed had been occupied, and, it was quite evident, had been hastilyquitted. The coverings were tossed back over the footboard, and thepillow still bore the impress of a head.

  On the dresser lay North's collar and tie, and beneath the pillow, Wisediscovered his watch and a handkerchief.

  Clearly, the man had gone, after a hasty and incomplete toilette.

  On the small table, lay some sheets of paper and a pencil.

  These papers were some that they had used the night before drawing plansand making measurements of the house.

  Scanning the papers, Wise was startled to see a scrawled message on thecorner of a sheet. It read:

  They've got me. _L. N._

  It had been so hastily jotted down as to be almost illegible.

  Had North managed to scribble it while his captor or captors lookedanother way? It was all too unbelievable!

  The thought would creep in that North was implicated in the mysteryhimself. Yet that was quite as unbelievable as the rest of it,--if notmore so.

  Wise turned his attention to the disordered furniture.

  The overturned chair was not broken, but a glass tumbler was. Evidentlyit had been knocked off the night stand. The rug was in wrinkles and onewindow curtain had been partly pulled from its rod.

  The scratches on the hardwood floor were apparently made by scufflingfeet, but of that Wise could not be sure.

  In fine, the whole disorder of the room could have been made bystruggling men, or could have been faked by any one desiring to producethat effect.

  "Yet I've no reason to think North faked it," Wise told himself frankly,"except that that would be an easy way out of it for me! And that messagehe left looks genuine,--and his watch is a valuable one,--oh, Lord, I_am_ up against it!"

  He went downstairs, and learned that Lawrence North's straw hat stillhung on the hall rack. The man must have been forcibly carried off. Hecouldn't have walked out without collar, tie or hat! Moreover, the doorswere all locked.

  It still was necessary to assume a secret exit from the house.

  Wise inclined to the hinged door frame, or window frame, but his mostcareful search failed to reveal any such. He determined to get an expertcarpenter to look over the house, feeling that such would be better thanan architect.

  Crestfallen, dispirited and utterly nonplussed, Wise sat down in thelibrary to think it over.

  First, the authorities must be told of North's disappearance, and allthat, but those things he left to Granniss. The mystery was his province.

  Acting on a sudden impulse, Wise started off at once for North's home.This was a good-looking bungalow, of artistic effects and quietunpretentious charm.

  His knock brought the grumpy Joe Mills to the door.

  "Whatcha want?" was his surly greeting.

  "As I'm here on an important matter, I'll come inside," Wise said, andentered the little living-room.

  "Whatcha doin' here?" Mills continued. "Where's Mr North?"

  "I don't know where he is. Isn't he here?"

  "Why no,--he stayed up to Headland House last night. Ain't you thedetective from there?"

  "Yes, I am. And Mr North left Headland House,--er,--before breakfast thismorning. Didn't he come home?"

  "No, he didn't. Leastways, I ain't seen him. An' I've got work to do,--soyou can leave as soon as you like."

  "Look here, my man, keep a civil tongue in your head. Mr North hasdisappeared,----"

  "Well, he's got a right to disappear if he likes,--ain't he?"

  "But he went off----"

  "I don't care how he went off. It's nothin' to me. An' I've got my workto do. Now you vamoose."

  "Not yet," said Wise coolly, and began to look about the house. "There'sno use in taking that attitude, Mr Mills, the authorities of the villageand of the county will be here shortly,--unless Mr North turns up, whichI don't think he will. Now, I'm going to do a little looking about on myown."

  Wise set to work, and went swiftly over the house, from room to room. Hefound nothing that gave him any clue to North's disappearance noranything that gave him much information as to North's private life.

  Even an examination of the letters and notes in the small desk showedonly some bills, some invitations, some circulars, that meant nothing tothe detective.

  He noted some memoranda in Lawrence North's handwriting and saw that itcorresponded with the note left for him.

  Sheriff Potter came in while he was there, but the conversation betweenthe two men was of little interest to either.

  It was all so hopeless, it seemed to Wise,--and, so blankly mysterious itseemed to Potter.

  Claire Blackwood came over from her home, and Wise turned to her as to afriend.

  "Do tell me something about this man, North, Mrs Blackwood," he said."Have you known him long?"

  "Only through this summer," she replied. "He's a New Yorker, but I don'tknow much else about him."

  "What's his business?"

  "I'm not sure, but I think he's a real estate man. He's spending twomonths here, and he rented this bungalow furnished. You see, Mr Wise, thepeople of this colony are a sort of lawless, happy-go-lucky set. I meanif we like any one, we don't bother to inquire into their antecedents ortheir social standing."

  "Is North married?"

  "I don't think so. At least, I've always thought him a bachelor, thoughnowadays you never can tell. He may have a wife, for all I know."

  "At any rate, Mrs Blackwood, he has most mysteriously disappeared. And Ido hope if you know anything--anything at all, about the man, you willtell me. For, I don't mind admitting I am greatly distressed anddisturbed at this new development of the Varian case."

  "You connect Mr North's disappearance with Betty Varian's, then?"

  "How can I help it? Both vanished from the same house. It proves, ofcourse, that there is a secret exit, but it is strange that such cannotbe found."

  "It is disappointing, Mr Wise, to find that such a famous detective asyou cannot find a concealed entrance to a country house!"

  "You are not more disappointed than I am, at that fact, Mrs Blackwood. Iam chagrined, of course, but I am more frankly puzzled. The whole case isso amazing, the evidence so scanty,--clues are non-existent,--what can Ido? I feel l
ike saying I was called in too late,--yet, I'm not sure Icould have done better had I been here at first. I can't see whereevidence has been destroyed or clues lost. It is all inexplicable."

  "You are delightfully candid and far from bumptious," she said, smilingat him. "I feared you were of the know-it-all variety, and I see youaren't."

  "Help me to know it all, Mrs Blackwood," Wise urged. "I can't helpfeeling you know more about Lawrence North than any one else up here. Ifso, can't you tell me something of his life?"

  "No, truly, Mr Wise, I don't know any more than I've told you. He was uphere last year,--this is my first season. But I don't know of any one uphere now, that knows him very well. He is a quiet, reserved sort ofman,--and,--as a matter of fact, we are not a gossipy lot."

  Disheartened and disappointed, Wise went back to Headland House only tofind that Doctor Varian had arrived during his absence.

  The detective was glad to have him to talk to, for it promised at least afresh viewpoint to be considered.

  "I admit, Doctor Varian," Wise said frankly, as the two confabbed in theVarian library, "I have no theory that will fit this case at all. I havesolved many mysteries, I have found many criminals, but never before haveI struck a case so absolutely devoid of even an imaginary solution.Granting a criminal that desired to bring disaster to the Varian family,why should he want to abduct Lawrence North?"

  "Perhaps North knew something incriminating to him," suggested thedoctor.

  "But that's purely supposition, there's no fact to prove it, or anythinglike it. As a start, suppose we assume a kidnapper of Betty Varian.Although, even before that, we have to assume a secret entrance into thishouse."

  "That, I think, we must assume," said Varian.

  "It seems so,--yet, if you knew how hard I've hunted for one! Well, then,assume a kidnapper, who, for the sake of ransom, abducts BettyVarian,----"

  "And kills her father?"

  "And kills her father, who interrupted the abduction."

  "Good enough, so far, but what about North?"

  "I can't fit North in,--unless he is in league with the criminal."

  "That's too absurd. He and my brother weren't even acquaintances."

  "Oh, I know it's absurd! But, what isn't? I can't see a ray of light!And, then, there's that awful matter of the maid, Martha!"

  "I think, Mr Wise, that since you admit failure, there is nothing for it,but to take Mrs Varian away and give up the case."

  "Leaving Betty to her fate!"

  "We can search for the child just as well from Boston or New York as fromhere."

  "I don't think so, Doctor. Take Mrs Varian away, if you wish,--and if shewill go. I shall stay here and solve this mystery. Because I have failedthus far, is no proof I shall continue to be unsuccessful. Mrs Varian isa rich woman,--I am not a poor man. I shall use such funds as sheprovides, supplementing them, if necessary, with my own, but I shall findBetty Varian, if she's alive,--I shall find Lawrence North,--if he isalive,--and I shall discover the murderer or murderers of FrederickVarian and of Martha."

  "You speak confidently, Mr Wise."

  "I do; because I mean to devote my whole soul to this thing. I can'tfail, ultimately,--I _can't_!"

  The man was so desperate in his determination, so sincere in his intent,that Doctor Varian was impressed, and said heartily, "I believe you will.Now, here's something I've found out. I've talked with my brother'slawyer, and I find there was something in Frederick's life that he keptsecret. I don't for one minute believe it was anything disgraceful ordishonorable, for I knew my brother too well for that. But it may havebeen some misfortune,--or even some youthful error,--but whatever it was,it had an effect on his later years. And, there's that strange matter ofthe Varian pearls. Those pearls, Mr Wise, are historic. They have neverbeen bequeathed to any one save the oldest son or daughter of a Varian.Now, the fact that Betty and her father sometimes squabbled, is notenough to make my brother leave them to _my_ daughter instead of to hisown. Yet I can form no theory to explain the fact that he did do so. I'vetried to think he was temporarily or hypochondriacally insane, but Ican't reconcile that belief with my knowledge of his physical health andwell-being. Then, I've wondered if he ever did me a wrong in the past,that I never learned of, and if this was by way of reparation. But thatis too unlikely. Again, I've thought that there might be some error inthe family records, and that I might be the elder son instead of Fred.But I checked it all up, and he was two years my senior. Yet, he told thelawyer, who drew up his will, that justice demanded that the pearls beleft to his niece instead of to his daughter. Now, what could he havemeant by that?"

  "I can't imagine, but I'm glad you have told me these things. For itmakes me feel there _must_ be something pretty serious back of all this.You don't think it could in any way reflect on Mrs Varian?"

  "No, I don't. I've talked it over with the lawyer and also with my wife,and we all agree that Minna Varian is a true, sincere and good woman.There is not only no blame or stigma to be attached to her in any way,but whatever was the secret of my brother's life, his wife knows nothingof it."

  "Yet I can imagine no secret, no incident that would necessitate thatstrange bequest of the family pearls."

  "Nor can I, except that he might have thought he owed me some reparationfor some real or fancied wrong. It must have been to me, for he couldn'thave wronged my daughter in any way. There was no question about thedivision of my father's fortune. We were the only children and it wasequally shared. The pearls were Frederick's as he was the oldest child.That's all there is to the matter,--only it is strange that my brotherspoke in the way he did to his lawyer. He seemed really broken up overthe business, the lawyer said. And he was deeply moved when he dictatedthe clause leaving the pearls to Eleanor."

  "Betty is really the child of the Frederick Varians?" Wise asked.

  "Oh, yes. Mrs Varian lost her first two babies in infancy, and when thethird child was expected, we were all afraid it would not live. But Bettywas a healthy baby from the first, and I've known her all her life."

  "Her father was as fond of her as her mother was?"

  "Yes,--and no. I can't explain it, Mr Wise, but in my medical practice,I've not infrequently found a definite antipathy between a father and adaughter. For no apparent reason, I mean. Well, that condition existedbetween Frederick Varian and his child. They almost never agreed in theirtastes or opinions, and while they were affectionate at times, yet therewas friction at other times. Now, Minna and Betty were always congenial,thought alike on all subjects and never had any little squabbles. I'mtelling you this in hopes it will help you, though I confess I don't seehow it can."

  "I hope it may,--and at any rate, it is interesting, in view of thestrange occurrences up here. You've found no papers or letters bearing onthis matter among Mr Varian's effects?"

  "No; except a few proofs that he was more or less blackmailed."

  "And you can't learn by whom?"

  "No; there were one or two veiled threats, that might have meantblackmail, and yet might not. I have them safe, but I didn't bring themup here."

  "It doesn't matter, such a careful blackmailer as the one we have to dealwith, never would write letters that could be traced."

  "And what is to be done in this North matter?"

  "First of all, I shall offer a large reward for any word of him. I havefaith in offered rewards, if they are large enough. They often temptaccomplices to turn state's evidence. I've already ordered posters andadvertisements with portraits of North. My agents will attend to this,and though it may bring no results, yet if it doesn't,--it will be a hintin another direction."

  "Meaning?"

  "That Lawrence North is implicated in the crimes."

  "No, I can't agree to that. Why the man himself was carried off----"

  "I know,--oh, well, Doctor Varian, first of all, we must find that secretpassage. There is one,--we can't blink that fact. Now, where is it? Thinkof having a given problem like that, and being unable to solve it! I amso amazed at
my own helplessness that I am too stunned to work!"

  "Go to it, man,--you'll find it. Tear the house down, if necessary, butget at it somehow."

  "I shall; I've already sent for carpenters to demolish some parts of thehouse."

  "I wish I could stay up here and see the work progress. You'll have tofind the secret, you know. You can't help it, if you tear down the wholestructure."

  "I don't mean to do that. I want to continue to live in the house. Butsome expert carpenters can dig into certain portions of it without makingthe rest uninhabitable, and that's what I propose doing."

  "What about finger prints? I thought you detectives set great store bythose."

  "Not in a case like this. Suppose we find finger prints,--they're notlikely to be those of any registered criminal. And since this talk withyou, I shall turn my investigations in a slightly different channel,anyhow. I must look up Mr Varian's past life----"

  "Look all you wish, but I tell you now, you'll find nothing indicative.Whatever secret my brother had, it was not a matter of crime,--or even oflighter wrongdoing. And, if Frederick Varian wanted to keep the mattersecret neither you nor any other detective will ever find it out!"

  "That may have been true during your brother's life, Doctor, but now thathe can't longer protect his secret, it must come out."

  "All right, Mr Wise, I truly hope it will. For even if it reflectsagainst my brother's integrity, it may aid in finding Betty. I don'tbelieve that girl is dead,--do you?"

  "No; I don't. I believe these letters from the kidnappers are true bills.I believe they have her concealed and confined, and by Heaven, DoctorVarian, I'm going to find her! I know that sounds like mere bluster, butI've never totally failed on a case yet,--and this,--the biggest one I'veever tackled, shall not be my first failure! I _must_ succeed!"

  "If I can help in any way, command me. I'm glad to see you don't thinkI'm criminally implicated because of the legacy of the pearls. Eleanorshall never touch them until we've positively concluded that Betty isdead. But that's a small matter. Those pearls have lain undisturbed insafe deposit many years,--they may lie there many years more,--but letthe search work go on steadily."

  "You know nothing of North, personally?"

  "No; I never met him. Has he no relatives?"

  "Haven't found any yet. But you see, the police don't hold that it is acriminal case as yet. They say he may have walked out of his own accord."

  "Half dressed, and leaving his watch behind him?"

  "And that note to say what had happened! That note rings true, Doctor,and either it is sincere, or North is one of the cleverest scamps I evermet up with!"

  "It's conceivable that he is a scamp, but I can't see anything thatpoints to it. Why should a perfect stranger to the Varian family cut upsuch a trick as to come up here and pretend to be kidnapped,--if hewasn't? It's too absurd."

  "Everything is too absurd," said Wise, bitterly.