CHAPTER XXIII
THE MYSTERY SOLVED
Ida Giles had always been unpopular, and the kindness shown her byCora Kimball, following opt the timely rescue of her from Lem Gildy,came to the unhappy girl like a revelation.
For the first time in her dissatisfied life Ida determined to dowhat her better nature prompted her to do, even at the risk ofgetting into trouble. She determined to clear up the mystery thathad been hanging so heavily over the heads of Cora and her friends.
"I--I don't care what Sid thinks--or says," murmured Ida, "I'm donewith him forever."
She hurried to a select bowling alley, where she was pretty sure shewould find Sid. Within the little office in front one might buyconfections or ice cream, and at the same time be able to look in onthe alleys, where athletic young men were banging away at the pins.Ida sent in word by the clerk, and Sid came out at once when heheard who wished to speak to him. Ida was struck at his appearance.He looked thin and worn, but, more than that, worried.
"Sid," she began bravely, "you must come with me at once. I willaid you all I can, but we must go right over to the Kimballs',explain everything, and set matters right."
"What!" exclaimed the youth in an anxious whisper. "You meanconfess?"
"Yes, that's just it."
"But--but--er--I--"
"I've promised to help you,", she said slowly. They were talkingoutside now, for the clerk had come back and was behind theshowcase. "You must come, Sid, and tell everything. I will do mypart. Besides, there is really nothing to confess, you know. Youreally didn't steal the money, but you must tell them--tell Ed, Coraand all--what you did with it--and about the empty wallet."
"Oh, Ida, I never could do that!"
Sid's bravery--his gay, sneering, bold manner--were all gone. He wasa craven--weak. "You'll have to tell them," he added. "I'mgoing--going away."
"That's just like you!" exclaimed Ida. "Leave me to shoulder allthe shame. No, Sid Wilcox! I've risked enough for you! I'm done! Ifyou don't go to the Kimballs' this very afternoon and telleverything, I shall go to the police and relate to them all that Iknow about the missing money, the bonds and the wallet. Thedetectives will be glad enough to get the reward."
Sid was really afraid now. His face was pale, and his voice shookas he answered:
"I'll--I'll make it all good now. I have the money. Can'tyou--can't you give it back to Ed, the way the bonds--"
"No!"
"Not to help me out?"
"No!"
"But you promised--"
"I promised too much! Will you tell everything, or--"
There was a moment's silence. Sid was battling with his meannature. Even yet he was trying to find a way of escape--to discoversome plan by which he could avoid the shame of making a humiliatingconfession.
"Well?" asked Ida, and there was a new ring in her voice.
"I--I suppose I'll have to," spoke Sid in low tones.
"Come, then. I'll go with you."
An hour later Cora, Jack, Ed, Sid Wilcox and Ida Gales were seatedin the library of the Kimball home. Sid was uneasy, and Ida's eyesshowed that she had been weeping.
"Sid has something to tell you all," began Ida, "and so have I. Iguess you know what it's about."
Cora nodded and smiled at Ida. Then she went over and stood besidethe unhappy girl.
"I'll make a clean breast of if, fellows," began Sid hesitatingly."I--I really didn't mean to make so much trouble over it, but onething went to another, and when I started there didn't seem to beany stopping place, or any way to get back.
"When Ed stooped over to fix the mud guard on Cora's car, that dayof the race and the collision, the wallet dropped from his pocketinto the soft dust of the road. I saw it and picked it up, intendingfirst only to play a joke on him. Ida and Mary Downs saw me,and--well, I don't know what they thought, but I only did it forfun."
"Queer fun," murmured Jack indignantly.
"I slipped out the money and bonds," went on Sid, "and then Edturned toward me, and I didn't know what to do with the emptywallet. There was only one chance, and I took it. I dropped it inthe tool-box of Cora's car. I was mean to do it, for I thought itmight make a mix-up and add to the joke."
Jack murmured something inaudible, and Cora shot a warning glance ather brother.
"Yes, it was a poor joke," admitted Sid weakly, "but I've learned alesson. I found out it was going to cost considerable to fix my car,and as I had some other--er--well, expenses to meet, I just usedsome of Ed's cash. I knew I could pay it back later.
"That is, I thought I could, but my folks shut down can myallowance, and when I missed getting that job which Paul Hastingsgot I was in a bad way. I didn't know where I was to get the cash torepay Ed, and I didn't dare say anything, for fear you'd have mearrested for stealing:
"Then I got mixed in with Lem Gildy. He saw me with a lot of cash,and he suspected something. The man is sharp, and one day he saw thenumbers of one of the bank notes I had. He looked up the numberswhich Ed gave the police, and it corresponded. Then he jumped to theconclusion that I had stolen the ten thousand dollars in cash, andthe bonds. Nothing I could say about it being a joke could convincehim. He began to bleed me for hush money, and I had to give it tohim. Then I thought of a plan for getting him out of the way. I puthim up to start Jack's car off, thinking he might be arrested formalicious mischief and put in jail, but I never dreamed you would behurt, Jack. Honest, I didn't."
Jack did not answer.
"Well, that plan didn't work," went on Sid, "and Lem kept gettingworse. Then I didn't know what Mary Downs might be up to, going awayas she did. I believe she thought I really stole the money."
"She did," put in Cora. "She told me so; but her going away hadnothing to do with it. A relative was taken suddenly ill, and shehad to leave. She wrote me something about the robbery--excuse me,I'll not call it a robbery now--but Mary thought it was, and sheimagined both Sid and Ida were guilty."
"I can't blame her much," murmured Ida unhappily.
"I have treated you very meanly, Ida," confessed Sid. "I made youkeep my secret, and Lem found out--at least, he thought he did--thatyou were in with me."
"That's why he followed me and demanded money of me," spoke Ida. "Idecided then that it must all come out, though I also decided that Iwould never again have anything to do with you, Sid Wilcox."
"Not even after--" began the youth:
"No. Your--your ring is--here," and she, pointed to the safe.
Sid started.
"I wondered why you didn't wear it," he said: "Yes," he went on, "Ihave been mean to Ida, though I--I did ask her to take thering--to--to make up for it."
It was clear that he did care for the girl, as much as it waspossible for a person of his selfish nature to care for any one.
"I--I spent some of the money for the ring for Ida," he went on.
"Yes, and for that reason, as much as for any other--because I knewyou were only a shade removed from a thief--I threw it away!" burstout Ida.
"When?" asked Sid, much astonished.
"The same night when, masked as a nun, I slipped back the bonds intoEd's pocket--as you asked me to."
"So that's how they got there!" exclaimed Ed.
"Then, when Ida came and told me a little while ago about Lem," wenton Sid after a pause, "I knew the game was up. He was gettingdesperate, and he's liable to send word to the police at any moment,accusing me, and I don't want to be arrested."
He seemed very anxious.
"Now here is your ten thousand dollars back," he said to Ed, handinghim a roll of bills. "I managed to get from my folks the amount Ihad used, including the sum for the--the diamond ring, and what Ihad to give Lem."
"What's become of him?" asked Jack.
"I guess he's skipped out," answered Sid. "After holding up Ida itwon't be safe for him to linger too close to these parts."
"I should say not," commented Cora.
"Now, will you take this money, and--and call it square?"
asked Sidnervously.
"Hardly square," murmured Jack. "Look at the suspicions about mysister--"
"Hush, Jack," pleaded Cora, looking at Ida, who was weeping.
"I think the best way will be to call the incident a closed one,"decided Ed. "I'll take the money, and--"
"What will you tell the police?" asked Jack.
"I'll tell them the money came back to me in a mysterious way."
"They may want to claim the reward."
"They can't. There is only one person who will get the reward, andshe is--"
He paused and walked over until he stood in front of Ida, who satwith bowed head.
"Miss Giles, it is due to you, more than to any, one, that thismystery is solved," he said: "Will you please accept the reward?"and he took some bills off the roll Sid had handed him.
"I couldn't oh, I couldn't!" she sobbed.
Ed looked embarrassed. Every one was under a strain. Jack went tothe safe and took out the diamond ring.
"I guess that comes back to you," he said to Sid, "as long as you'vemade up to Ed the whole sum."
Sid took it hesitatingly. Then with a quick motion he stepped up toEd.
"Here," he exclaimed, "this belongs to you."
"What for?"
"Interest on your money. It's more than the ring cost, maybe,considering the loss on the bank stock, but I'll make it up later."
"No," said Ed after a moment's thought "We'll call it settled."
He held the ring in his hand and went over to the weeping girl.
"Will you--will you accept this for what you have done for me--forall of us?" he asked gently.
Ida looked up through--her tears. Then she shook her head.
"Let me give it to her," whispered Cora, and Ed handed over thesparkling gem.
"Take it from me, Ida," whispered Jack's sister. "Let it be apledge of--of whatever you like."
"A pledge from an up-to-date motor girl!" cried Jack gaily, and hiswords ended the strain that was on them all.
Sid slipped out, and Ida was led away by Cora. Then such talking asthere was between Ed and Jack!
"Well, did you ever hear such a yarn?" asked Jack. "Did you suspecthim, Ed?"
"Yes, but I thought his motive was a different one. I had an ideathe strain would soon tell on him--or Ida. I'm glad it's over."
"So am I!" exclaimed Cora, coming into the room, having parted fromIda. "Oh, I feel years younger!"
"Look out!" warned Ed. "You'll soon be a mere infant again if youkeep on."
"I don't care!" she cried. "Come on out and take a long run in theWhirlwind. I want to get some of the cobwebs swept off my brain witha glorious breeze. Come, Jack--Ed."
They went with her, each one happier than they had been in manydays.
"Oh! There are Belle and Bess!" cried Cora. "I must tell them."
"Well," remarked Ed, when Cora and Belle had about talked themselvesout, "I suppose you motor girls call that quite a series ofadventures?"
"Indeed we do," answered Cora. "I don't know that I care to haveany more just like them."
But, though no adventures just like those narrated here occurred tothe motor girls, the possession of their new cars led them into astrange complication not long afterward, and the details of it willbe set down in the next book of this series, to be entitled: "TheMotor Girls on a Tour; or, Keeping a Strange Promise."
"Let's have a race!" cried Jack, who was handling the new car of thetwins. "Come on, Cora, I challenge you."
"Not now, Jack, dear," replied his sister. "I just want to rest--andthink," and she slowed her car down and ran along a quietcountry road, with Bess and Jack trailing in the rear.
THE END
The Motor Girls Page 23