“No, not quite.”
“Much more to do?”
“Nothing but shadow work. I know the culprit. It only remains now to catch him spending some of the money.”
“Patsy can do that as well as you. Put him onto it.
“I've got two cases on hand now; both important.
“I have made a few notes regarding one of them. Here they are,” and Nick passed several slips of paper to his assistant.
“Read them in the order in which you find them, Chick,” he continued. “Read them aloud.”
“'Sara Varney,' began the assistant in the monotonous tone always assumed by one who is reading data, 'twenty-one years old, five feet three inches; one hundred and forty pounds; dark, beautiful teeth, all sound, gray traveling dress, no jewelry except watch with monogram in diamonds; watch No. 55,555, made by Jerguson. Gold chain, with hollow guard shaped like a pear. Guard contains—-”
“What does the guard contain?” asked Chick, looking up.
“Read on,” was the response. “'—orphan, wealthy, money and estate left by father who accumulated same in the West, presumably in mining, etc.'”
Chick laid aside the first slip of paper, and passed to the second.
“'Arthur Grayling,' he read, 'thirty-two, prospective husband of S. V. Good character. No fortune, but good salary from employers. Engaged by A. G. to find S. V.'”
Chick laid the second slip aside.
“I have left the remainder of that page blank for you to fill up for me,” said the detective. “Read the next.”
“'George Hatfield, thirty-five, tall, dark, no fortune, no visible means of support; always supplied with money. Ran away to sea when a boy; spent much time in South America; came back to Philadelphia in '84. Presumably a gambler. Man of strong character for good or evil. Would hesitate at nothing determined upon. An athlete, drinks moderately, but never too much. Sometimes seen in questionable company. Spends much time in New York. Frequently disappears for two or three days, and always when in New York. Affects yachting—”
“By Jove!” exclaimed Nick, suddenly interrupting the reading.
“Eh?” said Chick, looking up. “Nothing. Go on.”
“'Owns a sloop yacht called the Mystery. Sometimes sails in her between P. and N. Y.'”
Nick was rubbing his hands together with an air of such intense satisfaction that Chick again paused in his reading and looked up.
“Continue,” was all that the detective said, and the assistant complied:
“'Belongs to several clubs in N. Y. and in P.,' continued Chick. 'Is not popular, though nothing tangible against him. Rarely gambles at the clubs. Never talks about himself. In love with S. V. Proposed to her by letter. Rejected with scorn. Was playing billiards at club when letter reached him. Read it between innings, and continued play unmoved. Have found four specimens of handwriting of G. H. No two alike; fact worth remembering. Never was known to pay for anything by check. Always uses cash. Bills usually new, and evidently fresh from bank.'”
Chick laid aside that slip and passed to No. 4, which was a system of points numbered with Roman characters, as follows:
“'I. Theory of voluntary flight. No cause assignable except insanity; not tenable.
“'II. Theory of abduction for purposes of extortion.
“'A. Supported by the checks for $15,000, but not tenable, because of expressions used by S.
V. to coachman.
“'B. Abduction might have taken place en route to N. Y., but that gives rise to
“'III. Theory of detention—viz.:
“'A. Letter written by person unknown containing false information. S. V. met in N. Y. and conducted voluntarily but unwittingly to place of detention. Compelled to sign checks perhaps by threats, etc. Letter probably referred to A. G.
“'B. A.G. in N. Y. at time. Might have written decoy himself. May know where S. V. is now. Motive for such theory—none found.
“'C. G.H. in N. Y. at time. Might have written decoy letter. If so, is aware of fate of S. V. Motive for such theory. Revenge for scorned proposal; desire to force S. V. to become his wife by fair means or foul; scheme to become possessed of her fortune—that is, a. by making her wife; b. by securing her signature for purposes unknown; c. by putting her effectually out of the way—that is, murder—and then forging signature, etc., which lead to—”
CHAPTER III.
“Rough On Rats.”
The note came to a close so suddenly that Chick looked up in astonishment.
“Why didn't you go on?” he said.
“Well, the next theory is embraced in that one.”
“Murder?”
“Yes.”
“Humph!”
“What do you think of it all?”
“Decoy letter written by Hatfield. Girl detained somewhere—probably on yacht Mystery—”
“The Mystery has been searched.”
“Well, somewhere.”
“That's the point—where?” Chick looked up with a quick smile. “When I mislay anything,” he said, “I stop and try to think of all the most likely places where I might have placed it.
“Then, before beginning my search I think of all the most unlikely places.
“And I begin with the unlikeliest of the unlikely, see?”
“Yes.”
“On the theory that if I had placed the article in a likely place it would not have been lost.”
“Exactly.”
“Hatfield is a shrewd fellow, I take it from your notes.”
“Very.”
“Let us suppose that he is the guilty man.”
“Very well.”
“If he is responsible for the disappearance, where would he have hidden her?
“In the most unlikely place for her friends to search without doubt.”
“Go on, Chick; I'm proud of you.”
“Where does he keep his yacht?”
“Just below Erie Basin on the Brooklyn shore.”
“How long has he owned the yacht?”
“Two or three years.”
“Where would be the most likely place for him to conceal his prisoner?”
“Answer the question yourself, Chick; you're theorizing now, not I.”
“Well, then, on board the Mystery.”
“Good!”
“She is not there.”
“No.”
“Where then is the most unlikely place?”
“You answer again.”
“Why, the answer is plain enough to my mind, and so it is to you, I believe.”
“Never mind me; I want to hear what you have to say.”
“Very well. Let us go back again a little.”
“As you please.”
“Hatfield has no visible means of support; always pays with greenbacks and new ones—by the way, is there any suspicion of counterfeiting?”
“No.”
“Then he gets his greenbacks from a bank.”
“Probably.”
“He keeps an account and gets his own checks cashed; he is a gambler, but he doesn't get all his money in that way, or he would not be so particular about keeping the place of his account a secret.”
“Right. Go on.”
“It follows that he's engaged in some crooked work.”
“Very likely.”
“Which accounts for his frequent disappearances.”
“Probably.”
“I'd like you to answer one question.”
“What is it?”
“What impression as to his destination is created among his associates at the clubs, etc., when he is missing?”
“The yacht.”
“I thought so. Now, what reason do they give?”
“A quiet spree.”
“Does he go to the yacht?” Yes.”
“And stay there?”
“No.”
“You have found out that much?”
“Yes.”
“Then we return to my original question. If he is the man we suppose him to be, he is mixed up with a gang of crooks, of which he is probably the king pin. Those crooks are either burglars, counterfeiters, confidence men, forgers, or—or— what else shall I say, Nick?”
“Suppose you include river pirates.”
“Good! Let us drop the others and cling to that.”
“Why?”
“Well, I've read the papers, and the wharf- rats are gnawing big holes just now.”
“Right.”