CHAPTER XVIII
A RIFT IN THE CLOUDS
The Tuesday morning just referred to dawned cold and wintry. A chillwind blew and for a time carried isolated snowflakes whirling here andthere. Gradually, as the morning advanced, the flakes became morenumerous, until by nine o'clock an old fashioned snowstorm had set inthat threatened to last for some time. The frozen ground was sooncovered with a thin white mantle and the landscape in city and countryseemed especially forbidding.
In spite of these adverse conditions Charlie Mershone decided to go outfor a walk. He felt much like a prisoner, and his only recreation was ingetting out of the hotel for a daily stroll. Moreover, he had an objectin going abroad to-day.
So he buttoned his overcoat up to his chin and fearlessly braved thestorm. He had come to wholly disregard the presence of the detective whoshadowed him, and if the youthful Fogerty by chance addressed him he wasrewarded with a direct snub. This did not seem to disconcert the boy inthe least, and to-day, as usual, when Mershone walked out Fogertyfollowed at a respectful distance. He never appeared to be watching hisman closely, yet never for an instant did Mershone feel that he hadshaken the fellow off.
On this especial morning the detective was nearly a block in the rear,with the snow driving furiously into his face, when an automobilesuddenly rolled up to the curb beside him and two men leaped out andpinioned Fogerty in their arms. There was no struggle, because there wasno resistance. The captors quickly tossed the detective into the car, anopen one, which again started and turned into a side street.
Fogerty, seated securely between the two burly fellows, managed tostraighten up and rearrange his clothing.
"Will you kindly explain this unlawful act, gentlemen?" he enquired.
The man on the left laughed aloud. He was the same individual who hadattacked Arthur Weldon, the one who had encountered Mershone in thestreet the day before.
"Cold day, ain't it, Fogerty?" he remarked. "But that makes it all thebetter for a little auto ride. We like you, kid, we're fond ofyou--awful fond--ain't we, Pete?"
"We surely are," admitted the other.
"So we thought we'd invite you out for a whirl--see? We'll give you anice ride, so you can enjoy the scenery. It's fine out Harlem way, an'the cold'll make you feel good. Eh, Pete?"
"That's the idea," responded Pete, cheerfully.
"Very kind of you," said the detective, leaning back comfortably againstthe cushions and pulling up his coat collar to shield him from the wind."But are you aware that I'm on duty, and that this will allow my man toslip away from me?"
"Can't help that; but we're awful sorry," was the reply. "We just wantedcompany, an' you're a good fellow, Fogerty, considerin' your age an'size."
"Thank you," said Fogerty, "You know me, and I know you. You are BillLeesome, alias Will Dutton--usually called Big Bill. You did time acouple of years ago for knocking out a policeman."
"I'm safe enough now, though," responded Big Bill. "You're not workingon the reg'lar force, Fogerty, you're only a private burr."
"I am protected, just the same," asserted Fogerty. "When you knabbed meI was shadowing Mershone, who has made away with a prominent societyyoung lady."
"Oh, he has, has he?" chuckled Big Bill, and his companion laughed sogleefully that he attracted Fogerty's attention to himself.
"Ah, I suppose you are one of the two men who lugged the girl off," heremarked; "and I must congratulate you on having made a good job of it.Isn't it curious, by the way, that the fellow who stole and hid thisgirl should be the innocent means of revealing her biding place?"
The two men stared at him blankly. The car, during this conversation,had moved steadily on, turning this and that corner in a way that mighthave confused anyone not perfectly acquainted with this section of thecity.
"What d'ye mean by that talk, Fogerty?" demanded Big Bill.
"Of course it was Mershone who stole the girl," explained the detective,calmly; "we know that. But Mershone is a clever chap. He knew he waswatched, and so he has never made a movement to go to his prisoner. Buthe grew restless in time, and when he met you, yesterday, fixed up adeal with you to carry me away, so he could escape."
Big Bill looked uncomfortable.
"You know a lot, Fogerty," he said, doggedly.
"Yes; I've found that human nature is much the same the world over,"replied the detective. "Of course I suspected you would undertake togive Mershone his chance by grabbing me, and that is exactly what youhave done. But, my lads, what do you suppose I have done in themeantime?"
They both looked their curiosity but said nothing.
"I've simply used your clever plot to my own advantage, in order tobring things to a climax," continued Fogerty. "While we are joy-ridinghere, a half dozen of my men are watching every move that Mershonemakes. I believe he will lead them straight to the girl; don't you?"
Big Bill growled some words that were not very choice and then yelled tothe chauffeur to stop. The other man was pale and evidently frightened.
"See here, Fogerty; you make tracks!" was the sharp command, as theautomobile came to a halt. "You've worked a pretty trick on us, 'cordin'to your own showin', and we must find Mr. Mershone before it's toolate--if we can."
"Good morning," said Fogerty, alighting. "Thank you for a pleasantride--and other things."
They dashed away and left him standing on the curb; and after watchingthem disappear the detective walked over to a drug store and entered thetelephone booth.
"That you, Hyde?--This is Fogerty."
"Yes, sir. Mr. Mershone has just crossed the ferry to Jersey. Adams iswith him. I'll hear from him again in a minute: hold the wire."
Fogerty waited. Soon he learned that Mershone had purchased a t