CHAPTER XVII
EILEEN EXPLAINS
It was an amazed, bewildered, and sheepish group that faced each other inthe light of the electric torch after the departure of the unknown man.Phyllis was the first to recover self-possession.
"Well, we might as well go indoors," she remarked, in her decided way."There's evidently nothing to be gained by staying out here in thestorm!"
The others, still too benumbed in mind to have any initiative of theirown, followed her obediently. Only when they were at the door did Lesliearouse to the immediate urgencies.
"Do please be very quiet and not wake Aunt Marcia!" she begged. "I'mafraid the effect on her would be very bad if she were to realize allthat has happened here."
They entered the bungalow on tiptoe, removed their drenched wraps, andsank down in the nearest chairs by the dying fire.
"And now," remarked Phyllis, constituting herself spokesman, as she threwon a fresh log and some smaller sticks, "we'd be awfully obliged to you,Ted and Eileen, if you'll kindly explain what this mystery is all about!"
"I don't see why under the sun _you_ had to come butting into it!"muttered Ted, resentfully, nursing some bruises he had sustained in therecent fray.
"Please remember," retorted Phyllis, "that if I hadn't come butting intoit--and Leslie and Rags,--you'd probably be very much the worse for wearat this moment!"
"That's so! Forgive me, old girl! You _did_ do a fine piece of work--allof you. I'm just sore because the thing turned out so--badly. But what Ireally meant was that I can't see how you got mixed up in it at all--fromthe very beginning, I mean."
"That's precisely what we think about _you_!" laughed Phyllis. "We'vefelt all along as if it were _our_ affair and that _you_ wereinterfering. So I think we'd better have explanations all around!"
"Well, as a matter of fact, it's Eileen's affair, most of all, so I thinkshe'd better do her explaining first," Ted offered as a solution of thetangle.
They all looked toward Eileen, sitting cowered over the fire, and sheanswered their look with a startled gaze of her own.
"I--I don't know whether I ought!" she faltered, turning to Ted. "Do youthink I ought?"
"I guess you'd better!" he declared. "It's got to a point where thesefolks seem to have some inside information of their own that perhapsmight be valuable to you. How they got it, I can't think. At any rate,there'll be no harm done by it, I can vouch for that. So--just fireaway!"
Thus adjured, Eileen drew a long breath and said hesitantly:
"I--I really don't know just where to begin. A lot of it is just as mucha mystery to me as it is to you. I think you all have heard that I have agrandfather who is very ill, in a hospital over in Branchville. He is theHonorable Arthur Ramsay, of Norwich, England. He has been for many yearsa traveler and explorer in China and India and Tibet. Early this year hehad a severe attack of Indian fever and could not seem to recuperate, sohe started for England, coming by way of the Pacific and America. When hegot to the Atlantic coast, this last summer, some one recommended that heshould try staying a few weeks at this beach; so he took a bungalow andspent part of the summer and autumn here, and thought he was muchbenefited."
"Do excuse me for interrupting!" exclaimed Phyllis; "but was the bungalowhe rented Curlew's Nest?"
"Why, yes," hesitated Eileen, with a startled glance at her "it--it was."
"Then, do you mind telling me how it was that the name was so different?"persisted Phyllis. "Mrs. Danforth understood that she rented it to a Mr.Horatio Gaines."
"Oh, that was because Grandfather didn't want it in his own name,because, you see, he's a rather well-known person in England and evenover here, and he needed a complete rest, with no danger of having to beinterviewed or called upon or anything like that. So he had his man,Geoffrey Horatio Gaines, hire the place, and transact all the businesshere in _his_ name. It saved Grandfather a lot of trouble, for Geoffreysimply took charge of everything; and as Grandfather never went amongpeople here, no one was the wiser.
"After he left the cottage, he expected to go to New York and remainthere till he sailed for home. And he _did_ go there for a few days, buthis health at once grew worse, so he returned to the beach. Of course,the bungalow was closed by that time, so he took rooms at the hotel,farther along. It was there that I joined him. I had come over here withfriends of Mother's, earlier in the summer, and had been visiting attheir summer camp in the Adirondacks until I should join Grandfather andreturn to England with him.
"I hadn't been with him more than two or three days when I realized thatsomething had gone awfully wrong, somehow or other. Grandfather wasworried and upset about something, and he began to watch his mail and beanxious to avoid meeting any one. He couldn't or wouldn't explain thingsto me, but had long interviews with his man, Geoffrey, who has been withhim for years and years and whom he trusts completely.
"At last, one awfully stormy night, about two weeks ago, Geoffreydisappeared, and has never been seen or heard of since. We can't imaginewhat has become of him. And the next day Grandfather was so worried abouthim and the other troubles that a cold he had ran into a severe attack ofpneumonia. Of course, it wasn't feasible for him to remain at the hotel,especially as it was soon to close, so he had himself taken to thenearest good hospital, which happened to be this one at Branchville.Since he didn't have Geoffrey to wait on him, he wanted to be where hecould have the best attention and nursing, and as I could run his car,which Geoffrey had always done, I could get easily there to see him.Then, as you probably know, the hotel closed for the season, and themanager very kindly found me a place to stay--with Aunt Sally Blake--inthe village. She has been very good and kind to me, but I expect I'veworried her a lot, not because I didn't care, but because I couldn't helpit and I couldn't tell her about--things!
"But, oh! I have been so troubled--so fairly _desperate_, at times! Youcannot even guess the awful burden I've had to bear--and all alone,--atleast till I came quite by accident to know your brother Ted. He hashelped me so much--but that is another part of the story!
"One night Grandfather's fever was very high and he was delirious. Ibegged his nurse to let me sit with him awhile, and I heard himconstantly muttering about the bungalow, and Geoffrey hiding somethingthere, and it being safe at Curlew's Nest, and a lot more half-incoherentremarks of that kind. Next morning he was a little better and in hisright mind again, so I asked him what he had meant by the things he hadtalked about the night before. And then he said:
"'Eileen, I'll have to trust you with some of the secret, I believe,since you've overheard what you have. Perhaps you may even be able tohelp, and of course I can trust you to keep your own counsel--absolutely.There's been a very mysterious mix-up here, and it involves far more thanyou may imagine. In fact, it might even become an affair of internationalmoment--if something is not found, and quickly too. The gist of thematter is this: while I was in China last year, I had some informalcorrespondence with an official very high in government circles there,concerning his attitude in regard to the province of Shantung. As he wasinclined to be very friendly toward me at the time he was just a littleexpansive and indiscreet (I think those were Grandfather's words) inregard to his Government's plans. Later, I think, he regretted this, andmade some half-joking overtures to have his letters returned. But Ipretended not to understand him and the matter was dropped. As a matterof fact, I thought them too suggestive and important to my own Governmentto part with them!'
"It is these letters that are the heart of the whole trouble, Grandfathersays. He heard nothing more about them till he came to stay at the hotelhere. Then he received a very threatening letter, declaring that if thispacket was not returned to the writer, serious consequences would result.It didn't say _what_ consequences, but Grandfather suspected they mighteven go as far as an attempt on his life. But he was determined not togive up the letters. You see, they concerned a matter that might involvehis own country with China, and he felt they sho
uld be delivered to hisown Government. Beside that, he is just stubborn enough not to be bulliedinto anything by threats.
"His man Geoffrey tried to persuade him to put the letters in asafe-deposit vault in New York, but Grandfather says he is old-fashionedin some things and doesn't trust even to safe-deposit boxes--says heprefers to keep things he values in his own possession. He had theletters in a queer little bronze box that was given him, years ago, bythe late Empress Dowager of China. It had a secret lock that was quiteimpossible to open unless one knew the trick. He carried this in hispocket, and slept with it under his pillow at night, and felt perfectlysafe about it."
Here Eileen paused a moment for breath, and the two other girls glancedat each other guiltily, but they said nothing. Then Eileen went on:
"One night, just after I came, there was an attempt to rob him at thehotel. The attempt failed because Geoffrey happened to be awake anddiscovered some one prowling about Grandfather's sitting-room. Whoever itwas escaped through the window without even his face being seen, andthere was no trace of him later. Grandfather made Geoffrey keep the thingquiet and not report it to the hotel, because he didn't want anypublicity about the matter. But he decided then that it would be safer tohave the thing hidden somewhere for a time--in some place where no onewould dream of hunting for it. And it struck him that down at thebungalow where he had spent those quiet weeks, and which he supposed wasall shut up and deserted, would be as unlikely a spot as any to besuspected of hiding such a thing. He supposed that the one nextdoor--this one--was closed also, or I do not think he would haveconsidered that hiding-place.
"So the next night, which happened to be one when there was a very hardstorm, he sent Geoffrey down to the bungalow with the little boxcontaining the letters. He did not wish him to take the car, as it mightbe too conspicuous, but had him go on foot. Geoffrey had found out,during the summer, that one could get into that place through a door atthe side by working at the hook through the crack with a knife-blade, andhe intended to get into the cottage and conceal the box in someout-of-the-way hiding-place there.
"But here is where the mystery begins. Geoffrey set off that night, buthas never been seen or heard of since. What has happened to him, wecannot imagine, unless he was caught and taken a prisoner by some oneconcerned in getting those letters. If he had been killed, we wouldsurely know it. Yet if he were alive, it seems as if we should have heardfrom him, somehow. He was a most devoted and faithful and trustworthysoul, so we are sure that something must have happened to him--that he isbeing detained somewhere. Grandfather is quite certain that he isguarding the secret of that box, somehow, and that it would be best towait till he comes back or sends us some word.
"What Grandfather asked me to do was to run out here in the car some day,and, if there was no one about, to scout around and see if I coulddiscover any clue to the mystery, without attracting attention. Hesupposed, of course, that the beach was by that time entirely deserted. Icame out the very next day, but found to my disgust that the cottage nextdoor was occupied--by you, as I now know! But I felt it would not be wiseto be seen about here in the daytime, so, without saying anything toGrandfather (who would be awfully upset if he knew it), I determined torun out about ten o'clock that night and scout around when you peoplewould probably be in bed.
"And here is where Ted comes into it! I got here that night as I hadplanned, found no one about, and tried the experiment of getting into theside door, as Grandfather had explained, but I found it very difficult;in fact, quite impossible--for _me!_ And while I was fussing with it, Iwas suddenly startled by a low voice, right behind me, inquiring _very_politely what I was trying to do! It was Ted, here, who had been out fora stroll, and happening to catch a glimpse of me at this very peculiaroccupation, and naturally thinking I was a burglar, had come upunobserved to find out about it!
"You can just imagine what an _awful_ position it was for me! I did notknow what to say or what to do. I know that, legally, I had no businessthere, and if he were inclined to make a fuss about it, he could have mearrested. I literally almost went out of my mind at that moment. But Iguess something must have made him feel that I wasn't really a 'ladyburglar' or anything of that sort, for he just said, very kindly, 'If youare in trouble, perhaps I can help you!'
"I didn't see how he could possibly help me unless he knew the wholestory, and I thought I ought not tell any one _that!_ But unless I did, Iwas certainly in a very terrible position. So I suddenly made up my mindit would have to be done, for something made me feel he was honorable andtrustworthy, and that the secret would be safe with him. What made mefeel all the more sure was that he mentioned that he was staying up thebeach at his father's bungalow, and had happened to be out for a walk andhad seen me there. I know he said it to make me feel easier, and thateverything was all right.
"So I told him as much as I could of the story. And when he had heard it,he said: 'I happen to know all about opening that door, because I knowthe people who own the cottage very well. Perhaps you had better let metry.' I said I'd be only too glad to, and he had the door unfastened in amoment. Then he told me to go in and examine the place all I wished toand he would watch outside. If I needed any help, I could call and hewould come in and do what he could for me.
"Well, I went in and examined the whole place with my electric torch, butI could not discover a single thing except that one of the bricks in thefireplace had been partly loosened and a broken knife-blade was in thecorner of the chimney-place. It was the only thing I could see to showthat possibly Geoffrey had been there. I thought the knife-blade lookedlike one I had seen him use.
"But as I didn't see a sign of the bronze box, I knew it was useless tostay any longer, so I came out. Ted fastened the door again, went with meto the car, which I had left down the road, and offered to give me anyfurther help he could, at any time. He promised to keep the secret fromevery one, and said that he would make an even more thorough search overCurlew's Nest, if I wished, because he had much better opportunity to doso. Of course, I agreed to that and went on back to Aunt Sally's.
"Two days later, Ted saw my car going along one of the back roads nearthe village, signaled to me, and told me that, the day before, he hadcaught you girls coming out of Curlew's Nest and that you acted ratherguilty and refused to explain what you had been in there for. He told methat you might possibly suspect something, and to steer clear of you ifwe should happen to encounter each other, as it is always likely thatpeople will, in this town. He described what you both looked like, sothat I couldn't fail to know you.
"And, sure enough, I met you both that very morning, in Mrs. Selby'slittle store, and I expect you think I acted in a perfectly abominablemanner. I just hated to do it, for I liked the looks of you both, but Ifelt I must take no chances. Ted also told me that he had been inCurlew's Nest the night before and had gone over the place very carefullyonce more, but had found nothing except a string of beads that had beentorn from the fringe of my girdle that other night, and had been lying onthe floor. I remember that the girdle caught when I was looking under oneof the bureaus. He also gave me the broken penknife-blade to keep, as hesaid it was best to leave nothing around there that any one else coulddiscover and use as a clue.
"A day or two later I met you, Phyllis, at Aunt Sally's and she _would_insist on introducing us, though I could see you were no more anxious tomake the acquaintance, after the way I'd acted, than I was. But Iencountered Ted again that afternoon, and he said he had hunted me up totell me he had news and also a plan that he wanted to suggest. He said hehad noticed, during the last two or three days, a strange man who seemedto haunt the beach, just a short way off and out of sight of the twobungalows. The man seemed to be a very ardent fisherman,--and an expertone, too,--but Ted had noticed that he kept a very sharp lookout towardthe bungalows when he thought no one was around to see. He suspected thatperhaps this man had something to do with the mystery.
"The plan he suggested was that I get acquainted with you girls, afterall, in some way
that seemed the most natural, but without letting youknow that I was also acquainted with _him_. And when I had done so, I hadbetter offer to take you all out for a long drive in the car and keep youaway a good while, and give him a chance to see what this man was upto--if anything.
"The getting acquainted was easy, and you all know how I managed_that_--and also the ride, a day or two later. When I was returning fromthe ride that night, at dusk, Ted signaled me from the bushes nearCurlew's Nest, jumped into the car, and told me what had happened in theafternoon. He had gone off to the village first, then hurried back,slipped up here by way of the creek, and hidden himself in a clump ofrushes across the road. Just as he had suspected, he saw his suspiciousfisherman sneak up here after a while, scout around the outside of thebungalow, disappear into it for a time, by the side door, come out,apparently empty-handed, stare at the outside again for a long time, andthen at your bungalow, and finally disappear. But that was not all.
"He waited where he was a few minutes, thinking possibly the man mightcome back, and he was just about to come out, when along came anautomobile with _two_ men in it, which stopped directly in front ofCurlew's Nest. He could not see their faces, for they had slouch hatspulled far down on their heads. They got out and walked about a bit,evidently to see if any one was around. Then, thinking themselves alone,they hurried up to the bungalow, worked at the side door, and finally gotin. Shortly after, they came out again and walked down to the beach,where he could not see them. Then they came back, got into the car, anddrove off.
"By that time it was growing so late that he concluded he would staywhere he was and wait for me to come back, which he did. Before he leftme, we had a slight breakdown, and in helping me fix it, he hurt hishand. But that same night, long after midnight, he got into Curlew's Nestagain to see if he could find out what had happened, and he found a verystrange message left on the table--a type-written warning to the one whohad taken the article (as it was called!) from its hiding-place to returnit, and underneath, a printed note in pencil, saying it would bereturned. He thought probably the first man had left the type-writtenpart, and the other two had printed the answer underneath. That was allhe could make of it.
"It was all very mysterious, but while we couldn't make much out of it,at least it showed that something concerning the affair was going on andthat the place must be closely watched. Ted volunteered to keep thiswatch. Meanwhile, Grandfather had had a very bad turn and I was with himconstantly. He was terribly depressed over the whole affair. Even hisdoctor, who knows nothing about this, said he was evidently worryingabout something, and if the cause of worry were not removed, he doubtedthe possibility of recovery. Tonight I stayed with him later than usual,and in returning, actually did lose my way in the storm. But when I atlast discovered where I was, I knew that it was not far from here andcould not resist the temptation to come over and see if anything washappening. I found Ted also scouting around, and suddenly we realizedthat some one else was on the ground too, though we could not tell _who_,in the darkness and rain. But Ted thought it very dangerous for me to beout there, so he made me come in here, as I did. And I need not tell youwhat happened after that!"
Eileen ceased speaking, and Phyllis had just opened her lips to saysomething when there was a knock at the door. All four jumped nervously,but Ted got up and went to open it.
To their immense alarm, the opened door revealed the figure of--"the manwith the limp!"