CHAPTER XVIII
THE DRAGON GIVES UP THE SECRET
THE man also started back at the sight of all four of them together. AndRags, who had been drying himself quietly by the fire, rose with a snarland leaped toward his enemy of the earlier part of the evening.
"Heavens! don't let that animal loose on me again!" cried the man,backing off. "I've just been down to the village doctor and had my armcauterized, as it is. I stopped in to tell you something you'd betterknow. Probably you haven't noticed it, if you haven't looked outrecently. The water is rising rapidly and will soon be very nearly up toyour bungalow. You may want to get out before it sweeps under it!"
With a cry of alarm, they all leaped toward the door, Ted grasping Ragsfirmly by the collar. It was even as the man had said. Peering throughthe darkness, they could see the water spreading inward from a recentbreaker, only about twenty-five feet from the veranda. And the nextbreaker spread in even a few inches further.
"What _shall_ we do?" cried Leslie. "Aunt Marcia will be frightened todeath if she knows it, and how I'm to get her out of here in this howlingstorm, or where I can take her, I can't imagine!"
But Ted had been critically examining the weather. "Don't worry, Leslie!"he soothed her. "The wind is shifting. I noticed just now that it seemedto be around to the north and is getting farther west also. That meansthe storm is almost over. And the tide ought to turn in ten minutes orso. It's practically at its highest now. Ten chances to one it won't risemore than a foot or two further. But we'll keep watch, and if it does,we'll get your aunt out of here in Eileen's car, which is just down theroad, and take her either to our place or to the village. Our bungalowisn't likely to be damaged, as it's farther up the dune than these. Don'tworry!"
Thus encouraged, Leslie turned indoors again, and the man, who was stilllingering on the porch, remarked:
"If it isn't too much trouble, friends, I'd like to come in for a minuteor two and ask you folks a few questions about that little fracas thisevening and how you came to be mixed up in it. It's all right andperfectly proper!" he hastened to add, seeing their startled glances. "Ican show you my credentials." He opened his coat and exhibited a shieldon his vest--the shield of a detective of the New York police force!
So amazed were they that they could scarcely reply, but the man tookmatters in his own hands and walked into the house. And Leslie never eventhought to warn him to speak softly because of Aunt Marcia!
Unconsciously they grouped themselves about him at the open fire. AndRags, now that the obnoxious stranger had been admitted to the house on ahospitable footing, made no further demonstrations of enmity.
"My name is Barnes--Detective Barnes of the New York force," he began,"and I'd like to clear up one or two little puzzles here before I go onwith this business. It's a rather peculiar one. I heard this younggentleman refer to a car that was standing in the road near here and sayit belonged to one of you young ladies named Eileen. I'd like to informMiss Eileen that the party who got that little article we were allscrapping for to-night, jumped into her car when he got to the road, torelike mad in it to the station, left it there, and caught the express forNew York. I was just in time to see him disappearing in it, but of course_I_ had to walk to the village. I suspected what he was going to do,though, and I went straight to the station and found the car standingthere. So I took the liberty of getting in it, driving myself to thevillage doctor, and then back out here. You will find your car, MissEileen, standing just where you left it, but I thought you'd like to knowit had had the little adventure!"
Eileen opened her mouth to reply, but the man gave her no chance, turningimmediately to Ted. "And as for you, young man, I suppose you thought youwere doing a wonderful stunt when you landed into me to-night, just asI'd unearthed the thing I've been on the trail of for a week; but I'llhave to tell you that you've spoiled one of the prettiest little piecesof detective work I've undertaken for several years, and may have helpedto precipitate a bit of international trouble, beside. I don't know whatyour motive was,--I suppose you thought me a burglar,--but--
"Just a moment!" cried Eileen, springing forward. "Tell me, why are youconcerned in this? My name is Ramsay and I have a right to ask!"
Detective Barnes was visibly startled. "Are you a relative of theHonorable Arthur Ramsay?" he demanded; and when she had told him, heexclaimed: "Then you must know all about Geoffrey Gaines and how hedisappeared!"
"I've known him since I was a baby," she answered; "but how hedisappeared is still an awful mystery to us. My grandfather is very illin the Branchville hospital, you know."
"But didn't he receive my letter?" cried Mr. Barnes. "I sent it two daysago!"
"He has been too ill to read any mail for the last two days," repliedEileen, "and, of course, I have not opened it."
"Well, that explains why I haven't heard from him!" the man exclaimed,with a sigh of relief. "Then I guess you will be interested to hear thatGaines is alive and well, but kept a close prisoner by some heathenChinese in a house on a west side street in New York."
"But how?--Why?--Did it happen the--the night he--came down here?" sheventured.
"I see you're pretty well informed about the matter," he remarkedcautiously. "And if these others are equally so, I guess it's safe for meto go on and give you a history of the thing."
Eileen nodded, and he went on:
"Gaines and I used to know each other in England, years before he enteredyour grandfather's service. In fact, we had been schoolmates together.Then I came over to this country and entered the detective service, andhe went into another walk of life. But we kept in touch with each otherby writing occasionally. A week or so ago I was astonished to receive aletter from him, written on all sorts of odds and ends of paper and in anenvelope plainly manufactured by himself. It contained some very singularnews.
"It gave me first the history of those letters and how anxious yourgrandfather was to keep hold of them. Then it told how he (Gaines) hadtaken the box down here that night and tried first to conceal it in thebungalow. But no place in the house seemed safe enough to him. He triedto dig up a brick in the fireplace and bury it there, but gave it upafter he had broken his knife in the attempt. Then he had the inspirationto bury it in the sand somewhere outside, and he described where he _did_locate it, right by that log. If Gaines had known much about the tideshere, he wouldn't have thought that a very good scheme. He didn't,though, and thought he'd found an excellent place. He then turned to walkback to the hotel, but hadn't gone more than a mile (it was storminghard, if you remember) when a terrific blow on the back of the headknocked him senseless. He never knew another thing until he came to,after what must have been a number of days, to find himself a prisoner ina house he judged to be somewhere in New York. And from his descriptionI've located it about west Sixty-first street.
"He appeared to be in the keeping of a Chinaman who dressed Americanfashion and spoke good English. He was told that he was a prisoner andthat it was hopeless to try to communicate with any one until he hadreported exactly where and how those letters had been concealed. Hebegged for a day or two to consider the matter and was granted it, buttold that if he did not comply with their wishes he would disappear forgood and no one would ever be the wiser.
"In the meantime, he managed to get together a few scraps of paper, andwith the stub of a pencil he happened to have about him, he wrote thisletter to me, describing the location of the letters and how he hadhidden them in a bronze box wrapped in a burlap bag. He urged me to goand get them at once, and then, later, he could safely describe to hiscaptors where he had hidden them. Perhaps you wonder how he expected toget this letter to me, since he was so carefully guarded. He said that hewas on the third floor, front, of the house, near a corner where he couldsee a post-box. He happened to have a solitary stamp in his pocket, whichhe put on the letter. Then, at some hour when he thought his captors werebusy elsewhere, he expected to attract the attention of some childrenplayi
ng in the street and offer to throw them some money if they wouldmail the letter in the nearby box. As I received the letter, no doubt hisplan worked successfully. At any rate, I got it a week ago and started onthe trail immediately.
"I landed out here one morning while it was still dark, and dug allaround the spot mentioned, but couldn't find a trace of the bag or box."
"Oh, I saw you that morning!" cried Leslie. "But when you walked away youseemed to stoop and had a bad limp! I don't understand!"
"I know you saw me," he smiled, "or, at least, that _some_ one did, foras I happened to glance back at this house, it was growing just lightenough for me to realize there was some one watching at the window. So Iadopted that stoop and limp as I walked away, just so you would not belikely to recognize me if you saw me again. It is a ruse I've oftenpractised."
"But it didn't work _that_ time," laughed Leslie, "for I recognized youagain this afternoon by the way you dusted the sand off your hands andthrew away the stick!"
"Well, you are certainly a more observing person than most people!" heanswered gravely. "But to go on. Of course, I was very much disappointed,but I remained here, staying at the village hotel, and kept as close awatch on the place as was possible, pretending all the time that I washere on a fishing excursion. I tried very hard to keep out of sight ofthese bungalows, in the daytime, anyway. The day you all went off on theauto ride the coast seemed clear, and I went through the place. But Ihadn't been out of it long and walked down to the beach, when I saw thetwo men drive up in a car and enter the bungalow also, and later come outto dig by that old log. Of course, they didn't see me about! I took careof that. And I knew, beyond a doubt, that they were Gaines's Chinamen,come to find the booty.
"Of course they didn't find it, any more than I had, and I felt sure theywould go back and make it hot for Gaines, and I judged that he wouldprobably try to gain time in some way. I went back to my hotel that nightto think it all over and make further plans, and didn't visit thebungalow again till next evening, when I found to my astonishment a queernote, type-written, on the table there--a warning that the article stolenfrom its hiding-place had better be returned. And under it, a reply,printed in lead-pencil, saying it would be returned."
"I couldn't make head or tail of the business. I judged the type-writtenpart to have been left by the Chinese. But who had scribbled the otherwas a dark-brown mystery. At any rate, I concluded that to-night wouldprobably be the crucial time, and determined to get in ahead of every oneelse. The storm was a piece of good fortune to me, as it concealed thingsso well, and about nine o'clock I was on the spot, proceeding to dig downby the old log. Pretty soon I realized, though, that there was some oneelse around. And just as I'd unearthed the bag, which _had_ beenmysteriously returned to its hiding-place, you appeared out of somewhere,young man, fell on me like a thousand of bricks, and we had a grand oldtussle. I'll give you credit for being _some_ wrestler, but I was gettingthe best of it, when along came you others with that terrible beast anddid the business for me!
"I thought all along, though, that you, Mr. Ted, were one of theChinamen. But that person must have been on the scene also, probablylurking in the shelter of the bungalow and watching the fracas. And whenyour electric light blazed on the scene, Miss," he turned to Phyllis, "heno doubt saw the bag in my hand. Then, when the light went out for amoment, he rushed in and grabbed the prize and was off while we two wereso busy with one another!
"It was a losing game all around. While I was in the village, I 'phonedmy department in New York to meet his train when it got in and arresthim, if they could find him, and search him at once. But after I'd beento the doctor's (I had a long session there) I 'phoned them again andheard that the train had been met, but no one answering such descriptionas I could give had got off. No doubt he was canny enough to get off atsome station short of New York and so was lost to sight.
"Well, the prize is lost for this time, but perhaps we can pick up thetrail again. At any rate, Gaines is probably free, for they promised torelease him as soon as the letters were obtained."
When he had ceased speaking, Leslie got up from her chair and disappearedinto the kitchen. When she returned, she laid a dark bundle in the lap ofEileen.
"I guess the prize was found some time ago!" she remarked quietly."Suppose you open that bag and see, Eileen!"
And amid an astounded silence, Eileen's fingers managed to unloose thefastening of the bag and insert themselves in its depths. Then with alittle cry of joy, she drew out and held up, for all to view, the bronzebox that had caused all the disturbance--the Dragon's Secret!
* * * * *
The complicated explanations were all over at last, and the curious,fragmentary story was pieced together. Detective Barnes took up thelittle bronze box and examined it carefully, experimenting, as they allhad done, to find a way of opening it--and, of course, unsuccessfully.
"There's one thing that puzzles me, though," remarked Ted, "about thatqueer type-written note. How and why and by whom was it left originally?"
"It was written on thin, foreign-looking paper," replied the detective,"and I can only guess that the foreigners left it there, though probablynot on their first trip that afternoon. No doubt they either went to thevillage, or, more likely, returned to the city to talk it over, perhapswith Gaines. And he, supposing I had long since captured the prize, andto put them off the scent, suggested that some one nearby may have beenmeddling with the matter and that they leave a warning for them. I feelrather certain he must have done this to gain time, for he knew that if Ihad found the thing, I would immediately set about having him released,and he must have wondered why I hadn't done so. Perhaps he thought I washaving difficulty locating the house where they had him hidden. But,Great Scott!--that makes me think!--They must by this time havediscovered the trick you played, Miss Phyllis, and be jumping mad overhaving been so fooled. Perhaps they think Gaines is responsible for it,and they'll certainly be making it hot for _him!_ I must get to the cityimmediately and get him out of that hole. Oughtn't to waste anotherminute. If you can spare your car, Miss Eileen, I'd like to run up to thecity with it, as I know there are no more trains to-night. I'll guaranteeto fetch it and Gaines both back in the morning!"
"You certainly may have it," replied Eileen, "and you may take me withyou and leave me at the hospital, on the way. Grandfather must know ofthis at once. I'm positive he'll recover now, since the worry is allover. But first, wouldn't you all like to see something? I happen to knowthe secret of opening this box. Grandfather showed it to me when I was alittle girl, and he used to let me play with it."
She took a pin from her dress, inserted it into the carved eye of thedragon and pressed it in a certain fashion--and the lid of the bronze boxflew up! They all pressed forward eagerly and gazed in. There lay thepacket of foreign letters, safe and sound. Eileen lifted them and lookedcuriously underneath. Nothing else was in the box except some strange,thin bits of yellow, foreign paper covered with vague pictures andcurious Chinese characters. They seemed to be so thin and old as to bealmost falling to pieces.
"I don't know what _these_ things are," she remarked, "but they probablyhave nothing to do with this affair, anyway. Grandfather was alwayspicking up queer old things on his travels. But he must have thought theminteresting, or he never would have kept them in here. But we must gonow," she ended, closing the box. "And I'll see you dear people allto-morrow. This has surely been a wonderful night!"
But just as she was ready to go, she said: "Do show me the dusty shelfwhere this was hidden, please!" And then, as she stood gazing up at it,she exclaimed, "To think that it lay here behind those worn-out oldkitchen things all the time we were so madly hunting for it! But perhapsit was the safest place, after all!"
The two girls escorted Eileen and Mr. Barnes to the door, Ted offering tosee them to the car. As they came out on the porch, Leslie uttered alittle cry of delight. The storm, which all had momentarily forgotten inthe later excitement, was
over. The ragged clouds were driving by in astrong northwest wind, and a few stars could be seen peeping through therifts, while, best of all, the water had already retreated several feet,though the crash of the breakers was still tremendous.
As Leslie and Phyllis returned to the room, they were startled to seeAunt Marcia, in a dressing-gown, peering out of the door of her room andblinking sleepily.
"What on earth are you two girls doing up at this unearthly hour?" sheinquired. "I woke and thought I heard voices and came out to see!"
"Oh, we've been talking and watching the storm!" laughed Leslie. "It'sall over now, and the stars are shining. You'd better go back to bed,Aunt Marcia. The fire's out and it's very chilly!"
And as the good lady turned back into her room Leslie whispered toPhyllis, "And she slept through all _that_--and never knew! How can I bethankful enough!"