CHAPTER XXIV
REVEREND NICODEMUS RANKIN FORGETS AND REMEMBERS
By appointment Kirby met Rose at Graham & Osborne's for luncheon. Shewas waiting in the tower room for him.
"Where's Esther?" he asked.
Rose mustered a faint smile. "She's eating lunch with a handsomer man."
"You can't throw a stone up Sixteenth Street without hittin' one," heanswered gayly.
They followed the head waitress to a small table for two by a window.Rose walked with the buoyant rhythm of perfect health. Her friendnoticed, as he had often done before, that she had the grace ofmovement which is a corollary to muscles under perfect response.Seated across the table from her, he marveled once more at the miracleof her soft skin and the peach bloom of her complexion. Many times shehad known the sting of sleet and the splash of sun on her face. Yetincredibly her cheeks did not tan nor lose their fineness.
"You haven't told me who this handsomer man is," Kirby suggested.
"Cole Sanborn." She flushed a little, but looked straight at him."Have you told him--about Esther?"
"No. But from somethin' he said I think he guesses."
Her eyes softened. "He's awf'ly good to Esther. I can see he likesher and she likes him. Why couldn't she have met him first? She's solovable." Tears brimmed to her eyes. "That's been her ruin. She wasready to believe any man who said he cared for her. Even when she wasa little bit of a trick when people liked her, she was grateful to themfor it and kinda snuggled up to them. I never saw a more cuddly baby."
"Have you found out anything more yet about--the man?" he asked, hisvoice low and gentle.
"No. It's queer how stubborn she can be for all her softness. But shealmost told me last night. I'll find out in a day or two now. Ofcourse it was your uncle. The note I found was really an admission ofguilt. Your cousins feel that some settlement ought to be made onEsther out of the estate. I've been trying to decide what would befair. Will you think it over and let me know what seems right to you?"
The waitress came, took their order, and departed.
"I'm goin' out to Golden to-day on a queer wild-goose chase," Kirbysaid. "A man gave me a hint. He didn't want to tell me theinformation out an' out, whatever it is. I don't know why. What hesaid was for me to go to Golden an' look over the list of marriagelicenses for the past month or two."
Her eyes flashed an eager question at him. "You don't suppose--itcouldn't be that Esther was married to your uncle secretly and that shepromised not to tell."
"I hadn't thought of that. It might be." His eyes narrowed inconcentration. "And if Jack an' Miss Harriman had just found it out,that would explain why they called on Uncle James the night he waskilled. Do you want to go to Golden with me?"
She nodded, eagerly. "Oh, I do, Kirby! I believe we'll find outsomething there. Shall we go by the interurban?"
"As soon as we're through lunch."
They walked across along Arapahoe Street to the loop and took a Goldencar. It carried them by the viaduct over the Platte River and throughthe North Side into the country. They rushed past truck farms andapple orchards into the rolling fields beyond, where the crops had beenharvested and the land lay in the mellow bath of a summer sun. Theyswung round Table Mountain into the little town huddled at the foot ofLookout.
From the terminus of the line they walked up the steep hill to thecourt-house. An automobile, new and of an expensive make, was standingby the curb. Just as Kirby and Rose reached the machine a young manran down the steps of the court-house and stepped into the car. Theman was Jack Cunningham. He took the driver's seat. Beside him was aveiled young woman in a leather motoring-coat. In spite of the veilLane recognized her as Phyllis Harriman.
Cunningham caught sight of his cousin and anger flushed his face.Without a word he reached for the starter, threw in the clutch, andgave the engine gas.
The rough rider watched the car move down the hill. "I've made amistake," he told his companion. "I told James I was comin' hereto-day. He let Jack know, an' he's beat us to it."
"What harm will that do?" asked Rose. "The information will be therefor us, too, won't it?"
"Mebbe it will. Mebbe it won't. We'll soon find out."
Rose caught her friend's arm as they were passing through the hall."Kirby, do you suppose your cousins really know Esther was married toyour uncle? Do you think they can be trying to keep it quiet so shecan't claim the estate?"
He stopped in his stride. James had deprecated the idea of his comingto Golden and had ridiculed the possibility of his unearthing anyinformation of value. Yet he must have called up Jack as soon as hehad left the office. And Jack had hurried to the town within the hour.It might be that. Rose had hit on the reason for the hostility he felton the part of both cousins to his activities. There was somethingthey did not want brought to the light of day. What more potent reasoncould there be for concealment than their desire to keep the fortune ofthe millionaire in their own hands?
"I shouldn't wonder if you haven't rung the bull's-eye, pardner," hetold her. "We ought to know right soon now."
The clerk in the recorder's office smiled when Kirby said he wanted tolook through the license register. He swung the book round toward them.
"Help yourself. What's the big idea? Another young fellow was inlookin' at the licenses only a minute ago."
The clerk moved over to another desk where he was typewriting. Hisback was turned toward them. Kirby turned the pages of the book. Heand Rose looked them over together. They covered the record for threemonths without finding anything of interest. Patiently they went overthe leaves again.
Kirby stepped over to the clerk. "Do you happen to remember whetheryou made out any license application for a man named Cunningham anytime in the past two months?" he asked.
"For a marriage license?"
"Yes."
"Don't think I have. Can't remember the name. I was on my vacationtwo weeks. Maybe it was then. Can't you find it in the book?"
"No."
"Know the date?"
Kirby shook his head.
The voice of Rose, high with excitement, came from across the room."Looky here."
Her finger ran down the book, close to the binding. A page had beencut out with a sharp penknife, so deftly that they had passed it twicewithout noticing.
"Who did that?" demanded the clerk angrily.
"Probably the young man who was just in here. His name is JackCunningham," Lane answered.
"What in time did he want to do that for? If he wanted it why didn'the take a copy? The boss'll give me Hail Columbia. That's what afellow gets for being accommodating."
"He did it so that we wouldn't see it. Is there any other record keptof the marriages?"
"Sure there is. The preachers and the judges who perform marriageshave to turn back to us the certificate within thirty days and we makea record of it."
"Can I see that book?"
"I'll do the lookin'," the clerk said shortly. "Whose marriage is it?And what date?"
Lane gave such information as he could. The clerk mellowed when Rosetold him it was very important to her, as officials have a way of doingwhen charming young women smile at them. But he found no record of anymarriage of which they knew either of the contracting parties.
"Once in a while some preacher forgets to turn in his certificate," theclerk said as he closed the book. "Old Rankin is the worst that way.He forgets. You might look him up."
Kirby slipped the clerk a dollar and turned away. Rankin was a forlornhope, but he and Rose walked out to a little house in the suburbs wherethe preacher lived.
He was a friendly, white-haired old gentleman, and he made them verymuch at home under the impression they had come to get married. Aslight deafness was in part responsible for this mistake.
"May I see the license?" he asked after Kirby had introduced himselfand Rose.
For a moment the cattleman was puzzled. His eye went
to Rose, seekinginformation. A wave of color was sweeping into her soft cheeks. ThenLane knew why, and the hot blood mounted into his own. His gazehurriedly and in embarrassment fled from Miss McLean's face.
"You don't quite understand," he explained to the Reverend NicodemusRankin. "We've come only to--to inquire about some one you married--orrather to find out if you did marry him. His name is Cunningham. Wehave reason to think he was married a month or two ago. But we're notsure."
The old man stroked his silken white hair. At times his mind was alittle hazy. There were moments when a slight fog seemed to descendupon it. His memory in recent years had been quite treacherous. Notlong since he had forgotten to attend a funeral at which he was toconduct the services.
"I dare say I did marry your friend. A good many young people come tome. The license clerk at the court is very kind. He sends them here."
"The man's name was Cunningham--James Cunningham," Kirby prompted.
"Cunningham--Cunningham! Seems to me I did marry a man by that name.Come to think of it I'm sure I did. To a beautiful young woman," theold preacher said.
"Do you recall her name? I mean her maiden name," Rose said,excitement drumming in her veins.
"No-o. I don't seem quite to remember it. But she was a charmingyoung woman--very attractive, I might say. My wife and daughtermentioned it afterward."
"May I ask if Mrs. Rankin and your daughter are at present in thehouse?" asked Lane.
"Unfortunately, no. They have gone to spend a few days visiting inIdaho Springs. If they were here they could reenforce any gaps in mymemory, which is not all it once was." The Reverend Nicodemus smiledapologetically.
"Was her name Esther McLean?" asked Rose eagerly.
The old parson brought his mind back to the subject with a visibleeffort. "Oh, yes! The young lady who was married to your friend--"He paused, at a loss for the name.
"--Cunningham," Kirby supplied.
"Quite so--Cunningham. Well, it might have been McLeod. I--I ratherthink it did sound like that."
"McLean. Miss Esther McLean," corrected the cattleman patiently.
"The fact is I'm not sure about the young lady's name. Mother andEllen would know. I'm sorry they're not here. They talked afterwardabout how pleasant the young lady was."
"Was she fair or dark?"
The old preacher smiled at Rose benevolently. "I really don't know.I'm afraid, my dear young woman, that I'm a very unreliable witness."
"You don't recollect any details. For instance, how did they come anddid they bring witnesses with them?"
"Yes. I was working in the garden--weeding the strawberry-patch, Ithink. They came in an automobile alone. Wife and daughter were thewitnesses."
"Do you know when Mrs. Rankin and your daughter will be home?"
"By next Tuesday, at the latest. Perhaps you can call again. I trustthere was nothing irregular about the marriage."
"Not so far as we know. We were anxious about the young lady. She isa friend of ours," Kirby said. "By the way, the certificate of themarriage is not on record at the court-house. Are you sure youreturned it to the clerk?"
"Bless my soul, did I forget that again?" exclaimed the ReverendNicodemus. "I'll have my daughter look for the paper as soon as shereturns."
"You couldn't find it now, I suppose," Lane suggested.
The old gentleman searched rather helplessly among the papersoverflowing his desk. He did not succeed in finding what he looked for.
Kirby and Rose walked back to the court-house. They had omitted toarrange with the license clerk to forward a copy of the marriagecertificate when it was filed.
The rough rider left the required fee with the clerk and a bank note tokeep his memory jogged up.
"Soon as Mrs. Rankin comes home, will you call her up and remind herabout lookin' for the certificate?" he asked.
"Sure I will. I've got to have it, anyhow, for the records. And say,what's the name of that fresh guy who came in here and cut the pagefrom the register? I'm going after him right, believe you me."
Kirby gave his cousin's name and address. He had no animosity whatevertoward him, but he thought it just as well to keep Jack's mind occupiedwith troubles of his own during the next few days. Very likely then hewould not get in his way so much.
They were no sooner clear of the court-house than Rose burst out withwhat was in her mind.
"It's just as I thought. Your uncle married Esther and got her to keepquiet about the marriage for some reason. Your cousins are trying todestroy the evidence so that the estate won't all go to her. I'll betwe get an offer of a compromise right away."
"Mebbe." Kirby's mind was not quite satisfied. Somehow, this affairdid not seem to fit in with what he knew of his uncle. Cunningham hadbeen always bold and audacious in his actions, a law to himself. Yetif he were going to marry the stenographer he had wronged, he might doit secretly to conceal the date on account of the unborn child.
The eyes of Rose gleamed with determination. Her jaw set. "I'm gonnaget the whole story out of Esther soon as I get back to town," she saiddoggedly.
But she did not--nor for many days after.