Chapter IV
MEET FLASH!
"Dorothy, have you ever done anything in the way of amateurtheatricals?" Ashton Sanborn stroked the bowl of his pipe reflectively.
"Why--er--yes, a little." She looked a bit bewildered. "I've been in theSilvermine Sillies for the past two years."
Sanborn nodded. "How is it you're out of school on a Thursday?" Thequestion seemed irrelevant. He was leaning back in his chair now,surveying the ceiling rather absently, but there was nothinglackadaisical about his crisp tones.
"Christmas holidays. Why?"
"Because, if you're willing, I may want you to work for me for a fewdays. I suppose I can reach your father by telephone at the New Canaanbank?"
"No, you can't--Daddy is down in Florida on a fishing trip. He's on Mr.Bolton's yacht, somewhere off the coast. They won't be back untilChristmas Eve."
"That," said the Secret Service man, "complicates matters. Who, may Iask, is looking after Miss Dixon while Mr. Dixon is away?"
"I'm looking after my own sweet self, sir." Dorothy grinned roguishly.
"Then who is to take the responsibility for your actions, young lady?"
"Why, you may--if you want to!"
For a moment or two the detective studied her thoughtfully. There was acertain assurance about this girl's manner, a steely quality that camesometimes into her grey eyes, an indefinable air of strength and quietcourage--
"Do you think you could impersonate your cousin, Dorothy?"
"Why--of course!" Dorothy showed her surprise. "We look exactly alike.Didn't Howard take me for Janet?"
"He did--but from what he has told us about her, your natures areentirely different. Janet, from all accounts, is a rather meek anddemure young lady. Remember, that in order to convince anyone who knowsher you would have to submerge your own personality in hers. And nobodywould ever describe _you_ as a meek, demure young lady!"
"An untamed wildcat--if you ask me," chuckled Bill.
"Why, thanks a lot, William!" Dorothy's hearers were abruptly aware ofthe changed quality of her voice as she continued to speak in meltingtones of pained acceptance. "But nobody _did_ ask you, darling, so infuture when your betters are conversing, be good enough to button upthat lip of yours!" She finished her withering tirade in the same quiettones and with a positively shrinking demeanor that sent the others intoshouts of laughter.
"Say, you're Janet to a T!" cried Howard. "Her voice is always like thatif I happen to hurt her feelings."
"How about her hair, Howard? Is it long or short?"
"Oh, she wears it bobbed like yours."
"I suppose," Dorothy said to Mr. Sanborn, "that you want to smuggle meinto the flat and have me change places with her?"
"That's the idea exactly," admitted the detective. "And I don't want youto make your decision until I explain my plan in detail--or, rather, thenecessity for the risk you will be taking."
"Shoot--" said Miss Dixon, "but I can tell you right now, risk or norisk, I'm going through with it. Janet, after all she's been through andfrom what Howard has told us, is bound to flop once she gets to Dr.Winn's. Nervous, and probably high strung, the chances are against herbeing able to hold up under the strain."
"I think you are right about that. But although Janet is in seriousdanger, she could be rescued and her father guarded without bringing youinto the picture, Dorothy, if it were not for one thing. These men whohold Janet in their custody are in some way mixed up with Dr. Winn, whohas undertaken to make some very important experiments for the UnitedStates government."
"I make a bet that he is Number 1 of the gang!" ventured Bill, theirrepressible.
"Very possibly. That has yet to be discovered. But what I want you youngpeople to realize is that this is no ordinary gang. Quite evidently weare up against an international organization. Their treatment of Janetis concrete evidence of their cold-blooded ruthlessness when theybelieve their plans to be in jeopardy. If you take your cousin's place,Dorothy, of course we will see that you are well guarded, but even so,your part in clearing up this mystery will entail a very great elementof risk."
"I'm willing to take the chance." Dorothy met his inquiring eyessteadily. "Naturally, I'm sorry for Janet and I want to help her. Theonly thing is, I've got to be back at High School by January fourth."
"I think I can promise you that this job will be cleaned up within aweek."
"I reckon," smiled Bill, "that you haven't told us all you know aboutthese lads with numbers instead of names."
"Not quite all." Sanborn smiled back at him. "But that is neither herenor there just now. By the way, Dorothy, how are you on shorthand andtypewriting?"
"Oh, not so worse. It's part of the course I'm taking at New CanaanHigh."
"Good enough. Frankly, young lady, I would not consider using you, hadnot the New Canaan Bank robbery, the affair of the Mystery Plane and theConway Case proved conclusively that you have a decided flair for thiskind of thing."
"Thank you, sir," said Miss Dixon with mock coyness. "Them kind words isa great comfort to a poor workin' goil. Do I pack a gat wid me, Mister?"
"You do not. In fact, you will take nothing except what belongs to yourcousin. If I am able to get you into the Jordan flat and they carry youup to Ridgefield in her place, just being Janet Jordan, who never wokeup when she was sleepwalking last week will be your best protection. Ofcourse, I'm not deserting you. Either I or some of my men will findmeans of keeping in touch with you constantly."
"And when the villains scrag me, the secret service boys will arrive onthe scene just in time--to identify the deceased! No thank you. If thegun is out of orders, Flash will have to go. Of course my jiu jitsu mayhelp at a pinch, but Flash is more potent and ever so much quicker."
"What are you talking about, Dorothy?" Ashton Sanborn looked puzzled.
"It's a cinch you can't drag a dog along if that's your big idea,"declared Bill.
"It is not the big idea, old thing." Dorothy grinned wickedly. "Flashand I have got very clubby this fall. He's really quite a dear, youknow. We travel about together a lot."
"The mystery of this age," observed Bill, "is how certain females cantalk so much and say so little."
"Then," said Dorothy cheerfully, "I'll let you solve the mystery rightnow. Catch!" She tossed him a macaroon from a plate on the table. "Goover to that bedroom door," she commanded. "Stand to one side of thedoor and throw that thing into the air."
"But, I say, Dorothy!" interposed Ashton Sanborn. "This is no time forfooling, we've got--"
"This is not fooling, you dear old fuss-budget," she cut in."It's--well, it's just something that may save you from worrying so muchabout me. Now, Bill, are you ready?"
"Anything to please the ladies," retorted that young man wearily. He gotup and walked to the far end of the room and took his stand beside theclosed door. "Is Flash a cake hound? Will he jump for the cookie?"
"He sure will--toss it in the air."
The small cake went spinning toward the ceiling, and at the same instantDorothy's right hand disappeared under the table. With the speed oflegerdemain she brought it into view again and her arm shot out suddenlylike a signpost across the white cloth. There was a streak of silverlight--and the three male members of the quartet stared at the bedroomdoor in open-mouthed wonder. Quivering in the very center of its upperpanel was a small knife, and impaled on the knife's blade was themacaroon.
"Meet Flash!" said Dorothy.
"Great suffering snakes!" exploded Bill, plucking out the blade, andexamining it. "The thing's a throwing knife."
"Six inches of razor-keen, leaf-shaped blade," said Dorothy, "and threeinches of carved ivory hilt, beautifully balanced--that's Flash. How doyou like him, fellers?"
"You," declared Howard, who was still goggle-eyed with surprise, "youare the most amazing girl I've ever met, Dorothy!"
"And you don't know the half of it," said Bill with unstinted fervor.
"Think
I can take care of myself at a pinch, Uncle Sanborn?" Dorothy waslaughing at the expression of astonishment on the detective's face.
"You win, young lady." He chuckled softly. "After this I'll keep myworries for Doctor Winn and his friends. Who'd have thought you hadanything like that up your sleeve!"
"Not up my sleeve, old dear. A little leather sheath strapped just abovemy left knee is where Flash came from."
"Regular Jesse James stuff, eh?" remarked Bill as he handed back theknife.
"Oh, yeah?" Flash disappeared as quickly as he'd come, and Dorothy stoodup. "What's on the boards, now, boss?" she asked sweetly.
"Howard--" said Ashton Sanborn, "will you let me have the key to thatapartment of yours? Thanks. Bill and I will need it this afternoon, andeven if things go according to Hoyle, we'll be powerful busy. In themeantime, I've got a job for you and Dorothy." He took out hispocketbook and extracting a sheaf of bills, handed them to the girl.
"You and Howard are going to have a busy afternoon, too. See that you'reback here in time for dinner at seven, and--"
"But what under the sky-blue canopy is all this?" Dorothy was thumbingthe bills, counting them. "Why, I've never seen so much money--"
"Use it to buy your cousin a trousseau. Have the things sent to Mrs.Howard Bright's apartment at this hotel. And remember, that when shearrives here, Janet will have nothing but the clothes she is wearing.You don't mind doing this, do you?"
"Mind! Why, I'll love it!" Dorothy turned a dazzling smile on Howard,who was simply tongue-tied by the detective's announcement. "Isn't heswell, Howard? Isn't he some guy?"
Ashton Sanborn laughed. "Don't thank me. Uncle Sam is paying, so youneedn't bring back any change."
Dorothy thrust the money into her purse. "Don't worry, old bean, Iwon't. So long, you two. Come on, Howard, we're going to have abeautiful afternoon!" She caught young Bright by the arm and whirled himacross the room to the coat-rack. She jammed a bright green beret overher right ear and slung her leopard-cat coat onto her shoulders. "Allset for Fifth Avenue!" she called out merrily as she preceded Howard outof the room.