Aunt Jane's Nieces out West

  CHAPTER XIV

  ISIDORE LE DRIEUX

  Perhaps the cigar was half gone when Patsy gave a sudden start andsqueezed Uncle John's hand, which she had been holding in both her own.

  "What is it, my dear?"

  "The man I told you of. There he is, just across the lobby. The man withthe gray clothes and gray hair."

  "Oh, yes; the one lighting a cigar."

  "Precisely."

  Uncle John gazed across the lobby reflectively. The stranger's eyes rovedcarelessly around the big room and then he moved with deliberate stepstoward their corner. He passed several vacant chairs and settees on hisway and finally paused before a lounging-chair not six feet distant fromthe one occupied by Mr. Merrick.

  "Pardon me; is this seat engaged, sir?" he asked.

  "No," replied Uncle John, not very graciously, for it was a deliberateintrusion.

  The stranger sat down and for a time smoked his cigar in silence. He wasso near them that Patsy forbore any conversation, knowing he wouldoverhear it.

  Suddenly the man turned squarely in their direction and addressed them.

  "I hope you will pardon me, Mr. Merrick, if I venture to ask aquestion," said he.

  "Well, sir?"

  "I saw you talking with Mr. Jones this evening--A. Jones, you know, whosays he came from Sangoa."

  "Didn't he?" demanded the old gentleman.

  The stranger smiled.

  "Perhaps; once on a time; allowing such a place exists. But his lastjourney was here from Austria."

  "Indeed!"

  Mr. Merrick and Patsy were both staring at the man incredulously.

  "I am quite sure of that statement, sir; but I cannot prove it, as yet."

  "Ah! I thought not."

  Patsy had just told her uncle how she had detected this man stealthilywatching Jones, and how he had followed the boy when he retired to hisroom. The present interview had, they both knew, something to do withthis singular action. Therefore Mr. Merrick restrained his indignation atthe stranger's pointed questioning. He realized quite well that the manhad come to their corner determined to catechise them and gain whatinformation he could. Patsy realized this, too. So, being forewarned,they hoped to learn his object without granting him the satisfaction of"pumping" them.

  "I suppose you are friends of this Mr. A. Jones," was his next remark.

  "We are acquaintances," said Mr. Merrick.

  "Has he ever mentioned his adventures in Austria to you?"

  "Are _you_ a friend of Mr. Jones?" demanded uncle John.

  "I am not even an acquaintance," said the man, smiling. "But I aminterested in him, through a friend of mine who met him abroad. Permit meto introduce myself, sir."

  He handed them a card which read:

  "ISADORE LE DRIEUXImporter of Pearls and Precious Stones 36 Maiden Lane, New York City."

  "I have connections abroad, in nearly all countries," continued the man,"and it is through some of them that I have knowledge of this youngfellow who has taken the name of A. Jones. In fact, I have a portrait ofthe lad, taken in Paris, which I will show you."

  He searched in his pocket and produced an envelope from which hecarefully removed a photograph, which he handed to Uncle John. Patsyexamined it, too, with a start of surprise. The thin features, the largeserious eyes, even the closely set lips were indeed those of A. Jones.But in the picture he wore a small mustache.

  "It can't be _our_ A. Jones," murmured Patsy. "This one is older."

  "That is on account of the mustache," remarked Le Drieux, who wasclosely watching their faces. "This portrait was taken more than ayear ago."

  "Oh; but he was in Sangoa then," protested Patsy, who was reallybewildered by the striking resemblance.

  The stranger smiled indulgently.

  "As a matter of fact, there is no Sangoa." said he; "so we may doubt theyoung man's assertion that he was ever there."

  "Why are you interested in him?" inquired Mr. Merrick.

  "A natural question," said Le Drieux, after a moment of hesitation. "Iknow you well by reputation, Mr. Merrick, and believe I am justified inspeaking frankly to you and your niece, provided you regard my statementsas strictly confidential. A year ago I received notice from my friend inAustria that the young man had gone to America and he was anxious Ishould meet him. At the time I was too busy with my own affairs to lookhim up, but I recently came to California for a rest, and noticed thestrong resemblance between the boy, A. Jones, and the portrait sent me.So I hunted up this picture and compared the two. In my judgment they areone and the same. What do _you_ think, sir?"

  "I believe there is a resemblance," answered Uncle John, turning thecard over. "But here is a name on the back of the photograph: 'JackAndrews.'"

  "Yes; this is Jack Andrews," said Le Drieux, nodding. "Have you everheard the name before?"

  "Never."

  "Well, Andrews is noted throughout Europe, and it is but natural heshould desire to escape his notoriety by assuming another name out here.Do you note the similarity of the initials? 'J.A.' stand for JackAndrews. Reverse them and 'A.J.' stand for A. Jones. By the way, whatdoes he claim the 'A' means? Is it Andrew?"

  "It means nothing at all," said Patsy. "He told us so."

  "I see. You caught him unprepared. That isn't like Jack. He is alwayson guard."

  Both Patsy and Uncle John were by this time sorely perplexed. They had afeeling common to both of them, that the subject of this portrait and A.Jones were two separate and distinct persons; yet the resemblance couldnot be denied, if they were indeed the same, young Jones had deliberatelylied to them, and recalling his various statements and the manner inwhich they had been made, they promptly acquitted the boy of the chargeof falsehood.

  "For what was Jack Andrews noted throughout Europe?" inquired Mr.Merrick, after silently considering these things.

  "Well, he was a highflier, for one thing." answered Le Drieux. "He wasknown as a thorough 'sport' and, I am told, a clever gambler. He had afaculty of making friends, even among the nobility. The gilded youth ofLondon, Paris and Vienna cultivated his acquaintance, and through them hemanaged to get into very good society. He was a guest at the splendidvilla of Countess Ahmberg, near Vienna, when her magnificent collectionof pearls disappeared. You remember that loss, and the excitement itcaused, do you not?"

  "No, sir; I have never before heard of the Countess of Ahmberg orher pearls."

  "Well, the story filled the newspapers for a couple of weeks. Thecollection embraced the rarest and most valuable pearls known to exist."

  "And you accuse this man, Andrews, of stealing them?" asked Uncle John,tapping with his finger the portrait he still held.

  "By no means, sir; by no means!" cried Le Drieux hastily. "In fact, hewas one of the few guests at the villa to whom no suspicion attached.From the moment the casket of pearls was last seen by the countess untiltheir loss was discovered, every moment of Andrews' time was accountedfor. His alibi was perfect and he was quite prominent in the unsuccessfulquest of the thief."

  "The pearls were not recovered, then?"

  "No. The whole affair is still a mystery. My friend in Vienna, a pearlmerchant like myself, assisted Andrews in his endeavor to discover thethief and, being much impressed by the young man's personality, sent methis photograph, asking me to meet him, as I have told you, when hereached America."

  "Is his home in this country?"

  "New York knows him, but knows nothing of his family or his history. Heis popular there, spending money freely and bearing the reputation of anall-around good fellow. On his arrival there, a year ago, he led a gaylife for a few days and then suddenly disappeared. No one knew what hadbecome of him. When I found him here, under the name of A. Jones, thedisappearance was solved."

  "I think," said Uncle John, "you are laboring under a serious, ifsomewhat natural, mistake. The subject of this picture is like A. Jones,indeed, but he is older and his expression more--more--"

  "Blase and sophisticated," said Patsy.


  "Thank you, my dear; I am no dictionary, and if those are real words theymay convey my meaning. I feel quite sure, Mr. Le Drieux, that the storyof Andrews can not be the story of young Jones."

  Le Drieux took the picture and replaced it in his pocket.

  "To err is human," said he, "and I will admit the possibility of my beingmistaken in my man. But you will admit the resemblance?"

  "Yes. They might be brothers. But young Jones has said he has nobrothers, and I believe him."

  Le Drieux sat in silence for a few minutes. Then he said:

  "I appealed to you, Mr. Merrick, because I was not thoroughly satisfied,in my own mind, of my conclusions. You have added to my doubts, I mustconfess, yet I cannot abandon the idea that the two men are one and thesame. As my suspicion is only shared by you and your niece, inconfidence, I shall devote myself for a few days to studying young Jonesand observing his actions. In that way I may get a clue that will set alldoubt at rest."

  "We will introduce you to him," said Patsy. "and then you may questionhim as much as you like."

  "Oh, no; I prefer not to make his acquaintance until I am quite sure,"was the reply. "If he is not Jack Andrews he would be likely to resentthe insinuation that he is here trading under a false name. Good night,Mr. Merrick. Good night, Miss Doyle. I thank you for your courteousconsideration."

  He had risen, and now bowed and walked away.

  "Well," said Patsy. "what was he after? And did he learn anything fromus?"

  "He did most of the talking himself," replied Uncle John, looking afterLe Drieux with a puzzled expression. "Of course he is not a jewelmerchant."

  "No," said Patsy, "he's a detective, and I'll bet a toothpick to a matchthat he's on the wrong scent."

  "He surely is. Unfortunately, we cannot warn Ajo against him."

  "It isn't necessary, Uncle. Why, the whole thing is absurd. Our boy isnot a gambler or roysterer, nor do I think he has ever been in Europe.Mr. Le Drieux will have to guess again!"