Aunt Jane's Nieces out West

  CHAPTER XVII

  UNCLE JOHN IS PUZZLED

  Uncle John was off on his errands even before Jones and Arthur Weldonhad driven away from the hotel with the officer and Le Drieux. There hadbeen no "scene" and none of the guests of the hotel had any inkling ofthe arrest.

  Uncle John had always detested lawyers and so he realized that he wassure to be a poor judge of the merits of any legal gentleman he mightsecure to defend Jones.

  "I may as well leave it to chance," he grumbled, as he drove down themain boulevard. "The rascals are all alike!"

  Glancing to this side and that, he encountered a sign on a building:"Fred A. Colby, Lawyer."

  "All right; I mustn't waste time," he said, and stopping his driver heascended a stairway to a gloomy upper hall. Here the doors, all in a row,were alike forbidding, but one of them bore the lawyer's name, so Mr.Merrick turned the handle and abruptly entered.

  A sallow-faced young man, in his shirt-sleeves, was seated at a tablelittered with newspapers and magazines, engaged in the task of puttingnew strings on a battered guitar. As his visitor entered he looked up insurprise and laid down the instrument.

  "I want to see Colby, the lawyer," began Uncle John, regarding thedisordered room with strong disapproval.

  "You are seeing him," retorted the young man, with a fleeting smile, "andI'll bet you two to one that if you came here on business you willpresently go away and find another lawyer."

  "Why?" questioned Mr. Merrick, eyeing him more closely.

  "I don't impress people," explained Colby, picking up the guitar again."I don't inspire confidence. As for the law, I know it as well asanyone--which is begging the question--but when I'm interviewed I haveto admit I've had no experience."

  "No practice?"

  "Just a few collections, that's all I sleep on that sofa yonder, eat ata cafeteria, and so manage to keep body and soul together. Once in awhile a stranger sees my sign and needs a lawyer, so he climbs thestairs. But when he meets me face to face he beats a hasty retreat."

  As he spoke, Colby tightened a string and began strumming it to get ittuned. Uncle John sat down on the one other chair in the room andthought a moment.

  "You've been admitted to the bar?" he asked.

  "Yes, sir. Graduate of the Penn Law School."

  "Then you know enough to defend an innocent man from an unjustaccusation?"

  Colby laid down the guitar.

  "Ah!" said he, "this grows interesting. I really believe you have half amind to give me your case. Sir, I know enough, I hope, to defend aninnocent man; but I can't promise, offhand, to save him, even from anunjust accusation."

  "Why not? Doesn't law stand for justice?"

  "Perhaps; in the abstract. Anyhow, there's a pretty fable to that effect.But law in the abstract, and law as it is interpreted and applied, arenot even second cousins. To be quite frank, I'd rather defend a guiltyperson than an innocent one. The chances are I'd win more easily. Are yousure your man is innocent?"

  Uncle John scowled.

  "Perhaps I'd better find another lawyer who is more optimistic," he said.

  "Oh, I'm full of optimism, sir. My fault is that I'm not well known inthe courts and have no arrangement to divide my fees with the powers thatbe. But I've been observing and I know the tricks of the trade as well asany lawyer in California. My chief recommendation, however, is that I'meager to get a case, for my rent is sadly overdue. Why not try me, justto see what I'm able to do? I'd like to find that out myself."

  "This is a very important matter," asserted Mr. Merrick.

  "Very. If I'm evicted for lack of rent-money my career is crippled."

  "I mean the case is a serious one."

  "Are you willing to pay for success?"

  "Liberally."

  "Then I'll win it for you. Don't judge my ability by my presentcondition, sir. Tell me your story and I'll get to work at once."

  Uncle John rose with sudden decision.

  "Put on your coat," he said, and while Colby obeyed with alacrity he gavehim a brief outline of the accusation brought against Jones. "I want youto take my car," he added, "and hasten to the police station, that youmay be present at the preliminary examination. There will be plenty oftime to talk afterward."

  Colby nodded. His coat and hat made the young lawyer quite presentableand without another word he followed Mr. Merrick down the stairs and tookhis seat in the motorcar. Next moment he was whirling down the street andUncle John looked after him with a half puzzled expression, as if hewondered whether or not he had blundered in his choice of a lawyer.

  A little later he secured a taxicab and drove to the office of theContinental Film Manufacturing Company. Mr. Goldstein was in his officebut sent word that he was too busy to see visitors. Nevertheless, whenMr. Merrick declared he had been sent by A. Jones, he was promptlyadmitted to the manager's sanctum.

  "Our friend, young Jones," he began, "has just been arrested by adetective."

  Goldstein's nervous jump fairly raised him off his chair; but inan instant he settled back and shot an eager, interested look athis visitor.

  "What for, Mr. Merrick?" he demanded.

  "For stealing valuable pearls from some foreign woman. A trumped-upcharge, of course."

  Goldstein rubbed the palms of his hands softly together. His face wore alook of supreme content.

  "Arrested! Ah, that is bad, Mr. Merrick. It is very bad indeed. And itinvolves us--the Continental, you know--in an embarrassing manner."

  "Why so?" asked Uncle John.

  "Can't you see, sir?" asked the manager, trying hard to restrain asmile. "If the papers get hold of this affair, and state that ourpresident--our biggest owner--the man who controls the Continentalstock--is a common thief, the story will--eh--eh--put a bad crimp inour business, so to speak."

  Uncle John looked at the man thoughtfully.

  "So Jones controls the Continental, eh?" he said. "How long since, Mr.Goldstein?"

  "Why, since the January meeting, a year and more ago. It was anastonishing thing, and dramatic--believe _me_! At the annual meeting ofstockholders in walks this stripling--a mere kid--proves that he holdsthe majority of stock, elects himself president and installs a new boardof directors, turning the tired and true builders of the business out inthe cold. Then, without apology, promise or argument, President Joneswalks out again! In an hour he upset the old conditions, turned ourbusiness topsy-turvy and disappeared with as little regard for theContinental as if it had been a turnip. That stock must have cost himmillions, and how he ever got hold of it is a mystery that has kept usall guessing ever since. The only redeeming feature of the affair wasthat the new board of directors proved decent and Jones kept away from usall and let us alone. I'd never seen him until he came here a few daysago and began to order me around. So, there, Mr. Merrick, you know asmuch about Jones as I do."

  Mr. Merrick was perplexed. The more he heard of young Jones the moreamazing; the boy seemed to be.

  "Has the Continental lost money since Jones took possession?" heinquired.

  "I think not," replied Goldstein, cautiously. "You're a business man, Mr.Merrick, and can understand that our machinery--our business system--isso perfect that it runs smoothly, regardless of who grabs the dividends.What I object to is this young fellow's impertinence in interfering withmy work here. He walks in, reverses my instructions to my people, ordersme to do unbusinesslike things and raises hob with the wholeorganization."

  "Well, it belongs to him, Goldstein," said Uncle John, in defense ofthe boy. "He is your employer and has the right to dictate. But just atpresent he needs your help. He asked me to come here and tell you ofhis arrest."

  Goldstein shrugged his shoulders.

  "His arrest is none of my business," was his reply. "If Jones stole themoney to buy Continental stock he must suffer the consequences. I'mworking for the stock, not for the individual."

  "But surely you will go to the station and see what can be done for him?"protested Uncle John.

  "S
urely I will not," retorted the manager. "What's the use? There isn'teven a foot of good picture film in so common a thing as the arrest of athief--and the censors would forbid it if there were. Let Jones fighthis own battles."

  "It occurs to me," suggested Mr. Merrick, who was growing indignant,"that Mr. Jones will be able to satisfy the court that he is not a thief,and so secure his freedom without your assistance. What will happen then,Mr. Goldstein?"

  "Then? Why, it is still none of my business. I'm the manager of a motionpicture concern--one of the biggest concerns in the world--and I'venothing to do with the troubles of my stockholders."

  He turned to his desk and Mr. Merrick was obliged to go away withoutfarther parley. On his way out he caught a glimpse of Maud Stantonpassing through the building. She was dressed in the costume of an Indianprincess and looked radiantly beautiful. Uncle John received a nod and asmile and then she was gone, without as yet a hint of the misfortune thathad overtaken A. Jones of Sangoa.

  Returning to the hotel, rather worried and flustered by the morning'sevents, he found the girls quietly seated in the lobby, busy over theirembroidery.

  "Well, Uncle," said Patsy, cheerfully, "is Ajo still in limbo?"

  "I suppose so," he rejoined, sinking into an easy chair beside her. "IsArthur back yet?"

  "No," said Louise, answering for her husband, "he is probably staying todo all he can for the poor boy."

  "Did you get a lawyer?" inquired Beth.

  "I got a fellow who claims to be a lawyer; but I'm not sure he will beof any use."

  Then he related his interview with Colby, to the amusement of his nieces,all three of whom approved the course he had taken and were alreadyprepared to vouch for the briefless barrister's ability, on the groundsthat eccentricity meant talent.

  "You see," explained Miss Patsy, "he has nothing else to do but jumpheart and soul into this case, so Ajo will be able to command hisexclusive services, which with some big, bustling lawyer would beimpossible."

  Luncheon was over before Arthur finally appeared, looking somewhat graveand perturbed.

  "They won't accept bail," he reported. "Jones must stay in jail until hisformal examination, and if they then decide that he is really JackAndrews he will remain in jail until his extradition papers arrive."

  "When will he be examined?" asked Louise.

  "Whenever the judge feels in the humor, it seems. Our lawyer demandedJones' release at once, on the ground that a mistake of identity hadbeen made; but the stupid judge is of the opinion that the chargeagainst our friend is valid. At any rate he refused to let him go. Hewouldn't even argue the case at present. He issues a warrant on acharge of larceny, claps a man in jail whether innocent or not, andrefuses to let him explain anything or prove his innocence until aformal examination is held."

  "There is some justice in that," remarked Uncle John. "Suppose Jones isguilty; it would be a mistake to let him go free until a thoroughexamination had been made."

  "And if he is innocent, he will have spent several days in jail, beenworried and disgraced, and there is no redress for the falseimprisonment. The judge won't even apologize to him!"

  "It's all in the interests of law and order, I suppose," said Patsy; "butthe law seems dreadfully inadequate to protect the innocent. I supposeit's because the courts are run by cheap and incompetent people whocouldn't earn a salary in any other way."

  "Someone must run them, and it isn't an ambitious man's job," repliedUncle John. "What do you think of the lawyer I sent you, Arthur?"

  The young ranchman smiled.

  "He's a wonder, Uncle. He seemed to know more about the case than Jonesor I did, and more about the law than the judge did. He's anirrepressible fellow, and told that rascal Le Drieux a lot about pearlsthat the expert never had heard before. Where did you find him, sir?"

  Uncle John explained.

  "Well," said Arthur, "I think Jones is in good hands. Colby has securedhim a private room at the jail, with a bath and all the comforts of home.Meals are to be sent in from a restaurant and when I left the place thejailer had gone out to buy Jones a stock of books to while away hisleisure hours--which are bound to be numerous. I'd no idea a prisonercould live in such luxury."

  "Money did it, I suppose," Patsy shrewdly suggested.

  "Yes. Jones wrote a lot of checks. Colby got a couple of hundred for aretaining fee and gleefully informed us it was more money than he hadever owned at one time in all his previous career. I think he will earnit, however."

  "Where is he now?" asked Uncle John.

  "Visiting all the newspaper offices, to 'buy white space,' as he put it.In other words, Colby will bribe the press to silence, at least untilthe case develops."

  "I'm glad of that," exclaimed Beth. "What do you think of this queerbusiness, Arthur?"

  "Why, I've no doubt of the boy's innocence, if that is what you mean.I've watched him closely and am positive he is no more Jack Andrews thanI am. But I fear he will have a hard task to satisfy the judge that he isfalsely accused. It would be an admission of error, you see, and so thejudge will prefer to find him guilty. It is this same judge--Wilton, Ithink his name is--who will conduct the formal examination, and to-day heopenly sneered at the mention of Sangoa. On the other hand, he evidentlybelieved every statement made by Le Drieux about the identity of thepearls found in Jones' possession. Le Drieux has a printed list of theAhmberg pearls, and was able to check the Jones' pearls off this listwith a fair degree of accuracy. It astonished even me, and I could seethat Jones was equally amazed."

  "Wouldn't it be queer if they convicted him!" exclaimed Beth.

  "It would be dreadful, since he is innocent," said Patsy.

  "There is no need to worry about that just at present," Arthur assuredthem. "I am placing a great deal of confidence in the ability ofLawyer Colby."