CHAPTER XIII.
THE LACQUERED BOX.
Probably that Kentucky horse of Burton's had never been treated in hislife as he was that afternoon. He was muddy with sweat and dust, andhis high-strung spirits, by that time thoroughly aroused, rebelledagainst the curb.
In order to help Carl out, Motor Matt drove the car past the horse andpartly across the road. This served to bring the animal to a halt.
"By Jove!" stormed Burton, "I wouldn't have had this happen for ahundred dollars! It's a wonder if the horse isn't ruined!"
He flopped out of the automobile and approached the horse's head.
"Whoa, Colonel!" he murmured soothingly. "Whoa, old boy!"
Then, getting one hand on the bit, he held the animal while he pettedand wheedled and patted the lathered neck.
"Der rig vas shtole py der Hindoo," said Carl, "und I haf recofered itund prought it pack. Dot comes oof being a goot tedectif, py shinks!How mooch iss id vort'?"
"Worth?" scowled Burton. "If the animal is injured I'll charge you upfor it. Don't you know how to take care of a horse?"
"Don'd you vas going to pay me someding?" gasped Carl.
"Pay?" snorted Burton, in no mood to consider a reward after seeing hisfavorite horse mistreated. "Why, I feel like I wanted to use the whipon you! What did you run away from us for?"
"I t'ought you vas der Hindoos," explained Carl feebly. "Say, Matt,"he added, turning to his chum, "der feller don't vas going to gif mesomeding! Vat a miserliness! Und me going droo all vat I dit!"
"Where did you get the runabout, Carl?" asked Matt.
He thought Boss Burton was a little unreasonable, but was not disposedto make any comments. Burton's ways were sometimes far from meetingMatt's approval--and they had never been farther from it than duringthe events of that exciting day.
"I shteal him from der Hindoos," said Carl, "und make some gedavaysby der shkin oof my teet', you bed you! I hat to run der horse, Matt,oder I vouldn't have made der esgape. Vone oof der Hindoos had a knife,und dey vas bot' det safage I can't dell. Der odder horse vat pulledder cage vagon iss somevere aheadt. He got avay und vent like someshdreaks."
"You climb down," snapped Burton, coming back to the side of therunabout. "I'll take the rig back to the grounds and send one of theteamsters for the monkey wagon. You'll bring along the automobile,Matt?" he added, getting into the runabout as Carl got out.
"Yes," answered Matt.
"Ain't you going on with us to look up the Hindoos and Haidee?" askedMcGlory. "Going to hang back before we run out the trail, Burton?"
"I don't care anything about them," was the reply, "so long as I'verecovered my own property. What's this?" and the showman picked up thelacquered box.
Carl stared at it. Evidently he had forgotten all about it, up to thatmoment.
"Py chimineddy!" he muttered. "Dot's der Hindoo's! He tropped id on derseat pefore I run avay mit der rig."
"Then I'll take it with me," said Burton. "Perhaps it's of enough valueso that the rascal will come after it. If he does, I can read the riotact to him."
"I guess you'd better leave that with Carl, Burton," spoke up Matt."You don't care to bother with the Hindoos, and we may think it's worthwhile."
"Oh, well, if that's the way you feel about it," and the showman tossedthe box to Carl. "Mind," he added, as he started off, "you're not toget into any trouble with that automobile."
Burton was soon out of sight.
"He's the limit, that fellow!" growled McGlory. "He might have tippedCarl a five-case note, but he wouldn't. He's a skinner."
"Nodding doing in der tedectif pitzness," said Carl resignedly, gettinginto the automobile beside Matt. "Same like alvays I ged der vorst oofid. Vile vorking on der Manners gase, I haf peen in a row mit Ping, ina row mit a canvasman und a 'parker' for der site-show, in some morerows mit a shtable feller, got kicked in der pack mit a mu-el, undcarried avay in some vagons vat shmelled like a glue factory. Und vatI ged? Dot Purton feller he say he vould like to pound me mit der vip.Ach, vell, ve can't pecome greadt tedectifs mitoudt a leedle hardt luckat her shtart."
"Tell us what happened to you, Carl," said Matt, "and be quick aboutit."
Carl sketched his adventures, with now and then an urging towardbrevity from Matt.
"Ven I see dot Hindoo coming, at der time he made some brisonersoof me," expounded Carl, on reaching that part of his recital, "Iremempered der girl vat come down in der flying machine, und vat hevalked avay mit, und I got der t'ought, like lightning, dot meppy derfeller know someding aboudt Markaret Manners, vat iss atverdised forin der Lonton baper. Abner nit, it don'd vas der case. I schust letmeinseluf pertend dot I vas mesmerized so dot I could go along by derHindoo und meppy findt oudt someding. I don't findt oudt anyt'ing."
Carl's disgust was great, and he brought his story to a quickconclusion.
"We'll go look for the Hindoos and Haidee," said Matt. "As I jog along,Carl, you keep watch for the place where you turned from the road.Meanwhile, Joe," Matt added, "you take the lacquered box and open it.We'll see what's inside. The contents may shed a little light on thismystery of the girl."
"Der Hindoos und der girl von't be vere dey vas," remarked Carl,handing the box to McGlory.
"They can't possibly be far away," answered Matt. "They have to travelon foot, now, and will be compelled to go slow."
"This box is locked, pard," called McGlory.
"Force the lid, then," said Matt. "It's necessary, according to mynotion, that we try and find out something about Haidee. And for thegirl's good."
McGlory opened his pocketknife and inserted the blade between the boxand the lid. The lock splintered out under pressure.
"She's open, pard," announced the cowboy.
"What's inside?"
"A bundle of letters tied with a piece of twine."
"Ah!"
"They have English stamps," went on McGlory, "and are postmarked atLondon."
"Better and better! And they're addressed to----"
"Miss Margaret Manners, Calcutta, India."
Carl nearly fell off the seat.
"Ach, du lieber!" he sputtered, "I vas ketching my breat'. A clue, pyshinks! Dot Haidee knows vere der fife-t'ousant-tollar girl iss, I bedyou!"
"Knows where the girl is?" echoed Matt.
"Sure t'ing. How vouldt Haidee haf Markaret Manners' ledders oof sheditn't know somet'ing aboudt der English girl? A few more knocks, pyshiminy, und I vill make der fife t'ousant tollars!"
"Carl," said Matt, "you've got a wooden head when it comes tosleuthing. Why, Haidee is Margaret Manners herself. I've had a hunch tothat effect for two or three hours."
Once more Carl had to hold on with both hands to keep from going by theboard. He could only breathe hard and think of what he would do withall the money that was coming to him.
"What else is there in the box, Joe?" asked Matt. "Anything but theletters?"
"Just one thing, pard," replied McGlory. "It looks like a decoration ofsome kind."
McGlory held the object over Matt's shoulder, so he could see it.
It was a bronze Maltese cross, with a royal crown in the centresurmounted by a lion, and the words "For Valour" stamped on the crossunder the crown. The cross hung from a V-shaped piece attached to abar, and the bar was attached to a faded red ribbon. Across the barwas engraved the name "Lionel Manners."
"I feel like taking off my hat in the presence of that, pards," saidMatt.
"Why?" demanded Joe.
"It's a Victoria Cross," returned Matt, "and is only given to personsfor a deed of gallantry and daring. When the ribbon is red, it showsthat the winner of the cross belonged to the army; when blue, tothe navy. Captain Lionel Manners must have been a brave man, andit's a pity his daughter should be treated as she has been. Carl,you've blundered onto a big thing--and you couldn't have blundered sosuccessfully once in a thousand times. Put the letters and the crossback in the box, Joe. We'll keep them safe for the girl. If----"
"Dere's der blac
e," interrupted Carl, pointing to the roadside.
Motor Matt brought the automobile to a stop.