CHAPTER XII
Mr. Oscar Mitchell was a bachelor, though not precisely lorn. Hemaintained an elm-shaded residence on Front Street, presided over by anancient housekeeper, of certain and gusty disposition, who had guided hisfirst toddling steps and grieved with him for childhood's insupportablewrongs, and whose vinegarish disapprovals were still feared by Mitchell;it was for her praise or blame that his overt walk and conversation wereaustere and godly, his less laudable activities so mole-like.
After dinner Mr. Mitchell slipped into a smoking jacket with a violentvelvet lining and sat in his den--a den bedecorated after the mannerknown to the muddle-minded as artistic, but more aptly described by SirAnthony Gloster as "beastly." To this den came now the sprightly clerk,summoned by telephone.
"Sit down, Pelman. I sent for you because I desire your opinion andcooperation upon a matter of the first importance," said the lawyer,using his most gracious manner.
Mr. Joseph Pelman, pricking up his ears at the smooth conciliation of eyeand voice, warily circled the room, holding Mitchell's eyes as he went,selected a corner chair for obvious strategic reasons, pushed it againstthe wall, tapped that wall apprehensively with a backward-reaching hand,seated himself stiffly upon the extreme edge of the chair, and faced hisprincipal, bolt upright and bristling with deliberate insolence.
"If it is murder I want a third," he remarked.
The lawyer gloomed upon this frowardness.
"That is a poor way to greet an opportunity to make your fortune once andfor all," he said. "I have something on hand now, which, if we can swingit--"
"One-third," said the clerk inflexibly.
Mitchell controlled himself with a visible effort. He swallowed hard andbegan again:
"If we can carry out my plan successfully--and it seems to be safe, andcertain, and almost free from risk--there will be no necessity hereafterfor any of us to engage in any crooked dealings whatever. Indeed, to takeup cleanly ways would be the part of wisdom. Or, young as you are, youwill be able to retire, if you prefer, sure of every gratification thatmoney can buy."
"Necessity doesn't make me a crook. I'm crooked by nature. I likecrookedness," said Pelman. "That's why I'm with you."
"Now, Joey, don't talk--"
"Don't you 'Joey' me!" exploded the demon clerk. "It was 'fool' thisafternoon. I'm Pelman when there's any nerve needed for your schemes; butwhen you smile at me and call me Joey, what I say is--one-third!"
"You devil! I ought to wring your neck!"
"Try it! I'll stab your black heart with a corkscrew! I've studied it allout, and I've carried a corkscrew on purpose ever since I've known you.Thirty-three and one-third per cent. Three-ninths. Proceed!"
Mitchell paced the floor for a few furious seconds before he began again.
"You remember Mayer Zurich, whom we helped through that fake bankruptcyat Syracuse?"
"Three-ninths?"
"Yes, damn you!"
Joey settled back in his chair, crossed his knees comfortably, screwedhis face to round-eyed innocence, and gave a dainty caress to the thinsilky line of black on his upper lip.
"You may go on, Oscar," he drawled patronizingly.
After another angry turn, Mitchell resumed with forced composure:
"Zurich is now a fixture in Cobre, Arizona, where my Cousin Stanleylives. I had a letter from him a week ago and he tells me--this is instrict confidence, mind you--that poor Stanley is in jail."
Joey interrupted him by a gentle waving of a deprecatory hand.
"Save your breath, Oscar dear, and pass on to the main proposition. Nowthat we are partners, in manner of speaking, since your generousconcession of a few minutes past--about the thirds--I must be veryconsiderate of you."
As if to mark the new dignity, the junior partner dropped the crude andboisterous phrases that had hitherto marked his converse. Mitchellrecognized the subtle significance of this change by an angry gesture.
"Since our interests are now one," continued the new member suavely,"propriety seems to demand that I should tell you the Mitchell-Zurichaffair has no secrets from me. If young Stanley is in prison, it isbecause you put him there!"
"What!"
"Yes," said Joey with a complacent stroke at his upper lip. "I haveduplicate keys to all your dispatch boxes and filing cabinets."
"You fiend!"
"I wished to protect you against any temptation toward ingratitude,"explained Joey. "I have been, on the whole, much entertained by yourcorrespondence. There was much chaff--that was to be expected. But therewas also some precious grain which I have garnered with care. Forinstance, I have copies of all Zurich's letters to you. You have beenendeavoring to ruin your cousin, fearing that McClintock might relent andremember Stanley in his will; you have succeeded at last. Whatever newvillainy you have to propose, it now should be easier to name it, sinceyou are relieved from the necessity of beating round the bush.--You weresaying--?"
"Stanley has found a mine, a copper deposit of fabulous richness; so hewrites, and so Zurich assures me. Zurich has had a sample of it assayed;he does not know where the deposit is located, but hopes to find itbefore Stanley or Stanley's partner can get secure possession. Zurichwants me to put up cash to finance the search and the early development."
"Well? Where do I come in? I am no miner, and I have no cash. I am eatinghusks."
"You listen. Singularly enough, Stanley has sent his partner up here tomake me exactly the same proposition."
"That was Stan's partner to-day--that old gray goat?"
"Exactly. So, you see, I have two chances."
"I need not ask you," said Joey with a sage nod, "whether you intend tothrow in your lot with the thieves or with the honest men. You will flockwith the thieves."
"I will," said Mitchell grimly. "My cousin had quite supplanted me withmy so-called Uncle McClintock. The old dotard would have left him everycent, except for that calf-love affair of Stan's with the Selden girl.Some reflections on the girl's character had come to McClintock's ears."
"Mitchell," said Joey, "before God, you make me sick!"
"What's the matter with you now, fool?" demanded Mitchell. "I never somuch as mentioned the girl's name in McClintock's hearing."
"Trust you!" said the clerk. "You're a slimy toad, you are. You'renauseatin'. Pah! Ptth!"
"McClintock repeated these rumors to Stan," said the lawyer gloatingly."Stan called him a liar. My uncle never liked me. It is very doubtful ifhe leaves me more than a moderate bequest, even now. But I have at leastmade sure that he leaves nothing to Stan. And now I shall strip his minefrom him and leave him to rot in the penitentiary. For I always hatedhim, quite aside from any thought of my uncle's estate. I hate him forwhat he is. I always wanted to trample his girl-face in the mire."
"Leave your chicken-curses and come to the point," urged the juniormember of the firm impatiently. "It is no news to me that your brain isdiseased and your heart rotten. What is it you want me to do? Calmyourself, you white-livered maniac. I gather that I am in some way tomeddle with this mine. If I but had your head for my very own along withthe sand in my craw, I'd tell you to go to hell. Having only brainsenough to know what I am, I'm cursed by having to depend upon you. Nameyour corpse! Come through!"
"You shut your foul mouth and listen. You throw me off."
"Give me a cigar, then. Thanks. I await your pleasure."
"Zurich warned me that Stanley's partner, this old man Johnson, had goneEast and would in all probability come here to bring proposals from Stan.He came yesterday, bearing a letter of introduction from Stan. The fearthat I would not close with his proposition had the poor old gentleman onneedles and pins. But I fell in with his offer. I won his confidence andwithin the hour he had turned himself wrong side out. He made me a map,which shows me how to find the mine. He thinks I am to go to Arizona withhim in a week--poor idiot! Instead, you are to get him into jail atonce."
"How?"
"The simplest and most direct way possible. You have that Poole tribeunder
your thumb, have you not?"
"Bootlegging, chicken-stealing, sneak-thieving, arson, and perjury. Andthey are ripe for any deviltry, without compulsion. All I need to do isto show them a piece of money and give instructions."
"Get the two biggest ones, then--Amos and Seth. Have them pick a fightwith the man Johnson and swear him into jail. They needn't hurt him muchand they needn't bother about provocation. All they need to do is tocontrive to get him in some quiet spot, beat him up decently, and swearthat Johnson started the row without warning; that they never saw himbefore, and that they think he was drunk. Manage so that Johnson seesthe inside of the jail by to-morrow at luncheon-time, or just after, atworst; then you and I will take the afternoon train for Arizona--with mymap. I have just returned from informing my beloved uncle of Stanley'signominious situation, and I told him I could go to the rescue at once,for the sake of the family honor. I thought the old fool would throwa fit, he was so enraged. So, good-bye to Nephew Stanley!"
"Look here, Mr. Oscar; that's no good, you know," remonstrated Pelman."What's the good of throwing Johnson into jail for five or ten days--orperhaps only a fine? He may even have letters from Stan to some one elsein Vesper, some one influential; he may beat the case. He'll be out therein no time, making you trouble. That old goat looks as if he might butt."
Mitchell smiled.
"That's only half my plan. The jailer is also one of your handy men. I'llfurnish you plenty of money for the Pooles and for the jailer--enough tomake it well worth their while. Contrive a faked rescue of Johnson. Thejailer can be found trussed up and gagged, to-morrow about midnight. Besthave only one of the Pooles in it; take Amos. He shall wear a mask and bethe bold rescuer; he shall open the cell door, whisper 'Mitchell' toJohnson, and help him escape. Once out, without taking off his mask, Amoscan hide Johnson somewhere. I leave you to perfect these details. Then,after discarding his mask, Poole can give the alarm. It is immaterialwhether he rouses the undersheriff or finds a policeman; but he is togive information that he has just seen Johnson at liberty, skulking nearsuch-and-such a place. Such information, from a man so recently thevictim of a wanton assault at Johnson's hands, will seem a natural act."
"Mr. Mitchell, you're a wonder!" declared Joey in a fine heat ofadmiration. As the lawyer unfolded his plan the partner-clerk, as adevotee of cunning, found himself convicted of comparative unworth; withevery sentence he deported himself less like Pelman the partner, shrankmore and more to Joey the devil clerk. "The first part of your programmesounded like amateur stuff; but the second number is a scream. Anymistreated guy would fall for that. I would, myself. He'll be up againstit for jail-breaking, conspiracy, assaulting an officer, using deadlyweapons--and the best is, he will actually be guilty and have no kickcoming! Look what a head that is of yours! Even if he should escaperearrest here, it will be a case for extradition. If he goes back toArizona, he will be nabbed; our worthy sheriff will be furious at theinsult to his authority and will make every effort to gather Mr. Johnsonin. Either way you have Johnson off your shoulders."
"Stanley is off my shoulders, too, and good for a nice long term. And Ihave full directions for reaching Stanley's mine. You and I, in that wildArizona country, would not know our little way about; we will be whollydependent upon Zurich; and, therefore, we must share our map with him.But, on the whole, I think I have managed rather well than otherwise.It may be, after this bonanza is safely in our hands, that we may be ableto discover some ultimate wizardry of finance which shall deal withZurich's case. We shall see."