The Secret Toll

  CHAPTER XI--TELEPHONE CALLS

  "Son," said Mrs. Forrester at breakfast Friday morning, "Josephine and Ihave changed our minds."

  "About what?" prompted Forrester.

  "We are moving out to 'Woodmere' late today instead of tomorrow morning.The Prentices are giving a dinner dance, the first of the summer season,Saturday evening. If we moved tomorrow we would be too tired and upsetto attend. We do not want to disappoint the Prentices, especially as weunderstand the affair is given to introduce Miss Sturtevant."

  "Does she know the Prentices?" exclaimed Forrester.

  "Only through a letter of introduction, I believe," explained Mrs.Forrester.

  "Of course, you will be there, Bob, now that you know who will be theprincipal guest," laughed Josephine.

  "I haven't received an invitation," returned Forrester, gravely.

  "Oh, the affair is quite informal," declared Mrs. Forrester. "All theinvitations were extended over the telephone, because it was onlydecided upon at the last moment. Mrs. Prentice told me to be sure to seethat you came. She wants you to meet Miss Sturtevant."

  "Not realizing that Bob was such a forward young man and attended to hisown introductions," interjected Josephine.

  "That was only an accidental meeting, Josephine," protested Mrs.Forrester. "They had no opportunity to get really acquainted."

  "I wonder?" said Josephine, with a side glance at Forrester. Then added,"Of course, Mrs. Prentice does not realize what a rival Miss Sturtevantwill be for Diana."

  Forrester glared at Josephine. Until she had taken up his recent meetingwith Mary Sturtevant, it had been her custom to tease him about Diana,Prentice's daughter. Josephine had professed to believe that a genuinelyserious affair was developing, at least on Diana's part.

  "Josephine," remonstrated Mrs Forrester, "you must not make light ofBob's interest in Diana. I should be most pleased to see Bob select heras his life's partner. Miss Sturtevant is here only for a brief visit,and they have met but once; simply by chance. One cannot be so muchattracted to a chance acquaintance as to one who has been a friend sincechildhood."

  "Very wisely spoken, Mother," approved Forrester, with a triumphant lookat Josephine.

  "I am satisfied to await the developments of Saturday evening," returnedJosephine, and finished her breakfast in silence, while his motherexplained to Forrester the details of the day's plans.

  The knowledge that the solution of the case was now practically out ofhis hands left Forrester with a sensation of loss. Never before had hefelt so thoroughly bereft of an object in life. He rather welcomed,therefore, the information that the household moving would take place onFriday instead of Saturday as originally planned. Throughout the morninghe was busily engaged in assisting his mother and sister to pack, in thesecuring of a motor truck to carry their trunks and bags, and thevarious other little details connected with the removal of the householdfor the summer season.

  Shortly after luncheon his mother, sister and the servants left in thebig car. It was a dark, gray day with low-hanging clouds and a chillwind blowing off the lake. As Forrester stood by the curb watching thecar disappear down the street, he found that a light, misty rain wasfalling. The weather affected him strongly under the circumstances andhe returned to the house with a feeling of depression. Forrester seemedto find something sinister about the deserted house. The closing of thefront door behind him echoed through the lonely rooms, and the thud ofhis feet was uncannily loud as he passed down the hall to the library.

  Forrester laughed, shook himself and hunted up his pipe.

  "The truth is," he said, aloud, as the tobacco glowed under the match,"my nerves are getting ragged."

  In spite of the fact that the detectives had assured him that thesolution of the mystery was close at hand Forrester could not fullyconvince himself that the matter was to be settled in so commonplace away. The discoveries which he had made must surely possess somesignificance. It did not seem possible that a band of West SideItalians, far away from the oak tree on the North Shore, could be backof the so-called ghostly manifestations of which he had heard so manyrumors, and which Green claimed to have actually witnessed. If theseapparitions had no connection with the "Friends of the Poor," then whatwas their purpose?

  Busily engaged in his amateur detective work, and full of a certainconfidence in his own ability, Forrester had half expected to solve, ina few days, a mystery that had baffled experienced detectives for ayear. Now, with the final reckoning only one day away, he realized thathe had made practically no progress, except, perhaps, to increase thescope of the mystery. Possibly the fact that he felt himself free tocome and go in comparative safety until Saturday had blurred his view ofthe future. Here in the still, deserted house, however, the misgivingsthat had been dormant beneath his energetic efforts to solve theproblem, now came to the surface. The partial doubt which he had feltthe previous evening in respect to the detectives' theories, nowreasserted itself with increased force.

  While his own theories were mere chimerical pictures, based upon afanciful explanation of the peculiar facts he had unearthed, Forresternevertheless had a feeling that they possessed more real substance thanwas apparent at the present time. Again Forrester laughed and tried toshift his thoughts to the seemingly more logical and matter of factdeductions of the detectives.

  During these meditations he had been pacing the library floor, severaltimes refilling his pipe. Now he went to the fireplace and lit the gaslogs in an effort to dispel the chilly, gloomy atmosphere that pervadedthe room. He drew a chair up to the fireplace and sought more cheerfulthoughts in recollections of Mary Sturtevant. This did not help. Asidefrom the girl's attractive personality, Forrester could not but realizethat it was the faint element of mystery that seemed to surround herwhich had stimulated his curiosity and thrown a glamour about her suchas no other girl of his acquaintance had ever possessed. Yet that veryelement of mystery was a disquieting feature. In spite of any argumentshe might devise to ease his own mind, Forrester realized that if he wereto tell the men at the detective bureau all the details of hisacquaintance with Mary Sturtevant he would create a disagreeable stir.While the peculiar effect of her sudden appearance from nowhere had beenpartly offset by her letter of introduction to his mother, it stillremained an odd coincidence that she should select a home so near theblackmailers' tree, and in addition take such a strong interest in thetree itself. And then there was the reprimand which Joshua intimated shehad given him for talking about the tree to a stranger. Moreover, whatobject could a young woman of her undoubted social position have inleaving her family in the East and renting a big house in a Chicagosuburb with only a paid companion?

  It was no use. In whatever direction he turned his thoughts Forrester'smind reverted to the mystery of the "Friends of the Poor." Glancing athis watch, he found that these thoughts and speculations had consumed alarge part of the afternoon and he decided to get away from the drearysurroundings and gloomy inspirations of the empty house by going out todinner.

  ----

  The slight drizzle of the afternoon had increased to a heavy downpour ofrain which beat loudly on the windows, while a strong east wind roaredabout the house. The inclemency of the weather increased the feeling ofloneliness and isolation which had seized upon Forrester since thedeparture of his family. He sprang up, therefore, with a sensation ofpleased anticipation when the door-bell rang, but paused immediately toreconsider his action.

  Most of his friends were already at their summer homes. It did not seemlikely that even the few stragglers who might have remained in townwould be out on a night like this. For the first time since the affairstarted Forrester felt like arming himself. He opened the drawer of thelibrary table and took out a revolver which had lain there unused formany years, only to discover that it was unloaded, and as he could thinkof no place where he might find the necessary cartridges for it, theweapon was useless. He reasoned, however, that its appearance in hishand might in itself be a parti
al protection, so with the revolverapparently ready for instant use, Forrester went to the front door andopened it.

  No one was there, and the street lay apparently deserted in the drivingrain.

  It was a strange incident and when Forrester returned to the library hewondered whether it was a wise step for him to remain alone in the housethat night. He was still debating the question when a half-hour laterthe telephone bell rang. Picking up the receiver Forrester was relievedto recognize the voice of Prentice on the wire.

  "I called at your house a little while ago," apprised Prentice, "and wasalarmed that the door-bell was not answered. After thinking it over Idecided to phone you."

  "There is no one here but myself," replied Forrester. "The folks movedto 'Woodmere' today. I stayed in town because I have a little job toattend to in the morning. That must have been you who rang the bellabout a half-hour ago. I _did_ answer the bell--and was amazed when Ifound there was no one at the door."

  "You took a thundering long time to answer," said Prentice. "It seemedto me that I stood a long time in the rain. I am at the Drake hotel now.My car is handy and I will be over in a couple of minutes."

  "All right," replied Forrester, "I will be watching for you."

  Hanging up the receiver, Forrester went to one of the front windows andtook up his promised watch. The car arrived promptly and Forresteropened the door. Prentice hung up his hat and raincoat in the hall andForrester led the way to the library.

  "The house looks dark and dismal," commented Prentice, as he seatedhimself and drew out a cigar. "Why don't you turn on more lights?"

  "It did seem a bit lonesome before you came," admitted Forrester. "Idon't believe more light would help. To me it would simply emphasize howlarge and deserted the house is at this moment. How do you happen to bein town on a night like this?"

  "We expected friends from Rockford," explained Prentice, "to stay withus over the week end. You know we are giving a dinner tomorrow evening."

  Forrester nodded.

  "I stayed in town to meet them," continued Prentice. "When they did notarrive and I found it was to be such a bad night, I decided to stay atthe club, instead of going home. The time was dragging, for it seemedthat practically everyone I knew had left town. Then I thought of youand concluded I would run up and pay you a little visit."

  "I am very glad you did," approved Forrester, "for I am willing to admitthat I miss the family now that they have gone."

  At that moment the telephone bell rang sharply.

  "Looks like you were not going to be so lonely after all," observedPrentice.

  Forrester picked up the receiver.

  "Hello!" said a man's voice. "Is that you, Mr. Forrester?"

  "Yes," replied Forrester.

  "I want to get a little information," informed the voice. "I believe youexpect to put some money into a certain tree tomorrow night."

  "Who are you?" demanded Forrester.

  "That is of no immediate importance," returned the voice. "What I wantedwas to find out the exact time at which you intended to place the moneyin that tree."

  "I am not giving any information to strangers," snapped Forrester.

  "I am sorry," returned the voice in a conciliatory tone, "but I can'tgive you any particulars at this time. It is important, however, that Iknow at what hour you intend to visit the tree."

  "Better call up the detective bureau," retorted Forrester. "Good-by,"and he hung up the receiver.

  Prentice was leaning toward Forrester with a puzzled expression on hisface. "That was a peculiar conversation," he said. "May I ask what itwas about?"

  "A man whose voice I did not recognize," explained Forrester, "wastrying to find out at what hour I intended to place that extortion moneyin the tree tomorrow night. He wanted _his_ information without givingme any."

  "Strange," murmured Prentice. "Perhaps it was a newspaper man--or adetective."

  "No need for them to disguise their identity," asserted Forrester. "Icertainly have talked freely to all of them."

  Prentice sat in thoughtful silence for a few minutes, and Forrester wasequally absorbed in trying to fathom the object of the person who hadcalled him up. Their thoughts were interrupted by another clamorous ringon the telephone. Again a man's voice came over the wire when Forrestertook up the receiver. This was a very different voice, however; coarse,with a slightly foreign accent, and rough in its address.

  "That you, Forrester?" asked the voice.

  "Yes," answered Forrester, gruffly. "What do _you_ want?"

  "This is the 'Friends of the Poor'," came back over the wire.

  "'Friends of the Poor'!" repeated Forrester, astonished and Prentice satup suddenly in his chair.

  "Yes," affirmed the voice. "We're tired of fooling around with you andwe want to know something definite."

  "What do you wish to know?" inquired Forrester, less harshly.

  "We want to know the exact hour at which you will put the money in thetree tomorrow night."

  Forrester hesitated. He glanced at Prentice, who was leaning toward him,an interested listener, and reflected whether or not to ask his advice.Forrester's own impulse was to treat the man as he had the first caller.It occurred to him, however, that if this man really did represent the"Friends of the Poor," as he claimed, it would simplify matters for thedetectives if a definite hour were arranged. He remembered Cahill'sinstructions to approach the tree at ten-thirty.

  "I had planned to go to the tree about ten-thirty," finally announcedForrester.

  "That's all right," said the voice. "Be sure you make it ten-thirtysharp--and no dicks, remember!" The wire suddenly became dead as the manat the other end hung up the receiver. Forrester hung up his ownreceiver and turned to Prentice.

  "What's this about the 'Friends of the Poor'?" exclaimed Prentice.

  "That man said he represented the 'Friends of the Poor'," repliedForrester. "He wanted me to give him the exact hour at which I wouldplace the money in the tree."

  "That's a strange proceeding," muttered Prentice.

  "Strange?" queried Forrester.

  "That they should take the risk of calling you up on the phone,"explained Prentice.

  "Things are getting rather hot for them," declared Forrester. "Theyrealize it, and probably do not want to take a chance by staying nearthe tree for too long a period. The man warned me not to have anydetectives at hand."

  "He did!" ejaculated Prentice.

  There followed a moment's silence while Prentice relit his cigar.

  "Tell me, Bob," he requested, at length, "have you made any definiteplans about tomorrow night?"

  "Yes, I'm coming to your house for dinner for one thing," smiledForrester.

  "You know what I mean," said Prentice, seriously. "You have trifled withthis 'Friends of the Poor' matter long enough. What have you decided todo--are you going to pay the money or fight?"

  "Both," answered Forrester, laughing. He then explained to Prentice themajor details of his own and the detectives' plans for Saturday night.

  "And you mean to say, Bob," gasped Prentice, "that these detectives haveactually located the 'Friends of the Poor'?"

  "Not located them, exactly," returned Forrester, "but they have a verystrong suspicion."

  "Against whom?" asked Prentice.

  "A band of Italians on the West Side," divulged Forrester. "They havesecured what they claim to be certain evidence and expect to capture themen at the tree tomorrow night."

  Prentice smiled. "That's not the first time I've heard that policetheory," he declared. "Still, there may be something to their idea,after all, in view of the telephone calls you received this evening.There should be interesting developments tomorrow night. But, Bob," headded, "take my advice and leave this matter entirely in the detectives'hands. Don't fail in your part of the matter. Place your money in thetree at the hour you agreed upon and then get away as quickly as youcan."

  "You take the matter too seriously," objected Forrester.

  "And you don't rea
lize how serious the affair is, Bob," assertedPrentice. "The claims of these detectives have given you too muchconfidence. Even if they do capture some men tomorrow night, there maybe others of the band who will seek revenge. I cannot urge you toostrongly to place that money in the tree and assure your own safety. Thehistory of the case--"

  Prentice was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone bell once more.He paused, with an astonished look on his face, and Forrester laughed.

  "Unquestionably my busy night," said Forrester, as he picked up thereceiver.

  Forrester's face also expressed amazement, as he listened, and he placedone hand over the transmitter while he remarked in an aside to Prentice,"A woman's voice this time!" Then, speaking into the telephone, he said,"Yes, this is Mr. Forrester."

  "I want to get some information," said the woman's voice, "that isvitally important to you. I must know at what hour you will place themoney in the tree tomorrow night."

  "Who are you?" inquired Forrester.

  "I cannot tell you that now," replied the voice, "but let me assure youthat I am absolutely friendly to you. It is chiefly in your interestthat I want this information."

  "But," protested Forrester, "it is a matter in which I cannot be toofree in furnishing information to strangers."

  "I know," admitted the voice, "but you'll have to trust me for thepresent."

  "Are you a lady reporter?" asked Forrester.

  "No."

  "Are you securing the information for a reporter?"

  "No."

  "Are you connected in any way with a newspaper?"

  "No."

  "Are you a lady detective then?" and Forrester could not restrain aslight laugh.

  "It is useless for you to ask questions," declared the voice. "I amasking information--not giving it."

  "But favors beget favors," protested Forrester.

  "You are not doing me a favor," returned the woman. "This is in your owninterest."

  "Well, then, if you insist," acceded Forrester, "I will take the riskand inform you that I expect to visit the tree at ten-thirty tomorrownight."

  "Thank you," was the reply, and the receiver was hastily hung up.

  "I don't understand these telephone calls at all," said Prentice. "Whatdo you make of them, Bob?"

  "I fancy your first idea was correct," returned Forrester. "It is myopinion that these thick-headed detectives have talked too freely to thenewspaper reporters about their new plan, and that we are simply goingto have a convention of the press at the tree tomorrow night."

  Prentice laughed heartily. "Perhaps you are right, Bob," he agreed. "IfI had not had such a trying experience with these people myself, Ishould have liked to be a spectator, too. As it is, I imagine it will besafer to keep out of the way. And now," he added, rising, "I believe Iwould better go. I want to drive out early in the morning, and you, too,should have a good night's sleep."

  Forrester accompanied Prentice to the door and stood until he saw thecar disappear in the rain and mist. Then he returned to the library. Thewindows still rattled under the lash of the wind and rain, and somewherefar up in the house he heard a door slam.

  "I don't think I'll do much sleeping tonight," thought Forrester, andcrossing to the library table, lifted the lid of his humidor to get acigar. He paused with a startled exclamation, for there before him lay asmall square of brown wrapping paper. On it he recognized the crudeskull and rough hand-printing of the "Friends of the Poor." The wordsstood out clearly in the light shed by the lamp on the table. He read:

  _Your efforts to trace us are known. We prefer your death to your money but will overlook your activities if you cease them at once and raise amount of your payment to $25,000. This opportunity ends positively at midnight Saturday._

  _Friends of the Poor_