The Case and the Girl

  CHAPTER XXX

  HOBART FORGETS AND TALKS

  For a moment West lost all control over himself. He was too completelydazed for either words or action; could only stare into that mockingcountenance confronting him, endeavouring to sense what had reallyoccurred. He was undoubtedly trapped again, but how had the trick beenaccomplished? What devilish freak of ill luck had thus thrown them oncemore into the merciless hands of this ruffian? How could it have happenedso perfectly? The boat on the sand in the cove yonder; perhaps that wasthe key to the situation. Those fellows who had left the _Seminole_ tosink behind them, knew where they were when they deserted the yacht; theylanded at the nearest point along shore, where they had a rendezvousalready arranged for. Then what? The helpless raft had naturally driftedin the same direction, blown by the steady east wind, until gripped bythe land current, and thus finally driven into this opening on thecoast. His mind had grasped this view, this explanation, before he evenventured to turn his head, and glance at the girl. She stood leaning backagainst the closed door as though on guard, her uncovered hair ruffled, ascornful, defiant look in her eyes, the smile on her lips revealing thegleam of white teeth. In spite of a wonderful resemblance, a mysteriouscounterfeit in both features and expression, West knew now this was notNatalie Coolidge. Her dress, the way in which her hair was done, thesneering curl of her red mouth, were alike instantly convincing. He hadpermitted himself to be tricked again by the jade; the smart of the woundangered him beyond control.

  "You are not Miss Coolidge," he insisted hotly. "Then who are you?"

  She laughed, evidently enjoying the scene, confident of her owncleverness.

  "Oh, so even Captain West has at last penetrated the disguise. No, I amnot the lady you mention, if you must know."

  "Then who are you?"

  She glanced toward Hobart, as though questioning, and the man answeredthe look gruffly.

  "Tell him if you want to, Del," he said, with an oath. "It will never dothe guy any good. He's played his last hand in this game; he'll neverget away from me again. Spit it out."

  "All right," with a mocking curtsey. "I've got an idea I'd like to tellhim; it is too good a joke to keep, and this fellow has certainly been aneasy mark. You never did catch on to me until I got into the wrongclothes, did you, old dear? Lord, but I could have had you making love tome, if I'd only have said the word--out there on the hills in the dark,hey! I sure wanted to laugh; but that tender tone of yours told me whatyou were up to; what sent you trailing us around the country--you wasplumb nutty after this Natalie Coolidge. That's the straight goods, isn'tit, Mister Captain West?"

  "I care very much for Miss Coolidge, if that is what you mean."

  "Sure you do; and you've put up a game fight for her too, my boy.I'd like it in you if I wasn't on the other side. But you see wecan't be easy on you just because of that. Sentiment and romance isone thing, while business is another. You and I don't belong in thesame worlds--see? You can't rightly blame me because I was borndifferent, can you?"

  "Perhaps not; what would you make me believe?"

  "I thought I'd put it that way so you'd understand, that's all. There'sa difference in people, ain't there. I'm just as good looking as thisNatalie Coolidge, ain't I? Sure I am; you can't even tell us apart whenwe are dressed up alike. I could come in here, and have you make love tome inside of twenty minutes. But we ain't a bit alike for all that. She'sa lady, and I'm a crook--that's the difference. She's been brought upwith all the money she wants, while I've had to hustle for every pennysince I was a kid. Now life don't ever look the same to any two peoplelike that."

  "No," West admitted, beginning to realize her defence. "It is hardlyprobable it would."

  "That's why I'm in this case," she went on, apparently unheeding hisinterruption. "I was brought up a thief, and I don't know anything else.I never did care much, but in this Coolidge matter, I've got just as muchright to all that kale as she has--so naturally I'm going after it."

  "As much right, you say? Why, who are you?"

  She stood up straight, and looked at him, her eyes burning.

  "Me!" scornfully, "Why I am Delia Hobart--'Diamond Del,' they call me."

  "Yes, but that is not what you mean; that gives you no such right as youclaim. You are Hobart's daughter then?"

  "I didn't say so, Mister Captain West. I told you my moniker, that's all.Jim here brought me up, but he ain't no father to me, and his wife ain'tmy mother. It took me a while to find that out, but I got the thingstraight at last. I saw then just what those two were driving at; first Ididn't take no particular interest in the scheme; then I got to thinkinguntil finally I hated that soft, downy thing; damn her, she'd robbed me,and I had a right to my share even if I had to steal it."

  "What soft, downy thing?"

  "Natalie Coolidge! Bah, I went out to see her once. Jim took me andwe hid in the garden; and when I came back I was raving mad. Lord,why should that little idiot have everything while half the time Iwas hungry?"

  "You mean you envied her?"

  "Envied, hell! Didn't I have a right? Wasn't she my twin sister? Didn'tshe have it all, and I nothing?"

  He gasped for breath at this sudden revelation. Then he laughed,convinced it could not be possible.

  "Who told you that?"

  "Why, don't you believe it? Has she never said a word about it to you?"

  "Certainly not. I am sure she possesses no knowledge of ever having had asister. Moreover, I do not believe it is true. If you had proof of suchrelationship, why didn't you go to her, and openly claim your share?"

  "Go to her! me? Do you hear that Jim? Isn't he the cute little fixer?Why, of course, she knew it; there was nothing doing on the divide. It'sall straight enough, only we couldn't quite prove it by law; anyhow thatis what they told me--so we got at it from another direction."

  She seemed so convinced, so earnest in her statement that West inperplexity turned to glance at Hobart.

  "Do you make this claim also?" he asked.

  "What claim?"

  "That this girl is a twin sister to Natalie Coolidge? Why, it ispreposterous."

  "Is it? Damned if I think so. Now look here, West; I don't know just whatthe Coolidge girl has been told; maybe she never even heard she had atwin sister. If they ever told her that she had, then they must have toldher also that the sister died in infancy. Anyhow, that's how it stands onthe records. There were just two people who knew different--do you getme? One of them is dead, but one of them is still alive."

  "Which one is dead?"

  "Percival Coolidge; he knew too much and got gay; he planned to cop thewhole boodle. The fact is he started the whole scheme, soon as he learnedwho Del was, and planned it all out. He was up against it hard just thenfor money; he'd lost all his own, and couldn't get hold of Natalie'sbecause the old family lawyer watched things so close."

  "But if this girl was really entitled to a part of it, why not claimit by law?"

  "We talked about that, but the chance didn't look good. Everything showedthe second child died; hospital records, doctor's certificate; therewasn't a link in the chain we could break. Percival wouldn't go on thestand, and there wasn't much he could swear to if he did."

  "But who was the other witness--the living one?"

  "The nurse; she made the exchange of the dead baby for the living one. Itwas easily done as the child was really sick."

  "But for what object--revenge?"

  "She was poor, and yielded to temptation. Percival Coolidge paid her tomake the exchange. I have never been able to learn what his originalpurpose was, but she thinks he believed the stolen child was a boy, andthat later, through him, the Coolidge money might be controlled. Howeverthe woman lost her nerve, and disappeared with the infant. She brought itup as her own in the west, where she married again. I am her secondhusband, and that is how I learned the truth."

  "The woman on the yacht?"

  "Yes, you saw her. The child was brought up in our life; I figured onthis coup for years, and fin
ally when all was ready, we came back eastagain. I had a plan, but I wasn't quite sure it would work until I couldsee the two girls together. After that it was like taking candy from akid. Hell, you are the only one who has even piped off the game."

  West looked closely at the man, who was thus coolly boasting of hisexploits, and then at the silent girl, whose eyes sullenly gave backtheir challenge. What did it all mean? Why were they calmly telling himthese things? Was it merely the egotism of crime, pride of achievement?or did Hobart hope in some way to thus win his assistance, or at leasthis silence?

  "Why do you tell all this to me, Hobart?" he asked shortly. "You do notexpect me to play with you in the game, do you?"

  "You!" the fellow laughed coarsely. "We don't care what you do, you youngfool. Del started this talking, and I let her go on. Then, when shestopped, I thought you might as well learn the rest of it. The fact is,West, we're fixed now so whatever you know won't hurt us any. We have asgood as got the swag; and, to make it absolutely safe, we've got both youand the girl. I'll say this for you, old man, you've sure put up a gamefight. I don't know how the hell you ever got out of that yacht alive, orever happened to drift in here. It was nothing but bull luck that gave usa glimpse of you tossing round on that raft--but after that it was deadeasy. Del here is some actorine."

  "Yes," she broke in, "but I came near falling down this time. I forgotthey had been in the water, and my dress was dry as a bone--say, Ithought he'd tripped me sure."

  "You say you've got the swag?"

  "All but in our hands; nobody can get it away from us. The court orderwas issued today; the entire estate placed, in accordance with the termsof the will, in the possession of Natalie Coolidge. Once the properreceipt is signed, all monies can be checked out by her. That aboutsettles it, doesn't it? Tomorrow Del and I will go down to the city, andturn the trick, and after that there is nothing left but the get-away."

  It was a cold blooded proposition, but neither face exhibited anyregret; both were intoxicated by success; untroubled by any scruplesof conscience. West felt the utter uselessness of an attempt to appealto either.

  "Where is Natalie Coolidge?" he asked, his own determination hardening."What do you propose doing with her?"

  Hobart's teeth exhibited themselves in a sardonic grin.

  "That is our business, but you can bet she'll not interfere."

  "And a similar answer, I presume, will apply also to my case?"

  "It will. Don't make the mistake, West, of believing we are damn fools. Idon't know just why I've blowed all this to you, but it ain't going tohelp you any, you can be sure of that. In fact your knowing how the thingwas worked is liable to make things a blame sight harder in your case. Wewon't do no more talking; so go on in through that door."

  The fellow's demeanour had entirely changed; he was no longer pretendingto geniality, and his words were almost brutal. Apparently, all at once,it had dawned sharply upon him that they had made a mistake--had boastedfar too freely. Any slip now, after what had been said, would wreck theship. West faced him watchfully, fully aware of the desperate situation,instinctively feeling that this might be his last chance.

  "In there, you say?" indicating the closed door.

  "Yes; move!"

  He did; with one swift leap forward, the whole impetus of his body behindthe blow, West drove his fist straight into the face confronting him. Thefellow reeled, clutched feebly at the smooth wall for support, droppedhelplessly forward, and fell headlong, with face hidden in outstretchedarms. The assailant sprang back, and turned, in a mad determination tocrash his way out through the locked door behind, but as suddenly stoppedstartled by the vision of a levelled revolver pointed at his head.

  "Not a move," the girl said icily. "Take one step, and I'll kill you."

  Hobart lifted his head groggily, and pushed himself half-way up onhis knees.

  "Don't shoot unless he makes you, Del," he ordered grimly. "We don't wantthat kind of row here." He dragged himself painfully to the side door,and pressed it open.

  "Hey you!" he cried. "Come on out here. Now then, rough-house this guy!"