CHAPTER XIII
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
The three green balls of fire floated past the ship and slowly fadedaway in the heavens. Absolute silence reigned, while those on the_Denver's_ deck watched with fascination their weird progress.
From the shore came no sign nor sound of disturbance. No calls, shouts,nor firing of guns. What, then, was the meaning of the rocket?
"It was fired from the consulate," said Captain Bentley. "My agreementwith the consul was to send up a rocket in case he absolutely neededassistance, but he is such an excitable individual and his nerves are insuch state that he is quite capable of committing any error ofjudgment."
"The shore looks peaceable enough," remarked Mr. Ogden. "Shall I havethe search-lights turned on, sir?"
"Yes, and then I wish you to go ashore and investigate. Take a squad ofmarines with you and a bugler. If in your estimation an immediatelanding is required, he can sound 'call to arms' from the consulate. Itwill save time. I seriously doubt if there is need of such drasticaction."
The search-light beams lighted up the shore while the Captain wasspeaking and those officers who had binoculars scanned the town forevidences of excitement. A few people strolled about the streetsturning their faces from the glare as the travelling rays momentarilyflooded them with daytime brilliancy.
"Call away the steamer, Mr. Gardiner, and send word to Sergeant Douglassto have a squad of men and a trumpeter ready to get aboard when shecomes alongside. I will go ashore in the same boat," and having givenhis orders Mr. Ogden disappeared below to get his sidearms.
Ensign Gardiner, Officer of the Deck, issued his orders promptly. Inthe marine compartment Douglass was besieged with requests from eagermarines to be among those landed, but his announcement that CorporalDorlan's squad was detailed for the duty blasted the hopes of all butthe fortunate ones included. Henry Cabell, being the only music left inthe guard, was also detailed, and a few minutes later Mr. Ogden followedthe last of his guard into the steamer.
"Shove off, coxswain. Take your orders from Mr. Ogden," ordered Mr.Gardiner, and the little steamer started on its way to the landing, fullspeed ahead.
A little after five o'clock that afternoon Senora Perez awaited thereturn of the governess and little Soledad. The rebel forces hadwithdrawn; the American sailors were ashore, and no thought of dangerentered her mind. From the high ground of the garden in front of thehouse she could now see the boats returning to the ship laden down withthe liberty party. It was high time for Fraeulein to be back.
A sound as of someone trying to lift the latch of the gate came toSenora's ears.
"They have come home," she thought as she turned to watch the entrance,but the next moment, with a cry of apprehension she was running tosupport the faltering form of the German governess.
"Where is Soledad? Where is my child?" she demanded in a shrill,strange voice.
But Fraeulein Stauche was unable to answer. She had reached the limit ofher endurance, and she fell into Senora Perez's arms, overcome andspeechless.
With the help of servants she was carried into the house andrestoratives given. Messengers were sent for the consul and aphysician. In the meantime the distracted mother listened to thedisconnected words and sentences which told her of her child. Finallythe consul arrived and in turn was given the sad news. But all thistook time, and nearly three hours had elapsed since Soledad was snatchedfrom the keeping of Fraeulein. Unhesitatingly the consul fired thesignal which would bring the most efficient aid he could command, andwhile he watched its gracefully curving arc shooting out over thedarkening waters, and the three green balls of fire slowly drift acrossthe bay, he lost all hope of ever seeing his child, for he knew therebel chief Gonzales whose forces held the approaches to the town and heknew nothing but evil of the man. Waiting there in the darkness he heardthe bugle on board ship calling away the boats, bringing aid to hisdoor. He saw the search-lights illuminate the shore line and then hepaced from door to gate, back and forth waiting--waiting! No longer afussy, ridiculous figure, for the despair which gripped his heart lenthim a new dignity.
Soon the tramp of men on the macadam road! No native soldiers everwalked with that long swinging stride. He watched them pass beneath aglimmering street light at the corner, "two, four, six, eight," hecounted, as the rifle barrels flashed by. What! No more than eightmen, when hundreds were needed if ever they hoped to catch Gonzales!Yes, more than hundreds!
Then he saw two more Americans pass the light, one a naval officer inhis white uniform. Ah, perhaps this little body was merely an advanceguard!
Rushing to the gate, he met Lieutenant Commander Ogden and in the fewestpossible words, brokenly related his pitiful story. Meanwhile Dorlanand his men entered the grounds and stood at ease, silently attentive.
"May I see Fraeulein Stauche?" asked Mr. Ogden. "Perhaps she mayremember more incidents now that she has recovered a little. Does shespeak English?"
"Si, Senor[#] Ogden, she speaks four languages fluently. Come thisway," and the Consul led the officer to the hysterical governess, andwhile the questions he asked her were being answered Dorlan stood bylistening.
[#] Yes, sir, or master, or mister. Senora is lady, madam, etc. Ninameans little girl and nino, little boy.
"Yes, two men first attacked her. No, they were not soldiers. Onsecond thoughts she was positive one with whom she fought was dressedlike the American soldiers from the ship. He was the one she rememberedbending over her when she recovered consciousness, and now she recalledseeing him run down the road after the others with the child. Yes, hewas armed with two revolvers. No, she did not understand why two nativeswere lying near her on the road--she only remembered seeing the eyes ofone of them fastened on her and, becoming terrified, she fled. Not aword had been spoken, but the last man looked like a Spaniard. He wasgood looking but very dirty."
Mr. Ogden was at a loss as to what action he should take. It was out ofthe question to send a searching party into the country; in the nightthey could accomplish nothing. Leaving Dorlan and his men in charge hereturned to make his report to Captain Bentley. The Consul had sentword to the Commandant at the fort, but that official said he could notorder his men out on such an errand without permission of higherauthority. More than likely his men would refuse to go in any case.
"The evidence against Drummer Comstock and Choiniski seems to begrowing," said the Captain when Mr. Ogden had ceased speaking as theysat in the cabin, after the Executive's return.
"Yes, it is, startlingly so, for to-night Corporal Dorlan told me thatevery man on the ship knows the Consul has a large sum of money in hishouse. I supposed that fact was known only to you, the Consul andmyself."
"How did it leak out?"
"Your orderly, Jones, repeated what he had overheard the first day SenorPerez came on board. Both the absentees were present and Choiniski evenquestioned Jones later regarding the talk. As for the Drummer,Fraeulein Stauche describes him very accurately, dark eyes, black hair,dark skin,--you know how tanned he is--and 'dressed like soldiers fromthe ship.' Comstock claimed he was bound for the fort, and apparentlywas anxious to be alone, but we know he did not go up there. He waslast seen on that very road, and shortly before the attack happened.Dorlan swears that the boy is innocent, and believes he was hurt andpossibly is lying on the road wounded or else he has gone in pursuit ofthe men who abducted the child."
"It is a serious matter," said the Captain. "I dislike to hold asuspicion of the kind against the young marine, but the circumstancesare certainly damaging, and there are some points you have overlooked."
"Something derogatory to the marine?"
"Yes. If you recall, he was allowed in the armory as a favor, andto-day two revolvers are missing from there; also the governess says thelast man who disappeared had on two revolvers."
"Well, sir, it looks black indeed. If it is true then the rebel leaderGonzales is not the guilty
party. But what is the object in taking thechild?"
"Having possession of the Consul's daughter and knowing the Consul has alarge amount of cash, the object is altogether too plain to admit oferror in arriving at a conclusion;--hostage and ransom money, Mr. Ogden!It is Choiniski's idea, and Comstock's help in the matter will make theventure a success. I was cruising in the Mediterranean when themissionary, Miss Stone, was abducted in Turkey. The bandits of theBalkans and of Turkey resort often to this method of procuring funds.Joe Choiniski was born in Krajik, a small village hidden away in thewildest part of the Albanian Mountains. To him this is no horriblething, as it is to us."
For a while there was silence in the little cabin. Then the Captaincontinued:
"By morning I think we may have some news. I have no fears for thechild's life. She is too valuable alive. Her abductors want money andwill find a way to have a message reach her father demanding payment.But nothing can be done to-night."
"One more thing, Captain. I have stated these facts about the youngmarine, not because I am convinced of his guilt, but because every pointhaving bearing on the case should be weighed. Now, if he is not guiltyor implicated, what has become of him? Corporal Dorlan wanted permissionto go up the road to where the attack took place and look over theground. He feels that young Comstock may be lying there in the road andunable to return. He is staunch in his belief in the boy, and if youhave no objection I would like to send him on the errand. It could do noharm."
"Is there anyone ashore who can read signals?"
"Almost all the marines are good signalmen, and Trumpeter Cabell is anexpert. He can read any kind of a message not in code."
"Very well, send the order, and have Dorlan report by signal immediatelyupon his return. But he is not to go off the trail nor further than thepoint mentioned. You say he has a flash-light, and it should be easy todiscover traces in the dirt of the roadway."
Trumpeter Cabell felt the importance of his position when, a littlelater, he began spelling out the message, from the string of red andwhite lights, sent by Ardois[#] from the _Denver_. Corporal Dorlan tookdown each letter carefully, for he wanted to make no mistake in hisinstructions.
[#] "Ardois" lights are used for night signalling in the Navy.
"It's about time they was doin' somethin' regardin' that lad," hemumbled as he wet the stubby pencil in order to write more legibly."Now, young feller, ye wigwag to the ship, when they throw the light onthis balcony and can see yer, that I want 'em to keep that foolsearch-light away from this place. Every time they shine it over hereit puts the whole lot of us in plain view to git shot up by any Spig inthe neighborhood. Tell 'em you will signal with a lantern, and we don'twant their bloomin' old light around here."
With this parting word the corporal started out on his reconnaissancealong the road where the Fraeulein had met with her adventure.
There was no moon, and soon the trail turned back from the bay. Herethe darkness of the tropical night hung heavily about the little party.The old soldier took no chances in his work, and formed his three-manpatrol in accordance with the rules of warfare.
One man marched about fifty yards ahead, the other the same distance inrear of Dorlan. This formation lessened the danger of a surprise, andincreased the chances of at least one member of the patrol's escape, ifattacked. Dorlan had brought his small flash-light with which to searchthe ground for clues of any import.
"I know that lad ain't mixed up with that rascal Joe Choiniski," musedDorlan as he walked, "no matter what the First Lieutenant believes.It's more'n likely he's the very one what knocked out them two fellerswhat tackled the Dootch girl, and--ah! Here we are!" he exclaimed.
With a low peculiar whistle he halted his men and began a systematicsearch of the tracks in the dusty path.
"Here's where the Dootch girl fainted, and here's where the shoe marksshow the scrimmage took place. These tracks were made by governmentissue shoes and were worn by a marine. The imprint of the strap of theleggin' is plain as the nose on yer face. Them's Dick Comstock'stracks; and it's as I says,--he's gone after them greasers for sure.Hello, what's this? The grass and bushes all bendin'. Ah, ye dirtyDago ye. I've got ye. Come back here, Smithers, and help untie thesetwo fellers. We'll take 'em back and see what they've got to say forthemselves. And I guess that's about all I can do this night, accordin'to me orders."
And back over the trail to the consulate went the patrol to delivertheir two prisoners and make their report. But if the natives knewanything, they refused to talk, and the whereabouts of little Soledadand Drummer Comstock still remained an unsolved mystery.