CHAPTER XVI.
THE LOSING CAUSE.
Murgatroyd must have had an extra switch plug with him, for Brackett,proprietor of the hotel, was authority for the assertion that heleft town shortly after Cameron, McGlory, and Ping had taken theirdeparture. Murgatroyd, however, went east, while the other car took awestern trail.
What became of Murgatroyd was for some time a mystery. He was not metalong the road between Sykestown and Carrington, and he was not seen inthe latter town.
His niece likewise vanished, taking the train--this, also, on theauthority of Brackett--and presumably returning to Fargo. For her,Motor Matt and his friends always thereafter treasured a warm regard.She had turned resolutely against a relative in order to make sure thatright and justice were meted out to a stranger.
Cant Phillips, alias Siwash Charley, was removed to Fort Totten. Aftera trial, during which it could not be proved that he had lost thedagger which Ping had found in the woods, or that he had met CaptainFortescue by agreement or otherwise and dealt foully with him, orthat he had stolen the suit case and the plans, he was sent to thegovernment prison at Leavenworth to serve a long term.
Phillips' story was to the effect that he had deserted to go into the"business" of stealing horses with Pecos Jones, and that the suit caseand the plans were in Jones' possession when he--Phillips--joined him.
But Phillips could not deny his identity, nor the evident fact thathe was a deserter. For this he received a sentence that was the limitfor desertion, lengthened somewhat by the belief of those presiding athis trial that he had at least a guilty knowledge of the other crimesimputed to him.
Mrs. Traquair was very much wrought up when she discovered howMurgatroyd, using her name, had beguiled the king of the motorboys into a trap destined to free the broker and Siwash Charley of"persecution" by the military authorities, and, at the same time, tosecure for the broker himself the Traquair homestead.
It was an audacious plan, and a foolish one, but the several steps bywhich it was worked were covered in rather a masterly way.
Mrs. Traquair had departed suddenly for a visit with friends inFargo. Learning of this, and from this one insignificant fact alone,Murgatroyd had built up the whole fabric of his plot. It was a losingcause, and Matt had been caught in it, for, if the audacious scheme wasto be successful, the king of the motor boys would be the one factorthat made it so. Everything hinged on him.
The a?roplane was guarded by Ping until Matt, Cameron, and McGloryreached Sykestown over the trail to Jessup's and sent a team and wagonback to bring the damaged machine into town. The same wagon that hauledit into Sykestown likewise hauled it across country and back to FortTotten.
Matt, McGlory, and Cameron, before leaving the dugout to return toSykestown with their prisoner, lingered to talk over recent events,hear each other's account of what had happened, and to make a furtherexamination of the earthen room.
Nothing of any importance was found, save a slender supply of food inthe box cupboard, which was promptly confiscated. When the friendsleft, they closed the door, allowed the painted screens to fall intoplace over the door and the broken window, and then marked withastonishment how, at a little distance, even they were at a loss tomark the particular place of that lawless retreat.
"It's a regular robbers' roost," declared McGlory, looking back as thecar carried them toward the road.
"It ought to be destroyed," said Cameron. "A knowledge of its presenceis an invitation for some other lawless men to make use of it."
"Pecos Jones, for example," added McGlory. "How much money did thatfellow get from you, Matt?"
"Twelve dollars," answered Matt. "If he hadn't been in such a hurry,he might have found my money belt and secured three hundred more."
"You got off easy," said Cameron.
"Not so easy, after all, lieutenant. I wouldn't go through that set-towith Siwash Charley again for all the gold that was ever minted. Idon't like guns, anyway."
"Somethin' queer about that, too," observed McGlory. "Explosive enginesare Matt's hobby, but set off an explosion in a steel tube, with apiece o' lead in front o' it, an' he shies clear off the road."
The next day, after the a?roplane had been brought in and sent on toFort Totten, and the boys had learned various things from Brackettconcerning Murgatroyd and his niece, the little party moved on towardDevil's Lake in the car, taking Cant Phillips with them.
When the post was reached there was a disagreeable surprise awaitingMatt. It came in the shape of a telegram from headquarters, announcingthat the trials at Fort Myer had been indefinitely postponed, and that,therefore, another of the Traquair a?roplanes would not be needed.
"Bang goes fifteen thousand!" mourned McGlory.
"The department may change its mind," suggested Cameron, "when it hearsabout that straight-away flight of the a?roplane into Wells County."
"While the war department is changing its mind," said Matt, smotheringhis disappointment with a laugh, "McGlory and I will get busy puttingthe a?roplane into shape and then look for fresh fields and pasturesnew."
"That hits me, pard," said McGlory. "I've been pining for a change ofscene, but I hate to leave this vicinity while Murgatroyd is at large."
"Forget Murgatroyd, Joe," counseled Matt.
"If he'll forget us, yes, but I don't think he will."
THE END.