CHAPTER III.
TREACHERY AND TRAGEDY.
"I'm no hand at spinning yarns," remarked Cameron after he and therest had seated themselves comfortably in canvas chairs, "but this isno yarn. It's history, and has to do with the dishonor of a brotherofficer, one Captain Goff Fortescue, of the --th Infantry, who, twoyears ago, was stationed at Fort Totten. It isn't pleasant for me totell of a brother officer's disgrace, but the story will have to berepeated or you won't be able to understand what the finding of thisdagger means."
"The knife belonged to Captain Goff Fortescue?" asked Matt, rememberingthe initials on the handle.
"Yes. There now appears to be not the least doubt of that. I went up tothe post and showed the knife to a member of the Signal Corps who usedto belong to Fortescue's company. He declares that he has seen thatdagger in Fortescue's possession a dozen times. Fortescue picked it upin Italy once while he was abroad--in Italy, the home of the stiletto.He was very proud of it, and always had the weapon about him, in asmall sheath."
Cameron was silent for a little, examining with pensive eyes the rusteddagger which he had laid on a table in front of him.
"Fortescue came to Totten from the Presidio, at San Francisco," hefinally went on. "I presume you have heard how eager one nation is tosecure the plans of another nation's defenses----"
"I know a good deal about that," interjected Matt grimly. "Othernations are just as eager to find out about submarine boats belongingto another nation--and to destroy them, if possible. When your cousin,Ensign Glennie, went around South America with me in the submarine_Grampus_, we had our hands full keeping clear of the Japs."
"Exactly," said Cameron. "I know about that. Well, our defenses in andaround San Francisco Bay, their strength as to guns and calibre of theguns, the situation and power of the disappearing cannon, and all that,might become of importance to several nations. Such information, ifit can be secured, is well paid for. That is the pit into which poorFortescue dropped--killing as bright a prospect as ever lay before anyofficer in the service.
"While Fortescue was stationed at Totten, he went across to Devil'sLake City on a week's leave. His excuse was that he had to make abusiness trip to St. Paul, and when he went he carried a suit case withhim. The eastbound train was late, and Fortescue checked his suit caseat the hotel and went to pass an hour or two with friends. In some way,the clerk at the hotel mixed the checks, and a commercial traveler fromOmaha got Fortescue's grip by mistake, while Fortescue was visiting hisfriends.
"Both grips, it transpired, looked exactly alike--you've seen suitcases that way, I guess--and when the drummer took the grip to hisroom he was surprised to find that his key wouldn't unlock it. Itwas necessary for the drummer to get into the case, and he broke thelock. Instead of finding what he was looking for, he discovered a massof plans and blue-prints, with sheet after sheet of memoranda, alldescriptive of our defensive works in and around San Francisco!
"Naturally, the drummer was astounded. Then, for the first time, helooked at the lettering on the end of the suit case. Just as you foundon that dagger, he discovered on the suit case the initials, 'G. F.'While he was looking over the documents Fortescue burst wildly intothe room and demanded his property. Of course, the drummer gave up thesuit case and the papers. He thought no more of the matter just then,for Fortescue was an officer of the army and, the drummer believed,entitled to the documents.
"Three days later Fortescue was discovered dead in the woods not farfrom the place where Ping was found by the Indian the afternoon of thea?roplane trials. He had been slain by a dagger thrust and strippedof all his personal possessions. There was no marks of a scuffle,and the affair became a great mystery, for Fortescue's dagger--thatdagger--was missing, although the sheath was still in Fortescue'sbreast pocket.
"The news got out. The drummer, who was at Grand Forks, read an accountof the affair in a newspaper, and immediately started for Totten.He told what he knew about the plans in Fortescue's satchel. Thisinformation pointed to shame and disgrace, in the matter of Fortescue,but every one reserved judgment, not wishing to judge the captain untilmore concerning the affair had come out.
"Fortescue had started for St. Paul. Why had he not gone there?Instead, he was found south of the lake, in the woods, dead from adagger thrust.
"Why had he the plans and memoranda in his possession? And where werethe suit case and the plans?"
"Some thought he had been going to sell the plans to the agent ofsome foreign nation, that he was afraid the commercial traveler wouldtell of the mistake made in the hotel, and that he had got rid of thesatchel and taken his own life. The bottom of the lake, just off theplace where Fortescue was found, was dragged, but the satchel could notbe found. Nor has it been found to this day."
Cameron paused.
"That's what happened, Cameron," said Matt. "Fortescue was treacherous.When he saw he had been discovered, his treasonable designs so workedupon him that he probably destroyed the satchel and the plans andkilled himself."
"Wait, Motor Matt," proceeded Cameron; "there's more to it. The sameday Fortescue started across Devil's Lake to take the train east, asoldier named Cant Phillips deserted from Fort Totten. This Phillipsalso came from the Presidio, and belonged with Fortescue's company.The soldier was never found--and this, you will remember, happened twoyears ago."
"But what has Phillips to do with Fortescue and the plans?"
"Here is where guesswork comes in. Ping found the knife on the spotwhere Siwash Charley and two of his villainous comrades carried the boythe night the a?roplane was tampered with. Suppose Siwash Charley haddropped the knife?"
"More likely," returned Matt, "Fortescue dropped it after he stabbedhimself."
"No. The ground was searched all around in that vicinity, and the knifecould not be found. If Fortescue gave himself a mortal wound, he wouldhave had to drop the knife on the spot. It wasn't there at that time.The knife, as a matter of fact, hasn't laid so long in the woods asits appearance would indicate. The rust is only on the surface of thesteel, and fifteen minutes' work will clean the dagger so that it willbe almost as bright as ever. I don't think it has been in the woodsmore than two weeks. In short, it's my notion that Siwash Charleydropped it when he and his pals carried Ping to the place where he wasleft."
This was rather startling, but still Matt and McGlory were unable topuzzle out the point Cameron was driving at.
"How could Siwash Charley get hold of the knife?" asked Matt.
"Siwash Charley appeared in this part of the country, from nowherein particular, some year and a half ago. He was accused of stealinghorses, but the crime was never proved against him."
"I'm a Piute," breathed McGlory, "if I can see what Siwash has to dowith this Fortescue party."
Without seeming to notice the comment, Cameron went on:
"Cant Phillips may have been concerned in the treachery that has to dowith Fortescue's plans. Possibly he met Fortescue in the woods, hereto the south of the lake, the day he deserted; that he and Fortescuequarreled; that Phillips felled Fortescue with a blow of the fist andthen took the dagger from Fortescue's pocket and completed his work;and then, following that, Phillips may have skipped out with the suitcase, the plans--and the dagger."
"But how," said Matt, still puzzled, "could Siwash Charley get thedagger from this man Phillips, assuming that what you guess about theaffair is true?"
"I believe," and here Cameron leaned forward and spoke sternly andimpressively, "that Cant Phillips and Siwash Charley are one and thesame!"
Matt, McGlory, and even Ping were profoundly stirred by thisannouncement.
"But," cried Matt, "does Siwash Charley look like Cant Phillips?"
"Not much, so far as I've been able to discover. Still, two years willmake a big change in a man--especially if the man does what he can tohelp on the change. Fortescue killed himself two years ago, and it wasa year and a half ago that Siwash Charley appeared in this part of thecountry. At times there is a soldierly bearing about Siw
ash Charleywhich may have been the result of training in the army. Besides, heis about the height and build of Phillips. A soldier looks vastlydifferent out of his uniform and in rough civilian clothes."
"Then," observed Matt, watching through the open side of the tent as ahorseman came galloping down the road from the direction of the posttrader's, "the military have a double purpose in capturing SiwashCharley."
"They will have," declared Cameron grimly, "as soon as I air mysuspicions. For the present, though, keep what I have said to yourself.Ah," he finished, as the horseman drew up beside the tent, "a visitor,Matt, and rather a rough one, at that."
Cameron excused himself, picked up the fateful dagger, and startedback toward the post. Matt stepped out to pass a few words with thehorseman, while McGlory went to his work on the a?roplane.
"My name's Hackberry," said the horseman, a wiry, ferret-like figure ofa man, "an' I got a letter here fer Motor Matt. Which is him?"