CHAPTER XXIII
A LAWYER'S ADVICE
"Now, what's the first thing to be done, my dear chap?" asked DeRoyster, as Roy loosed the lasso from the bed and coiled it up.
"Arrange to get my stuff away from here. I reckon, and back to myhotel. Then I want to hear how you traced me."
"I'll tell you. But I agree with you that we had better leave thisplace. Let's go down to the street and engage an expressman."
They found one who agreed to take Roy's baggage back to the hotel.After seeing it safely in the wagon, during which time a few of thetenants in the house looked on curiously, but said nothing, the twofriends started for the hotel, where Roy had been stopping.
"As soon as I called at your hotel that night, and found you had beentaken away, sick, by a man who had only recently come to the place, Isuspected something was wrong," explained Mr. De Royster, on the way."The clerk told me about you going away in a cab, and gave me a fairlygood description of the driver, whom he had a glimpse of. It was a cabseldom seen in this part of the city.
"I knew my best plan, don't you know, would be to find that driver, andlearn where he had taken you and your baggage. My idea was that somesharpers had gotten you into their power to rob you. I never suspectedthere was such a deep plot."
"Neither did I," replied Roy, "and I don't believe we have seen thelast of it."
"Well," went on De Royster, "I had quite a time tracing that cabman. Imust have interviewed nearly fifty drivers before I found one who knewa fellow that answered the description of the one who had taken youaway. But at last I located him, and, though he was reluctant atfirst, to tell me what I wanted to know, he did, after I threatened tocall in the police."
"Would you have done so?"
"Certainly. I felt that you were in danger, for you know little of NewYork."
"That's so, and I'm afraid it will take me a long time to learn. I'mpretty green."
"Well, you may be in some things, but you can go ahead of New Yorkersin lots of ways. That was a great trick, sliding down that lasso."
"It was lucky I had it with me."
"Indeed it was, and it was a good thing those scoundrels took yourbaggage as well as you, or you might have been there yet."
"No, for you would have helped me, I reckon. You arrived just a fewminutes after I had started to escape. How did you manage it?"
"Well, as I said, my dear chap," replied De Royster, adjusting his oneeye glass, which had fallen out during the struggle with Wakely, "Imade the cabman tell me where he took you, and, after that it was aneasy matter to locate you. I got to the tenement right behind Wakelyand I followed him up the stairs, though, then, I didn't know who hewas, and I rushed into the room as soon as he opened the door, for heforgot to close it when he looked at the bed and saw it empty. Isuspected you had been in here, when I saw what a lonesome sort ofplace it was. I pulled him back, just as he had his knife out, readyto cut the lasso."
"I hardly believe he would have dared to cut it," said Roy. "He onlywanted to scare me into coming back."
"Perhaps he did. But I was not going to take any chances; I justgrabbed him."
"That was fine on your part."
"Oh, that's nothing. Look what you did for me. I only paid you back alittle."
"Nonsense. As if I wanted pay."
"Of course you didn't, but I was glad of the chance. I only wish Icould have held Wakely. Now, I suppose he'll go and tell Annister, andthey'll keep right after you."
"Do you think so?"
"I believe so, from what you tell me of the men."
"Then what would you advise me to do?"
"Let me think it over a bit. Suppose we go to your room?"
"All right."
There was considerable surprise on the part of the clerk at the hotelwhen Roy came back. On the way he and Mortimer De Royster had agreedit would be better not to say anything about the reason for the takingaway of the boy from the ranch--a veritable kidnapping in fact. So itwas explained that Roy had recovered from his temporary illness, andhad simply been away on business, which was true enough in itsway,--though it was not very pleasant business.
"Now," said De Royster, when he and Roy were once more back in theformer's room. "This is what I would do. I would consult a goodlawyer, and let him advise me. I think this is too much for you tohandle alone."
"I believe you are right. Do you know a good lawyer?"
"I can introduce you to the one who does business for our firm. He isvery reliable, and his charges are reasonable."
"Then we will go see him, after I have changed my clothes. Sleeping inthem hasn't made them look exactly as new as they were."
"That's a good idea. Have you heard from your father since writing tohim about Annister?"
"I don't know. Perhaps a letter came while I was away. I wonder wherethey would send it?"
"They would keep it here until you gave them some instructions forforwarding it. I'll inquire at the desk for you while you are changingyour clothes."
As Roy had purchased two suits on coming to New York, he had a new oneto put on, while the other was sent to be pressed. He had not finisheddressing when De Royster came back.
"No letters, but there's a telegram," he said, handing Roy the yellowenvelope.
The boy tore it open and read:
"Letter received. No doubt Annister is swindler. You are doing right.Keep after him. Don't spare expense. Take property from his control,and give to some good man. I leave it to you. Answer when you getthis."
"Why this came yesterday," said Roy. "Dad will be wondering why hedoesn't hear from me."
"Then you had better answer at once. There is a branch telegraphoffice in the hotel lobby. Write an answer and I'll take it down whileyou finish dressing."
A reply was soon prepared and sent. Meanwhile Roy got ready for thestreet and, accompanied by De Royster, he went to the lawyer's office.
The legal gentleman greeted Mortimer De Royster cordially. Roy wasquite surprised to find out how many friends the jewelry salesman had.Everyone seemed to like him in spite of his odd ways.
Roy's story was soon told. The lawyer took off his gold spectacles,wiped them carefully with a silk handkerchief, replaced them, looked atRoy over the tops of them, and remarked:
"Hum!"
It was not very encouraging, nor did it tell very much. Roy began tofear he had not made himself clear.
"I would like--" he began.
"What you want is my advice as to how next to proceed; isn't it?" askedthe lawyer, as though he had come to some decision, as indeed he had.
"Yes, sir."
"Well, I shall have to look into this matter of the property.Evidently Mr. Annister has some reason for wanting you out of the way.What it is we shall have to discover. Meanwhile you had better donothing."
"But suppose they kidnap him again?" asked De Royster.
"I don't believe they'll dare do that. Perhaps you had better takecare where you go, however. In the meanwhile I will make someinquiries about this property. I will communicate with you as soon asI have anything to report."
"Do you think you can make Mr. Annister give back the money he haswrongfully kept?" asked Roy.
"I'm afraid I can't give you an opinion until I have looked furtherinto the case," said the lawyer with a smile. "It may be necessary totake civil action, and we might have to make a criminal complaint. Nowdon't worry about it. I'll look after it. Just you keep out of theway of those men."
"I will," agreed Roy with a laugh. "I'm not afraid of them, however.I'll be ready for them next time."
"Another thing," went on the lawyer, "don't drink ice cream sodas, oranything else, with strangers."
"I'll stick to Mr. De Royster," said the boy. "I reckon if I trailalong with him they'll not be able to rope me."
"Rope you? Oh, yes, I understand," replied the lawyer with a smile."Yes, that's right. Good morning."