CHAPTER XXI
THE YACHT "ARABELLA"
As the party drove into town Colby said:
"It wouldn't be a bad idea for Jones to bribe that fellow Le Drieux. IfLe Drieux, who holds a warrant for the arrest of Jack Andrews, issued bythe Austrian government and vised in Washington, could be won to ourside, the whole charge against our friend might be speedily dissolved."
"Disgraceful!" snapped Maud indignantly. "I am positive Mr. Jones wouldnot consider such a proposition."
"Diplomatic, not disgraceful," commented the lawyer, smiling at her. "Whyshould Jones refuse to consider bribery?"
"To use money to defeat justice would be a crime as despicable asstealing pearls," she said.
"Dear me!" muttered Colby, with a puzzled frown. "What a queer way tolook at it. Le Drieux has already been bribed, by a liberal reward, torun down a supposed criminal. If we bribe him with a larger sum to giveup the pursuit of Jones, whom we believe innocent, we are merelydefending ourselves from a possible injustice which may be brought aboutby an error of judgment."
"Isn't this judge both able and honest?" asked Uncle John.
"Wilton? Well, possibly. His ability consists in his knowledge of law,rather than of men and affairs. He believes himself honest, I suppose,but I'll venture to predict he will act upon prejudice and an assumptionof personal dignity, rather than attempt to discover if his personalimpressions correspond with justice. A judge, Mr. Merrick, is a mereman, with all the average man's failings; so we must expect him to bequite human."
"Never mind," said Patsy resignedly. "Perhaps we shall find him a betterjudge than you are lawyer."
"He has had more experience, anyhow," said Colby, much amused at theshot.
They found, on arriving at court, that the case had already beenpostponed. They drove to the jail and obtained permission to see theprisoner, who was incarcerated under the name of "Jack Andrews, alias A.Jones." Maud would have liked a private audience, but the lawyer waspresent as well as Patsy and Mr. Merrick, and she did not like to askthem to go away.
The boy greeted them with his old frank smile and did not seem in theleast oppressed by the fact that he was a prisoner accused of an uglycrime. The interview was held in a parlor of the jail, a guard standingby the door but discreetly keeping out of earshot.
Colby first informed the boy of the postponement of his formalexamination and then submitted to his client an outline of the defense hehad planned. Jones listened quietly and shook his head.
"Is that the best you can do for me?"
"With my present knowledge, yes," returned the lawyer.
"And will it clear me from this suspicion?" was the next question.
"I hope so."
"You are not sure?"
"This is an extraordinary case, Mr. Jones. Your friends all believe youinnocent, but the judge wants facts--cold, hard facts--and only thesewill influence him. Mr. Le Drieux, commissioned by the Austriangovernment, states that you are Jack Andrews, and have escaped to Americaafter having stolen the pearls of a noble Viennese lady. He will offer,as evidence to prove his assertion, the photograph and the pearls. Youmust refute this charge with counter-evidence, in order to escapeextradition and a journey to the country where the crime was committed.There you will be granted a regular trial, to be sure, but even if youthen secure an acquittal you will have suffered many indignities and yourgood name will be permanently tarnished."
"Well, sir?"
"I shall work unceasingly to secure your release at the examination. ButI wish I had some stronger evidence to offer in rebuttal."
"Go ahead and do your best," said the boy, nonchalantly. "I will abideby the result, whatever it may be."
"May I ask a few questions?" Maud timidly inquired.
He turned to her with an air of relief.
"Most certainly you may, Miss Stanton."
"And you will answer them?"
"I pledge myself to do so, if I am able."
"Thank you," she said. "I am not going to interfere with Mr. Colby'splans, but I'd like to help you on my own account, if I may."
He gave her a quick look, at once grateful, suspicious and amused.Then he said:
"Clear out, Colby. I'm sure you have a hundred things to attend to, andwhen you're gone I'll have a little talk with Miss Stanton."
The lawyer hesitated.
"If this conversation is likely to affect your case," he began, "then--"
"Then Miss Stanton will give you any information she may acquire,"interrupted Jones, and that left Colby no alternative but to go away.
"Now, then, Miss Stanton, out with it!" said the boy.
"There are a lot of things we don't know, but ought to know, in order todefend you properly," she observed, looking at him earnestly.
"Question me, then."
"I want to know the exact date when you landed in this countryfrom Sangoa."
"Let me see. It was the twelfth day of October, of last year."
"Oh! so long ago as that? It is fifteen months. Once you told us that youhad been here about a year."
"I didn't stop to count the months, you see. The twelfth of Octoberis correct."
"Where did you land?"
"At San Francisco."
"Direct from Sangoa?"
"Direct from Sangoa."
"And what brought you from Sangoa to San Francisco?"
"A boat."
"A sailing-ship?"
"No, a large yacht. Two thousand tons burden."
"Whose yacht was it?"
"Mine."
"Then where is it now?"
He reflected a moment.
"I think Captain Carg must be anchored at San Pedro, by now. Or perhapshe is at Long Beach, or Santa Monica," he said quietly.
"On this coast!" exclaimed Maud.
"Yes."
Patsy was all excitement by now and could no longer hold her tongue.
"Is the yacht _Arabella_ yours?" she demanded.
"It is, Miss Patsy."
"Then it is lying off Santa Monica Bay. I've seen it!" she cried.
"It was named for my mother," said the boy, his voice softening, "andbuilt by my father. In the _Arabella_ I made my first voyage; so you willrealize I am very fond of the little craft."
Maud was busily thinking.
"Is Captain Carg a Sangoan?" she asked.
"Of course. The entire crew are Sangoans."
"Then where has the yacht been since it landed you here fifteenmonths ago?"
"It returned at once to the island, and at my request has now madeanother voyage to America."
"It has been here several days."
"Quite likely."
"Has it brought more pearls from Sangoa?"
"Perhaps. I do not know, for I have not yet asked for the captain'sreport."
Both Uncle John and Patsy were amazed at the rapidity with which Maud wasacquiring information of a really important character. Indeed, she washerself surprised and the boy's answers were already clearing away someof the mists. She stared at him thoughtfully as she considered her nextquestion, and Jones seemed to grow thoughtful, too.
"I have no desire to worry my friends over my peculiar difficulties," hepresently said. "Frankly, I am not in the least worried myself. Thecharge against me is so preposterous that I am sure to be released afterthe judge has examined me; and, even at the worst--if I were sent toVienna for trial--the Austrians would know very well that I am not theman they seek."
"That trip would cause you great inconvenience, however," suggestedMr. Merrick.
"I am told a prisoner is treated very well, if he is willing to pay forsuch consideration," said Jones.
"And your good name?" asked Maud, with a touch of impatience.
"My good name is precious only to me, and I know it is still untarnished.For your sake, my newly found friends, I would like the world to believein me, but there is none save you to suffer through my disgrace, and youmay easily ignore my acquaintance."
"What nonsense!" crie
d Patsy, scornfully. "Tell me, sir, what's to becomeof our grand motion picture enterprise, if you allow yourself to beshipped to Vienna as a captured thief?"
He winced a trifle at the blunt epithet but quickly recovered andsmiled at her.
"I'm sorry, Miss Patsy," said he. "I know you will be disappointed if ourenterprise is abandoned. So will I. Since this latest complication aroseI fear I have not given our project the consideration it deserves."
The boy passed his hand wearily across his forehead and, rising from hisseat, took a few nervous steps up and down the room. Then, pausing, heasked abruptly:
"Are you still inclined to be my champion, Miss Stanton?"
"If I can be of any help," she replied, simply.
"Then I wish you would visit the yacht, make the acquaintance of CaptainCarg and tell him of the trouble I am in. Will you?"
"With pleasure. That is--I'll be glad to do your errand."
"I'll give you a letter to him," he continued, and turning to theattendant he asked for writing material, which was promptly furnishedhim. At the table he wrote a brief note and enclosed it in an envelopewhich he handed to Maud.
"You will find the captain a splendid old fellow," said he.
"Will he answer any questions I may ask him?" she demanded.
"That will depend upon your questions," he answered evasively. "Carg isconsidered a bit taciturn, I believe, but he has my best interests atheart and you will find him ready to serve me in any possible way."
"Is there any objection to my going with Maud?" asked Patsy. "I'd like tovisit that yacht; it looks so beautiful from a distance."
"You may all go, if you wish," said he. "It might be well for Mr. Merrickto meet Captain Carg, who would prefer, I am sure, to discuss so delicatea matter as my arrest with a man. Not that he is ungallant, but with aman such as Mr. Merrick he would be more at his ease. Carg is a sailor,rather blunt and rugged, both in speech and demeanor, but wholly devotedto me because I am at present _the_ Jones of Sangoa."
"I'll accompany the girls, of course," said Uncle John; "and I think weought not to delay in seeing your man. Colby says you may be called forexamination at any time."
"There is one more question I want to ask," announced Maud as they roseto go. "On what date did you reach New York, after landing at SanFrancisco?"
"Why, it must have been some time in last January. I know it was soonafter Christmas, which I passed in Chicago."
"Is that as near as you can recollect the date?"
"Yes, at short notice."
"Then perhaps you can tell me the date you took possession of theContinental Film Company by entering the stockholders' meeting andejecting yourself president?"
He seemed surprised at her information and the question drew from him anodd laugh.
"How did you learn about that incident?" he asked.
"Goldstein told Mr. Merrick. He said it was a coup d'etat."
The boy laughed again.
"It was really funny," said he. "Old Bingley, the last president, had noinkling that I controlled the stock. He was so sure of being reelectedthat he had a camera-man on hand to make a motion picture of the scenewhere all would hail him as the chief. The picture was taken, but itdidn't interest Bingley any, for it showed the consternation on his face,and the faces of his favored coterie, when I rose and calmly voted himout of office with the majority of the stock."
"Oh!" exclaimed Maud. "There was a picture made of that scene, then?"
"To be sure. It was never shown but once to an audience of one. I satand chuckled to myself while the film was being run."
"Was it kept, or destroyed?" asked the girl, breathlessly.
"I ordered it preserved amongst our archives. Probably Goldstein now hasthe negative out here, stored in our Hollywood vaults."
"And the date--when was it?" she demanded.
"Why, the annual meeting is always the last Thursday in January. Figureit out--it must have been the twenty-sixth. But is the exact dateimportant, Miss Stanton?"
"Very," she announced. "I don't know yet the exact date that Andrewslanded in New York on his return from Vienna, but if it happened to belater than the twenty-sixth of January--"
"I see. In that case the picture will clear me of suspicion."
"Precisely. I shall now go and wire New York for the information Ineed."
"Can't you get it of Le Drieux?" asked the young man.
"Perhaps so; I'll try. But it will be better to get the date from thesteamship agent direct."
With this they shook the boy's hand, assuring him of their sympathy andtheir keen desire to aid him, and then hurried away from the jail.