"You"re correct as to the abduction, however--this will explain," and he handed him the letter.
The two men read it.
"When did you receive this?" said one.
"At noon to-day," replied Croyden, pa.s.sing over the envelope.
They looked carefully at the postmark.
"Do you object to explaining certain things in this letter?" Rebbert asked.
"Not in the least," replied Croyden. "I"ll tell you the entire story.... Is there anything I have missed?" he ended.
"I think not, sir."
"Very well! Now, we prefer that you should take no measures to apprehend the abductors, until after Miss Cavendish and Miss Carrington have been released. We are going to pay the amount demanded."
"Going to pay the two hundred thousand dollars!" cried the detectives, in one breath.
Croyden nodded. "Afterward, you can get as busy as you like."
A knowing smile broke over the men"s faces, at the same instant.
"You too think we found the treasure?" Croyden exclaimed.
"It looks that way, sir," said Rebbert; while Sanders acquiesced, with another smile.
Croyden turned to Macloud and held up his hands, hopelessly.
"If we only had!" he cried. "If we only had!"
XX
THE CHECK
On the second morning after their abduction, when Elaine and Davila arose, the sky was obscured by fog, the trees exuded moisture, and only a small portion of the Bay was faintly visible through the mist.
"This looks natural!" said Elaine. "We must have moved out to Northumberland, in the night."
Davila smiled, a feeble sort of smile. It was not a morning to promote light-heartedness, and particularly under such circ.u.mstances.
"Is this anything like Northumberland?" she asked.
"Yes!--Only Northumberland is more so. For a misty day, this would be remarkably fine.--With us, it"s midnight at noon--all the lights burning, in streets, and shops, and electric cars, bells jangling, people rushing, pushing, diving through the dirty blackness, like devils in h.e.l.l. Oh, it"s pleasant, when you get used to it.--Ever been there?"
"No," said Davila, "I haven"t."
"We must have you out--say, immediately after the holidays. Will you come?"
"I"ll be glad to come, if I"m alive--and we ever get out of this awful place."
"It _is_ stupid here," said Elaine. "I thought there was something novel in being abducted, but it"s rather dreary business. I"m ready to quit, are you?"
"I was ready to quit before we started!" Davila laughed.
"We will see what can be done about it. We"ll have in the head jailer."
She struck the bell. "Ask the chief to be kind enough to come here a moment," she said, to the girl who attended them.
In a few minutes, he appeared--suave, polite, courteous.
"You sent for me, Miss Cavendish?" he inquired.
"I did. Sit down, please, I"ve something to say to you, Mr.----"
"Jones, for short," he replied.
"Thank you!" said Elaine, with a particularly winning smile. "Mr.
Jones, for short--you will pardon me, I know, if I seem unduly personal, but these quarters are not entirely to our liking."
"I"m very sorry, indeed," he replied. "We tried to make them comfortable. In what are they unsatisfactory?--we will remedy it, if possible."
"We would prefer another locality--Hampton, to be specific."
"You mean that you are tired of captivity?" he smiled. "I see your point of view, and I"m hopeful that Mr. Croyden will see it, also, and permit us to release you, in a few days."
"It is that very point I wish to discuss a moment with you," she interrupted. "I told you before, that Mr. Croyden didn"t find the jewels and that, therefore, it is impossible for him to pay."
"You will pardon me if I doubt your statement.--Moreover, we are not privileged to discuss the matter with you. We can deal only with Mr.
Croyden, as I think I have already intimated."
"Then you will draw an empty covert," she replied.
"That remains to be seen, as I have also intimated," said Mr. Jones, easily.
"But you don"t want to draw an empty covert, do you--to have only your trouble for your pains?" she asked.
"It would be a great disappointment, I a.s.sure you."
"You have been at considerable expense to provide for our entertainment?"
"Pray do not mention it!--it"s a very great pleasure."
"It would be a greater pleasure to receive the cash?" she asked.
"Since the cash is our ultimate aim, I confess it would be equally satisfactory," he replied.