"But if this girl was really ent.i.tled to a part of it, why not claim it by law?"
"We talked about that, but the chance didn"t look good. Everything showed the second child died; hospital records, doctor"s certificate; there wasn"t a link in the chain we could break. Percival wouldn"t go on the stand, and there wasn"t much he could swear to if he did."
"But who was the other witness--the living one?"
"The nurse; she made the exchange of the dead baby for the living one. It was easily done as the child was really sick."
"But for what object--revenge?"
"She was poor, and yielded to temptation. Percival Coolidge paid her to make the exchange. I have never been able to learn what his original purpose was, but she thinks he believed the stolen child was a boy, and that later, through him, the Coolidge money might be controlled. However the woman lost her nerve, and disappeared with the infant. She brought it up as her own in the west, where she married again. I am her second husband, and that is how I learned the truth."
"The woman on the yacht?"
"Yes, you saw her. The child was brought up in our life; I figured on this coup for years, and finally when all was ready, we came back east again. I had a plan, but I wasn"t quite sure it would work until I could see the two girls together. After that it was like taking candy from a kid. h.e.l.l, you are the only one who has even piped off the game."
West looked closely at the man, who was thus coolly boasting of his exploits, and then at the silent girl, whose eyes sullenly gave back their challenge. What did it all mean? Why were they calmly telling him these things? Was it merely the egotism of crime, pride of achievement?
or did Hobart hope in some way to thus win his a.s.sistance, or at least his silence?
"Why do you tell all this to me, Hobart?" he asked shortly. "You do not expect me to play with you in the game, do you?"
"You!" the fellow laughed coa.r.s.ely. "We don"t care what you do, you young fool. Del started this talking, and I let her go on. Then, when she stopped, I thought you might as well learn the rest of it. The fact is, West, we"re fixed now so whatever you know won"t hurt us any. We have as good as got the swag; and, to make it absolutely safe, we"ve got both you and the girl. I"ll say this for you, old man, you"ve sure put up a game fight. I don"t know how the h.e.l.l you ever got out of that yacht alive, or ever happened to drift in here. It was nothing but bull luck that gave us a glimpse of you tossing round on that raft--but after that it was dead easy. Del here is some actorine."
"Yes," she broke in, "but I came near falling down this time. I forgot they had been in the water, and my dress was dry as a bone--say, I thought he"d tripped me sure."
"You say you"ve got the swag?"
"All but in our hands; n.o.body can get it away from us. The court order was issued today; the entire estate placed, in accordance with the terms of the will, in the possession of Natalie Coolidge. Once the proper receipt is signed, all monies can be checked out by her. That about settles it, doesn"t it? Tomorrow Del and I will go down to the city, and turn the trick, and after that there is nothing left but the get-away."
It was a cold blooded proposition, but neither face exhibited any regret; both were intoxicated by success; untroubled by any scruples of conscience. West felt the utter uselessness of an attempt to appeal to either.
"Where is Natalie Coolidge?" he asked, his own determination hardening.
"What do you propose doing with her?"
Hobart"s teeth exhibited themselves in a sardonic grin.
"That is our business, but you can bet she"ll not interfere."
"And a similar answer, I presume, will apply also to my case?"
"It will. Don"t make the mistake, West, of believing we are d.a.m.n fools. I don"t know just why I"ve blowed all this to you, but it ain"t going to help you any, you can be sure of that. In fact your knowing how the thing was worked is liable to make things a blame sight harder in your case. We won"t do no more talking; so go on in through that door."
The fellow"s demeanour had entirely changed; he was no longer pretending to geniality, and his words were almost brutal. Apparently, all at once, it had dawned sharply upon him that they had made a mistake--had boasted far too freely. Any slip now, after what had been said, would wreck the ship. West faced him watchfully, fully aware of the desperate situation, instinctively feeling that this might be his last chance.
"In there, you say?" indicating the closed door.
"Yes; move!"
He did; with one swift leap forward, the whole impetus of his body behind the blow, West drove his fist straight into the face confronting him. The fellow reeled, clutched feebly at the smooth wall for support, dropped helplessly forward, and fell headlong, with face hidden in outstretched arms. The a.s.sailant sprang back, and turned, in a mad determination to crash his way out through the locked door behind, but as suddenly stopped startled by the vision of a levelled revolver pointed at his head.
"Not a move," the girl said icily. "Take one step, and I"ll kill you."
Hobart lifted his head groggily, and pushed himself half-way up on his knees.
"Don"t shoot unless he makes you, Del," he ordered grimly. "We don"t want that kind of row here." He dragged himself painfully to the side door, and pressed it open.
"Hey you!" he cried. "Come on out here. Now then, rough-house this guy!"
CHAPTER x.x.xI
McADAMS BLOWS IN
It was a real fight; they all knew that when it was finished. But it was three to one, with Hobart blocking the only open door, and egging them on, and the excited girl, backed into a corner out of the way, the revolver still gripped in her hand, ready for any emergency. The narrowness of the hall alone afforded West a chance, as the walls protected him, and compelled direct attack from in front. Yet this advantage only served to delay the ending. He recognized two of the fellows--"Red" Hogan and Mark--while the third man was a wiry little bar-room sc.r.a.pper, who smashed fiercely in through his guard, and finally got a grip on his throat which could not be wrenched loose. The others pounded him unmercifully, driving his head back against the wall. Hogan smashed him twice, crashing through his weak attempt at defence, and with the second vicious drive, West went down for the count, lying motionless on the floor, scarcely conscious that he was still living.
Yet in a dazed, helpless way, he was aware of what was occurring about him; he could hear voices, feel the thud of a brutal kick. Some one dragged him out from the mess, and turned his face up to the light; but he lay there barely breathing; his eyes tightly closed.
"It"s a knock-out all right," Hogan declared. "That guy is good for an hour in dream-land. What"s the dope?"
"We got to keep him here, that"s all; and there"s goin" to be no get-away this time."
"How"d he do it before, Jim? did he tell you?"
"Not a d.a.m.ned word; I was fool enough to do all the talking. But this fellow is too slick to take any more chances with."
"Do you want him croaked?"
"No, I don"t--not now. What the h.e.l.l"s the use? It would only make things harder. We"re ready to make our get-away, ain"t we? After tomorrow all h.e.l.l can"t get onto our trail. This guy"s life wouldn"t help us none, so far as I can see."
"Getting squeamish, ain"t you?"
"No, I"m not. I"ve got as much reason to hate the fellow as you have, "Red." He certainly swiped me one. Before we had the swag copped, I was willing enough to put him out of the running. That was business. You sure did a fine job then, d.a.m.n you; now I don"t think it is your time to howl.
Listen here, will you? From all I learn, this bird amounts to something; he ain"t just a dago to be b.u.mped off, and n.o.body care what"s become of him. This guy has got friends. It won"t help us any to be hunted after for murder on top of this other job. If we cop the kale, that"s all we"re after. Is that right, Del?"
The girl seemed to come forward, and face them defiantly.
"Sure it"s right. I never was for the strong arm stuff, Hogan. This is my graft, anyhow, and not one of you stiffs gets a penny of it unless I split with you. This fellow isn"t going to be slugged--that"s flat. It is only because he"s fell in love with the Coolidge girl that he is here, and once we"ve skipped out, I don"t wish the guy any bad luck."
"You ought to have caught him yourself, Del," some one said. "The bird never would have known the difference."
She laughed, quickly restored to good humour.
"You"re about right there, Dave," she answered. "That was another mistake; the only chance I ever had of marrying in high social circles.
But h.e.l.l, I"ll be a lady tomorrow, so let"s let the poor devil go. Wrap him up, and lay him away out in the garage. The walls are two foot solid stone; he"ll stay buried there all right."
Hogan growled in derision, yet it was evident that she and Hobart would have their way. Some one brought a rope, which was deftly wound about him, West continuing to feign unconsciousness. He secretly hoped this condition might result in some carelessness on their part, in either speech or action. Anyway it would undoubtedly save him from further brutal treatment. He had no reason to suspect that his ruse was questioned. The fellows spoke freely while making him secure, but he gained very little information from their conversation--not a hint as to where Natalie was confined, or how long it was proposed to hold them prisoners. Then "Red" and Dave lugged his limp body through several rooms, out upon a back porch, finally dragging him down the steps and along a cement drive way, letting him lie there a moment in the dark, while one of them unlocked a door. The next instant he was carelessly thrown inside, and the door forced back into place. He could hear Hogan swear outside, and then the sound of both men"s feet on the drive as they departed.