Death Points A Finger Part 31

"Please, Professor, don't insist. This job is not for you. Tell us what to do and Jimmy and I can do what needs be done. The first thing is to get Tommy, then there will be time--"

"But there may not be time, John. Men's lives may depend on--oh, well have it your way. Hale, if you and John are insistent on acting like impulsive fools and not taking along qualified officers, see to it that you get whatever papers you can at this man's house. And for G.o.d's sake, boys, be careful. This is a dangerous man. He will be on his own ground."

The three were on their way. As the two sea sleds put off sputtering to a crescendo roar as they made a wide curving wake on the still water, McCall disturbed by the noise came to the door.

After they beached their boats in the tiny cove, Jimmy and Matthews, following Harry, alternately running and jogging, hurried along the dim trail. When Jimmy judged they had covered three-quarters of the distance they heard a ringing bark followed by a faint crack of a firearm. This was shortly followed by another. The three stood stock still for a moment and then put on an additional burst of speed. Before they came into the clearing of the farm, they heard the sound of a motor car, fading into the distance.

As the three panting figures came into the clearing they saw the tawny figure of a collie racing frantically back and forth about a dark ma.s.s lying near the house. The collie was whimpering and whining. The collie looked at the three approaching figures expectantly; it stopped its whining, leading the way directly to the thing lying near the rear door of the small farm house.

A tall figure lay there with its sightless eyes staring into the sun. A dark, red stain was widening on its s.h.i.+rt front.

At this moment a shrill treble yell was heard from the house.

Matthews raced through the open door and bounded up the steps.

Finding the door locked, from behind which the crying was coming, he stepped back. He called out:

"Stand away from the door Tommy, Uncle Jack's going to break it open."

The door flew open under the impetus of a large foot planted near the lock. A small figure rushed into his arms hugging him tightly.

"Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack! Where's Mummie? Where's Pop?"

Matthews held the small figure off and looked at him anxiously.

Except that his clothes were in a state that would have sent his finicky mother frantic, the youngster did not seem the worse for wear.

"Did the man hurt you, Tommy?"

"Oh, no, Uncle Jack. He is a good man, nice man. He gimme candy, he gimme pie." The voice went prattling on as Jack carried him downstairs.

Harry Stoy with youthful enthusiasm and the morbidity often observed in the young wanted to examine the thing that lay on the ground. Jimmy, with full knowledge of police regulations and requirements, objected. He went into the house and made a careful search, taking such papers as he thought might be of use to Professor Brierly, the scientist, and to Jimmy, the newspaper man.

When Jack came with the boy, Jimmy called the telephone operator and after identifying himself he told her where he was and asked that the nearest police authorities be notified. Then the group started back for the lake.

Professor Brierly and Norah were pacing the lake front in an agony of impatience, each for a different reason. Norah ran into the shallow water several steps, the sooner to have the child in her hungry arms. Professor Brierly's eyes were burning as he waved a telegram.

As the happy group stepped ash.o.r.e, Professor Brierly said:

"It was Amos Brown, of course. This wire tells me. I should have known but perhaps this is best. Tell me, was there a boxwood hedge, a collie, running water, a sorrel horse, a pear tree?"

Jimmy and Matthews looked at one another sheepishly. They had been too much absorbed in their errand to see. They both wrinkled their brows in an effort to visualize the farmyard where that thing lay, when Professor Brierly exploded into wrath.

"Oh, you futile, inane, incompetent creatures. You, John, with all your scientific training. I cannot expect anything else from Hale.

A newspaper man lives on emotional sensations. They form his stock in trade, but you--" Harry Stoy interrupted:

"Professor, if you're askin' about Mr. Brown's farm all them things you mentioned are there and there's some leghorn chickens and some--"

Professor Brierly's eyes glowed approvingly. "Good boy, Harry, you not only have eyes, but you can see." He looked down and a smile broke over his tired features. Tommy had been tugging his coat demanding attention. Professor Brierly took the child in his arms and hugged him tight.

After the excitement was over he bent eagerly over the papers that Jimmy brought from Brown's farm. He was thus engaged and the others were making a fuss over Tommy when the telephone bell rang.

"For you, Professor," called Martha.

The voice that came to Professor Brierly over the wire had a break in it. In the voice it was difficult to recognize the finely modulated diction of Justice Isaac Higginbotham.

"For G.o.d's sake, Professor, come at once. Two of us were killed.

Come--" The voice ended in a croak and there was no more.

When it became apparent that the other had dropped his receiver, Professor Brierly turned the crank until he got the attention of the operator. It took a long time to be connected with the nearest police officer.

Professor Brierly identified himself and said:

"Two men were killed in Justice Higginbotham's camp. You know where that is?"

"Yes, sir."

"How soon can you have a man or two down there?"

"Hold the wire a moment, sir. I'll tell you." After a brief interval the voice asked: "Are you there, sir?"

"Yes."

"We can have one man, perhaps two there in half an hour, sir."

"Very well. I was going down there. Will your man stop here for me on the way down?"

"Yes, sir. This is at Mr. McCall's camp, is it not?"

"Yes."

"Good-by."

Professor Brierly now called up the Higginbotham camp for additional details. The overhanging rock had fallen, carrying with it the porch. The house was not much damaged. Professor Brierly surmised that the one thing that saved the house was the weakness with which the porch had been attached to the main building.

Chapter XIX

The swift boat bearing two police officers picked up Professor Brierly and Matthews. McCall and Jimmy left immediately. The avid horde of newspaper men had swooped down on the Higginbotham camp.

Only the fact that they had two red-coated men in the boat enabled the old scientist and his a.s.sistant to get near the house.

A path was cleared and the four men went into the living-room where the eight survivors, Jimmy Hale, McCall and as many newspaper men and women as could find standing room were crowded.

The two officers with the help of two others who had arrived cleared the room after considerable difficulty. The porch had been shorn off the building as though it were done with tools. The huge rock was nestling at the edge of the water.

Jimmy was surprised at the demeanor of the eight survivors. The reaction had set in. Now that the worst had come, come right before their eyes they took it with a sang-froid that was surprising under the circ.u.mstances. Pride of race, the knowledge that a great many persons had their eyes upon them, the knowledge that the entire world had their eyes on them through their representatives of the press had its influence.

Samuel Goldberg and Lorenzo Tonti, the man who had influenced the framing of the Tontine insurance agreement, were killed outright by the falling of the rock. Two of the others suffered minor injuries. While they were calm the eight survivors were grim. They looked toward Professor Brierly.

"How did it happen?" he asked quietly.