CHAPTER XXXII.
THE DEAD ALIVE.
Franklin knew very well that it would not do for him to remain on the scene longer. He was but a boy against two men, and it would only be a question of time as to when they would get the better of him.
The young electrician was, however, unwilling to leave Mrs. Bliss to her fate, not knowing what Montague Smith would do in his present state of mind.
Out into the hallway flew the pair, and then Franklin led the lady down the stairs as quickly as her trembling limbs would permit.
"I haven't walked down stairs in years," she explained. "They kept me in that room day in and day out."
The two had hardly reached the lower hall when they heard one of the men come out of the room above.
"Stop! stop!" came in the voice of Montague Smith. "Stop, Mrs. Bliss; that boy is only getting you into trouble!"
"I will venture my fate with you," said the lady, clinging tightly to Franklin's arm. "Oh, do not let them catch us!"
The servant girl had appeared on the scene, but, brushing her aside, Franklin flung open the front door. He and Mrs. Bliss were soon on the piazza.
"I wish I had a carriage handy," said the young electrician.
"Oh, never mind; I can run!" cried the lady, and leaping to the garden path she sped toward the gate, just as Montague Smith appealed in the lower hallway.
The man had his handkerchief up to the side of his face, and had evidently suffered not a little from the acidiferous chemicals which the battery had contained.
"You young villian, you!" he cried, "Come back here this instant!"
To this command Franklin paid no attention. He followed Mrs. Bliss out of the garden, and the two ran as far as the corner, which they turned and then continued on at a somewhat slower gait.
"Will they follow us, do you think?" panted the poor lady, as she stopped for a moment and put her hand to her heart.
"That's hard to say. If they do we can have them arrested. They have no legal right to keep you a prisoner."
"Fipher said he had. He said a doctor had given him a certificate that I was insane!"
"I guess you are not insane now," smiled Franklin. "Here comes an empty cab. Supposing I put you in that?"
"I have no money to pay for a cab."
"That will be all right," returned the young electrician.
He hailed the driver of the cab, and without delay assisted Mrs. Bliss into the vehicle and got in beside her.
"Where shall we go?" he asked.
"I don't know," she returned, blankly. "I know nothing of Milwaukee any more."
"I will take you to one of the hotels, if you wish:"
"But I have no money—"
"I will pay the bills, so do not worry about that," said Franklin, and he directed the driver to drive at once to a large hotel he had noticed the day before during his walk around the city.
On the way Franklin looked back a number of times, but so far as he could ascertain they were not followed.
"I have telegraphed to Walter Robinson," he said to his companion. "He will probably come up in a day or two, and then you can confer with him as to what will be best to do."
"You are very kind," replied Mrs. Bliss, fervidly. "I do not know how I can repay you for all of your trouble."
"I have also sent word to Mr. Brice," went on the young electrician. "I feel sure that he can do much toward clearing up this mystery concerning your brother. I feel certain he had nothing to do with the crime."
Mrs. Bliss shook her head doubtfully. She had always heard through her captors that the speculator had had much to do with the affair, and she must have positive proof before she could believe otherwise.
The hotel reached, Franklin led the lady into the parlor, and then hired a room for her, paying for three days in advance, as she had no baggage. They were at once led to the apartment by a bellboy, and the young electrician proceeded to make her as comfortable as he could.
"It is not likely that Montague Smith will find you here—at least, not for some time. In the meantime, shall I call on the police for aid?"
"I would rather wait until Walter Robinson comes."
"Very well. But in the meantime, I will watch Montague Smith and Nathan Fipher, so that they have no chance to get away."
"But Montague Smith would not run away, would he? Has he not a large interest at stake in Chicago?"
"Not so large, perhaps, as you think. And if he was concerned in the murder of your brother he would not let that stand in the way, no matter how important it was."
"You are certainly right. Yes; you had better watch them; but, oh! beware of trouble!"
"I will manage to take care of myself," returned Franklin. "Here is some money you may find useful until Walter comes," and he handed her a ten-dollar bill.
Once out on the sidewalk, the young electrician hesitated. Should he return to the mansion openly, or should he once more play the part of a spy?"
"I have a good mind to watch them openly," he said to himself. "They will not dare to molest me in public. If they attempt to do anything of the kind. I'll have them arrested on my own account."
With this resolve, he started once again in the direction of the residence in which Mrs. Bliss had been kept so long a prisoner.
But a surprise was in store for him. Hardly had he traveled a block when a hand was placed on his shoulder, and he found himself confronted by Walter Robinson.
"This is what I call luck!" cried Walter. "To arrive in town and run across you, all inside of ten minutes. What is the news?"
"The news is very important, and you are no more glad to see me than I am to see you," cried Franklin, as he shook the other's hand. "Come with me. Mrs. Bliss is at the hotel over there."
"Safe and sound?"
"Yes, and waiting to see you. Come."
"Certainly. By the way, I have a most astonishing bit of news for her, I think."
"Concerning this matter on hand?"
"Yes. Her brother Wilbur is alive. He has just returned from a visit to Australia."