CHAPTER XXX
Bird-man
ABOUT eight o'clock in the evening of the same day a motor-car deposited at the Hotel Monolith a gentleman whose weather-beaten and oil-stained motoring-cap and duster covered little clothing more than shirt and trousers and assorted oddly in the eyes of the desk-clerk with the rather meticulously turned-out guest known to him as Mr. Arthur Lawrence, and to the management of the hotel as Mr. Alan Law incognito.
Eventually persuaded, the clerk yielded up the key to Mr. Lawrence's suite of rooms together with two notes superscribed with the same nom de guerre.
The first proved to be a characteristic communication:
"Dear Ulysses:—Thanks for the jail delivery. When I saw you snatched out of the North River this morning I was engaged in trailing a pale-faced villain in a motor-car; he was a bold, bad kidnapper; Rose was in his power, as we say in such cases. I sleuthed after 'em, even to the house of Seneca Trine. Latter followed a furtive young man from the house of Trine to the office of the general manager of the New York Central, where he made arrangements for a special to convey the said Trine and retinue to Chicago. It leaves at three o'clock this afternoon. I was unable to ascertain whether Rose is to participate in this hegira, but I know I shall. I have bribed the train-crew to let me impersonate the porter. So, should you be moved to follow and succeed in catching up with us, and observe anybody who looks rather off-colour in the party, don't shoot, the said body will be Me.
"Yours for the quiet life,
The second note was a mere hurried scrawl:
"They are taking me West by special train—I don't know where or why. A servant has promised to see that this reaches you. Save me!"
Over this Alan wrinkled an incredulous nose. The hand was the hand of Rose, but the phraseology was not in her spirit. He picked up the envelope to compare the handwriting of the address with that of the enclosure—and shook out a Trey of Hearts. This last was covered, as to its face, with a plainly written message:
"With the compliments of Seneca Trine to Alan Law. We are due in Chicago at eleven to-morrow morning and leave immediately for the Pacific Coast via Santa Fé Route."
Comparison between this and the message purporting to be from Rose distilled the conviction that the same hand was responsible for both.
Alan shrugged. So he was to be lured away from New York and Rose by this transparent trick, was he? No fear! But—he had a plan!
Promptly Alan called up the Aviation Fields at Hempstead Plains and got into communication with a gentleman answering to the surname of Coast, the same bird-man who had come to Alan's rescue with his hydroplane. Their arrangements were quickly consummated. Coast agreeing to wait for Alan with his biplane in Van Cortlandt Park from midnight till daybreak, prepared if need be to undertake a trans-continental flight.
Another man would have needed twelve hours in bed at the least to compensate for such a day; Mr. Law after three hours of sleep awakened in a lamb-like temper when called at 11:30.
At midnight he committed an act of burglarly, calmly and with determination breaking his way into the house of Seneca Trine through the area windows and basement.
Nothing hindered and none opposed him. He explored the dwelling minutely, room by room, story by story, intent on one subject only—to find Rose Trine, or else make sure she was not there.
He negotiated the flight of steps which led to the topmost floor with extraordinary stealth, advised thereto by a sound which had theretofore been inaudible to him. Possibly the manservant whom he fovind snoring in a chair outside a closed door had not fallen asleep and begun to snore until the moment when Alan set foot upon the lower step of that final ascent.
Turning the head of the stairs, Alan paused, intent on this man who must somehow be disposed of before he might solve the riddle of that shut and guarded door.
Aside from actual violence no solution offered to the puzzle; and violence was abruptly forced upon him.
No sound warned him of the door that opened at his back as he stood watching the sleeping guard. A piercing shriek was the first intimation received that his presence had been discovered. A glance over-shoulder showed him the figure of a maid-servant, her mouth still wide and full of sound, and Alan fell upon the guard like a thunderbolt. The man had barely time to jump up when a fist caught him on the point of his jaw, and he returned to unconsciousness.
Backing off, Alan took a short run and flung himself full-force against the door. With a splintering crash it broke inward, and without dignity or decorum he sprawled on all fours into the presence of Judith Trine.
Picking himself awkwardly up, Alan flushed crimson with embarrassment to find himself confronting this woman who had come so unwillingly to accord him her love and had fought so passionately to win him from her sister.
For her part, Judith laughed mockingly.
"Poor Mr. Law! Always disappointed. Believe me, I am sorry, for once, it is I and not Rose whom you find locked up here! For I am locked up by way of punishment—thanks to my having had pity on you once too often—while my father decamped mysteriously for parts unknown."
"You don't know where he's gone, then?"
"Do you?" she asked sharply.
"In a general way, by special train to the West"
"Taking Rose?"
"So I'm told."
The woman choked upon her anger, but quickly mastered it.
"He shall pay for this!" she asseverated.
"Your father? I wish him nothing more nor less than your enmity," Alan assured her civilly. "But since it seems that he has gone, and Rose with him, if you'll forgive me, I think I'll be going"
"Then be advised, and take me with you."
"In what capacity, please? As enemy or—ally?"
"As ally—you're right, we can't be friends—until we overtake that special train. After that, by your leave, I'll shift for myself."
"It's not such a bad notion," he reflected, "with you under my eye, you can't do much to interfere"
"If I promise" she suggested.
"I'll take your word," he agreed simply. "But you're in for a lot of hardship, I'm afraid. The one way to catch up with your father is by aeroplane."
"Don't consider me as a woman when it comes to hardship."
"I've no reason to, going on what I know of you."
"Give me one minute to find my coat and hat. …"
The police, summoned by the maid, entered the front door as the two crept out of the area window.