Part 25 (1/2)
”I object to your signing that paper,” protested the stranger, seating herself in a vacant chair. ”I haven't the faintest idea what it is you're about to sign, but if I were you I wouldn't do it.”
”It is the price of my liberty,” explained Alora.
”Well, this is a free country and liberty doesn't cost anything. I've a carriage waiting outside, and I will drive you back to the Colonel and Mary Louise free of charge. You won't even have to whack up on the cab hire.”
The nurse slowly rose and faced the girl.
”Who are you?” she demanded.
”No one of importance,” was the answer. ”I'm just Josie O'Gorman, the daughter of John O'Gorman, of Was.h.i.+ngton, who is a lieutenant in the government's secret service.”
”Then you're a detective!”
”The aforesaid John O'Gorman declares I'm not. He says I must learn a lot before I become a real detective, so at present I'm just practicing. Mary Louise is my friend, you know,” she continued, now addressing Alora, ”and you are a friend of Mary Louise; so, when you mysteriously disappeared, she telegraphed me and I came on to hunt you up. That wasn't an easy job for an amateur detective, I a.s.sure you, and it cost me a lot of time and some worry, but glory be! I've now got you located and Mrs. Orme's jig is up.”
The nurse moved softly to the door that led into the pa.s.sage and locked it, putting the key into her pocket.
”Now,” said she, with another flash of those curious eyes, ”I have two prisoners.”
Josie laughed.
”I could almost have sworn you'd try that trick,” she remarked. ”It was on the cards and you couldn't resist it. Permit me to say, Mrs. Orme, that you're a rather clever woman, and I admire cleverness even when it's misdirected. But my Daddy has taught me, in his painstaking way, not to be caught napping. A good soldier provides for a retreat as well as an advance. I've been on your trail for a long time and only this morning succeeded in winning the confidence of the cabman who drove you here. Wasn't sure, of course, that you were still here, until I saw Alora's face at the window a while ago. Then I knew I'd caught you. The cab is a closed one and holds four inside, so I invited three policeman to accompany me. One is at the back of this house, one at the front door and the third is just outside here on the landing. Probably he can hear us talking. He's a big man, that third policeman, and if I raise my voice to cry out he could easily batter down the door you have locked and come to my rescue. _Now_ will you be good, Mrs. Orme?”
The nurse realized her defeat. She deliberately took the note from the table and tore it up.
”You have really foiled me, my girl,” she said philosophically, ”although if you knew all you would not blame me for what I have done.”
”You've decided not to dig any money out of Alora, then?”
”It wouldn't matter to her, but I have abandoned the idea. However, I shall insist on making Jason Jones pay me liberally for my disappointment. Now take the girl and go. Get your things on, Alora.”
Josie regarded her thoughtfully.
”I had intended to arrest you, Mrs. Orme,” she remarked; ”but, honestly, I can't see what good it would do, while it would cause Mary Louise and the dear Colonel a heap of trouble in prosecuting you. So, unless Miss Jones objects----”
”All I want it to get away from here, to be out of her clutches,”
a.s.serted Alora.
”Then let us go. The woman deserves punishment, but doubtless she'll get her just deserts in other ways. Get your things on, my dear; the cab and the policemen are waiting.”
Janet Orme unlocked the door to the pa.s.sage. Then she stood motionless, with drooping eyelids, while the two girls pa.s.sed out. Alora, greatly unnerved and still fearful, clung to the arm of her rescuer.
When they had gained the street and were about to enter the closed automobile she asked: ”Where are the three policemen?”
”Invisible,” returned Josie, very cheerfully. ”I had to invent that story, my dear, and the Recording Angel is said to forgive detectives for lying.”
She followed Alora into the car and closed the door.
”Drive to the Blackington, please,” she called to the driver.