Part 50 (1/2)

The others looked down that filthy corridor and shuddered.

”What a place!” muttered David Jenison.

”Wot 'as Brad been up to to-night?” demanded Joey.

Without changing his position, d.i.c.k Cronk, in as few words as possible, told them of Braddock's vigil.

”Don't hang around here a minute longer than you have to,” he said in conclusion. ”There are a hundred eyes on you right now. You don't see 'em, but they're looking, just the same. I thought you'd be blame'

fools enough to come, so I waited up. Something told me you would go to Joey's when you left her, kid, and you'd make him come along to hunt me out. Brad's safe, and he's not going to do anything just yet. So go home and go to bed. I'll see you to-morrow and we'll arrange for a time when she can talk with him. She'll see him, won't she?”

”Of course. She is eager to see him. I am to bring him to her as soon as--”

”We've got to handle him carefully or--” began d.i.c.k.

Joey interrupted him. ”The devil's to pay in another direction, d.i.c.k,”

he said. ”Bob Grand 'as 'eard that Brad's out and that he's been 'anging around his 'otel, nasty-like. Who should come to my 'ouse in a cab at nine o'clock to-night but Bob Grand 'isself. He finds me alone, Ruby being off with 'er young man. When I sees who is coming up my steps, I almost keels over. The first words he says took my breath away. I was getting ready to kick 'im into the gutter when he puts a check on my leg, curious-like, by remarking that he's looking for Tom Braddock. He came to arsk me where he could be found. I told 'im I didn't know, and, if I did, I'd be hanged if I'd tell 'im. We 'ad some pretty sharp words, you may believe. But he took all the impudence out of me by announcing most plainly that he understood Brad wanted to kill 'im and that I'd best 'ave a care how I acted, because my 'ouse was being watched by secret service men. There was a lot more, but I 'aven't time to tell you. The upshot of it is, he's going to 'ave Brad nabbed and put where he can't do any 'arm. And, see 'ere, d.i.c.k, I don't want to be mixed up in this business. You've got to get Brad out of town to-night. He's done for now and--”

d.i.c.k Cronk interrupted his old friend with a snarl of impatience. ”Get him away yourself! I'm doing the best I know how. He won't leave of his own free will. He's here to do that man and he won't be put off. And what's more, Bob Grand ought to get it good and hard. Somebody ought to spike him, and who's got a better right than Tom Braddock? I'm ashamed of you, Joey! If you'd been half a man you'd 'a' beat his head off to-night when he put his foot on your doorstep, after what he put up to Ruby. I--I wish I'd been there!”

The bowl of the clay pipe dropped to the bricks. He literally had ground the stem in two with his teeth.

”Go home now--both of you,” he said, a moment later, following his own awkward laugh. ”You can't afford to be seen here. I'll look out for Brad. The Colonel won't come here a-lookin' for him, you can bet your life on that. You'll hear from me to-morrow. Maybe you think I ain't sick of this business? If it wasn't for you, Davy, I'd cut it in a minute and dig for the wooly West, where Mr. Barnum and Mr. Forepaugh are dying for my society. Move along now! Don't block the sidewalk!

Can't you see the ladies want to pa.s.s?”

Two maudlin women of the underworld lurched by, with coa.r.s.e, ribald comments on the ”swells.” David felt himself grow hot with shame and disgust. After their laughter had died away he turned to the grinning d.i.c.k.

”But we must do something to-night--” he began imploringly.

d.i.c.k lifted his hand. ”Correct,” he said. ”We must do some sleeping.”

He strode to the mouth of the forbidding pa.s.sage. A light from a saloon window shone out upon a long flight of rickety steps at the farther end, leading up to the darkness above. ”See that stairway? Well, I wouldn't advise you to follow me up there. It ain't a Romeo and Juliet balcony, gents. Good night!”

He turned into the pa.s.sage with a wave of the hand. They saw him pa.s.s up through the shaft of light from the window and disappear in the shadows. Then they hurried away from the foul place, almost running to the cab at the corner.

David did not sleep that night. He tossed on his bed, beset by the direst anxiety and dread, his eyes wide open and staring. He dozed off at six, but was wide awake before seven, when he arose and partook of a hurried, half-eaten breakfast. It was not likely that he would hear from d.i.c.k Cronk before the middle of the forenoon. Until then he was to be hara.s.sed by doubts and fears that would not be easy to suppress in his present unquiet frame of mind. While he was obliged to stand idle and impotent, the very foundation of all the future happiness of the girl he loved might be irreparably shattered. Silent, deadly, purposeful forces were working toward that end. Her mother would, no doubt, prepare her in a way for the crash, but there always would be the memory of the cruel blow that might have been prevented.

He crossed into Madison Square, taking a seat where he could watch the entrance to his hotel, though the hour was so early that it seemed sheer folly to expect d.i.c.k Cronk. A dozen times in the first half-hour he looked at his watch. Would the hands never reach nine o'clock? He knew that d.i.c.k would make his approach slyly. Perhaps if he returned to his room he would find him there. It would not be an unusual circ.u.mstance, he recalled.

Had Colonel Grand's detectives swooped down upon Tom Braddock? Was Christine's father already in jail? Was Grand in a position to hold a new club over the heads of the two women? Were the newspapers preparing to revel in the great story--

He was in the midst of these direful questions when some one tapped him lightly on the shoulder from behind. He turned and glanced upward, his nerves a-tingle.

”d.i.c.k!” he exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

”Sit down!” commanded the pickpocket warily.

David dropped to the bench, his eyes fastened on the white, drawn face of the pickpocket. A thick, white bandage was wrapped around his forehead, partially hidden by the slouch hat he wore. The man seemed faint and unsteady on his feet.

”I say, d.i.c.k,” cried David, ”what has happened? You are hurt. Who--”

With a rigid grin d.i.c.k put his hand to his head.