He did not forget that Cyrus Sutton was somewhere near him, and the boy dreaded a meeting with the cattle drover almost as much as he did with Bud Heyland himself; but he managed to get out of the piece of wood without seeing or being seen by him, and then he made all haste to his own home, where he found his mother beginning to wonder over his long absence.
Fred told the whole story, anxious to hear what she had to say about a matter on which he had made up his own mind.
"It looks as though Bud Heyland and this Mr. Sutton, that you have told me about, are partners in some evil doing."
"Of course they are; it can't be anything else, but what were they doing in the woods with the wagon?"
"Perhaps they expected to meet some one else."
"I don't think so, from what they said; it would have been better if I hadn't whistled to Bud, wouldn't it?"
[Pg 183]
"Perhaps not," replied the mother, "for it looks as if by doing so you prevented their perpetrating some wrong for which they had laid their plans, and were frightened by finding some one else was near them."
"I'm going to take a look through that wood to-morrow and keep watch; I think I will find out something worth knowing."
"You cannot be too careful, Fred, for it is a wonder to me that you have kept out of trouble so long——"
Both were startled at this moment by the closing of the gate, followed by a rapid footstep along the short walk, and then came a sharp knocking on the door.
Fred sprang up from his seat beside his mother and quickly opened the door. The fussy little constable, Archie Jackson, stood before them.
"Good evening, Frederick; good evening, Mrs. Sheldon," he said, looking across the room to the lady and taking off his hat to her, as he stepped within.
The handsome little lady arose, bowed and invited him to a seat, which he accepted, bowing his thanks again.
It was easy to see from the manner of Archie that he was full of the most important kind of business. He was in danger of tipping his chair over, from the prodigious extent to which he threw out his breast, as he carefully deposited his hat on the floor beside him and cleared his throat, with a vigor which could have been heard by any one passing outside.
"A pleasant night," he remarked, looking benignantly upon Mrs. Sheldon, who nodded her head to[Pg 184] signify that she agreed with him in his opinion of the weather.
After this preliminary he came to the point—that is, in his own peculiar way.
"Mrs. Sheldon, you have a very fine boy there," he said, nodding toward Fred, who turned quite red in the face.
"I am glad to hear you have such a good opinion of him," was the modest manner in which the mother acknowledged the compliment to her only child.
"I understand that he is the brightest scholar in school, and has the reputation of being truthful and honest, and I know him to be as full of pluck and courage as a—a—spring lamb," added the constable, clearing his throat again, to help him out of his search for a metaphor.
Mrs. Sheldon simply bowed and smiled, while Archie looked at his right hand, which was still swollen and tender from its violent contact with the stump that he mistook for the lion some nights before.
He remarked something about hurting it in the crack of the door when playing with his children, and added:
"Fred has become quite famous from the shrewd manner in which he captured the lion."
"I don't see as he deserves any special credit for that," observed the mother, "for I understand the animal was such an old one that he was almost harmless, and then he was kind enough to walk into the smoke-house and give Fred just the chance he needed. I regard it rather as a piece of good fortune than a display of courage."
[Pg 185]
"You are altogether too modest, Mrs. Sheldon—altogether too modest. Think of his stealing up to the open door of the smoke or milk-house when the creatur' was crunching bones inside! I tell you, Mrs. Sheldon, it took a great deal more courage than you will find in most men to do that."
The lady was compelled to admit that it was a severe test of the bravery of a boy, but she insisted that Fred had been favored by Providence, or good fortune, as some called it.
"What I want to come at," added Archie, clearing his throat again and spitting in his hat, mistaking it for the cuspidor on the other side, "is that I would be pleased if he could secure the reward which the Misses Perkinpine have offered for the recovery of their silverware, to say nothing of the money that was taken."
"It would be too unreasonable to hope that he could succeed in such a task as that."
"I'm not so sure, when you recollect that he saw the two parties who were engaged in the burglarious transaction. I thought maybe he might have some clew which would enable the officers of the law to lay their fingers on the guilty parties."
Fred was half tempted to say that he had such a clew in his pocket that very minute, but he was wise enough to hold his peace.
Once more the constable cleared his throat.
"But such is not the fact—ah, excuse me—I thought that was the spittoon, instead of my hat—how stupid!—and to relieve his mind of the anxiety which I know he must feel, I have called to make a statement."
[Pg 186]
Having said this much the visitor waited until he thought his auditors were fully impressed, when he added:
"When this robbery was made known to me I sent to New York city at once for one of the most famous detectives, giving him full particulars and urging him to come without delay; but for some reason, which I cannot understand, Mr. Carter has neither come nor written—a very discourteous proceeding on his part, to say the least; so I undertook the whole business alone—that is, without asking the help of anyone."
"I hope you have met with success," was the truthful wish expressed by Mrs. Sheldon.
"I have, I am glad to inform you. I have found out who the man was that, in the disguise of a tramp, eat a meal at the house of the Misses Perkinpine on Monday evening, and who afterward entered the building stealthily, and with the assistance of a confederate carried off all their valuable silverware and a considerable amount of money."
"You've fastened it on Bud, eh?" asked Fred, greatly interested.
The constable looked impressively at the lad, and said:
"There's where you make a great mistake; in fact, nothing in this world is easier than to make an error. I was sure it was Bud from what you told me, and you will remember I hinted as much to him on the day of the circus."
"Yes, and he turned red in the face and was scared."
[Pg 187]
"His face couldn't turn much redder than it is, and blushing under such circumstances can't always be taken as a proof of guilt; but I set to work and I found the guilty man."
"And it wasn't Bud?"
"He hadn't anything to do with it."
"But there were two of them, for I saw them."
"Of course; and I know the other man also."
This was important news indeed, and mother and son could only stare at their visitor in amazement. The constable, with all the pomposity of which he was master, picked up his hat from the floor and arose to his feet.
"Of course a detective doesn't go round the country boasting of what he has done and is going to do. Those who know me, know that I am one of the most modest of men and rarely speak of my many exploits. But I may tell you that you can prepare yourselves for one of the greatest surprises of your life."
"When is it going to come?" asked Fred.
"Very soon; in a day or two; maybe to-morrow; at any rate by Monday at the latest."
Mrs. Sheldon saw that the fussy officer was anxious to tell more and needed but the excuse of a question or two from her.
But she did not ask him anything, for with the intuition of her sex she had read his nature the first time she talked with him, and she had little faith in his high-sounding declaration of success.
Still, she knew that it was not unlikely he had stumbled upon the truth, while groping about; but she could[Pg 188] form no idea, of who the suspected parties were, and she allowed her visitor to bid her good evening without gaining any further knowledge of them.
Archie was heard walking down the path and out the gate, still clearing his throat, and doubtless with his shoulders thrown to the rear so far that he was in danger of falling over backwards.
Mrs. Sheldon smiled in her quiet way after his departure, and said:
"I can't feel much faith in him, but it may be he has found who the guilty ones are."
"I don't believe it," replied Fred, stoutly; "for, when he declares that Bud had nothing to do with it, I know he is wrong. Suppose I had taken out this knife and told him all about it, what would he have said?"
"It wouldn't have changed his opinion, for he is one of those men whose opinions are set and very difficult to change. He is confident he is right, and we shall know what it all means in a short time."
"Perhaps I will find out something to-morrow."
"More than likely you will fail altogether——"
To the surprise of both, they heard the gate open and shut again, another series of hastening steps sounded upon the gravel, and in a moment a quick, nervous rap came upon the door.
"Archie has come back to tell us the rest of his story," said Fred, springing up to answer the summons; "I thought he couldn't go away without letting us know——"
But the lad was mistaken, for, when he opened the[Pg 189] door, who should he see standing before him but Cyrus Sutton, the cattle drover, and the intimate friend of Bud Heyland?
He smiled pleasantly, doffed his hat, bowed and apologized for his intrusion, adding:
"I am sure you hardly expected me, and I only came because it was necessary that I should meet you both. Ah!"
Mrs. Sheldon had risen and advanced a couple of steps to greet her visitor, but, while the words were in her mouth she stopped short and looked wonderingly at him.
And Cyrus Sutton did the same respecting her; Fred, beholding the interesting spectacle of the two, whom he had believed to be utter strangers, staring at each other, with a fixidity of gaze, followed the next moment by an expression of looks and words which showed that this was not the first time they had met.
Fred's first emotion was that of resentment that such a worthless and evil-disposed man should presume to smile, extend his hand and say, as he advanced:
"This is a surprise, indeed! I had no idea that Mrs. Sheldon was you."
"And when I heard of Mr. Cyrus Sutton I never dreamed that it could be you," she answered.
She was about to add something more when he motioned her not to speak the words that he had reason to believe were on her tongue, and Fred knew not whether to be still angrier or more amazed.
Mr. Cyrus Sutton took the chair to which he was[Pg 190] invited and began talking about unimportant matters which it was plain were of no interest to either and were introductory to something that was to follow.
This continued several minutes, and then Mrs. Sheldon asked her visitor to excuse her for a minute or two while she accompanied her son to bed.
"My dear boy," she said, after they were alone in his little room, and he was about to kneel to say his prayers, "you must not be displeased at what you saw to-night. I know Mr. Cyrus Sutton very well and he has called on some business which he wishes to discuss with me alone."
"But he's a thief and robber," said Fred, "and I don't like to have him in the house unless I'm awake to take care of you."
"You need have no fears about me," replied the mother, stroking back his hair and kissing the forehead of the manly fellow. "I would be willing to talk before you, but I saw that he preferred not to do so, and as the matter is all in my interest, which you know is yours, it is proper that I should show that much deference to him."
"Well, it's all right if you say so," was the hearty response of Fred, who now knelt down and went through his prayers as usual.
His mother kissed him good-night and descended the stairs, and in a few minutes the murmur of voices reached the ears of the lad, who could have crept part way down-stairs and heard everything said.
But nothing in the world would have induced him to do such a dishonorable thing, and he finally sank to[Pg 191] slumber, with the dim words sounding to him, as they do to us in dreams.
In the morning his mother laughingly told him he would have to restrain his curiosity for a day or two, but she would tell him all as soon as Mr. Sutton gave his permission.
Fred felt all the eagerness natural to one of his years to know the meaning of the strange visit, but he was content to wait his mother's own good time, when she could make known the strange story which he realized she would soon have to tell him.
This day was Saturday, and Fred Sheldon determined to use it to the utmost, for he knew the singular incidents in which he had become involved were likely to press forward to some conclusion.
After breakfast and his morning chores, he started down the road in the direction of the village, it being his intention to pass through or rather into the wood where Sutton and Bud Heyland had held their meeting of the night before.
He had not reached the stretch of forest when he caught sight of Bud himself coming toward him on foot. The sombrero-like hat, the briar-wood pipe and the big boots, with the trousers tucked in the top, could be recognized as far as visible.
The bully had not his whip with him, both hands being shoved low down in his trousers pockets. He slouched along until close to Fred, when he stopped, and, leaning on the fence, waited for the boy to come up.
[Pg 192]
Fred would have been glad to avoid him, but there was no good way of doing so. He walked forward, whistling a tune, and made a move as if to go by, nodding his head and saying:
"Halloo, Bud."
"Hold on; don't be in a hurry," said the other, "I want to see you."
"Well, what is it?" asked Fred, stopping before him.
"You want to play the thief, do you?"
"I don't know what you mean," replied Fred, a half-dozen misgivings stirring his fears.
"How about that twenty dollars I gave you to get changed?"
"I declare I forgot all about it," replied Fred, greatly relieved that it was no worse.
"Did you get it changed?"
"Yes, and here are your ten dollars."
Bud took the bills and scanned them narrowly, and Fred started on again.
"Hold on!" commanded the other; "don't be in such a hurry; don't start ahead agin till I tell you to. Did they ask you any questions when you got it changed?"
"Nothing very particular, but changed it very gladly."
"Who was it that done it for you?"
"I told him the one who gave me the bill didn't wish me to answer any questions, and then this gentleman said it was all right, and just for the fun of the thing I mustn't tell anything about him."
Bud Heyland looked at the fellow standing a few feet[Pg 193] away as if he hardly understood what this meant. Finally he asked, in his gruff, dictatorial way:
"Who was he?"
"I cannot tell you."
"You cannot? You've got to."
"But I can't break my promise, Bud; I wouldn't tell a story to save my life."
"Bah, that's some of your mother's stuff; I'll soon take it out of you," said the bully, advancing threateningly toward him. "If you don't tell me all about him I'll break every bone in your body."
"You can do it then, for you won't find out."
Believing that he would have to fight for his very life, as the bully could catch him before he could get away, Fred drew his knife from his pocket, intending to use it as a weapon of defense.
While in the act of opening it, Bud Heyland caught sight of it, and with an exclamation of surprise, he demanded:
"Where did you get that?"
"I found it," replied Fred, who saw how he had forgotten himself in his fear; "is it yours?"
"Let me look at it," said Bud, reaching out his hand for it. Fred hardly knew whether he ought to surrender such a weapon or not, but, as the interest of the bully seemed to center entirely in it, he thought it best to do so.
Bud Heyland examined the jack-knife with great interest. One glance was enough for him to recognize it as his own. He opened the blades and shut them two[Pg 194] or three times, and then dropped it into his pocket with the remark:
"I'll take charge of that, I reckon."
"Is it yours?"
"I rather think it is, now," answered Bud, with an impudent grin! "Where did you find it?"
"Down yonder," answered Fred, pointing in a loose kind of way toward the old brick mansion.
"It was stole from me two weeks ago by a tramp, and it's funny that he lost it in this neighborhood. You can go now; I'll let you off this time, 'cause I'm so glad to get my old knife agin that was give to me two years ago."
And to the surprise and delight of Fred Sheldon, he was allowed to pass on without further questioning.
"I wonder whether I was wrong," said Fred, recalling the words of the bully; "he said he had it stolen from him two weeks ago by a tramp, and mother says that it isn't any proof that Bud is guilty because his knife was found there. Some one might have put it on the floor on purpose, and she says that just such things have been done before by persons who didn't want to be suspected."
"That agrees with what the constable says, too," added the boy, still following the same line of thought, "he is sure he has got the right man and it isn't Bud or Cyrus Sutton. Bud is bad enough to do anything of the kind, but maybe I was mistaken."
The lad was sorely puzzled, for matters were taking a shape which would have puzzled an older head than his.[Pg 195] Everything he had seen and heard for the last few days confirmed his theory that Heyland and Sutton were the guilty ones, and now the theory was being upset in a singular fashion.
Fred was in this mental muddle when he awoke to the fact that he had passed the boundary of the wood and would soon be beyond the place where he had intended to make some observations that day.
"I don't know whether there's any use in my trying to do anything," he said, still bewildered over what he had seen and heard within the last few hours.
Nevertheless, he did try hard, and we may say, succeeded, too.
He first looked hastily about him, and seeing no one, turned around and ran back into the wood. He did not remain in the highway itself, but entered the undergrowth, where it would be difficult for any one in the road to detect him.
"I noticed that when I spoke about coming here this morning, mother encouraged me, and told me to be careful, and so I will."
He now began picking his way through the dense wood with the care of a veritable American Indian stealing upon the camp of an enemy.