Bear and forbear

It was decided that the sheriff should return to Centreport with his prisoner in the Ucayga, which left Hitaca at one o’clock, and would be at Priam before two. The doctor insisted that Tom should keep quiet for two or three days, and he reluctantly consented to return in the steamer, while I went up the lake to the Cataract House, to see what had become of Lord Palsgrave.

Soon after we arrived at the hotel, Schleifer declared that he was nearly starved, for he had not eaten anything since he had taken his supper the evening before in Hitaca. I ordered an early dinner for the whole party, and the robber’s handcuffs were removed to enable him to use his knife and fork; but both the sheriff and myself had a revolver by the side of our plates, and the rascal made no attempt to escape.

While we were at dinner, Captain Synders and Waddie arrived, on their return from the pursuit of the other robber, They had not been able to obtain the slightest clew to him in this direction, and had come to the conclusion that he had gone towards Ucayga; but a party had been sent in that direction, and it was hoped he had been captured.

“How far did you go, Waddie?” I asked.

“We went about a mile beyond the Cataract House,” he replied. “We could not find the slightest trace of him.”

“Did you stop at the Cataract House?”

“Yes, a few minutes.”

“Did you see Mr. Overton?”

“No; but the landlord told me he was out looking for Miss Dornwood, who disappeared last evening very strangely,” replied Waddie, chuckling, “Lord—What’s his name?”

“Lord Palsgrave,” I added, with interest.

“Lord Palsgrave was helping him in the search.”

“Indeed!” I exclaimed, “All right!”

“What’s all right?”

“Lord Palsgrave.”

“What of him?”

“He’s your man.”

“What do you mean?” demanded Waddie, unable to comprehend my rapid suggestions.

“You have not seen the robber we captured, Waddie. I had forgotten that. You must go in and look at him.”

“Why?”

“He is an old acquaintance of ours.”

“The robber?”

“Yes; in a word, it is the hardware drummer that we took from the burning canal-boat,” I replied. “His mission in Centreport was to rob the bank.”

“Now I remember the fellow said he wanted to go to Centreport, half a dozen times, and as often corrected himself, and made it Middleport. You don’t say that drummer is the fellow!”

“It’s a fact; and, if the drummer was one of them, it follows that Lord Palsgrave is the other.”

“By the great horn spoon!” ejaculated Waddie.

“It’s as clear as mud,” I added. “I saw his lordship and the drummer leave the stable together in a vehicle.”

“But how could he get back here? That’s what bothers me. We came down by the direct road, and could not get any traces of him.”

“I don’t know how that is, but I am satisfied his lordship is one of the men who robbed the Centreport Bank. I am going to the Cataract House in the Belle. Captain Synders had better go with me, for I am sure Lord Palsgrave is our man.”

“All right; and I will go also,” replied Waddie.

We went into the hotel, and my friend was fully convinced of the correctness of my theory when he saw and recognized the drummer. Schleifer, or whatever his name was, continued to be boastful and defiant. He was a hard villain, and seemed to take great pleasure in informing us how he had cheated us in the pursuit. When we went in, he was telling the sheriff that, though he had been hit on the shoulder by a stone, he was not much hurt, and had concluded that his chances were better in the boat than in that dismal hole. We did not pay much attention to him, however; and, after Waddie and Captain Synders had dined, we embarked in the Belle for the Cataract House.

“I don’t understand how the other robber can be down here,” said the constable when we were under way. “In fact, I don’t believe he is here.”

“You shall be satisfied on that point before night,” I replied.

“It would be a feather in our caps if we should happen to catch him,” added the captain.

“If he don’t get frightened and clear out, we shall have him before night,” I replied.

Indeed, I wondered that his lordship had the temerity to remain in the vicinity after the crime in which he had been engaged, and I suggested to my companions that we should proceed with the utmost caution, and capture him before the news of Schleifer’s mishap reached him. The wind was still fair and fresh, and we made a quick run to our destination. We landed at a point some distance above that from which we had started the night before, and, taking a path through the woods, proceeded to the stable in the rear of the hotel. I wished to ascertain when and how his lordship had returned. I did not like to have the constable exhibit himself, and I left him in the grove, though he grumbled not a little at being compelled to play an inferior part in the transaction. I found the stable-keeper, who knew me very well, and being in a position to send customers to the hotel, I was treated with much consideration.

“You remember that I was here last evening?” I began, after he had greeted me.

“Yes, you were asking about that lord who is stopping in the house.”

“Exactly so. I never happened to meet a live lord, and I am rather anxious to see one. Has he returned yet?”

“Yes; he came back this morning, about eight o’clock.”

“Did the other gentleman return with him?” I asked.

“No; did you know him?”

“I had seen him before. Do you know where they went?”

“Over to Highlandville, Lord Palsgrave said he had been over there to see a friend be met in England last year.”

His lordship was certainly very obliging to state his business so definitely to the stable-keeper; and I was rather desirous of knowing who his friends in Highlandville were. This place was about five miles back from the lake.

“Do you know where he is now?” I continued.

“He and another gentleman took a team this forenoon, and went away. They have not returned yet.”

“Who was the other gentleman?”

“Mr. Overton, I think; at any rate, it was the one who came with him,” replied the stable-keeper. “I reckon there is some trouble in the family, Captain Penniman. The young lady who came with the party cleared out last night, and they have been looking for her all day. I believe they have gone to Hitaca this time.”

The stable-keeper wanted to tell me all about the young lady, who had “cleared out;” but as I knew more of the matter than he did, I was not anxious to hear the story. The only point in his narrative that interested me was the statement that the young lady was supposed to be insane, being subject to this malady. I concluded that this was an invention of Mr. Overton, put forth for the purpose of concealing the real trouble.

“There they are now!” said the stable-keeper, as a team drove up to the side door of the hotel. “I thought they would be back by dinner time.”

One of the gentlemen alighted from the vehicle, and went into the hotel, while the other drove the horse up to the stable. The latter was Mr. Overton, and as I did not care about being seen before we were ready to put the bracelets on the wrists of his lordship, I left the stable, and moved towards the grove where I had left my companions. But the horse, when headed towards the stable, smelt his oats, and started off rather suddenly, and Mr. Overton drove him around the hotel to prevent the animal from turning too short a corner. I did not observe where he went, and as I was hastening to the grove, I met him in the road, where I could not avoid him without jumping over the fence, which my dignity would not permit me to do. He recognized me at once, and stopped the horse.

“I wish to see you, young man,” said he, in an arrogant tone, as he stepped out of the vehicle.

One of the hostlers came to the place, and took charge of the horse, so that he was relieved of all care on his account, and able to give his whole attention to me. I nodded to him, as he spoke, to indicate that I was ready to hear him.

“You are one of the persons who were with my ward, Miss Dornwood, yesterday afternoon?” he continued, pulling off his glove.

“I am one of the persons,” I replied.

“You are the owner of a boat?”

“No, sir, I am not.”

“One of your party is?”

“One of my party is.”

“Where is that boat now?” demanded he, beginning to be a little excited.

“She lies over by the shore yonder.”

“Where?” repeated he, sternly.

“If you wish to see her, I will take you to her,” I replied, good-naturedly, for this is my policy when other people are angry.

“I don’t wish to see her; I only want to know where she is.”

“Well, sir, she is not a half a mile from here.”

“Hasn’t she been away somewhere?”

“I believe the lake is free for her to go wherever her skipper chooses to take her,” I replied, prudently.

It occurred to me that Lord Palsgrave might be interested to know where the Belle had been, and I was afraid some information might be conveyed to him before I was ready to have him receive it.

“You don’t answer my question,” said Mr. Overton, savagely.

“I don’t consider myself under any obligation to answer your questions, especially when you propose them in this offensive manner,” I replied, mildly.

He bit his lips, and perhaps he recognized the force of my remark.

“I have a purpose in putting these questions,” he added, more gently.

“I can’t help it if you have, sir.”

“In a word, the young lady whom you assisted has run away. Do you know anything about her?”

“For the present, sir, I decline to answer.”

“Which means that you do know something about her.”

“You may draw your own conclusions.”

“Let me tell you, young man, that Miss Dornwood is my ward, and under my authority. Lord Palsgrave and myself have been searching for her all the forenoon.”

“Indeed! Is Lord Palsgrave much interested in her?” I asked.

“He is to be her husband, and of course he is very anxious in regard to her.”

“If he is to be her husband, I should think he might be anxious,” I added, coolly.

“He is very much distressed, and if you know anything about her, you will do him a very great favor by informing him where she is.”

“I should be happy to oblige his lordship.”

“Lord Palsgrave is compelled to start for New York this afternoon, upon important business, and he is very anxious to know what has become of Miss Dornwood before he leaves.”

“I should think he would be. Then he is going away on important business,” I repeated, glad to know the fact. “Will you introduce me to his lordship?”

“I will.”

“I will tell him where the lady is.”

“Very well; you shall see him at once.”

“I will meet you at the hotel in a few moments,” I replied, moving towards the place where I had left Waddie and Captain Synders.