Joan of Arc of the North Woods Part 38

muttered the chief, worriment wrinkling his forehead. On the face of things, it seemed that, valuable as Miss Kennard had been as confidential secretary, she was still more valuable as a skillful operative--and Chief Mern was earnestly desirous of having her back on the job.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Chief Mern's interview with his two operatives the next forenoon did not yield the solid facts he was after. They disputed each other. Miss Elsham insisted that she had had Latisan on the run and claimed that his apparent involvement with Miss Kennard was merely a silly and fleeting flirtation with one whom he supposed was a table girl in a tavern.

"You gave me his character, all written out," insisted Miss Elsham.

"He's that kind. He didn't dare to presume with me as he would with a girl in a dining room; but I was getting along all right till Crowley b.u.t.ted in." She turned spitefully on that monopolizer and meddler. "And now don't stand there and say again that you claim the credit. I'll slap your face!"

Miss Elsham lied so strenuously that she was convincing.

Crowley, trying hard to tell the truth for once, stammered and stumbled over the amazing details of the lovemaking between Latisan and Miss Kennard. The chief found the really veracious recital beyond belief.

"She wouldn't offer to marry him, standing there in public," stormed Mern. "I know Kennard. She isn't that sort. I'll go to the bottom of this thing, even if it means a trip for me to that G.o.d-forsaken tank town. I'd give a thousand dollars to see Lida Kennard walk in through that door. I was never so worried about anything in all my life," he lamented. "Crowley, you deserted the most valuable person I have ever had in my office--and G.o.d knows what has happened to her." He sent them away.

"What does it get anybody to tell the truth?" grumbled Crowley.

"Nothing, when it sounds so ridiculous as the truth in this case,"

averred Miss Elsham. "Everybody seems to go crazy up in the tall timbers. Give me the tall buildings for mine after this."

In high good humor Rufus Craig appeared to Mern that afternoon a little before three o'clock. He sat down, pulled out the slide leaf of Mern's desk, and produced a check book. "No need my seeing Exhibit A before settling. Tell me the expense account. I'll include everything in one check."

With pen poised, waiting until the figures were brought in, the Comas man expressed his satisfaction. "There were three on the job, so I was told in Adonia when I came through. That's all right, Mern. I expected you to use your own judgment. I didn't have much time in Adonia--grabbed what information I could while waiting for the train to start--but it's a sure bet that Latisan is off for good. From what I heard it was your Miss Jones who really put it over--gave Latisan what they call up there the Big Laugh. Now who the blazes is this Miss Jones?"

"An operative of ours," the chief replied, with repression of enthusiasm decidedly in contrast with Craig's indors.e.m.e.nt of her. Mern did not dare to be other than vague, leaving Lida Kennard's ident.i.ty concealed until he could understand something about the inside affairs in his agency.

The reflection that he was still in the dark--could not talk out to a client as a detective should--was stirring his sour indignation more and more.

"I'd like to meet her," urged the director. "She must be a wonder. A great actress, I should judge, from what I was told in Adonia."

"She's having her vacation just now."

"Look here, Mern! I'm going to stick a couple of hundred more onto this check. Send it along to her and tell her to have an extra week or a new dress at my expense. I've made a side-line clean-up on the Tomah this season and money is easy with me." That was as explicit as Craig cared to be in regard to the deal with the Walpole heir. Still poising his pen, the director turned expectant gaze on the door when the k.n.o.b was turned; a flurried, fat girl whose manner showed that she was new to the place had received Mern's orders about the figures; now she came bringing them.

Craig frowned while he wrote the check after the girl had retired.

He was a bit pettish when he snapped his check book shut. "Say, Mern, I always like to see that Kennard girl when I come into your office. I like her looks. I like the way she puts out her hand to a man."

"I'm sorry she isn't here. But she's--she's out--sick."

"Good gad! I hope it's nothing serious." Craig showed real concern.

"Oh no! Just a--a rather severe cold." The chief was having hard work to conceal his mental state--being obliged to lie that way, like a fool, in order to hide the mystery in his own office!

"Give me her street number. I'll send up a bunch of flowers."

"She is out with some friends in the country to get clean air. I don't know the address."

Mern perceived that more questions were coming. Craig was frankly revealing his interest in Miss Kennard.

The chief pulled out his watch; he had a good excuse for changing an embarra.s.sing subject. "Latisan is about due. Of course, you don't want to be seen. I'll post you in one of the side consulting rooms."

"It seems rather silly, this spying," remonstrated Craig. "I'm taking your word about Latisan. I'm getting ready to start north, and have a lot of matters to look after."

"Humor my notion," urged the chief. "He has been tamed down and I want you to see him. You'll understand why I believe I can keep him hanging around here till you have nailed things to the cross up-country."

Craig showed no alacrity, but he allowed Mern to lead him to a small room that was separated from the main office by a ground-gla.s.s part.i.tion; there was a peephole at one corner of a panel. The director promised to wait there until the interview with Latisan was over. The chief said he would make it short.

Latisan walked in exactly on the stroke of three; after he came up in the elevator he had waited in the corridor, humbly obedient to Mern's directions as to the hour.

"Nothing doing in that matter to-day, Latisan," stated the chief, affecting to be busily engaged with papers on his desk. "Try me to-morrow, same time."

"Very well, sir," agreed the young man, somberly. In prospect, another twenty-four hours filled with lagging minutes! He had grown to know the hideous torture of such hours in the case of a man who before-time had found the days too short for his needs.

"By the way," said Mern, still hanging grimly to the desire to find out more about what the matter was with the office's internal affairs, "did anybody tell you that Miss Jones had returned to New York?"

"I wired to Brophy a few days ago. He said she had come back here, according to what he knew of her movements."

"You fell in love with her, didn't you?" The chief's tone was crisp with the vigor of third-degree abruptness.

"Yes," admitted Latisan, showing no resentment; he had promulgated that fact widely enough in the north.

"Just why did she urge you so strongly to go back to the drive?" The young man's meekness had drawn the overeager chief along to an incautious question.

"You ought to know better than I, sir. I take it that she was obeying your orders about how to work the trick on me, though it isn't clear in my mind as yet; but I'm not a detective."

"Did she promise to marry you as soon as the Flagg drive was down?"

Still Mern was boldly taking advantage of the young man's docility.

"That's true. I must admit it because it was said in public."

Mern scratched his ear. The thing was clearing somewhat in Crowley's direction; the blunderer had not lied on one point at least--the point that Mern found most blindly puzzling. What in the mischief had happened to the nature of Lida Kennard, as Mern knew that nature, so he thought!

"You remember Operative Crowley, do you?"

"Naturally."

"Are you holding an especial grudge against him?"

"I don't know why I should, sir. It's a dirty business he's in, but he gave me that letter which I turned over to you yesterday, and for some reason he exposed the trick that was being put upon me by the girl. If I can get at the bottom of the thing, for my own peace of mind, I'll be glad."

Chief Mern sympathized with that sentiment!

Then he took a little time for reflection. Perhaps a meeting between Latisan and Crowley might strike a few sparks to illuminate a situation that was very much in the dark.

"If Crowley is around the office I'm going to ask him to step in here.

The talk will be all friendly, I take it?"