Port O' Gold Part 15

Adrian made no reply. He was thinking of the tragic news which must ere long be told to Burthen's daughter. For a time they strode along in silence--until Stanley paused before an open door. Against the inner light which streamed through it into the darkness of the street a woman's figure was outlined.

"Well, here we are, at last," said Adrian. "And my wife's in the doorway waiting to scold me for being so late."

Inez ran to meet him. "I have been anxious," she declared. She noted her husband's companion, and stepped back, startled. "Adrian, who is this?"

"A daughter of the mur----" Adrian began. He broke the telltale word in two: "Of James Burthen--Benito's partner."

"Ah, then you know my brother," Inez hailed her eagerly. She took the girl's hands in her own and pressed them. "You must tell us all about him--quickly. We have waited long for news."

"You are--Mr. Windham's sister?" cried the girl almost incredulously.

Then, with a swift abandonment to emotion she threw her arms about the elder woman's neck and sobbed.

Stanley followed them into the house. He saw Inez supporting her companion, soothing her in those mysterious ways which only women know.

His mind was stirred with grave perplexities.

A peremptory knock aroused him from his cogitations. Could it be the gambler so soon? He thought there were voices. Several men, no doubt.

Inez called out in a whisper, "Who is there?"

"Go back," her husband ordered. "It's all right, dear. They're friends of mine."

Inez came out quickly and stood beside him, looking up into his face.

"You're sure? There's no--no danger?"

Again the rat-tat-tat upon the panel, more peremptory than before.

Stanley forced a laugh. "Danger! Why, of course not. Just a business talk. But go back and look after the girl. I don't want her coming out here while I've visitors." He patted her hand. His arm about her shoulder he ushered her across the threshold of the inner chamber and closed the door. Then he extinguished the lamp. Hand on pistol he felt his way toward the outer portal and, with a sudden movement flung it wide. Three men stood on the threshold. They seemed puzzled by the darkness. Out of it the host's voice spoke: "Who are you? What do you wish?"

William Henry Brown was first to answer him. "We want you, Adrian, at the hotel. Can you come now--quickly?"

"What for?" he asked suspiciously. "Who sent you here?"

"n.o.body," came the cheery voice of Dr. Jones. "There's a friend of yours at Brown's who needs you."

"You mean--McTurpin?

"d.a.m.n McTurpin!" spoke the third voice. It was Nathan Spear's. "Light your lamp. n.o.body's going to shoot you, Stanley.... It's young Benito from the mines and down with fever. He's calling for you ... and for a girl named Alice.... If you can pacify him--that will help a lot. He's pretty low."

CHAPTER XXI

OUTFACING THE ENEMY

"Wait," said Adrian, hurriedly. He relighted the lamp and, going to the inner door, called softly. There was an agitated rustle; then the door swung back and Stanley saw the figure of his wife, beside whom stood the light-haired girl.

"What is it, Adrian?"

"There's someone sick at Brown's Hotel," said Adrian, "a friend of mine.

I'm going over there." He made a sign imposing silence on the men.

Inez came close. "You're certain it's no trick," she whispered, "it's not McTurpin's scheme to--"

"No, no," he a.s.sured her hastily. "I'm sure of that." He seized his hat and coat. "Put down the window shades and answer no one's knock till I return." He kissed her and without more ado joined the men outside. He heard the door shut and lock click into place.

For a time the quartette strode along in silence; then Brown spoke, as if the thought had been long on his lips, "Wasn't that--the girl McTurpin brought to town?"

"Yes," said Adrian tersely, "it was she."

Brown made no immediate response; he seemed to be digesting Adrian's remark. Finally he burst out, "If it's any of my business, what's she doing--there?"

"She asked for help," retorted Stanley. He related the incident of the veranda. Spear laughed meaningly. "That's the second one you've taken from McTurpin; he'll be loving you a heap, old man."

"He doesn't know it yet," Brown said. "But keep out of his way tomorrow."

Stanley's teeth met with a little click. "When I've seen Benito, Alec McTurpin and I will have a showdown. But tell me of the boy. What brought him here?"

"The missing girl, of course," said Dr. James. "He's daft about her.

Alice Burthen ... that's her name, isn't it?"

Stanley was about to make some rejoinder when they pa.s.sed two men, one of whom looked at them curiously. He was McTurpin's companion of the bar-room episode. "Who's that?" asked Spear as Brown saluted the pair.

"That's Reverend Wheeler, the new Baptist parson."

"Yes, yes, I know. But the other one?"

"Ned Gasket ... he's a friend of Dandy Carter's at the Eldorado."

"And a Sydney Duck, I guess," the doctor added.

"Do your own guessing, friend," said Brown, impatiently.

Spear sighed. "We'll have to do more than guess about that stripe of citizen if we want law and order. It will take a rope I fear," he finished grimly.

Brown led them round the back to a room not far from the one which had held Alice Burthen.

"It's quieter here," he explained. "They get noisy sometimes along about midnight." He opened the door and struck a sulphur match by whose weird flicker they made out a bed with a tossing figure upon it. Adrian crossed over and took the nervous clutching hands within his own firm clasp.

"Benito," he said. "Don't you know me? It's Adrian!"

Brown with a lighted lamp came nearer, so that Stanley saw the sufferer's eyes. They were incognizant of realities. The murmuring voice droned on, fretfully, "I've looked for her everywhere. She's gone! gone!"

Suddenly he cried out: "Alice! Alice!" half rising. But he tumbled back upon the pillow with a swift collapse of weakness and his words waned into mumbled incoherence.

"Benito," Adrian addressed him earnestly, "Alice is with me. With me and Inez. She's safe. I'll bring her to you in the morning. Do you understand?"

"With you--with Inez?" the sick man repeated. "Then tell her to come. I want her. Tell Alice to come--"

"Tomorrow," Dr. Jones said, soothingly, "when you've had a chance to rest."