The Deserted Yacht Part 12

As she entered the shop, she observed that already the salesmen were removing trays from the windows and returning expensive jewelry to the vaults.

"Is Mr. Dewitt in?" she questioned anxiously.

"You are the owner of the jade pin?" the clerk inquired, and as she a.s.sented, added: "Mr. Dewitt is expecting you. Right this way, please."

He led her to the rear of the store and opened the door of a private office. Mr. Dewitt, an elderly man with gray hair and keen, alert eyes, arose and politely offered Madge a chair opposite his desk.

"I shouldn't have taken your time," Madge began apologetically, "but one of your salesmen said he thought you might be interested in my pin. I don't suppose it is really jade."

"Indeed it is," the jeweler a.s.sured her. "A small stone but one of the most perfect I have ever seen. May I ask how it came into your possession?"

Madge explained that the pin had been found but did not mention under what circ.u.mstance.

"You have made no attempt to find the owner?"

"I thought I'd come to you first."

"You did quite right," he a.s.sured her. "In fact, I intended to warn you against advertising in the paper. This pin is valuable and you must be very cautious in seeking its owner. Perhaps you are acquainted with the stone's history."

"No," Madge responded eagerly, "what can you tell me of it?"

"It is the carven symbol upon the stone which makes it so interesting. I believe it to be the mark of a fanatical religious sect which at one time was known to exist in India."

"Not-Zudi worshipers?" Madge questioned.

"Yes," the jeweler acknowledged, surprised, "the sect is no longer active, to all accounts. It is odd that the pin which years ago doubtlessly belonged to one of the members, should turn up in this country. If the owner is located I should like very much to question him."

"You may be sure I'll not leave a stone unturned in attempting to find the person who lost it," Madge declared. "I think perhaps I know who it was."

She opened her purse and took out the paper upon which she had made a rough sketch of the symbol used on the Zudi Drum Bowl. She offered it to the jeweler.

"Would you say that the two symbols are alike?" she asked.

"There is a striking similarity. Yes, in my opinion they are the same."

Madge nodded in satisfaction. She now had all the information that she required for her case. There no longer was any doubt in her mind as to the owner of the jade pin. She was of the opinion that it belonged either to the boatman who had rowed her to The Flora on the day of her arrival at Cheltham Bay, or else to a fellow member of the fanatical Zudi sect.

In only one particular did she feel that her theory fell short. Mr.

Dewitt had said that the sect no longer existed, and Enid held the same opinion.

"They both may be mistaken," she thought. As soon as she reached the yacht she planned to lay all the facts before her chum, confident that she would then see the folly of trying to deal single handed with her father's abductors.

Madge divined that Mr. Dewitt intended to ask questions concerning her knowledge of the strange Zudi symbols. Since she was not ready to answer them, she hastily arose.

"If you wish, we will keep the stone here in our vaults until you claim it," the jeweler offered.

Madge was glad to accept the offer for she had no immediate use for the jade pin, and hesitated to be responsible for its safety. She thanked the jeweler for his kindness and left the store.

As she walked slowly toward the waterfront she considered the information gleaned from the interview. Had she felt free to do so, she would have gone directly to the police with her findings.

"I promised I wouldn't bring them into it again," she thought, "so before doing anything I must consult Enid. I'm sure she'll see my viewpoint now."

Aboard The Flora an hour later, she reported in detail her talk with Mr.

Dewitt. And to her deep chagrin, she encountered stubborn resistance from Enid.

"No, I don't feel that it's a case for the police," she insisted. "What have they done so far? Nothing at all."

"But the situation is different now," Madge explained patiently. "Do you realize that you're not dealing with an ordinary band of kidnappers?

You're negotiating with a group of fanatics-or at least that's my opinion. You can't trust them."

"You may be right," Enid admitted wearily, "but at any rate they're only after the Zudi Drum. When I turn it over to them, they'll be satisfied."

Madge realized that her arguments were making not the slightest impression upon her chum. In her intense desire to aid her father, Enid had lost sight of everything save the main objective.

"If you won't give up the idea of going to Cedar Point, then at least permit Rex or me to go with you," Madge pleaded.

Enid grasped her friend's hand and squeezed it gratefully.

"It's n.o.ble of you to offer, but of course I shan't accept."

Madge gave up. Until now she had hoped that she could find some means of convincing Enid of the mistake she was making. She considered ignoring her promise and taking the matter to the police, but loyalty would scarcely permit that. She told herself she must find some other way.

"I wish Jack French would hurry and arrive if he's actually decided to come," she thought. "He would know what to do."

Since she had sent off her telegram to Loon Lake, she had received no reply and she knew that in the present situation she must depend upon her own ingenuity. In vain she cudgeled her brain for some scheme which would secure Mr. Burnett's release and at the same time not endanger Enid.

"It's a shame to hand over the Zudi Drum Bowl without making the slightest attempt to save it," she mused. "Mr. Burnett must value it highly or he would have given it to the kidnappers of his own accord."

Supper time found her still turning the matter over in her mind. She was unusually quiet during the meal, but Enid did not notice. Neither ate a great deal although Jose had made a special effort to serve appetizing dishes. After they had finished, they sat out on the deck, watching the sunset.

Later in the evening, Rex drew alongside the yacht in his motor boat and was invited to come aboard. He had no news to report, and after Madge had talked with him a few minutes, she left him alone with Enid and went back to her deck chair.

For some time she sat there, staring intently toward the city, and yet completely unaware of the twinkling lights or the orchestra music which came faintly over the water from a beach front hotel. Then suddenly she straightened.

"Why didn't I think of it before?" she asked herself jubilantly. "Rex will help me I'm sure! If only I can manage to talk with him when Enid isn't around!"

She immediately sought her two friends, but the opportunity she awaited did not come. Madge had begun to fear that she would never have a chance to speak privately with Rex when Enid announced that she was cold.

Excusing herself, she went to her cabin for a coat.

In a few brief sentences, Madge explained the situation to Rex but there was no time to tell him of her plan, for they could hear Enid returning.

"I'll tell you more tomorrow!" Madge whispered. "There's just one thing you must do. Get another bowl the same size as the Zudi Drum and smuggle it aboard before nightfall. Remember how much is at stake, and don't fail!"

CHAPTER XIII A Clever Subst.i.tute