Dorothy Dixon Solves the Conway Case

“Nobody in here!” a voice sang out after a moment.

Joyce looked bewildered. Then he picked up the lamp, walked to the open door and looked into the room.

“Yank that bed apart!” he ordered.

The two lying on the boards above his head heard the men dragging the evergreen boughs off the couch. Joyce said not a word when their search was ended, but turned on his heel and returned to the front room, followed by his henchmen.

“Didn’t think yo’d fin’ nobody,” remarked Uncle Abe mildly, “If yo’ had, I’d sho’ bin supprised!”

“So you’d been surprised, eh?”

John J. Joyce had an unpleasant way of repeating words. Now he stood over the old man belligerently.

“Yaas, suh,” replied Uncle Abe with an unconcern he probably did not feel. “I could o’ tol’ yo’ dat dey’s nobody in dere. Who yo’all a-lookin’ fo’?”

“What business is that of yours?”

The old man remained silent.

“If you must know,” snarled Joyce, “we’re looking for a young fellow and a girl.”

“What dey doin’ uphyar in de woods at dis time o’ night?”

“Tryin’ to get away from us, I guess,” said one of the men.

“You keep your trap shut, Featherstone,” barked Joyce. “I’m not paying you to talk. This is my show, not yours.”

“Well, if you talk that way, you can run it by yourself. I’m not your slave. Keep a civil tongue in your head, Joyce – or I’ll go back to the car – and go right now.”

“That goes with me, too,” broke in the second man gruffly. “What d’you take us for – a pair of fools? I wasn’t hired to do a marathon the length and breadth of the forest on a soakin’ wet night. Those kids ain’t here – let’s go!”

“Oh, is that so? Well now you’ve had your say, and you’ll go – when I get good and ready,” sneered Joyce in his disagreeable, domineering voice.

“But what’s the use of hangin’ round?” argued the first man. “I’m tired and I’m hungry and I’m soaked to the skin – ”

“And if I say the word to certain parties, the two of you will be taking a longer journey,” snapped their employer, “ – a little trip up the river that ends in a chair – a red hot one. Shut up, both of you.”

He turned to Uncle Abe again. “Come, River – out with it,” he commanded. “Where have that boy and girl gone to?”

“How should I know?” Uncle Abe knocked his pipe out on the hearth. “What fo’ yo’all chasin’ dese hyar chillun in de woods?”

“That’s my business. There are fresh tracks leading along the trail right up to your door.”

“Dat may be, suh. Day may be. I ain’t sayin’ dey isn’t, Marse Joyce.” He wagged his head solemnly. “I wuz out myse’f e’rlier in de evenin’.”

“Huh! You wouldn’t leave two sets of tracks!”

“Yaas, suh, Marse Joyce – goin’ an’ comin’.”

Dorothy, from her perch above, smiled at the old darky’s astuteness. Their tracks were on the trail, of course, for those who followed to read; but the rain had long ago blurred the outlines. Their pursuers could not know in which direction the footprints led.

“So you think it was your tracks we followed?”

John J. Joyce continued to speak in the harsh, bullying tone that made Dorothy want to kick him. She realized, nevertheless, that the old darky’s last statement was proving a serious facer to his inquisitor.

“I ain’t a-gwine ter say jes’ dat,” returned Uncle Abe. “All I knows is dat I made tracks on de trail. If dey’s more’n two pair, dey ain’t mine.”

“What trails were you on?” came the sudden question, and Dorothy tingled with excitement as Uncle Abe hesitated.

“Lemme see, suh – why, I wuz down de Spy Rock Trail, an’ de Cross Trail. And den I wuz ’long de Overlook and de Raven Rock Trails – ”

“A nice long walk you had on a wet night,” sneered the white man.

Uncle Abe was imperturbable. “Yaas, suh.”

“I don’t believe a word of it.”

“Dat yo’ priv-lige, Marse Joyce.”

“Well, it doesn’t sound likely to me, especially when you say you’ve rheumatism in your feet.”

“I’se gotter eat, suh.”

“What’s that got to do with it? There are no stores on these trails. What do you pretend you were doing, anyway?”

Ol’ Man River chuckled gently. “Baitin’ traps.”

“Catch anything?” Joyce sneered. “I don’t suppose you did.”

“Den you’s a mighty bad ’sposer, suh. Kaze I done cotch dat der rabbit yonder!”

Following the direction of his pointed finger, Dorothy saw for the first time that a large jackrabbit hung from a crossbeam in a corner.

“It’s no go, Joyce,” broke in one of the henchmen. “This nigger doesn’t know where those kids are. Let’s beat it.”

Joyce, who had unbuttoned his coat, fastened it up again.

“For once you’re right,” he admitted truculently. “It’s time we got back to the car. That pair have holed in for the night somewhere else. We’ll watch the reservation entrances in the morning.”

“Good night, suh, and a pleasant walk!”

Dorothy had hard work to repress her laughter. She loved this spunky old negro.

Joyce turned angrily upon him. “You keep a civil tongue in your face, River!” he menaced. “In the first place, this is a state preserve, and poaching is severely punished; and secondly, you have no right to be squatting in this shelter, I – ”

“Pick on someone your size, Joyce,” advised the man who had spoken before. “This old nigger ain’t doin’ you nor anyone else any harm. Leave him alone.”

“It’s two to one, Joyce. Come on!” said the other.

For a moment Dorothy thought there would be a row. Joyce looked as though he would burst with rage. But evidently thinking better of it, he turned his back to the fire and strode over to the door. Without another word, he opened it and disappeared into the black night.

He was followed immediately by the two men. The one who had spoken for Abe swung round in the doorway.

“I know you’re a good hearted old liar, Uncle,” he whispered. “And if you think a minute you’ll know why I know it! Don’t blame you. Joyce has a nasty temper and no matter where those kids are, we’ll round ’em up in the morning, anyway. Good night!”

“’Night,” returned Ol’ Man River. “Pleasant walk, suh!”

“Yep. The joke’s on us,” grinned the other and shut the door behind him.

Bill and Dorothy were about to move from their cramped positions when they saw the old man raise a finger to his lips in warning as apparently he studied the glowing embers of the fire.

The door suddenly opened and the same man stuck his head in.

“You’re a sly old fox,” he said. “I know you’ve got those kids hidden somewhere. Maybe they’re listening for all I know, and I can tell you, Uncle, they are getting a rotten deal. Joyce calls me Featherstone. Here’s my card. Give it to them. G’d-night.”

A bit of white pasteboard fluttered to the floor as the door slammed.

Uncle Abe got stiffly off his chair, shuffled over to the door and sent the bolt home. Then he picked up the card.

Bill pushed the pile of damp clothing off the boards, then swung himself down to the floor. Dorothy was beside him as he turned to catch her.

“Uncle Abe,” she said, taking the old man’s hand, “you are kind and you’re good, and you are very, very brave. Bill and I can never properly thank you for all you’ve done for us tonight.”

“Say no mo’ ’bout it,” protested Uncle Abe, when Bill put his hand on his shoulder.

“Look here, Uncle Abe,” he broke in, “you’re one of the grandest guys I know. Some day perhaps we can even up things a bit. You ran a big risk for us, you know.”

The old man smiled and blinked at them for a moment. “Then, yo’all must be sleepy – I sho’ is. You kin take the back room if you will, Missy. Marse Bill an’ me’s gwine ter hit de hay in here.”

“Who was that man, Uncle Abe?” asked Dorothy, stifling a yawn with the palm of her hand. “What did his card say, I mean?”

“Spec’ he’s a deteckative, Missy. De card say ‘Michael Michaels, Private Inquiry Agent’.”

“Evidently he’s got his eye on Joyce,” summed up Bill. “Wonder who he’s working for?”

“What interests me more just now,” said Dorothy, “is how Mister Michael Michaels knew we were hidden here.”

The old man chuckled.

“He’s sho’ ’nuf a smart man, Missy. It wuz de tracks on de trail. He know’d I done never make dem tracks. He know’d dey wan’t nobody else’s but yourn.”

“How come, uncle?” asked Bill.

“Dat jackrabbit a-hangin’ yonder done it, suh.”

“But what’s that rabbit got to do with our tracks?”

“Marse Michaels, he must o’ touched dat bunny. Den he know’d it wan’t never trapped today. Dat bunny’s stiff ez er hick’ry log!”

Dorothy and Bill burst into laughter.

“Bet you were scared silly for fear Joyce might examine it and realize that you hadn’t been out tonight!” said Bill.

“Dat’s right, sho’ nuf, Marse Bill.”

“You know, Mr. Michaels may be a big help to us,” remarked Dorothy, yawning unashamedly in their faces this time. “Well, I just can’t hold my head up any longer. Good night, both of you.”

“Good night,” returned Bill and Uncle Abe in unison.

Dorothy took herself off to the back room and bed.

Chapter XIII

THE WAY OUT

The gray light of early morning crept into Shelter No. 6 through the open shutters. It brought to view two forms rolled in blankets, sleeping soundly before the dying embers of last night’s woodfire. In the back room, Dorothy was curled up on the fragrant bed of evergreens, deep in a dreamless slumber. The storm of the evening was gone, leaving in its place a fine, steady drizzle. The air was chill and damp. It bade fair to be another unpleasant day.

The hands of a battered alarm clock that stood on the chimney shelf marked quarter to eight, but the sleepers were motionless. Then suddenly Uncle Abe sat up and knuckled the sleep from his eyes.

“Lordy, Lordy!” he grumbled, catching sight of the clock. “Dose chillun wuz ter git ’way early an’ dis hye’r nigger sleepin’ lak de daid. I speck de young Missy an’ Marse Bill need der sleep – an’ we’ll fool Marse Joyce jus’ de same.”

He got stiffly to his feet, stretched his ancient arms above his head and set about building up the fire.

Presently Bill opened his eyes and yawned. Then he threw off his blanket, sat up and sniffed.

“Bacon – eggs – coffee,” he murmured. “Good morning, Uncle, you sure are an A1. up to the minute chef!”

Hovering over a sizzling frying pan, the old man turned his head and smiled at Bill.

“Mornin’, Marse Bill. Yaas, suh, I ’low dat eatin’ brekfus’ an’ gettin’ it, too, is de bes’ fashion what is.”

“You said it,” grinned Bill. “Say, I guess we all overslept! Well, no use crossing our bridges ’til we come to ’em. Any place in this hotel where I can wash and slick up a bit, Uncle?”

“Sho’ is, suh. De soap an’ de towel an’ de bucket an’ de basin is over yonder by de do’. When yo’alls done wid dem, p’raps yo’ll wake de young missy, an’ carry de bucket in yonder?”

“Sure will,” returned Bill, “but I’ll wake her up first.”

He went to the door in the partition and banged his fist on the panels.

“First call for breakfast in the dining car ahead – ”

“Ummm – ” responded a sleepy voice from the back room.

“Time to get up, Dorothy. Hop to it, kid!”

“I’m awake!” called back that young lady.

“O.K. When you’re ready, there’ll be a pail of water outside your door.”

“Thanks. Be with you in a jiffy.”

Bill crossed the room, sloshed water into the tin basin and carried the pail back. While he was immersed in his morning ablutions Dorothy’s door opened and her hand withdrew the pail.

Bill had no more than taken a seat at the table, when she put in her appearance. Dressed in the overalls, flannel shirt and heavy wool socks of the night before, she looked particularly bright and cheerful.

“Morning, everybody!” she smiled. “That bed of yours, Uncle Abe, is the most comfortable one I ever slept on. Too bad I had to turn you out of it.”

“Reckon neither Marse Bill ner me knowed what we wuz a-sleepin’ on, Missy. I sho’ wuz daid ter ebbryt’ing all night long. De flo’ ain’t discomfertubble, when yo’ knows how ter lay on it.”

“I’m kind of stiff,” admitted Bill. “But I feel fifty million per cent better. Bet I never moved from the time I turned in until the smell of breakfast woke me up.”

“My!” exclaimed Dorothy, peeking into the frying pan. “Where did all these swell eggs come from, Uncle?”

The old darky chuckled.

“Dat’s one o’ de two things a white pusson mus’nt never ask no color’d pusson, Missy.”

“And what’s the other?” Dorothy inquired with twinkling eyes.

“Where a nigger gits his chickens.”

All three of them laughed this time and sat down to breakfast.

During the meal there was little conversation. Both Dorothy and Bill were frankly hungry and each was silently puzzling a way out of their predicament. Uncle Abe, always affable, nevertheless, rarely if ever volunteered advice unless called upon. In his mind, to do otherwise would have been a breach of good manners.

Bill drained his second cup of coffee and met Dorothy’s look.

“Got any ideas?” he asked her.

She shook her head and pushed her chair back from the table. “No, I haven’t,” she confessed gravely. “But if I’m any judge of bad character, Mr. John J. Joyce will keep his promise. Too bad we slept so long.”

“Maybe,” said Bill. “But without that good rest, we’d have been dead ones today. The tough part of it is that Joyce’s men will be posted at all the reservation entrances now – ”

“And on the trails around this shelter.”

“Very likely. If we could ditch those guys and hike over to a road, we might get a lift out in somebody’s car. Lots of people drive in here on Sundays.”

“Not in weather like this, Bill. No, even if we did persuade someone to give us a lift, we’d be soon seen and stopped.”

Bill suddenly brought his fist down upon the table.

“We’re a pair of idiots,” he declared. “Joyce’s men won’t stop us. They’ll be looking for Stoker Conway and a girl. Keep those clothes on you’re wearing, and with my old hat, all they’ll see is a couple of fellows on a tramp. Nobody’d take me for George Conway. Why, we’ve got nothing to worry about!”

“That’s where I differ with you. We most certainly have plenty to worry us.”

“But how come, Dorothy?”

“How do we know that friend Joyce hasn’t got hold of Stoker and possibly Terry, too?”

“Then – if he has, he won’t want us.”

“Oh, yes, he will. You can bet your boots, Mr. Joyce isn’t letting anyone go whom he may think was mixed up in last night’s affair.”

Bill looked surprised. “But Joyce can’t go on kidnapping people,” he argued. “Or rather he can’t keep on trying to kidnap the whole bunch who were in Stoker’s house last night, and then hold them indefinitely. Even if he caught us all, he couldn’t hold us long.”

“Long enough to get what he thinks Stoker has got – and make his getaway, if necessary. At least that’s how I figure it. If he catches any of us we’re not likely to come in personal contact with him. He’s too smart to give himself away like that.”

“Possibly you’re right. But if he did catch any of us, he’d soon find out that Stoker and the rest of the bunch know less about this mysterious something he’s after than he does himself!”

Dorothy smiled. “Rather involved, but I think I fathom your meaning. You seem to forget, Bill, that when Betty and I butted into this thing up at the Conway house, a couple of strong-arm men were starting to heat a poker. I don’t think Mr. Joyce’s hospitality will prove a pleasant experience if we are caught by him or his men.”

“Well, we’ve got to get off this reservation – how are we going to do it?”

“Blest if I know,” she admitted candidly. “But we’ve just got to find a way. And look here, Bill – I know you think I’m all steamed up over a trifle – but I honestly believe that whatever Joyce is trying to steal from Stoker is so enormously valuable that he’s determined to risk pretty nearly everything short of murder to gain possession of it!”

“I wouldn’t put murder past him, either,” said Bill.

“His actions prove he’s in deadly earnest,” Dorothy went on, and then turned to Ol’ Man River, who was peacefully puffing his pipe. “You’ve heard what we were saying, Uncle Abe. Have you any suggestions to give us?”

That ancient colored gentleman removed the corncob from between his teeth and pursed his lips. “Waal, yaas, m’am. I reckon Marse Johnson is de answer to yo’ question,” he said thoughtfully.

“Oh, he’s the reservation superintendent – you’re right, Uncle Abe – he can do it if anyone can. Why didn’t we think of him before?”

“Dat am so, Missy. Der ain’t a-gwine nobody ter stop yo’all long wid Marse Johnson.”

“That’s a great idea, Uncle,” applauded Bill. “The super’s house is right across the reservation from here, if I recall rightly?”

“Yaas, suh, it am. Right down yonder where de Boutonville road come out far side ob de reservation t’ard Cross River.”

“Think you could pilot us down there and give those guys in the woods the miss?”

“I speck dese men ain’t gwine ter git familious wid us if yo’ foller Ol’ Man River. I’se boun’ we-all sho’ give ’em de bestes’ game er hide an’ seek dey ez ever had. It ain’t a-gwine be easy, Marse Bill. But I’ll git yo’all down yonder and den you kin carry de young Missy home in a kyar. Marse Johnson, he’s got three automerbiles.”

“I hope it’ll be as easy as you say,” grinned Bill, amused by the old man’s earnestness. “I’ll make a bundle of Miss Dorothy’s clothes and then the best thing we can do is to get started.”

“I’se got a pair er sneakers dat you kin wear, Missy,” Uncle Abe announced. “Dey ain’t no count nohow, but dey’s got sol’s an’ dat sho’ am better dan walkin’ in dose socks.”

“Thanks a lot, Uncle, you’re such a grand help to us – ” She smiled at the old man and he fairly beamed. “I’ll love wearing them. But first of all, we’ll heat some water and wash dishes. Don’t look so annoyed, Bill. We’ve got plenty of time, now, and there’s nothing more slovenly than letting the dishes go after a meal. We did it because we had to last night, but I intend to leave Uncle Abe’s cabin just as spick and span as we found it. You fetch some water and heat it while Uncle Abe scrapes the plates. In the meantime I’ll straighten up the back room and sweep out the house.”

Dorothy was as good as her word. By the time the dish water was hot, her bed had been made, the cabin swept and generally put to rights. Then she brought out the dishpan and washed both the supper and breakfast dishes while Bill and Uncle Abe dried them.

“Some swell housekeeper,” said Bill to Uncle Abe with a grimace, “and she knows how to make the men folks work, too!”

“An’ dat am ez it should be,” declared the old darky solemnly. “De Good Book say, ‘what am food fo’ de goose am good eatin’ fo’ de gander’…”

“I don’t know whether that’s a compliment, or not, Uncle,” laughed Dorothy. “But you see, it didn’t take long, and I feel better knowing everything’s clean.”

“Is your ladyship ready to go now?” asked Bill.

“Quite ready – thank you so much.”

“Then let’s shove off. What you said about Stoker and Terry a while ago has got me worried, I must admit. I want to get to a telephone just as soon as possible.”

Uncle Abe left the cabin first. After scouting about in the cold drizzle for a few minutes, he came back and declared that the way was clear.

“I gen’rally goes ’long Overlook Trail an’ down de Cross River Road ter git er Marse Johnson’s house,” explained the old man, once they were outside the cabin.

“But dis mornin’ we ain’t gwine dat-away – t’aint safe. Yo’ all stick close behin’ Ol’ Man River, an’ sing out ef he’s a-travelin’ too fast. Dis ain’t no easy trail we’se takin’.”

He struck directly into the woods and for the next hour Dorothy never even sighted a path. She soon found out that when Uncle Abe described this as ‘no easy trail,’ he was telling the unvarnished truth. Dorothy was no Alice-sit-by-the-fire. She had been on some stiff hikes before this, but the ancient negro led them up hill and down dale, through the tangled undergrowth or virgin forest dripping wet with rain. And he led them through this wilderness of trees and rocks at a perfectly amazing rate of speed. Until Dorothy caught her second wind, she was hard put to keep up.

If Joyce had men out, they never saw them. In fact, except for an occasional bird or small forest animal scuttling away in their advance, they neither saw nor heard any living thing. Eventually they climbed the steep side of a wooded ridge and stopped.

Below them, through the trees Dorothy made out woodland meadows, stretching down to a road which ran along their side of the valley. Lower down and paralleling the highway, a winding river ran down the vale. Lying in broad fields near the river to their left was a large farm house and barns.

“Cross River Road, Cross River, and Marse Johnson’s house,” announced Uncle Abe, using a hand and forearm for a pointer. “Dat highway yonder what runs inter de Cross River Road near de house ez de Honey Holler Road. Right dar am de Cross River entrance, an’ right dar ez ’zackly de place whar ol’ man Joyce’s gang am hangin’ out.”

“It’s going to be a job to get down there without being seen,” remarked Bill.

“Der ain’t nobody gwine ter see us,” protested the old darky, “kaze soon ex we git ter der open, you an’ me an’ Missy am gwine ter ben’ down low an’ hug de far side er de stone fences. But we’alls stayed hyar confabbin’ long ’nuf. Got ter git goin’ ag’in.”

He moved off down the slope, the others following. By dint of doing exactly as he advised, fifteen minutes later found them ringing Mr. Johnson’s doorbell.

“Dese young people am fren’s er mine, Miz Johnson,” Uncle Abe told the motherly person who opened the door.

“Step right in,” she invited with a smile. “Lands sakes, you’re drippin’ wet. Come in by the kitchen range and get dried out. You must be perishin’ – ”

“Thanks. May I use your telephone?” inquired Bill as he spied a wall instrument in the hall.

“Of course you can,” beamed Mrs. Johnson. “There’s a book on the table there.”

“Thank you, I know the number.”

“Going to call up Stoker?” asked Dorothy in a low tone.

“Yes. You and Uncle Abe go into the kitchen and get warm. I’ll be with you in a minute or two.”

But it was not until a good five minutes later that Bill put in his appearance.

“Everything all right?” demanded Dorothy from her seat on a kitchen chair close to the coal range.

“I’m afraid not,” Bill looked worried. “They don’t answer the phone.”

Chapter XIV

THE LION’S DEN

“No answer at all?” Dorothy inquired anxiously.

“That’s what I said.” Bill’s tone was a bit gruff. He walked over to the range and warmed his hands at the glowing coals.

“What I mean is, could you hear the bell ring in Stoker’s house?”

“Oh, yes, the bell rang. But nobody came to the phone.”

“That’s what I wanted to know.”

“Why? I can’t see that the ringing of the phone bell makes any difference – ”

“All the difference,” declared Dorothy. “Never mind why, now. I’ve just told Mrs. Johnson that I had to park Wispy on the other side of the reservation last night, and that some men over there were very disagreeable and we were forced to accept Uncle Abe’s hospitality for the night.”

“We think a heap of Uncle Abe on the reservation,” affirmed the superintendent’s wife. “And don’t you worry about your airplane, Miss Dixon. We’ll see that it don’t come to no harm. My husband had to drive over to Katonah this morning, but I’ll get Sam Watson on the job. He’s in the office right now. Sam!” she called, “come in here.”

A stalwart, broad-shouldered young man walked into the kitchen. His natty uniform marked him a member of the Reservation force.

“Did you want something, Mrs. Johnson?”

“This is Miss Dorothy Dixon of New Canaan, and Mr. – ” she hesitated.

“Bolton – Bill Bolton,” supplied that young man.

“The flyers!” Guard Watson’s honest face wore a broad grin. “Heard about you both – who hasn’t? Pleased to meet you, I’m sure.” He shook hands with them and nodded to Uncle Abe.

“It’s like this, Sam,” explained Mrs. Johnson. “Miss Dixon run out of gas last night and her airplane is down to the woodlot just below Raven Rocks in the Stone Hill River valley. Get Eddie, that’s his beat anyway, and keep an eye on the airplane until these young folks pick it up this afternoon. They had trouble with some tramps over there last evenin’ and put up to Uncle Abe’s for the night. Pass the word on to the rest of the boys about them dead beats that’s botherin’ people on the Reservation, will you?”