Bound to be an Electrician/Chapter 29
CHAPTER XXIX.
FRANKLIN DECIDED TO ACT.
For the moment the young electrician could do little else but stare at the woman. What was this she was saying, that Montague Smith and Belden Brice had conspired and taken her brother's life? No, no; so far as his one friend was concerned, this could never be true.
Mrs. Bliss sprang to her feet and began to wring her hands. "They say I am crazy, but I am not; no, no, I am as sane as anybody can be!"
"Won't you tell me your story?" questioned Franklin, trying hard to remain calm. "Are you not mistaken about your brother Wilbur being murdered by some man in the east?"
"How can I be mistaken? Did I not hear Montague Smith own up as much with his own lips? He pretends to be my friend—says he had nothing to do with the deed, but I know—oh, indeed I know!"
"When did you hear from your brother last?" asked the young electrician, as quietly as he could, for he saw that Mrs. Bliss was working herself up into a state bordering upon hysteria.
"It is over a year ago. He was then in Milwaukee. He had sold one patent to this man in the east, and was working on several new inventions. He came here once to talk to me, and then he was taken away by Montague Smith and his companions—Fipher and somebody else."
"Did your brother have a child—a little girl?"
"Yes; Wilbur had an only child, named Cora. He left her in some home in New York City, I believe. He couldn't very well take care of her and work on his inventions."
Franklin drew a long breath. His supposition was correct concerning little Cora. She was really Wilbur Bliss's daughter.
"I could not understand how Wilbur could leave that child," went on Mrs. Bliss. "But he was so wrapped up in his inventions, he thought of nothing else. And to think they acted so towards him!" and again she began to weep.
"And you never heard from your brother after he was taken away?"
"I heard through Montague Smith one day, when he was talking to Fipher, that Wilbur had been sent east and that that man. Price or Brice, was going to take care of him so that he would never bother anybody again. Oh, it was shameful I They ought all to be arrested!"
"Certainly, if they are guilty of what you say," returned Franklin. "But let me tell you something. I know a little of this case, and I am certain that Mr. Brice had nothing to do with it—in the manner you suppose. He is a thorough gentleman, and would never stoop to anything low or mean."
Mrs. Bliss opened her eyes widely. "You know this man, whose name you say is Brice?" she gasped.
"Yes."
"And did you ever hear of Wilbur through him?"
"No. But I think I know of your brother's child. If I am not mistaken, Mr. Brice is taking very good care of her."
"He has her!" She paused, and walked across the floor of the room, "If he is a good man, as you say, why doesn't he compel Montague Smith to release me and give me a chance to tell my story to the world?"
"That I know nothing about. Perhaps he has reasons, and perhaps he does not know that you are conflned here. If you wish, I will communicate with him on that point," added Franklin, with sudden determination.
"Do so, at once! But perhaps he can do nothing!" She placed her two hands to her forehead. "How my head aches! I have been in this room so long that sometimes I think I am really going crazy, as they seem to wish me to!"
"You must not excite yourself," returned Franklin, quietly. "Now I have learned of this matter, I will be your friend, and will do what I can for you."
"Oh, thank you. May I ask your name?"
"Franklin told her, and then a long conversation followed, all of the particulars of which cannot be given here. Mrs. Bliss admitted that she had no further proofs of her brother's death than what Montague Smith had said, nor could she prove anything to Belden Brice's discredit, much to the young electrician's relief. She knew that Montague Smith was a villain for having had her kept a prisoner, and in her peculiar state of mind fancied that all of the men with whom he had dealings were as bad as himself.
Franklin listened closely to all she had to say, and then told her part of his own story. She wished him to send for Walter Robinson, and this he promised to do, and he also decided in his own mind to notify Belden Brice without delay of his discoveries. The speculator might feel put out to think he had dabbled in his private affairs, but this could not be helped.
When Franklin was ready to leave, he hardly knew what to do. If the servant girl below should tell Fipher of his visit, the man might cause Mrs. Bliss much trouble before aid came to her. Indeed, he might even notify Montague Smith, and have her removed to other quarters.
"What is your name?" he asked of the girl, as he confronted her in the lower hallway.
"Mary Ardell, sir," she replied, with some hesitation.
"You are alone in the house?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, now, Mary, if you wish to avoid trouble with the police, you will say nothing of my visit here to anyone," went on Franklin, in a commanding tone, for he saw that the girl was one to be easily influenced.
"Oh, dear, sir, I haven't done anything, sir!" she cried, in alarm.
"I know you have not, and I wish to keep you out of trouble. Will you promise to say nothing of my visit here to Mr. Fipher? Mrs. Bliss will keep silent concerning it."
"But what's going to happen, sir?"
"That I cannot tell you. But you had better do as I say if you wish to keep out of trouble."
"Sure and I want no trouble! If my month was up I'd leave to-day, sir!"
"I would rather you would stay. And Mary, if you will befriend Mrs. Bliss a bit, I will see to it that you are well rewarded."
"Thank you, sir, and you won't get me into any trouble?"
"Not with the police."
"Franklin talked to the girl a few minutes longer, and then, satisfied that she would act as he desired, left the house.
The young electrician's first work on reaching the business portion of the city again was to send two telegrams, one to Walter Robinson, telling him that Mrs. Bliss wished very much to see him at once, and the second to Belden Brice, acquainting that gentleman as briefly as possible with the situation.
"I don't know if Mr. Brice will blame me or not," thought Franklin as he left the telegraph office. "But I am doing what I think is best."
The telegrams sent, Franklin started off in the direction of the river. He expected he would find Montague Smith, Captain Cosgrove and Fipher at the freight boat, or in its vicinity, and he was anxious to ascertain the next move this trio of conspirators intended to make.
But at the river a surprise greeted him. The Sunflower had left her mooring and was nowhere in sight!
"Hullo, this is strange!" murmured Franklin to himself. "I wonder where they have taken her."
He hunted up and down the water front for several blocks in both directions, but without success, and finally came back to the point from which he had started.
"What are you looking for?" asked a bluff old man who sat smoking at one end of the dock, as he gazed at Franklin curiously.
"I am looking for the Sunflower," returned the young electrician.
"She cast off about half an hour ago."
"And where did she go?"
"Down to the harbor, I believe. I heard the captain say something about droppin' anchor off the lake front."
"You didn't hear what part?"
The old man scratched his head reflectively.
"Well, I did hear a gentleman say to the captain something about lying opposite the park."
Franklin started. For what purpose would they bring the Sunflower to anchor at such a place as that?
The young electrician remembered what Montague Smith had said about the darkness being favorable to their plans. Clearly, something important was in the wind.
"I must find out the whereabouts of the Sunflower," said Franklin to himself. "And I must do all I can towards watching those men until Walter Robinson comes and I hear from Mr. Brice."