The Isle of Doubt

CHAPTER XIX. CROOKS COUNTER

WESTON LEVIS was dozing in the front room of the plantation house when the slam of the screen door awakened him. The old man looked up to see Harvey Wendell standing before him.

“Hello! Wendell!” he exclaimed. “How did you fare tonight? Did you encounter this man Vincent?”

“Yes,” smiled Wendell. “I found him. What’s more, he was the man I wanted. He’s here with me now — at least, he’s waiting down by the dock.”

“You mean that you were mistaken about him?”

“Just that. Vincent is a square shooter, and he helped me to the biggest success I’ve ever had. We’ve got the stuff, Mr. Levis — the swag that Birch Bizzup buried!”

Weston Levis leaped to his feet. He started toward the door in his excitement. Wendell still smiled as he motioned the old man back to his chair.

“Remember, Mr. Levis,” he said, “I’m still looking out for your health. Where’s Hadley?” The overseer was coming down the stairs as Wendell spoke. He had heard the conversation below, and had noted the excited tones of the two men. Wendell turned to Hadley.

“Vincent is down at the dock,” said the investigator. “He’s got two heavy boxes down there. Help him up with the first. I’ll come down and meet you.”

Wendell remained long enough to make a few explanatory remarks to Weston Levis. Then the investigator went out through the screen door. A few minutes later, Harry and Hadley were shifting the first box into the living room.

“I’ll go back and help Wendell with the second box,” remarked Harry. “In the meantime you can start to open that one.”

Leaving the old man and the overseer, Harry crossed the veranda and strode through the darkness toward the dock. He found Wendell waiting with the second box. Together, they hoisted it, and carried it into the house.

Hadley, under Levis’ supervision, had just succeeded in breaking open the top of the box. Bank notes, bonds, and other valuables were in plain view. With an excited gleam in his eyes, Weston Levis strode over and extended his hand to Harvey Wendell.

“Shake with Vincent,” said Wendell, as he accepted the old man’s clasp. “He’s the boy who found the place. He gets the big credit.”

Levis shook hands heartily with Harry. The three turned to the boxes. Hadley was opening the second.

When the work was completed, the overseer walked across the room, and laid down the hammer which he used.

“Let’s get a look at this,” suggested Wendell, stooping beside the first box. “We’d better take an account of stock. Come on, Vincent — we’ll stack the stuff on the floor.”

WESTON LEVIS seated himself in a chair, and watched the pair begin to work. Sheaves of bonds, bundles of bank notes and gold certificates, were appearing in profusion. At the side of the first box, Harry unloaded small stacks of gold coin.

Weston Levis spoke in a worried tone. At the old man’s words, Wendell stood up and let Harry continue alone. Levis had brought up a most important subject.

“Tell me, Wendell,” said the old man. “What do you intend to do about those crooks on the island? You told me that you recognized one as Zach Telvin, the escaped convict.”

“Absolutely, yes,” returned Wendell. “Say — there’s no use of giving those birds a chance to make a getaway. We’d better call out the sheriff and form a posse.”

“You will lead the posse to the island?”

“Yes. We can put men on guard here.”

Weston Levis nodded.

“It would be advisable to proceed at once,” he said. “You have your credentials. The fact that you know an escaped convict is on the island will prove sufficient.”

Wendell nodded this time.

“We talked it over before,” he remarked. “Counted our chickens ahead of time — now they’re hatched. We’ll stow the money and get the sheriff. We can leave Hadley and some men here at the house. If we let these people around here see the money, they’ll all want to stay on guard.”

“Exactly,” said Levis. “You must concentrate on the island. Those crooks may prove dangerous.” Wendell looked at Harry, then at Hadley.

“One of you fellows had better go for the sheriff,” said the investigator. “Maybe we could save time if we called him up on the phone.”

“Hardly advisable,” remarked Levis. “You don’t know who may be listening in on these rural calls.”

“That’s right,” returned Wendell. “It would be best for Hadley to drive over to Knoxport right away. He knows the place. Rouse up Sheriff Keegan, Hadley.”

“Tell him that I want to see him,” added Levis. “Say that men are needed here. I have met Keegan. He doesn’t know that Harvey Wendell is a State agent.”

“That’s right,” said Wendell, with a grin. “I’m just your secretary, Mr. Levis. That is, until the sheriff gets here.”

“I’ll get the car out right away, sir,” said Hadley to Levis.

“You have a revolver?” questioned the old man.

“Upstairs,” answered Hadley. “I’ll get it now.”

THE overseer went out of the room. Wendell produced his revolver from his pocket, and laid it upon the corner of an emptied box. Harry did the same with his automatic.

“We’ve got plenty of dough here,” was Wendell’s comment. “Nobody’s going to disturb us, but with those crooks only a couple of miles away on their island, it’s best to be ready for emergencies.”

“You do not think that they could possibly know?” questioned Weston Levis anxiously.

“Not a chance of it,” responded Wendell.

Hadley arrived from upstairs. The overseer had strapped on a belt and holster. The butt of a big revolver was in view. The man looked toward Weston Levis to learn if there were further instructions.

“Get started right away, Hadley,” urged the old man. “Tell the sheriff that there are dangerous criminals in the vicinity. If you can bring back some capable men, do so—”

“Half a dozen,” interposed Wendell. “Tell the sheriff to pick his own squad.”

A peculiar tenseness had come over the group. Harry Vincent noticed it, and gained a growing feeling of impending danger. Harry was standing by one box; Wendell by the other. Weston Levis had arisen from his chair, and was standing a dozen feet away. He was close beside a partly opened window.

Hadley was within the door that led to the hall. The door was opened, and it formed a right angle to the doorway. In adjusting the buckle of his belt, the overseer had moved a step backward; his stocky form was in the shelter of the projecting door.

A trivial circumstance — the position which Hadley had taken; yet it was destined to play an important part in the unexpected events which were to follow. Despite the fact that thousands of dollars were upon the floor, no one had expressed great concern. There was a lulling sense of security in this room. It was due to be broken.

Harry Vincent, glancing past Hadley, saw the screen door move. Before Harry could make a motion of his own, the wire barrier was flung open. An instant later, a man was leaping into the living room, a drawn revolver in his hand. Close behind him were two others.

Possum Quill!

Harry recognized the crook. So did Harvey Wendell; but the investigator’s eyes were upon the man behind the leader of the crooks. Zach Telvin, a wicked leer upon his face, was thrusting his revolver forward with a menacing swing.

But for Possum Quill’s command, Zach would have opened fire at once. The leader, however, was more wary. As Possum covered Harry, Zach took care of Wendell. Lefty Hotz, peering over Possum’s left shoulder, aimed his gun toward Weston Levis.

“So we’ve nabbed you, eh?” sneered Possum Quill. “Got you — swag and all! Never mind the old gazabo, Lefty. Cover these mugs that have got the dough.”

Weston Levis, his hands above his head, was cringing away as Lefty derisively laughed and pointed his gun toward the two men who were beside the stacks of bonds and currency. Harry Vincent and Harvey Wendell had their hands above their heads.

Weston Levis was staring at the threatening revolvers. Not one of the three was aimed in his direction.

The old man’s lips moved widely, as his eyes saw Hadley, still as a statue, standing out of sight behind the door.

The overseer caught the command!