The Last Cruise of the Spitfire/Chapter 3
CHAPTER III.
SOMEBODY'S CRIME.
While engaged in tidying up the office I noticed for the first time that the door of the safe stood open. This was a most unusual thing, and I wondered if my uncle had taken something out and forgotten to close it. He was a very careful man, and if he had it was the first time I had known him to do such a thing.
"The safe door is open," I said mildly, as he moved as if to leave the office.
"Have you just found that out?" he sneered; and then I saw that he had gone over to the door of the office only to close it.
"Was it open before?" I asked in some alarm.
He looked at me for a moment in silence, the cloud upon his brow deepening.
"Luke, you are a mighty cool one for a boy, but I've got you fast, so you might as well give in," he said finally. "Come, now, I want no nonsense."
This unexpected speech only bewildered me.
"I don't understand you, Uncle Felix."
"How many times must I tell you that I am no longer your uncle?" he stormed.
"From this time I am done with you."
"What have I done?"
"What have you done? What haven't you done? Ruined your good name forever!"
"I didn't muss up"
"Oh, pshaw, give the floor and the office a rest! I want you to own up without further words."
By this time I was more bewildered than ever. What in the world was my uncle driving at?
"What do you want me to own up to?" I asked.
"You know well enough."
"No, I don't."
"Yes, you do."
"I don't."
"I'll give you five minutes to make a full confession," he cried, in a perfect rage. "At the end of that time if you are still obdurate I will hand you over to the police."
This was certainly alarming news. Surely something serious had happened.
"If you will tell me what the trouble is, I'll try to answer your question," was all I could find to say.
Again he looked at me in that hard, cold manner.
"I want you to tell me," he said, with great deliberation, "I want you to tell me instantly what you have done with the six thousand dollars and the papers that were in the safe."
I stood amazed. For a moment I hardly realized the meaning of the words that had been spoken.
"The six thousand dollars that were in the safe!" I gasped.
"Exactly."
"I don't know anything about the money. I didn't know you had six thousand in the place."
"Yes, you did. You saw me place it in the safe yesterday afternoon."
"No, sir, I did not."
"You did: and you took it out either last night or this morning. Come, tell me what you have done with it, or, as sure my name is Felix Stillwell, you shall pass the remainder of this day in prison. Luke, I am not to be trifled with!"
My uncle was fearfully in earnest, and his thin hands trembled with excitement when he spoke. In spite of the fact that I was a pretty stout young fellow, I was glad that though he had closed the door leading to the outer office, he had been unable to lock it. It might come so far that I would be glad enough to escape from his presence.
"Did you hear me?" he demanded, seeing that I made no immediate reply.
I was busy thinking over the strange news he had announced. Six thousand dollars and some papers missing from the safe! Whoever had taken them had made a big haul.
I could not help but think of Gus. He was the only one who had been in the office besides myself. Was it possible the young man had robbed his own father?
I was loath to believe that such was the case. My cousin a thief! It could not be possible; and yet if he had not taken the money, who had?
"Do you hear me?" demanded Mr. Stillwell again.
"I hear you," I replied, as calmly as I could, though I was nearly as excited as he was.
"What did you do with the money?"
"I don't know anything about the money."
My uncle made a threatening gesture.
"It's the truth, whether you believe it or not," I went on. "I did not know you had the money, and I haven't been near the safe."
"Luke Foster, do you realize that you are staring the State prison in the face?"
"I can't help that. I know nothing of your money, and that's all there is to it."
"When did you open the office this morning?"
"Quarter to seven."
"Did you clean up at once?"
"Yes, sir."
"When you cleaned up was the safe door open?"
"No, sir. It might have been unlocked, but it wasn't open."
"How long did it take you to clean up?"
"About half an hour."
"What did you do then?"
"I went to Mr. Mason's office to return a book he had loaned me."
"And then?"
"When I came back I met you," I replied promptly.
"And you mean to say the safe was robbed in the meantime. Luke, you cannot make me believe that."
"I don't know when the safe was robbed. I told you what I did, that was all."
"I don't believe a word of your story! You have robbed the safe, and you have the money."
"If you think so you can search me," I replied promptly.
But even as I spoke I thought of the strange letter I had received. What would my uncle say if he saw it? It seemed to me I was getting into hot water in more ways than one.
"I shall search you, never fear," said Mr. Stillwell. "But you had better confess. It may go easier with you if you do."
"I can't confess to something I'm not guilty of," I returned. And then, as I thought of how I had been treated, I cried out:
"You had better look nearer home for the guilty party, Uncle Felix."
My reply seemed to anger him beyond all endurance.
"Don't you dare to insinuate my son is a thief!" he cried. "You low-bred upstart! I have half a mind to hand you over to the police at once!"
And with his face full of passion Uncle Felix bore down upon me, as if ready to crush me beneath the iron heel of his wrath once and forever.