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The Story of Wild Will Enderby

Chapter V. The Senior Partner Unravels The Skein

page 214

Chapter V. The Senior Partner Unravels The Skein.

The Senior Partner was very thoughtful for some time after this revelation, and he became utterly profligate in the matter of plugs.

To quiet his mind he strolled up the Gorge in a leisurely way, speaking nought, but thinking a great deal as he went along. Presently he retraced his steps, and strode back at a swinging pace. To the camp he pursued his course, and there he sought an interview with the Sergeant and Constable Finnegan, of whom he made many and particular enquiries touching 'the beardless one.'

"Are you conversant of the person?"—queried the Sergeant.

"Well now," said the Senior Partner, "I reckon that's a curious riddle. Maybe I am;—can't say exactly. Maybe I ain't; can't say at all."

The Sergeant, proffered his assistance; but the Senior Partner politely declined his services.

"No, Sirree!" said he, very decisively. "Guess you ain't likely to run him home. Too many buttons, Mister. No offence, only them things ain't progressive in these here matters, that's a fact."

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And so saying he departed.

"Constable Finnegan!" shouted the Sergeant.

"Yes, Sur," responded the Constable.

"D'ye see that person?—Follow him, wherever he goes, and report to me."

"Shure, and what is it I'm to do wid him, whin I follow him?"

"Constable Finnegan, I'll never make a policeman of ye. See and listen to everything he'll be doing. He's a dangerous charackter, and mintions the Force in a disrespectful and contimptible manner. And its my opinion that he's decocting a conspiracy to delude the ends of justice."

Thus instructed, the constable blundered after the Senior Partner in such a way as to betray his mission before he had gone a hundred paces.

Some hours later, Constable Finnegan reported himself.

"Did you follow your man?" inquired the Sergeant.

"Indade, thin, I couldn't do it, Sur."

"How was that, constable?"

"Begorra, he wint to bed, Sur."

Wherein Constable Finnegan was deceived. For the Senior Partner having succeeded in throwing that worthy officer off his guard, quietly slipped out of the back-door, and proceeded on his self-imposed quest.

Up the Gorge he went, with the regular, steady gait of a man who knows precisely whither he is bound. As George Washington Pratt did know. The description he had obtained of 'the beardless one' served to identify that much-wanted individual with the smooth-faced Vandemonian who had previously made himself page 216so troublesome to the Co.—'Flash Jimmy' in fact. Here then was a clue which he resolved to follow up.

An hour thereafter he was seated in the rocky den of the villainous trio, to whom I introduced the auditor in the earlier stages of this most veracious story.

There was only one member of the gang then present. It was the proprietor of the inflammatory locks, which had procured for him the designation of 'Ginger.'

He was stretched upon a couch repellant to every idea of comfort; he was bruised in person, and incapable of active motion, yet fiercely demonstrative of speech. But he was as a child in the hands of a master. The Senior Partner 'held him with his glittering eye,' which glowed with the steady flame of a resolute will, against which it was in vain to strive. And his cool, confident manner completed the ruffian's subjugation.

"Jest as you darn'd please," said the Senior Partner, after a brief parley. "I ain't in no special haste. Only I don't propose to quit till I've dragged the truth out of you, if I have to unravel it with this little corkscrew. (And he tapped the butt of his revolver.) See here, now, this is how the matter stands. There's a friend of mine, whose life is above par, and who's in danger on account of some infernal wickedness; and here's you, who ain't worth a cent, dead or alive—no Sirree! you ain't. And you could give evidence that would set my friend up on his legs again. That's so. And you've got to give it, you bet, whether you like it or whether you don't. I don't care a red which. But it's got to be done, I tell you. Now, Sir, I'll play you square, though you don't deserve it. I'll give you five minutes to shake yourself together, and if I don't get page 217what I want then, I'll jest hoist you out of that, and telegraph you to the Camp. Yes, Sir, I will, by Jehoshaphat!"

The Senior Partner pulled out his watch to mark time. 'Ginger' lay sulky and silent, yet with greedy lust sparkling in his ferret eyes as he noted the massive repeater. During the prescribed five minutes not another word was spoken.

The American replaced the watch in his pocket.

"Now, Sir, time's up." And suiting 'the action to the word' he arose.

Simultaneously the entrance of the cavern-like abode was darkened, and two men entered. They were 'Tripes' and 'Flash Jimmy.'

They halted suspiciously when they saw and recognized the Senior Partner.

"Walk in, gentlemen. Make yourselves quite at home," said Mr. George Washington Pratt; and by an adroit change of position he placed himself between the door and the ruffianly triality, before the new arrivals had recovered from their first surprise.

Then—revolver in hand—he confronted them. Briefly he explained his errand.

"Don't move, boys," he said; "this here weapon is bound to explode if the atmosphere is agitated. But it's as harmless as a new-born babe if you only keep quiet. I jest want to know the truth—that's all."

Not for my pen shall it be to set down the conversation that ensued. There is not ink sufficiently black and sulphureous fitly to record the turbid torrent of speech that flowed from the lips of those three unhung vagabonds, nor is there any paper of the asbestos-like page 218incombustibility needful for the retention of the shameful words.

Out of the contest the American came unscathed and victorious. By dint of mild persuasion, artfully interwoven with assurances of personal immunity, by appeals to their cupidity, and mysterious references to possible consequences in the event of refusal, he extorted from them the true story, whereof he had shrewdly forecast the issue.

A few sentences will suffice to tell the tale. 'Ginger' it was who lay perdu behind the tent, when Will's unlucky anger revealed the secret of the buried gold. Becoming thereby acquainted with the intended movements of the Co., the confederate thieves watched the tent, and marked Will leave with the Senior Partner. Then they commenced their search for the treasure,—'Flash Jimmy' keeping watch outside whilst 'Tripes' and 'Ginger' ransacked the interior. Working, the one with a sheath knife, the other with a pick, they tore up the earthen floor of the tent, and broke down the bunks to facilitate their operations. As we have seen, the hoard remained undiscovered and intact in its rocky receptacle, which presented only the appearance of being the point of a considerable boulder, and consequently was not disturbed by the unlawful perquisitionists.

When Will returned, 'Flash Jimmy' incontinently fled, leaving his mates to shift for themselves. Vice is ever selfish. 'Tripes,' in his haste to escape, thrust 'Ginger' aside, thus impeding his movements, and giving Will time to come up and close with him. It was 'Ginger' then, with whom Will grappled, and page 219whom he cast over the bank in that fierce struggle herein recorded. Full fifty feet he fell, and his were the cries that aroused the slumbering echoes of the night. But not by water was he fated to perish. A loftier destiny was his; and years after, when the measure of his crimes was full even to overflowing, he was suffered to attain thereto.

He fell, partly in shallow water; but his head and body were dashed against the rocks, and he missed being killed by the narrowest of possible lines. As it was, his head and face were badly cut, and his collarbone and two ribs were broken. And from the effects of these injuries he had not yet recovered.

Merely to say that 'Ginger' harboured a feeling of hatred against the members of the Co. would be to faintly shadow forth the demoniacal feeling that possessed him. He regarded himself, indeed, as an injured individual. For had not Will defrauded him of the coveted gold, and furthermore beaten and bruised him? And as for the Senior Partner—he had now forced from him, or rather from his mates, an admission which would render their further stay in the district both difficult and dangerous.

In the lesser degree these feelings were entertained by the others. It will be remembered that this was not the first occasion on which Mr. George W. Pratt had given a practical lesson to these worthies, and they regarded him accordingly. I think if they could have got him at a disadvantage, his career would have been of the briefest; but his watchful eye and the levelled revolver conjointly, more than compensated for any page 220inferiority of numbers. Moreover 'Ginger,' as we know, was invalided.

The end of this strange conference was, that a treaty was concluded between the high contracting parties; whereby, 'for a consideration,' the thieves bound themselves to be true men, for the performance of certain things necessary to the satisfaction of the official mind, and essential for the restoration to mental and physical health of Wild Will Enderby.