human
That isn't the point, Lacy, the tone smooth enough, yet containing a trace of anger.
gpt
You are paid to do these things the way I plan. This mining proposition is all right, but our important job just now is at the other end. A false move at this time will not only cost us a fortune, but would send some of us to the pen. Don't you know that?
human
Sure I do; but I thought this was my end of it.
gpt
So it is; but it can wait until later, until we have the money in hand, and have decided about Cavendish. You say your tunnel is within twenty feet of the lead, which it must be according to this map, and you propose breaking through and holding on until the courts decide. Now don't you know that will kick up a hell of a row? It will bring us all in the limelight, and just at present we are better off underground. That's why I came out here. I am no expert in mining law, and am not prepared to say that your claim is not legal. It may be, and it may not be--we'll waive that discussion. The point is this--from all I can learn of Westcott, he is the kind who will fight to the last ditch. Perhaps he hasn't any chance, but if he ever does learn how we got hold of his letters and discovered the location of that vein of ore, he's going to turn this whole affair inside out, and catch us red-handed. You made a fool play to-night.
human
That wasn't my fault, Lacy protested sullenly.
gpt
The fellow misunderstood; however, there won't be no fuss made over a Mexican.
human
I'm not so sure of that; Westcott will know it was meant for him and be on his guard. Anyhow it was a fool's trick.
gpt
Well, we do things different out here from what you do in New York. It's my way to take no chances, and when a man's dead he can't talk.
human
I'm not so sure of that; there's been many a lad hung on the testimony of a dead man. Now see here, Lacy, this is my game, and I propose playing it in my own way. You came in under those conditions, didn't you?
gpt
I reckon so, still there wasn't much to it when I came in. This mining stunt developed later out of those letters Westcott sent East. This man Beaton here offered me so much to do a small job for him, and I named my price without caring a whoop in hell what it was all about. I don't now, but I've learned a few things since, and am beginning to think my price was damn low. You never came way out here just to stop me from tunnelling into Westcott's mine.
human
No, he admitted at last,
gpt
I did not even learn what was being done until after I got here.
human
Beaton sent for you?
gpt
Not exactly. I never had any personal connection with him in the case. I am not sure he ever heard of me, unless the woman told him. He was working under her orders, and wired her when Cavendish got away to come out at once. He didn't know what to do.
human
That was when I first began to smell a mouse, he said, more at ease.
gpt
The fellow was so scared I caught on that this was no common kidnapping outfit, like I had thought before. He wasn't easy pumped, but I pumped him. I told him we'd have the guy safe enough inside of twenty-four hours--hell! there wasn't no chance for him to get away, for the blame fool headed East on foot straight across the desert--but he sent off the wire just the same. That's what I thought brought you along. He leaned over, and lowered his voice.
human
There was a dead man back East, wasn't there?
gpt
What difference does that make?
human
None, particularly, except to naturally increase the worth of my services. I'm not squeamish about stiffs, but I like to know what I am doing. What are you holding on to this other fellow for?
gpt
Well, I suppose I might as well tell you, he said almost savagely.
human
You know so damn much now, you better know it all. You're in too deep already to wiggle out. We made rather a mess of it in New York, and only a bit of luck helped us through. We had the plans ready for three months, but nothing occurred to give us a chance. Then all at once Cavendish got his first telegram from Westcott, and decided to pull out, not telling any one where he was going. That would have been all right, for we had a man shadowing him, but at the last moment he quarrelled with the boy we had the woman slated up with.
gpt
Hold on; what boy? Let me get this straight.
human
His nephew, and only relative--John Cavendish.
gpt
Oh, I see; he was his heir; and you had him fixed?
human
We had him where he couldn't squeal, and have yet. That was Miss La Rue's part of the game. But, as I was saying, there was a quarrel and the uncle suddenly decided to draw up a will, practically cutting John out entirely.
gpt
Hell! Some joke that!
human
There was where luck came to our help. He employed me to draw the will, and told me he planned to leave the city for some time. As soon as I could I told the others over the phone, and we got busy.
gpt
So, he simply disappeared! Your idea was that an accident might happen, and our friend Beaton here took the same train to render any necessary assistance.
human
No, said Enright frankly,
gpt
And there hasn't been no killin'?
human
Not by any of us.
gpt
Then how about that dead man in New York--the one that was buried for Cavendish? Oh, I read about that. Beaton showed it to me in the paper.
human
That's the whole trouble, Enright answered gravely.
gpt
I do not know who he was, or how he came there. All I know is, he was not Frederick Cavendish. But his being found there dead in Cavendish's apartments, and identified, puts us in an awful hole, if the rest of this affair should ever become known. Do you see? The charge would be murder, and how are we going to hold the real Cavendish alive, and not have it come out?
human
The other one--the stiff--wasn't Cavendish?
gpt
Certainly not; you know where Cavendish is.
human
I never saw Fred Cavendish; I wouldn't know him from Adam's off-ox. I've got the fellow Beaton turned over to me.
gpt
Well, he's the man; the dead one isn't.
human
How do you know?
gpt
Because Frederick Cavendish bought and signed a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles, and boarded the midnight train. My man reported that to me, and Beaton just had time to catch the same train before it pulled out. Isn't that true, Ned?
human
Yes, it is, and I never left him.
gpt
But, insisted Lacy stubbornly,
human
Yes. I kept away from the inquest, but attended the funeral to get a glance at his face. It seemed too strange to be true. The fellow wasn't Cavendish; I'd swear to that, but he did look enough like him to fool anybody who had no suspicions aroused. You see no one so much as questioned his identity--Cavendish had disappeared without a word even to his valet; this fellow, despite the wounds on his face, looking enough like him to be a twin, dressed like him, is found dead in his apartments. Dammit, it's spooky, the very thought of it.
gpt
But you saw a difference?
human
Because I looked for it; I never would have otherwise. Of course what I looked at was a dead face in the coffin, a dead face that was seared and burned. But anyway, I was already convinced that he was not the man. I am not sure what I should have thought if I had met him alive upon the street.
gpt
You fellows make me laugh, he said grimly.
human
I am hardly idiot enough to be taken in by that sort of old wives' tale. However, if that is your story stick to it--but if you were to ever tell it in court, it would take a jury about five minutes to bring in their verdict. Still I see what you're up against--the death of this fellow means that you are afraid now to leave Cavendish alive. If he ever appears again in the flesh this New York murder will have to be accounted for. Is that it?
gpt
It leaves us in an awkward position.
human
All right. We understand each other then. Let's get to business. You want me to help out in a sort of accident, I presume--a fall over a cliff, or the premature discharge of blasting powder; these things are quite common out here.
gpt
And to prevent any stir at this end, before you fellows get hold of the stuff, you want me to call off my working gang and let Westcott alone. Come, now, speak up.
human
Yes, acknowledged Enright.
gpt
I don't care so much for Westcott, but I want things kept quiet. There's a newspaperwoman down at the hotel. I haven't been able to discover yet what she is doing out here, but she's one of the big writers on the New York _Star_. If she got an inkling of this affair----
human
Who is she? Not the girl you had that row over, Beaton?
gpt
She's the one.
human
Do you suppose Jim Westcott knew her before? He brought her to the hotel and was mighty touchy about her.
gpt
Hell, no; she told me all about that--why she cut that fellow dead in the dining-room when he tried to speak to her the next day.
human
All right then; we'll take it as it lies. The only question unsettled, Enright, is--what is all this worth to me?