human
Mr. Wattles, I came here on purpose to get this here young gentleman's address.
gpt
My address? cried Al.
human
What do you want that for?
gpt
Is it true, sir, the man asked,
human
Yes.
gpt
Then, sir, I have some information for you.
human
Do you know where she is?
gpt
No, sir; but I know that she is in a trap, and that if you want to save her you must act quick. I've come here, sir, to make a clean breast of my part in the affair.
human
Speak! he hissed.
gpt
Tell the truth, or I will strangle you!
human
Don't get excited, my boy, he said.
gpt
This is just the time when you need a cool head.
human
That's so, sir, added the visitor.
gpt
I don't blame the young gent for the way he feels, but if he expects to get the best of that villain, Jack Farley, he has got to keep his wits about him.
human
Then, gasped Al,
gpt
It was him, sir.
human
And what had you to do with it?
gpt
More than I wish I had. The truth is, sir, I did not realize what I was doing at the time. I was not onto his game until it was too late, and then I----
human
Don't beat about the bush any longer, interrupted Mr. Wattles, impatiently.
gpt
What was Farley's game?
human
Where is my sister?
gpt
It's like this, gents, replied the man.
human
Just before the alarm of fire was given a man came to the stage door, where I happened to be standing at the time. His collar was turned up, and his hat was pulled down, and at first I did not recognize him. 'I want you to do me a favor,' he says. 'What is it?' says I, 'and who are you?' 'Don't you know me?' he asks me. 'No, I don't,' I tells him, 'and I ain't got no time to stand here fooling with you.' You see, I thought maybe he was a stage-door masher, though he didn't look much like one, to tell the truth, for he was dressed in a way that----
gpt
Never mind all that, interrupted Mr. Wattles again.
human
Get to the point. The man told you he was Farley?
gpt
He did, sir.
human
Why were you any more willing to talk to him then? Had you ever met him before?
gpt
Oh, yes.
human
By your own admission you knew he was a villain. Why, then, were you willing to do him a favor?
gpt
He did me a great service once, sir, and I was glad of a chance to repay him.
human
Even at the risk of a young girl's life happiness, perhaps her life itself?
gpt
I did not think it was as serious as all that then, sir. You see, all he asked me was to tell Miss March that a friend bearing important news was waiting just outside the stage door to see her, and that he would not detain her more than a minute. He also told me not to say that it was him if she should ask.
human
And you did this?
gpt
I took the message to Miss March, and, as she had at least half an hour's time before she had to go on again, she went with me to the door without any hesitation.
human
And then?
gpt
There was no one else around at the moment. Miss March stepped out. I was surprised to see that there was a carriage waiting in the alley. He said something to her that I could not hear, and led her to the door of the carriage. The next moment, to my surprise, he lifted her in his arms and put her into the carriage. She didn't have time to make any resistance at all. I am not sure, but I think there was another person in the carriage.
human
And you made no attempt to interfere?
gpt
What could I do, sir?
human
I am pretty sure that if I had been in your place I should have done something,
gpt
The carriage drove off like mad as soon as the young lady was put into it, sir.
human
Didn't Farley enter it, too?
gpt
Oh, yes, he jumped right in after her. The driver seemed to know what to do; anyway, he received no directions from Mr. Farley in my hearing. I suppose it had all been arranged between them beforehand.
human
Of course. You might have given the alarm at once; why didn't you?
gpt
By that time, sir, the alarm of fire had been given, and there was a terrible commotion in the theater. In the confusion I did not know what to do.
human
Well, said Mr. Wattles,
gpt
I don't know that I should have come, sir, but when I heard of the heroic way in which this young gent behaved, and how he saved the lives of maybe half the audience--when I heard all this, and was told that the young lady, Miss March, was his sister, I made up my mind that I would come here and make a clean breast of my part of the affair.
human
And you have really told us all you know?
gpt
All, sir, so help me Heaven!
human
I believe you, my man,
gpt
And so do I, added Al.
human
But we must not spend any more time in talk; we have got to do something at once.
gpt
I will do anything in my power to help you, sir,
human
I don't see that you can do much more than you have done, said Al.
gpt
You can give me a description of the carriage and the horse, though.
human
The carriage was an ordinary livery coach. There were two horses, both of them gray. It was a livery turn-out--there can't be any doubt about that--and not a first-class one, either.
gpt
You don't know what stable it came from?
human
No, sir; but it won't be a very hard job to find that out, for there are only three stables in town. Two of them are quite swell, but the other isn't, and I guess it was from that one that the coach came.
gpt
Well, said Mr. Wattles, springing to his feet,
human
I don't want to drag you out, Mr. Wattles, said Al.
gpt
I can manage this business alone.
human
You can, eh? said the manager, almost indignantly.
gpt
Well, maybe you could, but you won't get the chance. I am going to be right in it with you. Why, do you suppose I could sleep a wink to-night with this thing on my mind? I tell you, my boy, I thought more of that girl than you imagine, and if anything should happen to her----