Part 96

They finished their breakfast and started. Half way to the gate, they met the postman coming up the walk. He handed Croyden a letter, faced about and trudged away.

Croyden glanced at it, mechanically tore open the envelope, and drew it out. As his eyes fell on the first line, he stopped, abruptly.

"Listen to this!" he said.

"On Board The Parmenter, "Pirate Sloop of War, "Off the Capes of the Chesapeake.

"Dear Sir:--

"It seems something is required to persuade you that we mean business. Therefore, we have abducted Miss Carrington and her friend, Miss Cavendish, in the hope that it will rouse you to a proper realization of the eternal fitness of things, and of our intention that there shall be a division of the jewels--or their value in money. Our attorney had the pleasure of an interview with you, recently, at which time he specified a sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, as being sufficient. A further investigation of the probable value of the jewels, having convinced us that we were in slight error as to their present worth, induces us to reduce the amount, which we claim as our share, to two hundred thousand dollars. This is the minimum of our demand, however, and we have taken the ladies, aforesaid, as security for its prompt payment.

"They will be held in all comfort and respect (if no effort at rescue be attempted--otherwise we will deal with them as we see fit), for the period of ten days from the receipt of this letter, which will be at noon to-morrow. If the sum indicated is not paid, they will, at the expiration of the ten days, be turned over to the tender mercies of the crew.--Understand?

"As to the manner of payment--You, yourself, must go to Annapolis, and, between eleven and twelve in the morning, proceed to the extreme edge of Greenberry Point and remain standing, in full view from the Bay, for the space of fifteen minutes. You will, then, face about, step ten paces, and bury the money, which must be in thousand dollar bills, under a foot of sand. You will then, immediately, return to Annapolis and take the first car to Baltimore, and, thence, to Hampton.

"In the event that you have not reduced the jewels to cash, we will be content with such a division as will insure us a moiety thereof. It will be useless to try deception concerning them,--though a few thousand dollars, one way or the other, won't matter. When you have complied with these terms, the young women will be released and permitted to return to Hampton. If not--they will wish they were dead, even before they are. We are, sir, with deep respect,

"Y'r h'mbl. and ob'dt. serv'ts,

"Robert Parmenter's Successors.

"Geoffrey Croyden, Esq'r. "Hampton, Md."

"Where was it mailed?" Macloud asked.

Croyden turned over the envelope. It was postmarked Hampton, 6.30 A.M., of that day.

"Which implies that it was mailed some time during the night," said he.

"What do you make of it?"

"Do you mean, will they carry out their threat?"

Croyden nodded.

"They have been rather persistent," Macloud replied.

"It's absurd!" Croyden exclaimed. "We haven't the jewels. Damn Parmenter and his infernal letter!"

"Parmenter is not to blame," said Macloud. "Damn the thieves."

"And damn my carelessness in letting them pick my pocket! there lies the entire difficulty."

"Well, the thing, now, is to save the women--and how?"

"Pay, if need be!" exclaimed Croyden. "The two hundred thousand I got for the Virginia Development bonds will be just enough."

Macloud nodded. "I'm in for half, old man. Aside from any personal feelings we may have for the women in question," he said, with a serious sort of smile, "we owe it to them--they were abducted solely because of us--to force us to disgorge."

"I'm ready to pay the cash at once."

"Don't be hasty!" Macloud cautioned. "We have ten days, and the police can take a try at it."

"That, for the police!" said Croyden, snapping his fingers. "They're all bunglers--they will be sure to make a mess of it, and, then, no man can foresee what will happen. It's not right to subject the women to the risk. Let us pay first, and punish after--if we can catch the scoundrels. How long do you think Henry Cavendish will hesitate when he learns that Elaine has been abducted, and the peril which menaces her?"