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For years, Mrs. Cable had lived in no little terror of some day being found out. As the child grew to womanhood, the fears gradually diminished and a sense of security that would not be disturbed replaced them. Then, just as she was reaching out for the chief prizes of her ambition, she came face to face with a man, whose visage she never had forgotten Elias Droom!
"Oh, David, you CAN'T say that," she cried joyously. "I shall say it, dear old partner. I shall say that you took her from the asylum with my consent. There is only James Bansemer to call me a liar, and he will not dare!" "That old man Droom, David his clerk. The man who saved me he knows." "He is in the boat with his master. He DID save you, though. I'll spare him much for that.
"That WOULD have been a joke on Mr. Bansemer," he said indifferently. "I don't think he would have enjoyed it, do you?" "No one enjoys j okes from the United States Marshal's office," said Droom grimly. "By the way, who is the lawyer that really was wanted?" "I never heard. I believe it was dropped. The young fellow I know said he couldn't talk about it, so I didn't ask.
There was a profitable scandal in the background. Unknown to Mrs. Cable, I began investigations of my own. She had made little or no effort to discover the parents of the child. After that, it was easy to unearth the records of a child's birth and of a mother's death all in New York City.... Droom can tell you the names of Jane's parents, substantiating the names I have just given to you.
As Droom hurried south to his lodgings he became possessed of a racking belief that someone was following close upon his heels someone who was rushing up to deal him a murderous blow in the back. The old man actually broke into a frantic run in covering the last half block. It was not until he was in his rooms, with the door bolted that he could rid himself of the dread.
"Graydon seems to be right in the swim, eh, Droom?" he said. The irony of it all appealed strongly to his sense of humour. "I don't suppose you know those swells?" he added, patronisingly. Droom was listening intently to the bursts of merriment which were enlivening the restaurant.
"Why why she's very well, thank you," she finally stammered. Her face was as white as a ghost; with a shudder she started to pass him. Droom, blocked the way. "She was such a pretty little thing, I remember;" and then, insinuatingly: "Where is her father, now?" "He Mr. Cable," answered Mrs. Cable, feeling very much as a bird feels when it is charmed by a snake, "why, he's at home, of course."
There was a faint suggestion of the possibility of a transition of the hands to claws, as Droom abruptly desisted, but smilingly went on: "Some day, the other shark will get the better of you and you'll have nothing to fall back on. You've been building on mighty slim foundations. There isn't a sign of support if the worst comes to the worst," he chuckled.
And I have more to fear from him than you think. Frances, I am sure he saw me night before last down there at the sea wall. He knows I am morally certain that you were not attacked by a robber." "But, David, I WAS robbed. My rings and my pendant were taken by someone. If Droom was the first man at my side after you then he must have taken them." "I can't charge him with the theft," groaned Cable.
"I wouldn't mention names," cautioned Droom, with a look at the top of the partition. "She's very likely to fight back, after all." "What was your demand?" "Money," said Bansemer, quietly. "Humph!" was Broom's way of saying he lied. "Harbert has a purpose in coming here, Elias. We must prepare for him." "We are as well prepared as we can expect to be.
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