“You’d better come clean!” McDermott warned in an unpleasant tone. “As it happens, we have some pretty conclusive evidence.”
“Evidence?”
“A light was seen in your room about three o’clock in the morning,” the hotel-keeper informed him severely. “Tell us what you were doing abroad at that hour.”
“I was looking for one of my pet snakes,” Weiser admitted unwillingly. “He got out of the box.”
“Ah,” McDermott caught him up triumphantly, “where did you find your snake?”
“In the closet.”
Doris and Kitty looked at each other.
“So! And did you use a flashlight in your search of the nooks and crannies?”
“Well, I—that is—” the magician stammered. “The truth of the matter is that you used matches!” the lawyer announced.
“Well, I admit I didn’t have a flashlight,” Weiser said reluctantly. “I was careful, though, and stamped out every match I used.”
“Oh, yes,” the hotel-keeper broke in angrily, “that’s your story. The fact remains that the fire broke out shortly before four o’clock and that it started in the vicinity of your room! Through your carelessness I have lost at least twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“I tell you the fire didn’t start in my room!” the magician protested vehemently. “I think perhaps it started in the kitchen. When I woke up my room was filled with smoke. I looked out the window and saw the blaze coming up from below.”
“You can’t expect us to believe such a flimsy story,” McDermott told him. “You’ll have to go back to town with us.”
The magician continued to protest his innocence, but Doris and Kitty saw the hotel-keeper march him off to the car. McDermott remained behind, rapping sharply on the door. After a slight hesitation, Doris opened it.
“I want to talk to you two girls,” the lawyer announced bluntly.
Neither Doris nor Kitty replied, and after a searching look directed at them, McDermott continued:
“What do you know about this fellow Weiser?” The girls would have been willing to have answered questions, but they could not help resenting the lawyer’s blunt and surly manner. They recalled his polite ways when they had met him on the train and judged that he adapted his personality to suit the occasion. Even now, with a crimson carnation in the lapel of his coat, he appeared quite dapper, yet his smile was sinister and his eyes cruelly penetrating.
There was a long moment of silence before Doris answered the question.
“We know very little about the man.”
“So!” McDermott looked at her sharply and smiled in a maddening way. “No particular friend of yours, eh?”
“Certainly not. We met him quite by chance.” Again the lawyer smiled. Doris resisted an impulse to push him out of the door and slam it shut in his face. He goaded her beyond endurance!
“When did you last see Weiser on the night of the fire?”
“Why, right after the entertainment. Kitty and I went to our room early.”
Kitty nodded in affirmation.
“When did you discover that the hotel was on fire?”
“Really, I can’t say. It must have been about four o’clock, or perhaps a little later.”
“Where would you say that the fire started?” Doris hesitated. She had no liking for Ollie Weiser, but she realized that suspicion was already directed against him. If she told the lawyer that the blaze had started in the east wing, apparently near the magician’s room, the case against him would be that much stronger. Doris had no wish to protect the man, particularly if he were guilty, but from the snatch of conversation she had overheard there was a reasonable doubt in her mind that Weiser was responsible for the fire. She knew well enough that McDermott would suffer no pangs of conscience at convicting a man on circumstantial evidence.
“How should I know where it started?” she evaded. “My main interest was to get out of the building.”
“Why drag us into this affair, anyway?” Kitty broke in impatiently.
“I think you know more than you intend to tell,” the lawyer returned, his lips curling in a slight sneer. “Did that fellow confess to you that he accidentally started the fire?”
“Of course he didn’t!” Kitty contradicted. “Really, it isn’t fair of you to involve us in the affair of a chance acquaintance,” Doris declared impatiently. “If we knew what caused the fire, we should tell you.”
McDermott turned toward the door.
“I see you’ve made up your minds not to talk, so I’ll go. I warn you we’re not through with the investigation. You may be Called upon to testify.” With that he left them and walked swiftly toward the car, where Weiser and Edgar Morehouse were waiting.
“How I detest that man!” Doris breathed, when he was beyond hearing distance. “You can see he doesn’t really care to get at the facts in the case. He’s made up his mind to prove Weiser guilty at all costs.”
“It looks bad for the snake-man, doesn’t it?”
“I’m afraid so,” Doris admitted.
“Well, we probably won’t be bothered with him hanging around here any more.”
“That’s so,” Doris smiled, “but it will be a shame if McDermott convicts him when he isn’t guilty. I wish we really knew something about the affair.”
“Strange he sold his snakes so soon after the fire,” Kitty commented thoughtfully. “If McDermott knew that, he’d be certain he had his man.”
“I know, it does look suspicious.”
The two girls stood in the open doorway watching McDermott as he made his way to the automobile. They saw him speak curtly to the other two and then get in beside Weiser.
“Wonder what they intend to do with him?” Kitty asked.
Doris did not answer, for her attention was attracted by a loud cry from the woods.
“Wait!” a voice called.
To the surprise of the girls Mr. Jay emerged from the timber, and carrying a glittering object in his hand hurried toward the automobile.
CHAPTER XIV
Meeting Mr. Jay
“It’s the old miser!” Kitty exclaimed. “What ails him, anyway?”
“Maybe he knows something that will clear Ollie Weiser,” Doris returned quickly. “Let’s go see!”
Motivated by curiosity, the girls left the cabin and walked over toward the automobile. They were just in time to hear McDermott impatiently ask the old man what he wanted.
Mr. Jay held up a gold watch and chain for their inspection.
“I found this on the path,” he said, addressing Ollie Weiser. “I thought maybe you dropped it, when my dog chased you.”
“Yes, it’s mine,” the magician responded, reaching out his hand to take the watch. “Didn’t know I’d lost it. Thanks!”
“Hold on there,” McDermott interposed, taking the watch before the magician had an opportunity. “Let me see it.”
“Say, what’s the big idea? That’s my watch. Hand it over!”
“All in good time,” the lawyer returned. “Ah, just as I suspected! This