Page:Under three flags; a story of mystery (IA underthreeflagss00tayliala).pdf/108

 or ascertain for a certainty whether they went west or east.

"But to return to the Feltons. Those two missing leaves from the bank ledger could a tale unfold, I fancy, in relation to Cyrus Felton's precise relations with the bank. Yes, on the whole, I believe we have sufficient evidence to strike. He is at the St. James, you say? I guess I had better arrest him at once, and then, if he declines to go back to Vermont without extradition papers, I can proceed to Montpelier to-morrow and get the necessary documents in season to start back to Raymond by Friday—unlucky day for him, I fancy. Well, old man, you will have to spill a whole bottle of ink on this, I suppose. Will you spring the full story in the morning?"

Jack starts suddenly. "By Jove!" he exclaims, looking at the detective, with a rueful glance, "it seems like a brutally cold-blooded thing to say, but do you know, I have invited Felton and Miss Hathaway to look in on the French ball to-morrow evening, and now—if the deed wasn't an apparent refinement of cruelty, I would ask you to postpone the arrest of Felton till day after to-*morrow."

"You are positive he does not contemplate sailing for Cuba till Saturday?" inquires Barker.

"So Miss Hathaway said. And, yes." Jack's eye has run hastily down the advertised dates of sailings in the Hemisphere. "The Mallory Line steamer, City of Callao, sails for Havana and the West Indies on Saturday. That is the steamer they are evidently booked for. But to make assurance doubly sure I will telephone to the office of the steamship line and ascertain if staterooms have been secured for them."

Barker nods approvingly at the precaution.

"Yes," the reply comes over the wire, "Mr. Cyrus Felton and Miss Hathaway are booked for the Callao."

"For Havana?"

"Yes; for Havana."

"That settles that, then," observes Barker, cheerfully. "Felton can enjoy his little fling at the garden, and sub