_ CHAPTER XXI. FINDING ORION TEVIS
"What's the matter?" exclaimed the slick individual.
"He's trying to rob me!" shouted the fakir.
"It's the other way around!" came from John. "I'm trying to get back something he stole from a friend of mine. Give up that card, you rascal, or I'll yell for the police!"
At the same time the Indian youth, who was strong for his age, gave the wrists of Punjab such a wrench that the man cried out in pain. Whether it was this, or the knowledge that he could not afford to have a clash with the officers of the law John never decided, but the professor muttered:
"I'll give you the card. Let go!"
"Want any help?" asked the sleek and shiny individual.
"Don't you interfere!" exclaimed John, "or I'll have you arrested too. Better keep out of this. The professor knows when he's beaten."
"Let go of me," muttered the fakir.
"Where's the card?" asked John.
"It's in my pocket, but I can't get it while you hold my hands," the pretended astrologer said.
The Indian youth released his grip, but kept close watch of the professor. The latter lifted up the gaudy robe and disclosed underneath ordinary street clothing. He reached into an inner pocket and brought out the card.
"That's it!" cried John, grabbing it before the professor had a chance to play any more tricks. "That's what I want!"
"Now you've got it, you'd better get out of my house," said Punjab, trying to assume his dignity which John had sadly ruffled.
"Only too glad to," the Indian student said, and, carrying the precious card in his hand he hurried from the place, throwing aside his bandages as he did so.
"I'll get even with you boys yet," he heard Marinello Booghoobally,
alias Hemp Smith,
alias Professor Punjab,
alias Ali Baba, call after him. But John was not worried over this and soon was back at the hotel where his companions anxiously waited him.
"Any luck?" asked Jack.
"The best," replied John, and he told them all that had happened from the time he entered Ali Baba's place until he secured the card, which, he had turned over to Jack as soon as he got in. The police were notified, but the fakir was too quick for them and escaped.
"Now we'd better go straight for Denver," said Nat. "We're behind in our schedule now, and maybe my uncle will not wait for us."
John and Jack thought this a good scheme, so, having settled their hotel bill, they were soon aboard a train again, and speeding westward. They made good time, in spite of a few delays by slight accidents, and arrived in Denver at night.
"It's too late to go to the Capital Bank," said Jack. "Wish we'd have gotten in earlier. But we'll make inquiries about Orion Tevis the first thing in the morning."
Long before the bank opened the boys had inquired their way to it from the hotel where they stopped. As soon as the doors were swung, to indicate that business might be transacted, Jack led the way into the marble-tiled corridor of the institution.
"Who do you want to see?" asked a uniformed porter.
"The president," said Jack boldly, thinking it best to begin at the top, and work down if necessary.
"Want to deposit a million dollars I s'pose," the porter said with a sort of sneer. Evidently his breakfast had not agreed with him.
"I came here to inquire for the address of Mr. Orion Tevis," replied Jack sharply, and in a loud tone, for he did not like to be made fun of. "If the president is not the proper person to ask will you kindly tell me who is?"
"What's that?" asked a gray-haired man, peering out from a private office.
"I am seeking the address of Mr. Orion Tevis," repeated Jack.
"Step right in here," the elderly man said. "Johnson, you may go down into the basement and finish your work," he added to the porter who hurried away, probably feeling as though he had grown several inches shorter.
"Now what is this about Mr. Tevis?" asked the man. "I am Mr. Snell, cashier of the bank."
"I want to find Mr. Tevis, in order to ask him if he knows the whereabouts of a certain person in whom I am interested," said Jack.
"Are you a private detective?" asked Mr. Snell, with a smile.
"No sir, I'm Jack Ranger, from Denton, and these are friends of mine," and Jack mentioned their names.
"Well, suppose I say we haven't Mr. Tevis's address," spoke Mr. Snell.
"I was told it could be obtained here," Jack insisted.
"If it could be, under certain conditions, are you able to fulfill those conditions?" asked the cashier.
"If you mean this, yes," replied Jack, showing his queer ring.
"Where did you get that?" asked Mr, Snell
"It's a long story," Jack said. "The last time I got it was when I recovered it from a burglar. But we have another. Show him yours, John."
The Indian student exhibited the odd gold emblem with the pine tree tracing on the moss agate. Mr. Snell looked at both circlets critically without saying anything. He glanced at the lettering inside.
"I don't believe I am in a position to give you Mr. Tevis's address," he said slowly.
"What?" cried Jack. "After all our journey."
"Show him the card," said John, in a whisper.
Jack pulled from his pocket the curious bit of cardboard he had secured from Mr. Liggins. At the sight of it the cashier uttered an exclamation. He got up and closed the door leading to the bank corridor.
"That settles it!" he exclaimed. "Your credentials are all right. Wait a minute."
He pressed a button on his desk. A short, stockily built man entered the room.
"Perkins, you may feed the red cow," the cashier said gravely.
"Yes sir," replied Perkins, as calmly as though he had been told to hand over the city directory.
"And whisper to her that the goats have come," the cashier went on, at which Perkins turned and left the room.
"Now boys I am ready for you," said Mr. Snell, and Jack related as much of the matter as he thought might have a bearing on his search.
"I can give you Mr. Tevis's address," the cashier went on. "You must excuse my caution, but, as you doubtless know, there have been strange doings in connection with that land deal. So you are Jack Ranger?"
"That's me. But now where can I find Orion Tevis and learn where my father is?"
"I'm afraid you're going to have trouble," Mr. Snell went on. "All we know is that Mr. Tevis lives somewhere on a wild tract of land among the mountains about one hundred miles from Fillmore."
"Fillmore, that's where we have to go to get to Denville," said Nat
"So it is," Jack murmured.
"You see Mr. Tevis is a rather peculiar individual and surrounds himself with many safeguards," Mr. Snell went on. "We were only to give his address to those who brought the rings and the card. I was at first afraid you were impostors, as there have been several such. We are also required to send Mr. Tevis word as soon as any one comes here, bearing the proper emblems, and seeking him. You heard what I said to that man a while ago. It was a code message to be transmitted to Mr. Tevis."
"But if you know where to send him a message, why can't you tell us how to reach him?" asked Jack.
"I can tell you as much as we ourselves know. We send the messages to a certain man living in Fillmore. He, in turn, rides off into the mountains and, from what I have heard, leaves the letter in the cleft of an old tree, of which he alone knows the location. Then he comes away. In time Mr. Tevis, or some of his men, come and get the letter. If he wishes to send an answer he leaves it in the tree. If not that ends the matter. If he wishes to remain hidden he does so. He seldom comes to town, and has only been at this bank once in a number of years. Now, don't you think you have a pretty hard task ahead of you?"
"Will you tell me how to find this man in Fillmore, who knows how to take that letter?" asked Jack.
"Good!" exclaimed Mr. Snell. "That's the way to talk. I sized you up for a plucky lad as soon as I saw you. Now if you will take pencil and paper, I'll give you directions for reaching Enos Hardy, who may succeed in getting a message to Mr. Tevis for you."
Jack jotted down what Mr. Snell told him, and, at his suggestion, the other two boys made copies, in case of accident. Then, having cashed some letters of credit which they brought with them, the boys went back to their hotel.
"What are you going to do, Jack?" asked Nat.
"I'm going to find Orion Tevis," was the reply. "I think I had better do it before I go on to your uncle's ranch, Nat. What do you say?"
"Slippery snapping turtles!" exclaimed Nat. "If I was you I'd do the same thing. You ought to make that hundred miles and back in a week, and we can go to uncle's ranch then. We'll go with you; eh, John?"
"Sure," replied the Indian.
"Let's hurry on to Fillmore," Nat went on. "If my uncle is there waiting for us, we can tell him all about it. If not we can send him a letter, telling him where we are going, and letting him know about what time we'll be back. It's only twenty miles from Fillmore to Denville, near where his ranch is."
This plan was voted a good one, and as soon as the boys could catch a train out of Denver they were speeding toward what was to be the last railroad station of their long western trip.
They were two days reaching it, owing to the poor connections, because they were now traveling on branch line railroads, but they got into the little mining town one evening at dusk. So explicit were the directions Mr. Snell had given them that they had no difficulty in reaching the Eagle Hotel, where the cashier had advised them to put up. They registered, and, in accordance with their directions, left a note with the hotel clerk for Enos Hardy.
"He'll be in some time to-night," the clerk said. "He comes here every evening."
It was about nine o'clock that night when a message came to the boys' room that Mr. Hardy would see them in the sitting room of the hotel. Jack went down alone, and found waiting for him a grizzly, heavily- bearded man, rather stoop-shouldered. He glanced from under his shaggy eyebrows at Jack.
"You left a message for Enos Hardy?" the man asked.
"I did, in reference to Orion Tevis," admitted Jack.
"Have you the emblems?"
Jack showed the rings and card.
"Um!" grunted the man. "What do you want?"
"I want to see Orion Tevis, and ask him about my father."
"It will take me three days to bring you an answer," Mr. Hardy went on. "Will you wait here until then?"
Jack bowed his assent.
"You must trust the rings and card to me," Mr. Hardy went on. "Oh, they will be safe," he added, as he saw Jack give a start of surprise. "You can ask any one in Fillmore about me."
Without a word Jack handed over the two rings and the bit of pasteboard.
"This is Tuesday," the strange messenger went on. "I will be back here with an answer Friday night."
"Then I can start for Mr. Tevis's place the next day," spoke Jack.
"If the answer is favorable," Mr. Hardy said, as he left the room. _