_ CHAPTER XL
It was a critical moment, but the detective had been in worse positions a hundred times. It would have been but a play spell to him had he wanted a scrimmage, but such was not his desire; all he wished was to get out of the place and get away before reenforcements arrived.
"You have no right to threaten me," said Vance.
"We take the right; you are both under arrest, and we will turn you over to the county authorities on the charge of murder."
The detective, unobserved, seized hold of a piece of broken oar, and the moment he had the club in his possession he leaped forward; his attack was so sudden and unexpected he had knocked over both men before they had any idea of his intentions.
As our readers know, the detective was an adept with the club, and a man capable of coolly taking advantage of any little favorable incident. As the men were knocked over he called to the man in the rubber coat:
"Follow me."
The stranger did not reed a second bidding, but leaped across the two prostrate men, and followed the detective from the cabin.
"We must move quickly," said Vance; and he led the way across the sand rifts.
"That was well done," said the stranger.
"It was needful; those men would not have turned us over to the regularly constituted authorities; they are part of a band of lawless men, and we world have been tried and executed before morning, under the auspices of Judge Lynch."
"We will be pursued and tracked," said the stranger.
"Not after we once get across the bay."
"Can you get us across?"
"I should say I could."
"You are a brave and determined man."
"What did you mean by accusing me of the murder?"
"I did not mean it when I accused you; I only wished to learn how you would receive the accusation."
The detective led the way to a little cove where a boat rocked in the tide.
"Can you row?"
"Yes."
"There is a boat; get over to the mainland as quick as you can."
"Will you not go?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It is not necessary for me to explain to you."
"But I have need of your services."
"We may meet again."
"We must meet again."
"I can be of no service to you."
"You can."
"Never, until you tell me the whole story about Renie. Meantime, you haven't a moment to spare."
"But it is equally dangerous for you to remain here."
"No. I can take care of myself; but I would not be answerable for you."
"Go with me."
"You will remain here until you are, captured. Those men will scour the coast."
"They will find you."
"No."
"Then you must be one of them, that you do not fear them."
"I do not fear them. But you must go at once. Listen! they are already on our track."
"Dare you remain?"
"Yes, yes; but you go."
"When shall I see you again?"
"Do you desire to see me?"
"Yes."
"Where do you stay in New York?"
The stranger gave the name of a hotel.
"Your name!"
"Selton."
"I will call at your hotel to-morrow."
"I can depend upon you?"
"Yes."
"Your name?"
"King."
"I will look for you. Come and see me, and you will make your fortune."
"I will come; and now you hasten away."
The stranger entered the boat, and the detective glided away in the darkness. Vance had gone but a short distance, when he saw several men moving along over the sand, and they were moving toward the cove.
As it proved, Mr. Selton was a good oarsman, and was out of sight when the men reached the beach.
The detective crept down and listened to what the men said.
The fellows had lanterns with them, and discerning the tracks of two men on the beach, they argued that both had gone off in the boat.
"They have got away," said one of the men.
"That's dead sure; and we've lost a good chance."
"What's your idea?"
"The man who beat us was that fellow Ballard. We had him sure, but now it's all day. He's gone off, and he has no further call to the coast."
"What brought him here to-night?"
"He came to find the girl Renie."
"Did you expect him?"
"Yes; Denman sent word to look out for him; our captain knew he would be coming to visit the cabin of old Tom Pearce."
"Who could have murdered Pearce?"
"That's the mystery. I learned to-night that the girl had not been seen on the beach for a number of days; whoever killed old Pearce carried off the girl."
"Sol Burton had a grudge against Tom Pearce and, his daughter."
"Yes, but Burton was away on the 'Nancy.' He had nothing to do with it."
"Do you suspect anyone?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Well. I'm not giving out my suspicions; but we've made a blunder in letting that fellow get away tonight; but it's all up now unless some other of the games against him work out all right."
"I tell you we can run over and catch him on the mainland."
"Do you think so?"
"I do."
"Well, there's where your head ain't level. We will never catch him now that he has got away from the coast."
The men walked away and the detective fell to a big scheme.
Quick as lightning he changed his appearance, worked a perfect transformation, and strolled down toward Rigby's, the old resort, of the gang before the storm of adversity set in over them.
Rigby was as deeply interested in the success of the smuggling business as any man connected with it. When trade was good he had plenty of money and did a large business; but when it was bad his business decreased proportionately; up to the time of the arrest of the crew off the "Nancy" Rigby had been a passive man as far as the illicit traffic event, but when Ike Denman was in jail he sent for Rigby, and the man became an active partisan. He had been let into the scheme with the capitalists, and the glow of big money was opened up to him.
A short time after the incident at the cabin of old Tom Pearce the residue of the gang began to assemble at the Rigby place. The men were in an ugly and desperate mood.
Rigby had just returned from a trip to New York, where he had held a second interview with Denman. The men had been awaiting his return.
Meantime the detective had stolen down to Rigby's place, and had taken up an outside position, from whence he could take note for a few seconds, and overhear what immediately followed the man's reappearance.
It was a lucky move on the part of our hero, as he got the remainder of the points needful for the carrying out of his immediate plans.
Rigby had just joined the waiting gang of smugglers, and upon his entrance in their midst, was greeted with the question:
"What news do you bring from York?" _