"I'm sure there is some mystery here," declared Mary Louise, "and maybe we are going to discover some dreadful crime."
"And, on the contrary," returned Colonel Hathaway, "the two men may have been interested together in some business venture that resulted disastrously2 and led Mr. Joselyn to run away to escape his wife's reproaches. I consider that a more logical solution of your mystery, my dear."
"In that case," was her quick reply, "why is Mr. Cragg still writing scores of letters and getting bags full of replies? I don't believe that business deal—whatever it was—is ended, by any means. I think that Ned Joselyn and Old Swallowtail are still carrying it on, one in hiding and the other here—and to be here is to be in hiding, also. And it isn't an honest business, Gran'pa Jim, or they wouldn't be so secret about it."
The Colonel regarded his young granddaughter with surprise.
"You seem quite logical in your reasoning, my dear," he confessed, "and, should your conjectures4 prove correct, these men are using the mails for illegal purposes, for which crime the law imposes a severe penalty. But consider, Mary Louise, is it our duty to trail criminals and through our investigations5 bring them to punishment?"
Mary Louise took time to consider this question, as she had been advised to do. When she replied she had settled the matter firmly in her mind.
"We are part of the Government, Gran'pa Jim," she asserted. "If we believe the Government is being wronged—which means the whole people is being wronged—I think we ought to uphold the law and bring the wrong-doer to justice."
"Allowing that," said her grandfather, "let us next consider what grounds you have for your belief that wrong is being committed. Are they not confined to mere6 suspicions? Suspicions aroused by the chatter7 of a wild, ungoverned child? Often the amateur detective gets into trouble through accusing the innocent. Law-abiding citizens should not attempt to uncover all the wrongs that exist, or to right them. The United States Government employs special officers for such duties."
Mary Louise was a bit nettled8, failing to find at the moment any argument to refute this statement. She was still convinced, however, that the mystery was of grave importance and she believed it would be intensely exciting to try to solve it. Gran'pa Jim was not acquainted with Ingua Scammel and had not listened to the girl's unconscious exposures; so, naturally, he couldn't feel just as Mary Louise did about this matter. She tried to read, as her grandfather, considering the conversation closed, was now doing. They sat together by the lamplight in the cozy9 sitting room. But her thoughts constantly reverted10 to "Old Swallowtail" and to Ingua. At length she laid down her book and said:
"Gran'pa, would you mind if I invited Josie O'Gorman to come here and make me a visit?"
He gave her a curious look, which, soon melted into an amused smile.
"Not at all, my dear. I like Josie. But I can see by your desire to introduce a female detective on the scene that you cannot abandon your suspicion of Mr. Cragg."
"I want to save Ingua, if I can," replied the girl earnestly. "The poor little thing can't go on leading such a life without its ruining all her future, even if her grandfather's brutal11 threats are mere bluff12. And Josie isn't a female detective, as yet; she is only training to be one, because her father has won fame in that profession."
"Josie O'Gorman," said the Colonel, meditatively13, "is a wonderfully clever girl. I believe she is better, even now, than a score of average male sleuths. Perhaps it will be a desirable thing for her to come here, for she will be shrewd enough to decide, in a short time, whether or not your suspicions are justified14. In the latter case, you will be relieved of your worries. Will you abide15 by Josie's decision?"
"Will you, Gran'pa Jim?"
"Then I will write to her at once."
She went to her desk and wrote the following note:
Dear Josie:
We are at the dropping-off-place of the world, a stagnant17 little village of a dozen houses set in an oasis18 that is surrounded by the desert of civilization. And here, where life scarcely throbs19, I've scented20 a mystery that has powerfully impressed me and surely needs untangling. It will be good practice for you, Josie, and so I want you to pack up at once and come to us on a good long visit. We're delightfully21 situated22 and, even if the mystery dissolves into thin air under the sunshine of your eyes, I know you will enjoy the change and our dreamy, happy existence in the wilds of nowhere. Gran'pa Jim wants you, too, as he thinks your coming will do me good, and his judgment is never at fault. So drop me a postal23 to say when you will arrive and I will meet you at Chargrove Station with our car.
Affectionately your friend,
Gran'pa Jim read this note and approved it, so next morning Mary Louise walked to the village and deposited it in the postoffice, which located in the front room of Jim Bennett's little residence and was delightfully primitive25. Jim was "jus' makin' up the mail bag," he said, so her letter was in time to catch the daily train and would be in Washington, where Josie lived, in the quickest possible time.
Josie O'Gorman was about the same age as Mary Louise and she was the only child of John O'Gorman, famed as one of the cleverest detectives in the Secret Service. Josie was supposed to have inherited some of her father's talent; at least her fond parent imagined so. After carefully training the child almost from babyhood, O'Gorman had tested Josie's ability on just one occasion, when she had amply justified her father's faith in her. This test had thrown the girl into association with Mary Louise and with Colonel Hathaway, both of whom greatly admired her cleverness, her clear head and shrewd judgment. Mary Louise, especially, had developed a friendship for the embryo27 girl detective and had longed to know her more intimately. So she congratulated herself on the happy thought of inviting28 Josie to Cragg's Crossing and was delighted that the vague mystery surrounding the Cragg family offered an adequate excuse to urge the girl to come to her. There seemed nothing in the way of such a visit, for Officer O'Gorman, however pleased he might be at his daughter's success in her first detective case, declared Josie yet too young to enter active service and insisted that she acquire further age and experience before he would allow her to enter her chosen profession in earnest. "One swallow," he said, "doesn't make a summer, and the next bird you fly might prove a buzzard, my dear. Take your time, let your wits mature, and you'll be the better for it in the end."
So Mary Louise waited impatiently for Josie's reply, meantime seeing as much of Ingua as she could and trying to cement the growing friendship between them. Ingua responded eagerly to her advances and as old Mr. Cragg was away from home the greater part of the day there was much crossing of the stepping-stones by both girls and more than one "afternoon tea" in the pavilion.
"Do you know," said Ingua one day, in confidential29 mood, "I haven't had the devils since that time I started to run away and you stopped me? P'r'aps it's because I'm not as hungry as I used to be; but, anyhow, I'm glad I stayed. Gran'dad's been good, too, 'though he's got the 'wakes' ag'in."
"What are the 'wakes'?" asked Mary Louise.
"Can't sleep nights. Goes t' bed on time, ye know, but gits up ag'in an' dresses himself an' walks."
"In the house?"
"No, walks out o' doors. Sometimes he'll come in at jes' daylight; sometimes not till break-fas' is ready."
"And doesn't that make him cross, Ingua?"
"Not a bit. It seems to chirk him up. Yist'day mornin', when he come in, he was feelin' so chipper he give me a cent, an' told me to buy somethin' useful. I guess that's the first cent he ever give me. I've took money o' his'n, but he never give me none afore."
"Oh, Ingua! I hope you haven't stolen money?"
"Nope. Jes' took it. It ain't easy, 'cause he knows ev'ry cent he's got, an' it ain't often he leaves it where I kin26 git it. P'r'aps he knows it's me, but when I lie out of it he can't do noth'n' but growl—an' growlin' don't hurt any."
Mary Louise was greatly distressed30. This reckless disregard of property rights was of course the direct result of the child's environment, but must be corrected. Ingua resented direct chiding31 and it was necessary to point out to her the wickedness of stealing in the gentlest possible manner.
"How much money have you taken from your grandfather?" she asked.
"Oh, not much. A nickel, now an' then. He wouldn't stan' for losin' any more, ye see. P'r'aps, altogether, I've swiped twenty-five cents. But once Ned Joselyn give me a dollar, an' Ol' Swallertail knowed it, an' made me give it to him to save for me. That were the last I ever saw o' that dollar, Mary Louise, so I ain't even with Gran'dad yet."
"Do you think," remarked Mary Louise, "there is ever any excuse for stealing?"
The girl stared at her, coloring slightly.
"Do ye mean Gran'dad, er me?"
"I mean you. He didn't steal your dollar, dear; he merely took it so you wouldn't spend it foolishly."
"An' I merely took them nickels so's I could, spend 'em foolish. There's no fun in spendin' money, seems to me, unless you squander32 it reckless. That's what I done with them nickels. Candy an' chewin' gum tastes better when you know it's swiped."
Mary Louise sighed. It was so hard to show little Ingua the error of her ways.
"As fer stealin'—out an' out stealin'," continued the girl, with a proud toss of her head, "we Craggs ain't never took noth'n' that don't belong to us from nobody. What a Cragg takes from a Cragg is a Cragg's business, an' when we takes someth'n' from somebody else I'll ask ye to tell me 'bout3 it."
"Where are you going, Ingua?"
"Home."
"You're not offended, I hope."
"No, but I got work to do. I ain't done my breakfas' dishes yet."
Mary Louise musingly33 watched the girl cross the river. On the opposite bank she turned to wave her hand and then ran into the cottage. Ingua's code of honor was a peculiar34 one. Her pride in the Craggs seemed unaccountable, considering she and her grandfather were the only two of the family in existence—except that wandering mother of hers.
But the recent conversation had uncovered a new phase of the mystery. Old Swallowtail was nervous over something; he could not sleep at night, but roamed the roads while others with clear consciences slumbered35. There must be some powerful reason to account for the old man's deserting his bed in this manner. What could it be?
When she walked over to the postoffice the girl found the long-looked-for letter from Josie O'Gorman. It said:
Dear Mary Louise:
How good you are! I positively36 need a change of scene and a rest, so I'm coming. To-morrow—by the train to Chargrove. The mystery you hint at will help me to rest. Dad doesn't want me to grow rusty37 and he has some odd theories I'd like to work out. I haven't an idea what your "mystery" is, of course, but if it enables me to test any one of the O'Gorman theories (a theory is merely a stepping-stone to positive information) I shall bless you forever. And that reminds me: I'm coming as a sewing girl, to help you fix over some summer gowns. You're anxious to give me the work, because I need it, but as we're rather chummy I'm half servant and half companion. (I hate sewing and make the longest stitches you ever saw!) Moreover, I'm Josie Jessup. I'm never an O'Gorman while I'm working on a mystery; it wouldn't do at all. Explain this to dear old Gran'pa Jim.
Between the receipt of this script and to-morrow's train jot38 down in regular order everything you know concerning the aforesaid mystery. Make it brief; no speculations39 or suspicions, just facts. Then I won't waste any time getting busy.
Josie
"Good!" murmured Mary Louise, as she folded the letter. "I feel better already. Whatever the mystery of Old Swallowtail may be, Josie is sure to solve it."
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1
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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2
disastrously
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| ad.灾难性地 | |
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3
bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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conjectures
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| 推测，猜想( conjecture的名词复数 ) | |
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investigations
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| （正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究 | |
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6
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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7
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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8
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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9
cozy
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| adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的 | |
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10
reverted
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| 恢复( revert的过去式和过去分词 )； 重提； 回到…上； 归还 | |
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11
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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12
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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13
meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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14
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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15
abide
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| vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受 | |
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16
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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17
stagnant
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| adj.不流动的，停滞的，不景气的 | |
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18
oasis
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| n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方 | |
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19
throbs
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| 体内的跳动( throb的名词复数 ) | |
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20
scented
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| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
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21
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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23
postal
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| adj.邮政的，邮局的 | |
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24
burrows
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| n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘（洞穴），挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 )；翻寻 | |
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25
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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26
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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27
embryo
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| n.胚胎，萌芽的事物 | |
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28
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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29
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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30
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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31
chiding
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| v.责骂，责备( chide的现在分词 ) | |
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32
squander
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| v.浪费，挥霍 | |
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33
musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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34
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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35
slumbered
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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36
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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37
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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38
jot
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| n.少量；vi.草草记下；vt.匆匆写下 | |
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39
speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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40
rumble
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| n.隆隆声；吵嚷；v.隆隆响；低沉地说 | |
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