The Girl and The Bill Part 15

It was a voice which Orme recognized as that of the j.a.panese who had been with Maku in the attack at the Pere Marquette.

"Can't do that," answered Porter. "I'll take you in to Evanston."

"No!" The tone was expostulatory. "I go to Chicago. I fix engine pretty soon."

At this moment Orme raised his lantern and directed its light into the other boat. It shone into the blinking eyes of the j.a.panese, standing by the motor. It shone----

Great Heaven! Was he dreaming? Orme could not believe his eyes. The light revealed the face of the one person he least expected to see--for, seated on a cus.h.i.+on at the forward end of the c.o.c.kpit, was the girl!

CHAPTER VII

A j.a.pANESE AT LARGE

What was the girl doing out there in mid-lake in the company of her enemy? Orme had seen her enter the house of her friends in Evanston; had bidden her good-night with the understanding that she was to make no further move in the game before the coming morning. She must have left the house soon after he walked away.

Had she known all the time where the j.a.panese was? Had she hunted him out to make terms with him? If that were the case, her action indicated a new and unsuspected distrust of Orme himself. Her failure to call for help when Orme and Porter came up in their launch seemed to show that her presence in the other boat was voluntary. And yet Orme could not believe that there was not some simple explanation which she would welcome the first chance to make. He could not doubt her.

The immediate thing to do, however, was to find out just what she desired. Suppressing his excitement, he called out:

"Girl!"

At the same time he turned the lantern so that his own face was illuminated.

"Mr. Orme!" she cried, rising from her seat. "You here?"

"At your service."

He smiled, and turned his eyes for an instant on her companion. The face of the j.a.panese was a study. His eyes were narrowed to thin slits, and his mouth was formed into a meaningless grin.

Orme spoke to the j.a.panese in French. "Maku has confessed," he said. "He is under arrest."

The face of the j.a.panese did not change.

"Do you understand?" asked Orme, still in French.

There was no answer, and Orme turned to the Girl and said, in French.

"I don't think he understands this language."

"Apparently not," she replied, in the same tongue.

"Tell me," he went on, "are you there of your own will?"

"No."

"Has he the papers?"

"I think so. I don't know."

"See if you can manage to get past him, and I will help you into our boat."

"I'll try." She nodded, with a brave effort to show rea.s.surance.

Orme frowned at the j.a.panese. "What are you doing with this young lady?"

he demanded.

"No understand."

"Yes, you do understand. You understood well enough when you robbed me this evening."

"No understand," the j.a.panese repeated.

The girl, meantime, had moved slowly from her position. The two boats were close together. Suddenly, after a swift glance from Orme, the girl stepped to the gunwale and leaped across the gap. Orme reached forward and caught her, drawing her for a brief instant close into his arms before she found her footing in the c.o.c.kpit.

"Splendid!" he whispered, and she tossed her head with a pretty smile of relief.

Porter had been standing close by, the boathook in his hands. "Is there anything more to be done?" he asked of Orme.

"Yes, wait a moment."

The j.a.panese had made no move to prevent the girl's escape. Indeed, while she was leaping to the other boat, he balanced himself and turned to his motor, as though to continue the work of repair.

"Now, then," called Orme, "you must give me those papers."

"No understand." The j.a.panese did not even look up from his task.

Orme turned to Porter. "Give me the boathook," he said, and, taking it, he hooked it to the gunwale of the other boat, drawing the two crafts together. His intention was to use the boathook to bring the j.a.panese to terms. But the Oriental was too quick. His apparent indifference vanished, and with a cat-like pounce, he seized the boathook and s.n.a.t.c.hed it from Orme's grasp.

The action was so unexpected that Orme was completely taken by surprise.

He made ready, however, to leap in unarmed, but the j.a.panese thrust the blunt end of the boathook at him, and the blow, which struck him in the chest, sent him toppling backward. He was saved from tumbling into the c.o.c.kpit by Porter, who caught him by the shoulders and helped him to right himself. The two boats tossed for a moment like corks in the water.

When Orme again leaped to the gunwale, the j.a.panese was using the boathook to push the craft apart. A final shove widened the distance to six or eight feet. The jump was impossible. Even if the boats had been nearer together it would have been folly to attempt an attack.

Stepping down into the c.o.c.kpit, Orme bent over the girl, who had sunk down upon a cus.h.i.+on. She seemed to be content that he should play the game for her.

"What is wrong with his motor?" he said. "Do you know?"

She answered in an undertone: "I shut off the gasoline-supply. He wasn't looking. He didn't see."

"Good for you, Girl!" he exclaimed. "Where did you do it? At the tank?"

"No. Unfortunately the valve is at the carburetter. Oh," she continued, "we _must_ get the papers!"

Orme turned to Porter. "Are you willing to take a risk?" he asked.