Chapter XI: An Offer Declined

As the day set for Owen Sheridan’s trial approached, ex-Judge Lawrence grew more and more pessimistic as to the outcome. Although he was quite certain that his client was the victim of a dastardly plot, he realized that simply to make such an assertion in a court of law could do no good unless he was able to prove it to a jury’s complete satisfaction.

He had obtained a bondsman for Owen, and the latter had been freed from a cell at police headquarters, and was able to take an active part in the preparing of his own defense.

Every day the carrier and his lawyer held long conferences, and went over every detail of the case, seeking in vain to find some weak spot in the chain of circumstantial evidence which his enemies had forged--some point in the “frame-up” which was open to attack.

In this endeavor, however, they did not meet with much success until one day Owen burst into the lawyer’s presence with a joyous smile upon his face, and exclaimed excitedly:

“I’ve got an idea, judge, and I think it’s a winner.”

The lawyer listened attentively to what his client had to say, and when the latter had finished, jumped up from his chair and impulsively grasped the young man’s hand.

“I congratulate you, my boy,” he said warmly. “You are right; your idea is a winner. Your cleverness may save you from a term in jail. I am more confident now as to the outcome of this case.

“Be sure not to mention a word about this to a living soul,” he went on, with a chuckle. “I want to spring it as a surprise. Whenever you meet any of Coggswell’s bunch, pretend to be overwhelmed with despair. Make those fellows think that you are on the verge of a breakdown as a result of brooding over your impending fate. That will make the shock all the greater when we spring our little surprise on them in court.”

Thus it happened that when, the following day, Jake Hines, on his way to the headquarters of the Samuel J. Coggswell Association, encountered Owen on the street, the latter looked so worried and cast down that Jake almost felt sorry for him.

Hines stepped into Boss Coggswell’s private office at the clubhouse a few minutes later, and told his chief about the meeting.

“That fellow looks like a ghost, governor,” he declared. “He’s scared stiff. I almost think that if he had the price of a steamship ticket he’d skip his bail and beat it.”

Boss Coggswell waxed thoughtful at this remark. “Do you know, Jake, that isn’t at all a bad idea,” he said. “I refer to the suggestion you just made about the young man skipping his bail. If I thought that he could really be persuaded to do that I almost think I’d prefer to have things turn out that way. I have no desire to see the fellow sent to prison. If he became a fugitive from justice, it would suit our purpose just as well, it seems to me. All we want is to have him so utterly discredited that he’ll be unable to do us any injury.”

Coggswell had already used his political influence to have the trials of Carriers Greene and Tom Hovey for tampering with Judge Lawrence’s mail put down at the bottom of the court calendar. His object in doing this, of course, was to have Owen Sheridan’s case disposed of before these other cases came up for trial, so that the young man would be unable to implicate him--Coggswell--by telling what he knew about the conspiracy to pry into the ex-judge’s private correspondence.

“Yes,” the boss went on, his ears wiggling rapidly as he spoke, “I almost think I’d prefer to have young Sheridan run away. It almost breaks my heart to think of a nice young man like him having to go to jail. He has tried to injure me, ’tis true, but I hope I am not vindictive, Jake--I certainly hope I am not vindictive. If I thought that it was only the lack of the price of a steamship ticket which prevented him from leaving the United States, I think I’d loan him the money, Jake--yes, indeed!”

Hines pondered over this. He had heard of fugitives from justice sending for their sweethearts to join them in some remote portion of the globe where there was no extradition treaty with the United States government. But Dallas Worthington did not impress him as being the kind of girl who would respond to such an invitation. On the contrary, she probably would accept the fact of the letter carrier’s flight as conclusive proof of his guilt.

If Sheridan stood trial, was convicted, and sentenced to jail, the girl, believing that he had fallen an innocent victim to circumstantial evidence, might still remain loyal to him; but if Sheridan ran away, he would no doubt by such a craven act lose the love of Dallas forever. Thus thought Jake Hines, and consequently he decided that Boss Coggswell’s plan was a good one.

“I think you’re right, boss,” he said. “It would be a mighty good idea for us to finance a little trip abroad for that feller.”

“But it must be done very carefully, Jake,” said Coggswell. “Remember, we have Judge Lawrence to deal with--a mighty shrewd lawyer. If he managed to implicate me in this young man’s flight, it would place me in a very painful position. It is essential that I remain an anonymous philanthropist, Jake.”

“I’ll look out for that, boss,” Hines assured him. “I’ll work it so that it can’t possibly be brought home to you. I know a way.”

Half an hour later Hines stepped into the real-estate office of Walter K. Sammis. Dallas Worthington looked up from her typewriter, and frowned her disapproval of her visitor.

“If you don’t leave here immediately,” she began indignantly, “I’ll call Mr. Sammis----”

“Hold on there, little one!” he interrupted blandly. “I know I ain’t welcome here, but don’t go up in the air before you hear what I got to say. If you don’t let me get it off my chest, you’ll be sorry. I’ve come to tell you something about that letter-carrier friend of yours--something that’ll help him.”

The girl hesitated. “Well, hurry up and say it,” she said coldly. “I’ll listen.”

“I met Sheridan on the street a little while ago,” said Hines, “and he looked so bad that, honest, I couldn’t help feelin’ sorry for him.”

“He doesn’t need your pity,” declared Dallas scornfully.

“Maybe not,” said Hines; “but at the same time he’s got it. It almost made my heart bleed to see him lookin’ like that, and I made up my mind that I’d like to do something for him.”

The girl received this declaration with an incredulous laugh; but, unheeding this, her visitor went on: “I’ve got a little money saved, girlie--a couple of thousand dollars that I don’t need just now. If you think your carrier friend could use it, he’s very welcome to it.”

Dallas looked at him in great astonishment. This generous offer quite took her breath away. Her tone was a little less hostile as she said:

“Why, that’s very kind of you, Mr. Hines; but I don’t think Owen--Mr. Sheridan is in need of money.”

“I reckon he is,” replied Jake, with a grin. “I know very well that he ain’t got a dollar to his name. I don’t like the feller--he’s a crook, and I ain’t got any use for crooks--but at the same time, as I say, I feel sorry for him. And, besides, he’s a friend of yours, and any friend of yours, little one, can command Jake Hines’ bank roll. So you tell him the next time you see him that if he can use a couple of thousand he’s welcome to it.”

With these words he hurried out of the office, satisfied that he had succeeded in his mission.

“It’s sure to work,” he said to himself as he walked back to the club. “From the look on that guy’s face, I’m sure that it’s only the lack of funds which prevents him from beatin’ it. As soon as he learns that there’s a chance for him to get hold of enough dough to make a safe get-away he’ll grab at it quick.”

When Dallas saw Owen a little later she repeated to him what Hines had said, and the young man, greatly mystified, went to report the incident to his friend and counselor, Judge Lawrence.

“What on earth does it mean, judge?” he inquired. “What is their game in offering me money?”

The lawyer laughed. “It is very clear what their game is, my boy. They are in hopes that you are in such terror of the coming trial that you can be tempted to seek safety in flight. The two thousand dollars is intended to pay your expenses.”

Owen frowned; then his face suddenly lighted up. “Say, judge, I’ve got another idea. Couldn’t we make great capital out of this offer? What’s the matter with my accepting this money from Hines, in the presence of concealed witnesses, then exposing the whole game? The very fact that they are trying to induce me to jump my bail ought to be enough to prove that they are behind this conspiracy.”

Judge Lawrence smiled. “I was thinking of that, but it wouldn’t work. Those rascals are too smart to lay themselves open to a trap of that sort. That is why Hines went to Miss Worthington instead of making that offer direct to you.

“You see,” he went on, “while we can readily guess their motive, they haven’t said anything that would incriminate them. Hines simply offered to lend you some money, which might be taken as a philanthropic and disinterested act on his part. He did not suggest that the money be used to defray the expenses of your flight. He would claim that he thought you might be able to use it to defray the expense of your defense.

“And, besides, you can rest assured that if you agreed to accept the money, Hines wouldn’t be so careless as to make out the check to you. He would make it out to Miss Worthington. There’s nothing criminal in a man lending or giving a couple of thousand dollars to a young lady whose friendship he ardently seeks. That’s the answer which they would make to an attempt on our part to make capital out of the incident.”

Sheridan realized the logic of this, and Hines’ offer was turned down flat.

Boss Coggswell was greatly disappointed when his lieutenant reported to him that the letter carrier had refused to avail himself of this opportunity to seek safety in flight.

“It is too bad,” he sighed. “I would have preferred to let this unfortunate young man down easy. He has chosen unwisely. A sojourn abroad is much more pleasant than several years behind bars. But since he refuses to accept my aid,” he went on, those expressive ears of his wagging rapidly, “I’m afraid he’ll have to go to jail. Yes, Jake, as much as it pains me to have to say it, I am quite certain now that he’ll have to go to jail.”