CHAPTER XXIII
A COWARD'S LAST DITCH
In the morning the Somerset House was favored by two rather distinguished guests.
One was Rear Admiral Townsley, the other Congressman Simms. The two had come down together from Washington on the night train.
While the admiral communicated at once with Captain Magowan, Congressman Simms sent his card up to John C. Rhinds. The latter, all a-quiver, now, and showing a haggard face in which smiles fought for a chance, received his visitor.
"Well, Rhinds," was the Congressman's greeting, "the country is all stirred up over this submarine incident out at sea. So is the Navy Department, which is bound to respond to public opinion in such a case."
"I'm glad you've come," replied Mr. Rhinds, eagerly. "I look to you to save me from a most unpleasant, most unmerited charge."
"No charge has been made against you—yet," replied the Congressman.
"I should have said a suspicion," replied Rhinds, tremulously.
"That suspicion seems to be pretty general," answered the member of
Congress. "Have you anything to smoke here?"
Rhinds, with an almost childish eagerness, brought forth a box of cigars, adding:
"I'll ring and order breakfast served for you here, while we talk."
"Thank you, no," responded the Congressman. "I've got to move fast to-day, for I can't spend much time here. I suppose you don't know, yet, that Admiral Townsley is here—sent by the Secretary of the Navy to investigate and report on this matter."
"You'll see him—you'll make him understand, won't you?" demanded
Rhinds, eagerly.
"You can't make Townsley understand anything but facts," replied Mr. Simms, dryly. "I know the man. He's a hard-headed truth-seeker. You see, Rhinds, when I received your telegram, I hurried over to the Navy Department to say what I could for you. The Secretary told me that of course he didn't want you injured by any unjust suspicions."
"Of course not," quivered Rhinds.
"At the same time the Secretary made it plain to me that public sentiment demands that the whole case be brought past the suspicion stage. He advised me to come down here with Townsley, and see, for myself, just what I ought to believe."
"You'll act as my friend, won't you?" begged Rhinds, tremulously. "You'll show Townsley the absurdity of this whole business. Simms, I look to your friendship, for you are my friend, aren't you?"
"Possibly," nodded the other, dryly. "But I'm also a Congressman, responsible to my district, my state and the whole country. Now, Rhinds, the whole thing is just here. I'm going to look into this matter, and I'm going to sift it all I can. If I find you're innocent beyond a question—then—well, you know I'm a pretty good fighter."
"Yes, yes; you'll fight my enemies to a standstill," cried Rhinds, piteously.
"But, if I find the facts against you, then my hands are tied."
"If—if it's a question of money—" stammered the submarine man.
"Money?" demanded the Congressman, crisply. "What for?"
"Why—er—er—for expenses."
"I can pay my own expenses, Rhinds, in a matter that affects the good name of my district. Now, give me your side of this affair."
For an hour the two men remained talking. Rhinds fought for himself as hard as he could, for he was beginning to suspect that a mere matter of politics would not move the Congressman much in this case.
"Now, I'll leave you for a while, Rhinds, and I'll move fast," promised the Congressman, rising. "But I advise you to stay right here. I may want to see you at any moment."
Mr. Simms must have moved rapidly, for, two hours later that morning, after having seen many people, including the admiral, the Congressman sent a message upstairs urging Rhinds to come down at once.
As he stepped out from the elevator, a strange pallor on his face, John Rhinds beheld the Congressman standing with four men one of whom the old man knew for Ensign Pike, the naval officer who had been stationed aboard the 'Thor.' Another was Lieutenant Danvers.
Congressman Simms quickly presented Rhinds to the other two, one of whom was Rear Admiral Townsley, and the other Lieutenant Jasper, the Admiral's aide.
"Now, Mr. Rhinds," pursued the Congressman, "the admiral has decided that the first thing to do is to go aboard the 'Thor,' and see whether any hiding place exists in which you might have stored a fifth torpedo."
"But how could I get such a fifth torpedo?" faltered the old man.
"The Navy issues them."
"They may be bought in the market, too, by one who knows how," replied Rear Admiral Townsley, coolly. "You consent to our going aboard your boat, of course, Mr. Rhinds?"
Had there been any reasonable way of preventing it, Rhinds would not have agreed, but he saw that he must comply with the request.
Admiral Townsley raised a hand in signal. Out of the background came
Jacob Farnum and his three submarine boys.
"These people can't come aboard my boat!" protested Rhinds.
"They must, if we do," retorted the admiral, crisply. "These are the human beings who were placed in deadly peril by the torpedo that has yet to be accounted for."
Rhinds no longer objected. All his force, all his will appeared to have departed. He moved along, now, like a puppet.
Down at the water-front a naval launch was in waiting. In this the entire party was taken out to the "Thor." Captain Driggs received the callers on the platform deck, and Admiral Townsley stated the object of the visit.
"Why, Admiral," replied Captain Driggs, honestly, "I have no knowledge that there was an extra torpedo aboard. Yet, of course, there's a place where such a thing might have been hidden."
"Take us to it," requested the Admiral.
Captain Driggs led the visitors below. There, in the cabin floor, he pointed to a well-concealed trapdoor. It opened upon a very considerable space between cabin floor and keel.
"This space certainly would accommodate a torpedo," declared Admiral Townsley. "Mr. Rhinds, if we could prove that you had a torpedo in this space the other day, there would be an almost complete case, wouldn't there?"
"But I didn't have," cried Rhinds, with cunning insistence.
"Mr. Driggs," pursued the admiral, "we shall want you as a witness at the investigation on board the 'Oakland.' My aide will hand you a subpoena. This, I believe, gentlemen, is all we have to do here."
Looking years older, yet holding up his head in a certain kind of bravado, John Rhinds returned to shore with the party.
No sooner had Rhinds entered the hotel than a bell-boy moved over, drawing him aside and saying something in a low tone.
"I'll wager that talk would interest us, if we could hear it," remarked
Jack Benson, sarcastically, to his friends.
Rhinds, however, turned and hurried off. In five minutes he was back in the lobby. Eagerly he glanced about for the Farnum party, and located it. Then he moved over to where Farnum and his submarine boys sat.
"Farnum," breathed the old man, anxiously, "I've a favor to ask of you."
"That's strange," replied the shipbuilder, coolly.
"I won't term it a favor, then," went on the other, restlessly. "I will put it another way. As a simple act of justice will you meet two people whom I want you to hear?"
"I've heard a good deal, lately," answered Farnum, reluctantly.
"I ask this as a matter of justice. Won't you and young Benson step down the corridor with me?"
"How long will this interview take?" demanded Farnum.
"Only a very short time."
"Well, lead on, then."
Farnum and Captain Jack stepped down a corridor in the wake of their enemy.
Rhinds led them into the ladies' parlor. Farnum and Jack caught sight of two anxious faced women—one, a refined woman of middle age, the other a beautiful girl of sixteen.
"Mr. Farnum, and Mr. Benson, my dear," announced John Rhinds, in oily tones. "Gentlemen, my wife, and my daughter, Helen. Both have something to say to you, gentlemen. Be seated, won't you?"
With that Rhinds slipped away. Like many another cur, in the hour when he finds himself driven to the wall, John Rhinds had sent for his wife and daughter. He proposed to escape from the consequences of his rascally acts by hiding behind the skirts of pure and good women who had the strange fortune to have their lives linked with his.
"What is all this that I have heard, sir?" asked Mrs. Rhinds, tears filling her eyes fast, as she turned to regard the Dunhaven shipbuilder.
It was the hardest hour Jacob Farnum had ever spent, and the same was true for Jack Benson.
This wife and daughter had the most absolute faith in the goodness of John Rhinds. They pleaded gently, eloquently, for these two enemies to have faith in their husband and father.
"You surely don't believe that Mr. Rhinds was at the bottom of any such scoundrelly plot as the papers are talking about?" asked Mrs. Rhinds, tearfully, at last.
"Madame," replied Farnum, in the gentlest tone he knew how to use, "I'll admit I don't like to believe it."
"And you'll come out in a public interview, saying you're convinced that the whole story is a monstrous lie, won't you?" pleaded the wife.
Jacob Farnum choked.
"I—I can't promise that, Mrs. Rhinds. You'll never believe how hard it is for me to refuse you."
"Then you do believe my husband guilty?" demanded Mrs. Rhinds, in a voice full of agony.
"Oh, I wish I could say what you want me to, Mrs. Rhinds, but—well, all
I can do is to remain silent."
"Can't I say something—something?" asked Helen Rhinds, appealingly.
Her moist eyes turned first on Mr. Farnum, then on Captain Jack.
"Ladies," confessed the Dunhaven shipbuilder, "you've already said enough, as I looked at your faces, to make me almost feel that I am one of the worst men alive."
"Oh, no, no, no!" protested the girl. "You are going to prove yourself the most generous."
Then, turning, the girl caught at one of Benson's hands appealingly.
"You urge him!" she begged.
"When the chief has spoken I must be silent," Jack answered, clearly, though in a low voice.
"What can you say to us, Mr. Farnum? What will you say?" cried Mrs.
Rhinds, desperately.
"Madame," replied the Dunhaven shipbuilder, "all I can say is this: I will not, of myself make any effort to bring your husband before a court. I will make no effort to have the investigation carried any further. That is all I can say. Jack, if you have anything to say to these ladies that will soften my words, then, in the name of mercy, say it."
"Ladies," spoke Captain Jack Benson, looking mother and daughter full in the eye, in turn, "you have heard the extent of Mr. Farnum's promise. He is a man who lives by the rules of justice. You are the only two in the world who could have wrung from him such a promise as you have secured."
With that Farnum and his young captain succeeded in taking their leave—making their escape, as they felt, from a most trying situation.