The man stepped toward the car, shaking his head. “Oh, no, Miss Prim,” he said, “I can't do that. Here's your 'swag.'” And he smiled as he passed over her jewels and money.
Mr. Prim's eyes widened; he looked suspiciously at Bridge. Abigail laughed merrily. “I stole them myself, Dad,” she explained, “and then Mr. Bridge took them from me in the jail to make the mob think he had stolen them and not I—he didn't know then that I was a girl, did you?”
“It was in the jail that I first guessed; but I didn't quite realize who you were until you said that the jewels were yours—then I knew. The picture in the paper gave me the first inkling that you were a girl, for you looked so much like the one of Miss Prim. Then I commenced to recall little things, until I wondered that I hadn't known from the first that you were a girl; but you made a bully boy!” and they both laughed. “And now good-by, and may God bless you!” His voice trembled ever so little, and he extended his hand. The girl drew back.
“I want you to come with us,” she said. “I want Father to know you and to know how you have cared for me. Won't you come—for me?”
“I couldn't refuse, if you put it that way,” replied Bridge; and he climbed into the car. As the machine started off a boy leaped to the running-board.
“Hey!” he yelled, “where's my reward? I want my reward. I'm Willie Case.”
“Oh!” exclaimed Bridge. “I gave your reward to your father—maybe he'll split it with you. Go ask him.” And the car moved off.
“You see,” said Burton, with a wry smile, “how simple is the detective's job. Willie is a natural-born detective. He got everything wrong from A to Izzard, yet if it hadn't been for Willie we might not have cleared up the mystery so soon.”
“It isn't all cleared up yet,” said Jonas Prim. “Who murdered Baggs?”
“Two yeggs known as Dopey Charlie and the General,” replied Burton. “They are in the jail at Oakdale; but they don't know yet that I know they are guilty. They think they are being held merely as suspects in the case of your daughter's disappearance, whereas I have known since morning that they were implicated in the killing of Baggs; for after I got them in the car I went behind the bushes where we discovered them and dug up everything that was missing from Baggs' house, as nearly as is known—currency, gold and bonds.”