“There need be no further mystery about this,” he declared in a grimly steady voice. “On the train this morning Jack Orr and I accidentally overheard—”
From Burke came a scream, he sprang forward with raised fists, faltered, and suddenly whirling about, dashed down the aisle for the door, and out. And in the breathless silence which followed Alex completed his explanation.
As the old man climbed the platform steps and extended a shaking hand, the applause that burst from every corner of the room fairly rattled the windows; and as the uproar continued, and Alex sprang hastily to the floor, he was surrounded by a jostling, enthusiastic crowd of strangers from whom in vain he sought to escape.
Some minutes later, enjoying tea and cake in a circle which included the minister, the latter smilingly remarked, “But you haven’t yet explained the rest of the mysterious doings, Master Alex. Aren’t you going to enlighten us all round? Prefer to keep it a secret, eh? Well, if you will promise us another ‘exposition’ I’m sure we will agree not to press you,” declared the minister, heartily.
And as a matter of fact, save Kate, no one has yet solved the mystery, not even the janitor, although on cutting the grass a few days later he picked up beneath one of the school-room windows an unaccountable piece of fine copper wire.
XIV
THE LAST OF THE FREIGHT THIEVES
“No; I’m not after you this time,” laughingly responded Detective Boyle to Jack’s half serious inquiry on recognizing his visitor at the station one evening a month later as the road detective who on the previous memorable occasion had called in company with the sheriff. “Instead, I want your assistance.