Weir did not stop to change and inflate the tube, but pushed ahead on his mission though at slackened speed. He brought his car to rest before Doctor Hosmer’s house. The windows were lighted, yet at his knock there was no response; so brushing conventionalities aside he entered and called Janet’s name. Only echoes and a following silence greeted his call.
Doubtful whether to remain awaiting the girl’s return or go at once to Martinez’ office in the hope of still finding her, he finally chose the latter course leaving his car where it stood and proceeding on foot, as a result of which he passed in the darkness Juanita hurrying home in a fright. A bad choice and valuable time lost, he afterwards discovered. At Martinez’ office he stepped inside, called the lawyer by name, called Janet Hosmer, stood for a little while in the black room harkening and thinking, then went forth into the street.
This time chance fell his way. He had but come out when he heard footsteps and two men in low-toned talk as they approached; and he withdrew further into the concealing darkness of the street. The new visitors, striking matches at the entrance, walked inside. The men were Vorse and Burkhardt.
“If you had been here, we could have nailed him at once as soon as I had Saurez’ story,” the former said. “Martinez had half an hour and more to get the thing into somebody else’s hands.”
“Well, I was looking after those men up in the hills,” was the growled answer. “Had to feed ’em and have ’em ready for to-morrow night. If we don’t find the document here, we’ll screw its hiding-place out of that dirty greaser if we have to use a cord on his head Indian-fashion. Anyway it ought to be about this office. Martinez didn’t know you had learned about it from Saurez. He’d never let go a paper like that until he had to.”
“I think you’re right there,” Vorse said. “He’d want to sell it for all it was worth. Better shut and lock the door while we’re searching. Don’t care to have any of his friends sticking in their heads while we’re here.”
Burkhardt, who had lighted the lamp, now closed the door, cutting off so far as Steele Weir was concerned both a view of the men and their conversation. However he had learned if not enough, at least considerable. They had not yet gained possession of the paper. They knew nothing of Janet’s part in the affair. They had so far not succeeded in unlocking Martinez’ lips, but undoubtedly they would be able to wring from the lawyer when they went about it the real truth regarding the document. Very likely Martinez had anticipated that, had known his powers were such as not to be greatly able 160 to resist physical torture and had planned to get the evidence into the engineer’s hands before he should be subjected to pains of the flesh. That would be remembered to his credit, along with all the rest. Where Martinez was being held prisoner was the additional information Weir should have liked to glean before the door was shut.
Postponing for the time the hunt along this line, he returned to the Hosmer dwelling. In answer to his knock and call on this visit the trembling Juanita appeared, immediately pouring forth a recital of the happenings at the office as affecting her mistress.
“You’ve told no one else?” he demanded.