Suddenly Taylor addressed the girl roughly. “If you’re acting,” he cried, “you’d better give it up, because I’m certain to find out, and if I do, I’ll send you to jail.” Still the girl paid no attention but only stared ahead blankly. “So you won’t answer, eh?” said her inquisitor. “Going to force my hand, are you?” He raised his hand to signal Duncan and then added: “Go.”
The loud report of the revolver, while it made Gibbs jump, had no effect upon the young woman. Taylor shook his head wisely. “I guess she’s deaf and dumb all right, poor girl. What’s it all about, Gibbs? What is it you think she’s done?”
“She’s got a bracelet chuck-full of diamonds, and we can’t find it.”
“How do you know she’s got it?” the Chief asked.
“She showed it to a woman who was in the same cabin,” Gibbs returned, “and the woman came and tipped us off.”
“Why, the dirty hussy!” cried the girl, who had previously been bereft of hearing and speech, rising to her feet, her eyes flashing, and her whole face denoting rage.
Gibbs looked at her, his eyes bulging with startled surprise, and then turned his ox-like gaze upon Taylor.
“For the love of Mike!” said Gibbs at length, but Sarah Peabody cut short any other exclamations.
“Do you know why she told about me?” the girl demanded. “She wanted to alibi herself and make you folks thinks she was an honest God-fearing lady that would never smuggle—and she had four times as much as I did. Why, it was her who put me up to smuggling and taught me to be deaf and dumb.” Sarah ground her white teeth in anger. “I’d like to meet her again some time.”
“You shall,” Taylor cried. “When we arrest her we’ll need your evidence to testify against her.”