"What are you saying?" he cried. "Silwood robbed the firm! absconded to Italy! pretended he was dead!"

"Exactly. But I must begin at the beginning, and tell you the whole story in detail."

When he had heard it all, Ernest was thunderstruck.

"This Silwood must be a devil!" he cried.

"Ay, a devil in cleverness, in ingenuity, in resource, in cunning, and we have to encounter and defeat these qualities in him. He must be found."

"The police?"

"Can we afford to let them know our affairs?"

"No; I suppose not. Would you employ private detectives?"

"Yes; there are very excellent private detective agencies in America, such as Pinkerton's. As I have already told you, I have a man in England following up the trail of Silwood, whom he knows only as James Russell.

He may have something to report."

There were several letters lying on Gilbert's table. Owing to the urgency of his talk with Ernest, he had not looked at them; he now did so, hoping that one of them was from the detective, and this hope proved well-founded.

The detective wrote that he had discovered in the list of steerage pa.s.sengers, kept by one of the Liverpool shipping firms, an entry of "James Russell, wife, and child." From inquiries he had made, he had learned that the child was a cripple; this fact, together with the name, James Russell, and the numbers in the party, agreed with what he had been told of the Russells who had lived in No. 99, Douglas Street, Stepney, so that he had very little doubt that he was on the right trail. He went on to state that the Russells had sailed for New York and had arrived there, as he had ascertained from his correspondent in that city. On landing, Russell had declared he was an immigrant, and having been informed that by American law it was necessary to show he was possessed of a certain stipulated sum of money, had produced it, and was allowed to enter the country. Russell had also declared his intention to go West, mentioning St. Paul in the State of Minnesota as his probable destination. These facts, the detective added, were communicated to him by cable, and he asked for further instructions.

Gilbert handed the letter to Ernest, remarking here was some good news.

"Oh, if we can only catch Silwood soon!" cried Ernest, after perusing the letter.

CHAPTER x.x.xV

"To catch Silwood! Yes, that is the business we must press to a conclusion; everything must give way to it!" said Gilbert, energetically. "I shall wire the detective to cable his American correspondent to continue his search."

Then Gilbert was silent for a while, meditating deeply.

"Bennet's trial," he said at length, "is fixed for the middle of November, is it not, Ernie?"

"Yes, November 15th, at York. North Eastern Circuit; Judge, Warrender,"

replied Ernest, quickly.

"That would give me six weeks," remarked Gilbert, thoughtfully.

"What! Do you intend going to the United States after Silwood? Six weeks is rather a short period."

"Of course it is, but it might be enough. I believe I ought to go, and I have a presentiment I shall succeed. St. Paul is a long way off, though."

Gilbert now consulted an atlas.

"I see," said he, "St. Paul is just about half-way across the American continent. Still, I should be able to reach it in ten days. Say twenty days for going and returning, that leaves twenty and odd days for hunting the man down. Yes, I'll go. Will you arrange about a steamer, while I run across to Surbiton to see father, mother, and Helen?"

"Yes. But are you not counting too much on Silwood's being at St. Paul?

You don't really know he is there at all."

"I trust I'm not. My opinion is that Silwood was sure of the working of his scheme; so much so, he took no trouble to cover up his movements.

When he said he was going to St. Paul, I imagine he stated the truth.

Still, I may be wrong. But I shall soon know."

"You think he was so confident he had obliterated the past, so to speak, that he took no further precautions?"

"That's just my idea. Anyhow, I wish you would inquire about steamers, and secure a berth for me on the first one that goes out. Meanwhile I'll go over to Ivydene."

"All right," said Ernest, and went across to the office in Lincoln's Inn. There he rang up the shipping companies on the telephone, and finally arranged for a pa.s.sage on the _St. Louis_, which was leaving Southampton next morning.

He remembered it was the _St. Louis_ by which Morris Thornton had returned to England, and it struck him as of good augury that his brother should sail on it in pursuit of Silwood, who had so marred the fortunes of Thornton and them all.

The brothers met again late in the afternoon, and Ernest told Gilbert that he had taken a berth for him in this vessel, and, as it sailed on the morrow about noon, he must at once make preparations for leaving.

"I am very glad that I start so soon," remarked Gilbert. "I feel as if I must be moving and doing something towards getting on Silwood's track.

When I saw poor father, I longed with all my soul to slay this man, this villain, who has wrought us such terrible wrong, such irremediable mischief. I know now how a murderer must feel--though to kill such a miscreant as Silwood would not be murder; it would be like killing some poisonous reptile."

"I understand your feelings," said Ernest; "but if you meet him you must not give way to your anger, just though it is. You must not forget that it is the money----"

"You may be sure I won't forget it," interrupted Gilbert. "But it made my blood fairly boil when I saw father, and heard his parrot-like cry of 'What o'clock is it?' He did not know me at all; he does not even know mother. It's frightfully sad for her, poor dear. And we owe this whole trouble to that devil, Silwood! It makes me savage to think of it!"

"Yes, it's hard to bear. Now, is there anything more I can do for you?

Any matter to attend to?"

"You might see the detective, and tell him I have gone to New York, where I shall look up his correspondent."

"He had better cable across that you are going--that will prepare the way for you."

"Quite right," agreed Gilbert. "Are you coming to see me off to-morrow morning?"

"From Waterloo? Yes. Did you say anything to mother about going to America?"

"Yes, I told her of it. She was surprised; but I a.s.sured her I had no option, but hoped to bring back good news."

"Pray Heaven you may!"

"Has anything further been done in the case of Bennet?" asked Gilbert, after a minute's silence.

"I went to York, and, along with the local solicitor, had a conversation with Bennet, but to no purpose. I never saw such an impracticable man.

He seemed all the time in a state of suppressed rage and fury; indeed, they hardly were suppressed. He is more like a caged tiger than a man."

"Does he know about father's condition?"

"No. I have kept it quiet, as I told you before. But I fear we cannot keep it hid very long; it is bound to get out."