CHAPTER XXVIII. THE CONSPIRATORS ARE DISGUSTED.

Less than an hour later found Robert at Herman Wenrich's modest home. A ring at the door bell brought Nettie Wenrich, who smiled pleasantly upon seeing our hero.

"My father is much better, thank you," said the girl, in reply to Robert's question concerning her parent's health. "I was afraid he would not get well before, but now I am sure he will."

"I am glad to hear that," answered the boy.

"Those men were here again," went on Nettie. "They are very anxious to get the map, and they offered my father fifty dollars for it."

"They offered two hundred dollars," came from the bedchamber, for Robert and Nettie were ascending the stairs, and old Herman Wenrich had overheard the talk. "The fifty dollar offer was only their first."

The old lumberman shook hands cordially.

"But you have the map, haven't you?" questioned Robert eagerly.

[Pg 237]

"To be sure I have, my lad. Herman Wenrich's word is as good as his bond."

"You know I am authorized to give you a hundred dollars," went on Robert.

"And didn't I say I didn't want a cent from Felix Amberton?" cried the old man. "All I want is that order, to make certain that I am not going astray—not but what you look honest enough."

"Here is the order, just received by mail," and Robert handed it over.

Herman Wenrich had his daughter bring spectacles and he perused the paper with great care.

"That's all right—I know Amberton's signature well—saw it on many a check he gave me. You shall have the map. Nettie, bring me my tin box."

"I will, father," answered the daughter, and left the room.

"What did those men have to say when you told them that I had said they were not working for Felix Amberton's interest?" asked Robert while she was gone.

"I didn't tell them anything about it. I merely told them to hold off for a day or two, and I would consider their offer."

"They'll be mad when they learn the truth."

[Pg 238]

"I shall show them this order for the map. They probably know Amberton's signature as well as I do."

"Perhaps so."

"I suppose you are going to send that to Timberville by the first mail."

"I am going to take it up myself. Mr. Marden wants to come up."

"You will find it a wild section of the country—a good bit different from around here."

"I shan't mind that—in fact, I think I'll rather like the change."

"It's a good place for a fellow who is strong and healthy. There are fortunes in the lumber business."

"I've no doubt of it."

"I went into the district a poor man, and worked at cutting lumber at a dollar and a half a day. Inside of fifteen years I came out something like twelve thousand dollars ahead. Of course that isn't a fortune, but you must remember that I lost about ten thousand dollars by two spring freshets which carried off nearly all I at those times possessed. If I had remained there I would have been better off. But I came to Chicago and speculated, and now my fortune amounts to very little, I can tell you that."

[Pg 239]

By this time Nettie came back with a long tin box painted black. It was locked, and the key was in a pocketbook under the sick man's pillow. Soon the box was opened and Herman Wenrich took out a paper yellow with age.

"This is the map," he said. "If I were you I would be very careful of how I handled it, or it may go to pieces. Nettie, haven't you a big envelope in which to place it?"

"I think I have, father," she replied, and went off to hunt up the article.

During her absence Robert looked over the document, and found that it contained not only a map but also a long written description of several lumber tracts, including that which Felix Amberton had once purchased from a man named Gregory Hammerditch.

"This must be some relative to the Hammerditch I met," said our hero.

"It was an uncle. The trouble started through this Gregory Hammerditch and the Canadian, Jean Le Fevre. They claimed the land was never paid for, I believe."

At that moment came a ring at the front door bell.

"It is those two men!" cried Nettie, who stood close to the window.

[Pg 240]

"You mean the Canadian and the Englishman?" asked Robert.

"Yes."

"Do you wish to meet them?" questioned Herman Wenrich. "If so, I have no objection."

"I would like to hear what they have to say, sir."

"You can go into the back bedroom, if you wish."

The idea struck Robert as a good one, and while Nettie went below to let the visitors in our hero entered the rear apartment, leaving the door open several inches.

Soon he heard Hammerditch and Le Fevre ascending the stairs.

"Good-morning," said both, as they came in and sat down close to Herman Wenrich's bedside.

"Good-morning," replied the old lumberman shortly.

"Well, I trust you have decided to sell us the map," continued the Englishman.

"I have decided not to do so."

"Indeed." The faces of both men fell. "The map is of no use to you, Mr. Wenrich," went on Hammerditch.

"That may be true."

[Pg 241]

"And it is no more than right that we should have it."

"Dat is so," said the Canadian. "Ze map should be ours."

"You said Mr. Amberton had sent you for the map," said Herman Wenrich.

"So he did," answered Hammerditch, and Le Fevre nodded.

"Did he give you a written order?"

"He did not. He didn't think it was necessary."

"I have received a written order—or rather, a written request, for it."

At this both of the visitors were dumfounded.

"A written order?" gasped Hammerditch.

"Yes."

"By mail?"

"No, a young man brought it."

"Ze order must be von forgery!" came from the French Canadian.

"Certainly it must be a forgery," added his companion.

"It is no forgery, gentlemen."

The voice came from the rear doorway, and Robert confronted them.

"Who are you?" demanded Hammerditch roughly.

[Pg 242]

"My name is Robert Frost."

"I never heard of you before."

"I am a friend to Mr. Richard Marden, the nephew of Felix Amberton."

"And you come for ze map?" queried Jean Le Fevre.

"Yes."

"It's an outrage!" burst out Hammerditch. "The map belongs to us."

"No, it belongs to Mr. Wenrich."

"What do you intend to do with it?"

"I intend to turn it over to Mr. Amberton and Mr. Marden."

"It will do them no good."

"I think it will."

"Amberton shall never have that timber land."

"How will you stop him?"

"Never mind, he shall never have it."

"We haf ze other map," said Le Fevre.

"There isn't any other map," put in Herman Wenrich.

"Yes, there is," said Hammerditch.

"Perhaps it's one you had made down to Cresson & Page," said Robert, mentioning the firm of mapmakers, to whom he had applied for a situation.

Both Le Fevre and Hammerditch were amazed.

[Pg 243]

"What do you know of that?" demanded the Englishman.

"He haf played ze part of a spy!" hissed the French Canadian.

"I have spied upon nobody. I was at Cresson & Page's place when you came there, and I couldn't help overhear what you said about the map."

"Bah, he is a spy, sure enough," ejaculated Hammerditch, in disgust. "Jean, we have played into the hands of our enemies."

"Zat is so, but it shall do zem no good," answered the Canadian. "We haf better git back to Timberville as soon as possible," he added, in a whisper.

"I reckon you are about right," said Hammerditch. He bowed himself toward the door.

"You are going?" asked Herman Wenrich.

"Yes, we are going. You have played us for a pair of fools," replied the Englishman.

He ran down the stairs, with Le Fevre at his heels. Soon both were outside and stalking up the street rapidly. Robert began to laugh.

"They are a pair of rascals," he remarked. "I am awfully glad I outwitted them."

"So am I glad," answered Herman Wenrich.

"And I am glad, too," said Nettie, with a[Pg 244] bright smile. "But if I were you I wouldn't lose any time in getting to Timberville with the map."

"I will leave this afternoon," answered the boy.