“What was your protection?” queried Brent, suddenly breaking into the story.
“The fact that I was supposedly dead,” answered Austin, promptly. “I sensed that the man my father feared would begin operations after my father died. I wanted to observe what happened. So I came to Rensdale, but I did not enter the town. Instead, I went to the hillside and occupied one of the empty cabins. I disguised myself to resemble one of the hill-folk — a Dalwar.”
“What!” exclaimed Nicholas Rokesbury. “You were the man on the hill all—”
“Yes,” interrupted Austin. “I was the intruder who paid those visits to this house. Twindell was working with me. I came on nights when he signaled with a flashlight from the doorway.”
PHILO HALTHORPE leaned back and delivered a guffaw. His laugh ended, the lawyer turned to Rokesbury. The engineer was standing in total perplexity.
“And you accused me,” snorted Halthorpe. “I said you were a fool, Rokesbury. But you, Austin” — the lawyer scowled as he turned to the heir — “were also a fool. More than that, you are a murderer! In behalf of the law, I must arrest you—”
“Hear him to the finish,” broke in Clyde Burke. “His hands are clean. When he killed, it was in self-defense.”
“When he murdered Lundig?” quizzed Halthorpe, savagely, “and Cray?”
“I did not kill those men,” retorted Austin. “I would have saved them.”
“Listen to the story,” urged Clyde.
“All right,” rasped Halthorpe. “He has already incriminated himself. Let him proceed and build a complete case that the law can use against him. Continue with your confession, Austin.”
“This is not a confession,” responded Austin, hotly. “Listen and learn new truth. When I knew that Hector Lundig was here to claim the estate, I feared for him. When Twindell informed me that Hector was coming to the house, I told him to warn the young fellow. Twindell did.”
“I thought so,” declared Rokesbury. “I remember Hector talking to me in my car.”
“I saw Twindell speak to Lundig,” put in Brent. “It was out in the hallway.”
A slight smile showed on Halthorpe’s lips. The rugged lawyer, however, did not add his statement to the others. Halthorpe could be a man of silence when he chose.
“I learned of Lundig’s death through Twindell,” stated Austin. “Then I feared that others might suffer. I saw one way to prevent further murder. Whoever the killer might be, his purpose was to find the wealth in this old mansion. If I could uncover the spoils, I would end the menace. So I resolved to search the house.
“Twindell and I had held conferences on various evenings. I always came through the marsh, wearing my disguise. I had known the path to the hillside since boyhood. One night Twindell signaled. He left the door unbolted. I entered. He and I went down into the cellar, to begin our search there.”
“That was what I heard!” exclaimed Dorothy. “You were tapping the walls!”
“Yes,” nodded Austin. “I barely managed to escape. Yet Twindell thought that you might have glimpsed me.”
“I did,” said the girl. “I saw your hat and beard.”
“Nevertheless,” resumed Austin, “I came back. I wanted to resume my search in the cellar. Twindell warned me that Detective Cray was in the house; he thought the fellow was asleep in the corner room. I entered the door to the cellar. Cray was down there; he heard me and flashed his light.”
“So you killed him,” sneered Halthorpe.
“No,” returned Austin. “I started back. I heard shots. I thought that Cray was firing at me. As I fled, some one began a struggle with Twindell. The servant fought with him, but the man escaped.”
“I saw the struggle!” exclaimed Dorothy. “I thought it was Twindell fighting with the man who wore the beard — with you, Mr. Culeth.”
“That proves my statement,” declared Austin, with a smile. “These letters are evidence that Twindell was on my side. He would not have battled with me.”
“A good point,” put in Rokesbury, before Halthorpe could speak.
“I WENT back up on the hill,” resumed Austin. “When next I saw Twindell, several nights had passed. I knew that I was running a terrible risk to come here. But Twindell summoned me and I came. We whispered together by the fire place. He told me alarming news.”
“What was that?” asked Halthorpe quickly.
“First, that Mr. Brent was poking about the house. That made me fear that the hidden criminal would act.”
“I was looking for places that needed repairing,” protested Brent. “Mr. Halthorpe said that he was going to have the house gone over after I left.”
“Twindell told me about Halthorpe’s plan also,” added Austin. “That made an even stronger chance that a hiding place might be uncovered. Then he told me that Rokesbury had searched this tapestried room.”
“Ah!” Halthorpe’s eyes gleamed in quick challenge. “So you were poking about, too, eh, Rokesbury? Who gave you that right?”
“I did,” asserted Dorothy. “Nicholas and I discussed the mystery of this mansion. The cellar had been searched by his men. The door to this room was open on the night that Cray was murdered. We thought that this room might hold some secret.”
“So I had my men remove the tapestried panels,” stated Rokesbury. “We found solid walls behind them. We put the panels back in place.”
“Twindell saw you,” put in Austin Culeth. “That was the final reason why he sent for me. We talked things over in the hall. I was in a quandary. I decided it best to leave. I intended to dispose of my disguise; to reveal myself and ask the aid of the law after taking possession of this house. Then trouble started.”
“I began it,” admitted Dorothy. “I heard you downstairs. I flashed a light from the window toward the causeway.”
“Which I saw,” added Rokesbury. “I brought my men; while they surrounded the house, I came in the passage window.”
“We know the rest,” said Halthorpe, tartly. “Go on, Austin. Why did you abduct Miss Brent?”
“Because she saw me,” said Austin. “She would have given me away. I did not know that men were waiting outside. I wanted to carry her away from the house; to explain who I was; to gain her aid. Then I found my path blocked. Men were aiming to shoot me. I fired in return.”
“And killed two of them,” reminded Halthorpe.
“Yes,” admitted Austin, soberly. “My aim was closer than I had intended. When one has trekked the African veldt and battled through the jungle, he is apt to have a quick and ready trigger. I am willing to stand trial for the manslaughter that I committed. Yet I was partly within my rights.”
“How so?”
“The house was actually mine. I had a right to enter it. Those workmen were trespassers. They did not know who I was; but I did not know who they were. They would have killed me instantly but for the girl. I thought they were going to fire anyway, as I neared the marsh. To turn back would have meant certain death. I acted to defend myself and to save Miss Brent.”
“No jury will send him up for that,” assured Clyde Burke. “Don’t let them worry you, old chap. Tell the rest of the story.”
“I was pursued,” declared Austin. “I knew that I would have to make a quick explanation to Miss Brent when I reached the cabin. But before I could revive her, a stranger leaped in from the door.”
“And you fought him!” exclaimed Dorothy. “I remember!”
“I knocked him out,” said Austin. “Then I encountered another intruder at the door of the little room. I sprang upon him. I could not see his face in the dark; but he fought with the strength of a giant.”
“Yet you threw him through the window,” declared Rokesbury.
“I did not,” returned Austin. “We smashed against the window when we struggled. I tried to throw him through. He landed a jujutsu hold. I was the one who went headfirst through the opened window frame. I landed headforemost. Although the ground was soft, I was stunned.