“I’m puzzled about that,” persisted Wilbur.
“Why be puzzled?” questioned Zachary softly. “Why should you care? It has left us the opening that we need. You knew how fussy our esteemed father has become. He’s worrying night and day about Pearson. He has lost confidence in a lawyer who departs for places unknown.
“That, in my mind, is very much to our advantage. Before Pearson returns” — Zachary smiled shrewdly — “if Pearson ever does return, Galbraith Chittenden will have a new attorney. I have arranged for that.”
WILBUR clapped his fist upon his open hand. He was unrestrained in his admiration of his brother’s craftiness.
“A great idea, Zach!” he exclaimed. “We get the new lawyer in; then we start again about the will. Our man sides with us. The old man capitulates. Harvey will be cut off — with only Lower Beechview in his grasp.”
“Exactly,” returned Zachary. “Galbraith Chittenden will have two sons — Wilbur, the elder; Zachary, the younger — just as we have so often planned it. Provided that Harvey helps.”
“That Harvey helps?” asked Wilbur incredulously.
“Certainly,” said Zachary. “He began to help when he antagonized Pearson. That was not sufficient. But with our lawyer on the job, all that remains is for Harvey to clash with us as he did with Pearson. That will turn our father’s mind completely against him.”
“Very good,” said Wilbur. “Very, very good. You are getting there, Zach. But what is going to start all this strife? As far as I can see it, Harvey never leaves Lower Beechview. There has to be a cause of war, you know.”
“There already is a cause,” said Zachary, in a confidential tone. “If you spent less time admiring Harvey’s bride through those glasses, and looked over some of the other people on the place, you might know more than you do now.”
“The others?” asked Wilbur, in surprise. “You mean that middle-aged bird who came on ahead to watch the workmen — Craig Ware, I heard his name is — the one who sits around all day—”
“Not Ware,” said Zachary, with an evil smile. “I’m thinking of the gawky gentleman in overalls — the chief workman. He lives at Lower Beechview, too. His name is Jessup. “
“Jessup?” quizzed Wilbur. “How did you find that out?”
“I’ve looked him over uptown,” said Zachary. “I’ve seen him other places, too. Particularly, around here.”
“Around here? You mean that Jessup is spying on us?”
“Exactly. But I haven’t stopped him. He’s a good snooper, that fellow. I’ve seen him watching you; I’ve seen him watching me; but I haven’t let on.”
“How did you learn about him? What is he?”
“A pretty tough customer,” said Zachary. “He used to do contracting work, out West. That’s probably where Harvey met him. He came East, went broke, and tied up with a racket. New York City isn’t such a healthy place for Mr. Jessup, right now.”
All this appeared to be surprising news to Wilbur Chittenden. He stared open-mouthed at his brother and waited for further information. Zachary took his time in divulging. He liked the effect that he was creating.
“I’m no simple-minded soul,” declared Zachary. “Long Island Sound is a mighty profitable place for racketeers, especially when the rum-running is in season. Those boys like to know the home folks. I’ve made a few useful acquaintances.”
Wilbur nodded. Zachary had said something of this before, but Wilbur had paid but little attention to it.
Now, however, with a Harvey Chittenden connection, Wilbur could see where Zachary’s questionable friends might play a part.
“Gangsters,” resumed Zachary, “are easily spotted by those who know them. I figured this fellow Jessup was more than a mere workman. So I pointed him out to some of the — some of my friends. They recognized him. It looks very much as though those workmen who are with him are others of his same kind.
“Now what is Jessup’s purpose? He’s working for Harvey. Retired from the phony racket business? Perhaps” — again Zachary’s tone became ironical — “and perhaps not. If Harvey anticipates trouble” — again the sarcasm — “or if Harvey is making trouble, Jessup would be mighty useful to him.”
“What are we going to do about it?” asked Wilbur anxiously.
“You mean,” returned Zachary, “what have I done about it? Well, brother Wilbur, while you have been mooning through your glasses and father has been doing nothing, I have been attending a bit to affairs on Upper Beechview. For one thing, I have hired some extra help.”
“Three men, yes,” agreed Wilbur. “I didn’t see why we needed them around the place, with two hired men already on the—”
“That,” interposed Zachary, “was because you did not know the vocation of our new employees. Like Jessup, they are tough gangsters — temporarily retired. There are others available if necessary, should emergency arise.”
WILBUR CHITTENDEN whistled softly. He realized now the purpose of these extra hired men, whom his brother had employed ostensibly to look after the widespread estate. They had impressed him as rowdies when they had first arrived. Zachary had arranged quarters for them in the garage, where they slept at night.
“Someone is always on duty here,” remarked Zachary. “That is why Jessup has been seen on his brief excursions. But Jessup has not in any way been molested nor will he be.”
“Why is Jessup coming here?” demanded Wilbur suddenly.
“Wilbur,” answered Zachary seriously, “you must always try to put yourself in the other man’s place — even when the other man is such a low form of humanity as our eldest brother Harvey.
“What is our main purpose in life? To see that Harvey is disowned. Did you ever reason that Harvey might be gratified if we were disowned? Let us consider Lower Beechview as the enemy’s camp — with Harvey in charge and Jessup as his spy. In some way Harvey must manage to injure us. To do that, he must learn all that is possible. Wise enough to lie back, he lets Jessup do the preliminary work.”
“And when that is finished?”
“Harvey will open some negotiations. He will try some way to frame us. When he does, it will be our part to appear completely duped. Let him play his hand; then return with our trumps.”
Zachary was on his feet now, leaning against the parapet of the terrace. He lighted a cigarette, and its glow showed bright in the deepening dusk. Wilbur could not see his brother’s face.
“I wonder” — Wilbur spoke in a tone of partial bewilderment — “just what happened between Harvey and Pearson. More than that I wonder—”
Zachary held up his hand for silence. He flicked his cigarette from the parapet. He stared toward the ground then gave a low whistle. A response came from short distance away and Zachary saw a man approaching through the gloom.
“That you Hunky?” he asked.
An affirmative growl sounded from below.
“Seen anyone?” questioned Zachary of the man.
“Nope,” said a gruff voice.
“Look around a bit,” said Zachary in a low voice. “I thought I saw something like a shadow going over by those bushes. Use your flashlight and if you scare up that bird Jessup, let him get away without noticing him.”
“O.K,” came the growl.
Zachary waited while the inspection was under way. He could see the gleam of “Hunky’s” flashlight moving in and out among the bushes. At length the man returned to report from the ground that no one was in sight. Zachary dismissed him with a laugh. He turned to Wilbur.
“You were saying?” asked Zachary.
“I was wondering,” observed Wilbur from the darkness, “what happened to Walter Pearson. Someone must know about it. The way you figure it, his being gone is to our advantage. Harvey might figure it was to his advantage too, for that matter, because we’ve had a long time to work on that old lawyer.”