“Good riddance!” shouted Harvey, now fully incensed. “And you two will be gone - off these premises. Get out, and look for your own. Get out!”
As Harvey made a threatening gesture toward his father, the huge dog Beowulf rose and strained fiercely at its leash. Its great jaws opened in a terrific snarl. Mildred screamed as she saw the beast about to leap upon her husband. Only Galbraith Chittenden’s firm restraint withheld the dog.
Quickly, Mildred grasped Harvey by the arm. With all her strength, she dragged him toward the house. Harvey, too angered in mind to control his actions, allowed himself to be guided by his wife. He paused upon the steps of the porch to voice wild, inarticulate imprecations. Beowulf barked fiercely.
“I’ll give you fifteen minutes!” shouted Harvey. “Off of these grounds, both of you - off to stay!”
“I’ll disown you!” cried Galbraith.
“Do it!” cried Harvey. “I’ve disowned you long ago - thanks to those skulking boys whose talk has influenced you!”
With that, Harvey moved into the house, under Mildred’s charge. Beowulf still snarled as Galbraith Chittenden, his face livid with mighty wrath, clung to the big dog’s leash. Zachary was standing silent at his father’s side. Craig Ware, calm and controlled, was facing the two visitors.
Chittendens had met - and in that meeting, the breach of long-nourished enmity had been widened beyond recall!
CHAPTER X
THE SEARCH BEGINS
THE encounter upon the lawn of Lower Beechview had been witnessed by one man from afar. In a secluded corner of the clubhouse veranda, Lamont Cranston had been watching with the same device that Wilbur Chittenden had employed to spy on Lower Beechview - a pair of field glasses.
But Lamont Cranston, although a long way off, had virtually heard every word of the tempestuous conversation. His keen eyes had followed the motions of angry lips. The words that had been veiled from him when heads had turned were easily inferred by his shrewd brain as he watched the replies of lips that were visible.
Now that the brief altercation was ended, Galbraith Chittenden stood firm and dignified upon the lawn. A domineering man, he was not ready to obey Harvey’s short order to vacate. Zachary, too, held his ground. It was inevitable that Harvey would return at the end of fifteen minutes. Then another clash would occur.
There was one, however, who sensed this fact, and took measures to avert that trouble. Craig Ware, calm and unperturbed, walked directly toward Galbraith Chittenden and spoke to the old man. Galbraith glared and Beowulf snarled. Ware quietly stretched out one hand and gripped the police dog’s nose. To the amazement of Galbraith and Zachary, the fierce beast subsided. Ware smiled wanly as the two other men stared in surprised admiration.
“Let’s talk things over, Mr. Chittenden,” suggested Ware. “My name is Craig Ware - a friend of your son Harvey. When Mr. Pearson was here, I smoothed a few troubles. Perhaps, now, I can do the same. Had Harvey known that you were coming here, I think that he would have acted with less temper.”
Galbraith Chittenden’s anger was lessening as he listened to Craig Ware. Zachary, too, was quiet. Ware followed his first remarks with words of explanation.
“I’ve knocked around a bit, Mr. Chittenden,” said Ware. “I’m an old showman, and I’m used to troubles. I’ve known Harvey for years, now, and I know all his problems. I’d like to help him out of them.
“There’s been a bad misunderstanding right now; you’re not to blame, nor is Harvey. I don’t think you made it plain why you came here - it’s not clear to me, at present. I suppose there’s a good reason - but Harvey didn’t take time to think the same.”
“You are a fair-spoken man, Mr. Ware,” said Galbraith Chittenden with dignity. “I still have a portion of fifteen minutes to remain here. So, in justice to all concerned, I shall discuss my visit with you. Zachary and I came here, not to annoy Harvey, but to inquire regarding Wilbur.”
“Your other son?”
“Yes. I am sorry that we brought the dog - although you and he seem to be on friendly terms” - Ware was stroking Beowulf while Galbraith Chittenden spoke - “but that was purely an accident. The point is, Mr. Ware, that Wilbur has disappeared. Beowulf is Wilbur’s dog. The beast seemed to know that we were going out to look for Wilbur, so we let him come along.”
“Wilbur has disappeared?” asked Ware. “When and where?”
“Last night,” inserted Zachary. “He went to visit Harvey, here. He was to be back within a few hours. That is the last we have seen of him.”
“Hence you see why we are worried,” added Galbraith.
“I CAN understand,” nodded Ware thoughtfully. “But isn’t it odd that Wilbur should have come here? I was up and around until nearly eleven. So was Harvey. I can assure you that we saw no sign of Wilbur - or any other visitor.”
“He left around midnight,” explained Zachary. “He received a call from Harvey, inviting him to come here alone. He came.”
“A call from Harvey?” echoed Ware. “At midnight? Harvey went to bed about the same time I did - but it is possible that he arose to make the call. He has been restless and moody lately. I think that this family worry is troubling him deeply.”
“That was the impression Wilbur received when he spoke to me about the phone call,” said Zachary. “Harvey seemed pleasant over the phone, according to Wilbur. That is why today’s outburst has surprised me.”
“It has done more than surprise me,” added Galbraith. “It has made me see that any friendly overtures from Harvey toward Wilbur could be nothing more than pretense.”
“Let us be impartial,” suggested Ware. “You say that Wilbur received a phone call from Harvey. That can be corroborated - later - by asking Harvey. It would be unwise for me to chat with him now. If Wilbur arrived here, Harvey could also state the fact. But to my knowledge, Wilbur did not arrive. Is it not quite possible that Wilbur changed his plan?”
“Possible, but not probable,” replied Zachary. “I saw Wilbur come down the hill. I saw him reach the grove. He was bound in this direction.”
“But you did not see him actually arrive at Lower Beechview?”
“No.”
“That may be significant,” declared Ware thoughtfully.
“I wanted to come here through the grove,” asserted Galbraith suddenly. “But Beowulf - the dog here - refused to budge. That is why we came around the shore. I am beginning to think it possible that something might have happened to Wilbur among those trees.”
“A foolish notion, father,” interposed Zachary.
“Look” - Galbraith Chittenden pulled the dog over to the woods. Beowulf began to whine and draw back - “you see how the dog is acting, Mr. Ware?”
Ware nodded.
“I would like to go back through the woods now,” said Galbraith. “It is the shortest way home. I intend to leave immediately, and it would satisfy my worries to go that way.”
“There’s no good in our searching the grove, father,” declared Zachary. “Harvey called Wilbur; if Harvey is on the level, let him make some efforts to find Wilbur. Leave that with Mr. Ware. It’s a fair test. He can tell Harvey that by looking for Wilbur and coming up to see us afterward, you will forget this quarrel. Otherwise, you will talk with the lawyer who is calling you tomorrow, and Harvey will be cut off, as you threatened.”
“I don’t think Harvey would look for Wilbur or come up to see you folks,” observed Ware doubtfully.
That remark pleased Zachary. It was what he had hoped. The clash on the lawn meant Harvey’s quick elimination from the Chittenden family. Zachary had tried to propose terms that would prevent a reconciliation. He had apparently succeeded.
“Very well,” said Galbraith testily, “you may propose those terms to Harvey, Mr. Ware. Until tomorrow night. That is the limit for him to make amends.”
Ware shrugged his shoulders.
“You can count the break as permanent, then,” he said. “It will be up to you to trace your son Wilbur; I can
