<h2 id="c17"><span class="h2line1">CHAPTER XVII</span> <br/><span class="h2line2"><i>A KEY TO A MYSTERY</i></span></h2>
<p>Halfway down the path, the man paused and
lighted a gasoline lantern. In the bright glow
Flash distinguished the caretaker, Fleur.</p>
<p>“Anyone here?” the old man called. He turned his
lantern at different angles, throwing the beam over
the ground.</p>
<p>Flash stepped from behind the tree.</p>
<p>“Good evening, Fleur.”</p>
<p>The caretaker gave a gasp of surprise and nearly
dropped the lantern.</p>
<p>“Well, if it ain’t the young feller!” he exclaimed.
“And us givin’ you up fer dead! I’m mighty glad to
see you back safe and sound, I sure am!”</p>
<p>“Where is Rascomb?” Flash demanded curtly.
“And my very good friend, Doyle?”</p>
<p>“They both came back together hours ago. Mr.
Doyle and Mr. Rascomb was bad upset over the accident.”</p>
<p>“Accident?”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_143">143</div>
<p>“You fallin’ out of the boat the way you did and upsetting
it.”</p>
<p>“Oh, so I upset the boat?”</p>
<p>“Don’t you remember nothin’ about it?” Fleur
asked, raising the lantern so he could see Flash to
better advantage.</p>
<p>“I don’t remember it that way.”</p>
<p>“You’re sure a sight,” Fleur said quickly. “Must
have had a bad time of it. How did you get out
alive?”</p>
<p>“Swam through Gersham Pass and walked around
the lake.”</p>
<p>“And all the time Mr. Rascomb and Mr. Doyle
was worried sick thinkin’ you was drowned! Mr.
Rascomb said you went down just like a rock and
never came to the top even. They kept draggin’,
long as they dast. Then they gave you up and made
a dash through the gap. Barely made it by the skin
o’ their teeth.”</p>
<p>“Where is Rascomb now?”</p>
<p>“Him and your friend started for town ’bout an
hour ago to notify the coroner. They’ll be happy to
see you back safe and sound.”</p>
<p>“<i>Surprised</i> is the right word.”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_144">144</div>
<p>“You will have your little joke,” chuckled the old
man. “I’m tellin’ you it wasn’t no joking matter with
them. They both was bad hit. Mr. Rascomb spoke
out sharp to me for the first time since I come to
work for him.”</p>
<p>Flash scarcely listened. “I must get to Excelsior
City at once!” he said abruptly, cutting Fleur short.
“Is there a car here?”</p>
<p>“Mr. Rascomb’s sedan. I’ll fetch it from the
garage while you wash up. Want me to lay out some
clean clothes and a pair of shoes for you?”</p>
<p>“Never mind. I’ll help myself to what I need.
You bring the car. I’m in a big hurry.”</p>
<p>Carrying the lantern with him, Fleur disappeared
in the direction of the garage.</p>
<p>The door of the lodge had been left half open.
Flash limped to it, but at the threshold he hesitated.
He seemed to sense a presence—sinister and very
close at hand. Yet he heard nothing.</p>
<p>Shaking off the uncomfortable sensation, he entered
the lodge. A light burned in the living room but the
other rooms and the entrance hall were dark.</p>
<p>Flash crossed to the bathroom where he switched
on a light and washed what grime he could from his
hands and face. His hair and eyebrows were singed;
a large knob had appeared on his head.</p>
<p>He had changed his clothes, when he heard a slight
sound in an adjoining room.</p>
<p>“That you, Fleur?” he called.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_145">145</div>
<p>No one answered.</p>
<p>Turning off the light, Flash stepped outside. A
board creaked. He whirled swiftly.</p>
<p>Before he could defend himself, he was struck
directly behind the knees. Thrown off balance, he
crumpled and fell to the floor.</p>
<p>A flashlight beam played upon his face, blinding
him. The muzzle of a revolver pressed into his ribs.</p>
<p>“Stay where you are!”</p>
<p>The voice, low-spoken and cool, belonged to Herbert
Rascomb.</p>
<p>“So it’s you, Povy?”</p>
<p>“There is no such person as Albert Povy,” Flash’s
captor corrected. “It will pay you dividends to keep
that fact in mind. No! Don’t move! I really
shouldn’t enjoy pumping you full of lead.”</p>
<p>“You prefer to assault your victims with oars?”</p>
<p>Rascomb laughed as he snapped on a lamp above
the desk. Keeping Flash covered, he motioned for
him to rise and sit on a straight-back chair against the
wall.</p>
<p>“You forced my hand this afternoon,” he said. “I
acted without due thought or I should have handled
the situation differently.”</p>
<p>“You mean you would have cracked me harder,”
Flash retorted.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_146">146</div>
<p>“Your unexpected return has inconvenienced me,”
Rascomb admitted pleasantly. “Yet, I hope you believe
that I did not desire your death. You are a fellow
with nerve. I admire courage. Unfortunately,
your curiosity in a matter which never need have concerned
you jeopardizes my interests.”</p>
<p>“So you have decided to blot me out?”</p>
<p>“Nothing that drastic, providing you decide to
forget a few of your remarkable observations.”</p>
<p>“Meaning I am never to reveal that you are Povy?”</p>
<p>“We understand each other, Evans. Now I had
planned to retire to a quiet life here at my lodge, but
you have made that impossible. I shall attend to a
few necessary tasks, one deal in particular, and then
disappear. My only demand from you is that you
forget you ever knew either Rascomb or Povy.”</p>
<p>“And if I refuse?”</p>
<p>“I shall find an effective means of dealing with you
if you become annoying. However, your wagging
tongue can do me very little harm. By the time you
are free I shall be a long distance from Excelsior
City.”</p>
<p>Still keeping his revolver trained on Flash, Rascomb
picked up an overcoat and hat from the table.
He had changed into a well tailored business suit, and
had re-touched the telltale scar so that it no longer
was visible.</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_147">147</div>
<p>“You will be quite safe and comfortable here,” he
said, backing toward the door. “The fire will miss
the lodge by many miles. As soon as I am well away
I will mail the key to one of the rangers. Good evening.”</p>
<p>He slipped swiftly out the door. A key turned
in the lock.</p>
<p>Making a quick appraisal of his prison, Flash saw
that it was one of the few inside rooms of the lodge,
a small den with no windows. The only exit was
through the door. Its panels were heavy oak and
could not be rammed even with a piece of furniture.</p>
<p>Quiet settled over the lodge. After a short time
Flash heard a car drive out of the yard. There was a
shuffling of shoes through the gravel, then a heavy
step outside the door.</p>
<p>“Fleur!” he shouted, pounding on the panel.</p>
<p>“Take it easy, young feller, take it easy,” the caretaker
called soothingly. “It won’t do you no good to
try to pound your way out o’ there. Mr. Rascomb’s
gone for the doctor.”</p>
<p>“Let me out of here, Fleur!” Flash pleaded. “Rascomb
will get away! You don’t know who he is!
He’s Albert Povy, a spy—”</p>
<p>“You’re plumb out o’ your head just as Mr. Rascomb
said,” Fleur returned sadly. “It must of come
from what you went through during the fire. Just
take it easy.”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_148">148</div>
<p>“Listen, Fleur, I’ll pay you well to let me out of
here!”</p>
<p>“Mr. Rascomb’s orders are to keep you in there
until he gets back with the doctor. I wouldn’t dast
to do different even if I was a mind to.”</p>
<p>Flash argued until he realized he was talking for
his own benefit. Fleur had gone.</p>
<p>Despondently, he sank down into a chair. Never
had he been more discouraged. The key to a mystery
in his hand and he was powerless to use it! Unless
he escaped quickly, Rascomb would vanish and leave
no trace.</p>
<p>Flash sat staring at the oaken panel. Suddenly
he made a significant observation. The door swung
on large ornamental brass hinges which had been fastened
on the inside with tiny screws.</p>
<p>He sprang to his feet.</p>
<p>“Maybe I’ll get out of here yet!” he thought exultantly.
“Maybe I will!”</p>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_149">149</div>
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