Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West
"I have no knowledge of your Jack Andrews," he replied, and turned his
back.
CHAPTER XVI
TROUBLE
Uncle John and Arthur decided not to mention to the girls this astounding
charge of Isidore Le Drieux, fearing the news would make them nervous and
disturb their rest, so when the men joined the merry party in the alcove
they did not refer to their late interview.
Afterward, however, when all but Arthur Weldon had gone to bed and he was
sitting in Uncle John's room, the two discussed the matter together with
much seriousness.
"We ought to do something, sir," said Arthur. "This Jones is a mere
boy, and in poor health at that. He has no friends, so far as we
know, other than ourselves. Therefore it is our duty to see him
through this trouble."
Mr. Merrick nodded assent.
"We cannot prevent the arrest," he replied, "for Le Drieux will not
listen to reason. If we aided Jones to run away he would soon be caught.
Absurd as the charge is, the youngster must face it and prove his
innocence."
Arthur paced the floor in a way that indicated he was disturbed by
this verdict.
"He ought to have no difficulty in proving he is not Jack Andrews," he
remarked, reflectively; "and yet--those pearls are difficult to explain.
Their similarity to the ones stolen in Europe fooled the expert, Le
Drieux, and they are likely to fool a judge or jury. I hope Jones has
some means of proving that he brought the pearls from Sangoa. That would
settle the matter at once."
"As soon as he is arrested we will get him a lawyer--the best in this
country," said Mr. Merrick. "More than that we cannot do, but a good
lawyer will know the proper method of freeing his client."
The next morning they were up early, awaiting developments; but Le Drieux
seemed in no hurry to move. He had breakfast at about nine o'clock, read
his newspaper for a half hour or so, and then deliberately left the
hotel. All of Mr. Merrick's party had breakfasted before this and soon
after Le Drieux had gone away young Jones appeared in the lobby.
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There was once an honest journeyman tailor, by name Labakan, who learned his trade with an excellent master in Alexandria. It could not be said that Labakan was unhandy with the needle; on the contrary, he could make excellent work: moreover, one would have done him injustice to have called him lazy. Nevertheless, his companions knew not what to make of him, for he would often sew for hours together so rapidly that the needle would glow in his hand, and the thread smoke, and that none could equal him.
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