Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter twenty of The Tower Treasure by Franklin W. Dixon.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, Chapter twenty,
The Flash in the Tower. For two days after the
unsuccessful search of Tower Mansion, there were no further developments
(00:20):
in the affair of the robbery, but on the third
day Chief Colleague took a hand. The first intimation the
Hardy boys had of it was when they met Calli
Shaw and Iola Morton on their way to school. Iola,
a plump, dark girl, was a sister of Chet Morton,
and had achieved the honor of being about the only
(00:45):
girl Joe Hardy had ever conceded to be anything but
an unmitigated nuisance. Joe, who was shy in the presence
of girls, professed a lofty scorn for all members of
the other sex, particularly those of high school age, but
had once grudgingly admitted that Iola Morton was all right
(01:08):
for a girl. This from him was high praise.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Have you heard what happened?
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Asked Callie as they met the boys near the school entrance.
School called off for today, asked Joe eagerly.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
No, No, nothing like that. It's about the Robinsons.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
What's happened now?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Mister Robinson has been arrested again.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
The Hardy boys stared at her as though thunderstruck. What for,
demanded Frank in astonishment.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Over that robbery at Tower Mansion. He has been working
in the city lately, and chief colleagues scent detective Smuff
for him last night. Iola and I were over to
see the Robinson girls last night and they told us
about it. Smuff should be back by now.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Well can you beat that?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Exclaimed Frank.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
I wonder what's the big idea of arresting him again.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
It seems the Chief has an idea that mister Robinson
was in league with this man Jackly, the man your
father got the confession from. He told missus Robinson last
night that he was sure mister Robinson had this stuff
hidden somewhere and that he was going to find out.
He was perfectly mean and nasty about it, and Missus
(02:28):
Robinson doesn't know what to do.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
The Hardy boys looked at one another. The affair had
suddenly assumed more serious proportions.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
If mister Robinson is brought back, he'll lose his job,
and he had a hard time getting it anyway.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Said Iola. The worst of it is, said Frank slowly.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
That the case looks pretty bad against mister Robinson.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
You don't think they'll ender the penitentiary.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
It looks pretty bad. The thief said he hid the
stuff in the old tower. When we looked for it,
the stuff wasn't there. I'm not the only person that
could have found it and taken it away was mister
Robinson himself.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
He wouldn't do it, declared Iola, indignantly.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
We're sure he wouldn't, but a jury mightn't be so
easy to convince.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
It was time to go into school at that moment,
and they went to their classrooms. Frank and Joe deeply
worried by what they had just heard. At recess that morning,
they met Jerry, Phil, Tony, and Chet Morton and told
them the news. All the boys were highly concerned over
this sudden turn of events. This will be tough on Perry,
(03:45):
said Phil.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
It'll be tough on the whole family.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Chet declared, they've had.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Enough trouble over this dirty affair as it is.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
The boys discussed the situation from all angles and racked
their brains for some way whereby they could help the Robinsons,
but they were reluctantly forced to admit that only by
actual discovery of the hidden loot could mister Robinson be
cleared of suspicion in connection with the robbery.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Even if he were tried and acquitted, it would be
a stain on his reputation for the rest of his
life as long as the treasure isn't recovered.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Frank summed up.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
We'll just have to wait and see what happens. Joe said,
We've done all we could and it hasn't been enough,
and Dad has done the same.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
I'm sorry on his account, he was so sure he
had cleared the whole thing up when he got the
confession from Jacklie. But there was something lacking.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Well, we all helped too, remarked Jerry.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
We kept colling and smuffed from catching that train.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Jackie wouldn't have talked at all if they had seen him.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
So reluctantly enough, the boys were forced to admit that
they were facing a stone wall. This also was the
conclusion of Fentenhardy when they talked to him at lunch
that day. There's nothing to be done, said the detective.
Robinson has been arrested, and while he might be cleared
(05:16):
by a skillful lawyer, he hasn't any money to spend
on his defense. Whether he is cleared or not, his
reputation is ruined.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Unless the loot is found.
Speaker 6 (05:27):
Put in Joe, Yes, unless the loot is found, that
is his only hope. But I don't think there's much
chance of that.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
And there the mystery of Tower Mansion rested for the
time being. The arrest of mister Robinson furnished a sensation
for a day or so, and then the case receded
into the background, the newspapers finding other things to become
excited about. But for the Robinsons it was naturally enough
(05:58):
a matter of supreme moment. Perry Robinson paid a call
at the Hearty home, pleading with the great detective to
continue his efforts to clear the accused man. Mister Hardy
was sympathetic, but, as he said, he was facing a
stone wall.
Speaker 6 (06:17):
Have done all I can, my boy.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
He explained to the grief stricken lad.
Speaker 6 (06:22):
If there was anything more I could do, I would
do it. But there are no more clues. If Red
Jacky's confession couldn't clear up the affair, then nothing else could.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
I'm afraid he left the sentence unfinished.
Speaker 5 (06:40):
Do you mean my father will go to jail.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
I wouldn't say that, but you must be prepared to
face the worst.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
He didn't do it, said Perry doggedly.
Speaker 6 (06:52):
I know you have confidence in him, but the law
looks only at the facts. Many an innocent man has
been Unless evidence, it.
Speaker 5 (07:03):
Will kill my mother.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Mister Hardy was silent. I don't know what to do,
said Perry.
Speaker 5 (07:11):
I do anything to save him, but there's nothing.
Speaker 6 (07:14):
There is nothing any of us can do now, unless
by some lucky chance the loot is recovered. That would
clear everything up, of course, but in the meantime we
just have to wait and hope.
Speaker 5 (07:28):
And you can't do anything more, mister Hardy.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
A detective is not a miracle man, my boy.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Said Fenton Hardy kindly.
Speaker 6 (07:38):
He is only a man who is trained in tracing criminals.
He has to go by the facts at his disposal.
I have exhausted every line of action in this case.
Everything that could be done has been done.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Perry Robinson got up, twisting his cap nervously in his hands.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
We all thank you very much too, mister Hardy.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
He said huskily.
Speaker 5 (08:04):
Don't think I've been ungrateful by coming here and asking
you to do more. I guess I didn't realize just
how hopeless it is.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
It isn't hopeless exactly. Don't think that there's always hope,
you know, but be prepared for the worst.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Y'all have to be with that. The boy left, Frank
and Joe met him in the hallway and awkwardly tried
to express their sympathy. Perry was grateful.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
I know both of you have done a lot for
us in this mess, he said. If it hadn't been
for you, we wouldn't even have Jackie's story to go on.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
We're only sorry it didn't work out as we hoped, Perry.
Frank said, we thought that we would clear the whole
thing up. Instead, it seems to have involved your father
deeper than ever.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
It wasn't your fault.
Speaker 4 (08:55):
Perhaps something will turn up yet, Joe and I aren't
going to lie down on the job now. Isn't much
we can do, but we'll have our eyes open for
more clues, if there are any.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Perry Robinson shrugged his shoulders dispiritedly.
Speaker 5 (09:10):
I guess there isn't much use now, he said, but
I appreciate it of you.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
When he went away, the Hardy boys watched him going
down the front walk. His care free stride was gone,
and instead he walked mechanically, as though in a daze.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
What a fine pair of detectives we.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Are, exclaimed Frank in sudden disgust.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
If we'd been any good at all, we could have
got those clues soon enough for Dad to have caught
Jackie in time.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
No use worrying about that.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Now, replied his brother.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
It was just the way things happened.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Well, there's one thing left. We must find that loot.
Haven't we tried, Yes, but we can try some more.
We've just got to clear mister Robinson, and there's only
the one wait, we must find the lute.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
It was a dull, gloomy day, indicative of rain, and
this did not add to the boys's spirits. To ease
their feelings, the brothers took a walk, and quite unconsciously,
their steps took them in the vicinity of Tower Mansion.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Let's have a squint at the old place from the.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
Outside, suggested Joe.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Don't let a Dahlia see you, or she'll come after
you with a broomstick.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
Chuckled Frank.
Speaker 4 (10:31):
Gee, but she's a tartar.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
They walked into the grounds. It was growing darker now,
and they easily made their way among the trees and
bushes to the vicinity of the Rambling mansion. They gazed
up at the old tower questioningly. Some puzzle, was Frank's comment.
(10:55):
Will the case of the tower treasure ever be solved?
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Search me?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Was his brother's slangy answer.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Perhaps, Oh, Frank, look.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
He added. Suddenly he was gazing at the upper windows
of the old stone Tower. He had seen a strange
flash of light. Now this flash was followed by another.
That's queer, muttered Frank.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
What can it mean?
Speaker 1 (11:24):
The light disappeared, Then of a sudden it flashed out
and downward in the direction of the lads.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Must be looking for us.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Gasped Joe, and started to get behind a bush.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
It's Adelia, and she has a big flashlight.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Came a moment later from Frank.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
What do you know about that?
Speaker 3 (11:47):
She's looking for the treasure herself, cried Joe. Huh, and
after all she said about our looking being nothing but foolishness.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
They saw the woman gaze out of the window for
a few secondkins in one hand, she held the flashlight.
For a moment she turned the light into her own face,
and the boys saw there a look of utter disgust.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Didn't find it. I'll bet a.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Cookie, chuckled Joe.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Come on, let's get away before she spots Us.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Returned his brother, and they were soon on their way.
As they walked home, Joe and Frank talked the matter over.
They smiled when they thought of the eccentric woman up
in that dusty old tower, but their minds soon went
back to Slim and the troubles of the Robinson family.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
We've got to find that loot.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Declared Frank emphatically.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
No matter where that tower treasure is, we've got to
find it.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Got to But can we.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
We simply have to, I tell you.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
End of Chapter twenty