Nothing is easier than to impart suspicion. Men are prone to believe evil of each other; and Paul was destined to realize this. The hotel servants, ignorant and suspicious, caught the suggestion.
“It's likely he's a' thafe,” said Bridget, from a safe distance.
“If I were,” said Paul, coolly, “I shouldn't be apt to call your attention by such a noise. I can prove to you that I am telling the truth. I stopped at the office, and the bookkeeper sent a servant to show me up here.”
“If this is true,” said Mr. Piper, “why, when you found yourself locked in, didn't you ring the bell, instead of making such a confounded racket? My nerves won't get over it for a week.”
“I didn't think of the bell,” said Paul; “I am not much used to hotels.”
“What will we do with him?” asked James, looking to Mr. Piper for counsel.
“You'd better take him downstairs, and see if his story is correct,” said the nervous gentleman, with returning good sense.
“I'll do it,” said James, to whom the very obvious suggestion seemed marked by extraordinary wisdom, and he grasped Paul roughly by the arm.
“You needn't hold me,” said our hero, shaking off the grasp. “I haven't any intention of running away. I want to find out, if I can, what has become of the man that swindled me.”
“I don't think he means to run away,” said that gentleman. “I begin to think his story is correct. And hark you, my young friend, if you ever get locked up in a hotel room again, just see if there is a bell before you make such a confounded racket.”
“Yes, sir, I will,” said Paul, half-smiling; “but I'll take care not to get locked up again. It won't be easy for anybody to play that trick on me again.”
The party filed downstairs to the office and Paul told his story to the bookkeeper.
“Have you seen Mr. Montgomery go out?” asked our hero.
“Yes, he went out half an hour ago, or perhaps more. He left his key at the desk, but said nothing. He seemed to be in a hurry.”
“You didn't notice in what direction he went?”
Of course no attempt was made to detain Paul. There could be no case against him. He went out of the hotel, and looked up and down Broadway in a state of indecision. He did not mean to sit down passively and submit to the swindle. But he had no idea in what direction to search for Mr. Felix Montgomery.