the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第43章
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The great detective made little of the danger he had encountered。
Indeed； his smile became one of amusement as he removed his coat；
rolled up his shirt sleeves； and exhibited a bandaged wound in the fleshy
part of his arm。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
〃It is only a slight wound；〃 he said； beaming on it as if wounds were
quite delightful affairs； 〃and scarcely inconveniences me。〃
Barton Ward and Watson Bard； with their sleeves rolled up； were also
smiling placidly and indulgently at bandages about their left arms。
Whether there were real wounds beneath their bandages also； Cleggett
could not determine。 The bandage of Barton Ward was slightly stained
with red； but the bandage of Watson Bard was quite white。 All three
replaced their coats at the same time； and Wilton Barnstable went on：
〃Our course of procedure is plain； Mr。 Cleggett。 We have the evidence
against Logan Black。 We must have the man himself。 I depend upon
you to cooperate with me。 I think；〃 he said； beaming at Barton Ward and
Watson Bard with an air of modest triumph； 〃that the case of Logan Black
is going to prove one of my really GREAT cases。
〃There is only one point which I have not yet made clear to you； I
believeand that is how Logan Black's men were able to enter and leave
the hold of your vessel so mysteriously。 But I am shaping up my theory
about that！ I am shaping it up！〃
〃Would it be indescreet to inquire just what your theory is？〃 asked
Cleggett。
And Lady Agatha murmured：
〃For my part； I can make nothing of it； and I should be glad to hear
your theory。〃
〃It would；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； soberly； 〃it would be premature； if
I told you my theory at the present moment。 You must pardon mebut it
WOULD。 In my line of businessand I insist； Mr。 Cleggett； that I am a
plain business man； nothing moreI find it absolutely necessary not to
communicate all my information to the layman until the case is quite
perfect in all its points。 But do not get the notion； Mr。 Cleggett； that I
underestimate the part that you have taken in the case of Logan Black。
You have helped me； Mr。 Cleggett。 When I have my secretary prepare
the case of Logan Black for magazine and newspaper publication I shall
have your name mentioned as that of a person who has helped me。 Yes；
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
you have helped me。〃
As he spoke he picked from a reading table a magazine； on the cover
of which appeared his own portraitor rather； the portrait of the popular
conception of Wilton Barnstableand began to make motions about it with
his finger。 He appeared to be marking off the space beside the portrait
into an arrangement of letters and spaces。 His lips moved as he did so；
he murmured： 〃The Case of Logan Blackthe Case of Logan Black！〃
He seemed to see； with the eye of a typographical expert； the legend
printed there。 Barton Ward and Watson Bard； slightly flushed and a little
excited in spite of themselves； seemed also to see it there。
It might have occurred to a person more critical than Cleggett that it
was he himself who had furnished nearly all the real evidence upon which
Wilton Barnstable was constructing this Case of Logan Black。 But
Cleggett looked for the gold in men； not the dross； the great qualities of
Wilton Barnstable appealed to his imagination； the best in Cleggett
responded to the best in Wilton Barnstable； if the detective possessed a
certain amount of vanity； Cleggett preferred to overlook it。
〃Decidedly；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； laying down the magazine； and
looking at Cleggett kindly and serenely； 〃I shall see to it that your name is
mentioned in connection with the Case of Logan Black。〃 And Barton
Ward and Watson Bard also bent upon him their bland and friendly regard。
Cleggett was about to thank them； but at that moment there was a
commotion of some sort on deck。
Two female voices； one of which they all recognized as that of Miss
Genevieve Pringle； were mingling in a babble of greeting； expostulation；
interjection； and explanation； and presently Miss Pringle entered the cabin；
followed by a younger lady who； except for her youth； looked much like
her。
〃My niece； Miss Henrietta Pringle； of Flatbush；〃 said Miss Pringle；
primly presenting her prim relation。 〃She has just arrived〃
〃With the plum preserves！〃 cried Lady Agatha。
〃With the plum preserves；〃 confirmed Miss Genevieve Pringle。
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And Captain Abernethy and George the Greek bore into the cabin a
third oblong box； exactly similar in appearance to the box of Reginald
Maltravers and the box which contained the evidence against Logan Black；
and set it on the floor。
The three detectives stood and looked at the three boxes with an air of
great satisfaction。
〃With this addition to our oblong boxes；〃 said Wilton Barnstable；
〃their number is now complete。 Miss Henrietta Pringle； we will listen to
your story。〃
There was little to tell； and Miss Henrietta Pringle told it in a breath。
Having received no acknowledgment of the receipt of the plum preserves
from her aunt； an unusual oversight on her aunt's part； she had journeyed
to Newark with a vague fear that there might be something wrong。
〃Arrived in Newark；〃 she said； 〃I learned that my aunt； with her two
white horses and her family carriage driven by Jefferson； the negro
coachmen； had suddenly left Newark； without giving any explanation to
anyone； or making her destination known。
〃The proceeding was very strange； it was very unlike my aunt； and I
was frightened。 Everyone who had seen her start testified that she was
laboring under a great nervous strain of some sort。
〃I called at the freight depot and got the box of plum preserves which I
had shipped to her。 To tell the truth； I feared for her reason。 I thought
that if I could find her； and could show her the familiar plum preserves；
which she loved so well； they would be of material assistance in
influencing her to return to her home。 So； setting out to search for her in
my Ford auto； I took the box of plum preserves with me。
〃I soon got upon her trail。 The negro coachman； the family carriage
and the white horses had excited remark everywhere。 Briefly； I traced
her here； and am happy to discover that my worst fears with regard to her
have proved false。〃
〃Henrietta；〃 said her aunt； reproachfully； 〃your fears do you very little
credit； or me either。〃
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〃Aunt Genevieve；〃 said the niece； 〃pray； do not rebuke me。〃
〃I was certain；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； complacently； 〃that it would
develop that Miss Genevieve Pringle was herself being pursued。
