the cruise of the jasper b.-第22章

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talkand　the　information　as　well。　　You　can　hardly　imagine　how

you　have　interested　me。　　Will　you　kindly　step　back　and　let　me

pass？〃



Loge　got　to　his　feet　with　a　muttered　oath；　his　face　went　livid

and　a　muscle　worked　in　his　throat；　his　fingers　contracted　like

the　claws　of　some　big　and　powerful　cat。　　But；　out　of　respect　for

Cleggett's　pistol；　he　stepped　backward。



〃You　have　confessed　to　making　counterfeit　money；〃　went　on

Cleggett；　enjoying　the　situation；　〃and　you　have　as　good　as　told

me　that　there　are　further　evidences　of　crime　on　board　the　Jasper

B。　　You　can　rest　assured　that　I　will　find　them。　　You　have　also

betrayed　the　fact　that　you　planned　to　blow　my　ship　up；　and　there

are　several　other　little　matters　which　you　have　shed　light　upon。



〃I　am　not　a　detective。　　Nevertheless；　I　hope　in　the　near　future

to　see　you　behind　the　bars　and　to　help　put　you　there。　　It　may

interest　you　to　know　that　my　opinion　of　your　intellect　is　no

higher　than　my　opinion　of　your　character。　　You　seem　to　me　to　have

a　vast　conceit　of　your　own　cleverness；　which　is　not　justified　by

the　facts。　　You　are　a　very　stupid　fellow；　aawhat　is　the　slang

word？　　Boob；　I　believe。〃



But　while　Cleggett　was　finishing　his　remarks　a　subtle　change

stole　over　Loge's　countenance。　　His　attitude；　which　had　been　one

of　baffled　rage；　relaxed。　As　Cleggett　paused　the　sneer　came　back

upon　Loge's　lips。



〃Boob；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃boob　is　the　word。　　Look　above　you。〃



A　sharp　metallic　click　overhead　gave　point　to　Loge's　words。　

Looking　up；　Cleggett　saw　that　a　trap…door　had　opened　in　the

ceiling；　and　through　the　aperture　Pierre；　who　had　left　the　room

some　moments　before　with　the　bartender；　was　pointing　a　revolver；

which　he　had　just　cocked；　at　Cleggett's　head。　　He　sighted　along

the　barrel　with　an　eager；　anticipatory　smile　upon　his　face；

Pierre　would；　no　doubt；　have　preferred　to　see　a　man　boiled　in　oil

rather　than　merely　shot；　but　shooting　was　something；　and　Pierre

evidently　intended　to　get　all　the　delight　possible　out　of　the

situation。



Cleggett's　own　pistol　was　within　an　inch　of　Loge's　stomach。



〃I　was　willing　to　pay　you　real　money；〃　said　Loge；　〃for　the　sake

of　peace。　　But　you're　a　damned　fool　if　you　think　you　can　throw　me

down　and　then　walk　straight　out　of　here　to　headquarters。〃　　Then

he　added；　showing　his　yellow　teeth：　　〃You　WOULD　bring　pistols

into　the　conversation；　you　know。　　That　was　YOUR　idea。　　And　now

you're　in　a　devil　of　a　fix。〃



The　man　certainly　had　an　iron　nerve；　he　spoke　as　calmly　as　if

Cleggett's　weapon　were　not　in　existence；　there　was　nothing　but

the　pressure　of　a　finger　wanting　to　send　both　him　and　Cleggett　to

eternity。　　Yet　he　jested；　he　laid　his　strong　and　devilish　will

across　Cleggett's　mentality；　it　was　a　duel　in　which　the　two　minds

met　and　tried　each　other　like　swords；　the　first　break　in

intention；　and　one　or　the　other　was　a　dead　man。　　Cleggett　felt

the　weight　of　that　powerful　and　evil　soul　upon　his　own　almost　as

if　it　were　a　physical　thing。



〃You　are　not　altogether　safe　yourself；〃　said　Cleggett　grimly；

with　his　eyes　fixed　on　Pierre's　and　his　pistol　touching　Loge's

waistband。　　〃If　Pierre　so　much　as　winks　an　eyeif　you　move　a

hair's　breadthI'll　put　a　stream　of　bullets　through　YOU。　

Understand？〃



How　long　this　singular　psychological　combat　might　have　lasted

before　a　nerve　quivered　somewhere　and　brought　the　denouement　of　a

double　death；　there　is　no　telling。　　For　accident　（or　fate）

intervened　to　pluck　these　antagonists　back　into　life　and　rob　the

gloating　Pierre　of　the　happiness　of　seeing　two　men　perish　without

danger　to　himself。　Something　of　uncertain　shape；　but　of　a　blue

color；　loomed　vaguely　behind　Pierre's　head；　loomed　and　suddenly

descended　to　the　accompaniment　of　a　piercing　shriek。　　Pierre's

pistol　went　off；　but　he　had　evidently　been　stricken　between　the

shoulders；　the　ball　went　wild；　and　the　pistol　itself　dropped　from

his　hand；　another　cartridge　exploding　as　it　hit　the　floor。　　The

next　instant　Pierre　tumbled　headlong　through　the　hole；　landing

upon　Loge；　who；　not　braced　for　the　shock；　went　down　himself。



As　the　two　men　struggled　to　rise　a　strange　figure　precipitated

itself　from　the　room　above；　feet　first；　and　hit　both　of　them；

knocking　them　down　again。　It　was　a　tall　man；　thin　and　lank；　clad

only　in　a　suit　of　silk　pajamas　of　the　color　known　as　baby　blue；

he　was　barefoot；　and　Cleggett；　with　that　lucid　grasp　of　detail

which　comes　to　men　oftener　in　nightmares　than　in　real　life；

noticed　that　he　had　a　bunion　at　the　large　joint　of　his　right

great　toe。



If　the　man　was　startling；　he　was　no　less　startled　himself。　

Leaping　from　the　struggling　forms　of　Pierre　and　Loge；　who

defeated　each　other's　frantic　efforts　to　rise；　he　was　across　the

barroom　in　three　wild　bounds；　shrieking　shrilly　as　he　leaped；　he

bolted　through　the　west　door　and　cleared　the　verandah　at　a　jump。



Loge；　gaining　his　feet；　was　after　the　man　in　blue　in　an　instant；

evidently　thinking　no　more　of　Cleggett　than　if　the　latter　had

been　in　Madagascar。　　And　as　for　Cleggett；　although　he　might　have

shot　down　Loge　a　dozen　times　over；　he　was　so　astonished　at　what

he　saw　that　the　thought　never　entered　his　head。　　He　had；　in　fact；

forgotten　that　he　held　a　pistol　in　his　hand。　　Pierre　scrambled　to

his　feet　and　followed　Loge。



Cleggett；　running　after　them；　saw　the　man　in　the　blue　pajamas

sprinting　along　the　sandy　margin　of　the　bay。　　But　Loge；　his　hat

gone；　his　coat　tails　level　in　the　wind　behind　him；　and　his　large

patent　leather　shoes　flashing　in　the　morning　sunlight；　was

overhauling　him　with　long　and　powerful　strides。　　Cleggett　saw　the

quarry　throw　a　startled　glance　over　his　shoulder；　he　was　no　match

for　the　terrible　Loge　in　speed；　and　he　must　have　realized　it　with

despair；　for　he　turned　sharply　at　right　angles　and　rushed　into

the　sea。　　Loge　unhesitatingly　plunged　after　him；　and　had　caught

him　by　the　shoulder　and　whirled　him　about　before　he　had　reached　a

swimming　depth。　　They　clinched；　in　water　mid…thigh　deep；　and　then

Cleggett　saw　Loge　plant　his　fist；　with　scientific　precision　and

awful　force；　upon　the　point　of　the　other's　jaw。　　The　man　in　the

blue　pajamas　collapsed；　he　would　have　dropped　into　the　water；　but

Loge　caught　him　as　he　fell；　threw　his　body　across　a　shoulder　with

little　apparent　effort；　and　trotted　back　into　the　house　with　him。



Cleggett　had　left　his　sword　cane　in　the　barroom；　but　he　judged　it

would　be　just　as　well　to　allow　it　to　remain　there　for　the

present。　　He　turned　and　walked　meditatively　across　the　sands

towards　the　Jasper　B。　





CHAPTER　XII



THE　SECOND　OBLONG　BOX



When　Cleggett　returned　to　the　ship　he　found　Captain　Abernethy　in

conversation　with　a　young　man　of　deprecating　manner　whom　the

Captain　introduced　as　the　Rev。　Simeon　Calthrop。



〃I　been　tellin'　him；〃　said　the　Cap'n；　pitching　his　voice　shrilly

above　the　din　the　workmen　made；　and　not　giving　the　Rev。　Mr。

Calthrop　an　opportunity　to　speak　for　himself；　〃I　been　tellin'　him

it　may　be　a　long　time　before　the　Jasper　B。　gets　to　the　Holy

Land。〃



〃Do　you　want　to　go　to　Palestine？〃　asked　Cleggett　of　Mr。　Calthrop；

who　stood　with　downcast　eyes　and　fingers　that　worked　nervously　at

the　lapels　of　his　rusty　black　coat。



〃I've　knowed　him　sence　he　was　a　boy。　　He's　in　disgrace；　Simeon

Calthrop　is；〃　shrieked　the　Captain；　preventing　the　preacher　from

answering　Cleggett's　question；　and　scorning　to　answer　it　directly

himself。　　〃Been　kicked　out　of　his　church　fur　kissin'　a　married

woman；　and　can't　get　another　one。〃　　（The　Cap'n　meant　another

church。）



The　preacher　merely　raised　his　eyes；　which　were　large　and　brown

and　slightly　protuberant；　and　murmured　with　a　kind　of　brave

humility：



〃It　is　true。〃



〃But　why　do　you　want　to　go　to　Palestine？〃　said　Cleggett。



〃She　sung　in　the　choir　and　she　had　three　children；〃　screamed

Cap'n　Abernethy；　〃and　she　limped　some。　　Folks　say　she　had　a　cork

foot。　　Hey；　Simeon；　DID　she　have　a　cork　foot？〃