the cruise of the jasper b.-第38章

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The　Rev。　Simeon　Calthrop；　in　a　loud　agitated　voice；　sang　hymns　as

he　swung　his　cutlass。　　And；　among　the　legs　of　the　combatants；

leapt　and　snapped　Teddy　the　Pomeranian；　biting　friend　and　foe

indiscriminately　upon　the　ankles。



But　gradually　the　weight　of　superior　numbers　began　to　tell。　

Farnsworth　staggered　from　the　fight　with　a　face　covered　with

blood　which　blinded　him。　　Cap'n　Abernethy　likewise　was　bleeding

from　a　wound　in　the　head；　George　the　Greek　and　Watson　Bard　were

hurt；　but　both　fought　on。　　The　crew　of　the　Jasper　B。　and　their

allies　of　the　Annabel　Lee　were　being　slowly　forced　back　towards

the　cabin；　when　there　came　a　sudden　and　decisive　turn　in　the

fortunes　of　the　fight。



Cleggett；　straining　to　meet　Loge；　who　hung　sword　to　sword　with

Wilton　Barnstable；　saw　Giuseppe　Jones；　deserted　by　his　nurses；

tumbling　feebly　over　the　bow　of　the　Jasper　B。　in　the　rear　of

Loge's　line。　　Barelegged；　a　red　blanket　fastened　about　his　throat

with　a　big　brass　safety　pin；　a　thermometer　in　one　hand　and　a

medicine　bottle　in　the　other；　he　tottered；　crazily　and　weakly

between　Loge　and　Barnstable；　chanting　a　vers　libre　poem　in　a

shrill；　insane　voice。



Loge；　who　had　extended　himself　in　a　vigorous　lunge；　was　struck　by

the　weight　of　the　young　anarchist's　body　at　the　crook　of　the

knees；　and　came　down　on　the　deck　at　full　length；　his　machete

flying　from　his　hand　as　he　fell。



Cleggett　was　upon　the　criminal　in　an　instant；　his　hand　at　the

outlaw's　throat。　　They　grappled　and　rolled　upon　the　deck。　　But　in

another　second　Wilton　Barnstable　and　Barton　Ward；　coming　to

Cleggett's　assistance；　had　snapped　irons　upon　the　president　of

the　crime　trust；　hand　and　foot。



His　overthrow　was　the　signal　of　his　men's　defeat。　　As　he　went

down　they　hesitated　and　wavered。　The　two　great　negroes；　taking

advantage　of　this　hesitation；　burst　among　them　with　mighty　blows

and　strange　Afro…American　oaths；　Castor　and　Pollux　in　bronze。　

With　a　shout　of　〃Banzai！〃　Kuroki　rushed　forward　with　his　kris；

the　other　defenders　added　weight　and　fury　to　the　rally。　　Before

the　irons　were　on　the　wrists　of　Loge　his　men　were　routed。　　They

leaped　the　rail　and　made　off　for　their　fleet　of　taxicabs；

flinging　away　their　weapons　as　they　ran。



Loge　writhed　and　twisted　and　lashed　the　deck　with　his　legs　and

body　for　a　moment；　striving　even　against　the　bands　of　steel　that

bit　into　his　wrists　and　ankles。　　And　then　he　lay　still　with　his

face　against　the　planks　as　if　in　a　vast　and　overwhelming

bitterness　of　despair。



It　had　been　Cleggett's　earlier　thought　to　take　the　man　alive；　if

possible；　and　turn　him　over　to　the　authorities。　　But　now　that

Loge　was　taken　he　burned　with　the　wish　for　personal　combat　with

him。　　He　desired　to　be　the　agent　of　society；　and　put　an　end　to

Logan　Black　himself。



Cleggett；　as　he　gazed　at　the　fellow　lying　prone　upon　the　deck；

could　not　repress　a　murmur　of　dissatisfaction。



〃We　never　fought　it　out；〃　he　said。



Whether　Loge　heard　him　or　not；　the　same　thought　was　evidently

running　is　his　mind。　　He　lifted　his　head。　　A　slow；　malignant　grin

that　showed　his　yellow　canine　teeth　lifted　his　upper　lip。　　He

fixed　his　eyes　on　Cleggett　with　a　cold　deadliness　of　hatred　and

said：



〃You　are　lucky。〃



Outwardly　Cleggett　remained　calm；　but　inwardly　he　was　shaken　with

an　intensity　of　passion　that　matched　Loge's　own。



〃Lucky？〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃That　is　as　may　be。　And　if；　as　I

infer；　you　desire　a　settlement　of　a　more　personal　nature　than　the

law　recognizes；　it　is　still　not　too　late　to　accommodate　you。〃



〃Desire！〃　cried　Loge；　with　a　movement　of　his　manacled　hands。　　〃I

would　go　to　Hell　happy　if　I　sent　you　ahead　of　me！〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃Since　you　have　challenged　me　I　will

fight　you。　　I　will　do　you　that　honor。〃



Loge　was　about　to　answer　when　Wilton　Barnstable　broke　in：



〃Mr。　Cleggett；〃　he　said；　〃I　scarcely　understand　you。　　Are　you

consenting　to　fight　this　man？〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃He　has　challenged　me。〃



〃A　duel？〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable　in　astonishment。



〃A　duel。〃



〃But　that　is　impossible。　　His　life　is　forfeit　to　the　law。　　I

hope；　before　the　year　is　out；　to　send　him　to　the　electric　chair。　

Under　the　circumstances；　a　duel　is　an　absurdity。〃



〃An　absurdity？〃　　Cleggett；　with　his　hands　on　his　hips；　and　a

little　dancing　light　in　his　eyes；　faced　the　great　detective

squarely。　　〃You　permit　yourself　very　peculiar　expressions；　Mr。

Barnstable！〃



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。　　〃I　withdraw

'absurdity。'　　But　you　must　see　yourself；　Mr。　Cleggett；　that　a

duel　is　useless；　if　nothing　else。　The　man　is　our　prisoner。　　He

belongs　to　the　law。〃



Loge　had　struggled　to　a　sitting　posture；　his　back　against　the

port　bulwark；　and　was　listening　with　an　odd　look　on　his　face。



〃The　law？〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃I　suppose；　in　one　sense；　that　is

true。　　But　the　matter　has　its　personal　element　as　well。〃



〃I　must　insist；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　〃that　Logan　Black　is　my

prisoner。〃



Cleggett　was　silent　a　moment。　　Then　he　said　firmly：　　〃Mr。

Barnstable；　it　is　painful　to　me　to　have　to　remind　you　of　it；　but

your　attitude　forces　me　to　an　equal　directness。　　The　fact　that

Logan　Black　is　now　a　captive　is　due　to　his　efforts　to　recover

certain　evidence　which　may　be　used　against　him。　　This　evidence　I

discovered　and　defended；　and　this　evidence　I　now　hold　in　my

possession。〃



Wilton　Barnstable　was　about　to　retort；　perhaps　heatedly；　but

Cleggett；　generous　even　while　determined　to　have　his　own　way；

hastened　to　add：　　〃Do　not　think；　Mr。　Barnstable；　that　I　minimize

your　work；　or　your　assistancebut；　after　all；　what　am　I

demanding　that　is　unreasonable？　　If　Logan　Black　dies　by　my　hand；

are　not　the　ends　of　justice　served　as　well　as　if　he　died　in　the

electric　chair？　　And　if　I　fall；　the　law　may　still　take　its

course。〃



Loge　had　listened　to　this　speech　attentively。　He　lifted　his　head

and　glanced　about　the　deck；　filling　his　lungs　with　a　deep　draft

of　air。　　Something　like　a　gleam　of　hope　was　visible　in　his

features。



〃It　is　irregular；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　frowning；　and　not　half

convinced。　　〃And；　in　the　name　of　Heaven；　why　imperil　your　life

needlessly？　　Why　expose　yourself　again　to　the　power　of　this

monstrous　criminal？〃



〃The　fellow　has　challenged　me；　and　I　have　granted　him　a　meeting；〃

said　Cleggett。　　〃I　hope　there　is　such　a　thing　as　honor！〃



〃Clement！〃　　It　was　Lady　Agatha　who　spoke。　　As　she　did　so　she　laid

her　hand　on　Cleggett's　arm。　　She　had　hearkened　in　silence　to　the

colloquy　between　him　and　Barnstable；　as　had　the　others。　　She　drew

him　out　of　sight　and　hearing　behind　the　cabin。〃



〃Clement；〃　she　said　with　agitation；　〃do　not　fight　this　man！〃



〃I　must；〃　he　said　simply。　　It　cut　him　to　the　heart　to　refuse　the

first　request　that　she　had　asked　of　him　since　his　avowal　of　his

love　for　her　and　her　tacit　acceptance。　　But；　to　a　man　of

Cleggett's　ideas；　there　was　no　choice。



〃Clement；〃　she　said　in　a　low　tone；　〃you　have　told　me　that　you

love　me。〃



〃Agatha！〃　he　murmured　brokenly。



〃And　you　know〃　she　paused；　as　if　she　could　not　continue；　but

her　eyes　and　manner　spoke　the　rest。　　In　a　moment　her　lips　spoke

it　too；　she　was　not　the　sort　of　woman　who　is　afraid　to　avow　the

promptings　of　her　heart。　　〃You　know；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　love

you。〃



〃Agatha！〃　he　cried　again。　　He　could　say　no　more。



〃Oh；　Clement；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　were　killedkilled

uselessly！now　that　I　have　found　you；　I　could　not　bear　it。　

Dear；　I　could　not　bear　it！〃



Cleggett　was　profoundly　moved。　　He　yearned　to　take　her　in　his

arms　to　comfort　her；　and　to　promise　anything　she　wished。　　And　the

thought　came　to　him　too　that；　if　he　should　perish；　the　one　kiss；

given　and　received　in　the　darkness　and　danger　of　fight　and　storm；

would　be　all　the　brave　sweetness　of　her　that　he　would　know　this

side　of　the　grave；　the　thought　came　to　him　bitterly。　　For　an

instant　he　wavered。



〃Agatha！〃　he　said