the cruise of the jasper b.-第19节

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merely　my　intention　to　make　you　a　business　proposition。〃



〃I　have　been　waiting　to　hear　what　you　had　to　say　to　me；〃　said

Cleggett；　without　being　in　the　least　thrown　off　his　guard　by　the

other's　change　of　manner。



〃If　you　had　not　chanced　to　drop　in　here　today；〃　said　Loge；　〃I　had

intended　paying　you　a　visit。〃



〃I　have　had　several　visitors　lately；〃　said　Cleggett　nonchalantly；

〃and　I　think　at　least　two　of　them　can　make　no　claim　that　they

were　not　warmly　received。〃



〃Yes？〃　said　Loge。　　But　if　Cleggett's　meaning　reached　him　he　was

too　cool　a　hand　to　show　it。　　He　persisted　in　his　affectation　of　a

businesslike　air。　〃Am　I　right　in　thinking　that　you　have　bought

the　boat？〃



〃You　are。〃



〃To　come　to　the　point；〃　said　Loge；　〃I　want　to　buy　her　from　you。　

What　will　you　take　for　her？〃



The　proposition　was　unexpected　to　Cleggett；　but　he　did　not　betray

his　surprise。



〃You　want　to　buy　her？〃　he　said。　　〃You　want　to　buy　the　old　hulk

over　yonder　in　the　canal？〃　　He　laughed；　but　continued：　　〃What　on

earth　can　your　interest　be　in　her？〃



There　was　a　trace　of　surliness　in　Loge's　voice　as　he　answered：　

〃YOU　were　enough　interested　in　her　to　buy　her；　it　seems。　　Why

shouldn't　I　have　the　same　interest？〃



Cleggett　was　silent　a　moment；　and　then　he　leaned　across　the　table

and　said　with　emphasis：　　〃I　have　noticed　your　interest　in　the

Jasper　B。　since　the　day　I　first　set　foot　on　her。　　And　let　me　warn

you　that　unless　you　show　your　curiosity　in　some　other　manner

henceforth；　you　will　seriously　regret　it。　　A　couple　of　your　men

have　repented　of　your　interest　already。〃



〃My　men？　　What　do　you　mean　by　my　men？　　I　haven't　any　men。〃　

Loge's　imitation　of　astonishment　was　a　piece　of　art；　but　if

anything　he　overdid　it　a　trifle。　　He　frowned　in　a　puzzled

fashion；　and　then　said：　　〃You　talk　about　my　men；　you　speak

riddles　to　me；　you　appear　to　threaten　me；　but　after　all　I　have

only　made　you　a　plain　business　proposition。　　I　ask　you　again；

what　will　you　take　for　her？〃



〃She's　not　for　sale；〃　said　Cleggett　shortly。



Loge　did　not　speak　again　for　a　moment。　　Instead；　he　picked　up　the

spoon　with　which　Cleggett　had　stirred　his　highball　and　began　to

draw　characters　with　its　wet　point　upon　the　table。　　〃If　it's　a

question　of　price；〃　he　said　finally；　〃I'm　prepared　to　allow　you　a

handsome　profit。〃



Cleggett　determined　to　find　out　how　far　he　would　go。



〃You　might　be　willing　to　pay　as　much　as　5；000　for　herfor　the

old　hulk　over　there　in　the　canal？〃



Loge　stopped　playing　with　the　spoon　and　looked　searchingly　into

Cleggett's　face。　　Then　he　said：



〃I　will。　　Turn　her　over　to　me　the　way　she　was　the　day　you　bought

her；　and　I'll　give　you　5；000。〃　　He　paused；　and　then　repeated；

stressing　the　words：　〃MIND　YOU；　WITH　EVERYTHING　IN　HER　THE　WAY　IT

WAS　THE　DAY　YOU　BOUGHT　HER。〃



Cleggett　fumbled　with　his　fingers　in　a　waistcoat　pocket；　drew　out

the　torn　piece　of　counterfeit　money　which　he　had　taken　from　the

dead　hand；　and　flung　it　on　the　table。



〃Five　thousand　dollars；〃　he　said；　〃in　THAT　kind　of　money？〃



Loge　looked　at　it　with　eyes　that　suddenly　contracted。　　Clever

dissembler　that　he　was；　he　could　not　prevent　an　involuntary

start。　　He　licked　his　lips；　and　Cleggett　judged　that　perhaps　his

mouth　felt　a　little　dry。　　But　these　were　the　only　signs　he　made。

Indeed；　when　he　spoke　it　was　with　something　almost　like　an　air　of

relief。



〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃now　we're　down　to　brass　tacks　at　last　on　this

proposition。　　Mr。　Detective；　name　your　real　price。〃



Cleggett　did　not　answer　immediately。　　He　appeared　to　consider　his

real　price。　　But　in　reality　he　was　thinking　that　there　was　no

longer　any　doubt　of　the　origin　of　the　explosion。　　Since　Loge

practically　acknowledged　the　counterfeit　money；　the　man　who　had

died　with　this　piece　of　it　in　his　hand　must　have　been　one　of

Loge's　men。　　But　he　only　said：



〃Why　do　you　call　me　a　detective？〃



Loge　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　Then　he　said　again：　　〃Your　real

price？〃



〃What；〃　said　Cleggett；　trying　him　out；　〃do　you　think　of　20；000？〃



The　other　gave　a　long；　low　whistle。



〃Gad！〃　he　cried；　〃what　crooks　you　bulls　are。〃



〃It's　not　so　much；〃　said　Cleggett　deliberately；　〃when　one　takes

everything　into　consideration。〃



Loge　appeared　to　meditate。　　Then　he　said：　　〃That　figure　is　out　of

the　question。　　I'll　give　you　10；000　and　not　a　cent　more。〃



〃You　want　her　pretty　badly；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃Or　you　want　what's

on　her。〃



〃Why；〃　said　Loge；　with　an　assumption　of　great　frankness；　〃between

you　and　me　I　don't　care　a　damn　about　your　boat。　　I　think　we

understand　each　other。　　I'm　buying　her　to　get　what's　on　her。〃



〃Suppose　I　sell　you　what's　on　her　for　10；000　and　keep　the　ship；〃

said　Cleggett；　wondering　what　WAS　on　the　Jasper　B。　



〃Agreed；〃　said　Loge。



〃Since　we're　being　so　frank　with　one　another；〃　said　Cleggett；

〃would　you　mind　telling　me　why　you　didn't　come　to　me　at　the　start

with　an　offer　to　buy；　instead　of　making　such　a　nuisance　of

yourself？〃



〃Eh？〃　　Loge　appeared　genuinely　surprised。　〃Why　should　I　pay　you

any　money　if　I　could　get　it；　or　destroy　it；　without　that？　

Besides；　how　was　I　to　know　you　could　be　bought？〃



Cleggett　wondered　more　than　ever　what　piece　of　evidence　the　hold

of　the　Jasper　B。　contained。　　He　felt　certain　that　it　was　not

merely　counterfeit　bills。　Cleggett　determined　upon　a　minute　and

thorough　search　of　the　hold。



〃You'll　send　for　it？〃　said　Cleggett；　still　trying　to　get　a　more

definite　idea　of　what　〃it〃　was；　without　revealing　that　he　did　not

know。



〃I'll　come　myself　with　a　taxicab；〃　said　Loge。



Cleggett　rose；　smiling；　he　had　found　out　as　much　as　he　could

expect　to　learn。



〃On　the　whole；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　that　I　prefer　to　keep　the

Jasper　B。　and　everything　that's　in　her。　But　before　I　leave　I　must

thank　you　for　the　pleasure　I　have　derived　from　our　little

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；