whirligigs-第5节

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any　picture　of　Williams　to　be　had。　　And　I　never　saw　him

myself。　　I've　been　sheriff　only　a　year。　　But　I've　got　a

pretty　accurate　description　of　him。　　About　5　feet　11；

dark…hair　and　eyes；　nose　inclined　to　be　Roman；　heavy

about　the　shoulders；　strong；　white　teeth；　with　none　miss…

ing；　laughs　a　good　deal；　talkative；　drinks　considerably

but　never　to　intoxication；　looks　you　square　in　the　eye

when　talking；　age　thirty…five。　　Which　one　of　your　men

does　that　description　fit？〃



The　consul　grinned　broadly。



〃I'll　tell　you　what　you　do；〃　he　said；　laying　down　his

rifle　and　slipping　on　his　dingy　black　alpaca　coat。　　〃You

come　along；　Mr。　Plunkett；　　and　I'll　take　you　up　to　see

the　boys。　　If　you　can　tell　which　one　of　'em　your　descrip…

tion　fits　better　than　it　does　the　other　you　have　the　advan…

tage　of　me。〃



Bridger　conducted　the　sheriff　out　and　along　the　hard

beach　close　to　which　the　tiny　houses　of　the　village　were

distributed。　　Immediately　back　of　the　town　rose　sudden；

small；　thickly　wooded　hills。　　Up　one　of　these；　by　means

of　steps　cut　in　the　hard　clay；　the　consul　led　Plunkett。

the　very　verge　of　an　eminence　was　perched；　a　two…

room　wooden　cottage　with　a　thatched　roof。　　A　Carib

woman　was　washing　clothes　outside。　　The　consul

ushered　the　sheriff　to　the　door　of　the　room　that　over…

looked　the　harbour。



Two　men　were　in　the　room；　about　to　sit　down；　in　their

shirt　sleeves；　to　a　table　spread　for　dinner。　　They　bore

little　resemblance　one　to　the　other　in　detail；　but　the

general　description　given　by　Plunkett　could　have　been

justly　applied　to　either。　　In　height；　colour　of　hair；　shape

of　nose；　build　and　manners　each　of　them　tallied　with　it。

They　were　fair　types　of　jovial；　ready…witted；　broad…

gauged　Americans　who　had　gravitated　together　for　com…

panionship　in　an　alien　land。



〃Hello；　Bridger〃　they　called　in　unison　at　sight　Of

the　consul。　　〃Come　and　have　dinner　with　us！〃　　And

then　they　noticed　Plunkett　at　his　heels；　and　came　forward

with　hospitable　curiosity。



〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　consul；　his　voice　taking　on

unaccustomed　formality；　〃this　is　Mr。　Plunkett。　　Mr。

Plunkett　　Mr。　Reeves　and　Mr。　Morgan。〃



The　cocoanut　barons　greeted　the　newcomer　joyously。

Reeves　seemed　about　an　inch　taller　than　Morgan；　but

his　laugh　was　not　quite　as　loud。　　Morgan's　eyes　were…

deep　brown；　Reeves's　were　black。　　Reeves　was　the　host

and　busied　himself　with　fetching　other　chairs　and　calling

to　the　Carib　woman　for　supplemental　table　ware。　　It

was　explained　that　Morgan　lived　in　a　bamboo　shack　to。

loo'ard；　but　that　every　day　the　two　friends　dined

together。　　Plunkett　stood　still　during　the　preparations；

looking　about　mildly　with　his　pale…blue　eyes。　　Bridger

looked　apologetic　and　uneasy。



At　length　two　other　covers　were　laid　and　the　company…

was　assigned　to　places。　　Reeves　and　Morgan　stood　side

by　side　across　the　table　from　the　visitors。　　Reeves　nodded

genially　as　a　signal　for　all　to　seat　themselves。　　And　then

suddenly　Plunkett　raised　his　hand　with　a　gesture　of

authority。　　He　was　looking　straight　between　Reeves

and　Morgan。



〃Wade　Williams；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃you　are　under

arrest　for　murder。〃



Reeves　and　Morgan　instantly　exchanged　a　quick；

bright　glance；　the　quality　of　which　was　interrogation；

with　a　seasoning　of　surprise。　　Then；　simultaneously

they　turned　to　the　speaker　with　a　puzzled　and　frank　depre…

cation　in　their　gaze。



〃Can't　say　that　we　understand　you；　Mr。　Plunkett；〃

said　Morgan；　cheerfully。　　〃Did　you　say　'Williams'？〃



〃What's　the　joke；　Bridgy？〃　　asked　Reeves；　turning；

to　the　consul　with　a　smile。



Before　Bridger　could　answer　Plunkett　spoke　again。



〃I'll　explain；〃　he　said；　quietly。　　〃One　of　you　don't

need　any　explanation；　but　this　is　for　the　other　one。　　One

of　you　is　Wade　Williams　of　Chatham　County；　Kentucky。

You　murdered　your　wife　on　May　5；　two　years　ago；　after

ill…treating　and　abusing　her　continually　for　five　years。　　I

have　the　proper　papers　in　my　pocket　for　taking　you　back

with　me；　and　you　are　going。　　We　will　return　on　the

fruit　steamer　that　comes　back　by　this　island　to…morrow

to　leave　its　inspectors。　　I　acknowledge；　gentlemen；　that

I'm　not　quite　sure　which　one　of　you　is　Williams。　　But

Wade　Williams　goes　back　to　Chatham　County　to…morrow。

I　want　you　to　understand　that。〃



A　great　sound　of　merry　laughter　from　Morgan　and

Reeves　went　out　over　the　still　harbour。　　Two　or　three

fishermen　in　the　fleet　of　sloops　anchored　there　looked　up

at　the　house　of　the　diablos　Americanos　on　the　hill　and

wondered。



〃My　dear　Mr。　Plunkett；〃　cried　Morgan；　conquering

his　mirth；　〃the　dinner　is　getting；　cold。　　Let　us　sit　down

and　eat。　　I　am　anxious　to　get　my　spoon　into　that　shark…

fin　soup。　　Business　afterward。〃



〃Sit　down；　gentlemen；　if　you　please；〃　added　Reeves；

pleasantly。　　〃I　am　sure　Mr。　Plunkett　will　not　object。

Perhaps　a　little　time　may　be　of　advantage　to　him　in　identi…

fying　　the　gentlemen　he　wishes　to　arrest。〃



〃No　objections；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Plunkett；　dropping

into　his　chair　heavily。　　〃I'm　hungry　myself。　　I　didn't

want　to　accept　the　hospitality　of　you　folks　without　giving

you　notice；　that's　all。〃



Reeves　set　bottles　and　glasses　on　the　table。



〃There's　cognac；〃　he　said；　〃and　anisada；　and　Scotch

'smoke；'　and　rye。　　Take　your　choice。〃



Bridger　chose　rye；　Reeves　poured　three　fingers　of

Scotch　for　himself；　Morgan　took　the　same。　　The　sheriff；

against　much　protestation；　filled　his　glass　from　the　water

bottle。



〃Here's　to　the　appetite；〃　said　Reeves；　raising　his　glass；

〃of　Mr。　Williams！〃　　Morgan's　laugh　and　his　drink

encountering　sent　him　into　a　choking　splutter。　　All　began

to　pay　attention　to　the　dinner；　which　was　well　cooked　and

palatable。



〃Williams！〃　　called　Plunkett；　suddenly　and　sharply。



All　looked　up　wonderingly。　　Reeves　found　the　sheriff's

mild　eye　resting　upon　him。　　He　flushed　a　little。



〃See　here；〃　he　said；　with　some　asperity；　〃my　name's

Reeves；and　I　don't　want　you　too　　〃　But　the　comedy

of　the　thing　came　to　his　rescue；　and　he　ended　with　a　laugh。



〃I　suppose；　Mr。　Plunkett；〃　said　Morgan；　carefully

seasoning　an　alligator　pear；　〃that　you　are　aware　of　the

fact　that　you　will　import　a　good　deal　of　trouble　for　your…

self　into　Kentucky　if　you　take　back　the　wrong　man　

that　is；　of　course；　if　you　take　anybody　back？〃



〃Thank　you　for　the　salt；〃　said　the　sheriff。　　〃Oh；　I'll

take　somebody　back。　　It'll　be　one　of　you　two　gentlemen。

Yes；　I　know　I'd　get　stuck　for　damages　if　I　make　a　mis…

take。　　But　I'm　going　to　try　to　get　the　right　man。〃



〃I'll　tell　you　what　you　do；〃　said　Morgan；　leaning　for…

ward　with　a　jolly　twinkle　in　his　eyes。　　〃You　take　me。

I'll　go　without　any　trouble。　　The　cocoanut　business　hasn't

panned　out　well　this　year；　and　I'd　like　to　make　some

extra　money　out　of　your　bondsmen。〃



〃That's　not　fair；〃　chimed　in　Reeves。　　〃I　got　only

16　a　thousand　for　my　last　shipment。　　Take　me；　Mr。

Plunkett。〃



〃I'll　take　Wade　Williams；〃　said　the　sheriff；　patiently；

〃or　I'll　come　pretty　close　to　it。〃



〃It's　like　dining　with　a　ghost；〃　remarked　Morgan；

with　a　pretended　shiver。　　〃The　ghost　of　a　murderer；　too！

Will　somebody　pass　the　toothpicks　to　the　shade　of　the

naughty　Mr。　Williams？〃



Plunkett　seemed　as　unconcerned　as　if　he　were　dining

at　his　own　table　in　Chatham　County。　　He　was　a　gallant

trencherman；　and　the　strange　tropic　viands　tickled　his

palate。　　Heavy；　commonplace；　almost　slothful　in　his

movements；　he　appeared　to　be　devoid　of　all　the　cunning

and　watchfulness　of　the　sleuth。　　He　even　ceased　to

observe；　with　any　sharpness　or　attempted　discrimination；

the　two　men；　one　of　whom　he　had　undertaken　with　sur…

prising　self…confidence；　to　drag　away　upon　the　serious

charge　of　wife…murder。　　Here；　indeed；　was　a　problem

set　before　him　that　if　wrongly　solved　would　have

amounted　to　his　serious　discomfiture；　yet　there　he　sat

puzzling　his　soul　（to　all　appearances）　over　the　novel　flavour

of　a　broiled　iguana　cutlet。



The　consul　felt　a　decided　discomfort。　　Reeves　and

Morgan　were　his　friends　and　pals；　yet　the　sheriff　from

Kentucky　had　a　certain　right　to　his　official　aid　and　moral

support。　　So　Bridger　sat　the　silentest　around　the　board

and　tried　to　estimate　the　peculiar　situation。　　His　con…

clusion　was　that　both　Reeves　and　Morgan；　quickwitted；

as　he　knew　them　to　be；　had　conceived　at　the　moment　of

Plunkett's　disclosure　of　his　mission　　and　in　the　brief

space　of　a　lightning　flash　　the　idea　that　the　other　might

be　the　guilty　Williams；　and　that　each　of　them　had　decided

in　that　moment　loyally　to　protect　his　comrade　against　the

doom　that　threatened　him。　　This　was　the　consul's　theory。

and　if　he　had　been　a　bookmaker　at　a　race　of　wits　for　life

and　liberty　he　would　have　offered　heavy　odds　against

the　plodding　sheriff　from　Chatham　County；　Kentucky。



When　the　meal　was　concluded　the　Carib　woman　came

and　removed　the　dishes　and　cloth。　　Reeves　strewed　them

table　with　excell