"I have been searching for you everywhere," I said gallantly.
"Oh! but that is a black one. Never mind; the fib was well meant."
I led her over to a secluded nook, within a few feet of the door which
gave entrance to the club cellars. This door I had been bearing in
mind for some time. It is well to know your topography. The door was
at the left of the band platform. There was a twin-door on the other
side. We sat down.
[Illustration: I led her over to a secluded nook. We sat down.]
"Have you heard the news?" I asked.
"No. Has some one been discovered making love to his own wife by
mistake?"
"It's serious. Anne of Austria and Queen Elizabeth have been robbed of
some jewels."
"A thief among us?"
"A regular Galloping Dick. I'm a thief myself, for that matter."
"You?" she drew away from me a bit.
"Yes. My name is Procrastination."
"Ah, my grave Capuchin, we do not steal time; we merely waste it. But
is what you tell me true?"
"I am very sorry to say it is. The jewels were worth something like
ten thousand dollars."
"Merciful heavens!"
"It is true, infernally true,"--looking around to see if by chance
Caesar had reappeared on the scene. (How was I to manage my escape?
It is true I might hie me to the cellars; but how to get out of the
cellars!) "Have you seen Julius Caesar?" I asked.
"Caesar?"
"Yes, Miss Hawthorne--"
The Blue Domino swung about and leaned toward me, her hands tense upon
the sides of her chair.
"What name did you say?"--a strained note in her voice.
"Hawthorne," I answered, taking out the slip of pasteboard. "See! it
says that one blue domino was rented of Monsieur Friard at five-thirty
this afternoon."
"How did you come by that ticket?" she demanded.
"It was a miracle. I purchased a mask there, and this ticket was
wrapped up in my bundle by mistake."
"It is a curious coincidence,"--her voice normal and unagitated.
I was confused. "Then I am mistaken?"--my chagrin evident. (All this
while, mind you, I was wondering if that cellar-door was unlocked, and
how long it would take me to reach it before the dénouement!)
"One way or the other, it does not matter," said she.
"Yet, if I could reach the cellars,"--absently. Then I bit my tongue.
"Cellars? Who said anything about cellars? I meant that this is not
the hour for unmasking or disclosing one's identity,"--coldly.
"And yet, when Caesar whispered 'Beware the ten of hearts' you turned
and shuddered. What have you to offer in defense?"
"It was the horrid mask he wore."
"Well, it wasn't handsome of him."
"What did you mean by cellars?"--suddenly becoming the inquisitor in
her turn.
"I? Oh, I was thinking what I should do in case of fire,"--nimbly.
"That is not the truth."
"Well, no, it isn't. Can you keep a secret?" I whispered.
"If it isn't a terrible one."
"Well, I have no earthly business here. I am an impostor."
"An impostor!"
"Yes. And for the past few minutes, since I heard of the robbery, I've
been thinking how I could get out of here upon the slightest notice."
While the reckless spirit was upon me, I produced the fatal card and
showed the back to her. "You will find that yours is of a different
color. But _I_ am not the Galloping Dick; it was only a hare-brained
lark on my part, and I had no idea it would turn out serious like this.
I was going to disappear before they unmasked. What would you advise
me to do?"
She took the card, studied it, and finally returned it. There followed
an interval of silence.
"I have known the imposition from the first," she said.
"What!"
She touched the signet-ring on my little finger. "I have seen that
once before to-night. No," she mused, "you will not blow up the
post-office to-night, nor the police-station."
She lifted the corner of her mask, and I beheld the girl I had met in
Mouquin's!
"You?"
"Silence! So this is the meaning of your shuffling those cards? Oh,
it is certainly droll!" She laughed.
"And are you Miss Hawthorne?"
"I am still in the mask, sir; I shall answer none of your questions."
"This is the finest romance in the world!" I cried.
"You were talking about getting out," she said. "Shall I lend you my
domino? But that would be useless. Such a prestidigitator as Signor
Fantoccini has only to say--Presto! and disappear at once."
"I assure you, it is no laughing matter."
"I see it from a different angle."
An artist's model, and yet a guest at this exclusive function?
A commotion around the stage distracted us. Presently we saw Teddy
Hamilton mount the stage and hold up his hands.
"Attention, ladies and gentlemen!" he called.
Silence gradually fell upon the motley groups of masqueraders.
"A thief is among us. I have had all the exits closed. Everybody will
be so kind as to present cards at the main entrance. Three ten-spots
of hearts have been tallied on the comparing lists. We have been
imposed upon. The police are on the way. Very sorry to cause you this
annoyance. The identity of the holders of the cards will be known only
to those of us on the committee."
Silence and then a murmur which soon became a fuzzing like that of many
bees.
The Blue Domino suddenly clutched my arm.
"Please take me away, take me away at once! I'm an impostor, too!"
Two of us!
This was disaster. I give you my solemn word, there was nothing I
regretted so much as the fact that I hadn't gone to the theater.
But I am a man of quick thought and resource. In the inelegant
phrasing of the day, me for the cellars!
"Come," said I to the girl; "There's only one chance in a hundred, but
we'll take it together."
"Together? Where?"
"Why, to the cellars. I've a pocketful of matches. We can make a try.
For, if there's a thief around, and we are caught and proved
impostors--Well, I leave you to imagine!"
"I will go with you," she replied resolutely.
The gods were with us. The door leading to the cellars was not locked.
I opened it, passed the girl before me, and closed the door.
"I am frightened!" she whispered.
"So am I," I offered, to reassure her. "You are not afraid of rats,
are you?"
"No-o!"
"Bully!" I cried. Then I laughed.
"How _can_ you laugh? It is horrible!" she protested.
"You would come, though I heard your uncle warn you. Look at it the
way I do. It's a huge joke, and years from now you'll have great fun
telling it to your grandchildren."
"I wish, at this moment, I could see so far ahead--What was
that?"--seizing my arm.
Click!
Somebody had locked the door behind us!