"The unexpected always happens," began the pseudo-detective, closing
his hat, drawing off his gloves and stuffing them into a pocket. "As a
friend of mine used to say, it is the unexpected that always surprises
us. We never expected to see these charming masqueraders again, did
we, William?"
"No, sir," said William, grinning affably, "we didn't. The gentleman
was very nice and obliging to me, sir, when I was in the cellars."
"So I understand. Now," continued the late Mr. Haggerty, with the
deadly affability of a Macaire, "I beg of you, Mr. Comstalk, I beg of
you not to move or to become unduly excited. Physicians tell us that
excitement wastes the red corpuscles, that is to say, the life of the
blood."
"Your blood, sir, must be very thin," I returned coolly. But I cursed
him soundly in my mind. William's bulging side-pocket convinced me
that any undue excitement on my part would be exceedingly dangerous.
"William, you can always tell a gentleman," said the chief rogue
admiringly. "A gentleman always recognizes his opportunities, and
never loses his sense of the balance of things."
"And he is usually witty, too, sir," William assented.
The girl sat pale and rigid in her chair.
"What do you want?" I demanded savagely.
"For one thing, I should like to question the propriety of a
gentleman's sitting down to dine with a lady without having washed his
face. The coal-dust does not add to your manly beauty. You haven't a
cake of soap about you, William, have you?"
"No, sir." William's face expressed indescribable enjoyment of the
scene.
The girl's mouth stiffened. She was struggling to repress the almost
irresistible smile that tickled her lips.
"In times like these," said I, determined not to be outdone, "we are
often thoughtless in regard to our personal appearances. I apologize
to the lady."
"Fine, fine! I sincerely admire you, Mr. Comstalk. You have the true
spirit of adventure. Hasn't he, William?"
"He certainly has, sir."
"Comes to a private ball without an invitation, and has a merry time of
it indeed. To have the perfect sense of humor--that is what makes the
world go round."
"Aren't you taking extra risk in offering me these pleasantries?" I
asked.
"Risks? In what manner?"
"The man you so cleverly impersonated is at the club." I do not know
what prompted me to put him on his guard.
The rogue laughed lightly. "I know Mr. Haggerty's habits. He is
hustling back to New York as fast as he can. He passed here ten
minutes ago in the patrol, lickety-clip! He wishes to warn all
pawnbrokers and jewelers to be on the lookout for me to-morrow. Ten
thousand in a night!"--jovially.
"A _very_ tidy sum, sir," said William.
"A fourth of which goes to you, my good and faithful friend."
"Thank you, sir," replied William.
Two cooler rogues I never wish to meet!
"But wouldn't it be well, sir, to hasten?" asked William.
"We have plenty of time now, my son."
"You have not entered this room," said the girl, her terror slipping
from her, "simply to offer these banalities. What do you wish?"
"What perspicacity, William!" cried the rogue, taking out a cigarette
case.
"I don't know what that word means, sir, but as you do, it seems to fit
the occasion proper enough."
"It means, William, that this charming young lady scents our visit from
afar."
"I had a suspicion, sir, that it might mean that." William leaned
against the wall, his beady eyes twinkling merrily.
The master rogue lighted a cigarette at one of the candles.
"Pardon me," he said, "but will you join me?"--proffering the handsome
gold case.
I took a cigarette and fired it. (I really wanted it.) I would show
up well before this girl if I died for it. I blew a cloud of smoke at
the candle-flame. There _was_ a sparkle of admiration in the girl's
eyes.
"Mr. Comstalk, my respect for you increases each moment." The rogue
sat down.
"And to whom might this handsome case belong?" I asked, examining it
closely.
"Oh, that has always been mine. There was a time,"--blowing rings at
the candelabrum,--"when I was respected like yourself, rich, sought
after. A woman and a trusted friend: how these often tumble down our
beautiful edifices! Yes, I am a scamp, a thief, a rogue; but not
because I need the money. No,"--with retrospective eyes--"I need
excitement, tremendous and continuous,--excitement to keep my vigilance
and invention active day and night, excitement to obliterate memory.
"But we can't do it, my friend, we can't do it. Memory is always with
us. She is an impartial Nemesis; she dogs the steps of the righteous
and the unrighteous. To obliterate memory, that is it! And where
might I find this obliteration, save in this life? Drugs? Pah! Oh, I
have given Haggerty a royal chase. It has been meat and drink to me to
fool the cleverest policeman in New York. Till yesterday my face, as a
criminal, was unknown to any man or woman, save William here, who was
my valet in the old days. I have gone to my clubs, dined, played
billiards; a fine comedy, a fine comedy! To-morrow William and I sail
for Europe. Miss Hawthorne, you wear one of the most exquisite rubies
I have ever seen. Permit me to examine it."
The girl tore the ring from her finger and flung it on the table. I
made a move as though to push back my chair.
"I wouldn't do it, sir," warned William quietly.
My muscles relaxed.
"Do not commit any rash action, Mr. Comstalk," said the girl, smiling
bravely into my eyes. "This gentleman would not appreciate it."
The master rogue picked up the ring and rolled it lovingly about his
palms.
"Beautiful, beautiful!" he murmured. "Finest pigeon-blood, too. It is
easily worth a thousand. Shall I give you my note of exchange for
it?"--humorously. The girl scorned to reply. He took out a little
chamois bag and emptied its contents on the table. How they sparkled,
scintillated, glowed; thousands in the whitest of stones! How he ever
had got his fingers on them is something I shall never learn. "Aren't
they just beautiful?" he asked naïvely. "Can you blame me for coveting
them?" He set the ruby on top of the glittering heap. It lay there
like a drop of blood. Presently he caught it up and--presented it to
the girl, who eyed him in astonishment. "I only wanted to look at it,"
he said courteously. "I like your grit as much as I admire your
beauty. Keep the ring."
She slipped it mechanically over her finger.
"But you, my dear Mr. Comstalk!" he cried, turning his shining eyes
upon me, while his fingers deftly replaced the gems in the bag.
"I have no jewelry," I replied, tossing aside the cigarette.
"But you have something infinitely better. I am rather observant. In
Friard's curio-shop you carelessly exhibited a wallet that was simply
choking to death with long yellow-boys. You have it still. Will you
do me the honor?"--stretching out his slim white hand.
I looked at William; he nodded. There wasn't the slightest chance for
me to argue. So I drew out my wallet. I extracted the gold-bills and
made a neat little packet of them. It hurt, hurt like the deuce, to
part with them. But--!
"Game, William, isn't he? Most men would have flung the wallet at my
head."
"Oh, he is game, sir; never you doubt it, sir," said the amiable
William.
"I have some silver in change," I suggested with some bitterness.
"Far be it that I should touch silver," he said generously, did this
rogue. "Besides, you will need something to pay for this little supper
and the fare back to New York." My bills disappeared into his pocket.
"You will observe that I trust you implicitly. I haven't even counted
the money."
William sniggered.
"And is there anything further?" I inquired. The comedy was beginning
to weary me, it was so one-sided.
"I am in no particular hurry," the rogue answered, his sardonic smile
returning. "It is so long since I have chatted with people of my kind."