The Ghost Breaker: A Novel Based Upon the Play Read online

  IX

  CHECKMATE THE FIRST

  The detective glared at the nobleman, with fingers obviously itchingfor action. He sucked his teeth contemptuously, and then turned hisback squarely upon the noble countenance. Over his face spread thebeatific smile which strong, rough men deem overpowering with a memberof the weaker sex.

  "As you was saying, lady, before we was so impolitely interrupted, youwas in the hotel when this gunplay went on. Did you hear it?"

  "Yes, sir, I heard two shots."

  "Did you hear anything else?"

  "Yes, indeed. I heard a great many people running up and down thecorridor, outside my door."

  The detective scribbled away in his notebook. Jarvis winked again atthe Princess, over the doughty shoulders which were backed toward him.The Duke caught the wink, and pondered over it.

  "Did anyone come in your room, miss?"

  "Yes. My maid was frightened, poor child. She came in, and begged me toprotect her."

  "Ah-ha! A-hum! And how did your lock get broken?"

  "It was broken when we came to the room. I was foolish not to complainto the management at once, for I might have been robbed by somesneak-thief. I explained all that at the hotel."

  "Um ... All right. What about the colored man who came to your roomafterwards and carried away a large bundle?"

  The Duke's eyes were sparkling now. He was biding his chance tointervene. Jarvis watched him without the flicker of an eyelash.

  "That was my servant," explained the Princess, easily. "I sent for him,because I had made a number of purchases too late to get them into mytrunk. They are here unopened; you may examine them if you wish."

  The detective waved aside the offer: he was nothing if not gallant--ifthe questioned one were fair enough!

  "Oh, that's all right. But what do you know about this, miss?"

  He produced a pocket-knife, and walked toward her slowly, examining itwith care. The Duke of Alva leaned over his shoulder with absorbedinterest.

  "This knife has the initial '_W_.' How about it?"

  The girl reached forward, with a graceful hand.

  "Oh, I'm so glad you found it! Thank you for bringing it to me."

  "Then it's yours? Who is this party '_W_'? Your name is Aragon, Ibelieve."

  The Princess laughed.

  "I am Maria Theresa of Aragon, you see."

  "I don't see. Where does the '_W_' come in? I know how to spell, youknow, even if I'm only a bull." And he glared pugnaciously at the duke.

  "Why ... it isn't '_W_'--can't you understand? You're holding it upsidedown. It is '_M_'--standing for my first name: Maria Theresa."

  The detective grudgingly handed her the trinket. He looked into hismemorandum book again, chewing the end of his pencil.

  "Now, there's just one more thing, Miss..."

  Carlos could control himself no longer. He caught the officer's arm ina feverish grip, which was as promptly thrown off.

  "You will pardon me, but I wish to inform you that this man's name isWarren..." he began.

  The detective spun about, and protruded his heavy chin at the Duke.

  "Say, who's running this 'Third Degree'--you or me?"

  The Duke tried to temporize.

  "But, my dear man..."

  "Say, cull, I ain't your dear man. Cut that guff--don't dearie me. I'ma big rough fellow, but I've got some gumption. You get out of here."

  He gave him a thoroughly plebeian push toward the door.

  "Yes, Carlos, do go. Leave us to attend to this matter. These gentlemenare so kind and so sympathetic. I am sure we can finish this betterwithout you."

  "I merely wished to point out..."

  "You point _him_ out, Jim," ordered the first detective to hisassistant. "You hear what the lady says. This is her cabin."

  The second official caught the aristocrat with a rude grasp of thevelvet coat-collar and shook him as one would a child. The Duke's teethchattered.

  "Out yer goes, and if yer butts in again I'll fan yer. Beat it! Do yerhear? Do yer get me? Skibooch!"

  The Duke tried to regain his equilibrium before braving the publicityof the saloon. His voice trembled with passion, as he retorted: "Aninfernal outrage! I'll report this to his Majesty, the King."

  The first detective looked at the jocular Warren Jarvis, who publishedhis third wink, this time in the direction of the big sleuth.

  "King! Huh! Roosevelt wasn't elected! Did yer get that, Jim? Well, whatdo you know about that?"

  Jarvis leaned forward, with a sibilant whisper of secrecy:

  "Sssh! Gentlemen. Don't be disturbed. He is quite harmless. You heardhim raving about a king? He suffers from pernicious megalomania. That'sall--nothing more. He has grandiose ideas."

  Jim coughed apologetically as his superior officer blinked.

  "What does them words mean, Jim?"

  "Wheels--bats in his belfry--just plain nutty, Mike."

  "You mean he is crazy, mister?"

  Jarvis nodded.

  "Yes, he is at times. But don't be cross with him, for he has abeautiful nature, except when the ravages of the disease are upon him.You know, he doesn't even like _me_ when he has a spell like this. Buthe's not at all dangerous. It is just necessary to humor him--he's notto blame--it's the way he was raised."

  "Then you're looking out for him?" and the detective looked furtivelytoward the door, as he reassured himself by fumbling with the revolverin his own hip-pocket.

  "Yes, that's my job."

  The big sleuth shook his head sadly.

  "I'm sorry I had to be rough with him, like that, miss. But you seen aswell as I did that he was gumming the game. Why, with some boobdetectives that I know, a feller like that might queer the crowd ofyou--making it look as though you was implicated." He looked into theubiquitous notebook. "One question more. How do you account for theblood on the knob of the door--from the _inside_, too?"

  The girl was honestly surprised this time.

  "Blood on my door? Why--I----?

  "I can explain that, Inspector."

  "Go ahead, then, Doctor."

  "Do you mind?" and the Kentuckian turned politely toward the girl. Sheshook her head, wondering what could be in his mind.

  "You see, that colored man--the one you were talking about--brought thebundle there. He tied it up and, cutting the string carelessly, brokethe blade of the knife and cut his hand. That was it, wasn't it? Yousee the long blade snapped off near the handle."

  The detective nodded--not completely convinced.

  "Where is this colored man now?" was his question.

  It seemed to Maria Theresa that they were getting hopelessly into thetoils. She was discouraged, as she glanced at the imperturbable Jarvis.He nodded ever so slightly, and she caught her cue.

  "He is in stateroom 729," she said.

  "All right. I'll look at him. 729? Thanks, miss. You know, this ain'tpersonal at all. I'm just taking the chief's orders. I'm sorry tobother you."

  He walked toward the door with the dignified flat-footed gait whichdistinguishes the Manhattan sleuth and all others in the world.

  "Good-by, miss. Watch that maniac, do! He looks like a bad actor tome."

  They were gone, and Maria Theresa sank into a chair weakly. Jarvisenergetically sprang to the telephone.

  "Hello! Give me room 729."

  After a pause he continued: "Hello, hello, hello, Rusty! Yes, Rusty.Damn it all, answer me, do you hear me?"

  There was another pause, and the girl began to lose her control again.

  "Yes, I know I told you to keep mum, but I'm telling you to talk now."Jarvis knew that every second was precious. "Do just what I tell youand do it quick. Take your knife and cut your left hand.... What?...No, don't cut it off, you damn fool. Just enough to make it bleed alittle, and then tie it up with a handkerchief.... Never mind ...That's none of your business! Remember don't answer questions! You'redeaf and dumb again."

  He hung up the receiver and turned toward the Princess with a newbornlaug
h.

  "By George, blood will tell! You're game. You certainly handled thedetective with European statecraft. Then your cousin Carlos broke in atthe psychological moment to scatter their gum-shoe wits. It wasbeautiful comedy."

  "Now they believe him crazy!" she answered. "How will that turn out?"

  "Nothing could be better. They won't believe a word he says. He'll becrazy before he gets through with it. Could you handle him all rightnow?"

  She nodded abstractedly. She was looking at his hand, which had gonewithout attention all this time, and which had been adroitly snuggledinside his pocket during the visit of the New York detectives.

  "Yes. You must hurry and have your hand dressed before it develops intosomething serious."

  "All right. The ship's surgeon will dress it, with collodion so thatyou can't even see that it's hurt.... Crazy! Hum! That's funny!" And heleft by the door to the promenade deck, with a merry laugh which showedhow the nervous strain had lightened, after all these solitary, bitterhours.

  There was a knocking on the entry from the saloon, and at her word itopened. The Duke entered, glaring savagely.

  "Well!"

  "Well!"

  "Well--I'm waiting!" he exclaimed.

  "Waiting for what, Carlos?"

  "For some explanation of all this deceit. Who is this man Warren? Alonewith you here in your cabin!"

  She raised her eyebrows in beautiful surprise, as she asked:

  "Must I tell you all over again? He is a professional ghost breaker,just as he said."

  "How did you find such a creature?"

  "I met him quite by accident. I knew at once that he was a man in athousand."

  "What do you know about him, Maria?"

  "Why ... that he is as well known in America as you are in Spain."

  The Duke sniffed.

  "Indeed! Well, he will be better known when I turn him over to thepolice. He will get much of that free advertising which Americans loveso well."

  "Why, Carlos, what do you mean?"

  "I think you know what I mean," and there was a threat in his manner.Just then the large detective thrust his red face into the door.

  "It's all right, miss. We're going ashore now in the pilot boat. Butyou should have told us that your nigger was a dummy!"

  Here was the last chance for the Duke. He grasped it, hurrying towardthe door.

  "One moment, gentlemen, one moment!" and he laughed in Maria's face,confident of his success. "If this person is famous, these gentlemenshould know him.... Do you know Warren, the Ghost Breaker?"

  "The what?" asked the detective.

  "The Ghost Breaker!"

  Both men now entered the room, grinning at each other.

  "He's off his trolleys again, Jim," said the big fellow to the other.

  Jarvis stepped in through the deck door.

  "Is this man Warren, the famous Ghost Breaker? This man right here!"

  "The guy's dippy all right, cull," remarked the nearest sleuth toJarvis, who nodded most seriously.

  "Agree with anything he says. You know!" he muttered.

  The Duke was beside himself with rage.

  "Answer my question! Is this man Warren the Ghost Breaker?"

  "Aw, Dook, old top, that's all right. Don't worry about it!... Surehe's a ghost breaker, ain't he, Jim?"

  "Best bet you know," replied obliging Jim. "He's the prince of allghost breakers!"

  The Duke smote his breast furiously, while the detectives smiledsympathetically into Jarvis' serious face.

  "_Sacristi!_ Am I Carlos Hernando, Duke of Alva, to be mocked at by twogrinning bull-necked scullions?"

  "Whatever you say goes, Dook!" amiably replied the first detective.

  A ship's officer appeared on the promenade deck and called through theopen door at them.

  "Hurry up, if you're going ashore with the pilot, officers."

  The two men bowed with their best imitation of gallantry, to thePrincess Maria Theresa of Aragon. Nita, standing in the vestibule, senta melting glance at the faithful Jim, who stumbled over the treacherouscabin threshold.

  The superior of the two shook hands pompously with Jarvis, whose lefthand was still in his pocket.

  "Be kind to the little rascal, Doc. He might not get such goodtreatment from them Scotland Yard bulls, on the other side. They don'tunderstand human nature like us fellers--they ain't got no educationover there. Good-by, Doc! Don't let your foot slip!"

  He turned toward the Duke, as he passed through the door.

  "You're all right, Dook, old boy, if you do have fits! GhostBreaker--ha, ha!"

  Carlos started toward the other door, with a bound.

  "It's not too late. I'll see the captain."

  Jarvis, sitting on the trunk, whistled with typical American lack ofreverence. As the nobleman turned about, he found himself looking intothe barrel of the revolver. A quizzical smile played about the firmlines of the Kentuckian's mouth.

  "Don't be in too big a hurry, your Excellency. The captain is apt to bebusy just now. And besides, he may not believe in ghosts!"