the make-believe man-第4部分

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well…known　criminals　on　board　escaping　New　York　police。　　Will
personally　lay　charges　against　them。Forbes　Kinney。〃

As　soon　as　I　could　recover　from　my　surprise；　I　made　violent
protest。　　I　pointed　out　to　Kinney　that　his　conduct　was　outrageous；
that　in　making　such　serious　charges；　on　such　evidence；　he　would　lay
himself　open　to　punishment。

He　was　not　in　the　least　dismayed。

〃I　take　it　then；〃　he　said　importantly；　〃that　you　do　not　wish　to
appear　against　them？〃

〃I　don't　wish　to　appear　in　it　at　all！〃　I　cried。　　〃You've　no　right
to　annoy　that　young　lady。　　You　must　wire　the　police　you　are
mistaken。〃

〃I　have　no　desire　to　arrest　the　woman；〃　said　Kinney　stiffly。　　〃In
my　message　I　did　not　mention　HER。　　If　you　want　an　adventure　of　your
own；　you　might　help　her　to　escape　while　I　arrest　her　accomplices。〃

〃I　object；〃　I　cried；　〃to　your　applying　the　word　'accomplice'　to
that　young　lady。　　And　suppose　they　ARE　criminals；〃　I　demanded；　〃how
will　arresting　them　help　you？〃

Kinney's　eyes　flashed　with　excitement。

〃Think　of　the　newspapers；〃　he　cried；　〃they'll　be　full　of　it！〃
Already　in　imagination　he　saw　the　headlines。　　〃'A　Clever　Haul！'〃　he
quoted。　　〃'Noted　band　of　crooks　elude　New　York　police；　but　are
captured　by　Forbes　Kinney。'〃　He　sighed　contentedly。　　〃And　they'll
probably　print　my　picture；　too；〃　he　added。

I　knew　I　should　be　angry　with　him；　but　instead　I　could　only　feel
sorry。　　I　have　known　Kinney　for　a　year；　and　I　have　learned　that　his
〃make…believe〃　is　always　innocent。　　I　suppose　that　he　is　what　is
called　a　snob；　but　with　him　snobbishness　is　not　an　unpleasant
weakness。　　In　his　case　it　takes　the　form　of　thinking　that　people
who　have　certain　things　he　does　not　possess　are　better　than
himself；　and　that；　therefore；　they　must　be　worth　knowing；　and　he
tries　to　make　their　acquaintance。　　But　he　does　not　think　that　he
himself　is　better　than　any　one。　　His　life　is　very　bare　and　narrow。
In　consequence；　on　many　things　he　places　false　values。　　As；　for
example；　his　desire　to　see　his　name　in　the　newspapers　even　as　an
amateur　detective。　　So；　while　I　was　indignant　I　also　was　sorry。

〃Joe；〃　I　said；　〃you're　going　to　get　yourself　into　an　awful　lot　of
trouble；　and　though　I　am　not　in　this　adventure；　you　know　if　I　can
help　you　I　will。〃

He　thanked　me　and　we　went　to　the　dining…saloon。　　There；　at　a　table
near　ours；　we　saw　the　lovely　lady　and　Stumps　and　the　American。　　She
again　smiled　at　me；　but　this　time；　so　it　seemed；　a　little
doubtfully。

In　the　mind　of　the　American；　on　the　contrary；　there　was　no　doubt。
He　glared　both　at　Kinney　and　myself；　as　though　he　would　like　to
boil　us　in　oil。

After　dinner；　in　spite　of　my　protests；　Kinney　set　forth　to
interview　him　and；　as　he　described　it；　to　〃lead　him　on〃　to　commit
himself。　　I　feared　Kinney　was　much　more　likely　to　commit　himself
than　the　other；　and　when　I　saw　them　seated　together　I　watched　from
a　distance　with　much　anxiety。

An　hour　later；　while　I　was　alone；　a　steward　told　me　the　purser
would　like　to　see　me。　　I　went　to　his　office；　and　found　gathered
there　Stumps；　his　American　friend；　the　night　watchman　of　the　boat；
and　the　purser。　　As　though　inviting　him　to　speak；　the　purser　nodded
to　the　American。　　That　gentleman　addressed　me　in　an　excited　and
belligerent　manner。

〃My　name　is　Aldrich；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　to　know　what　YOUR　name　is？〃

I　did　not　quite　like　his　tone；　nor　did　I　like　being　summoned　to　the
purser's　office　to　be　questioned　by　a　stranger。

〃Why？〃　I　asked。

〃Because；〃　said　Aldrich；　〃it　seems　you　have　SEVERAL　names。　　As　one
of　them　belongs　to　THIS　gentleman〃he　pointed　at　Stumps〃he　wants
to　know　why　you　are　using　it。〃

I　looked　at　Stumps　and　he　greeted　me　with　the　vague　and　genial
smile　that　was　habitual　to　him；　but　on　being　caught　in　the　act　by
Aldrich　he　hurriedly　frowned。

〃I　have　never　used　any　name　but　my　own；〃　I　said；　〃and；〃　I　added
pleasantly；　〃if　I　were　choosing　a　name　I　wouldn't　choose　'Stumps。'〃

Aldrich　fairly　gasped。

〃His　name　is　not　Stumps！〃　he　cried　indignantly。　　〃He　is　the　Earl　of
Ivy！〃

He　evidently　expected　me　to　be　surprised　at　this；　and　I　WAS
surprised。　　I　stared　at　the　much…advertised　young　Irishman　with
interest。

Aldrich　misunderstood　my　silence；　and　in　a　triumphant　tone；　which
was　far　from　pleasant；　continued：　〃So　you　see；〃　he　sneered；　〃when
you　chose　to　pass　yourself　off　as　Ivy　you　should　have　picked　out
another　boat。〃

The　thing　was　too　absurd　for　me　to　be　angry；　and　I　demanded　with
patience：　〃But　why　should　I　pass　myself　off　as　Lord　Ivy？〃

〃That's　what　we　intend　to　find　out；〃　snapped　Aldrich。　　〃Anyway；
we've　stopped　your　game　for　to…night；　and　to…morrow　you　can　explain
to　the　police！　　Your　pal；〃　he　taunted；　〃has　told　every　one　on　this
boat　that　you　are　Lord　Ivy；　and　he's　told　me　lies　enough　about
HIMSELF　to　prove　HE'S　an　impostor；　too！〃

I　saw　what　had　happened；　and　that　if　I　were　to　protect　poor　Kinney
I　must　not；　as　I　felt　inclined；　use　my　fists；　but　my　head。　　I
laughed　with　apparent　unconcern；　and　turned　to　the　purser。

〃Oh；　that's　it；　is　it？〃　I　cried。　　〃I　might　have　known　it　was
Kinney；　he's　always　playing　practical　jokes　on　me。〃　　I　turned　to
Aldrich。　　〃My　friend　has　been　playing　a　joke　on　you；　too；〃　I　said。
〃He　didn't　know　who　you　were；　but　he　saw　you　were　an　Anglomaniac；
and　he's　been　having　fun　with　you！〃

〃Has　he？〃　roared　Aldrich。　　He　reached　down　into　his　pocket　and
pulled　out　a　piece　of　paper。　　〃This；〃　he　cried；　shaking　it　at　me；
〃is　a　copy　of　a　wireless　that　I've　just　sent　to　the　chief　of　police
at　New　Bedford。〃

With　great　satisfaction　he　read　it　in　a　loud　and　threatening　voice：
〃Two　impostors　on　this　boat　representing　themselves　to　be　Lord　Ivy；
my　future　brother…in…law；　and　his　secretary。　　Lord　Ivy　himself　on
board。　　Send　police　to　meet　boat。　　We　will　make　charges。Henry
Philip　Aldrich。〃

It　occurred　to　me　that　after　receiving　two　such　sensational
telegrams；　and　getting　out　of　bed　to　meet　the　boat　at　six　in　the
morning；　the　chief　of　police　would　be　in　a　state　of　mind　to　arrest
almost　anybody；　and　that　his　choice　would　certainly　fall　on　Kinney
and　myself。　　It　was　ridiculous；　but　it　also　was　likely　to　prove
extremely　humiliating。　　So　I　said；　speaking　to　Lord　Ivy：　〃There's
been　a　mistake　all　around；　send　for　Mr。　Kinney　and　I　will　explain
it　to　you。〃　　Lord　Ivy；　who　was　looking　extremely　bored；　smiled　and
nodded；　but　young　Aldrich　laughed　ironically。

〃Mr。　Kinney　is　in　his　state…room；〃　he　said；　〃with　a　steward
guarding　the　door　and　window。　　You　can　explain　to…morrow　to　the
police。〃

I　rounded　indignantly　upon　the　purser。

〃Are　you　keeping　Mr。　Kinney　a　prisoner　in　his　state…room？〃　I
demanded。　　〃If　you　are〃

〃He　doesn't　have　to　stay　there；〃　protested　the　purser　sulkily。
〃When　he　found　the　stewards　were　following　him　he　went　to　his
cabin。〃

〃I　will　see　him　at　once；〃　I　said。　　〃And　if　I　catch　any　of　your
stewards　following　ME；　I'll　drop　them　overboard。〃

No　one　tried　to　stop　meindeed；　knowing　I　could　not　escape；　they
seemed　pleased　at　my　departure；　and　I　went　to　my　cabin。

Kinney；　seated　on　the　edge　of　the　berth；　greeted　me　with　a　hollow
groan。　　His　expression　was　one　of　utter　misery。　　As　though　begging
me　not　to　be　angry；　he　threw　out　his　arms　appealingly。

〃How　the　devil！〃　he　began；　〃was　I　to　know　that　a　little　red…headed
shrimp　like　that　was　the　Earl　of　Ivy？　　And　that　that　tall　blonde
girl；〃　he　added　indignantly；　〃that　I　thought　was　an　accomplice；　is
Lady　Moya；　his　sister？〃

〃What　happened？〃　I　asked。

Kinney　was　wearing　his　hat。　　He　took　it　off　and　hurled　it　to　the
floor。

〃It　was　that　damned　hat！〃　he　cried。　　〃It's　a　Harvard　ribbon；　all
right；　but　only　men　on　the　crew　can　wear　it！　　How　was　I　to　know
THAT？　　I　saw　Aldrich　looking　at　it　in　a　puzzled　way；　and　when　he
said；　'I　see　you　are　on　the　crew；'　I　guessed　what　it　meant；　and
said　I　was　on　last　year's　crew。　　Unfortunately　HE　was　on　last
year's　crew！　　That's　what　made　him　suspect　me；　and　after　dinner　he
put　me　through　a　third　degree。　　I　must　have　given　the　wrong
answers；　for　suddenly　he　jumped　up　and　called　me　a　swindler　and　an
impostor。　　I　got　back　by　telling　him　he　was　a　crook　and　that　I　was
a　detective；　and　that　I　had　sent　a　wireless　to　have　him　arrested　at
New　Bedford。　　He　challenged　me　to　prove　I　was　a　detective；　and；　of
course；　I　couldn't；　and　he　called　up　two　stewards　and　told　them　to
watch　me　while　he　went　after　the　purser。　　I　didn't　fancy　being
watched；　so　I　came　here。〃

〃When　did　you　tell　him　I　was　the　Earl　of　Ivy？〃

Kinney　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair　and　groaned　dismally。

〃That　was　before　the　boat　started；〃　he　said；　〃it　was　only　a　joke。
He　didn't　seem　to　be　interested　in　my　conversation；　so　I　thought
I'd　liven　it　up　a　bit　by　saying　I　was　a　friend　of　Lord　Ivy's。　　And
you　happened　to　pass；　and　I　happened　to　remember　Mrs。　Shaw　saying
you　looked　like　a　British　peer；　so　I　said：　'That　is　my　friend　Lord
Ivy。'　　I　said　I　was　your　secretary；　and　he　seemed　greatly
interested；　and〃　Kinney　added　dismally；　〃I　talked　too　much。　　I　am
SO　sorry；〃　he　begged。　　〃It's　going　to　be　awful　for　you！〃　　His　eyes
suddenly　lit　with　hope。　　〃Unless；〃　he　whispered。　　〃we　can　escape！〃

The　same　thought　was　in　my　mind；　but　the　idea　was　absurd；　and
impracticable。　　I　knew　there　was　no　escape。　　I　knew　we　were
sentenced　at　sunrise　to　a　most　humiliating　and　disgraceful
experience。　　The　newspapers　would　regard　anything　that　concerned
Lord　Ivy　as　news。　　In　my　turn　I　also　saw　the　hideous　head…lines。
What　would　my　father　and　mother　at　Fairport　think；　what　would　my
old　friends　there　think；　and；　what　was　of　even　greater　importance；
how　would　Joyce　&　Carboy　act？　　What　chance　was　there　left　me；　after
I　had　been　arrested　as　an　impostor；　to　become　a　stenographer　in　the
law　courtsin　time；　a　member　of　the　bar？　　But　I　found　that　what；
for　the　moment；　distressed　me　most　was　that　the　lovely　lady　would
consider　me　a　knave　or　a　fool。　　The　thought　made　me　exclaim　with
exasperation。　　Had　it　been　possible　to　abandon　Kinney；　I　would　have
dropped　overboard　and　made　for　shore。　　The　night　was　warm　and
foggy；　and　the　short　journey　to　land；　to　one　who　had　been　brought
up　like　a　duck；　meant　nothing　more　than　a　wetting。　　But　I　did　not
see　how　I　could　desert　Kinney。

〃Can　you　swim？〃　I　asked