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the cruise of the jasper b.-第25部分

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how happy I should be!  I beg of you; Miss Pringle; to give me

your attention。〃



And Lady Agatha began to relate to Miss Pringle the same story

which she had told to Cleggett。  At the first word indicative of

the fact the Lady Agatha had suffered for the cause of votes for

women; a change took place in the expression of Miss Pringle's

countenance。  Cleggett thought she was about to speak。  But she

did not。  Nevertheless; although she listened intently; some of

her rigidity had gone。  When Lady Agatha had finished Miss

Pringle said:



〃I suppose that you can prove that you are really Lady Agatha

Fairhaven?〃



For answer Lady Agatha went to one of her trunks and opened it。 

She drew therefrom a letter; and passed it over without a word。



As Miss Pringle read it; her face lighted up。  She did not lose

her primness; but her suspicion seemed altogether to depart。



〃A letter from Emmeline Pankhurst!〃 she said; in a hushed voice;

handling the missive as if it were a sacred relic。  〃Can you ever

forgive me?〃



〃There is nothing to forgive;〃 beamed Lady Agatha。  〃I am willing

to admit; now that you understand me; that the thing looked a bit

suspicious; on the face of it。〃



〃You have suffered for the cause;〃 said Miss Pringle。  〃I have

suffered for it; too!〃  And; with a certain shyness; she patted

Lady Agatha on the arm。  But the next moment she said:



〃But what IS in the box you brought here then; Lady Agatha?  Two

boxes were shipped to Newark; addressed to me。  Which one did you

get?  What is really in the one you have been carrying around? 

My plum preserves; or〃



She shuddered and left the sentence unfinished。



〃Let us open it;〃 said Cleggett。



〃No! No!〃 cried Lady Agatha。  〃Clement; no! I could not bear to

have it opened。〃



Miss Pringle rose。  It was evident that a bit of her earlier

suspicion had returned。



〃After all;〃 said Miss Pringle; indicating the letter again; 〃how

do I know that〃



〃That it is not a forgery?〃 said Lady Agatha。 〃I see。〃  She mused

a moment; and then said; with a sigh; 〃Well; then; let us open

the box!〃



〃I think it best;  Agatha;〃 said Cleggett。  〃I shall have it

brought down。〃



But even as he turned upon his heel to go on deck and give the

order; Dr。 Farnsworth and the Rev。 Simeon Calthrop ran excitedly

down the cabin companionway。



〃The box of Reginald Maltravers;〃 cried the Doctor; who was in

Cleggett's confidence; 〃is gone!〃





CHAPTER XIX



TWO GREAT MEN MEET



〃Gone!〃 Lady Agatha; who had emerged from her stateroom; turned

pale and caught at her heart。



They rushed on deck。  The young Doctor was right; the box; which

had stood on the larboard side of the cabin; had disappeared。



〃It might have been blown into the canal during the storm;〃

suggested the Rev。 Mr。 Calthrop。  All of the crew of the Jasper

B。 knew Lady Agatha's  story; and were aware of the importance of

the box。



〃It was on the lee side of the cabin;〃 objected Dr。 Farnsworth;

〃and while it might have been blown flat to the deck; in spite of

its protected position; it would scarcely have been picked up by

the wind again and wafted over the port bulwarks。〃



〃If you was to ask me;〃 said Cap'n Abernethy; who had joined in

the discussion; 〃I'd give it as MY opinion it's a good riddance

of bad rubbish。〃



〃Rubbish?〃 said Miss Pringle。  〃Rubbish; indeed!  I am confident

that that box contained my plum preserves!〃



〃It has been stolen!〃 cried Cleggett; with conviction。  〃Fool

that I was; not to have taken it into the cabin!〃



〃But; if you had; you know;〃 said Lady Agatha; 〃one would

scarcely have cared to stay in there with it。〃



〃Loge has outgeneraled me;〃 murmured Cleggett; well…nigh frantic

with self…reproach。  〃While he made the attack in front; he sent

some of his men to the rear of the vessel and it was quietly made

off with while we were fighting。〃  Had the disappearance of the

box concerned himself alone Cleggett's sense of disaster might

have been less poignant。  But the thought that his own

carelessness had enabled the enemy to get possession of a thing

likely to involve Lady Agatha in further trouble was nearly

insupportable。  He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands in

impotent rage。



〃No doubt Loge caught sight of it during the early part of the

skirmish; by a flash of lightning;〃 said Dr。 Farnsworth; 〃and

acted as you suggest; Mr。 Cleggett。  But does he believe it to be

the box which contains the evidence against him?  Or can he; by

any chance; be aware of its real contents?〃



〃No matter which;〃 groaned Cleggett; 〃no matter which!  For when

he opens it; he will learn what is in it。  Don't you see that he

has us now?  If he offers to trade it back to us for the other

oblong box; how can I refuse?  If we have his secret; Loge has

ours!〃



But Dr。 Farnsworth was not listening。  He had suddenly leaned

over the port rail and was staring down the canal。  The others

followed his gaze。



The house boat Annabel Lee; they perceived; had got under weigh;

and was slowly approaching the Jasper B。 in the moonlight。  They

watched her gradual approach in silence。  She stopped within a

few yards of the Jasper B。; and a voice which Cleggett recognized

as that of Wilton Barnstable; the great detective; sang out:



〃Jasper B。; ahoy!〃



〃Aye; aye!〃 shouted Cleggett。



〃Is Mr。 Cleggett on board?〃



〃He is speaking。〃



〃Mr。 Cleggett; have you lost anything from your canal boat?〃



Cleggett did not answer; and for a moment he did not move。  Then;

tightening his sword belt; and cocking his hat a trifle; he

climbed over the starboard rail and walked along the bank of the

canal a few yards until he was opposite the Annabel Lee。 The

great detective; on his part; also stepped ashore。 They stood and

faced each other in the moonlight; silently; and their followers;

also in silence; gathered in the bows of the respective vessels

and watched them。



Finally; Cleggett; with one hand on his hip; and standing with

his feet wide apart; said very incisively:



〃Sir; the Jasper B。 is NOT a canal boat。〃



〃Eh?〃  Wilton Barnstable started at the emphasis。

         

〃The Jasper B。;〃 pursued Cleggett; staring steadily at Wilton

Barnstable; 〃is a schooner。〃



〃Ah!〃 said the other。  〃Indeed?〃



〃A schooner;〃 repeated Cleggett; 〃indeed; sir! Indeed; sir; a

schooner!〃



There was another silence; in which neither man would look aside;

they held each other with their eyes; the nervous strain

communicated itself to the crews of the two vessels。  At last;

however; the detective; although he did not lower his gaze; and

although he strove to give his new attitude an effect of ease and

jauntiness by twisting the end of his mustache as he spoke; said

to Cleggett:



〃A schooner; then; Mr。 Cleggett; a schooner!  No offense; I

hope?〃



〃None at all;〃 said Cleggett; heartily enough; now that the point

had been established。  And the tension relaxed on both ships。



〃You have lost an oblong box; Mr。 Cleggett。〃 The great detective

affirmed it rather than interrogated。



〃How did you know that?〃



The other laughed。  〃We know a great many thingsit is our

business to know things;〃 he said。 Then he dropped his voice to a

whisper; and said rapidly; 〃Mr。 Cleggett; do you know who I am?〃

Before Cleggett could reply he continued; 〃Brace yourselfdo not

make an outcry when I tell you who I am。  I am Wilton

Barnstable。〃



〃I knew you;〃 said Cleggett。  The other appeared disappointed for

a moment。  And then he inquired anxiously; 〃How did you know me?〃



〃Why; from your pictures in the magazines;〃 said Cleggett。



The detective brightened perceptibly。  〃Ah; yesthe magazines! 

Yes; yes; indeed!  publicity is unavoidable; unavoidable; Mr。

Cleggett!  But this box; now〃



The great detective interrupted himself to laugh again; a trifle

complacently; Cleggett thought。



〃I will not mystify you; Mr。 Cleggett; about the box。 

Mystification is one of the tricks of the older schools of

detection。  I never practice it; Mr。 Cleggett。  With me; the

detection of crime is a businessyes; a business。  I will tell

you presently how the box came into my possession。〃



〃It IS in your possession?〃  Cleggett felt a dull pang of the

heart。  If the box of Reginal Maltravers were in the hands of

Logan Black he could at least trade the other oblong box to Loge

for it; and thus save Lady Agatha。  But in the possession of

Wilton Barnstable; the great detective!  Cleggett pulled

himself together; he thought rapidly; he recognized that the

situation called; above all things else; for diplomacy and

adroitness。  He went on; nonchalantly:



〃I suppose you are aware of the contents of the box?〃



The other laughed again as if Cleggett had made an excellent

jest; there was something urbane and benign in his manner; it

appeared as if he regarded the contents of the box of Reginald

Maltravers as anything but serious; his tone puzzled Cleggett。



〃Suppose I bring the box on board the Jasper B。;〃 suggested the

great detective。  〃It interests me; that box。  I have no doubt it

has its story。  And perhaps; while you are telling me some things

about it; I may be able to give you some information in turn。〃



There was no mistaking the fact that the man; whether genuinely

friendly or no; wished to appear so。



〃Have it brought into my cabin;〃 said Cleggett; 〃and we will

discuss it。〃



A few minutes later Wilton Barnstable; Cleggett; Lady Agatha;

Miss Pringle; and two of Wilton Barnstable's men sat in the cabin

of the Jasper B。; with the two oblong boxes before themthe one

which had contained Loge's incriminating diary; and the one which

had caused Lady Agatha so much trouble。



In the light of the cabin the three detectives were revealed as

startlingly alike。  Barton Ward and Wa
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