the cruise of the jasper b.-第30部分

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the　Jasper　B。；　rise　to　his　feet　in　an　automobile　that　had　stopped

a　couple　of　hundred　yards　away；　and　beat　with　both　hands　upon　his

temples；　gnashing　his　long　yellow　teeth　the　while。



The　Rev。　Simeon　Calthrop　turned　sadly　away　from　the　vessel；　and；

with　a　sigh；　went　and　sat　in　the　trench；　where　he　was　soon　joined

by　Elmer。　　The　disgraced　preacher　and　the　reformed　convict　had

struck　up　a　fast　friendship。　　They　sat　with　their　backs　towards

the　Jasper　B。；　and　Cleggett　supposed　from　their　attitude　that

they　were　sternly　condemnatory　of　the　frivolity　and　festivity　on

board　ship。



Cleggett；　after　the　first　dance；　sought　them　out。



〃I　hope；〃　he　said　to　the　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop；　not　unkindly；　〃that

you　don't　disapprove　of　us。〃



〃It　isn't　that；　Mr。　Cleggett；〃　said　the　ship's　chaplain；　with

sorrow　in　his　eloquent　brown　eyes；　〃it　isn't　that　at　all。　　In

fact；　I　had　a　tango　class　in　the　basement　of　my　church；　every

Thursday　evening…when　I　had　a　church。〃



〃Then　what　is　it？〃



〃Alas！〃　sighed　the　young　preacher。　　〃I　do　not　trust　myself！　

Women；　as　I　have　told　you；　Mr。　Cleggett；　are　apt　to　become

fascinated　with　me。　　I　cannot　help　it。　　It　is　in　such　gay　scenes

as　this　that　the　danger　lies；　Mr。　Cleggett。　　As　an　honorable　man；

I　feel　that　I　am　bound　to　withdraw　myself　and　my　fatal

influence。〃



〃You　are　too　subtletoo　subtle　for　moral　health；〃　said　Cleggett。



〃But　I　will　not　attempt　to　influence　you。　　Elmer；　are　you　also

afraid　of　inspiring　a　hopeless　passion？〃



〃Mister　Cleggett；〃　said　Elmer　gloomily　and　huskily；　out　of　one

corner　of　his　mouth；　〃I　ain't　takin'　a　chance。　　D'　youse　get　me？　

Not　a　chancet。　Oncet　youse　reformed；　Mr。　Cleggett；　youse　can't　be

too　careful。〃



Cleggett　returned　to　the　vessel。　　Miss　Pringle　the　elder　was

leaving　it。　　Miss　Henrietta　Pringle　was　following。　　Cleggett

gathered　that　the　niece　left　reluctantly；　and　under　the　coercion

of　the　aunt。



Miss　Pringle　the　elder　was　about　to　join　the　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　in

the　trench。　　Morality；　as　well　as　misery；　loves　company。　　But　Mr。

Calthrop　saw　the　Misses　Pringle　coming。　　He　swiftly　rose；　passed

them　by　with　his　face　averted；　and　went　aboard　the　Annabel　Lee。　

It　was　evident　that　he　believed　that　his　fatal　gift　of

fascination　had　attracted　these　ladies　towards　him　in　spite　of

himself。　　Elmer　　and　the　Misses　Pringle　sat　gloomily　on　a　clean

plank　in　the　trench　while　the　dance　went　gayly　on。



〃If　you　was　to　ask　me；〃　said　Captain　Abernethy；　pausing　winded

from　the　tango；　strong　old　man　that　he　was；　〃I'd　give　it　as　my

opinion　that　them　that　gits　their　enjoyment　in　an　oncheerful　way

don't　git　nigh　as　much　of　it　as　them　that　gits　it　in　a　cheerful

way。　　Mrs。　Lady　Agatha；　ma'am；　if　you　kin　fox…trot　as　well　as　you

kin　tango　I'll　never　have　another　word　to　say　agin　female

suffragettes。〃



But　as　Cap'n　Abernethy　spoke　the　grin　froze　upon　his　face。



〃My　God！　　Look　there！〃　he　shrilled；　pointing　a　long　finger

towards　the　plain。　　Simultaneously　the　Misses　Pringle；　shrieking

wildly；　leaped　from　the　trench　towards　the　ship　and　Elmer　fired　a

pistol　shot。



Cleggett　beheld　five　taxicabs；　filled　with　Loge's　assassins；

charging　towards　the　vessel　at　the　rate　of　thirty　miles　an　hour。



〃To　arms！　　To　arms！〃　shouted　the　commander　of　the　Jasper　B。　



But　the　enemy；　with　Logan　Black　in　the　lead；　had　already　reached

the　trenches。　　They　flung　themselves　to　the　ground　and　swept　over

the　trench　towards　the　bulwarks；　twenty　strong；　with　flashing

machetes。　　So　confident　had　Cleggett　been　that　Loge　would　not

dare　to　attack　in　broad　daylight　that　he　had　scarcely　even

considered　the　possibility。　It　was　the　one　fault　of　his　military

and　naval　career。



〃Cutlasses；　men；　and　at　them！〃　he　cried。





CHAPTER　XXIII



CUTLASSES



There　was　no　thought　of　guns　or　pistols。　There　was　no　time　to　aim

or　fire。　　Loge's　rush　had　lodged　him　on　the　deck。　　Roaring　like　a

wild　animal；　he　carried　the　fight　to　the　defenders。　　He　meant　to

make　a　finish　of　it　this　time；　and　with　the　edged　and　bitter

steel。



As　the　women　scurried　into　the　cabin　the　two　lines　met；　with　a

ringing　clash　of　blades；　on　the　deck　of　the　Jasper　B。；　and　the

sparks　flew　from　the　stricken　metal。　　Cleggett　strove　to　engage

Loge　hand　to　hand；　and　Loge；　on　his　part；　attempted　to　fight　his

way　to　Cleggett；　they　shouted　insults　at　each　other　across　the

press　of　battle。　　But　in　affairs　of　this　sort　a　man　must　give　his

attention　to　the　person　directly　in　front　of　him；　otherwise　he　is

lost。　　As　Cleggett　cut　and　thrust　and　parried；　a　sudden　seizure

overtook　him；　he　moved　as　if　in　a　dream；　he　had　the　eerie　feeling

that　he　had　done　all　this　before；　sometime；　perhaps　in　a　previous

existence；　and　would　do　it　again。　　The　clangor　of　the　meeting

swords；　the　inarticulate　shouts　and　curses；　the　dance　of

struggling　men　across　the　deck；　the　whirling　confusion　of　the

whole　fantastic　scene　beneath　the　quiet　skies；　struck　upon　his

consciousness　with　that　strange　phantasmagoric　quality　which

makes　the　hurrying　unreality　of　dreams　so　much　more　vivid　and

more　real　than　anything　in　waking　life。



In　the　center　of　Cleggett's　line　stood　the　three　detectives

shoulder　to　shoulder。　　Their　three　swords　rose　and　fell　as　one。　

They　cut　and　lunged　and　guarded　with　a　machine…like　regularity；

advancing；　giving　ground；　advancing　again；　with　a　rhythmic

unanimity　which　was　baffling　to　their　opponents。



On　either　flank　of　the　detectives　fought　one　of　the　gigantic

negroes。　　Washington　Artillery　Lamb；　almost　at　once；　had　broken

his　cutlass；　and　now　he　raged　in　the　waist　of　the　Jasper　B。　with

a　long　iron　bar　in　his　hand。　　Miss　Pringle's　Jefferson；　with　his

high　cockaded　hat　still　firmly　fixed　upon　his　head；　laid　about

him　with　a　heavy　cavalry　saber；　in　his　excitement　he　still　held

his　harmonica　in　his　mouth　and　blew　blasts　upon　it　as　he　fought。　

The　Rev。　Simeon　Calthrop；　in　a　loud　agitated　voice；　sang　hymns　as

he　swung　his　cutlass。　　And；　among　the　legs　of　the　combatants；

leapt　and　snapped　Teddy　the　Pomeranian；　biting　friend　and　foe

indiscriminately　upon　the　ankles。



But　gradually　the　weight　of　superior　numbers　began　to　tell。　

Farnsworth　staggered　from　the　fight　with　a　face　covered　with

blood　which　blinded　him。　　Cap'n　Abernethy　likewise　was　bleeding

from　a　wound　in　the　head；　George　the　Greek　and　Watson　Bard　were

hurt；　but　both　fought　on。　　The　crew　of　the　Jasper　B。　and　their

allies　of　the　Annabel　Lee　were　being　slowly　forced　back　towards

the　cabin；　when　there　came　a　sudden　and　decisive　turn　in　the

fortunes　of　the　fight。



Cleggett；　straining　to　meet　Loge；　who　hung　sword　to　sword　with

Wilton　Barnstable；　saw　Giuseppe　Jones；　deserted　by　his　nurses；

tumbling　feebly　over　the　bow　of　the　Jasper　B。　in　the　rear　of

Loge's　line。　　Barelegged；　a　red　blanket　fastened　about　his　throat

with　a　big　brass　safety　pin；　a　thermometer　in　one　hand　and　a

medicine　bottle　in　the　other；　he　tottered；　crazily　and　weakly

between　Loge　and　Barnstable；　chanting　a　vers　libre　poem　in　a

shrill；　insane　voice。



Loge；　who　had　extended　himself　in　a　vigorous　lunge；　was　struck　by

the　weight　of　the　young　anarchist's　body　at　the　crook　of　the

knees；　and　came　down　on　the　deck　at　full　length；　his　machete

flying　from　his　hand　as　he　fell。



Cleggett　was　upon　the　criminal　in　an　instant；　his　hand　at　the

outlaw's　throat。　　They　grappled　and　rolled　upon　the　deck。　　But　in

another　second　Wilton　Barnstable　and　Barton　Ward；　coming　to

Cleggett's　assistance；　had　snapped　irons　upon　the　president　of

the　crime　trust；　hand　and　foot。



His　overthrow　was　the　signal　of　his　men's　defeat。　　As　he　went

down　they　hesitated　and　wavered。　The　two　great　negroes；　taking

advantage　of　this　hesitation；　burst　among　them　with　mighty　blows

and　strange　Afro…American　oaths；　Castor　and　Pollux　in　bronze。　

With　a　shout　of　〃Banzai！〃　Kuroki　rushed　forward　with　his　kris；

the　other　defenders　added　weight　and　fury　to　the　rally。　　Before

the　irons　were　on　the　wrists　of　Loge　his　men　were　routed。　　They

leaped　the　rail　and　made　off　for　their　fleet　of　taxicabs；

flinging　away　their　weapons　as　they　ran。



Loge　writhed　and　twisted　and　lashed　the　deck　with　his　legs　and

body　for　a　moment；　striving　even　against　the　bands　of　steel　that

bit　into　his　wrists　and　ankles。　　And　then　he　lay　still　with　his

face　against　the　planks　as　if　in　a　vast　and　overwhelming

bitterness　of　despair。



It　had　been　Cleggett's　earlier　thought　to　take　the　man　alive；　if

possible；　and　turn　him　over　to　the　authorities。　　But　now　that

Loge　was　taken　he　burned　with　the　wish　for　personal　combat　with

him。　　He　desired　to　be　the　agent　of　society；　and　put　an　end　to

Logan　Black　himself。



Cleggett；　as　he　gazed　at　the　fellow　lying　prone　upon　the　deck；

could　not　repress　a　murmur　of　dissatisfaction。



〃We　never　fought　it　out；〃　he　said。



Whether　Loge　heard　him　or　not；　the　same　thought　was　evidently

running　is　his　mind。　　He　lifted　his　head。　　A　slow；　malignant　grin

that　showed　his　yellow　canine　teeth　lifted　his　upper　lip。　　He

fixed　his　eyes　on　Cleggett　with　a　cold　deadliness　of　hatred　and

said：



〃You　are　lucky。〃



Outwardly　Cleggett　remained　calm；　but　inwardly　he　was　shaken　with

an　intensity　of　passion　that　matched　Loge's　own。



〃Lucky？〃　he　said　quietly。　　〃That　is　as　may　be。　And　if；　as　I

infer；　you　desire　a　settlement　of　a　more　personal　nature　than　the

law　recognizes；　it　is　still　not　too　late　to　accommodate　you。〃



〃Desire！〃　cried　Loge；　with　a　movement　of　his　manacled　hands。　　〃I

would　go　to　Hell　happy　if　I　sent　you　ahead　of　me！〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃Since　you　have　challenged　me　I　will

fight　you。　　I　will　do　you　that　honor。〃



Loge　was　about　to　answer　when　Wilton　Barnstable　broke　in：



〃Mr。　Cleggett；〃　he　said；　〃I　scarcely　understand　you。　　Are　you

consenting　to　fight　this　man？〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃He　has　challenged　me。〃



〃A　duel？〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable