the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第21部分
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Loge's imitation of astonishment was a piece of art； but if anything he
overdid it a trifle。 He frowned in a puzzled fashion； and then said：
〃You talk about my men； you speak riddles to me； you appear to threaten
me； but after all I have only made you a plain business proposition。 I ask
you again； what will you take for her？〃
〃She's not for sale；〃 said Cleggett shortly。
Loge did not speak again for a moment。 Instead； he picked up the
spoon with which Cleggett had stirred his highball and began to draw
characters with its wet point upon the table。 〃If it's a question of price；〃
he said finally； 〃I'm prepared to allow you a handsome profit。〃
Cleggett determined to find out how far he would go。
〃You might be willing to pay as much as 5；000 for herfor the old
hulk over there in the canal？〃
Loge stopped playing with the spoon and looked searchingly into
Cleggett's face。 Then he said：
〃I will。 Turn her over to me the way she was the day you bought her；
and I'll give you 5；000。〃 He paused； and then repeated； stressing the
words： 〃MIND YOU； WITH EVERYTHING IN HER THE WAY IT WAS
THE DAY YOU BOUGHT HER。〃
Cleggett fumbled with his fingers in a waistcoat pocket； drew out the
torn piece of counterfeit money which he had taken from the dead hand；
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and flung it on the table。
〃Five thousand dollars；〃 he said； 〃in THAT kind of money？〃
Loge looked at it with eyes that suddenly contracted。 Clever
dissembler that he was； he could not prevent an involuntary start。 He
licked his lips； and Cleggett judged that perhaps his mouth felt a little dry。
But these were the only signs he made。 Indeed； when he spoke it was with
something almost like an air of relief。
〃Come；〃 he said； 〃now we're down to brass tacks at last on this
proposition。 Mr。 Detective； name your real price。〃
Cleggett did not answer immediately。 He appeared to consider his
real price。 But in reality he was thinking that there was no longer any
doubt of the origin of the explosion。 Since Loge practically
acknowledged the counterfeit money； the man who had died with this
piece of it in his hand must have been one of Loge's men。 But he only
said：
〃Why do you call me a detective？〃
Loge shrugged his shoulders。 Then he said again： 〃Your real
price？〃
〃What；〃 said Cleggett； trying him out； 〃do you think of 20；000？〃
The other gave a long； low whistle。
〃Gad！〃 he cried； 〃what crooks you bulls are。〃
〃It's not so much；〃 said Cleggett deliberately； 〃when one takes
everything into consideration。〃
Loge appeared to meditate。 Then he said： 〃That figure is out of the
question。 I'll give you 10；000 and not a cent more。〃
〃You want her pretty badly；〃 said Cleggett。 〃Or you want what's on
her。〃
〃Why；〃 said Loge； with an assumption of great frankness； 〃between
you and me I don't care a damn about your boat。 I think we understand
each other。 I'm buying her to get what's on her。〃
〃Suppose I sell you what's on her for 10；000 and keep the ship；〃 said
Cleggett； wondering what WAS on the Jasper B。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
〃Agreed；〃 said Loge。
〃Since we're being so frank with one another；〃 said Cleggett； 〃would
you mind telling me why you didn't come to me at the start with an offer
to buy； instead of making such a nuisance of yourself？〃
〃Eh？〃 Loge appeared genuinely surprised。 〃Why should I pay you
any money if I could get it； or destroy it； without that？ Besides； how was
I to know you could be bought？〃
Cleggett wondered more than ever what piece of evidence the hold of
the Jasper B。 contained。 He felt certain that it was not merely counterfeit
bills。 Cleggett determined upon a minute and thorough search of the hold。
〃You'll send for it？〃 said Cleggett； still trying to get a more definite
idea of what 〃it〃 was； without revealing that he did not know。
〃I'll come myself with a taxicab；〃 said Loge。
Cleggett rose； smiling； he had found out as much as he could expect to
learn。
〃On the whole；〃 he said； 〃I think that I prefer to keep the Jasper B。 and
everything that's in her。 But before I leave I must thank you for the
pleasure I have derived from our little talkand the information as well。
You can hardly imagine how you have interested me。 Will you kindly
step back and let me pass？〃
Loge got to his feet with a muttered oath； his face went livid and a
muscle worked in his throat； his fingers contracted like the claws of some
big and powerful cat。 But； out of respect for Cleggett's pistol； he stepped
backward。
〃You have confessed to making counterfeit money；〃 went on Cleggett；
enjoying the situation； 〃and you have as good as told me that there are
further evidences of crime on board the Jasper B。 You can rest assured
that I will find them。 You have also betrayed the fact that you planned to
blow my ship up； and there are several other little matters which you have
shed light upon。
〃I am not a detective。 Nevertheless； I hope in the near future to see
you behind the bars and to help put you there。 It may interest you to
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know that my opinion of your intellect is no higher than my opinion of
your character。 You seem to me to have a vast conceit of your own
cleverness； which is not justified by the facts。 You are a very stupid
fellow； aawhat is the slang word？ Boob； I believe。〃
But while Cleggett was finishing his remarks a subtle change stole
over Loge's countenance。 His attitude； which had been one of baffled
rage； relaxed。 As Cleggett paused the sneer came back upon Loge's lips。
〃Boob；〃 he said quietly； 〃boob is the word。 Look above you。〃
A sharp metallic click overhead gave point to Loge's words。 Looking
up； Cleggett saw that a trap…door had opened in the ceiling； and through
the aperture Pierre； who had left the room some moments before with the
bartender； was pointing a revolver； which he had just cocked； at Cleggett's
head。 He sighted along the barrel with an eager； anticipatory smile upon
his face； Pierre would； no doubt； have preferred to see a man boiled in oil
rather than merely shot； but shooting was something； and Pierre evidently
intended to get all the delight possible out of the situation。
Cleggett's own pistol was within an inch of Loge's stomach。
〃I was willing to pay you real money；〃 said Loge； 〃for the sake of
peace。 But you're a damned fool if you think you can throw me down
and then walk straight out of here to headquarters。〃 Then he added；
showing his yellow teeth： 〃You WOULD bring pistols into the
conversation； you know。 That was YOUR idea。 And now you're in a
devil of a fix。〃
The man certainly had an iron nerve； he spoke as calmly as if
Cleggett's weapon were not in existence； there was nothing but the
pressure of a finger wanting to send both him and Cleggett to eternity。
Yet he jested； he laid his strong and devilish will across Cleggett's
mentality； it was a duel in which the two minds met and tried each other
like swords； the first break in intention； and one or the other was a dead
man。 Cleggett felt the weight of that powerful and evil soul upon his
own almost as if it were a physical thing。
〃You are not altogether safe yourself；〃 said Cleggett grimly； with his
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eyes fixed on Pierre's and his pistol touching Loge's waistband。 〃If
Pierre so much as winks an eyeif you move a hair's breadthI'll put a
stream of bullets through YOU。 Understand？〃
How long this singular psychological combat might have lasted before
a nerve quivered somewhere and brought the denouement of a double
death； there is no telling。 For accident （or fate） intervened to pluck these
antagonists back into life and rob the gloating Pierre of the happiness of
seeing two men perish without danger to himself。 Something of uncertain
shape； but of a blue color； loomed vaguely behind Pierre's head； loomed
and suddenly descended to the accompaniment of a piercing shriek。
Pierre's pistol went off； but he had evidently been stricken between the
shoulders； the ball w
