whirligigs-第5部分
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have the proper papers in my pocket for taking you back
with me； and you are going。 We will return on the
fruit steamer that comes back by this island to…morrow
to leave its inspectors。 I acknowledge； gentlemen； that
I'm not quite sure which one of you is Williams。 But
Wade Williams goes back to Chatham County to…morrow。
I want you to understand that。〃
A great sound of merry laughter from Morgan and
Reeves went out over the still harbour。 Two or three
fishermen in the fleet of sloops anchored there looked up
at the house of the diablos Americanos on the hill and
wondered。
〃My dear Mr。 Plunkett；〃 cried Morgan； conquering
his mirth； 〃the dinner is getting； cold。 Let us sit down
and eat。 I am anxious to get my spoon into that shark…
fin soup。 Business afterward。〃
〃Sit down； gentlemen； if you please；〃 added Reeves；
pleasantly。 〃I am sure Mr。 Plunkett will not object。
Perhaps a little time may be of advantage to him in identi…
fying the gentlemen he wishes to arrest。〃
〃No objections； I'm sure；〃 said Plunkett； dropping
into his chair heavily。 〃I'm hungry myself。 I didn't
want to accept the hospitality of you folks without giving
you notice； that's all。〃
Reeves set bottles and glasses on the table。
〃There's cognac；〃 he said； 〃and anisada； and Scotch
'smoke；' and rye。 Take your choice。〃
Bridger chose rye； Reeves poured three fingers of
Scotch for himself； Morgan took the same。 The sheriff；
against much protestation； filled his glass from the water
bottle。
〃Here's to the appetite；〃 said Reeves； raising his glass；
〃of Mr。 Williams！〃 Morgan's laugh and his drink
encountering sent him into a choking splutter。 All began
to pay attention to the dinner； which was well cooked and
palatable。
〃Williams！〃 called Plunkett； suddenly and sharply。
All looked up wonderingly。 Reeves found the sheriff's
mild eye resting upon him。 He flushed a little。
〃See here；〃 he said； with some asperity； 〃my name's
Reeves；and I don't want you too 〃 But the comedy
of the thing came to his rescue； and he ended with a laugh。
〃I suppose； Mr。 Plunkett；〃 said Morgan； carefully
seasoning an alligator pear； 〃that you are aware of the
fact that you will import a good deal of trouble for your…
self into Kentucky if you take back the wrong man
that is； of course； if you take anybody back？〃
〃Thank you for the salt；〃 said the sheriff。 〃Oh； I'll
take somebody back。 It'll be one of you two gentlemen。
Yes； I know I'd get stuck for damages if I make a mis…
take。 But I'm going to try to get the right man。〃
〃I'll tell you what you do；〃 said Morgan； leaning for…
ward with a jolly twinkle in his eyes。 〃You take me。
I'll go without any trouble。 The cocoanut business hasn't
panned out well this year； and I'd like to make some
extra money out of your bondsmen。〃
〃That's not fair；〃 chimed in Reeves。 〃I got only
16 a thousand for my last shipment。 Take me； Mr。
Plunkett。〃
〃I'll take Wade Williams；〃 said the sheriff； patiently；
〃or I'll come pretty close to it。〃
〃It's like dining with a ghost；〃 remarked Morgan；
with a pretended shiver。 〃The ghost of a murderer； too！
Will somebody pass the toothpicks to the shade of the
naughty Mr。 Williams？〃
Plunkett seemed as unconcerned as if he were dining
at his own table in Chatham County。 He was a gallant
trencherman； and the strange tropic viands tickled his
palate。 Heavy； commonplace； almost slothful in his
movements； he appeared to be devoid of all the cunning
and watchfulness of the sleuth。 He even ceased to
observe； with any sharpness or attempted discrimination；
the two men； one of whom he had undertaken with sur…
prising self…confidence； to drag away upon the serious
charge of wife…murder。 Here； indeed； was a problem
set before him that if wrongly solved would have
amounted to his serious discomfiture； yet there he sat
puzzling his soul （to all appearances） over the novel flavour
of a broiled iguana cutlet。
The consul felt a decided discomfort。 Reeves and
Morgan were his friends and pals； yet the sheriff from
Kentucky had a certain right to his official aid and moral
support。 So Bridger sat the silentest around the board
and tried to estimate the peculiar situation。 His con…
clusion was that both Reeves and Morgan； quickwitted；
as he knew them to be； had conceived at the moment of
Plunkett's disclosure of his mission and in the brief
space of a lightning flash the idea that the other might
be the guilty Williams； and that each of them had decided
in that moment loyally to protect his comrade against the
doom that threatened him。 This was the consul's theory。
and if he had been a bookmaker at a race of wits for life
and liberty he would have offered heavy odds against
the plodding sheriff from Chatham County； Kentucky。
When the meal was concluded the Carib woman came
and removed the dishes and cloth。 Reeves strewed them
table with excellent cigars； and Plunkett； with the others；
lighted one of these with evident gratification。
〃I may be dull；〃 said Morgan； with a grin and a wink
at Bridger； 〃but I want to know if I am。 Now； I say
this is all a joke of Mr。 Plunkett's； concocted to frighten。
two babes…in…the…woods。 Is this Williamson to be taken
seriously or not？〃
〃'Williams；'〃 corrected Plunkett gravely。 〃I never
got off any jokes in my life。 I know I wouldn't travel
2；000 miles to get off a poor one as this would be if I
didn't take Wade Williams back with me。 Gentlemen！〃
continued the sheriff； now letting his mild eyes travel
impartially from one of the company to another； 〃see if
you can find any joke in this case。 Wade Williams is
listening to the words I utter now； but out of politeness；
I will speak of him as a third person。 For five years he
made his wife lead the life of a dog No； I'll take that
back。 No dog in Kentucky was ever treated as she was。
He spent the money that she brought him spent it at
races； at the card table and on horses and hunting。 He
was a good fellow to his friends； but a cold； sullen demon
at home。 He wound up the five years of neglect by strik…
ing her with his closed hand a hand as hard as a stone
when she was ill and weak from suffering。 She died
the next day； and he skipped。 That's all there is to it。
It's enough。 I never saw Williams； but I knew his
wife。 I'm not a man to tell half。 She and I were keep…
ing company when she met him。 She went to Louisville
on a visit and saw him there。 I'll admit that he spoilt
my chances in no time。 I lived then on the edge of the
Cumberland mountains。 I was elected sheriff of Chatham
County a year after Wade Williams killed his wife。 My
official duty sends me out here after him； but I'll admit
that there's personal feeling； too。 And he's going
back with me。 Mr。 er Reeves； will you pass me a
match？
〃Awfully imprudent of Williams；〃 said Morgan； putting
his feet up against the wall； 〃to strike a Kentucky lady。
Seems to me I've heard they were scrappers。〃
〃Bad； bad Williams；〃 said Reeves； pouring out more
Scotch。〃
The two men spoke lightly； but the consul saw and
felt the tension and the carefulness in their actions and
words。 〃Good old fellows；〃 he said to himself； 〃they're
both all right。 Each of 'em is standing by the other like
a little brick church。〃
And then a dog walked into the room where they sat
a black…and…tan hound； long…eared； lazy； confident of
welcome。
Plunkett turned his head and looked at the animal；
which halted； confidently； within a few feet of his chair。
Suddenly the sheriff； with a deep…mouthed oath； left
his seat and； bestowed upon the dog a vicious and heavy
kick； with his ponderous shoe。
The hound； heartbroken； astonished； with flapping
ears and incurved tail； uttered a piercing yelp of pain
and surprise。
Reeves and the consul remained in their chairs； say…
ing nothing； but astonished at the unexpected show of
intolerance from the easy…going…man from Chatham
county。
But Morgan； with a suddenly purpling face； leaped；
to his feet and raised a threatening arm above the
guest。
〃You brute！〃 he shouted； passionately； 〃why did
you do that？〃
Quickly the amenities returned； Plunkett muttered
some indistinct apology and regained his seat。 Morgan
with a decided effort controlled his indignation and also
returned to his chair。
And then Plunkett with the spring of a tiger； leaped
around the corner of the table and snapped handcuffs
on the paralyzed Morgan's wrists。
〃Hound…lover and woman…killer！〃 he cried； 〃get
ready to meet your God。〃
When Bridger had finished I asked him：
〃Did he get the right man？〃
〃He did；〃 said the Consul。
〃And how did he know？〃 I inquired； being in a kind
of bewilderment。
〃When he put Morgan in the dory；〃 answered Bridger；
〃the next day to take him aboard the Pajaro； this man
Plunkett stopped to shake hands with me and I asked
him the same question。〃
〃'Mr。 Bridger；' said he； 'I'm a Kentuckian； and I've
seen a great deal of both men and animals。 And I never
yet saw a man that was overfond of horses and dogs but
what was cruel to women。'〃
THE HYPOTHESES OF FAILURE
LAWYER GOOCH bestowed his undivided attention
upon the engrossing arts of his profession。 But one
flight of fancy did he allow his mind to entertain。 He
was fond of likening his suite of office rooms to the bot…
tom of a ship。 The rooms were three in number； with a
door opening from one to another。 These doors could
also be closed。
〃Ships；〃 Lawyer Gooch would say； 〃are constructed
for safety； with separate； water…tight compartments in
their bottoms。 If one compartment springs a leak it fills
with water； but the good ship goes on unhurt。 Were it
not for the se
