CHAPTER XVII
THE PRINCE IS PUZZLED
His excellency turned. The intruder's eyes were bloodshot from the glareof the furnaces, his face black, unrecognizable, from the soot. "Whatthe dev--" began the nobleman, as if doubting the evidence of hissenses.
He must have relaxed his hold, for the girl tore herself loose. She didnot pause, but running swiftly to the inner door she had just turnedtoward, she hastily closed and locked it behind her. As she disappearedMr. Heatherbloom stopped an instant to gaze after her; but the prince,with sagging jaw and amazement in his eyes, continued to regard onlyhim.
"Who the--" he began again furiously.
The intruder's reply was a silent one. His excellency would have steppedback but it was too late. Mr. Heatherbloom's fist struck him fairly onthe forehead. Behind the blow was the full impetus of the lithe formfairly launched across the spacious cabin. The prince went down,striking hard.
But he was up in a moment and, mad with rage, made a rush. The other,quick, agile, evaded him. The prince's muscles had lost some of theirhardness from high living and he was, moreover, unversed in the greatAnglo-American pastime. He strove to seize his aggressor, to stranglehim, but his fingers failed to grip what they sought. At the same timeMr. Heatherbloom's arms shot up, down and around, with marvelousprecision, seeking and finding the vulnerable spots. The prince soonrealized he was being badly punished and the knowledge did not serve toimprove his temper. Had he only been able to get hold of his opponent hecould have crushed him with his superior weight. A stationary table,however, in the center of the room assisted Mr. Heatherbloom in eludingthe wild dashes, the while he continued to lunge and dodge in a mostbusinesslike manner.
Panting, the prince had, at length, to pause. His face revealed severalmarks of the contest and the sight did not seem displeasing to Mr.Heatherbloom. A quiet smile strained his lips; a cold satisfaction shonein the bloodshot eyes.
"Come on," he said, stepping a little from the table.
The prince did not respond to the invitation. His dazed mind was workingnow. Through bruised lids he regarded the soot-masked intruder--anihilist, no doubt! His excellency had had one or two experiences withmembers of secret societies in the past. There was a nest of them in NewJersey. Though how one of them could have managed to get aboard the_Nevski_, he had no time just then to figure out. The nobleman lookedover his shoulder toward a press-button.
"Come on!" repeated Mr. Heatherbloom softly.
The nobleman sprang, instead, the other way, but he did not reach whathe sought. Mr. Heatherbloom's arm described an arc; the applicationwas made with expert skill and effectiveness. His excellency swayed,relaxed, and, this time, remained where he fell. Mr. Heatherbloom lockedthe door leading into the dining _salle_--the other, opening upon thedeck, he had already tried and found fastened--and drew closer thedraperies before the windows. Then returning to the prince, he proddedgently the prostrate figure.
"Get up!" His excellency moved, then staggered with difficulty to hisfeet and gazed around. "You'll be able to think all right in a moment,"said Heatherbloom. "Sit down. Only," in crisp tones, "I wouldn't movefrom the chair if I were you. Because--" His excellency understood;something bright gleamed close.
"Are you going to murder me?" he breathed hoarsely. His excellency'scousin--a grand duke--had been assassinated in Russia.
"I wouldn't call it that." The prince made a movement. "Sit still." Thecold object pressed against the nobleman's temples. "If ever a scoundreldeserved death, it is you."
Plain talk! The prince could scarcely believe he heard aright; yet thethrill of that icy touch on his forehead was real. His dark face showedgrowing pallor. One may be brave--heroic even, but one does not like todie like a dog, to be struck down by a miserable uncleanterrorist--hardly, from his standpoint, a human being--unfortunately,however, something that must be dealt with--not at first, under thesecircumstances, with force--but afterward! Ah, then? The prince's eyesseemed to grow smaller, to gleam with Tartar cunning.
"What do you want?" he said.
"Several things." Mr. Heatherbloom's own eyes were keen as darts."First, you will give orders that the _Nevski_ is to change hercourse--to head for the nearest American port."
"Impossible!" the prince exclaimed violently.
"On the contrary, it is quite possible. We have the fuel, as I cantestify."
His excellency's thoughts ran riot; it was difficult to collect them,with that aching head. The fellow must be crazy; people of his classusually are, more or less, though they generally displayed a certainmethod in their madness, while this one--
"I must remind your excellency that time is of every importance to me,"murmured Mr. Heatherbloom. "Hence, you will do what I ask, _at once_,or--"
"Very well." His excellency spoke quickly--too quickly. "I'll give theorder." And, rising, he started toward the door.
"Stop!"
The prince did. Venom and apprehension mingled in his look. Mr.Heatherbloom made a gesture. "You will give the order; but here--and asI direct." His voice was cold as the gleaming barrel. "That 'phone,"indicating one on the wall, "connects with the bridge, of course. Don'tdeny. It will be useless."
His excellency didn't deny; he had a suspicion of what was coming.
"You will call up the officer in command on the bridge and give him theorder to make at once for the nearest American port. You will ask himhow far it is and how soon we can get there? Beyond that, you will saynothing, make no explanations, or utter a single superfluous word."
"Very well." The prince, seemingly acquiescent, but with a dangerousglitter in his eyes, moved toward the telephone.
"One moment!"
The nobleman stopped with his hand near a receiver. His fingerstrembled.
"You will speak in French. A syllable of Russian, just one, and--" Mr.Heatherbloom's expression left no doubt as to his meaning.
"Dog!" His excellency's swollen face became the hue of paper. An instanthe seemed about to spring--then managed to control himself. "But whyshould I not speak in Russian? My officers know no French."
"A lie! Nearly all Russian officers speak French. I happen to know yoursdo." A newspaper article had made the statement and he did not doubt it."Anyhow, you give the order in French and we'll see what happens."
The blood surged in the nobleman's face. The fierce desire to avengehimself at once on this man who threw the lie at him--august,illustrious--mingled, however, with yet another feeling--one ofbewilderment. The fellow had spoken these last words in French, andchoice French at that. His accents had all the elegance of the FaubourgSaint Germain.
"Quick!" The decision in the intruder's manner was unmistakable. "I havewasted all the time I intend to. My finger trembles on the trigger."
The prince, perforce, _was_ quick. The telephone of foreign design, hadtwo receivers. His excellency took one. Mr. Heatherbloom reached for theother and held it to his ear with his left hand. His right, holding theweapon, was behind the prince, as the latter poignantly realized.Ill-suppressed rage made his excellency's tones now slightly wavering:
"Are you there, M. le Capitaine?"
"Steady!" Mr. Heatherbloom whispered warningly in his excellency's freeear, emphasizing the caution with a significant pressure from his righthand. At the same time he caught the answer from afar--a deferentialvoice:
"_Oui,_ Excellence." There was, fortunately, on the wires a singingsound that would serve to drown evidences of emotion in the nobleman'stone. "Excellence wishes to speak with me?" went on the distant voice.
"I do." The prince breathed fast--paused. "You will change the boat'scourse, and--" He spoke with difficulty. A warmer breath fanned hischeek; he felt a sensation like ice on the back of his neck. "Make forthe nearest American port. How far is it?" Mr. Heatherbloom's promptingwhisper was audible only to his excellency.
"Five hours," came over the wire.
Mr. Heatherbloom experienced a thrill of satisfaction. They were nearerthe coast than he had supposed. He kn
ew the yacht had been taking asoutherly course; he had considered that when the bold idea came to actas he was doing. Possibly the prince had been driven out of the lastport by the publicity attendant upon Mr. Heatherbloom's presence there,before certain needed repairs had been completed. These, Mr.Heatherbloom now surmised, it was his excellency's intention to haveattended to in some island harbor before proceeding with a longervoyage.
Only five hours!
"Good-by!" now burst from the nobleman so violently that Mr.Heatherbloom's momentary exultation changed to a feeling ofapprehension. But M. le Capitaine had evidently become accustomed tooccasional explosive moments from his august patron. He concernedhimself only with the command, not the manner in which it was given.
"Eh? _Mon Dieu_! Do I hear your excellency aright?" His accentsexpressed surprise, but not of an immoderate nature. He, no doubt,received many arbitrary and unexpected orders when his excellency wenta-cruising.
"Repeat the order." Heatherbloom's whisper seemed fairly to sting thenobleman's disengaged ear.
The latter did repeat--savagely--jerkily, but the humming wires temperedthe tones. M. le Capitaine understood fully; he said as much; hisexcellency should be obeyed--Mr. Heatherbloom pushed the nobleman's headabruptly aside, covering the mouthpiece with his hand. Perhaps hedivined that irresistible malediction about to fall from hisexcellency's lips.
"Hang it up," he said.
The nobleman's breath was labored but he placed his receiver where itbelonged; Mr. Heatherbloom did likewise. Both now stepped back. Upon theprince's brow stood drops of perspiration. The yacht had already slowedup and was turning. His excellency listened.
"May I ask how much longer you are desirous of my company here?"
"Oh, yes; you may ask."
The boat had begun to quiver again; she was going at full speed oncemore. Only now she headed directly for the land Mr. Heatherbloom wishedto see. Five hours to an American port! Then? He glanced toward the doorthrough which the girl had disappeared. Since that moment he had caughtno sound from her. Had she heard, did she know anything of what washappening--that the yacht was now turned homeward? He dared not lingeron the thought. The prince was watching him with eyes that seemed todilate and contract. A moment's carelessness, the briefest cessation ofwatchfulness would be at once seized upon by his excellency, enablinghim to shift the advantage. The young man met that expectant gleam.
"Sorry to seem officious, but if your excellency will sit down oncemore? Not here--over there!" Indicating a stationary arm-chair before adesk in a recess of the room.
The prince obeyed; he had no alternative. The fellow must, of course, bea madman, the prince reiterated in his own mind unless--
"I told your excellency I had no wish for a long sea voyage." A mockingvoice now made itself heard.
The nobleman started, and looked closer; a mist seemed to fall frombefore his gaze. He recognized the fellow now--the man they had rundown. The shock of that terrible experience, the strain of thedisaster, had turned the fellow's brain. That would explaineverything--this extraordinary occurrence. There was nothing to do butto humor him for the moment, though it was awkward--devilish!--or mightsoon be!--if this game should be continued much longer.
Mr. Heatherbloom glided silently toward the hangings near the alcove.What now?--the prince asked with his eyes. Mr. Heatherbloom unloosenedfrom a brass holder a silk cord as thick as his thumb.
"If your excellency will permit me--" He stepped to the prince's side.
That person regarded the cord, strong as hemp.
"What do you mean?" burst from him.
"It is quite apparent."
An oath escaped the prince's throat; regardless of consequences, hesprang to his feet. "Never!"
A desperate determination gleamed in his eyes. This crowning outrage!He, a nobleman!--to suffer himself to be bound ignominiously by somelow _polisson_ of a raffish mushroom country! It was inconceivable."_Jamais!_" he repeated.
"Ah, well!" said Mr. Heatherbloom resignedly. "Nevertheless, I shallmake the attempt to do what I propose, and if you resist--"
"You will assassinate me?" stammered the nobleman.
"We won't discuss how the law might characterize the act. Only," thewords came quickly, "don't waste vain hopes that I won't assassinateyou, if it is necessary. I never waste powder, either--can clip a coinevery time. One of my few accomplishments." Enigmatically. "And"--as theprince hesitated one breathless second--"I can get you straight, firstshot, sure!"
His excellency believed him. He had heard how in this bizarre America asingle man sometimes "held up" an entire train out west and had his ownsweet way with engineer, conductor and passengers. This madman, on theslightest provocation now, was evidently prepared to emulate thatextraordinary and undesirable type. What might he not do, or attempt todo? The nobleman's figure relaxed slightly, his lips twitched. Then hesank back once more into the strong solid chair at the desk.
"Good," said Mr. Heatherbloom. A cold smile like a faint ripple on amountain lake swept his lips. "Now we shall get on faster."
A Man and His Money Page 17
