mg.cyro-第10章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃Not　half　as　much　as　you　fooled　me；〃　replied　Lence。　He　eyed　this　other　agent　of　Cyro。　〃I　never　expected　to　find　you　a　genuine　artist。　How　do　you　find　time　for　the　work？〃
　　〃It　is　part　of　the　racket；〃　explained　Brilliard　seriously。　〃It　works　well　in　Paris；　Lence。　Cyro　uses　me　only　for　the　big　build…ups。〃
　　〃What　are　you…American　or　Frenchman？〃
　　〃Both。　My　father　was　a　Frenchman　living　in　the　United　States。　My　mother　was　an　American。　I　learned　French　perfectly　from　boyhood。　Spent　my　summers　abroad。〃
　　〃And　finally　settled　in　Paris？〃
　　〃Yes…to　study　art。　Cyro　picked　me　out　and　started　me　in　the　swindle　racket。　I　happened　to　be　in　this　country　at　an　exhibition　in　Cleveland　when　things　broke　here。　Cyro　called　me。〃
　　〃I　was　in　New　York　when　I　heard　from　him。〃
　　〃I　know。　He　sent　you　two　messages；　I　believe。〃
　　〃I　must　have　missed　the　first　one。　Well；　I'm　here　anyway。〃
　　〃How　did　you　e　in？〃
　　〃By　the　Southern。　I　figured　it　best　to　e　a　round…about　way。　I　went　to　Pittsburgh；　took　a　plane　hop　and　grabbed　a　Southern　rattler　for　the　finish　of　the　trip。〃
　　〃Do　you　need　any　money？〃
　　〃No。　What　about　instructions？〃
　　〃I　have　them　for　you。　Sit　down。〃
　　
　　LENCE　took　a　chair。　Brilliard　lounged　upon　a　pedestal　that　was　standing　near　by。　Quietly；　the　Frenchman　began　the　details　of　the　game。
　　〃I　know　no　more　about　Cyro　than　you　do；〃　he　began。　〃I　have　never　met　him；　but　I　act　when　I　receive　his　orders。　I　have　encountered　some　very　remarkable　persons　among　his　agents。　We　are　a　select　group　of　workers；　Lence。〃
　　Tracy　Lence　nodded　in　agreement。
　　〃Cyro　goes　everywhere；〃　proceeded　Brilliard。　〃How　or　when　he　came　to　New　Orleans；　I　do　not　know。　But　it　was　here　that　he　uncovered　something　that　looks　like　a　million　dollar　winner。
　　〃A　man　named　Danforth　Gaudrin…old　New　Orleans　family…has　pawned　his　yacht　as　a　last　resource。　Yet　in　raising　that　money；　he　made　the　proviso　that　he　should　have　the　yacht　for　one　more　cruise。〃
　　〃A　final　blow…out？〃　questioned　Lence。
　　〃Not　at　all；〃　returned　Brilliard。　〃At　present；　a　Britisher…Professor　Pearson　Babcock…has　chartered　the　yacht　for　a　coral　hunt　in　the　waters　of　the　Gulf。　Apparently；　Gaudrin　went　to　the　trouble　of　borrowing　money　just　so　the　professor　could　make　that　cruise。〃
　　〃Sounds　a　bit　ridiculous。〃
　　〃Hear　the　rest；　Lence。　Diving　equipment；　valued　at　a　few　thousand　dollars；　was　taken　aboard　the　Nautilus。〃
　　〃That's　the　name　of　Gaudrin's　yacht？〃
　　〃Yes。　Diving　equipment　to　aid　in　the　search　for　coral　specimens。　Can　you　think　of　a　more　suitable　purpose　for　such　equipment？〃
　　〃Certainly。　It　might　be　a　plan　to　recover　gold　from　a　sunken　ship。〃
　　〃Exactly！　That　is　Cyro's　theory。　We　are　in　New　Orleans　to　be　ready　when　the　Nautilus　returns。〃
　　〃We're　going　to　raid　the　yacht？〃
　　〃If　necessary。　I　shall　e　to　that　later。　Our　first　purpose　is　to　establish　ourselves　with　the　Gaudrin　family。　As　acquaintances；　you　understand。
　　When　the　pay…off　es；　we　will　be　on　the　inside。〃
　　〃Good！　What's　the　system？〃
　　〃My　part；〃　explained　Brilliard　with　a　smile；　〃has　been　quite　simple。　My　standing　as　an　artist　has　given　me　entree　into　select　circles；　I　have　received　some　excellent　offers　for　portraits。
　　〃I　have　accepted　some；　but　others；　I　have　refused。　I　am　here　for　a　vacation…a　new　vigor。　Away　from　Paris…away　from　France…but〃…he　smiled　and　shrugged　his　shoulders…〃of　course　I　must　be　where　there　is　vivacity。　I　chose　New　Orleans。　American；　but　with　the　spice　of　my　beloved　France。〃
　　〃So　you　turned　down　some　of　the　jobs？〃
　　〃Most　of　them。　But　even　though　this　is　a　holiday；　this　sojourn　of　mine　in　New　Orleans；　I　can　not　neglect　my　art。　I　have　chosen　certain　persons　to　be　subjects　for　portraits　which　I　can　not　resist　to　paint。　Gratis。〃
　　〃I　begin　to　get　it；〃　nodded　Lence。
　　
　　〃DANFORTH　GAUDRIN　has　a　daughter；〃　smiled　Brilliard。　〃Alicia。　She　is　very　attractive。　One　might　call　her　beautiful。　I　have　met　Mademoiselle　Alicia。　I　must　paint　her　portrait。　Art　impels　me。〃
　　〃And　the　family　is　broke。〃
　　〃You　have　it。　I　made　the　offer　to　paint　the　portrait。　Since　I　have　chosen　others　also；　Alicia　Gaudrin　accepted。　No；　that　is　not　the　girl〃…Brilliard　shook　his　head　as　he　saw　Lence　eye　the　portrait　on　the　easel…〃but　when　I　have　finished　this　subject；　it　will　be　Alicia's　turn。〃
　　〃Which　means　that　you　are　gaining　access　to　the　Gaudrin　home。〃
　　〃Exactly！〃
　　〃But　where　do　I　e　in？〃
　　〃I　shall　tell　you。　Danforth　Gaudrin　has　a　son…Luke　Gaudrin。　An　amateur　roue。　Loves　to　gamble　and　waste　money；　whenever　he　can　get　it。　He　spends　most　of　his　time　at　the　Club　Caprice；　outside　the　city　limits。　Somehow；　he　still　manages　to　keep　credit　there。
　　〃You　can　make　friends　with　him　easily。　He　is　shunned　by　most　of　his　old　acquaintances。　Buy　the　drinks；　let　him　touch　you　for　various　amounts；　treat　him　like　a　long…lost　brother。　He　wants　gentlemen　for　friends；　for　his　father　has　criticized　his　present　associations。〃
　　〃Leave　that　to　me；　Brilliard。　It　will　be　just　like　a　build；　without　worrying　about　the　trimming　at　the　end。　I'll　be　there　at　the　pay…off。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　reminded　Brilliard；　〃we　must　keep　our　ears　open　for　any　information。　But　we　must　not　press　for　it；　you　understand。　You　know　how　Cyro　works…in　the　background；　yet　where　he　can　learn　what　he　needs。〃
　　〃To　tip　us　at　the　finish。〃
　　〃Yes。　But　remember；　Lence；　this　is　not　a　con　game。　Cyro　made　that　point　emphatic　when　he　sent　his　last　message　to　me。　We　are　pointing　toward　crime；　we　must　be　ready　for　the　strong　work。〃
　　〃Who　will　be　here　to　help　us？〃
　　〃First〃…Brilliard　raised　his　forefinger…〃a　squad　of　Apaches　whom　I　have　summoned　from　Paris。　They　are　already　in　town；　posing　as　natives　of　this　Latin　Quarter。　Second：　your　mobsters　from…〃
　　〃I　have　no　mobsters。〃
　　〃Yes　you　have。　Cyro　saw　to　that。　They　came　in　from　Chicago；　two　days　ago。
　　Link　Ruckert　is　the　fellow　who　handles　the　gorillas。　He　is　staying　at　the　Douran　Hotel；　waiting　to　hear　from　you。　Make　no　contact　until　you　need　him。〃
　　〃All　right。　Where　am　I　to　stay？〃
　　〃At　one　of　the　best　hotels。　Make　your　own　choice。　But　wait：　I　have　not　finished　with　the　list。　There　is　another　of　Cyro's　agents…one　whom　you　will　meet　here；　when　he　arrives。〃
　　〃That's　right。　Cyro　always　uses　three　lieutenants　on　big　jobs。　It's　a　wise　stunt；　too。　Prevents　a　double　cross。　Who　is　the　third　man？〃
　　〃Jose　Larribez；　a　Cuban；　once　a　member　of　the　secret　police　they　called　the　Porra。　He　worked　for　Cyro　when　there　were　trimmings　in　Havana。　Larribez　cleared　Cuba　before　the　big　revolution。　He　went　to　the　Argentine。
　　〃He　is　ing　in　by　boat…with　a　crew　of　workers　who　will　pass　as　seamen　down　on　the　water　front。　Larribez　will　stay　at　a　hotel；　like　yourself。　You　will　meet　him　here。　That　pletes　our　schedule。〃
　　〃And　now？〃
　　〃Leave　here　and　register　at　your　hotel。　Go　out　to　the　Club　Caprice　tonight。　Start　your　acquaintance　with　Luke　Gaudrin。　Drop　in　to　see　me　off　and　on。〃
　　〃It　won't　excite　suspicion？〃
　　〃Not　at　all。　Many　of　the　best　people　of　New　Orleans　have　apartments　here　in　Frenchtown。　They　patronize　the　restaurants　of　this　Quarter。　In　fact〃…the　Frenchman　swelled　proudly…〃to　be　an　acquaintance　of　Raoul　Brilliard　is　something　of　a　privilege！〃
　　〃Great！〃　declared　Lence。　〃It　looks　like　a　grand　layout；　Brilliard。　Au　revoir；　old　topper。　I'll　see　you　after　I've　been　to　the　Club　Caprice。〃
　　An　artist　in　an　opposite　studio　gazed　dejectedly　across　the　courtyard　as　he　saw　Brilliard　usher　Lence　out　to　the　balcony。　The　bearded　Frenchman　was　shaking　his　head　emphatically　and　gesticulating　as　he　dismissed　his　visitor。
　　〃Lucky　chap；　that　Brilliard；〃　growled　the　watching　artist　to　a　model　attired　in　a　Mardi　Gras　costume。　〃I'll　wager　he's　turning　down　another　portrait　job。〃
　　
　　　CHAPTER　VIII　
　　　AT　THE　CLUB　CAPRICE　
　　TWO　days　later；　a　stocky；　swarthy…faced　man　walked　from　the　L　&　N　depot　at　the　foot　of　Canal　Street。　He　spied　a　taxicab；　stepped　aboard。
　　〃Take　me　to　police　headquarters；〃　he　ordered。
　　〃Old　or　new？〃　questioned　the　taxi　driver。
　　〃What's　the　difference？〃　quizzed　the　passenger。
　　〃Well；　it　all　depends；〃　replied　the　cabby；　with　a　grin。　〃If　you　parked　a　car　and　found　that　it's　been