mg.cyro-第28章

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he　treasure　well　in　excess　of　one　million。〃
　　〃But　less　than　two　million？〃
　　〃Yes。　As　owner　of　the　Nautilus；　I　shall　claim　one　half。　That　is　the　agreement。　The　other　portion　will　be　divided　among　Captain　Emory　and　the　crew。〃
　　〃They　want　me　to　take　one　third　of　our　share；〃　put　in　Emory；　gruffly。　〃I　was　willing　to　do　with　a　quarter　of　it。　They　wouldn't　hear　it。　Well；　they'll
　　all　be　rich；　mighty　rich　to　their　way　of　life。　They　deserve　it；　faithful　fellows；　after　serving　with　me　for　so　many　years。〃
　　〃They　have　all　left　the　Nautilus？〃　inquired　Marr。
　　〃Yes；〃　replied　Emory。　〃They　are　through　with　the　sea。　So　am　I。　As　the　new　owner；　Mr。　Marr；　you　will　have　to　obtain　a　new　crew。　That　should　not　be　difficult　here　in　New　Orleans。〃
　　〃No　one　is　aboard　the　yacht？〃　asked　Gaudrin。
　　〃No　one；〃　replied　Emory。　〃Nothing　of　value　remains　on　board。　We　brought　Professor　Babcock's　coral　in　with　these　boxes。　The　boxes　of　coral　are　down　in　the　cellar。〃
　　〃But　is　it　wise？〃　asked　Marr。　〃Having　the　crew　ashore　tonight？〃
　　〃Why　not？〃　demanded　Emory；　gruffly。　〃Those　chaps　are　not　roustabouts。
　　Picked　men；　all　of　them。　They　have　homes　here　in　New　Orleans。　Professor　Babcock　can　testify　to　their　faithfulness。〃
　　〃I　can　indeed；〃　put　in　the　professor；　in　a　crackly　voice。　He　looked　like　an　owl；　blinking　through　his　big　spectacles。　〃There　was　no　quibbling　about　the　raising　of　this　treasure。　They　did　not　even　want　a　counting　of　the　gold。　It　was　poured　into　these　boxes；　so　that　it　could　be　brought　intact　to　Mr。　Gaudrin。〃
　　〃They　trust　you；　Mr。　Gaudrin；〃　added　Emory；　〃just　as　they　trust　me。　When　the　diver　put　the　old　treasure　boxes　in　the　net；　the　crew　heaved　them　aboard　like　they　were　weighing　an　anchor。〃
　　〃And　I；　as　new　owner；　am　to　lose　such　a　crew！〃　exclaimed　Dunwood　Marr。
　　〃You'll　do　better　with　a　new　crew；〃　assured　Emory。　〃My　men　are　old　salts　…
　　past　their　prime。　You　will　do　better　with　younger　blood。〃
　　〃Unless　I　search　for　sunken　treasure。〃
　　〃In　that　case；　call　on　me。〃
　　
　　DANFORTH　GAUDRIN；　reaching　in　his　desk；　brought　out　papers　and　passed　them　to　Dunwood　Marr。　Seriously；　Gaudrin　added　a　statement。
　　〃You　may　expect　my　check　for　twenty　thousand　dollars；〃　he　declared。　〃The　Nautilus　is　yours；　Marr；　as　my　gift…〃
　　〃Not　at　all；〃　broke　in　Marr。　〃The　size　of　the　treasure；　by　your　estimate；　will　not　warrant　it。〃
　　〃I　insist…〃
　　〃Wait　a　moment。〃　Marr　saw　that　Gaudrin　was　determined。　〃Let　us　make　a　new　arrangement；　Danforth。　To　begin　with；　only　part　of　the　treasure　belongs　to　you。〃
　　〃One　half　is　mine。〃
　　〃And　that　should　amount　to　something　over　half　a　million？〃
　　〃So　I　estimate。　We　shall　know　tonight。〃
　　〃Suppose　then；〃　suggested　Marr；　〃that　you　give　me　one　per　cent　of　your　share。　That　amount　can　be　determined　easily　when　we　weigh　the　treasure…〃
　　〃But　it　will　be　scarcely　more　than　five　thousand　dollars！〃
　　〃Perhaps。　But　don't　forget　our　bargain。　By　rights；　I　am　entitled　to　nothing。　One　per　cent；　Gaudrin；　but　let　me　take　my　pick　of　rare；　old　Spanish　coins。〃
　　〃I　promised　you　twenty　thousand　dollars…〃
　　〃And　I　refuse　it。　I　want　none　of　your　treasure；　Danforth。　I　am　making　my　new　acceptance　only　to　please　you。　One　per　cent　in　coin。　That　is　all　that　I　shall　be　willing　to　accept。〃
　　〃Very　well；　Marr。〃
　　Danforth　Gaudrin　was　reluctant　in　his　tone。　Marr　smiled　and　shook　his　head。
　　〃You　are　overgenerous；　Danforth；〃　he　remarked。
　　〃That's　what　I　have　said；　Mr。　Marr；〃　put　in　Captain　Emory。　〃Even　as　sole　owner　of　the　Nautilus；　he　was　willing　to　do　with　only　a　third　of　the　treasure　when　we　found　it；　I　talked　him　out　of　that；　Mr。　Marr。〃
　　〃As　for　me；〃　remarked　Professor　Babcock；　〃I　have　been　forced　to　accept　a　promised　refund　of　the　money　which　I　paid　to　charter　the　yacht　for　my　coral　cruise。〃
　　Danforth　Gaudrin　smiled　as　he　arose　from　his　desk。　He　walked　about　the　room　and　tried　the　door　that　led　to　the　passage　toward　the　front　parlor。　It　was　locked。　He　went　to　another　door　at　the　far　side　of　the　room。
　　That　door；　strangely；　had　been　half　an　inch　ajar。　It　closed　mysteriously　as　Danforth　Gaudrin　approached。　The　elderly　man　did　not　observe　the　motion。　He　opened　the　door　and　revealed　a　darkened；　porchlike　room。　It　was　on　the　east　side　of　the　house。　Fading　sunlight　had　allowed　a　heavy　gloom　to　settle　here。
　　Gaudrin　looked　across　to　dim　windows。　The　others　peered　from　behind　him。
　　Gaudrin　closed　the　door。　In　the　gloomy　room；　something　moved。　A　vague　figure　stepped　from　an　obscure　corner　and　returned　to　the　door。　A　gloved　hand　turned　the　knob。　Imperceptibly；　the　silent　watcher　opened　the　door　to　the　space　of　half　an　inch。
　　
　　THE　SHADOW　had　been　listening　in　on　the　discussion。　Cloaked　in　black；　he　had　e　to　Gaudrin's；　after　the　delivery　of　the　treasure。　The　boxes　had　been　brought　by　truck　from　the　canal　where　the　Nautilus　had　openly　unloaded　the　supposed　coral。　The　Shadow　had　been　waiting　near　the　mansion。
　　〃Since　we　must　leave　the　treasure　here；〃　remarked　Danforth　Gaudrin；　as　The　Shadow　resumed　his　unseen　listening　post；　〃I　want　to　be　sure　about　the　safety　of　this　room。　The　door　that　I　just　opened　leads　into　the　enclosed　porch。　I　shall　lock　that　door　later。
　　〃Yonder　door〃…he　pointed　frontward…〃leads　through　to　the　front　parlor。
　　It　is　always　locked。　Over　here〃…he　turned　to　his　right…〃is　the　usual　entrance　from　the　hall。　It　is　the　only　one　that　we　shall　use。〃
　　Seated　at　his　desk；　Danforth　Gaudrin　pondered　as　he　looked　at　the　big　boxes　on　the　floor。　They　were　clamped　tight　with　heavy　padlocks。
　　〃Tonight；〃　mused　Gaudrin；　〃Alicia　is　giving　a　dinner　party　for　some　guests。　Marr　and　I　discussed　the　matter　and　decided　that　the　dinner　should　not　be　postponed。　All　the　guests　are　reliable　people。
　　〃If　we　called　off　the　party；　they　might　suspect　something　wrong。
　　Furthermore；　it　seems　desirable　to　have　everything　seem　quite　normal　in　the　house。　Nevertheless；　we　must　think　of　the　treasure。　These　boxes　would　be　difficult　to　open　or　to　remove；　but　they　must　be　watched。〃
　　〃I'll　look　out　for　them；〃　put　in　Captain　Emory。　〃I'll　stay　here　while　you　folks　are　at　dinner。〃
　　〃But　you　will　miss　your　meal…〃
　　〃I'll　eat　beforehand。　How　about　this　plan；　Mr。　Gaudrin：　Just　about　dinner　time；　a　couple　of　men　from　my　crew　will　drop　in　here。　I'll　have　to　talk　to　them。　We'll　e　in　here。〃
　　〃A　good　suggestion；〃　declared　Gaudrin。
　　〃Then　they'll　leave　when　you　folks　are　ready　to　e　in；〃　continued　Emory。
　　〃That　will　be　about　half　past　eight；　won't　it？〃
　　Gaudrin　nodded。
　　〃I　can　e　in　here　first；〃　remarked　Professor　Babcock；　〃to　arrange　some　of　my　coral　specimens…before　the　others　have　left　the　dinner　table。〃
　　〃And　my　men　will　go　when　the　professor　arrives；〃　added　Emory。
　　〃How　about　ourselves？〃　inquired　Marr；　dubiously；　as　he　turned　to　Gaudrin。
　　〃What　pretext　can　we　make　to　the　guests？〃
　　〃Simply　that　we　have　business　with　Emory　regarding　the　transfer　of　the　yacht；〃　replied　Gaudrin。　〃No　one　will　know　that　the　transaction　has　been　pleted。　Emory　will　be　in　here；　checking　the　coral　specimens　with　Professor　Babcock。　We　will　have　to　see　Emory…on　business。〃
　　
　　THE　plans　were　pleted。　Danforth　Gaudrin　arose　and　went　to　the　door　that　led　out　through　the　enclosed　porch。　He　turned　a　key　that　was　in　the　door；　then　put　the　key　in　his　pocket。　As　before；　the　door　closed　imperceptibly　as　Gaudrin　approached。
　　〃From　now　on；〃　decided　Danforth　Gaudrin；　〃there　will　always　be　two　of　us　in　this　room。　At　least　two　of　us。　You　can　leave　and　dress　for　dinner；　professor。　Marr　and　I　shall　remain　with　Captain　Emory。　Return　here　when　you　are　dressed。　You　can　stay　until　the　men　from　the　crew　arrive。　During　that　interim；　Marr　and　I　shall　be　dressing　for　dinner。〃
　　Professor　Babcock　bowed　solemnly　as　he　arose。　He　went　from　the　room。
　　Captain　Emory　picked　up　the　telephone　and　put　in　the　required　calls　that　would　bring　the　members　of　the　crew。　He　boomed　into　the　mouthpiece　as　if　he　were　giving　orders　from　the　bridge。
　　
　　PROFESSOR　BABCOCK　had　left　by　the　usual　door…the　one　that　led　into　the　rear　hall　of　the　mansion。　Behind　the　other　barriers；　listeners　were　on　hand。
　　Luke　Gaudrin；　crouching　in　the　passage　from　the　parlor