CHAPTER X.
ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES.
After reading the foregoing, Mr. Barnes carefully locked his diary inhis cabinet, and immediately after left the house on his way to NewYork. Reaching there he proceeded up-town, finally ringing the door-bellof the Van Rawlston mansion. He requested to see the master of the houseupon urgent business, and that gentleman soon presented himself.
"Mr. Van Rawlston," said Mr. Barnes, "I am a detective. May I have a fewmoments of strictly private conversation with you?"
"Certainly," was the reply. "Step into my study. We will be entirelysafe from prying ears there." A moment later the two men were seated incomfortable leather chairs facing each other.
"Mr. Van Rawlston," began the detective, "to explain my purpose at once,I have only to say that I desire your permission to attend themasquerade which will be held here to-night. I am aware that this mustseem an odd request, but I make it entirely in your own interests."
"If you will explain more fully, sir, I may be quite willing to grantyour request," said the other.
"You should know that a masquerade is a dangerous kind ofentertainment. At such affairs large robberies have often beencommitted--the thieves operating boldly, and escaping through the aid oftheir disguises. I have good reason for believing that such a crime iscontemplated to-night."
"My dear sir, impossible! Why, no one will be admitted save those withwhom we are well acquainted. Tickets have been issued by the societywhich gives the festival, and every one must unmask before being allowedto enter. Therefore, whilst I am grateful to you for your warning, Ihardly think that I need your services."
"Mr. Van Rawlston, I regret to say that you are mistaken. In the firstplace, your close scrutiny of all who enter will probably be relaxed asthe night wears on. Again, there are ways of getting in unperceived, andonce within, the thief would be unsuspected. But this is no guesswork onmy part. I do not think, I know, that, unless I am here to prevent it, arobbery will be committed. Indeed, I may even fail to prevent it."
"Why, sir, you speak as though you know the person who is to play thecriminal."
"I do. For several weeks my men have been watching certain suspiciousparties. From data furnished by my spies, I am sure that plans have beenperfected by which one or more of your guests will be robbed during theprogress of the entertainment."
"Still it seems incredible. As I have said, no one will be able to enterwithout our knowledge."
"Of course, I cannot intrude upon you, Mr. Van Rawlston. But if you areobliged to appeal to the police to-morrow for the recovery of stolenproperty, you alone will be to blame if the thief shall have had severalhours the start of us. I have warned you. That is the best I can do. Iwish you good-morning." Mr. Barnes rose to go, but Mr. Van Rawlstonstopped him.
"One moment," said he. "If you are so sure that there is a scheme ofrobbery afoot, of course I must not be so rash as to refuse your aid.What do you advise? We could postpone the festival."
"By no means. The course to pursue is to keep what I have told youstrictly secret. In fact, if possible, dismiss it entirely from yourmind, so that by your behavior the thief may not know that suspicionshave been aroused. Do as I requested at first, and as I know my man Iwill be able to keep an eye upon him should he be present."
"I suppose it must be as you say. But you must be in costume. I have it!The committee have ordered some costumes which they will give to thosewho come unprovided. You may have one of those."
"What costume shall I ask for?"
"Oh, they are all alike. They are the Forty Thieves."
"The Forty Thieves?" Mr. Barnes was surprised. "Is not that an oddcostume?"
"Oh, no! It was Mr. Mitchel's idea. He is the chairman of the committee.He argued that rather than provide a lot of meaningless dominos, thestragglers, who will be chiefly invited guests who are not members ofthe society, may be thus garbed, and still fall into the scheme of theevening, which is that every one shall play the part of some characterof the Arabian Nights."
"Very well, Mr. Rawlston, for once the detective will don the garb of athief. After all, you know the adage, 'it takes a thief to catch athief.'"
"Very good, Mr. Barnes--I believe that is the name on your card?Yes--Well, come to-night early and you shall be fitted out. Later, ifyou should wish to speak to me, I shall be dressed as the Sultan, acharacter about as foreign to my true self as yours will be to you."
Mr. Barnes left the house thoroughly satisfied with the result of hisvisit. In the first place he had learned something. Mr. Mitchel haddecided upon the costuming of the guests. He had arranged that at leastforty of them should be dressed alike. Could there have been any secretdesign in this? If so, Mr. Barnes was glad to be one of the forty.Again, this would be better than to use the Aladdin costume, for thereason that he had come to count Mr. Mitchel as so clever that it wouldnot have astonished the detective at all if it were known to him thatthis Aladdin costume had been ordered. In that case the absence of sucha costume amongst the guests would confuse the conspirators. Mr. Barneshad fully decided that more than one person was interested in theapproaching evening.
As early as nine o'clock the maskers began to arrive at the home of theVan Rawlstons. The host appeared for the time in evening dress, andreceived and welcomed his guests, all of whom wore wraps that coveredtheir costumes, thus hiding the disguises which they meant to use lateron. Mr. Barnes was on hand early, and loitered about the hall, in histhief's garb, scanning the faces of all as they passed in. After a verybrief period of waiting he saw the Remsen party alight from theircarriage, escorted by Mr. Randolph. Soon after Mr. Thauret entered. Hehanded a note to Mr. Van Rawlston who upon reading it at once shook himcordially by the hand. Then almost as suddenly an expression ofsuspicion passed across his face, and he looked toward Mr. Barnes, who,however, turned away, refusing to notice his glance of inquiry.Evidently the host, not knowing Mr. Thauret and remembering thedetective's words, had begun to suspect that perhaps the note which hehad just read was fraudulent. Mr. Barnes was fearful that he would makesome remark which would ruin everything, when to his intense relief MissRemsen came into the hall with her wraps still on and went directly upto Mr. Thauret.
"How are you this evening, Mr. Thauret? I am glad you decided to come.Mr. Van Rawlston, Mr. Thauret is a friend of Mr. Mitchel's."
That sufficed, and Mr. Van Rawlston seemed much relieved.
Mr. Thauret was not in costume, but he had brought with him a satchel,and now asked where he might find a place to dress. He was turned overto one of the liveried boys, who showed him to one of the rooms setaside for the gentlemen. Mr. Barnes did not enter, for had he done sowithout removing his mask it might have aroused suspicion. He howeverkept watch near the door, and soon saw a man come out dressed as AliBaba. This was easily learned, for the committee had prepared handsomebadges, upon each of which was engraved the name of the characterassumed. These were of burnished silver, the lettering being done inblue enamel. They were worn on the left breast, and were intended toserve as souvenirs of the evening. Mr. Barnes smiled behind his mask ashe looked down at his, which, to his mind, reminded him of a policeman'sshield.
The rooms were gorgeously decorated in Oriental splendor. The larger onewas designated the Sultan's Palace, and was truly regal in itsarrangement. There were no chairs, but soft divans, and many-huedalluring cushions were to be found everywhere around the walls. Thefloors were covered with rugs four deep. The walls were draped withsatin, drawn apart to reveal mirrors which multiplied the beauty ofeverything. The ceiling was hung with garlands, in which were twinedroses of all kinds, which made the atmosphere redolent with perfume.From among these garlands hundreds of gilded cages held singing-birds,and electric lights made the rooms so brilliant that many times duringthe evening they warbled in chorus, thinking it morning.
The smaller room represented Aladdin's Cave. Stalactites, resplendentwith seeming jewels, hung pendent from the ceiling. The walls were madeto resemble rough stone, and
every few inches a large precious stone wasmade fiery by the tiny electric lamp hidden behind it. The floor alonewas unlike a cave, being waxed for dancing. In a grotto up ten feetabove the floor, the musicians played soft, sensuous music.
The festival opened informally. That is, whilst awaiting the arrival ofothers, those already present amused themselves waltzing, chatting, orchaffing one another. Mr. Barnes sauntered about, keeping Ali Baba insight. Scheherezade came in on the arm of the Sultan. These he knew tobe Miss Remsen and Mr. Van Rawlston. Ali Baba joined them almostimmediately, and a few minutes later led Scheherezade into Aladdin'sCave for a dance. Mr. Barnes stood observing them, when some one touchedhim on the arm, and turning, he saw a man costumed as himself.
"We must be careful, or Ali Baba may discover our password, 'Sesame,' ashe did in the real story."
"I do not understand you," replied Mr. Barnes.
The other man looked at him intently a moment through his mask, andwithout a word moved away.
Mr. Barnes was mystified. He regretted that he had not replied in someless candid fashion, that he might have heard the voice again. But takenby surprise as he was, he had lost his self-possession for a moment. Ifhe were not mistaken the voice was one which he had heard before. Heracked his memory for some minutes, and suddenly started as this thoughtentered his mind.
"Were he not sick in Philadelphia, I should say that was Mitchel." Hefollowed across the room after the person, but he saw him go out intothe hall, and by the time that he himself reached there, there were atleast a dozen similar costumes in a group. He looked them overcarefully, but there was nothing by which he could pick out the specialman for whom he was searching. He went up to one at hap-hazard, andwhispered to him:
"Sesame."
"Sesa--what!" came the reply, in a strange tone.
"Don't you know our password?" asked the detective.
"Password? Rats!! We are not real thieves"; and with a laugh he turnedaway. Mr. Barnes felt himself powerless, and besides recalled the factthat whilst he followed this will-o'-the-wisp he was not keeping an eyeupon Ali Baba. Hurrying back into the ball-room, he soon found him,though he had parted from Scheherezade.
About eleven o'clock, a blare upon a cornet attracted the attention ofthe frolicking throng. A man dressed as a Genius announced that the timehad arrived for the entertainment. Immediately every one went into theAladdin's Cave room, except Scheherezade and the Sultan, and a heavypair of satin curtains were dropped, so that they hid the Cave from theSultan's Palace.
The Sultan lay down upon a divan near the curtains, and Scheherezade satbeside him upon a satin cushion on the floor. Behind the curtains, thecommittee busied themselves forming a tableau, those not needed beinghidden from view behind still another pair of curtains, which were of agloriously beautiful blue, and served as a rich background. Many of theguests, knowing that their tableau would not be reached for some time,passed around and stood crowding about the doorways of the hall, to geta view of the first pictures.
Soft music was begun, when at a signal the electric lights in the Palaceroom were extinguished, and the front pair of yellow satin curtains weredrawn aside showing a tableau of Sindbad the Sailor. Mr. Barnes peepingfrom behind the red curtain noticed that as Scheherezade sat on her lowcushion, in the now darkened Palace room, the rays of an electric lightin the Cave just touched a gorgeous ruby which she wore in her hair.This he knew at once was the same which Mr. Mitchel had shown to him,and which Lucette told him had been presented to his _fiancee_.
Scheherezade began to recite the story of Sindbad, a monologue for theevening having been prepared which told in a few words enough to explainthe sequence of the tableaux. Her voice was musical, and her readingadmirable, so that very soon there was a silence as of death save as itwas broken by her words. As she reached various parts of her tale, shewould clap her hands, and at once others entered the scene, groupingthemselves to form new pictures. Thus Sindbad was followed along hisvarious travels, till at the end the curtains were dropped for a moment,to be parted again, showing all who had taken a character. Then followeda pretty ceremonial. Sindbad passed out of the Cave room and approachedthe Sultan and Scheherezade. Reaching them he stopped, made a salaam,bowing low with his arms upraised in front of him, and then passing on,taking a place in the room and so becoming a part of the audience forthe succeeding pictures. Each of the characters followed his example,until all had passed out, when the next set of tableaux was at oncequickly arranged. Again Scheherezade renewed her recitation.
Thus fable after fable was told and acted, the audience in the Palaceroom growing larger, after each, so that soon well-managed picturesreceived generous applause.
At last the committee announced that the fable of Ali Baba and the FortyThieves would be the next on the program. The parts to be acted by eachwere quickly explained, and all was ready. As the Forty Thieves werepractically like supernumeraries in a spectacular play, Mr. Barnesthought that he could take any position which he should choose and sostood through all the scenes as near to Ali Baba as possible. At lastthe recitation was ended, and the signal given for them to form a lineto do obeisance to the Sultan. Mr. Barnes attempted to stand immediatelybehind Ali Baba, and was surprised to find two other men try for thesame place coincidently. There was a moment of confusion, and then Mr.Barnes found himself in line just between the two other aspirants forsecond place behind the leader.
That what next occurred may be thoroughly understood, it will be well tocall accurate attention to the position of the various actors. ThePalace room was practically dark, though light from the Cave roomlessened the gloom so much that the figures could be distinguishedenough to know whether a man or a woman were crossing the floor.
The Sultan, Mr. Van Rawlston, lay on a divan, not far from the Caveroom, and facing it. Scheherezade, Miss Emily Remsen, sat on a cushionbeside him. Both of them faced the tableaux, and it will be seen at oncethat from gazing towards the light, if either turned towards thedarkness, blindness would result for a few moments. Ali Baba, headingthe line of Forty Thieves came towards the divan. Here he stopped, madea salaam, bowing low, bringing his arms up above the head outstretchedin front of him, then parting them with a swaying movement backwards, herose erect again. This done he passed on into the darker part of theroom. Next came the first of the Forty Thieves, Mr. Barnes followingclose behind him. This man made his salaam, bowing low. As he did sothere was a slight noise. This attracted Mr. Barnes's attention for amoment, and his eye wandered in the direction of the sound. For themerest part of a second, however, did his gaze leave the man before him,and when it returned he distinctly saw the figure do this. In making hissalaam when outstretching his arms he allowed his hand to pass just overthe head of Miss Remsen, who was looking down, perhaps to becomerelieved from the glare of the other room. Mr. Barnes saw himdeliberately and slowly take hold of her ruby pin, gently withdrawing itfrom her hair. Just then a clock began to chime the midnight hour.Instantaneously a thought flashed through the detective's mind. At thefirst note of the chimes the time had passed within which Mr. Mitchelhad wagered to commit his robbery. He had thought that the man who hadspoken to him had the voice of Mr. Mitchel. He had also come to thisplace expecting that this very jewel would be stolen. He had supposedthat Thauret would play the part of accomplice and thief, whilst theprincipal, Mitchel, was manufacturing an _alibi_ down in Philadelphia.It was evident now, so he thought, that Mitchel had escaped his spies,returned to New York, assumed one of the disguises which he himself hadplaced within easy reach, and now, on the very stroke of the last hourof his time, had committed his robbery,--a robbery, too, which wouldmake a commotion, and yet for which he could not be imprisoned ifdetected, since his _fiancee_ at his instigation would say that she hadsimply aided the scheme to further the wager, as perhaps she had, sinceshe did not stir when the gem was being taken. All this flashed throughMr. Barnes's brain in a half moment, and by the time the thief beforehim had secured the ruby and was standing erect he had decided upon
hiscourse of action. This was to seize the man at once, and proclaim him athief. Of course Mr. Mitchel would be able to explain his act, but atthe same time he would have lost his wager.
The man in front turned to pass on, and Mr. Barnes darted forward toseize him, when, to his astonishment, he was himself held as in a viseby the man behind him. He struggled to free himself, but, taken bysurprise, he discovered that he was powerless. What angered him morewas that the thief was fast disappearing in the gloom. Determined not tobe outwitted, he shouted:
"Turn up the lights. A robbery has been committed."
Instantly all was confusion. People crowded forward, and Mr. Barnes felthimself hurled violently toward the advancing throng. Toppling againstsome one, both fell to the ground, and several others tumbled over them.Pandemonium reigned supreme, yet it was some time before any one thoughtof turning up the lights. Mr. Van Rawlston, understanding the situationbetter than any other, was the first to recover his presence of mind,and himself turned on the electricity. The sudden rush of light at firstonly made things worse, for it blinded everybody. Thus to thedetective's chagrin several valuable minutes were lost before he couldextricate himself from the pile of people who had tumbled over him, andfind a chance to say aloud:
"Miss Remsen has been robbed. Let no one leave the house. Masks off."
Mr. Van Rawlston rushed to the door to see that no one departed, andpeople crowded around Miss Remsen to condole with her upon her loss. Mr.Barnes searched for Ali Baba, and was amazed when he found him todiscover that it was not Mr. Thauret.
"Who are you?" he asked roughly.
"My name is Adrian Fisher," was the reply. This astonished thedetective, but it pleased him too, for it seemed to confirm thesuspicion that this man was an accomplice. He decided quickly to say nomore to him at that time, and hastened towards Miss Remsen to observeher behavior. If she knew anything in advance she certainly was actingadmirably, for she had grown excited, and was talking vehemently tothose about her, declaring against the disgraceful management, so shetermed it, which had enabled a thief to enter the rooms.
Whilst Mr. Barnes was thinking what to do, he saw Mr. Van Rawlstonapproaching him, accompanied by Mr. Thauret, who was now in eveningdress.
"Mr. Barnes, how was this thing done? Why did you not prevent it?"
"I tried to do so, but could not. You must understand, Mr. Van Rawlston,that I am not omniscient. I suspected that this robbery would occur, butI could not know how it would be accomplished. Nevertheless I saw theact."
"Then why did you not seize the thief?"
"I attempted to do so, and was thrown down from behind by hisaccomplice."
"Can you identify the person by his dress?"
"That is, unfortunately, impossible. All that I know is that he was oneof the Forty Thieves, and evidently played his part well."
"This is Mr. Barnes?" said Mr. Thauret, inquiringly, continuing at once:"Yes, of course it is. We have met twice, I think. You say your thiefwas dressed as one of the Forty Thieves. That interests me, for I woreone of those dresses. Why not ask all who did to allow themselves to besearched?"
"I will not hear of such an indignity to my guests," at once ejaculatedMr. Van Rawlston. "Search people in my own house! No, sir. I willwillingly pay for the lost gem rather than do so."
"You are quite right," said the detective, keenly eying Mr. Thauret, "Iam sure that it would be useless."
"As you please," said Mr. Thauret, and with a satirical smile he bowedand joined the group around Miss Remsen.
Mr. Barnes told Mr. Van Rawlston that it would be useless for him toremain longer, and that he would depart. He did not do so, however,until he had assured himself that Mr. Mitchel was not in the house. Hewent to the door, and found that the boy who had been told to guard ithad been absent looking at the tableaux when the confusion occurred, sothat he did not know whether any one had left the house or not. Hetherefore departed in disgust.
"That fellow Mitchel," thought he, as he walked rapidly down theavenue,--"that fellow is an artist. To think of the audacity of waitingtill the very moment when his wager would be lost, and then committingthe robbery in such a manner that a hundred people will be able totestify that it occurred within the limited period. Meanwhile there isan excellent _alibi_ for him. Sick in a hotel in Philadelphia! Bah!Isn't there one man that I can depend upon?"
At Forty-second Street he took the elevated road, and in twenty minuteshe was at his office. Here he found the spy who had followed Mr. Mitchelto Philadelphia.
"Well," said he, angrily, "what are you doing here?"
"I am sure that Mitchel has returned to New York. I came on hoping tocatch up with him, and at least to warn you."
"Your warning comes too late. The mischief is done. Didn't you havebrains enough to telegraph?"
"I did just before I started." The despatch was on Mr. Barnes's deskunopened. It had arrived after he had started for the festival.
"Well, well," said the detective, testily, "I suppose you have done yourbest. That fellow has the devil's luck. What made you think that he hadcome to New York? Wasn't he sick?"
"I thought that might be a game for an _alibi_. To find out, Iregistered, asking for a room near my friend Mr. Mitchel. They gave methe one next to his. I picked the lock of the door between the rooms andpeeped in. Seeing no one, I went in. The place was empty. The bird hadskipped."
"Take the next train back to Philadelphia, and do the best you can tofind out when Mitchel reaches there. He has gone back sure, and will besick in bed in the morning, or my name is not Barnes. Bring me proof ofhis trip to and from New York, and I will give you fifty dollars. Skip."