Castle Craneycrow

  XIII. SOME UGLY LOOKING MEN

  Prince Ugo Ravorelli was not, that day, the only one whose coming toBrussels was of interest to Quentin. Dickey Savage came in fromOstend and was waiting at the Bellevue when he walked in soon aftersix o'clock. Mr. Savage found a warm welcome from the tall young manwho had boldly confiscated several hours that belonged properly tothe noble bridegroom, and it was not long until, dinner over, he waslolling back in a chair in Quentin's room, his feet cocked on thewindow sill, listening with a fair and increasing show of interestto the confidences his friend was pouring forth.

  "So you deliberately drove off and left the prince, eh? And shedidn't sulk or call you a nasty, horrid beast? I don't know what thedevil you want me here for if you've got such a start as that. Seemsto me I'll be in the way, more or less," said Dickey, when the storyreached a point where, to him, finis was the only appropriate word.

  "That's the deuce of it, Dickey. I can't say that I've got a safestart at all, even with her, and I've certainly got some distance togo before I can put the prince out of the running. You may thinkthis is a nice, easy, straightaway race, but it isn't. It's going tobe a steeplechase, and I don't know the course. I'm looking for awide ditch at any turn, and I may get a nasty fall. You see, I'vesome chance of getting my neck broken before I get to the stretch."

  "And some noted genius will be grinding out that Lohengrin two-stepjust about the time you get within hearing distance, too. You won'tbe two-stepping down the aisle at St. Gudule, but you'll agree thatit's a very pretty party. That will be all, my boy--really all. Idon't want to discourage you and I'm willing to stay by you tillthat well-known place freezes over, but I think an ocean voyagewould be very good for you if you can arrange to start to-morrow."

  "If you're going into this thing with that sort of spirit, you'll bea dead weight and I'll be left at the post," said Quentin, ruefully.

  "Was the prince at the house when you returned from the drive?"

  "No; and Mrs. Garrison almost glared a hole through me. There wereicicles on every word when she told poor Dorothy he had been thereand would return this evening."

  "Was she satisfied to finish the drive with you after she had seenthe prince?" Quentin had not told him of the conversation whichfollowed her demand to be taken home.

  "She was very sensible about it," he admitted, carefully. "You see,she had an engagement with me, and as a lady she could not wellbreak it. We got along very nicely, all things considered, but I'mafraid she won't go out again with me."

  "She won't slam the door in your face if you go to the house, willshe?"

  "Hardly," said the other, smiling. "She has asked me to come. Theprince likes me, it seems."

  "But he likes to be alone with her, I should say. Well, don'tinterfere when he is there. My boy, give him a chance," said Dickey,with a twinkle.

  The duke headed off the two Americans as they left the hotel half anhour later. He was evidently watching for them, and his purpose wasclear. It was his duty to prevent Quentin from going to the Garrisonhome, if possible. After shaking hands with Savage, the little mansuggested a visit to a dance house in the lower end, promising anevening of rare sport. He and Count Sallaconi, who came up fromParis with the prince, had planned a little excursion into unusualhaunts, and he hoped the Americans had a few dull hours that neededbrightening. Phil savagely admitted to himself that he anticipated agood many dull hours, but they could not be banished by thevulgarity of a dance hall. The long, bony, fierce-mustached countcame up at this moment and joined in imploring the young men to gowith them to the "gayest place in all Brussels."

  "Let's go, Phil, just to see how much worse our New York places arethan theirs," said Dickey.

  "But I have a--er--sort of an engagement," remonstrated Quentin,reluctantly. The duke gave him a sharp look.

  "Do not be afraid," he said, laughing easily. "We will not permitthe dancing girls to harm you."

  "He's not afraid of girls," interposed Dickey. "Girls are his longsuit. You didn't tell me you had an engagement?" Quentin gave him awithering look.

  "I have one, just the same," he said, harshly.

  "You will not accompany us, then?" said the count, the line betweenhis eyebrows growing deeper.

  "I have to thank you, gentlemen, and to plead a previous engagement.May we not go some other night?"

  "I am afraid we shall not again be in the same mood for pleasure,"said the duke, shifting his eyes nervously. "The count and I havebut little time to give to frivolity. We are disappointed that youwill not join us on this one night of frolic."

  "I regret it exceedingly, but if you knew what I have to do to-nightyou would not insist," said Phil, purposely throwing a cloak ofmystery about his intentions for the mere satisfaction of arousingtheir curiosity.

  "Very well, mes Americains; we will not implore you longer,"responded the count, carelessly. "May your evening be as pleasant asours." The two Italians bowed deeply, linked arms and strolled away.

  "Say, those fellows know you haven't an engagement," exclaimedSavage, wrathfully. "What sort of an ass are you?"

  "See here, Dickey, you've still got something to learn in thisworld. Don't imagine you know everything. You don't, you know. Doyou think I am going to walk into one of their traps with my eyesopen?"

  "Traps? You don't mean to say this dance hall business is a trap?"exclaimed Dickey, his eyes opening wide with an interest entirelyforeign to his placid nature.

  "I don't know, and that's why I am keeping out of it. Now, let'stake our walk, a nice cool drink or two and go to bed where we candream about what might have happened to us at the dance hall."

  "Where does she live?" asked Savage, as they left the rotunda.

  "Avenue Louise," was the laconic answer.

  "Why don't you say Belgium or Europe, if you're bound to beexplicit," growled Dickey.

  A dapper-looking young man came from the hotel a few paces behindthem and followed, swinging his light cane leisurely. Across theplace, in the shadow of a tall building, the two Italian noblemensaw the Americans depart, noting the direction they took. It wastoward the Avenue Louise. A smile of satisfaction came to theirfaces when the dapper stranger made his appearance. A few momentslater they were speeding in a cab toward the avenue.

  "That is her house," said Phil, later on, as the two strolled slowlydown the Avenue Louise. They were across the street from theGarrison home, and the shadowy-trees hid them. The tall lover knew,however, that the Italian was with her and that his willfulness ofthe afternoon had availed him naught. Nor could he recall a singleatom of hope and encouragement his bold act had produced other thanthe simple fact that she had submitted as gracefully as possible tothe inevitable and had made the best of it.

  "Ugo has the center of the stage, and everybody else is in theorchestra, playing fiddles of secondary importance, while MissDorothy is the lone and only audience," reflected Dickey.

  "I wish you'd confine your miserable speculations to the weather,Dickey," said the other, testily.

  "With pleasure. To-morrow will be a delightful day for a drive or astroll. You and I, having nothing else to do, can take an all-daydrive into the country and get acquainted with the Belgian birds andbees--and the hares, too."

  "Don't be an ass! What sort of a game do you think those Italianswere up to this evening? I'm as nervous as the devil. It's time forthe game to come to a head, and we may as well expect somethingsudden."

  "I think it depends on the prince. If he finds that you haven't torndown his fences while you had full sway, he'll not be obliged to goon with the game. He was merely protecting interests that absenceendangered. Now that he's here, and if all is smooth andundisturbed--or, in other words, if you have failed in yourmerciless design to put a few permanent and unhealable dents in thefair lady's heart--he will certainly discharge his cohorts and enjoyvery smooth seas for the rest of the trip. If you have disfiguredher tender heart by trying to break into it, as a safe-blower getsinto those large, steel things we call safety deposit v
aults--whereother men keep things they don't care to lose--I must say that hissatanic majesty will be to pay. Do you think you have made anyperceptible dents, or do you think the safe is as strong and asimpregnable as it was when you began using chisels and dynamite onit six weeks ago?"

  "I can't say that I enjoy the simile, but I'm conceited enough tothink it is not as free from dents as it was when I began. I'm notquite sure about it, but I believe with a little more time andsecurity against interference I might have--er--have--''

  "Got away with the swag, as Turk would say. Well, it's this way. Ifthe prince investigates and finds that you were frightened away justin time to prevent wholesale looting, you'll have to do some expertdodging to escape the consequences of the crime. He'll have the dukeand the count and a few others do nothing but get up surpriseparties for you."

  "That's it, Dickey. That's what I'm afraid of--the surpriseparties. He's afraid of me, or he wouldn't have gone to the troubleof having me watched. They've got something brewing or they wouldn'thave been so quiet for the past two weeks. Courant is gone and--"

  "How do you know Courant isn't here?"

  "Turk says he has disappeared."

  "Turk doesn't know everything. That fellow may have a score ofdisguises. These French detectives are great on false whiskers anddramatic possibilities. The chances are that he has been watchingyou night and day, and I'll bet my head, if he has, he's been ableto tell Ugo more about your affair with Miss Garrison than you knowyourself, my boy."

  They turned to retrace their steps, Phil gloomily surveying the big,partially-lighted house across the way. A man met them and made roomfor them to pass on the narrow walk. He was a jaunty, well-dressedyoung fellow and the others would have observed nothing peculiarabout him had they not caught him looking intently toward the housewhich was of such interest to them. As he passed them he peeredclosely at their faces and so strange was his manner that bothinvoluntarily turned their heads to look after him. As is usuallythe case, he also turned to look at them.

  "I saw that fellov in the hotel," said Savage.

  Five minutes later they met Turk and, before they could utter a wordof protest, he was leading them into the Rue du Prince Royal.

  "There's a guy follerin' you," he explained. "An' th' two swells isdrivin' aroun' in a cab like as if they wuz expectin' fun. They justpassed you on th' avenoo, an' now they's comin' back. That's theirrig--cuttin' across there. See? I tell you, they's somethin' in theair, an' it looks as though it ain't goin' to pan out as they wantedit to."

  "What's the matter with you? The duke and the count went to a dancehall," expostulated Quentin.

  "To make a night of it," added Savage

  "Didn't you see a nice lookin' feller up there in th' avenoo, an'didn't he size you up purty close? That's him--that's Courant, th'fly cop. Git inside this doorway an' you'll see him pass yere in acouple of seconds. He's not a block behind us."

  Sure enough the dapper stranger passed by the three men in shadow,looking uneasily, nervously up and across the street.

  "He's lost th' trail," whispered Turk, after Courant was beyondhearing.

  "The same fellow, I'll be blowed," said Dickey, in amazement. "Now,what do you suppose the game is?"

  "My idea is that w'en you turned 'em down on th' dance hall job theywas afraid you'd go to th' young lady's house and cut in on th'prince's cinch, so they had to git a move on to head you off. Youwas wise w'en you kicked out of th' dance hall racket. Th' chancesare you'd 'a' got into all kinds o' hell if you'd fell into th'trap. Say, I'm dead sure o' one er two t'ings. In th' first place,they've got four or five more ringers than we know about. I seenCourant talkin' mighty secret-like to two waiters in th' hall thisevenin, an' th' driver o' that cab o' theirn was a baggage hustlerat th' Bellyvoo as late as yesterday."

  "By thunder, I believe their game was to mix us up in a bigfree-for-all fight when they got us into that dance dive. That showsDickey, how wise I was to decline the invitation," said Quentin,seriously. By this time they were some distance behind Turk,following in the path of the puzzled detective. They saw him lookcuriously at the lighted windows of the houses, and overtook him atthe intersection of the Boulevard Waterloo. Just as they came upfrom behind, Courant stopped for an instant's conversation with twomen. Their talk was brief and the trio turned to go back over thepath just traversed by Courant The two sets of men met fairly andwere compelled to make room for each other to pass. Courant came toa full stop involuntarily, but recovered himself and followed hisfriends quickly.

  "The plot thickens," observed Phil. "It looks as though they arerounding up their forces after the miscarriage of the original plan.Gad, they are hunting us down like rats to-night."

  "The hotel is the safest place for us, and the quicker we get therethe better," said Dickey. "I'm not armed, are you?"

  "Of course not. I hadn't thought of such a thing, but from now onI'll carry a revolver. Those fellows didn't look especially dainty,did they?"

  "I can't believe that they intend to murder you or anything likethat. They wouldn't dare do such a thing."

  "That's th' game, Mr. Savage; I'm dead sure of it. This was th'night an' it was to ha' been done in th' dance hall, riot, stampede,everybody fightin' wild an' then a jab in th' back. Nobody any th'wiser, see?" The two paled a trifle under Turk's blunt way ofputting it.

  When they entered the hotel a short time later the first man theysaw was Prince Ugo. With his dark eyes glowing, his lips parted in afine smile, he came to meet them, his hand extended heartily.

  "I have asked for you, gentlemen, and you were out. You return justas I am ready to give up in despair. And now, let me say how happy Iam to see you," he said, warmly. The Americans shook hands with him,confusion filling their brains. Why was he not with the Garrisons?

  "I knew you were here, Prince Ugo, and would have inquired for youbut that I suspected you would be closely engaged," said Quentin,after a moment.

  "Earlier in the evening I was engaged, but I am here now as thebearer of a message to you, Mr. Quentin. Miss Garrison has asked meto deliver into your hands this missive." With that he drew from hispocket a sealed envelope and passed it to Quentin. "I was commandedto give it you to-night, so perhaps you will read it now."

  "Thank you," muttered the other, nervously tearing open the envelopeas the prince turned to Dickey Savage. At that moment the duke andthe count strolled into the rotunda, jauntily, easily, as if theyhad been no farther than the block just beyond, instead of racingabout in a bounding cab. They approached the group as Phil turnedaway to read the note which had come so strangely into his hands.Dorothy wrote:

  "Dear Phil: I trust you to say nothing to Prince Ugo. I mean, do notintimate that I saw him yesterday when I went to drive with you. Hewould consider it an affront. I know it is not necessary to cautionyou, but I feel safe in doing so. You will pardon me, I am sure. Myconduct, as well as yours, when we look at it calmly in anafterlight, was quite extraordinary. So fully do I trust him and sowell does he love me that I know this note comes to you inviolate.

  "D."

  Phil's brain was in a whirl. He glanced at the handsome face ofDorothy's noble lover and then at his swarthy fellow countrymen.Could they be plotters? Could he be hand-in-hand with thoseevil-looking men? He had delivered the note, and yet he so fearedits recipient that he was employing questionable means to dispose ofhim. There could be no doubt as to the genuineness of the note. Itwas from Dorothy, and the prince had borne it to him direct from herhand.

  "An invitation to dinner?" asked the prince, laughing easily. "MissGarrison is alarmingly fond of Mr. Quentin, and I begin to feel thefirst symptoms of jealousy. Pardon me, I should not speak of herhere, even in jest." So sincere was his manner that the Americansfelt a strange respect for him. The same thought flashed through theminds of both: "He is not a blackguard, whatever else he may be."But up again came the swift thought of Courant and his uglycompanions, and the indisputable evidence that the first named, atleast, was a paid agent of the man who s
tood before them, now theprince, once the singer in far away Brazil.

  "The mention of dinner recalls me to affairs of my own," continuedUgo. "To-morrow night I expect a few friends here to dine, and Ihave the honor to ask you all to be among my guests. We shall sitdown at nine o'clock, and I only exact a promise that the end maycome within a week thereafter."

  The Americans could do naught but accept, but there was anoppressive sense of misgiving in their hearts. Mayhap the signalfailure to carry out the plans of one night was leading swiftly andresolutely up to the success of another. For more than an hourQuentin and his friend sat silently, soberly in the former's room,voicing only after long intervals the opinions and conjectures theirpuzzled minds begot, only to sink back into fresh fields forthought.

  "I can't understand it," said Dickey, at last, starting to bed.

  "I believe I understand it perfectly. They are on a new tack. Itoccurs to me that they fear we suspect something and the dinner is asort of peace offering."

  "We may be getting into a nest of masculine Lucretia Borgias, myboy."

  "Pleasant dreams, then. Good-night!"