Lister''s Great Adventure

  CHAPTER VIII

  CARTWRIGHT GETS TO WORK

  The morning was hot and Barbara, sitting on the hotel veranda, struggledagainst a flat reaction. The glitter of the sea hurt her eyes, and thedust that blew in clouds from the road smeared her white dress. Hermouth dropped and her pose was languid. To refuse Lister had cost hermuch, and although she had done so because she felt she ought, the senseof having carried out a duty was not remarkably soothing. It was arelief to know she need not pretend to Cartwright, who occupied abasket-chair opposite. One could not cheat her step-father by falsecheerfulness.

  "When you disappointed Lister you took the prudent line," he said. "Theyoung fellow has some talent, but he has not yet made his mark. Iapprove your caution, and expect your mother will agree."

  "I wasn't cautious; I didn't argue at all like that," Barbara declared."Besides, I haven't told mother. She mustn't be disturbed."

  Cartwright looked thoughtful. To some extent he was sympathetic, and tosome extent amused.

  "Then I don't altogether understand why you did refuse!"

  "Oh, well," said Barbara, and the blood came to her skin, "for onething, Mr. Lister waited for some time, and then asked me to marry him,after Shillito arrived." She paused and her look got hard when sheresumed: "Perhaps he thought he ought; sometimes he's chivalrous."

  Cartwright imagined Barbara was badly hurt, and this accounted for herfrankness.

  "Your reasoning isn't very obvious, but I think I see a light," he said."It's possible, however, he asked you because he wanted you, and thereis an explanation for his waiting. I understand he hesitated because hedoubted if he could support a wife. It looks as if Mr. Lister didn'tknow you were rich."

  "He doesn't know; I think I didn't want him to know," Barbara admittedwith some embarrassment.

  "Shillito knew, but one learns caution," Cartwright remarked. "Well,Shillito became somewhat of a nuisance, and I don't imagine you want himto look us up again. I rather think I must get to work."

  "I hate him!" said Barbara, passionately. "Until your boat was signaledI was horribly alarmed, but then the trouble went. I felt I needn'tbother after you arrived." Her voice softened as she added: "You are aclever old dear! One feels safe while you're about!"

  "Thank you," said Cartwright. "I am old, but I have some useful talents.Well, is there something else about which you want to talk?"

  Barbara hesitated. There was something for which she meant to ask,although her object was not very plain. Perhaps Shillito's demand formoney had made her feel its power; moreover, she was independent andliked to control her affairs.

  "My birthday was not long since, and I'm entitled to use some of themoney that is mine."

  "That is so," Cartwright agreed with a twinkle. "All the same, you'renot entitled to use much until you marry, and you have just sent off onelover. Would you like me to send you out a sum?"

  "I think I'd like a check book, and then I needn't bother people."

  Cartwright nodded. Barbara was not extravagant. "Very well. I expect wecan trust you, and the money is yours. I can probably arrange for abusiness house to meet your drafts. I'll see about it when I'm in thetown."

  He started for Las Palmas presently, and after some inquiries stopped ata Spanish hotel, where he found Shillito. The latter frowned when he sawCartwright, but went with him to the courtyard and they sat down in theshade.

  "Have you bought your ticket for Havana?" Cartwright asked.

  "I have not," said Shillito. "So far I haven't decided to leave LasPalmas."

  "Then I imagine you had better decide _now_. If money is a difficulty, Imight lend you enough for a second-class passage, but that is all."

  Shillito smiled. "If you want to get rid of me, you'll have to gohigher. I reckon it's worth while!"

  "I think not," said Cartwright, dryly. "In fact, since I can get rid ofyou for nothing, I doubt if it's worth the price of a cheap berth onboard the Lopez boat. However, I'll risk this, in order to savebothering."

  "Bluff! You can cut it out and get to business!"

  "Very well. Your call at the Catalina didn't help you much, and if youcome again you will not be received by Miss Hyslop, but by me. I havemet and beaten fellows like you before. My offer's a second-class berth.You had better take it!"

  "Not at all," said Shillito. "Before long you'll want to raise yourbid."

  Cartwright got up and crossed the flags; the other frowned andhesitated, but let him go. When he reached the street Cartwright calledhis _tartana_ and told the driver to take him to the BritishVice-Consul's. The Vice-Consul was a merchant who sometimes supplied theCartwright boats with stores, and he gave his visitor a cigar.Cartwright told him as much about Shillito as he thought useful, and theVice-Consul weighed his remarks.

  "The extradition of a criminal is a long and troublesome business," heobserved. "In the meantime the fellow must not be allowed to annoy you,and I imagine my duty is to inform the Spanish _justicia_. Don Ramon istactful, and I think will handle the situation discreetly. Suppose we goto see him?"

  He took Cartwright to an old Spanish house, with the royal arms abovethe door, and a very dignified gentleman received them politely. Heallowed the Vice-Consul to tell Cartwright's story in Castilian, andthen smiled.

  "Senor Graham has our thanks for the warning he has brought," he said."In this island we are sportsmen. We have our cockpits and casinos, butour aim is to develop our commerce and not make the town a Monte Carlo.Then the play at the casinos must be honest. Our way with cardsharpersis stern."

  The Vice-Consul's eyes twinkled. He knew Don Ramon, who resumed: "SenorCartwright's duty is to inform the British police. No doubt he will doso, but until they apply to our _justicia_ in the proper form, I cannotput in prison a British subject for a robbery he did not commit onSpanish soil. Perhaps, however, this is not necessary?"

  "On the whole, I don't think it is necessary," Cartwright remarked. "Thefellow is a dangerous scoundrel, but I don't know that it is my duty togive you the bother extradition formalities would imply. Still you mayfind him a nuisance if he stays long."

  Don Ramon smiled. "I imagine he will not stay long! My post gives mepower to deal with troublesome foreigners. Well, I thank you, and canpromise you will not be disturbed again."

  He let them go, and when they went out the Vice-Consul laughed.

  "You can trust Don Ramon. For one thing, he knows I have some claim; inthis country a merchant finds it pays to acknowledge fair treatment bythe men who rule. For all that, Don Ramon is just and uses prudently apower we do not give British officials. The Spanish know the advantagesof firm control, and I admit their plan works well."

  Shillito did not return to the Catalina. When he was playing cards forhigh stakes one evening, two _guardias civiles_ entered the gamblinghouse and one touched Shillito's arm.

  "You will come with us, senor," he said politely.

  Shillito pushed back his chair and looked about. The man carried apistol, and the civil guards have power to shoot. His comrade watchedthe door.

  "What is your authority for bothering me?" he asked.

  "It is possible Don Ramon will tell you. He is waiting," said the other.He took Shillito to the house with the coat of arms, and Don Ramon,sending off the guards, indicated a chair.

  "We have heard something about you, and do not think you ought to remainat Las Palmas," he remarked. "In fact, since we understand you meant togo to Cuba, we expect you to start by the Lopez boat."

  "I don't mean to go to Cuba," Shillito rejoined.

  Don Ramon shrugged. "Well, we do not mind if you sail for anothercountry. Numerous steamers touch here and the choice is yours. So longas you leave Las Palmas--"

  Shillito looked at him hard. "I am a British subject and stay where Ilike!"

  "You are obstinate, senor, but I think your statement's rash," Don Ramonobserved. "A British subject is governed by British laws, but we willnot talk about this."

  He paused and studied Shillito, who began to look distu
rbed. "One wouldsooner be polite and take the easy line," Don Ramon resumed. "So farthis is possible, because you are not on the list sent our Government bythe British police, but we have power to examine foreigners about whomwe are not satisfied. Well, I doubt if you could satisfy us that youought to remain, and when we begin to investigate, a demand for yourextradition might arrive. If you forced us to inquire about you, acablegram would soon reach London."

  Shillito saw he was beaten and got up.

  "I'll buy my ticket for Havana in the morning," he replied.

  The Lopez liner was some days late, and in the meantime Lister hauntedthe office of the engineering company. At length the articles he neededwere ready, and one afternoon Cartwright hired a boat to take him andBarbara across the harbor. _Terrier_ lay with full steam up at the endof the long mole, and when her winch began to rattle, Cartwright toldthe Spanish _peons_ to stop rowing. The tug's mooring ropes splashed,her propeller throbbed, and she swung away from the wall.

  She was rusty and dingy; the screens along her bridge were cracked andburned by the sun. The boat at her rail was blackened by soot, and whenshe rolled the weed streamed down from her water-line. She looked verysmall and overloaded by the stack of coal on deck. The wash round herstern got whiter, ripples ran back from her bows, and when she steamednear Cartwright's boat, her whistle shrieked. Cartwright stood up andwaved; Learmont, on the bridge, touched his cap, but for a few momentsBarbara fixed her eyes on _Terrier's_ deckhouse. Then she blushed andher heart beat, for she saw Lister at the door of the engine-room. Hesaw her and smiled.

  The tug's whistle was drowned by a deeper blast. A big liner, paintedblack from water-line to funnel-top, was coming out, and Cartwright'sboat lay between her and the tug. Barbara gave the great ship a carelessglance and then started, for she read the name at the bow. This was theHavana boat.

  Studying the groups of passengers at the rails, she thought she saw aface she knew. The face got distinct, and when the liner's lofty sidetowered above the boat, Shillito, looking down, lifted his cap and bowedwith ironical politeness. Barbara turned her head and tried for calmwhile she watched the tug.

  Lister had not gone. Barbara knew he would not go so long as he couldsee the boat, and standing up, with her hand on Cartwright's shoulder,she waved her handkerchief. Lister's hand went to his cap, but he wasgetting indistinct and _Terrier_ had begun to plunge on the long swelloutside the wall. She steered for open sea, the big black liner followedthe coast, and presently Cartwright signed the men to pull. Then helooked at Barbara and smiled, for he knew she had seen Shillito.

  "Things do sometimes happen like that!" he said. "I think the fellow hasgone for good, but the other will come back."