第86章

It was a longer way back by the shore, a good deal longer; now over rough, rocky stretches where he stumbled in the darkness, now through marshy, sodden ground where he sank as in a quagmire time and again over his ankles.It was even longer than he had counted on, and time, with the Weasel on one hand and the return of the police on the other, was a factor to be reckoned with again, as, a half hour later, Jimmie Dale stole across the lawn of Mittel's house for the second time that night, and for the second time crouched beneath the open French windows.

Masked again, the water still dripping from what were once immaculate evening clothes but which now sagged limply about him, his collar a pasty string around his neck, the mud and dirt splashed to his knees, Jimmie Dale was a disreputable and incongruous-looking object as he crouched there, shivering uncomfortably from his immersion in spite of his exertions.Inside the room, Mittel passed the windows, pacing the floor, one side of his face badly cut and bruised from the blow with the boat hook--and as he passed, his back turned for an instant, Jimmie Dale stepped into the room.

Mittel whirled at the sound, and, with a suppressed cry, instinctively drew back--Jimmie Dale's automatic was dangling carelessly in his right hand.

"I am afraid I am a trifle melodramatic," observed Jimmie Dale apologetically, surveying his own bedraggled person; "but I assure you it is neither intentional nor for effect.As it is, I was afraid I would be late.Pardon me if I take the liberty of helping myself; one gets a chill in wet clothes so easily"--he passed to the liqueur stand, poured out a generous portion from one of the decanters, and tossed it off.

Mittel neither spoke nor moved.Stupefaction, surprise, and a very obvious regard for Jimmie Dale's revolver mingled themselves in a helpless expression on his face.

Jimmie Dale set down his glass and pointed to a chair in front of the desk.

"Sit down, Mr.Mittel," he invited pleasantly."It will be quite apparent to you that I have not time to prolong our interview unnecessarily, in view of the possible return of the police at any moment, but you might as well be comfortable.You will pardon me again if I take another liberty"--he crossed the room, turned the key in the lock of the door leading into the hall, and returned to the desk."Sit down, Mr.Mittel!" he repeated, a sudden rasp in his voice.

Mittel, none too graciously, now seated himself.

"Look here, my fine fellow," he burst out, "you're carrying things with a pretty high hand, aren't you? You seem to have eluded the police for the moment, somehow, but let me tell you I--""No," interrupted Jimmie Dale softly, "let ME tell you--all there is to be told." He leaned over the desk and stared rudely at the bruise on Mittel's face."Rather a nasty crack, that," he remarked.

Mittel's fists clenched, and an angry flush swept his cheeks.

"I'd have made it a good deal harder," said Jimmie Dale, with sudden insolence, "if I hadn't been afraid of putting you out of business and so precluding the possibility of this little meeting.Now then"--the revolver swung upward and held steadily on a line with Mittel's eyes--" I'll trouble you for the diagram of that Alaskan claim that belongs to Mrs.Michael Breen!"Mittel, staring fascinated into the little, round, black muzzle of the automatic, edged back in his chair.

So--so that's what you're after, is it?" he jerked out."Well"--he laughed unnaturally and waved his hand at the disarray of the room--"it's been stolen already."

"I know that," said Jimmie Dale grimly."By--YOU!""Me!" Mittel started up in his chair, a whiteness creeping into his face."Me! I--I--""Sit down!" Jimmie Dale's voice rang out ominously cold."Ihaven't any time to spare.You can appreciate that.But even if the police return before that map is in my possession, they will still be TOO LATE as far as you are concerned.Do you understand?

Furthermore, if I am caught--you are ruined.Let me make it quite plain that I know the details of your little game.You are a curb broker, Mr.Mittel--ostensibly.In reality, you run what is nothing better than an exceedingly profitable bucket shop.The Weasel has been a customer and also a stool for you for years.How Hamvert met the Weasel is unimportant--he came East with the intention of getting in touch with a slick crook to help him--the Weasel is the coincidence, that is all.I quite understand that you have never met Hamvert, nor Hamvert you, nor that Hamvert was aware that you and the Weasel had anything to do with one another and were playing in together--but that equally is unimportant.When Hamvert engaged the Weasel for ten thousand dollars to get the map from you for him, the Weasel chose the line of least resistance.He KNEW you, and approached you with an offer to split the money in return for the map.It was not a question of your accepting his offer--it was simply a matter of how you could do it and still protect yourself.

The Weasel was well qualified to point the way--a fake robbery of your house would answer the purpose admirably--you could not be held either legally or morally responsible for a document that was placed, unsolicited by you, in your possession, if it were stolen from you."Mittel's face was ashen, colourless.His hands were opening and shutting with nervous twitches on the top of the desk.