The Mask Part 32

"I know something about that," said the lawyer. "A crook is never really clever. He always leaves some loophole which leads to detection. He thinks he is secure, that his disguise is impenetrable, but there is always someone watching him, closely observing his every move. And, the first thing he knows, he has walked into a trap, the handcuffs are snapped, and the electric chair looms grimly before him----"

_Crash_!

All looked up to the end of the table, where their host had broken a gla.s.s. In the act of raising the champagne to his lips the gla.s.s had slipped and broken into a thousand pieces. Helen, frightened, started from her seat.

"Are you hurt, dear?" she asked. "There is blood on your hand."

"No--no, it's nothing. I cut myself with a bit of gla.s.s. It's nothing."

Ray was eager for more anecdotes.

"Do tell us more, Kenneth," she exclaimed, interrupting her chat with her left-hand neighbor.

"Give him a breathing spell," laughed d.i.c.k. "We've kept him at it ever since the dinner began."

Handsome, his face pale, his hand trembling, filled another gla.s.s with the foaming golden wine, and drained it at a draught. What the lawyer just said had been somewhat of a shock. Was there more meaning in it than appeared in the chance words? He eyed Steell narrowly, when he was not looking, but the lawyer's face was inscrutable. Again he filled his gla.s.s and again emptied it.

That her husband had been drinking heavily all evening had not escaped Helen's attention, and it worried her. Nudging her sister she whispered:

"Ken's drinking more than is good for him. He never used to drink like that."

At that moment, the host looked up and caught Helen's eye. Raising his gla.s.s he offered a toast:

"Here's to the prettiest, the sweetest, the most desirable little woman in the world! Gentlemen and ladies--my wife!"

They all drank except Helen who, confused and annoyed, tried to turn it off with a laugh.

Noticing her embarra.s.sment, Ray made a signal to Mr. Steell and they both rose from the table. Helen and d.i.c.k quickly followed their example and the hostess led the way into the drawing-room, leaving Handsome and Mr. Parker alone to their cigars.

The president of the Americo-African Mining Company was not sorry of the opportunity which this tete-a-tete afforded for a quiet business talk.

"By the way, old man," he began, "we haven't had a chance to talk business yet. You've got the diamonds, of course."

His host was silent. Mr. Parker thought he had not heard. A little louder he repeated:

"You've got the diamonds?"

Still no answer. The president began to get uneasy. Could anything be wrong or was his friend drunk? He had noticed that he had been drinking heavily--something he had never known Kenneth Traynor do.

With some impatience he said sharply: "What's the matter, Kenneth?

Wake up, old man. I asked you a question. Can't you answer?"

Handsome brought his fist down on the table with a bang that made the gla.s.ses dance.

"D---- it!" he exclaimed angrily. "Can't a man be left alone in his own house for a few minutes without bothering him with business?"

This outburst was so utterly unexpected that Mr. Parker, taken entirely by surprise, fell back in his chair and stared at his host in amazement. Never before had he known his old friend and partner to act in this strange way. Could anything be amiss? Now he came to think of it, he had noticed a great change in his a.s.sociate directly he saw him.

He had seemed to lack his customary cordiality and frankness. He appeared moody and morose, as if he had on his mind some weighty responsibility he was unwilling to share. Evidently there was nothing to be gained by displaying impatience, so, in more conciliatory tones, he asked:

"That's all right, my boy. If you don't care to talk shop to-night, we won't. I didn't want to hurry you. I was curious, that's all. I have scarcely been able to curb my impatience. You understand what it means to us. Why, the very announcement that we have the diamonds safe here in New York, will be enough to send the company's stock up twenty points." Lowering his voice and bending over he added confidentially: "I don't mind telling you that I've been buying for my own account all the cheap stock I could put my hands on. As to the stockholders, they're simply wild with impatience to see the big stones. But we won't talk any more about it to-night. We'll wait till to-morrow."

Handsome, his face almost livid, leaned over the table. Hoa.r.s.ely, he replied:

"It's no use waiting till to-morrow. All that's to be told can be told now. I haven't got the diamonds!"

For a moment Mr. Parker did not realize what the other man was saying.

Thinking he had not heard right he asked:

"What did you say?"

"I have not got the diamonds!"

The president started from his seat. His face pale as death, his hand shaking as stricken with palsy, he almost shouted:

"You have not got the diamonds! Then where in G.o.d's name are they?"

"At the bottom of the ocean!"

The senior partner dropped back in his chair, white as death. Then this was the outcome of all his hopes, all his planning. Faintly he gasped:

"Why didn't you tell me so before?"

"I had no opportunity. I didn't want to cable such news. It might have caused a slump in the shares. I could not let you know before.

This is the first time I've seen you alone."

The president said no more. The lines about his mouth tightened and the expression of his face underwent a change. He uttered not a word, but just sat there, his eyes fixed steadily on his companion, who continued to fill his gla.s.s with champagne. Cornelius Winthrop Parker was not a man to be easily deceived. He had too much experience of the world for that. All his life he had been reading men and what he heard now in the tone of his host's voice convinced him that he was lying.

That, in itself, was sufficient of a shock. To find Kenneth Traynor--the soul of integrity and honor--deliberately betraying a trust of such importance hurt him almost as much as the loss of the gems. That they had gone down with the _Abyssinia_ he did not for a moment believe. It was more likely that they had been sold--possibly to make good Wall Street losses. Talk of big stock deals in which Traynor had been mixed up had reached his ear before today, and more recently this gossip had become more insistent. Kenneth was interested, said rumor, in pool operations involving millions. The recent sudden slump had found him unprepared. Ruin threatened him and to save himself he had succ.u.mbed to temptation. This, at least, was the theory which the President's alert brain rapidly evolved as he sat watching the man in front of him. Perhaps all was not yet lost. If the stones had not yet been disposed of, an effort might still be made to recover them and at the same time save Traynor and his young wife from the disgrace that such a grave scandal would entail. The first thing necessary was to keep cool, show no concern and disarm suspicion by pretending to accept the loss as irreparable. Then, at the first opportunity, he would take Wilbur Steell into his confidence. That wide awake lawyer would know exactly how to handle the case. d.i.c.k Reynolds would have an opportunity to show his talent as a detective.

Breaking the long silence he said calmly:

"Of course, I understand your silence. I think you acted wisely. We had better keep the loss to ourselves as long as we can. No one can attach any blame to you. It is a terrible loss, but we must face it like men."

The gambler looked up quickly, and eyed his guest narrowly. Seeing nothing on the latter's face to arouse his suspicions, he grew more cheerful. Less sullen and defiant, he extended his hand.

"Thanks, old man!" he exclaimed heartily. "I expected no less from you. I can't tell you how badly I feel about the loss. No doubt my manner has seemed strange since my return. I have been irritable with everybody--even my dear wife has noticed it. It was only because I did not know how to make a clear breast of it. Since you take it so sensibly, I'll cheer up. I declare I feel like a new man already."

Mr. Parker lit another cigar. Calmly, he said:

"That's right, Kenneth my boy. Keep a stiff upper lip. All's for the best. We'll have better luck next time."

As he spoke, Wilbur Steell pa.s.sed on his way to join the ladies in the drawing-room. The president called out to him:

"h.e.l.lo, Steell. What are you so busy about? Entertaining the women, eh? Always thought you were a lady killer. Suppose you come and smoke a cigar with me and let our friend here go and have a chat with his wife. You've no right to monopolize the fair s.e.x in that fashion, even if you are a trust lawyer. Anyhow, I want to talk to you--just a little matter of business--that's all!"

Steell laughed, and, dropping into a chair, took the cigar which Mr.

Parker held out. Turning to his host, and clapping him genially on the back the president exclaimed:

"Go and talk to your wife, old man. You've left her alone long enough."

"All right--I will," replied the gambler, not sorry of any excuse to get away.