Under Cover Part 11

"Bring her in," the autocrat commanded. When Gibbs had closed the door Taylor turned to Duncan. "She's probably bluffing. Put that chair here.

We'll try the gun gag on her. There's a revolver in my second drawer.

When I say 'Go,' you shoot. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Duncan said, antic.i.p.ating a theatrical scene in which his chief would shine as usual. Duncan always enjoyed such episodes; he felt he shone with reflected power.

Gibbs dragged in a young girl and stood her in front of the chair to which the Chief had beckoned. "Sit down," Gibbs commanded. The afflicted woman who was named, so Gibbs said, Sarah Peabody, remained standing.

"Hey, _squattez-vous,_" her captor commanded again in a louder voice.

Still Sarah was unmoved. Gibbs scratched his head and summoned his linguistic attainments to his aid.

"_Setzen sie_," he shouted, but Miss Peabody remained erect.

Gibbs turned away with a gesture of despairing dignity. "I'm done," he a.s.serted; "that's all the languages I know. I used to think it was a terrible thing that women could talk, but I guess the Almighty knowed more than I did."

Duncan essayed more active measures. He pushed her into the seat. "Hey you," cried he, "sit down there."

Gibbs watched a little apprehensively. If Sarah Peabody had been normal, he would have pictured her as a slangy and fluent young woman with a full-sized temper. He had dealt with such before and they invariably defeated him in wordy combat. In duels of this sort Gibbs was slow to get off the mark.

Taylor came toward the afflicted one and looked shrewdly into her face.

"She's not shamming," said he. "She's got that stupid look they all have when they're deaf and dumb." He watched her closely as he said this.

"She ain't spoke all day," Gibbs volunteered, "and no woman what could, would keep from talking that long."

"Women will do a lot for diamonds," his chief observed.

"None of 'em ever do me for none," Gibbs remarked placidly.

Suddenly Taylor addressed the girl roughly. "If you're acting," he cried, "you'd better give it up, because I'm certain to find out, and if I do, I'll send you to jail." Still the girl paid no attention but only stared ahead blankly. "So you won't answer, eh?" said her inquisitor.

"Going to force my hand, are you?" He raised his hand to signal Duncan and then added: "Go."

The loud report of the revolver, while it made Gibbs jump, had no effect upon the young woman. Taylor shook his head wisely. "I guess she's deaf and dumb all right, poor girl. What's it all about, Gibbs? What is it you think she's done?"

"She's got a bracelet chuck-full of diamonds, and we can't find it."

"How do you know she's got it?" the Chief asked.

"She showed it to a woman who was in the same cabin," Gibbs returned, "and the woman came and tipped us off."

"Why, the dirty hussy!" cried the girl, who had previously been bereft of hearing and speech, rising to her feet, her eyes flashing, and her whole face denoting rage.

Gibbs looked at her, his eyes bulging with startled surprise, and then turned his ox-like gaze upon Taylor.

"For the love of Mike!" said Gibbs at length, but Sarah Peabody cut short any other exclamations.

"Do you know why she told about me?" the girl demanded. "She wanted to alibi herself and make you folks thinks she was an honest G.o.d-fearing lady that would never smuggle--and she had four times as much as I did.

Why, it was her who put me up to smuggling and taught me to be deaf and dumb." Sarah ground her white teeth in anger. "I'd like to meet her again some time."

"You shall," Taylor cried. "When we arrest her we'll need your evidence to testify against her."

"You can bet I won't be deaf and dumb then," Miss Peabody cried viciously.

"Where's the bracelet?" Taylor snapped. "Don't waste time now."

But the smuggler was no fool and not intimidated by his tones. "Wait a minute," she said craftily. "What's going to happen to me?"

"Produce it, pay the duty, and we'll let you go free for the tip."

"You're on," said Sarah joyously. "Just take a look at the ring handle of my parasol. I've painted over the stones, that's all."

Gibbs grabbed it from her and examined it closely. "Well, can you approach that?" he said helplessly. "And I've been carrying it around all day!"

Taylor turned from his examination of the parasol as Peter the doorkeeper entered. "Miss Cartwright here?" he asked quickly.

"Yes, sir," answered the man. "She's just arrived."

"Bring her in as soon as these get out," Taylor said dismissing him.

"Take her away now, Gibbs," he said, indicating the owner of the magic parasol. "Turn her over to Sh.o.r.ey, he can handle her from now on."

"All right, sir," Gibbs said, still undecided as to why he had been fooled.

Sarah looked at him with scorn. "I'll be glad to have someone else on the job. I'm sick o' trottin' around with a fat guy like him."

"Say, now," Gibbs protested in an injured manner.

But Taylor had a bigger scheme on hand and waved her away impatiently.

"Take her along, Gibbs."

She gave Taylor an impudent little nod of farewell. "Ta-ta old Sport. I certainly fooled you, when you had that gun shot off."

Gibbs had grabbed her by the arm and was now pushing her toward the door. "And I could have kept it up," Miss Peabody a.s.serted in a shrill tone, "if it hadn't made me sore, her putting over one on me like that.

And she was so blamed nice to me. But when one woman's nice to another she means mischief, you can bet your B. V. D.'s."

Even Taylor smiled as she went. He had nearly met defeat but his habitual luck had made him victor in the end. He hoped it would aid him in a far more difficult interview which was to come.

Duncan took advantage of his good humor to ask a question.

"Do you really think you can get Miss Cartwright to help us on the Denby case?"

He had so often seen her name in the society columns that he doubted if his chief, clever as he was, could successfully influence her.

Taylor looked at him curiously. There was in his eyes a look that spoke of more than a faint hope of success. Few knew better than Duncan of his ability to make men and women his tools.

"Jim," he said with an air of confidence, "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she offered to help us."

The door opened and Peter entered.

"Miss Ethel Cartwright," he announced.

Taylor rose to his feet as she entered and bowed with what grace he could as he motioned her to a chair.