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Prince or Chauffeur? A Story of Newport

<h3> CHAPTER XIX </h3> <h3> AN ENCOUNTER IN THE DARK </h3> While Anne was detained below by Koltsoff, Sara had gone to her room. She lay awake for a long time and when her maid informed her that Emilia was still waiting for her mistress, she gave up the idea of seeing her and went to sleep. Armitage in the meantime had placed the car in the garage, entered the house by the servants' door, and was now sitting in his stocking feet, smoking a pipe, waiting for quiet to fall upon the house. His nerves were still taut with the events of the evening; his mind very much awake and alert. He thrilled with the thought that in all probability he would have a commendatory letter from the Admiral to send to his father and that a duplicate would be published to the fleet. As for his position in the house, that was hourly growing more precarious. So far as he could gather, almost every one but the Prince and the Wellington boys knew his identity, and it certainly could not be long before this ignorant minority would be wiped out. There must be action, and quick action. With the Prince away for the night the opportunity could never be better. He was bent now on taking advantage of it. It was nearly three o'clock when he left his room, walked along the heavily carpeted hall, and descended the stairs in the front of the house to the second floor. The dim light was flowing from the hall below but no lamps were lighted above. He turned, crouching, and made his way along toward Koltsoff's rooms. Footsteps sounded on the stairs and as he flattened himself against the wall the skirts of a woman fluttered past him. A second later the door of Miss Wellington's rooms opened and in the light rushing forth, he saw Anne enter. She was weeping. He heard the exclamation of the maid and Anne saying something in reply. Then the door closed. For five minutes Armitage remained immovable. Then taking from his pocket a skeleton key and a long thin roll of wire he crept to Koltsoff's door, which he had marked in the afternoon. As he placed his hand on the knob it turned in his grasp and opened. There was a single electric bulb, burning in a crimson globe, and although Armitage had time to jump back, the light flowing from the open door fell full upon him. He stood breathing quickly, watching the newcomer, his forearm poised along his waist, the fist doubled. Without a word, the man slowly closed the door. As Armitage waited an electric dark-light flashed in his face with blinding suddenness. Then it went out. "Not now," came a whispered voice, "Prince Koltsoff has returned. He has but gone into his room." Jack did not reply. His hand shot into his pocket and came out with a dark-light similar to that which had been used against him. As he aimed the instrument and pressed the spring a brown seamed face with a head of heavy dark hair appeared in the centre of the illumination. "Let us have done with lights; they are not necessary," said the man. The voice was cultivated, the manner gentle. "And besides, they are not safe." "What do you want?" Armitage's voice rose with an impatient inflection. "I might ask that of you," was the soft reply. "But come, a fair exchange, you know, since our quarry seems to be the same. Although passing as Prince Koltsoff's secretary, in reality I am Turnecki, of the Austrian State Department. You are of the secret service of this country." Jack was cautious. "I am a burglar, if you must know," he said. "And if you make any outcry, I 'll kill you." "Oh, no you are not," smiled the man, shaking his head. Without a word Armitage leaned forward and seized the man by the arm. "Come to my room with me," he said. There was great dignity in the man's voice as he placed his hand admonishingly upon Jack's arm. "Don't do that. I am quite ready to go with you." But Jack's fingers closed more tightly. "I am glad you feel that way," he said grimly, "because I want to talk to you. However, I think I 'll make sure. Come on." At the stairs he gently pushed the man ahead of him and followed him to his door. He switched on the light and then, mindful of the watchman on the grounds below, threw a heavy towel over the globe. "Now, Herr Turnecki, or Koltsoff's secretary, or anything you please to call yourself," he said indicating a chair,—he himself stood at the bureau filling his pipe,—"tell me what I can do for you." The man bowed, and for a moment they gazed at each other. Armitage could not dismiss an impression of suspicion concerning him, but aside from something familiar in face and figure and in some of the tones of his voice, he was unable to place him. The putative Austrian seemed to read Jack's thoughts. "Let me first prove," he said at length, "that I am friendly to you—and perhaps to your interests. I recognized you this morning as an American naval officer I had met two years ago in Vienna. It is my business not to forget faces. You must be aware that I have not informed my—" he grimaced—"master of your identity." "That is true," said Armitage ruefully. "As a detective I appear to be about as much of a success as a farmer at the helm of a battleship." "Ah, well," observed the other, "it is a business." He looked at Armitage closely. "I admire the United States. Can I be of service?" "Perhaps," said Armitage, "but you spoke of similar interests. What can I do for you?" "Nothing, I fear," said the Austrian. "You must know that recently this man Koltsoff purchased, in some way, the mobilization plans of our army on our northeastern, that is, the Russian frontier. Possession of these by Russia will seriously affect the attitude of our chief, Baron Aehrenthal, toward the State Department at St. Petersburg. So close was the espionage, in which I have played no small part, that he was unable to get them out of his hands before his vessel sailed for New York from Fiume. I fear now, however, that such is not the case." "You mean he has mailed or expressed them?" asked Jack. The man shook his head. "Such things are never transmitted in that way." Jack's heart bounded with relief. "Well, would n't that be a reason for attempting it?" "I should be happy to know that the plans were on their way to the post office in St. Petersburg," shrugging his shoulders. "They would soon be on their return journey—and not by mail." "Oh," cried Armitage, suddenly remembering his conversation with Thornton. "I think I can put you in the way of recovering your stolen plans." Thereupon he told of the capture of Yeasky and of the papers taken from him, already in the keeping of the secret service men in Boston. As he spoke Turnecki leaned forward, his eyes blazing, uttering subdued German exclamations. When Armitage had concluded he sprang forward and seized Jack by the hand and then after the manner of his country, kissed him on the cheek. "A thousand thanks!" he cried. "My servitude ends now; for when Koltsoff awakens I shall be en route for Boston. You said that you would send on an order for their delivery." "Yes, I 'll write that now—and then I 'll tell you what you can do for me. Of course, you understand that the secret service chaps will require the Austrian Consul to vouch for you." "Oh, I understand that, of course," said the man. "All right." Armitage took his fountain pen from his coat lying on the bed and leaned across the bureau, about to write, when he abruptly laid the pen down and half closed his eyes. Some new thought seemed filling his mind and moving him deeply. "Just a second," he said at length. He walked across the room, jerked the towel from the lamp, gazed closely at the man for an instant, and then with an exclamation continued to the door, which he locked, placing the key in his pocket. Returning he stood directly in front of the man, who had arisen. "Well," he said, "of all fools, commend me! How do you feel, Yeasky, with your beard off and wig on; your German dialect and your painted scar?" The man looked at Armitage with face utterly expressionless. "You are mistaken," he said. "Am I?" sneered Jack. "I have been mistaken so far as you are concerned several times in the past." He laughed grimly. "But not this time, old boy. Come, pass out that control." "I have n't it." "You lie. Take off your coat." Yeasky deliberately divested himself of his coat and threw it at Jack's feet. Then he slapped all his pockets. "You see," he said, "I have not got it." "Who has?" "Koltsoff, I suppose. He did not speak of it to me." "What did he speak of? What are you here for? You were released upon condition that you leave this country. I suppose you know I can put you in the way of spending several years in an American jail." "I had intended going, but I received his orders and had to come to him. So I escaped from the steamship, and returned to Newport." "Did you want to come?" "No, I am sick of the service. It is all work and danger and no credit. He receives it all." "Then why did you obey his orders?" Yeasky raised his shoulders and smiled significantly. "Siberia," he said. "The arms of such as Koltsoff are very long in cases of those who fail them." "What did Koltsoff want you here for?" "To confer with me. He thought we would be safe from spies here. When I saw you I hoped to get an order for the return of the Austrian plans." "Ump! You nearly succeeded. Did you tell Koltsoff I suspected him?" "No, that would have made my work appear even more bungling. Listen," added the man earnestly, "I told him I thought my capture had been due to the Austrians, whose system of espionage is really wonderful. That is God's truth," raising his hand solemnly. "I should have believed it myself had I not known you knew." "If that is true you have done me rather a good turn," said Armitage watching his face closely. Yeasky drew from his breast a silver ichon. "It is true." He knelt. "I swear it by this." "A man's oath is no better than his deeds," replied Armitage musingly. "Look here, Yeasky," he added presently. "I tell you what I am going to do. I am going to turn you over to Chief Roberts of the Newport police and he will hold you for two or three days under an assumed name on the charge of burglary. No one but the watchman and the police and myself will know of your arrest. When I recover the control you will be released, free to stay in this country or go where you please. The only condition is that you attempt in no way to communicate with Koltsoff." The man bowed his head thoughtfully. "Besides," resumed Armitage, "I don't know how the secret service people feel about the Austrian plans. I imagine Koltsoff has been making representations to the State Department, and since this Government has no business with them, they may hand them over. If I can help you there, I shall do so. Now," he concluded, "there is the proposition; take it or leave it." "I'll take it!" replied Yeasky. "As for the Austrian plans, you need not bother about them. You have promised me freedom after two or three days if I keep silent. That is all I ask. Ever since I have been in this country I have been on the point of making up my mind to become a citizen. The Russian Government cannot touch me here, can it?" "Not unless you have committed a crime." "I have committed many crimes; none, however, against the Russian Government. I am weary of Koltsoff, weary of this service, weary of this life. There is much money for me here in the practice of my profession." "You 've already worked in this country, have n't you. Your letter of recommendation from the Eastern Electric—" "Was forged," said Yeasky quietly. "No, I have never been employed here. I came from Fiume with Prince Koltsoff. I had some thought at the time of deserting; but I was afraid. Now my mind is made up. I want to remain here; I shall remain. I have a brother in Chicago." "Good," said Armitage. "Come on, now, quickly." Softly they went down the stairs, and after switching off the burglar alarm, Jack escorted the man out of the servants' door, where he whistled softly. The watchman came up on the run. "Here's a burglar I caught," said Jack cheerfully. "He was lurking in the second floor hallway." The watchman, a former New York policeman, was not excited. "All right," he said. "We 'll take him to the gate house and telephone for the patrol." This was done and within half an hour the sidelights of the heavy vehicle plunged out of the darkness to the gate. "Now, don't worry," whispered Armitage, as the man was bundled into the wagon. "I 'll have the chief on the 'phone within five minutes. Remember your part." Yeasky nodded, and the wagon rumbled away. It was a very angry chief that Jack, sitting in the butler's hallway, got on the 'phone. But within a few minutes he was laughing and promising to obey Armitage's wishes in every respect. The clock was striking four when Armitage arose from the telephone. He stood, stretching himself and yawning for a moment, and then stole to the stairs. "I have spent eventful days before this," he smiled, "but this one breaks all records." As he slipped past the door of Anne's suite, he stopped just an instant. "Good-night, Anne," he said. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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