Part 21 (1/2)
”What do you want me to say?” he asked sullenly.
”I want you to tell me the truth, and bear in mind that your life depends on it.”
”About the cheque?”
”About the cheque.”
”He forged it.”
”How do you know?”
”I was in the room with him?”
”You helped him, in fact?”
”I suppose so.”
”By G.o.d, you deserve to be hanged if ever a man did,” exclaimed the Captain.
”You asked me to tell you the truth, sir,” said the man, shrinking back.
”Get on with your story.”
”There's nothing much to tell, sir. The scheme worked without a hitch, and everyone was deceived--except Mr. Vayne; he was always doubtful.”
”Well, and what did you get out of it? Such a.s.sistance as you gave was invaluable.”
”Five hundred pounds.”
”H'm, a very profitable stroke of business on your part, especially as it placed you in a position to levy blackmail at will. Now what fee”--an ugly expression crossed the Captain's face as he uttered this--”do you require in consideration of your writing down a full account of that interesting transaction and signing it in the presence of witnesses?”
The other hesitated a moment.
”A thousand pounds in cash and a guarantee that I shall not be handed over to the British authorities as a prisoner of war.”
”Agreed. You shall have the money in English and American notes as soon as you have prepared the doc.u.ment.”
”And if I change my mind?”
”Why, then,” answered Calamity with a genial smile, ”it'll be the last time you ever change it on this earth,” and, rising, he laid pen, ink, and paper before the prisoner.
”Call the steward when you have finished and he will send for me,” said Calamity as he left the cabin.
For nearly an hour the German wrote steadily, pausing every now and again to read what he had written. When at last he had finished he called for the steward.
”Tell the Captain I'm ready,” he said as Sing-hi appeared in the doorway.
The Chinaman nodded and a few minutes afterwards the Captain entered, accompanied by Smith and McPhulach.
”Be seated, gentlemen,” said Calamity, himself taking a chair. ”I have brought you here,” he went on, ”to witness the signature of a doc.u.ment which this man has written. He will read it over first, and when I tell you that every word is absolutely confidential, I feel sure you will both observe the strictest secrecy. At least,” he added significantly, ”it will be to your advantage to do so.”