Part 13 (1/2)
”This kid is an impostor!” shouted the detective.
”No hard names, please,” said the consul. ”Let us get at the facts of the case. You claim to be Ned Nestor?” turning to the boy.
”That is my name, sir.”
”And you claim a cablegram which is here? A cablegram in cipher--the cipher code of the Secret Service of the United States government?”
”Yes, it would naturally be in cipher.”
”You have the key to the code?”
”Certainly.”
”Be careful, young man,” laughed the consul, ”for I was in the Secret Service department before I came here, and know the code.”
”I'm glad you do,” replied Ned.
”Hand me the cablegram,” ordered the consul, turning to the a.s.sistant manager.
The detective stepped forward with a frown on his face. He glared at the consul and at Ned for a moment, and then broke out:
”You can't have it unless you will promise not to reveal its contents to this impostor.”
”Can't I?” said the consul, coolly. ”Hand me the cablegram.”
The operator and the a.s.sistant manager drew back. The consul stood for an instant regarding them angrily.
”One, two, three!” he said. ”At the word three, pa.s.s it over!”
”Goot sphort, dot feller!” whispered Hans.
During the dead silence which followed Ned watched the face of the consul for some sign of weakening, but found none. He knew that he had come upon an official who would stand by his guns, no matter what took place.
There was a little crowd in front of the office, and half a dozen faces were pressed against the windows and the gla.s.s panel of the door. Ned thought he saw a face there he had last seen in the old house at Taku where he had been captured. The fellow carried a long cicatrice on his left cheek.
”What do you mean by coming in here and giving orders?” demanded the detective. ”I'll put you out if the manager says the word.”
Ned, standing close to Hans, felt the muscles of the German's great arm swell under the sleeve. Hans was evidently antic.i.p.ating trouble.
”Will you deliver the cablegram?” asked the consul.
”I will not.”
As the a.s.sistant manager spoke the detective reached his hand up to the electric light switch. Ned saw in an instant what his intention was.
If the room should be suddenly thrown into darkness, the operator might escape with the cablegram.
The consul, too, saw what was meditated and sprang forward. The detective struck at him, but before his blow reached its intended mark, Hans struck and the detective went down as suddenly as if he had been hit with an ax. Then, from unseen places, from beneath counters and out of closets, came a horde of Chinamen. The room was full of them.
”Soak um!” cried Hans.
The German was about to adopt his own suggestion by pa.s.sing a blow out to the nearest Chinaman when the consul stepped before him. For an instant the threatening natives stepped back. The attacking of the American consul was a thing to be seriously considered.