Part 40 (2/2)
”A certain instrument was about to pa.s.s into my possession to-night,”
said Von Stunnenberg to Ashton-Kirk. ”You knew of this and came here to prevent our being entrusted with it if you could. You are an able man, Mr. Ashton-Kirk, but do not forget that we still have the faculty of vision. Neither are we in the habit of allowing things to be taken from beneath our noses.”
”You represent a friendly power,” said Ashton-Kirk, coldly, ”and of course could have no desire in the matter of the instrument in question other than to hand it with your compliments to this government.”
Von Stunnenberg nodded.
”Of course,” said Hoffer.
”And it was so understood by others and myself,” proceeded Ashton-Kirk.
”But there was a chance--I am perfectly frank, you see--that there might be a desire upon your part to make sure that the doc.u.ment in question was really what you supposed it. To venture to examine it would be a matter of delicacy,” and the speaker's voice was suavity itself, ”and so I concluded that it were a rather friendly thing to save you any mental wrench of that sort by antic.i.p.ating you.”
”That,” said Von Stunnenberg, and the smoothness of his voice was not a whit behind that of the other, ”was most considerate of you. Accept my thanks. But,” and his blue eyes were wide open in the fixity of the look which he directed toward the secret agent, ”we would much prefer to a.s.sume our own responsibilities.”
There was a short pause, then the amba.s.sador leaned a trifle toward the other.
”And so,” he resumed, ”I should take it as a further expression of your good-will if you would hand the paper to me immediately.”
Ashton-Kirk rose and looked at his watch once more.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”MY TIME IS SHORT”]
”My time is short,” said he. ”So if there is anything of importance, I beg that you mention it at once.”
Von Stunnenberg twisted his up-pointing moustache; his blue eyes were like ice, his manner was grim and menacing.
”There is nothing to be gained by this att.i.tude,” said he. ”We are not children to be so deceived.”
”You are not children to be so deceived,” Ashton-Kirk smiled as he repeated the amba.s.sador's words. ”Perhaps not; but Matsadi apparently fancied it not very difficult when he arranged his little scene a few minutes ago.”
Von Stunnenberg cast a quick look at Hoffer. The latter's small head turned slowly upon the secret agent.
”Matsadi _did_ arrange the scene,” said he, and there was admiration in his voice. ”No stage manager could have done better. He had not watched the English girl more than a moment when he saw--as did you and I,” with a conclusive wave of the hand, ”that the papers desired were in the bag at her side. At sight of the Italian woman he grasped his opportunity for creating a momentary ruffle; in the midst of this, at a signal, his confederate allowed the revolver to explode, so transforming the slight confusion into a panic. During this his agent was to abstract the doc.u.ment.”
Ashton-Kirk nodded, after the manner of one workman exchanging experiences with another.
”That was not all that I saw,” went on Hoffer. ”I saw Matsadi's agent making his way toward Miss Corbin to play his part, before the discharge of the revolver. Also,” and the big jaws tightened, ”I saw you doing your best to antic.i.p.ate him.”
Ashton-Kirk laughed, and there was an odd expression in his singular eyes.
”Was there nothing more that you noticed?” he asked.
”It was sufficient,” put in Von Stunnenberg, grimly, ”that he saw you reach the girl's side before the j.a.panese. And, if anything more were needed, an instant after you got within reaching distance, Miss Corbin discovered that the papers were gone.”
”And that Okiu was baffled,” said Hoffer, ”one had only to give him a glance to discover. The rage in his face showed that you had beaten them--that you had taken the prize out of their own trap.”
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