CHAPTER V
BUT, after all, things did not exactly turn out as Mr. Horser hadimagined. The sight of the empty room and the closed door weresatisfactory enough, and he did not hesitate for a moment.
"Look here, sir," he said, "you and I are going to settle this matterquick. Whatever you paid Skinner you can have back again. But I'm goingto have that report."
He took a quick step forward with uplifted hand--and looked into theshining muzzle of a tiny revolver. Behind it Mr. Sabin's face, no longerpleasant and courteous, had taken to itself some very grim lines.
"I am a weak man, Mr. Horser, but I am never without the means ofself-defence," Mr. Sabin said in a still, cold tone. "Be so good as tosit down in that easy-chair."
Mr. Horser hesitated. For one moment he stood as though about to carryout his first intention. He stood glaring at his opponent, his facecontracted into a snarl, his whole appearance hideous, almost bestial.Mr. Sabin smiled upon him contemptuously--the maddening, compellingsmile of the born aristocrat.
"Sit down!"
Mr. Horser sat down, whereupon Mr. Sabin followed suit.
"Now what have you to say to me?" Mr. Sabin asked quietly.
"I want that report," was the dogged answer.
"You will not have it," Mr. Sabin answered. "You can take that forgranted. You shall not take it from me by force, and I will see that youdo not charm it out of my pocket by other means. The information whichit contains is of the utmost possible importance to me. I have bought itand paid for it, and I shall use it."
Mr. Horser moistened his dry lips.
"I will give you," he said, "twenty thousand dollars for its return."
Mr. Sabin laughed softly.
"You bid high," he said. "I begin to suspect that our friends on theother side of the water have been more than ordinarily kind to you."
"I will give you--forty thousand dollars."
Mr. Sabin raised his eyebrows.
"So much? After all, that sounds more like fear than anything. Youcannot hope to make a profitable deal out of that. Dear me! It seemsonly a few minutes ago that I heard your interesting friend, Mr.Skinner, shake with laughter at the mention of such a thing as a secretsociety."
"Skinner is a blasted fool," Horser exclaimed fiercely. "Listen here,Mr. Sabin. You can read that report if you must, but, as I'm a livingman you'll not stir from New York if you do. I'll make your life a hellfor you. Don't you understand that no one but a born fool would dareto quarrel with me in this city? I hold the prison keys, the policeare mine. I shall make my own charge, whatever I choose, and they shallprove it for me."
Mr. Sabin shook his head.
"This sounds very shocking," he remarked. "I had no idea that thelargest city of the most enlightened country in the world was in such asorry plight."
"Oh, curse your sarcasm," Mr. Horser said. "I'm talking facts, andyou've got to know them. Will you give up that report? You can find outall there is in it for yourself. But I'm going to give it you straight.If I don't have that report back unread, you'll never leave New York."
Mr. Sabin was genuinely amused.
"My good fellow," he said, "you have made yourself a notorious person inthis country by dint of incessant bullying and bribing and corruption ofevery sort. You may possess all the powers you claim. Your onlymistake seems to be that you are too thick-headed to know when you areovermatched. I have been a diplomatist all my life," Mr. Sabin said,rising slowly to his feet, and with a sudden intent look upon his face,"and if I were to be outwitted by such a novice as you I should deserveto end my days--in New York."
Mr. Horser rose also to his feet. A smile of triumph was on his lips.
"Well," he said, "we-- Come in! Come in!" The door was thrown open.Skinner and two policemen entered. Mr. Sabin leaned towards the wall,and in a second the room was plunged in darkness.
"Turn on the lights!" Skinner shouted. "Seize him! He's in thatcorner. Use your clubs!" Horser bawled. "Stand by the door one of you.Damnation, where is that switch?"
He found it with a shout of triumph. Lights flared out in the room. Theystared around into every corner. Mr. Sabin was not there. Then Horsersaw the door leading into the bed-chamber, and flung himself against itwith a hoarse cry of rage.
"Break it open!" he cried to the policemen.
They hammered upon it with their clubs. Mr. Sabin's quiet voice came tothem from the other side.
"Pray do not disturb me, gentlemen," he said. "I am reading."
"Break it open, you damned fools!" Horser cried. They battered at itsturdily, but the door was a solid one. Suddenly they heard the key turnin the lock. Mr. Sabin stood upon the threshold.
"Gentlemen!" he exclaimed. "These are my private apartments. Why thisviolence?"
He held out the paper.
"This is mine," he said. "The information which it contains is boughtand paid for. But if the giving it up will procure me the privilege ofyour departure, pray take it."
Horser was purple with rage. He pointed with shaking fist to the still,calm figure.
"Arrest him," he ordered. "Take him to the cells."
Mr. Sabin shrugged his shoulders.
"I am ready," he said, "but it is only fair to give you this warning. Iam the Duke of Souspennier, and I am well known in England and France.The paper which you saw me hand to the porter in the hall as we steppedinto the elevator was a despatch in cipher to the English Ambassador atWashington, claiming his protection. If you take me to prison to-nightyou will have him to deal with to-morrow."
Mr. Horser bore himself in defeat better than at any time during theencounter. He turned to the constables.
"Go down stairs and wait for me in the hall," he ordered. "You too,Skinner."
They left the room. Horser turned to Mr. Sabin, and the veins on hisforehead stood out like whipcord.
"I know when I'm beaten," he said. "Keep your report, and be damned toyou. But remember that you and I have a score to settle, and you can askthose who know me how often Dick Horser comes out underneath in the longrun."
He followed the others. Mr. Sabin sat down in his easy-chair witha quiet smile upon his lips. Once more he glanced through the briefreport. Then his eyes half closed, and he sat quite still--a tired,weary-looking man, almost unnaturally pale.
"They have kept their word," he said softly to himself, "after manyyears. After many years!"
* * * * *
Duson came in to undress him shortly afterwards. He saw signs of thestruggle, but made no comment. Mr. Sabin, after a moment's hesitation,took a phial from his pocket and poured a few drops into a wineglassfulof water.
"Duson," he said, "bring me some despatch forms and a pencil."
"Yes, sir."
Mr. Sabin wrote for several moments. Then he placed the forms in anenvelope, sealed it, and handed it to Duson.
"Duson," he said, "that fellow Horser is annoyed with me. If I shouldbe arrested on any charge, or should fail to return to the hotel withinreasonable time, break that seal and send off the telegrams."
"Yes, sir."
Mr. Sabin yawned.
"I need sleep," he said. "Do not call me to-morrow morning until I ring.And, Duson!"
"Yes, sir."
"The Campania will sail from New York somewhere about the tenth ofOctober. I wish to secure the whole of stateroom number twenty-eight. Goround to the office as soon as they open, secure that room if possible,and pay a deposit. No other will do. Also one for yourself."
"Very good, sir."