floor before I could prevent them；〃 said Lady Agatha。
〃'What is this？' I asked them； in bewilderment。
〃They replied that they had killed Reginald Maltravers ACCORDING
TO ORDERS； and had brought him to me。
〃'Orders！' I cried。 'You had no such orders。' Elmer； who lived on
the same floor； was absent temporarily； having taken Teddy out for an
airing。 I was distracted。 I did not know what to do。 'Your orders；〃 I said；
'were toto'〃
She broke off。 〃What was it that Elmer told them to do； and what
was it that they did？〃 she mused； perplexed。 She called Elmer into the
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cabin。
〃Elmer；〃 she said； 〃exactly what was it that you told your friends to do
to him？ And what was it that they did？ I can never remember the
words。〃
〃Poke him；〃 said Elmer； addressing Cleggett。 〃I tells these ginks to
poke him。 But these ginks tells th' little dame here they t'inks I has said
to croak him。 So they goes an' croaks him。 D' youse get me？〃
Being assured that they got him； Elmer downheartedly withdrew。
〃At any rate；〃 continued Lady Agatha； 〃there was that terrible box
upon my sitting…room floor； and there were those two degraded wretches。
The callous beasts stood above the box apparently quite insensible to the
ethical enormity of their crime。 But they were keen enough to see that it
might be used as a lever with which to force more money from me。 For
when I demanded that they take the box away with them and dispose of it；
they only laughed at me。 They said that they had had enough of that box。
They had delivered the goodsthat was the phrase they usedand they
wanted more money。 And they said they would not leave until they got it。
They threatened； unless I gave them the money at once； to leave the place
and get word to the police of the presence of the box in my apartment。
〃I was in no mental condition to combat and get the better of them。 I
felt myself to be entirely in their power。 I saw only the weakness of my
own position。 I could not； at the moment； see the weak spots in theirs。
Elmer might have advised mebut he was not there。 The miserable
episode ended with my giving them a thousand dollars each； and they left。
〃Alone with that box； my panic increased。 When Elmer returned
with Teddy； I told him what had happened。 He wished to open the box；
having a vague idea that perhaps after all it did not really contain what
they had said was in it。 But I could not bear the thought of its being
opened。 I refused to allow Elmer to look into it。
〃I determined that I would ship the box at once to some fictitious
personage； and then take the next ship back to England。
〃I hastily wrote a card； which I tacked on the box； consigning it to
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Miss Genevieve Pringle； Newark； N。 J。 The name was the first invention
that came into my head。 Newark I had heard of。 I knew vaguely that it
was west of New York； but whether it was twenty miles west or two
thousand miles； I did not stop to think。 I am ignorant of American
geography。
〃But no sooner had the box been taken away than I began to be uneasy。
I was more frightened with it gone than I had been with it present。 I
imagined it being dropped and broken； and revealing everything。 And
then it occurred to me that even if I should get out of the country； the
secret was bound to be discovered some time。 I do not know why I had
not thought of that beforebut I was distracted。 Having got rid of the
box； I was already wild to get it into my possession again。
〃I confided my fears to Elmer； and was surprised to learn from him
that Newark is very near New York。 We took a taxicab at once； and were
waiting at the freight depot in Newark when the thing arrived。 There I
claimed it in the name of Miss Genevieve Pringle。
〃It became apparent to me that I must manage its final disposition
myself。 Elmer hired for me the vehicle in which we arrived here； and we
started back to New York。
〃But the driver； from the first； was suspicious of the box。 His
suspicions were increased when； upon returning to my apartment hotel；
where I now decided to keep the box until I could think out a coherent
plan of action； the manager of the hotel made inquiries。 The manager
had seen the box brought in； and taken out again； before。 Its return
struck him as odd。 He offered to store it for me in the basement。 I took
alarm at once。 Naturally； he questioned me more closely。 I was
unready in my answers。 His inquiries excited and alarmed me。 I felt
that any instant I might do something to betray myself。 I cut the manager
short； paid my bill； got my luggage； and ordered the chauffeur to drive to
the Grand Central Station。 But when we had gone three or four blocks； I
said to him： 'Stop！I do not wish to go to the Grand Central Station。
Drive me to Poughkeepsie！' I wished a chance to think。 I knew
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
Poughkeepsie was not far from New York City； but I supposed it was far
enough to give me a chance to determine what to do next by the time we
arrived there。
〃But I could not think coherently。 I could only feel and fear。 The
drive was longer than I had expected； but when we arrived at
Poughkeepsie and the chauffeur asked me again what disposition to make
of the box； I was unable to answer him。 Thereupon he insolently
demanded an enormous fare。
〃I could not choose but pay it。 For four days we went from place to
place； in and about New York City's suburbsnow in town and now in the
countrycrossing rivers again and again on ferryboatsstopping at hotels；
road houses and all manner of placesdashing through Brooklyn and out
among the villages of Long Islandand with the fear on me that we were
being followed。
〃Elmer and I were continually on the lookout for some way to dispose
of the box； but nothing presented itself。 The driver； who had become
more and more impudent in his attitude and outrageous in his charges； was
now practically a spy upon us。 The necessity for ice made frequent stops
imperative； at the same time the increasing fear of pursuit made it agony
for me to stop anywhere。
〃Today； at a road house thirty or forty miles from here； I made certain
that I was pursued。 The very man from whom I had claimed the box at
the railway goods station in Newark confronted me。 It appears； from what
Elmer says； that he is taking a holiday and is visiting his brother； who is
the proprietor of the road house。
〃And the person who is pursuing me isa Miss Genevieve Pringle！
〃As fate would have it； there lives in Newark a person who really
owns that name which I thought I had invented。 It seems that she had
been expecting a shipment； and had called to inquire for it； upon learning
that a box had been delivered to a person in her name she had taken up the
trail at once。 Having somehow traced me to Long Island； she had
actually made inquiries at this very road house some hours earlier。 The
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
railway employee； I am certain； would have denounced me at oncehe
would have accused me of theft； and would have endeavored to have me
held until he could get into communication with Miss Pringle or with the
authoritiesbut I bought from him a promise of silence。 It cost me
another large sum。
〃A few hours ago the chauffeur； divining from a conversation between
Elmer and me that I was running short of ready money； deserted me here。
You know the rest。〃
Her voice trailed off into a tired whisper as she finished； and with her
elbows on the table Lady Agatha wearily supported her head in her hands。
Her attitude acknowledged defeat。 She was despairingly certain that she
would never see the last of the box which she believed to contain Reginald
Maltravers。
Cleggett did not hesitate an instant。 〃Lady Agatha；〃 he said； 〃the
Jasper B。 is at your service as long as you may require the ship。 The
cabin is your home until we arrive at a solution of your difficulties。〃
His glance and manner added what his tongue left unutteredthat the
commander of the
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