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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
they hesitated and wavered。 The two great negroes； taking advantage of
this hesitation； burst among them with mighty blows and strange Afro…
American oaths； Castor and Pollux in bronze。 With a shout of 〃Banzai！〃
Kuroki rushed forward with his kris； the other defenders added weight and
fury to the rally。 Before the irons were on the wrists of Loge his men
were routed。 They leaped the rail and made off for their fleet of taxicabs；
flinging away their weapons as they ran。
Loge writhed and twisted and lashed the deck with his legs and body
for a moment； striving even against the bands of steel that bit into his
wrists and ankles。 And then he lay still with his face against the planks
as if in a vast and overwhelming bitterness of despair。
It had been Cleggett's earlier thought to take the man alive； if possible；
and turn him over to the authorities。 But now that Loge was taken he
burned with the wish for personal combat with him。 He desired to be the
agent of society； and put an end to Logan Black himself。
Cleggett； as he gazed at the fellow lying prone upon the deck； could
not repress a murmur of dissatisfaction。
〃We never fought it out；〃 he said。
Whether Loge heard him or not； the same thought was evidently
running is his mind。 He lifted his head。 A slow； malignant grin that
showed his yellow canine teeth lifted his upper lip。 He fixed his eyes on
Cleggett with a cold deadliness of hatred and said：
〃You are lucky。〃
Outwardly Cleggett remained calm； but inwardly he was shaken with
an intensity of passion that matched Loge's own。
〃Lucky？〃 he said quietly。 〃That is as may be。 And if； as I infer； you
desire a settlement of a more personal nature than the law recognizes； it is
still not too late to accommodate you。〃
〃Desire！〃 cried Loge； with a movement of his manacled hands。 〃I
would go to Hell happy if I sent you ahead of me！〃
〃Very well；〃 said Cleggett。 〃Since you have challenged me I will
fight you。 I will do you that honor。〃
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
Loge was about to answer when Wilton Barnstable broke in：
〃Mr。 Cleggett；〃 he said； 〃I scarcely understand you。 Are you
consenting to fight this man？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Cleggett。 〃He has challenged me。〃
〃A duel？〃 said Wilton Barnstable in astonishment。
〃A duel。〃
〃But that is impossible。 His life is forfeit to the law。 I hope； before
the year is out； to send him to the electric chair。 Under the circumstances；
a duel is an absurdity。〃
〃An absurdity？〃 Cleggett； with his hands on his hips； and a little
dancing light in his eyes； faced the great detective squarely。 〃You permit
yourself very peculiar expressions； Mr。 Barnstable！〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Wilton Barnstable。 〃I withdraw 'absurdity。'
But you must see yourself； Mr。 Cleggett； that a duel is useless； if nothing
else。 The man is our prisoner。 He belongs to the law。〃
Loge had struggled to a sitting posture； his back against the port
bulwark； and was listening with an odd look on his face。
〃The law？〃 said Cleggett。 〃I suppose； in one sense； that is true。 But
the matter has its personal element as well。〃
〃I must insist；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； 〃that Logan Black is my
prisoner。〃
Cleggett was silent a moment。 Then he said firmly： 〃Mr。
Barnstable； it is painful to me to have to remind you of it； but your attitude
forces me to an equal directness。 The fact that Logan Black is now a
captive is due to his efforts to recover certain evidence which may be used
against him。 This evidence I discovered and defended； and this evidence
I now hold in my possession。〃
Wilton Barnstable was about to retort； perhaps heatedly； but Cleggett；
generous even while determined to have his own way； hastened to add：
〃Do not think； Mr。 Barnstable； that I minimize your work； or your
assistancebut； after all； what am I demanding that is unreasonable？ If
Logan Black dies by my hand； are not the ends of justice served as well as
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
if he died in the electric chair？ And if I fall； the law may still take its
course。〃
Loge had listened to this speech attentively。 He lifted his head and
glanced about the deck； filling his lungs with a deep draft of air。
Something like a gleam of hope was visible in his features。
〃It is irregular；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； frowning； and not half
convinced。 〃And； in the name of Heaven； why imperil your life
needlessly？ Why expose yourself again to the power of this monstrous
criminal？〃
〃The fellow has challenged me； and I have granted him a meeting；〃
said Cleggett。 〃I hope there is such a thing as honor！〃
〃Clement！〃 It was Lady Agatha who spoke。 As she did so she laid
her hand on Cleggett's arm。 She had hearkened in silence to the colloquy
between him and Barnstable； as had the others。 She drew him out of
sight and hearing behind the cabin。〃
〃Clement；〃 she said with agitation； 〃do not fight this man！〃
〃I must；〃 he said simply。 It cut him to the heart to refuse the first
request that she had asked of him since his avowal of his love for her and
her tacit acceptance。 But； to a man of Cleggett's ideas； there was no
choice。
〃Clement；〃 she said in a low tone； 〃you have told me that you love
me。〃
〃Agatha！〃 he murmured brokenly。
〃And you know〃 she paused； as if she could not continue； but her
eyes and manner spoke the rest。 In a moment her lips spoke it too； she
was not the sort of woman who is afraid to avow the promptings of her
heart。 〃You know；〃 she said； 〃that I love you。〃
〃Agatha！〃 he cried again。 He could say no more。
〃Oh； Clement；〃 she said； 〃