按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he went alone and arranged for Claire to follow； he might lose her。
Her mother might marry her to Paillard； Claire might fall ill；
without him at her elbow to keep her to their purpose the voyage to
an unknown land might require more courage than she possessed。
Billy saw it was imperative they should depart together； and to
that end he must have his two thousand dollars。 The money was
justly his。 For it he had sweated and slaved； had given his best
effort。 And so； when he faced the president； he was in no
conciliatory mood。 Neither was the president。
By what right； he demanded； did this foreigner affront his ears
with demands for money； how dared he force his way into his
presence and to his face babble of back pay？ It was insolent；
incredible。 With indignation the president set forth the position
of the government ： Billy had been discharged and； with the
appointment of his successor； the stranger in the derby hat； had
ceased to exist。 The government could not pay money to some one who
did not exist。 All indebtedness to Billy also had ceased to exist。
The account had been wiped out。 Billy had been wiped out。 The big
negro； with the chest and head of a gorilla； tossed his kinky white
curls so violently that the ringlets danced。 Billy； he declared；
had been a pest； a fly that buzzed and buzzed and disturbed his
slumbers。 And now when the fly thought he slept he had caught and
crushed it…so。 President Ham clinched his great fist convulsively
and； with delight in his pantomime； opened his fingers one by one；
and held out his pink palm； wrinkled and crossed like the hand of
a washerwoman； as though to show Billy that in it lay the fly；
dead。
〃C'EST UNE CHOSE JUGEE！〃 thundered the president。 He reached for
his quill pen。
But Billy； with Claire in his heart； with the injustice of it
rankling in his mind； did not agree。
〃It is not an affair closed；〃 shouted Billy in his best French。 〃It
is an affair international； diplomatic； a cause for war！〃
Believing he had gone mad； President Ham gazed at him speechless。
〃From here I go to the cable Office； 〃shouted Billy。 〃I cable for
a warship！ If； by to…night； I am not paid my money； marines will
surround our power…house； and the Wilmot people will back me up；
and my government will back me up！〃
It was； so Billy thought； even as he launched it； a tirade
satisfying and magnificent。 But in his turn the president did not
agree。
He rose。 He was a large man。 Billy wondered he had not previously
noticed how very large he was。
〃To…night at nine o'clock；〃 he said； 〃the German boat departs for
New York。〃 As though aiming a pistol； he raised his arm and at
Billy pointed a finger。 〃If； after she departs； you are found in
Port…au…Prince； you will be shot！ 〃
The audience…chamber was hung with great mirrors in frames of
tarnished gilt。 In these Billy saw himself reproduced in a wavering
line of Billies that； like the ghost of Banquo； stretched to the
disappearing point。 Of such images there was an army； but of the
real Billy； as he was acutely conscious； there was but one。 Among
the black faces scowling from the doorways he felt the odds were
against him。 Without making a reply he passed out between the racks
of rusty muskets in the anteroom； between the two Gatling guns
guarding the entrance； and on the palace steps； in indecision；
halted。
As Billy hesitated an officer followed him from the palace and
beckoned to the guard that sat in the bare dust of the Champ de
Mars playing cards for cartridges。 Two abandoned the game； and；
having received their orders； picked their muskets from the dust
and stood looking expectantly at Billy。
They were his escort； and it was evident that until nine o'clock；
when he sailed； his movements would be spied upon； his acts
reported to the president。
Such being the situation； Billy determined that his first act to be
reported should be of a nature to cause the president active mental
anguish。 With his guard at his heels he went directly to the cable
station； and to the Secretary of State of the United States
addressed this message： 〃President refuses my pay； threatens shoot；
wireless nearest war…ship proceed here full speed。 William Barlow。〃
Billy and the director of telegraphs； who out of office hours was
a field…marshal； and when not in his shirt…sleeves always appeared
in uniform； went over each word of the cablegram together。 When
Billy was assured that the field…marshal had grasped the full
significance of it he took it back and added； 〃Love to Aunt Maria。〃
The extra words cost four dollars and eighty cents gold； but； as
they suggested ties of blood between himself and the Secretary of
State； they seemed advisable。 In the account…book in which he
recorded his daily expenditures Billy credited the item to
〃life…insurance。〃
The revised cablegram caused the field…marshal deep concern。 He
frowned at Billy ferociously。
〃I will forward this at once；〃 he promised。 〃But； I warn you；〃 he
added； 〃I deliver also a copy to MY president！〃
Billy sighed hopefully。
〃You might deliver the copy first；〃 he suggested。
From the cable station Billy； still accompanied by his faithful
retainers； returned to the power…house。 There he bade farewell to
the black brothers who had been his assistants； and upon one of
them pressed a sum of money。
As they parted； this one； as though giving the pass…word of a
secret society； chanted solemnly：
〃A BUIT BEURES JUSTE！〃 And Billy clasped his hand and nodded。
At the office of the Royal Dutch West India Line Billy purchased a
ticket to New York and inquired were there many passengers。 〃The
ship is empty；〃 said the agent。
〃I am glad；〃 said Billy； 〃for one of my assistants may come with
me。 He also is being deported。〃
〃You can have as many cabins as you want；〃 said the agent。 〃We are
so sorry to see you go that we will try to make you feel you leave
us on your private yacht。〃
The next two hours Billy spent in seeking out those acquaintances
from whom he could borrow money。 He found that by asking for it in
homoeopathic doses he was able to shame the foreign colony into
loaning him all of one hundred dollars。 This； with what he had in
hand； would take Claire and himself to New York and for a week keep
them alive。 After that he must find work or they must starve。 The
one whose features seemed familiar replied：
〃Still； we are leaving to…night；〃 he said； 〃not on a steamer； but
on a war…ship。〃
〃A war…ship？〃 cried Billy。 His heart beat at high speed。 〃Then；〃 he
exclaimed； 〃you are a naval officer？〃
The young man shook his head and； as though challenging Billy to
make another guess； smiled。
〃Then；〃 Billy complied eagerly； 〃you are a diplomat！ Are you our
new minister？〃
One of the other young men exclaimed reproachfully：
〃You know him perfectly well！〃 he protested。 〃You've seen his
picture thousands of times。〃
With awe and pride he placed his hand on Billy's arm and with the
other pointed at the one in the Panama hat。
〃It's Harry St。 Clair；〃 he announced。 〃Harry St。Clair； the King of
the Movies！〃
〃The King of the Movies；〃 repeated Billy。 His disappointment was so
keen as to be embarra