CHAPTER VII
_In The Open_
In New Orleans the carnival season is always opened by the ball of theTwelfth Night Revellers soon after Christmas, and is closed by that ofthe Krewe of Comus on Mardi Gras night. Upon this evening of "FatTuesday," indeed, both Rex and Comus hold forth. Rex is the popularball, the affair of the people, and is held in the Athenaeum. From here,about midnight, the king and queen proceed to Comus ball.
Comus is an assembly of such rigid exclusiveness that even the ticketsto the galleries are considered social prizes. The _personae_ of theKrewe, on this particular year as in all previous ones, would remainunknown; there is no unmasking at Comus. This institution, a tremendoussocial power and potentially a financial power also, during decades ofthe city's life, is held absolutely above any taint of favouritism orcommercialism. Even the families of those concerned might not always becertain whether their sons and brothers belonged to the Krewe of Comus.
Henry Gramont did not attend the ball of Proteus on Monday night.Instead, he sat in his own room, while through the streets of theFrench quarter outside was raging the carnival at its height. Beforehim were maps and reports upon the gas and oil fields about BayouTerrebonne--fields where great domes of natural gas were alreadylocated and in use, and where oil was being found in some quantity.Early on Wednesday morning Gramont intended to set forth to his work.He had been engaged to make a report to Bob Maillard's company, and hewould make it. Then he would resign his advisory job, and be free. Asmile curled his lips as he thought of young Maillard and the company.
"The young gentleman will be sadly surprised to discover that I'vegotten out from under--and that his respected father holds my stock!" hereflected. "That was a good deal; I lost a thousand to old Maillard inorder to save the balance of thirty thousand!"
A knock at his door interrupted the thread of this thought. Gramontopened, to find the concierge with a note which had been left at thedoor below by a masked Harlequin, who had then disappeared withoutawaiting any reply.
Gramont recognized the writing on the envelope, and hastened to the noteinside. His face changed, however, as he read it:
Please call promptly at eleven to-morrow morning. I wish to see you upon a matter of business.
LUCIE LEDANOIS.
Gramont gazed long at this note, his brows drawn down into a harsh line.It was not like Lucie in its tone, somehow; he sensed something amiss,something vaguely but most decidedly out of tune. Certainly it was nother way to write thus curtly and harshly--the words disquieted him. Whatcould have turned up now? Then, with a shrug, he tossed the note on thetable.
"Eleven to-morrow morning, eh?" he murmured. "That's queer, too, forshe's to be at the Proteus ball to-night. Most girls would not beconducting business affairs at eleven in the morning, after being up allnight at Proteus! It must be something important. Besides, she's not inthe class with any one else. She's a rare girl; no nonsense in her--fullof a deep, strong sense of things----"
He forced himself from thoughts of Lucie, forced himself from herpersonality, and returned to his reports with an effort ofconcentration.
Gramont wanted to look over her Terrebonne land with a full knowledge ofits geology and situation. Oil drilling is a gamble in any case, yetGramont took a scholar's solid satisfaction in getting his subjectthoroughly in hand before he went to work at it. Then, he reflected, hewould get his task finished as rapidly as might be, turn in his report,and resign from the company. After that--freedom! He regretted sadlyenough that he had ever gone into any relations with Maillard's company.
"Yet, what's to hinder my going ahead, in the meantime?" he considered."What's to hinder getting my own company on its feet? Nothing! All Ineed is backing. I'll put in twenty-five thousand, and that much moreadded to it will give us plenty of capital to start in drilling with. IfI could find someone who had a positive faith in my judgment and whom Icould trust in turn----"
He checked himself suddenly, and stared at the papers before him withwidening eyes. A slow whistle came from his lips, and then he smiled andpulled the papers to him. Yet, as he worked he could not keep down thethought that had forced itself upon him. It was altogether absurd, ofcourse--yet why not?
When Gramont went to bed that night it was with a startling andaudacious scheme well defined in his brain; a scheme whose firstconception seemed ludicrous and impossible, yet which, on secondconsideration, appeared in a very different light. It deserved seriousthought--and Gramont had made his decision before he went to sleep.
The following day was Tuesday--Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, the last daybefore Lent began, and the final culminating day of carnival. HenryGramont, however, was destined to find little in its beginning of muchpersonal pleasure.
At eleven in the morning Hammond drove him to the Ledanois home, whereGramont was admitted by one of the coloured servants and shown into theparlour. A moment later Lucie herself appeared. At first glance hersmiling greeting removed the half-sensed apprehensions of Gramont.Almost immediately afterward, however, he noted a perceptible change inher manner, as she led him toward the rear of the room, and gesturedtoward a mahogany tilt-top table which stood in a corner.
"Come over here, please. I have something which I wish to show you."
She needed to say no more. Gramont, following her, found himself staringblankly down at the symbol of consternation which overwhelmed him. Forupon that table, lay all those self-same boxes which he himself hadpacked with the loot of the Midnight Masquer--the identical boxes,apparently unopened, which had been stolen from his automobile by thesupposed thief Chacherre!
For a moment Gramont found himself unable to speak. He was thunderstruckby the sight of those unmistakeable boxes. A glance at the calm featuresof the girl showed him that there was nothing to be concealed from her,even had he wished it. He was further stunned by this realization. Hecould not understand how the packages had come here. Recovering hisvoice with an effort, he managed to break the heavy silence.
"Well? I suppose you know what is in those parcels?"
She nodded. "Yes. One of them was opened, and the note inside wasdiscovered. Of course, it gave a general explanation. Will you sit down,please? I think that we had better talk it over quietly and calmly."
Gramont obeyed, and dropped into a chair.
He was absurdly conscious of his own confusion. He tried to speak, butwords and thoughts failed him. Torn between pride and chagrin, he foundhimself able to say nothing. Explanations, at any time, came to him withdifficulty; now, at least, he felt that he could not lie to this girl.And how was he to tell her the truth?
And how had Lucie come into the affair? This staggered him above allelse. Was she behind the theft of the loot? It must be. How long hadshe suspected him, then? He had thought Jachin Fell the soledanger-point--he had never dreamed that this gray-eyed Athene could betracing down the Masquer! He tried to visualize the situation moreclearly and his brain whirled. He knew, of course, that she was fairlyintimate with Fell, but he was not aware of any particularconnection----
He glanced up at her suddenly, and surprised a glint of laughter in hereyes as she watched him.
"You seem to be rather astonished," she observed.
"I am." Gramont drew a deep breath. "You--do you know that those boxeswere taken from my car?"
She nodded again. "Certainly. They were brought to me."
"Then you had someone on my trail?" Gramont flushed a little as he putthe question to her.
"No. I have been chosen to settle affairs with you, that is all. It hasbeen learned from the note in the opened box that you were not criminalin what you did."
She leaned forward, her deep eyes searching him with a steady scrutiny.
"Tell me, Henry Gramont, what mad impulse brought you to all this? Wasit a silly, boyish effort to be romantic--was it a mere outburst ofbravado? It was not for the sake of robbery, as the note explained
veryclearly. But why, then? Why? There must have been a definite reason inyour mind. You would not have taken such dangerous chances unless youhad something to gain!"
Gramont nodded slightly, then flushed again and bit his lip. For amoment he made no response to her query.
He might, of course, say that he had been the Midnight Masquer becauseof her alone; which would be decidedly untrue. He might tell her, as hehad told Hammond, that all his efforts had led up to that scene in theMaillard library, when without suspicion by any concerned he mightverify his own surmise as to who had been defrauding Lucie Ledanois. Itwould sound very well--but it would be a lie. That had been far from hisonly reason for playing the Midnight Masquer's game.
But why tell her anything?
A slight smile touched his lips. "You're not going to send me to prison,I trust?"
"I ought to!" The girl broke into a laugh. "Why, I can hardly yetbelieve that it was really you who were guilty of those things! Itmortified me, it stunned me--until I realized the truth from the note.Even the fact that you did not do it for criminal ends does not relievethe sheer folly of the act. Why did you do it? Come, tell me the truth!"
Gramont shrugged. "The truth? Well, my chauffeur, Hammond, was theoriginal Masquer. I caught him in the act--you remember I told you abouthim? After taking him into my employ, I became the Masquer. Poor Hammondwas some time in realizing that my motives were altruistic and notcriminal. He was quite distressed about it until he found that I meantto return all the loot intact."
"Why did you do it, then?" persisted the girl.
"Call it bravado, my dear Lucie. Call it anything you like--I can't lieto you! I had a motive, and I refuse to admit what it was; that's all."
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"
"Not particularly." He smiled. "I had a good end in view, and Iaccomplished it. Also, I flatter myself that I accomplished it verydecently; there's nothing like being a good workman, you know. Now thatI'm all through, now that I've finished playing my little game, youhappened to discover it. I am ashamed on that point, Lucie--ashamedbecause the discovery has very naturally made you think harshly ofme----"
"I think you've been very silly," she said with a disconcertingcalmness. He regarded her for a moment, steadily. "And you havedisplayed a fearful lack of judgment!"
"Silly? Well--perhaps. What are you going to do with those boxes?"
"I'll put them in the mail. I'm going downtown for luncheon, and will doit then. They'll be delivered this afternoon."
He nodded. "I had meant to have them delivered to-morrow; it makes nodifference. You're the boss. It will give the good people a little morereason for jubilation to-night, eh?"
A sudden laugh broke upon his lips. "I'm beginning to see the humour ofit, Lucie--and I know who put you next to me. It was Jachin Fell, theold fox! I suspected that he was on my trail, and I thought that he hadmanaged the theft of those boxes. In fact, I was preparing to give him abig surprise this afternoon. But tell me, Lucie--are you angry?"
She looked at him steadily for a space, then a swift smile leaped to herlips and she extended a pardoning hand. Her gesture and words wereimpulsive, sincere.
"Angry? No. I think you've some good reason behind it all, which youwon't confide to me. I can read you pretty clearly, Henry Gramont; Ithink I can understand some things in you. You're no weakling, noromantic, filibustering crackbrain! And I like you because you won't lieto me. You've a motive and you refuse to tell it--very well! I'll bejust as frank and say that I'm not a bit angry. So, that's settled!
"Now what was the big surprise that you just mentioned you were going togive poor Mr. Fell this afternoon?"
Gramont's eyes twinkled. "You remember that I thought he suspected me ofbeing the Masquer? Well, I was going to him and propose that we enterbusiness together."
"Oh! As bandits?"
"No, as oil promotors. I'm out of Maillard's company, or shall be out ofit soon. The minute I'm out, I'll be free to go into business formyself. It occurred to me that if Jachin Fell had brains enough to rundown the Midnight Masquer, he would be a mighty good business partner;because I'm poor on business detail. Also, I think Fell is to betrusted. The things you've told me and written me about him prove thatmuch. He's very strong politically, I have found--although few peopleknow it."
"But he's not interested in oil is he?"
"I don't know; I take for granted that he's interested in making money.Most men are. The only way to make money in oil is to have money--and hehas some! I have a little. I can put in twenty-five thousand. With anequal amount from him, we can sink a couple of wells, perhaps three. Ifwe go broke, all right. If we find oil, we're rich!"
"But, my dear Henry, if he knew you to be the Midnight Masquer, do youthink he'd want to go into business with you?" Her gray eyes weredancing with amusement as she put the query.
"Why not?" Gramont laughed. "If he knew that I had brains enough to pulloff that stunt and keep all New Orleans up in the air--wouldn't I make agood partner? Besides, I believe that I have some notion where to goafter oil; I'm going to examine your land first----"
"My good prince, you surely have no lack of audacity!" She broke into apeal of laughter. "Your argument about inducing Mr. Fell to go intobusiness with you is naive----"
"But, as an argument, isn't it quite sound?"
"Possibly. Since it is Lucie Ledanois and not Jachin Fell who hasbrought you to a confession of your crimes against society--aren't yougoing to propose that she go into business with you? Doesn't theargument hold good with her?"
Although Gramont was taken aback, he met her gaze squarely.
"No. Oil is no woman's game, unless she can well afford to lose. Iimagine that you cannot, Lucie. Once I get my company formed,however----"
"You're right, I can't put in any money. I'm land poor. Unless I were tosell that Bayou Terrebonne land--it's an old farm, abandoned sincebefore father died----"
"Don't sell it!" he exclaimed, quickly. "Don't consider any dealingswith it until I have looked it over, will you?"
"Since you ask it, no. If there's gas near by, there must be oil."
"Who knows?" he shrugged. "No one can predict oil."
"Then you still mean to go to Jachin Fell with your scheme?"
Gramont nodded. "Yes. See here, Lucie--it's about noon! Suppose you comealong and lunch with me at the Louisiane, if you've no engagement. Wecan put those boxes in the mail en route, and after luncheon I'll tryand get hold of Fell."
She put her head on one side and studied him reflectively.
"You're sure you'll not kidnap me or anything like that? It's risky tobecome a friend of hardened criminals, even if one is trying to upliftthem."
"Good! You'll come?"
"If you can give me ten minutes----"
"My dear Lucie, you are the most charming object in New Orleans at thisminute! Why attempt to make yourself still more attractive? Gilding thelily is an impossible task."
"Well, wait for me. Is your car here? Good! I want to see Hammond's facewhen he sees us carrying out those boxes."
Laughing, the girl started toward the stairs. At the doorway she paused.
"One thing, M. le prince! Do you solemnly promise, upon your honour,that the Midnight Masquer is dead for ever?"
"Upon my honour!" said Gramont, seriously. "The farce is ended, Lucie."
"All right. I'll be right down. Smoke if you like----"
In her own room upstairs Lucie closed the door and sat down before herdressing table. She made no move toward the array of toilet articles,however. Instead, she took a desk telephone from the table, and called anumber. In a moment she received a response.
"Uncle Jachin!" she exclaimed. "Yes--it's just as we thought; it's all ajoke. No, it was not a joke, either, because he had some motive behindit, but he won't tell me what it was. I'm terribly glad that you openedone of those boxes and found the letter--if you had gone to the policeit would have been perfectly dreadful----"
"I never go to the police," said Ja
chin Fell with his dry chuckle. "Youare quite satisfied that there is nothing serious in the affair, then?"
"Absolutely! He told me that he had accomplished his purpose, whateverit was, and that it's all ended. He just gave me his word that theMasquer was dead for ever. Now, aren't you glad that you confided inme?"
"Very," said Jachin Fell. "Very glad, indeed!"
"Now you're laughing at me--never mind! We're going to lunch downtown,and we'll mail those boxes on the way, by parcels post. Is that allright?"
"Quite all right, my dear. It is the method adopted by the mostexclusive and elusive criminals in the country, I assure you. Everyhandbag snatcher gets rid of his empty bags by mailing them back to theowner--unless first caught. It pays to follow professional examples, asEliza said when she crossed the ice. Did your gown come for to-night?"
"It's to come this afternoon."
"Very well. Do not plan to wear any jewels, Lucie. I have a set to lendyou for the occasion--no, not a gift, merely a loan for the sake ofComus. They are very nice pearls; a little old fashioned, because theywere mounted for the Princesses de Lamballe, but you will find that theyfit in excellently with your gown. I'll bring them with me when I callfor you----"
"And I'll tender fitting thanks then. One thing more: Henry Gramont isgoing to see you after luncheon, I think--on business. And I want you tobe nice to him, Uncle Jachin."
"Most assuredly," said the other, drily. "I should like to be associatedin business with that young man. The firm would prosper."
"Will you stop laughing at me? Then I'll ring off--good-bye!"
And, smiling, she hung up the receiver.
Ten minutes later, when Gramont and Miss Ledanois entered the waitingcar, Hammond saw the boxes that they carried. He stood beside the opendoor, paralyzed, his eyes fastened on the boxes, his mouth agape.
"To the postoffice, sergeant," said Gramont, then affected to observehis stupefaction. "Why, what's the matter?"
Hammond met his twinkling eyes, saw the laughter of Lucie, and swallowedhard.
"I--er--nothing at all, cap'n," he answered, hoarsely. "A--a littlechokin' spell, that's all. Postoffice? Yes, sir."
The Mardi Gras Mystery Page 7