The Lone Wolf by Louis Joseph Vance (ebook reader browser txt) đ
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His spirit was irresistible: in spite of himself Lanyard returned the
smile. âI never knew a man to take it with better grace,â he admitted,
lighting his own cigarette.
âWhy not! I liked it: you gave us precisely what we asked for.â
âThen,â Lanyard demanded gravely, âif thatâs your viewpoint, if youâre
decent enough to see it that wayâwhat the devil are you doing in that
galley?â
âMischief makes strange bed-fellows, youâll admit. And if you think
that a fair questionâwhat are you doing here, with me?â
âSame excuse as beforeâtrying to find out what your game is.â
Wertheimer eyed the ceiling with an intimate grin. âMy dear fellow!â he
protestedââall you want to know is everything!â
âMore or less,â Lanyard admitted gracelessly. âOne gathers that you
mean to stop this side the Channel for some time.â
âHow so?â
âThereâs a settled, personal atmosphere about this establishment. It
doesnât look as if half your things were still in trunks.â
âOh, these digs! Yes, they are comfy.â
âYou donât miss London?â
âRather! But I shall appreciate it all the more when I go back.â
âThen you can go back, if you like?â
âMeaning your impression is, I made it too hot for me?â
Wertheimer interposed with a quizzical glance. âI shanât tell you
about that. But Iâm hoping to be able to run home for an occasional
week-end without vexing Scotland Yard. Why not come with me some
time?â
Lanyard shook his head.
âCome!â the Englishman rallied him. âDonât put on so much side. Iâm not
bad company. Why not be sociable, since weâre bound to be thrown
together more or less in the way of business.â
âOh, I think not.â
âBut, my dear chap, you canât keep this up. Playing taxi-way man is
hardly your shop. And of course you understand you wonât be permitted
to engage in any more profitable pursuit until you make terms with the
powers that beâor leave Paris.â
âTerms with Bannon, De Morbihan, Popinot and yourselfâeh?â
âWith the same.â
âMr. Wertheimer,â Lanyard told him quietly, ânone of you will stop me
if ever I make up my mind to take the field again.â
âYou havenât been thinking of quitting itâwhat?â Wertheimer demanded
innocently, opening his eyes wide.
âPerhapsâŠâ
âAh, now I begin to see a light! So thatâs the reason youâve come down
to tooling a taxi. I wondered! But somehow, Mr. LanyardââWertheimerâs
eyes narrowed thoughtfullyââI can hardly see you content with that
line⊠even if this reform notion isnât simple swank!â
âWell, what do you think?â
âI think,â the Englishman laughedââI think this conference doesnât
get anywhere in particular. Our simple, trusting natures donât seem to
fraternize as spontaneously as they might. We may as well cut the
sparring and go, down to businessâdonât you think? But before we do,
Iâd like your leave to offer one word of friendly advice.â
âAnd that isâ?â
ââWare Bannon!â
Lanyard nodded. âThanks,â he said simply.
âI say that in all sincerity,â Wertheimer declared. âGod knows youâre
nothing to me, but at least youâve played the game like a man; and I
wonât see you butchered to make an Apache holiday for want of warning.â
âBannonâs as vindictive as that, you think?â
âHolds you in the most poisonous regard, if you ask me. Perhaps you
know why: I donât. Anyway, it was rotten luck that brought your car to
the door tonight. He named you during dinner, and while apparently he
doesnât know where to look for you, it is plain heâs got no use for
youânot, at least, until your attitude towards the organization
changes.â
âIt hasnât. But Iâm obliged.â
âSure you canât see your way to work with us?â
âAbsolutely.â
âMind you, Iâll have to report to the Old Man. Iâve got to tell him
your answer.â
âI donât think I need tell you what to tell him,â said Lanyard with
a grin.
âStill, itâs worth thinking over. I know the Old Manâs mind well enough
to feel safe in offering you any inducement you can name, in reason, if
youâll come to us. Ten thousand francs in your pocket before morning,
if you like, and freedom to chuck this filthy job of yoursââ
âPlease stop there!â Lanyard interrupted hotly. âI was beginning to
like you, too⊠Why persist in reminding me youâre intimate with the
brute who had Roddy butchered in his sleep?â
âPoor devil!â Wertheimer said gently. âThat was a sickening business,
I admit. But who told youâ?â
âNever mind. Itâs true, isnât it?â
âYes,â the Englishman admitted gravelyââitâs true. It lies at Bannonâs
door, when allâs saidâŠ. Perhaps you wonât believe me, but itâs a fact
I didnât know positively who was responsible till tonight.â
âYou donât really expect me to swallow that? You were hand-in-gloveââ
âAh, but on probation only! When they voted Roddy out, I wasnât
consulted. They kept me in the darkâmostly, I flatter myself, because
I draw the line at murder. If I had knownâthis you wonât believe, of
courseâRoddy would be alive to-day.â
âIâd like to believe you,â Lanyard admitted. âBut when you ask me to
sign articles with that damned assassinâ!â
âYou canât play our game with clean hands,â Wertheimer retorted.
Lanyard found no answer to that.
âIf youâve said all you wished to,â he suggested, rising, âI can assure
you my answer is finalâand go about my business.â
âWhatâs your hurry? Sit down. Thereâs more to sayâmuch more.â
âAs for instanceâ?â
âI had a fancy you might like to put a question or two.â
Lanyard shook his head; it was plain that Wertheimer designed to draw
him out through his interest in Lucy Shannon.
âI havenât the slightest curiosity concerning your affairs,â he
observed.
âBut you should have; I could tell you a great many interesting things
that intimately affect your affairs, if I liked. You must understand
that I shall hold the balance of power here, from now on.â
âCongratulations!â Lanyard laughed derisively.
âNo joke, my dear chap: Iâve been promoted over the heads of your
friends, De Morbihan and Popinot, and shall henceforth beâas they say
in Americaâthe whole works.â
âBy what warrant?â
âThe illustrious Bannonâs. Iâve been appointed his lieutenantâvice
Greggs, deposed for bungling.â
âDo you mean to tell me Bannon controls De Morbihan and Popinot?â
The Englishman smiled indulgently. âIf you didnât know it, heâs
commander-in-chief of our allied forces, presiding genius of the
International Underworld Unlimited.â
âBosh!â cried Lanyard contemptuously. âWhy talk to me as if I were a
child, to be frightened by a bogey-tale like that?â
âTake it or leave it: the fact remainsâŠ. I know, if you donât. I
confess I didnât till tonight; but Iâve learned some things that have
opened my eyesâŠ. You see, we had a table in a quiet corner of the
Cafïżœ de la Paix, and since the Old Manâs sailing for home before long
it was time for him to unbosom rather thoroughly to the man he leaves
to represent him in London and Paris. I never suspected our power
before he began to talkâŠ.â
Lanyard, watching the man closely, would have sworn he had never seen
one more sober. He was indescribably perplexed by this ostensible
candourâmystified and mistrustful.
âAnd then thereâs this to be considered, from your side,â Wertheimer
resumed with the most business-like manner: âyou can work with us
without being obliged to deal in any way with the Old Man or De
Morbihan, or Popinot. Bannon will never cross the Atlantic again, and
you can do pretty much as you like, within reasonâsubject to my
approval, that is.â
âOne of us is mad,â Lanyard commented profoundly.
âOne of us is blind to his best interests,â Wertheimer amended with
entire good-humour.
âPerhaps⊠Let it go at that. Iâm not interestedânever did care for
fairy tales.â
âDonât go yet. There is still much to be said on both sides of the
argument.â
âHas there been one?â
âBesides, I promised you news from Antwerp.â
âTo be sure,â Lanyard said, and paused, his curiosity at length engaged.
Wertheimer delved into the breast-pocket of his dress-coat and produced
a blue telegraph-form, handing it to the adventurer.
Of even date, from Antwerp, it read:
â_UnderworldâParisâGreggs arrested today boarding
steamer for America after desperate struggle killed himself
immediately afterward poison no confessionâQ-2._â
âUnderworld?â Lanyard queried blankly.
âOur telegraphic address, of course. âQ-2â is our chief factor in
Antwerp.â
âSo they got Greggs!â
âStupid oaf,â Wertheimer observed; âIâve no sympathy for him. The whole
affair was a blunder, from first to last.â
âBut you got Greggs out and burned Troyonâsâ!â
âStill our friends at the Prïżœfecture werenât satisfied. Something must
have roused their suspicions.â
âYou donât know what?â
âThere must have been a leak somewhereââ
âIf so, it would certainly have led the police to me, after all the
pains you were at to saddle me with the crime. Thereâs something more
than simple treachery in this, Mr. Wertheimer.â
âPerhaps youâre right,â said the other thoughtfully.
âAnd it doesnât speak well for the discipline of your precious
organizationâgranting, for the sake of the argument, the possibility
of such nonsense.â
âWell, well, have your own way about that. I donât insist, so long as
you agree to join forces with me.â
âOh, itâs with you alone, nowâis it? Not with that insane fiction,
the International Underworld Unlimited?â
âWith me alone. I offer you a clear field. Go where you like, do what
you willâI wouldnât have the cheek to attempt to guide or influence
you.â
Lanyard kept himself in hand with considerable difficulty.
âBut you?â he asked. âWhere do you come in?â
Wertheimer lounged back in his chair and laughed quietly. âNeed you
ask? Must I recall to you the foundations of my prosperity? You had the
name of it glib enough on your tongue the other night in the rue
ChaptalâŠ. When youâve done your work, youâll come to me and split the
proceeds fairlyâand as long as you do that, never a word will pass my
lips!â
âBlackmailâŠ!â
âOh, if you insist! Odd, how I dislike that word!â
Abruptly the adventurer got to his feet. âBy God!â he cried, âIâd
better get out of this before I do you an injury!â
The door slammed behind him on a room ringing with Wertheimerâs
unaffected laughter.
XX WARBut why?âhe asked himself as he swung his cab aimlessly awayâwhy that
blind rage with which he had welcomed Wertheimerâs overtures?
Unquestionably the business of blackmailing was despicable enough; and
as a master cracksman, of the highest caste of the criminal world, the
Lone Wolf had warrantably treated with scorn and contempt the advances
of a pariah like Wertheimer. But in no such spirit had he comprehended
the Englishmanâs meaning, when finally that one came to the point; no
cool disdain had coloured his attitude, but in the beginning hot
indignation, in the end insensate rageâŠ.
He puzzled himself. That fit of passion had all the aspect of a
psychical inconsistency impossible to reconcile with reason.
He recalled in perplexity how, toward the last, the face of the
Englishman had swum in haze before his eyes; with what disfavour,
approaching hatred, he had regarded its fixed, false smirk; with what
loathing he had suffered the intimacy of Wertheimerâs tone; how he had
been tempted to fly at the manâs throat and shake him senseless in
reward of his effrontery: emotions that had
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