第14章

Thomas McQuade, scenting an opportunity, darted from his place among the Preacher's goats.In thirty seconds he had caught the rolling tire, swung it over his shoulder, and was trotting smartly after the car.On both sides of the avenue people were shouting, whistling, and waving canes at the red car, pointing to the enterprising Thomas coming up with the lost tire.

One dollar, Thomas had estimated, was the smallest guerdon that so grand an automobilist could offer for the service he had rendered, and save his pride.

Two blocks away the car had stopped.There was a little, brown, muffled chauffeur driving, and an imposing gentleman wearing a magnificent sealskin coat and a silk hat on a rear seat.

Thomas proffered the captured tire with his best ex-coachman manner and a look in the brighter of his reddened eyes that was meant to be suggestive to the extent of a silver coin or two and receptive up to higher denominations.

But the look was not so construed.The sealskinned gentleman received the tire, placed it inside the car, gazed intently at the ex-coachman, and muttered to himself inscrutable words.

"Strange--strange!" said he."Once or twice even I, myself, have fancied that the Chaldean Chiroscope has availed.Could it be possible?"Then he addressed less mysterious words to the waiting and hopeful Thomas.

"Sir, I thank you for your kind rescue of my tire.And I would ask you, if I may, a question.Do you know the family of Van Smuythes living in Washington Square North?""Oughtn't I to?" replied Thomas."I lived there.Wish I did yet."The sealskinned gentleman opened a door of the car.

"Step in please," he said."You have been expected."Thomas McQuade obeyed with surprise but without hesitation.Aseat in a motor car seemed better than standing room in the Bed Line.But after the lap-robe had been tucked about him and the auto had sped on its course, the peculiarity of the invitation lingered in his mind.

"Maybe the guy hasn't got any change," was his diagnosis."Lots of these swell rounders don't lug about any ready money.Guess he'll dump me out when he gets to some joint where he can get cash on his mug.Anyhow, it's a cinch that I've got that open-air bed convention beat to a finish."Submerged in his greatcoat, the mysterious automobilist seemed, himself, to marvel at the surprises of life."Wonderful! amazing!

strange!" he repeated to himself constantly.

When the car had well entered the crosstown Seventies, it swung eastward a half block and stopped before a row of high-stooped, brownstone-front houses.

"Be kind enough to enter my house with me," said the sealskinned gentleman when they had alighted."He's going to dig up, sure,"reflected Thomas, following him inside.

There was a dim light in the hall.His host conducted him through a door to the left, closing it after him and leaving them in absolute darkness.Suddenly a luminous globe, strangely decorated, shone faintly in the centre of an immense room that seemed to Thomas more splendidly appointed than any he had ever seen on the stage or read of in fairy tales.

The walls were hidden by gorgeous red hangings embroidered with fantastic gold figures.At the rear end of the room were draped porti`eres of dull gold spangled with silver crescents and stars.

The furniture was of the costliest and rarest styles.The ex-coachman's feet sank into rugs as fleecy and deep as snowdrifts.

There were three or four oddly shaped stands or tables covered with black velvet drapery.

Thomas McQuade took in the splendors of this palatial apartment with one eye.With the other he looked for his imposing conductor--to find that he had disappeared.

"B'gee!" muttered Thomas, "this listens like a spook shop.

Shouldn't wonder if it ain't one of these Moravian Nights'

adventures that you read about.Wonder what became of the furry guy."Suddenly a stuffed owl that stood on an ebony perch near the illuminated globe slowly raised his wings and emitted from his eyes a brilliant electric glow.

With a fright-born imprecation, Thomas seized a bronze statuette of Hebe from a cabinet near by and hurled it with all his might at the terrifying and impossible fowl.The owl and his perch went over with a crash.With the sound there was a click, and the room was flooded with light from a dozen frosted globes along the walls and ceiling.The gold porti`eres parted and closed, and the mysterious automobilist entered the room.He was tall and wore evening dress of perfect cut and accurate taste.A Vandyke beard of glossy, golden brown, rather long and wavy hair, smoothly parted, and large, magnetic, orientally occult eyes gave him a most impressive and striking appearance.If you can conceive a Russian Grand Duke in a Rajah's throneroom advancing to greet a visiting Emperor, you will gather something of the majesty of his manner.

But Thomas McQuade was too near his _d t's_ to be mindful of his _p's_ and _q's_.When he viewed this silken, polished, and somewhat terrifying host he thought vaguely of dentists.

"Say, doc," said he resentfully, "that's a hot bird you keep on tap.Ihope I didn't break anything.But I've nearly got the williwalloos, and when he threw them 32-candle-power-lamps of his on me, Itook a snap-shot at him with that little brass Flatiron Girl that stood on the sideboard.""That is merely a mechanical toy," said the gentleman with a wave of his hand."May I ask you to be seated while I explain why Ibrought you to my house.Perhaps you would not understand nor be in sympathy with the psychological prompting that caused me to do so.So I will come to the point at once by venturing to refer to your admission that you know the Van Smuythe family, of Washington Square North.""Any silver missing," asked Thomas tartly."Any joolry displaced?

Of course I know 'em.Any of the old ladies' sunshades disappeared? Well, I know 'em.And then what?"The Grand Duke rubbed his white hands together softly.