Maxwell Grant - The Shadow - 108 by Maxwel l Grant

Author:Maxwel,l Grant
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

CHAPTER XV. THE NEW GAME

"WHEN I went aboard the Maldah, in New York," stated Jalway in a candid tone. "I did so with the intention of building up a reputation with Kingdon Feldworth. I figured that he was wealthy enough to be due for a trimming at some future date."

"I take it that swindling is your game," observed Elger.

"It is," admitted Jalway. "But I've kept it nicely under cover. When I fleece saps like Feldworth, I do it indirectly. Stock deals in which I appear to be a dupe also."

"Did you ever handle a stock called Consolidated Securities?" inquired Elger.

"Never heard of it," returned Jalway. "It sounds like a flim-flam. Where did you hear about it?"

"Through a friend." Elger was eyeing Jalway carefully. "Forget it. Go on with your story."

"In Havana," resumed Jalway, "we all went ashore. Hadlow took Francine about the city; the old professor went to a museum. Only the captain and Feldworth were aboard the yacht when I returned unexpectedly.

"A flock of Cuban stevedores were loading some boxes aboard the Maldah. They took them into the cabin, then came out and went away. I saw the captain come from the cabin. Figuring that Feldworth was in, I strolled up and rapped at the door. Feldworth admitted me. He thought I was the captain coming back. The boxes were gone."

"Where were they?" asked Elger.

"I'm coming to that," explained Jalway. "I must have looked about in rather curious fashion, because Feldworth guessed that I had seen the boxes. He shut the cabin door and took me into his confidence."

"Regarding the contents of the boxes?"

"Yes. It appears that Feldworth had met a wealthy Cuban in New York. One of those fellows who had to scamper from Havana after the revolution. The Cuban had left a million dollars' worth of rare curios buried in Havana. He was hard up; he sold the lot to Feldworth for two hundred grand. But Feldworth had to get the stuff."

"He managed it without trouble?"

"Yes. The Cuban had told him where the stuff was buried. He also gave Feldworth the names of certain loyalists in Havana. Those chaps were the stevedores - fake ones, of course - and they delivered the goods aboard the yacht. Went after the stuff pronto when Feldworth told them where it was stowed."

"Where did Feldworth put the boxes?"

"In a secret compartment at the end of his cabin. He opened it and gave me a look into one of the boxes.

I had a flash of some rare stuff. Jeweled hangings - cloth of gold - enough to tell me that the million-dollar talk was true."

"So that," mused Elger, "is why Kingdon Feldworth prefers not to abandon his stranded yacht."

"Absolutely," stated Jalway. "You know the laws of salvage. A claim on the cargo as well as the ship itself. It isn't the Maldah that Feldworth cares about. He wants to get that stuff ashore. That's why he's sticking to the ship."

ELGER nodded. Exhaling pipe smoke, he studied Jalway closely, expecting some suggestion. It came.

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