"A certain kind of "one" can"t," returned the Unspeakable Perk, with his half-smile. "You don"t mind my saying, Mr. Carroll, you"re a brave man."
"And I"d have said that you weren"t," replied the other bluntly. "I give it up. But I know this: I"m going to be pretty wretchedly frightened until I know that I haven"t got it. I"m frightened now."
"Then you"re a braver man than I thought. But the danger may be less than you think. Stick to that cigar--here are two more--and wait for me outside. Here"s the doctor."
Profound and solemn under a silk hat, the local physician entered, bowing to Carroll as they pa.s.sed in the hallway. Almost immediately Perkins emerged. On his face was a sardonic grin.
"Malaria," he observed. "The learned professor a.s.sures me that it"s a typical malaria."
"Then it isn"t the plague," said Carroll, relieved.
His relief was of brief duration.
"Of course it"s plague. But if Professor Silk Hat, in there, officially declared it such, he"d have bracelets on his arms in twelve hours. The present Government of Caracuia doesn"t believe in bubonic plague. I fancy our unfortunate friend in there will presently disappear, either just before or just after death. It doesn"t greatly matter."
"What is to be done now?" asked Carroll.
"See that brush fire up there?" The hermit pointed to the hillside.
"If we steep ourselves in that smoke until we choke, I think it will discourage any fleas that may have harbored on us. The flea is the only agent of communication."
Soot-begrimed, strangling, and with streaming eyes, they emerged, five minutes later, from the cloud of smoke. From his pocket the Unspeakable Perk dragged forth his white gloves. The action attracted his companion"s attention.
"Good Lord!" he cried. "What has happened to your hands?"
"They"re blistered."
"Stripped, rather. They look as if you"d fallen into a fire, or rowed a fifty-mile race. That message of Mr. Brewster"s--See here, Perkins, you didn"t row that over to the mainland? No, you couldn"t. That"s absurd.
It"s too far."
"No; I didn"t row it to the mainland."
"But you"ve been rowing. I"d swear to those hands. Where? The blockading Dutch warship?"
The other nodded.
"Last night. Yah-h-h!" he yawned. "It makes me sleepy to think of it."
"Why didn"t they blow you out of the water?"
"Oh, I was semiofficially expected. Message from our consul. They transferred the message by wireless. I"m telling you all this, Mr.
Carroll, because I think you"ll get your release within forty-eight hours, and I want you to see that some of your party keeps constantly in touch with Mr. Sherwen. It"s mighty important that your party should get out before plague is officially declared."
"Are you going to report this case?"
"All that I know about it."
"But, of course, you can"t report officially, not being a physician,"
mused the other. "Still, when Dr. Pruyn comes, it will be evidence for him, won"t it?"
"Undoubtedly. I should consider any delay after twenty-four hours risky for your party."
"What shall you do? Stay?"
"Oh, I"ve my place in the mountains. That"s remote enough to be safe.
Thank Heaven, there"s a cloud over the sun! Let"s sit down by this tree for a minute."
Unthinkingly, as he stretched himself out, the Unspeakable Perk pushed his goggles back and presently slipped them off. Thus, when Carroll, who had been gazing at the mist-capped peak of the mountain in front, turned and met his companion"s eyes, he underwent something of the same shock that Polly Brewster had experienced, though the nature of his sensation was profoundly different. But his impression of the suddenly revealed face was the same. Ribbed-in though his mind was with tradition, and distorted with falsely focused ideals and prejudices, Preston Fairfax Fitzhugh Carroll possessed a sound underlying judgment of his fellow man, and was at bottom a frank and honorable gentleman. In his belief, the suddenly revealed face of the man beside him came near to being its own guaranty of honor and good faith.
"By Heavens, I don"t believe it!" he blurted out, his gaze direct upon the Unspeakable Perk.
"What don"t you believe?"
"That rotten club gossip."
"About me?"
"Yes," said Carroll, reddening.
The hermit pushed his gla.s.ses down, settled into place the white gloves, with their soothing contents of emollient greases, and got to his feet.
"We"d best be moving. I"ve got much to do," he said.
"Not yet," retorted Carroll. "Perkins, is there a woman up there on the mountains with you?"
"That is purely my own business."
"You told Miss Brewster there wasn"t. If you tell me--"
"I never told her any such thing. She misunderstood."
"Who is the woman?"
"If you want it even more frankly, that is none of your concern."
"You have been letting Miss Brewster--"
"Are you engaged to marry Miss Brewster?"
"No."
"Then you have no authority to question me. But," he added wearily, "if it will ease your mind, and because of what you"ve done to-day, I "ll tell you this--that I do not expect ever to see Miss Brewster again."
"That isn"t enough," insisted Carroll, his face darkening. "Her name has already been connected with yours, and I intend to follow this through.
I am going to find out who the woman is at your place."
"How do you propose to do it?"
"By coming to see."