Chapter ten from our Sunday horror book.

the ghostbreaker a novel based upon the play by charles goddard and paul dickey this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org chapter 10 a wager with the duke what a curious sea voyage the duke's attempt to warn the captain of the nature of this one particular passenger never eventualized when the moritania had finally left behind all side of america jarvis relaxed his severity you may enjoy yourself excellency he said as he put away the revolver but i would like to speak to you alone as the representative of the princess on a most important mission i am compelled to look after her interests in a definite manner he faced the girl meaningly will you excuse us for a moment's interchange of pleasantries she nodded and retired to her bedroom with nita what do you want you scoundrel i know that you are an imposter a make-believe and worse take it easy duke i'm really not too enthusiastic over you but this cult revolver is not a make-believe i am only going to bother your aristocratic memory with this one little idea that if there is any reporting to the captain or ships officers to interfere with my services as ghost breaker for the royal house of aragon there is going to be a nice band concert in the public square of your native town and the special number on the program will be the dead march from saul with pretty black crepe on the dukel doorknob do you catch my meaning you yankee pig i'm not a yankee i'm a johnny reb by birth and education but both yankees and rebels acquired a reputation for marksmanship about 50 years ago the just died out of his voice one whimper from you damn you and i'll shoot you as i would a mad dog there was such a savage rasp in that mellow southern voice that the duke instinctively dodged backward as though expecting the first volley we shall see what we shall see were his final words and if i see you about the cabin of my cousin again well perhaps the officers of this ship may take a hand warren pursed his lips into an ironical grin you know a member of my profession doesn't take a solemn oath to wait until the remains are resting in pieces it might not be a difficult task to take up an avocation as well as a vocation i wonder if i couldn't be a pretty good ghost maker think it over jarvis with a simple word of goodbye to the princess returned to his own cabin where he lost himself in slumber the tortures of his trunk trip were still with him in aching muscles and strained ligaments the girl wondered what had become of him for it was not until late in the evening that he telephoned to her at the suite she was on the deck listening to the orchestra concert nita responded at the phone jarvis surprised the girl by a volleyball discourse in spanish he had mastered it in his tropical travels it was to come in as a life-saving accomplishment before the end of the adventure tell me nita have you good eyes he curiously inquired ah senor so i am told was the ingenuous reply well in that sense i have my doubts about their goodness but what i want you to do for the sake of your princess and her brother is to keep those black eyes eternally watchful i'm expecting some curious tricks from one we know let her know what you see and she will tell me remember keep looking listening all the time nida promised and worn repaired to the lounge where he observed the duke nursing his ill humor over a lonesome absinthe frappe warren did not seek companionship either upon this journey he knew too many men in the ranks of the international traders to dare risk recognition the great roadway between new york and the european ports has now become a veritable promenade thronged with travelers it is no longer a lonely passage the great steamship was crowded on this trip rusty being in good luck to obtain a stateroom relinquished just before sailing time with nearly 2 000 people on...