"I'm ready to blow up!" warned the man. He hurried across the room and
guarded the telephone with outspread arms.
"Both of you will be sorry if the police are called," he cried. To Mayo,
who was close to him, he mumbled, "Damn him, if he dumps me like this
you're going to be the winner!"
There was so much reality in the man's rancor that Mayo was impressed
and seized upon the idea which came to him.
"We'll test your friend," he whispered, clutching the man, and making
pretense of a struggle. "I'll fake a call. Keep wrestling."
Fogg gave only indifferent attention to the affair in the corner of the
room.
With one hand holding down the receiver-arm Mayo called; he was
pushed about violently, but managed to say: "Desk? Call police to
hotel--lobby--at once!"
"Mr. Fogg," pleaded the man, giving Mayo an understanding nudge with his
elbow, "ain't you going to give me a chance for a private talk?"
"If you ever speak to me or try to see me again I'll have you arrested."
"But you're dumping me."
"Get out of this room, both of you! I don't want the police up here."
Mayo clapped hand on his prisoner's shoulder and pushed him out.
"Go down-stairs slow," protested the man. "He is bound to come out and
call me back! He's got to! He doesn't dare to dump me!"
"He dares to do anything," stated Mayo, bitterly, "including what he
did to me and the Montana. I suppose you read about it--everybody else
did."
They walked leisurely, but Mr. Fogg's door remained closed. They waited
in the office of the hotel. He did not appear.
"By Judas!" rasped the man, "another two-spot torn up and thrown into
the discard along with you! And I helped 'em do it to you! I'm coming
across, Mayo! That telephone business was a mighty friendly trick to
help me force him. I appreciate it! I was on board the Montana that
night you and she got yours! My name is Burkett--Oliver. I was there,
though you didn't see me."
"I heard you were there, afterward," stated Captain Mayo, grimly.
"Captain Wass mentioned you!"
"And probably didn't give me much of a reputation. I can't help that!
You needn't put one bit more trust in me, Captain Mayo, than you want
to. I don't ask you to have any respect for me. But I want to tell you
that when a man promises to back me and then turns round and dumps me
so as to cover his own tracks, he will get his if I'm able to hand it to
him! I'm generally dirty. I'm especially dirty in a case like that!"