Minton
CHAPTER II Bugler for the Dead
If he was going to rescue his trusted friend Torty from that cowardly Yankee’s air castle certain sacrifices would have to be made thought the dandy discarding his fine kid gloves.
Dandy Deane eased the steam driven horse gently towards the floating palace operating the delicate controls with his bare hands while looking ahead for the best place to land. Two miles below the flying machine large icebergs bobbed in the serene waters of the North Atlantic calved from the glaciers along the coast of Greenland by the wanton Yankee’s sunlight collector and destined for the southern shipping lanes. The whalers who had hired him to thwart the plot has already lost twenty vessels to the treacherous blocks of ice. Deane set the horse down on the hurricane deck turned off the boiler and retracted the wings. His intelligent features were concealed under a mask of dark red velvet like an executioner moreover he was elegantly dressed in formal mourning and his bowler was dignified with a narrow black crape band. The air castle was built to resemble a grand seventeenth century Italian villa though he was not surprised to find that it was made of balsa. Peeping through the nearest window Deane saw a beautiful young lady sitting on the side of a bed slowly pulling a pair of striped silk stockings on to her very fetching legs. Blinking short sighted eyes the shy dandy hastily looked away fretting meekly for a minute or two. At length when he looked back the girl had finished dressing and was now braiding her long auburn hair. Her angelic countenance so full of innocence and strength was reflected in the silvered lookingglass. She sighed softly then left closing the door behind her. He stepped into the room. Guided by the unmistakable sounds of a banquet he followed silently drawing a well oiled revolver out of his vest pocket. Amongst the drunken conversations he recognized one rusty voice. Nithsdale.
Nithsdale was very cross and irritable and his host kept trying to assure the wicked traditionary that some herculean work had been taken care of in spite of his doubts. This persistent placating greatly annoyed the dandy’s sanguinary foe.
Even if everything is as you say I’ll not stay here any longer. You’ve got that damned negro there—he shook his fist at poor Torty who was tied to a chair—so Deane is sure to turn up to reclaim his property and nothing will induce me to face that workhouse wagabone again. He spat fiercely in a spittoon. Carlatina and I will return to London in the morning.
Colonel Mervyn fitted a cigar into an amber mouth piece and eyed the pretty young lady while leisurely considering his reply. From his hiding place at the top of the stairs Deane was watching her too as she listened intently to their conversation leaning over the table in a most tantalizing manner. The handsome Yankee decided that it was time to enlist an ally.
Do you share your father’s fears that this foppish deserter is on his way to murder us in our beds Miss Carlatina?
A champagne cork popped and a fat dowager in black satin abruptly stopped cackling.
