The Ghost Breaker: A Melodramatic Farce in Four Acts Part 6

JARVIS. Come on in, Rusty.

RUSTY. (_Crosses to back of trunk_) How did you get on board?

JARVIS. I came in that trunk.

RUSTY. You came in that trunk?

JARVIS. Did you see any signs of the police?

RUSTY. No, sir.

JARVIS. Are you sure?

RUSTY. Yes, sir.

JARVIS. Did you look?

RUSTY. No, sir. (_Handle of door_ R. _rattles._ JARVIS _to open door._ Princess _enters._)

RUSTY. How de do, Mrs. Princess?

PRINCESS. How do you do, Rusty? (_Exclamation_ C.R.) Oh, there you are!

You're all right, aren't you?

JARVIS. (_Rubbing sore places_) Yes, I'm all right.

PRINCESS. But your hand--you must have that attended to at once.

JARVIS. That's all right. I'll see the s.h.i.+p's surgeon.

PRINCESS. Do, please.

JARVIS. (R.) You can go now, Rusty. Oh, listen! What is the number of your stateroom?

RUSTY. Number Seven twenty-nine.

JARVIS. Seven twenty-nine. Now get this: Go there, lock yourself in, and don't talk to anyone. You're deaf and dumb--understand?--deaf and dumb.

RUSTY. I got you first. (_Exit upper deck._)

PRINCESS. There is something I must tell you. My cousin, the Duke D'Alva, is on board this boat.

JARVIS. (_Whimsically_) He professes to love you devotedly.

PRINCESS. You overheard?

JARVIS. (_Pointing to trunk_) The trunk. It wasn't my idea, you know.

(_With feeling--yet knowledge_) You are afraid of him? Why?

PRINCESS. Well, he is very powerful--and I may be driven into his hands.

JARVIS. You mean--you might have to marry him?

PRINCESS. (_Looking nervously toward door_ C.) Yes, if you fail.

JARVIS. (_Breath being taken away_) If I fail--Say, hold on a minute!

Things are coming too fast for me. I--you--how do I----

PRINCESS. (_Interrupting_) He may come back any minute--and I don't dare tell him what happened at the Manhattan Hotel--but he will want to know who you are and why you are with me.

JARVIS. That's what I want to know. You forget I am completely in the dark.

PRINCESS. (_Looking out of window_) The police can't be on board now.

(_Down stage._)

JARVIS. (_Going to window beside her, and then back again_) You can't tell until you see who goes ash.o.r.e with the pilot. They may be working on Rusty as a clue, but it won't lead them to anything so long as they don't connect him with me. We'll take no chances until we get past the danger line. Now let's get down to business. What is the matter--and what am I to do?

PRINCESS. (_Hesitating_) I hardly know how to begin--it seems absurd in this broad daylight to talk of ghosts--but the fact is, my castle is haunted.

JARVIS. (_Laughing_) Spooks?

[Ill.u.s.tration: "THE GHOST BREAKER" _See Page 34_]

PRINCESS. (_Very seriously_) Call it anything you like, but the castle is haunted, just the same. My grandfather was one of the wealthiest n.o.bles in Spain. When he died my father went to take possession of his estate in Segura. He found the town full of weird stories of uncanny happenings--the castle was deserted, everyone had fled and all told of something in armor that stalked the halls at night.

JARVIS. O-o-o-o-o-o-o-h!

PRINCESS. My father laughed at the silly natives and said he would go into the castle and show them how foolish their fears were. He went, and was never seen again.

JARVIS. (_Naturally deeply interested_) What happened to him?

PRINCESS. No one knows. He disappeared--vanished utterly, without leaving a single clue--and the treasure's gone.

JARVIS. (_More interested at word Treasure_) Treasure--what treasure?

PRINCESS. My grandfather is known to have converted all his wealth into Spanish gold. It amounted to about a million dollars in your money.

JARVIS. How long ago was that?

PRINCESS. Fifteen years ago. Since then two other men have disappeared--just as my father did--and now, the Duke tells me that my brother has entered the castle. You see it runs in the blood. Up to a week ago my brother had sent me a cable every day, then suddenly the messages ceased. All this week not a word. Now I know--my brother has entered the castle, and--well, that is the end.

JARVIS. Why did you leave Spain?

PRINCESS. A part of the legend was that a plan had been made showing just where the treasure was located--but this plan could never be found.

Only by accident I learned that this plan had been hidden in the back of a locket and the locket, I discovered, had been sold and was in America. It was to find this locket that I left my brother and came here.

JARVIS. Then my work now is to find your brother and solve the mystery?

All right! We'll explain to the Duke that you are taking me to Spain for no other purpose than to solve the mystery. In America we've had trust-breakers and strike-breakers, and now why not Jarvis, the Ghost Breaker?