"Wonderful!" he murmured."Wonderful! Shall I come to believe in the Chaldean Chiroscope myself? Let me assure you," he continued, "that there is nothing for you to fear.Instead, I think Ican promise you that very good fortune awaits you.We will see.""Do they want me back?" asked Thomas, with something of his old professional pride in his voice."I'll promise to cut out the booze and do the right thing if they'll try me again.But how did you get wise, doc? B'gee, it's the swellest employment agency Iwas ever in, with its flashlight owls and so forth."With an indulgent smile the gracious host begged to be excused for two minutes.He went out to the sidewalk and gave an order to the chauffeur, who still waited with the car.Returning to the mysterious apartment, he sat by his guest and began to entertain him so well by his witty and genial converse that the poor Bed Liner almost forgot the cold streets from which he had been so recently and so singularly rescued.A servant brought some tender cold fowl and tea biscuits and a glass of miraculous wine; and Thomas felt the glamour of Arabia envelop him.Thus half an hour sped quickly; and then the honk of the returned motor car at the door suddenly drew the Grand Duke to his feet, with another soft petition for a brief absence.
Two women, well muffled against the cold, were admitted at the front door and suavely conducted by the master of the house down the hall through another door to the left and into a smaller room, which was screened and segregated from the larger front room by heavy, double porti`eres.here the furnishings were even more elegant and exquisitely tasteful than in the other.On a gold-inlaid rosewood table were scattered sheets of white paper and a queer, triangular instrument or toy, apparently of gold, standing on little wheels.
The taller woman threw back her black veil and loosened her cloak.She was fifty, with a wrinkled and sad face.The other, young and plump, took a chair a little distance away and to the rear as a servant or an attendant might have done.
"You sent for me, Professor Cherubusco," said the elder woman, wearily."I hope you have something more definite than usual to say.I've about lost the little faith I had in your art.I would not have responded to your call this evening if my sister had not insisted upon it.""Madam," said the professor, with his princeliest smile, "the true Art cannot fail.To find the true psychic and potential branch sometimes requires time.We have not succeeded, I admint, with the cards, the crystal, the stars, the magic formulae of Zarazin, nor the Oracle of Po.But we have at last discovered the true psychic route.The Chaldean Chiroscope has been successful in our search."The professor's voice had a ring that seemed to proclaim his belief in his own words.The elderly lady looked at him with a little more interest.
"Why, there was no sense in those words that it wrote with my hands on it," she said."What do you mean?""The words were these," said Professor Cherubusco, rising to his full magnificent height: _"By the fifth wheel of the chariot he shall come."_"I haven't seen many chariots," said the lady, "but I never saw one with five wheels.""Progress," said the professor--"progress in science and mechanics has accomplished it--though, to be exact, we may speak of it only as an extra tire.Progress in occult art has advanced in proportion.
Madam, I repeat that the Chaldean Chiroscope has succeeded.Ican not only answer the question that you have propounded, but Ican produce before your eyes the proof thereof."And now the lady was disturbed both in her disbelief and in her poise.
"O professor!" she cried anxiously--"When?--where? Has he been found? Do not keep me in suspense.""I beg you will excuse me for a very few minutes," said Professor Cherubusco, "and I think I can demonstrate to you the efficacy of the true Art."Thomas was contentedly munching the last crumbs of the bread and fowl when the enchanter appeared suddenly at his side.
"Are you willing to return to your old home if you are assured of a welcome and restoration to favor?" he asked, with his courteous, royal smile.
"Do I look bughouse?" answered Thomas."Enough of the footback life for me.But will they have me again? The old lady is as fixed in her ways as a nut on a new axle.""My dear young man," said the other, "she has been searching for you everywhere.""Great!" said Thomas."I'm on the job.That team of dropsical domedaries they call horses is a handicap for a first-class coachman like myself; but I'll take the job back, sure, doc.They're good people to be with."And now a change came o'er the suave countenance of the Caliph of Bagdad.He looked keenly and suspiciously at the ex-coachman.
"May I ask what your name is?" he said shortly.
"You've been looking for me," said Thomas, "and don't know my name? You're a funny kind of sleuth.You must be one of the Central Office gumshoers.I'm Thomas McQuade, of course; and I've been chauffeur of the Van Smuythe elephant team for a year.
They fired me a month ago for--well, doc, you saw what I did to your old owl.I went broke on booze, and when I saw the tire drop off your whiz wagon I was standing in that squad of hoboes at the Worth monument waiting for a free bed.Now, what's the prize for the best answer to all this?"To his intense surprise Thomas felt himself lifted by the collar and dragged, without a word of explanation, to the front door.This was opened, and he was kicked forcibly down the steps with one heavy, disillusionizing, humiliating impact of the stupendous Arabian's shoe.
As soon as the ex-coachman had recovered his feet and his wits he hastened as fast as he could eastward toward Broadway.
"Crazy guy," was his estimate of the mysterious automobilist.
