within the law- 第45部分

〃I　won't　say　any　more　until　I've　talked　with　a　lawyer　whom　I　can　trust。〃　　He　shot　a　vindictive　glance　toward　Demarest。

The　father　intervened　with　a　piteous　eagerness。

〃Dick；　if　you　know　who　killed　this　man；　you　must　speak　to　protect　yourself。〃

Burke's　voice　came　viciously。

〃The　gun　was　found　on　you。　　Don't　forget　that。〃

〃You　don't　seem　to　realize　the　position　you're　in；〃　the　father　insisted；　despairingly。　　〃Think　of　me；　Dick；　my　boy。　　If　you　won't　speak　for　your　own　sake；　do　it　for　mine。〃

The　face　of　the　young　man　softened　as　he　met　his　father's　beseeching　eyes。

〃I'm　sorry；　Dad；〃　he　said；　very　gently。　　〃But　Iwell；　I　can't！〃　

Again；　Burke　interposed。　　His　busy　brain　was　working　out　a　new　scheme　for　solving　this　irritating　problem。

〃I'm　going　to　give　him　a　little　more　time　to　think　things　over；〃　he　said；　curtly。　　He　went　back　to　his　chair。　〃Perhaps　he'll　get　to　understand　the　importance　of　what　we've　been　saying　pretty　soon。〃　　He　scowled　at　Dick。　〃Now；　young　man；〃　he　went　on　briskly；　〃you　want　to　do　a　lot　of　quick　thinking；　and　a　lot　of　honest　thinking；　and；　when　you're　ready　to　tell　the　truth；　let　me　know。〃

He　pressed　the　button　on　his　desk；　and；　as　the　doorman　appeared；　addressed　that　functionary。

〃Dan；　have　one　of　the　men　take　him　back。　　You　wait　outside。〃

Dick；　however；　did　not　move。　　His　voice　came　with　a　note　of　determination。

〃I　want　to　know　about　my　wife。　　Where　is　she？〃　

Burke　disregarded　the　question　as　completely　as　if　it　had　not　been　uttered；　and　went　on　speaking　to　the　doorman　with　a　suggestion　in　his　words　that　was　effective。

〃He's　not　to　speak　to　any　one；　you　understand。〃　　Then　he　condescended　to　give　his　attention　to　the　prisoner。　〃You'll　know　all　about　your　wife；　young　man；　when　you　make　up　your　mind　to　tell　me　the　truth。〃

Dick　gave　no　heed　to　the　Inspector's　statement。　　His　eyes　were　fixed　on　his　father；　and　there　was　a　great　tenderness　in　their　depths。　　And　he　spoke　very　softly：

〃Dad；　I'm　sorry！〃　

The　father's　gaze　met　the　son's；　and　the　eyes　of　the　two　locked。　　There　was　no　other　word　spoken。　　Dick　turned；　and　followed　his　custodian　out　of　the　office　in　silence。　　Even　after　the　shutting　of　the　door　behind　the　prisoner；　the　pause　endured　for　some　moments。

Then；　at　last；　Burke　spoke　to　the　magnate。

〃You　see；　Mr。　Gilder；　what　we're　up　against。　　I　can't　let　him　goyet！〃　

The　father　strode　across　the　room　in　a　sudden　access　of　rage。

〃He's　thinking　of　that　woman；〃　he　cried　out；　in　a　loud　voice。　　〃He's　trying　to　shield　her。〃

〃He's　a　loyal　kid；　at　that；〃　Burke　commented；　with　a　grudging　admiration。　　〃I'll　say　that　much　for　him。〃　　His　expression　grew　morose；　as　again　he　pressed　the　button　on　his　desk。　　〃And　now；〃　he　vouchsafed；　〃I'll　show　you　the　difference。〃　　Then；　as　the　doorman　reappeared；　he　gave　his　order：　〃Dan；　have　the　Turner　woman　brought　up。〃　　He　regarded　the　two　men　with　his　bristling　brows　pulled　down　in　a　scowl。　　〃I'll　have　to　try　a　different　game　with　her；〃　he　said；　thoughtfully。　〃She　sure　is　one　clever　little　dame。　　But；　if　she　didn't　do　it　herself；　she　knows　who　did；　all　right。〃　　Again；　Burke's　voice　took　on　its　savage　note。　　〃And　some　one's　got　to　pay　for　killing　Griggs。　　I　don't　have　to　explain　why　to　Mr。　Demarest；　but　to　you；　Mr。　Gilder。　　You　see；　it's　this　way：　The　very　foundations　of　the　work　done　by　this　department　rest　on　the　use　of　crooks；　who　are　willing　to　betray　their　pals　for　coin。　　I　told　you　a　bit　about　it　last　night。　　Now；　you　understand；　if　Griggs's　murder　goes　unpunished；　it'll　put　the　fear　of　God　into　the　heart　of　every　stool…pigeon　we　employ。　　And　then　where'd　we　be？　　Tell　me　that！〃　

The　Inspector　next　called　his　stenographer；　and　gave　explicit　directions。　　At　the　back　of　the　room；　behind　the　desk；　were　three　large　windows；　which　opened　on　a　corridor；　and　across　this　was　a　tier　of　cells。　　The　stenographer　was　to　take　his　seat　in　this　corridor；　just　outside　one　of　the　windows。　　Over　the　windows；　the　shades　were　drawn；　so　that　he　would　remain　invisible　to　any　one　within　the　office；　while　yet　easily　able　to　overhear　every　word　spoken　in　the　room。

When　he　had　completed　his　instructions　to　the　stenographer；　Burke　turned　to　Gilder　and　Demarest。

〃Now；　this　time；〃　he　said　energetically；　〃I'll　be　the　one　to　do　the　talking。　　And　get　this：　Whatever　you　hear　me　say；　don't　you　be　surprised。　　Remember；　we're　dealing　with　crooks；　and；　when　you're　dealing　with　crooks；　you　have　to　use　crooked　ways。〃

There　was　a　brief　period　of　silence。　　Then；　the　door　opened；　and　Mary　Turner　entered　the　office。　　She　walked　slowly　forward；　moving　with　the　smooth　strength　and　grace　that　were　the　proof　of　perfect　health　and　of　perfect　poise；　the　correlation　of　mind　and　body　in　exactness。　Her　form；　clearly　revealed　by　the　clinging　evening　dress；　was　a　curving　group　of　graces。　　The　beauty　of　her　face　was　enhanced；　rather　than　lessened；　by　the　pallor　of　it；　for　the　fading　of　the　richer　colors　gave　to　the　fine　features　an　expression　more　spiritual；　made　plainer　the　underlying　qualities　that　her　accustomed　brilliance　might　half…conceal。　　She　paid　absolutely　no　attention　to　the　other　two　in　the　room；　but　went　straight　to　the　desk；　and　there　halted；　gazing　with　her　softly　penetrant　eyes　of　deepest　violet　into　the　face　of　the　Inspector。

Under　that　intent　scrutiny；　Burke　felt　a　challenge；　set　himself　to　match　craft　with　craft。　　He　was　not　likely　to　undervalue　the　wits　of　one　who　had　so　often　flouted　him；　who；　even　now；　had　placed　him　in　a　preposterous　predicament　by　this　entanglement　over　the　death　of　a　spy。　　But　he　was　resolved　to　use　his　best　skill　to　disarm　her　sophistication。　　His　large　voice　was　modulated　to　kindliness　as　he　spoke　in　a　casual　manner。

〃I　just　sent　for　you　to　tell　you　that　you're　free。〃

Mary　regarded　the　speaker　with　an　impenetrable　expression。　Her　tones　as　she　spoke　were　quite　as　matter…of…fact　as　his　own　had　been。　　In　them　was　no　wonder；　no　exultation。

〃Then；　I　can　go；〃　she　said；　simply。

〃Sure；　you　can　go；〃　Burke　replied；　amiably。

Without　any　delay；　yet　without　any　haste；　Mary　glanced　toward　Gilder　and　Demarest；　who　were　watching　the　scene　closely。　　Her　eyes　were　somehow　appraising；　but　altogether　indifferent。　　Then；　she　went　toward　the　outer　door　of　the　office；　still　with　that　almost　lackadaisical　air。

Burke　waited　rather　impatiently　until　she　had　nearly　reached　the　door　before　he　shot　his　bolt；　with　a　fine　assumption　of　carelessness　in　the　announcement。

〃Garson　has　confessed！〃　

Mary；　who　readily　enough　had　already　guessed　the　essential　hypocrisy　of　all　this　play；　turned　and　confronted　the　Inspector；　and　answered　without　the　least　trace　of　fear；　but　with　the　firmness　of　knowledge：

〃Oh；　no；　he　hasn't！〃　

Her　attitude　exasperated　Burke。　　His　voice　roared　out　wrathfully。

〃What's　the　reason　he　hasn't？〃　

The　music　in　the　tones　of　the　answer　was　a　vocal　rebuke。

〃Because　he　didn't　do　it。〃　　She　stated　the　fact　as　one　without　a　hint　of　any　contradictory　possibility。

〃Well；　he　says　he　did　it！〃　Burke　vociferated；　still　more　loudly。

Mary；　in　her　turn；　resorted　to　a　bit　of　finesse；　in　order　to　learn　whether　or　not　Garson　had　been　arrested。　She　spoke　with　a　trace　of　indignation。

〃But　how　could　he　have　done　it；　when　he　went〃　she　began。

The　Inspector　fell　a　victim　to　her　superior　craft。　　His　question　came　eagerly。

〃Where　did　he　go？〃　

Mary　smiled　for　the　first　time　since　she　had　been　in　the　room；　and　in　that　smile　the　Inspector　realized　his　defeat　in　the　first　passage　of　this　game　of　intrigue　between　them。

〃You　ought　to　know；〃　she　said；　sedately；　〃since　you　have　arrested　him；　and　he　has　confessed。〃

Demarest　put　up　a　hand　to　conceal　his　smile　over　the　police　official's　chagrin。　　Gilder；　staring　always　at　this　woman　who　had　come　to　be　his　Nemesis；　was　marveling　over　the　beauty　and　verve　of　the　one　so　hating　him　as　to　plan　the　ruin　of　his　life　and　his　son's。

Burke　was　frantic　over　being　worsted　thus。　　To　gain　a　diversion；　he　reverted　to　his　familiar　bullying　tactics。　His　question　burst　raspingly。　　It　was　a　question　that　had　come　to　be　constant　within　his　brain　during　the　last　few　hours；　one　that　obsessed　him；　that　fretted　him　sorely；　almost　beyond　endurance。

〃Who　shot　Griggs？〃　　he　shouted。

Mary　rested　serene　in　the　presence　of　this　violence。　Her　answer　capped　the　climax　of　the　officer's　exasperation。

〃My　husband　shot　a　burglar；〃　she　said；　languidly。　And　then　her　insolence　reached　its　culmination　in　a　query　of　her　own：　〃Was　his　name　Griggs？〃　　It　was　done　with　splendid　art；　with　a　splendid　mastery　of　her　own　emotions；　for；　even　as　she　spoke　the　words；　she　was　remembering　those　shuddering　seconds　when　she　had　stood；　only　a　few　hours　ago；　gazing　down　at　the　inert　bulk　that　had　been　a　man。

Burke　betook　himself　to　another　form　of　attack。

〃Oh；　you　know　better　than　that；〃　he　declared；　truculently。　〃You　see；　we've　traced　the　Maxim　silencer。　Garson　himself　bought　it　up　in　Hartford。〃

For　the　first　time；　Mary　was　caught　off　her　guard。

〃But　he　told　me〃　she　began；　then　became　aware　of　her　indiscretion；　and　checked　herself。

Burke　seized　on　her　lapse　with　avidity。

〃What　did　he　tell　you？〃　　he　questioned；　eagerly。

Now；　Mary　had　regained　her　self…command；　and　she　spoke　calmly。