within the law-第20部分

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ch　of　promise　has　been　legally　settled　out　of　court；　you　will　get　the　letters。。。。　Good…afternoon；　Mr。　Irwin。〃

The　lawyer　made　a　hurried　bow　which　took　in　both　of　the　women；　and　walked　quickly　toward　the　door。　　But　he　was　arrested　before　he　reached　it　by　the　voice　of　Mary；　speaking　again；　still　in　that　imperturbable　evenness　which　so　rasped　his　nerves；　for　all　its　mellow　resonance。　　But　this　time　there　was　a　sting；　of　the　sharpest；　in　the　words　themselves。

〃Oh；　you　forgot　your　marked　money；　Mr。　Irwin；〃　Mary　said。

The　lawyer　wheeled；　and　stood　staring　at　the　speaker　with　a　certain　sheepishness　of　expression　that　bore　witness　to　the　completeness　of　his　discomfiture。　　Without　a　word；　after　a　long　moment　in　which　he　perceived　intently　the　delicate；　yet　subtly　energetic；　loveliness　of　this　slender　woman；　he　walked　back　to　the　desk；　picked　up　the　money；　and　restored　it　to　the　bill…case。　　This　done；　at　last　he　spoke；　with　a　new　respect　in　his　voice；　a　quizzical　smile　on　his　rather　thin　lips。

〃Young　woman；〃　he　said　emphatically；　〃you　ought　to　have　been　a　lawyer。〃　　And　with　that　laudatory　confession　of　her　skill；　he　finally　took　his　departure；　while　Mary　smiled　in　a　triumph　she　was　at　no　pains　to　conceal；　and　Aggie　sat　gaping　astonishment　over　the　surprising　turn　of　events。

It　was　the　latter　volatile　person　who　ended　the　silence　that　followed　on　the　lawyer's　going。

〃You've　darn　near　broke　my　heart；〃　she　cried；　bouncing　up　violently；　〃letting　all　that　money　go　out　of　the　house。。。。　Say；　how　did　you　know　it　was　marked？〃　

〃I　didn't；〃　Mary　replied；　blandly；　〃but　it　was　a　pretty　good　guess；　wasn't　it？　　Couldn't　you　see　that　all　he　wanted　was　to　get　the　letters；　and　have　us　take　the　marked　money？　　Then；　my　simple　young　friend；　we　would　have　been　arrested　very　neatly　indeedfor　blackmail。〃

Aggie's　innocent　eyes　rounded　in　an　amazed　consternation；　which　was　not　at　all　assumed。

〃Gee！〃　she　cried。　　〃That　would　have　been　fierce！　And　now？〃　　she　questioned；　apprehensively。

Mary's　answer　repudiated　any　possibility　of　fear。

〃And　now；〃　she　explained　contentedly；　〃he　really　will　go　to　our　lawyer。　　There；　he　will　pay　over　that　same　marked　money。　　Then；　he　will　get　the　letters　he　wants　so　much。　　And；　just　because　it's　a　strictly　business　transaction　between　two　lawyers；　with　everything　done　according　to　legal　ethics〃

〃What's　legal　ethics？〃　　Aggie　demanded；　impetuously。　〃They　sound　some　tasty！〃　With　the　comment；　she　dropped　weakly　into　a　chair。

Mary　laughed　in　care…free　enjoyment；　as　well　she　might　after　winning　the　victory　in　such　a　battle　of　wits。

〃Oh；〃　she　said；　happily；　〃you　just　get　it　legally；　and　you　get　twice　as　much！〃　

〃And　it's　actually　the　same　old　game！〃　Aggie　mused。　She　was　doing　her　best　to　get　a　clear　understanding　of　the　matter；　though　to　her　it　was　all　a　mystery　most　esoteric。

Mary　reviewed　the　case　succinctly　for　the　other's　enlightenment。

〃Yes；　it's　the　same　game　precisely；〃　she　affirmed。　〃A　shameless　old　roue　makes　love　to　you；　and　he　writes　you　a　stack　of　silly　letters。〃

The　pouting　lips　of　the　listener　took　on　a　pathetic　droop；　and　her　voice　quivered　as　she　spoke　with　an　effective　semblance　of　virginal　terror。

〃He　might　have　ruined　my　life！〃　

Mary　continued　without　giving　much　attention　to　these　histrionics。

〃If　you　had　asked　him　for　all　this　money　for　the　return　of　his　letters；　it　would　have　been　blackmail；　and　we'd　have　gone　to　jail　in　all　human　probability。　　But　we　did　no　such　thingno；　indeed！　What　we　did　wasn't　anything　like　that　in　the　eyes　of　the　law。　　What　we　did　was　merely　to　have　your　lawyer　take　steps　toward　a　suit　for　damages　for　breach　of　promise　of　marriage　for　the　sum　of　ten　thousand　dollars。　Then；　his　lawyer　appears　in　behalf　of　General　Hastings；　and　there　follow　a　number　of　conferences　between　the　legal　representatives　of　the　opposing　parties。　By　means　of　these　conferences；　the　two　legal　gentlemen　run　up　very　respectable　bills　of　expenses。　　In　the　end；　we　get　our　ten　thousand　dollars；　and　the　flighty　old　General　gets　back　his　letters。。。　　。　　My　dear；〃　Mary　concluded　vaingloriously；　〃we're　inside　the　law；　and　so　we're　perfectly　safe。　　And　there　you　are！〃




CHAPTER　XI。　THE　THIEF。　

Mary　remained　in　joyous　spirits　after　her　victorious　matching　of　brains　against　a　lawyer　of　high　standing　in　his　profession。　　For　the　time　being；　conscience　was　muted　by　gratified　ambition。　　Her　thoughts　just　then　were　far　from　the　miseries　of　the　past；　with　their　evil　train　of　consequences　in　the　present。　　But　that　past　was　soon　to　be　recalled　to　her　with　a　vividness　most　terrible。

She　had　entered　the　telephone…booth；　which　she　had　caused　to　be　installed　out　of　an　extra　closet　of　her　bedroom　for　the　sake　of　greater　privacy　on　occasion；　and　it　was　during　her　absence　from　the　drawing…room　that　Garson　again　came　into　the　apartment；　seeking　her。　　On　being　told　by　Aggie　as　to　Mary's　whereabouts；　he　sat　down　to　await　her　return；　listening　without　much　interest　to　the　chatter　of　the　adventuress。。。。　It　was　just　then　that　the　maid　appeared。

〃There's　a　girl　wants　to　see　Miss　Turner；〃　she　explained。

The　irrepressible　Aggie　put　on　her　most　finically　elegant　air。

〃Has　she　a　card？〃　　she　inquired　haughtily；　while　the　maid　tittered　appreciation。

〃No；〃　was　the　answer。　　〃But　she　says　it's　important。　I　guess　the　poor　thing's　in　hard　luck；　from　the　look　of　her；〃　the　kindly　Fannie　added。

〃Oh；　then　she'll　be　welcome；　of　course；〃　Aggie　declared；　and　Garson　nodded　in　acquiescence。　　〃Tell　her　to　come　in　and　wait；　Fannie。　　Miss　Turner　will　be　here　right　away。〃　　She　turned　to　Garson　as　the　maid　left　the　room。　　〃Mary　sure　is　an　easy　boob；〃　she　remarked；　cheerfully。　　〃Bless　her　soft　heart！〃　

A　curiously　gentle　smile　of　appreciation　softened　the　immobility　of　the　forger's　face　as　he　again　nodded　assent。

〃We　might　just　as　well　pipe　off　the　skirt　before　Mary　gets　here；〃　Aggie　suggested；　with　eagerness。

A　minute　later；　a　girl　perhaps　twenty　years　of　age　stepped　just　within　the　doorway；　and　stood　there　with　eyes　downcast；　after　one　swift；　furtive　glance　about　her。　Her　whole　appearance　was　that　of　dejection。　　Her　soiled　black　gown；　the　cringing　posture；　the　pallor　of　her　face；　proclaimed　the　abject　misery　of　her　state。

Aggie；　who　was　not　exuberant　in　her　sympathies　for　any　one　other　than　herself；　addressed　the　newcomer　with　a　patronizing　inflection；　modulated　in　her　best　manner。

〃Won't　you　come　in；　please？〃　　she　requested。

The　shrinking　girl　shot　another　veiled　look　in　the　direction　of　the　speaker。

〃Are　you　Miss　Turner？〃　　she　asked；　in　a　voice　broken　by　nervous　dismay。

〃Really；　I　am　very　sorry；〃　Aggie　replied；　primly；　〃but　I　am　only　her　cousin；　Miss　Agnes　Lynch。　　But　Miss　Turner　is　likely　to　be　back　any　minute　now。〃

〃Can　I　wait？〃　　came　the　timid　question。

〃Certainly；〃　Aggie　answered；　hospitably。　　〃Please　sit　down。〃

As　the　girl　obediently　sank　down　on　the　nearest　chair；　Garson　addressed　her　sharply；　so　that　the　visitor　started　uneasily　at　the　unexpected　sound。

〃You　don't　know　Miss　Turner？〃　

〃No；〃　came　the　faint　reply。

〃Then；　what　do　you　want　to　see　her　about？〃　

There　was　a　brief　pause　before　the　girl　could　pluck　up　courage　enough　for　an　answer。　　Then；　it　was　spoken　confusedly；　almost　in　a　whisper。

〃She　once　helped　a　girl　friend　of　mine；　and　I　thoughtI　thought〃

〃You　thought　she　might　help　you；〃　Garson　interrupted。

But　Aggie；　too；　possessed　some　perceptive　powers；　despite　the　fact　that　she　preferred　to　use　them　little　in　ordinary　affairs。

〃You　have　been　in　stirprison；　I　mean。〃　　She　hastily　corrected　the　lapse　into　underworld　slang。

Came　a　distressed　muttering　of　assent　from　the　girl。

〃How　sad！〃　Aggie　remarked；　in　a　voice　of　shocked　pity　for　one　so　inconceivably　unfortunate。　　〃How　very；　very　sad！〃　

This　ingenuous　method　of　diversion　was　put　to　an　end　by　the　entrance　of　Mary；　who　stopped　short　on　seeing　the　limp　figure　huddled　in　the　chair。

〃A　visitor；　Agnes？〃　　she　inquired。

At　the　sound　of　her　voice；　and　before　Aggie　could　hit　on　a　fittingly　elegant　form　of　reply；　the　girl　looked　up。　　And　now；　for　the　first　time；　she　spoke　with　some　degree　of　energy；　albeit　there　was　a　sinister　undertone　in　the　husky　voice。

〃You're　Miss　Turner？〃　　she　questioned。

〃Yes；〃　Mary　said；　simply。　　Her　words　rang　kindly；　and　she　smiled　encouragement。

A　gasp　burst　from　the　white　lips　of　the　girl；　and　she　cowered　as　one　stricken　physically。

〃Mary　Turner！　Oh；　my　God！　I〃　She　hid　her　face　within　her　arms　and　sat　bent　until　her　head　rested　on　her　knees　in　an　abasement　of　misery。

Vaguely　startled　by　the　hysterical　outburst　from　the　girl；　Mary's　immediate　thought　was　that　here　was　a　pitiful　instance　of　one　suffering　from　starvation。

〃Joe；〃　she　directed　rapidly；　〃have　Fannie　bring　a　glass　of　milk　with　an　egg　and　a　little　brandy　in　it；　right　away。〃

The　girl　in　the　chair　was　shaking　soundlessly　under　the　stress　of　her　emotions。　　A　few　disjointed　phrases　fell　from　her　quivering　lips。

〃I　didn't　knowoh；　I　couldn't！〃　

〃Don't　try　to　talk　just　now；〃　Mary　warned；　reassuringly。　〃Wait　until　you've　had　something　to　eat。〃

Aggie；　who　had　observed　developments　closely；　now　lifted　her　voice　in　tardy　lamentations　over　her　own　stupidity。　　There　was　no　affectati