within the law-第23部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ndulating　hair　that　sparkled　in　the　sunlight　like　an　aureole　to　her　face　or　framed　it　in　heavy　splendors　with　its　shadows；　and　the　supple　erectness　of　her　graceful　carriage；　the　lithe　dignity　of　her　every　movement。

But；　at　last；　she　stirred　uneasily　and　sat　up。　　Garson　accepted　this　as　a　sufficient　warrant　for　speech。

〃You　knowAggie　told　youthat　Cassidy　was　up　here　from　Headquarters。　　He　didn't　put　a　name　to　it；　but　I'm　on。〃　　Mary　regarded　him　inquiringly；　and　he　continued；　putting　the　fact　with　a　certain　brutal　bluntness　after　the　habit　of　his　class。　　〃I　guess　you'll　have　to　quit　seeing　young　Gilder。　　The　bulls　are　wise。　　His　father　has　made　a　holler。

〃Don't　let　that　worry　you；　Joe；〃　she　said　tranquilly。　She　allowed　a　few　seconds　go　by；　then　added　as　if　quite　indifferent：　〃I　was　married　to　Dick　Gilder　this　morning。〃　　There　came　a　squeal　of　amazement　from　Aggie；　a　start　of　incredulity　from　Garson。

〃Yes；〃　Mary　repeated　evenly；　〃I　was　married　to　him　this　morning。　　That　was　my　important　engagement；〃　she　added　with　a　smile　toward　Aggie。　　For　some　intuitive　reason；　mysterious　to　herself；　she　did　not　care　to　meet　the　man's　eyes　at　that　moment。

Aggie　sat　erect；　her　baby　face　alive　with　worldly　glee。

〃My　Gawd；　what　luck！〃　she　exclaimed　noisily。　〃Why；　he's　a　king　fish；　he　is。　　Gee！　But　I'm　glad　you　landed　him！〃　

〃Thank　you；〃　Mary　said　with　a　smile　that　was　the　result　of　her　sense　of　humor　rather　than　from　any　tenderness。

It　was　then　that　Garson　spoke。　　He　was　a　delicate　man　in　his　sensibilities　at　times；　in　spite　of　the　fact　that　he　followed　devious　methods　in　his　manner　of　gaining　a　livelihood。　　So；　now；　he　put　a　question　of　vital　significance。

〃Do　you　love　him？〃　

The　question　caught　Mary　all　unprepared；　but　she　retained　her　self…control　sufficiently　to　make　her　answer　in　a　voice　that　to　the　ordinary　ear　would　have　revealed　no　least　tremor。

〃No；〃　she　said。　　She　offered　no　explanation；　no　excuse；　merely　stated　the　fact　in　all　its　finality。

Aggie　was　really　shocked；　though　for　a　reason　altogether　sordid；　not　one　whit　romantic。

〃Ain't　he　young？〃　　she　demanded　aggressively。　〃Ain't　he　good…looking；　and　loose　with　his　money　something　scandalous？　　If　I　met　up　with　a　fellow　as　liberal　as　him；　if　he　was　three　times　his　age；　I　could　simply　adore　him！〃　

It　was　Garson　who　pressed　the　topic　with　an　inexorable　curiosity　born　of　his　unselfish　interest　in　the　woman　concerned。

〃Then；　why　did　you　marry　him？〃　　he　asked。　　The　sincerity　of　him　was　excuse　enough　for　the　seeming　indelicacy　of　the　question。　　Besides；　he　felt　himself　somehow　responsible。　　He　had　given　back　to　her　the　gift　of　life；　which　she　had　rejected。　　Surely；　he　had　the　right　to　know　the　truth。

It　seemed　that　Mary　believed　her　confidence　his　due；　for　she　told　him　the　fact。

〃I　have　been　working　and　scheming　for　nearly　a　year　to　do　it；〃　she　said；　with　a　hardening　of　her　face　that　spoke　of　indomitable　resolve。　　〃Now；　it's　done。〃　　A　vindictive　gleam　shot　from　her　violet　eyes　as　she　added：　〃It's　only　the　beginning；　too。〃

Garson；　with　the　keen　perspicacity　that　had　made　him　a　successful　criminal　without　a　single　conviction　to　mar　his　record；　had　seized　the　implication　in　her　statement；　and　now　put　it　in　words。

〃Then；　you　won't　leave　us？　　We're　going　on　as　we　were　before？〃　　The　hint　of　dejection　in　his　manner　had　vanished。　　〃And　you　won't　live　with　him？〃　

〃Live　with　him？〃　　Mary　exclaimed　emphatically。　〃Certainly　not！〃　

Aggie's　neatly　rounded　jaw　dropped　in　a　gape　of　surprise　that　was　most　unladylike。

〃You　are　going　to　live　on　in　this　joint　with　us？〃　　she　questioned；　aghast。

〃Of　course。〃　　The　reply　was　given　with　the　utmost　of　certainty。

Aggie　presented　the　crux　of　the　matter。

〃Where　will　hubby　live？〃　

There　was　no　lessening　of　the　bride's　composure　as　she　replied；　with　a　little　shrug。

〃Anywhere　but　here。〃

Aggie　suddenly　giggled。　　To　her　sense　of　humor　there　was　something　vastly　diverting　in　this　new　scheme　of　giving　bliss　to　a　fond　husband。

〃Anywhere　but　here；〃　she　repeated　gaily。　　〃Oh；　won't　that　be　nicefor　him？　　Oh；　yes！　Oh；　quite　so！　Oh；　yes；　indeedquite　soso！〃　

Garson；　however；　was　still　patient　in　his　determination　to　apprehend　just　what　had　come　to　pass。

〃Does　he　understand　the　arrangement？〃　　was　his　question。

〃No；　not　yet；〃　Mary　admitted；　without　sign　of　embarrassment。

〃Well；〃　Aggie　said；　with　another　giggle；　〃when　you　do　get　around　to　tell　him；　break　it　to　him　gently。〃

Garson　was　intently　considering　another　phase　of　the　situation；　one　suggested　perhaps　out　of　his　own　deeper　sentiments。

〃He　must　think　a　lot　of　you！〃　he　said；　gravely。　〃Don't　he？〃　

For　the　first　time；　Mary　was　moved　to　the　display　of　a　slight　confusion。　　She　hesitated　a　little　before　her　answer；　and　when　she　spoke　it　was　in　a　lower　key；　a　little　more　slowly。

〃II　suppose　so。〃

Aggie　presented　the　truth　more　subtly　than　could　have　been　expected　from　her。

〃Think　a　lot　of　you？　　Of　course　he　does！　Thinks　enough　to　marry　you！　And　believe　me；　kid；　when　a　man　thinks　enough　of　you　to　marry　you；　well；　that's　some　thinking！〃　

Somehow；　the　crude　expression　of　this　professional　adventuress　penetrated　to　Mary's　conscience；　though　it　held　in　it　the　truth　to　which　her　conscience　bore　witness；　to　which　she　had　tried　to　shut　her　ears。。。。　And　now　from　the　man　came　something　like　a　draught　of　elixir　to　her　consciencelike　the　trump　of　doom　to　her　scheme　of　vengeance。

Garson　spoke　very　softly；　but　with　an　intensity　that　left　no　doubt　as　to　the　honesty　of　his　purpose。

〃I'd　say；　throw　up　the　whole　game　and　go　to　him；　if　you　really　care。〃

There　fell　a　tense　silence。　　It　was　broken　by　Mary　herself。　　She　spoke　with　a　touch　of　haste；　as　if　battling　against　some　hindrance　within。

〃I　married　him　to　get　even　with　his　father；〃　she　said。　〃That's　all　there　is　to　it。。。。　By　the　way；　I　expect　Dick　will　be　here　in　a　minute　or　two。　　When　he　comes；　just　remember　not　toenlighten　him。〃

Aggie　sniffed　indignantly。

〃Don't　worry　about　me；　not　a　mite。　　Whenever　it's　really　wanted；　I'm　always　there　with　a　full　line　of　that　lady　stuff。〃　　Thereupon；　she　sprang　up；　and　proceeded　to　give　her　conception　of　the　proper　welcoming　of　the　happy　bridegroom。　　The　performance　was　amusing　enough　in　itself；　but　for　some　reason　it　moved　neither　of　the　two　for　whom　it　was　rendered　to　more　than　perfunctory　approval。　　The　fact　had　no　depressing　effect　on　the　performer；　however；　and　it　was　only　the　coming　of　the　maid　that　put　her　lively　sallies　to　an　end。

〃Mr。　Gilder；〃　Fannie　announced。

Mary　put　a　question　with　so　much　of　energy　that　Garson　began　finally　to　understand　the　depth　of　her　vindictive　feeling。

〃Any　one　with　him？〃　

〃No；　Miss　Turner；〃　the　maid　answered。

〃Have　him　come　in；〃　Mary　ordered。

Garson　felt　that　he　would　be　better　away　for　the　sake　of　the　newly　married　pair　at　least；　if　not　for　his　own。　　He　made　hasty　excuses　and　went　out　on　the　heels　of　the　maid。　　Aggie；　however；　consulting　only　her　own　wishes　in　the　matter；　had　no　thought　of　flight；　and；　if　the　truth　be　told；　Mary　was　glad　of　the　sustaining　presence　of　another　woman。

She　got　up　slowly；　and　stood　silent；　while　Aggie　regarded　her　curiously。　　Even　to　the　insensitive　observer；　there　was　something　strange　in　the　atmosphere。。。。　A　moment　later　the　bridegroom　entered。

He　was　still　clean…cut　and　wholesome。　　Some　sons　of　wealthy　fathers　are　not；　after　four　years　experience　of　the　white　lights　of　town。　　And　the　lines　of　his　face　were　firmer；　better　in　every　way。　　It　seemed；　indeed；　that　here　was　some　one　of　a　resolute　character；　not　to　be　wasted　on　the　trivial　and　gross　things。　　In　an　instant；　he　had　gone　to　her；　had　caught　her　in　his　arms　with；　〃Hello；　dear！〃　smothered　in　the　kiss　he　implanted　on　her　lips。

Mary　strove　vainly　to　free　herself。

〃Don't；　oh；　don't！〃　she　gasped。

Dick　Gilder　released　his　wife　from　his　arms　and　smiled　the　beatific　smile　of　the　newly…wed。

〃Why　not？〃　　he　demanded；　with　a　smile；　a　smile　calm；　triumphant；　masterful。

〃Agnes！〃　。。。　It　was　the　sole　pretext　to　which　Mary　could　turn　for　a　momentary　relief。

The　bridegroom　faced　about；　and　perceived　Agnes；　who　stood　closely　watching　the　meeting　between　husband　and　wife。　　He　made　an　excellent　formal　bow　of　the　sort　that　one　learns　only　abroad；　and　spoke　quietly。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Miss　Lynch；　but〃a　smile　of　perfect　happiness　shone　on　his　face〃you　could　hardly　expect　me　to　see　any　one　but　Mary　under　the　circumstances。　Could　you？〃　

Aggie　strove　to　rise　to　this　emergency；　and　again　took　on　her　best　manner；　speaking　rather　coldly。

〃Under　what　circumstances？〃　　she　inquired。

The　young　man　exclaimed　joyously。

〃Why；　we　were　married　this　morning。〃

Aggie　accepted　the　news　with　fitting　excitement。

〃Goodness　gracious！　How　perfectly　lovely！〃　

The　bridegroom　regarded　her　with　a　face　that　was　luminous　of　delight。

〃You　bet；　it's　lovely！〃　he　declared　with　entire　conviction。　He　turned　to　Mary；　his　face　glowing　with　satisfaction。

〃Mary；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　the　honeymoon　trip　all　fixed。　　The　Mauretania　sails　at　five　in　the　morning；　so　we　will〃

A　cold　voice　struck　suddenly　through　this　rhapsodizing。　It　was　that　of　the　bride。

〃Where　is　your　father？〃　　she　asked；　without　any　trace　of　emotion。