within the law-第27部分

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〃Thank　you　for　telling　me；〃　she　said；　graciously。　〃And　let　me　say；　incidentally；　that　Miss　Lynch　at　the　present　moment　is　painlessly　extracting　ten　thousand　dollars　from　General　Hastings　in　a　perfectly　legal　manner；　Inspector　Burke。〃

〃Well；　anyhow；〃　Burke　shouted；　〃you　may　stay　inside　the　law；　but　you've　got　to　get　outside　the　city。〃　　He　tried　to　employ　an　elephantine　bantering　tone。　　〃On　the　level；　now；　do　you　think　you　could　get　away　with　that　young　Gilder　scheme　you've　been　planning？〃　

Mary　appeared　puzzled。

〃What　young　Gilder　scheme？〃　　she　asked；　her　brows　drawn　in　bewilderment。

〃Oh；　I'm　wiseI'm　wise！〃　the　Inspector　cried　roughly。　〃The　answer　is；　once　for　all；　leave　town　this　afternoon；　or　you'll　be　in　the　Tombs　in　the　morning。〃

Abruptly；　a　change　came　over　the　woman。　　Hitherto；　she　had　been　cynical；　sarcastic；　laughing；　careless；　impudent。　　Now；　of　a　sudden；　she　was　all　seriousness；　and　she　spoke　with　a　gravity　that；　despite　their　volition；　impressed　both　the　men　before　her。

〃It　can't　be　done；　Inspector；〃　she　said；　sedately。

The　declaration；　simple　as　it　was；　aroused　the　official　to　new　indignation。

〃Who　says　it　can't？〃　　he　vociferated；　overflowing　with　anger　at　this　flouting　of　the　authority　he　represented。

Mary　opened　a　drawer　of　the　desk；　and　took　out　the　document　obtained　that　morning　from　Harris；　and　held　it　forth。

〃This；〃　she　replied；　succinctly。

〃What's　this？〃　　Burke　stormed。　　But　he　took　the　paper。

Demarest　looked　over　the　Inspector's　shoulder；　and　his　eyes　grew　larger　as　he　read。　　When　he　was　at　an　end　of　the　reading；　he　regarded　the　passive　woman　at　the　desk　with　a　new　respect。

〃What's　this？〃　　Burke　repeated　helplessly。　　It　was　not　easy　for　him　to　interpret　the　legal　phraseology。　Mary　was　kind　enough　to　make　the　document　clear　to　him。

〃It's　a　temporary　restraining　order　from　the　Supreme　Court；　instructing　you　to　let　me　alone　until　you　have　legal　proof　that　I　have　broken　the　law。。。。　Do　you　get　that；　Mr。　Inspector　Burke？〃　

The　plethoric　official　stared　hard　at　the　injunction。

〃Another　new　one；〃　he　stuttered　finally。　　Then　his　anger　sought　vent　in　violent　assertion。　　〃But　it　can't　be　done！〃　he　shouted。

〃You　might　ask　Mr。　Demarest；〃　Mary　suggested；　pleasantly；　〃as　to　whether　or　not　it　can　be　done。　　The　gambling　houses　can　do　it；　and　so　keep　on　breaking　the　law。　　The　race　track　men　can　do　it；　and　laugh　at　the　law。　　The　railroad　can　do　it；　to　restrain　its　employees　from　striking。　　So；　why　shouldn't　I　get　one；　too？　　You　see；　I　have　money。　　I　can　buy　all　the　law　I　want。　　And　there's　nothing　you　can't　do　with　the　law；　if　you　have　money　enough。。。。　Ask　Mr。　Demarest。　　He　knows。〃

Burke　was　fairly　gasping　over　this　outrage　against　his　authority。

〃Can　you　beat　that！〃　he　rumbled　with　a　raucously　sonorous　vehemence。　　He　regarded　Mary　with　a　stare　of　almost　reverential　wonder。　　〃A　crook　appealing　to　the　law！〃　

There　came　a　new　note　into　the　woman's　voice　as　she　answered　the　gibe。

〃No；　simply　getting　justice；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃That's　the　remarkable　part　of　it。〃　　She　threw　off　her　serious　air。　　〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　she　concluded；　〃what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃　

Burke　explained。

〃This　is　what　I'm　going　to　do　about　it。　　One　way　or　another；　I'm　going　to　get　you。〃

The　District　Attorney；　however；　judged　it　advisable　to　use　more　persuasive　methods。

〃Miss　Turner；〃　he　said；　with　an　appearance　of　sincerity；　〃I'm　going　to　appeal　to　your　sense　of　fair　play。〃

Mary's　shining　eyes　met　his　for　a　long　moment；　and　before　the　challenge　in　hers；　his　fell。　　He　remembered　then　those　doubts　that　had　assailed　him　when　this　girl　had　been　sentenced　to　prison；　remembered　the　half…hearted　plea　he　had　made　in　her　behalf　to　Richard　Gilder。

〃That　was　killed；〃　Mary　said；　〃killed　four　years　ago。〃

But　Demarest　persisted。　　Influence　had　been　brought　to　bear　on　him。　　It　was　for　her　own　sake　now　that　he　urged　her。

〃Let　young　Gilder　alone。〃

Mary　laughed　again。　　But　there　was　no　hint　of　joyousness　in　the　musical　tones。　　Her　answer　was　frankbrutally　frank。　　She　had　nothing　to　conceal。

〃His　father　sent　me　away　for　three　yearsthree　years　for　something　I　didn't　do。　　Well；　he's　got　to　pay　for　it。〃

By　this　time；　Burke；　a　man　of　superior　intelligence；　as　one　must　be　to　reach　such　a　position　of　authority；　had　come　to　realize　that　here　was　a　case　not　to　be　carried　through　by　blustering；　by　intimidation；　by　the　rough　ruses　familiar　to　the　force。　　Here　was　a　woman　of　extraordinary　intelligence；　as　well　as　of　peculiar　personal　charm；　who　merely　made　sport　of　his　fulminations；　and　showed　herself　essentially　armed　against　anything　he　might　do；　by　a　court　injunction；　a　thing　unheard　of　until　this　moment　in　the　case　of　a　common　crook。　　It　dawned　upon　him　that　this　was；　indeed；　not　a　common　crook。　　Moreover；　there　had　grown　in　him　a　certain　admiration　for　the　ingenuity　and　resource　of　this　woman；　though　he　retained　all　his　rancor　against　one　who　dared　thus　to　resist　the　duly　constituted　authority。　So；　in　the　end；　he　spoke　to　her　frankly；　without　a　trace　of　his　former　virulence；　with　a　very　real；　if　rugged；　sincerity。

〃Don't　fool　yourself；　my　girl；〃　he　said　in　his　huge　voice；　which　was　now　modulated　to　a　degree　that　made　it　almost　unfamiliar　to　himself。　　〃You　can't　go　through　with　this。　　There's　always　a　weak　link　in　the　chain　somewhere。　　It's　up　to　me　to　find　it；　and　I　will。〃

His　candor　moved　her　to　a　like　honesty。

〃Now；〃　she　said；　and　there　was　respect　in　the　glance　she　gave　the　stalwart　man；　〃now　you　really　sound　dangerous。〃

There　came　an　interruption；　alike　unexpected　by　all。　Fannie　appeared　at　the　door。

〃Mr。　Edward　Gilder　wishes　to　see　you；　Miss　Turner；〃　she　said；　with　no　appreciation　of　anything　dynamic　in　the　announcement。　　〃Shall　I　show　him　in？〃　

〃Oh；　certainly；〃　Mary　answered；　with　an　admirable　pretense　of　indifference；　while　Burke　glared　at　Demarest；　and　the　District　Attorney　appeared　ill　at　ease。

〃He　shouldn't　have　come；〃　Demarest　muttered；　getting　to　his　feet；　in　reply　to　the　puzzled　glance　of　the　Inspector。

Then；　while　Mary　sat　quietly　in　her　chair　at　the　desk；　and　the　two　men　stood　watching　doubtfully　the　door；　the　maid　appeared；　stood　aside；　and　said　simply；　〃Mr。　Gilder。〃

There　entered　the　erect；　heavy　figure　of　the　man　whom　Mary　had　hated　through　the　years。　　He　stopped　abruptly　just　within　the　room；　gave　a　glance　at　the　two　men；　then　his　eyes　went　to　Mary；　sitting　at　her　desk；　with　her　face　lifted　inquiringly。　　He　did　not　pause　to　take　in　the　beauty　of　that　face；　only　its　strength。　　He　stared　at　her　silently　for　a　moment。　　Then　he　spoke　in　his　oritund　voice；　a　little　tremulous　from　anxiety。

〃Are　you　the　woman？〃　　he　said。　　There　was　something　simple　and　primitive；　something　of　dignity　beyond　the　usual　conventions；　in　his　direct　address。

And　there　was　the　same　primitive　simplicity　in　the　answer。　　Between　the　two　strong　natures　there　was　no　subterfuge；　no　suggestion　of　polite　evasions；　of　tergiversation；　only　the　plea　of　truth　to　truth。　　Mary's　acknowledgment　was　as　plain　as　his　own　question。

〃I　am　the　woman。　　What　do　you　want？〃　。。。　Thus　two　honest　folk　had　met　face　to　face。

〃My　son。〃　　The　man's　answer　was　complete。

But　Mary　touched　a　tragic　note　in　her　question。　　It　was　asked　in　no　frivolous　spirit；　but；　of　a　sudden；　she　guessed　that　his　coming　was　altogether　of　his　own　volition；　and　not　the　result　of　his　son's　information；　as　at　first　she　had　supposed。

〃Have　you　seen　him　recently？〃　　she　asked。

〃No；〃　Gilder　answered。

〃Then；　why　did　you　come？〃　

Thereat；　the　man　was　seized　with　a　fatherly　fury。　His　heavy　face　was　congested；　and　his　sonorous　voice　was　harsh　with　virtuous　rebuke。

〃Because　I　intend　to　save　my　boy　from　a　great　folly。　I　am　informed　that　he　is　infatuated　with　you；　and　Inspector　Burke　tells　me　whyhe　tells　mewhyhe　tells　me〃　He　paused；　unable　for　a　moment　to　continue　from　an　excess　of　emotion。　　But　his　gray　eyes　burned　fiercely　in　accusation　against　her。

Inspector　Burke　himself　filled　the　void　in　the　halting　sentence。

〃I　told　you　she　had　been　an　ex…convict。〃

〃Yes；〃　Gilder　said；　after　he　had　regained　his　self…control。　　He　stared　at　her　pleadingly。　　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said　with　a　certain　dignity；　〃is　this　true？〃　

Here；　then；　was　the　moment　for　which　she　had　longed　through　weary　days；　through　weary　years。　　Here　was　the　man　whom　she　hated；　suppliant　before　her　to　know　the　truth。　　Her　heart　quickened。　　Truly；　vengeance　is　sweet　to　one　who　has　suffered　unjustly。

〃Is　this　true？〃　　the　man　repeated；　with　something　of　horror　in　his　voice。

〃It　is；〃　Mary　said　quietly。

For　a　little；　there　was　silence　in　the　room。　　Once；　Inspector　Burke　started　to　speak；　but　the　magnate　made　an　imperative　gesture；　and　the　officer　held　his　peace。　Always；　Mary　rested　motionless。　　Within　her；　a　fierce　joy　surged。　　Here　was　the　time　of　her　victory。　　Opposite　her　was　the　man　who　had　caused　her　anguish；　the　man　whose　unjust　action　had　ruined　her　life。　　Now；　he　was　her　humble　petitioner；　but　this　servility　could　be　of　no　avail　to　save　him　from　shame。　　He　must　drink　of　the　dregs　of　humiliationand　then　again。　　No　price　were　too　great　to　pay　for　a　wrong　such　as　that　which　he　had　put　upon　her。

At　last；　Gilder　was　restored　in　a　measure　to　his　s