within the law-第39部分

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Burke；　however；　as　usual；　paid　no　heed　to　the　niceties　of　sentiment。　　They　had　small　place　in　his　concerns　as　an　official　of　police。　　His　sole　ambition　just　now　was　to　fix　the　crime　definitely　on　the　perpetrator。

〃You'll　swear　he　killed　him？〃　　he　asked；　briskly；　well　content　with　this　concrete　result　of　the　entanglement。

Mary　subtly　evaded　the　question；　while　seeming　to　give　unqualified　assent。

〃Why　not？〃　　she　responded　listlessly。

At　this　intolerable　assertion　as　he　deemed　it；　Edward　Gilder　was　reanimated。　　He　sat　rigidly　erect　in　his；　chair。　　In　that　frightful　moment；　it　came　to　him　anew　that　here　was　in　verity　the　last　detail　in　a　consummate　scheme　by　this　woman　for　revenge　against　himself。

〃God！〃　he　cried；　despairingly。　　〃And　that's　your　vengeance！〃　

Mary　heard；　and　understood。　　There　came　an　inscrutable　smile　on　her　curving　lips；　but　there　was　no　satisfaction　in　that　smile；　as　of　one　who　realized　the　fruition　of　long…cherished　schemes　of　retribution。　　Instead；　there　was　only　an　infinite　sadness；　while　she　spoke　very　gently。

〃I　don't　want　vengeancenow！〃　she　said。

〃But　they'll　try　my　boy　for　murder；〃　the　magnate　remonstrated；　distraught。

〃Oh；　no；　they　can't！〃　came　the　rejoinder。　　And　now；　once　again；　there　was　a　hint　of　the　quizzical　creeping　in　the　smile。　　〃No；　they　can't！〃　she　repeated　firmly；　and　there　was　profound　relief　in　her　tones　since　at　last　her　ingenuity　had　found　a　way　out　of　this　outrageous　situation　thrust　on　her　and　on　her　husband。

Burke　glared　at　the　speaker　in　a　rage　that　was　abruptly　grown　suspicious　in　some　vague　way。

〃What's　the　reason　we　can't？〃　　he　stormed。

Mary　sprang　to　her　feet。　　She　was　radiant　with　a　new　serenity；　now　that　her　quick…wittedness　had　discovered　a　method　for　baffling　the　mesh　of　evidence　that　had　been　woven　about　her　and　Dick　through　no　fault　of　their　own。　　Her　eyes　were　glowing　with　even　more　than　their　usual　lusters。　　Her　voice　came　softly　modulated；　almost　mocking。

〃Because　you　couldn't　convict　him；〃　she　said　succinctly。　A　contented　smile　bent　the　red　graces　of　her　lips。

Burke　sneered　an　indignation　that　was；　nevertheless；　somewhat　fearful　of　what　might　lie　behind　the　woman's　assurance。

〃What's　the　reason？〃　　he　demanded；　scornfully。　〃There's　the　body。〃　　He　pointed　to　the　rigid　form　of　the　dead　man；　lying　there　so　very　near　them。　　〃And　the　gun　was　found　on　him。　　And　then；　you're　willing　to　swear　that　he　killed　him。。。。　Well；　I　guess　we'll　convict　him；　all　right。　　Why　not？〃　

Mary's　answer　was　given　quietly；　but；　none　the　less；　with　an　assurance　that　could　not　be　gainsaid。

〃Because；〃　she　said；　〃my　husband　merely　killed　a　burglar。〃　　In　her　turn；　she　pointed　toward　the　body　of　the　dead　man。　　〃That　man；〃　she　continued　evenly；　〃was　the　burglar。　　You　know　that！　My　husband　shot　him　in　defense　of　his　home！〃　There　was　a　brief　silence。　Then；　she　added；　with　a　wonderful　mildness　in　the　music　of　her　voice。　　〃And　so；　Inspector；　as　you　know　of　course；　he　was　within　the　law！〃　



CHAPTER　XX。　WHO　SHOT　GRIGGS？　　

In　his　office　next　morning；　Inspector　Burke　was　fuming　over　the　failure　of　his　conspiracy。　　He　had　hoped　through　this　plot　to　vindicate　his　authority；　so　sadly　flaunted　by　Garson　and　Mary　Turner。　　Instead　of　this　much…to…be…desired　result　from　his　scheming；　the　outcome　had　been　nothing　less　than　disastrous。　　The　one　certain　fact　was　that　his　most　valuable　ally　in　his　warfare　against　the　criminals　of　the　city　had　been　done　to　death。　　Some　one　had　murdered　Griggs；　the　stool…pigeon。　　Where　Burke　had　meant　to　serve　a　man　of　high　influence；　Edward　Gilder；　by　railroading　the　bride　of　the　magnate's　son　to　prison；　he　had　succeeded　only　in　making　the　trouble　of　that　merchant　prince　vastly　worse　in　the　ending　of　the　affair　by　arresting　the　son　for　the　capital　crime　of　murder。　　The　situation　was；　in　very　truth；　intolerable。　　More　than　ever；　Burke　grew　hot　with　intent　to　overcome　the　woman　who　had　so　persistently　outraged　his　authority　by　her　ingenious　devices　against　the　law。　　Anyhow；　the　murder　of　Griggs　could　not　go　unpunished。　　The　slayer's　identity　must　be　determined；　and　thereafter　the　due　penalty　of　the　law　inflicted；　whoever　the　guilty　person　might　prove　to　be。　　To　the　discovery　of　this　identity；　the　Inspector　was　at　the　present　moment　devoting　himself　by　adroit　questioning　of　Dacey　and　Chicago　Red；　who　had　been　arrested　in　one　of　their　accustomed　haunts　by　his　men　a　short　time　before。

The　policeman　on　duty　at　the　door　was　the　only　other　person　in　the　room；　and　in　consequence　Burke　permitted　himself；　quite　unashamed；　to　employ　those　methods　of　persuasion　which　have　risen　to　a　high　degree　of　admiration　in　police　circles。

〃Come　across　now！〃　he　admonished。　　His　voice　rolled　forth　like　that　of　a　bull　of　Bashan。　　He　was　on　his　feet；　facing　the　two　thieves。　　His　head　was　thrust　forward　menacingly；　and　his　eyes　were　savage。　　The　two　men　shrank　before　himboth　in　natural　fear；　and；　too；　in　a　furtive　policy　of　their　own。　　This　was　no　occasion　for　them　to　assert　a　personal　pride　against　the　man　who　had　them　in　his　toils。

〃I　don't　know　nothin'！〃　Chicago　Red's　voice　was　between　a　snarl　and　a　whine。　　〃Ain't　I　been　telling　you　that　for　over　an　hour？〃　

Burke　vouchsafed　no　answer　in　speech；　but　with　a　nimbleness　surprising　in　one　of　his　bulk；　gave　Dacey；　who　chanced　to　be　the　nearer　of　the　two；　a　shove　that　sent　the　fellow　staggering　half…way　across　the　room　under　its　impetus。

With　this　by　way　of　appreciable　introduction　to　his　seriousness　of　purpose；　Burke　put　a　question：

〃Dacey；　how　long　have　you　been　out？〃　

The　answer　came　in　a　sibilant　whisper　of　dread。

〃A　week。〃

Burke　pushed　the　implication　brutally。

〃Want　to　go　back　for　another　stretch？〃　　The　Inspector's　voice　was　freighted　with　suggestions　of　disasters　to　come；　which　were　well　understood　by　the　cringing　wretch　before　him。

The　thief　shuddered；　and　his　face；　already　pallid　from　the　prison　lack　of　sunlight　like　some　noxious　growth　of　a　cellar；　became　livid。　　His　words　came　in　a　muffled　moan　of　fear。

〃God；　no！〃　

Burke　left　a　little　interval　of　silence　then　in　which　the　thieves　might　tremble　over　the　prospect　suggested　by　his　words；　but　always　he　maintained　his　steady；　relentless　glare　on　the　cowed　creatures。　　It　was　a　familiar　warfare　with　him。　　Yet；　in　this　instance；　he　was　destined　to　failure；　for　the　men　were　of　a　type　different　from　that　of　English　Eddie；　who　was　lying　dead　as　the　meet　reward　for　treachery　to　his　fellows。。。。　When；　at　last；　his　question　issued　from　the　close…shut　lips；　it　came　like　the　crack　of　a　gun。

〃Who　shot　Griggs？〃　

The　reply　was　a　chorus　from　the　two：

〃I　don't　knowhonest；　I　don't！〃　

In　his　eagerness；　Chicago　Red　moved　toward　his　questionerunwisely。

〃Honest　to　Gawd；　I　don't　know　nothin'　about　it！〃　

The　Inspector's　fist　shot　out　toward　Chicago　Red's　jaw。　　The　impact　was　enough。　　The　thief　went　to　his　knees　under　the　blow。

〃Now；　get　upand　talk！〃　Burke's　voice　came　with　unrepentant　noisiness　against　the　stricken　man。

Cringingly；　Chicago　Red；　who　so　gloried　in　his　strength；　yet　was　now　altogether　humble　in　this　precarious　case；　obeyed　as　far　as　the　getting　to　his　feet　was　concerned。。。。　It　never　occurred　to　him　even　that　he　should　carry　his　obedience　to　the　point　of　〃squealing　on　a　pal！〃　Had　the　circumstances　been　different；　he　might　have　refused　to　accept　the　Inspector's　blow　with　such　meekness；　since　above　all　things　he　loved　a　bit　of　bodily　strife　with　some　one　near　his　own　strength；　and　the　Inspector　was　of　a　sort　to　offer　him　a　battle　worth　while。

So；　now；　while　he　got　slowly　to　his　feet；　he　took　care　to　keep　at　a　respectful　distance　from　the　official；　though　his　big　hands　fairly　ached　to　double　into　fists　for　blows　with　this　man　who　had　so　maltreated　him。

His　own　self…respect；　of　its　peculiar　sort；　was　saved　by　the　interference　of　Cassidy；　who　entered　the　Inspector's　office　to　announce　the　arrival　of　the　District　Attorney。

〃Send　'im　in；〃　Burke　directed　at　once。　　He　made　a　gesture　toward　the　doorman；　and　added：　〃Take　'em　back！〃　

A　grin　of　evil　humor　writhed　the　lips　of　the　police　official；　and　he　added　to　the　attentive　doorman　a　word　of　direction　that　might　well　be　interpreted　by　the　malevolent　expression　on　his　face。

〃Don't　be　rough　with　'em；　Dan；〃　he　said。　　For　once；　his　dominating　voice　was　reduced　to　something　approaching　softness；　in　his　sardonic　appreciation　of　his　own　humor　in　the　conception　of　what　these　two　men；　who　had　ventured　to　resist　his　importunities；　might　receive　at　the　hands　of　his　faithful　satellites。。。。　The　doorman　grinned　appreciatively；　and　herded　his　victims　from　the　place。　　And　the　two　went　shamblingly　in　sure　knowledge　of　the　things　that　were　in　store。　　Yet；　without　thought　of　treachery。　　They　would　not　〃squeal〃！　All　they　would　tell　of　the　death　of　Eddie　Griggs　would　be：　〃He　got　what　was　coming　to　him！〃　

The　Inspector　dropped　into　his　swivel　chair　at　the　desk　whilst　he　awaited　the　arrival　of　Demarest；　the　District　Attorney。　　The　greetings　between　the　two　were　cordial　when　at　last　the　public　prosecutor　made　his　appearance。

〃I　came　as　soon　as　I　got　your　message；〃　the　District　Attorney　said；　as　he　seated　himself　in　a　chair　by　the　desk。　　〃And　I've　sent　word　to　Mr。　Gilder。。。。　Now；　then；