the efficiency expert-第23部分

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…looking。　No　need　of　a　mirror　to　tell　her　that。　Her　youth　and　her　good　looks　had　been　her　stock　in　trade；　and　yet　this　evening　she　appraised　her　features　most　critically；　and　as　with　light　fingers　she　touched　her　hair；　now　in　one　place　and　now　in　another；　she　found　herself　humming　a　gay　little　tune　and　she　realized　that　she　was　very　happy。

When　Jimmy　Torrance　alighted　from　the　Clark　Street　car　he　found　Edith　waiting　for　him。

〃It　was　mighty　good　of　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　don't　know　when　I　have　had　such　a　fit　of　blues；　but　I　feel　better　already。〃

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　asked。

〃I　just　had　a　talk　with　Mr。　Compton；〃　he　replied。　〃He　sent　for　me　and　I　had　to　tell　him　something　that　I　didn't　want　to　tell　him；　although　he's　got　to　find　it　out　sooner　or　later　anyway。〃

〃Is　there　something　wrong　at　the　plant？〃　she　asked。

〃Wrong　doesn't　describe　it；〃　he　exclaimed　bitterly。　　〃The　man　that　he　has　done　the　most　for　and　in　whose　loyalty　he　ought　to　have　the　right　of　implicit　confidence；　is　robbing　him　blind。〃

〃Bince？〃　asked　the　girl。　　Jimmy　nodded。　　〃I　didn't　like　that　pill；〃　she　said；　〃from　the　moment　I　saw　him。〃

〃Nor　I；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃but　he　is　going　to　marry　Miss　Compton　and　inherit　the　business。　He's　the　last　man　in　the　place　that　Compton　would　suspect。　It　was　just　like　suggesting　to　a　man　that　his　son　was　robbing　him。〃

〃Have　you　got　the　goods　on　him？〃　asked　Edith。

〃I　will　have　as　soon　as　the　C。P。A。's　get　to　digging　into　the　pay…roll；〃　he　replied；　〃and　I　just　as　good　as　got　the　information　I　need　even　without　that。　Well；　let's　forget　our　troubles。　What　shall　we　do？〃

〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃　she　asked。

He　could　not　tell　by　either　her　tone　or　expression　with　what　anxiety　she　awaited　his　reply。　〃Suppose　we　do　something　exciting；　like　going　to　the　movies；〃　he　suggested　with　a　laugh。

〃That　suits　me　all　right；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃There　is　a　dandy　comedy　down　at　the　Castle。〃

And　so　they　went　to　the　picture　show；　and　when　it　was　over　he　suggested　that　they　have　a　bite　to　eat。

〃I'll　tell　you；〃　Edith　suggested。　　〃Suppose　we　go　to　Feinheimer's　restaurant　and　see　if　we　can't　get　that　table　that　I　used　to　eat　at　when　you　waited　on　me？〃　They　both　laughed。

〃If　old　Feinheimer　sees　me　he　will　have　me　poisoned；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Not　if　you　have　any　money　to　spend　in　his　place。〃

It　was　eleven　thirty　when　they　reached　Feinheimer's。　　The　table　they　wanted　was　vacant；　a　little　table　in　a　corner　of　the　room　and　furthest　from　the　orchestra。　The　waiter；　a　new　man；　did　not　know　them；　and　no　one　had　recognized　them　as　they　entered。

Jimmy　sat　looking　at　the　girl's　profile　as　she　studied　the　menu…card。　　She　was　very　pretty。　He　had　always　thought　her　that；　but　somehow　to…night　she　seemed　to　be　different；　even　more　beautiful　than　in　the　past。　He　wished　that　he　could　forget　what　she　had　been。　And　he　realized　as　he　looked　at　her　sweet　girlish　face　upon　which　vice　had　left　no　slightest　impression　to　mark　her　familiarity　with　vice；　that　it　might　be　easy　to　forget　her　past。　And　then　between　him　and　the　face　of　the　girl　before　him　arose　the　vision　of　another　face；　the　face　of　the　girl　that　he　had　set　upon　a　pedestal　and　worshiped　from　afar。　And　with　the　recollection　of　her　came　a　realization　of　the　real　cause　of　his　sorrow　and　depression　earlier　in　the　evening。

He　had　attributed　it　to　the　unpleasant　knowledge　he　had　been　forced　to　partially　impart　to　her　father　and　also　in　some　measure　to　the　regrettable　interview　he　had　had　with　her；　but　now　he　knew　that　these　were　only　contributory　causes；　that　the　real　reason　was　that　during　the　months　she　had　occupied　his　thoughts　and　in　the　few　meetings　he　had　had　with　her　there　had　developed　within　him；　unknown　to　himself；　a　sentiment　for　her　that　could　be　described　by　but　one　wordlove。

Always；　though　he　had　realized　that　she　was　unattainable；　there　must　have　lingered　within　his　breast　a　faint　spark　of　hope　that　somehow；　some　time；　there　would　be　a　chance；　but　after　to…night　he　knew　there　could　never　be　a　chance。　She　had　openly　confessed　her　contempt　for　him；　and　how　would　she　feel　later　when　she　realized　that　through　his　efforts　her　happiness　was　to　be　wrecked；　and　the　man　she　loved　and　was　to　marry　branded　as　a　criminal？




CHAPTER　XXII。

A　LETTER　FROM　MURRAY。

The　girl　opposite　him　looked　up　from　the　card　before　her。　　The　lines　of　her　face　were　softened　by　the　suggestion　of　a　contented　smile。　〃My　gracious！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃What's　the　matter　now？　You　look　as　though　you　had　lost　your　last　friend。〃

Jimmy　quickly　forced　a　smile　to　his　lips。　　〃On　the　contrary；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　I've　found　a　regular　friendin　you。〃

It　was　easy　to　see　that　his　words　pleased　her。

〃No；〃　continued　Jimmy；　〃I　was　thinking　of　what　an　awful　mess　I　make　of　everything　I　tackle。〃

〃You're　not　making　any　mess　of　this　new　job；〃　she　said。　　〃You're　making　good。　You　see；　my　hunch　was　all　right。〃

〃I　wish　you　hadn't　had　your　hunch；〃　he　said　with　a　smile。　　〃It's　going　to　bring　a　lot　of　trouble　to　several　people；　but　now　that　I'm　in　it　I'm　going　to　stick　to　it　to　a　finish。〃

The　girl's　eyes　were　wandering　around　the　room；　taking　in　the　faces　of　the　diners　about　them。　Suddenly　she　extended　her　hand　and　laid　it　on　Jimmy's。

〃For　the　love　of　Mike。〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Look　over　there。〃

Slowly　Jimmy　turned　his　eyes　in　the　direction　she　indicated。

〃What　do　you　know　about　that？〃　he　ejaculated。　　〃Steve　Murray　and　Bince！〃

〃And　thick　as　thieves；〃　said　the　girl。

〃Naturally；〃　commented　Jimmy。

The　two　men　left　the　restaurant　before　Edith　and　Jimmy　had　finished　their　supper；　leaving　the　two　hazarding　various　guesses　as　to　the　reason　for　their　meeting。

〃You　can　bet　it's　for　no　good；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃I've　known　Murray　for　a　long　while；　and　I　never　knew　him　to　do　a　decent　thing　in　his　life。〃

Their　supper　over；　they　walked　to　Clark　Street　and　took　a　northbound　car；　but　after　alighting　Jimmy　walked　with　the　girl　to　the　entrance　of　her　apartment。

〃I　can't　thank　you　enough；〃　he　said；　〃for　giving　me　this　evening。　　It　is　the　only　evening　I　have　enjoyed　since　I　struck　this　town　last　July。〃

He　unlocked　the　outer　door　for　her　and　was　holding　it　open。

〃It　is　I　who　ought　to　thank　you；〃　she　said。　　Her　voice　was　very　low　and　filled　with　suppressed　feeling。　〃I　ought　to　thank　you；　for　this　has　been　the　happiest　evening　of　my　life；〃　and　as　though　she　could　not　trust　herself　to　say　more；　she　entered　the　hallway　and　closed　the　door　between　them。

As　Jimmy　turned　away　to　retrace　his　steps　to　the　car…line　he　found　his　mind　suddenly　in　a　whirl　of　jumbled　emotions；　for　he　was　not　so　stupid　as　to　have　failed　to　grasp　something　of　the　significance　of　the　girl's　words　and　manner。

〃Hell！〃　he　muttered。　　〃Look　what　I've　done　now！〃

The　girl　hurried　to　her　room　and　turned　on　the　lights；　and　again　she　seated　herself　before　her　mirror；　and　for　a　moment　sat　staring　at　the　countenance　reflected　before　her。　She　saw　lips　parted　to　rapid　breathing；　lips　that　curved　sweetly　in　a　happy　smile；　and　then　as　she　sat　there　looking　she　saw　the　expression　of　the　face　before　her　change。　The　lips　ceased　to　smile；　the　soft；　brown　eyes　went　wide　and　staring　as　though　in　sudden　horror。　For　a　moment　she　sat　thus　and　then；　throwing　her　body　forward　upon　her　dressing…table；　she　buried　her　face　in　her　arms。

〃My　God！〃　she　cried　through　choking　sobs。

Mason　Compton　was　at　his　office　the　next　morning；　contrary　to　the　pleas　of　his　daughter　and　the　orders　of　his　physician。　Bince　was　feeling　more　cheerful。　Murray　had　assured　him　that　there　was　a　way　out。　He　would　not　tell　Bince　what　the　way　was。

〃Just　leave　it　to　me；〃　he　said。　　〃The　less　you　know；　the　better　off　you'll　be。　What　you　want　is　to　get　rid　of　this　fresh　guy　and　have　all　the　papers　in　a　certain　vault　destroyed。　You　see　to　it　that　only　the　papers　you　want　destroyed　are　in　that　vault；　and　I'll　do　the　rest。〃

All　of　which　relieved　Mr。　Harold　Bince's　elastic　conscience　of　any　feeling　of　responsibility　in　the　matter。　Whatever　Murray　did　was　no　business　of　his。　He　was　glad　that　Murray　hadn't　told　him。

He　greeted　Jimmy　Torrance　almost　affably；　but　he　lost　something　of　his　self…composure　when　Mason　Compton　arrived　at　the　office；　for　Bince　had　been　sure　that　his　employer　would　be　laid　up　for　at　least　another　week；　during　which　time　Murray　would　have　completed　his　work。

The　noon　mail　brought　a　letter　from　Murray。

〃Show　the　enclosed　to　Compton；〃　it　read。　〃Tell　him　you　found　it　on　your　desk；　and　destroy　this　letter。〃　The　enclosure　was　a　crudely　printed　note　on　a　piece　of　soiled　wrapping…paper：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TREAT　YOUR　MEN　RIGHT　OR　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SUFFER　THE　CONSEQUENCES　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I。　W。　W。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Bince　laid　Murray's　letter　face　down　upon　the　balance　of　the　open　mail；　and　sat　for　a　long　time　looking　at　the　ominous　words　of　the　enclosure。　At　first　he　was　inclined　to　be　frightened；　but　finally　a　crooked　smile　twisted　his　lips。　〃Murray's　not　such　a　fool；　after　all；〃　he　soliloquized。

〃He's　framing　an　alibi　before　he　starts。〃

With　the　note　in　his　hand；　Bince　entered　Compton's　office；　where　he　found　the　latter　dictating　to　Edith　Hudson。　〃Look　a