sunshine sketches of a little town-第26部分

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fell　forward　on　the　floor　and　knew　no　more。

At　that　point；　of　course；　I　ought　to　close　down　a　chapter；　or　volume；
or；　at　least；　strike　the　reader　over　the　head　with　a　sandbag　to　force
him　to　stop　and　think。　In　common　fairness　one　ought　to　stop　here　and
count　a　hundred　or　get　up　and　walk　round　a　block；　or；　at　any　rate；
picture　to　oneself　Peter　Pupkin　lying　on　the　floor　of　the　bank；
motionless；　his　arms　distended；　the　revolver　still　grasped　in　his
hand。　But　I　must　go　on。

By　half…past　seven　on　the　following　morning　it　was　known　all　over
Mariposa　that　Peter　Pupkin　the　junior　teller　of　the　Exchange　had　been
shot　dead　by　a　bank　robber　in　the　vault　of　the　building。　It　was　known
also　that　Gillis；　the　caretaker；　had　been　shot　and　killed　at　the　foot
of　the　stairs；　and　that　the　robber　had　made　off　with　fifty　thousand
dollars　in　currency；　that　he　had　left　a　trail　of　blood　on　the
sidewalk　and　that　the　men　were　out　tracking　him　with　bloodhounds　in
the　great　swamps　to　the　north　of　the　town。

This；　I　say；　and　it　is　important　to　note　it；　was　what　they　knew　at
half…past　seven。　Of　course　as　each　hour　went　past　they　learned　more
and　more。　At　eight　o'clock　it　was　known　that　Pupkin　was　not　dead；　but
dangerously　wounded　in　the　lungs。　At　eight…thirty　it　was　known　that
he　was　not　shot　in　the　lungs；　but　that　the　ball　had　traversed　the　pit
of　his　stomach。

At　nine　o'clock　it　was　learned　that　the　pit　of　Pupkin's　stomach　was
all　right；　but　that　the　bullet　had　struck　his　right　ear　and　carried
it　away。　Finally　it　was　learned　that　his　ear　had　not　exactly　been
carried　away；　that　is；　not　precisely　removed　by　the　bullet；　but　that
it　had　grazed　Pupkin's　head　in　such　a　way　that　it　had　stunned　him；
and　if　it　had　been　an　inch　or　two　more　to　the　left　it　might　have
reached　his　brain。　This；　of　course；　was　just　as　good　as　being　killed
from　the　point　of　view　of　public　interest。

Indeed；　by　nine　o'clock　Pupkin　could　be　himself　seen　on　the　Main
Street　with　a　great　bandage　sideways　on　his　head；　pointing　out　the
traces　of　the　robber。　Gillis；　the　caretaker；　too；　it　was　known　by
eight；　had　not　been　killed。　He　had　been　shot　through　the　brain；　but
whether　the　injury　was　serious　or　not　was　only　a　matter　of
conjecture。　In　fact；　by　ten　o'clock　it　was　understood　that　the　bullet
from　the　robber's　second　shot　had　grazed　the　side　of　the　caretaker's
head；　but　as　far　as　could　be　known　his　brain　was　just　as　before。　I
should　add　that　the　first　report　about　the　bloodstains　and　the　swamp
and　the　bloodhounds　turned　out　to　be　inaccurate。　The　stains　may　have
been　blood；　but　as　they　led　to　the　cellar　way　of　Netley's　store　they
may　have　also　been　molasses；　though　it　was　argued；　to　be　sure；　that
the　robber　might　well　have　poured　molasses　over　the　bloodstains　from
sheer　cunning。

It　was　remembered；　too；　that　there　were　no　bloodhounds　in　Mariposa；
although；　mind　you；　there　are　any　amount　of　dogs　there。

So　you　see　that　by　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　whole　affair　was
settling　into　the　impenetrable　mystery　which　it　ever　since　remained。

Not　that　there　wasn't　evidence　enough。　There　was　Pupkin's　own　story
and　Gillis's　story；　and　the　stories　of　all　the　people　who　had　heard
the　shots　and　seen　the　robber　（some　said；　the　bunch　of　robbers）　go
running　past　（others　said；　walking　past）；　in　the　night。　Apparently
the　robber　ran　up　and　down　half　the　streets　of　Mariposa　before　he
vanished。

But　the　stories　of　Pupkin　and　Gillis　were　plain　enough。　Pupkin
related　that　he　heard　sounds　in　the　bank　and　came　downstairs　just　in
time　to　see　the　robber　crouching　in　the　passage　way；　and　that　the
robber　was　a　large；　hulking；　villainous　looking　man；　wearing　a　heavy
coat。　Gillis　told　exactly　the　same　story；　having　heard　the　noises　at
the　same　time；　except　that　he　first　described　the　robber　as　a　small
thin　fellow　（peculiarly　villainous　looking；　however；　even　in　the
dark）；　wearing　a　short　jacket；　but　on　thinking　it　over；　Gillis
realized　that　he　had　been　wrong　about　the　size　of　the　criminal；　and
that　he　was　even　bigger；　if　anything；　than　what　Mr：　Pupkin　thought。
Gillis　had　fired　at　the　robber；　just　at　the　same　moment　had　Mr。
Pupkin。

Beyond　that；　all　was　mystery；　absolute　and　impenetrable。

By　eleven　o'clock　the　detectives　had　come　up　from　the　city　under
orders　from　the　head　of　the　bank。

I　wish　you　could　have　seen　the　two　detectives　as　they　moved　to　and
fro　in　Mariposafine　looking；　stern；　impenetrable　men　that　they
were。　They　seemed　to　take　in　the　whole　town　by　instinct　and　so
quietly。　They　found　their　way　to　Mr。　Smith's　Hotel　just　as　quietly　as
if　it　wasn't　design　at　all　and　stood　there　at　the　bar；　picking　up
scraps　of　conversationyou　know　the　way　detectives　do　it。
Occasionally　they　allowed　one　or　two　bystandersconfederates；
perhaps；to　buy　a　drink　for　them；　and　you　could　see　from　the　way
they　drank　it　that　they　were　still　listening　for　a　clue。　If　there　had
been　the　faintest　clue　in　Smith's　Hotel　or　in　the　Mariposa　House　or
in　the　Continental；　those　fellows　would　have　been　at　it　like　a　flash。

To　see　them　moving　round　the　town　that　daysilent；　massive；
imperturbablegave　one　a　great　idea　of　their　strange；　dangerous
calling。　They　went　about　the　town　all　day　and　yet　in　such　a　quiet
peculiar　way　that　you　couldn't　have　realized　that　they　were　working
at　all。　They　ate　their　dinner　together　at　Smith's　cafe　and　took　an
hour　and　a　half　over　it　to　throw　people　off　the　scent。　Then　when　they
got　them　off　it；　they　sat　and　talked　with　Josh　Smith　in　the　back　bar
to　keep　them　off。　Mr。　Smith　seemed　to　take　to　them　right　away。　They
were　men　of　his　own　size；　or　near　it；　and　anyway　hotel　men　and
detectives　have　a　general　affinity　and　share　in　the　same　impenetrable
silence　and　in　their　confidential　knowledge　of　the　weaknesses　of　the
public。

Mr。　Smith；　too；　was　of　great　use　to　the　detectives。　〃Boys；〃　he　said；
〃I　wouldn't　ask　too　close　as　to　what　folks　was　out　late　at　night：　in
this　town　it　don't　do。〃

When　those　two　great　brains　finally　left　for　the　city　on　the
five…thirty；　it　was　hard　to　realize　that　behind　each　grand；
impassible　face　a　perfect　vortex　of　clues　was　seething。

But　if　the　detectives　were　heroes；　what　was　Pupkin？　Imagine　him　with
his　bandage　on　his　head　standing　in　front　of　the　bank　and　talking　of
the　midnight　robbery　with　that　peculiar　false　modesty　that　only
heroes　are　entitled　to　use。

I　don't　know　whether　you　have　ever　been　a　hero；　but　for　sheer
exhilaration　there　is　nothing　like　it。　And　for　Mr。　Pupkin；　who　had
gone　through　life　thinking　himself　no　good；　to　be　suddenly　exalted
into　the　class　of　Napoleon　Bonaparte　and　John　Maynard　and　the　Charge
of　the　Light　Brigadeoh；　it　was　wonderful。　Because　Pupkin　was　a
brave　man　now　and　he　knew　it　and　acquired　with　it　all　the　brave　man's
modesty。　In　fact；　I　believe　he　was　heard　to　say　that　he　had　only　done
his　duty；　and　that　what　he　did　was　what　any　other　man　would　have
done：　though　when　somebody　else　said：　〃That's　so；　when　you　come　to
think　of　it；〃　Pupkin　turned　on　him　that　quiet　look　of　the　wounded
hero；　bitterer　than　words。

And　if　Pupkin　had　known　that　all　of　the　afternoon　papers　in　the　city
reported　him　dead；　he　would　have　felt　more　luxurious　still。

That　afternoon　the　Mariposa　court　sat　in　enquiry；technically　it
was　summoned　in　inquest　on　the　dead　robberthough　they　hadn't　found
the　bodyand　it　was　wonderful　to　see　them　lining　up　the　witnesses
and　holding　cross…examinations。　There　is　something　in　the
cross…examination　of　great　criminal　lawyers　like　Nivens；　of　Mariposa；
and　in　the　counter　examinations　of　presiding　judges　like　Pepperleigh
that　thrills　you　to　the　core　with　the　astuteness　of　it。

They　had　Henry　Mullins；　the　manager；　on　the　stand　for　an　hour　and　a
half；　and　the　excitement　was　so　breathless　that　you　could　have　heard
a　pin　drop。　Nivens　took　him　on　first。

〃What　is　your　name？〃　he　said。

〃Henry　August　Mullins。〃

〃What　position　do　you　hold？〃

〃I　am　manager　of　the　Exchange　Bank。〃

〃When　were　you　born？〃

〃December　30；　1869。〃

After　that；　Nivens　stood　looking　quietly　at　Mullins。　You　could　feel
that　he　was　thinking　pretty　deeply　before　he　shot　the　next　question
at　him。

〃Where　did　you　go　to　school？〃

Mullins　answered　straight　off：　〃The　high　school　down　home；〃　and
Nivens　thought　again　for　a　while　and　then　asked：

〃How　many　boys　were　at　the　school？〃

〃About　sixty。〃

〃How　many　masters？〃

〃About　three。〃

After　that　Nivens　paused　a　long　while　and　seemed　to　be　digesting　the
evidence；　but　at　last　an　idea　seemed　to　strike　him　and　he　said：

〃I　understand　you　were　not　on　the　bank　premises　last　night。　Where
were　you？〃

〃Down　the　lake　duck　shooting。〃

You　should　have　seen　the　excitement　in　the　court　when　Mullins　said
this。　The　judge　leaned　forward　in　his　chair　and　broke　in　at　once。

〃Did　you　get　any；　Harry？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　Mullins　said；　〃about　six。〃

〃Where　did　you　get　them？　What？　In　the　wild　rice　marsh　past　the
river？　You　don't　say　so！　Did　you　get　them　on　the　sit　or　how？〃

All　of　these　questions　were　fired　off　at　the　witness　from　the　court
in　a　single　breath。　In　fact；　it　was　the　knowledge　that　the　first
ducks　of　the　season　had　been　seen　in　the　Ossawippi　marsh　that　led　to
the　termination　of　the　proceedings　before　the　afternoon　was　a　quarter
over。　Mullins　and　George　Duff　and　half　the　witnesses　were　off　with
shotguns　as　soon　as　the　court　was　cleared。

I　may　as　well　state　at　once　that　the　full　story　of　the　robbery　of　the
bank　of　Mariposa　never　came　to　the　light。　A　number　of
arrestsmostly　of　vagrants　and　suspicious　characterswere　made；　but
the　guilt　of　the　robbery　was　never　brought　home　to　them。　One　man　was
arrested　twenty　miles　away；　at　the　other。　end　of　Missinaba　county；
who　not　only　corresponded　exactly　with　the　description　of　the　robber；
but；　in　addition　to　this；　had　a　wooden　leg。　Vagrants　with　one　leg
are　always　regarded　with　suspicion　in　places　like　Mariposa；　and
whenever　a　robbery　or　a　murder　happens　they　are　arrested　in　batches。

It　was　never　even　known　just　how　much　money　was　stolen　from　the　bank。
Some　people　said　ten　thousand　dollars；　others　more。　The　bank；　no
doubt　for　business　motives；　claimed　that　the　contents　of　the　safe
were　intact　and　that　the　robber　had　been　foiled　in　his　design。

But