within the law-第17部分

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t　help　himself；　you　know。　　That's　the　long　and　the　short　of　it。〃

That　mysterious　document　with　the　imposing　seal；　the　request　for　which　had　nearly　caused　a　judge　to　fall　off　the　bench；　reposed　safely　in　Mary's　bag　when　she；　returned　to　the　apartment　after　the　visit　to　the　lawyer's　office。



CHAPTER　X。　MARKED　MONEY。　

Mary　had　scarcely　received　from　Aggie　an　account　of　Cassidy's　threatening　invasion；　when　the　maid　announced　that　Mr。　Irwin　had　called。

〃Show　him　in；　in　just　two　minutes；〃　Mary　directed。

〃Who's　the　gink？〃　　Aggie　demanded；　with　that　slangy　diction　which　was　her　habit。

〃You　ought　to　know；〃　Mary　returned；　smiling　a　little。　〃He's　the　lawyer　retained　by　General　Hastings　in　the　matter　of　a　certain　breach…of…promise　suit。〃

〃Oh；　you　mean　yours　truly；〃　Aggie　exclaimed；　not　in　the　least　abashed　by　her　forgetfulness　in　an　affair　that　concerned　herself　so　closely。　　〃Hope　he's　brought　the　money。　　What　about　it？〃　

〃Leave　the　room　now；〃　Mary　ordered；　crisply。　〃When　I　call　to　you；　come　in；　but　be　sure　and　leave　everything　to　me。　　Merely　follow　my　lead。　　And；　Agnesbe　very　ingenue。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　wiseI'm　wise；〃　Aggie　nodded；　as　she　hurried　out　toward　her　bedroom。　　〃I'll　be　a　squabsurest　thing　you　know！〃　

Next　moment；　Mary　gave　a　formal　greeting　to　the　lawyer　who　represented　the　man　she　planned　to　mulct　effectively；　and　invited　him　to　a　chair　near　her；　while　she　herself　retained　her　place　at　the　desk；　within　a　drawer　of　which　she　had　just　locked　the　formidable…appearing　document　received　from　Harris。

Irwin　lost　no　time　in　coming　to　the　point。

〃I　called　in　reference　to　this　suit；　which　Miss　Agnes　Lynch　threatens　to　bring　against　my　client；　General　Hastings。〃

Mary　regarded　the　attorney　with　a　level　glance；　serenely　expressionless　as　far　as　could　be　achieved　by　eyes　so　clear　and　shining；　and　her　voice　was　cold　as　she　replied　with　significant　brusqueness。

〃It's　not　a　threat；　Mr。　Irwin。　　The　suit　will　be　brought。〃

The　lawyer　frowned；　and　there　was　a　strident　note　in　his　voice　when　he　answered；　meeting　her　glance　with　an　uncompromising　stare　of　hostility。

〃You　realize；　of　course；〃　he　said　finally；　〃that　this　is　merely　plain　blackmail。〃

There　was　not　the　change　of　a　feature　in　the　face　of　the　woman　who　listened　to　the　accusation。　　Her　eyes　steadfastly　retained　their　clear　gaze　into　his；　her　voice　was　still　coldly　formal；　as　before。

〃If　it's　blackmail；　Mr。　Irwin；　why　don't　you　consult　the　police？〃　　she　inquired；　with　manifest　disdain。　　Mary　turned　to　the　maid；　who　now　entered　in　response　to　the　bell　she　had　sounded　a　minute　before。　　〃Fanny；　will　you　ask　Miss　Lynch　to　come　in；　please？〃　　Then　she　faced　the　lawyer　again；　with　an　aloofness　of　manner　that　was　contemptuous。　　〃Really；　Mr。　Irwin；〃　she　drawled；　〃why　don't　you　take　this　matter　to　the　police？〃　

The　reply　was　uttered　with　conspicuous　exasperation。

〃You　know　perfectly　well；〃　the　lawyer　said　bitterly；　〃that　General　Hastings　cannot　afford　such　publicity。　His　position　would　be　jeopardized。〃

〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　Mary　suggested　evenly；　and　now　there　was　a　trace　of　flippancy　in　her　fashion　of　speaking；　〃I'm　sure　the　police　would　keep　your　complaint　a　secret。　Really；　you　know；　Mr。　Irwin；　I　think　you　had　better　take　your　troubles　to　the　police；　rather　than　to　me。　You　will　get　much　more　sympathy　from　them。〃

The　lawyer　sprang　up；　with　an　air　of　sudden　determination。

〃Very　well；　I　will　then；〃　he　declared；　sternly。　　〃I　will！〃　

Mary；　from　her　vantage　point　at　the　desk　across　from　him；　smiled　a　smile　that　would　have　been　very　engaging　to　any　man　under　more　favorable　circumstances；　and　she　pushed　in　his　direction　the　telephone　that　stood　there。

〃3100；　Spring；〃　she　remarked；　encouragingly；　〃will　bring　an　officer　almost　immediately。〃　　She　leaned　back　in　her　chair；　and　surveyed　the　baffled　man　amusedly。

The　lawyer　was　furious　over　the　failure　of　his　effort　to　intimidate　this　extraordinarily　self…possessed　young　woman；　who　made　a　mock　of　his　every　thrust。　　But　he　was　by　no　means　at　the　end　of　his　resources。

〃Nevertheless；〃　he　rejoined；　〃you　know　perfectly　well　that　General　Hastings　never　promised　to　marry　this　girl。　　You　know〃　He　broke　off　as　Aggie　entered　the　drawing…room；

Now；　the　girl　was　demure　in　seeming　almost　beyond　belief；　a　childish　creature；　very　fair　and　dainty；　guileless　surely；　with　those　untroubled　eyes　of　blue；　those　softly　curving　lips　of　warmest　red　and　the　more　delicate　bloom　in　the　rounded　cheeks。　　There　were　the　charms　of　innocence　and　simplicity　in　the　manner　of　her　as　she　stopped　just　within　the　doorway；　whence　she　regarded　Mary　with　a　timid；　pleading　gaze；　her　slender　little　form　poised　lightly　as　if　for　flight

〃Did　you　want　me；　dear？〃　　she　asked。　　There　was　something　half…plaintive　in　the　modulated　cadences　of　the　query。

〃Agnes；〃　Mary　answered　affectionately；　〃this　is　Mr。　Irwin；　who　has　come　to　see　you　in　behalf　of　General　Hastings。〃

〃Oh！〃　the　girl　murmured；　her　voice　quivering　a　little；　as　the　lawyer；　after　a　short　nod；　dropped　again　into　his　seat；　〃oh；　I'm　so　frightened！〃　She　hurried；　fluttering；　to　a　low　stool　behind　the　desk；　beside　Mary's　chair；　and　there　she　sank　down；　drooping　slightly；　and　catching　hold　of　one　of　Mary's　hands　as　if　in　mute　pleading　for　protection　against　the　fear　that　beset　her　chaste　soul。

〃Nonsense！〃　Mary　exclaimed；　soothingly。　　〃There's　really　nothing　at　all　to　be　frightened　about；　my　dear　child。〃　　Her　voice　was　that　with　which　one　seeks　to　cajole　a　terrified　infant。　　〃You　mustn't　be　afraid；　Agnes。　Mr。　Irwin　says　that　General　Hastings　did　not　promise　to　marry　you。　　Of　course；　you　understand；　my　dear；　that　under　no　circumstances　must　you　say　anything　that　isn't　strictly　true；　and　that；　if　he　did　not　promise　to　marry　you；　you　have　no　casenone　at　all。　　Now；　Agnes；　tell　me：　did　General　Hastings　promise　to　marry　you？〃　

〃Oh；　yesoh；　yes；　indeed！〃　Aggie　cried；　falteringly。　〃And　I　wish　he　would。　　He's　such　a　delightful　old　gentleman！〃　As　she　spoke；　the　girl　let　go　Mary's　hand　and　clasped　her　own　together　ecstatically。

The　legal　representative　of　the　delightful　old　gentleman　scowled　disgustedly　at　this　outburst。　　His　voice　was　portentous；　as　he　put　a　question。

〃Was　that　promise　made　in　writing？〃　

〃No；〃　Aggie　answered；　gushingly。　　〃But　all　his　letters　were　in　writing；　you　know。　　Such　wonderful　letters！〃　She　raised　her　blue　eyes　toward　the　ceiling　in　a　naive　rapture。　　〃So　tender；　and　soerinteresting！〃　Somehow；　the　inflection　on　the　last　word　did　not　altogether　suggest　the　ingenuous。

〃Yes；　yes；　I　dare　say；〃　Irwin　agreed；　hastily；　with　some　evidences　of　chagrin。　　He　had　no　intention　of　dwelling　on　that　feature　of　the　letters；　concerning　which　he　had　no　doubt　whatsoever；　since　he　knew　the　amorous　General　very　well　indeed。　　They　would　be　interesting；　beyond　shadow　of　questioning；　horribly　interesting。　Such　was　the　confessed　opinion　of　the　swain　himself　who　had　written　them　in　his　follyhorribly　interesting　to　all　the　reading　public　of　the　country；　since　the　General　was　a　conspicuous　figure。

Mary　intervened　with　a　suavity　that　infuriated　the　lawyer　almost　beyond　endurance。

〃But　you're　quite　sure；　Agnes；〃　she　questioned　gently；　〃that　General　Hastings　did　promise　to　marry　you？〃　　The　candor　of　her　manner　was　perfect。

And　the　answer　of　Aggie　was　given　with　a　like　convincing　emphasis。

〃Oh；　yes！〃　she　declared；　tensely。　　〃Why；　I　would　swear　to　it。〃　　The　limpid　eyes；　so　appealing　in　their　soft　lusters；　went　first　to　Mary；　then　gazed　trustingly　into　those　of　the　routed　attorney。

〃You　see；　Mr。　Irwin；　she　would　swear　to　that；〃　emphasized　Mary。

〃We're　beaten；〃　he　confessed；　dejectedly；　turning　his　glance　toward　Mary；　whom；　plainly；　he　regarded　as　his　real　adversary　in　the　combat　on　his　client's　behalf。　〃I'm　going　to　be　quite　frank　with　you；　Miss　Turner；　quite　frank；〃　he　stated　with　more　geniality；　though　with　a　very　crestfallen　air。　　Somehow；　indeed；　there　was　just　a　shade　too　much　of　the　crestfallen　in　the　fashion　of　his　utterance；　and　the　woman　whom　he　addressed　watched　warily　as　he　continued。　　〃We　can't　afford　any　scandal；　so　we're　going　to　settle　at　your　own　terms。〃　　He　paused　expectantly；　but　Mary　offered　no　comment；　only　maintained　her　alert　scrutiny　of　the　man。　　The　lawyer；　therefore；　leaned　forward　with　a　semblance　of　frank　eagerness。　　Instantly；　Aggie　had　become　agog　with　greedily　blissful　anticipations；　and　she　uttered　a　slight　ejaculation　of　joy；　but　Irwin　paid　no　heed　to　her。　He　was　occupied　in　taking　from　his　pocket　a　thick　bill…case；　and　from　this　presently　a　sheaf　of　banknotes；　which　he　laid　on　the　desk　before　Mary；　with　a　little　laugh　of　discomfiture　over　having　been　beaten　in　the　contest。

As　he　did　so；　Aggie　thrust　forth　an　avaricious　hand；　but　it　was　caught　and　held　by　Mary　before　it　reached　above　the　top　of　the　desk；　and　the　avaricious　gesture　passed　unobserved　by　the　attorney。

〃We　can't　fight　where　ladies　are　concerned；〃　he　went　on；　assuming；　as　best　he　might　contrive；　a　chivalrous　tone。　　〃So；　if　you　will　just　hand　over　General　Hastings'　letters；　why；　here's　your　money。〃

Much　to　the　speaker's　surprise；　there　followed　an　interval　of　silence；　and　his　puzzlement　showed　in　the　knitting　of　his　brows。　　〃You　have　the　letters；　haven't　you？〃　　he　demanded；　abruptly。

Aggie　coyly　took　a　thick　bundle　from　its　resting　place　on　her　rounded　bosom。

〃They　never　leave　me；〃　she　murmured；　with　dulcet　passion。　　There　was　in　her　voice　a　suggestion　of　desolationa　desolation　that　was　the　blighting　effect　of　letting　the　cherished　missives　go　from　her。

〃Well；　they　can　leave　you　now；　all　right；〃　the　lawyer　remarked　unsympathetically；　but　with　returning　cheerfulness；　since　he　saw　the　end　of　his　quest　in　visible　form　before　him。　　He　reached　quickly　forward　for　the　packet；　which　Aggie　extended　willingly　enough。　　But　it　was　Mary　who；　with　a　swift　movement；　caught　and　held　it。

〃Not　quite　yet；　Mr。　Irwin；　I'm　afraid；〃　she　said；　calmly。

The　lawyer　barely　suppressed　a　violent　ejaculation　of　annoyance。

〃But　there's　the　money　waiting　for　you；〃　he　protested；　indignantly。

The　rejoinder　from　Mary　was　spoken　with　great　deliberation；　yet　with　a　note　of　determination　that　caused　a　quick　and　acute　anxiety　to　the　General's　representative。

〃I　think；〃　Mary　explained　tranquill