within the law-第25部分

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peared；　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　self…possession。　　He　spoke　with　the　sureness　of　a　man　of　wealth；　confident　that　money　will　salve　any　wound。

〃How　much？〃　　he　asked；　baldly。

Mary　smiled　an　inscrutable　smile。

〃Oh；　I　don't　need　money；〃　she　said；　carelessly。　〃Inspector　Burke　will　tell　you　how　easy　it　is　for　me　to　get　it。〃

Gilder　looked　at　her　with　a　newly　dawning　respect；　then　his　shrewdness　suggested　a　retort。

〃Do　you　want　my　son　to　learn　what　you　are？〃　　he　said。

Mary　laughed。　　There　was　something　dreadful　in　that　burst　of　spurious　amusement。

〃Why　not？〃　　she　answered。　　〃I'm　ready　to　tell　him　myself。〃

Then　Gilder　showed　the　true　heart　of　him；　in　which　love　for　his　boy　was　before　all　else。　　He　found　himself　wholly　at　a　loss　before　the　woman's　unexpected　reply。

〃But　I　don't　want　him　to　know；〃　he　stammered。　〃Why；　I've　spared　the　boy　all　his　life。　　If　he　really　loves　youit　will〃

At　that　moment；　the　son　himself　entered　hurriedly　from　the　hallway。　　In　his　eagerness；　he　saw　no　one　save　the　woman　whom　he　loved。　　At　his　entrance；　Mary　rose　and　moved　backward　a　step　involuntarily；　in　sheer　surprise　over　his　coming；　even　though　she　had　known　he　must　comeperhaps　from　some　other　emotion；　deeper；　hidden　as　yet　even　from　herself。

The　young　man；　with　his　wholesome　face　alight　with　tenderness；　went　swiftly　to　her；　while　the　other　three　men　stood　silent；　motionless；　abashed　by　the　event。　　And　Dick　took　Mary's　hand　in　a　warm　clasp；　pressed　it　tenderly。

〃I　didn't　see　father；〃　he　said　happily；　〃but　I　left　him　a　note　on　his　desk　at　the　office。〃

Then；　somehow；　the　surcharged　atmosphere　penetrated　his　consciousness；　and　he　looked　around；　to　see　his　father　standing　grimly　opposite　him。　　But　there　was　no　change　in　his　expression　beyond　a　more　radiant　smile。

〃Hello；　Dad！〃　he　cried；　joyously。　　〃Then　you　got　my　note？〃　

The　voice　of　the　older　man　came　with　a　sinister　force　and　saturnine。

〃No；　Dick；　I　haven't　had　any　note。〃

〃Then；　why？〃　　The　young　man　broke　off　suddenly。　He　was　become　aware　that　here　was　something　malignant；　with　a　meaning　beyond　his　present　understanding；　for　he　saw　the　Inspector　and　Demarest；　and　he　knew　the　two　of　them　for　what　they　were　officially。

〃What　are　they　doing　here？〃　　he　demanded　suspiciously；　staring　at　the　two。

〃Oh；　never　mind　them；〃　Mary　said。　　There　was　a　malevolent　gleam　in　her　violet　eyes。　　This　was　the　recompense　of　which　she　had　dreamed　through　soul…tearing　ages。　　〃Just　tell　your　father　your　news；　Dick。〃

The　young　man　had　no　comprehension　of　the　fact　that　he　was　only　a　pawn　in　the　game。　　He　spoke　with　simple　pride。

〃Dad；　we're　married。　　Mary　and　I　were　married　this　morning。〃

Always；　Mary　stared　with　her　eyes　steadfast　on　the　father。　　There　was　triumph　in　her　gaze。　　This　was　the　vengeance　for　which　she　had　longed；　for　which　she　had　plotted；　the　vengeance　she　had　at　last　achieved。　　Here　was　her　fruition；　the　period　of　her　supremacy。

Gilder　himself　seemed　dazed　by　the　brief　sentence。

〃Say　that　again；〃　he　commanded。

Mary　rejoiced　to　make　the　knowledge　sure。

〃I　married　your　son　this　morning；〃　she　said　in　a　matter…of…fact　tone。　　〃I　married　him。　　Do　you　quite　understand；　Mr。　Gilder？　　I　married　him。〃　　In　that　insistence　lay　her　ultimate　compensation　for　untold　misery。　　The　father　stood　there　wordless；　unable　to　find　speech　against　this　calamity　that　had　befallen　him。

It　was　Burke　who　offered　a　diversion；　a　crude　interruption　after　his　own　fashion。

〃It's　a　frame…up；〃　he　roared。　　He　glared　at　the　young　man。　　〃Tell　your　father　it　ain't　true。　　Why；　do　you　know　what　she　is？　　She's　done　time。〃　　He　paused　for　an　instant；　then　spoke　in　a　voice　that　was　brutally　menacing。　〃And；　by　God；　she'll　do　it　again！〃　

The　young　man　turned　toward　his　bride。　　There　was　disbelief；　hope；　despair；　in　his　face；　which　had　grown　older　by　years　with　the　passing　of　the　seconds。

〃It's　a　lie；　Mary；〃　he　said。　　〃Say　it's　a　lie！〃　He　seized　her　hand　passionately。

There　was　no　quiver　in　her　voice　as　she　answered。　She　drew　her　hand　from　his　clasp；　and　spoke　evenly。

〃It's　the　truth。〃

〃It's　the　truth！〃　the　young　man　repeated；　incredulously。

〃It　is　the　truth；〃　Mary　said；　firmly。　　〃I　have　served　three　years　in　prison。〃

There　was　a　silence　of　a　minute　that　was　like　years。　It　was　the　father　who　broke　it；　and　now　his　voice　was　become　tremulous。

〃I　wanted　to　save　you；　Dick。　　That's　why　I　came。〃

The　son　interrupted　him　violently。

〃There's　a　mistakethere　must　be。〃

It　was　Demarest　who　gave　an　official　touch　to　the　tragedy　of　the　moment。

〃There's　no　mistake；〃　he　said。　　There　was　authority　in　his　statement。

〃There　is；　I　tell　you！〃　Dick　cried；　horrified　by　this　conspiracy　of　defamation。　　He　turned　his　tortured　face　to　his　bride　of　a　day。

〃Mary；〃　he　said　huskily；　〃there　is　a　mistake。〃

Something　in　her　face　appalled　him。　　He　was　voiceless　for　a　few　terrible　instants。　　Then　he　spoke　again；　more　beseechingly。

〃Say　there's　a　mistake。〃

Mary　preserved　her　poise。　　Yesshe　must　not　forget！　This　was　the　hour　of　her　triumph。　　What　mattered　it　that　the　honey　of　it　was　as　ashes　in　her　mouth？　　She　spoke　with　a　simplicity　that　admitted　no　denial。

〃It's　all　quite　true。〃

The　man　who　had　so　loved　her；　so　trusted　her；　was　overwhelmed　by　the　revelation。　　He　stood　trembling　for　a　moment；　tottered；　almost　it　seemed　would　have　fallen；　but　presently　steadied　himself　and　sank　supinely　into　a　chair；　where　he　sat　in　impotent　suffering。

The　father　looked　at　Mary　with　a　reproach　that　was　pathetic。

〃See；〃　he　said；　and　his　heavy　voice　was　for　once　thin　with　passion；〃　see　what　you've　done　to　my　boy！〃　

Mary　had　held　her　eyes　on　Dick。　　There　had　been　in　her　gaze　a　conflict　of　emotions；　strong　and　baffling。　Now；　however；　when　the　father　spoke；　her　face　grew　more　composed；　and　her　eyes　met　his　coldly。　　Her　voice　was　level　and　vaguely　dangerous　as　she　answered　his　accusation。

〃What　is　that　compared　to　what　you　have　done　to　me？〃　

Gilder　stared　at　her　in　honest　amazement。　　He　had　no　suspicion　as　to　the　tragedy　that　lay　between　him　and　her。

〃What　have　I　done　to　you？〃　　he　questioned；　uncomprehending。

Mary　moved　forward；　passing　beyond　the　desk；　and　continued　her　advance　toward　him　until　the　two　stood　close　together；　face　to　face。　　She　spoke　softly；　but　with　an　intensity　of　supreme　feeling　in　her　voice。

〃Do　you　remember　what　I　said　to　you　the　day　you　had　me　sent　away？〃　

The　merchant　regarded　her　with　stark　lack　of　understanding。

〃I　don't　remember　you　at　all；〃　he　said。

The　woman　looked　at　him　intently　for　a　moment；　then　spoke　in　a　colorless　voice。

〃Perhaps　you　remember　Mary　Turner；　who　was　arrested　four　years　ago　for　robbing　your　store。　　And　perhaps　you　remember　that　she　asked　to　speak　to　you　before　they　took　her　to　prison。〃

The　heavy…jowled　man　gave　a　start。

〃Oh；　you　begin　to　remember。　　Yes！　There　was　a　girl　who　swore　she　was　innocentyes；　she　swore　that　she　was　innocent。　　And　she　would　have　got　offonly；　you　asked　the　judge　to　make　an　example　of　her。〃

The　man　to　whom　she　spoke　had　gone　gray　a　little。　He　began　to　understand；　for　he　was　not　lacking　in　intelligence。　　Somehow；　it　was　borne　in　on　him　that　this　woman　had　a　grievance　beyond　the　usual　run　of　injuri