within the law-第30部分

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tor　Burke；　having　in　mind　the　great　distress　of　the　man　over　the　unfortunate

entanglement　of　his　son；　was　at　pains　to　offer　a　reassuring　word。

〃Don't　worry　about　the　boy；〃　he　said；　with　grave　kindliness。　　〃We'll　get　him　out　of　this　scrape　all　right。〃　　And　with　the　assertion　he　bustled　out；　leaving　the　unhappy　father　to　miserable　forebodings。



CHAPTER　XVII。　OUTSIDE　THE　LAW。　

Gilder　scrupulously　followed　the　directions　of　the　Police　Inspector。　　Uneasily；　he　had　remained　in　the　library　until　the　allotted　time　was　elapsed。　　He　fidgeted　from　place　to　place；　his　mind　heavy　with　distress　under　the　shadow　that　threatened　to　blight　the　life　of　his　cherished　son。　　Finally；　with　a　sense　of　relief　he　put　out　the　lights　and　went　to　his　chamber。　　But　he　did　not　follow　the　further　directions　given　him；　for　he　was　not　minded　to　go　to　bed。　　Instead；　he　drew　the　curtains　closely　to　make　sure　that　no　gleam　of　light　could　pass　them；　and　then　sat　with　a　cigar　between　his　lips；　which　he　did　not　smoke；　though　from　time　to　time　he　was　at　pains　to　light　it。　　His　thoughts　were　most　with　his　son；　and　ever　as　he　thought　of　Dick；　his　fury　waxed　against　the　woman　who　had　enmeshed　the　boy　in　her　plotting　for　vengeance　on　himself。　　And　into　his　thoughts　now　crept　a　doubt；　one　that　alarmed　his　sense　of　justice。　　It　occurred　to　him　that　this　woman　could　not　have　thus　nourished　a　plan　for　retribution　through　the　years　unless；　indeed；　she　had　been　insane；　even　as　he　had　claimedor　innocent！　The　idea　was　appalling。　　He　could　not　bear　to　admit　the　possibility　of　having　been　the　involuntary　inflicter　of　such　wrong　as　to　send　the　girl　to　prison　for　an　offense　she　had　not　committed。　　He　rejected　the　suggestion；　but　it　persisted。　　He　knew　the　clean；　wholesome　nature　of　his　son。　　It　seemed　to　him　incredible　that　the　boy　could　have　thus　given　his　heart　to　one　altogether　undeserving。　　A　horrible　suspicion　that　he　had　misjudged　Mary　Turner　crept　into　his　brain；　and　would　not　out。　　He　fought　it　with　all　the　strength　of　him；　and　that　was　much；　but　ever　it　abode　there。　　He　turned　for　comfort　to　the　things　Burke　had　said。　　The　woman　was　a　crook；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it。　　Her　ruse　of　spoliation　within　the　law　was　evidence　of　her　shrewdness；　nothing　more。

Mary　Turner　herself；　too；　was　in　a　condition　utterly　wretched；　and　for　the　same　causeDick　Gilder。　　That　source　of　the　father's　suffering　was　hers　as　well。　　She　had　won　her　ambition　of　years；　revenge　on　the　man　who　had　sent　her　to　prison。　　And　now　the　joy　of　it　was　a　torture；　for　the　puppet　of　her　plans；　the　son；　had　suddenly　become　the　chief　thing　in　her　life。　　She　had　taken　it　for　granted　that　he　would　leave　her　after　he　came　to　know　that　her　marriage　to　him　was　only　a　device　to　bring　shame　on　his　father。　　Instead；　he　loved　her。　　That　fact　seemed　the　secret　of　her　distress。　　He　loved　her。　More；　he　dared　believe；　and　to　assert　boldly；　that　she　loved　him。　　Had　he　acted　otherwise；　the　matter　would　have　been　simple　enough。。。。　But　he　loved　her；　loved　her　still；　though　he　knew　the　shame　that　had　clouded　her　life；　knew　the　motive　that　had　led　her　to　accept　him　as　a　husband。　　Moreby　a　sublime　audacity；　he　declared　that　she　loved　him。

There　came　a　thrill　in　her　heart　each　time　she　thought　of　thatthat　she　loved　him。　　The　idea　was　monstrous；　of　course；　and　yet　Here；　as　always；　she　broke　off；　a　hot　flush　blazing　in　her　cheeks。。。。　Nevertheless；　such　curious　fancies　pursued　her　through　the　hours。　She　strove　her　mightiest　to　rid　herself　of　them；　but　in　vain。　　Ever　they　persisted。　　She　sought　to　oust　them　by　thinking　of　any　one　else；　of　Aggie；　of　Joe。　　There　at　last　was　satisfaction。　　Her　interference　between　the　man　who　had　saved　her　life　and　the　temptation　of　the　English　crook　had　prevented　a　dangerous　venture；　which　might　have　meant　ruin　to　the　one　whom　she　esteemed　for　his　devotion　to　her；　if　for　no　other　reason。　　At　least；　she　had　kept　him　from　the　outrageous　folly　of　an　ordinary　burglary。

Mary　Turner　was　just　ready　for　bed　after　her　evening　at　the　theater；　when　she　was　rudely　startled　out　of　this　belief。　　A　note　came　by　a　messenger　who　waited　for　no　answer；　as　he　told　the　yawning　maid。　　As　Mary　read　the　roughly　scrawled　message；　she　was　caught　in　the　grip　of　terror。　　Some　instinct　warned　her　that　this　danger　was　even　worse　than　it　seemed。　　The　man　who　had　saved　her　from　death　had　yielded　to　temptation。　Even　now；　he　was　engaged　in　committing　that　crime　which　she　had　forbidden　him。　　As　he　had　saved　her；　so　she　must　save　him。　　She　hurried　into　the　gown　she　had　just　put　off。　　Then　she　went　to　the　telephone…book　and　searched　for　the　number　of　Gilder's　house。

　*　*　*　*　*

It　was　just　a　few　moments　before　Mary　Turner　received　the　note　from　the　hands　of　the　sleepy　maid　that　one　of　the　leaves　of　the　octagonal　window　in　the　library　of　Richard　Gilder's　town　house　swung　open；　under　the　persuasive　influence　of　a　thin　rod　of　steel；　cunningly　used；　and　Joe　Garson　stepped　confidently　into　the　dark　room。

A　faint　radiance　of　moonlight　from　without　showed　him　for　a　second　as　he　passed　between　the　heavy　draperies。　Then　these　fell　into　place；　and　he　was　invisible；　and　soundless　as　well。　　For　a　space；　he　rested　motionless；　listening　intently。　　Reassured；　he　drew　out　an　electric　torch　and　set　it　glowing。　　A　little　disc　of　light　touched　here　and　there　about　the　room；　traveling　very　swiftly；　and　in　methodical　circles。　　Satisfied　by　the　survey；　Garson　crossed　to　the　hall　door。　　He　moved　with　alert　assurance；　lithely　balanced　on　the　balls　of　his　feet；　noiselessly。　　At　the　hall　door　he　listened　for　any　sound　of　life　without；　and　found　none。　　The　door　into　the　passage　that　led　to　the　store…room　where　the　detectives　waited　next　engaged　his　business…like　attention。　And　here；　again；　there　was　naught　to　provoke　his　suspicion。

These　preliminaries　taken　as　measures　of　precaution；　Garson　went　boldly　to　the　small　table　that　stood　behind　the　couch；　turned　the　button；　and　the　soft　glow　of　an　electric　lamp　illumined　the　apartment。　　The　extinguished　torch　was　thrust　back　into　his　pocket。　　Afterward　he　carried　one　of　the　heavy　chairs　to　the　door　of　the　passage　and　propped　it　against　the　panel　in　such　wise　that　its　fall　must　give　warning　as　to　the　opening　of　the　door。　　His　every　action　was　performed　with　the　maximum　of　speed；　with　no　least　trace　of　flurry　or　of　nervous　haste。　　It　was　evident　that　he　followed　a　definite　program；　the　fruit　of　precise　thought　guided　by　experience。

It　seemed　to　him　that　now　everything　was　in　readiness　for　the　coming　of　his　associates　in　the　commission　of　the　crime。　　There　remained　only　to　give　them　the　signal　in　the　room　around　the　corner　where　they　waited　at　a　telephone。　　He　seated　himself　in　Gilder's　chair　at　the　desk；　and　drew　the　telephone　to　him。

〃Give　me　999　Bryant；〃　he　said。　　His　tone　was　hardly　louder　than　a　whisper；　but　spoken　with　great　distinctness。

There　was　a　little　wait。　　Then　an　answer　in　a　voice　he　knew　came　over　the　wire。

But　Garson　said　nothing　more。　　Instead；　he　picked　up　a　penholder　from　the　tray　on　the　desk；　and　began　tapping　lightly　on　the　rim　of　the　transmitter。　　It　was　a　code　message　in　Morse。　　In　the　room　around　the　corner；　the　tapping　sounded　clearly；　ticking　out　the　message　that　the　way　was　free　for　the　thieves'　coming。

When　Garson　had　made　an　end　of　the　telegraphing；　there　came　a　brief　answer　in　like　Morse；　to　which　he　returned　a　short　direction。

For　a　final　safeguard；　Garson　searched　for　and　found　the　telephone　bell…box　on　the　surbase　below　the　octagonal　window。　　It　was　the　work　of　only　a　few　seconds　to　unscrew　the　bells；　which　he　placed　on　the　desk。　　So　simply　he　made　provision　against　any　alarm　from　this　　source。　　He　then　took　his　pistol　from　his　hip…pocket；　examined　it　to　make　sure　that　the　silencer　was　properly　adjusted；　and　then　thrust　it　into　the　right　side…pocket　of　his　coat；　ready　for　instant　use　in　desperate　emergency。　Once　again；　now；　he　produced　the　electric　torch；　and　lighted　it　as　he　extinguished　the　lamp　on　the　table。

Forthwith；　Garson　went　to　the　door　into　the　hall；　opened　it；　and；　leaving　it　ajar；　made　his　way　in　silence　to　the　outer　doorway。　　Presently；　the　doors　there　were　freed　of　their　bolts　under　his　skilled　fingers；　and　one　of　them　swung　wide。　　He　had　put　out　the　torch　now；　lest　its　gleam　might　catch　the　gaze　of　some　casual　passer…by。　So　nicely　had　the　affair　been　timed　that　hardly　was　the　door　open　before　the　three　men　slipped　in；　and　stood　mute　and　motionless　in　the　hall；　while　Garson　refastened　the　doors。　　Then；　a　pencil　of　light　traced　the　length　of　the　hallway　and　Garson　walked　quickly　back　to　the　library。　　Behind　him　with　steps　as　noiseless　as　his　own　came　the　three　men　to　whom　he　had　just　given　the　message。

When　all　were　gathered　in　the　library；　Garson　shut　the　hall　door；　touched　the　button　in　the　wall　beside　it；　and　the　chandelier　threw　its　radiant　light　on　the　group。

Griggs　was　in　evening　clothes；　seeming　a　very　elegant　young　gentleman　indeed；　but　his　two　companions　were　of　grosser　type；　as　far　as　appearances　went：　one；　Dacey；　thin　and　wiry；　with　a　ferret　face；　the　other；　Chicago　Red；　a　brawny　ruffian；　whose　stolid　features　nevertheless　exhibited　something　of　half…sullen　good　nature。

〃Everything　all　right　so　far；〃　Garson　said　rapidly。　He　turned　to　Griggs　and　pointed　toward　the　heavy　hangings　that　shrouded　the　octagonal　window。　　〃Are　those　the　things　we　want？〃　　he　demanded。

〃Yes；〃　was　the　answer　of　English　Eddie。

〃Well；　then；　we've　got　to　get　busy；〃　Garson　went　on。　　His　alert；　strong　face　was　set　in　lines　of　eagerness　that　had　in　it　something　of　fierceness　now。

But；　before　he　could　add　a　direction；　he　was　halted　by　a　soft　buzzing　from　the　telephone；　which；　though　bell…less；　still　gave　this　faint　warning　of　a　call。　　For　an　instant；　he　hesitated　while　the　others　regarded　him　doubtfully。　　The　situation　offered　perplexities。　　To　give　no　attention　to　the　summons　might　be　perilous；　and　failure　to　respond　might　provoke　investigation　in　some　urgent　matter；　to　answer　it　might　easily　provide　a　larger　danger。

〃We've　got　to　take　a　chance。〃　　Garson　spoke　his　decision　curtly。　　He　went　to　the　desk　and　put　the　receiver　to　his　ear。

There　came　again　the　faint　tapping　of　some　one　at　the　other　end　of　the　line；　signaling　a　message　in　the　Morse　cod