within the law-第36部分

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olent　expression　on　his　face。

〃Don't　be　rough　with　'em；　Dan；〃　he　said。　　For　once；　his　dominating　voice　was　reduced　to　something　approaching　softness；　in　his　sardonic　appreciation　of　his　own　humor　in　the　conception　of　what　these　two　men；　who　had　ventured　to　resist　his　importunities；　might　receive　at　the　hands　of　his　faithful　satellites。。。。　The　doorman　grinned　appreciatively；　and　herded　his　victims　from　the　place。　　And　the　two　went　shamblingly　in　sure　knowledge　of　the　things　that　were　in　store。　　Yet；　without　thought　of　treachery。　　They　would　not　〃squeal〃！　All　they　would　tell　of　the　death　of　Eddie　Griggs　would　be：　〃He　got　what　was　coming　to　him！〃　

The　Inspector　dropped　into　his　swivel　chair　at　the　desk　whilst　he　awaited　the　arrival　of　Demarest；　the　District　Attorney。　　The　greetings　between　the　two　were　cordial　when　at　last　the　public　prosecutor　made　his　appearance。

〃I　came　as　soon　as　I　got　your　message；〃　the　District　Attorney　said；　as　he　seated　himself　in　a　chair　by　the　desk。　　〃And　I've　sent　word　to　Mr。　Gilder。。。。　Now；　then；　Burke；　let's　have　this　thing　quickly。〃

The　Inspector's　explanation　was　concise：

〃Joe　Garson；　Chicago　Red；　and　Dacey；　along　with　Griggs；　broke　into　Edward　Gilder's　house；　last　night！　I　knew　the　trick　was　going　to　be　pulled　off；　and　so　I　planted　Cassidy　and　a　couple　of　other　men　just　outside　the　room　where　the　haul　was　to　be　made。　　Then；　I　went　away；　and　after　something　like　half　an　hour　I　came　back　to　make　the　arrests　myself。〃　　A　look　of　intense　disgust　spread　itself　over　the　Inspector's　massive　face。　　〃Well；〃　he　concluded　sheepishly；　〃when　I　broke　into　the　room　I　found　young　Gilder　along　with　that　Turner　woman　he　married；　and　they　were　just　talking　together。〃

〃No　trace　of　the　others？〃　　Demarest　questioned　crisply。

At　the　inquiry；　Burke's　face　crimsoned　angrily；　then　again　set　in　grim　lines。

〃I　found　Griggs　lying　on　the　floordead！〃　Once　again　the　disgust　showed　in　his　expression。　　〃The　Turner　woman　says　young　Gilder　shot　Griggs　because　he　broke　into　the　house。　　Ain't　that　the　limit？〃　

〃What　does　the　boy　say？〃　　the　District　Attorney　demanded。

Burke　shook　his　head　dispiritedly。

〃Nothing；〃　he　answered。　　〃She　told　him　not　to　talk；　and　so；　of　course；　he　won't；　he's　such　a　fool　over　her。〃

〃And　what　does　she　say？〃　　Demarest　asked。　　He　found　himself　rather　amused　by　the　exceeding　chagrin　of　the　Inspector　over　this　affair。

Burke's　voice　grew　savage　as　he　snapped　a　reply。

〃Refuses　to　talk　till　she　sees　a　lawyer。　　But　a　touch　of　cheerfulness　appeared　in　his　tones　as　he　proceeded。　〃We've　got　Chicago　Red　and　Dacey；　and　we'll　have　Garson　before　the　day's　over。　　And；　oh；　yes；　they've　picked　up　a　young　girl　at　the　Turner　woman's　place。　And　we've　got　one　real　cluefor　once！〃　The　speaker's　expression　was　suddenly　triumphant。　　He　opened　a　drawer　of　the　desk；　and　took　out　Garson's　pistol；　to　which　the　silencer　was　still　attached。

〃You　never　saw　a　gun　like　that　before；　eh？〃　　he　exclaimed。

Demarest　admitted　the　fact　after　a　curious　examination。

〃I'll　bet　you　never　did！〃　Burke　cried；　with　satisfaction。　〃That　thing　on　the　end　is　a　Maxim　silencer。　There　are　thousands　of　them　in　use　on　rifles；　but　they've　never　been　able　to　use　them　on　revolvers　before。　　This　is　a　specially　made　gun；〃　he　went　on　admiringly；　as　he　took　it　back　and　slipped　it　into　a　pocket　of　his　coat。　〃That　thing　is　absolutely　noiseless。　　I've　tried　it。　　Well；　you　see；　it'll　be　an　easy　thingeasiest　thing　in　the　world！to　trace　that　silencer　attachment。　　Cassidy's　working　on　that　end　of　the　thing　now。〃

For　a　few　minutes　longer；　the　two　men　discussed　the　details　of　the　crime；　theorizing　over　the　baffling　event。　Then；　presently；　Cassidy　entered　the　office；　and　made　report　of　his　investigations　concerning　the　pistol　with　the　silencer　attachment。

〃I　got　the　factory　at　Hartford　on　the　wire；〃　he　explained；　〃and　they　gave　me　Mr。　Maxim　himself；　the　inventor　of　the　silencer。　　He　said　this　was　surely　a　special　gun；　which　was　made　for　the　use　of　Henry　Sylvester；　one　of　the　professors　at　Yale。　　He　wanted　it　for　demonstration　purposes。　　Mr。　Maxim　said　the　things　have　never　been　put　on　the　market；　and　that　they　never　will　be。〃

〃For　humane　reasons；〃　Demarest　commented；　nodding　approbation。

〃Good　thing；　too！〃　Burke　conceded。　　〃They'd　make　murder　too　devilish　easy；　and　it's　easy　enough　now。。。。　Well；　Cassidy？〃　

〃I　got　hold　of　this　man；　Sylvester；〃　Cassidy　went　on。　〃I　had　him　on　the　'phone；　too。　　He　says　that　his　house　was　robbed　about　eight　weeks　ago；　and　among　other　things　the　silencer　was　stolen。〃　　Cassidy　paused；　and　chuckled　drily。　　〃He　adds　the　startling　information　that　the　New　Haven　police　have　not　been　able　to　recover　any　of　the　stolen　property。　　Them　rube　cops　are　immense！〃


Demarest　smiled　slyly；　as　the　detective；　at　a　nod　from　his　superior；　went　toward　the　door。

〃No；〃　he　said；　maliciously；　〃only　the　New　York　police　recover　stolen　goods。〃

〃Good…night！〃　quoth　Cassidy；　turning　at　the　door；　in　admission　of　his　discomfiture　over　the　thrust；　while　Burke　himself　grinned　wryly　in　appreciation　of　the　gibe。

Demarest　grew　grave　again；　as　he　put　the　question　that　was　troubling　him　most。

〃Is　there　any　chance　that　young　Gilder　did　shoot　Griggs？〃　

〃You　can　search　me！〃　the　Inspector　answered；　disconsolately。　〃My　men　were　just　outside　the　door　of　the　room　where　Eddie　Griggs　was　shot　to　death；　and　none　of　'em　heard　a　sound。　　It's　that　infernal　silencer　thing。　Of　course；　I　know　that　all　the　gang　was　in　the　house。〃

〃But　tell　me　just　how　you　know　that　fact；〃　Demarest　objected　very　crisply。　　〃Did　you　see　them　go　in？〃　

〃No；　I　didn't；〃　the　Inspector　admitted；　tartly。　　〃But　Griggs〃

Demarest　permitted　himself　a　sneer　born　of　legal　knowledge。

〃Griggs　is　dead；　Burke。　　You're　up　against　it。　　You　can't　prove　that　Garson；　or　Chicago　Red；　or　Dacey；　ever　entered　that　house。〃

The　Inspector　scowled　over　this　positive　statement。

〃But　Griggs　said　they　were　going　to；〃　he　argued。

〃I　know；〃　Demarest　agreed；　with　an　exasperating　air　of　shrewdness；　〃but　Griggs　is　dead。　　You　see；　Burke；　you　couldn't　in　a　trial　even　repeat　what　he　told　you。　It's　not　permissible　evidence。〃

〃Oh；　the　law！〃　the　Inspector　snorted；　with　much　choler。　　〃Well；　then；〃　he　went　on　belligerently；　〃I'll　charge　young　Gilder　with　murder；　and　call　the　Turner　woman　as　a　witness。〃

The　District　Attorney　laughed　aloud　over　this　project。

〃You　can't　question　her　on　the　witness…stand；〃　he　explained　patronizingly　to　the　badgered　police　official。　〃The　law　doesn't　allow　you　to　make　a　wife　testify　against　her　husband。　　And；　what's　more；　you　can't　arrest　her；　and　then　force　her　to　go　into　the　witness…stand；　either。　　No；　Burke；〃　he　concluded　emphatically；　〃your　only　chance　of　getting　the　murderer　of　Griggs　is　by　a　confession。〃

〃Then；　I'll　charge　them　both　with　the　murder；〃　the　Inspector　growled　vindictively。　　〃And；　by　God；　they'll　both　go　to　trial　unless　somebody　comes　through。〃　　He　brought　his　huge　fist　down　on　the　desk　with　violence；　and　his　voice　was　forbidding。　　〃If　it's　my　last　act　on　earth；〃　he　declared；　〃I'm　going　to　get　the　man　who　shot　Eddie　Griggs。〃

Demarest　was　seriously　disturbed　by　the　situation　that　had　developed。　　He　was　under　great　personal　obligations　to　Edward　Gilder；　whose　influence　in　fact　had　been　the　prime　cause　of　his　success　in　attaining　to　the　important　official　position　he　now　held；　and　he　would　have　gone　far　to　serve　the　magnate　in　any　difficulty　that　might　arise。　　He　had　been　perfectly　willing　to　employ　all　the　resources　of　his　office　to　relieve　the　son　from　the　entanglement　with　a　woman　of　unsavory　notoriety。　Now；　thanks　to　the　miscarried　plotting　of　Burke　to　the　like　end；　what　before　had　been　merely　a　vicious　state　of　affairs　was　become　one　of　the　utmost　dreadfulness。　The　worst　of　crimes　had　been　committed　in　the　house　of　Edward　Gilder　himself；　and　his　son　acknowledged　himself　as　the　murderer。　　The　District　Attorney　felt　a　genuine　sorrow　in　thinking　of　the　anguish　this　event　must　have　brought　on　the　father。　　He　had；　as　well；　sympathy　enough　for　the　son。　　His　acquaintance　with　the　young　man　convinced　him　that　the　boy　had　not　done　the　deed　of　bloody　violence。　　In　that　fact　was　a　mingling　of　comfort　and　of　anxiety。　　It　had　been　better；　doubtless；　if　indeed　Dick　had　shot　Griggs；　had　indicted　a　just　penalty　on　a　housebreaker。　　But　the　District　Attorney　was　not　inclined　to　credit　the　confession。　　Burke's　account　of　the　plot　in　which　the　stool…pigeon　had　been　the　agent　offered　too　many　complications。　　Altogether；　the　aspect　of　the　case　served　to　indicate　that　Dick　could　not　have　been　the　slayer。。。。　Demarest　shook　his　head　dejectedly。

〃Burke；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　the　boy　to　go　free。　　I　don't　believe　for　a　minute　that　Dick　Gilder　ever　killed　this　pet　stool…pigeon　of　yours。　　And；　so；　you　must　understand　this：　I　want　him　to　go　free；　of　course。〃

Burke　frowned　refusal　at　this　suggestion。　　Here　was　a　matter　in　which　his　rights　must　not　be　invaded。　　He；　too；　would　have　gone　far　to　serve　a　man　of　Edward　Gilder's　standing；　but　in　this　instance　his　professional　pride　was　in　revolt。　　He　had　been　defied；　trapped；　made　a　victim　of　the　gang　who　had　killed　his　most　valued　informer。

〃The　youngster'll　go　free　when　he　tells　what　he　knows；〃　he　said　angrily；　〃and　not　a　minute　before。〃　　His　expression　lightened　a　little。　　〃Perhaps　the　old　gentleman　can　make　him　talk。　　I　can't。　　He's　under　that　woman's　thumb；　of　course；　and　she's　told　him　he　mustn't　say　a　word。　　So；　he　don't。〃　　A　grin　of　half…embarrassed　appreciation　moved　the　heavy　jaws　as　he　glanced　at　the　District　Attorney。　　〃You　see；〃　he　explained；　〃I　can't　make　him　talk；　but　I　might　if　circumstances　were　different。　　On　account　of　his　being　the　old　man's　son；　I'm　a　little　cramped　in　my　style。〃

It　was；　in　truth；　one　thing　to　browbeat　and　assault　a　convict　like　Dacey　or　Chicago　Red；　but　quite　another　to　employ　the　like　violence　against　a　youth　of　Dick　Gilder's　position　in　the　world。　　Demarest　understood　perfectly；　but　he　was　inclined　to　be　sceptical　over　the　Inspector's　theory　that　Dick　possessed　actual　cognizance　as　to　the　killing　of　Griggs。

〃You　think　that　young　Gilder　really　knows？〃　　he　questioned；　doubtfully。

〃I　don't　think　anythingyet！〃　Burke　retorted。　　〃All　I　know　is　this：　Eddie　Griggs；　the　mo