within the law-第42部分

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ice　against　her　heart。　　As　she　listened　to　the　Inspector's　assurances；　the　mocking　expression　of　her　face　was　not　encouraging　to　that　astute　individual；　but　he　persevered　manfully。　

〃Just　you　wait；〃　he　went　on　cheerfully；　〃and　I'll　prove　to　you　that　I'm　on　the　level　about　this；　that　I'm　really　your　friend。。。。　There　was　a　letter　came　for　you　to　your　apartment。　　My　men　brought　it　down　to　me。　　I've　read　it。　　Here　it　is。　　I'll　read　it　to　you！〃　

He　picked　up　an　envelope；　which　had　been　lying　on　the　desk；　and　drew　out　the　single　sheet　of　paper　it　contained。　　Mary　watched　him；　wondering　much　more　than　her　expression　revealed　over　this　new　development。　Then；　as　she　listened；　quick　interest　touched　her　features　to　a　new　life。　　In　her　eyes　leaped　emotions　to　make　or　mar　a　life。

This　was　the　letter：　

〃I　can't　go　without　telling　you　how　sorry　I　am。　　There　won't　never　be　a　time　that　I　won't　remember　it　was　me　got　you　sent　up；　that　you　did　time　in　my　place。　　I　ain't　going　to　forgive　myself　ever；　and　I　swear　I'm　going　straight　always。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Your　true　friend；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃HELEN　MORRIS。〃　　

For　once；　Burke　showed　a　certain　delicacy。　　When　he　had　finished　the　reading；　he　said　nothing　for　a　long　minuteonly；　sat　with　his　cunning　eyes　on　the　face　of　the　woman　who　was　immobile　there　before　him。　　And；　as　he　looked　on　her　in　her　slender　elegance　of　form　and　gentlewomanly　loveliness　of　face；　a　loveliness　intelligent　and　refined　beyond　that　of　most　women；　he　felt　borne　in　on　his　consciousness　the　fact　that　here　was　one　to　be　respected。　　He　fought　against　the　impression。　　It　was　to　him　preposterous；　for　she　was　one　of　that　underworld　against　which　he　was　ruthlessly　at　war。　　Yet；　he　could　not　altogether　overcome　his　instinct　toward　a　half…reverent　admiration。。。。　And；　as　the　letter　proved；　she　had　been　innocent　at　the　outset。　　She　had　been　the　victim　of　a　mistaken　justice；　made　outcast　by　the　law　she　had　never　wronged。。。。　His　mood　of　respect　was　inevitable；　since　he　had　some　sensibilities；　though　they　were　coarsened；　and　they　sensed　vaguely　the　maelstrom　of　emotions　that　now　swirled　in　the　girl's　breast。

To　Mary　Turner；　this　was　the　wonderful　hour。　　In　it；　the　vindication　of　her　innocence　was　made　complete。　The　story　was　there　recorded　in　black　and　white　on　the　page　written　by　Helen　Morris。　　It　mattered　littleor　infinitely　much！that　it　came　too　late。　　She　had　gained　her　evil　place　in　the　world；　was　a　notorious　woman　in　fact；　was　even　now　a　prisoner　under　suspicion　of　murder。　Nevertheless；　she　felt　a　thrill　of　ecstasy　over　this　written　documentwhich　it　had　never　occurred　to　her　to　wrest　from　the　girl　at　the　time　of　the　oral　confession。　Now　that　it　had　been　proffered；　the　value　of　it　loomed　above　almost　all　things　else　in　the　world。　　It　proclaimed　undeniably　the　wrong　under　which　she　had　suffered。　　She　was　not　the　thief　the　court　had　adjudged　her。　　Now；　there's　nobody　here　but　just　you　and　me。　Come　on；　nowput　me　wise！〃　

Mary　was　again　the　resourceful　woman　who　was　glad　to　pit　her　brain　against　the　contriving　of　those　who　fought　her。　　So；　at　this　moment；　she　seemed　pliant　to　the　will　of　the　man　who　urged　her　thus　cunningly。　　Her　quick　glance　around　the　office　was　of　a　sort　to　delude　the　Inspector　into　a　belief　that　she　was　yielding　to　his　lure。

〃Are　you　sure　no　one　will　ever　know？〃　　she　asked；　timorously。

〃Nobody　but　you　and　me；〃　Burke　declared；　all　agog　with　anticipation　of　victory　at　last。　　〃I　give　you　my　word！〃　

Mary　met　the　gaze　of　the　Inspector　fully。　　In　the　same　instant；　she　flashed　on　him　a　smile　that　was　dazzling；　the　smile　of　a　woman　triumphant　in　her　mastery　of　the　situation。　　Her　face　was　radiant；　luminous　with　honest　mirth。　　There　was　something　simple　and　genuine　in　her　beauty　that　thrilled　the　man　before　her；　the　man　trying　so　vindictively　to　trap　her　to　her　own　undoing。　For　all　his　grossness；　Burke　was　of　shrewd　perceptions；　and　somewhere；　half…submerged　under　the　sordid　nature　of　his　calling；　was　a　love　of　things　esthetic；　a　responsiveness　to　the　appeals　of　beauty。　　Now；　as　his　glance　searched　the　face　of　the　girl　who　was　bubbling　with　mirth；　he　experienced　an　odd　warming　of　his　heart　under　the　spell　of　her　lovelinessa　loveliness　wholly　feminine；　pervasive；　wholesome。　　But；　too；　his　soul　shook　in　a　premonition　of　catastrophe；　for　there　was　mischief　in　the　beaming　eyes　of　softest　violet。　　There　was　a　demon　of　mockery　playing　in　the　curves　of　the　scarlet　lips；　as　she　smiled　so　winsomely。

All　his　apprehensions　were　verified　by　her　utterance。　It　came　in　a　most　casual　voice；　despite　the　dancing　delight　in　her　face。　　The　tones　were　drawled　in　the　matter…of…fact　fashion　of　statement　that　leads　a　listener　to　answer　without　heed　to　the　exact　import　of　the　question；　unless　very　alert；　indeed。。。。　This　is　what　she　said　in　that　so…casual　voice：

〃I'm　not　speaking　loud　enough；　am　I；　stenographer？〃　

And　that　industrious　writer　of　shorthand　notes；　absorbed　in　his　task；　answered　instantly　from　his　hidden　place　in　the　corridor。

〃No；　ma'am；　not　quite。〃

Mary　laughed　aloud；　while　Burke　sat　dumfounded。　She　rose　swiftly；　and　went　to　the　nearest　window；　and　with　a　pull　at　the　cord　sent　the　shade　flying　upward。　For　seconds；　there　was　revealed　the　busy　stenographer；　bent　over　his　pad。　　Then；　the　noise　of　the　ascending　shade；　which　had　been　hammering　on　his　consciousness；　penetrated；　and　he　looked　up。　　Realization　came；　as　he　beheld　the　woman　laughing　at　him　through　the　window。　Consternation　beset　him。　　He　knew　that；　somehow；　he　had　bungled　fatally。　　A　groan　of　distress　burst　from　him；　and　he　fled　the　place　in　ignominious　rout。

There　was　another　whose　spirit　was　equally　desirous　of　flightBurke！　Yet　once　again；　he　was　beaten　at　his　own　game；　his　cunning　made　of　no　avail　against　the　clever　interpretation　of　this　woman　whom　he　assailed。　He　had　no　defense　to　offer。　　He　did　not　care　to　meet　her　gaze　just　then；　since　he　was　learning　to　respect　her　as　one　wronged；　where　he　had　regarded　her　hitherto　merely　as　of　the　flotsam　and　jetsam　of　the　criminal　class。　So；　he　avoided　her　eyes　as　she　stood　by　the　window　regarding　him　quizzically。　　In　a　panic　of　confusion　quite　new　to　him　in　his　years　of　experience；　he　pressed　the　button　on　his　desk。

The　doorman　appeared　with　that　automatic　precision　which　made　him　valuable　in　his　position；　and　the　Inspector　hailed　the　ready　presence　with　a　feeling　of　profound　relief。

〃Dan；　take　her　back！〃　he　said；　feebly。

Mary　was　smiling　still　as　she　went　to　the　door。　　But　she　could　not　resist　the　impulse　toward　retort。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said；　suavely；　〃you　were　right　on　the　level　with　me；　weren't　you；　Burke？　　Nobody　here　but　you　and　me！〃　The　words　came　in　a　sing…song　of　mockery。

The　Inspector　had　nothing　in　the　way　of　answeronly；　sat　motionless　until　the　door　closed　after　her。　Then；　left　alone；　his　sole　audible　comment　was　a　single　wordone　he　had　learned；　perhaps；　from　Aggie　Lynch：

〃Hell！〃　



CHAPTER　XXIII。　THE　CONFESSION。　

Burke　was　a　persistent　man；　and　he　had　set　himself　to　getting　the　murderer　of　Griggs。　　Foiled　in　his　efforts　thus　far　by　the　opposition　of　Mary；　he　now　gave　himself　over　to　careful　thought　as　to　a　means　of　procedure　that　might　offer　the　best　possibilities　of　success。　　His　beetling　brows　were　drawn　in　a　frown　of　perplexity　for　a　full　quarter　of　an　hour；　while　he　rested　motionless　in　his　chair；　an　unlighted　cigar　between　his　lips。　　Then；　at　last；　his　face　cleared；　a　grin　of　satisfaction　twisted　his　heavy　mouth；　and　he　smote　the　desk　joyously。

〃It's　a　cinch　it'll　get　'im！〃　he　rumbled；　in　glee。

He　pressed　the　button…call；　and　ordered　the　doorman　to　send　in　Cassidy。　　When　the　detective　appeared　a　minute　later；　he　went　directly　to　his　subject　with　a　straightforward　energy　usual　to　him　in　his　work。

〃Does　Garson　know　we've　arrested　the　Turner　girl　and　young　Gilder？〃　　And；　when　he　had　been　answered　in　the　negative：　〃Or　that　we've　got　Chicago　Red　and　Dacey　here？〃　

〃No；〃　Cassidy　replied。　　〃He　hasn't　been　spoken　to　since　we　made　the　collar。。。。　He　seems　worried；〃　the　detective　volunteered。

Burke's　broad　jowls　shook　from　the　force　with　which　he　snapped　his　jaws　together。

〃He'll　be　more　worried　before　I　get　through　with　him！〃　he　growled。　　He　regarded　Cassidy　speculatively。　〃Do　you　remember　the　Third　Degree　Inspector　Burns　worked　on　McGloin？　　Well；〃　he　went　on；　as　the　detective　nodded　assent；　〃that's　what　I'm　going　to　do　to　Garson。　　He's　got　imagination；　that　crook！　The　things　he　don't　know　about　are　the　things　he's　afraid　of。　After　he　gets　in　here；　I　want　you　to　take　his　pals　one　after　the　other；　and　lock　them　up　in　the　cells　there　in　the　corridor。　　The　shades　on　the　corridor　windows　here　will　be　up；　and　Garson　will　see　them　taken　in。　　The　fact　of　their　being　there　will　set　his　imagination　to　working　overtime；　all　right。〃

Burke　reflected　for　a　moment；　and　then　issued　the　final　directions　for　the　execution　of　his　latest　plot。

〃When　you　get　the　buzzer　from　me；　you　have　young　Gilder　and　the　Turner　woman　sent　in。　　Then；　after　a　while；　you'll　get　another　buzzer。　　When　you　hear　that；　come　right　in　here；　and　tell　me　that　the　gang　has　squealed。　　I'll　do　the　rest。　　Bring　Garson　here　in　just　five　minutes。。。。　Tell　Dan　to　come　in。〃

As　the　detective　went　out；　the　doorman　promptly　entered；　and　thereat　Burke　proceeded　with　the　further　instructions　necessary　to　the　carrying　out　of　his　scheme。

〃Take　the　chairs　out　of　the　office；　Dan；〃　he　directed；　〃except　mine　and　one　otherthat　one！〃　He　indicated　a　chair　standing　a　little　way　from　one　end　of　his　desk。　〃Now；　have　all　the　shades　up。〃　　He　chuckled　as　he　added：　〃That　Turner　woman　saved　you　the　trouble　with　one。〃

As　the　doorman　went　out　after　having　fulfilled　these　commands；　the　Inspector　lighted　the　cigar　which　he　had　retained　still　in　his　mouth；　and　then　seated　himself　in　the　chair　that　was　set　partly　facing　the　windows　opening　on　the　corridor。　　He　smiled　with　anticipatory　triumph　as　he　made　sure　that　the　whole　length　of　the　corridor　with　the　barred　doors　of　the　cells　was　plainly　visible　to　one　sitting　thus。　　With　a　final　glance　about　to　make　certain　that　all　was　in　readiness；　he　returned　to　his　chair；　and；　when　the　door　opened；　he　was；　to　all　appearances；　busily　engaged　in　writing。

〃Here's　Gar