pgw.piccadillyjim-第49章

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　He　had　almost　reached　the　bed；　and　had　just　begun　to　wonder　how　on　earth；　now　that　he　was　there；　he　could　open　the　proceedings　tactfully　and　without　alarming　the　boy；　when　he　was　saved　the　trouble　of　pondering　further　on　this　problem。　A　light　flashed　out　of　the　darkness　with　the　suddenness　of　a　bursting　bomb；　and　a　voice　from　the　same　general　direction　said　〃Hands　up！〃
　When　Mr。　Crocker　had　finished　blinking　and　had　adjusted　his　eyes　to　the　glare；　he　perceived　Ogden　sitting　up　in　bed　with　a　revolver　in　his　hand。　The　revolver　was　resting　on　his　knee；　and　its　muzzle　pointed　directly　at　Mr。　Crocker's　ample　stomach。
　Exhaustive　as　had　been　the　thought　which　Jimmy's　father　had　given　to　the　possible　developments　of　his　enterprise；　this　was　a　contingency　of　which　he　had　not　dreamed。　He　was　entirely　at　a　loss。
　〃Don't　do　that！〃　he　said　huskily。　〃It　might　go　off！〃
　〃I　should　worry！〃　replied　Ogden　coldly。　〃I'm　at　the　right　end　of　it。　What　are　you　doing　here？〃　He　looked　fondly　at　the　lethal　weapon。　〃I　got　this　with　cigarette…coupons；　to　shoot　rabbits　when　we　went　to　the　country。　Here's　where　I　get　a　chance　at　something　part…human。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　murder　me？〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　Mr。　Crocker's　make…up　was　trickling　down　his　face　in　sticky　streams。　The　mask；　however；　prevented　Ogden　from　seeing　this　peculiar　phenomenon。　He　was　gazing　interestedly　at　his　visitor。　An　idea　struck　him。
　〃Say；　did　you　e　to　kidnap　me？〃
　Mr。　Crocker　felt　the　sense　of　relief　which　he　had　sometimes　experienced　on　the　stage　when　memory　had　failed　him　during　a　scene　and　a　fellow…actor　had　thrown　him　the　line。　It　would　be　exaggerating　to　say　that　he　was　himself　again。　He　could　never　be　pletely　at　his　case　with　that　pistol　pointing　at　him；　but　he　felt　considerably　better。　He　lowered　his　voice　an　octave　or　so；　and　spoke　in　a　husky　growl。
　〃Aw；　cheese　it；　kid。　Nix　on　the　rough　stuff！〃
　〃Keep　those　hands　up！〃　advised　Ogden。
　〃Sure！　Sure！〃　growled　Mr。　Crocker。　〃Can　the　gun…play；　bo！　Say；　you've　soitanly　grown　since　de　last　time　we　got　youse！〃
　Ogden's　manner　became　magically　friendly。
　〃Are　you　one　of　Buck　Maginnis'　lot？〃　he　enquired　almost　politely。
　〃Dat's　right！〃　Mr。　Crocker　blessed　the　inspiration　which　had　prompted　Jimmy's　parting　words。　〃I'm　wit　Buck。〃
　〃Why　didn't　Buck　e　himself？〃
　〃He's　woiking　on　anudder　job！〃
　To　Mr。　Crocker's　profound　relief　Ogden　lowered　the　pistol。
　〃I'm　strong　for　Buck；〃　he　said　conversationally。　〃We're　old　pals。　Did　you　see　the　piece　in　the　paper　about　him　kidnapping　me　last　time？　I've　got　it　in　my　press…clipping　album。〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Mr。　Crocker。
　〃Say；　listen。　If　you　take　me　now；　Buck's　got　to　e　across。　I　like　Buck；　but　I'm　not　going　to　let　myself　be　kidnapped　for　his　benefit。　It's　fifty…fifty；　or　nothing　doing。　See？〃
　〃I　get　you；　kid。〃
　〃Well；　if　that's　understood；　all　right。　Give　me　a　minute　to　get　some　clothes　on；　and　I'll　be　with　you。〃
　〃Don't　make　a　noise；〃　said　Mr。　Crocker。
　〃Who's　making　any　noise？　Say；　how　did　you　get　in　here？〃
　〃T'roo　de　libery　windows。〃
　〃I　always　knew　some　yegg　would　stroll　in　that　way。　It　beats　me　why　they　didn't　have　bars　fixed　on　them。〃
　〃Dere's　a　buzz…wagon　outside；　waitin'。〃
　〃You　do　it　in　style；　don't　you？〃　observed　Ogden；　pulling　on　his　shirt。　〃Who's　working　this　with　you？　Any　one　I　know？〃
　〃Naw。　A　new　guy。〃
　〃Oh？　Say；　I　don't　remember　you；　if　it　es　to　that。〃
　〃You　don't？〃　said　Mr。　Crocker　a　little　disposed。
　〃Well；　maybe　I　wouldn't；　with　that　mask　on　you。　Which　of　them　are　you？〃
　〃Chicago　Ed。's　my　monaker。〃
　〃I　don't　remember　any　Chicago　Ed。〃
　〃Well；　you　will　after　dis！〃　said　Mr。　Crocker；　happily　inspired。
　Ogden　was　eyeing　him　with　sudden　suspicion。
　〃Take　that　mask　off　and　let's　have　a　look　at　you。〃
　〃Nothing　doin'。〃　　How　am　I　to　know　you're　on　the　level？
　Mr。　Crocker　played　a　daring　card。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　making　a　move　towards　the　door。　〃It's　up　to　youse。　If　you　t'ink　I'm　not　on　de　level；　I'll　beat　it。〃
　〃Here；　stop　a　minute；〃　said　Ogden　hastily；　unwilling　that　a　promising　business　deal　should　be　abandoned　in　this　summary　manner。　〃I'm　not　saying　anything　against　you。　There's　no　need　to　fly　off　the　handle　like　that。〃
　〃I'll　tell　Buck　I　couldn't　get　you；〃　said　Mr。　Crocker；　moving　another　step。
　〃Here；　stop！　What's　the　matter　with　you？〃
　〃Are　youse　in'　wit　me？〃
　〃Sure；　if　you　get　the　conditions。　Buck's　got　to　slip　me　half　of　whatever　he　gets　out　of　this。〃
　〃Dat's　right。　Buck'll　slip　youse　half　of　anyt'ing　he　gets。〃
　〃All　right；　then。　Wait　till　I've　got　this　shoe　on；　and　let's　start。　Now　I'm　ready。〃
　〃Beat　it　quietly。〃
　〃What　did　you　think　I　was　going　to　do？　Sing？〃
　〃Step　dis　way！〃　said　Mr。　Crocker　jocosely。
　They　left　the　room　cautiously。　Mr。　Crocker　for　a　moment　had　a　sense　of　something　missing。　He　had　reached　the　stairs　before　he　realised　what　it　was。　Then　it　dawned　upon　him　that　what　was　lacking　was　the　applause。　The　scene　had　deserved　a　round。
　Jimmy；　vigilant　in　the　gallery；　heard　the　library　door　open　softly　and；　peering　over　the　rail；　perceived　two　dim　forms　in　the　darkness。　One　was　large；　the　other　small。　They　crossed　the　room　together。
　Whispered　words　reached　him。
　〃I　thought　you　said　you　came　in　this　way。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Then　why's　the　shutter　closed？〃
　〃I　fixed　it　after　I　was　in。〃
　There　was　a　faint　scraping　sound；　followed　by　a　click。　The　darkness　of　the　room　was　relieved　by　moonlight。　The　figures　passed　through。　Jimmy　ran　down　from　the　gallery；　and　closed　the　windows　softly。　He　had　just　fastened　the　shutters；　when　from　the　passage　outside　there　came　the　unmistakeable　sound　of　a　footstep。
　
　CHAPTER　XXII
　IN　THE　LIBRARY
　
　JIMMY'S　first　emotion　on　hearing　the　footstep　was　the　crude　instinct　of　self…preservation。　All　that　he　was　able　to　think　of　at　the　moment　was　the　fact　that　he　was　in　a　questionable　position　and　one　which　would　require　a　good　deal　of　explaining　away　if　he　were　found；　and　his　only　sensation　was　a　strong　desire　to　avoid　discovery。　He　made　a　silent；　scrambling　leap　for　the　gallery　stairs；　and　reached　their　shelter　just　as　the　door　opened。　He　stood　there；　rigid；　waiting　to　be　challenged；　but　apparently　he　had　moved　in　time；　for　no　voice　spoke。　The　door　closed　so　gently　as　to　be　almost　inaudible；　and　then　there　was　silence　again。　The　room　remained　in　darkness；　and　it　was　this　perhaps　that　first　suggested　to　Jimmy　the　forting　thought　that　the　intruder　was　equally　desirous　of　avoiding　the　scrutiny　of　his　fellows。　He　had　taken　it　for　granted　in　his　first　panic　that　he　himself　was　the　only　person　in　that　room　whose　motive　for　being　there　would　not　have　borne　inspection。　But　now；　safely　hidden　in　the　gallery；　out　of　sight　from　the　floor　below；　he　had　the　leisure　to　consider　the　newer's　movements　and　to　draw　conclusions　from　them。
　An　honest　man's　first　act　would　surely　have　been　to　switch　on　the　lights。　And　an　honest　man　would　hardly　have　crept　so　stealthily。　It　became　apparent　to　Jimmy；　as　he　leaned　over　the　rail　and　tried　to　pierce　the　darkness；　that　there　was　sinister　work　afoot；　and　he　had　hardly　reached　this　conclusion　when　his　mind　took　a　further　leap　and　he　guessed　the　identity　of　the　soft…footed　person　below。　It　could　be　none　but　his　old　friend　Lord　Wisbeach；　known　to　〃the　boys〃　as　Gentleman　Jack。　It　surprised　him　that　he　had　not　thought　of　this　before。　Then　it　surprised　him　that；　after　the　talk　they　had　only　a　few　hours　earlier　in　that　very　room；　Gentleman　Jack　should　have　dared　to　risk　this　raid。
　At　this　moment　the　blackness　was　relieved　as　if　by　the　striking　of　a　match。　The　man　below　had　brought　an　electric　torch　into　play；　and　now　Jimmy　could　see　clearly。　He　had　been　right　in　his　surmise。　It　was　Lord　Wisbeach。　He　was　kneeling　in　front　of　the　safe。　What　he　was　doing　to　the　safe；　Jimmy　could　not　see；　for　the　man's　body　was　in　the　way；　but　the　electric　torch　shone　on　his　face；　lighting　up　grim；　serious　features　quite　unlike　the　amiable　and　slightly　vacant　mask　which　his　lordship　was　wont　to　present　to　the　world。　As　Jimmy　looked；　something　happened　in　the　pool　of　light　beyond　his　vision。　Gentleman　Jack　gave　a　muttered　exclamation　of　satisfaction；　and　then　Jimmy　saw　that　the　door　of　the　safe　had　swung　open。　The　air　was　full　of　a　penetrating　smell　of　scorch