the voice of the city-第31章

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fuchsia　in　his　button…bole；　sent　up　his　card　to　Miss

Carrington　in　her　select　apartment　hotel。



He　was　shown　up　and　received　by　the　actress's

French　maid。



〃I　am　sorree；〃　said　Mlle。　Hortense；　〃but　I　am　to

say　this　to　all。　　It　is　with　great　regret。　　Mees　Car…

rington　have　cancelled　all　engagements　on　the　stage

and　have　returned　to　live　in　that　how　you　call　that

town？　　Cranberry　Cornaire！〃









THE　CLARION　CALL





Half　of　this　story　can　be　found　in　the　records　of

the　Police　Department；　the　other　half　belong　behind

the　business　counter　of　a　newspaper　office。



One　afternoon　two　weeks　after　Millionaire　Nor…

cross　was　found　in　his　apartment　murdered　by　a　bur…

glar；　the　murderer；　while　strolling　serenely　down

Broadway　ran　plump　against　Detective　Barney

Woods。



〃Is　that　you；　Johnny　Kernan？〃　asked　Woods；

who　had　been　near…sighted　in　public　for　five　years。



〃No　less；〃　cried　Kernan；　heartily。　　〃If　it　isn't

Barney　Woods；　late　and　early　of　old　Saint　Jo！

You'll　have　to　show　me！　　What　are　you　doing　East？

Do　the　green…goods　circulars　get　out　that　far？〃

said　Woods。



〃I've　been　in　New　York　some　years；　I'm　on　the　city　

detective　force。〃



〃Well；　well！〃　said　Kernan；　breathing　smiling　joy

and　patting　the　detective's　arm。



〃Come　into　Muller's；〃　said　Woods；　〃and　let's

hunt　a　quiet　table。　　I'd　like　to　talk　to　you　awhile。〃



It　lacked　a　few　minutes　to　the　hour　of　four。　　The

tides　of　trade　were　not　yet　loosed；　and　they　found　a

quiet　corner　of　the　cafe。　　Kernan；　well　dressed

Slightly　swaggering；　self…confident；　seated　himself　op…

posite　the　little　detective；　with　his　pale；　sandy　mus…

tache；　squinting　eyes　and　ready…made　cheviot　suit。



〃What　business　are　you　in　now？〃　asked　Woods。

〃You　know　you　left　Saint　Jo　a　year　before　I　did。〃



〃I'm　selling　shares　in　a　copper　mine；〃　said　Ker…

nan。　　〃I　may　establish　an　office　here。　　Well；　well！

and　so　old　Barney　is　a　New　York　detective。　　You

always　had　a　turn　that　way。　　You　were　on　the　po…

lice　in　Saint　Jo　after　I　left　there；　weren't　you？〃



〃Six　months；〃　said　Woods。　　〃And　now　there's　one

more　question；　Johnny。　　I've　followed　your　record

pretty　close　ever　since　you　did　that　hotel　job　in　Sara…

toga；　and　I　never　knew　you　to　use　your　gun　before。

Why　did　you　kill　Norcross？〃



Kernan　stared　for　a　few　moments　with　concen…

trated　attention　at　the　slice　of　lemon　in　his　high…ball；

and　then　be　looked　at　the　detective　with　a　sudden；

crooked；　brilliant　smile。



〃How　did　you　guess　it；　Barney？　　〃　he　asked；　ad…

miringly。　　〃I　swear　I　thought　the　job　was　as　clean

and　as　smooth　as　a　peeled　onion。　　Did　I　leave　a　string

hanging　out　anywhere？　　〃



Woods　laid　upon　the　table　a　small　gold　pencil　in…

tended　for　a　watch…charm。



〃It's　the　one　I　gave　you　the　last　Christmas　we

were　in　Saint　Jo。　　I've　got　your　shaving　mug　yet。

I　found　this　under　a　corner　of　the　rug　in　Norcross's

room。　　I　warn　you　to　be　careful　what　you　say。　I've

got　it　put　on　to　you；　Johnny。　　We　were　old　friends

once；　but　I　must　do　my　duty。　　You'll　have　to　go　to

the　chair　for　Norcross。〃　　Kernan　laughed。



〃My　luck　stays　with　me；〃　said　be。　　〃Who'd　have

thought　old　Barney　was　on　my　trail！〃　　He　slipped

one　hand　inside　his　coat。　　In　an　instant　Woods　had

a　revolver　against　his　side。



〃Put　it　away；〃　said　Kernan；　wrinkling　his　nose。

〃I'm　only　investigating。　　Aha！　　It　takes　nine　tailors

to　make　a　man；　but　one　can　do　a　man　up。　There's

a　hole　in　that　vest　pocket。　　I　took　that　pencil　off　my

chain　and　slipped　it　in　there　in　case　of　a　scrap。　　Put

up　your　gun；　Barney；　and　I'll　tell　you　why　I　had

to　shoot　Norcross。　　The　old　fool　started　down　the

hall　after　me；　popping　at　the　buttons　on　the　back　of

my　coat　with　a　peevish　little　。22　and　I　had　to　stop

him。　　The　old　lady　was　a　darling。　　She　just　lay　in

bed　and　saw　her　12；000　diamond　necklace　go　with…

out　a　chirp；　while　she　begged　like　a　panhandler　to

have　back　a　little　thin　gold　ring　with　a　garnet　worth

about　3。　1　guess　she　married　old　Norcross　for　his

money；　all　right。　　Don't　they　hang　on　to　the　little

trinkets　from　the　Man　Who　Lost　Out；　though？

There　were　six　rings；　two　brooches　and　a　chatelaine

watch。　　Fifteen　thousand　would　cover　the　lot。〃



〃I　warned　you　not　to　talk；〃　said　Woods。



〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　said　Kernan。　　〃The　stuff

is　in　my　suit　case　at　the　hotel。　　And　now　I'll　tell　you

why　I'm　talking。　　Because　it's　safe。　　I'm　talking　to

a　man　I　know。　　You　owe　me　a　thousand　dollars；　Bar…

ney　Woods；　and　even　if　you　wanted　to　arrest　me　your

hand　wouldn't　make　the　move。〃



〃I　haven't　forgotten；〃　said　Woods。　　〃You　counted

out　twenty　fifties　without　a　word。　　I'll　pay　it　back

some　day。　　That　thousand　saved　me　and　　well；　they

were　piling　my　furniture　out　on　the　sidewalk　when　I

got　back　to　the　house。〃



〃And　so；〃　continued　Kernan；　〃you　being　Barney

Woods；　born　as　true　as　steel；　and　bound　to　play　a

white　man's　game；　can't　lift　a　finger　to　arrest　the

man　you're　indebted　to。　　Oh；　I　have　to　study　men

as　well　as　Yale　locks　and　window　fastenings　in　my

business。　　Now；　keep　quiet　while　I　ring　for　the

waiter。　　I've　had　a　thirst　for　a　year　or　two　that　wor…

ries　me　a　little。　　If　I'm　ever　caught　the　lucky　sleuth

will　have　to　divide　honors　with　old　boy　Booze。　　But　I

never　drink　during　business　hours。　　After　a　job　I

can　crook　elbows　with　my　old　friend　Barney　with　a

clear　conscience。　　What　are　you　taking？〃



The　waiter　came　with　the　little　decanters　and　the

siphon　and　left　them　alone　again。



〃You've　called　the　turn；〃　said　Woods；　as　he　rolled

the　little　gold　pencil　about　with　a　thoughtful　fore…

finger。　　　I've　got　to　pass　you　up。　I　can't　lay　a

hand　on　you。　　If　I'd　a…paid　that　money　back　　but

I　didn't；　and　that　settles　it。　　It's　a　bad　break　I'm

making；　Johnny；　but　I　can't　dodge　it。　　You　helped

me　once；　and　it　calls　for　the　same。〃



〃I　knew　it；〃　said　Kernan；　raising　his　glass；　with

a　flushed　smile　of　self…appreciation。　　〃I　can　judge

men。　　Here's　to　Barney；　for　　'he's　a　jolly　good

fellow。'　〃



〃I　don't　believe；〃　went　on　Woods　quietly；　as　if　be

were　thinking　aloud；　〃that　if　accounts　had　been

square　between　you　and　me；　all　the　money　in　all　the

banks　in　New　York　could　have　bought　you　out　of

my　hands　to…night。〃



〃I　know　it　couldn't；〃　said　Kernan。　　〃That's　why

I　knew　I　was　safe　with　you。〃



〃Most　people；〃　continued　the　detective；　〃look　side…

ways　at　my　business。　　They　don't　class　it　among　the

fine　arts　and　the　professions。　　But　I've　always　taken

a　kind　of　fool　pride　in　it。　　And　here　is　where　I　go

'busted。'　I　guess　I'm　a　man　first　and　a　detective

afterward。　　I've　got　to　let　you　go；　and　then　I've　got

to　resign　from　the　force。　　I　guess　I　can　drive　an　ex…

press　wagon。　　Your　thousand　dollars　is　further　off

than　ever；　Johnny。〃



〃Oh；　you're　welcome　to　it；〃　said　Kernan；　with　a

lordly　air。　　〃I'd　be　willing　to　call　the　debt　off；　but

I　know　you　wouldn't　have　it　It　was　a　lucky　day

for　me　when　you　borrowed　it。　　And　now；　let's　drop

the　subject。　　I'm　off　to　the　West　on　a　morning　train。

I　know　a　place　out　there　where　I　can　negotiate　the

Norcross　sparks。　　Drink　up；　Barney；　and　forget　your

troubles。　　We'll　have　a　jolly　time　while　the　police

are　knocking　their　heads　together　over　the　case。

I've　got　one　of　my　Sahara　thirsts　on　to…night。　　But

I'm　in　the　bands　　the　unofficial　bands　　of　my　old

friend　Barney；　and　I　won't　even　dream　of　a　cop。〃



And　then；　as　Kernan's　ready　finger　kept　the　but…

ton　and　the　waiter　working；　his　weak　point　　a　tre…

mendous　vanity　and　arrogant　egotism；　began　to　show

itself。　　He　recounted　story　after　story　of　his　suc…

cessful　plunderings；　ingenious　plots　and　infamous

transgressions　until　Woods；　with　all　his　familiarity

with　evil…doers；　felt　growing　within　him　a　cold　ab…

horrence　toward　the　utterly　vicious　man　who　had

once　been　his　benefactor。



〃I'm　disposed　of；　of　course；〃　said　Woods；　at

length。　　〃But　I　advise