within the law-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　very　severe　letter　to　the　girl's　employer。　　In　the　end；　such　tactics　alarmed　the　man。　　For　the　sake　of　his　own　interests；　though　unwillingly　enough；　he　dismissed　Mary　from　his　service。

It　was　then　that　despair　did　come　upon　the　girl。　　She　had　tried　with　all　the　strength　of　her　to　live　straight。　Yet；　despite　her　innocence；　the　world　would　not　let　her　live　according　to　her　own　conscience。　　It　demanded　that　she　be　the　criminal　it　had　branded　herif　she　were　to　live　at　all。　　So；　it　was　despair！　For　she　would　not　turn　to　evil；　and　without　such　turning　she　could　not　live。　　She　still　walked　the　streets　falteringly；　seeking　some　place；　but　her　heart　was　gone　from　the　quest。　　Now；　she　was　sunken　in　an　apathy　that　saved　her　from　the　worst　pangs　of　misery。　　She　had　suffered　so　much；　so　poignantly；　that　at　last　her　emotions　had　grown　sluggish。　　She　did　not　mind　much　even　when　her　tiny　hoard　of　money　was　quite　gone；　and　she　roamed　the　city；　starving。。。。　Came　an　hour　when　she　thought　of　the　river；　and　was　glad！

Mary　remembered；　with　a　wan　smile；　how；　long　ago；　she　had　thought　with　amazed　horror　of　suicide；　unable　to　imagine　any　trouble　sufficient　to　drive　one　to　death　as　the　only　relief。　　Now；　however；　the　thing　was　simple　to　her。　　Since　there　was　nothing　else；　she　must　turn　to　thatto　death。　　Indeed；　it　was　so　very　simple；　so　final；　and　so　easy；　after　the　agonies　she　had　endured；　that　she　marveled　over　her　own　folly　in　not　having　sought　such　escape　before。。。。　Even　with　the　first　wild　fancy；　she　had　unconsciously　bent　her　steps　westward　toward　the　North　River。　　Now；　she　quickened　her　pace；　anxious　for　the　plunge　that　should　set　the　term　to　sorrow。　　In　her　numbed　brain　was　no　flicker　of　thought　as　to　whatever　might　come　to　her　afterward。　　Her　sole　guide　was　that　compelling　passion　of　desire　to　be　done　with　this　unbearable　present。　　Nothing　else　matterednot　in　the　least！

So；　she　came　through　the　long　stretch　of　ill…lighted　streets；　crossed　some　railroad　tracks　to　a　pier；　over　which　she　hurried　to　the　far　end；　where　it　projected　out　to　the　fiercer　currents　of　the　Hudson。　　There；　without　giving　herself　a　moment's　pause　for　reflection　or　hesitation；　she　leaped　out　as　far　as　her　strength　permitted　into　the　coil　of　waters。。。。　But；　in　that　final　second；　natural　terror　in　the　face　of　death　overcame　the　lethargy　of　despaira　shriek　burst　from　her　lips。

But　for　that　scream　of　fear；　the　story　of　Mary　Turner　had　ended　there　and　then。　　Only　one　person　was　anywhere　near　to　catch　the　sound。　　And　that　single　person　heard。　　On　the　south　side　of　the　pier　a　man　had　just　tied　up　a　motor…boat。　　He　stood　up　in　alarm　at　the　cry；　and　was　just　in　time　to　gain　a　glimpse　of　a　white　face　under　the　dim　moonlight　as　it　swept　down　with　the　tide；　two　rods　beyond　him。　　On　the　instant；　he　threw　off　his　coat　and　sprang　far　out　after　the　drifting　body。　　He　came　to　it　in　a　few　furious　strokes；　caught　it。　Then　began　the　savage　struggle　to　save　her　and　himself。　The　currents　tore　at　him　wrathfully；　but　he　fought　against　them　with　all　the　fierceness　of　his　nature。　　He　had　strength　a…plenty；　but　it　needed　all　of　it；　and　more；　to　win　out　of　the　river's　hungry　clutch。　　What　saved　the　two　of　them　was　the　violent　temper　of　the　man。　Always；　it　had　been　the　demon　to　set　him　aflame。　　To…night；　there　in　the　faint　light；　within　the　grip　of　the　waters；　he　was　moved　to　insensate　fury　against　the　element　that　menaced。　　His　rage　mounted；　and　gave　him　new　power　in　the　battle。　　Maniacal　strength　grew　out　of　supreme　wrath。　　Under　the　urge　of　it；　he　conqueredat　last　brought　himself　and　his　charge　to　the　shore。

When；　finally；　the　rescuer　was　able　to　do　something　more　than　gasp　chokingly；　he　gave　anxious　attention　to　the　woman　whom　he　had　brought　out　from　the　river。　Yet；　at　the　outset；　he　could　not　be　sure　that　she　still　lived。　　She　had　shown　no　sign　of　life　at　any　time　since　he　had　first　seized　her。　　That　fact　had　been　of　incalculable　advantage　to　him　in　his　efforts　to　reach　the　shore　with　her。　　Now；　however；　it　alarmed　him　mightily；　though　it　hardly　seemed　possible　that　she　could　have　drowned。　　So　far　as　he　could　determine；　she：　had　not　even　sunk　once　beneath　the　surface。　　Nevertheless；　she　displayed　no　evidence　of　vitality；　though　he　chafed　her　hands　for　a　long　time。　　The　shore　here　was　very　lonely；　it　would　take　precious　time　to　summon　aid。　　It　seemed；　notwithstanding；　that　this　must　be　the　only　course。　　Then　just　as　the　man　was　about　to　leave　her；　the　girl　sighed；　very　faintly；　with　an　infinite　weariness；　and　opened　her　eyes。　　The　man　echoed　the　sigh；　but　his　was　of　joy；　since　now　he　knew　that　his　strife　in　the　girl's　behalf　had　not　been　in　vain。

Afterward；　the　rescuer　experienced　no　great　difficulty　in　carrying　out　his　work　to　a　satisfactory　conclusion。　Mary　revived　to　clear　consciousness；　which　was　at　first　inclined　toward　hysteria；　but　this　phase　yielded　soon　under　the　sympathetic　ministrations　of　the　man。　　His　rather　low　voice　was　soothing　to　her　tired　soul；　and　his　whole　air　was　at　once　masterful　and　gently　tender。　Moreover；　there　was　an　inexpressible　balm　to　her　spirit　in　the　very　fact　that　some　one　was　thus　ministering　to　her。　　It　was　the　first　time　for　many　dreadful　years　that　any　one　had　taken　thought　for　her　welfare。　　The　effect　of　it　was　like　a　draught　of　rarest　wine　to　warm　her　heart。　　So；　she　rested　obediently　as　he　busied　himself　with　her　complete　restoration；　and；　when　finally　she　was　able　to　stand；　and　to　walk　with　the　support　of　his　arm；　she　went　forward　slowly　at　his　side　without　so　much　even　as　a　question　of　whither。

And；　curiously；　the　man　himself　shared　the　gladness　that　touched　the　mood　of　the　girl；　for　he　experienced　a　sudden　pride　in　his　accomplishment　of　the　night；　a　pride　that　delighted　a　starved　part　of　his　nature。　　Somewhere　in　him　were　the　seeds　of　self…sacrifice；　the　seeds　of　a　generous　devotion　to　others。　　But　those　seeds　had　been　left　undeveloped　in　a　life　that　had　been　lived　since　early　boyhood　outside　the　pale　of　respectability。　　To…night；　Joe　Garson　had　performed；　perhaps；　his　first　action　with　no　thought　of　self　at　the　back　of　it。　　He　had　risked　his　life　to　save　that　of　a　stranger。　　The　fact　astonished　him；　while　it　pleased　him　hugely。　　The　sensation　was　at　once　novel　and　thrilling。　　Since　it　was　so　agreeable；　he　meant　to　prolong　the　glow　of　self…satisfaction　by　continuing　to　care　for　this　waif　of　the　river。　He　must　make　his　rescue　complete。　　It　did　not　occur　to　him　to　question　his　fitness　for　the　work。　　His　introspection　did　not　reach　to　a　point　of　suspecting　that　he；　an　habitual　criminal；　was　necessarily　of　a　sort　to　be　most　objectionable　as　the　protector　of　a　young　girl。　　Indeed；　had　any　one　suggested　the　thought　to　him；　he　would　have　met　it　with　a　sneer；　to　the　effect　that　a　wretch　thus　tired　of　life　could　hardly　object　to　any　one　who　constituted　himself　her　savior。

In　this　manner；　Joe　Garson；　the　notorious　forger；　led　the　dripping　girl　eastward　through　the　squalid　streets；　until　at　last　they　came　to　an　adequately　lighted　avenue；　and　there　a　taxicab　was　found。　　It　carried　them　farther　north；　and　to　the　east　still；　until　at　last　it　came　to　a　halt　before　an　apartment　house　that　was　rather　imposing；　set　in　a　street　of　humbler　dwellings。　　Here；　Garson　paid　the　fare；　and　then　helped　the　girl　to　alight；　and　on　into　the　hallway。　　Mary　went　with　him　quite　unafraid；　though　now　with　a　growing　curiosity。　　Strange　as　it　all　was；　she　felt　that　she　could　trust　this　man　who　had　plucked　her　from　death；　who　had　worked　over　her　with　so　much　of　tender　kindliness。　　So；　she　waited　patiently；　only；　watched　with　intentness　as　he　pressed　the　button　of　a　flat　number。　　She　observed　with　interest　the　thick；　wavy　gray　of　his　hair；　which　contradicted　pleasantly　the　youthfulness　of　his　clean…shaven；　resolute　face；　and　the　spare；　yet　well…muscled　form。

The　clicking　of　the　door…latch　sounded　soon；　and　the　two　entered；　and　went　slowly　up　three　flights　of　stairs。　On　the　landing　beyond　the　third　flight；　the　door　of　a　rear　flat　stood　open；　and　in　the　doorway　appeared　the　figure　of　a　woman。

〃Well；　Joe；　who's　the　skirt？〃　　this　person　demanded；　as　the　man　and　his　charge　halted　before　her。　　Then；　abruptly；　the　round；　baby…like　face　of　the　woman　puckered　in　amazement。　　Her　voic