within the law-第30章
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〃How do you know he can't？〃 he blustered。
Mary laughed in a cadence of genial merriment。
〃Because；〃 she replied gaily； 〃if he could； he would have had me in prison some time ago。〃
Burke winced； but he made shift to conceal his realization of the truth she had stated to him。
〃Huh！〃 he exclaimed gruffly。 〃I've seen them go up pretty easy。〃
Mary met the assertion with a serenity that was baffling。
〃The poor ones；〃 she vouchsafed； 〃not those that have money。 I have money； plenty of moneynow。〃
〃Money you stole！〃 the Inspector returned； brutally。
〃Oh； dear； no！〃 Mary cried； with a fine show of virtuous indignation。
〃What about the thirty thousand dollars you got on that partnership swindle？〃 Burke asked； sneering。 〃I s'pose you didn't steal that！〃
〃Certainly not；〃 was the ready reply。 〃The man advertised for a partner in a business sure to bring big and safe returns。 I answered。 The business proposed was to buy a tract of land； and subdivide it。 The deeds to the land were all forged； and the supposed seller was his confederate； with whom he was to divide the money。 We formed a partnership； with a capital of sixty thousand dollars。 We paid the money into the bank； and then at once I drew it out。 You see； he wanted to get my money illegally； but instead I managed to get his legally。 For it was legal for me to draw that moneywasn't it； Mr。 Demarest？〃
The District Attorney by an effort retained his severe expression of righteous disapprobation； but he admitted the truth of her contention。
〃Unfortunately； yes；〃 he said gravely。 〃A partner has the right to draw out any； or all； of the partnership funds。〃
〃And I was a partner；〃 Mary said contentedly。 〃You； see； Inspector； you wrong meyou do； really！ I'm not a swindler； I'm a financier。〃
Burke sneered scornfully。
〃Well；〃 he roared； 〃you'll never pull another one on me。 You can gamble on that！〃
Mary permitted herself to laugh mockingly in the face of the badgered official。
〃Thank you for telling me；〃 she said； graciously。 〃And let me say； incidentally； that Miss Lynch at the present moment is painlessly extracting ten thousand dollars from General Hastings in a perfectly legal manner； Inspector Burke。〃
〃Well； anyhow；〃 Burke shouted； 〃you may stay inside the law； but you've got to get outside the city。〃 He tried to employ an elephantine bantering tone。 〃On the level； now； do you think you could get away with that young Gilder scheme you've been planning？〃
Mary appeared puzzled。
〃What young Gilder scheme？〃 she asked； her brows drawn in bewilderment。
〃Oh； I'm wiseI'm wise！〃 the Inspector cried roughly。 〃The answer is； once for all； leave town this afternoon； or you'll be in the Tombs in the morning。〃
Abruptly； a change came over the woman。 Hitherto； she had been cynical； sarcastic； laughing； careless； impudent。 Now； of a sudden； she was all seriousness； and she spoke with a gravity that； despite their volition； impressed both the men before her。
〃It can't be done； Inspector；〃 she said； sedately。
The declaration； simple as it was； aroused the official to new indignation。
〃Who says it can't？〃 he vociferated； overflowing with anger at this flouting of the authority he represented。
Mary opened a drawer of the desk； and took out the document obtained that morning from Harris； and held it forth。
〃This；〃 she replied； succinctly。
〃What's this？〃 Burke stormed。 But he took the paper。
Demarest looked over the Inspector's shoulder； and his eyes grew larger as he read。 When he was at an end of the reading； he regarded the passive woman at the desk with a new respect。
〃What's this？〃 Burke repeated helplessly。 It was not easy for him to interpret the legal phraseology。 Mary was kind enough to make the document clear to him。
〃It's a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court； instructing you to let me alone until you have legal proof that I have broken the law。。。。 Do you get that； Mr。 Inspector Burke？〃
The plethoric official stared hard at the injunction。
〃Another new one；〃 he stuttered finally。 Then his anger sought vent in violent assertion。 〃But it can't be done！〃 he shouted。
〃You might ask Mr。 Demarest；〃 Mary suggested； pleasantly； 〃as to whether or not it can be done。 The gambling houses can do it； and so keep on breaking the law。 The race track men can do it； and laugh at the law。 The railroad can do it； to restrain its employees from striking。 So； why shouldn't I get one； too？ You see； I have money。 I can buy all the law I want。 And there's nothing you can't do with the law； if you have money enough。。。。 Ask Mr。 Demarest。 He knows。〃
Burke was fairly gasping over this outrage against his authority。
〃Can you beat that！〃 he rumbled with a raucously sonorous vehemence。 He regarded Mary with a stare of almost reverential wonder。 〃A crook appealing to the law！〃
There came a new note into the woman's voice as she answered the gibe。
〃No； simply getting justice；〃 she said simply。 〃That's the remarkable part of it。〃 She threw off her serious air。 〃Well； gentlemen；〃 she concluded； 〃what are you going to do about it？〃
Burke explained。
〃This is what I'm going to do about it。 One way or another； I'm going to get you。〃
The District Attorney； however； judged it advisable to use more persuasive methods。
〃Miss Turner；〃 he said； with an appearance of sincerity； 〃I'm going to appeal to your sense of fair play。〃
Mary's shining eyes met his for a long moment； and before the challenge in hers； his fell。 He remembered then those doubts that had assailed him when this girl had been sentenced to prison； remembered the half…hearted plea he had made in her behalf to Richard Gilder。
〃That was killed；〃 Mary said； 〃killed four years ago。〃
But Demarest persisted。 Influence had been brought to bear on him。 It was for her own sake now that he urged her。
〃Let young Gilder alone。〃
Mary laughed again。 But there was no hint of joyousness in the musical tones。 Her answer was frankbrutally frank。 She had nothing to conceal。
〃His father sent me away for three yearsthree years for something I didn't do。 Well； he's got to pay for it。〃
By this time； Burke； a man of superior intelligence； as one must be to reach such a position of authority； had come to realize that here was a case not to be carried through by blustering； by intimidation； by the rough ruses familiar to the force。 Here was a woman of extraordinary intelligence； as well as of peculiar personal charm； who merely made sport of his fulminations； and showed herself essentially armed against anything he might do； by a court injunction； a thing unheard of until this moment in the case of a common crook。 It dawned upon him that this was； indeed； not a common crook。 Moreover； there had grown in him a certain admiration for the ingenuity and resource of this woman； though he retained all his rancor against one who dared thus to resist the duly constituted authority。 So； in the end； he spoke to her frankly； without a trace of his former virulence； with a very real； if rugged； sincerity。
〃Don't fool yourself； my girl；〃 he said in his huge voice； which was now modulated to a degree that made it almost unfamiliar to himself。 〃You can't go through with this。 There's always a weak link in the chain somewhere。 It's up to me to find it； and I will。〃
His candor moved her to a like honesty。
〃Now；〃 she said； and there was respect in the glance she gave the stalwart man； 〃now you really sound dangerous。〃
There came an interruption； alike unexpected by all。 Fannie appeared at the door。
〃Mr。 Edward Gilder wishes to see you； Miss Turner；〃 she said； with no appreciation of anything dynamic in the announcement。 〃Shall I show him in？〃
〃Oh； certainly；〃 Mary answered； with an admirable pretense of indifference； while Burke glared at Demarest； and the District Attorney appeared ill at ease。
〃He shouldn't have come；〃 Demarest muttered； getting to his feet； in reply to the puzzled glance of the Inspector。
Then； while Mary sat quietly in her chair at the desk； and the two men stood watching doubtfully the door； the maid appeared； stood aside； and said simply； 〃Mr。 Gilder。〃
There e
