within the law-第49章

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Aggie　became　flippant；　seemingly　unimpressed　by　the　Inspector's　savageness。

〃How　should　I　know？〃　　she　drawled。　　〃What　do　you　think　I　ama　fortune…teller？〃　

〃You'd　better　come　through；〃　Burke　reiterated。　　Then　his　manner　changed　to　wheedling。　　〃If　you're　the　wise　kid　I　think　you　are；　you　will。〃

Aggie　waxed　very　petulant　over　this　insistence。

〃I　tell　you；　I　don't　know　anything！　Say；　what　are　you　trying　to　hand　me；　anyway？〃　

Burke　scowled　on　the　girl　portentously；　and　shook　his　head。

〃Now；　it　won't　do；　I　tell　you；　Aggie　Lynch。　　I'm　wise。　　You　listen　to　me。〃　　Once　more　his　manner　turned　to　the　cajoling。　　〃You　tell　me　what　you　know；　and　I'll　see　you　make　a　clean　get…away；　and　I'll　slip　you　a　nice　little　piece　of　money；　too。〃

The　girl's　face　changed　with　startling　swiftness。　　She　regarded　the　Inspector　shrewdly；　a　crafty　glint　in　her　eyes。

〃Let　me　get　this　straight；〃　she　said。　　〃If　I　tell　you　what　I　know　about　Mary　Turner　and　Joe　Garson；　I　get　away？〃　

〃Clean！〃　Burke　ejaculated；　eagerly。

〃And　you'll　slip　me　some　coin；　too？〃　

〃That's　it！〃　came　the　hasty　assurance。　　〃Now；　what　do　you　say？〃　

The　small　figure　grew　tense。　　The　delicate；　childish　face　was　suddenly　distorted　with　rage；　a　rage　black　and　venomous。　　The　blue　eyes　were　blazing。　　The　voice　came　thin　and　piercing。

〃I　say；　you're　a　great　big　stiff！　What　do　you　think　I　am？〃　　she　stormed　at　the　discomfited　Inspector；　while　Cassidy　looked　on　in　some　enjoyment　at　beholding　his　superior　being　worsted。　　Aggie　wheeled　on　the　detective。　〃Say；　take　me　out　of　here；〃　she　cried　in　a　voice　surcharged　with　disgust。　　〃I'd　rather　be　in　the　cooler　than　here　with　him！〃　

Now　Burke's　tone　was　dangerous。

〃You'll　tell；〃　he　growled；　〃or　you'll　go　up　the　river　for　a　stretch。〃

〃I　don't　know　anything；〃　the　girl　retorted；　spiritedly　And；　if　I　did；　I　wouldn't　tellnot　in　a　million　years！〃　She　thrust　her　head　forward　challengingly　as　she　faced　the　Inspector；　and　her　expression　was　resolute。　　〃Now；　then；〃　she　ended；　〃send　me　upif　you　can！〃　

〃Take　her　away；〃　Burke　snapped　to　the　detective。

Aggie　went　toward　Cassidy　without　any　sign　of　reluctance。

〃Yes；　do；　please！〃　she　exclaimed　with　a　sneer。　　〃And　do　it　in　a　hurry。　　Being　in　the　room　with　him　makes　me　sick！　She　turned　to　stare　at　the　Inspector　with　eyes　that　were　very　clear　and　very　hard。　　In　this　moment；　there　was　nothing　childish　in　their　gaze。

〃Thought　I'd　squeal；　did　you？〃　　she　said；　evenly。　Yes；　I　will〃the　red　lips　bent　to　a　smile　of　supreme　scorn〃like　hell！〃　



CHAPTER　XXII。　THE　TRAP　THAT　FAILED。　

Burke；　despite　his　quality　of　heaviness；　was　blest　with　a　keen　sense　of　humor；　against　which　at　times　his　professional　labors　strove　mutinously。　　In　the　present　instance；　he　had　failed　utterly　to　obtain　any　information　of　value　from　the　girl　whom　he　had　just　been　examining。　On　the　contrary；　he　had　been　befooled　outrageously　by　a　female　criminal；　in　a　manner　to　wound　deeply　his　professional　pride。　　Nevertheless；　he　bore　no　grudge　against　the　adventuress。　　His　sense　of　the　absurd　served　him　well；　and　he　took　a　lively　enjoyment　in　recalling　the　method　by　which　her　plausible　wiles　had　beguiled　him。　　He　gave　her　a　real　respect　for　the　adroitness　with　which　she　had　deceived　himand　he　was　not　one　to　be　readily　deceived。　　So；　now；　as　the　scornful　maiden　went　out　of　the　door　under　the　escort　of　Cassidy；　Burke　bowed　gallantly　to　her　lithe　back；　and　blew　a　kiss　from　his　thick　fingertips；　in　mocking　reverence　for　her　as　an　artist　in　her　way。　　Then；　he　seated　himself；　pressed　the　desk　call…button；　and；　when　he　had　learned　that　Edward　Gilder　was　arrived；　ordered　that　the　magnate　and　the　District　Attorney　be　admitted；　and　that　the　son；　also；　be　sent　up　from　his　cell。

〃It's　a　bad　business；　sir；〃　Burke　said；　with　hearty　sympathy；　to　the　shaken　father；　after　the　formal　greetings　that　followed　the　entrance　of　the　two　men。　　〃It's　a　very　bad　business。〃

〃What　does　he　say？〃　　Gilder　questioned。　　There　was　something　pitiful　in　the　distress　of　this　man；　usually　so　strong　and　so　certain　of　his　course。　　Now；　he　was　hesitant　in　his　movements；　and　his　mellow　voice　came　more　weakly　than　its　wont。　　There　was　a　pathetic　pleading　in　the　dulled　eyes　with　which　he　regarded　the　Inspector。

〃Nothing！〃　Burke　answered。　　〃That's　why　I　sent　for　you。　　I　suppose　Mr。　Demarest　has　made　the　situation　plain　to　you。〃

Gilder　nodded；　his　face　miserable。

〃Yes；〃　he　has　explained　it　to　me；〃　he　said　in　a　lifeless　voice。　　〃It's　a　terrible　position　for　my　boy。　　But　you'll　release　him　at　once；　won't　you？〃　　Though　he　strove　to　put　confidence　into　his　words；　his　painful　doubt　was　manifest。

〃I　can't；〃　Burke　replied；　reluctantly；　but　bluntly。　　〃You　ought　not　to　expect　it；　Mr。　Gilder。〃

〃But；〃　came　the　protest；　delivered　with　much　more　spirit；　〃you　know　very　well　that　he　didn't　do　it！〃　

Burke　shook　his　head　emphatically　in　denial　of　the　allegation。

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　ityet；〃　he　contradicted。

The　face　of　the　magnate　went　white　with　fear。

〃Inspector；〃　he　cried　brokenly；　〃youdon't　mean〃

Burke　answered　with　entire　candor。

〃I　mean；　Mr。　Gilder；　that　you've　got　to　make　him　talk。　　That's　what　I　want　you　to　do；　for　all　our　sakes。　Will　you？〃　

〃I'll　do　my　best；〃　the　unhappy　man　replied；　forlornly。

A　minute　later；　Dick；　in　charge　of　an　officer；　was　brought　into　the　room。　　He　was　pale；　a　little　disheveled　from　his　hours　in　a　cell。　　He　still　wore　his　evening　clothes　of　the　night　before。　　His　face　showed　clearly　the　deepened　lines；　graven　by　the　suffering　to　which　he　had　been　subjected；　but　there　was　no　weakness　in　his　expression。　　Instead；　a　new　force　that　love　and　sorrow　had　brought　out　in　his　character　was　plainly　visible。　　The　strength　of　his　nature　was　springing　to　full　life　under　the　stimulus　of　the　ordeal　through　which　he　was　passing。

The　father　went　forward　quickly；　and　caught　Dick's　hands　in　a　mighty　grip。

〃My　boy！〃　he　murmured；　huskily。　　Then；　he　made　a　great　effort；　and　controlled　his　emotion　to　some　extent。　〃The　Inspector　tells　me；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　you've　refused　to　talkto　answer　his　questions。〃

Dick；　too；　winced　under　the　pain　of　this　meeting　with　his　father　in　a　situation　so　sinister。　　But　he　was；　to　some　degree；　apathetic　from　over…much　misery。　　Now；　in　reply　to　his　father's　words；　he　only　nodded　a　quiet　assent。

〃That　wasn't　wise　under　the　circumstances；〃　the　father　remonstrated　hurriedly。　　〃However；　now；　Demarest　and　I　are　here　to　protect　your　interests；　so　that　you　can　talk　freely。〃　　He　went　on　with　a　little　catch　of　anxiety　in　his　voice。　　〃Now；　Dick；　tell　us！　Who　killed　that　man？　　We　must　know。　　Tell　me。〃

Burke　broke　in　impatiently；　with　his　blustering　fashion　of　address。

〃Where　did　you　get？〃　

But　Demarest　raised　a　restraining　hand。

〃Wait；　please！〃　he　admonished　the　Inspector。　　〃You　wait　a　bit。〃　　He　went　a　step　toward　the　young　man。　〃Give　the　boy　a　chance；〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　was　very　friendly　as　he　went　on　speaking。　　〃Dick；　I　don't　want　to　frighten　you；　but　your　position　is　really　a　dangerous　one。　　Your　only　chance　is　to　speak　with　perfect　frankness。　I　pledge　you　my　word；　I'm　telling　the　truth；　Dick。〃　　There　was　profound　concern　in　the　lawyer's　thin　face；　and　his　voice；　trained　to　oratorical　arts；　was　emotionally　persuasive。　　〃Dick；　my　boy；　I　want　you　to　forget　that　I'm　the　District　Attorney；　and　remember　only　that　I'm　an　old　friend　of　yours；　and　of　your　father's；　who　is　trying　very　hard　to　help　you。　　Surely；　you　can　trust　me。　　Now；　Dick；　tell　me：　Who　shot　Griggs？〃　

There　came　a　long　pause。　　Burke's　face　was　avid　with　desire　for　knowledge；　with　the　keen　expectancy　of　the　hunter　on　the　trail；　which　was　characteristic　of　him　in　his　professional　work。　　The　District　Attorney　himself　was　less　vitally　eager；　but　his　curiosity；　as　well　as　his　wish　to　escape　from　an　embarrassing　situation；　showed　openly　on　his　alert　countenance。　　The　heavy　features　of　the　father　were　twisting　a　little　in　nervous　spasms；　for　to　him　this　hour　was　all　anguish；　since　his　only　son　was　in　such　horrible　plight。　　Dick　alone　seemed　almost　tranquil；　though　the　outward　calm　was　belied　by　the　flickering　of　his　eyelids　and　the　occasional　involuntary　movement　of　the　lips。　　Finally　he　spoke；　in　a　cold；　weary　voice。