within the law-第52章

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hen；　at　last；　the　two　were　left　alone　together；　and　he　darted　a　surreptitious　glance　toward　her。　　Nevertheless；　he　pressed　on　his　device　valiantly。

〃Now；〃　he　said；　with　a　marked　softening　of　manner；　〃I'm　going　to　be　your　friend。〃

〃Are　you？〃　　Mary's　tone　was　non…committal。

〃Yes；〃　Burke　declared；　heartily。　　〃And　I　mean　it！　Give　up　the　truth　about　young　Gilder。　　I　know　he　shot　Griggs；　of　course。　　But　I'm　not　taking　any　stock　in　that　burglar　storynot　a　little　bit！　No　court　would；　either。　What　was　really　back　of　the　killing？〃　　Burke's　eyes　narrowed　cunningly。　　〃Was　he　jealous　of　Griggs？　　Well；　that's　what　he　might　do　then。　　He's　always　been　a　worthless　young　cub。　　A　rotten　deal　like　this　would　be　about　his　gait；　I　guess。。。。　Tell　me；　now：　Why　did　he　shoot　Eddie　Griggs？〃　

There　was　coarseness　a…plenty　in　the　Inspector's　pretense；　but　it　possessed　a　solitary　fundamental　virtue：　it　played　on　the　heart　of　the　woman　whom　he　questioned；　aroused　it　to　wrath　in　defense　of　her　mate。　　In　a　second；　all　poise　fled　from　this　girl　whose　soul　was　blossoming　in　the　blest　realization　that　a　man　loved　her　purely；　unselfishly。　　Her　words　came　stumblingly　in　their　haste。　Her　eyes　were　near　to　black　in　their　anger。

〃He　didn't　kill　him！　He　didn't　kill　him！〃　she　fairly　hissed。　　〃Why；　he's　the　most　wonderful　man　in　the　world。　　You　shan't　hurt　him！　Nobody　shall　hurt　him！　I'll　fight　to　the　end　of　my　life　for　Dick　Gilder！〃　

Burke　was　beaming　joyously。　　At　lasta　long　last！　his　finesse　had　won　the　victory　over　this　woman's　subtleties。

〃Well；　that's　just　what　I　thought；〃　he　said；　with　smug　content。　　〃And　now；　then；　who　did　shoot　Griggs？　　We've　got　every　one　of　the　gang。　　They're　all　crooks。　See　here；〃　he　went　on；　with　a　sudden　change　to　the　respectful　in　his　manner；　〃why　don't　you　start　fresh？　　I'll　give　you　every　chance　in　the　world。　　I'm　dead　on　the　level　with　you　this　time。〃

But　he　was　too　late。　　By　now；　Mary　had　herself　well　in　hand　again；　vastly　ashamed　of　the　short　period　of　self…betrayal　caused　by　the　official's　artifice　against　her　heart。　　As　she　listened　to　the　Inspector's　assurances；　the　mocking　expression　of　her　face　was　not　encouraging　to　that　astute　individual；　but　he　persevered　manfully。　

〃Just　you　wait；〃　he　went　on　cheerfully；　〃and　I'll　prove　to　you　that　I'm　on　the　level　about　this；　that　I'm　really　your　friend。。。。　There　was　a　letter　came　for　you　to　your　apartment。　　My　men　brought　it　down　to　me。　　I've　read　it。　　Here　it　is。　　I'll　read　it　to　you！〃　

He　picked　up　an　envelope；　which　had　been　lying　on　the　desk；　and　drew　out　the　single　sheet　of　paper　it　contained。　　Mary　watched　him；　wondering　much　more　than　her　expression　revealed　over　this　new　development。　Then；　as　she　listened；　quick　interest　touched　her　features　to　a　new　life。　　In　her　eyes　leaped　emotions　to　make　or　mar　a　life。

This　was　the　letter：　

〃I　can't　go　without　telling　you　how　sorry　I　am。　　There　won't　never　be　a　time　that　I　won't　remember　it　was　me　got　you　sent　up；　that　you　did　time　in　my　place。　　I　ain't　going　to　forgive　myself　ever；　and　I　swear　I'm　going　straight　always。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Your　true　friend；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃HELEN　MORRIS。〃　　

For　once；　Burke　showed　a　certain　delicacy。　　When　he　had　finished　the　reading；　he　said　nothing　for　a　long　minuteonly；　sat　with　his　cunning　eyes　on　the　face　of　the　woman　who　was　immobile　there　before　him。　　And；　as　he　looked　on　her　in　her　slender　elegance　of　form　and　gentlewomanly　loveliness　of　face；　a　loveliness　intelligent　and　refined　beyond　that　of　most　women；　he　felt　borne　in　on　his　consciousness　the　fact　that　here　was　one　to　be　respected。　　He　fought　against　the　impression。　　It　was　to　him　preposterous；　for　she　was　one　of　that　underworld　against　which　he　was　ruthlessly　at　war。　　Yet；　he　could　not　altogether　overcome　his　instinct　toward　a　half…reverent　admiration。。。。　And；　as　the　letter　proved；　she　had　been　innocent　at　the　outset。　　She　had　been　the　victim　of　a　mistaken　justice；　made　outcast　by　the　law　she　had　never　wronged。。。。　His　mood　of　respect　was　inevitable；　since　he　had　some　sensibilities；　though　they　were　coarsened；　and　they　sensed　vaguely　the　maelstrom　of　emotions　that　now　swirled　in　the　girl's　breast。

To　Mary　Turner；　this　was　the　wonderful　hour。　　In　it；　the　vindication　of　her　innocence　was　made　complete。　The　story　was　there　recorded　in　black　and　white　on　the　page　written　by　Helen　Morris。　　It　mattered　littleor　infinitely　much！that　it　came　too　late。　　She　had　gained　her　evil　place　in　the　world；　was　a　notorious　woman　in　fact；　was　even　now　a　prisoner　under　suspicion　of　murder。　Nevertheless；　she　felt　a　thrill　of　ecstasy　over　this　written　documentwhich　it　had　never　occurred　to　her　to　wrest　from　the　girl　at　the　time　of　the　oral　confession。　Now　that　it　had　been　proffered；　the　value　of　it　loomed　above　almost　all　things　else　in　the　world。　　It　proclaimed　undeniably　the　wrong　under　which　she　had　suffered。　　She　was　not　the　thief　the　court　had　adjudged　her。　　Now；　there's　nobody　here　but　just　you　and　me。　Come　on；　nowput　me　wise！〃　

Mary　was　again　the　resourceful　woman　who　was　glad　to　pit　her　brain　against　the　contriving　of　those　who　fought　her。　　So；　at　this　moment；　she　seemed　pliant　to　the　will　of　the　man　who　urged　her　thus　cunningly。　　Her　quick　glance　around　the　office　was　of　a　sort　to　delude　the　Inspector　into　a　belief　that　she　was　yielding　to　his　lure。

〃Are　you　sure　no　one　will　ever　know？〃　　she　asked；　timorously。

〃Nobody　but　you　and　me；〃　Burke　declared；　all　agog　with　anticipation　of　victory　at　last。　　〃I　give　you　my　word！〃　

Mary　met　the　gaze　of　the　Inspector　fully。　　In　the　same　instant；　she　flashed　on　him　a　smile　that　was　dazzling；　the　smile　of　a　woman　triumphant　in　her　mastery　of　the　situation。　　Her　face　was　radiant；　luminous　with　honest　mirth。　　There　was　something　simple　and　genuine　in　her　beauty　that　thrilled　the　man　before　her；　the　man　trying　so　vindictively　to　trap　her　to　her　own　undoing。　For　all　his　grossness；　Burke　was　of　shrewd　perceptions；　and　somewhere；　half…submerged　under　the　sordid　nature　of　his　calling；　was　a　love　of　things　esthetic；　a　responsiveness　to　the　appeals　of　beauty。　　Now；　as　his　glance　searched　the　face　of　the　girl　who　was　bubbling　with　mirth；　he　experienced　an　odd　warming　of　his　heart　under　the　spell　of　her　lovelinessa　loveliness　wholly　feminine；　pervasive；　wholesome。　　But；　too；　his　soul　shook　in　a　premonition　of　catastrophe；　for　there　was　mischief　in　the　beaming　eyes　of　softest　violet。　　There　was　a　demon　of　mockery　playing　in　the　curves　of　the　scarlet　lips；　as　she　smiled　so　winsomely。

All　his　apprehensions　were　verified　by　her　utterance。　It　came　in　a　most　casual　voice；　despite　the　dancing　delight　in　her　face。　　The　tones　were　drawled　in　the　matter…of…fact　fashion　of　statement　that　leads　a　listener　to　answer　without　heed　to　the　exact　import　of　the　question；　unless　very　alert；　indeed。。。。　This　is　what　she　said　in　that　so…casual　voice：

〃I'm　not　speaking　loud　enough；　am　I；　stenographer？〃　

And　that　industrious　writer　of　shorthand　notes；　absorbed　in　his　task；　answered　instantly　from　his　hidden　place　in　the　corridor。

〃No；　ma'am；　not　quite。〃

Mary　laughed　aloud；　while　Burke　sat　dumfounded。　She　rose　swiftly；　and　went　to　the　nearest　window；　and　with　a　pull　at　the　cord　sent　the　shade　flying　upward。　For　seconds；　there　was　revealed　the　busy　stenographer；　bent　over　his　pad。　　Then；　the　noise　of　the　ascending　shade；　which　had　been　hammering　on　his　consciousness；　penetrated；　and　he　looked　up。　　Realization　came；　as　he　beheld　the　woman　laughing　at　him　through　the　window。　Consternation　beset　him。　　He　knew　that；　somehow；　he　had　bungled　fatally。　　A　groan　of　distress　burst　from　him；　and　he　fled　the　place　in　ignominious　rout。

There　was　another　whose　spirit　was　equally　desirous　of　flightBurke！　Yet　once　again；　he　was　beaten　at　his　own　game；　his　cunning　made　of　no　avail　against　the　clever　interpretation　of　this　woman　whom　he　assailed。　He　had　no　defense　to　offer。　　He　did　not　care　to　meet　her　gaze　just　then；　since　he　was　learning　to　respect　her　as　one　wronged；　where　he　had　regarded　her　hitherto　merely　as　of　the　flotsam　and　jetsam　of　the　criminal　class。　So；　he　avoided　her　eyes　as　she　stood　by　the　window　regarding　him　quizzically。　　In　a　panic　of　confusion　quite　new　to　him　in　his　years　of　exp