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！
any threat。
〃What's she doing here？〃 he asked。 There was wrath in his rough voice； for he could not avoid the surmise that his shrewdly concocted scheme to entrap this woman had somehow been set awry。 〃What's she doing here； I say？〃 he repeated heavily。 His keen eyes were darting once more about the room； questing some clue to this disturbing mystery； so hateful to his pride。
Dick's manner became that of the devoted husband offended by impertinent obtrusion。
〃You forget yourself； Inspector；〃 he said； icily。 〃This is my wife。 She has the right to be with meher husband！〃
The Inspector grinned sceptically。 He was moved no more effectively by Mary's almost hysterical effort to respond to her husband's leading。
〃Why shouldn't I be here？ Why？ Why？ I〃
Burke broke in on the girl's pitiful histrionics ruthlessly。 He was not in the least deceived。 He was aware that something untoward； as he deemed it； had occurred。 It seemed to him； in fact； that his finical mechanisms for the undoing of Mary Turner were in a fair way to be thwarted。 But he would not give up the cause without a struggle。 Again； he addressed himself to Dick； disregarding completely the aloof manner of the young man。
〃Where's your father？〃 he questioned roughly。
〃In bed； naturally；〃 was the answer。 〃I ask you again： What are you doing here at this time of night？〃
Burke shook his shoulders ponderously in a movement of impatience over this prolonging of the farce。
〃Oh； call your father；〃 he directed disgustedly。
Dick remonstrated with an excellent show of dignity。
〃It's late；〃 he objected。 〃I'd rather not disturb him； if you don't mind。 Really； the idea is absurd； you know。〃 Suddenly； he smiled very winningly； and spoke with a good assumption of ingenuousness。
〃Inspector；〃 he said briskly； 〃I see； I'll have to tell you the truth。 It's this： I've persuaded my wife to go away with me。 She's going to give all that other sort of thing up。 Yes； we're going away together。〃 There was genuine triumph in his voice now。 〃So； you see； we've got to talk it over。 Now； then； Inspector； if you'll come back in the morning〃
The official grinned sardonically。 He could not in the least guess just what had in very deed happened； but he was far too clever a man to be bamboozled by Dick's maunderings。
〃Oh； that's it！〃 he exclaimed； with obvious incredulity。
〃Of course；〃 Dick replied bravely； though he knew that the Inspector disbelieved his pretenses。 Still； for his own part； he was inclined as yet to be angry rather than alarmed by this failure to impress the officer。 〃You see； I didn't know〃
And even in the moment of his saying； the white beam of the flashing searchlight from the Tower fell between the undrawn draperies of the octagonal window。 The light startled the Inspector again； as it had done once before that same night。 His gaze followed it instinctively。 So； within the second； he saw the still form lying there on the floorlying where had been shadows； where now； for the passing of an instant； was brilliant radiance。
There was no mistaking that awful； motionless； crumpled posture。 The Inspector knew in this single instant of view that murder had been done here。 Even as the beam of light from the Tower shifted and vanished from the room； he leaped to the switch by the door； and turned on the lights of the chandelier。 In the next moment； he had reached the door of the passage across the room； and his whistle sounded shrill。 His voice bellowed reinforcement to the blast。
〃Cassidy！ Cassidy！〃
As Dick made a step toward his wife； from whom he had withdrawn a little in his colloquy with the official； Burke voiced his command viciously：
〃Stay where you areboth of you！〃
Cassidy came rushing in； with the other detectives。 He was plainly surprised to find the room so nearly empty； where he had expected to behold a gang of robbers。
〃Why； what's it all mean； Chief？〃 he questioned。 His peering eyes fell on Dick； standing beside Mary； and they rounded in amazement。
〃They've got Griggs！〃 Burke answered。 There was exceeding rage in his voice； as he spoke from his kneeling posture beside the body； to which he had hurried after the summons to his aides。 He glowered up into the bewildered face of the detective。 〃I'll break you for this； Cassidy；〃 he declared fiercely。 〃Why didn't you get here on the run when you heard the shot？〃
〃But there wasn't any shot；〃 the perplexed and alarmed detective expostulated。 He fairly stuttered in the earnestness of his self…defense。 〃I tell you； Chief； there hasn't been a sound。〃
Burke rose to his feet。 His heavy face was set in its sternest mold。
〃You could drive a hearse through the hole they've made in him；〃 he rumbled。 He wheeled on Mary and Dick。 〃So！〃 he shouted； 〃now it's murder！。。。 Well； hand it over。 Where's the gun？〃
Followed a moment's pause。 Then the Inspector spoke harshly to Cassidy。 He still felt himself somewhat dazed by this extraordinary event； but he was able to cope with the situation。 He nodded toward Dick as he gave his order： 〃Search him！〃
Before the detective could obey the direction； Dick took the revolver from his pocket where he had bestowed it； and held it out。
And it so chanced that at this incriminating crisis for the son； the father hastily strode within the library。 He had been aroused by the Inspector's shouting； and was evidently greatly perturbed。 His usual dignified air was marred by a patent alarm。
〃What's all this？〃 he exclaimed； as he halted and stared doubtfully on the scene before him。
Burke； in a moment like this； was no respecter of persons； for all his judicious attentions on other occasions to those whose influence might serve him well for benefits received。
〃You can see for yourself；〃 he said grimly to the dumfounded magnate。 Then； he fixed sinister eyes on the son。 〃So；〃 he went on； with somber menace in his voice； 〃you did it； young man。〃 He nodded toward the detective。 〃Well； Cassidy； you can take 'em both down…town。。。。 That's all。〃
The command aroused Dick to remonstrance against such indignity toward the woman whom he loved。
〃Not her！〃 he cried； imploringly。 〃You don't want her； Inspector！ This is all wrong！〃
Now； at last； Mary interposed with a new spirit。 She had regained； in some measure at least； her poise。 She was speaking again with that mental clarity which was distinctive in her。
〃Dick；〃 she advised quietly； but with underlying urgency in her gently spoken words； 〃don't talk； please。〃
Burke laughed harshly。
〃What do you expect？〃 he inquired truculently。 〃As a matter of fact； the thing's simple enough； young man。 Either you killed Griggs； or she did。〃
The Inspector； with his charge； made a careless gesture toward the corpse of the murdered stool…pigeon。 For the first time； Edward Gilder； as his glance unconsciously followed the officer's movement； looked and saw the ghastly inanimate heap of flesh and bone that had once been a man。 He fairly reeled at the gruesome spectacle； then fumbled with an outstretched hand as he moved stumblingly until he laid hold on a chair； into which he sank helplessly。 It suddenly smote upon his consciousness that he felt very old and broken。 He marveled dully over the sensationit was wholly new to him。 Then； soon； from a long way off； he heard the strident voice of the Inspector remorselessly continuing in the vile； the impossible accusation。。。。 And that grotesque accusation was hurled against his only sonthe boy whom he so loved。 The thing was monstrous； a thing incredible。 This whole seeming was no more than a chimera of the night； a phantom of bad dreams； with no truth under it。。。。 Yet； the stern voice of the official came with a strange semblance of reality。
〃Either you killed him；〃 the voice repeated gratingly； 〃or she did。 Well； then； young man； did she kill him？〃
〃Good God； no！〃 Dick shouted； aghast。
〃Then； it was you！〃 Such was the Inspector's summary of the case。
Mary's words came frantically。 Once again； she was become desperate over the course of events in this night of fearful happenings。
〃No； no！ He didn't！〃
Burke's rasping voice reiterated the accusation with a certain complacency in the inevitability of the dilemma。
〃One of you killed Griggs。 Which one of you did it？〃 He scowled at Dick。 〃Did she kill him？〃
Again； the husband's cry came with the fierceness of despair over the fate of the woman。
〃I told you； no！〃
The Inspector； always savagely impressive now in voice and look and gesture； faced the girl with saturnine persistence。
〃Well； then；〃 he blustered； 〃did he kill him？〃
The nod of his head was toward Dick。 Then； as she remained silent： 〃I'm talking to you！〃 he snapped。 〃Did he kill him？〃
The reply came with a soft distinctness that was like a crash of destiny。
〃Yes。〃
Dick turned to his wife in reproachful amazement。
〃Mary！〃 he cried； incredulously。 This betrayal was something inconceivable from her； since he believed that now at last he knew her heart。
Burke； however； as usual； paid no heed to the niceties of sentiment。 They had small place in his concerns as an official of police。 His sole ambition just now was to fix the