pgw.piccadillyjim-第44节

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　〃I　always　knew　some　yegg　would　stroll　in　that　way。　It　beats　me　why　they　didn't　have　bars　fixed　on　them。〃
　〃Dere's　a　buzz…wagon　outside；　waitin'。〃
　〃You　do　it　in　style；　don't　you？〃　observed　Ogden；　pulling　on　his　shirt。　〃Who's　working　this　with　you？　Any　one　I　know？〃
　〃Naw。　A　new　guy。〃
　〃Oh？　Say；　I　don't　remember　you；　if　it　es　to　that。〃
　〃You　don't？〃　said　Mr。　Crocker　a　little　disposed。
　〃Well；　maybe　I　wouldn't；　with　that　mask　on　you。　Which　of　them　are　you？〃
　〃Chicago　Ed。's　my　monaker。〃
　〃I　don't　remember　any　Chicago　Ed。〃
　〃Well；　you　will　after　dis！〃　said　Mr。　Crocker；　happily　inspired。
　Ogden　was　eyeing　him　with　sudden　suspicion。
　〃Take　that　mask　off　and　let's　have　a　look　at　you。〃
　〃Nothing　doin'。〃　　How　am　I　to　know　you're　on　the　level？
　Mr。　Crocker　played　a　daring　card。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　making　a　move　towards　the　door。　〃It's　up　to　youse。　If　you　t'ink　I'm　not　on　de　level；　I'll　beat　it。〃
　〃Here；　stop　a　minute；〃　said　Ogden　hastily；　unwilling　that　a　promising　business　deal　should　be　abandoned　in　this　summary　manner。　〃I'm　not　saying　anything　against　you。　There's　no　need　to　fly　off　the　handle　like　that。〃
　〃I'll　tell　Buck　I　couldn't　get　you；〃　said　Mr。　Crocker；　moving　another　step。
　〃Here；　stop！　What's　the　matter　with　you？〃
　〃Are　youse　in'　wit　me？〃
　〃Sure；　if　you　get　the　conditions。　Buck's　got　to　slip　me　half　of　whatever　he　gets　out　of　this。〃
　〃Dat's　right。　Buck'll　slip　youse　half　of　anyt'ing　he　gets。〃
　〃All　right；　then。　Wait　till　I've　got　this　shoe　on；　and　let's　start。　Now　I'm　ready。〃
　〃Beat　it　quietly。〃
　〃What　did　you　think　I　was　going　to　do？　Sing？〃
　〃Step　dis　way！〃　said　Mr。　Crocker　jocosely。
　They　left　the　room　cautiously。　Mr。　Crocker　for　a　moment　had　a　sense　of　something　missing。　He　had　reached　the　stairs　before　he　realised　what　it　was。　Then　it　dawned　upon　him　that　what　was　lacking　was　the　applause。　The　scene　had　deserved　a　round。
　Jimmy；　vigilant　in　the　gallery；　heard　the　library　door　open　softly　and；　peering　over　the　rail；　perceived　two　dim　forms　in　the　darkness。　One　was　large；　the　other　small。　They　crossed　the　room　together。
　Whispered　words　reached　him。
　〃I　thought　you　said　you　came　in　this　way。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Then　why's　the　shutter　closed？〃
　〃I　fixed　it　after　I　was　in。〃
　There　was　a　faint　scraping　sound；　followed　by　a　click。　The　darkness　of　the　room　was　relieved　by　moonlight。　The　figures　passed　through。　Jimmy　ran　down　from　the　gallery；　and　closed　the　windows　softly。　He　had　just　fastened　the　shutters；　when　from　the　passage　outside　there　came　the　unmistakeable　sound　of　a　footstep。
　
　CHAPTER　XXII
　IN　THE　LIBRARY
　
　JIMMY'S　first　emotion　on　hearing　the　footstep　was　the　crude　instinct　of　self…preservation。　All　that　he　was　able　to　think　of　at　the　moment　was　the　fact　that　he　was　in　a　questionable　position　and　one　which　would　require　a　good　deal　of　explaining　away　if　he　were　found；　and　his　only　sensation　was　a　strong　desire　to　avoid　discovery。　He　made　a　silent；　scrambling　leap　for　the　gallery　stairs；　and　reached　their　shelter　just　as　the　door　opened。　He　stood　there；　rigid；　waiting　to　be　challenged；　but　apparently　he　had　moved　in　time；　for　no　voice　spoke。　The　door　closed　so　gently　as　to　be　almost　inaudible；　and　then　there　was　silence　again。　The　room　remained　in　darkness；　and　it　was　this　perhaps　that　first　suggested　to　Jimmy　the　forting　thought　that　the　intruder　was　equally　desirous　of　avoiding　the　scrutiny　of　his　fellows。　He　had　taken　it　for　granted　in　his　first　panic　that　he　himself　was　the　only　person　in　that　room　whose　motive　for　being　there　would　not　have　borne　inspection。　But　now；　safely　hidden　in　the　gallery；　out　of　sight　from　the　floor　below；　he　had　the　leisure　to　consider　the　newer's　movements　and　to　draw　conclusions　from　them。
　An　honest　man's　first　act　would　surely　have　been　to　switch　on　the　lights。　And　an　honest　man　would　hardly　have　crept　so　stealthily。　It　became　apparent　to　Jimmy；　as　he　leaned　over　the　rail　and　tried　to　pierce　the　darkness；　that　there　was　sinister　work　afoot；　and　he　had　hardly　reached　this　conclusion　when　his　mind　took　a　further　leap　and　he　guessed　the　identity　of　the　soft…footed　person　below。　It　could　be　none　but　his　old　friend　Lord　Wisbeach；　known　to　〃the　boys〃　as　Gentleman　Jack。　It　surprised　him　that　he　had　not　thought　of　this　before。　Then　it　surprised　him　that；　after　the　talk　they　had　only　a　few　hours　earlier　in　that　very　room；　Gentleman　Jack　should　have　dared　to　risk　this　raid。
　At　this　moment　the　blackness　was　relieved　as　if　by　the　striking　of　a　match。　The　man　below　had　brought　an　electric　torch　into　play；　and　now　Jimmy　could　see　clearly。　He　had　been　right　in　his　surmise。　It　was　Lord　Wisbeach。　He　was　kneeling　in　front　of　the　safe。　What　he　was　doing　to　the　safe；　Jimmy　could　not　see；　for　the　man's　body　was　in　the　way；　but　the　electric　torch　shone　on　his　face；　lighting　up　grim；　serious　features　quite　unlike　the　amiable　and　slightly　vacant　mask　which　his　lordship　was　wont　to　present　to　the　world。　As　Jimmy　looked；　something　happened　in　the　pool　of　light　beyond　his　vision。　Gentleman　Jack　gave　a　muttered　exclamation　of　satisfaction；　and　then　Jimmy　saw　that　the　door　of　the　safe　had　swung　open。　The　air　was　full　of　a　penetrating　smell　of　scorched　metal。　Jimmy　was　not　an　expert　in　these　matters；　but　he　had　read　from　time　to　time　of　modern　burglars　and　their　methods；　and　he　gathered　that　an　oxy…acetylene　blow…pipe；　with　its　flame　that　cuts　steel　as　a　knife　cuts　cheese；　had　been　at　work。
　Lord　Wisbeach　flashed　the　torch　into　the　open　safe；　plunged　his　hand　in；　and　drew　it　out　again；　holding　something。　Handling　this　in　a　cautious　and　gingerly　manner；　he　placed　it　carefully　in　his　breast　pocket。　Then　he　straightened　himself。　He　switched　off　the　torch；　and　moved　to　the　window；　leaving　the　rest　of　his　implements　by　the　open　safe。　He　unfastened　the　shutter；　then　raised　the　catch　of　the　window。　At　this　point　it　seemed　to　Jimmy　that　the　time　had　e　to　interfere。
　〃Tut；　tut！〃　he　said　in　a　tone　of　mild　reproof。
　The　effect　of　the　rebuke　on　Lord　Wisbeach　was　remarkable。　He　jumped　convulsively　away　from　the　window；　then；　revolving　on　his　own　axis；　flashed　the　torch　into　every　corner　of　the　room。
　〃Who's　that？〃　he　gasped。
　〃Conscience！〃　said　Jimmy。
　Lord　Wisbeach　had　overlooked　the　gallery　in　his　researches。　He　now　turned　his　torch　upwards。　The　light　flooded　the　gallery　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　room　from　where　Jimmy　stood。　There　was　a　pistol　in　Gentleman　Jack's　hand　now。　It　followed　the　torch　uncertainly。
　Jimmy；　lying　flat　on　the　gallery　floor；　spoke　again。
　〃Throw　that　gun　away；　and　the　torch；　too；〃　he　said。　〃I've　got　you　covered！〃
　The　torch　flashed　above　his　head；　but　the　raised　edge　of　the　gallery　rail　protected　him。
　〃I'll　give　you　five　seconds。　If　you　haven't　dropped　that　gun　by　then；　I　shall　shoot！　〃
　As　he　began　to　count；　Jimmy　heartily　regretted　that　he　had　allowed　his　appreciation　of　the　dramatic　to　lead　him　into　this　situation。　It　would　have　been　so　simple　to　have　roused　the　house　in　a　prosaic　way　and　avoided　this　delicate　position。　Suppose　his　bluff　did　not　succeed。　Suppose　the　other　still　clung　to　his　pistol　at　the　end　of　the　five　seconds。　He　wished　that　he　had　made　it　ten　instead。　Gentleman　Jack　was　an　enterprising　person；　as　his　previous　acts　had　showed。　He　might　very　well　decide　to　take　a　chance。　He　might　even　refuse　to　believe　that　Jimmy　was　armed。　He　had　only　Jimmy's　word　for　it。　Perhaps　he　might　be　as　deficient　in　simple　faith　as　he　had　proved　to　be　in　Norman　blood！　Jimmy　lingered　lovingly　over　his　count。
　〃Four！〃　he　said　reluctantly。
　There　was　a　breathless　moment。　Then；　to　Jimmy's　unspeakable　relief；　gun　and　torch　dropped　simultaneously　to　the　floor。　In　an　instant　Jimmy　was　himself　again。
　〃Go　and　stand　with　your　face　to　that　wall；〃　he　said　crisply。　〃Hold　your　hands　up！〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I'm　going　to　see　how　many　more　guns　you've　got。〃
　〃I　haven't　another。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　make　sure　of　that　for　myself。　Get　moving！〃
　Gentleman　Jack　reluctantly　obeyed。　When　he　had　reached　the　wall；　Jimmy　came　down。　He　switched　on　the　lights。　He　felt　in　the　other's　pockets；　and　almost　at　once　encountered　something　hard　and　metallic。
　He　shook　his　head　reproachfully。
　〃You　are　very　loose　and　inaccurate　in　your　statements；〃　he　said。　〃Why　all　these　weapons？　I　didn't　raise　my　boy　to　be　a　soldier！　Now　you　can　turn　around　and　put　your　hands　down。〃
　Gentleman　Jack's　appeared　to　be　a　philosophical　nature。　The　chagrin　consequent　upon　his　failure　seemed　to　have　left　him。　He　sat　on　the　arm　of　a　chair　and　regarded　Jimmy　without　apparent　hostility。　He　even　smiled　a　faint　smile。
　〃I　thought　I　had　fixed　you；　he　said。　You　must　have　been　smarter　than　I　took　you　for。　I　never　supposed　you　would　get　on　to　that　drink　and　pass　it　up。〃
　Understanding　of　an　incident　which　had　perplexed　him　came　to　Jimmy。
　〃Was　it　you　who　put　that　high…ball　in　my　room？　Was　it　doped？〃
　〃Didn't　you　know？〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃I　never　knew　before　that　virtue　got　its　reward　so　darned　quick　in　this　world。　I　rejected　that　high…ball　not　because　I　suspected　it　but　out　of　pure　goodness；　because　I　had　made　up　my　mind　that　I　was　through　with　all　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　His　panion　laughed。　If　Jimmy　had　had　a　more　intimate　acquaintance　with　the　resourceful　indiv