hard cash-第101节

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At　last　in　the　blackness　of　the　night　a　shadowy　outline　was　visible；　another　tramp　or　two；　it　was　upon　them。

Now　the　cautious　Mr。　Green　had　stipulated　that　the　pocketbook　should　first　be　felt　for；　and；　if　not　there；　the　matter　should　go　no　farther。　So　Edward　made　a　stumble　and　fell　against　Mr。　Hardie　and　felt　his　left　breast：　the　pocket…book　was　there：〃Yes；〃　he　whispered：　and　Mr。　Hardie；　in　the　act　of　remonstrating　at　his　clumsiness；　was　pinned　behind；　and　his　arms　strapped　with　wonderful　rapidity　and　dexterity。　Then　first　he　seemed　to　awake　to　his　hunger；　and　uttered　a　stentorian　cry　of　terror；　that　rang　through　the　night　and　made　two　of　his　three　captors　tremble。

〃Cut　that〃　said　Green　sternly；　〃or　you'll　get　into　trouble。〃

Mr。　Hardie　lowered　his　voice　directly：　〃Do　not　kill　me；　do　not　hurt　me；〃　he　murmured；　〃I　am　but　a　poor　man　now。　Take　my　little　money；　it　is　in　my　waistcoat　pocket；　but　spare　my　life。　You　see　I　don't　resist。〃

〃Come；　stash　your　gab；　my　lad；〃　said　Green　contemptuously；　addressing　him　just　as　he　would　any　other　of　the　birds　he　was　accustomed　to　capture。　〃It's　not　your　stiff　that　is　wanted；　but　Captain　Dodd's。〃

〃Captain　Dodd's？〃　cried　the　prisoner　with　a　wonderful　assumption　of　innocence。

〃Ay；　the　pocket…book；〃　said　Green；　〃here；　this！　this！〃　He　tapped　on　the　pocket…book；　and　instantly　the　prisoner　uttered　a　cry　of　agony；　and　sprang　into　the　road　with　an　agility　no　one　would　have　thought　possible　but　Edward　and　Green　soon　caught　him；　and；　the　Doctor　joining；　they　held　him；　and　Green　tore　his　coat　open。

The　pocket…book　was　not　there。　He　tore　open　his　waistcoat；　it　was　not　in　the　waistcoat：　but　it　was　sewed　to　his　very　shirt　on　the　outside。

Green　wrenched　it　away；　and　bidding　the　other　two　go　behind　the　prisoner　and　look　over　his　shoulder；　unseen　themselves；　slipped　the　shade　of　his　lantern。

Mr。　Hardie　had　now　ceased　to　struggle　and　to　exclaim；　he　stood　sullen；　mute；　desperate；　while　an　agitated　face　peered　eagerly　over　each　of　his　shoulders　at　the　open　pocket…book　in　Green's　hands；　on　which　the　lantern　now　poured　a　narrow　but　vivid　stream　of　light。



CHAPTER　XXXVI

THERE　was　not　a　moment　to　lose；　so　Green　emptied　the　pocketbook　into　his　hat；　and　sifted　the　contents　in　a　turn　of　the　hand；　announcing　each　discovery　in　a　whisper　to　his　excited　and　peering　associates。

〃A　lot　of　receipts。〃

〃Of　no　use　to　any　one　but　me；〃　said　the　prisoner　earnestly。

〃Two　miniatures；　gold　rims；　pinchbeck　backs。〃

〃They　are　portraits　of　my　children　when　young：　Heaven　forgive　me；　I　could　not　give　them　up　to　my　creditors：　surely；　surely；　you　will　not　rob　me　of　them。〃

〃Stash　your　gab；〃　said　Mr。　Green　roughly。　〃Here's　a　guinea；　Queen　Anne's　reign。〃

〃It　belonged　to　my　great…grandfather：　take　it；　but　you　will　let　me　redeem　it；　I　will　give　L。　5　for　it　poor　as　I　am：　you　can　leave　it　on　my　door…step；　and　I'll　leave　the　L。　5。〃

〃Stow　your　gab。　Letters；　papers　covered　with　figures。　Stay；　what　is　this？　a　lot　of　memoranda。〃

〃They　are　of　the　most　private　and　delicate　character。　Pray　do　not　expose　my　family　misfortunes。〃　And　Mr。　Hardie；　who　of　late　had　been　gathering　composure；　showed　some　signs　of　agitation；　the　two　figures　glaring　over　his　shoulder　shared　it；　and　his　remonstrance　only　made　Green　examine　the　papers　keenly：　they　might　contain　some　clue　to　the　missing　money。　It　proved　a　miscellaneous　record：　the　price　of　Stocks　at　various　days；　notes　of　the　official　assignee's　remarks　in　going　over　the　books；　&c。　At　last；　however；　Green's　quick　eye　fell　upon　a　fainter　entry　in　pencil；　figures：　1；　4；　yes；　actually　L。　14；000。　〃All　right；〃　he　said：　and　took　the　paper　close　to　the　lantern；　and　began　to　spell　it　out

〃'This　day　Alfred　told　me　to　my　face　I　had　L。　14；000　of　Captain　Dodd's。　We　had　an　angry　discussion。　What　can　he　mean？　Drs。　Wycherley　and　Osmond；　this　same　day；　afflicted　me　with　hints　that　he　is　deranged；　or　partly。　I　saw　no　signs　of　it　before。　Wrote　to　my　brother　entreating　him　to　give　me　L。　200　to　replace　the　sum　which　I　really　have　wronged　this　respectable　and　now　most　afflicted　family　of。　I　had　better　withdraw'〃　Here　Mr。　Hardie　interrupted　him　with　sorrowful　dignity：　〃These　are　mere　family　matters；　if　you　are　a　man；　respect　them。〃

Green　went　reading　on　like　Fate：　〃'Better　withdraw　my　opposition　to　the　marriage；　or　else　it　seems　my　own　flesh　and　blood　will　go　about　the　place　blackening　my　reputation。'〃

Mr。　Hardie　stamped　on　the　ground。　〃I　tell　you；　on　my　honour　as　a　gentleman；　there's　no　money　there　but　my　grandfather's　guinea。　My　money　is　all　in　my　waistcoat　pocket；　where　you　_will　not_　look。〃

A　flutter　of　uneasiness　seemed　to　come　over　the　detective：　he　darkened　his　lantern；　and　replaced　the　pocket…book　hurriedly　in　the　prisoner's　breast；　felt　him　all　over　in　a　minute；　and　to　keep　up　the　farce；　robbed　him。

〃Only　eight　yellow　boys；〃　said　he　contemptuously　to　his　mates。　He　then　shipped　the　money　back　into　Hardie's　coat…pocket；　and　conducted　him　to　his　own　gate；　tied　him　to　it　by　the　waist；　and　ordered　him　not　to　give　the　alarm　for　ten　minutes　on　pain　of　death。

〃I　consent；〃　said　Mr。　Hardie；　〃and　thank　you　for　abstaining　from　violence。〃

〃All　right；　my　tulip；〃　said　Mr。　Green　cheerfully；　and　drew　his　companions　quietly　away。　But　the　next　moment　he　began　to　run；　and　making　a　sudden　turn；　dived　into　a　street　then　into　a　passage；　and　so　winded　and　doubled　till　he　got　to　a　small　public…house：　he　used　some　flash　word；　and　they　were　shown　a　private　room。　〃Wait　here　an　hour　for　me；〃　he　whispered；　〃I　must　see　who　liberates　him；　and　whether　he　is　really　as　innocent　as　he　reads；　or　we　have　been　countermined　by　the　devil's　own　tutor。〃

The　unexpected　turn　the　evidence　had　takenevidence　of　their　own　choosing；　toocleared　Mr。　Hardie　with　the　unprofessionals。　Edward　embraced　this　conclusion　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　urged　the　character　of　that　gentleman's　solitary　traducer：　Alfred　was　a　traitor；　and　therefore　why　not　a　slanderer？

Even　Sampson；　on　the　whole；　inclined　to　a　similar　conclusion。

At　this　crisis　of　the　discussion　a　red…haired　pedlar；　with　very　large　whiskers　and　the　remains　of　a　black　eye；　put　his　head　in；　and　asked　whether　Tom　Green　was　there。　〃No；〃　said　the　Doctor　stoutly；　not　desiring　company　of　this　stamp。　〃Don't　know　the　lad。〃

The　pedlar　laughed：　〃There　is　not　many　that　do　know　him　at　all　hours；　however；　he　_is_　here；　sir。〃　And　he　whipped　off　the　red　hair；　and　wiped　off　the　black　eye；　and　ho；　Green　_ipse。_　He　received　their　compliments　on　his　Protean　powers；　and　told　them　he　had　been　just　a　minute　too　late。　Mr。　Hardie　was　gone；　and　so　he　had　lost　the　chance　of　seeing　who　came　to　help　him；　and　of　hearing　the　first　words　that　passed　between　the　two。　This；　he　said；　was　a　very　great　pity；　for　it　would　have　shown　him　in　one　moment　whether　certain　suspicions　of　his　were　correct。　Pressed　as　to　what　these　suspicions　were；　he　begged　to　be　excused　saying　any　more　for　the　present。　The　Doctor；　however；　would　not　let　him　off　so；　but　insisted　on　his　candid　opinion。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　Green；　〃I　never　was　more　puzzled　in　my　life；　owing　to　not　being　near　hand　when　he　was　untied。　It　looks　all　square；　however。　There's　one　little　thing　that　don't　fit　somehow。〃

They　both　asked　in　a　breath　what　that　was。

〃The　sovs。　were　all　marked。〃

They　asked　how　he　knew；　and　had　he　got　them　in　his　pocket　to　show？

Green　uttered　a　low　chuckling　laugh：　〃What；　me　fake　the　beans；　now　I　live　on　this　side　of　the　hedge？　Never　knew　a　cove　mix　his　liquors　that　way　but　it　hurt　his　health　soon　or　late。　No；　I　took　them　out　of　one　pocket　and　felt　of　them　as　I　slipped　them　into　the　other。　Ye　see；　gents；　to　do　any　good　on　my　lay；　a　man　must　train　his　senses　as　well　as　his　mind：　he　must　have　a　hare's　ear；　and　a　hawk's　eye；　a　bloodhound's　nose；　and　a　lady's　hand　with　steel　fingers　and　a　silk　skin。　Now　look　at　that　bunch　of　fives；〃　continued　the　master；　and　laid　a　hand　white　and　soft　as　a　duchess's　on　the　table：　〃it　can　put　the　bracelets　on　a　giant；　or　find　a　sharper's　nail…mark　on　the　back　of　the　knave　of　clubs。　The　beans　were　marked。　Which　it　is　a　small　thing；　but　it　don't　fit　the　rest。　Here's　an　unsuspicious　gent　took　by　surprise；　in　moonlight　meditation　fancy　free；　and　all　his　little　private　family　matters　found　in　his　innocent　bosom；　quite　promiscuous；　but　his　beans　marked。　That　don't　dovetail　nohow。　Gents；　did　ever　you　hear　of　the　man　that　went　to　the　bottom　of　the　bottomless　pit　to　ease　his　mind？　Well；　he　was　the　head　of　my　family。　I　must　go　to　the　bottom　whether　there's　one　or　not。　And　just　now　I　see　but　one　way。〃

〃And　what　is　that？〃　inquired　both　his　companions　in　some　alarm。

〃Oh；　I　mustn't　threaten　it；〃　said　Green；　〃or　I　shall　never　have　the　stomach　to　do　it。　But　dear　me；　this　boozing　ken　is　a　very　unfit　place　for　you；you　are　champagne…gents；　not　dog's　nose　ones。　Now　you　part　and　make　tracks　for　home；　one　on　foot　and　one　in　a　fly。　You　won't　see　me；　nor　hear　of　me　again；　till　I've　something　fresh。〃

And　so　the　confederates　parted；　and　Sampson　and　Edward　met　at　Albion　Villa；　and　Edward　told　his　mother　what　they　had　done；　and　his　conviction　that　Mr。　Hardie　was　innocent；　and　Alfred　a　slanderer　as　well　as　a　traitor：　〃And　indeed；〃　said　he；　〃if　we　had　but　stopped　to　reflect；　we　should　have　seen　how