the voice of the city-第27节

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a　blush　of　pleased　trepidation。



〃How're　ye；　Miss　Posie？〃　　he　said　in　accents　not

to　be　doubted。　　〃Don't　ye　remember　me　…　Bill　Sum…

mers　…　the　Summerses　that　lived　back　of　the　black…

smith　shop？　　I　reckon　I've　growed　up　some　since　ye

left　Cranberry　Corners。



〃'Liza　Perry　'lowed　I　might　see　ye　in　the　city

while　I　was　here。　　You　know　'Liza　married　Benny

Stanfield；　and　she　says　〃



〃Ah；　say！　〃　interrupted　Miss　Carrington；　brightly；

〃Lize　Perry　is　never　married　…　what！　　Oh；　the

freckles　of　her！〃



〃Married　in　June；〃　grinned　the　gossip；　〃and　livin'

in　the　old　Tatum　Place。　Ham　Riley　perfessed　reli…

gion；　old　Mrs。　Blithers　sold　her　place　to　Cap'n

Spooner；　the　youngest　Waters　girl　run　away　with　a

music　teacher；　the　court…house　burned　up　last　March；

your　uncle　Wiley　was　elected　constable；　Matilda　Hos…

kins　died　from　runnin'　a　needle　in　her　hand；　and　Tom

Beedle　is　courtin'　Sallie　Lathrop　…　they　say　he　don't

miss　a　night　but　what　he's　settin'　on　their　porch。〃



〃The　wall…eyed　thing！〃　exclaimed　Miss　Carring…

ton；　with　asperity。　　〃Why；　Tom　Beedle　once　　say；

you　folks；　excuse　me　a　while　　this　is　an　old　friend

of　mine　　Mr。　　what　was　it？　　Yes；　Mr。　Summers

　Mr。　Goldstein；　Mr。　Ricketts；　Mr。　　Oh；　what's

yours？　　'Johnny''ll　do　　come　on　over　here　and

tell　me　some　more。〃

She　swept　him　to　an　isolated　table　in　a　corner。

Herr　Goldstein　shrugged　his　fat　shoulders　and　beck…

oned　to　the　waiter。　　The　newspaper　man　brightened

a　little　and　mentioned　absinthe。　　The　youth　with

parted　hair　was　plunged　into　melancholy。　The

guests　of　the　rathskeller　laughed；　clinked　glasses　and

enjoyed　the　comedy　that　Posie　Carrington　was　treat…

ing　them　to　after　her　regular　performance。　A　few

cynical　ones　whispered　〃press　agent〃'　and　smiled

wisely。



Posie　Carrington　laid　her　dimpled　and　desirable

chin　upon　her　hands；　and　forgot　her　audience　　a

faculty　that　had　won　her　laurels　for　her。



〃I　don't　seem　to　recollect　any　Bill　Summers；〃　she

said；　thoughtfully　gazing　straight　into　the　innocent

blue　eyes　of　the　rustic　young　man。　　〃But　I　know　the

Summerses；　all　right。　　I　guess　there　ain't　many

changes　in　the　old　town。　　You　see　any　of　my　folks

lately？〃



And　then　Highsmith　played　his　trump。　　The　part

of　〃Sol　Haytosser〃　called　for　pathos　as　well　as

comedy。　　Miss　Carrington　should　see　that　he　could

do　that　as　well。



〃Miss　Posie；〃　said　〃Bill　Summers；〃〃　I　was　up　to

your　folkeses　house　jist　two　or　three　days　ago。　　No；

there　ain't　many　changes　to　speak　of。　　The　lilac　bush

by　the　kitchen　window　is　over　a　foot　higher；　and　the

elm　in　the　front　yard　died　and　had　to　be　cut　down。

And　yet　it　don't　seem　the　same　place　that　it　used

to　be。〃



〃How's　ma？〃　asked　Miss　Carrington。



〃She　was　settin'　by　the　front　door；　crocheting　a

lamp…mat　when　I　saw　her　last；〃　said　〃Bill。〃　　〃She's

older'n　she　was；　Miss　Posie。　　But　everything　in　the

house　looked　jest　the　same。　　Your　ma　asked　me　to　set

down。　　'Don't　touch　that　willow　rocker；　William；〃

says　she。　　'It　ain't　been　moved　since　Posie　left；　and

that's　the　apron　she　was　hemmin'；　layin'　over　the　arm

of　it；　jist　as　she　flung　it。　　I'm　in　hopes；'　she　goes　on；

that　Posie'll　finish　runnin'　out　that　hem　some　day。'〃



Miss　Carrington　beckoned　peremptorily　to　a

waiter。



〃A　pint　of　extra　dry；〃　she　ordered；　briefly；　〃and

give　the　check　to　Goldstein。〃



〃The　sun　was　shinin'　in　the　door；〃　went　on　the

chronicler　from　Cranberry；　〃and　your　ma　was　settin'

right　in　it。　　I　asked　her　if　she　hadn't　better　move

back　a　little。　　'William；'　says　she；　'when　I　get　sot

down　and　lookin'　down　the　road；　I　can't　bear　to　move。

Never　a　day；'　says　she；　'but　what　I　set　here　every

minute　that　I　can　spare　and　watch　over　them　palin's

for　Posie。　　She　went　away　down　that　road　in　the

night；　for　we　seen　her　little　shoe　tracks　in　the　dust；

and　somethin'　tells　me　she'll　come　back　that　way　ag'in

when　she's　weary　of　the　world　and　begins　to　think

about　her　old　mother。〃



〃When　I　was　comin'　away；〃　concluded　〃Bill；〃

〃I　pulled　this　off'n　the　bush　by　the　front　steps。　　I

thought　maybe　I　might　see　you　in　the　city；　and　I

knowed　you'd　like　somethin'　from　the　old　home。〃



He　took　from　his　coat　pocket　a　rose　…　a　drooping；

yellow；　velvet；　odorous　rose；　that　hung　its　bead　in

the　foul　atmosphere　of　that　tainted　rathskeller　like

a　virgin　bowing　before　the　hot　breath　of　the　lions　in

a　Roman　arena。



Miss　Carrington's　penetrating　but　musical　laugh

rose　above　the　orcbestra's　rendering　of　〃Bluebells。〃



〃Oh；　say！〃　she　cried；　with　glee；　〃ain't　those　poky

places　the　limit？　　I　just　know　that　two　hours　at

Cranberry　Corners　would　give　me　the　horrors　now。

Well；　I'm　awful　glad　to　have　seen　you；　Mr。　Summers。

Guess　I'll　bustle　around　to　the　hotel　now　and　get

my　beauty　sleep。〃



She　thrust　the　yellow　rose　into　the　bosom　of　her

wonderful；　dainty；　silken　garments；　stood　up　and

nodded　imperiously　at　Herr　Goldstein。



Her　three　companions　and　〃Bill　Summers〃　at…

tended　her　to　her　cab。　　When　her　flounces　and

streamers　were　all　safely　tucked　inside　she　dazzled

them　with　au　revoirs　from　her　shining　eyes　and　teeth。



〃Come　around　to　the　hotel　and　see　me；　Bill；　before

you　leave　the　city；〃　she　called　as　the　glittering　cab

rolled　away。



Highsmith；　still　in　his　make…up；　went　with　Herr

Goldstein　to　a　cafe　booth。



〃Bright　idea；　eh？　〃　asked　the　smiling　actor。

〃Ought　to　land　'Sol　Haytosser　'　for　me；　don't　you

think？　　The　little　lady　never　once　tumbled。〃



〃I　didn't　bear　your　conversation；〃　said　Goldstein；

but　your　make…up　and　acting　was　0。　K。　　Here's　to

your　success。　　You'd　better　call　on　Miss　Carrington

early　to…morrow　and　strike　her　for　the　part。　　I　don't

see　how　she　can　keep　from　being　satisfied　with　your

exhibition　of　ability。〃



At　11。45　A。　M。　on　the　next　day　Highsmith；　hand…

some；　dressed　in　the　latest　mode；　confident；　with　a

fuchsia　in　his　button…bole；　sent　up　his　card　to　Miss

Carrington　in　her　select　apartment　hotel。



He　was　shown　up　and　received　by　the　actress's

French　maid。



〃I　am　sorree；〃　said　Mlle。　Hortense；　〃but　I　am　to

say　this　to　all。　　It　is　with　great　regret。　　Mees　Car…

rington　have　cancelled　all　engagements　on　the　stage

and　have　returned　to　live　in　that　how　you　call　that

town？　　Cranberry　Cornaire！〃









THE　CLARION　CALL





Half　of　this　story　can　be　found　in　the　records　of

the　Police　Department；　the　other　half　belong　behind

the　business　counter　of　a　newspaper　office。



One　afternoon　two　weeks　after　Millionaire　Nor…

cross　was　found　in　his　apartment　murdered　by　a　bur…

glar；　the　murderer；　while　strolling　serenely　down

Broadway　ran　plump　against　Detective　Barney

Woods。



〃Is　that　you；　Johnny　Kernan？〃　asked　Woods；

who　had　been　near…sighted　in　public　for　five　years。



〃No　less；〃　cried　Kernan；　heartily。　　〃If　it　isn't

Barney　Woods；　late　and　early　of　old　Saint　Jo！

You'll　have　to　show　me！　　What　are　you　doing　East？

Do　the　green…goods　circulars　get　out　that　far？〃

said　Woods。



〃I've　been　in　New　York　some　years；　I'm　on　the　city　

detective　force。〃



〃Well；　well！〃　said　Kernan；　breathing　smiling　joy

and　patting　the　detective's　arm。



〃Come　into　Muller's；〃　said　Woods；　〃and　let's

hunt　a　quiet　table。　　I'd　like　to　talk　to　you　awhile。〃



It　lacked　a　few　minutes　to　the　hour　of　four。　　The

tides　of　trade　were　not　yet　loosed；　and　they　found　a

quiet　corner　of　the　cafe。　　Kernan；　well　dressed

Slightly　swaggering；　self…confident；　seated　himself　op…

posite　the　little　detective；　with　his　pale；　sandy　mus…

tache；　squinting　eyes　and　ready…made　cheviot　suit。



〃What　business　are　you　in　now？〃　asked　Woods。

〃You　know　you　left　Saint　Jo　a　year　before　I　did。〃



〃I'm　selling　shares　in　a　copper　mine；〃　said　Ker…

nan。　　〃I　may　establish　an　office　here。　　Well；　well！

and　so　old　Barney　is　a　New　York　detective。　　You

always　had　a　turn　that　way。　　You　were　on　the　po…

lice　in　Saint　Jo　after　I　left　there；　weren't　you？〃



〃Six　months；〃　said　Woods。　　〃And　now　there's　one

more　question；　Johnny。　　I've　followed　your　record

pretty　close　ever　since　you　did　that　hotel　job　in　Sara…

toga；　and　I　never　knew　you　to　use　your　gun　before。

Why　did　you　kill　Norcross？〃



Kernan　stared　for　a　few　moments　with　concen…

trated　attention　at　the　slice　of　lemon　in　his　high…ball；

and　then　be　looked　at　the　detective　with　a　sudden；

crooked；　brilliant　smile。



〃How　did　you　guess　it；　Barney？　　〃　he　asked；　ad…

miringly。　　〃I　swear　I　thought　the　job　was　as　clean

and　as　smooth　as　a　peeled　onion。　　Did　I　leave　a　string

hanging　out　anywhere？　　〃



Woods　laid　upon　the　table　a　small　gold　pencil　in…

tended　for　a　watch…charm。



〃It's　the　one　I　gave　you　the　last　Christmas　we

were　in　Saint　Jo。　　I've　got　your　shaving　mug　yet。

I　found　this　under　a　corner　of　the　rug　in　Norcross's

room。　　I　warn　you　to　be　careful　what　you　say。　I've

got　it　put　on　to　you；　Johnny。　　We　were　old　friends

once；　but　I　must