the efficiency expert-第25节

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he　had　reached　a　point　where　he　felt　that　death　would　be　something　of　a　relief。　Militating　against　his　recovery　had　been　the　parting　words　of　Elizabeth　Compton　the　evening　that　he　had　dined　at　her　father's　home；　but　now　all　that　was　very　nearly　forgottenat　least　crowded　into　the　dim　vistas　of　recollection　by　the　unselfish　friendship　of　this　girl　of　the　streets。

Jimmy's　nurse　quite　fell　in　love　with　Edith。

〃She　is　such　a　sweet　girl；〃　she　said；　〃and　always　so　cheerful。　　She　is　going　to　make　some　one　a　mighty　good　wife。〃　and　she　smiled　knowingly　at　Jimmy。

The　suggestion　which　her　words　implied　came　to　Jimmy　as　a　distinct　shock。　He　had　never　thought　of　Edith　Hudson　in　the　light　of　this　suggestion；　and　now　he　wondered　if　there　could　be　any　such　sentiment　as　it　implied　in　Edith's　heart；　but　finally　he　put　the　idea　away　with　a　shrug。

〃Impossible；〃　he　thought。　〃She　thinks　of　me　as　I　think　of　her；　only　as　a　good　friend。〃




CHAPTER　XXIV。

IN　THE　TOILS。

At　the　office　of　the　International　Machine　Company　the　work　of　the　C。P。A。's　was　drawing　to　a　close。　Their　report　would　soon　he　ready　to　submit　to　Mr。　Compton；　and　as　the　time　approached　Bince's　nervousness　and　irritability　increased。　Edith　noticed　that　he　inquired　each　day　with　growing　solicitude　as　to　the　reports　from　the　hospital　relative　to　Jimmy's　condition。　She　knew　that　Bince　disliked　Jimmy；　and　yet　the　man　seemed　strangely　anxious　for　his　recovery　and　return　to　work。

In　accordance　with　Jimmy's　plan；　the　C。P。A。's　were　to　give　out　no　information　to　any　one；　even　to　Mr。　Compton；　until　their　investigation　and　report　were　entirely　completed。　This　plan　had　been　approved　by　Mr。　Compton；　although　he　professed　to　be　at　considerable　loss　to　understand　why　it　was　necessary。　It　was；　however；　in　accordance　with　Jimmy's　plan　to　prevent；　if　possible；　any　interference　with　the　work　of　the　auditors　until　every　available　fact　in　the　case　had　been　ascertained　and　recorded。

In　the　investigation　of　the　pay…roll　Bince　had　worked　diligently　with　the　accountants。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　had　never　left　them　a　moment　while　the　pay…roll　records　were　in　their　hands；　and　had　gone　to　much　pain　to　explain　in　detail　every　question　arising　therefrom。

Although　the　investigators　seemed　to　accept　his　statements　at　their　face　value；　the　assistant　general　manager　was　far　from　being　assured　that　their　final　report　would　redound　to　his　credit。

On　a　Thursday　they　informed　him　that　they　had　completed　their　investigation；　and　the　report　would　he　submitted　to　Mr。　Compton　on　Saturday。

When　Edith　reached　the　hospital　that　evening　she　found　Jimmy　in　high　spirits。　He　was　dressed　for　the　first　time；　and　assured　her　that　he　was　quite　able　to　return　to　work　if　the　doctor　would　let　him；　but　the　nurse　shook　her　head。　〃You　ought　to　stay　here　for　another　week　or　ten　days；〃　she　admonished　him。

〃Nothing　doing；〃'　cried　Jimmy。　　〃I'll　be　out　of　here　Monday　at　the　latest。〃　But　when　Edith　told　him　that　the　C。P。A。's　had　finished；　and　that　their　report　would　be　handed　in　Saturday；　Jimmy　announced　that　he　would　leave　the　hospital　the　following　day。

〃But　you　can't　do　it；〃　said　the　nurse。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃The　doctor　won't　permit　it。〃

Edith　tried　to　dissuade　him；　but　he　insisted　that　is　was　absolutely　necessary　for　him　to　be　at　the　office　when　the　C。P。A。's　report　was　made。

〃I'll　be　over　there　Friday　evening　or　Saturday　morning　at　the　latest；〃　he　said　as　she　bid　him　good…bye。

And　so　it　was　that；　despite　the　pleas　of　his　nurse　and　the　orders　of　his　physician；　Jimmy　appeared　at　the　plant　Friday　afternoon。　Bince　greeted　him　almost　effusively；　and　Mr。　Compton　seemed　glad　to　see　him　out　again。

That　evening　Harold　Bince　met　Murray　at　Feinheimer's；　and　still　later　the　Lizard　received　word　that　Murray　wanted　to　see　him。

〃Everything's　ready；〃　the　boss　explained　to　the　Lizard。　〃The　whole　thing's　framed　for　to…morrow　night。　The　watchman　was　discharged　to…day。　Another　man　is　supposed　to　have　been　hired　to　take　the　job；　but　of　course　he　won't　show　up。　You　meet　me　here　at　seven　thirty　to…morrow　night；　and　I'll　give　you　your　final　instructions　and　tell　you　how　to　get　to　the　plant。〃　The　C。P。A。's　were　slow　in　completing　their　report。　At　noon　on　Saturday　it　looked　very　much　to　Bince　that　there　would　be　no　report　ready　before　Monday。　He　had　spent　most　of　the　forenoon　pacing　his　office；　and　at　last；　unable　longer　to　stand　the　strain；　he　had　announced　that　he　was　going　out　to　his　country　club　for　a　game　of　golf。

He　returned　to　his　down…town　club　about　dinner…time；　and　at　eight　o'clock　he　called　up　Elizabeth　Compton。

〃Come　on　up；〃　said　the　girl。　〃I'm　all　alone　this　evening。　　Father　went　back　to　the　office　to　examine　some　reports　that　were　just　finished　up　late　this　afternoon。〃

〃I'll　be　over；〃　said　Bince；　〃as　soon　as　I　dress。〃　If　there　was　any　trace　of　surprise　or　shock　in　his　tones　the　girl　failed　to　notice　it。

At　ten　o'clock　that　night　a　figure　moved　silently　through　the　dark　shadows　of　an　alleyway　in　the　area　of　the　International　Machine　Company's　plant　on　West　Superior　Street。　As　he　moved　along　he　counted　the　basement　windows　silently；　and　at　the　fifth　window　he　halted。　Just　a　casual　glance　he　cast　up　and　down　the　alley；　and　then；　kneeling；　he　raised　the　sash　and　slipped　quietly　into　the　darkness　of　the　basement。

At　about　the　same　time　Jimmy's　landlady　called　him　to　the　telephone；　where　a　man's　voice　asked　if　〃this　was　Mr。　Torrance？〃　Assured　that　such　was　the　fact；　the　voice　continued：　〃I　am　the　new　watchman　at　the　plant。　There's　something　wrong　here。　I　can't　get　hold　of　Mr。　Compton。　I　think　you　better　come　down。　I'll　be　in　Mr。　Compton's　office〃　The　message　ceased　as　though　central　had　disconnected　them。

〃Funny；〃　thought　Jimmy；　〃that　he　should　call　me　up。　I　wonder　what　the　trouble　can　be。〃　But　he　lost　no　time　in　getting　his　hat　and　starting　for　the　works。

Although　the　Lizard　knew　that　there　was　no　danger　of　detection；　yet　from　long　habit　he　moved　through　the　plant　of　the　International　Machine　Company　with　the　noiselessness　of　a　disembodied　spirit。　Occasionally；　and　just　for　the　briefest　instant；　he　flashed　his　lamp　ahead　of　him；　but　though　he　had　never　been　in　the　place　before　he　found　it　scarcely　necessary；　so　minute　had　been　his　instructions　for　reaching　the　office　from　the　fifth　basement　window。

The　room　he　sought　was　on　the　second　floor；　and　the　Lizard　had　mounted　the　steps　from　the　basement　to　the　first　floor　when　he　was　brought　to　a　sudden　stop　by　a　noise　from　the　floor　above　him。　The　Lizard　listened　intently。　No；　he　could　not　be　mistaken。　Too　often　had　he　heard　a　similar　sound。

Some　one　was　tiptoeing　across　the　floor　above。　　The　Lizard　was　in　the　hallway　close　beside　the　stairs　when　he　realized　the　footsteps　were　coming　toward　the　stairway；　and　a　moment　later　that　they　were　cautiously　descending。　The　Lizard　flattened　himself　against　the　wall；　and　if　he　breathed　his　lungs　gave　forth　no　sound。

If　one　may　interpret　footstepsand　the　Lizard；　from　the　fund　of　a　great　experience；　felt　that　he　couldthose　descending　the　stairway　from　above　him　might　have　been　described　as　nervous　and　repressed；　for　at　least　they　gave　the　Lizard　the　impression　of　one　who　desired　to　flee　in　haste　and　yet　dared　not　do　so；　for　fear　of　attracting　attention　by　the　increased　noise　that　greater　speed　might　entail。

At　least　the　Lizard　knew　that　those　were　the　footsteps　of　no　watchman；　but　whether　it　be　guardian　of　the　law　or　fellow　criminal　the　Lizard　had　no　wish　to　be　discovered。　He　wondered　what　had　gone　wrong　with　Murray's　plans；　and；　suddenly　imbued　with　the　natural　suspicion　of　the　criminal；　it　occurred　to　him　that　the　whole　thing　might　be　a　frame…up　to　get　him；　and　yet　why　Murray　should　wish　to　get　him　he　could　not　imagine。　He　ran　over　in　his　mind　a　list　all　those　who　might　feel　enmity　toward　him；　but　among　them　all　the　Lizard　could　cast　upon　none　who　might　have　sufficient　against　him　to　warrant　such　an　elaborate　scheme　of　revenge。

The　footsteps　passed　him　and　continued　on　toward　the　foot　of　the　stairs　where　was　the　main　entrance　which　opened　upon　the　street。　At　the　door　the　footsteps　halted；　and　as　the　Lizard's　eyes　bored　through　the　darkness　in　the　direction　of　the　other　prowler　the　latter　struck　a　match　upon　the　panel　of　the　door　and　lighted　a　cigarette；　revealing　his　features　momentarily　but　distinctly　to　the　watcher　in　the　shadow　of　the　stairway。　Then　he　opened　the　door　and　passed　out　into　the　night。

The　Lizard；　listening　intently　for　a　few　moments　to　assure　himself　that　there　was　no　one　else　above；　and　that　the　man　who　had　just　departed　was　not　returning；　at　last　continued　his　way　to　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　which　he　ascended　to　the　second　floor。　Passing　through　the　outer　office；　he　paused　a　moment　before　the　door　to　Compton's　private　office；　and　then　silently　turning　the　knob　he　gently　pushed　the　door　open　and　stepped　into　the　room。

Beyond　the　threshold　he　halted　and　pressed　the　button　of　his　flash…lamp。　For　just　an　instant　its　faint　rays　illumined　the　interior　of　the　room；　and　then　darkness　blotted　out　the　scene。　But　whatever　it　was　that　the　little　flash…lamp　had　revealed　was　evidently　in　the　nature　of　a　surprise；　and　perhaps　something　of　a　shock；　to　the　Lizard；　for　he　drew　back　w