the efficiency expert-第27节

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〃It's　against　the　rules；　miss；〃　he　said　〃but　I　guess　it　will　be　all　right。〃　He　recalled　that　the　sheriff　had　said　that　the　girl's　father　was　a　friend　of　his；　and　so　assumed　that　it　would　be　safe　to　relax　the　rules　in　her　behalf。　He　had　been　too　long　an　employee　of　the　county　not　to　know　that　rules　are　often　elastic　to　the　proper　pressure。

〃I　have　been　wanting　to　talk　to　you；〃　said　the　girl　to　Jimmy；　〃ever　since　this　terrible　thing　happened。　Somehow　I　can　not　believe　that　you　are　guilty；　and　there　must　be　some　way　in　which　you　can　prove　your　innocence。〃

〃I　have　been　trying　to　think　out　how　I　might；〃　said　Jimmy；〃　but　the　more　I　think　about　it　the　more　damning　the　circumstantial　evidence　against　me　appears。〃

〃There　must　always　be　a　motive　for　a　crime　like　that；〃　said　Harriet。　　〃I　cannot　believe　that　a　simple　fear　of　his　discharge　would　be　sufficient　motive　for　any　man　to　kill　his　employer。〃

〃Not　to　kill　a　man　who　had　been　as　good　to　me　as　Mr。　Compton　was；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃or　a　man　whom　I　admired　so　much　as　I　did　him。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　not　going　to　discharge　me；　Miss　Holden；　and　I　had　an　opportunity　there　for　a　very　successful　future；　but　now　that　he　is　dead　there　is　no　one　who　could　verify　such　a　statement　on　my　part。〃

〃Who　could　there　be；　then；　who　might　wish　to　kill　him；　and　what　could　the　motive　be？〃

〃I　can　only　think；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃of　one　man；　and　even　in　his　case　the　idea　is　too　horribletoo　preposterous　to　be　entertained。〃

Harriet　Holden　looked　up　at　him　quickly；　a　sudden　light　in　her　eyes；　and　an　expression　of　almost　horrified　incredulity　upon　her　face。　〃You　don't　mean〃　she　started。

〃I　wouldn't　even　use　his　name　in　connection　with　the　thought；〃　Jimmy　interrupted；　〃but　he　is　the　only　man　of　whom　I　know　who　could　have　profited　by　Mr。　Compton's　death；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　whose　entire　future　would　have　been　blasted　possibly　had　Mr。　Compton　lived　until　the　following　morning。〃

The　girl　remained　for　half　an　hour　longer；　and　when　she　left　she　went　directly　to　the　home　of　Elizabeth　Compton。

〃I　told　you；　Elizabeth；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　was　going　to　see　Mr。　Torrance。　You　dissuaded　me　for　some　time；　but　I　finally　went　today；　and　I　am　glad　that　I　went。　No　one　except　yourself　could　have　loved　your　father　more　than　I；　or　have　been　more　horrified　or　grieved　at　his　death；　but　that　is　no　reason　why　you　should　aid　in　the　punishment　of　an　innocent　man；　as　I　am　confident　that　this　man　Torrance　is；　and　I　tell　you　Elizabeth　if　you　were　not　prejudiced　you　would　agree　with　me。

〃I　have　talked　with　Torrance　for　over　half　an　hour　to…day；　and　since　then　nothing　can　ever　make　me　believe　that　that　man　could　commit　a　cold…blooded　murder。　Harold　has　always　hated　himyou　admit　that　yourselfand　now　you　are　permitting　him　to　prejudice　you　against　the　man　purely　on　the　strength　of　that　dislike。　I　am　going　to　help　him。　I'm　going　to　do　it；　not　only　to　obtain　justice　for　him；　but　to　assist　in　detecting　and　punishing　the　true　murderer。〃

〃I　don't　see；　Harriet；　how　you　can　take　any　interest　in　such　a　creature；〃　said　Elizabeth。　〃You　know　from　the　circumstances　under　which　we　saw　him　before　father　employed　him　what　type　of　man　he　is；　and　it　was　further　exemplified　by　the　evidence　of　his　relationship　with　that　common　woman　of　the　streets。〃

〃He　told　me　about　her　to…day；〃　replied　Harriet。　〃He　had　only　known　her　very　casually；　but　she　helped　him　onceloaned　him　some　money　when　he　needed　it…and　when　he　found　that　she　had　been　a　stenographer　and　wanted　to　give　up　the　life　she　had　been　leading　and　be　straight　again；　he　helped　her。

〃I　asked　Sergeant　O'Donnell　particularly　about　that；　and　even　he　had　to　admit　that　there　was　no　evidence　whatever　to　implicate　the　girl　or　show　that　the　relations　between　her　and　Mr。　Torrance　had　been　anything　that　was　not　right；　and　you　know　yourself　how　anxious　O'Donnell　has　been　to　dig　up　evidence　of　any　kind　derogatory　to　either　of　them。〃

〃How　are　you　going　to　help　him？〃　asked　Elizabeth。　　〃Take　flowers　and　cake　to　him　in　jail？〃

There　was　a　sneer　on　her　face　and　on　her　lips。　〃If　he　cares　for　flowers　and　cakes；〃　replied　Harriet；　〃I　probably　shall；　but　I　have　another　plan　which　will　probably　be　more　practical。〃




CHAPTER　XXVI。

〃THE　ONLY　FRIENDS　HE　HAS。〃

So　it　befell　that　the　next　day　a　well…known　criminal　attorney　called　on　Jimmy　Torrance　at　the　county　jail。　〃I　understand；〃　he　said　to　Jimmy；　〃that　you　have　retained　no　attorney。　I　have　been　instructed　by　one　of　my　clients　to　take　your　case。〃

Jimmy　looked　at　him　in　silence　for　a　moment。

〃Who　is　going　to　pay　you？〃　he　asked　with　a　smile。　　〃I　understand　attorneys　expect　to　be　paid。〃

〃That　needn't　worry　you？〃　replied　the　lawyer。

〃You　mean　that　your　client　is　going　to　pay　for　my　defense？　　What's　his　name？〃

〃That　I　am　not　permitted　to　tell　you；〃　replied　the　lawyer。

〃Very　well。　　Tell　your　client　that　I　appreciate　his　kindness；　but　I　cannot　accept　it。〃

〃Don't　be　a　fool；〃　said　the　attorney。　〃This　client　of　mine　can　well　afford　the　expense；　and　anyway；　my　instructions　are　to　defend　you　whether　you　want　me　to　or　not；　so　I　guess　you　can't　help　yourself。〃

Jimmy　laughed　with　the　lawyer。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃The　first　thing　I　wish　you'd　do　is　to　get　Miss　Hudson　out　of　jail。　There　is　doubtless　some　reason　for　suspicion　attaching　to　me　because　I　was　found　alone　with　Mr。　Compton's　body；　and　the　pistol　with　which　he　was　shot　was　one　that　had　been　given　to　me　and　which　I　kept　in　my　desk；　but　there　is　no　earthly　reason　why　she　should　be　detained。　She　could　have　had　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　it。〃

〃I　will　see　what　can　be　done；〃　replied　the　attorney；　〃although　I　had　no　instructions　to　defend　her　also。〃

〃I　will　make　that　one　of　the　conditions　under　which　I　will　accept　your　services；〃　said　Jimmy。

The　result　was　that　within　a　few　days　Edith　was　released。　　From　the　moment　that　she　left　the　jail　she　was　aware　that　she　was　being　shadowed。

〃I　suppose；〃　she　thought；　〃that　they　expect　to　open　up　a　fund　of　new　clues　through　me；〃　but　she　was　disturbed　nevertheless；　because　she　realized　that　it　was　going　to　make　difficult　a　thing　that　she　had　been　trying　to　find　some　means　to　accomplish　ever　since　she　had　been　arrested。

She　went　directly　to　her　apartment　and　presently　took　down　the　telephone…receiver；　and　after　calling　a　public　phone　in　a　building　down…town；　she　listened　intently　while　the　operator　was　getting　her　connection；　and　before　the　connection　was　made　she　hung　up　the　receiver　with　a　smile；　for　she　had　distinctly　heard　the　sound　of　a　man's　breathing　over　the　line；　and　she　knew　that　in　all　probability　O'Donnell　had　tapped　in　immediately　on　learning　that　she　had　been　released　from　jail。

That　evening　she　attended　a　local　motion…picture　theater　which　she　often　frequented。　It　was　one　of　those　small　affairs；　the　width　of　a　city　block；　with　a　narrow　aisle　running　down　either　side　and　all　emergency　exit　upon　the　alley　at　the　far　end　of　each　aisle。　The　theater　was　darkened　when　she　entered　and；　a　quick　glance　apprizing　her　that　no　one　followed　her　in　immediately；　she　continued　on　down　one　of　the　side　aisles　and　passed　through　the　doorway　into　the　alley。

Five　minutes　later　she　was　in　a　telephone…booth　in　a　drug…store　two　blocks　away。

〃Is　this　Feinheimer's？〃　she　asked　after　she　had　got　her　connection。　〃I　want　to　talk　to　Carl。〃　She　asked　for　Carl　because　she　knew　that　this　man　who　had　been　head…waiter　at　Feinheimer's　for　years　would　know　her　voice。

〃Is　that　you；　Carl？〃　she　asked　as　a　man's　voice　finally　answered　the　telephone。　〃This　is　Little　Eva。〃

〃Oh；　hello！〃　said　the　man。　〃I　thought　you　were　over　at　the　county　jail。〃

〃I　was　released　to…day；〃　she　explained。　　〃Well；　listen；　Carl；　I've　got　to　see　the　Lizard。　I've　simply　got　to　see　him　to…night。　I　was　being　shadowed；　but　I　got　away　from　them。　Do　you　know　where　he　is？〃

〃I　guess　I　could　find　him；〃　said　Carl　in　a　low　voice。　〃You　go　out　to　Mother　Kruger's。　I'll　tell　him　you'll　be　there　in　about　an　hour。〃

〃I'll　be　waiting　in　a　taxi　outside；〃　said　the　girl。

〃Good；〃　said　Carl。　〃If　he　isn't　there　in　an　hour　you　can　know　that　he　was　afraid　to　come。　He's　layin'　pretty　low。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　girl；　〃I'll　be　there。　　You　tell　him　that　he　simply　must　come。〃　She　hung　up　the　receiver　and　then　called　a　taxi。　She　gave　a　number　on　a　side　street　about　a　half　block　away；　where　she　knew　it　would　be　reasonably　dark；　and　consequently　less　danger　of　detection。

Three…quarters　of　an　hour　later　her　taxi　drew　up　beside　Mother　Kruger's；　but　the　girl　did　not　alight。　She　had　waited　but　a　short　time　when　another　taxi　swung　in　beside　the　road…house；　turned　around　and　backed　up　alongside　hers。　A　man　stepped　out　and　peered　through　the　glass　of　her　machine。　It　was　the　Lizard。

Recognizing　the　girl　he　opened　the　door　and　took　a　seat　beside　her。　　〃Well；〃　inquired　the　Lizard；　〃What's　on　your　mind？〃

〃Jimmy；〃　replied　the　girl。

〃I　thought　so；〃　　returned　the　Lizard。　　〃It　looks　pretty　bad　for　him；　don't　it？　I　wish　there　was　some　way　to　help　him。〃

〃He　did　not　do　it。〃　said　the　girl。

〃It　didn't　seem　like　him。〃　said　the　Lizard；　〃but　I　got　it　straight　from　a　guy　who　knows　that　he　done　it　all　right。〃

〃Who？〃　asked　Edith。

〃Murray。〃

〃I　thought　he　knew　a　lot　about　it；〃　said　the　girl。