the voice of the city(城市之声)-第32节
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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
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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 do my duty。 You'll have to
go to the chair for Norcross。〃 Kernan laughed。
〃My luck stays with me；〃 said be。 〃Who'd have thought old Barney
was on my trail！〃 He slipped one hand inside his coat。 In an instant Woods
had a revolver against his side。
〃Put it away；〃 said Kernan； wrinkling his nose。 〃I'm only investigating。
Aha！ It takes nine tailors to make a man； but one can do a man up。 There's
a hole in that vest pocket。 I took that pencil off my chain and slipped it in
there in case of a scrap。 Put up your gun； Barney； and I'll tell you why I
had to shoot Norcross。 The old fool started down the hall after me；
popping at the buttons on the back of my coat with a peevish little 。22 and
I had to stop him。 The old lady was a darling。 She just lay in bed and saw
her 12；000 diamond necklace go with… out a chirp； while she begged like
a panhandler to have back a little thin gold ring with a garnet worth about
3。 1 guess she married old Norcross for his money； all right。 Don't they
hang on to the little trinkets from the Man Who Lost Out； though？ There
were six rings； two brooches and a chatelaine watch。 Fifteen thousand
would cover the lot。〃
〃I warned you not to talk；〃 said Woods。
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 said Kernan。 〃The stuff is in my suit case at the
hotel。 And now I'll tell you why I'm talking。 Because it's safe。 I'm talking
to a man I know。 You owe me a thousand dollars； Bar… ney Woods； and
even if you wanted to arrest me your hand wouldn't make the move。〃
〃I haven't forgotten；〃 said Woods。 〃You counted out twenty fifties
without a word。 I'll pay it back some day。 That thousand saved me and
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well； they were piling my furniture out on the sidewalk when I got back to
the house。〃
〃And so；〃 continued Kernan； 〃you being Barney Woods； born as true
as steel； and bound to play a white man's game； can't lift a finger to arrest
the man you're indebted to。 Oh； I have to study men as well as Yale locks
and window fastenings in my business。 Now； keep quiet while I ring for
the waiter。 I've had a thirst for a year or two that wor… ries me a little。 If I'm
ever caught the lucky sleuth will have to divide honors with old boy
Booze。 But I never drink during business hours。 After a job I can crook
elbows with my old friend Barney with a clear conscience。 What are you
taking？〃
The waiter came with the little decanters and the siphon and left them
alone again。
〃You've called the turn；〃 said Woods； as he rolled the little gold pencil
about with a thoughtful fore… finger。 I've got to pass you up。 I can't lay a
hand on you。 If I'd a…paid that money back but I didn't； and that settles it。
It's a bad break I'm making； Johnny； but I can't dodge it。 You helped me
once； and it calls for the same。〃
〃I knew it；〃 said Kernan； raising his glass； with a flushed smile of self…
appreciation。 〃I can judge men。 Here's to Barney； for 'he's a jolly good
fellow。' 〃
〃I don't believe；〃 went on Woods quietly； as if be were thinking aloud；
〃that if accounts had been square between you and me； all the money in all
the banks in New York could have bought you out of my hands to…night。〃
〃I know it couldn't；〃 said Kernan。 〃That's why I knew I was safe with
you。〃
〃Most people；〃 continued the detective； 〃look side… ways at my
business。 They don't class it among the fine arts and the professions。 But
I've always taken a kind of fool pride in it。 And here is where I go 'busted。'
I guess I'm a man first and a detective afterward。 I've got to let you go； and
then I've got to resign from the force。 I guess I can drive an ex… press
wagon。 Your thousand dollars is further off than ever； Johnny。〃
〃Oh； you're welcome to it；〃 said Kernan； with a lordly air。 〃I'd be
willing to call the debt off； but I know you wouldn't have it It was a lucky
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day for me when you borrowed it。 And now； let's drop the subject。 I'm off
to the West on a morning train。 I know a place out there where I can
negotiate the Norcross sparks。 Drink up； Barney； and forget your troubles。
We'll have a jolly time while the police are knocking their heads together
over the case。 I've got one of my Sahara thirsts on to…night。 But I'm in the
bands the unofficial bands of my old friend Barney； and I won't even
dream of a cop。〃
And then； as Kernan's ready finger kept the but… ton and the waiter
working； his weak point a tre… mendous vanity and arrogant egotism；
began to show itself。 He recounted story after story of his suc… cessful
plunderings； ingenious plots and infamous transgressions until Woods；
with all his familiarity with evil…doers； felt growing within him a cold ab…
horrence toward the utterly vicious man who had once been his benefactor。
〃I'm disposed of； of course；〃 said Woods； at length。 〃But I advise you
to keep under cover for a spell。 The newspapers may take up this Norcross
affair。 There has been an epidemic of burglaries and manslaughter in town
this summer。〃
The word sent Kernan into a high glow of sullen and vindictive rage。
〃To hell with the newspapers；〃 he growled。 〃What do they spell but
brag and blow and boodle in box…car letters？ Suppose they do take up a
case what does it amount to？ The police are easy enough to fool； but what
do the newspapers do？ They send a lot of pin…head reporters around to the
scene； and they make for the nearest saloon and have beer while they take
photos of the bartender's oldest daughter in evening dress； to print as the
fiancee of the young man in the tenth story； who thought he heard a noise
below on the night of the murder。 That's about as near as the newspapers
ever come to running down Mr。 Burglar。〃
〃Well； I don't know；〃 said Woods； reflecting。 〃Some of the papers have
done good work in that line。 There's the Morning Mars； for instance。 It
warmed up two or three trails； and got the man after the police had let 'em
get cold。〃
〃I'll show you；〃 said Tiernan； rising； and expand… ing his chest。 〃I'll
show you what I think of news… papers in general； and your Morning Mars
in par… ticular。〃
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Three feet from their table was the telephone booth。 Kernan went
inside and sat at the instrument； leaving the door open。 He found a number
in the book； took down the receiver and made his demand upon Central。
Woods sat still； looking at the sneer… ing； cold； vigilant face waiting close
to the trans… mitter； and listened to the words that came
