the efficiency expert-第24部分

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en　and　the　pistol　gone。　It　looks　pretty　bad　for　you；　young　fellow；　and　if　you　want　a　chance　to　dodge　the　rope　you'd　better　plead　guilty　and　tell　us　why　you　did　it。〃

Jimmy　was　given　little　opportunity　for　sleep　that　night。　　A　half…dozen　times　he　was　called　back　to　the　lieutenant's　office　for　further　questioning。　He　commenced　to　realize　that　the　circumstantial　evidence　was　strongly　against　him；　and　now；　as　the　girl　had　warned　him；　his　entirely　innocent　past　was　brought　up　against　him　simply　because　his　existence　had　been　called　to　the　attention　of　a　policeman；　and　the　same　policeman　an　inscrutable　Fate　had　ordained　should　discover　him　alone　with　a　murdered　man。

O'Donnell　made　the　most　of　his　meager　knowledge　of　Jimmy。　　He　told　the　lieutenant　with　embellishments　of　Jimmy's　association　with　such　characters　as　the　Lizard　and　Little　Eva；　but　the　police　were　still　at　a　loss　to　discover　a　motive。

This；　however；　was　furnished　the　next　morning；　when　Elizabeth　Compton；　white　and　heavy…eyed；　was　brought　to　the　station　to　identify　Jimmy。　There　was　deep　compassion　in　the　young　man's　face　as　he　was　ushered　into　the　presence　of　the　stricken　girl；　while　at　sight　of　him　her's　mirrored　horror；　contempt；　and　hatred。

〃You　know　this　man？〃　asked　the　lieutenant。

〃Yes；〃　she　replied。　〃His　name　is　Torrance。　　I　have　seen　him　a　number　of　times　in　the　past　year。　He　worked　as　a　clerk　in　a　store；　in　the　hosiery　department；　and　waited　on　me　there。　Later　I　〃she　hesitated〃　I　saw　him　in　a　place　called　Feinheimer's。　He　was　a　waiter。　Then　he　was　a　sparring　partner；　I　think　they　call　it；　for　a　prizefighter。　Some　of　my　friends　took　me　to　a　gymnasium　to　see　the　fighter　training；　and　I　recognized　this　man。

〃I　saw　him　again　when　he　was　driving　a　milk…wagon。　　He　　delivered　milk　　at　a　friend's　house　where　I　chanced　to　be。　The　last　time　I　saw　him　was　at　my　father's　home。　He　had　obtained　employment　in　my　father's　plant　as　an　efficiency　expert。　He　seemed　to　exercise　some　strange　power　over　father；　who　believed　implicitly　in　him；　until　recently；　when　he　evidently　commenced　to　have　doubts；　for　the　night　that　the　man　was　at　our　house　I　was　sitting　in　the　music…room　when　they　passed　through　the　hallway；　and　I　heard　father　discharge　him。　But　the　fellow　pleaded　to　be　retained；　and　finally　father　promised　to　keep　him　for　a　while　longer；　as　I　recall　it；　at　least　until　certain　work　was　completed　at　the　plant。　This　work　was　completed　yesterday。　That's　all　I　know。　I　do　not　know　whether　father　discharged　him　again　or　not。〃

Harriet　Holden　had　accompanied　her　friend　to　the　police　station；　and　was　sitting　close　beside　her　during　the　examination；　her　eyes　almost　constantly　upon　the　face　of　the　prisoner。　She　saw　no　fear　there；　only　an　expression　of　deep…seated　sorrow　for　her　friend。

The　lieutenant　was　still　asking　questions　when　there　came　a　knock　at　the　door；　which　was　immediately　opened；　revealing　O'Donnell　with　a　young　woman；　whom　he　brought　inside。

〃I　guess　we're　getting　to　the　bottom　of　it；〃　announced　the　sergeant。　　〃Look　who　I　found　workin'　over　there　as　Compton's　stenographer。〃

〃Well；　who　is　she？〃　demanded　the　lieutenant。

〃A　jane　who　used　to　hang　out　at　Feinheimer's。　　She　has　been　runnin'　around　with　this　bird。　They　tell　me　over　there　that　Compton　hired　her　on　this　fellow's　recommendation。　Get　hold　of　the　Lizard　now；　and　you'll　have　the　whole　bunch。〃

Thus　did　Sergeant　Patrick　O'Donnell　solve　the　entire　mystery　with　Sherlockian　ease　and　despatch。

At　Jimmy's　preliminary　hearing　he　was　held　to　the　grand　jury；　and　on　the　strength　of　the　circumstantial　evidence　against　him　that　body　voted　a　true　bill。　Edith　Hudson；　against　whom　there　was　no　evidence　of　any　nature；　was　held　as　a　witness　for　the　State；　and　a　net　was　thrown　out　for　the　Lizard　which　dragged　in　nearly　every　pickpocket　in　town　except　the　man　they　sought。

Jimmy　had　been　in　jail　for　about　a　week　when　he　received　a　visitor。　　A　turnkey　brought　her　to　his　cell。　It　was　Harriet　Holden。　She　greeted　him　seriously　but　pleasantly；　and　then　she　asked　the　turnkey　if　she　might　go　inside。

〃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　we