the oakdale affair-第19部分

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reby　impress　and　disarm　his　critics　Willie　reached　for　a　tooth…　pick　in　the　little　glass　holder　near　the　center　of　the　ta…　ble　and　upset　the　sugar　bowl。　　Immediately　Willie　snatched　back　the　offending　hand　and　glared　ferociously　at　the　ceiling。　　He　could　feel　the　roots　of　his　hair　being　consumed　in　the　heat　of　his　skin。　　A　quick　side　glance　that　required　all　his　will　power　to　consummate　showed　him　that　no　one　appeared　to　have　noticed　his　faux　pas　and　Willie　was　again　slowly　returning　to　normal　when　the　proprietor　of　the　restaurant　came　up　from　behind　and　asked　him　to　remove　his　hat。

Never　had　Willie　Case　spent　so　frightful　a　half　hour　as　that　within　the　brilliant　interior　of　The　Elite　Restau…　rant。　　Twenty…three　minutes　of　this　eternity　was　con…　sumed　in　waiting　for　his　order　to　be　served　and　seven　minutes　in　disposing　of　the　meal　and　paying　his　check。　　　Willie's　method　of　eating　was　in　itself　a　sermon　on　efficiencythere　was　no　lost　motionno　waste　of　time。　　　He　placed　his　mouth　within　two　inches　of　his　plate　after　cutting　his　ham　and　eggs　into　pieces　of　a　size　that　would　permit　each　mouthful　to　enter　without　wedging；　then　he　mixed　his　mashed　potatoes　in　with　the　result　and　working　his　knife　and　fork　alternately　with　bewild…　ering　rapidity　shot　a　continuous　stream　of　food　into　his　gaping　maw。

In　addition　to　the　meat　and　potatoes　there　was　one　vegetable　in　a　side…dish　and　as　dessert　four　prunes。　　The　meat　course　gone　Willie　placed　the　vegetable　dish　on　the　empty　plate；　seized　a　spoon　in　lieu　of　knife　and　fork　andpresto！　the　side…dish　was　empty。　　Whereupon　the　prune　dish　was　set　in　the　empty　side…dishfour　deft　motions　and　there　were　no　prunesin　the　dish。　　The　en…　tire　feat　had　been　accomplished　in　6：34　1/2；　setting　a　new　world's　record　for　red…headed　farmer　boys　with　one　splay　foot。

In　the　remaining　twenty　five　and　one　half　seconds　Willie　walked　what　seemed　to　him　a　mile　from　his　seat　to　the　cashier's　desk　and　at　the　last　instant　bumped　into　a　waitress　with　a　trayful　of　dishes。　　Clutched　tightly　in　Willie's　hand　was　thirty　five　cents　and　his　check　with　a　like　amount　written　upon　it。　　Amid　the　crash　of　crockery　which　followed　the　collision　Willie　slammed　check　and　money　upon　the　cashier's　desk　and　fled。　　Nor　did　he　pause　until　in　the　reassuring　seclusion　of　a　dark　side…　street。　　There　Willie　sank　upon　the　curb　alternately　cold　with　fear　and　hot　with　shame；　weak　and　panting；　and　into　his　heart　entered　the　iron　of　class　hatred；　searing　it　to　the　core。

Fortunately　for　youth　it　recuperates　rapidly　from　mor…　tal　blows；　and　so　it　was　that　another　half　hour　found　Willie　wandering　up　and　down　Broadway　but　at　the　far　end　of　the　street　from　The　Elite　Restaurant。　　A　mo…　tion　picture　theater　arrested　his　attention；　and　pres…　ently；　parting　with　one　of　his　two　remaining　dimes；　he　entered。　　The　feature　of　the　bill　was　a　detective　melo…　drama。　　Nothing　in　the　world　could　have　better　suited　Willie's　psychic　needs。　　It　recalled　his　earlier　feats　of　the　day；　in　which　he　took　pardonable　pride；　and　raised　him　once　again　to　a　self…confidence　he　had　not　felt　since　be　entered　the　ever　to　be　hated　Elite　Restaurant。

The　show　over　Willie　set　forth　afoot　for　home。　　A　long　walk　lay　ahead　of　him。　　This　in　itself　was　bad　enough；　but　what　lay　at　the　end　of　the　long　walk　was　infinitely　worse；　as　Willie's　father　had　warned　him　to　return　immediately　after　the　inquest；　in　time　for　milk…　ing；　preferably。　　Before　he　had　gone　two　blocks　from　the　theater　Willie　had　concocted　at　least　three　tales　to　ac…　count　for　his　tardiness；　either　one　of　which　would　have　done　credit　to　the　imaginative　powers　of　a　Rider　Hag…　gard　or　a　Jules　Verne；　but　at　the　end　of　the　third　block　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　something　which　drove　all　thoughts　of　home　from　his　mind　and　came　but　barely　short　of　driving　his　mind　out　too。　　He　was　ap…　proaching　the　entrance　to　an　alley。　　Old　trees　grew　in　the　parkway　at　his　side。　　At　the　street　corner　a　half　block　away　a　high　flung　arc　swung　gently　from　its　support…　ing　cables；　casting　a　fair　light　upon　the　alley's　mouth；　and　just　emerging　from　behind　the　nearer　fence　Willie　Case　saw　the　huge　bulk　of　a　bear。　　Terrified；　Willie　jumped　behind　a　tree；　and　then；　fearful　lest　the　animal　might　have　caught　sight　or　scent　of　him　he　poked　his　head　cautiously　around　the　side　of　the　bole　just　in　time　to　see　the　figure　of　a　girl　come　out　of　the　alley　be…　hind　the　bear。　　Willie　recognized　her　at　the　first　glance　she　was　the　very　girl　he　had　seen　burying　the　dead　man　in　the　Squibbs　woods。　　Instantly　Willie　Case　was　trans…　formed　again　into　the　shrewd　and　death　defying　sleuth。　　　At　a　safe　distance　he　followed　the　girl　and　the　bear　through　one　alley　after　another　until　they　came　out　upon　the　road　which　leads　south　from　Payson。　　He　was　across　the　road　when　she　joined　Bridge　and　his　companions。　　　When　they　turned　toward　the　old　mill　he　followed　them；　listening　close　to　the　rotting　clapboards　for　any　chance　remark　which　might　indicate　their　future　plans。　　He　heard　them　debating　the　wisdom　of　remaining　where　they　were　for　the　night　or　moving　on　to　another　loca…　tion　which　they　had　evidently　decided　upon　but　no　clew　to　which　they　dropped。

〃The　objection　to　remaining　here；〃　said　Bridge；　〃is　that　we　can't　make　a　fire　to　cook　byit　would　be　too　plainly　visible　from　the　road。〃

〃But　I　can　no　fin'　road　by　dark；〃　explained　Giova。　　〃It　bad　road　by　day；　ver'　much　worse　by　night。　　Beppo　no　come　'cross　swamp　by　night。　　No；　we　got　stay　here　til　morning。〃

〃All　right；〃　replied　Bridge；　〃we　can　eat　some　of　this　canned　stuff　and　have　our　ham　and　coffee　after　we　reach　camp　tomorrow　morning；　eh？〃

〃And　now　that　we've　gotten　through　Payson　safely；〃　suggested　The　Oskaloosa　Kid；　〃let's　change　back　into　our　own　clothes。　　This　disguise　makes　me　feel　too　con…　spicuous。〃

Willie　Case　had　heard　enough。　　His　quarry　would　re…　main　where　it　was　over　night；　and　a　moment　later　Willie　was　racing　toward　Payson　and　a　telephone　as　fast　as　his　legs　would　carry　him。

In　an　old　brick　structure　a　hundred　yards　below　the　mill　where　the　lighting　machinery　of　Payson　had　been　installed　before　the　days　of　the　great　central　power…　plant　a　hundred　miles　away　four　men　were　smoking　as　they　lay　stretched　upon　the　floor。

〃I　tell　you　I　seen　him；〃　asserted　one　of　the　party。　　〃I　follered　this　Bridge　guy　from　town　to　the　mill。　　He　was　got　up　like　a　Gyp；　but　I　knew　him　all　right；　all　right。　　　This　scenery　of　his　made　me　tink　there　was　something　phoney　doin'；　or　I　wouldn't　have　trailed　him；　an'　its　a　good　ting　I　done　it；　fer　he　hadn't　ben　there　five　min…　utes　before　along　comes　The　Kid　an'　a　skirt　and　pretty　soon　a　nudder　chicken　wid　a　calf　on　a　string；　er　mebbie　it　was　a　sheepit　was　pretty　husky　lookin'　fer　a　sheep　though。　　An'　I　sticks　aroun'　a　minute　until　I　hears　this　here　Bridge　guy　call　the　first　skirt　'Miss　Prim。'〃

He　ceased　speaking　to　note　the　effect　of　his　words　on　his　hearers。　　They　were　electrical。　　The　Sky　Pilot　sat　up　straight　and　slapped　his　thigh。　　Soup　Face　opened　his　mouth；　letting　his　pipe　fall　out　into　his　lap；　setting　fire　to　his　ragged　trousers。　　Dirty　Eddie　voiced　a　characteris…　tic　obscenity。

〃So　you　sees；〃　went　on　Columbus　Blackie；　〃we　got　a　chanct　to　get　both　the　dame　and　The　Kid。　　Two　of　us　can　take　her　to　Oakdale　an'　claim　the　reward　her　old　man's　offerin'　an'　de　odder　two　can　frisk　de　Kid；　an'　an'。〃

〃An'　wot？〃　queried　The　Sky　Pilot。

〃Dere's　de　swamp　handy；〃　suggested　Soup　Face。

〃I　was　tinkin'　of　de　swamp；〃　said　Columbus　Blackie。

〃Eddie　and　I　will　return　Miss　Prim　to　her　bereaved　parents；〃　interrupted　The　Sky　Pilot。　　〃You；　Blackie；　and　Soup　Face　can　arrange　matters　with　The　Oskaloosa　Kid。　　　I　don't　care　for　details。　　We　will　all　meet　in　Toledo　as　soon　as　possible　and　split　the　swag。　　We　ought　to　make　a　cleaning　on　this　job；　boes。〃

〃You　split　a　mout'ful　then；〃　said　Columbus　Blackie。

They　fell　to　discussing　way　and　means。

〃We'd　better　wait　until　they're　asleep；〃　counseled　The　Sky　Pilot。　　〃Two　of　us　can　tackle　this　Bridge　and　hand　him　the　k。o。　quick。　　Eddie　and　Soup　Face　had　better　attend　to　that。　　Blackie　can　nab　The　Kid　an'　I'll　annex　Miss　Abigail　Prim。　　The　lady　with　the　calf　we　don't　want。　　We'll　tell　her　we're　officers　of　the　law　an'　that　she'd　better　duck　with　her　live　stock　an'　keep　her　trap　shut　if　she　don't　want　to　get　mixed　up　with　a　mur…　der　trial。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　o　o　o


Detective　Burton　was　at　the　county　jail　in　Oakdale　administering　the　third　degree　to　Dopey　Charlie　and　The　General　when　there　came　a　long　distance　telephone　call　for　him。

〃Hello！〃　said　the　voice　at　the　other　end　of　the　line；　〃I'm　Willie　Case；　an'　I've　found　Miss　Abigail　Prim。〃

〃Again？〃　queried　Burton。

〃Really；〃　asserted　Willie。　　〃I　know　where　she's　goin'　to　be　all　night。　　I　heard　'em　say　so。　　The　Oskaloosie　Kid's　with　her　an'　annuder　guy　an'　the　girl　I　seen　with　the　dead　man　in　Squibbs'　woods　an'　they　got　a　BEAR！〃　It　was　almost　a　shriek。　　〃You'd　better　come　right　away　an'　bring　Mr。　Prim。　　I'll　meet　you　on　the　ol'　Toledo　road　right　south　of　Payson；　an'　say；　do　I　get　the　whole　re…　ward？〃

〃You'll　get　whatever's　coming　to　you；　son；〃　replied　Burton。　　〃You　say　there　are　two　men　and　two　women　are　you　sure　that　is　all？〃

〃And　the　bear；〃　corrected　Willie。

〃All　right；　keep　quiet　and　wait　for　me；〃　cautioned　Burton。　　〃You'll　know　me　by　the　spot　light　on　my　car　I'll　have　it　pointed　straight　up　into　the　air。　　When　you　see　it　coming　get　into　the　middle　of　the　road　and　wave　your　hands　to　stop　us。　　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Willie。

〃And　don't　talk　to　anyone；〃　Burton　again　cautioned　him。

A　few　minutes　later　Burton　left　Oakdale　with　his　two　lieutenants　and　a　couple　of　the　local　policemen；　the　car　turning　south　toward　Payson　and　moving　at　ever　ac…　celerating　speed　as　it　left　the　town　streets　behind　it　and　swung　smoothly　onto　the　country　road。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　o　　o　　o


It　was　after　midnight　when　four　men　cautiously　ap…　proached　the　old　mill。　　There　was　no　light　nor　any　sign　of　life　within　as　they　crept　silently　through　the　doorless　doorway。　　Columbus　Blackie　was　in　the　lead。　　He　flashed　a　quick　light　around　the　interior　revealing　four　forms　stretched　upon　the　floor；　deep　in　slumber。　　Into　the　blacker　shadows　of　the　far　end　of　the　room　the　man　failed