within the law-第13部分

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An　agreement　was　made　by　which　Joe　Garson　and　certain　of　his　more　trusted　intimates　in　the　underworld　were　to　put　themselves　under　the　orders　of　Mary　concerning　the　sphere　of　their　activities。　　Furthermore；　they　bound　themselves　not　to　engage　in　any　devious　business　without　her　consent。　　Aggie；　too；　was　one　of　the　company　thus　constituted；　but　she　figured　little　in　the　preliminary　discussions；　since　neither　Mary　nor　the　forger　had　much　respect　for　the　intellectual　capabilities　of　the　adventuress；　though　they　appreciated　to　the　full　her　remarkable　powers　of　influencing　men　to　her　will。

It　was　not　difficult　to　find　a　lawyer　suited　to　the　necessities　of　the　undertaking。　　Mary　bore　in　mind　constantly　the　high

financier's　reliance　on　the　legal　adviser　competent　to　invent　a　method　whereby　to　baffle　the　law　at　any　desired　point；　and　after　judicious　investigation　she　selected　an　ambitious　and　experienced　Jew　named　Sigismund　Harris；　just　in　the　prime　of　his　mental　vigors；　who　possessed　a　knowledge　of　the　law　only　to　be　equalled　by　his　disrespect　for　it。　　He　seemed；　indeed；　precisely　the　man　to　fit　the　situation　for　one　desirous　of　outraging　the　law　remorselessly；　while　still　retaining　a　place　absolutely　within　it。

Forthwith；　the　scheme　was　set　in　operation。　　As　a　first　step；　Mary　Turner　became　a　young　lady　of　independent　fortune；　who　had　living　with　her　a　cousin；　Miss　Agnes　Lynch。　　The　flat　was　abandoned。　　In　its　stead　was　an　apartment　in　the　nineties　on　Riverside　Drive；　in　which　the　ladies　lived　alone　with　two　maids　to　serve　them。　　Garson　had　rooms　in　the　neighborhood；　but　Jim　Lynch；　who　persistently　refused　the　conditions　of　such　an　alliance；　betook　himself　afar；　to　continue　his　reckless　gathering　of　other　folk's　money　in　such　wise　as　to　make　him　amenable　to　the　law　the　very　first　time　he　should　be　caught　at　it。

A　few　tentative　ventures　resulted　in　profits　so　large　that　the　company　grew　mightily　enthusiastic　over　the　novel　manner　of　working。　　In　each　instance；　Harris　was　consulted；　and　made　his　confidential　statement　as　to　the　legality　of　the　thing　proposed。　　Mary　gratified　her　eager　mind　by　careful　studies　in　this　chosen　line　of　nefariousness。　　After　a　few　perfectly　legal　breach…of…promise　suits；　due　to　Aggie's　winsome　innocence　of　demeanor；　had　been　settled　advantageously　out　of　court；　Mary　devised　a　scheme　of　greater　elaborateness；　with　the　legal　acumen　of　the　lawyer　to　endorse　it　in　the　matter　of　safety。

This　netted　thirty　thousand　dollars。　　It　was　planned　as　the　swindling　of　a　swindlerwhich；　in　fact；　had　now　become　the　secret　principle　in　Mary's　morality。

A　gentleman　possessed　of　some　means；　none　too　scrupulous　himself；　but　with　high　financial　aspirations；　advertised　for　a　partner　to　invest　capital　in　a　business　sure　to　bring　large　returns。　　This　advertisement　caught　the　eye　of　Mary　Turner；　and　she　answered　it。　　An　introductory　correspondence　encouraged　her　to　hope　for　the　victory　in　a　game　of　cunning　against　cunning。　　She　consulted　with　the　perspicacious　Mr。　Harris；　and　especially　sought　from　him　detailed　information　as　to　partnership　law。　　His　statements　gave　her　such　confidence　that　presently　she　entered　into　a　partnership　with　the　advertiser。　　By　the　terms　of　their　agreement；　each　deposited　thirty　thousand　dollars　to　the　partnership　account。　This　sum　of　sixty　thousand　dollars　was　ostensibly　to　be　devoted　to　the　purchase　of　a　tract　of　land；　which　should　afterward　be　divided　into　lots；　and　resold　to　the　public　at　enormous　profit。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　advertiser　planned　to　make　a　spurious　purchase　of　the　tract　in　question；　by　means　of　forged　deeds　granted　by　an　accomplice；　thus　making　through　fraud　a　neat　profit　of　thirty　thousand　dollars。　　The　issue　was；　however；　disappointing　to　him　in　the　extreme。　　No　sooner　was　the　sixty　thousand　dollars　on　deposit　in　the　bank　than　Mary　Turner　drew　out　the　whole　amount；　as　she　had　a　perfect　right　to　do　legally。　　When　the　advertiser　learned　of　this；　he　was；　naturally　enough；　full　to　overflowing　with　wrath。　　But　after　an　interview　with　Harris　he　swallowed　this　wrath　as　best　he　might。　　He　found　that　his　adversary　knew　a　dangerous　deal　as　to　his　various　swindling　operations。　　In　short；　he　could　not　go　into　court　with　clean　hands；　which　is　a　prime　stipulation　of　the　lawthough　often　honored　in　the　breach。　　But　the　advertiser's　hands　were　too　perilously　filthy；　so　he　let　himself　be　mulcted　in　raging　silence。

The　event　established　Mary　as　the　arbiter　in　her　own　coterie。　　Here　was；　in　truth；　a　new　game；　a　game　most　entertaining；　and　most　profitable；　and　not　in　the　least　risky。　　Immediately　after　the　adventure　with　the　advertiser；　Mary　decided　that　a　certain　General　Hastings　would　make　an　excellent　sacrifice　on　the　altar　of　justiceand　to　her　own　financial　profit。　　The　old　man　was　a　notorious　roue；　of　most　unsavory　reputation　as　a　destroyer　of　innocence。　　It　was　probable　that　he　would　easily　fall　a　victim　to　the　ingenuous　charms　of　Aggie。　As　for　that　precocious　damsel；　she　would　run　no　least　risk　of　destruction　by　the　satyr。　　So；　presently；　there　were　elaborate　plottings。　　General　Hastings　met　Aggie　in　the　most　casual　way。　　He　was　captivated　by　her　freshness　and　beauty；　her　demureness；　her　ignorance　of　all　things　vicious。　　Straightway；　he　set　his　snares；　being　himself　already　limed。　　He　showered　every　gallant　attention　on　the　naive　bread…and…butter　miss；　and　succeeded　gratifyingly　soon　in　winning　her　heartto　all　appearance。　　But　he　gained　nothing　more；　for　the　coy　creature　abruptly　developed　most　effective　powers　of　resistance　to　every　blandishment　that　went　beyond　strictest　propriety。　　His　ardor　cooled　suddenly　when　Harris　filed　the　papers　in　a　suit　for　ten　thousand　dollars　damages　for　breach　of　promise。

Even　while　this　affair　was　still　in　the　course　of　execution；　Mary　found　herself　engaged　in　a　direction　that　offered　at　least　the　hope　of　attaining　her　great　desire；　revenge　against　Edward　Gilder。　　This　opportunity　came　in　the　person　of　his　son；　Dick。　　After　much　contriving；　she　secured　an　introduction　to　that　young　man。　　Forthwith；　she　showed　herself　so　deliciously　womanly；　so　intelligent；　so　daintily　feminine；　so　singularly　beautiful；　that　the　young　man　was　enamored　almost　at　once。　　The　fact　thrilled　Mary　to　the　depths　of　her　heart；　for　in　this　son　of　the　man　whom　she　hated　she　saw　the　instrument　of　vengeance　for　which　she　had　so　longed。　　Yet；　this　one　thing　was　so　vital　to　her　that　she　said　nothing　of　her　purposes；　not　even　to　Aggie；　though　that　observant　person　may　have　possessed　suspicions　more　or　less　near　the　truth。

It　was　some　such　suspicion　that　lay　behind　her　speech　as；　in　negligee；　she　sat　cross…legged　on　the　bed；　smoking　a　cigarette　in　a　very　knowing　way；　while　watching　Mary；　who　was　adjusting　her　hat　before　the　mirror　of　her　dressing…table；　one　pleasant　spring　morning。

〃Dollin'　up　a　whole　lot；　ain't　you？〃　　Aggie　remarked；　affably；　with　that　laxity　of　language　which　characterized　her　natural　moods。

〃I　have　a　very　important　engagement　with　Dick　Gilder；〃　Mary　replied；　tranquilly。　　She　vouchsafed　nothing　more　definite　as　to　her　intentions。

〃Nice　boy；　ain't　he？〃　　Aggie　ventured；　insinuatingly。

〃Oh；　I　suppose　so；〃　came　the　indifferent　answer　from　Mary；　as　she　tilted　the　picture　hat　to　an　angle　a　trifle　more　jaunty。

The　pseudo　cousin　sniffed。

〃You　s'pose　that；　do　you？　　Well；　anyhow；　he's　here　so　much　we　ought　to　be　chargin'　him　for　his　meal…ticket。　And　yet　I　ain't　sure　that　you　even　know　whether　he's　the　real　goods；　or　not。〃

The　fair　face　of　Mary　Turner　hardened　the　least　bit。　There　shone　an　expression　of　inscrutable　disdain　in　the　violet　eyes；　as　she　turned　to　regard　Aggie　with　a　level　glance。

〃I　know　that　he's　the　sonthe　only　son！of　Edward　Gilder。　　The　fact　is　enough　for　me。〃

The　adventuress　of　the　demure　face　shook　her　head　in　token　of　complete　bafflement。　　Her　rosy　lips　pouted　in　petulant　dissatisfaction。

〃I　don't　get　you；　Mary；〃　she　admitted；　querulously。　〃You　never　used　to　look　at　the　men。　　The　way　you　acted　when　you　first　run　round　with　me；　I　thought　you　sure　was　a　suffragette。　　And　then　you　met　this　young　Gilder　andgood…night；　nurse！〃　

The　hardness　remained　in　Mary's　face；　as　she　continued　to　regard　her　friend。　　But；　now；　there　was　something　quizzical　in　the　glance　with　which　she　accompanied　the　monosyllable：

〃Well？〃　

Again；　Aggie　shook　her　head　in　perplexity。

〃His　old　man　sends　you　up　for　a　stretch　for　something　you　didn't　doand　you　take　up　with　his　son　like〃

〃And　yet　you　don't　understand！〃　There　was　scorn　for　such　gross　stupidity　in　the　musical　voice。

Aggie　choked　a　little　from　the　cigarette　smoke；　as　she　gave　a　gasp　when　suspicion　of　the　truth　suddenly　dawned　on　her　slow　intelligence。

〃My　Gawd！〃　Her　voice　came　in　a　treble　shriek　of　apprehension。　　〃I'm　wise！〃　

〃But　you　must　understand　this；〃　Mary　went　on；　with　an　authoritative　note　in　her　voice。　　〃Whatever　may　be　between　young　Gilder　and　me　is　to　be　strictly　my　own　affair。　　It　has　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　the　rest　of　you；　or　with　our　schemes　for　money…making。　　And；　what　is　more；　Agnes；　I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it。　But〃

〃Yes？〃　　queried　Aggie；　encouragingly；　as　the　other　paused。　　She　hopefully　awaited　further　confidences。

〃But　I　do　want　to　know；〃　Mary　continued　with　some　severity；　〃what　you　meant　by　talking　in　the　public　street　yesterday　with　a　common　pickpocket。〃

Aggie's　childlike　face　changed　swiftly　its　expression　from　a　sly　eagerness　to　sullenness。

〃You　know　perfectly　well；　Mary　Turner；〃　she　cried　indignantly；　〃that　I　only　said　a　few　words　in　passin'　to　my　brother　Jim。　　And　he　ain't　no　common　pickpocket。　Hully　Gee！　He's　the　best　dip　in　the　business。〃

〃But　you　must　not　be　seen　speaking　with　him；〃　Mary　directed；　with　a　certain　air　of　command　now　become　habitual　to　her　among　the　members　of　her　clique。　　〃My　cousin；　Miss　Agnes　Lynch；　must　be　very　careful　as　to　her　associates。〃

The　volatile　Agnes　was　restored　to　good　humor　by　some　subtle　quality　in　the　utterance；　and　a　family　pride　asserted　itself。

〃He　just　stopped　me　to　say　it's　been　the　best　year　he　ever　had；〃　she　explained；　with　ostentatious　vanity。

Mary　appeared　sceptical。

〃How　can　that　be；〃　she　demanded；　〃when　the　dead　line　now　is　John　Street？〃　

〃The　dead　line！〃　Aggie　scoffed。