the trail of the white mule-第29部分

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A　speed　cop　whose　motorcycle　stood　inconspicuously　around　the
corner　of　the　garage；　came　forward　and　eyed　the　Ford　sharply。　　He
drew　his　little　book　from　his　pocket；　turned　a　few　leaves；　found
what　he　was　looking　for　and　eyed　again　the　car。　　The　garage　man；
slowly　turning　the　crank　of　the　gasoline　pump；　looked　at　him
inquiringly；　but　the　speed　cop　ignored　the　look　and　turned　to　Casey。

〃Where'd　you　get　this　car？〃　he　demanded；　in　much　the　same　tone
which　Smiling　Lou　had　used　the　night　before。

〃Bought　it；〃　Casey　told　him　gruffly。

〃Where　did　you　buy　it？〃

〃Over　at　Goffs；　just　this　side　of　Needles。〃

〃Got　a　bill　of　sale？〃

〃You　got　Casey　Ryan's　word　fer　it；〃　Casey　retorted；　with　a
growing　heat　inside；　where　he　kept　his　temper　when　he　wasn't
using　it。

〃Are　you　Casey　Ryan？〃　　The　speed　cop's　eyes　hardened　just　a　bit。

〃Anybody　says　I　ain't；　you　send　'em　to　mean'　then　come　around
in　about　ten　minutes　an'　look　'em　over。〃

〃What's　YOUR　name？〃　　The　officer　turned　to　Jim　Cassidy。

〃Tom　Smith。　　I　was　just　ketchin'　a　ride　with　this　feller。　　Don't
go　an'　mix　ME　inI　ain't　no　ways　concerned；　just　ketchin'　a　ride
is　all。　If　I'd　'a'　knowed〃

〃You　can　explain　that　to　the　judge。　　Get　in　there；　you；　and　drive
in　to　San　Berdoo。　　I'll　be　right　with　you；　so　you　needn't　forget
the　road！〃　　He　stepped　back　to　his　motorcycle　and　pushed　it
forward。

〃Hey！　　Don't　I　git　paid　fer　my　gas？〃　the　garage　man　wailed；
pulling　a　dripping　nozzle　from　Casey's　gas　tank。

〃Aw；　go　tahell！〃　Casey　grunted；　and　threw　a　wadded　bank　note　in
his　direction。　　〃Take　that　an'　shut　up。　　What　yuh　cryin'　around
about　a　gallon　uh　gas；　fer？　　YOU　ain't　pinched！〃

The　money　landed　near　the　motorcycle　and　the　officer　picked　it
up；　smoothed　out　the　bill；　glanced　at　it　and　looked　through
tightened　lids　at　Casey。

〃Throwin'　money　around　like　a　hootch…runner！〃　he　sneered。　　〃I
guess　you　birds　need　lookn'　after；　all　right。　　Git　goin'！〃

Casey　〃got　going。〃　　Twice　on　the　way　in　the　officer　spurted　up
alongside　and　waved　him　down　for　speeding。　　Casey　had　not
intended　to　speed；　either。　　He　was　merely　keeping　pace
unconsciously　with　his　thoughts。

He　had　been　told　just　what　he　must　do　if　he　were　arrested　for
bootlegging；　but　he　was　not　at　all　certain　that　his　instructions
would　cover　an　arrest　for　stealing　an　automobile。　　Nolan　had
forgotten　about　that；　he　guessed。　　But　Casey's　optimism　carried
him　jauntily　to　jail　in　San　Bernardino；　and　while　he　was　secretly
a　bit　uneasy；　he　was　not　half　so　worried　as　Jim　Cassidy　appeared
to　be。

Casey　was　bookedalong　with　〃Tom　Smith〃on　two　charges：　theft
of　one　Ford　car；　motor　number　so…and…so；　serial　number
this…and…that；　model；　touring；　year；　whatever…it…was。　　And；
unlawful　transportation　of　spirituous　liquor。　　He　tried　to　give
the　judge　the　wink；　but　without　any　happy　result。　　So　he
eventually　found　himself　locked　in　a　cell　with　Jim　Cassidy。

Just　at　first；　Casey　Ryan　was　proud　of　the　part　he　was　playing。
He　could　look　with　righteous　toleration　upon　the　limpness　of　his
fellow　prisoner。　　He　could　feel　secure　in　the　knowledge　that　he；
Casey　Ryan；　was　an　agent　of　the　government　engaged　in　helping　to
uphold　the　laws　of　his　country。

He　waited　for　an　hour　or　two；　listening　with　a　superior　kind　of
patience　to　Jim　Cassidy's　panicky　unbraidings　of　his　luck。　　At
first　Jim　was　inclined　to　blame　Casey　rather　bitterly　for　the
plight　he　was　in。　　But　Casey　soon　stopped　that。　　Young　Kenner　was
the　　responsible　party　in　this　mishap；　as　Casey　very　soon　made
plain　to　Jim。

〃Well；　I　dunno　but　what　you're　right。　　It　WAS　kind　of　a　dirty
trick　workin'　a　stole　car　off　onto　you。　　Why　didn't　he　pick
some　sucker　on　the　outside？　　Don't　line　up　with　Kenner；　somehow。　
Well；　I　guess　mebby　Smilin'　Lou　can　see　us　out　uh　this　hole　all
rightonly　I　don't　like　that　car…stealin'　charge。　　Mebby　Kenner
an'　Lou　can　straighten　it　up；　though。〃

Casey　wondered　if　they　could。　　He　wondered；　too；　how　Nolan　was
going　to　find　out　about　Smiling　Lou　getting　the　camouflaged　White
Mule。　Nolan　had　not　explained　that　to　Caseybut　Casey　was　not
worrying　yet。　　His　faith　in　Mack　Nolan　was　firm。

Came　bedtime；　however；　with　no　sign　of　official　favor　toward
Casey　Ryan。　　Casey　began　to　wonder。　　But　probably；　he　consoled
himself　with　thinking；　they　meant　to　wait　until　Jim　Cassidy　was
asleep　before　they　turned　Casey　loose。　　He　lay　on　the　hard　bunk
and　waited　hopefully；　listening　to　the　stertorous　breathing　of
Jim　Cassidy；　who　had　forgotten　his　troubles　in　sleep。



CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE

At　noon　the　next　day　Casey　was　still　waitingbut　not　hopefully。
〃Patience　on　a　monument〃　couldn't　have　resembled　Casey　Ryan　in
any　particular　whatever。　　He　was　mad。　　By　midnight　he　had　begun
to　wonder　if　he　was　not　going　to　be　made　a　goat　again。　　By
daylight；　he　was　positive　that　he　was　already　a　goat。　　By　the
time　the　trusty　brought　his　breakfast；　Casey　was　applying　to　Mack
Nolan　the　identical　words　and　phrases　which　he　had　applied　to
young　Kenner　when　he　was　the　maddest。　　Don't　ask　me　to　tell　you
what　they　were。

Jim　Cassidy　still　clung　desperately　to　his　faith　in　Smiling　Lou；
but　Casey's　faith　hadn't　so　much　as　a　finger…hold　on　anything。
What　kind　of　a　government　was　it；　he　asked　himself　bitterly；　that
would　leave　a　trusted　agent　twenty…four　hours　shut　up　in　a　cell
with　a　whining　crook　like　Jim　Cassidy？　　If；　he　added
pessimistically；　he　were　an　agent　of　the　government。　　Casey
doubted　it。　　So　far　as　he　could　see；　Casey　Ryan　wasn't　anything
but　the　goat。

His　chief　desire　now　was　to　get　out　of　there　as　soon　as　possible
so　that　he　could　hunt　up　Mack　Nolan　and　lick　the　livin'　tar　wit
of　himor　worse。　　He　wanted　bail　and　he　wanted　it　immediately。
Not　a　soul　bad　come　near　him；　save　the　trusty；　in　spite　of
certain　mysterious　messages　which　Casey　had　sent　to　the　office；
asking　for　an　interview　with　the　judge　or　somebody；　Casey　didn't
care　who。　Locked　in　a　cell；　how　was　he　going　to　do　any　of　the
things　Nolan　had　told　him　to　do　if　he　happened　to　find　himself
arrested　by　an　honest　officer？

When　they　hauled　him　before　the　police　judge；　Casey　hadn't　been
given　the　chance　to　explain　anything　to　anybody。　　Unless；　of
course；　he　wanted　to　beller　out　his　business　before　everybody；
and　that；　he　told　himself　fiercely；　was　not　Casey　Ryan's　idea　of
the　way　to　keep　a　secret。　　Moreover；　that　damned　speed　cop　was
standing　right　there；　just　waiting　for　a　chance　to　wind　his
fingers　in　Casey's　collar　and　choke　him　off　if　he　tried　to　say　a
word。　　And　how　the　hell；　Casey　would　like　to　know；　was　a　man
going　to　explain　himself　when　he　couldn't　get　a　word　in　edgeways？

So　Casey　wanted　bail。　　There　were　just　two　ways　of　getting　it；
and　it　went　against　the　grain　of　his　pride　to　take　either　one。
That　is　why　Casey　waited　until　noon　before　his　Irish　stubbornness
yielded　a　bit　and　he　decided　to　wire　me　to　come。　　He　had　to　slip
the　wire　out　by　the　underground　methodmeaning　the　good　will　of
the　trusty。　　It　cost　Casey　ten　dollars；　but　he　didn't　grudge
that。

He　spent　that　afternoon　and　most　of　the　night　mentally　calling
the　trusty　a　liar　and　a　thief　because　there　was　no　reply　to　the
message。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　trusty　sent　the　wire　through　as
quickly　as　possible　and　the　fault　was　mine　if　any　one's。　　I　was
too　busy　hurrying　to　the　rescue　to　think　about　sending　Casey　word
that　I　was　coming。　Casey　said　afterwards　that　my　thoughtlessness
would　be　cured　for　life　if　I　were　ever　locked　in　jail　and　waiting
for　news。

As　it　happened；　I　wired　the　Little　Woman　that　Casey　was　in　jail
again；　and　caught　the　first　train　to　San　〃Berdoo〃coming　down　by
way　of　Barstow。　　I　could　save　two　or　three　hours　that　way；　I
found；　so　I　told　the　Little　Woman　to　meet　me　there　and　bring　all
the　money　she　could　get　her　hands　on。　　Not　knowing　just　what
Casey　was　in　for　this　time；　it　seemed　well　to　be　prepared　for　a
good；　stiff　bail。　　She　beat　me　by　several　hours；　and　between　us
we　had　ten　thousand　dollars。

At　that　it　was　a　fool's　errand。　　Casey　was　out　of　jail　and　gone
before　either　of　us　arrived。　　So　there　we　were；　holding　the　bag；
as　you　might　say；　and　our　ten　thousand　dollars'　bail　money。

〃It's　no　use　asking　questions；　Jack；〃　the　Little　Woman　told　me
pensively　when　we　had　finished　our　salad　in　the　best　cafe　in
town；　and　were　waiting　for　the　fish。　　〃I've　asked　questions　of
every　uniform　in　this　town；　from　the　district　judge　down　to　the
courthouse　janitor。　　Nobody　knows　a　thing。　　I　DID　find　that　Casey
was　booked　yesterday　for　having　a　stolen　car　and　a　load　of　booze
in　his　possession；　but　he　isn't　in　jailor　if　he　is；　they're
keeping　him　down　in　some　dungeon　and　have　thrown　away　the　key。　
It　was　hinted　in　the　police　court　that　he　was　dismissed　for　want
of　evidence；　but　they　wouldn't　SAY　anything；　and　so　there　you
are！〃

We　finished　our　fish　in　a　thoughtful　silence。　　Then；　when　the
waiter　had　removed　the　plates；　the　Little　Woman　looked　at　me　with
a　twinkle　in　her　eyes。

〃Well…sir；　there's　something　I　want　to　tell　you；　Jack。　　I　believe
Casey　has　put　this　town　on　the　run。　　They　can't　tell　ME！　
Something's　happened；　over　around　the　courthouse。　　A　lot　of　the
men　I　talked　with　had　a　scared　look　in　their　eyes；　and　they　were
nervous　when　doors　opened；　and　looked　around　when　people　came
walking　along。　　I　don't　know　what　he's　been　doingbut　Casey
Ryan's　been　up　to　something。　You　can't　tell　ME！　　I　know　how　our
laundry　boy　looks　when　Casey's　home。〃

〃And　didn't　you　get　any　line　at　all　on　his　whereabouts？〃　I　asked
her。　Given　three　hours　the　start　of　me；　I　knew　perfectly　well
that　the　Little　Woman　had　found　out　all　there　was　to　know　about
Casey。

〃Well…sirI've　got　this　to　go　on；〃　the　Little　Woman　drawled　and
held　a　telegram　across　the　table。　　〃You'll　notice　that　was　sent
from　Goffs。　　It's　ten　days　old；　but　I've　been　getting　ready　ever
since　it　arrived。　　I've　put　Babe　in　a　boarding…school；　and　I
leased　the　apartment　house。　　I　kept　three　dressmakers　ruining
their　eyes　with　nightwork；　Jack；　making　up　some　nifty　sports
clothes。　　If　Casey's　bound　to　stay　in　the　desertwell；　I'm　his
wifeand　Casey　does　kind　of　like　to　have　me　around。　　You　can't
tell　ME。

〃So　I've　got　the　twin…six　packed　with　the　niftiest　camp　outfit
you　ever　saw；