dh.theglasskey-第8部分

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　Despain　stared　for　a　long　moment　at　Ned　Beaumont　as　if　horribly　fascinated。　Then；　without　a　word；　he　stepped　over　the　man　on　the　floor　and　went　out　of　the　building　ahead　of　Ned　Beaumont。　Ned　Beaumont　put　the　revolver　in　his　jacket…pocket　before　he　went　down　the　street…steps；　but　he　kept　his　hand　on　it。
　〃Up　to　that　taxi；〃　he　told　Despain；　indicating　the　car　out　of　which　Jack　was　getting。　When　they　reached　the　taxicab　he　told　the　chauffeur　to　drive　them　anywhere；　〃just　around　till　I　tell　you　where　to　go。〃
　They　were　in　motion　when　Despain　found　his　voice。　He　said：　〃This　is　a　hold…up。　I'll　give　you　anything　you　want　because　I　don't　want　to　be　killed；　but　it's　just　a　hold…up。〃
　Ned　Beaumont　laughed　disagreeably　and　shook　his　head。　〃Don't　forget　I've　risen　in　the　world　to　be　something　or　other　in　the　District　Attorney's　office。〃
　〃But　there's　no　charge　against　me。　I'm　not　wanted。　You　said〃
　〃I　was　spoofing　you；　Bernie；　for　reasons。　You're　wanted。〃
　〃For　what？〃
　〃Killing　Taylor　Henry。〃
　〃That？　Hell；　I'll　go　back　and　face　that。　What've　you　got　against　me？　I　had　some　of　his　markers；　sure。　And　I　left　the　night　he　was　killed；　sure。　And　I　gave　him　hell　because　he　wouldn't　make　them　good；　sure。　What　kind　of　case　is　that　for　a　first…class　lawyer　to　beat？　Jesus；　if　I　left　the　markers　behind　in　my　safe　at　some　time　before　nine…thirtyto　go　by　Lee's　storydon't　that　show　I　wasn't　trying　to　collect　that　night？〃
　〃No；　and　that　isn't　all　the　stuff　we've　got　on　you。〃
　〃That's　all　there　could　be；〃　Despain　said　earnestly。
　Ned　Beaumont　sneered。　〃Wrong；　Bernie。　Remember　I　had　a　hat　on　when　I　came　to　see　you　this　morning？〃
　〃Maybe。　I　think　you　did。〃
　〃Remember　I　took　a　cap　out　of　my　overcoat…pocket　and　put　it　on　when　I　left？〃
　Bewilderment；　fear；　began　to　e　into　the　swarthy　man's　small　eyes。　〃By　Jesus！　Well？　What　are　you　getting　at？〃
　〃I'm　getting　at　the　evidence。　Do　you　remember　the　hat　didn't　fit　me　very　well？〃
　Bernie　Despain's　voice　was　hoarse：　〃I　don't　know；　Ned。　For　Christ's　sake；　what　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　mean　it　didn't　fit　me　because　it　wasn't　my　hat。　Do　you　remember　that　the　hat　Taylor　was　wearing　when　he　was　murdered　wasn't　found？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　don't　know　anything　about　him。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　trying　to　tell　you　the　hat　I　had　this　morning　was　Taylor's　hat　and　it's　now　planted　down　between　the　cushion…seat　and　the　back　of　that　brown　easy…chair　in　the　apartment　you　had　at　the　Buckman。　Do　you　think　that；　with　the　rest；　would　be　enough　to　set　you　on　the　hot　seat？〃
　Despain　would　have　screamed　in　terror　if　Ned　Beaumont　had　not　clapped　a　hand　over　his　mouth　and　growled；　〃Shut　up；〃　in　his　ear。
　Sweat　ran　down　the　swarthy　face。　Despain　fell　over　on　Ned　Beaumont；　seizing　the　lapels　of　his　coat　with　both　hands；　babbling：　〃Listen；　don't　you　do　that　to　me；　Ned。　You　can　have　every　cent　I　owe　you；　every　cent　with　interest；　if　you　won't　do　that。　I　never　meant　to　rob　you；　Ned；　honest　to　God。　It　was　just　that　I　was　caught　short　and　thought　I'd　treat　it　like　a　loan。　Honest　to　God；　Ned。　I　ain't　got　much　now；　but　I'm　fixed　to　get　the　money　for　Lee's　rocks　that　I'm　selling　today　and　I'll　give　you　your　dough；　every　nickel　of　it；　out　of　that。　How　much　was　it；　Ned？　I'll　give　you　all　of　it　right　away；　this　morning。〃
　Ned　Beaumont　pushed　the　swarthy　man　over　to　his　own　side　of　the　taxicab　and　said　：　〃It　was　thirty…two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。〃
　〃Thirty…two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　You'll　get　it；　every　cent　of　it；　this　morning；　right　away。〃　Despain　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Yes；　sir；　right　this　minute　as　soon　as　we　can　get　there。　Old　Stein　will　be　at　his　place　before　this。　Only　say　you'll　let　me　go；　Ned；　for　old　times'　sake。〃
　Ned　Beaumont　rubbed　his　hands　together　thoughtfully。　〃I　can't　exactly　let　you　go。　Not　right　now；　I　mean。　I've　got　to　remember　the　District　Attorney　connection　and　that　you're　wanted　for　questioning。　So　all　we　can　dicker　about　is　the　hat。　Here's　the　proposition：　give　me　my　money　and　I'll　see　that　I'm　alone　when　I　turn　up　the　hat　and　nobody　else　will　ever　know　about　it。　Otherwise　I'll　see　that　half　the　New　York　police　are　with　me　and　There　you　are。　Take　it　or　leave　it。〃
　〃Oh；　God！〃　Bernie　Despain　groaned。　〃Tell　him　to　drive　us　to　old　Stein's　place。　It's　on　。　…
　
　
　
　
　III。The　Cyclone　Shot
　
　
　1
　
　Ned　Beaumont　leaving　the　train　that　had　brought　him　back　from　New　York　was　a　clear…eyed　erect　tall　man。　Only　the　flatness　of　his　chest　hinted　at　any　constitutional　weakness。　In　color　and　line　his　face　was　hale。　His　stride　was　long　and　elastic。　He　went　nimbly　up　the　concrete　stairs　that　connected　train…shed　with　street…level；　crossed　the　waiting…room；　waved　a　hand　at　an　acquaintance　behind　the　information　counter；　and　passed　out　of　the　station　through　one　of　the　street…doors。
　While　waiting　on　the　sidewalk　for　the　porter　with　his　bags　to　e　he　bought　a　newspaper。　He　opened　it　when　he　was　in　a　taxicab　riding　towards　Randall　Avenue　with　his　luggage。　He　read　a　half…column　on　the　front　page：
　
　SECOND　BROTHER　KILLED
　FRANCIS　F。　WEST　MURDERED
　
　CLOSE　TO　SPOT　WHERE
　
　BROTHER　MET　DEATH
　
　For　the　second　time　within　two　weeks　tragedy　came　to　the　West　family　of　1342　N。　Achland　Avenue　last　night　when　Francis　F。　West；　31；　was　shot　to　death　in　the　street　less　than　a　block　from　the　corner　where　he　had　seen　his　brother　Norman　run　down　and　killed　by　an　alleged　bootleg　car　last　month。
　Francis　West；　who　was　employed　as　waiter　at　the　Rockaway　Café；　was　returning　from　work　at　a　little　after　midnight；　when；　according　to　those　who　witnessed　the　tragedy；　he　was　overtaken　by　a　black　touring　car　that　came　down　Achland　Avenue　at　high　speed。　The　car　swung　in　to　the　curb　as　it　reached　West；　and　more　than　a　score　of　shots　are　said　to　have　been　fired　from　it。　West　fell　with　eight　bullets　in　his　body；　dying　before　anybody　could　reach　him。　The　death　car；　which　is　said　not　to　have　stopped；　immediately　picked　up　speed　again　and　vanished　around　the　corner　of　Bow…man　Street。　The　police　are　hampered　in　their　attempt　to　find　the　car　by　conflicting　descriptions　given　by　witnesses；　none　of　whom　claims　to　have　seen　any　of　the　men　in　the　automobile。
　Boyd　West；　the　surviving　brother；　who　also　witnessed　Norman's　death　last　month；　could　ascribe　no　reason　for　Francis's　murder。　He　said　he　knew　of　no　enemies　his　brother　had　made；　Miss　Marie　Shepperd；　1917　Baker　Avenue；　to　whom　Francis　West　was　to　have　been　married　next　week；　was　likewise　unable　to　name　anyone　who　might　have　desired　her　fiancé's　death。
　Timothy　Ivans；　alleged　driver　of　the　ear　that　accidentally　ran　down　and　killed　Norman　West　last　month；　refused　to　talk　to　reporters　in　his　cell　at　the　City　Prison；　where　he　is　held　without　bail；　awaiting　trial　for　manslaughter。
　
　Ned　Beaumont　folded　the　newspaper　with　careful　slowness　and　put　it　in　one　of　his　overcoat…pockets。　His　lips　were　drawn　a　little　together　and　his　eyes　were　bright　with　thinking。　Otherwise　his　face　was　posed。　He　leaned　back　in　a　corner　of　the　taxicab　and　played　with　an　unlighted　cigar。
　In　his　rooms　he　went；　without　pausing　to　remove　hat　or　coat；　to　the　telephone　and　called　four　numbers；　asking　each　time　whether　Paul　Madvig　was　there　and　whether　it　was　known　where　he　could　be　found。　After　the　fourth　call　he　gave　up　trying　to　find　Madvig。
　He　put　the　telephone　down；　picked　his　cigar　up　from　where　he　had　laid　it　on　the　table；　lighted　the　cigar；　laid　it　on　the　edge　of　the　table　again；　picked　up　the　telephone；　and　called　the　City　Hall's　number。　He　asked　for　the　District　Attorney's　office。　While　he　waited　he　dragged　a　chair；　by　means　of　a　foot　hooked　under　one　of　its　rounds；　over　to　the　telephone；　sat　down；　and　put　the　cigar　in　his　mouth。
　Then　he　said　into　the　telephone：　〃Hello。　Is　Mr。　Farr　in？　　　　　Ned　Beaumont。　。　。　。　Yes；　thanks。〃　He　inhaled　and　exhaled　smoke　slowly。　〃Hello；　Farr？　　　　　Just　got　in　a　couple　of　minutes　ago。　。　。　。　Yes。　Can　I　see　you　now？　。　。　。　That's　right。　Has　Paul　said　anything　to　you　about　the　West　killing？　。　。　。　Don't　know　where　he　is；　do　you？　。　。　。　Well；　there's　an　angle　I'd　like　to　talk　to　you　about。　。　。　。　Yes；　say　half　an　hour。　。　。　Right。〃
　He　put　the　telephone　aside　and　went　across　the　room　to　look　at　the　mail　on　a　table　by　the　door。　There　were　some　magazines　and　nine　letters。　He　looked　rapidly　at　the　envelopes；　dropped　them　on　the　table　again　without　having　opened　any；　and　went　into　his　bedroom　to　undress；　then　into　his　bathroom　to　shave　and　bathe。
　
　
　2
　
　District　Attorney　Michael　Joseph　Farr　was　a　stout　man　of　forty。　His　hair　was　a　florid　stubble　above　a　florid　pugnacious　face。　His　walnut　desk…top　was　empty　except　for　a　telephone　and　a　large　desk…set　of　green　onyx　whereon　a　nude　metal　figure　holding　aloft　an　airplane　stood　on　one　foot　between　two　black　and　white　fountain…pens　that　slanted　off　to　either　side　at　rakish　angles。
　He　shook　Ned　Beaumont's　hand　in　both　of　his　and　pressed　him　down　into　a　leather…covered　chair　before　returning　to　his　own　seat。　He　rocked　back　in　his　chair　and　asked：　〃Have　a　nice　trip？〃　Inquisitiveness　gleamed　through　the　friendliness　in　his　eyes。
　〃It　was　all　right；〃　Ned　Beaumont　replied。　〃About　this　Francis　West：　with　him　out　of　the　way　how　does　the　case　against　Tim　Ivans　stand？'
　Farr　started；　then　made　that　startled　motion　part　of　a　deliberate　squirming　into　a　more　fortable　position　in　his　chair。
　〃Well；　it　won't　make　such　a　lot　of　difference　there；〃　he　said；　〃that　is；　not　a　whole　lot；　since　there's　still　the　other　brother　to　testify　against　Ivans。〃　He　very　noticeably　did　not　watch　Ned　Beaumont's　face；　but　looked　at　a　corner　of　the　walnut　desk。　〃Why？　What'd　you　have　on　your　mind？〃
　Ned　Beaumont　was　looking　gravely　at　the　man　who　was　not　looking　at　him。　〃I　was　just　wondering。　I　suppose　it's　all　right；　though；　if　the　other　brother　can　and　will　identify　Tim。〃
　Farr；　still　not　looking　up；　said：　〃Sure。〃　He　rocked　his　chair　back　and　forth　gently；　an　inch　or　two　each　way　half　a　dozen　times。　His　fleshy　cheeks　moved　in　little　ripples　where　they　covered　his　jaw…muscles。　He　cleared　his　throat　and　stood　up。　He　looked　at　Ned　Beaumont　now　with　friendly　eyes。　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　he　said。　〃I've　got　to　go　see　about　something。　They　forget　everything　if　I　don't　keep　right　on　their　tails。　Don't　go。　I　want　to　talk　to　you　about　Despain。〃