cw.blackalibi-第30部分

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　　〃Stubborn　jackass！〃　rasped　Manning　shorttemperedly；　turning　his　head　away。
　　〃Blind　fool！〃　snapped　the　police　inspector。
　　Somebody　came　out　into　the　road　ahead　and　flagged　them　with　a　pocket　light　to　show　that　this　was　the　place。　The　car　drew　up　at　the　roadside　and　the　men　all　got　out。　The　girl　remained　in　it；　sitting　in　the　middle　of　the　spacious　back　seat；　looking　very　alone　there。　She　sat　staring　dry…eyed　at　nothing；　Manning　noticed；　giving　her　a　last　glance　as　he　followed　the　others　down　the　road　and　into　the　thickets。
　　A　tiny　constellation　of　pocket　torches；　only　a　short　distance　in；　marked　where　the　advance　guard　were　awaiting　their　arrival；　around　the　inscrutable　ferns　that　formed　the　bier。
　　They　went　over　one　by　one　and　had　their　look。　It　was　the　same　thing　over；　an　attack　of　ravening　ferocity　that　hadn't　stopped　with　mere　death；　that　had　continued；　insatiable；　long　past　it。
　　〃This　thing　must　be　suffering　with　the　jungle　equivalent　of　rabies；〃　one　of　the　men　shuddered。　〃To　shoot　it　down　is　not　enough；　it　should　be　cauterized　over　a　slow　fire。〃
　　〃It　should　be　caught　first；〃　Robles　seethed。
　　He　and　Manning　emerged　and　went　back　to　the　car。　〃Better　get　the　girl　out　of　here　before　they　bring　the　stronger　lights；〃　the　American　suggested。　〃She　has　been　through　enough　already　without　that。〃
　　〃Where　are　you　stopping；　Miss　King？〃
　　〃Tell　him　the　Inglaterra　Hotel。〃
　　〃Hold　yourself　at　our　disposal　for　the　next　few　days；　that　is　all。　You　may　go　now。〃
　　The　departmental　car　turned　and　drove　back　with　her。　The　two　men　retreated　into　the　thickets　again。
　　One　of　Robles'　subordinates　shouted　out　suddenly；　〃I　have　found　a　print！　And　what　a　one！〃　And　as　they　all　came　converging　upon　him　with　a　rush；　Manning　included；　he　added　knowingly：　〃Maybe　this　will　shut　up　your　American　friend；　eh　mi　andante？　〃　He　was　holding　his　torch　trained　steadily　downward　on　it。　It　was　in　a　soft　green　bed　of　moss；　not　far　from　the　body；　the　nearly　perfect　imprint　of　a　gigantic　cat's　paw…　somewhat　like　a　three…leaf　clover。
　　Robles　turned　on　Manning　almost　savagely；　as　though　taking　out　his　frustration　on　him。　〃　Now　tell　me　that　wasn't　made　by　a　jaguar；　I　defy　you　to！〃
　　〃It　was　made　by　a　jaguar；〃　acquiesced　Manning　glumly。　But　then　a　moment　later　he　continued：　〃It　is　too　late　in　the　game　to　ask　me　to　change　my　viewpoint。　I　have　seen　too　much　that　supports　it。　Now　this；　for　example：　these　two　girls　running　along　one　behind　the　other；　the　second　one　nearly　at　the　first　one's　heels。　You　heard　what　she　said　back　at　your　office。　She　didn't　hear　a　sound。　She　didn't　even　know　the　girl　was　missing　until　she　had　turned　her　head。　Well？　I　don't　care　how　swiftly　it　sprang　on　her；　downed　her　right　behind　her　friend's　back；　she　would　have　had　time　to　give　her　death　cry　at　least；　to　gasp；　to　gurgle。　The　sound　of　the　fall　alone　would　have　been　heard　by　the　foremost　girl。　Why　wasn't　it？　Because　there　was　no　fall。　She　was　lifted；　not　felled。　And　there　is　only　one　way　she　could　have　been　seized　quickly　enough　to　prevent　both　those　things：　the　fall　of　her　body　and　the　instinctive　cry　of　extinction…　and　that　is　by　prehensile　human　hands　closing　around　her　windpipe；　cutting　off　sound；　hoisting　her　off　her　feet　into　the　underbrush。〃
　　Robles　advanced　toward　him　almost　with　personal　menace。　〃Do　you　realize　that　one　blow　from　those　terrible　paws　could　crush　her　skull　like　an　egg；　kill　her　instantly？〃
　　〃Not　instantly　enough　to　keep　a　dying　gasp；　at　least；　from　getting　out。　Sound　is　formed　in　the　throat；　not　the　head。　It　can　only　be　cut　off　by　constriction　at　the　windpipe　itself。　And　then　what　about　the　muffling　of　the　fall？　One　goes　down　under　a　blow。　She　was　transported　erect；　I　tell　you。　She　wasn't　felled　by　the　leap　of　an　animal；　she　was　snatched　bodily　off　her　feet　in　mid…career…by　something　upright　itself！〃
　　〃Do　you　hear　him？　He's　still　looking　for　a　man　in　this。〃　Robles　motioned　offensively　toward　him　with　a　jerk　of　his　thumb。　Then　he　waved　him　off。　〃Don't　waste　my　time。　I　respected　you　until　now；　but　you　get　worse　as　you　go　along。　You're　making　me　lose　all　regard　for　your　intelligence。　We　found　hairs　of　the　jaguar's　pelt　on　Teresa　Delgado。　We　found　the　broken　tip　of　its　claw　imbedded　in　Conchita　Contreras'　throat。　We　have　found　prints　similar　to　this　one　on　the　ground　about　all　of　them。　The　laboratory　has　even　found　traces　of　bloodpoison　germs　in　their　lacerations；　such　as　these　carnivorous　animals　are　known　to　carry　about　imbedded　in　their　claws。　Do　we　have　to　sit　the　thing　upright　in　your　lap　to　get　you　to　agree　to　its　existence！〃
　　〃Man　alive！〃　the　American　burst　Out　exasperatedly。　〃There　are　signs　all　around　you；　big　as　life；　and　you　won't　take　the　trouble　to　see　them；　you're　so　dazzled　by　that　Crusoe…like　footprint　of　yours！　I　don't　even　carry　a　badge；　but　I　can　see　them；　why　can't　you？　For　instance；　look　at　that　broken　sprig　there；　bent　down　at　right　angles。　That　says　what；　to　you　gente？　〃
　　Robles　curled　his　lips　disdainfully　at　the　naпvetй　of　such　a　question。　〃It　was　swept　aside　and　dislocated　by　the　passage　of　the　jaguar。〃
　　〃Ah。　And　what　was　the　jaguar　doing；　walking　upright　on　its　hind　legs？〃　snarled　Manning。　〃One　of　you　stand　over　there　alongside　of　it。　Any　one　of　you；　it　doesn't　matter　which。　These　ferns　all　around　underfoot　make　the　actual　ground　level　bard　to　establish。〃
　　He　fairly　yelped　his　satisfaction　when　the　parison　had　been　effected。　〃Look　at　that！　It's　even　better　than　I　thought。　There's　a　depression　there　under　the　ferns；　a　trough　in　the　ground！　Your　man's　a　five…and…half…footer　and　that　dangling　sprig　is　at　the　level　of　his　shoulder。　What　a　twostory　jaguar　that　must　be；　to　have　broken　it　up　there　at　that　height！〃
　　If　he　expected　this　to　hold　them；　he　was　sadly　mistaken。　Robles　didn't　even　pay　him　the　pliment　of　having　to　think　twice；　faltering　for　an　instant　before　he　came　back　at　him。　〃Y　que？〃　he　drawled。　〃Must　it　follow　the　contour　of　the　ground？　Is　it　a　worm　or　snake？　It　wasn't　crawling　flat　on　its　belly。　Those　two　girls　were　in　full　flight　and　it　was　leaping　headlong　after　them。　What　does　any　quadruped　do　in　such　a　case？　It　vaulted　over　this　hollow　in　the　ground；　its　arched　back　swept　that　sprig　aside；　broke　it。〃
　　Manning　flung　the　undersides　of　his　hands　toward　him。　〃You　can　have　your　jaguar！　You're　wele　to　it。〃　He　took　a　few　steps　away；　stopped　long　enough　to　deliver　a　parting　shot。　〃Just　trace　its　movements　for　a　second。　From　the　Callejуn　de　las　Sombras；　where　it　originally　disappeared；　around　to　the　Pasaje　del　Diablo；　in　the　working。　class　quarter。　From　there；　all　the　way　around　again　to　All　Saints　Cemetery　on　the　southern　outskirts　of　town。　From　there　all　the　way　across　the　city　to　the　corner　of　Justicia　and　San　Marco。　And　from　there；　back　once　more　to　the　Bosque；　here　on　the　north　side。　All　without　being　seen　once！　Here's　another　thing。　All　its　victims　have　been　women。　Not　old；　not　even　middle…aged；　but　all　young　girls。　That's　a　very　precocious　jaguar；　caballeros。　It　seems　to　specialize。〃　He　turned　his　back　on　them　with　finality。　〃But　there's　no　use　talking　to　you。　It's　just　a　waste　of　good　breath。　I'm　going　home。〃
　　〃I'm　sure　we'll　be　practically　helpless　without　you；〃　Robles　called　after　him　sarcastically。
　　
　　
　　VI。　Black　Alibi
　　
　　Manning　at　sight　suspected　some　of　the　luggage　of　being　hers　when　he　stepped　into　the　Inglaterra　from　the　street。　It　was　in　the　center　of　the　tiled　patio；　and　a　glimpse　of　a　red　〃M　K〃　on　the　corner　of　one　of　the　pieces　confirmed　his　suspicion。　There　seemed　to　be；　however；　an　unusual　amount　of　it；　and　more　was　being　added　to　it　every　time　the　creaking　lift　came　down。
　　He　went　over　to　the　desk。　〃Is　that　the　americana；　the　one　whose　friend…？〃
　　〃She　and　everyone　else；　seсor；〃　the　clerk　said　dolefully。　〃We　are　being　emptied　like　the…how　you　say？…epidemic　is　here。　Twenty…three　rooms　in　last　two　hours…〃
　　Manning　was　only　interested　in　one　of　the　twenty…three　check…outs。　〃Hpw　soon　is　she　leaving；　do　you　know？〃
　　〃She　take　the　Santa　Emilia　from　Val；　on　Tuesday。〃　He　shrugged　pessimistically。　〃She　cannot　be　blamed；　seсor；　no？〃
　　〃No；〃　Manning　agreed；　lowering　his　head；　〃she　cannot　be　blamed。　I　guess　I'd　go；　too。〃　He　took　out　a　cigarette；　looked　down　at　it　thoughtfully　without　using　it。　Then　he　looked　up　again。　〃I　wonder　if　she'll　see　me。〃
　　〃I　try；　seсor。　Whose　name　shall　I　say？〃
　　She　probably　wouldn't　remember　his　name；　from　amidst　all　that　horror　the　other　night。　She　wouldn't　have　salvaged　it。　He　gave　it　anyway。
　　〃Mees　Keeng；　is　Mister　Manning　here　to　see　ju。〃　The　clerk　nodded。　〃The　twenty…four；　seсor；　on　secon'　floor。〃
　　Manning　took　the　stairs。　The　lift　was　still　busy　disgorging　luggage　at　every　down　trip。　As　the　clerk　had　said；　there　seemed　to　be　a　mass　exodus　on。
　　In　fact；　as　he　passed　the　open　transom　of　a　door　on　the　second…floor　corridor；　he　overheard　an　unmistakably　American　voice；　feminine；　saying　to　someone：　〃I　don't　care；　Harvey　Williams；　business　deal　or　no　business　deal；　I　will　not　spend　another　night　in　this　city　with　that　thing　prowling　around　loose！　You　can　sign　those　papers　just　as　well　down　on　the　coast　while　we're　waiting　for　the　ship　to　sail…〃
　　Yes；　the　panic　was　on。
　　Manning　knocked　on　24。　Her　voice　said；　〃e　in。〃
　　She　was　in　the　middle　of　finishing　packing　her　smaller　pieces；　the　hand　luggage。　Three　or　four　of　them　were　ranged　around　her。　She　was　in　a　white　corduroy　wrapper；　tiny　at　the　waist；　spreading　at　the　floor。　She　looked　as　though　she　hadn't　slept　since　that　night；　and　he　glimpsed　several　small　bottles　of　nerve　tablets　or　sedative　ranged　on　the　stand　beside　her　bed。
　　Pallor　and　the　darkness　about　her　eyes　only　made　her　more　beautiful。　You　had　to　be　as　young　as　she；　he　told　himself；　to　suffer　and　still　turn　out　looking　beautiful。　When　you　got　to　be　a　few　years　older；　and　suffered；　it　just　made　you　haggard。
　　The　first　thought　that　crossed　his　mind；　before　he'd　even　opened　his　mouth　to　her；　was：　〃What　made　me　e　here？　I　had　no　right　to。　I　should　have　stayed　away　and　let　her　alone。〃
　　〃You　don't　remember　me；〃　he　said　tactfully。　〃I'm　the　fellow…well；　I　was　with　them　the　other　night。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　she　said。　Even　the　recollection　still　made　her　wince。