the efficiency expert-第21章
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to…morrow night； and I'll give you your final instructions and tell you how to get to the plant。〃 The C。P。A。's were slow in completing their report。 At noon on Saturday it looked very much to Bince that there would be no report ready before Monday。 He had spent most of the forenoon pacing his office； and at last； unable longer to stand the strain； he had announced that he was going out to his country club for a game of golf。
He returned to his down…town club about dinner…time； and at eight o'clock he called up Elizabeth Compton。
〃Come on up；〃 said the girl。 〃I'm all alone this evening。 Father went back to the office to examine some reports that were just finished up late this afternoon。〃
〃I'll be over；〃 said Bince； 〃as soon as I dress。〃 If there was any trace of surprise or shock in his tones the girl failed to notice it。
At ten o'clock that night a figure moved silently through the dark shadows of an alleyway in the area of the International Machine Company's plant on West Superior Street。 As he moved along he counted the basement windows silently； and at the fifth window he halted。 Just a casual glance he cast up and down the alley； and then； kneeling； he raised the sash and slipped quietly into the darkness of the basement。
At about the same time Jimmy's landlady called him to the telephone； where a man's voice asked if 〃this was Mr。 Torrance？〃 Assured that such was the fact； the voice continued： 〃I am the new watchman at the plant。 There's something wrong here。 I can't get hold of Mr。 Compton。 I think you better come down。 I'll be in Mr。 Compton's office〃 The message ceased as though central had disconnected them。
〃Funny；〃 thought Jimmy； 〃that he should call me up。 I wonder what the trouble can be。〃 But he lost no time in getting his hat and starting for the works。
Although the Lizard knew that there was no danger of detection； yet from long habit he moved through the plant of the International Machine Company with the noiselessness of a disembodied spirit。 Occasionally； and just for the briefest instant； he flashed his lamp ahead of him； but though he had never been in the place before he found it scarcely necessary； so minute had been his instructions for reaching the office from the fifth basement window。
The room he sought was on the second floor； and the Lizard had mounted the steps from the basement to the first floor when he was brought to a sudden stop by a noise from the floor above him。 The Lizard listened intently。 No； he could not be mistaken。 Too often had he heard a similar sound。
Some one was tiptoeing across the floor above。 The Lizard was in the hallway close beside the stairs when he realized the footsteps were coming toward the stairway； and a moment later that they were cautiously descending。 The Lizard flattened himself against the wall； and if he breathed his lungs gave forth no sound。
If one may interpret footstepsand the Lizard； from the fund of a great experience； felt that he couldthose descending the stairway from above him might have been described as nervous and repressed； for at least they gave the Lizard the impression of one who desired to flee in haste and yet dared not do so； for fear of attracting attention by the increased noise that greater speed might entail。
At least the Lizard knew that those were the footsteps of no watchman； but whether it be guardian of the law or fellow criminal the Lizard had no wish to be discovered。 He wondered what had gone wrong with Murray's plans； and； suddenly imbued with the natural suspicion of the criminal； it occurred to him that the whole thing might be a frame…up to get him； and yet why Murray should wish to get him he could not imagine。 He ran over in his mind a list all those who might feel enmity toward him； but among them all the Lizard could cast upon none who might have sufficient against him to warrant such an elaborate scheme of revenge。
The footsteps passed him and continued on toward the foot of the stairs where was the main entrance which opened upon the street。 At the door the footsteps halted； and as the Lizard's eyes bored through the darkness in the direction of the other prowler the latter struck a match upon the panel of the door and lighted a cigarette； revealing his features momentarily but distinctly to the watcher in the shadow of the stairway。 Then he opened the door and passed out into the night。
The Lizard； listening intently for a few moments to assure himself that there was no one else above； and that the man who had just departed was not returning； at last continued his way to the foot of the stairs； which he ascended to the second floor。 Passing through the outer office； he paused a moment before the door to Compton's private office； and then silently turning the knob he gently pushed the door open and stepped into the room。
Beyond the threshold he halted and pressed the button of his flash…lamp。 For just an instant its faint rays illumined the interior of the room； and then darkness blotted out the scene。 But whatever it was that the little flash…lamp had revealed was evidently in the nature of a surprise； and perhaps something of a shock； to the Lizard； for he drew back with a muttered oath； backed quietly out of the room； closed the door after him； and； moving much more swiftly than he had entered； retraced his steps to the fifth window on the alley； and was gone from the scene with whatever job he had contemplated unexecuted。
A half…hour later detective headquarters at the Central Station received an anonymous tip： 〃Send some one to the office of the International Machine Company； on the second floor of West Superior Street。〃
It was ten thirty when Jimmy reached the plant。 He entered the front door with his own latchkey； pressed the button which lighted the stairway and the landing above； and； ascending； went straight to Mr。 Compton's office； turned the knob； and opened the door； to find that the interior was dark。
〃Strange；〃 he thought； 〃that after sending for me the fellow didn't wait。〃 As these thoughts passed through his mind he fumbled on the wall for the switch； and； finding it； flooded the office with light。
As he turned again toward the room he voiced a sudden exclamation of horror； for on the floor beside his desk lay the body of Mason Compton！ As Jimmy stepped quickly toward Compton's body and kneeled beside it a man tiptoed quietly up the front stairway； while another； having ascended from the rear； was crossing the outer office with equal stealth。
Jimmy felt of Compton's face and hands。 They were warm。 And then he placed his ear close against the man's breast； in order to see if he could detect the beating of the heart。 He was in this position when he was startled by a gruff voice behind him。
〃Put 'em up！〃 it admonished curtly； and Jimmy turned to see two men standing in the doorway with pistols leveled at him。
CHAPTER XXV。
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE。
At first Jimmy thought they were the perpetrators of the deed； but almost immediately he recognized one of them as O'Donnell； the erstwhile traffic officer who had been promoted to a detective sergeancy since Jimmy had first met him。
〃Compton has been murdered；〃 said Jimmy dully。 〃He is dead。〃
〃Put up your hands；〃 snapped O'Donnell for the second time； 〃and be quick about it！〃
It was then for the first time that Jimmy realized the meaning that might be put upon his presence alone in the office with his dead employer。 O'Donnell's partner searched him； but found no weapon upon him。
〃Where's the gat？〃 he asked。
〃Whoever did this probably took it with him。〃 said Jimmy。 〃Find the watchman。〃
They made Jimmy sit down in a corner； and while one of them guarded him the other called up central； made his report； and asked for an ambulance and the wagon。 Then O'Donnell commenced to examine the room。 A moment later he found an automatic behind the door across the room from where Compton's body lay。
〃Ever see this before？〃 asked O'Donnell； holding the pistol up to Jimmy。
〃If you're asking me if it's mine； no；〃 said Jimmy。 〃I have a gun； but it's home。 I never carry it。 I didn't do this； O'Donnell。〃 he continued。 〃There was no reason why I should do it； so instead of wasting your time on me while the murderer escapes you'd better get busy on some other theory； too。 It won't do any harm； anyway。〃
The wagon came and took Jimmy to the station； and later he was questioned by the lieutenant in charge。
〃You say this is not your pistol？〃 asked the police officer。
〃It is not；〃 replied Jimmy。
〃You never saw it before？〃
〃No； I have not。〃
The lieutenant turned to one of his men； who went to the door； and； opening it； returned almost immediately with Bince。
〃Do you know this man； Mr。 Bince？〃 asked the lieutenant。
〃I certainly do；〃 said Bince。
〃Did you ever see this pistol before？〃
Bince took the weapon and examined it。
〃Yes；〃 he said。
〃Under what circumstances？〃 asked the lieutenant。
〃It was one of two that Mr。 Compton had in his desk。 This one he loaned to Torrance two or three weeks ago。 I was in the office at the time。〃
The officer turned toward Jimmy。
〃Now do you recognize it？〃 he asked。
〃I haven't denied；〃 said Jimmy； 〃that Mr。 Compton had loaned me a pistol。 As a matter of fact； I had forgotten all about it。 I do not particularly recognize this one as the weapon he loaned me； though it is of the same type。 There is no way that I could identify the particular weapon he handed me。〃
〃But you admit he loaned you one？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Jimmy。
〃What did you do with it？〃 asked the policeman。
〃I put it in my desk within five minutes after he gave it to me； and I haven't seen it since。〃
〃You say you couldn't identify the pistol？〃 said the officer。
Jimmy nodded。
〃Well； we can； and have。 The number of this pistol was recorded when Mr。 Compton bought it； as was the number of the other one which is still in his desk。 They were the only two pistols he ever bought； according to Mr。 Bince； and his daughter； aside from one which he had at home； which has also been accounted for。 The drawer in which Mr。 Bince saw you place this pistol we found open and the pistol gone。 It looks pretty bad for you； young fellow； and if you want a chance to dodge the rope you'd better plead guilty and tell us why you did it。〃
Jimmy was given little opportunity for sleep that night。 A half…dozen times he was called back to the lieutenant's office for further questioning。 He commenced to realize that the circumstantial evidence was strongly against him； and now； as the girl had warned him； his entirely innocent past was brought up against him simply because his existence had been called to the attention of a policeman； and the same policeman an inscrutable Fate had ordained should discover him alone with a murdered man。
O'Donnell made the most of his meager knowledge of Jimmy。 He told the lieutenant with embellishments of Jimmy's association with such characters as the Lizard and Little Eva； but the police were still at a loss to discover a motive。
This； however； was furnished the next morning； when Elizabeth Compton； white and heavy…eyed； was brought to the station to identify Jimmy。 There was deep compassion in the young man's face as he was ushered into t
