"This thing has gone just about far enough," he remarked meditatively1, looking at his watch. It was now well along in the afternoon.
"But what do you intend doing?" I asked, regarding the whole affair so far as a hopeless mystery from which I could not see that we had extracted so much as a promising2 clew.
"Doing?" he echoed. "Why, there is only one thing to do, and that is to take the bull by the horns, to play the game without any further attempt at finessing3. I shall see Dillon, get a warrant, and raid that gambling4 place—that's all."
I had no counter suggestion to offer. In fact the plan rather appealed to me. If any blow were to be struck it must be just a little bit ahead of any that the gamblers anticipated, and this was a blow they would not expect if they already had wind of Warrington's intention to cancel the lease.
Garrick called up Dillon and made an appointment to meet him early in the evening, without telling him what was afoot.
"Meet me down at police headquarters, Tom," was all that Garrick said to me. "I want to work here at the office for a little while, first, testing a new contrivance, or, rather, an old one that I think may be put to a new use."
Meanwhile I decided5 to employ my time by visiting some newspaper friends that I had known a long time on the Star, one of the most enterprising papers in the city. Fortunately I found my friend, Davenport, the managing editor, at his desk and ready to talk in the infrequent lulls6 that came in his work.
"What's on your mind, Marshall?" he asked as I sat down and began to wonder how he ever conducted his work in the chaotic7 clutter8 of stuff on the top of his desk.
"I can't tell you—yet, Davenport," I explained carefully, "but it's a big story and when it breaks I'll promise that the Star has the first chance at it. I'm on the inside—working with that young detective, Garrick, you know."
"Garrick—Garrick," he repeated. "Oh, yes, that fellow who came back from abroad with a lot of queer ideas. I remember. We had an interview with him when he left the steamer. Good stuff, too,—but what do you think of him? Is he—on the level?"
"On the level and making good," I answered confidently. "I'm not at liberty to tell much about it now, but—well, the reason I came in was to find out what you could tell me about a Miss Winslow,—Violet Winslow and her aunt, Mrs. Beekman de Lancey."
"The Miss Winslow who is reported engaged to young Warrington?" he repeated. "The gossip is that he has cut out Angus Forbes, entirely9."
I had hesitated to mention all the names at once, but I need not have done so, for on such things, particularly the fortunes in finance and love of such a person as Warrington, the eyes of the press were all-seeing.
"Yes," I answered carefully, "that's the Miss Winslow. What do you know of her?"
"Well," he replied, fumbling10 among the papers on his desk, "all I know is that in the social set to which she belongs our society reporters say that of all the young fellows who have set out to capture her—and she's a deuced pretty girl, even in the pictures we have published—it seems to have come down to Mortimer Warrington and Angus Forbes. Of course, as far as we newspapermen are concerned, the big story for us would be in the engagement of young Warrington. The eyes of people are fixed11 on him just now—the richest young man in the country, and all that sort of thing, you know. Seems to be a pretty decent sort of fellow, too, I believe—democratic and keen on other things besides tango and tennis. Oh, there's the thing I was hunting for. Mrs. de Lancey's a nut on gambling, I believe. Read that. It's a letter that came to us from her this morning."
It was written in the stilted12 handwriting of a generation ago and read:
"To the Editor of the Star, Dear Sir:—I believe that your paper prides itself on standing13 for reform and against the grafters. If that is so, why do you not join in the crusade to suppress gambling in New York? For the love that you must still bear towards your own mother, listen to the stories of other mothers torn by anxiety for their sons and daughters, and if there is any justice or righteousness in this great city close up those gambling hells that are sending to ruin scores of our finest young men—and women. You have taken up other fights against gambling and vice15. Take up this one that appeals to women of wealth and social position. I know them and they are as human as mothers in any other station in life. Oh, if there is any way, close up these gilded16 society resorts that are dissipating the fortunes of many parents, ruining young men and women, and, in one case I know of, slowly bringing to the grave a grey-haired widow as worthy17 of protection as any mother of the poor whose plea has closed up a little poolroom or policy shop. One place I have in mind is at —— West Forty-eighth Street. Investigate it, but keep this confidential18.
"Sincerely,
"(MRS.) EMMA DE LANCEY."
"Do you know anything about it?" I asked casually19 handing the letter back.
"Only by hearsay20. I understand it is the crookedest gambling joint21 in the city, at least judging by the stories they tell of the losses there. And so beastly aristocratic, too. They tell me young Forbes has lost a small fortune there—but I don't know how true it is. We get hundreds of these daintily perfumed and monogramed little missives in the course of a year."
"You mean Angus Forbes?" I asked.
"Yes," replied the managing editor, "the fellow that they say has been trying to capture your friend Miss Winslow."
I did not reply for the moment. Forbes, I had already learned, was deeply in debt. Was it part of his plan to get control of the little fortune of Violet to recoup his losses?
"Do you know Mrs. de Lancey?" pursued the editor.
"No—not yet," I answered. "I was just wondering what sort of person she is."
"Oh I suppose she's all right," he answered, "but they say she's pretty straight-laced—that cards and all sorts of dissipation are an obsession22 with her."
"Well," I argued, "there might be worse things than that."
"That's right," he agreed. "But I don't believe that such a puritanical23 atmosphere is—er—just the place to bring up a young woman like Violet Winslow."
I said nothing. It did not seem to me that Mrs. de Lancey had succeeded in killing24 the natural human impulses in Violet, though perhaps the girl was not as well versed25 in some of the ways of the world as others of her set. Still, I felt that her own natural common sense would protect her, even though she had been kept from a knowledge of much that in others of her set was part of their "education."
My friend's telephone had been tinkling26 constantly during the conversation and I saw that as the time advanced he was getting more and more busy. I thanked Davenport and excused myself.
At least I had learned something about those who were concerned in the case. As I rode uptown I could not help thinking of Violet Winslow and her apparently27 intuitive fear concerning Warrington. I wondered how much she really knew about Angus Forbes. Undoubtedly28 he had not hesitated to express his own feelings toward her. Had she penetrated29 beneath the honeyed words he must have spoken to her? Was it that she feared that all things are fair in war and love and that the favour she must have bestowed31 on Warrington might have roused the jealousy32 of some of his rivals for her affections?
I found no answer to my speculations33, but a glance at my watch told me that it was nearing the time of my appointment with Guy.
A few minutes later I jumped off the car at Headquarters and met Garrick, waiting for me in the lower hall. As we ascended34 the broad staircase to the second floor, where Dillon's office was, I told him briefly35 of what I had discovered.
"The old lady will have her wish," he replied grimly as I related the incident of the letter to the editor. "I wonder just how much she really does know of that place. I hope it isn't enough to set her against Warrington. You know people like that are often likely to conceive violent prejudices—and then refuse to believe something that's all but proved about someone else."
There was no time to pursue the subject further for we had reached
Dillon's office and were admitted immediately.
"What's the news?" asked Dillon greeting us cordially.
"Plenty of it," returned Garrick, hastily sketching36 over what had transpired37 since we had seen him last.
Garrick had scarcely begun to outline what he intended to do when I could see from the commissioner's face that he was very sceptical of success.
"Herman tells me," he objected, "that the place is mighty38 well barricaded39. We haven't tried raiding it yet, because you know the new plan is not only to raid those places, but first to watch them, trace out some of the regular habitues, and then to be able to rope them in in case we need them as evidence. Herman has been getting that all in shape so that when the case comes to trial, there'll be no slip-up."
"If that's all you want, I can put my finger on some of the wildest scions40 of wealth that you will ever need for witnesses," Garrick replied confidently.
"Well," pursued Dillon diffidently, "how are you going to pull it off, down through the sky-light, or up through the cellar?"
"Oh, Dillon," returned Garrick reproachfully, "that's unworthy of you."
"But, Garrick," persisted Dillon, "don't you know that it is a veritable National City Bank for protection. It isn't one of those common gambling joints41. It's proof against all the old methods. Axes and sledgehammers would make no impression there. Why, that place has been proved bomb-proof—bomb-proof, sir. You remember recently the so-call 'gamblers' war' in which some rivals exploded a bomb on the steps because the proprietor43 of this place resented their intrusion uptown from the lower East Side, with their gunmen and lobbygows? It did more damage to the house next door than to the gambling joint."
Dillon paused a moment to enumerate44 the difficulties. "You can get past the outside door all right. But inside is the famous ice-box door. It's no use to try it at all unless you can pass that door with reasonable quickness. All the evidence you will get will be of an innocent social club room downstairs. And you can't get on the other side of that door by strategy, either. It is strategy-proof. The system of lookouts45 is perfect. Herman—-"
"Can't help it," interrupted Garrick, "we've got to go over Herman's head this time. I'll guarantee you all the evidence you'll ever need."
Dillon and Garrick faced each other for a moment.
It was a supreme47 test of Dillon's sincerity48.
Finally he spoke30 slowly. "All right," he said, as if at last the die were cast and Garrick had carried his point, "but how are you going to do it? Won't you need some men with axes and crowbars?"
"No, indeed," almost shouted Garrick as Dillon made a motion as if to find out who were available. "I've been preparing a little surprise in my office this afternoon for just such a case. It's a rather cumbersome49 arrangement and I've brought it along stowed away in a taxicab outside. I don't want anyone else to know about the raid until the last moment. Just before we begin the rough stuff, you can call up and have the reserves started around. That is all I shall want."
"Very well," agreed Dillon, after a moment.
He did not seem to relish50 the scheme, but he had promised at the outset to play fair and he had no disposition51 to go back on his word now in favor even of his judgment52.
"First of all," he planned, "we'll have to drop in on a judge and get a warrant to protect us."
Garrick hastily gave me instructions what to do and I started uptown immediately, while they went to secure the secret warrant.
I had been stationed on the corner which was not far from the Forty-eighth Street gambling joint that we were to raid. I had a keen sense of wickedness as I stood there with other loiterers watching the passing throng53 under the yellow flare54 of the flaming arc light.
It was not difficult now to loiter about unnoticed because the streets were full of people, all bent55 on their own pleasure and not likely to notice one person more or less who stopped to watch the passing throng.
From time to time I cast a quick glance at the house down the street, in order to note who was going in.
It must have been over an hour that I waited. It was after ten, and it became more difficult to watch who was going into the gambling joint. In fact, several times the street was so blocked that I could not see very well. But I did happen to catch a glimpse of one familiar figure across the street from me.
It was Angus Forbes. Where he kept himself in the daytime I did not know, but he seemed to emerge at night, like a rat, seeking what to him was now food and drink. I watched him narrowly as he turned the corner, but there was no use in being too inquisitive56. He was bound as certainly for the gambling joint as a moth14 would have headed toward one of the arc lights. Evidently Forbes was making a vocation57 of gambling.
Just then a taxicab pulled up hurriedly at the curb58 near where I was standing and a hand beckoned59 me, on the side away from the gambling house.
I sauntered over and looked in through the open window. It was Garrick with Dillon sunk back into the dark corner of the cab, so as not to be seen.
"Jump in!" whispered Garrick, opening the door. "We have the warrant all right. Has anything happened? No suspicion yet?"
I did so and reassured60 Garrick while the cab started on a blind cruise around the block.
On the floor was a curiously61 heavy instrument, on which I had stubbed my toe as I entered. I surmised62 that it must have been the thing which Garrick had brought from his office, but in the darkness I could not see what it was, nor was there a chance to ask a question.
"Stop here," ordered Garrick, as we passed a drug store with a telephone booth.
Dillon jumped out and disappeared into the booth.
"He is calling the reserves from the nearest station," fretted63 Garrick. "Of course, we have to do that to cover the place, but we'll have to work quickly now, for I don't know how fast a tip may travel in this subterranean64 region. Here, I'll pay the taxi charges now and save some time."
A moment later Dillon rejoined us, his face perspiring65 from the closeness of the air in the booth.
"Now to that place on Forty-eighth Street, and we're square," ordered
Garrick to the driver, mentioning the address. "Quick!"
There had been, we could see, no chance for a tip to be given that a raid was about to be pulled off. We could see that, as Garrick and I jumped out of the cab and mounted the steps.
The door was closed to us, however. Only someone like Warrington who was known there could have got us in peacefully, until we had become known in the place. Yet though there had been no tip, the lookout46 on the other side of the door, with his keen nose, had seemed to scent66 trouble.
He had retreated and, we knew, had shut the inside, heavy door—perhaps even had had time already to give the alarm inside.
The sharp rap of a small axe42 which Garrick had brought sounded on the flimsy outside door, in quick staccato. There was a noise and scurry67 of feet inside and we could hear the locks and bolts being drawn68.
Banging, ripping, tearing, the thin outer door was easily forced. Disregarding the melee69 I leaped through the wreckage70 with Garrick. The "ice-box" door barred all further progress. How was Garrick to surmount71 this last and most formidable barrier?
"A raid! A raid!" cried a passer-by.
Another instant, and the cry, taken up by others, brought a crowd swarming72 around from Broadway, as if it were noon instead of midnight.
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1
meditatively
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| adv.冥想地 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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finessing
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| v.手腕，手段，技巧( finesse的现在分词 ) | |
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gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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6
lulls
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| n.间歇期（lull的复数形式）vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的第三人称单数形式） | |
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chaotic
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| adj.混沌的，一片混乱的，一团糟的 | |
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clutter
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| n.零乱，杂乱；vt.弄乱，把…弄得杂乱 | |
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9
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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12
stilted
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| adj.虚饰的；夸张的 | |
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13
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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14
moth
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| n.蛾，蛀虫 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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16
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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hearsay
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| n.谣传，风闻 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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obsession
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| n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感) | |
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puritanical
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| adj.极端拘谨的；道德严格的 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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versed
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| adj. 精通，熟练 | |
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tinkling
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| n.丁当作响声 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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29
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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30
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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31
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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speculations
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| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
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34
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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36
sketching
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| n.草图 | |
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transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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barricaded
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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scions
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| n.接穗，幼枝( scion的名词复数 )；（尤指富家）子孙 | |
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41
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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42
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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44
enumerate
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| v.列举，计算，枚举，数 | |
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45
lookouts
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| n.寻找（ 某人/某物）( lookout的名词复数 )；是某人（自己）的问题；警戒；瞭望台 | |
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46
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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47
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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48
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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49
cumbersome
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| adj.笨重的，不便携带的 | |
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50
relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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51
disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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52
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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53
throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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54
flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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55
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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56
inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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57
vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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58
curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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59
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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61
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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62
surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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63
fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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64
subterranean
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| adj.地下的，地表下的 | |
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65
perspiring
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 ) | |
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66
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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67
scurry
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| vi.急匆匆地走；使急赶；催促；n.快步急跑，疾走；仓皇奔跑声；骤雨，骤雪；短距离赛马 | |
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68
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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69
melee
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| n.混战；混战的人群 | |
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70
wreckage
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| n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏 | |
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71
surmount
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| vt.克服；置于…顶上 | |
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72
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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