Within the Law [78]
"I'm the only one you've seen."
"That's soon remedied," Dick declared. He turned toward the hall door as if with the intention of lighting the chandelier.
But Mary caught his arm pleadingly.
"Don't, Dick," she begged. "It's--it's not safe."
"I'm not afraid," was his indignant answer. He would have gone on, but she clung the closer. He was reluctant to use over-much force against the one whom he cherished so fondly.
There came a diversion from the man who had made the capture, who was mightily wondering over the course of events, which was wholly unlike anything in the whole of his own rather extensive housebreaking experience.
"Who's this, anyhow?" Chicago Red demanded.
There was a primitive petulance in his drawling tones.
Dick answered with conciseness enough.
"I'm her husband. Who are you?"
Mary called a soft admonition.
"Don't speak, any of you," she directed. "You mustn't let him hear your voices."
Dick was exasperated by this persistent identification of herself with these criminals in his father's house.
"You're fighting me like a coward," he said hotly. His voice was bitter. The eyes that had always been warm in their glances on her were chill now. He turned a little way from her, as if in instinctive repugnance. "You are taking advantage of my love. You think that because of it I can't make a move against these men. Now, listen to me, I----"
"I won't!" Mary cried. Her words were shrill with mingled emotions. "There's nothing to talk about," she went on wildly. "There never can be between you and me."
The young man's voice came with a sonorous firmness that was new to it. In these moments, the strength of him, nourished by suffering, was putting forth its flower. His manner was masterful.
"There can be and there will be," he contradicted. He raised his voice a little, speaking into the shadows where was the group of silent men.
"You men back there!" he cried. "If I give you my word to let every one of you go free and pledge myself never to recognize one of you again, will you make Mary here listen to me? That's all I ask. I want a few minutes to state my case. Give me that. Whether I win or lose, you men go free, and I'll forget everything that has happened here to-night." There came a muffled guffaw of laughter from the big chest of Chicago Red at this extraordinarily ingenuous proposal, while Dacey chuckled more quietly.
Dick made a gesture of impatience at this open derision.
"Tell them I can be trusted," he bade Mary curtly.
It was Garson who answered.
"I know that you can be trusted," he said, "because I know you lo----" He checked himself with a shiver, and out of the darkness his face showed white.
"You must listen," Dick went on, facing again toward the girl, who was trembling before him, her eyes by turns searching his expression or downcast in unfamiliar confusion, which she herself could hardly understand.
"Your safety depends on me," the young man warned. "Suppose I should call for help?"
Garson stepped forward threateningly.
"You would only call once," he said very gently, yet most grimly. His hand went to the noiseless weapon in his coat-pocket.
But the young man's answer revealed the fact that he, too, was determined to the utmost, that he understood perfectly the situation.
"Once would be quite enough," he said simply.
Garson nodded in acceptance of the defeat. It may be, too, that in some subtle fashion he admired this youth suddenly grown resolute, competent to control a dangerous event. There was even the possibility that some instinct of tenderness toward Mary herself made him desire that this opportunity should be given for wiping out the effects of misfortune which fate hitherto had brought into her life.
"You win," Garson said, with a half-laugh. He turned to the other men and spoke a command.
"You get over by the hall door, Red. And keep your ears open every second. Give us the office if you hear anything. If we're rushed, and have to make a quick get-away, see that Mary
"That's soon remedied," Dick declared. He turned toward the hall door as if with the intention of lighting the chandelier.
But Mary caught his arm pleadingly.
"Don't, Dick," she begged. "It's--it's not safe."
"I'm not afraid," was his indignant answer. He would have gone on, but she clung the closer. He was reluctant to use over-much force against the one whom he cherished so fondly.
There came a diversion from the man who had made the capture, who was mightily wondering over the course of events, which was wholly unlike anything in the whole of his own rather extensive housebreaking experience.
"Who's this, anyhow?" Chicago Red demanded.
There was a primitive petulance in his drawling tones.
Dick answered with conciseness enough.
"I'm her husband. Who are you?"
Mary called a soft admonition.
"Don't speak, any of you," she directed. "You mustn't let him hear your voices."
Dick was exasperated by this persistent identification of herself with these criminals in his father's house.
"You're fighting me like a coward," he said hotly. His voice was bitter. The eyes that had always been warm in their glances on her were chill now. He turned a little way from her, as if in instinctive repugnance. "You are taking advantage of my love. You think that because of it I can't make a move against these men. Now, listen to me, I----"
"I won't!" Mary cried. Her words were shrill with mingled emotions. "There's nothing to talk about," she went on wildly. "There never can be between you and me."
The young man's voice came with a sonorous firmness that was new to it. In these moments, the strength of him, nourished by suffering, was putting forth its flower. His manner was masterful.
"There can be and there will be," he contradicted. He raised his voice a little, speaking into the shadows where was the group of silent men.
"You men back there!" he cried. "If I give you my word to let every one of you go free and pledge myself never to recognize one of you again, will you make Mary here listen to me? That's all I ask. I want a few minutes to state my case. Give me that. Whether I win or lose, you men go free, and I'll forget everything that has happened here to-night." There came a muffled guffaw of laughter from the big chest of Chicago Red at this extraordinarily ingenuous proposal, while Dacey chuckled more quietly.
Dick made a gesture of impatience at this open derision.
"Tell them I can be trusted," he bade Mary curtly.
It was Garson who answered.
"I know that you can be trusted," he said, "because I know you lo----" He checked himself with a shiver, and out of the darkness his face showed white.
"You must listen," Dick went on, facing again toward the girl, who was trembling before him, her eyes by turns searching his expression or downcast in unfamiliar confusion, which she herself could hardly understand.
"Your safety depends on me," the young man warned. "Suppose I should call for help?"
Garson stepped forward threateningly.
"You would only call once," he said very gently, yet most grimly. His hand went to the noiseless weapon in his coat-pocket.
But the young man's answer revealed the fact that he, too, was determined to the utmost, that he understood perfectly the situation.
"Once would be quite enough," he said simply.
Garson nodded in acceptance of the defeat. It may be, too, that in some subtle fashion he admired this youth suddenly grown resolute, competent to control a dangerous event. There was even the possibility that some instinct of tenderness toward Mary herself made him desire that this opportunity should be given for wiping out the effects of misfortune which fate hitherto had brought into her life.
"You win," Garson said, with a half-laugh. He turned to the other men and spoke a command.
"You get over by the hall door, Red. And keep your ears open every second. Give us the office if you hear anything. If we're rushed, and have to make a quick get-away, see that Mary