cw.blackalibi-第37部分

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　　〃Are　you　sure　you're　all　right？〃　he　asked　her　solicitously；　as　they　swung　around　the　glorieta　of　the　Puerta　Mayor　in　a　half　circle；　and　then　in。
　　〃I　wasn't　hurt　at　all　myself；〃　she　answered　simply。　〃These　stains　are　from　twigs　and　leaves　that　smirched　me　when　I　went　in　there…where　she　was。〃
　　Robles　had　caught　the　sense　of　the　remark　by　following　the　gesture　of　her　hands。　〃You　went　in　there；　immediately　afterwards？〃　he　gasped　in　amazement。　〃But　didn't　you　realize　it　could　very　well　have　attacked　you；　too？　It　must　have　been　still　lurking　near　by。〃
　　She　looked　at　the　two　of　them　as　though　she　didn't　understand；　when　Manning　had　repeated　it　for　her。　〃But　she　was　my　friend；〃　she　said。　〃I　forgot　about　being　frightened。　You　don't　go　off　and　leave　your　friend　behind…even　when　it's　too　late。〃
　　〃　Es　admirable；〃　Robles　mented　softly；　in　an　aside。
　　〃　Ya　lo　creo；〃　the　American　nodded　vigorously。
　　〃You　saw　her？〃　They　exchanged　a　look　of　consternation；　knowing　what　it　had　been　like　three　times　before　now。
　　〃Enough　to　know　that…it　was　over；〃　she　whispered。　〃It　was　dark；　and　I　didn't　have　to　see　too　much。　It　hadn't　dragged　her　very　far；　just　off　the　road　into　some　ferns。　I…I　could　see　her　foot　sticking　out　through　them。〃
　　Robles'　own　troubles　came　uppermost　in　his　mind　again。　He　bunched　a　fist　against　his　forehead　in　despair。　〃I　may　as　well　hand　in　my　resignation　tomorrow；〃　he　muttered　to　Manning。　〃We　were　all　warned；　you　heard　what　he　said…〃
　　〃You've　got　something　more　to　go　by　than　you've　had　the　times　before；　at　least；〃　Manning　tried　to　encourage　him。　〃For　the　first　time　you　have　a　surviving　witness　to　one　of　these　attacks。　Miss　King　may　be　able　to　help　you　in　some　unforeseen　way。〃
　　〃It　isn't　that　we　need　to　be　told　anything　about　it！〃　Robles　insisted　heatedly。　〃What　is　there　that　we　need　to　be　told　about　it；　anyway？　This　isn't　a　human　murder　case　that　depends　on　such　things　as　identification；　witnesses；　alibis；　fingerprints。　It's　that　we　haven't　been　able　to　catch　the　thing　so　far；　that's　all！〃
　　〃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　t