cw.blackalibi-第41部分

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r　this…date　with　destruction？〃
　　〃Night　after　tomorrow。　That'll　give　us　fortyeight　full　hours　to　get　everything　ready。　It's　too　late　for　me　to　make　the　morning　papers　with　my　doctored　item　any　more；　but　I　can　make　tomorrow　evening's　in　plenty　of　time。　I'll　arm　you；　of　course；　and　I'll　be　close　enough　by　to　see　that　no　harm　happens　to　you。　But　I've　got　to　get　another　man　in　on　it　with　me。　You've　got　to　be　fully　protected；　I　don't　want　to　take　any　chances　on　that　score；　and　it　may　turn　out　to　be　something　more　than　I　can　handle　successfully　alQne。〃
　　〃Whom　will　you　get？〃
　　He　pondered　the　matter　a　moment。　〃I　can't　go　to　Robles　or　any　of　his　outfit；　they　all　think　alike　about　it。　It's　got　to　be　someone　I　can　count　on　heart　and　soul。　Wait；　I　think　I　know…that　young　fellow；　what　was　his　name　again；　the　Contreras　girl's　sweetheart；　the　one　she　used　to　meet　in　the　cemetery。　He　ought　to　be　all　for　it；　if　anyone　is！　That　must　have　turned　him　inside　out。〃
　　He　stood　up；　and　she　acpanied　him　to　the　door。　He　turned　there　and　looked　into　her　face　searchingly。　〃Now　look；　before　we　go　any　further。　There's　still　time　for　you　to　back　out　if　you　want　to。　I　don't　want　to　frighten　you；　but　it's　going　to　be　a　grueling　experience；　as　bad　or　worse　than　the　first　time。　Worse；　in　fact；　because　now　you'll　know　what　to　look　forward　to　ahead　of　time。　You'll　be　under　a　terrific　strain；　and　have　to　rely　pletely　on　your　own　judgment；　for　three　or　four　hours　at　a　stretch。　We'll　be　watching　every　moment；　from　as　near　by　as　we　dare；　but　we　can't　exactly　dog　your　footsteps　or　reveal　ourselves　to　you　once　you're　in　there；　if　we　hope　to　succeed；　you　realize　that　of　course。　So　here's　your　last　chance　to　say　no；　if　you　want　to。〃
　　She　looked　up　into　his　face　unwaveringly。　Her　mouth　was　just　a　little　taut；　that　was　all。　〃I'm　in　it　with　you；　I　thought　I　made　that　plain　from　the　beginning。〃
　　〃Swell！〃　he　answered　warmly。　〃Shall　we　shake　on　it？〃　They　gripped　hands　briefly。　〃I'll　make　all　the　arrangements。　You　get　all　the　sleep　you　can　for　the　next　two　nights；〃　he　advised　her；　opening　the　door。〃The　night　after　tomorrow　is　going　to　be　a　tough　one　on　all　of　us。　And　try　to　keep　from　thinking　of　it　ahead　of　time；　if　you　can；　Miss　King。〃
　　〃Call　me　Marjorie；〃　she　suggested　as　she　started　to　close　the　door　after　him。　〃You　mayn't　have　the　chance　for　very　long。〃
　　
　　
　　He　got　the　address　from　the　records　of　the　inquest　held　over　Conchita　Contreras。　It　was　a　pleasant　little　one…story　house；　whitewashed　a　pastel　blue；　on　the　hilly　Calle　San　Vicente。　A　serving…woman　let　him　into　a　patio　that　was　a　permanent　explosion　of　vivid　magenta　from　the　bougainvillaea　trailing　down　its　center　from　the　tiled　roof　overhead。　A　couple　of　white　butterflies　were　chasing　one　another　endlessly　around　in　the　postage…stamp…sized　square　of　opert　sunlight；　and　a　dark…eyed　little　girl　peeped　shyly　Out　at　him　from　one　of　the　room　doorways；　then　drew　back　again。　It　looked　like　the　perfect　setting　for　a　very　happy　home。　Manning　knew　it　wasn't；　even　before　he　had　been　shown　into　the　room　where　the　young　fellow　his　own　age　lay　sprawled　indolently　on　one　elbow　on　a　cot。
　　The　young　fellow's　hair　was　matted；　he　needed　a　shave；　his　shirt　was　soiled　and　open　at　the　collar；　and　he　had　the　red…rimmed　eyes　that　came　out　of　the　cantinas　at　five　in　the　morning。　An　unlighted　cigarette；　looped　over　in　the　middle　like　a　piece　of　macaroni；　was　dangling　between　his　lips。
　　He　saw　Manning's　eyes　go　to　the　photograph　that　had　fallen　to　the　floor　beside　the　cot。　He　squinted　at　him　with　jerky　querulousness。　〃You　see　a　photograph　down　there；　don't　you？〃　he　said　truculently。　〃A　lovely　face；　a　tender　smile；　soft　beautiful　hair。　You're　lucky；　amigo。　I　don't！　I'd　like　to　swap　eyes　with　you。　How　much'll　you　take？　I　see　a　horrid；　nameless　thing；　a　smear　of　blood；　clawed　rags　in　a　huddle　on　the　ground…〃
　　Manning　looked　down　at　the　hubs　of　his　own　shoes。　〃I　know。　I　was　there　too。〃
　　〃At　night；　sometimes；　I　hear　a　faint　cry　ing　to　me　in　the　dark　from　where　that　photograph　stands。　'Raul；　Raul；　get　me　out；　I'm　locked　in！'　Just　as　she　must　have　cried　unheard　that　night。　I　drink　aguardiente　to　kill　it。　I　still　hear　it　anyway。　It　drives　me　out　to　roam　the　midnight　streets…〃
　　Manning　put　a　hand　lightly　to　his　shoulder；　turned　and　looked　the　other　way。　〃Steady；　muchacho；　steady。　That's　what　I　came　to　you　about。〃
　　Raul　reached　down；　pulled　a　half…empty　bottle　of　the　stinging　native　brandy　out　from　under　the　cot。　He　kicked　the　cork　out　with　the　thumb　of　the　same　hand　that　gripped　the　bottle's　neck　He　gave　his　mouth　a　preliminary　wipe。　〃I　don't　know　who　you　are　or　what　you　want；　but　have　a　drink。　That's　the　best　that　a　man　can　do　when　his　girl　is　gone　for　good。　More　tears　for　my　poor　mother；　inside　there　in　the　other　room。〃
　　Manning　took　the　bottle；　set　it　back　on　the　floor　again。　〃No；　there　is　something　better　still　that　he　can　do。〃　He　sat　down　on　a　rickety　straw…bottom　chair；　dislodging　a　battered　hat　that　had　been　dangling　from　one　of　its　uprights。　〃Look；　I　know　what　the　trouble　is。　You　are　pent　up；　you　are　slowly　strangling　with　your　own　grief；　because　it　was　an　act　of　fate。　You　cannot　fight　back　at　it。　I　am　here　to　tell　you　you　can　fight'　back　at　it；　it　was　not　an　act　of　fate；　it　was　an　act　of　man。〃　He　watched　the　other's　face。　〃That　hurts；　doesn't　it？　Like　the　antiseptic　that　cleans　a　festering　wound。〃
　　It　must　have。　The　other　man…he　was　only　a　boy；　really…writhed　there　on　the　cot；　from　one　side　to　the　other；　protective　hands　digging　into　his　own　face。
　　〃Who　are　you　to　know？〃　he　said　through　them　finally。
　　〃Just　a　guy　like　you。　A　guy　who　uses　his　eyes。　It　went　back　over　the　wall　into　the　stone…built　city　again；　instead　of　staying　in　the　foliage；　the　open　green　place　of　the　cemetery。　Does　a　wild　thing　do　that？　Would　its　nature　lead　it　to？〃
　　The　other's　hands　went　down。　He　looked　at　Manning。　His　eyes　were　dangerous　things。　Not　toward　the　American；　toward　the　mental　image　the　latter　had　managed　to　conjure　up　before　him。
　　Manning　went　on　speaking；　in　a　low；　unhurried　voice；　telling　him　about　the　other　cases；　telling　him　all　there　was　to　be　told。　〃I　may　be　wrong；〃　he　concluded。　〃I'm　no　mystic；　I　haven't　second　sight。　But　I　don't　think　I　am。　There　is　no　way　of　finding　out　except　by　putting　it　to　the　test。〃
　　〃How？　How　are　you　thinking　of　going　about　it？〃
　　Manning　told　him　that；　too。
　　〃We　need　a　girl。〃
　　The　pronoun　didn't　escape　Manning。　〃I've　already　got　the　girl；〃　he　said。　〃A　very　brave　girl。　A　girl　who　has　more　courage　than　you　or　I　have　any　right　to　expect　any　girl　to　have。〃
　　Raul　gripped　his　upper　arm　in　a　vise　of　iron　that　belied　his　slender　frame。　〃When　do　we　start？〃　he　said　tersely。
　　〃Right　tonight；〃　the　American　said。　〃And　we　keep　it　up…every　night　if　necessary…until　we　find　out　one　way　or　the　other。〃
　　〃Then　what　are　we　waiting　for？〃　He　sprang　up　on　the　cot　with　a　suddenness　that　nearly　buckled　it。　〃　Mama！　〃　he　bawled　inside　to；the　other　room。　And　the　childish　epithet　sounded　oddly　inappropriate　ing　in　his　husky；　deep…toned　voice。　〃Black　coffee；　for　the　love　of　God；　to　get　this　porqueria　out　of　my　system！　A　clean　shirt；　and　a　razor；　and　a　basin　of　hot　water。　You　can　stop　worrying。　Your　son　is　alive　again！〃
　　
　　
　　Last　paragraphs　of　an　item；　in　identical　language；　in　El　Imparcil；　La　Prensa；　Ultimas　Noticias；　and　all　the　other　evening　papers：
　　
　　。。。　One　left　Miss　King　with　a　strange　feeling　that　perhaps　she　really　meant　it；　it　was　not　just　bravado；　that　she　would　return　some　night　again　soon　to　the　lake　in　the　Bosque；　seeking　this　trinket　that　she　seems　to　place　such　store　upon。　Perhaps　tonight；　perhaps　tomorrow　night；　who　knows？　One　can　only　admire　such　reckless　disregard　for　ordinary　mon　sense；　even　if　one　does　not　approve　of　it。　The　Americans　are　a　strange　race。
　　〃We　have　a　saying　in　our　language；〃　she　said；　as　she　acpanied　the　interviewer　to　the　door：　〃Lightning　never　strikes　in　the　same　place　twice。〃　And　then；　with　a　smile　that　the　newspaper　representative　found　most　baffling；　she　added：　〃I　am　not　afraid　of　any　jaguar。　I　have　good　eyes。　Very　good　eyes；　even　in　the　dark。　It　has　always　been　said　of　me　that　I　never　forget　a