mg.cyro-第1部分

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　　　CHAPTER　I　
　　　BIRDS　OF　A　FEATHER　
　　〃YOUR　mail；　Mr。　Rowden。〃
　　〃Ah；　yes。　Thank　you。〃
　　The　switchboard　operator　passed　a　stack　of　envelopes　to　the　man　who　stood　in　front　of　the　lobby　desk。　Rowden　smiled　as　he　received　the　mail。　He　scanned　the　envelopes；　then　thrust　them　in　his　pocket　and　strolled　into　the　elevator。
　　The　switchboard　girl　sighed　as　the　door　closed。　It　was　not　often　that　the　Mallison　Apartments　received　such　debonair　guests　as　Roke　Rowden。　Small　and　obscure　in　the　midst　of　Manhattan；　the　Mallison　catered　chiefly　to　bargain…hunting　tourists。
　　Roke　Rowden　was　a　novelty。　He　had　the　bearing　of　a　man…about…town。　Suave　to　the　points　of　his　sharp…tipped　mustache；　friendly　of　eye　and　manner；　he　had　bee　the　switchboard　operator's　idol。　Rowden's　slight　swagger；　the　easy　fashion　in　which　he　carried　his　gold…headed　cane…these　were　gentlemanly　mannerisms　that　the　girl　judged　as　perfection。
　　Even　in　the　elevator；　Roke　Rowden　lost　nothing　of　his　poise。　Cane　beneath　his　arm；　he　retained　his　studied　pose　until　the　car　had　reached　the　fifth　floor。　Then；　with　his　accustomed　gait；　he　strolled　forth　along　a　corridor　and　stopped　at　a　door　marked　516。　Deliberately；　Rowden　unlocked　the　door　and　entered。　He　closed　the　door　behind　him。
　　〃Hello；　Roke。〃
　　Rowden　turned　quickly　as　he　heard　the　greeting。　For　a　moment；　his　face　was　disturbed。　Then　he　smiled　suavely　as　he　observed　a　dark…eyed；　smooth…faced　man　lounging　in　an　easy　chair。　This　chap　had　a　quiet　air　that　marked　the　real　gentleman。　A　contrast　to　Rowden's　affectation。
　　〃So　it's　you；　Tracy；〃　spoke　Rowden。　〃I'd　forgotten　that　you　were　ing　in。　Usually；　you　slide　up　here　just　after　I　arrive。〃
　　〃I　thought　it　best　to　change　that　plan　this　evening。　After　all；　someone　might　connect　us；　even　though　I　do　get　off　at　different　floors　and　use　the　stairway　for　the　rest　of　the　trip。〃
　　Rowden　nodded。
　　〃And　by　the　way；〃　added　the　man　called　Tracy；　〃it　would　be　a　good　idea　for　you　to　tell　me　the　name　I'm　to　use　tonight。　Forget　that　I'm　Tracy　Lence。〃
　　〃All　right；〃　agreed　Rowden。　〃You're　Claude　Kilgarth　for　the　time　being。
　　And　I　have　good　news　for　you；　Claude；　old　boy。　The　pay…off　is　due。〃
　　〃The　sucker　bit；　oh？〃
　　〃Swallowed　the　line　with　the　bait。　That's　what　es　of　using　an　artistic　build…up。　I've　been　working　for　a　full　month　off　and　on；　seeing　the　sap　only　occasionally；　letting　him　ripen。〃
　　Roke　Rowden　paused　to　pull　the　letters　from　his　pocket。　One　by　one；　he　ripped　open　envelopes；　read　their　contents　and　tore　both　letters　and　envelopes　before　tossing　them　in　the　wastebasket。
　　〃Even　this　mail　is　part　of　the　build；〃　chuckled　Rowden。　〃That's　what　es　of　having　a　few　pals　who　travel　around　the　country。　They　frame　business　letters　from　various　concerns。　I　always　accumulate　a　lot　of　important…looking　mail。〃
　　He　stopped　as　he　came　to　a　long　envelope。　He　studied　it　carefully；　then　tore　it　open　and　read　the　letter　inside。　He　shook　his　head；　then　chuckled。
　　〃This　is　a　new　one；〃　he　declared。　〃I　can　usually　figure　who　planted　these　letters　for　me。　Every　con　man　has　his　own　type　of　crowd　as　a　rule。　But　this　one　is　from　a　book　shop；　that　is；　it's　on　their　stationery。〃
　　〃What　city？〃　inquired　Tracy　Lence。
　　〃New　Orleans；〃　replied　Rowden。　〃I　guess　Biggs　mailed　it。　He　must　have　grabbed　some　of　the　stationery。　An　odd　letter；　too。　It　begins　with　'Esteemed
　　Friend。'　Biggs　springing　a　gag；　I　guess。〃
　　
　　ROKE　tore　the　letter　and　the　envelope。　He　tossed　them　along　with　the　rest　of　the　trash。　Then；　with　a　suave　smile；　he　lighted　a　cigarette　and　turned　toward　Lence。
　　〃Let's　talk　business；〃　suggested　Rowden。　〃I　told　you　we　were　due　for　the　pay…off。　It's　ripe；　tonight。　The　fall…guy　is　ing　here　to　see　me　at　nine　o'clock。
　　〃His　name　is　Northrup　Lucaster。　An　old　duck　from　Des　Moines；　Iowa；　who　came　east　to　spend　a　few　months　in　New　York。　Somebody　introduced　him　at　one　of　the　clubs。　That's　where　I　spotted　him。〃
　　〃I　figured　that　game　was　about　your　speed；〃　remarked　Lence。　〃Go　on。　Give　me　the　rest　of　it。〃
　　〃What　are　you　getting　at？〃　retorted　Rowden。　〃Say…I　can　put　up　a　front　with　anybody。　The　reason　I　picked　this　duck　from　Iowa　was　because　he　looked　like　a　cinch。〃
　　〃That's　just　it；　Roke。　Why　spend　a　month　on　him？　We　could　have　pulled　at　trimming　and　gone　on　with　another　job。〃
　　〃I've　only　seen　him　off　and　on；〃　explained　Rowden。　〃I　was　looking　for　better　bets；　all　along。　But　I　didn't　spot　them；　so　I　went　ahead　with　Lucaster。〃
　　〃Apology　accepted；〃　put　in　Lence。　〃Proceed　with　Lucaster。　What's　he　falling　for？〃
　　〃Silver；〃　chuckled　Rowden。　〃There's　been　a　lot　of　talk　about　it　in　the　Middle　West。　Price　of　the　metal　going　up。　Free　silver；　maybe。　That's　what　they　think。　So　I　told　Lucaster　my　phony　story。
　　〃I　spilled　a　yarn　about　a　Nevada　silver　mine　that　was　closed　up　because　it　wasn't　paying。　Poor　transportation　facilities　and　all　that　bunk。　Closed　up　forty　years　ago。　Present　owners　ready　to　sell　me　their　stock　cheap。　They　don't　know　that　there's　anything　in　it。
　　〃A　friend…that's　you…is　ready　to　go　half　shares　on　the　purchase。　But　you've　only　got　enough　to　buy　the　stock；　someone　else　has　to　furnish　the　kale　to　start　operations。　A　pool　is　the　system。　You　and　Lucaster　each　put　up　half。　I　get　a　mission；　that　I'll　take　in　stock。〃
　　〃Well；　it　sounds　all　right；〃　decided　Lence。　〃I'll　be　Claude　Kilgarth。
　　Where　do　I　e　from？〃
　　〃Zanesville；　Ohio。　You　told　me　you　know　that　town。〃
　　〃And　how　much　am　I　putting　up？〃
　　〃Twenty…five　grand。〃
　　Lence　eyed　Rowden　coolly。
　　〃I　thought；〃　he　remarked；　〃that　you　said　Lucaster　and　I　were　going　to　put　up　equal　amounts。〃
　　〃I　did；〃　returned　Rowden。
　　〃You　mean　then〃…Lence　paused；　incredulous…〃that　twenty…five　grand　is　the　game？　That　it's　all　you're　going　to　tap　this　fellow　for？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃And　you　call　him　a　sucker！　Say…that's　chicken　feed　for　the　amount　of　trouble　you've　gone　to。　Ten　grand　a　piece　is　about　all　we'll　net；　after　we　chop　off　the　expenses　we've　incurred。　What's　the　idea；　Roke？　Is　that　all　the　coin　the　old　fellow　can　spare？〃
　　〃It's　all　I　can　show。　Twenty…five　grand。〃
　　〃You　mean…〃
　　〃I　mean　that　I've　got　that　much　in　a　safe…deposit　box　at　the　Manhattan　Night　Bank。　I'm　going　down　there　to　get　it。　You'll　hold　the　roll　and　flash　it。
　　When　you　hand　the　mazuma　over　to　me；　Lucaster　will　do　the　same　with　his　wad。〃
　　〃You　sap！〃　Lence　showed　indignation。　〃That　isn't　necessary。　You　could　count　on　me　to　swing　it。　A　check；　faked　to　look　like　it　was　certified。　That　would　do　for　my　share。〃
　　〃It's　too　late　now；　Tracy。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃Because　my　build　was　a　cash　down　proposition。　Lucaster　fell　for　it　on　that　basis。　We'd　lose　out　if　we　tried　to　switch　the　game。　He　might　get　leery。〃
　　〃Twenty…five　grand！　From　what　you've　told　me；　this　sucker　should　be　good　for　fifty。〃
　　〃It's　twenty…five　in　the　bag；　though；　Tracy。　We　can　take　it　on　the　lam　before　Lucaster　wises。　I　told　him　we'd　have　to　go　out　to　Montana。　Weeks；　perhaps；　before　he'd　hear　from　us。〃
　　〃All　the　more　reason　why　you　should　have　hit　for　bigger　dough。　However；　it　can't　be　helped。〃
　　〃That's　the　way　to　look　at　it。〃　Rowden　became　brisk。　〃Well；　Tracy；　stick　around　until　I　get　back。　I'm　going　down　to　the　bank。　Take　a　look　at　some　of　those　time…tables　in　the　table　drawer。　Pick　the　route　you　want　to　take　when　we　leave　town。〃
　　Roke　left　the　apartment。
　　
　　LENCE　had　risen　from　his　chair；　he　stood　with　hands　in　coat　pockets。　With　his　right；　he　was　juggling　the　duplicate　key　with　which　he　had　entered　this　apartment。　As　minutes　drifted；　Lence　kept　eyeing　the　door　with　crafty；　sidelong　gaze。
　　At　last；　convinced　that　Roke　was　actually　on　his　way　to　the　bank；　Lence　became　active。　Stepping　across　to　the　wastebasket；　he　stooped　and　fumbled　among　the　torn　letters。　He　found　the　one　that　Roke　had　received　from　the　New　Orleans　book　shop。
　　Roke　had　torn　the　letter　in　two　pieces。　Lence　held　the　portions　before　the　desk　lights。　He　chuckled　as　he　noted　the　thickness　of　the　paper。　Moistening　thumb　and　forefinger；　he　began　a　peeling　process。　The　thick　paper　came　apart　in　two　portions。　Lence　laid　the　rear　sheets　upon　the　desk。
　　Leaving　the　living　room；　he　returned　with