登陆注册
5189800000031

第31章

"Dear Philanthropic Crook," it began--and then followed two closely written pages.Jimmie Dale read them, his lips growing gradually tighter, a smouldering light creeping into his dark eyes, and once he emitted a short, low whistle of consternation--that was at the end, as he read the post-script that was heavily underscored: "Work quickly.They will raid to-night.Be careful.Look out for Kline, he is the sharpest man in the United States secret service."For a brief instant longer, Jimmie Dale stood under the street lamp, his mind in a lightning-quick way cataloguing every point in her letter, viewing every point from a myriad angles, constructing, devising, mapping out a plan to dove-tail into them--and then Jimmie Dale swung on a downtown bus.There was neither time nor occasion to go home now--that marvellous little kit of burglar's tools that peeped from their tiny pockets in that curious leather undervest, and that reposed now in the safe in his den, would be useless to him to-night; besides, in the breast pocket of his coat, neatly folded, was a black silk mask, and, relics of his role of Larry the Bat, an automatic revolver, an electric flashlight, a steel jimmy, and a bunch of skeleton keys, were distributed among the other pockets of his smart tweed suit.

Jimmie Dale changed from the bus to the subway, leaving behind him, strewn over many blocks, the tiny and minute fragments into which he had torn her letter; at Astor Place he left the subway, walked to Broadway, turned uptown for a block to Eighth Street, then along Eighth Street almost to Sixth Avenue--and stopped.

A rather shabby shop, a pitiful sort of a place, displaying in its window a heterogeneous conglomeration of cheap odds and ends, ink bottles, candy, pencils, cigarettes, pens, toys, writing pads, marbles, and a multitude of other small wares, confronted him.

Within, a little, old, sweet-faced, gray-haired woman stood behind the counter, pottering over the rearrangement of some articles on the shelves.

"My word!" said Jimmie Dale softly to himself."You wouldn't believe it, would you! And I've always wondered how these little stores managed to make both ends meet.Think of that old soul making fifteen or twenty thousand dollars from a layout like this--even if it has taken her a lifetime!"

Jimmie Dale had halted nonchalantly and unconcernedly by the curb, not too near the window, busied apparently in an effort to light a refractory cigarette; and then, about to enter the store, he gazed aimlessly across the street for a moment instead.A man came briskly around the corner from Sixth Avenue, opened the store door, and went in.

Jimmie Dale drew back a little, and turned his head again as the door closed--and a sudden, quick, alert, and startled look spread over his face.

The man who had entered bent over the counter and spoke to the old lady.She seemed to listen with a dawning terror creeping over her features, and then her hands went piteously to the thin hair behind her ears.The man motioned toward a door at the rear of the store.

She hesitated, then came out from behind the counter, and swayed a little as though her limbs would not support her weight.

Jimmie Dale's lips thinned.

"I'm afraid," he muttered slowly, "I'm afraid that I'm too late even now." And then, as she came to the door and turned the key on the inside: "Pray Heaven she doesn't turn the light out--or somebody might think I was trying to break in!"But in that respect Jimmie Dale's fears were groundless.She did not turn out either of the gas jets that lighted the little shop;instead, in a faltering, reluctant sort of manner, she led the way directly through the door in the rear, and the man followed her.

The shop was empty--and Jimmie Dale was standing against the door on the outside.His position was perfectly natural--a hundred passers-by would have noted nothing but a most commonplace occurrence--a man in the act of entering a store.And, if he appeared to fumble and have trouble with the latch, what of it! Jimmie Dale, however, was not fumbling--hidden by his back that was turned to the street, those wonderful fingers of his, in whose tips seemed embodied and concentrated every one of the human senses, were working quickly, surely, accurately, without so much as the wasted movement of a single muscle.

A faint tinkle--and the key within fell from the lock to the floor.

A faint click--and the bolt of the lock slipped back.Jimmie Dale restored the skeleton keys and a little steel instrument that accompanied them to his pocket--and quietly opened the door.He stepped inside, picked up the key from the floor, inserted it in the lock, closed the door behind him, and locked it again.

"To guard against interruption," observed Jimmie Dale, a little quizzically.

He was, perhaps, thirty seconds behind the others.He crossed the shop noiselessly, cautiously, and passed through the door at the rear.It opened into a short passage that, after a few feet, gave on a sort of corridor at right angles--and down this latter, facing him, at the end, the door of a lighted room was open, and he could see the figure of the man who had entered the shop, back turned, standing on the threshold.Voices, indistinct, came to him.

The corridor itself was dark; and Jimmie Dale, satisfied that he was fairly safe from observation, stole softly forward.He passed two doors on his left--and the curious arrangement of the building that had puzzled him for a moment became clear.The store made the front of an old tenement building, with apartments above, and the rear of the store was a sort of apartment, too--the old lady's living quarters.

Step by step, testing each one against a possible creaking of the floor, Jimmie Dale moved forward, keeping close up against one wall.

同类推荐
  • GREAT EXPECTATIONS

    GREAT EXPECTATIONS

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 最上乘论

    最上乘论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上清丹元玉真帝皇飞仙上经

    上清丹元玉真帝皇飞仙上经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 破迷正道歌

    破迷正道歌

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上洞玄灵宝三元品戒功德轻重经

    太上洞玄灵宝三元品戒功德轻重经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 中国当代文学经典必读·2014短篇小说卷

    中国当代文学经典必读·2014短篇小说卷

    本书收录的作品包括:《传染记》、《女人和狐狸的一个上午》、《我们的塔希提》、《父亲的后视镜》、《红山羊》、《大师》等。
  • 陌百川之天道系统

    陌百川之天道系统

    陌百川在地球是一个废物,请看陌百川在得到系统的帮助下,如何成为一代仙界巨擘,各位道友请看《陌百川之天道系统》!!!
  • 六六大顺

    六六大顺

    六年了,这六年来,牧学谦身边的人谁不知道元秋水?可是也谁都知道他牧学谦不爱元秋水。她从十八岁起就跟着他跑,跌跌撞撞。这六年追逐,再多的热情也经不起一次次被冷却。是不是就这样了?六年的付出,终究是一场空罢了……元秋水:牧学谦,既然你不爱我,为何不放我自由?牧学谦:谁说我不爱你!
  • 融堂四书管见

    融堂四书管见

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 一不小心三十岁·女人版

    一不小心三十岁·女人版

    30岁,对一个人来说,是生命的一个阶段性的总结。对于女人来说。30岁是一种结束也是一种开始。结束的是少女时代那些蓬勃的稚气与梦想,开始的是成熟女人那些清楚的理想和追求。30岁的女人,经历岁月的洗礼,抛却了小女孩的矫纵任性。举手投足间给人的感觉不仅仅是心动,更多的是一种味道。一种风情。一种气质,一种修养,一种妖娆。
  • 尸王蜕变

    尸王蜕变

    毫无征兆的起源,被感染后逐步的蜕变,却是发现了一层层的野心与阴谋,谁才应该被信任,末世中泯灭的人性到底属于谁?双臂化作利刃,病毒在体内变异,在我身上的原来是尸王的宿命。。(本文主角能力仿照虐杀原型)
  • 安妮的异世冒险

    安妮的异世冒险

    中西混血儿安妮穿越到了剑与魔法的葛森大陆,作为穿越人士,金手指必不可少,运气也是必不可少的。空难了,没死,幸运穿越了,但,掉落在魔兽森林,性命堪忧。活着离开魔兽森林,LUCK!但,因国籍而被学校拒收,且欠下佣兵债务,还有比她更悲催的穿越人士吗?带着打折的金手指,安妮开始了她在葛森大陆的冒险。生活,你敢再激情点吗?
  • 至尊武帝

    至尊武帝

    我有一剑可灭苍天,我有一刀可断轮回,我有一眼洞穿幽冥,我若成仙,则天地无仙,我若为魔,则天地无魔。
  • 一本书读懂顾客心理学

    一本书读懂顾客心理学

    “成功的推销员一定是一个伟大的心理学家。”这是销售行业的一句名言。实际上,每次销售人员从一开始找到一个客户直到完成交易,他所需要的不仅仅是细致的安排和周密的计划,更需要和顾客进行心理上的交战,所以从这个角度看销售人员也必须要懂得一定的顾客心理才能更好地完成自己的工作。
  • 异世医仙

    异世医仙

    最强修真者,被数以千计修真者围攻,最终转世异世。对方云来说,没有治不好的病,只要你能付出相应的代价。他炼制出来的丹药可以垄断整个漠北,他炼制的低级法宝更是被奉为神器。大魔法师向他请教魔法阵,炼金师向他请教炼器,炼药师向他请教炼丹,就连异兽,都向他请教如何百炼成妖。————新书《移动藏经阁》