登陆注册
5189800000053

第53章

Screeching profanity, the Wowzer grappled; and, for an instant, the two men rocked, reeled, and swayed in each other's embrace; then, both men losing their balance, they shot suddenly backward, the Wowzer, undermost, striking his head against the table's edge--and men, table, and lamp crashed downward in a heap to the floor.

It had been no more, at most, than a matter of seconds since Jimmie Dale had hurled himself into the room; and now, with a gurgling sigh, the Wowzer's arms, that had been wound around Jimmie Dale's back and shoulders, relaxed, and, from the blow on his head the man, lay back inert and stunned.And then it seemed to Jimmie Dale as though pandemonium, unreality, and chaos at the touch of some devil's hand reigned around him.It was dark--no, not dark--a spurt of flame was leaping along the line of trickling oil from the broken lamp on the floor.It threw into ghastly relief the sprawled form of Dago Jim.Outside, from along the passageway, came a confused jangle of commotion--whispering voices, shuffling feet, the swish of Chinese garments.And the room itself began to spring into weird, flickering shadows, that mounted and crept up the walls with the spreading fire.

There was not a second to lose before the room would be swarming with that rush from the passageway--and there was still the letter, the pocketbook! The table had fallen half over Dago Jim--Jimmie Dale pushed it aside, tore the crushed letter and the pocketbook from the man's hands--and felt, with a grim, horrible sort of anxiety, for the other's heartbeat, for the verdict that meant life or death to himself.There was no sign of life--the man was dead.

Jimmie Dale was on his feet now.A face, another, and another showed in the doorway--the Wowzer was regaining his senses, stumbling to his knees.There was one chance--just one--to take those crowding figures by surprise.And with a yell of "Fire!"Jimmie Dale sprang for the doorway.

They gave way before his rush, tumbling back in their surprise against the opposite wall; and, turning, Jimmie Dale raced down the passageway.Doors were opening everywhere now, forms were pushing out into the semi-darkness--only to duck hastily back again, as Jimmie Dale's automatic barked and spat a running fire of warning ahead of him.And then, behind, the Wowzer's voice shrieked out:

"Soak him! Kill de guy! He's croaked Dago Jim! Put a hole in him, de--"Yells, a chorus of them, took up the refrain--then the rush of following feet--and the passageway seemed to racket as though a Gatling gun were in play with the fusillade of revolver shots.But Jimmie Dale was at the opening now--and, like a base runner plunging for the bag, he flung himself in a low dive through and into the open cellar beyond.He was on his feet, over the boxes, and dashing up the stairs in a second.The door above opened as he reached the top--Jimmie Dale's right hand shot out with clubbed revolver--and with a grunt Chang Foo went down before the blow and the headlong rush.The next instant Jimmie Dale had sprung through the tea shop and was out on the street.

A minute, two minutes more, and Chinatown would be in an uproar--Chang Foo would see to that--and the Wowzer would prod him on.The danger was far from over yet.And then, as he ran, Jimmie Dale gave a little gasp of relief.Just ahead, drawn up at the curb, stood a taxicab--waiting, probably, for a private slumming party.Jimmie Dale put on a spurt, reached it, and wrenched the door open.

"Quick!" he flung at the startled chauffeur."The nearest subway station--there's a ten-spot in it for you! Quick man--QUICK! Here they come!"A crowd of Chinese, pouring like angry hornets from Chang Foo's shop, came yelling down the street--and the taxi took the corner on two wheels--and Jimmie Dale, panting, choking for his breath like a man spent, sank back against the cushions.

But five minutes later it was quite another Jimmie Dale, composed, nonchalant, imperturbable, who entered an up-town subway train, and, choosing a seat alone near the centre of the car, which at that hour of night in the downtown district was almost deserted, took the crushed letter from his pocket.For a moment he made no attempt to read it, his dark eyes, now that he was free from observation, full of troubled retrospect, fixed on the window at his side.It was not a pleasant thought that it had cost a man his life, nor yet that that life was also the price of his own freedom.True, if there were two men in the city of New York whose crimes merited neither sympathy nor mercy, those two men were the Wowzer and Dago Jim--but yet, after all, it was a human life, and, even if his own had been in the balance, thank God it had been through no act of his that Dago Jim had gone out! The Wowzer, cute and cunning, had been quick enough to say so to clear himself, but--Jimmie Dale smiled a little now--neither the Wowzer, nor Chang Foo, nor Chinatown would ever be in a position to recognise their uninvited guest!

Jimmie Dale's eyes shifted to the letter speculatively, gravely.It seemed as though the night had already held a year of happenings, and the night was not over yet--there was the letter! It had already cost one life; was it to cost another--or what?

It began as it always did.He read it through once, in amazement; a second time, with a flush of bitter anger creeping to his cheeks;and a third time, curiously memorising, as it were, snatches of it here and there.

"DEAR PHILANTHROPIC CROOK: Robbery of Hudson-Mercantile National Bank--trusted employee is ex-convict, bad police record, served term in Sing Sing three years ago--known to police as Bookkeeper Bob, real name is Robert Moyne, lives at ---- Street, Harlem--Inspector Burton and Lannigan of headquarters trailing him now--robbery not yet made public--"There was a great deal more--four sheets of closely written data.

同类推荐
  • 琳法师别传

    琳法师别传

    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。
  • 季秋纪

    季秋纪

    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。
  • 佛说大孔雀王杂神咒经

    佛说大孔雀王杂神咒经

    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。
  • 蒙求集注

    蒙求集注

    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。
  • 原善

    原善

    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
  • 吉祥起名一本通

    吉祥起名一本通

    本书内容包括:起名:人生事儿;人与姓名,一生相伴;姓名命理与人生福运;好名伴一生,福运益终身;起名文化与风俗演变;起名方法微言大义,各有千秋等。
  • 颐养补益门

    颐养补益门

    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。
  • 凉性热性

    凉性热性

    一本描写人生百态的故事集,涉及社会各个社会阶层,带来读者一种心灵体验,引发对生活的思考。
  • 大方广三戒经

    大方广三戒经

    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。
  • 重生皇后很嚣张

    重生皇后很嚣张

    前世的云拂晓作为盛宠的贵妃,温柔娴淑,对上皇后恭顺贤良,对下各嫔妃照顾有加。奈何她的隐忍和贤德,并不能让她活的长久。前一刻还姐妹情深,下一刻却至她于死地。人死过一次了,才知道身边有不少贱人,特别是在后宫!重回及笄之年,再次入宫!这一世,她要宠冠后宫、一枝独秀!且看凶残狂霸拽的宠妃逆袭之路。PS:轻风的书友扣扣群:192325793,支持轻风的亲们可以加书友群交流哦!么么哒!
  • 盛世庶妃

    盛世庶妃

    她本是侯府痴呆傻笨庶出二小姐,不想成为侯爷棋子,新婚之夜被嫡姐一杯毒酒了断性命,她发誓若有来生,必定报这深仇大恨。一朝重生,侯府傻女离去,侯府恶女归来,面对嫡母巧计陷害,狠心送她上黄泉奈我何?针对嫡姐貌美如花,毁她月下花容又如何对付庶妹陷害,直接乱棍打死丢入死人堆!既然不想让她过好日子,谁也别想有好日子过!华丽蜕变,直面悬崖绝境的人生本以为这辈子平静渡过不想总有那些不想她安生的人既然是注定的宿命,那就搅它一个翻天覆地又如何?蓦然回首,却发现总有一个人在灯火阑珊处!既然逃不过,何不携手一起笑傲天下!
  • Catriona

    Catriona

    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。
  • 蓝玲遗书

    蓝玲遗书

    书友群:789370418有兴趣者加。当英雄打败了毁灭世界的大魔王,大家都在欢呼时,只有我默默的想魔王为什么要毁灭世界呢?直到我成为了那个要毁灭世界的魔王,我才终于知道了答案。
  • 购物指南(现代生活百科)

    购物指南(现代生活百科)

    以最少的付出换取最大的“效用”,这是花钱购物的最高经济原则。花钱购物应该有一定的计划性。每个家庭都应该有远期、中期、近期的打算,先拟好支出项目,编订预算。在编定预算时,应量入为出,只能开支已有或确有把握的收入,而且应留有余地。要反复地考虑,妥当安排吃、穿、住、用、赡养、教育、文娱、交往、储蓄等生活费用的比例,对全家共同需求和个别需要作统筹安排。从安排次序讲,一般要首先保证全家的吃住,保证尽到赡养之资,保证子女的教育费用,安排好婚嫁事宜,然后才是娱乐、发展费用。从安排重点讲,穿的多想到青年,尤其是女孩;吃的方面多想到幼童和老年年人,当然,中年夫妻也不能太“苦”了自己。
  • 蛇蝎寡妇

    蛇蝎寡妇

    前世的她被未婚夫背叛,伤心之下穿越到另一个女子身上,而且还是一个寡妇的身上自己相公死在青楼女子的身上不说,自己更是怀着身孕。她本来想要安生度世,却发现自己不光不被祖母喜欢,更是被那几个姨娘看不起,被小姑子嘲笑,甚至连丫鬟都可以踩到自己头上作威作福。不光少吃短喝,更是被父亲扶正的姨娘夫人百般欺压,被人陷害肚子里的孩子。更被管家差点凌辱。由此她方明白:女人,没有地位,什么都是空想。没有钱财,一切都是幻想。掌嘴丫鬟,教训妹妹。陷害这个姨娘,拿捏那个姨娘的短处,人前笑颜如花,人后百般算计。为坐上当家嫡母的位子而努力。商场上,她腹黑狡诈。家里,她步步为营,当家人的位置被她捏在手中。声名鹊起的同时,风流,水性杨花,口腹蜜剑,心如蛇蝎的词语也伴随着她而来。被人背叛的她觉得爱情神马的都不如钱财还有地位来得重要,可是那个冷酷如冰山的男人是怎么回事?第一次,俩人在青楼为一个美人而言辞激烈,而她以微弱优势而取胜;第二次,她装弱抛洒眼泪让商场的对手名誉扫地,然后就看到不远处一双似笑非笑的眸子看着这一切,而她只是张了张嘴,翻了个白眼无声道:“关你毛事?”第一次是偶然,第二次是巧合,那么第三次,第四次,直到无数次之后,那么偶然也成了必然,巧合就成了成心。于是乎就有了下面这对话:他说:“本世子看上你这女人了!”她点了点头,波澜不惊的道:“哦!”然后就听到对面的人有些咬牙道:“我说,我看上你了!”然后她瞄了他一眼道:“我是个寡妇,还带着一拖油瓶。”他回答道:“没关系,我也成过亲,还带着一儿子。”然后她又道:“我风流成性,水性杨花。”他的身子动了动,然后道:“以后只对我一人风流就好了!”她淡淡一笑,道:“人家说我腹黑狡诈,心如蛇蝎。”他极快的答道:“别人还说我嗜杀成性,冷酷无情呢!”她看了他一眼道:“可是我还克夫呢!”然后就听对面的人低沉笑道:“无事,我命硬,而且克妻!”她翻了白眼道:“所以呢?”就听那人道:“所以,我们两个是绝配!”当她的身世被揭开,一切真相大白之时。似乎只有报复才能抹平她心中的伤痕。也唯有那个男人不顾一切的宠她,爱她,一如既往。如果说复仇给她的是无尽的黑暗,那么爱情,就是是开在黑暗之中一朵永不凋谢的生命之花。本文宅斗,商斗,各种斗神马的都会有。简介很无能,看文是正道。喜欢的姐妹请收藏。