Ashton-Kirk, Criminologist

by John Thomas McIntyre

  CHAPTER X

  THROUGH THE WINDOW

  For a moment Bat Scanlon stood as one petrified; there was Nora,beautiful Nora Cavanaugh, the yellow light in the meshes of the gloriousbronze hair, the splendid figure held tense and quivering, the revolverin her hand and her face turned toward the two men. Then he exhaled along breath, and wiped the drops of perspiration from his face.

  "It's Nora, all right," he whispered. "It's Nora! But what in the nameof the seven staggering Siwashes is she doing here? What does she----?"he paused abruptly, his eyes still upon her. With the revolver heldtight she crept stealthily toward Big Slim and the Swiss. The breathdrew hard in Bat's throat as he proceeded. "But why bother to ask whatshe's doing? If I ever saw a person's meaning spelled out in full by theactions, here is the time. Those two guys at the table have only anothersecond or two, and then they are due for the surprise of their lives."

  But just when it seemed as though the girl could reach out her hand andtouch either of the two, she stopped. To Bat's surprise she sank downupon her knees, turned her head sideways, and was motionless.

  "What's that?" demanded Bat, whisperingly, his eyes wide open. "What'sshe doing?"

  But even while the words were still in his mouth he sensed the meaningof the thing; shifting his position to the other window he saw that theilluminated windows below belonged to different rooms; there was a wallbetween Nora and the two men, and it was at this she was kneeling, oneear held to it, listening.

  "Ah!" said Bat. "That's it, eh? Good! Things are not to go off with theexcited bang I expected. I'll have at least a couple of minutes to getmyself in hand."

  His first thought was of the big Colt which hung under his arm; a touchassured him that it was still there and free. His next was as to the layof the land; to reach the main floor was simple enough; but how to getto the rooms in which were Nora and the two men was another matter. Ashe weighed the situation anxiously, an idea occurred to him. Whilelooking along the hall a while before he had seen a small red lightburning.

  "Why, of course," he said. "A fire-escape. Just the thing. It's sure tolead down into this courtyard; and from there it's only a step and asmash, and I'm in and asking them about this little matter."

  Quietly he opened the door and stepped into the hall. The red lightburned over a window some dozen feet away; he lifted the sash and in amoment was out upon the platform. Below, all was darkness, save for thelight which came from the two windows he had been watching; and downinto this shadowy gulf went Bat with careful steps.

  The courtyard was paved with the uneven stones of another day, andgingerly Bat picked his way across it toward the light. This was thrownout in two wide shafts, which met and merged in the first dozen feet oftheir projection.

  "I must hang around on the edge," Bat reflected. "If I dip into thelight they'll see me before I'm ready to have them do so."

  Craftily he approached the window through which he had seen Nora, andlooked in. She was still there, but was now erect, talking with some onewhom Bat could not see. She stood with her back to the window, her handsbehind her; the revolver was still held in one of them, and while shewas in this position, she placed it upon the stand.

  "Clever work," said Bat, as he watched and saw the manoeuvresuccessfully accomplished. "Disarming in the face of the enemy, and thesaid enemy never the wiser. But I wonder why the armament is not nownecessary, and was so much so five minutes ago?"

  He shifted a little, taking a chance of being seen in the streamingwindow lights. The person to whom Nora was talking was Big Slim. Theburglar leaned upon the tall back of a chair with his elbows; his handspropped his chin, and he was steadfastly watching the girl and listeningto what she said. And the Nora whom Bat now saw was greatly changed fromthe cautiously moving, fearfully listening creature of only a littlewhile before.

  "She's laughing," said Scanlon, amazed. "Laughing!"

  She was; with her splendid head thrown back, her teeth shining white asmilk. And then, as she spoke to the lank desperado before her, therewere little ripples of amusement in her face; her hands gestured asthough in mockery. But all this won no reflection in the cadaverous maskof the burglar; his shifty, green-colored eyes were as hard as stone,and as pitiless. He changed his position and began to speak; hisutterances seemed slow and emotionless. His whole manner was ofdisbelief; time and again he seemed to strike at the same point; and Batfinally realized that he was charging the girl with something. But shestood before him, the look of amusement still in her face, herbeautiful teeth gleaming when she laughed.

  Finally with a sweep of his hand, Big Slim overset the chair, and withrigid anger in his hollow face moved toward her. The big Colt left itsholster and appeared in Scanlon's hand. In the lanky gentleman's careeras a housebreaker he had, doubtless, had many narrow shaves; but neverhad he stood so close to death as he did at that moment. And it was thegirl who saved him.

  With a gesture of amused contempt, she waved him back; turning, she tooka wrap from a chair and threw it about her. Then with anothermotion--one of command--she stood facing him.

  "She's telling him to open the door," said Bat "And," amazedly, "byGeorge, he's doing it!"

  For the tall figure of Big Slim disappeared into a part of the roomoutside Bat's vision. And now for the first time since he had seen hershadow crossing the wall, Nora Cavanaugh hesitated. For a flashinginstant the watcher got a full view of her face as it was held away fromthe burglar. The laughter was gone; in its place was fear--pale, dumbfear; the hands which fumbled with the wrap were purposeless, with nodirection. And then she, too, disappeared out of the range of thewatcher's vision.

  Disregarding all thought of possible detection, Scanlon now approachedthe window in the full glare of the light. He saw a door in the roomstanding open, and through this Nora was passing. Then the burglarpulled it shut and the place was a blank. Bat considered for only aninstant as to what was best to do. His strong fingers gripped at thesash, and to his satisfaction and gratification it slid upward; with apull he had lifted his heavy body upon the sill and was in the room. Hissteps were soft and long as he moved toward the door through which thetwo had just gone; his hand was reaching out for the knob when he saw itturning slowly. He shrank away intuitively, and against the wall, whilethe door opened with him behind it. He heard a hesitating sort ofbreathing, and then a step within the room. Around the edge of the doorBat could see the gas branch as it projected from the wall; a handappeared and turned off the light, then the footsteps sounded once more,leaving the room, and the door closed as softly as it had opened.

  Bat waited for a few moments, and then, under his hand, the door opened,and he looked out. There was a short and rather wide hall, and at thefar end was a door which instantly suggested itself as the one leadingto the street. And that was not all. At the door, holding it open aboutan inch, was old Bohlmier, and he was furtively peering out.

  "He was the party who turned off the light," said Bat, as he drew thedoor to and stood waiting.

  In a little while there was a faint click which told that the streetdoor had been closed; then Bat heard the old Swiss enter the roomadjoining--the one in which the athlete had seen him from above. Withcareful steps Scanlon went down the short hall, and slipped back thelock. Peering out he saw a narrow street, and a taxi standing at thecurb. In this was Nora Cavanaugh, and beside it stood Big Slim. Scanlonsaw Nora perfectly, for the street light shone full upon her; once moreshe was smiling, once more her head was thrown back in amusement. Theattitude of the burglar was threatening, his big bony hands clutched thedoor frame of the cab, and his shoulders were rounded doggedly.

  "Laugh!" Bat heard him say, "laugh all you like. But as long as you dothe rest of it, I don't care. So, get busy, and I'll be waiting to hearfrom you."

  With this he stepped back and the girl signaled the driver. The cabstarted away and Big Slim turned toward the door. Swiftly Bat left it,and was back in the room from which he had entered the hall; droppingquietly out of the window, he crossed t
he courtyard and scaled thefire-escape. Then, once more in his own room, he sat upon the edge ofthe bed.

  "Well," said he, "the new one is here. I felt sure it was coming; but,"and he gripped the edge of the iron cot hard, "I never expected it to beanything like this."