cw.imarriedadeadman-第30部分

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　Suddenly　he'd　thrust　it　into　the　side…pocket　of　his　coat；　as　though　it　were　no　longer　important；　as　though　it　were　a　past　detail；　as　though　there　were　things　of　far　greater　moment　to　be　attended　to　now。　He　buttoned　his　coat　determinedly；　strode　back　to　her；　his　movements　had　a　sort　of　lithe　intensity　to　them　now　that　they'd　lacked　before。
　An　impetus；　a　drive。
　He　swept　a　sheltering　arm　around　her　again。　（That　sanctuary　that　she'd　been　trying　to　find　all　her　life　long。　And　only　had　now；　too　late。）　But　this　time　in　hurried　propulsion　toward　the　door；　and　not　just　in　support　〃Get　out　of　here；　quick；〃　he　ordered　grimly。　〃Get　down　to　the　street　again　fast　as　you　can。〃
　He　was　pulling　her　along；　hurrying　her　with　him；　within　the　curve　of　his　protective　arm。　〃e　on。　You　can't　be　found　here。　You　must　have　been　out　of　your　mind　to　e　here　like　this！〃
　〃I　was；〃　she　sobbed。　〃I　am。〃
　She　was　struggling　against　him　a　little　now；　trying　to　keep　herself　from　the　door。　She　pried　herself　away　from　him　suddenly；　and　stood　back；　facing　him。　Her　hands　kept　rebuffing　his　arms　each　time　they　tried　to　reclaim　her。
　〃No；　wait　There's　something　you've　got　to　hear　first　Something　you've　got　to　know。　I　tried　to　keep　you　out；　but　now　you're　in　here　with　me。　I've　e　this　far；　I　won't　go　any　further。〃　And　then　she　added；　〃The　way　I　was。〃
　He　reached　out　and　shook　her　violently；　in　his　exasperation。　As　if　to　get　some　sense　into　her。　〃Not　now！　Can't　you　understand？　There's　a　man　dead　in　the　next　room。　Don't　you　know　what　it　means　if　you're　found　here？　Any　minute　somebody's　apt　to　stick　his　head　into　this　place…〃
　〃Oh；　you　fool；〃　she　cried　out　to　him　piteously。　〃You're　the　one　who　doesn't　understand。　The　damage　has　been　done　already。　Can't　you　see　that？　I　have　been　found　here！〃　And　she　murmured　halfaudibly；　〃By　the　only　one　who　matters　to　me。　What's　there　to　run　away　and　hide　from　now？〃　She　brushed　the　back　of　her　hand　wearily　across　her　eyes。　〃Let　them　e。　Bring　them　on　now。〃
　〃If　you　won't　think　of　yourself；〃　he　urged　her　savagely；　〃think　of　Mother。　I　thought　you　loved　her；　I　thought　she　meant　something　to　you。　Don't　you　know　what　a　thing　like　this　will　do　to　her？　What　are　you　trying　to　do；　kill　her？〃
　〃Somebody　used　that　argument　before；〃　she　told　him　vaguely。　〃I　can't　remember　who　it　was；　or　where　it　was。〃
　He'd　opened　the　door　cautiously　and　looked　out。　Narrowed　it　again；　came　back　to　her。　〃No　sign　of　anyone。　I　can't　understand　how　that　shot　wasn't　heard。　I　don't　think　these　adjoining　rooms　are　occupied。〃
　She　wouldn't　budge。　〃No；　this　is　the　time；　and　this　is　the　place。　I've　waited　too　long　to　tell　you。　I　won't　go　a　step　further；　I　won't　cross　that　door…sill…〃
　He　clenched　his　jaw。　〃I'll　pick　you　up　and　carry　you　out　of　here　bodily；　if　I　have　to！　Are　you　going　to　listen　to　me？　Are　you　going　to　e　to　your　senses？〃
　〃Bill；　I'm　not　entitled　to　your　protection。　I'm　not…〃
　His　hand　suddenly　clamped　itself　to　her　mouth；　sealing　it　He　heaved　her　clear　of　the　floor；　held　her　cradled　in　his　arms。　Her　eyes　strained　upward　at　him　in　muted　helplessness；　above　his　restraining　hand。
　Then　they　dropped　closed。　She　didn't　struggle　against　him。
　He　carried　her　that　way　out　the　door；　and　along　the　hall；　and　down　those　stairs　she'd　climbed　so　differently　a　little　while　ago。　Just　within　the　street…entrance　he　set　her　down　upon　her　feet　again。
　〃Stand　here　a　minute；　while　I　look　out〃　He　could　tell　by　her　passiveness　now　that　her　recalcitrance　had　ended。
　He　withdrew　his　head。　〃No　one　out　there。　You　left　the　car　around　the　corner；　didn't　you？〃　She　didn't　have　time　to　wonder　how　he　knew　that。　〃Walk　along　close　to　me；　I'm　going　to　take　you　back　to　it。〃
　She　took　his　arm　within　a　doublecoil　of　her　own　two；　and　clinging　to　him　like　that；　they　came　out　unobtrusively　and　hurried　along　together　close　in　beside　the　building…front；　where　the　shadow　was　deepest。
　It　seemed　a　long　distance。　No　one　saw　them；　better　still；　no　one　was　there　to　see　them。　Once　a　cat　scurried　out　of　a　basement…vent　up　ahead　of　them。　She　crushed　herself　tighter　against　him　for　a　moment；　but　no　sound　escaped　her。　They　went　on；　after　the　brief　recoil。
　They　rounded　the　corner；　and　the　car　was　there；　only　its　own　length　back　away　from　the　corner。
　They　crossed　on　a　swift　diagonal　to　it；　and　he　unlatched　the　door　for　her　and　armed　her　in。　Then　suddenly　the　door　was　closed　again；　between　them；　and　he'd　stayed　on　the　outside。
　〃Here　are　the　keys。　Now　take　it　home　and…〃
　〃No；〃　she　whispered　fiercely。　〃No！　Not　without　you！　Where　are　you　going？　What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃Don't　you　understand？　I'm　trying　to　keep　you　out　of　it　I'm　going　back　up　there　again。　I　have　to。　To　make　sure　there's　nothing　there　linking　you。　You've　got　to　help　me。　Patrice；　what　was　he　doing　to　you？　I　don't　want　to　know　why；　there　isn't　time　for　that　now；　I　only　want　to　know　what。〃
　〃Money；〃　she　said　laconically。
　She　saw　his　clenched　hand　tighten　on　the　rim　of　the　door；　until　it　seemed　to　be　trying　to　cave　it　in。　〃How'd　you　give　it　to　him；　cash　or　check？〃
　〃A　check；〃　she　said　fearfully。　〃Only　once；　about　a　month　ago。〃
　He　was　speaking　more　tautly　now。　〃You　destroyed　it　when　it　came　back；　of　c…？〃
　〃I　never　got　it　back。　He　purposely　kept　it　out。　He　must　still　have　it　someplace。〃
　She　could　tell　by　the　way　he　stiffened　and　slowly　breathed　in；　he　was　more　frightened　by　that　than　he　had　been　by　anything　else　she　had　told　him　so　far。　〃My　God；〃　he　said　batedly。　〃I've　got　to　get　that　back；　if　it　takes　all　night。〃　He　lowered　his　head　again；　leaned　it　in　toward　her。　〃What　else？　Any　letters？〃
　〃None。　I　never　wrote　him　a　line　in　my　life。　There's　a　five…dollar　bill　lying　in　there；　by　him；　but　I　don't　want　it。〃
　〃I'd　better　pick　it　up　anyway。　Nothing　else？　You're　sure？　Now；　think；　Patrice。　Think　hard。〃
　〃Wait；　that　night　at　the　dance…he　seemed　to　have　my　telephone　number。　Ours。　Jotted　down　in　a　little　black　notebook　he　carries　around　with　him。〃　She　hesitated。　〃And　one　other　thing。〃
　〃What？　Don't　be　afraid；　tell　me。　What？〃
　〃Bill…he　made　me　marry　him　tonight　Out　at　Hastings。〃
　This　time　he　brought　his　hand　up；　let　it　pound　back　on　the　door…rim　like　a　mallet　〃I'm　glad　he's…〃　he　said　balefully。　He　didn't　finish　it。　〃Did　you　sign　your　own　name？〃
　〃The　family's。　I　had　to。　That　was　the　whole　purpose　of　it　The　justice　is　mailing　the　certificate　in　to　him；　here　at　this　address；　in　a　day　or　two。〃
　〃There's　still　time　enough　to　take　care　of　that；　then。　I　can　drive　out　tomorrow　and　scotch　it　out　there；　at　that　end。　Money　works　wonders。〃
　Suddenly　he　seemed　to　have　made　up　his　mind　what　he　intended　doing。　〃Go　home；　Patrice；〃　he　ordered。　〃Go　back　to　the　house；　Patrice。〃
　She　clung　fearfully　to　his　arm。　〃No…　What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　〃I'm　going　back　up　there。　I　have　to。〃
　She　tried　to　hold　him　back。　〃No！　Bill；　no！　Someone　may　e　along。　They'll　find　you　there。　Bill；〃　she　pleaded；　〃for　me…don't　go　back　up　there　again。〃
　〃Don't　you　understand；　Patrice？　Your　name　has　to　stay　out　of　it　There's　a　man　lying　dead　upstairs　in　that　room。　They　mustn't　find　anything　linking　you　to　him。　You　never　knew　him；　you　never　saw　him。　I　have　to　get　hold　of　those　things…that　check；　that　notebook。　I　have　to　get　rid　of　them。　Better　still；　if　I　could　only　move　him　out　of　there；　leave　him　somewhere　else；　at　a　distance　from　here；　he　mightn't　be　identified　so　readily。　He　might　never　be　identified　at　all。　He's　not　from　town　here；　there　isn't　anybody　likely　to　inquire　in　case'　of　his　sudden　disappearance。　He　came　and　he　went　again；　bird　of　passage。　If　he's　found　in　the　room　there；　it'll　be　at　once　established　who　he　is；　and　then　that'll　bring　out　of　lot　of　other　things。〃
　She　saw　him　glance　speculatively　along　the　length　of　the　car；　as　if　measuring　its　possibilities　as　a　casket。
　〃I'll　help　you；　Bill；〃　she　said　with　sudden　decision。　〃I'll　help　you…do　whatever　you　want　to　do。〃　And　then；　as　he　looked　at　her　dubiously；　〃Let　me；　Bill。　Let　me。　It's　a　small　way　of…making　amends　for　being　the　cause　of　the　whole　problem。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　can't　do　it　without　the　car；　anyway。　I　need　that〃　He　crowded　in　beside　her。　〃Give　me　the　wheel　a　minute。　I'll　show　you　what　I　want　you　to　do。〃
　He　drove　the　car　only　a　yard　or　two　forward；　stopped　it　again。　It　now　stood　so　that　only　the　hood　projected　beyond　the　corner　buildingline；　the　rest　of　it　still　remained　sheltered　behind　that。　The　driver's　seat　was　exactly　aligned　with　the　row　of　store…fronts　around　the　turn。
　〃Look　down　that　way；　from　where　you　sit；〃　he　instructed　her。　〃Can　you　see　that　particular　doorway　from　here？〃
　〃No。　I　can　see　about　where　it　is；　though。〃
　〃That's　what　I　mean。　I'll　stand　in　it；　light　up　a　cigarette。　When　you　see　that；　bring　the　car　on　around　in　front　of　it　Until　then；　stay　back　here　where　you　are。　If　you　see　anything　else；　if　you　see　something　go　wrong；　don't　stay　here。　Drive　straight　out　and　away；　without　making　the　turn。　Drive　for　home。〃
　〃No；〃　she　thought　stubbornly；　〃no；　I　won't。　I　won't　run　off　and　leave　you　here。〃　But　she　didn't　tell　him　so。
　He'd　gotten　out　again；　was　standing　there　facing　her；　looking　cautiously　around　on　all　sides　of　them；　without　turning　his　head　too　much；　just　holding　his　body　still；　glancing　over　his　shoulders；　firs