第27章ARetrievedReformation

第27章aretrievedreformation

aguardcametotheprisonshoe-shop,wherejimmyvalen-tinewasassiduouslystitchinguppers,andescortedhimtothefrontoffice.therethewardenhandedjimmyhispardon,whichhadbeensignedthatmorningbythegovernor.jimmytookitinatiredkindofway.hehadservednearlytenmonthsofafour-yearsentence.hehadexpectedtostayonlyaboutthreemonths,atthelongest.whenamanwithasmanyfriendsontheoutsideasjimmyvalentinehadisreceivedinthe"stir"itishardlyworthwhiletocuthishair.

"now,valentine,"saidthewarden,"you'llgooutinthemorning.braceup,andmakeamanofyourself.you'renotabadfellowatheart.stopcrackingsafes,andlivestraight."

"me?"saidjimmy,insurprise."why,inevercrackedasafeinmylife."

"oh,no,"laughedthewarden."ofcoursenot.let'ssee,now.howwasityouhappenedtogetsentuponthatspringfieldjob?wasitbecauseyouwouldn'tproveanalibiforfearofcompromisingsomebodyinextremelyhigh-tonedsociety?orwasitsimplyacaseofameanoldjurythathaditinforyou?it'salwaysoneortheotherwithyouinnocentvictims."

"me?"saidjimmy,stillblanklyvirtuous."why,warden,ineverwasinspringfieldinmylife!"

"takehimback,cronin!"smiledthewarden,"andfixhimupwithoutgoingclothes.unlockhimatseveninthemorning,andlethimcometothebull-pen.betterthinkovermyadvice,valentine."

ataquarterpastsevenonthenextmorningjimmystoodinthewarden'souteroffice.hehadonasuitofthevillainouslyfitting,readymadeclothesandapairofthestiff,squeakyshoesthatthestatefurnishestoitsdischargedcompulsoryguests.

theclerkhandedhimarailroadticketandthefive-dollarbillwithwhichthelawexpectedhimtorehabilitatehimselfintogoodcitizenshipandprosperity.thewardengavehimacigar,andshookhands.valentine,9762,waschronicledonthebooks,"pardonedbygovernor,"andmr.jamesvalentinewalkedoutintothesunshine.

disregardingthesongofthebirds,thewavinggreentrees,andthesmelloftheflowers,jimmyheadedstraightforarestaurant.therehetastedthefirstsweetjoysoflibertyintheshapeofabroiledchickenandabottleofwhitewine—followedbyacigaragradebetterthantheonethewardenhadgivenhim.fromthereheproceededleisurelytothedepot.hetossedaquarterintothehatofablindmansittingbythedoor,andboardedhistrain.threehourssethimdowninalittletownnearthestateline.hewenttothecafeofonemikedolanandshookhandswithmike,whowasalonebehindthebar.

"sorrywecouldn'tmakeitsooner,jimmy,meboy,"saidmike."butwehadthatprotestfromspringfieldtobuckagainst,andthegovernornearlybalked.feelingallright?"

"fine,"saidjimmy."gotmykey?"

hegothiskeyandwentupstairs,unlockingthedoorofaroomattherear.everythingwasjustashehadleftit.thereonthefloorwasstillbenprice'scollar-buttonthathadbeentornfromthateminentdetective'sshirt-bandwhentheyhadoverpoweredjimmytoarresthim.

pullingoutfromthewallafolding-bed,jimmyslidbackapanelinthewallandedoutadust-coveredsuitcase.heopenedthisandgazedfondlyatthefinestsetofburglar'stoolsintheeast.itwasacompleteset,madeofspeciallytemperedsteel,thelatestdesignsindrills,punches,bracesandbits,jimmies,clamps,andaugers,withtwoorthreenovelties,inventedbyjimmyhimself,inwhichhetookpride.overninehundreddollarstheyhadcosthimtohavemadeat—,aplacewheretheymakesuchthingsfortheprofession.

inhalfanhourjimmywentdownstairsandthroughthecafe.hewasnowdressedintastefulandwell-fittingclothes,andcarriedhisdustedandcleanedsuitcaseinhishand.

"gotanythingon?"askedmikedolan,genially.

"me?"saidjimmy,inapuzzledtone."idon'tunderstand.i'mrepresentingthenewyorkamalgamatedshortsnapbiscuitcrackerandfrazzledwheatcompany."

thisstatementdelightedmiketosuchanextentthatjimmyhadtotakeaseltzer-and-milkonthespot.henevertouched"hard"drinks.

aweekafterthereleaseofvalentine,9762,therewasaneatjobofsafe-burglarydoneinrichmond,indiana,withnocluetotheauthor.ascanteighthundreddollarswasallthatwassecured.twoweeksafterthatapatented,improved,burglar-proofsafeinlogansportwasopenedlikeacheesetothetuneoffifteenhundreddollars,currency;securitiesandsilveruntouched.thatbegantointeresttherogue-catchers.thenanold-fashionedbank-safeinjeffersoncitybecameactiveandthrewoutofitscrateraneruptionofbank-notesamountingtofivethousanddollars.thelosseswerenowhighenoughtobringthematterupintobenprice'sclassofwork.bycomparingnotes,aremarkablesimilarityinthemethodsoftheburglarieswasnoticed.benpriceinvestigatedthescenesoftherobberies,andwasheardtoremark:

"that'sdandyjimvalentine'sautograph.he'sresumedbus-iness.lookatthatcombinationknob—jerkedoutaseasyaspullinguparadishinwetweather.he'sgottheonlyclampsthatcandoit.andlookhowcleanthosetumblerswerepunchedout!jimmyneverhastodrillbutonehole.yes,iguessiwantmr.valentine.he'lldohisbitnexttimewithoutanyshort-timeorclemencyfoolishness."

benpriceknewjimmy'shabits.hehadlearnedthemwhileworkingonthespringfieldcase.longjumps,quickget-aways,noconfederates,andatasteforgoodsociety—thesewayshadhelpedmr.valentinetobecomenotedasaessfiuldodgerofretribution.itwasgivenoutthatbenpricehadtakenupthetrailoftheelusivecracksman,andotherpeoplewithburglar-proofsafesfeltmoreatease.

oneaffernoenjimmyvalentineandhissuitcaseclimbedoutofthemail-hackinelmore,alittletownfivemilesofftherailroaddownintheblack-jackcountryofarkansas.jimmy,lookinglikeanathleticyoungseniorjusthomefromcollege,wentdowntheboardside-walktowardthehotel.

ayoungladycrossedthestreet,passedhimatthecornerandenteredadooroverwhichwasthesign"theelmorebank."jimmyvalentinelookedintohereyes,forgotwhathewas,andbecameanotherman.sheloweredhereyesandcoloredslightly.youngmenofjimmy'sstyleandlookswerescarceinelmore.

jimmycollaredaboythatwasloafingonthestepsofthebankasifhewereoneofthestockholders,andbegantoaskhimquestionsaboutthetown,feedinghimdimesatintervals.byandbytheyoungladycameout,lookingroyallyunconsciousoftheyoungmanwiththesuitcase,andwentherway.

"isn'tthatyoungladymisspollysimpson?"askedjimmy,withspeciousguile.

"naw,"saidtheboy."she'sannabeladams.herpaownsthisbank.what'dyoucometoelmorefor?isthatagoldwatch-chain?i'mgoingtogetabulldog.gotanymoredimes?"

jimmywenttotheplanters'hotel,registeredasralphd.spencer,andengagedaroom,heleanedonthedeskanddeclaredhisplatformtotheclerk.hesaidhehadcometoelmoretolookforalocationtogointobusiness.howwastheshoebusiness,now,inthetown?hehadthoughtoftheshoebusiness.wasthereanopening?

theclerkwasimpressedbytheclothesandmannerofjimmy.he,himself,wassomethingofapatternoffashiontothethinlygildedyouthofelmore,buthenowperceivedhisshortcomings.whiletryingtofigureoutjimmy'smanneroftyinghisfour-in-handhecordiallygaveinformation.

yes,thereoughttobeagoodopeningintheshoeline.therewasn'tanexclusiveshoe-storeintheplace.thedry-goodsandgeneralstoreshandledthem.businessinalllineswasfairlygood.hopedmr.spencerwoulddecidetolocateinelmore.hewouldfinditapleasanttowntolivein,andthepeopleverysociable.

mr.spencerthoughthewouldstopoverinthetownafewdaysandlookoverthesituation.no,theclerkneedn'tcalltheboy.hewouldcarryuphissuitcasehimself;itwasratherheavy.

mr.ralphspencer,thephoenixthatarosefromjimmyvalentine'sashes—ashesleftbytheflameofasuddenandalterativeattackoflove—remainedinelmore,andprospered.heopenedashoe-storeandsecuredagoodrunoftrade.

sociallyhewasalsoaess,andmademanyfriends.andheaccomplishedthewishofhisheart.hemetmissannabeladams,andbecamemoreandmorecaptivatedbyhercharms.

attheendofayearthesituationofmr.ralphspencerwasthis:hehadwontherespectofthecommtmity,hisshoe-storewasflourishing,andheandannabelwereengagedtobemarriedintwoweeks.mr.adams,thetypical,plodding,countrybanker,approvedofspencer.annabel'sprideinhimalmostequaledheraffection.hewasasmuchathomeinthefamilyofmr.adamsandthatofannabel'smarriedsisterasifhewerealreadyamember.

onedayjimmysatdowninhisroomandwrotethisletter,whichhemailedtothesafeaddressofoneofhisoldfriendsinst.louis:

dearoldpal,

iwantyoutobeatsullivan'splace,inlittlerock,nextwednesdaynight,atnineo'clock.iwantyoutowindupsomelittlemattersforme.and,also,iwanttomakeyouapresentofmykitoftools.iknowyou'llbegladtogetthem—youcouldn'tduplicatethelotforathousanddollars.say,billy,i'vequittheoldbusiness—ayearago.i'vegotanicestore.i'mmakinganhouestliving,andi'mgoingtomarrythefinestgirlonearthtwoweeksfromnow.it'stheonlylife,billy—thestraightone.iwouldn'ttouchadollarofanotherman'smoneynowforamillion.

afterigetmarriedi'mgoingtoselloutandgowest,wheretherewon'tbesomuchdangerofhavingoldscoresbroughtupagainstme.itellyou,billy,she'sanangel.shebelievesinme;andiwouldn'tdoanothercrookedthingforthewholeworld.besuretobeatsully's,forimustseeyou.i'llbringalongthetoolswithme.

youroldfriend,

jimmy.

onthemondaynightafterjimmywrotethisletter,benpriceedunobtrusivelyintoelmoreinaliveryy.heloungedabouttowninhisquietwayuntilhefoundoutwhathewantedtoknow.fromthedrug-storeacrossthestreetfromspencer'sshoe-storehegotagoodlookatralphd.spencer.

"goingtomarrythebanker'sdaughterareyou,jimmy?"saidbentohimself,softly."well,idon'tknow!"

thenextmorningjimmytookbreakfastattheadamses.hewasgoingtolittlerockthatdaytoorderhiswedding-suitandbuysomethingniceforannabel.thatwouldbethefirsttimehehadlefttownsincebecametoelmore.ithadbeenmorethanayearnowsincethoselastprofessional"jobs,"andhethoughthecouldsafelyventureout.

afterbreakfastquiteafamilypartywentdowntowntogether—mr.adams,annabel,jimmyandannabel'smarriedsisterwithhertwolittlegirls,agedfiveandnine.theycamebythehotelwherejimmystillboarded,andheranuptohisroomandbroughtalonghissuit-case.thentheywentontothebank.therestoodjimmy'shorseandyanddolphgibson,whowasgoingtodrivehimovertotherailroadstation.

allwentinsidethehigh,carvedoakrailingsintothebankingroom—jimmyincluded;formr.adams'sfutureson-in-lawwaswelcomeanywhere.theclerkswerepleasedtobegreetedbythegoodlooking,agreeableyoungmanwhowasgoingtomarrymissamabel.jimmysethersuitcasedown.annabel,whoseheartwasbubblingwithhappinessandlivelyyouth,putonjimmy'shat,andpickedupthesuitcase."wouldn'timakeanicedrummer?"saidannabel."my!ralph,howheavyitis?feelslikeitwasfullofgoldbricks."

"lotofnickel-platedshoe-hornsinthere,"saidjimmycoolly,"thati'mgoingtoreturn.thoughti'dsaveexpresschargesbytakingthemup.i'mgettingawfullyeconomical."

theelmorebankhadjustputinanewsafeandvault.mr.adamswasveryproudofit,andinsistedonaninspectionbyeveryone.thevaultwasasmallone,butithadanew,patenteddoor.itfastenedwiththreesolidsteelboltsthrownsimultaneouslywithasinglehandle,andhadatime-lock.mr.adamsbeaminglyexplaineditsworkingstomr.spencer,whoshowedacourteousbutnottoointelligentinterest.thetwochildren,mayandagatha,weredelightedbytheshiningmetalandfunnyclockandknobs.

whiletheywerethusengagedbenpricesaunteredinandleanedonhiselbow,lookingcasuallyinsidebetweentherailings.hetoldthetellerthathedidn'twantanything;hewasjustwaitingforamanheknew.

suddenlytherewasascreamortwofromthewomen,andacommotion.unperceivedbytheelders,may,thenine-year-oldgirl,inaspiritofplay,hadshutagathainthevault.shehadthenshottheboltsandturnedtheknobofthecombinationasshehadseenmr.adamsdo.

theoldbankersprangtothehandleandedatitforamoment."thedoorcan'tbeopened,"hegroaned."theclockhasn'tbeenwoundnorthecombinationset."

agatha'smotherscreamedagain,hysterically.