CHAPTER II
HERRICK FINDS A DOOR BOLTED
The sleepy boy at the switchboard of the house opposite did not seem tofeel in the situation any of the urgency which had brought Herrick intothat elegant vestibule, barefoot and with nothing but an unbuttonedulster over his pajama trousers. The boy said he guessed the shot wasn'ta shot; he guessed maybe it was an automobile tire. There couldn't be alady in 4-B, anyhow; it was just a bachelor apartment. Well, he supposedit was 4-B because there was always complaints of him playing on thepiano late at night. The switchboard called him imperatively as hespoke, and he reluctantly consented to ring up the superintendent.Instinctively, he refrained from interfering with Herrick when thatyoung man possessed himself of the elevator and shot to the fourthfloor.
There was no further noises, no call for help, no woman's fleeingfigure. But Herrick's sense of locality guided him down a little hall,upon which, toward the front, only two apartments opened. One of thesewas lettered 4-B. If Herrick had not stopped for his boots he had forhis revolver and it was with the butt end of this that he beganhammering upon the sheet-iron surface of that door. There was no answer.Was he too late?
The other door opened the length of a short chain. A little man, withwisps of woolly gray standing up from his head as if in amazement,brought his face to the opening and quavered, "Be careful! You'll gethurt! Be--"
"Good God!" cried Herrick. "There's a woman in there!"
"A woman! Why--I _thought_ I heard a woman--!"
It was not so long since Herrick's reporting days but that he believedhe could still work the trick pressure by which two policemen will burstin the strongest lock. But he now gave up hope of the woolly gentlemanas an assistant and turned his attention to the brass knob. "Get me ascrew-driver!"
"Theodore!" came a voice from behind the woolly gentleman, "Don't youopen our door! It's no business of yours!"
Herrick, glancing desperately about him for any aid, was sufficientlyaware that he might be making a fool of himself for nothing. But theyoung fellow felt that was a risk he had to take. In the long hallcrossing the little one he could hear doors opening; the clash ofquestioning voices mingled with excited cries--And then came a girl'svoice shrilling, "Isn't anybody going to _do_ anything?" A huskybusiness voice roared from secure cover, "You don't know what you may bebreaking into, young man! You may get yourself in trouble."
Herrick growled through his teeth an imprecation that ended in "Hand mea screw-driver, can't you? And a hammer!" The sweat was pouring down hisface from the pressure of his strength upon the lock, but the lock held.What was going on in there? Or--what had ceased to go on? He could hearTheodore tremblingly protesting, "I have telephoned for thesuperintendent--He has the keys. It's the superintendent's business--"Had the one shot done the trick? Then, above the stairhead, across thelonger hall, appeared the helmet of a policeman. At his heels came thesuperintendent, carrying the keys.
The policeman was jolted from his first idea of arresting Herrick byHerrick's welcoming cry, "Get a gait on you, McGarrigle!" whichproclaimed to him a valued acquaintance; then, with a hand shaking withexcitement, the half-dressed superintendent fitted the key in the lock.The lock turned but nothing happened. The door was bolted on the inside.
The re-captured elevator was heard in the distance, and thesuperintendent sang out, "Get the engineer! Hurry! Make him hurry!--Youheard no cries--no?" he asked of Herrick. And he stood wiping his faceand breathing hard, his brow dark with trouble.
The halls had begun to be bravely peopled. Also, a second policeman hadarrived. And the information spread that one of these reassuring figureshad been left in the hall downstairs and that another had gone to theroof. Curiosity, comparatively comfortable and respectable, now, madeitself audible and even visible on every side; some adventurers from thestreet had sallied in. When McGarrigle asked the superintendent, "Anyway we can get a look in?" some one immediately volunteered, "There'sMrs. Willing's apartment right across the entrance-court. You can see inboth these rooms from hers."
"Only two rooms?"
"Parlor, bedroom and bath," said somebody in the tone of a prospectus.
"You go see what you can see, Clancy," said McGarrigle to the secondpoliceman. "Now, Mr. Herrick?"
Herrick told what he knew, and McGarrigle, his eyes resting withadmiration on the extremely undraped muscles of his informant, plied himwith attentive questions. Herrick's own eyes were on the engineer'ssteel. Would it never spring the bolt? "If only she'd cry out!" he said."Why doesn't she make some sign?"
"You're sure 'twas him fired?"
"That shadow had no revolver."
"He's done for her, then. Els't he'd never have barricaded himselflike, in there. He didn't give himself a dose, after?"
"Only the one shot."
"If there's an inquest you'll be wanted."
"All right.--But why hasn't he tried to gain time with some kind ofparley--some kind of bluff?"
"Knows he's cornered. He'll show fight as we go in on him. If there'smore than one--" The bolt gave.
McGarrigle turned like a fury. "Clear the hall," he cried.
There was a confused movement. Obedient souls disappeared.
Clancy returned and reported the front room invisible from Mrs.Willing's side window, the shade of its own side window being down. Inthe bedroom and bath all lights out, but shades up and nothing stirring.
"Any hall?"
The superintendent replied in the negative.
"No fire-escapes, you say?"
"No. Fireproof building."
"They're right ahead of us, then."
Again, with a long shudder, the door gave.
The whole hall seemed to give a gasping breath. McGarrigle growled."I'll have no mix-up in this hall!" He favored Herrick with a wink thatsaid, "See me clear 'em out!" "Clancy, you stay here by the door; pickout half a dozen of 'em that see it through and hold 'em to bewitnesses." The halls were cleared. Locks clicked as if by simultaneousmiracles and even the adventurers from the street could be heard in fullflight. Herrick and McGarrigle exchanged grim smiles. "Now! You keepback, Mr. Herrick! Clancy, look out!" The engineer jumped to one side.The door swung open.
Not a breath, not a movement, greeted the invaders]
It gave directly into the dark room which had lately been full of lightand music and a woman's passionate grace. Not a breath, not amovement, greeted the invaders. No shadow, now, on the white blind.Whatever was within the dusk simply waited. Herrick, pushing pastClancy, entered the room with McGarrigle. Behind them the superintendentleaned in and pressed an electric button. Light sprang forth, floodingeverything. The room was empty.