The Shadow in the North Read Free Page B

top—and shrank back into the shadow, because standing outside the door of the box where Mackinnon's pursuers had gone was a third man, a rough-looking bruiser, obviously put there to keep watch.

    Jim thought for a moment, then stepped forward into the gaslit, gilt, and shabby-plush corridor and motioned the man to bend forward. Frowning, he did so, and cocked his head as Jim whispered.
    "We've had word as Mackinnons got some mates in," Jim told him. "They're going to try and spring him out the front. Any minute now he'll do a disappearing trick and get away under the stage and come out the back of the audience, and then his mates'll whip him away in a cab. You go on down to the front of the house, and I'll nip in and tell the boss."
    Wonderfiil what you could do with a bit of cheek, thought Jim as the bruiser nodded and lumbered away. Jim turned to the door. This was risky; someone might come along at any moment. But it was all he could do. He took a bundle of stiff wire from his pocket, crouched by the keyhole, and twisted the wire inside it till he felt something move; then he withdrew the wire, bent it more accurately, inserted it again and, under cover of the applause, locked the door of the box.
    He straightened up just in time, as the front-of-house manager came along the corridor.
    "What are you doing here, Taylor?" he said.
    "Message for the gentlemen in this box," said Jim. " 'S all right, I'm off backstage now."
    "It ain't your job to take messages."
    "It is if Mr. Mackinnon asks me, ain't it?"
    Jim turned and left. Back down the stairs, through the baize door—how far was Mackinnon through his

    act? Another five minutes, Jim reckoned; time to have a look outside.
    Ignoring the curses and instructioos to waich his bloody feet, he sho\'ed through the pfcss of sta^ebuids and artists and made his way to the stage dooc It opened into an alley behind the theato; the wall oo the other side ^^'as the back oi a fumitaic dcposimiy; aid there ^^^as only one way out-There woe xwo men leaning against the wall. As the door opened, they looked up and stepped out ^rther onto the pavement.
    "Wotcher," said Jim a&Uy. *Blecdin hoc in there. Waitin' for Miss Hopkitk, gents?* Miss Hopkiik _ the soprano; her admirers often waited at the stage c with flowers or proposals, or both.
    "What's it to you?* said one of the men. *Just being helpful," said Jim easily. *Whcn's the show finish.^* said the other ibml *Any minute now, I better be getting back. Evcnm,* he said, and went back inside.
    He rubbed his chin; if the back was bk^kexL and : t front was risky, there only remained one way out— is. i that ^^^as risk)" too. Still, it mig;ht be fim- He can through the area backsc^ until he fband fear workmen seated in a link pool of light, playing cank oc ^. upturned tea diest.
    "Here, Harold," he said. *MiiKl if I bonovr y?_: stq)ladder?*

    "What for?" said the oldest man, not looking up from his hand.
    "Bird's-nesting."
    "Eh?" The workman looked up. "Mind you bring it back."
    "Ah, well, that's the problem. How much did you win on that tip I gave you last week?"
    Muttering, the older man laid down his cards and got up. "Where are you going to take it? I need it in ten minutes, soon as the show's over."
    "Up in the flies," said Jim, drawing him away and explaining what he wanted. He peered over the workman's shoulder; Mackinnon's act was coming to an end. Scratching his head, the other man slung the stepladder over his shoulder and climbed up into the darkness as Jim hurried back to the wheel, just in time.
    A chord from the orchestra, a storm of applause, a bow, and the curtain came down. Leaving the chaos of objects that had appeared onstage—a sphinx, a bowl of goldfish, dozens of bunches of flowers—Mackinnon sprang into the wings, where Jim seized his arm and thrust him toward the ladder.
    "Climb! Go on!" Jim said. "There're blokes out front and back, but they won't catch us this way. Go onV
    Mackinnon had changed again: in the