the lost house(失踪的房子)-第5节
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〃A doctor！〃 he repeated。 〃Do you see where that leads us？ It may
explain several things。 The girl was in good health until went abroad with
her uncle； and he is a medical man。〃
The eyes of Cuthbert grew wide with excitement。
〃You mean poison！〃 he whispered。 〃Slow poison！〃
〃Beware libel；〃 laughed Ford nervously； his own eyes lit with
excitement。 〃Suppose；〃 he exclaimed； 〃he has been using arsenic？ He
would have many opportunities； and it's colorless； tasteless； and arsenic
would account for her depression and melancholia。 The time when he
must turn over her money is very near； and； suppose he has spent the
money； speculated with it； and lost it； or that he still has it and wants to
keep it？ In three months she will be of age； and he must make an
accounting。 The arsenic does not work fast enough。 So what does he do？
To save himself from exposure； or to keep the money； he throws her into
this private sanatorium； to make away with her。〃
Ford had been talking in an eager whisper。 While he spoke his cigar
had ceased to burn； and to light it； from a vase on the mantel he took a
spill； one of those spirals of paper that in English hotels； where the
proprietor is of a frugal mind； are still used to prevent extravagance in
matches。 Ford lit the spill at the coal fire； and with his cigar puffed at the
flame。 As he did so the paper unrolled。 To the astonishment of Cuthbert；
Ford clasped it in both hands； blotted out the tiny flame； and； turning
quickly to a table； spread out the charred paper flat。 After one quick glance；
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Ford ran to the fireplace； and； seizing a handfull of the spills； began
rapidly to unroll them。 Then he turned to Cuthbert and； without speaking；
showed him the charred spill。 It was a scrap torn from the front page of a
newspaper。 The half… obliterated words at which Ford pointed were
DALESVILLE COUR
〃His torn paper！〃 said Ford。 〃The DALESVILLE COURIER。 Pearsall
HAS been in this hotel！〃 He handed another spill to Cuthbert。
〃From that one；〃 said Ford； 〃we get the date； December 3。 Allowing
three weeks for the newspaper to reach London； Pearsall must have seen it
just three weeks ago； just when Miss Dale says he was in the hotel。 The
landlord has lied to me。〃
Ford rang for a waiter； and told him to ask Mr。 Gerridge to come to the
smoking…room。
As Cuthbert was leaving it； Gerridge was entering it； and Ford was
saying：
〃It seems you've been lying to the police and to me。 Unless you desire
to he an accessory to a murder； You had better talk quick！〃
An hour later Ford passed slowly through Sowell Street in a taxicab；
and； finding Cuthbert on guard； signalled him to follow。 in Wimpole Street
the cab drew up to the curb； and Cuthbert entered it。
〃I have found Pearsall；〃 said Ford。 〃He is in No。 40 with Prothero。〃
He then related to Cuthbert what had happened。 Gerridge had
explained that when the Police called； his first thought was to protect the
good name of his hotel。 He had denied any knowledge of Pearsall only
because he no longer was a guest； and； as he supposed Pearsall had passed
out of his life； he saw no reason； why； through an arrest and a scandal； his
hotel should be involved。 Believing Ford to be in the secret service of the
police； he was now only too anxious to clear himself of suspicion by
telling all he knew。 It was but little。 Pearsall and his niece had been at the
hotel for three days。 During that time the niece； who appeared to be an
invalid； remained in her room。 On the evening of the third day； while
Pearsall was absent； a call from him had come for her by telephone； on
receiving which Miss Dale had at once left the hotel； apparently in great
agitation。 That night she did not return； but in the morning Pearsall came
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to collect his and her luggage and to settle his account。 He explained that a
woman relative living at the Langham Hotel had been taken suddenly ill；
and had sent for him and his niece。 Her condition had been so serious that
they had remained with her all night； and his niece still was at her bedside。
The driver of a four…wheeler； who for years had stood on the cab…rank in
front of Gerridge's； had driven Pearsall to the Langham。 This man was at
the moment on the rank； and from him Ford learned what he most wished
to know。
The cabman remembered Pearsall； and having driven him to the
Langham； for the reason that immediately after setting him down there；
and while 〃crawling〃 for a fare in Portland Place； a whistle from the
Langham had recalled him； and the same luggage that had just been taken
from the top of his cab was Put back on it； and he was directed by the
porter of the hotel to take it to a house in Sowell Street。 There a man…
servant had helped him unload the trunks and had paid him his fare。 The
cabman did not remember the number of the house； but knew it was on the
west side of the street and in the middle of the block。
Having finished with Gerridge and the cab…man； Ford had at once
gone to the Langham Hotel； where； as he anticipated； nothing was known
of Pearsall or his niece； or of any invalid lady。 But the hall…porter
remembered the American gentleman who had driven up with many pieces
of luggage； and who； although it was out of season； and many suites in the
hotel were vacant； had found none to suit him。 He had then set forth on
foot； having left word that his trunks be sent after him。 The address he
gave was a house in Sowell Street。
The porter recalled the incident because he and the cabman had
grumbled over the fact that in five minutes they had twice to handle the
same boxes。
〃It is pretty evident；〃 said Ford； what Pearsall had in mind； but chance
was against him。 He thought when he had unloaded his trunks at the
Langham and dismissed the cabman he had destroyed the link connecting
him with Gerridge's。 He could not foresee that the same cabman would be
loitering in the neighborhood。 He should have known that four…wheelers
are not as plentiful as they once were； and he should have given that
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particular one more time to get away。 His idea in walking to the Sowell
Street house was obviously to prevent the new cabman from seeing him
enter it。 But； just where he thought he was clever； was just where he
tripped。 If he had remained with his trunks he would have seen that the
cabman was the same one who had brought them and him from Craven
Street； and he would have given any other address in London than the one
he did。
〃And now；〃 said Ford； 〃that we have Pearsall where we want him； tell
me what you have learned about Prothero？〃
Cuthbert smiled importantly； and produced a piece of paper scribbled
over with notes。
〃Prothero；〃 he said； 〃seems to be THIS sort of man。 If he made your
coffee for you； before you tasted it； you'd like him to drink a cup of it
first。〃
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II
〃Prothero；〃 said Cuthbert； 〃is a man of mystery。 As soon as I began
asking his neighbors questions； I saw he was of interest and that I was of
interest。 I saw they did not believe I was an agent of a West End shop； but
a detective。 So they wouldn't talk at all； or else they talked freely。 And
from one of them； a chemist named Needham； I got all I wanted。 He's had
a lawsuit against Prothero； and hates him。 Prothero got him to invest in a
medicine to cure the cocaine habit。 Needham found the cure was no cure；
but cocaine disguised。 He sued for his money； and dur
