the red seal-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


library？〃

〃I　presume　he　was　looking　for　a　way　out　of　the　room　and　blundered　into　it；〃　she　explained。　　〃There　are　seven　doors　opening　from　our　library；　the　prisoner　may　have　heard　me　approaching；　become　confused；　and　walked　through　the　wrong　door。〃

〃That　is　quite　plausible　…　with　an　ordinary　bona…fide　burglar；〃　agreed　Penfield。　　〃But　was　not　Mr。　Turnbull　acquainted　with　the　architectural　arrangements　of　your　house？〃

〃He　was　a　frequent　caller　and　an　intimate　friend；〃　she　said；　with　dignity。　　〃As　to　his　power　of　observation　and　his　bump　of　locality　I　cannot　say。　　The　library　was　but　dimly　lighted。〃

〃Miss　McIntyre；〃　Penfield　spoke　slowly。　　〃Were　you　aware　of　the　real　identity　of　the　burglar？〃

〃I　had　no　suspicion　that　he　was　not　what　he　appeared；〃　she　responded。　〃He　said　or　did　nothing　after　his　arrest　to　give　me　the　slightest　inkling　of　his　identity。〃

Penfield　raised　his　eyebrows　and　shot　a　look　at　the　deputy　coroner　before　going　on　with　his　examination。

〃You　knew　Mr。　Turnbull　intimately；　and　yet　you　did　not　recognize　him？〃　he　asked。

〃He　wore　an　admirable　disguise。〃　　Helen　touched　her　lips　with　the　tip　of　her　tongue；　inwardly　she　longed　for　the　glass　of　ice　water　which　she　saw　standing　on　the　reporters'　table。　　〃Mr。　Turnbull's　associates　will　tell　you　that　he　excelled　in　amateur　theatricals。〃

Penfield　looked　at　her　critically　for　a　moment　before　continuing　his　questions。　　She　bore　his　scrutiny　with　composure。

〃Officer　O'Ryan　has　testified　that　you　informed　him　you　examined　the　windows　of　your　house；〃　he　said；　after　a　brief　wait。　　〃Did　you　find　any　unlocked？〃

〃Yes；　one　was　open　in　the　little　reception　room　off　the　front　door。〃

〃What　floor　is　the　room　on？〃

〃The　ground　floor。〃

〃Would　it　have　been　easy　for　any　one　to　gain　admittance　through　the　window　without　attracting　attention　in　the　street？〃　was　Penfield's　next　question。

〃Yes。〃

〃Miss　McIntyre；〃　Penfield　rose；　〃I　have　only　a　few　more　questions　to　put　to　you。　　Why　did　Mr。　Turnbull　come　to　your　house　…　a　house　where　he　was　a　welcome　visitor　…　in　the　middle　of　the　night　disguised。　　as　a　burglar？〃

The　reporters　as　well　as　the　spectators　bent　forward　to　catch　her　reply。

〃Mr。　Turnbull　had　a　wager　with　my　sister；　Barbara；〃　she　explained。　〃She　bet　him　that　he　could　not　break　into　the　house　without　being　discovered。〃

Penfield　considered　her　answer　before　addressing　her　again。

〃Why　didn't　Mr。　Turnbull　tell　you　who　he　was　when　you　had　him　arrested？〃　he　asked。

Helen　shrugged　her　shoulders。　　〃I　cannot　answer　that　question；　for　I　do　not　know　his　reason。　　If　he　had　only　confided　in　me〃　…　her　voice　shook　…〃　he　might　have　been　alive　to…day。〃

〃How　so？〃　Penfield　shot　the　question　at　her。

〃Because　then　he　would　have　been　spared　the　additional　excitement　of　his　trip　to　the　police　station　and　the　scene　in　court；　which　brought　on　his　attack　of　angina　pectoris。〃

Penfield　regarded　her　for　a　moment　in　silence。

〃I　have　no　further　questions；　Miss　McIntyre；〃　he　said；　and　turned　to　the　morgue　master。　　〃Ask　Miss　Barbara　McIntyre　to　come　to　the　platform。〃　　Turning　back　to　his　table　and　the　papers　thereon　he　failed　to　see　the　twins　pass　each　other　in　the　aisle。　　They　were　identically　attired　and　when　Coroner　Penfield　looked　again　at　the　witness　chair；　he　stared　in　surprise　at　its　occupant。

〃I　beg　pardon；　Miss　McIntyre；　I　desire　your　sister　to　testify；〃　he　remarked。

〃I　am　Barbara　McIntyre。〃　　A　haunting　quality　in　her　voice　caught　Kent's　attention；　and　he　leaned　eagerly　forward；　his　eyes　following　each　movement　of　her　nervous　fingers；　busily　twisting　her　gloves　inside　and　out。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　exclaimed　the　coroner；　recovering　from　his　surprise。　　He　had　seen　the　twins　at　the　police　court　on　Tuesday　morning　for　a　second　only；　and　then　his　attention　had　been　entirely　centered　on　Helen。　　He　had　heard；　but　had　not　realized　until　that　moment；　how　striking　was　the　resemblance　between　the　sisters。

〃Miss　McIntyre；〃　the　coroner　cleared　his　throat　and　commenced　his　examination。　　〃Where　were　you　on　Monday　night？〃

〃At　a　dance　given　by　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Charles　Grosvenor。〃

〃At　what　hour　did　you　return？〃

〃I　think　it　was　half　past　five　or　a　few　minutes　earlier。〃

〃Who　let　you　in？〃

〃My　sister。〃

〃Did　you　see　the　burglar？〃

〃He　had　left；〃　she　answered。　　〃My　sister　told　me　of　her　adventure　as　we　went　upstairs　to　our　rooms。〃

〃Miss　McIntyre；〃　Penfield　picked　up　a　page　of　the　deputy　coroner's　closely　written　notes；　and　ran　his　eyes　down　it。　　〃Your　sister　has　testified　that　James　Turnbull　went　to　your　house　disguised　as　a　burglar　on　a　wager　with　you。　　What　were　the　terms　of　that　wager？〃

〃I　bet　him　that　he　could　not　enter　the　house　after　midnight　without　his　presence　being　detected　by　our　new　police　dogs；〃　exclaimed　Barbara　slowly。　　She　had　stopped　twirling　her　gloves　about；　and　one　hand　was　firmly　clenched　over　the　arm　of　her　chair。

〃Did　the　dogs　discover　his　presence　in　the　house？〃

〃Apparently　not；　or　they　would　have　aroused　the　household；〃　she　said。　〃I　cannot　answer　that　question；　though；　because　I　was　not　at　home。〃

〃Where　are　the　dogs　kept？〃

〃In　the　garage　in　the　daytime。〃　

〃And　at　night？〃　he　persisted。

〃They　roam　about　our　house；〃　she　admitted；　〃or　sleep　in　the　boudoir；　which　is　between　my　sister's　bedroom　and　mine。

〃Were　the　dogs　in　the　house　on　Monday　night？〃

〃I　did　not　see　them　on　my　return　from　the　dance。〃

〃That　is　not　an　answer　to　my　question；　Miss　McIntyre；〃　the　coroner　pointed　out。　　〃Were　the　dogs　in　the　house？〃

There　was　a　distinct　pause　before　she　spoke。　　〃I　recall　hearing　our　butler；　Grimes；　say　that　he　found　the　dogs　in　the　cellar。　　Mr。　Turnbull's　shocking　death　put　all　else　out　of　my　mind；　I　never　once　thought　of　the　dogs。〃

〃In　spite　of　the　fact　that　it　was　a　wager　over　the　dogs　which　brought　about　the　whole　situation？〃　remarked　the　coroner　dryly。

Barbara　flushed　at　his　tone；　then　grew　pale。

〃I　honestly　forgot　about　the　dogs；〃　she　repeated。　　〃Father　sent　them　out　to　our　country　place　Tuesday　afternoon；　they　annoyed　our　…　our　guest；　Mrs。　Brewster。〃

〃In　what　way？〃

〃By　barking　…　'they　are　noisy　dogs。〃

〃And　yet　they　did　not　arouse　the　household　when　Mr。　Turnbull　broke　into　the　house　…　Coroner　Penfield　regarded　her　sternly。　　〃How　do　you　account　for　that？〃

Barbara's　right　hand　stole　to　the　arm　of　her　chair　and　clasped　it　with　the　same　convulsive　strength　that　she　clung　to　the　other　chair　arm。　When　she　spoke　her　voice　was　barely　audible。

〃I　can　account　for　it　in　two　ways；〃　she　began。　　〃If　the　dogs　were　accidentally　locked　in　the　cellar　they　could　not　possibly　hear　Mr。　Turnbull　moving　about　the　house；　if　they　were　roaming　about　and　scented　him；　they　might　not　have　barked　because　they　would　recognize　him　as　a　friend。〃

〃Were　the　dogs　familiar　with　his　step　and　voice？〃

〃Yes。　　Only　last　Sunday　he　played　with　them　for　an　hour；　and　later　in　the　afternoon　took　them　for　a　walk　in　the　country。〃

〃I　see。〃　Penfield　stroked　his　chin　reflectively。　　〃When　your　sister　told　you　of　finding　the　burglar　and　his　arrest；　did　you　not；　in　the　light　of　your　wager；　suspect　that　he　might　be　Mr。　Turnbull？〃

〃No。〃　　Barbara's　eyes　did　not　falter　before　his　direct　gaze。　　〃I　supposed　that　Mr。　Turnbull　meant　to　try　and　enter　the　house　in　his　own　proper　person；　it　never　dawned　on　me　that　he　would　resort　to　disguise。　　Besides；〃　as　the　coroner　started　to　make　a　remark；　〃we　have　had　numerous　robberies　in　our　neighborhood；　and　the　apartment　house　two　blocks　from　us　has　had　a　regular　epidemic　of　sneak　thieves。〃

The　coroner　waited　until　Dr。　Mayo；　who　had　been　writing　with　feverish　haste；　had　picked　up　a　fresh　sheet　of　paper　before　resuming　his　examination。

〃You　accompanied　your　sister　to　the　police　court；〃　he　said。　　〃Did　you　see　the　burglar　there？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Did　you　realize　his　identity　in　the　court　room？〃

〃No。　　I　only　awoke　to　…　to　the　situation　when　I　saw　him　lying　dead　with　his　wig　removed。　　The　shock　was　frightful〃…　she　closed　her　eyes　for　a　second；　for　the　room　and　the　rows　of　faces　confronting　her　were　mixed　in　a　maddening　maze　and　she　raised　her　hand　to　her　swimming　head。　　When　she　looked　up　she　found　Coroner　Penfield　by　her　side。

〃That　is　all；〃　he　said　kindly。　　〃Please　remain　in　the　witness　room；　I　may　call　you　again；〃　and　he　helped　her　down　the　step　with　careful　attention。

Back　in　his　corner　Kent　watched　her　departure。　He　was　white　to　the　lips。

〃Heat　too　much　for　you？〃　asked　a　kindly…faced　stranger；　and　Kent　gave　a　mumbled　〃No；〃　as　he　strove　to　pull　himself　together。

What　deviltry　was　afoot？　　How　dared　the　twins　take　such　risks　…　to　bear　false　witness　was　a　grave　criminal　offense。　　He；　alone；　among　all　the　spectators；　had　realized　that　in　testifying　before　the　inquest；　the　twins　had　swapped　identities。


CHAPTER　IX

〃B…B…B〃

The　return　of　the　morgue　master　to　the　platform　caused　Coroner　Penfield　to　break　off　his　whispered　conversation　with　Dr。　Mayo。

〃Colonel　McIntyre　just　telephoned　that　his　car　had　a　blow…out　on　the　way　here；〃　explained　the　morgue　master。　　〃He　will　arrive　shortly。〃

Penfield　consulted　a　list　of　names。　　〃Call　Grimes；　the　McIntyre　butler；〃　he　said。　　〃We　will　hear　him　while　waiting　for　the　Colonel。〃

Grimes；　small　and　thin；　with　the　stolid　counten