the red seal-第22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！



〃No；〃　his　emphatic　denial　was　prompt。　　〃But　I　do　believe　that　she　knows　more　of　what　transpired　Monday　night　than　she　is　willing　to　admit。　　Is　that　not　so；　Barbara？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　acknowledged　reluctantly。

〃Does　she　know　who　poisoned　Jimmie？〃

〃No　…　no！〃　　Barbara　rested　a　firm　hand　on　his　shoulder。　　〃I　swear　Helen　does　not　know。　　You　must　believe　me；　Harry。〃

〃She　may　not　know；〃　Kent　spoke　slowly。　　〃But　are　you　sure　she　does　not　suspect　some　one？〃

〃Well；　what　if　I　do？〃　asked　Helen　quietly；　and　Kent；　looking　around；　found　her　standing　just　inside　the　door。　　Her　entrance　had　been　noiseless。

〃You　should　tell　the　authorities；　Helen。〃　　Kent　rose　as　she　passed　him　and　selected　a　seat　which　brought　her　face　somewhat　in　shadow。　〃If　you　do　not　you　may　retard　justice。〃

〃But　if　I　speak　I　may　involve　the　innocent；〃　she　retorted。　　〃I　…〃　her　eyes　shifted　from　him　to　Barbara　and　back　again。　　〃I　cannot　undertake　that　responsibility。〃

〃Better　that　than　let　the　guilty　escape　through　your　silence；〃　protested　Kent。　　〃Possibly　the　theories　of　the　police　may　coincide　with　yours。

〃What　are　they？〃　asked　Barbara　impetuously。

Kent　considered　before　replying。　　If　Detective　Ferguson　had　gone　so　far　as　to　secure　a　search　warrant　to　go　through　Rochester's　apartment　and　office　it　would　not　be　long　before　the　fact　of　his　being　a　〃suspect〃　would　be　common　property；　there　could；　therefore；　be　no　harm　in　his　repeating　Ferguson's　conversation　to　the　twins。　In　fact；　as　their　legal　representative；　they　were　entitled　to　know　the　latest　developments　from　him。

〃Detective　Ferguson　believes　that　the　poison　was　administered　by　Philip　Rochester；〃　he　said　finally；　and　watched　to　see　how　the　announcement　would　affect　them。　　Barbara's　eyes　opened　to　their　widest　extent；　and　back　in　her　corner；　into　which　she　had　gradually　edged　her　chair；　Helen　emitted　a　long；　long　breath　as　her　taut　muscles　relaxed。

〃What　makes　Ferguson　think　Philip　guilty？〃　demanded　Barbara。

〃It　is　known　that　he　and　Jimmie　were　not　on　good　terms；〃　replied　Kent。　　〃Then　Rochester's　disappearance　after　Jimmie's　death　lends　color　to　the　theory。〃

〃Has　Philip　really　disappeared？〃　asked　Helen。　　〃You　showed　me　a　telegram　…〃

〃Apparently　the　telegram　was　a　fake；〃　admitted　Kent。　　〃The　Cleveland　police　report　that　he　is　not　at　the　address　given　in　the　telegram。〃

〃But　who　could　have　an　object　in　sending　such　a　telegram？〃　asked　Barbara　slowly。

〃Rochester；　in　the　hope　of　throwing　the　police　off　his　track；　if　he　really　killed　Jimmie。〃　　Kent　looked　straight　at　Helen。　　〃It　was　while　searching　our　office　safe　for　trace　of　Rochester's　present　address　that　Ferguson　obtained　possession　of　your　sealed　envelope。〃

Helen　plucked　nervously　at　the　ribbon　on　her　gown。　　〃Did　the　detective　open　the　envelope〃　she　asked。

〃No。〃

〃Are　you　sure？〃

〃Positive；　the　red　seal　was　unbroken。〃

〃Tell　us　how　the　envelope　came　to　be　stolen　from　you；〃　coaxed　Barbara。

〃We　were　in　the　little　smoking　porch　off　the　dining　room　at　the　Club　de　Vingt。〃　　Barbara　smiled　her　remembrance　of　it；　and　motioned　Kent　to　continue。　　〃Ferguson　had　just　put　down　the　envelope　on　the　table　and　I　started　to　pick　it　up　when　cheering　in　the　dining　room　distracted　my　attention　and　I；　with　the　others；　went　to　see　what　it　was　about。　　When　I　returned　to　the　porch　the　envelope　was　no　longer　on　the　table。〃

〃Who　were　with　you？〃　questioned　Helen。

〃Your　father；　Mrs。　Brewster　…〃

〃Of　course；〃　murmured　Barbara。　　〃Go　on；　Harry。〃

〃Detective　Ferguson　and　Ben　Glymer；〃　Barbara　made　a　wry　face；　〃and〃　…　went　on　Kent；　not　heeding　her；　〃each　of　these　persons　deny　any　further　knowledge　of　the　envelope；　except　they　declare　it　was　lying　on　the　table　when　we　all　made　a　dash　for　the　dining　room。

〃Who　was　the　last　to　leave　the　porch？〃　asked　Helen。

〃Ben　Clymer。〃

〃And　he　saw　no　one　take　the　envelope？〃

〃He　declares　that　he　had　his　back　to　the　table；　part　of　the　time；　but　to　the　best　of　his　knowledge　no　one　took　the　envelope。〃

〃One　of　them　must　have；〃　insisted　Barbara。

〃The　envelope　hadn't　legs　or　wings。〃

〃One　of　them　did　take　it；〃　agreed　Kent。

〃But　which　one　is　the　question。　　Frankly；　to　find　the　answer；　I　must　know　the　contents　of　the　envelope；　Helen。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Because　then　I　will　have　some　idea　who　would　be　enough　interested　in　the　envelope　to　steal　it。〃

Helen　considered　him　long　and　thoughtfully。　　〃I　cannot　answer　your　question；〃　she　announced　finally。　　She　saw　his　face　harden；　and　hastened　to　explain。　　〃Not　through　any　lack　of　confidence　in　you；　Harry；　b…b…but；〃　she　stumbled　in　her　speech。　　〃I　…　I　do　not　know　what　the　envelope　contains。〃

Kent　stared　at　her　open…mouthed。　　〃Then　who　requested　you　to　lock　the　envelope　in　Rochester's　safe？〃　he　demanded；　and　receiving　no　reply；　asked　suddenly：　〃Was　it　Rochester？〃

〃I　am　not　at　liberty　to　tell　you；〃　she　responded；　her　mouth　set　in　obstinate　lines　and　before　he　could　press　his　request　a　second　time；　she　asked：　〃Philip　Rochester　defended　Jimmie　in　court　when　every　one　thought　him　a　burglar；　why　then；　should　Philip　have　picked　him　out　to　attack　…　he　is　not　a　homicidal　maniac？〃

〃No；　but　the　police　contend　that　Rochester　recognized　Jimmie　in　his　make…up　and　decided　to　kill　him；　hoping　his　death　would　be　attributed　to　angina　pectoris；　and　no　post…mortem　held；〃　wound　up　Kent。

〃I　don　t　quite　understand〃　…　Helen　raised　her　handkerchief　to　her　forehead　and　removed　a　drop　of　moisture。　　〃How　did　Philip　kill　Jimmie　there　in　court　before　us　all？〃

〃Ferguson　believes　that　he　put　the　dose　of　aconitine　in　the　glass　of　water　which　Jimmie　asked　for；〃　explained　Kent；　and　would　have　continued　his　remarks；　but　a　scream　from　Barbara　startled　him。

〃There；　look　at　the　window；〃　she　cried。　　〃I　saw　a　face　peering　in。　Look　quick；　Harry；　look！〃

Kent　needed　no　second　bidding；　but　although　he　craned　his　head　far　outside　the　open　window　and　gazed　both　up　and　down　the　street　and　along　the　path　to　the　kitchen　door；　he　failed　to　see　any　one。　　〃Was　it　a　man　or　woman？〃　he　asked；　turning　back　to　the　room。

〃I　…　I　couldn't　tell；　it　was　just　a　glimpse。〃　Barbara　stood　resting　one　hand　on　the　table；　her　weight　leaning　upon　it。　　Not　for　words　would　she　have　had　Kent　know　that　her　knees　were　shaking　under　her。

〃Did　you　see　the　face；　Helen？〃　As　he　put　the　question　Kent　looked　around　at　the　silent　girl　in　the　corner；　she　had　slipped　back　in　her　chair　and；　with　closed　eyes；　lay　white…lipped　and　limp。　　With　a　leap　Kent　gained　her　side　and　his　hand　sought　her　pulse。

〃Ring　for　brandy　and　water；〃　he　directed　as　Barbara　came　to　his　aid。　〃Helen　has　fainted。〃

Twenty　minutes　later　Kent　hastened　out　of　the　McIntyre　house　and；　turning　into　Connecticut　Avenue；　boarded　a　street　car　headed　south。　After　carrying　Helen　to　the　twins'　sitting　room　he　had　assisted　Barbara　in　reviving　her。　　He　had　wondered　at　the　time　why　Barbara　had　not　summoned　the　servants；　then　concluded　that　neither　sister　wished　a　scene。　　That　Helen　was　worse　than　she　would　admit　he　appreciated；　and　advised　Barbara　to　send　for　Dr。　Stone。　　The　well…meant　suggestion　had　apparently　fallen　on　deaf　ears；　for　no　physician　had　appeared　during　the　time　he　was　in　the　house；　nor　had　Barbara　used　the　telephone；　almost　at　her　elbow　as　she　sat　by　her　sister's　couch；　to　summon　Dr。　Stone。　　Kent　had　only　waited　long　enough　to　convince　himself　that　Helen　was　out　of　danger；　and　then　had　departed。

It　was　nearly　one　o'clock　when　he　finally　stepped　inside　his　office；　and　he　found　his　clerk　and　a　dressy　female　bending　eagerly　over　a　newspaper。　　They　looked　up　at　his　approach　and　Sylvester　came　forward。

〃This　is　my　wife；　sir；〃　he　explained；　and　Kent　bowed　courteously　to　Mrs。　Sylvester。　　〃We　were　just　reading　this　account　of　Mr。　Rochester's　disappearance；　it's　dreadful；　sir；　to　think　that　the　police　believe　him　guilty　of　Mr。　Turn　bull's　murder。〃

〃Dreadful；　indeed；〃　agreed　Kent；　the　news　had　been　published　even　sooner　than　he　had　imagined。　　〃What　paper　is　that？〃

〃The　noon　edition　of　the　Times。〃　　Sylvester　handed　it　to　him。

〃Thanks；〃　Kent　flung　down　his　hat　and　spread　open　the　paper。　　〃Who　have　been　here　to…day？〃

〃Colonel　McIntyre；　sir；　he　left　a　card　for　you。〃　　Sylvester　hurried　into　Kent's　office；　to　return　a　moment　later　with　a　visiting　card。　〃He　left　this；　sir；　for　you　with　most　particular　directions　that　it　be　handed　to　you　at　once　on　your　arrival。〃

Kent　read　the　curt　message　on　the　card　without　comment　and　tore　the　paste…board　into　tiny　bits。

〃Any　one　else　been　in　this　morning？〃　he　asked。　　

〃Yes；　sir。〃　Sylvester　consulted　a　written　memorandum。　　〃Mr。　Black　called；　also　Colonel　Thorne；　Senator　Harris；　and　Mrs。　Brewster。〃

〃Mrs。　Brewster！〃　　The　newspaper　slipped　from　Kent's　fingers　in　his　astonishment。　　〃What　did　she　want　here？〃

〃To　see　you；　sir；　so　she　said；　but　she　first　asked　for　Mr。　Rochester；〃　explained　Sylvester；　stooping　over　to　pick　up　the　inside　sheet　of　the　Times　which　had　separated　from　the　others。　　〃I　told　her　that　Mr。　　Rochester　was　unavoidably　detained　in　Cleveland；　then　she　said　she　would　consult　you　and　I　let　her　wait　in　your　office　for　the　good　part　of　an　hour。〃

Kent　thought　a　moment　then　walked　toward　his　door；　on　its　threshold　he　paused；　struck　by　a　sudden　idea。

〃Did　Colonel　McIntyre　come　with