the red seal-第31节

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〃

Kent　considered　a　moment；　then　sat　down　by　the　telephone　and　gave　a　number　to　Central。

〃That　you；　Sylvester？〃　he　called　into　the　mouth…piece。　　〃If　Mrs。　Brewster　comes　to　the　office；　telephone　me　at　Mr。　Rochester's　apartment；　Franklin　52。　　Don't　let　Mrs。　Brewster　leave　until　I　have　seen　her。〃

〃Yes；　sir；〃　came　the　reply；　and　Kent　hung　up　the　receiver。

〃Had　any　luncheon？〃　he　asked　Nelson　as　the　man　loitered　around。

〃Not　yet〃　…　Nelson's　eyes　brightened　at　the　word。　　It　was　long　past　his　usual　meal　hour。

〃Run　down　to　the　caf　　on　the　first　floor　and　tell　the　head　waiter　to　give　you　a　square　meal　and　charge　it　to　me；〃　Kent　directed。　〃Order　something　substantial；　you　must　be　used　up。〃

The　man　hung　back。　　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Kent；　but　I　don't　like　to　leave　here　until　my　relief　comes；〃　he　objected。

〃That's　all　right；　I'll　stay　in　the　apartment　until　you　return；〃　and　Kent　settled　the　question　by　opening　the　door　leading　into　the　outer　corridor。　　〃Ferguson　will　be　around　shortly；　so　hurry。〃

Kent　watched　the　man　scurry　toward　the　elevator　shaft；　then　returned　to　Rochester's　apartment　and　once　more　took　up　the　telephone。　　The　operative's　reluctance　to　leave　the　apartment　unguarded　had　altered　his　plans　somewhat。

〃Is　this　Dr。　Stone's　office？〃　he　asked　a　moment　later；　as　a　faint　〃hello；〃　came　over　the　wire。　　〃Oh；　doctor；　this　is　Kent。　　Please　come　over　to　Rochester's　apartment；　I　would　like　to　consult　you　in　regard　to　an　important　matter。　　You'll　come　now？　Thanks。〃

The　doctor　kept　Kent　waiting　less　than　five　minutes。　　The　clock　was　striking　one　when　he　appeared；　bland　and　smiling。　　Hardly　waiting　for　him　to　select　a　seat　Kent　flung　himself　into　a　chair　in　front　of　Rochester's　desk　and　laid　the　pill　box　on　the　writing　pad。

〃Now；　doctor；〃　he　began；　and　his　manner　gained　in　seriousness；　〃what；　in　your　opinion；　killed　Jimmie　Turnbull？〃

〃The　post…mortem　examination　proved　that　he　had　swallowed　aconitine　in　sufficient　quantity　to　cause　death；〃　Stone　replied。　　〃He　undoubtedly　died　from　the　effects　of　that　poison。〃

〃Is　aconitine　difficult　to　procure？〃　asked　Kent。

〃It　is　often　prescribed　for　fevers。〃　Stone　made　himself　comfortable　in　a　near…by　chair。　　〃Aconitine　is　the　alkaloid　of　aconite。　　I　believe　that　in　India　it　is　frequently　employed；　not　only　for　the　destruction　of　wild　beasts；　but　for　criminal　purposes。　　The　India　variety　is　known　as　the　Bish　poison。〃

Kent　started　…　Bish　poison　…　was　he　never　to　get　away　from　the　letter　〃B〃？

〃Can　you　procure　Bish　in　this　country？〃　he　asked。

Stone　considered　the　question。　　〃You　might　be　able　to　purchase　it　from　some　Hindoo　residing　or　traveling　in　the　United　States；〃　he　said；　after　a　pause。　　〃　I　doubt　if　you　could　buy　it　in　a　drug　store。〃

Kent　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief　as　he　hitched　his　chair　closer　to　the　physician。

〃Did　you　prescribe　a　dose　of　aconitine　for　Mrs。　Brewster　recently？〃　he　asked。

〃I　did；　for　an　attack　of　rheumatic　neuralgia。〃　　Stone　eyed　him　curiously。　　〃What　then；　Kent？〃

〃Is　this　the　box　the　medicine　came　in？〃　and　Kent　placed　the　cover　in　Stone's　hand。

Stone　turned　the　paste…board　over　and　studied　the　defaced　label。　〃I　cannot　answer　that　question　positively；〃　he　said。　　〃The　label　bears　my　name　and　that　of　the　druggist；　but　the　directions　are　missing。〃

〃But　the　number's　on　it；〃　put　in　Kent　swiftly。　　〃Come；　Stone；　call　up　the　druggist；　repeat　the　number　to　him；　and　ask　if　it　calls　for　your　aconitine　prescription。〃

Stone　hesitated　as　if　about　to　speak；　then；　reaching　out　his　hand；　he　picked　up　the　telephone　and　held　a　short　conversation　with　the　drug　clerk　of　the　Thompson　Pharmacy。

〃That　is　the　box　which　contained　the　aconitine　pills　for　Mrs。　Brewster；〃　he　said；　when　he　had　replaced　the　telephone。　　〃Now；　Kent；　I　have　secured　the　information　you　wished；　kindly　tell　me　your　reasons　for　desiring　it。〃

It　was　Kent's　turn　to　hesitate。　　〃Do　you　know　many　instances　where　aconitine　was　used　by　murderers？〃　he　questioned。

〃N…no。　　I　believe　it　was　the　drug　used　in　the　celebrated　Lamson　poison　case；〃　replied　the　physician　slowly。　　〃I　cannot　recall　any　others　just　at　the　moment。〃

〃How　about　suicides？〃

〃It　is　seldom；　if　ever；　used　for　suicides。〃　　Stone　spoke　with　more　assurance。　　〃I　have　found　in　my　practice；　Kent；　that　suicides　can　be　classed　as　follows：　drowning　by　the　young；　pistols　by　the　adult；　and　hanging　by　the　aged；　women　generally　prefer　asphyxiation；　using　illuminating　gas。　　But　this　is　beside　the　question；　unless〃　…　bending　a　penetrating　look　at　his　companion　…〃　unless　you　believe　Jimmie　Turnbull　committed　suicide。〃

〃That　idea　has　occurred　to　me；〃　admitted　Kent。　　〃But　it　doesn't　square　with　other　facts　which　have　developed；　nor　is　it　in　keeping　with　the　character　of　the　man。〃

〃Men　who　suffer　from　a　mortal　disease　sometimes　commit　desperate　acts；　not　at　all　in　accord　with　their　previous　conduct；〃　responded　Stone　gravely。　　〃Come；　Kent；　you　have　not　answered　my　question。　Why　did　you　wish　information　about　this　box　of　aconitine　pills　prescribed　for　Mrs。　Brewster　during　her　attack　of　neuralgia？〃

〃You　have　just　stated　that　aconitine　is　not　usually　administered　to　murder　a　person；〃　Kent　spoke　seriously；　choosing　his　words　with　care。　〃Do　you　wonder　then；　that　I　consider　it　more　than　a　coincidence　that　Jimmie　Turnbull　should　have　died　from　a　dose　of　that　poison；　and　that　the　drug　should　have　been　prescribed　for　one　of　the　inmates　of　the　house　he　visited　shortly　before　his　death？〃

The　physician　sat　upright；　his　face　had　grown　gray。　　〃Mr。　Kent；〃　he　commenced　indignantly；　〃are　you　aware　what　you　are　insinuating？　　Are　you；　also；　aware　that　Mrs。　Brewster　is　my　cousin；　a　charming；　honorable　woman；　without　a　stain　on　her　character？〃

Kent　set　the　bottom　of　the　box　containing　the　pills　in　front　of　the　doctor。

〃I　have　found　out　that　this　box；　with　its　dangerous　drug；　was　left　on　the　hall　table　in　the　McIntyre　house；　apparently　any　one　had　access　to　its　contents；　therefore　my　remarks　are　not　directed　against　Mrs。　Brewster　any　more　than　against　any　person　in　the　McIntyre　household；　from　the　Colonel　to　the　servants。　　I　found　these　three　pills　at　the　McIntyre　house　this　morning；　how　many　did　your　prescription　call　for？〃

Stone　picked　up　the　small　pills　and；　as　he　balanced　them　in　his　palm；　his　manner　grew　more　alert。　　Suddenly　he　dropped　two　back　in　the　box　and　touched　the　third　pill　with　the　tip　of　his　tongue；　not　content　with　that　he　crushed　it　in　his　fingers；　sniffed　the　drug；　and　again　tested　it　with　his　tongue。　　His　expression　was　peculiar　as　he　looked　up　at　Kent。

〃These　are　not　aconitine　pills；〃　he　stated　positively。　　〃They　are　nitro…glycerine。　　How　did　they　get　in　this　box？〃

Kent　rubbed　his　chin　in　bewilderment。　　The　box　bearing　the　aconitine　label　and　the　pills　had　all　rolled　out　of　the　china　umbrella　stand；　and　he　had　taken　it　for　granted　that　the　pills　belonged　in　the　box。

〃I　found　them　loose　in　the　same　receptacle；〃　he　explained。　　〃And　concluded　they　were　what　remained　of　the　aconitine　pills　which　Grimes；　the　McIntyre　butler；　said　he　left　on　the　hall　table　Sunday　afternoon。〃

Stone　smiled　with　what　Kent；　who　was　watching　him　closely；　judged　to　be　an　odd　mixture　of　relief　and　apprehension。

〃You　could　not　have　found　more　dissimilar　medicine　to　go　in　this　pill　box；　although　the　two　kinds　of　pills　are　identical　in　color　and　size；〃　he　said。　　〃Aconitine　depresses　the　heart　action　while　the　other　stimulates　it。〃

The　physician's　statement　fell　on　deaf　ears。　　Raising　his　head　after　contemplating　the　pills；　Kent　had　looked　across　the　room　and　his　glance　had　fallen　on　a　wing　chair；　standing　just　inside　the　doorway　of　the　living　room；　and　thrown　partly　in　shadow　by　the　portieres。　The　wing　of　the　chair　appeared　to　move。　　Kent　rubbed　his　eyes　and　looking　again；　caught　the　same　slight　movement。

Bounding　toward　the　chair　Kent　saw　that　the　brown　shape　which　he　had　mistaken　for　part　of　the　tufted　upholstery　was　the　sleek　brown　hair　of　a　man's　well…shaped　head。　　He　halted　abruptly　on　meeting　the　gaze　of　a　pair　of　mocking　eyes。

〃Rochester？〃　he　gasped　unbelievingly。　　〃Rochester！〃

His　partner　laughed　softly　as　Stone　approached。　　〃I　have　been　an　interested　listener；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　me　complete　the　good　doctor's　argument。　　Nitro…glycerine　would　have　benefitted　Jimmie　Turnbull　and　his　feeble　heart；　whereas　the　missing　aconitine　pills　killed　him。〃

Stone　regarded　him　with　severity。　　〃How　did　you　get　in　this　apartment？〃　he　demanded；　declining　the　challenge　Rochester　had　　offered　in　addressing　his　opinion　of　Turnbull's　death　directly　to　him。

Rochester　dangled　his　bunch　of　keys　in　the　physician's　face　and　smiled　at　his　excited　partner。　　〃If　you　two　hadn't　been　so　absorbed　in　your　conversation　you　would　have　heard　me　walk　in；〃　he　remarked。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃　demanded　Kent；　partly　recovering　from　his　astonishment　which　had　deprived　him　of　speech。

〃I　decided　to　take　a　vacation　at　a　moment's　notice。〃　Rochester　spoke　with　the　same　slow　drawl　which　was　characteristic　of　him。　　〃You　should　be　accustomed　to　my　eccentricities　by　this　time；　Harry。〃

〃We　are；〃　announced　Detective　Ferguson　from　the　hallway；　where　he　and　Nelson　had　been　silent　witnesses　of　the　scene。　　〃And　we'll　give　you　a　chance　to　explain　them　in　the　pol