the red seal-第35节

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saw　him　take　up　and　open　a　small　box　and　toss　some　white　pills　into　his　mouth；　then　he　took　a　good　drink；　and；　picking　up　a　handkerchief　lying　on　the　table；　he　went　back　into　the　library。〃

There　was　silence　as　Sylvester's　callous　recital　of　the　tragedy　ended。　　Helen；　her　eyes　tearless　and　dark　with　suffering；　sank　slowly　back　in　her　chair　and　rested　her　head　against　Barbara's　sympathetic　shoulder。

〃So　Turnbull's　death　was　accidental　after　all；〃　exclaimed　Ferguson。　〃Or　was　it　suicide？〃

〃Accident；〃　answered　Kent。　　〃I　found　some　nitro…glycerine　pills　in　the　umbrella　stand　by　the　hall　table。〃　Colonel　McIntyre　nodded。　〃Evidently　Turnbull　put　down　his　pill　box　before　getting　a　glass　of　water；　and　in　his　attack　of　giddiness　accidentally　opened　your　box　of　aconitine　pills；　Mrs。　Brewster；　instead　of　his　own；　and　swallowed　a　fatal　dose；　thinking　they　were　nitroglycerine。〃

Mrs。　Brewster　bowed　her　head　in　agreement。　　That　must　have　been　it；〃　she　said。　　〃However；　I　saw　Colonel　McIntyre　tear　off　the　paper　wrapping　and　open　my　package　of　pills　just　before　dinner；　and　when　I　heard　that　Jimmie　had　died　from　aconitine　I　…　I　…〃　she　stammered　and　stopped　short。

〃You　suspected　I　had　murdered　him？〃　asked　McIntyre　softly。

〃Yes；〃　she　looked　appealingly　at　him。　　〃Forgive　me；　I　should　never　have　suspected　you；　but　the　pills；　box　and　all；　were　missing　the　next　morning　from　the　hall　table。〃

〃Turnbull　must　have　thrown　the　box　into　the　umbrella　stand；〃　explained　Kent。　　〃That　was　where　I　found　it。　　Did　you　get　the　securities；　Sylvester？〃　turning　to　the　prisoner。

〃No；〃　sullenly。　　〃She　did；〃　and　a　jerk　of　his　thumb　indicated　Helen　McIntyre。

Helen　raised　her　head　and　addressed　them　slowly。

〃Jimmie　and　I　expected　Barbara　to　come　in　at　any　moment；　and　he　started　to　leave　when　we　saw　you　coming　downstairs；〃　she　turned　to　Mrs。　Brewster。　　〃Jimmie　declared　that　if　we　were　found　together　I　might　be　compromised。　　He　couldn't　explain　his　presence　without　exposing　father　…　we　both　thought　you　a　forger；　father；〃　she　interpolated；　as　McIntyre　took　her　hand　and　pressed　it　understandingly。　　〃So　he　insisted　that　I　should　treat　him　like　an　ordinary　burglar　…　we　had　both　forgotten　Barbara's　silly　wager　in　our　horror　about　father。　　Jimmie　didn't　dare　take　the　securities　and　father's　confession　with　him　for　fear　he'd　be　searched　at　the　police　station；　and　the　scandal　would　have　come　out　then。〃

〃True；〃　agreed　McIntyre。　　〃Go　on；　Helen。〃

〃So　Jimmie　thrust　the　securities　and　father's　confession　into　an　envelope　and　sealed　it　with　red　wax；　using　Barbara's　seal；〃　explained　Helen。　　〃He　hadn't　time　to　write　an　address　or　message　on　it；　but　he　told　me　to　return　the　envelope　to　him　later　in　the　day　or　give　it　to　Philip　Rochester　and　ask　his　aid。　　I　brought　it　here　on　Wednesday　morning　and　with　Harry's　permission　put　the　envelope　in　the　safe。〃

〃I　tried　to　get　it　from　there；〃　volunteered　Sylvester；　〃for　I　overheard　Turnbull's　plan；　before　I　left　by　the　reception　room　window。〃

〃So　it　was　you　and　not　Mr。　Rochester　whom　I　saw　steal　out　of　the　window；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Brewster。

〃It's　not　the　first　time　I've　been　mistaken　for　him；〃　exclaimed　Sylvester　calmly。

Kent　started　and；　gazing　at　Rochester　and　the　clerk；　saw　there　was　a　general　resemblance　in　coloring　and　physique。

〃Did　you　present　the　checks　to　McDonald　at　the　Metropolis　Trust　Company　bearing　Rochester's　and　my　forged　signatures？〃　he　asked。

〃I　did；〃　acknowledged　Sylvester。　　〃Mr。　Rochester's　wardrobe　came　in　very　handy　for　deceiving　the　casual　glance。　　You　know；　'clothes　make　the　man；　and　want　of　it　the　fellow。'〃

Kent　looked　up　quickly；　struck　by　an　idea。

〃Sylvester；　did　you　steal　the　envelope　containing　the　securities　from　me　at　the　Club　de　Vingt？〃　he　asked。

Sylvester　shook　his　head。　　〃No；　but　she　did；〃　pointing　to　Mrs。　Brewster。　　〃It's　no　lie；〃　as　McIntyre　uttered　an　indignant　denial。　〃When　Ferguson　left　here　carrying　off　the　securities　from　under　my　nose　almost　…　I　　had　spent　the　whole　day　trying　to　learn　the　safe's　combination；　I　trailed　him　to　the　Club　de　Vingt；　and　heard　the　head　waiter　tell　him　you；　Mr。　Kent；　were　sitting　in　the　small　smoking　porch；　so　I　climbed　up　the　trumpet　vine；　oh；　it　was　strong　and　no　climb　for　one　who　has　done　the　feats　I　have　in　the　circus。　I　reached　the　porch　just　in　time　to　see　Mrs。　Brewster　drop　her　fan；　and　when　the　men　bent　to　pick　it　up　she　'lifted'　the　envelope　and　concealed　it　under　her　scarf。〃

〃Don't；〃　Mrs。　Brewster　laid　a　detaining　hand　on　McIntyre　as　he　stepped　forward。　　〃The　man　is　telling　the　truth。　　I　thought　it　was　the　envelope　you　gave　me　earlier　in　the　evening　…　it　was　unaddressed　and　the　red　seal　was　the　same。〃

〃Just　a　moment；〃　interrupted　Kent。　　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　envelope？〃

〃When　I　returned　home　I　dropped　it　inside　one　of　the　Venetian　caskets；〃　Mrs。　Brewster　replied。　　〃No　one　ever　went　near　them；　and　I　thought　it　would　be　safe　there。　　You　see；　I　was　puzzled　to　know　how　it　had　disappeared　from　the　desk　in　the　reception　room；　where　I　had　left　it　in　one　of　the　pigeon　holes；　intending　to　take　it　later　to　my　room。〃

〃I　took　the　envelope　…　your　envelope　…　out　of　the　desk；〃　confessed　McIntyre。　　〃I　would　have　spoken　of　it；　Margaret；　but　was　hurt　that　you　had　left　our　marriage　certificate　lying　around　so　carelessly。〃

〃Your　what？〃　Barbara　sprang　up；　astounded。

〃Our　marriage　certificate；〃　repeated　McIntyre　firmly。　　〃Margaret　and　I　were　married　last　week　in　Baltimore。　　We　would　have　told　you；　Helen；　but　your　peculiar　conduct　and　Barbara's；　so　angered　me　that　I　forbade　Margaret　to　take　you　into　our　confidence。〃

〃Father！〃　　Barbara　got　no　further；　for　Helen　had　risen。　　She　spoke　with　quiet　dignity。

〃You　forget；　father；　that　since　Monday　night　we　have　thought　you　a　forger　and；　worse；　a　murderer；〃　her　voice　faltered。　　〃In　our　effort　to　guard　you　we　have　become　estranged。　　Margaret〃…　she　held　out　her　hand　with　an　affectionate　gesture　and　with　a　sob　her　step…mother　kissed　her。

〃How　did　this　envelope　get　back　inside　our　safe？〃　asked　Kent　a　moment　later；　picking　it　up　and　displaying　the　red　seal；　intact　save　for　the　broken　corner。

〃I　went　downstairs　about　midnight　or　a　little　later　and　into　the　library；〃　confessed　Helen。　　〃What　was　my　surprise　and　terror　to　see　Grimes　holding　the　envelope。　　To　me　it　meant　father's　exposure　as　a　forger。　　I　had　a　revolver　in　my　hand　and　struck　before　I　thought。　Then　I　must　temporarily　have　lost　my　reason。　　It　was　only　my　thought　to　save　father　that　lent　me　courage　and　strength　to　thrust　Grimes　inside　the　casket　where　Babs　and　I　used　to　hide。　　I　then　returned　to　my　room；　and　was　just　coming　downstairs　again　after　secreting　the　envelope；　to　release　Grimes　and　get　medical　assistance　if　need　be；　when　Margaret's　screams　aroused　the　household。〃

McIntyre　interrupted　his　daughter　with　a　hasty　gesture；　and　addressed　his　wife。　　〃When　Detective　Ferguson　questioned　me　as　to　your　reason　for　being　in　the　library；　Margaret；　I　stated　you　had　gone　down　to　get　a　book　left　lying　on　the　Venetian　casket；〃　he　said。　　〃I　waited　for　you　to　volunteer　an　explanation　of　your　presence　there；　but　you　never　made　any。〃

〃I　went　down　to　get　our　marriage　certificate。〃　　Margaret　forgot　the　presence　of　others　and　spoke　only　to　him；　the　love…light　in　her　eyes　pleading　against　the　censure　she　dreaded；　as　she　made　her　brief　confession。　　〃Mr。　Clymer　sent　me　a　note；　inclosing　a　canceled　check；　stating　the　bank　officials　had　decided　my　signature　was　a　forgery。　The　check　was　drawn　to　Barbara；　and　on　examining　it　I　noticed　the　peculiar　formation　of　the　letter　'B'；　it　is　characteristic　of　your　handwriting　and　Helen's。〃　　She　paused；　and　added：

〃I　was　at　a　loss　what　to　think。　　I　knew　you　and　Helen　wrote　alike；　Helen's　extraordinary　behavior　to　me　led　me　to　believe　that　perhaps　she　had　been　short　of　funds；　and　forged　my　name　to　a　check　in　desperation。　　Then　I　remembered　seeing　you；　Charles；　open　the　box　containing　my　aconitine　pills；　the　box's　disappearance；　and　Jimmie's　death　from　that　poison〃　…　she　raised　her　hands　in　an　expressive　gesture。　　〃Although　my　reason　told　me　that　you　might　be　guilty；　my　loyalty　and　love　refuted　the　accusation。〃

〃Margaret！〃　McIntyre's　voice　shook　with　emotion；　then　controlling　himself　he　turned　to　Sylvester。　　〃I　presume　this　check　was　some　more　of　your　deviltry？〃

Helen　answered　for　the　clerk。　　Removing　a　soiled　paper　from　her　bag　she　laid　it　on　Kent's　desk。　　〃This　note　was　handed　to　me　by　Grimes；〃　she　explained。　　〃It　reads：　'Helen；　please　cash　this　check　and　give　money　to　Mrs。　Brewster's　dressmaker。　　Father。'　　I　followed　the　instructions。〃

〃And　gave　the　money　to　my　sister；〃　Sylvester　chuckled　at　their　surprise。　　〃My　sister　was　taught　in　a　French　convent；　and　she　is　an　excellent　seamstress；　when　she　isn't　drunk；　as　Mrs。　McIntyre　knows。〃

〃See　here；　Sylvester；〃　Clymer　broke　his　long　silence。　　〃You　were　in　the　police　court　on　a　charge　of　assault　and　battery　brought　by　your　wife　on　Tuesday　morning；　and　you　were　in　the　prisoner's　cage　at　the　moment　Turnbull　died。　　How　then　was　it　possible　for　you　to　be　at　the　McIntyre's　at　midnight　on　Monday？〃

〃I　was　out　on　bail　and　appeared　in　the　courtroom　just　in　time　for　my　trial；〃　Sylvester　explained。　　〃I　did　not　have　to　sit　in　the　cage；　but　recognizing　Tu