the red seal-第36节

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〃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　Turnbull　I　went　there　to　be　with　him。〃

Kent　placed　the　forged　check　bearing　Margaret　Brewster's　signature　on　the　desk。　　〃I　take　it　this　check　is　your　work；　Sylvester；〃　he　said。　　〃You　reaped　the　benefit　by　having　the　money　paid　to　your　sister。　　Did　you　also　have　the　fake　telegram　delivered　to　me　stating　Mr。　Rochester　was　in　Cleveland？〃

〃I　faked　that；〃　broke　in　Rochester；　before　the　clerk　could　make　a　disclaimer。　　〃I　thought　it　best　to　disappear　for　a　few　days　down　in　Virginia；　where　I　could　think　things　over　in　peace。〃

〃So　it　was　you；　Sylvester；　and　not　Mr。　Rochester　whom　I　encountered　in　his　apartment；〃　exclaimed　Kent。　　〃How　did　you　get　in　the　apartment？〃

〃From　the　fire…escape　and　along　the　window　ledge　to　the　bathroom　window。〃　　Sylvester　hitched　his　shoulders。　　〃It　was　nothing　for　a　man　of　my　agility。〃

Ferguson　eyed　him　with　doubtful　respect。

〃You　have　courage；〃　he　admitted　grudgingly。　　〃Come；　we　must　get　to　Headquarters；〃　and　he　aided　Sylvester　to　his　feet；　but　once　standing；　Sylvester　refused　to　move。　　Instead　he　turned　to　Helen。

〃What　was　that　you　passed　to　Mr。　Rochester　in　the　police　court　and　he　later　gave　to　Mr。　Turnbull？〃　he　asked。　　〃Oh；　don't　deny　it；　I　saw　you　palm　a　note；　Mr。　Rochester；　from　the　young　lady。〃

〃There　is　nothing　now　to　conceal；〃　declared　Helen。　　〃After　O'Ryan　and　Jimmie　left　the　house　for　the　police　station　I　grew　fearful　that　Jimmie　might　over…tax　his　strength　in　carrying　out　the　farce　of　his　arrest。　　So　as　soon　as　I　could　I　telephoned　to　Philip　to　meet　me　at　the　police　court　and　to　bring　some　amyl　nitrite　capsules　with　him。〃

〃And　the　note；　Sylvester；　which　you　saw　Miss　McIntyre　give　me　in　court；〃　concluded　Rochester；　as　Helen　paused；　〃told　me　to　hand　the　capsules　to　the　burglar　and　to　defend　him　in　court。　　I　did　both；　although　badly　puzzled　by　the　request。〃　　Rochester　hesitated。　　〃I　carried　out　your　wishes；　Helen；　without　question；　but　when　the　burglar's　identity　was　revealed；　I　jumped　to　the　conclusion　that　you　had　used　me　as　an　instrument　to　kill　him；　for　I　knew　something　of　the　effects　of　amyl　nitrite。〃

〃Great　Heavens！〃　exclaimed　Helen；　aghast。

Rochester　looked　at　her　and　bit　his　lip；　he　knew　of　her　affection　for　Jimmie　and　her　attachment　to　his　memory；　but　he　could　not　kill　the　hope　that　when　Time　had　healed　the　loss；　his　devotion　might　some　day　win　her　for　his　own。

〃I　did　you　great　injustice；〃　he　admitted　humbly。　　〃But　I　was　fearfully　shocked　by　the　scene。　　I　strove　to　divert　suspicion　by　insisting　that　Jimmie　died　from　angina　pectoris；　and　then　you　came；　Helen；　and　demanded　an　autopsy。

〃I　had　to；〃　Helen　broke　in。　　〃I　could　not　believe　that　Jimmie's　death　was　due　to　natural　causes；〃　her　voice　quivered。　　〃He　had　been　so　loyal　…　so　faithful　…　I　could　not　be　less　true　to　him；　even　if；　as　I　feared；　my　own　dear　father　was　guilty　of　the　crime。

Kent　turned　and　faced　Sylvester；　who　had　made　a　few　shuffling　steps　toward　the　door。

〃You　have　done　incalculable　harm　by　your　criminal　acts；〃　he　said　sternly。　　〃But　for　your　lying　and　trickery　Jimmie　Turnbull　would　be　alive　to…day。　　I　trust　the　Court　will　give　you　the　maximum　sentence。〃

Sylvester　eyed　him　insolently。　　〃I've　had　a　run　for　my　money；　and　I　stood　to　win　large　sums　if　things　had　only　gone　right；〃　he　announced；　then　addressed　Helen　directly。　　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　securities？〃

〃I　put　the　envelope　back　in　the　open　safe　when　I　was　here　early　this　afternoon；〃　she　explained。

An　oath　ripped　from　Sylvester。　　〃I　mistook　you　for　your　sister；〃　he　snarled。　　〃Had　I　known　it　was　you；　I'd　have　wrung　the　securities　from　you。〃

Helen　stared　at　his　suddenly　contorted　face。　　〃Ah；　you　are　the　man　who　looked　in　at　the　window　of　the　reception　room　yesterday　morning　when　I　was　talking　to　Mr。　Kent；〃　she　cried。　　〃I　recognize　you　now。〃

He　continued　to　glare　at　her。　　〃I　also　sent　you　a　note　by　your　sister　outside　the　Caf　　St。　Marks　to　secrete　the　letter　'B'；〃　his　voice　rose　almost　into　a　shout　in　his　ungovernable　rage。　　〃I　heard　Turnbull　tell　you　to　take　the　envelope　to　Rochester；　and　I　banked　on　your　bringing　it　here　or　to　his　apartment。　　D…mn　you！　You've　thwarted　me　at　every　turn。〃

Rochester's　powerful　hand　was　clapped　across　his　mouth　with　such　force　that　the　clerk　staggered　against　Ferguson。

〃Here　you；　out　you　go。〃　　The　detective　shoved　the　struggling　man　toward　the　door　leading　into　the　corridor　and　Clymer　sprang　to　his　assistance；　a　second　later　Rochester　closed　the　door　on　their　receding　figures　and　found　Helen　standing　by　his　elbow。

〃I　must　go；〃　she　said；　turning　back　to　look　at　her　father　and　his　bride。

〃Wait　a　minute。〃　Kent　held　up　an　envelope　with　its　fateful　red　seal。　〃This　was　delivered　empty　at　Rochester's　apartment　last　night　…　it　is　addressed　to　him。　　Who　wrote　it？〃

〃I　did；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　McIntyre。　　〃I　felt　I　must　consult　either　you；　Mr。　Kent；　or　Mr。　Rochester；　so　I　sent　the　note　to　his　apartment；　but　the　messenger　boy　hurried　me；　and　it　was　not　until　hours　later　that　I　found　the　note　lying　on　the　desk　in　the　reception　room　and　realized　I　had　sent　an　empty　envelope。〃

〃I　see。〃　Kent　held　up　another　envelope；　the　red　seal　broken　at　the　corner。　　〃This　is　yours；　Helen。〃

Helen　hesitated　perceptibly　before　taking　the　envelope　and　tearing　it　open。　　She　handed　the　securities　to　her　father。

〃Here　is　father's　forged　confession；〃　she　said　as　she　took　the　remaining　paper　from　the　envelope。

〃It　is　a　marvelous　imitation　of　my　handwriting；〃　declared　McIntyre；　looking　at　it　carefully；　then　tearing　it　into　tiny　bits　he　flung　them　into　the　scrap…basket　and　pocketed　the　securities。

〃And　to　think　that　I　aided　Sylvester's　plot　to　gain　the　securities　by　engaging　him　as　our　clerk；〃　groaned　Rochester。

〃It　was　clever　of　him　to　seek　employment　here；〃　agreed　Kent。　　〃But　like　many　crooks　he　over…reached　himself　through　over…confidence。　Must　you　go；　Colonel　McIntyre？〃

〃Yes。〃　McIntyre　walked　over　to　Helen。

〃My　dear　little　girl；〃　he　began　and　his　voice　was　husky　with　feeling。　　〃How　can　I　show　my　appreciation　of　your　loyalty　to　me？〃

〃By　being　kind　to　Harry　and　Barbara。〃　　Helen　smiled　bravely；　although　her　lips　were　trembling　and　for　a　moment　she　could　not　trust　herself　to　speak。　　〃My　romance　is　over；　Barbara's　is　just　beginning。　　And；　father；　will　you　and　Margaret　come　home　with　me　…　I　am　so　lonely；〃　then　turning　blindly　away　she　fairly　ran　out　of　the　office。

〃Go　with　her；〃　said　Rochester；　a　trifle　unsteadily。　　〃It　has　been　a　terrible　ordeal；　God　help　her　to　forget！〃　　His　voice　failed　and　he　swept　his　hand　across　his　eyes　as　he　held　open　the　door　into　the　corridor　and　followed　McIntyre　and　his　wife　outside。

Kent　turned　impulsively　to　Barbara；　and　his　arms　closed　around　her　as　she　raised　her　eyes　to　meet　his；　for　she　knew　that　the　promise　they　spoke　would　be　loyally　fulfilled；　and　that　her　haven　of　love　and　happiness　was　reached　at　last。







End