the red seal-第5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！


　the　Wilkins　Building。　　Several　business　acquaintances　stopped　to　chat　with　him　as　he　walked　down　the　corridor　to　his　office；　and　it　was　fully　fifteen　minutes　before　he　turned　the　knob　of　the　door　bearing　the　firm　name　…　ROCHESTER　AND　KENT；　ATTORNEYS　…　on　its　glass　panel。　　As　he　stepped　inside　the　anteroom　which　separated　the　two　offices　occupied　respectively　by　him　and　his　senior　partner；　Philip　Rochester；　a　stranger　rose　from　the　clerk's　desk。

〃Yes；　sir？〃　he　asked　interrogatively。

Kent　eyed　him　in　surprise。　　〃Mr。　Rochester　here？　〃　he　inquired。

〃No；　sir。　　It　am　in　charge　of　the　office。〃

〃You　are！〃　Kent's　surprise　increased。　　〃I　happen　to　be　Mr。　Kent；　junior　partner　in　this　firm。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir。〃　The　dapper　clerk　bowed　and　hurrying　to　his　desk　took　up　a　letter。　　〃Mr。　Rochester　left　this　for　you；　Mr。　Kent；　before　his　departure　last　night。〃

〃His　departure！〃　　Kent　deposited　his　suit…case　on　one　of　the　chairs　and　tore　open　the　envelope。　　The　note　was　a　scrawl；　which　he　had　some　difficulty　in　deciphering。

〃Dear　Kent；〃　it　ran。　　〃Am　called　out　of　town；　will　be　back　Saturday。　Saunders　gave　me　some　of　his　cheek　this　afternoon；　so　I　fired　him。　I　engaged　John　Sylvester　to　fill　his　place；　who　comes　highly　recommended。　　He　will　report　for　work　to…morrow。　Ta…ta　…　PHIL。〃


Kent　thrust　the　note　into　his　pocket　and　picked　up　his　suit…case。

〃Mr。　Rochester　states　that　he　has　engaged　you；〃　he　said。　　〃Your　references　…？〃

〃Here；　sir。〃　The　clerk　handed　him　a　folded　paper；　and　Kent　ran　his　eyes　down　the　sheet　from　the　sentence：　〃To　whom　it　may　concern〃　to　the　signature；　Clark　Hildebrand。　　The　statement　spoke　in　high　terms　of　John　Sylvester；　confidential　clerk。

〃I　can　refer　you　to　my　other　employers；　Mr。　Kent；〃　Sylvester　volunteered　as　the　young　lawyer　stood　regarding　the　paper。　　〃If　you；　desire　further　information　there　is　Mr。　Clymer　and　…〃

〃No；　Judge　Hildebrand'S　recommendation　is　sufficient。〃　And　at　Kent's　smile　the　clerk's　anxious　expression　vanished。　　〃Did　Mr。　Rochester　give　you　any　outline　of　the　work？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　he　told　me　to　file　the　papers　in　the　Hitchcock　case；　and　attend　to　the　morning　correspondence。〃

〃Very　good。　　Has　any　one　called　this　morning？〃

〃No；　sir。　　These　letters　were　addressed　to　you　personally；　and　I　have　not　opened　them；〃　　Sylvester　handed　a　neatly　arranged　package　to　Kent。　　〃These；〃　indicating　several　letters　lying　open　on　his　desk；　〃are　to　the　firm。〃

〃Bring　them　to　me　in　half　an　hour；〃　and　Kent　walked　into　his　private　office；　carefully　closing　the　door　behind　him。　　Opening　his　suit…case　he　took　out　his　brief　bag　and　laid　it　on　the　desk　in　front　of　him　together　with　the　package　of　letters。　　Instead　of　opening　the　letters　immediately；　he　tilted　back　in　his　chair　and　regarded　the　opposite　wall　in　deep　thought。　　Philip　Rochester　could　not　have　selected　a　worse　time　to　absent　himself；　three　important　cases　were　on　the　calendar　for　immediate　trial　and　much　depended　on　the　firm's　successful　handling　of　them。　　Kent　swore　softly　under　his　breath；　his　last　warning　to　Rochester；　that　he　would　dissolve　their　partnership　if　the　older　man　continued　to　neglect　his　practice；　had　been　given　only　a　month　before　and　upon　Kent's　return　from　eight　months'　service　in　the　Judge　Advocate　General's　Department　in　France。　Apparently　his　warning　had　fallen　on　deaf　ears　and　Rochester　was　indulging　in　another　periodic　spree；　for　so　Kent　concluded；　recalling　the　unsteady　penmanship　of　the　note　handed　to　him　by　the　new　clerk；　John　Sylvester。

Kent　was　still　frowning　at　the　opposite　wall　when　a　faint　knock　sounded；　and　at　his　call　Sylvester　entered。

〃Here　are　the　letters　received　this　morning；　sir；　and　type…written　copies　of　the　answers　to　yesterday's　correspondence　which　Mr。　Rochester　dictated　before　leaving；〃　Sylvester　explained　as　he　placed　the　papers　on　Kent's　desk。　　〃If　you　will　o。k。　them；　I　will　mail　them　at　once。〃

Kent　went　through　the　letters　with　care；　and　the　new　clerk　rose　in　his　estimation　as　he　read　the　excellent　dictation　of　the　clearly　typed　answers。

〃These　will　do　admirably；〃　he　announced。　　〃Sit　down　and　I　will　reply　to　the　other　letters。〃

At　the　end　of　an　hour　Sylvester　closed　his　stenographic　note　book　and　collected　the　correspondence；　by　that　time　scattered　over　Kent's　desk。

〃I'll　have　these　notes　ready　for　your　signature　before　lunch；〃　he　said　as　he　picked　up　a　newspaper　from　the　floor　where　it　had　tumbled　during　Kent's　search　for　some　particu1ar　letter　heads。　　〃I　brought　in　the　morning　paper；　sir；　thought　perhaps　you　had　not　seen　it。〃

〃Thanks。〃　Kent　swung　his　chair　nearer　the　window　and　opened　the　newspaper。　　He　had　purchased　a　copy　when　walking　through　Union　Station　on　his　arrival；　but　had　left　it　in　the　cafeteria　where　he　had　snatched　a　cup　of　coffee　and　hot　rolls　before　hurrying　to　his　office。

He　read　a　column　devoted　to　international　affairs；　scanned　an　account　of　a　senatorial　wrangle；　and　was　about　to　turn　to　the　second　page；　whistling　cheerily；　when　his　attention　was　arrested　by　the　headings：

　　　　　BANK　CASHIER　DIES　IN　POLICE　COURT　　　　　JAMES　TURNBULL；　MISTAKEN　FOR　BURGLAR；　　　　SUFFERS　FATAL　ATTACK　OF　ANGINA　PECTORIS

Kent's　whistle　stopped　abruptly；　and　clutching　the　paper　in　both　hands；　he　devoured　the　short　account　printed　under　the　scare　heads：

　　〃While　masquerading　as　a　burglar　on　a　wager；　　　　James　Turnbull；　cashier　of　the　Metropolis　Trust　　　　Company；　was　arrested　by　Officer　O'Ryan　at　an　　　　early　hour　yesterday　morning　in　the　residence　of　　　　Colonel　Charles　McIntyre。

　　〃Officer　O'Ryan　conducted　his　prisoner　to　the　　　　8th　Precinct　Police　Station；　and　later　he　was　　　　arraigned　in　the　police　court。　　The　Misses　　　　McIntyre　appeared　in　person　to　prefer　the　　　　charges　against　the　supposed　burglar；　who；　on　　　　being　sworn；　gave　the　name　of　John　Smith。

　　〃Philip　Rochester；　the　well　known　criminal　　　　lawyer；　was　assigned　by　the　court　to　defend　the　　　　prisoner。　　Upon　the　evidence　submitted　Judge　　　　Mackall　held　the　prisoner　for　trial　by　the　grand　　　　jury。

　　〃It　was　just　after　the　Judge's　announcement　　　　that　'John　Smith；'　then　sitting　in　the　prisoners　　　　cage；　was　seized　with　the　attack　of　angina　pectoris　　　　which　ended　so　fatally　a　few　minutes　later。　　　　It　was　not　until　after　he　had　expired　that　those　　　　rendering　him　medical　assistance　became　aware　　　　that　he　was　James　Turnbull　in　disguise。

　　〃James　Turnbull　was　a　native　of　Washington；　　　　his　father；　the　late　Hon　Josiah　Turnbull　of　　　　Connecticut；　having　made　this　city　his　permanent　　　　home　in　the　early　'90s。　　Mr。　Turnbull　was　looked　　　　upon　as　one　of　the　rising　young　men　in　banking　　　　circles；　he　was　also　prominent　socially；　was　a　　　　member　of　the　Alibi；　Metropolitan；　and　Country　　　　Clubs；　and　until　recently　was　active　in　all　forms　　　　of　athletics；　when　his　ill…health　precluded　active　　　　exercise。

　　〃Officer　O'Ryan；　who　was　greatly　shocked　by　　　　the　fatal　termination　to　Mr。　Turnbull's　rash　　　　wager；　stated　to　the　representatives　of　the　press　　　　that　Mr。　Turnbull　gave　no　hint　of　his　identity　　　　while　being　interrogated　at　the　8th　Precinct　　　　Station。　　Friends　attribute　Mr。　Turnbull's　　　　disinclination　to　reveal　himself　to　the　court；　to　　　　his　enjoyment　of　a　practical　joke；　not　realizing　　　　that　the　resultant　excitement　of　the　scene　would　　　　react　on　his　weak　heart。

　　〃Mr。　Turnbull　is　survived　by　a　great　aunt；　he　had　　　　no　nearer　relatives　living。　　It　is　a　singular　　　　coincidence　that　the　lawyer　appointed　by　the　　　　court　to　defend　Turnbull　was　his　intimate　friend；　　　　Philip　Rochester；　who　made　his　home　with　the　　　　deceased。〃

Kent　read　the　column　over　and　over；　then；　letting　the　paper　slip　to　the　floor；　sat　back　in　his　chair；　too　dumb…founded　for　words。　Jimmie　Turnbull　arrested　as　a　burglar　in　the　home　of　the　girl　he　loved　on　charges　preferred　by　her；　and　defended　in　court　by　his　intimate　friend；　both　of　whom　were　unaware　of　his　identity！　　Kent　rumpled　his　fair　hair　until　it　stood　upright。　　And　Jimmie's　death　had　followed　almost　immediately　as　the　result　of　over…excitement！

Kent's　eyes　grew　moist；　he　had　been　very　fond　of　the　eccentric；　lovable　bank　cashier；　whose　knack　of　performing　many　a　kindly　act；　unsolicited；　had　endeared　him　to　friends　and　acquaintances　alike。　Kent　had　seen　much　of　him　after　his　return　from　France；　for　Jimmie's　attention　to　Helen　McIntyre　had　been　only　second　to　Kent's　devotion　to　the　latter's　sister；　Barbara。　　The　two　men　had　one　bond　in　common。　Colonel　McIntyre　disliked　them　and　discouraged　their　calling；　to　the　secret　fury　of　both；　but　love　had　found　a　way　…　Kent's　eyes　kindled　at　the　recollection　of　Barbara's　half…shy；　wholly　tender　reception　of　his　ardent　pleading。

Turnbull's　courtship　had　met　with　a　set…back　where　he　had　least　expected　it　…　Philip　Rochester　had　fallen　deeply　in　love　with　Helen　and；　encouraged　by　her　father；　had　pressed　his　suit　with　ardor。　Frequent　quarrels　between　the　two　close　friends　had　been　the　outcome；　and　Jimmie　had　confided　to　Kent；　before　the　latter　left　on　the　business　trip　to　Chicago　from　which　he　had　returned　that　morning；　that　the　situation　had　become　intolerable　and　he　had　notified　Rochester　that　he　would　no　longer　share　his　apartment　with　him；　and　to　look　for　other　quarters　as　quickly　as　possible。

So　buried　was　Kent　in　his