the clue of the twisted candle-第21节

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　one　of　the　apparently　endless　corridors　of　Scotland　Yard。

〃You　won't　have　any　bother　about　the　pardon；〃　he　said。　　〃I　was　dining　to…night　with　old　man　Bartholomew　and　he　will　fix　that　up　in　the　morning。〃

〃There　will　be　no　necessity　to　detain　Lexman　in　custody？〃　asked　T。　X。

The　Chief　shook　his　head。

〃None　whatever；〃　he　said。

There　was　a　pause；　then；

〃By　the　way；　did　Bartholomew　mention　Belinda　Mary！〃

The　white…haired　chief　looked　round　in　astonishment。

〃And　who　the　devil　is　Belinda　Mary？〃　he　asked。

T。　X。　went　red。

〃Belinda　Mary；〃　he　said　a　little　quickly；　〃is　Bartholomew's　daughter。〃

〃By　Jove；〃　said　the　Commissioner；　〃now　you　mention　it；　he　did　…　she　is　still　in　France。〃

〃Oh；　is　she？〃　said　T。　X。　innocently；　and　in　his　heart　of　hearts　he　wished　most　fervently　that　she　was。　　They　came　to　the　room　which　Mansus　occupied　and　found　that　admirable　man　waiting。

Wherever　policemen　meet；　their　conversation　naturally　drifts　to　〃shop〃　and　in　two　minutes　the　three　were　discussing　with　some　animation　and　much　difference　of　opinion；　as　far　as　T。　X。　was　concerned；　a　series　of　frauds　which　had　been　perpetrated　in　the　Midlands；　and　which　have　nothing　to　do　with　this　story。

〃Your　friend　is　late；〃　said　the　Chief　Commissioner。

〃There　he　is；〃　cried　T。　X。；　springing　up。　　He　heard　a　familiar　footstep　on　the　flagged　corridor；　and　sprung　out　of　the　room　to　meet　the　newcomer。

For　a　moment　he　stood　wringing　the　hand　of　this　grave　man；　his　heart　too　full　for　words。

〃My　dear　chap！〃　he　said　at　last；　〃you　don't　know　how　glad　I　am　to　see　you。〃

John　Lexman　said　nothing；　then；

〃I　am　sorry　to　bring　you　into　this　business；　T。　X。；〃　he　said　quietly。

〃Nonsense；〃　said　the　other；　〃come　in　and　see　the　Chief。〃

He　took　John　by　the　arm　and　led　him　into　the　Superintendent's　room。

There　was　a　change　in　John　Lexman。　　A　subtle　shifting　of　balance　which　was　not　readily　discoverable。　　His　face　was　older；　the　mobile　mouth　a　little　more　grimly　set；　the　eyes　more　deeply　lined。　He　was　in　evening　dress　and　looked；　as　T。　X。　thought；　a　typical；　clean；　English　gentleman；　such　an　one　as　any　self…respecting　valet　would　be　proud　to　say　he　had　〃turned　out。〃

T。　X。　looking　at　him　carefully　could　see　no　great　change；　save　that　down　one　side　of　his　smooth　shaven　cheek　ran　the　scar　of　an　old　wound；　which　could　not　have　been　much　more　than　superficial。

〃I　must　apologize　for　this　kit；〃　said　John；　taking　off　his　overcoat　and　laying　it　across　the　back　of　a　chair；　〃but　the　fact　is　I　was　so　bored　this　evening　that　I　had　to　do　something　to　pass　the　time　away；　so　I　dressed　and　went　to　the　theatre　…　and　was　more　bored　than　ever。〃

T。　X。　noticed　that　he　did　not　smile　and　that　when　he　spoke　it　was　slowly　and　carefully；　as　though　he　were　weighing　the　value　of　every　word。

〃Now；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　have　come　to　deliver　myself　into　your　hands。〃

〃I　suppose　you　have　not　seen　Kara？〃　said　T。　　X。

〃I　have　no　desire　to　see　Kara；〃　was　the　short　reply。

〃Well；　Mr。　Lexman；〃　broke　in　the　Chief；　〃I　don't　think　you　are　going　to　have　any　difficulty　about　your　escape。　　By　the　way；　I　suppose　it　was　by　aeroplane？〃

Lexman　nodded。

〃And　you　had　an　assistant？〃

Again　Lexman　nodded。

〃Unless　you　press　me　I　would　rather　not　discuss　the　matter　for　some　little　time；　Sir　George；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　much　that　will　happen　before　the　full　story　of　my　escape　is　made　known。〃

Sir　George　nodded。

〃We　will　leave　it　at　that；〃　he　said　cheerily；　〃and　now　I　hope　you　have　come　back　to　delight　us　all　with　one　of　your　wonderful　plots。〃

〃For　the　time　being　I　have　done　with　wonderful　plots；〃　said　John　Lexman　in　that　even；　deliberate　tone　of　his。　　〃I　hope　to　leave　London　next　week　for　New　York　and　take　up　such　of　the　threads　of　life　as　remain。　　The　greater　thread　has　gone。〃

The　Chief　Commissioner　understood。

The　silence　which　followed　was　broken　by　the　loud　and　insistent　ringing　of　the　telephone　bell。

〃Hullo；〃　said　Mansus　rising　quickly；　〃that's　Kara's　bell〃

With　two　quick　strides　he　was　at　the　telephone　and　lifted　down　the　receiver。

〃Hullo；〃　he　cried。　　〃Hullo；〃　he　cried　again。　　There　was　no　reply；　only　the　continuous　buzzing；　and　when　he　hung　up　the　receiver　again；　the　bell　continued　ringing。

The　three　policemen　looked　at　one　another。

〃There's　trouble　there；〃　said　Mansus。

〃Take　off　the　receiver；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃and　try　again。〃

Mansus　obeyed；　but　there　was　no　response。

〃I　am　afraid　this　is　not　my　affair；〃　said　John　Lexman　gathering　up　his　coat。　　〃What　do　you　wish　me　to　do；　Sir　George？〃

〃Come　along　to…morrow　morning　and　see　us；　Lexman；〃　said　Sir　George；　offering　his　hand。

〃Where　are　you　staying！〃　asked　T。　X。

〃At　the　Great　Midland；〃　replied　the　other；　〃at　least　my　bags　have　gone　on　there。〃

〃I'll　come　along　and　see　you　to…morrow　morning。　　It's　curious　this　should　have　happened　the　night　you　returned；〃　he　said；　gripping　the　other's　shoulder　affectionately。

John　Lexman　did　not　speak　for　the　moment。

〃If　anything　happened　to　Kara；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃if　the　worst　that　was　possible　happened　to　him；　believe　me　I　should　not　weep。〃

T。　X。　looked　down　into　the　other's　eyes　sympathetically。

〃I　think　he　has　hurt　you　pretty　badly；　old　man；〃　he　said　gently。

John　Lexman　nodded。

〃He　has；　damn　him；〃　he　said　between　his　teeth。

The　Chief　Commissioner's　motor　car　was　waiting　outside　and　in　this　T。　X。；　Mansus；　and　a　detective…sergeant　were　whirled　off　to　Cadogan　Square。　　Fisher　was　in　the　hall　when　they　rung　the　bell　and　opened　the　door　instantly。

He　was　frankly　surprised　to　see　his　visitors。　　Mr。　Kara　was　in　his　room　he　explained　resentfully；　as　though　T。　X。　should　have　been　aware　of　the　fact　without　being　told。　　He　had　heard　no　bell　ringing　and　indeed　had　not　been　summoned　to　the　room。

〃I　have　to　see　him　at　eleven　o'clock；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　have　had　standing　instructions　not　to　go　to　him　unless　I　am　sent　for。〃

T。　X。　led　the　way　upstairs；　and　went　straight　to　Kara's　room。　　He　knocked；　but　there　was　no　reply。　　He　knocked　again　and　on　this　failing　to　evoke　any　response　kicked　heavily　at　the　door。

〃Have　you　a　telephone　downstairs！〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　replied　Fisher。

T。　X。　turned　to　the　detective…sergeant。

〃'Phone　to　the　Yard；〃　he　said；　〃and　get　a　man　up　with　a　bag　of　tools。　　We　shall　have　to　pick　this　lock　and　I　haven't　got　my　case　with　me。〃

〃Picking　the　lock　would　be　no　good；　sir；〃　said　Fisher；　an　interested　spectator；　〃Mr。　Kara's　got　the　latch　down。〃

〃I　forgot　that；〃　said　T。　X。　　〃Tell　him　to　bring　his　saw；　we'll　have　to　cut　through　the　panel　here。〃

While　they　were　waiting　for　the　arrival　of　the　police　officer　T。　X。　strove　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　inmates　of　the　room；　but　without　success。

〃Does　he　take　opium　or　anything！〃　asked　Mansus。

Fisher　shook　his　head。

〃I've　never　known　him　to　take　any　of　that　kind　of　stuff；〃　he　said。

T。　X。　made　a　rapid　survey　of　the　other　rooms　on　that　floor。　　The　room　next　to　Kara's　was　the　library；　beyond　that　was　a　dressing　room　which；　according　to　Fisher；　Miss　Holland　had　used；　and　at　the　farthermost　end　of　the　corridor　was　the　dining　room。

Facing　the　dining　room　was　a　small　service　lift　and　by　its　side　a　storeroom　in　which　were　a　number　of　trunks；　including　a　very　large　one　smothered　in　injunctions　in　three　different　languages　to　〃handle　with　care。〃　　There　was　nothing　else　of　interest　on　this　floor　and　the　upper　and　lower　floors　could　wait。　　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　carpenter　had　arrived　from　Scotland　Yard；　and　had　bored　a　hole　in　the　rosewood　panel　of　Kara's　room　and　was　busily　applying　his　slender　saw。

Through　the　hole　he　cut　T。　X。　could　see　no　more　than　that　the　room　was　in　darkness　save　for　the　glow　of　a　blazing　fire。　　He　inserted　his　hand；　groped　for　the　knob　of　the　steel　latch；　which　he　had　remarked　on　his　previous　visit　to　the　room；　lifted　it　and　the　door　swung　open。

〃Keep　outside；　everybody；〃　he　ordered。

He　felt　for　the　switch　of　the　electric；　found　it　and　instantly　the　room　was　flooded　with　light。　　The　bed　was　hidden　by　the　open　door。　T。　X。　took　one　stride　into　the　room　and　saw　enough。　　Kara　was　lying　half　on　and　half　off　the　bed。　　He　was　quite　dead　and　the　blood…stained　patch　above　his　heart　told　its　own　story。

T。　X。　stood　looking　down　at　him；　saw　the　frozen　horror　on　the　dead　man's　face；　then　drew　his　eyes　away　and　slowly　surveyed　the　room。　There　in　the　middle　of　the　carpet　he　found　his　clue；　a　bent　and　twisted　little　candle　such　as　you　find　on　children's　Christmas　trees。





CHAPTER　XIV


It　was　Mansus　who　found　the　second　candle；　a　stouter　affair。　　It　lay　underneath　the　bed。　　The　telephone；　which　stood　on　a　fairly　large…sized　table　by　the　side　of　the　bed；　was　overturned　and　the　receiver　was　on　the　floor。　　By　its　side　were　two　books；　one　being　the　〃Balkan　Question；〃　by　Villari；　and　the　other　〃Travels　and　Politics　in　the　Near　East；〃　by　Miller。　　With　them　was　a　long；　ivory　paper…knife。

There　was　nothing　else　on　the　bedside…table　save　a　silver　cigarette　box。　　T。　X。　drew　on　a　pair　of　gloves　and　examined　the　bright　surface　for　finger…prints；　but　a　superficial　view　revealed　no　such　clue。

〃Open　the　window；〃　said　T。　X。；　〃the　heat　here　is　intolerable。　　Be　very　careful；　Mansus。　　By　the　way；　is　the　window　fastened？〃

〃V