the red seal(红印)-第23节
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Tuesday night and has not been seen or heard of since；〃 Ferguson rejoined。
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〃Hold on；〃 Kent checked him with an impatient gesture。 〃I had a
telegram from Rochester this morning； stating he was in Cleveland。〃
〃I didn't forget about the telegram；〃 retorted Ferguson。 〃It was to
consult you about that； that I hunted you up to…night。 That telegram was
bogus。〃
〃What！〃 Kent half rose from his chair。
〃Yes。 After the inquest I called Cleveland on the long distance；
talked with the City Club officials and with Police Headquarters； all
declared that Rochester was not there； and no trace could be found of his
having ever arrived in the city。〃
Clymer laid down his half smoked cigar and stared at the detective。
〃You think then that Rochester has bolted？〃 he asked。
〃It looks that way；〃 insisted Ferguson。 〃How about it； Mr。 Kent？〃
The question was put with a touch of arrogance。
Kent did not reply immediately。 Every fact that Ferguson had
brought out fitted the situation； and Rochester's disappearance added color
to the detective's charges。 Why was he hiding unless from guilty motives；
and where had he gone？ Kent shook a bewildered head。
〃It is plausible；〃 he conceded； 〃but； after all； only circumstantial
evidence。〃
〃Well； circumstantial evidence is good enough for me to work on；〃
retorted Ferguson。 〃On discovering that the telegram from Cleveland
was a hoax； I concluded Ferguson might be lurking around Washington
and so sent a description of him to the different precincts and secured a
search warrant。〃
〃You did？〃
〃Yes。 Armed with it I visited Mr。 Rochester's apartment； but
couldn't find a clew to his present whereabouts；〃 admitted Ferguson。 〃So
then I went to your office； Mr。 Kent； and ransacked the firm's safe。〃
〃Confound you！〃 Kent leaned forward in his wrath and shook his fist
at the detective。 〃What right had you to do such a thing？〃
〃The search warrant covered it；〃 explained Ferguson。 〃I could look
through your safe； Mr。 Kent； because Rochester was your senior partner
and you shared the office together； I was within the law。〃
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〃Perhaps you were；〃 Kent controlled his anger with an effort。 〃But I
had told you I did not know Rochester's whereabouts before I showed you
the Cleveland telegram； which you claim is bogus。〃
〃It's bogus； all right；〃 insisted the detective。 〃I thought it just
possible I might find some paper which would give me a clew to
Rochester's hiding place； so I went through the safe。〃
〃How did you get it open？〃 asked Kent。
〃I found it open。〃
Kent leapt to his feet。 〃You … found … it open！ 〃… he stammered。 〃Why；
man； I locked that safe securely just before I left the office at six o'clock。〃
Sure？〃
Absolutely certain。〃
〃Were you alone？〃
〃Yes； all alone。 Sylvester left at five o'clock〃
〃Who knew the combination of the safe？〃
〃Only Rochester and I。〃
It was Ferguson's turn to spring up 〃By …！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I thought
the electric bulbs in the office felt warm； as if they had recently been
burning … Rochester must have been there just before me。〃
〃It would seem that Rochester is still in the city；〃 remarked Clymer。
〃Do you know； Kent； whether he had his office keys with him？〃
〃I presume so；〃 Kent slipped his hand inside his pocket and took out a
bunch of keys。 〃He left these duplicates in his desk at the office。〃
〃Sure they are duplicates？〃 questioned Ferguson； and Kent flushed。
〃I know they are；〃 he retorted。 〃Rochester had them made over a
year ago as a matter of convenience； for he was always forgetting his keys；
and kept these at our office。〃
〃He's a queer cuss；〃 was the detective's only comment and Clymer
broke into the conversation。
〃Did you find any address or paper in the safe which might prove a
clew； Ferguson？〃 he inquired。
〃Nothing； not even a scrap of paper；〃 and the detective's tone was
glum。
〃Did the safe look as if its contents had been tumbled about？〃 asked
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Kent。
〃No； everything seemed in order。〃 Ferguson thrust his hand inside
his coat pocket。 〃There was one envelope in the right hand compartment
which puzzled me …〃
〃Hold on … was that compartment also unlocked？〃 asked Kent。
〃It was；〃 not giving Kent time to speak again Ferguson continued his
remarks。 〃As this was unaddressed I brought it to you； Mr。 Kent； to ask
if it was your personal property〃 … he drew out the white envelope which
Helen McIntyre had brought Kent that morning and turned it over so that
both men could see the large red seal bearing the letter 〃B。〃
〃It is my property；〃 asserted Kent instantly。
〃Would you mind opening it？〃 asked Ferguson。
〃I would； most certainly； it relates to my personal affairs。〃
Ferguson looked a trifle non…plussed。 〃Would you mind telling me its
contents； Mr。 Kent？〃 he asked persuasively。
Kent regarded the detective squarely。 He could not betray Helen； the
envelope might contain harmless nonsense； but she had placed it in his
safe…keeping … no； confound it； she had left it in the safe for Rochester …
and Rochester was apparently a fugitive from justice； while circumstantial
evidence pointed to his having poisoned Helen's lover； Jimmie。。。
〃If you must know； Ferguson；〃 Kent spoke with deliberation。 〃They
are old love letters of mine。〃
Clymer glanced down at the envelope which the detective still held；
the red seal making a distinct blotch of color on the white； glazed surface。
〃Ah； Kent；〃 he said in amusement。 〃So rumor is right in predicting
your engagement to Barbara McIntyre。 Good luck to you！〃
Through the open doorway to the dining room where the dancing had
ceased for the moment； came a soft laugh and Mrs。 Brewster looked in at
them。 McIntyre； standing like her shadow； gazed in curiosity over her
shoulder at the three men。
〃How jolly to find you；〃 cooed Mrs。 Brewster。 〃And what a
charming retreat！ It's much too nice to be occupied by men； only。〃 She
inclined her head in a little gracious bow to Ferguson and stepped inside。
〃Have my chair；〃 suggested Clymer hospitably as the pretty widow
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raised her lorgnette and scanned the Oriental hangings and lamps； and
lastly； the white envelope which lay on the table； red seal uppermost；
where Ferguson had placed it on her entrance。
〃Are your daughters here； Colonel McIntyre？〃 asked Kent as he took a
step toward the table。 McIntyre's answer was drowned in an outburst of
cheering in the dining room and the rush of many feet。 On common
impulse Kent and the others turned toward the doorway and looked inside
the dining room。 Two officers of the French High Commission were
being held on the shoulders of comrades and were delivering； as best they
could amidst cheers and applause； their farewell to hospitable Washington。
As his companions brushed by him to join the gay throng in the center
of the room； Kent turned back to pick up the envelope he had left lying on
the table。 It was gone。
In feverish haste Kent looked under the table； under the chairs； the
lounge and its cushions； behind the draperies； and even under the rugs
which covered the floor of the porch； and then rose and stared into the
dining room。 Which one of his companions had taken the envelope？
Outside the porch the beautiful trumpet vine； its sturdy trunk and thick
branches reaching almost to the
