the red seal(红印)-第36节
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told me the doctor had been sent for by Colonel McIntyre；〃 Clymer
explained。 〃I hope neither of the twins is ill。〃
〃No。 Colonel McIntyre sent for Dr。 Stone to attend Grimes …〃
〃The butler！ Too bad he is ill； Grimes is an institution in the
McIntyre household。〃 Clymer spoke with sincere regret； and Mrs。
Brewster eyed him approvingly； she liked good…looking men of his stamp。
〃Come in； McDonald；〃 as the bank teller appeared。 〃You know Mrs。
Brewster？〃
〃Mr。 McDonald was one of my first acquaintances in Washington；〃
and Mrs。 Brewster smiled as she held out her hand。
〃About this check； McDonald；〃 Clymer handed it to the teller as he
spoke。 〃Who presented it？〃
〃Miss McIntyre。〃
〃Which Miss McIntyre？〃 Mrs。 Brewster put the question with swift
intentness。
〃I can't tell one twin from the other；〃 confessed McDonald。 〃But； as
you see； the check is made payable to Barbara McIntyre。〃
〃The inference being that Barbara McIntyre presented the check for
payment；〃 commented Clymer； and McDonald bowed。 〃It would seem；
therefore； that Barbara wrote your signature on the check； Mrs。 Brewster。〃
〃No。〃 The widow had whitened under her rouge； but her eyes did not
falter in their direct gaze。 〃The signature is genuine。 I drew the check。〃
The two men exchanged glances。 The bank president was the first to
break the short silence。 〃In that case there is nothing more to be said；〃 he
remarked； and picking up the check handed it to Mrs。 Brewster。 Without
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a glance at it； she folded the paper and placed it inside her gold mesh bag。
〃I must not take up any more of your time；〃 she said。 〃I thank you …
both。〃
〃Mrs。 Brewster。〃 Clymer spoke impulsively。 〃I'd like to shake hands
with you。〃
Coloring warmly； the widow slipped her small hand inside his； and
with a friendly bow to McDonald； she walked through the bank； keeping
up with Clymer's long strides as best she could。 As they crossed the
sidewalk to the waiting limousine they ran almost into the arms of Harry
Kent； whose rapid gait did not suit the congested condition of the 〃Wall
Street〃 of Washington。 〃I tried to reach you on the telephone this
morning；〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Brewster； after greeting him。
〃So my clerk informed me when I saw him a few minutes ago。〃 Kent
helped her inside the limousine。 〃Won't you come to my office now？〃
〃But that will be taking you from Mr。 Clymer；〃 remonstrated Mrs。
Brewster。 〃Weren't you on the way to the bank？〃
〃I was；〃 admitted Kent。 〃But I can see Mr。 Clymer later in the day。〃
〃And I'll be less occupied then；〃 added Clymer。 〃 Go with Mrs。
Brewster； Kent； good morning； madam；〃 and with a courtly bow Clymer
withdrew。
Kent's office was only around the corner； and as Mrs。 Brewster kept up
a running fire of impersonal gossip； Kent had no opportunity to satisfy his
curiosity regarding her reasons for wanting to interview him。 As the
limousine drew up at the curb in front of his office； a man darting down
the steps of the building； caught sight of Kent and hurried to the car
window。
〃I was just trying to catch you at the bank； Mr。 Kent；〃 he explained；
and looking around Kent recognized Sylvester。 〃There's been three
telephone calls for you in succession from Colonel McIntyre to hurry to
his home。〃
〃Thanks； Sylvester。〃 Kent turned to Mrs。 Brewster。 〃Would you
mind driving me to the McIntyre？ We can talk on the way there。〃
Mrs。 Brewster picked up the speaking tube。 〃Home； ； Harris；〃 she
directed； as the chauffeur listened for the order。
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Neither spoke as the big car started up the street but as they swung
past old St。 John's Church； Mrs。 Brewster broke her silence。
〃Mr。 Kent；〃 she drew further back in her corner。 〃I claim a woman's
privilege … to change my mind。 Forget that I ever expressed a wish to
consult you professionally； and remember； I am always glad to meet you
as a friend。〃
〃Certainly； Mrs。 Brewster； as you wish。〃 Kent's tone； expressing
polite acquiescence； covered mixed feelings。 What had caused the
widow to change her mind so suddenly； and above all； what had she
wished to consult him about？ He faced her more directly。 She was
charmingly gowned； and in spite of his perplexities； he could not but
admire her air of quiet elegance and the soft dark eyes regarding him in
friendly good…fellowship。 Suddenly realizing that his glance had become
a fixed stare； he hastily averted his eyes from her face； catching sight； as
he did so； of the gold mesh bag lying in her lap。 The glint of sunlight
brought into prominence the handsomely engraved letter 〃B〃 on its surface。
An unexpected swerve of the limousine； as the chauffeur turned short to
avoid a speeding army truck； caused both Kent and Mrs。 Brewster to sway
forward and the gold mesh bag slid to the floor； carrying with it the
widow's handkerchief and gold vanity box。 Kent stooped over and
picked up the articles as well as the contents of the mesh bag； which had
opened in its descent and spilled her money and papers over the floor of
the limousine。
〃Oh； thank you；〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Brewster； as he handed her the bag；
box； and bank notes。 〃Don't bother to look for that quarter； Harris will
find it at the garage。〃
Kent ignored her remark as he again searched the floor of the car； he
was glad of the pretext to avoid looking at the widow。 He wanted time to
collect his thoughts for； in Picking up her belongings； her handkerchief
had caught his attention … he had seen its mate in the possession of
Detective Ferguson； and clinging to it the broken portions of the capsules
of amyl nitrite which Jimmie Turnbull had inhaled just before his
mysterious death。
Into Kent's mind flashed Mrs。 Sylvester's statement that Mrs。 Brewster
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was in the police court at the time of the tragedy； although in her
testimony at the inquest she had sworn she had not heard of Jimmie's
death until the return of Helen and Barbara McIntyre。 She had been in
the police court； and Jimmie had used her handkerchief … a mate to the one
she was then holding； the letter 〃B〃 with its peculiar twist was
unmistakable … and 〃B〃 stood for Brewster as well as for Barbara！ Kent
drew in his breath sharply。
〃My handkerchief； please；〃 the widow held out her hand； and after a
moment's hesitation； Kent gave it to her。
〃Pardon me；〃 he apologized。 〃I was struck by the handkerchief's
appearance。〃
Mrs。 Brewster turned it over。 〃In what way is the handkerchief
unique？〃 she asked； laughing。
〃Because Jimmie Turnbull crushed amyl nitrite capsules in its mate
just before he died；〃 explained Kent quietly。 〃Detective Ferguson claims
that Jimmie unintentionally broke more than one capsule in the
handkerchief； was overcome by the powerful fumes and died。〃
〃But the inquest proved that Jimmie was killed by a dose of aconitine
poison；〃 she reminded him； as she tucked the handkerchief up her sleeve。
Kent did not reply immediately。 〃A man does not usually carry a
woman's handkerchief about with him；〃 he commented slowly。 〃Odd； is
it not； that Jimmie should have used a handkerchief of yours in the police
court just prior to his death； while you were sitting a few feet away？〃
〃I？〃 Mrs。 Brewster turned and regarded him steadf
