the red seal(红印)-第41节
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of the drug。 Does aconitine kill instantly； doctor？〃
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Stone cleared his throat before speaking。 〃No； the fatal period
averages about four hours；〃 he said； and Rochester's eyes sparkled as he
looked up at the detective。
〃Jimmie died almost immediately after I handed him that drink of
water；〃 he declared。 〃If you wish to know who administered that
aconitine poison； you will have to find out who Jimmie was with at the
McIntyre house in the early hours of Tuesday morning。〃
The sharp imperative ring of the telephone bell cut the silence which
followed。 Kent； standing nearest the instrument； picked it up； and
recognized Sylvester's voice over the wire。
〃A message has just come； Mr。 Kent；〃 he called； 〃from Mrs。 Brewster
saying that she will be in your office at four o'clock。〃
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CHAPTER XIX
THE RED SEAL AGAIN
Harry Kent inserted his key in his office door with more vigor than
good judgment； and spent some seconds in re…adjusting it in the lock。
Once inside the office he put up the latch and closed the door。 A glance
around the empty office showed him that Sylvester had obeyed his
telephone instructions and gone out to luncheon。
Kent noted with satisfaction as he put his hat and cane in the coat
closet that he had over two hours before Mrs。 Brewster's expected arrival；
ample time in which to consider in quietude the events of the past few
days； and plan for his interview with the pretty widow。 He had spent the
time between Rochester's sudden reappearance and a hastily swallowed
lunch at a downtown caf ； in arranging bail for Rochester。 Ferguson had
proved obdurate and had persisted in taking the lawyer to Police
Headquarters。
Dr。 Stone had accompanied the trio； and his testimony； supported by
two chemists； regarding the time required for aconitine poison to act； had
gone far to weaken the detective's case against Rochester。
Rochester； to Kent's unbounded astonishment； had appeared indifferent
to the whole proceedings； and to his partner's urgent inquiries as to where
he had spent the past four days； and why he had disappeared； he had
returned one invariable answer。
〃I'll explain in good time； Harry；〃 and it was not until they were
leaving Police Headquarters that his apathy vanished。
〃When are you to see Mrs。 Brewster？〃 he asked。
〃She will be at our office at four o'clock。 Say； Phil〃 … but Rochester；
shaking off his detaining hand； darted across the street and sprang into a
passing taxi bearing the sign； 〃For Hire；〃 and that was the last Kent had
seen of his elusive partner。
Kent dropped into his chair and glanced askance at the mail piled in
neat array on his desk； he was not in a frame of mind to handle routine
office business。 Other clients would have to wait until later in the day。
A memorandum pad； bearing a message in Sylvester's precise penmanship
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attracted his wandering attention and he picked it up。
〃Mr。 Kent：〃 he read。 〃Colonel McIntyre called just after I talked with
you on the 'phone； he waited in your office for half an hour； then left；
stating he would come back。 Miss Barbara McIntyre called immediately
afterwards； but would not wait more than five minutes。 Mr。 Clymer came
as she was going out and left a note on your desk。 I will return soon。
〃SYLVESTER。〃
Kent laid down the pad and picked up a twisted three…cornered note
bearing his name in pencil。 Unfolding it； he scanned the hurriedly
written lines：
〃Dear Kent … McIntyre telephoned there were new developments in the
Turnbull affair。 Will be back later。〃Yours …
〃B。 A。 CLYMER。〃
Kent judged from the use of his initials that Clymer was stirred out of
his ordinary calm； nothing else explained his failure to sign his full name；
and he wondered what confidences McIntyre had made to the bank
president。
Tossing down the note； Kent lighted his pipe； tilted back in his swivel
chair； and reviewed the facts which implicated Rochester in Jimmie
Turnbull's murder。 Rochester's quarrels with Jimmie； his persistent
assertion that his friend had died from angina pectoris； his unexplained
disappearance on Tuesday night； the fake telegram from Cleveland stating
he was there； the withdrawal of his bank deposits； the forged checks； his
mysterious visits to his own apartment； when considered together；
presented a chain of circumstantial evidence connecting him with the
crime。 But in the light of Dr。 Stone's testimony； the poison 〃could not
have been administered in the glass of water Rochester had given Jimmie
in the police court。
Four hours at least had to elapse before the fatal dose of aconitine
could take effect … four hours！ Kent told them off on his fingers； it placed
the crime in the McIntyre house。 Which one of its inmates administered
the poison to Jimmie and how had it been done？ What motive had
prompted the cashier's murder？
It was preposterous to think that either of the twins was guilty of the
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crime。 Helen's devotion to Jimmie； her insistence upon an autopsy being
held indicated her innocence。 She had stated at the inquest that she had
not known the burglar's identity； Kent paused as the thought occurred to
him … the twins had swapped identities on the witness stand； and therefore
Helen had not been called upon to answer that question！ To the best of
his recollection she had only been asked if she had recognized Jimmie in
the court room and not at her home。 But Helen it was who had
summoned Officer O'Ryan on discovering the burglar and had him
arrested。 She surely would never have done so had she guessed his
identity。
As for Barbara McIntyre … Kent's heart beat faster at thought of the girl
he loved so well。 Circumstantial evidence had seemed for a time to
involve her in the crime。 Grimes' outrageous insinuation that he had
been assaulted on account of confiding to her that the box of aconitine
pills had been left on the hall table where any one could get them； was the
outcome of his battered condition。 When physical strength returned； the
butler would forget his hallucinations。 The handkerchief with its
embroidered letter 〃B；〃 used by Jimmie to inhale the fumes from his amyl
nitrite capsules； was finally traced to its rightful owner … Mrs。 Brewster。
And Mrs。 Brewster was due in his office within a very short time。
Kent's square jaw became more pronounced； she should not leave until she
had either confessed her connection with Turnbull's death； or established
her innocence。 Surely it would be easy for Mrs。 Brewster to do so； but …
aconitine had been prescribed for her； she was familiar with the poison；
she had it at hand； she went to the police court； and kept her trip a secret；
and she had laughed when Jimmie was carried dying from the court room。
But what motive could have inspired her to murder Jimmie？ Was he an
old lover … Kent； unable to keep quiet any longer； rose and paced up and
down the office； stopping a moment to glance out of the window。 As he
passed the safe he saw the door was ajar。 Kent paused abruptly。 Who had
opened the safe？
Crossing to the outer office he looked around； no one was there。 It
flashed into Kent's mind that he had seen Roches
