the red seal(红印)-第6节
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presence by the fruity； pleasant odor which always accompanies the drug's
use。〃
〃Ah！〃 The exclamation slipped from Mrs。 Brewster。 〃Is the drug
administered in water？〃
〃No； it is inhaled … take care； you have dropped your handkerchief。〃
Stone pulled himself up short in his speech； and bent over but the young
girl was too quick for him； and stooped first to pick up her handkerchief。
As she raised her head Stone caught sight of the tiny mole under the
lobe of her left ear。 It was the one mark which distinguished Barbara
from her twin sister。 Colonel McIntyre had addressed his daughter as
Helen； and she had not undeceived him … Why？ The perplexed physician
gave up the problem。
〃The drug；〃 he went on to explain； 〃amyl nitrite comes in pearl
capsules and is crushed in a handkerchief and the fumes inhaled。〃
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Mrs。 Brewster leaned forward suddenly。 〃Would that cause death？〃
she asked。
Stone shook his head in denial。 〃Not the customary dose of three
minims；〃 he answered； and turning； found that Barbara had stolen from the
room。
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THE RED SEAL
CHAPTER IV
BARBARA ENGAGES COUNSEL
Bidding a hasty good morning to the elevator girl； Harry Kent； suit…
case in hand； entered the cage and was carried up to the fourth floor of 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。
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〃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
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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 Roc
