the red seal(红印)-第9节
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with an irritating cough。 〃Turnbull's accounts were found in first class
order。〃
〃I am sure they would be； Mr。 Clymer；〃 exclaimed Kent warmly。
〃Any one who knew Jimmie would never doubt his honesty。〃
McIntyre turned in his chair and regarded the speaker with no friendly
eye； but aside from that； took no part in the conversation。 Clymer did not
at once resume speaking。
〃To…day；〃 he commenced finally； 〃Colonel McIntyre called at the bank
and asked the treasurer； Mr。 Gilmore； for certain valuable negotiable
securities which he left in the bank's care a month ago。 Mr。 Gilmore told
Colonel McIntyre that these securities had been given to Jimmie Turnbull
last Saturday on his presentation of a letter from McIntyre requesting that
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they be turned over to the bank's cashier。 McIntyre expressed his
surprise and asked to see the letter 〃 … Clymer paused and took a paper
from his desk。 〃Here is the letter。〃
Kent took the paper and examined it closely。
〃This is perfectly in order；〃 he said。 〃A clear statement in Colonel
McIntyre's handwriting and on his stationery。
For the first time Colonel McIntyre addressed him。
〃The letter is in order；〃 he acknowledged； 〃and written on my
stationery； but it was not written by me。 The letter is a clever forgery。〃
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THE RED SEAL
CHAPTER V
THE VANISHING MAN
It still lacked twenty minutes of nine o'clock that night when Harry
Kent turned into the Saratoga apartment hotel； and not waiting to take one
of the elevators； ran up the staircase to the apartment which had been
occupied jointly by Jimmie Turnbull and Philip Rochester。 Kent had
already selected the right key from among those on the bunch he had
found in Rochester's desk at the office； and slipping it into the key…hole of
the outer door； he turned the lock and walked noiselessly inside the dark
apartment。
The soft click of the outer door as it swung to was hardly noticeable；
and Kent； pausing only long enough to get his breath from his run up the
staircase； stepped into the living room and reached for the electric light
switch。 Instead of encountering the cold metal of the switch his groping
fingers closed over warm flesh。
Startled as he was； Kent retained enough presence of mind to grasp the
hand tightly； the next second a man hurled himself upon him and he gave
back。 Furniture in the path of the struggling men was overturned as they
fought in silent desperation。 Kent would have given much for light。 He
strained his eyes to see his adversary； but the pitch darkness concealed all
but the vaguest outline。 As Kent got his second wind； confidence in his
strength returned and he redoubled his efforts； suddenly his hands shifted
their grip and he swung his adversary backward； pinning him against the
wall。
A faint； sobbing breath escaped the man； and Kent felt the whole
figure against which he pressed； quiver and relax； the taut muscles of chest
and arms grew slack； collapsed。
Kent stood in wonderment； peering ahead； his hands empty … the man
had vanished！
Drawing a long； long breath Kent felt his way back to the electric
switch and pressed the button； lighting both the wall brackets and the table
lamps。 With both hands on his throbbing temples he gazed at the over…
turned chairs； they； as well as his aching throat； testified to his encounter
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having been a reality and not a fantastic dream。 His glance traveled this
way and that about the room and rested longest on the opposite side of the
room where he had pinned the man to the wall。 Wall …！ Kent leaned
against a tall highboy and laughed weakly； immoderately。 He had pushed
the man straight against the door leading into Rochester's bedroom； and
not； as he had supposed； against the solid wall。
The man had been quick…witted enough to grasp the situation； his
pretended weakness had caused Kent to relax his hold； a turn of the knob
of the door； which swung inward； and he had made his escape into the
bedroom； leaving Kent staring into dark； empty space。
Gathering his wits together Kent hurried into the bedroom … it was
empty； so also was the bathroom opening from it。 From there Kent made
the rounds of the apartment； switching on the light until the place was
ablaze； but in spite of his minute search of closets and under beds and
behind furniture he could find no trace of his late adversary。 Kent
stopped long enough in the pantry to refresh himself with a glass of water；
then he returned to the living room and sat down in an arm chair by the
window。 He wanted time to think。
How had the man vanished so utterly； leaving no trace behind in the
apartment？ The window in Rochester's room was locked on the inside；
in fact； all the apartment windows were securely fastened； he had found on
his tour of inspection； the only one not locked was the oval； swinging
window high up in the side wall of the bathroom； only a child could
squeeze through it； Kent decided。 The window looked into a well formed
by the wings of the apartment house； and had a sheer drop of fifty feet to
the ground below。 But for his unfortunate luck in backing the man
against the bedroom door instead of the wall he would not have escaped；
but how had the man realized so instantly that he was against a door in the
pitch darkness？ It certainly showed familiarity with his surroundings。 Kent
sat upright as an idea flashed through his brain … was the man Philip
Rochester？
Kent scouted the idea but it persisted。 Suppose it had been Philip
Rochester awakened from a drunken slumber by his entrance in the dark；
if so； nothing more likely than that he had mistaken him； Kent； for a
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burglar and sprung at him。 But why had he disappeared without
revealing his identity to Kent？ Surely the same reason worked both ways
… the man who had wrestled with him was as unaware of Kent's identity as
Kent was of his … they had fought in the dark and in silence。
Kent laughed aloud。 The situation had its amusing side； then； as
recollection came of the scene in the bank that morning； his mirth changed
to grim seriousness。 At his earnest solicitation and backed by Benjamin
Clymer's endorsement of his plan； Colonel McIntyre had agreed to give
him until Saturday night to locate the missing securities； if he failed； then
the colonel proposed placing the affair in the hands of the authorities。
Kent's firm mouth settled into dogged lines at the thought； such a
procedure meant besmirching Jimmie Turnbull's name； let the public get
the slightest inkling that the bank cashier was suspected of forgery and
there would be the devil to pay。 Kent was determined to protect the
honor of his dead friend； and to aid Helen McIntyre in her investigation of
his sudden death。
Jimmie Turnbull had been the soul of honor； that he had ever stooped
to forgery was unbelievable。 There was some explanation favorable to
him … there must be。 Kent's clenched fist struck the arm of his； chair a
vigorous blow and he leapt to his feet。 Wasting no further time on
speculation； he commenced a systematic search of the apartment；
replacing each chair and table as well as the rugs which had been over…
turned in his recent tussle； after which he tried the drawers
