the agony column-第11节

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ng　tea　together　！〃

I　must　admit　that；　as　the　colonel　calmly　offered　this　information；　I　suddenly　went　limp　all　over　at　a　realization　of　the　endless　maze　of　mystery　in　which　we　were　involved。　　The　woman　gave　a　little　cry　and　Lieutenant　Fraser…Freer　leaped　to　his　feet。

〃How　the　devil　do　you　know　that？〃　he　cried。

〃I　know　it；〃　said　Colonel　Hughes；　〃because　one　of　my　men　happened　to　be　having　tea　at　a　table　near　by。　　He　happened　to　be　having　tea　there　for　the　reason　that　ever　since　the　arrival　of　this　lady　in　London；　at　the　request　of　…　er　…　friends　in　India；　I　have　been　keeping　track　of　her　every　move；　just　as　I　kept　watch　over　your　late　brother；　the　captain。〃

Without　a　word　Lieutenant　Fraser…Freer　dropped　into　a　chair　and　buried　his　face　in　his　hands。

〃I'm　sorry；　my　son；〃　said　Hughes。　　〃Really；　I　am。　　You　made　a　heroic　effort　to　keep　the　facts　from　coming　out　…　a　man's…size　effort　it　was。　　But　the　War　Office　knew　long　before　you　did　that　your　brother　had　succumbed　to　this　woman's　lure　…　that　he　was　serving　her　and　Berlin；　and　not　his　own　country；　England。〃

Fraser…Freer　raised　his　head。　　When　he　spoke　there　was　in　his　voice　an　emotion　vastly　more　sincere　than　that　which　had　moved　him　when　he　made　his　absurd　confession。

〃The　game's　up；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　done　all　I　could。　　This　will　kill　my　father；　I　am　afraid。　　Ours　has　been　an　honorable　name；　Colonel；　you　know　that　…　a　long　line　of　military　men　whose　loyalty　to　their　country　has　never　before　been　in　question。　　I　thought　my　confession　would　and　the　whole　nasty　business；　that　the　investigations　would　stop；　and　that　I　might　be　able　to　keep　forever　unknown　this　horrible　thing　about　him　…　about　my　brother。〃

Colonel　Hughes　laid　his　hand　on　the　boy's　shoulder；　and　the　latter　went　on：　〃They　reached　me　…　those　frightful　insinuations　about　Stephen　…　in　a　round　about　way；　and　when　he　came　home　from　India　I　resolved　to　watch　him。　　I　saw　him　go　often　to　the　house　of　this　woman。　　I　satisfied　myself　that　she　was　the　same　one　involved　in　the　stories　coming　from　Rangoon；　then；　under　another　name；　I　managed　to　meet　her。　　I　hinted　to　her　that　I　myself　was　none　too　loyal；　not　completely；　but　to　a　limited　extent；　I　won　her　confidence。　　Gradually　I　became　convinced　that　my　brother　was　indeed　disloyal　to　his　country；　to　his　name；　to　us　all。　　It　was　at　that　tea　time　you　have　mentioned　when　I　finally　made　up　my　mind。　　I　had　already　bought　a　revolver；　and；　with　it　in　my　pocket；　I　went　to　the　Savoy　for　dinner。〃

He　rose　and　paced　the　floor。

〃I　left　the　Savoy　early　and　went　to　Stephen's　rooms。　　I　was　resolved　to　have　it　out　with　him；　to　put　the　matter　to　him　bluntly；　and　if　he　had　no　explanation　to　give　me　I　intended　to　kill　him　then　and　there。　So；　you　see；　I　was　guilty　in　intention　if　not　in　reality。　　I　entered　his　study。　　It　was　filled　with　strangers。　　On　his　sofa　I　saw　my　brother　Stephen　lying　…　stabbed　above　the　heart　…　dead！〃　　There　was　a　moment's　silence。　　〃That　is　all；〃　said　Lieutenant　Fraser…Freer。

〃I　take　it；〃　said　Hughes　kindly；　〃that　we　have　finished　with　the　lieutenant。　　Eh；　Inspector？〃

Yes；〃　said　Bray　shortly。　　〃You　may　go。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　the　boy　answered。　　As　he　went　out　he　said　brokenly　to　Hughes：　〃I　must　find　him　…　my　father。〃

Bray　sat　in　his　chair；　staring　hard　ahead；　his　jaw　thrust　out　angrily。　　Suddenly　he　turned　on　Hughes。

〃You　don't　play　fair；〃　he　said。　　〃I　wasn't　told　anything　of　the　status　of　the　captain　at　the　War　Office。　　This　is　all　news　to　me。〃

〃Very　well；〃　smiled　Hughes。　　〃The　bet　is　off　if　you　like。〃

〃No；　by　heaven！〃　Bray　cried。　　〃It's　still　on；　and　I'll　win　it　yet。　A　fine　morning's　work　I　suppose　you　think　you've　done。　　But　are　we　any　nearer　to　finding　the　murderer？　　Tell　me　that。〃

〃Only　a　bit　nearer；　at　any　rate；〃　replied　Hughes　suavely。　　〃This　lady；　of　Course；　remains　in　custody。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　answered　the　inspector。　　〃Take　her　away！〃　he　ordered。

A　constable　came　forward　for　the　countess　and　Colonel　Hughes　gallantly　held　open　the　door。

〃You　will　have　an　opportunity；　Sophie；〃　he　said；　〃to　think　up　another　story。　　You　are　clever　…　it　will　not　he　hard。〃

She　gave　him　a　black　look　and　went　out。　　Bray　got　up　from　his　desk。　He　and　Colonel　Hughes　stood　facing　each　other　across　a　table；　and　to　me　there　was　something　in　the　manner　of　each　that　suggested　eternal　conflict。

〃Well？〃　sneered　Bray。

〃There　is　one　possibility　we　have　overlooked；〃　Hughes　answered。　He　turned　toward　me　and　I　was　startled　by　the　coldness　in　his　eyes。　〃Do　you　know；　Inspector；〃　he　went　on；　〃that　this　American　came　to　London　with　a　letter　of　introduction　to　the　captain　…　a　letter　from　the　captain's　cousin；　one　Archibald　Enwright？　　And　do　you　know　that　Fraser…Freer　had　no　cousin　of　that　name？〃

〃No！〃　said　Bray。

〃It　happens　to　be　the　truth；〃　said　Hughes。　　〃The　American　has　confessed　as　much　to　me。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Bray　to　me；　and　his　little　blinking　eyes　were　on　me　with　a　narrow　calculating　glance　that　sent　the　shivers　up　and　down　my　spine；　〃you　are　under　arrest。　　I　have　exempted　you　so　far　because　of　your　friend　at　the　United　States　Consulate。　　That　exemption　ends　now。〃

I　was　thunderstruck。　　I　turned　to　the　colonel；　the　man　who　had　suggested　that　I　seek　him　out　if　I　needed　a　friend　…　the　man　I　had　looked　to　to　save　me　from　just　such　a　contingency　as　this。　　But　his　eyes　were　quite　fishy　and　unsympathetic。

〃Quite　correct；　Inspector；〃　he　said。　　〃Lock　him　up！〃　　And　as　I　began　to　protest　he　passed　very　close　to　me　and　spoke　in　a　low　voice：　〃Say　nothing。　　Wait！〃

I　pleaded　to　be　allowed　to　go　back　to　my　rooms；　to　communicate　with　my　friends；　and　pay　a　visit　to　our　consulate　and　to　the　Embassy；　and　at　the　colonel's　suggestion　Bray　agreed　to　this　somewhat　irregular　course。　　So　this　afternoon　I　have　been　abroad　with　a　constable；　and　while　I　wrote　this　long　letter　to　you　he　has　been　fidgeting　in　my　easy　chair。　　Now　he　informs　me　that　his　patience　is　exhausted　and　that　I　must　go　at　once。　　So　there　is　no　time　to　wonder；　no　time　to　speculate　as　to　the　future；　as　to　the　colonel's　sudden　turn　against　me　or　the　promise　of　his　whisper　in　my　ear。　　I　shall；　no　doubt；　spend　the　night　behind　those　hideous；　forbidding　walls　that　your　guide　has　pointed　out　to　you　as　New　Scotland　Yard。　　And　when　I　shall　write　again；　when　I　shall　end　this　series　of　letters　so　filled　with　…　

The　constable　will　not　wait。　　He　is　as　impatient　as　a　child。　Surely　he　is　lying　when　he　says　I　have　kept　him　here　an　hour。

Wherever　I　am；　dear　lady；　whatever　be　the　end　of　this　amazing　tangle；　you　may　be　sure　the　thought　of　you　…　Confound　the　man！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　YOURS；　IN　DURANCE　VILE。

This　fifth　letter　from　the　young　man　of　the　Agony　Column　arrived　at　the　Carlton　Hotel；　as　the　reader　may　recall；　on　Monday　morning；　August　the　third。　　And　it　represented　to　the　girl　from　Texas　the　climax　of　the　excitement　she　had　experienced　in　the　matter　of　the　murder　in　Adelphi　Terrace。　　The　news　that　her　pleasant　young　friend　…　whom　she　did　not　know　…　had　been　arrested　as　a　suspect　in　the　case；　inevitable　as　it　had　seemed　for　days；　came　none　the　less　as　an　unhappy　shock。　　She　wondered　whether　there　was　anything　she　could　do　to　help。　　She　even　considered　going　to　Scotland　Yard　and；　on　the　ground　that　her　father　was　a　Congressman　from　Texas；　demanding　the　immediate　release　of　her　strawberry　man。　　Sensibly；　however；　she　decided　that　Congressmen　from　Texas　meant　little　in　the　life　of　the　London　police。　　Besides；　she　night　have　difficulty　in　explaining　to　that　same　Congressman　how　she　happened　to　know　all　about　a　crime　that　was　as　yet　unmentioned　in　the　newspapers。

So　she　reread　the　latter　portion　of　the　fifth　letter；　which　pictured　her　hero　marched　off　ingloriously　to　Scotland　Yard　and　with　a　worried　little　sigh；　went　below　to　join　her　father。



CHAPTER　VII

In　the　course　of　the　morning　she　made　several　mysterious　inquiries　of　her　parent　regarding　nice　points　of　international　law　as　it　concerned　murder；　and　it　is　probable　that　he　would　have　been　struck　by　the　odd　nature　of　these　questions　had　he　not　been　unduly　excited　about　another　matter。

〃I　tell　you；　we've　got　to　get　home！〃　he　announced　gloomily。　　〃The　German　troops　are　ready　at　Aix…la…Chapelle　for　an　assault　on　Liege。　Yes；　sir　…　they're　going　to　strike　through　Belgium！　　Know　what　that　means？　　England　in　the　war！　　Labor　troubles；　suffragette　troubles；　civil　war　in　Ireland　…　these　things　will　melt　winter　in　Texas。　They'll　go　in。　　It　would　be　national　suicide　if　they　didn't。〃

His　daughter　stared　at　him。　　She　was　unaware　that　it　was　the　bootblack　at　the　Canton　he　was　now　quoting。　　She　began　to　think　he　knew　more　about　foreign　affairs　than　she　had　given　him　credit　for。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　went　on；　〃we've　got　to　travel　…　fast。　　This　won't　be　a　healthy　neighborhood　for　non…combatants　when　the　ruction　starts。　I'm　going　if　I　have　to　buy　a　liner！〃

〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　girl。　　〃This　is　the　chance　of　a　lifetime。　　I　won't　be　cheated　out　of　it　by　a　silly　old　dad。　　Why；　here　we　are；　face　to　face　with　history！〃

〃American　history　is　good　enough　for　me；〃　he　spread…eagled。　　〃What　are　you　looking　at？〃

〃Provincial　to　the　death！〃　she　said　thoughtfully。　　〃You　old　dear　　…　I　love　you　so！　　Some　of　our　statesmen　over　home　are　going　to　lo