the agony column-第5节

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　first　came　here　as　one　acquainted　with　the　captain。　　He　had　noted；　I　felt　sure；　the　lack　of　intimacy　between　the　captain　and　myself；　once　the　former　arrived　from　India。　　He　would　no　doubt　testify　that　I　had　been　most　anxious　to　obtain　lodgings　in　the　same　house　with　Fraser…Freer。　　Then　there　was　the　matter　of　my　letter　from　Archie。　　I　must　keep　that　secret；　I　felt　sure。　　Lastly；　there　was　not　a　living　soul　to　back　me　up　in　my　story　of　the　quarrel　that　preceded　the　captain's　death；　of　the　man　who　escaped　by　way　of　the　garden。

Alas；　thought　I；　even　the　most　stupid　policeman　can　not　fail　to　look　upon　me　with　the　eye　of　suspicion！

In　about　twenty　minutes　three　men　arrived　from　Scotland　Yard。　　By　that　time　I　had　worked　myself　up　into　a　state　of　absurd　nervousness。　I　heard　Walters　let　them　in；　heard　them　climb　the　stairs　and　walk　about　in　the　room　overhead。　　In　a　short　time　Walters　knocked　at　my　door　and　told　me　that　Chief　Inspector　Bray　desired　to　speak　to　me。　As　I　preceded　the　servant　up　the　stairs　I　felt　toward　him　as　an　accused　murderer　must　feel　toward　the　witness　who　has　it　in　his　power　to　swear　his　life　away。

He　was　a　big　active　man　…　Bray；　blond　as　are　so　many　Englishmen。　His　every　move　spoke　efficiency。　　Trying　to　act　as　unconcerned　as　an　innocent　man　should　…　but　failing　miserably；　I　fear　…　I　related　to　him　my　story　of　the　voices；　the　struggle；　and　the　heavy　man　who　had　got　by　me　in　the　hall　and　later　climbed　our　gate。　　He　listened　without　comment。　　At　the　end　he　said：

〃You　were　acquainted　with　the　captain？〃

〃Slightly；〃　I　told　him。　　Archie's　letter　kept　popping　into　my　mind；　frightening　me。　　I　had　just　met　him　…　that　is　all；　through　a　friend　of　his　…　Archibald　Enwright　was　the　name。〃

〃Is　Enwright　in　London　to　vouch　for　you？〃

〃I'm　afraid　not。　　I　last　heard　of　him　in　Interlaken。〃

〃Yes？　　How　did　you　happen　to　take　rooms　in　this　house？〃

〃The　first　time　I　called　to　see　the　captain　he　had　not　yet　arrived　from　India。　　I　was　looking　for　lodgings　and　I　took　a　great　fancy　to　the　garden　here。〃

It　sounded　silly；　put　like　that。　　I　wasn't　surprised　that　the　inspector　eyed　me　with　scorn。　　But　I　rather　wished　he　hadn't。

Bray　began　to　walk　about　the　room；　ignoring　me。

〃White　asters；　scarab　pin；　Homburg　hat；〃　he　detailed；　pausing　before　the　table　where　those　strange　exhibits　lay。

A　constable　came　forward　carrying　newspapers　in　his　hand。

〃What　is　it？〃　Bray　asked。

〃The　Daily　Mail；　sir；〃　said　the　constable。　　〃The　issues　of　July　twenty…seventh；　twenty…eighth；　twenty…ninth　and　thirtieth。〃

Bray　took　the　papers　in　his　hand；　glanced　at　them　and　tossed　them　contemptuously　into　a　waste…basket。　　He　turned　to　Walters。

〃Sorry；　sir；〃　said　Walters；　〃but　I　was　so　taken　aback！　　Nothing　like　this　has　ever　happened　to　me　before。　　I'll　go　at　once　…　〃

〃No；〃　replied　Bray　sharply。　　〃Never　mind。　　I'll　attend　to　it　…　〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　　Bray　called　〃Come！〃　and　a　slender　boy；　frail　but　with　a　military　bearing；　entered。

〃Hello；　Walters！〃　he　said；　smiling。　　〃What's　up？　　I…〃　

He　stopped　suddenly　as　his　eyes　fell　upon　the　divan　where　Fraser…Freer　lay。　　In　an　instant　he　was　at　the　dead　man's　side。

〃Stephen！〃　he　cried　in　anguish。

〃Who　are　you？〃　demanded　the　inspector　…　rather　rudely；　I　thought。

〃It's　the　captain's　brother；　sir；〃　put　in　Walters。　　〃Lieutenant　Norman　Fraser…Freer；　of　the　Royal　Fusiliers。〃

There　fell　a　silence。

〃A　great　calamity；　sir　…　〃　began　Walters　to　the　boy。

I　have　rarely　seen　any　one　so　overcome　as　young　Fraser…Freer。　Watching　him；　it　seemed　to　me　that　the　affection　existing　between　him　and　the　man　on　the　divan　must　have　been　a　beautiful　thing。　　He　turned　away　from　his　brother　at　last；　and　Walters　sought　to　give　him　some　idea　of　what　had　happened。

〃You　will　pardon　me；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　lieutenant。　　〃This　has　been　a　terrible　shock！　　I　didn't　dream；　of　course　…　I　just　dropped　in　for　a　word　with　…　with　him。　　And　now　…　〃

We　said　nothing。　　We　let　him　apologize；　as　a　true　Englishman　must；　for　his　public　display　of　emotion。

〃I'm　sorry；〃　Bray　remarked　in　a　moment；　his　eyes　still　shifting　about　the　room　…　〃　especially　as　England　may　soon　have　great　need　of　men　like　the　captain。　　Now；　gentlemen；　I　want　to　say　this：　I　am　the　Chief　of　the　Special　Branch　at　the　Yard。　　This　is　no　ordinary　murder。　　For　reasons　I　can　not　disclose　…　and；　I　may　add；　for　the　best　interests　of　the　empire　…　news　of　the　captain's　tragic　death　must　be　kept　for　the　present　out　of　the　newspapers。　　I　mean；　of　course；　the　manner　of　his　going。　　A　mere　death　notice；　you　understand　…　the　inference　being　that　it　was　a　natural　taking　off。〃

〃I　understand；〃　said　the　lieutenant；　as　one　who　knows　more　than　he　tells。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Bray。　　〃I　shall　leave　you　to　attend　to　the　matter；　as　far　as　your　family　is　concerned。　　You　will　take　charge　of　the　body。　　As　for　the　rest　of　you；　I　forbid　you　to　mention　this　matter　outside。〃

And　now　Bray　stood　looking；　with　a　puzzled　air；　at　me。

〃You　are　an　American？〃　he　said；　and　I　judged　he　did　not　care　for　Americans。

〃I　am；〃　I　told　him。

〃Know　any　one　at　your　consulate？〃　he　demanded。

Thank　heaven；　I　did！　　There　is　an　under…secretary　there　named　Watson　…　I　went　to　college　with　him。　　I　mentioned　him　to　Bray。

〃Very　good；〃　said　the　inspector。　　〃You　are　free　to　go。　　But　you　must　understand　that　you　are　an　important　witness　in　this　case；　and　if　you　attempt　to　leave　London　you　will　be　locked　up。〃

So　I　came　back　to　my　rooms；　horribly　entangled　in　a　mystery　that　is　little　to　my　liking。　　I　have　been　sitting　here　in　my　study　for　some　time；　going　over　it　again　and　again。　　There　have　been　many　footsteps　on　the　stairs；　many　voices　in　the　hall。

Waiting　here　for　the　dawn；　I　have　come　to　be　very　sorry　for　the　cold　handsome　captain。　　After　all；　he　was　a　man；　his　very　tread　on　the　floor　above；　which　it　shall　never　hear　again；　told　me　that。

What　does　it　all　mean？　　Who　was　the　man　in　the　hall；　the　man　who　had　argued　so　loudly；　who　had　struck　so　surely　with　that　queer　Indian　knife？　　Where　is　the　knife　now？

And；　above　all；　what　do　the　white　asters　signify？　　And　the　scarab　scarf…pin？　　And　that　absurd　Homburg　hat？

Lady　of　the　Canton；　you　wanted　mystery。　　When　I　wrote　that　first　letter　to　you；　little　did　I　dream　that　I　should　soon　have　it　to　give　you　in　overwhelming　measure。

And　…　believe　me　when　I　say　it　…　through　all　this　your　face　has　been　constantly　before　me　…　your　face　as　I　saw　it　that　bright　morning　in　the　hotel　breakfast　room。　　You　have　forgiven　me；　I　know；　for　the　manner　in　which　I　addressed　you。　　I　had　seen　your　eyes　and　the　temptation　was　great　…　very　great。

It　is　dawn　in　the　garden　now　and　London　is　beginning　to　stir。　　So　this　time　it　is　…　good　morning；　my　lady。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　STRAWBERRY　MAN。



CHAPTER　IV

It　is　hardly　necessary　to　intimate　that　this　letter　came　as　something　of　a　shock　to　the　young　woman　who　received　it。　　　For　the　rest　of　that　day　the　many　sights　of　London　held　little　interest　for　her　…　so　little；　indeed；　that　her　perspiring　father　began　to　see　visions　of　his　beloved　Texas；　and　once　hopefully　suggested　an　early　return　home。　　The　coolness　with　which　this　idea　was　received　plainly　showed　him　that　he　was　on　the　wrong　track；　so　he　sighed　and　sought　solace　at　the　bar。

That　night　the　two　from　Texas　attended　His　Majesty's　Theater；　where　Bernard　Shaw's　latest　play　was　being　performed；　and　the　witty　Irishman　would　have　been　annoyed　to　see　the　scant　attention　one　lovely　young　American　in　the　audience　gave　his　lines。　　The　American　in　question　retired　at　midnight；　with　eager　thoughts　turned　toward　the　morning。

And　she　was　not　disappointed。　　When　her　maid；　a　stolid　Englishwoman；　appeared　at　her　bedside　early　Saturday　she　carried　a　letter；　which　she　handed　over；　with　the　turned…up　nose　of　one　who　aids　but　does　not　approve。　　Quickly　the　girl　tore　it　open。

DEAR　Texas　LADY：　I　am　writing　this　late　in　the　afternoon。　　The　sun　is　casting　long　black　shadows　on　the　garden　lawn；　and　the　whole　world　is　so　bright　and　matter…of…fact　I　have　to　argue　with　myself　to　be　convinced　that　the　events　of　that　tragic　night　through　which　I　passed　really　happened。

The　newspapers　this　morning　helped　to　make　it　all　seem　a　dream；　not　a　line　…　not　a　word；　that　I　can　find。　　When　I　think　of　America；　and　how　by　this　time　the　reporters　would　be　swarming　through　our　house　if　this　thing　had　happened　over　there；　I　am　the　more　astonished。　But　then；　I　know　these　English　papers。　　The　great　Joe　Chamberlain　died　the　other　night　at　ten；　and　it　was　noon　the　next　day　when　the　first　paper　to　carry　the　story　appeared　…　screaming　loudly　that　it　had　scored　a　beat。　　It　had。　　Other　lands；　other　methods。

It　was　probably　not　difficult　for　Bray　to　keep　journalists　such　as　these　in　the　dark。　　So　their　great　ungainly　sheets　come　out　in　total　ignorance　of　a　remarkable　story　in　Adelphi　Terrace。　　Famished　for　real　news；　they　begin　to　hint　at　a　huge　war　cloud　on　the　horizon。　Because　tottering　Austria　has　declared　war　on　tiny　Serbia；　because　the　Kaiser　is　to…day　hurrying；　with　his　best　dramatic　effect；　home　to　Berlin；　they　see　all　Europe　shortly　bathed　in　blood。　　A　nightmare　born　of　torrid　days　and　tossing　nights！

But　it　is　of　the　affair　in　A