the agony column-第9节

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〃But　what　shall　I　do？〃　I　demanded。

Colonel　Hughes　smiled。

〃It　makes　little　difference　what　you　do；〃　he　said。　　〃Norman　Fraser…Freer　did　not　kill　his　brother；　and　that　will　be　proved　in　due　time。〃　　He　considered　for　a　moment。　　〃Bray　no　doubt　would　be　glad　to　have　you　alter　your　testimony；　since　he　is　trying　to　fasten　the　crime　on　the　young　lieutenant。　　On　the　whole；　if　I　were　you；　I　think　that　when　the　opportunity　comes　to…morrow　I　should　humor　the　inspector。

〃You　mean　…　tell　him　I　am　no　longer　certain　as　to　the　hour　of　that　struggle？〃

〃Precisely。　　I　give　you　my　word　that　young　Fraser…Freer　will　not　be　permanently　incriminated　by　such　an　act　on　your　part。　　And　incidentally　you　will　be　aiding　me。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　I。　　〃But　I　don't　understand　this　at　all。〃

〃No　…　of　course　not。　　I　wish　I　could　explain　to　you；　but　I　can　not。　I　will　say　this　…　the　death　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer　is　regarded　as　a　most　significant　thing　by　the　War　Office。　　Thus　it　happens　that　two　distinct　hunts　for　his　assassin　are　under　way　…　one　conducted　by　Bray；　the　other　by　me。　　Bray　does　not　suspect　that　I　am　working　on　the　case　and　I　want　to　keep　him　in　the　dark　as　long　as　possible。　You　may　choose　which　of　these　investigations　you　wish　to　be　identified　with。〃

〃I　think；〃　said　I；　〃that　I　prefer　you　to　Bray。〃

〃Good　boy！〃　he　answered。　　〃You　have　not　gone　wrong。　　And　you　can　do　me　a　service　this　evening；　which　is　why　I　was　on　the　point　of　coming　here；　even　before　you　telephoned　me。　　I　take　it　that　you　remember　and　could　identify　the　chap　who　called　himself　Archibald　Enwright　　…　the　man　who　gave　you　that　letter　to　the　captain？〃

〃I　surely　could；〃　said　I。

〃Then；　if　you　can　spare　me　an　hour；　get　your　hat。〃

And　so　it　happens；　lady　of　the　Carlton；　that　I　have　just　been　to　Limehouse。　　You　do　not　know　where　Limehouse　is　and　I　trust　you　never　will。　　It　is　picturesque；　it　is　revolting；　it　is　colorful　and　wicked。　The　weird　odors　of　it　still　fill　my　nostrils；　the　sinister　portrait　of　it　is　still　before　my　eyes。　　It　is　the　Chinatown　of　London　　…　Limehouse。　　Down　in　the　dregs　of　the　town　…　with　West　India　Dock　Road　for　its　spinal　column　…　it　lies；　redolent　of　ways　that　are　dark　and　tricks　that　are　vain。　　Not　only　the　heathen　Chinee　so　peculiar　shuffles　through　its　dim…lit　alleys；　but　the　scum　of　the　earth；　of　many　colors　and　of　many　climes。　　The　Arab　and　the　Hindu；　the　Malayan　and　the　Jap；　black　men　from　the　Congo　and　fair　men　from　Scandinavia　　…　these　you　may　meet　there　…　the　outpourings　of　all　the　ships　that　sail　the　Seven　Seas。　　There　many　drunken　beasts；　with　their　pay　in　their　pockets；　seek　each　his　favorite　sin；　and　for　those　who　love　most　the　opium；　there　is；　at　all　too　regular　intervals；　the　Sign　of　the　Open　Lamp。

We　went　there；　Colonel　Hughes　and　I。　　Up　and　down　the　narrow　Causeway；　yellow　at　intervals　with　the　light　from　gloomy　shops；　dark　mostly　because　of　tightly　closed　shutters　through　which　only　thin　jets　found　their　way；　we　walked　until　we　came　and　stood　at　last　in　shadow　outside　the　black　doorway　of　Harry　San　Li's　so…called　restaurant。　　We　waited　ten；　fifteen　minutes；　then　a　man　came　down　the　Causeway　and　paused　before　that　door。　　There　was　something　familiar　in　his　jaunty　walk。　　Then　the　faint　glow　of　the　lamp　that　was　the　indication　of　Harry　San's　real　business　lit　his　pale　face；　and　I　knew　that　I　had　seen　him　last　in　the　cool　evening　at　Interlaken；　where　Limehouse　could　not　have　lived　a　moment；　with　the　Jungfrau　frowning　down　upon　it。

〃Enwright？〃　whispered　Hughes。　　

〃Not　a　doubt　of　it！〃　said　I。

〃Good！〃　he　replied　with　fervor。

And　now　another　man　shuffled　down　the　street　and　stood　suddenly　straight　and　waiting　before　the　colonel。

〃Stay　with　him；〃　said　Hughes　softly。　　〃Don't　let　him　get　out　of　your　sight。〃

〃Very　good；　sir；〃　said　the　man；　and；　saluting；　he　passed　on　up　the　stairs　and　whistled　softly　at　that　black　depressing　door。

The　clock　above　the　Millwall　Docks　was　striking　eleven　as　the　colonel　and　I　caught　a　bus　that　should　carry　us　back　to　a　brighter；　happier　London。　　Hughes　spoke　but　seldom　on　that　ride；　and；　repeating　his　advice　that　I　humor　Inspector　Bray　on　the　morrow；　he　left　me　in　the　Strand。

So；　my　lady；　here　I　sit　in　my　study；　waiting　for　that　most　important　day　that　is　shortly　to　dawn。　　A　full　evening；　you　must　admit。　　A　　woman　with　the　perfume　of　lilacs　about　her　has　threatened　that　unless　I　lie　I　shall　encounter　consequences　most　unpleasant。　　A　handsome　young　lieutenant　has　begged　me　to　tell　that　same　lie　for　the　honor　of　his　family；　and　thus　condemn　him　to　certain　arrest　and　imprisonment。　　And　I　have　been　down　into　hell；　to…night　and　seen　Archibald　Enwright；　of　Interlaken；　conniving　with　the　devil。

I　presume　I　should　go　to　bed；　but　I　know　I　can　not　sleep。　　To…morrow　is　to　be；　beyond　all　question；　a　red…letter　day　in　the　matter　of　the　captain　s　murder。　　And　once　again；　against　my　will；　I　am　down　to　play　a　leading　part。

The　symphony　of　this　great；　gray；　sad　city　is　a　mere　hum　in　the　distance　now；　for　it　is　nearly　midnight。　　I　shall　mail　this　letter　to　you　…　post　it；　I　should　say；　since　I　am　in　London　…　and　then　I　shall　wait　in　my　dim　rooms　for　the　dawn。　　And　as　I　wait　I　shall　be　thinking　not　always　of　the　captain；　or　his　brother；　or　Hughes；　or　Limehouse　and　Enwright；　but　often　…　oh；　very　often　…　of　you。

In　my　last　letter　I　scoffed　at　the　idea　of　a　great　war。　　But　when　we　came　back　from　Limehouse　to…night　the　papers　told　us　that　the　Kaiser　had　signed　the　order　to　mobilize。　　Austria　in；　Serbia　in；　Germany；　Russia　and　France　in。　　Hughes　tells　me　that　England　is　shortly　to　follow；　and　I　suppose　there　is　no　doubt　of　it。　　It　is　a　frightful　thing　…　this　future　that　looms　before　us；　and　I　pray　that　for　you　at　least　it　may　hold　only　happiness。

For；　my　lady；　when　I　write　good　night；　I　speak　it　aloud　as　I　write；　and　there　is　in　my　voice　more　than　I　dare　tell　you　of　now。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　AGONY　COLUMN　MAN。

Not　unwelcome　to　the　violet　eyes　of　the　　girl　from　Texas　were　the　last　words　of　this　letter；　read　in　her　room　that　Sunday　morning。　But　the　lines　predicting　England's　early　entrance　into　the　war　recalled　to　her　mind　a　most　undesirable　contingency。　　On　the　previous　night；　when　the　war　extras　came　out　confirming　the　forecast　of　his　favorite　bootblack；　her　usually　calm　father　had　shown　signs　of　panic。　He　was　not　a　man　slow　to　act。　　And　she　knew　that；　putty　though　he　was　in　her　hands　in　matters　which　he　did　not　regard　as　important；　he　could　also　be　firm　where　he　thought　firmness　necessary。　　America　looked　even　better　to　him　than　usual；　and　he　had　made　up　his　mind　to　go　there　immediately。　　There　was　no　use　in　arguing　with　him。

At　this　point　came　a　knock　at　her　door　and　her　father　entered。　　One　look　at　his　face　…　red；　perspiring　and　decidedly　unhappy　…　served　to　cheer　his　daughter。

〃Been　down　to　the　steamship　offices；〃　he　panted；　mopping　his　bald　head。　　〃They're　open　to…day；　just　like　it　was　a　week　day　…　but　they　might　as　well　be　closed。　　There's　nothing　doing。　　Every　boat's　booked　up　to　the　rails；　we　can't　get　out　of　here　for　two　weeks　　…　maybe　more。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　his　daughter。

〃No；　you　ain't！　　You're　delighted！　　You　think　it's　romantic　to　get　caught　like　this。　　Wish　I　had　the　enthusiasm　of　youth。〃　　He　fanned　himself　with　a　newspaper。　　〃Lucky　I　went　over　to　the　express　office　yesterday　and　loaded　up　on　gold。　　I　reckon　when　the　blow　falls　it'll　be　tolerable　hard　to　cash　checks　in　this　man's　town。〃

〃That　was　a　good　idea。〃

〃Ready　for　breakfast？〃　he　inquired。

〃Quite　ready；〃　she　smiled。

They　went　below；　she　humming　a　song　from　a　revue；　while　he　glared　at　her。　　She　was　very　glad　they　were　to　be　in　London　a　little　longer。　She　felt　she　could　not　go；　with　that　mystery　still　unsolved。



CHAPTER　VI

The　last　peace　Sunday　London　was　to　know　in　many　weary　months　went　by；　a　tense　and　anxious　day。　　Early　on　Monday　the　fifth　letter　from　the　young　man　of　the　Agony　Column　arrived；　and　when　the　girl　from　Texas　read　it　she　knew　that　under　no　circumstances　could　she　leave　London　now。

It　ran：

DEAR　LADY　FROM　HOME：　I　call　you　that　because　the　word　home　has　for　me；　this　hot　afternoon　in　London；　about　the　sweetest　sound　word　ever　had。　　I　can　see；　when　I　close　my　eyes；　Broadway　at　midday；　Fifth　Avenue；　gay　and　colorful；　even　with　all　the　best　people　away；　Washington　Square；　cool　under　the　trees；　lovely　and　desirable　despite　the　presence　everywhere　of　alien　neighbors　from　the　district　to　the　South。　　I　long　for　home　with　an　ardent　longing；　never　was　London　so　cruel；　so　hopeless；　so　drab；　in　my　eyes。　　For；　as　I　write　this；　a　constable　sits　at　my　elbow；　and　he　and　I　are　shortly　to　start　for　Scotland　Yard。　　I　have　been　arrested　as　a　suspect　in　the　case　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer's　murder！

I　predicted　last　night　that　this　was　to　be　a　red…letter　day　in　the　history　of　that　case；　and　I　also　saw　myself　an　unwilling　actor　in　the　drama。　　But　little　did　I　suspect　the　series　of　astonishing　events　that　was　to　come　with　the　morning；　little　did　I　dream　that　the　net　I　have　been　dreading　would　to…day　engulf　me。　　I　can　scarcely　blame　Inspector　Bray　for　holding　me；　what　I　can　not　understand　is　why　Colonel　Hughes　…　

But　you　want；　of　course；　the　whole　story　from　the　beginning