the yellow crayon-第2节

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Mr。　Sabin　turned　away。　　He　did　not　speak　again　until　Duson　and　he
were　alone　in　the　sitting…room。　　Then　he　drew　out　a　five　dollar　bill。

〃Duson；〃　he　said；　〃take　this　to　the　head　luggage　porter。　　Tell　him
to　bring　his　departure　book　up　here　at　once；　and　there　is　another
waiting　for　him。　　You　understand？〃

〃Certainly；　sir！〃

Mr。　Sabin　turned　to　enter　his　bed…chamber。　　His　attention　was
attracted；　however；　by　a　letter　lying　flat　upon　the　table。　　He　took
it　up。　　It　was　addressed　to　Mr。　Sabin。

〃This　is　very　clever；〃　he　mused；　hesitating　for　a　moment　before
opening　it。　　〃I　wired　for　rooms　only　a　few　hours　ago　…　and　I　find
a　letter。　　It　is　the　commencement。〃

He　tore　open　the　envelope；　and　drew　out　a　single　half…sheet　of
note…paper。　　Across　it　was　scrawled　a　single　sentence　only。

〃Go　back　to　Lenox。〃

There　was　no　signature；　nor　any　date。　　The　only　noticeable　thing
about　this　brief　communication　was　that　it　was　written　in　yellow
pencil　of　a　peculiar　shade。　　Mr。　Sabin's　eyes　glittered　as　he　read。

〃The　yellow　crayon！〃　he　muttered。

Duson　knocked　softly　at　the　door。　　Mr。　Sabin　thrust　the　letter　and
envelope　into　his　breast　coat　pocket。



CHAPTER　II
This　is　the　luggage　porter；　sir；〃　Duson　announced。　　〃He　is　prepared
to　answer　any　questions。〃

The　man　took　out　his　book。　　Mr。　Sabin；　who　was　sitting　in　an
easy…chair；　turned　sideways　towards　him。

〃The　Duchess　of　Souspennier　was　staying　here　last　week；〃　he　said。
〃She　left；　I　believe；　on　Thursday　or　Friday。　　Can　you　tell　me
whether　her　baggage　went　through　your　hands？〃

The　man　set　down　his　hat　upon　a　vacant　chair；　and　turned　over　the
leaves　of　his　book。

〃Guess　I　can　fix　that　for　you；〃　he　remarked；　running　his　forefinger
down　one　of　the　pages。　　〃Here　we　are。　　The　Duchess　left　on　Friday；
and　we　checked　her　baggage　through　to　Lenox　by　the　New　York；　New
Haven　&　Hartford。〃

Mr。　Sabin　nodded。

〃Thank　you；〃　he　said。　　〃She　would　probably　take　a　carriage　to　the
station。　　It　will　be　worth　another　ten　dollars　to　you　if　you　can
find　me　the　man　who　drove　her。〃

〃Well；　we　ought　to　manage　that　for　you；〃　the　man　remarked
encouragingly。　　〃It　was　one　of　Steve　Hassell's　carriages；　I　guess；
unless　the　lady　took　a　hansom。〃

〃Very　good；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said。　　〃See　if　you　can　find　him。　　Keep　my
inquiries　entirely　to　yourself。　　It　will　pay　you。〃

〃That's　all　right；〃　the　man　remarked。　　〃Don't　you　go　to　bed　for
half…an…hour；　and　I　guess　you'll　hear　from　me　again。〃

Duson　busied　himself　in　the　bed…chamber；　Mr。　Sabin　sat　motionless
in　his　easy　chair。　　Soon　there　came　a　tap　at　the　door。　　The　porter
reappeared　ushering　in　a　smart…looking　young　man；　who　carried　a
shiny　coachman's　hat　in　his　hand。

〃Struck　it　right　fust　time；〃　the　porter　remarked　cheerfully。　　〃This
is　the　man；　sir。

Mr。　Sabin　turned　his　head。

〃You　drove　a　lady　from　here　to　the　New　York；　New　Haven　&　Hartford
Depot　last　Friday？〃　he　asked。

〃'Well；　not　exactly；　sir；〃　the　man　answered。　　〃The　Duchess　took　my
cab；　and　the　first　address　she　gave　was　the　New　York；　New　Haven
&　Hartford　Depot；　but　before　we'd　driven　a　hundred　yards　she　pulled
the　check…string　and　ordered　me　to　go　to　the　Waldorf。　　She　paid　me
there；　and　went　into　the　hotel。〃

〃You　have　not　seen　her　since？〃

〃No；　sir！〃

〃You　knew　her　by　sight；　you　say。　　Was　there　anything　special　about
her　appearance？〃

The　man　hesitated。

〃She'd　a　pretty　thick　veil　on；　sir；　but　she　raised　it　to　pay　me；
and　I　should　say　she'd　been　crying。　　She　was　much　paler；　too；　than
last　time　I　drove　her。〃

〃When　was　that？〃　Mr。　Sabin　asked。

〃In　the　spring；　sir；　…　with　you；　begging　your　pardon。　　You　were　at
the　Netherlands；　and　I　drove　you　out　several　times。〃

〃You　seem；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　〃to　be　a　person　with　some　powers　of
observation。　　It　would　pay　you　very　well　indeed　if　you　would
ascertain　from　any　of　your　mates　at　the　Waldorf　when　and　with　whom
the　lady　in　question　left　that　hotel。〃

〃I'll　have　a　try；　sir；〃　the　man　answered。　　〃The　Duchess　was　better
known　here；　but　some　of　them　may　have　recognised　her。〃

〃She　had　no　luggage；　I　presume？〃　Mr。　Sabin　asked。

〃Her　dressing…case　and　jewel…case　only；　sir。〃

〃So　you　see；〃　Mr。　Sabin　continued；　〃it　is　probable　that　she　did　not
remain　at　the　Waldorf　for　the　night。　　Base　your　inquiries　on　that
supposition。〃

〃Very　good；　sir。〃

〃From　your　manners　and　speech；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　raising　his　head；
〃I　should　take　you　to　be　an　Englishman。〃

〃Quite　correct；　sir；〃　the　man　answered。　　〃I　drove　a　hansom　in
London　for　eight　years。〃

〃You　will　understand　me　then；〃　Mr。　Sabin　continued；　〃when　I　say
that　I　have　no　great　confidence　in　the　police　of　this　country。　　I
do　not　wish　to　be　blackmailed　or　bullied。　　I　would　ask　you；
therefore；　to　make　your　inquiries　with　discretion。〃

〃I'll　be　careful；　sir；〃　the　man　answered。

Mr。　Sabin　handed　to　each　of　them　a　roll　of　notes。　　The　cabdriver
lingered　upon　the　threshold。　　Mr。　Sabin　looked　up。

〃Well？〃

〃Could　I　speak　a　word　to　you…in　private；　sir？〃

Mr。　Sabin　motioned　Duson　to　leave　the　room。　　The　baggage　porter
had　already　departed。

〃When　I　cleaned　out　my　cab　at　night；　sir；　I　found　this。　　I　didn't
reckon　it　was　of　any　consequence　at　first；　but　from　the　questions
you　have　been　asking　it　may　be　useful　to　you。〃

Mr。　Sabin　took　the　half…sheet　of　note…paper　in　silence。　　It　was　the
ordinary　stationery　of　the　Waldorf　Astoria　Hotel；　and　the　following
words　were　written　upon　it　in　a　faint　delicate　handwriting；　but　in
yellow　pencil：…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Sept。　　10th。
　　〃To　LUCILLE；　Duchesse　de　SOUSPENNIER。…

　　〃You　will　be　at　the　Waldorf　Astoria　Hotel　in　the　main　corridor
　　　at　four　o'clock　this　afternoon。〃

The　thin　paper　shook　in　Mr。　Sabin's　fingers。　　There　was　no　signature；
but　he　fancied　that　the　handwriting　was　not　wholly　unfamiliar　to　him。
He　looked　slowly　up　towards　the　cabman。

〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；〃　he　said。　　〃This　is　of　interest　to　me。〃

He　stretched　out　his　hand　to　the　little　wad　of　notes　which　Duson　had
left　upon　the　table；　but　the　cabdriver　backed　away。

〃Beg　pardon；　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃You've　given　me　plenty。　　The　letter's
of　no　value　to　me。　　I　came　very　near　tearing　it　up；　but　for　the
peculiar　colour　pencil　it's　written　with。　　Kinder　took　my　fancy；
sir。〃

〃The　letter　is　of　value；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said。　　〃It　tells　me　much　more
than　I　hoped　to　discover。　　It　is　our　good　fortune。〃

The　man　accepted　the　little　roll　of　bills　and　departed。　　Mr。　Sabin
touched　the　bell。

〃Duson；　what　time　is　it？〃

〃Nearly　midnight；　sir！〃

〃I　will　go　to　bed！〃

〃Very　good；　sir！〃

〃Mix　me　a　sleeping　draught；　Duson。　　I　need　rest。　　See　that　I　am　not
disturbed　until　ten　o'clock　to…morrow　morning。


CHAPTER　III

At　precisely　ten　o'clock　on　the　following　morning　Duson　brought
chocolate；　which　he　had　prepared　himself；　and　some　dry　toast　to　his
master's　bedside。　　Upon　the　tray　was　a　single　letter。　　Mr。　Sabin
sat　up　in　bed　and　tore　open　the　envelope。　　The　following　words　were
written　upon　a　sheet　of　the　Holland　House　notepaper　in　the　same
peculiar　coloured　crayon。

〃The　first　warning　addressed　to　you　yesterday　was　a　friendly　one。
Profit　by　it。　　Go　back　to　Lenox。　　You　are　only　exposing　yourself　to
danger　and　the　person　you　seek　to　discomfort。　　Wait　there；　and　some
one　shall　come　to　you　shortly　who　will　explain　what　has　happened；
and　the　necessity　for　it。〃

Mr。　Sabin　smiled；　a　slow　contemplative　smile。　　He　sipped　his
chocolate　and　lit　a　cigarette。

〃Our　friends；　then；〃　he　said　softly；　〃do　not　care　about　pursuit　and
inquiries。　　It　is　ridiculous　to　suppose　that　their　warning　is　given
out　of　any　consideration　to　me。　　Duson！〃

〃Yes；　sir！〃

〃My　bath。　　I　shall　rise　now。〃

Mr。　Sabin　made　his　toilet　with　something　of　the　same　deliberation
which　characterised　all　his　movements。　　Then　he　descended　into　the
hall；　bought　a　newspaper；　and　from　a　convenient　easy…chair　kept　a
close　observation　upon　every　one　who　passed　to　and　fro　for　about
an　hour。　　Later　on　he　ordered　a　carriage；　and　made　several　calls
down　town。

At　a　few　minutes　past　twelve　he　entered　the　bar　of　the　Fifth　Avenue
Hotel；　and　ordering　a　drink　sat　down　at　one　of　the　small　tables。
The　room　was　full；　but　Mr。　Sabin's　attention　was　directed　solely　to
one　group　of　men　who　stood　a　short　distance　away　before　the　counter
drinking　champagne。　　The　central　person　of　the　group　was　a　big　man；
with　an　unusually　large　neck；　a　fat　pale　face；　a　brown　moustache
tinged　with　grey；　and　a　voice　and　laugh　like　a　fog…horn。　　It　was　he
apparently　who　was　paying　for　the　champagne；　and　he　was　clearly　on
intimate　terms　with　all　the　party。　　Mr。　Sabin　watched　for　his
opportunity；　and　then　rising　from　his　seat　touched　him　on　the
shoulder。

〃Mr。　Skinner；　I　believe？〃　he　said　quietly。

The　big　man　looked　down　upon　Mr。　Sabin　with　the　sullen　offensiveness
of　the　professional　bully。

〃You've　hit　it　first　time；〃　he　admitted。　　〃Who　are　you；　anyway？〃

Mr。　Sabin　produced　a　card。

〃I　called　this　morning；〃　he　said；　〃upon　the　gentleman　whose　name　you
will　see　there。　　He　directed　me　to　you；　and　told　me　to　come　here。〃

The　man　tore　the　card　into　small　pieces。

〃So　long；　boys；〃　he　said；　addressing　his　late　companions。　　〃See　you
to…