the red seal(红印)-第43节
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demanded Kent eagerly。
His question met with no response； and he repeated it； but still the girl
remained silent。 Kent gave her a moment's grace； then drawing out the
unaddressed envelope from his pocket he held it toward her。 A low cry
broke from her； and her expression changed as she caught sight of the
broken seal。
〃You have opened it！〃
〃Not yet；〃 Kent held the envelope just beyond her reach。 〃I will only
give it to you with the understanding that you open the envelope now in
my presence and let me see its contents。〃
Helen drew back； then impulsively extended her hand。
〃I agree；〃 she said。 〃Give me the envelope。〃
〃Stop！〃 The word rang out； startling Kent as well as Helen； and Mrs。
Brewster； whose noiseless entrance a few seconds before had gone
unobserved； hurried to them。 〃The envelope is mine。
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CHAPTER XX
THE UNKNOWN EQUATION
No； no；〃 protested Helen vehemently。 〃You shall not give the
envelope to Margaret … you must not。〃
〃It is mine；〃 insisted the widow with equal vehemence。
〃Mrs。 Brewster。〃 Kent withheld the envelope from both women。
〃Will you tell me the contents of this envelope？〃
〃No；〃 curtly。 〃It is not your affair。〃
〃It is my affair；〃 retorted Kent with equally shortness of manner。 〃I
insist on an answer to my questions in the limousine this morning。 How
came your handkerchief in Jimmie's possession； and why did you go to the
police court and； yet keep your presence there a secret？〃
〃Jimmie must have picked up the handkerchief when in the McIntyre
house；〃 she answered sullenly。 〃I presume he forgot to provide him self
with one in his make…up as burglar。 As regards your second question I
admit I did go to the police court out of curiosity … I wanted to find out
what was going on。 You；〃 with a resentful glance at Helen； 〃treated me
as an outsider； and I was determined to find out for myself how the burglar
farce would end。〃
〃Ah； you term it a farce … is that why you laughed in court？〃 asked
Kent quickly。
Mrs。 Brewster changed color。 〃I feel badly about that；〃 she
stammered。 〃I meant no disrespect to Jimmie； but I have a nervous
inclination to laugh … almost hysteria … when excited and overwrought。〃
〃I see；〃 answered Kent slowly。 He was distinctly puzzled； Mrs。
Brewster's air of candor disarmed suspicion； but … 〃You saw and talked
with Jimmie Turnbull on Monday night？〃
〃I did not。〃 Her denial was firm。
〃Then how did you learn of his arrest？〃 asked Kent swiftly。
〃I overheard him conversing …〃
〃With whom？〃 Kent demanded eagerly as she paused as if to
reconsider her confidences。 Helen； one hand on the desk and the other
on the arm of her chair； tried to rise； but her strength had deserted her。
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〃With whom？〃 repeated Kent as the widow remained silent。
〃Jimmie was talking with Grimes；〃 Mrs。 Brewster stated slowly。
〃From what I overheard； he paid Grimes to let him inside the house。〃
Kent looked perplexed as he gazed first at the widow and then at
Helen； who had sunk back in her chair。
〃Mrs。 Brewster；〃 he began after a pause。 〃Who gave Jimmie your
aconitine pills which Grimes left on the hall table？〃
〃The murderer。〃
〃Yes； of course。〃 Kent was watching her closely and he detected the
tiny beads of perspiration which were gathering on her upper lip。 〃And
who； in your opinion； was the murderer？〃
Mrs。 Brewster's expression changed … she looked hunted； and her eyes
fell before Kent's； abruptly she turned her back on him； to find Colonel
McIntyre at her elbow and Barbara just entering the room。 Her eyes
traveled past the girl until they rested on Philip Rochester and Detective
Ferguson hovering behind him。 Her face altered。
〃I saw Philip Rochester；〃 pointing dramatically toward him； 〃crawl out
of the reception room window and dart into the street just as O'Ryan came
in the front door with Helen。〃
Detective Ferguson could not restrain a joyful exclamation。 〃So that
was it！〃 he cried。 〃You were at the McIntyre house； and gave the poison
to Turnbull there … and not in the court room … four hours before he died。
You'll swing for that crime； my buck； in spite of your glib tongue and
slippery ways。〃
As he ceased speaking Ferguson's ever ready handcuffs swung
suggestively from his hand； but Helen's agonized cry checked his
approach toward Rochester； who stood stolidly waiting for him。
〃Father！ You cannot permit this monstrous injustice； Philip shall not
suffer for another。 No； Barbara；〃 as her sister strove to quiet her； we
must tell the truth。〃
〃Suppose I tell it for Colonel McIntyre；〃 Rochester advanced as the
door opened and Sylvester ushered in Benjamin Clymer。 〃You have
come in time； Clymer；〃 his voice deepened； the voice of a man
accustomed to present a case and sway a court。 〃Wait； Sylvester； sit at
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that table and take down these charges …〃
〃Charges？〃 questioned Kent； watching his partner narrowly； he tossed
a stenographic pad to Sylvester and made a place for him at his desk。
〃Go on； Rochester； charges against whom？〃
〃Charges against the man who； occupying a position of trust； planned
to swindle the Metropolis Trust Company through forged notes and
checks；〃 Rochester stated with slow emphasis。 〃Jimmie Turnbull learned
that you； Clymer； were to visit Colonel McIntyre on Monday night； and he
went there in disguise to find out if his suspicions were correct。 The
investigation cost him his life。〃
Clymer； who had followed Rochester's statement； first with
bewilderment and then with rising wrath； found his voice。
〃You drunken scoundrel！〃 he roared。 〃How dare you！〃
〃Dare！〃 Rochester laughed recklessly。 〃Jimmie kept his wits to the
last； his mind was clear； he recognized you in the prisoner's pen and he
tried to call you； but his palsied tongue could not say Ben； but stuttered … B
… b … b。〃
〃And what did he wish to tell me？〃 gasped Clymer； down whose
colorless face perspiration trickled。
〃Aye； what？〃 broke in Kent significantly。
〃Jimmie may not have gotten the information he wished at your house；
Colonel McIntyre； but his presence there on Monday night showed the
forger he was in danger； and like the human snake he is； he poisoned
without warning。 Don't move … Sylvester！〃
With a backward spring Kent caught his clerk as he sped for the door。
〃Don't make any mistake in putting on the handcuffs this time；
Ferguson；〃 he shouted。 〃A forger and a contortionist make a bad
customer to reckon with。〃
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CHAPTER XXI
THE RIDDLE ANSWERED
There was absolute stillness in the room； then a babble of
exclamations broke out as Sylvester； his expression of dumb surprise
giving place to one of fury； struggled to free himself from the detective's
firm grip。
〃You cannot escape； Sylvester；〃 declared Kent； observing his efforts。
〃Your carelessness in using your peculiar gift of penmanship in copying
Barbara McIntyre's signature in this memorandum of her visit here〃 …
Kent held up a sheet torn from his pad； 〃gave me the first clew。 These；
