the woman in the alcove-第24节

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〃Come；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　head　enough　to　see　that　it　is　never　wise　to　force　matters。〃　Then；　possibly　with　an　intention　of　rousing　me；　he　remarked：　〃There　is　another　small　fact　which　may　interest　you。　It　concerns　the　waiter；　Wellgood；　recommended；　as　you　will　remember；　by　this　Sears。　In　my　talk　with　Jones　it　leaked　out　as　a　matter　of　small　moment；　and　so　it　was　to　him；　that　this　Wellgood　was　the　waiter　who　ran　and　picked　up　the　diamond　after　it　fell　from　Mr。　Grey's　hand。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃This　may　mean　nothingit　meant　nothing　to　Jonesbut　I　inform　you　of　it　because　there　is　a　question　I　want　to　put　to　you　in　this　connection。　You　smile。〃

〃Did　I？〃　I　meekly　answered。　〃I　do　not　know　why。〃

This　was　not　true。　I　had　been　waiting　to　see　why　the　inspector　had　so　honored　me　with　all　these　disclosures；　almost　with　his　thoughts。　Now　I　saw。　He　desired　something　in　return。

〃You　were　on　the　scene　at　this　very　moment；〃　he　proceeded；　after　a　brief　contemplation　of　my　face；　〃and　you　must　have　seen　this　man　when　he　lifted　the　jewel　and　handed　it　back　to　Mr。　Grey。　Did　you　remark　his　features？〃

〃No；　sir；　I　was　too　far　off；　besides；　my　eyes　were　on　Mr。　Grey。〃　〃That　is　a　pity。　I　was　in　hopes　you　could　satisfy　me　on　a　very　important　point。〃

〃What　point　is　that；　Inspector　Dalzell？〃

〃Whether　he　answered　the　following　description。〃　And；　taking　up　another　paper；　he　was　about　to　read　it　aloud　to　me；　when　an　interruption　occurred。　A　man　showed　himself　at　the　door；　whom　the　inspector　no　sooner　recognized　than　he　seemed　to　forget　me　in　his　eagerness　to　interrogate　him。　Perhaps　the　appearance　of　the　latter　had　something　to　do　with　it；　he　looked　as　if　he　had　been　running；　or　had　been　the　victim　of　some　extraordinary　adventure。　At　all　events；　the　inspector　arose　as　he　entered；　and　was　about　to　question　him　when　he　remembered　me；　and；　casting　about　for　some　means　of　ridding　himself　of　my　presence　without　injury　to　my　feelings；　he　suddenly　pushed　open　the　door　of　an　adjoining　room　and　requested　me　to　step　inside　while　he　talked　a　moment　with　this　man。

Of　course　I　went；　but　I　cast　him　an　appealing　look　as　I　did　so。　It　evidently　had　its　effect；　for　his　expression　changed　as　his　band　fell　on　the　doorknob。　Would　he　snap　the　lock　tight；　and　so　shut　me　out　from　what　concerned　me　as　much　as　it　did　any　one　in　the　whole　world？　Or　would　he　recognize　my　anxietythe　necessity　I　was　under　of　knowing　just　the　ground　I　was　standing　onand　let　me　hear　what　this　man　had　to　report？

I　watched　the　door。　It　closed　slowly；　too　slowly　to　latch。　Would　he　catch　it　anew　by　the　knob？　No；　he　left　it　thus；　and；　while　the　crack　was　hardly　perceptible；　I　felt　confident　that　the　least　shake　of　the　floor　would　widen　it　and　give　me　the　opportunity　I　sought。　But　I　did　not　have　to　wait　for　this。　The　two　men　in　the　office　I　had　just　left　began　to　speak；　and　to　my　unbounded　relief　were　sufficiently　intelligible；　even　now；　to　warrant　me　in　giving　them　my　fullest　attention。

After　some　expressions　of　astonishment　on　the　part　of　the　inspector　as　to　the　plight　in　which　the　other　presented　himself；　the　latter　broke　out：

〃I've　just　escaped　death！　I'll　tell　you　about　that　later。　What　I　want　to　tell　you　now　is　that　the　man　we　want　is　in　town。　I　saw　him　last　night；　or　his　shadow；　which　is　the　same　thing。　It　was　in　the　house　in　Eighty…sixth　Street；the　house　they　all　think　closed。　He　came　in　with　a　key　and〃

〃Wait！　You　have　him？〃

〃No。　It's　a　long　story；　sir〃

〃Tell　it！〃

The　tone　was　dry。　The　inspector　was　evidently　disappointed。

〃Don't　blame　me　till　you　hear；〃　said　the　other。　〃He　is　no　common　crook。　This　is　how　it　was：　You　wanted　the　suspect's　photograph　and　a　specimen　of　his　writing。　I　knew　no　better　place　to　look　for　them　than　in　his　own　room　in　Mr。　Fairbrother's　house。　I　accordingly　got　the　necessary　warrant　and　late　last　evening　undertook　the　job。　I　went　alone　I　was　always　an　egotistical　chap；　more's　the　pityand　with　no　further　precaution　than　a　passing　explanation　to　the　officer　I　met　at　the　corner；　I　hastened　up　the　block　to　the　rear　entrance　on　Eighty…seventh　Street。　There　are　three　doors　to　the　Fairbrother　house；　as　you　probably　know。　Two　on　Eighty…sixth　Street　（the　large　front　one　and　a　small　one　connecting　directly　with　the　turret　stairs）；　and　one　on　Eighty…seventh　Street。　It　was　to　the　latter　I　had　a　key。　I　do　not　think　any　one　saw　me　go　in。　It　was　raining；　and　such　people　as　went　by　were　more　concerned　in　keeping　their　umbrellas　properly　over　their　heads　than　in　watching　men　skulking　about　in　doorways。

〃I　got　in；　then；　all　right；　and；　being　careful　to　close　the　door　behind　me；　went　up　the　first　short　flight　of　steps　to　what　I　knew　must　be　the　main　hall。　I　had　been　given　a　plan　of　the　interior；　and　I　had　studied　it　more　or　less　before　starting　out；　but　I　knew　that　I　should　get　lost　if　I　did　not　keep　to　the　rear　staircase；　at　the　top　of　which　I　expected　to　find　the　steward's　room。　There　was　a　faint　light　in　the　house；　in　spite　of　its　closed　shutters　and　tightly…drawn　shades；　and；　having　a　certain　dread　of　using　my　torch；　knowing　my　weakness　for　pretty　things　and　how　hard　it　would　be　for　me　to　pass　so　many　fine　rooms　without　looking　in；　I　made　my　way　up　stairs；　with　no　other　guide　than　the　hand…rail。　When　I　had　reached　what　I　took　to　be　the　third　floor　I　stopped。　Finding　it　very　dark；　I　first　listeneda　natural　instinct　with　usthen　I　lit　up　and　looked　about　me。

〃I　was　in　a　large　hall；　empty　as　a　vault　and　almost　as　desolate。　Blank　doors　met　my　eyes　in　all　directions；　with　here　and　there　an　open　passageway。　I　felt　myself　in　a　maze。　I　had　no　idea　which　was　the　door　I　sought；　and　it　is　not　pleasant　to　turn　unaccustomed　knobs　in　a　shut…up　house　at　midnight；　with　the　rain　pouring　in　torrents　and　the　wind　making　pandemonium　in　a　half…dozen　great　chimneys。

〃But　it　had　to　be　done；　and　I　went　at　it　in　regular　order　till　I　came　to　a　little　narrow　one　opening　on　the　turret…stair。　This　gave　me　my　bearings。　Sears'　room　adjoined　the　staircase。　There　was　no　difficulty　in　spotting　the　exact　door　now　and；　merely　stopping　to　close　the　opening　I　had　made　to　this　little　staircase；　I　crossed　to　this　door　and　flung　it　open。　I　had　been　right　in　my　calculations。　It　was　the　steward's　room；　and　I　made　at　once　for　the　desk。〃

〃And　you　found？〃

〃Mostly　locked　drawers。　But　a　key　on　my　bunch　opened　some　of　these　and　my　knife　the　rest。　Here　are　the　specimens　of　his　handwriting　which　I　collected。　I　doubt　if　you　will　get　much　out　of　them。　I　saw　nothing　compromising　in　the　whole　room；　but　then　I　hadn't　time　to　go　through　his　trunks；　and　one　of　them　looked　very　interesting；old　as　the　hills　and〃

〃You　hadn't　time？　Why　hadn't　you　time？　What　happened　to　cut　it　short？〃

〃Well；　sir；　I'll　tell　you。〃　The　tone　in　which　this　was　said　roused　me　if　it　did　not　the　inspector。　〃I　had　just　come　from　the　desk　which　had　disappointed　me；　and　was　casting　a　look　about　the　room；　which　was　as　bare　as　my　hand　of　everything　like　ornamentI　might　almost　say　comfortwhen　I　heard　a　noise　which　was　not　that　of　swishing　rain　or　even　gusty　windthese　had　not　been　absent　from　my　ears　for　a　moment。　I　didn't　like　that　noise；　it　had　a　sneakish　sound；　and　I　shut　my　light　off　in　a　hurry。　After　that　I　crept　hastily　out　of　the　room；　for　I　don't　like　a　set…to　in　a　trap。

〃It　was　darker　than　ever　now　in　the　hall；　or　so　it　seemed；　and　as　I　backed　away　I　came　upon　a　jog　in　the　wall；　behind　which　I　crept。　For　the　sound　I　had　heard　was　no　fancy。　Some　one　besides　myself　was　in　the　house；　and　that　some　one　was　coming　up　the　little　turret…stair；　striking　matches　as　he　approached。　Who　could　it　be？　A　detective　from　the　district　attorney's　office？　I　hardly　thought　so。　He　would　have　been　provided　with　something　better　than　matches　to　light　his　way。　A　burglar？　No；　not　on　the　third　floor　of　a　house　as　rich　as　this。　Some　fellow　on　the　force；　then；　who　had　seen　me　come　in　and；　by　some　trick　of　his　own；　had　managed　to　follow　me？　I　would　see。　Meantime　I　kept　my　place　behind　the　jog　and　watched；　not　knowing　which　way　the　intruder　would　go。

〃Whoever　he　was；　he　was　evidently　astonished　to　see　the　turret　door　ajar；　for　he　lit　another　match　as　he　threw　it　open　and；　though　I　failed　to　get　a　glimpse　of　his　figure；　I　succeeded　in　getting　a　very　good　one　of　his　shadow。　It　was　one　to　arouse　a　detective's　instinct　at　once。　I　did　not　say　to　myself；　this　is　the　man　I　want；　but　I　did　say；　this　is　nobody　from　headquarters；　and　I　steadied　myself　for　whatever　might　turn　up。

〃The　first　thing　that　happened　was　the　sudden　going　out　of　the　match　which　had　made　this　shadow　visible。　The　intruder　did　not　light　another。　I　heard　him　move　across　the　floor　with　the　rapid　step　of　one　who　knows　his　way　well；　and　the　next　minute　a　gas…jet　flared　up　in　the　steward's　room；　and　I　knew　that　the　man　the　whole　force　was　looking　for　had　trapped　himself。

〃You　will　agree　that　it　was　not　my　duty　to　take　him　then　and　there　without　seeing　what　he　was　after。　He　was　thought　to　be　in　the　eastern　states；　or　south　or　west；　and　he　was　here；　but　why　here？　That　is　what　I　knew　you　would　want　to　know；　and　it　was　just　what　I　wanted　to　know　myself。　So　I　kept　my　place；　which　was　good　enough；　and　just　listened；　for　I　could　not　see。

〃What　was　his　errand？　What　did　he　want　in　this　empty　house　at　midn