the red seal(红印)-第12章
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a safe standing in one corner。 〃Is that yours or Philip's？〃 she asked；
pointing to it。
〃The safe？ Oh； it's for our joint use； owned by the firm； you know；〃
explained Kent； somewhat puzzled by her eagerness。
〃Do you keep your private papers there； as well as the firm's？〃 '
〃Oh； yes； Philip has retained one section and I the other。〃 Kent
walked over and threw open the massive door which he had unlocked on
entering the office and left ajar。 〃Would you like to see the arrangements
of the compartments？〃
Without answering Helen crossed the room and stood by his side。
〃Which is Philip's section？〃 she asked。
〃This；〃 and Kent touched the side of the safe。
Helen turned around and inspected the office； the outer door through
which she had entered was closed； as were also the private door leading
directly into the outside corridor； and the one opening into the closet。
Convinced that they were really alone； she took from her leather hand…bag
a white envelope and handed it to Kent。
〃Please put this in Philip's compartment；〃 she said； and as he hesitated；
she added pleadingly； 〃Please do it； Harry； and ask no questions。〃
Kent looked at her wonderingly； the girl was obviously laboring under
intense excitement of some sort； which might at any moment break into
hysteria。 Bottling up his curiosity； he stooped down in front of the safe。
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〃Certainly I will put the envelope away for you；〃 he agreed cheerily。
〃Wait； though； I must find if Philip left the key of the compartment on his
bunch。〃 He took from his pocket the keys he had found so useful the
night before； and selected one that resembled the key to his own
compartment； and inserted it in the lock。 To his surprise he discovered
the compartment was already unlocked。 Without comment he pulled
open the inside drawer and started to lay the white envelope on top of the
papers already there； when he hesitated。
〃The envelope is unaddressed； Helen；〃 he remarked； extending it
toward her。 She waved it back。
〃It is sealed with red wax；〃 she stated。 〃That is all that is necessary
for identification。〃
Kent turned over the envelope … the flap was held down securely with
a large red seal which bore the one letter 〃B。〃 He dropped the envelope
inside the drawer； locked the compartment； and closed the door of the safe。
〃Let us talk；〃 he suggested and led the way back to their chairs。
〃Helen；〃 he began； after she was seated。 〃There is nothing I will not do
for your sister Barbara；〃 his manner grew earnest。 〃I …〃 he flushed；
baring his feelings to another； no matter how sympathetic that other was；
was foreign to his reserved nature。 〃I love her beyond words to express。
I tell you this to … to … gain your trust。〃
〃You already have it； Harry！〃 Impulsively Helen extended her hand；
and he held it in a firm clasp for a second。 〃Babs and I have come at
once to you in our trouble。〃
〃Yes； but you have only hinted what that trouble； was；〃 he reminded
her gently。 〃I cannot really aid you until you give me your full
confidence。〃
Helen looked away from him and out of the window。 The relief；
which had lighted her face a moment before； had vanished。 It was some
minutes before she answered。
〃Babs told you that I suspected Jimmie did not die from angina
pectoris …〃 She spoke with an effort。
〃Yes。〃
She waited a second before continuing her remarks。 〃I have asked
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the coroner to make an investigation。〃 She paused again； then added
with more animation； 〃He is the one to tell us if a crime has been
committed。〃
〃He can tell if death has been accelerated by a weapon； or a drug；〃
responded Kent； he was weighing his words carefully so that she might
understand him fully。 〃But to constitute a crime； it has to be proved first；
that the act has been committed； and second； that a guilty mind or malice
prompted it。 Can you furnish a clew to establish either of the last
mentioned facts in connection with Jimmie's death？〃
Kent wondered if she had heard him； she was so long in replying； and
he was about to repeat his question when she addressed him。
〃Have you heard from Coroner Penfield？〃
〃No。 I tried several times to get him on the telephone； but without
success；〃 replied Kent； his disappointment at not receiving an answer to
his question showed in his manner。 〃I went to Penfield's house last night；
but he had been called away on a case and； although I waited until nearly
ten o'clock； he had not returned when I left。 Have you had word from
him？〃
〃Not … not directly。〃 She had been nervously twisting her
handkerchief about in her fingers； suddenly she turned and looked full at
Kent； her eyes burning feverishly。 〃I would give all I possess； my hope
of future happiness even； if I could prove that Jimmie died from angina
pectoris。〃
Kent looked at her in mingled sympathy and doubt。 … What did her
words imply … further tragedy？
〃Jimmie might not have died from angina pectoris；〃 he said； 〃and still
not have been poisoned …〃
〃You mean …〃
〃Suicide。〃
Slowly Helen took in his meaning； but she volunteered no remark； and
Kent after a pause； added； 〃While I have not seen Coroner Penfield I did
hear last night what killed Jimmie。〃 Helen straightened up； one hand
pressed to her heart。 〃It was a lethal dose of amyl nitrite。〃
〃Amyl nitrite；〃 she repeated。 〃Yes； I have heard that it is given for
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heart trouble。 How〃 … she looked at him queerly。 〃How is it
administered？〃
〃By crushing a capsule in a handkerchief and inhaling its fumes 〃 … he
was watching her closely。 〃The handkerchief Jimmie was seen to use
just before he died was found to contain two or more broken capsules。〃
Helen sat immovable for over a minute； then she bowed her head and
burst into dry tearless sobs which wracked her body。 Kent laid a tender
hand on her shoulder； then concluding it was better for her to have her cry
out； he wandered aimlessly about the office waiting for her to regain her
composure。
He stopped before one of the windows facing south and stared
moodily at the Belasco Theater。 That playhouse had surely never staged
a more complicated mystery than the one he had set himself to unravel。
What consolation could he offer Helen？ If he encouraged her belief in
his theory that Jimmie committed suicide he would have to establish a
motive for suicide； and that motive might prove to be the theft of Colonel
McIntyre's valuable securities。 Threatened with exposure as a thief and
forger； Jimmie had committed suicide； so would run the verdict； the fact of
his suicide was proof of his guilt of the crime Colonel McIntyre virtually
charged him with； and vice versa。
What had been discovered to point to murder？ The finding of a
handkerchief； saturated with amyl nitrite； which had not belonged to the
dead man。 Proof … bah！ it was ridiculous！ What more likely than that
Jimmie； while in the McIntyre house before his arrest as a burglar； had
picked up one of Barbara's handkerchiefs； stuffed it inside his pocket； and
when threatened with exposure on being held for the grand jury； had； in
desperation； crushed the amyl nitrite capsules in Barbara's handkerchief
and killed himself。
Kent drew a long； long sigh。 His faith in Jimmie's honesty was
shaken at last by the accumulative evidence； and he was convinced that he
had found the solution to the problem； but how impart it to the weeping
girl？ To prove her lover a thief； forger； and suicide was indeed a task he
shrank from。
A ring at the telephone caused Kent to move hastily to the instrument；
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when he hung up the receiver Helen was adjusting her veil before a mirror
over the mantel。
〃Colonel McIntyre is in the next room；〃 he said； keeping his voice
lowered。
〃My father！〃 Helen's eyes were hard and dry。 〃Does he know that I
am here？〃
〃I don't know； Sylvester simply said he had called to see me and is
waiting in the outer office。〃 Observing her indecision； Kent opened the
door leading directly into the corridor。 〃You can leave this way without
encountering Colonel McIntyre。〃
Helen hurried through the door and paused in the corridor to whisper
feverishly in Kent's ear； 〃Promise me you will remain faithful to Barbara
whatever develops。〃
〃I will！〃 Kent's pledge rang out clearly； and Helen with a lighter
heart turned to walk away when a telegraph boy appeared around the
corner of the corridor and thrust a yellow envelope at Kent； who stood half
inside his office watching Helen。
〃Sign here；〃 the boy said； indicating the line on the receipt slip； and
getting it back； departed。
Motioning to Helen to wait； Kent tore open the telegram。 It was from
Cleveland and dated the night before。 The message ran： Called to
Cleveland。 Address City Club。 Rochester。
Without comment Kent held out the telegram so that Helen could read
it。
〃What！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Philip in Cleveland last night。 I … I … don't
understand。〃 And looking at her Kent was astounded at
