the red seal(红印)-第2章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I ask the indulgence of the court for more time；〃 he commenced； 〃that
I may consult my client and find if he desires to call witnesses。〃
〃The court finds；〃 responded the Judge； 〃that a clear case of house…
breaking has been proven against the prisoner by reputable witnesses。
He will have to stand trial。〃
For the first time the prisoner raised his eyes from contemplation of
the floor。
〃I demand trial by jury；〃 he announced。
〃It is your right；〃 acknowledged the Judge； and turned to consult his
calendar。
Stepping forward； the deputy marshal laid his hand on the burglar's
shoulder。
〃Go inside；〃 he directed and held open the cage door； which
immediately swung back into place； and Rochester； following closely at
the prisoner's heels； halted abruptly。 A fit of coughing shook the burglar
and he paused by the iron railing； gasping for breath。
〃Water；〃 he pleaded； and a court attendant handed a cup to Rochester；
standing just outside the cage； and he passed it over the iron railing to the
burglar。 Then turning on his heel the lawyer rejoined Clymer； his
discontent plainly discernible。
〃A clear case against your client；〃 remarked Clymer； reading his
thoughts。 〃Don't take the affair to heart； man； you did your best under
difficulties。〃
Rochester shook his head gloomily。 〃I might have … Jove！ why
didn't I ask for bail？〃
6
… Page 7…
THE RED SEAL
〃Bail！〃 The banker suppressed a chuckle as he eyed the threadbare
suit and tattered appearance of the burglar； who had resumed his seat in
the prisoner's cage。 〃Who would have stood surety for that scarecrow？〃
〃I would have。〃 Rochester spoke with some vehemence； but his
words were partly drowned by the violent fit of coughing which again
shook the burglar； and before he could finish his sentence； Helen McIntyre
stood at his elbow。 She bowed gravely to Clymer who rose at her
approach； and laid a persuasive hand on Rochester's sleeve。
〃Will you come with us？〃 she asked。 〃Barbara and Dr。 Stone are
ready to leave。 The doctor wishes to …〃 As she spoke she looked across
at Stone； who stood opposite her in the little group。 He failed to catch
both her word and her eye； his gaze； passing over her shoulder； was
riveted on the burglar。
〃Something is wrong；〃 he announced and pushed past Barbara。 〃Let
me inside the cage；〃 he directed as the deputy marshal kept the gate closed
at his approach。 〃Your prisoner appears ill。〃
One glance at the burglar proved the truth of the physician's statement
and the gate was hastily opened。 Stone bent over the man； whose
spasmodic breathing could be heard distinctly through the court room；
then his gaze shifted to the other occupants of the cage。
〃The man must have air；〃 he declared。 〃Your aid here。〃 Looking up
his eyes met Clymer's； and the latter came swiftly into the cage； followed
by Rochester； and the deputy marshal slammed the door shut behind them。
〃Step out this way；〃 he said； as Clymer aided the physician in lifting
the burglar； and he led them into the ante…room whence prisoners were
taken into the cage。
Stretching his burden on the floor； Stone tore open the man's shirt and
felt his heart； while Clymer； spying a water cooler； sped across the room
and returned immediately with a brimming glass。
〃Here's water；〃 he said； but Stone refused the proffered glass。
〃No use；〃 he announced。 〃The man is dead。〃
〃Dead！〃 echoed the deputy marshal。 〃Well； I'll be … say； doctor；〃 but
Stone had darted out of the room； and he turned open…mouthed to Clymer。
〃If it wasn't Doctor Stone I would say he was crazy；〃 he declared。
7
… Page 8…
THE RED SEAL
〃Tut！ Feel the man's heart and convince yourself；〃 suggested Clymer
tartly； and the deputy marshal； dropping on one knee； did so。 Detecting no
heart…beat； the officer passed his hand over the dead man's unshaven chin
and across his forehead； brushing back the unkempt hair。 Under his none
too gentle touch the wig slipped back； revealing to his astonished gaze a
head of short cropped； red hair。
Clymer； who had followed the deputy marshal's movements with
interest； gave a shout which was echoed by Rochester and Dr。 Stone； who
returned at that moment。
〃Good God！〃 gasped Clymer； shaken out of his accustomed calm。
〃Jimmie Turnbull！〃
The deputy marshal eyed the startled men。
〃You don't mean …〃 he stammered； and paused。
For answer Dr。 Stone straightened the dead man and removed the wig。
〃James Turnbull；〃 he said gravely； and turning； addressed Rochester；
who had dropped down on the nearest chair。 〃Cashier of the Metropolis
Trust Company； Rochester； and your roommate； masquerading as a
burglar。〃
8
… Page 9…
THE RED SEAL
CHAPTER II
THE GAME OF CONSEQUENCES
R 0 Chester did not appear to hear Dr。 Stone's words。 With eyes half
starting from their sockets he sat staring at the dead man； completely
oblivious of the others' presence。 After watching him for a moment the
physician turned briskly to the dazed deputy marshal。
〃Summon the coroner；〃 he directed。 〃We cannot move the body until
he comes。〃
His curt tone brought the official's wits back with a jump and he made
for the exit； only to be stopped at the threshold by a sandy…haired man just
entering the room。
At the word coroner； Rochester raised himself from his bent attitude
and brushed his hand across his eyes。
〃No need for a coroner to diagnose the case；〃 he objected。 〃Poor
Turnbull always said he would go off like that。〃
Stone moved nearer。 〃Like that？〃 he questioned； pointing to the still
figure。 〃Explain yourself； Rochester。 Did Turnbull expect to die here in
this manner？〃
〃No … no … certainly not。〃 The lawyer moistened his dry lips。 〃But
when a man has angina pectoris he knows the end may come at any
moment and in any place。 Turnbull made no secret of suffering from that
disease。〃 Rochester turned toward Clymer。 〃You knew it。〃
Benjamin Clymer； who had been gazing alternately at the dead man
and vaguely about the room； looked startled at the abrupt question。
〃I knew Turnbull had bad attacks of the heart； we all knew it at the
bank；〃 he stated。 〃But I understood the disease had responded to
treatment。〃
〃There is no cure for angina pectoris；〃 declared Rochester。 〃No
permanent cure；〃 amended Stone； and would have added more； but
Rochester stopped him。
〃Now that you know Turnbull died of angina pectoris there is no
necessity of sending for the coroner；〃 Rochester spoke in haste； his words
tumbling over each other。 〃I will go at once and communicate with an
9
… Page 10…
THE RED SEAL
undertaker。〃 But before he could rise from his chair the sandy…haired
man； who had conducted a whispered conversation with the deputy
marshal； advanced toward the group。
〃Just a moment； gentlemen；〃 he said； and turned back a lapel of his
coat and displayed a metal badge。 〃I am Ferguson of the Central Office。
Do you know the deceased？〃
〃He was my intimate friend；〃 announced Rochester before his
companions could reply to the detective's question； which was addressed
to all。 〃Mr。 Clymer； here； can tell you that Jimmie Turnbull； cashier of
his bank； was well known in financial and social Washington。〃
〃How came he here in this fix？〃 asked Ferguson with more force than
grammatic clarity。
〃A sudden heart attack … angina pectoris； you know；〃 replied Rochester
glibly； 〃with fatal results。〃
〃I wasn't alluding to what killed him；〃 Ferguson explained。 〃But why
was the cashier of the Metropolis Trust Company；〃 he looked
questioningly at Clymer whom he knew quite well by sight； 〃and a social
high…light； decked out in these clothes and a wig； too？〃 leaning down； the
better to examine the clothing on the dead man。
〃He had just been held for the Grand Jury on a charge of house…
breaking；〃 volunteered the deputy marshal。 〃I reckon that brought on his
heart…attack。〃
〃True； true；〃 agreed Rochester。 〃The excitement was too much for
him。〃
〃House…breaking〃 ejaculated the detective。 〃Dangerous sport for a
man suffering with angina pectoris； aside from anything else。 Who
preferred charges？〃
〃The Misses McIntyre；〃 answered the deputy marshal； to whom the
question was addressed。 〃Like to interview them？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃No； no！〃 Rochester was on his feet instantly。 〃There is no
necessity to bring the twins out here … it's too tragic！〃
〃Tragic？〃 echoed Ferguson。 〃Why？〃
〃Why … why … Turnbull was arrested in their house；〃 Rochester was
10
… Page 11…
THE RED SEAL
commencing to stutter。 〃He was their friend …〃
〃Caught burglarizing； heh？〃 Ferguson's eyes glowed； the case already
whetted his remarkably keen inquisitorial instinct which had gained him
place and certain fame in the Washington police force。 〃Are the Misses
McIntyre still in the building？〃
〃They were in the court room just before we brought Turnbull's body
h
