the red seal(红印)-第35章
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from his office into the corridor； he hurried away。
When Helen McIntyre entered the office of Rochester and Kent for the
second time that afternoon she found Sylvester transcribing stenographic
notes on his typewriter。
〃Mr。 Kent is expecting you； miss；〃 he said； holding open the inner
office door； and with a courteous word of thanks； Helen passed the clerk
and the door closed behind her。 Kent rose at her approach and bowed
formally。
〃Take this chair；〃 he suggested； and not until she was seated did Helen
realize he had placed her where the light fell full upon her。 〃I asked you to
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come here；〃 he began； as she waited for him to speak； 〃Because I must
have your confidence … if I am to aid you。 Did you meet； recognize； and
talk to Jimmie Turnbull in your house sometime between Monday
midnight and his arrest on Tuesday morning？〃
She colored hotly； then paled。 〃My testimony at the inquest；〃 … she
commenced； but he gave her no opportunity to add more。
〃Your testimony there does not cover the question；〃 he explained。
〃You stated then that you had not recognized Jimmie in the court room。
Had you already penetrated his disguise at your house？〃
〃And if I had？〃
〃Did you？〃 Kent was doggedly persistent； and Helen's fingers closed
around her handbag with convulsive force。 Why had she not sent
Barbara to see Kent in her place？
〃Did I what？〃 she parried。
〃Did you recognize and talk with Jimmie Turnbull in your house？〃
〃I talked with him； yes；〃 she admitted； and her voice dropped almost to
a whisper。
〃As Jimmie Turnbull or Smith the burglar？〃
〃As Jimmie〃 … she confessed； after a slight pause。
〃Then why did you go through the farce of having Jimmie arrested as
a burglar？〃 Kent demanded。
〃So that Barbara might win her wager；〃 promptly。 Kent stared at her
incredulously。
〃Do you mean that； notwithstanding the risk to which you were
subjecting him with his weak heart； you kept up the farce simply that
Barbara might win an idiotic wager？〃 Kent asked。
Helen passed one nervous hand over the other； her palms were hot and
dry； and two hectic spots had appeared in each white cheek。
〃Jimmie was quite well Monday night；〃 she protested。 〃He … he … had
some heart medicine with him。〃
Amyl nitrite？〃
〃No。〃
〃Nitro…glycerine？〃
〃I … I think that was it； I am not quite sure；〃 she spoke with uncertainty；
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and Kent knew that she lied。 His heart sank。
〃Did he swallow any medicine in your presence？〃
She shook her head vigorously。 〃No； he did not。〃
Kent lowered his voice。 〃Did you see him take Mrs。 Brewster's
aconitine pills off the hall table？〃
Helen shifted her gaze to his face and then back to her ever restless
hands。 〃No；〃 she said。 〃I did not see him take the pills。〃
Kent studied her in a silence which； to her； seemed never…ending。
〃I want the true answer to this question；〃 he announced with meaning
emphasis。 〃Why did Jimmie go in disguise to your house on Monday
night？〃
Helen blanched。 〃How should I know；〃 she muttered evasively。
〃He … he didn't come to see me … the admission was barely above a
whisper。
〃But you know what transpired in your house on Monday night？〃
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 r
