stories by modern american authors-第15部分

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they　had　provided　a　plan　for　the　killing；　and　a　means　by　which　the

killer　could　cover　his　trail　and　escape　from　the　theater　of　the

homicide；　they　would　believe　all　the　requirements　of　the　problems

met；　and　would　stop。　　The　greatest；　the　very　giants　among　them；

have　stopped　here　and　have　been　in　great　error。



〃In　every　crime；　especially　in　the　great　ones；　there　exists　a　third

element；　preeminently　vital。　　This　third　element　the　master

plotters　have　either　overlooked　or　else　have　not　had　the　genius　to

construct。　　They　plan　with　rare　cunning　to　baffle　the　victim。　　They

plan　with　vast　wisdom；　almost　genius；　to　baffle　the　trailer。　　But

they　fail　utterly　to　provide　any　plan　for　baffling　the　punisher。

Ergo；　their　plots　are　fatally　defective　and　often　result　in　ruin。

Hence　the　vital　necessity　for　providing　the　third　elementthe

escape　ipso　jure。〃



Mason　arose；　walked　around　the　table；　and　put　his　hand　firmly　on

Samuel　Walcott's　shoulder。　　〃This　must　be　done　to…morrow　night；〃　he

continued；　〃you　must　arrange　your　business　matters　to…morrow　and

announce　that　you　are　going　on　a　yacht　cruise；　by　order　of　your

physician；　and　may　not　return　for　some　weeks。　　You　must　prepare

your　yacht　for　a　voyage；　instruct　your　men　to　touch　at　a　certain

point　on　Staten　Island；　and　wait　until　six　o'clock　day　after

tomorrow　morning。　　If　you　do　not　come　aboard　by　that　time；　they　are

to　go　to　one　of　the　South　American　ports　and　remain　until　further

orders。　　By　this　means　your　absence　for　an　indefinite　period　will

be　explained。　　You　will　go　to　Nina　San　Croix　in　the　disguise　which

you　have　always　used；　and　from　her　to　the　yacht；　and　by　this　means

step　out　of　your　real　status　and　back　into　it　without　leaving

traces。　　I　will　come　here　to…morrow　evening　and　furnish　you　with

everything　that　you　shall　need　and　give　you　full　and　exact

instructions　in　every　particular。　　These　details　you　must　execute

with　the　greatest　care；　as　they　will　be　vitally　essential　to　the

success　of　my　plan。〃



Through　it　all　Walcott　had　been　silent　and　motionless。　　Now　he

arose；　and　in　his　face　there　must　have　been　some　premonition　of

protest；　for　Mason　stepped　back　and　put　out　his　hand。　　〃Sir；〃　he

said；　with　brutal　emphasis；　〃not　a　word。　　Remember　that　you　are

only　the　hand；　and　the　hand　does　not　think。〃　　Then　he　turned　around

abruptly　and　went　out　of　the　house。





III





The　place　which　Samuel　Walcott　had　selected　for　the　residence　of

Nina　San　Croix　was　far　up　in　the　northern　suburb　of　New　York。　　The

place　was　very　old。　　The　lawn　was　large　and　ill　kept；　the　house；　a

square　old…fashioned　brick；　was　set　far　back　from　the　street；　and

partly　hidden　by　trees。　　Around　it　all　was　a　rusty　iron　fence。　　The

place　had　the　air　of　genteel　ruin；　such　as　one　finds　in　the

Virginias。



On　a　Thursday　of　November；　about　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　a

little　man；　driving　a　dray；　stopped　in　the　alley　at　the　rear　of　the

house。　　As　he　opened　the　back　gate　an　old　negro　woman　came　down　the

steps　from　the　kitchen　and　demanded　to　know　what　he　wanted。　　The

drayman　asked　if　the　lady　of　the　house　was　in。　　The　old　negro

answered　that　she　was　asleep　at　this　hour　and　could　not　be　seen。



〃That　is　good；〃　said　the　little　man；　〃now　there　won't　be　any　row。

I　brought　up　some　cases　of　wine　which　she　ordered　from　our　house

last　week　and　which　the　Boss　told　me　to　deliver　at　once；　but　I

forgot　it　until　to…day。　　Just　let　me　put　it　in　the　cellar　now；

Auntie；　and　don't　say　a　word　to　the　lady　about　it　and　she　won't

ever　know　that　it　was　not　brought　up　on　time。〃



The　drayman　stopped；　fished　a　silver　dollar　out　of　his　pocket；　and

gave　it　to　the　old　negro。　　〃There　now；　Auntie；〃　he　said；　〃my　job

depends　upon　the　lady　not　knowing　about　this　wine；　keep　it　mum。〃



〃Dat's　all　right；　honey；〃　said　the　old　servant；　beaming　like　a　May

morning。　　〃De　cellar　door　is　open；　carry　it　all　in　and　put　it　in　de

back　part　and　nobody　ain't　never　going　to　know　how　long　it　has　been

in　dar。〃



The　old　negro　went　back　into　the　kitchen　and　the　little　man　began

to　unload　the　dray。　　He　carried　in　five　wine　cases　and　stowed　them

away　in　the　back　part　of　the　cellar　as　the　old　woman　had　directed。

Then；　after　having　satisfied　himself　that　no　one　was　watching；　he

took　from　the　dray　two　heavy　paper　sacks；　presumably　filled　with

flour；　and　a　little　bundle　wrapped　in　an　old　newspaper；　these　he

carefully　hid　behind　the　wine　cases　in　the　cellar。　　After　awhile　he

closed　the　door；　climbed　on　his　dray；　and　drove　off　down　the　alley。



About　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening　of　the　same　day；　a　Mexican

sailor　dodged　in　the　front　gate　and　slipped　down　to　the　side　of　the

house。　　He　stopped　by　the　window　and　tapped　on　it　with　his　finger。

In　a　moment　a　woman　opened　the　door。　　She　was　tall；　lithe；　and

splendidly　proportioned；　with　a　dark　Spanish　face　and　straight

hair。　　The　man　stepped　inside。　　The　woman　bolted　the　door　and

turned　round。



〃Ah；〃　she　said；　smiling；　〃it　is　you；　Senor？　　How　good　of　you！〃



The　man　started。　　〃Whom　else　did　you　expect？〃　he　said　quickly。



〃Oh！〃　laughed　the　woman；　〃perhaps　the　Archbishop。〃



〃Nina！〃　said　the　man；　in　a　broken　voice　that　expressed　love；

humility；　and　reproach。　　His　face　was　white　under　the　black

sunburn。



For　a　moment　the　woman　wavered。　　A　shadow　flitted　over　her　eyes；

then　she　stepped　back。　　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃not　yet。〃



The　man　walked　across　to　the　fire；　sank　down　in　a　chair；　and

covered　his　face　with　his　hands。　　The　woman　stepped　up　noiselessly

behind　him　and　leaned　over　the　chair。　　The　man　was　either　in　great

agony　or　else　he　was　a　superb　actor；　for　the　muscles　of　his　neck

twitched　violently　and　his　shoulders　trembled。



〃Oh；〃　he　muttered；　as　though　echoing　his　thoughts；　〃I　can't　do　it；

I　can't！〃



The　woman　caught　the　words　and　leaped　up　as　though　some　one　had

struck　her　in　the　face。　　She　threw　back　her　head。　　Her　nostrils

dilated　and　her　eyes　flashed。



〃You　can't　do　it！〃　she　cried。　　〃Then　you　do　love　her！　　You　shall　do

it！　　Do　you　hear　me？　　You　shall　do　it！　　You　killed　him！　　You　got

rid　of　him！　but　you　shall　not　get　rid　of　me。　　I　have　the　evidence；

all　of　it。　　The　Archbishop　will　have　it　to…morrow。　　They　shall　hang

you！　　Do　you　hear　me？　　They　shall　hang　you！〃



The　woman's　voice　rose；　it　was　loud　and　shrill。　　The　man　turned

slowly　round　without　looking　up；　and　stretched　out　his　arms　toward

the　woman。　　She　stopped　and　looked　down　at　him。　　The　fire　glittered

for　a　moment　and　then　died　out　of　her　eyes；　her　bosom　heaved　and

her　lips　began　to　tremble。　　With　a　cry　she　flung　herself　into　his

arms；　caught　him　around　the　neck；　and　pressed　his　face　up　close

against　her　cheek。



〃Oh！　Dick；　Dick；〃　she　sobbed；　〃I　do　love　you　so！　　I　can't　live

without　you！　　Not　another　hour；　Dick！　　I　do　want　you　so　much；　so

much；　Dick！〃



The　man　shifted　his　right　arm　quickly；　slipped　a　great　Mexican

knife　out　of　his　sleeve；　and　passed　his　fingers　slowly　up　the

woman's　side　until　he　felt　the　heart　beat　under　his　hand；　then　he

raised　the　knife；　gripped　the　handle　tight；　and　drove　the　keen

blade　into　the　woman's　bosom。　　The　hot　blood　gushed　out　over　his

arm；　and　down　on　his　leg。　　The　body；　warm　and　limp；　slipped　down　in

his　arms。　　The　man　got　up；　pulled　out　the　knife；　and　thrust　it　into

a　sheath　at　his　belt；　unbuttoned　the　dress；　and　slipped　it　off　of

the　body。　　As　he　did　this　a　bundle　of　papers　dropped　upon　the

floor；　these　he　glanced　at　hastily　and　put　into　his　pocket。　　Then

he　took　the　dead　woman　up　in　his　arms；　went　out　into　the　hall；　and

started　to　go　up　the　stairway。　　The　body　was　relaxed　and　heavy；　and

for　that　reason　difficult　to　carry。　　He　doubled　it　up　into　an　awful

heap；　with　the　knees　against　the　chin；　and　walked　slowly　and

heavily　up　the　stairs　and　out　into　the　bathroom。　　There　he　laid　the

corpse　down　on　the　tiled　floor。　　Then　he　opened　the　window；　closed

the　shutters；　and　lighted　the　gas。　　The　bathroom　was　small　and

contained　an　ordinary　steel　tub；　porcelain　lined；　standing　near　the

window　and　raised　about　six　inches　above　the　floor。　　The　sailor

went　over　to　the　tub；　pried　up　the　metal　rim　of　the　outlet　with　his

knife；　removed　it；　and　fitted　into　its　place　a　porcelain　disk　which

he　took　from　his　pocket；　to　this　disk　was　attached　a　long　platinum

wire；　the　end　of　which　he　fastened　on　the　outside　of　the　tub。

After　he　had　done　this　he　went　back　to　the　body；　stripped　off　its

clothing；　put　it　down　in　the　tub　and　began　to　dismember　it　with　the

great　Mexican　knife。　　The　blade　was　strong　and　sharp　as　a　razor。

The　man　worked　rapidly　and　with　the　greatest　care。



When　he　had　finally　cut　the　body　into　as　small　pieces　as　possible；

he　replaced　the　knife　in　its　sheath；　washed　his　hands；　and　went　out

of　the　bathroom　and　downstairs　to　the　lower　hall。　　The　sailor

seemed　perfectly　familiar　with　the　house。　　By　a　side　door　he　passed

into　the　cellar。　　There　he　lighted　the　gas；　opened　one　of　the　wine

cases；　and；　taking　up　all　the　bottles　that　he　could　conveniently

carry；　returned　to　the　bathroom。　　There　he　poured　the　contents　into

the　tub　on　the　dismembered　body；　and　then　returned　to　the　cellar

with　the　empty　bottles；　which　he　replaced　in　the　wine　cases。　　This

he　continued　to　do　until　all　the　cases　but　one　were　emptied　and　the

bath　tub　was　more　than　half　full　of　liquid。　　This　liquid　was

sulphuric　acid。



When　the　sailor　returned　to　the　cellar　with　the　last　empty　wine

bottles；　he　opened　the　fifth　case；　which　really　contained　wine；

took　some　of　it　out；　and　poured　a　little　into　each　of　the　empty

bottles　in　order　to　remove　any　possible　odor　of　the　sulphuric　acid。

Then　he　turned　out　the　gas　and　brought　up　to　the　bathroom　with　him

the　two　paper　flour　sacks　and　the　little　heavy　bundle。　　These　sacks

were　filled　with　nitrate　of　soda。　　He　set　them　down　by　the　door；

opened　the　little　bundle；　and　took　out　two　long　rubber　tubes；　each

attached　to　a　heavy　gas　burner；　not　unlike　the