the red seal(红印)-第3部分
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〃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
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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
here；〃 responded the deputy marshal。 〃I guess they are still waiting； eh；
doctor？〃
Stone； thus appealed to； nodded。 〃I agree with Mr。 Rochester；〃 he
said； and the gravity of his manner impressed Ferguson。 〃It is better for
me to break the news of Mr。 Turnbull's death to the young ladies before
bringing them here。 Therefore； with your permission； Ferguson … He
got no further。
Through the outer entrance of the room came Helen McIntyre and her
sister Barbara； conducted by the same bowing patrolman who had ushered
them into the court room an hour before。
〃My God！ Too late！〃 stammered Rochester under his breath； and he
turned in desperation to Benjamin Clymer。 The bank president's state of
mind at the extraordinary masquerade and sudden death of his popular and
trusted cashier bordered on shocked horror； which had made him a passive
witness of the rapidly shifting scene。 Rochester clutched his arm in his
agitation。 〃Get the twins out of here … do something； man！ Don't you
know that Turnbull was in love with …〃
His fervid whisper penetrated further than he realized and one of the
McIntyre twins looked inquiringly in their direction。 Clymer； more
startled than his demeanor indicated； wondered if she had overheard
Rochester's ejaculations； but whatever action the banker contemplated in
response to the lawyer's appeal was checked by a scream from the girl on
his right。 With ashen face and trembling finger she pointed to Turnbull's
body which suddenly confronted her as she walked forward。
〃Who is it？〃 she gasped。 〃Babs； tell me！〃 And she held out her
hand imploringly。
Her sister stepped to her side and bent over Turnbull。 When she
looked up her lips alone retained their color。
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〃Hush！〃 she implored； giving her sister a slight shake。 〃Hush！ It is
Jimmie Turnbull。 Can you not see for yourself； dear？〃
It seemed doubtful if Helen heard her； with attention wholly centered
on the dead man she swayed on her feet； and Dr。 Stone； thinking she was
about to fall； placed a supporting arm about her。
〃Do you not know Jimmie？〃 asked her sister。 〃Don't stare so；
dearest。〃 Her tone was pleading。
〃Perhaps the young lady has some difficulty in recognizing Mr。
Turnbull in his disguise；〃 suggested Ferguson； who stood somewhat in the
background but closely observing the scene。
〃Disguise！〃 Helen raised her eyes and Ferguson； hardened as he had
become to tragic scenes； felt a throb of pity as he caught the pent…up agony
in her mute appeal。
〃Yes； Miss；〃 he said awkwardly。 〃The burglar you caught in your
house was Mr。 Turnbull in disguise。
Barbara McIntyre released her grasp of her sister's arm and collapsed
on a chair。 Stone； still supporting Helen； felt her muscles grow taut and
an instant later she stepped back from his side and stood by her sister。 As
the two girls faced the circle of men； the likeness between them was
extraordinary。 Each had the same slight graceful figure； equal height；
and feature for feature； coloring matching coloring； they were identical；
their gowns； even； were cut on similar lines； only their hats varied in shape
and color。
〃Do I understand； gentlemen；〃 Helen began； and her voice gained
steadiness as she proceeded； 〃that the burglar whom Officer O'Ryan and I
caught lurking in our house was James Turnbull？〃
〃He was；〃 answered Ferguson； and Stone； as the twins looked dumbly
at him； confirmed the detective's statement with a brief； 〃Yes。〃
The silence that ensued was broken by Barbara rising to her feet。
〃Jimmie won his wager；〃 she announced。 Her gaze did not waver
before the concentrated regard of the men facing her。 〃He broke into our
house … but； oh； how can I pay my debt to him now that he is dead！〃
〃Hush！〃 Helen laid a cautioning hand on her sister's arm as the latter's
voice gained in shrillness； the shrillness of approaching hysteria。
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〃I am all right； Helen。〃 Barbara waved her away impatiently。 〃What
caused Jimmie's death？〃
〃Angina pectoris；〃 declared Rochester。 〃Too much excitement
brought on a fatal attack。〃 Barbara nodded dazedly。 〃I knew he had
heart trouble； but …〃 She stepped toward Turnbull and her voice quivered
with feeling。 〃Don't leave Jimmie lying there； take him to his room；
doctor；〃 turning entreatingly to Stone。
The physician looked at her compassionately。 〃I will； just as soon as
the coroner views the body；〃 he promised。 〃But come away now； Babs；
this is no place for you and Helen。〃 He signed to the deputy marshal to
open the door as he walked across the room； Barbara keeping step with
him； and her sister following in their wake。 At the door Barbara paused
and looked back。
〃Will there be an inquest？〃 she asked。
〃That's for the coroner to decide；〃 responded Ferguson。 〃As long as
Mr。 Turnbull entered your house on a wager and died from an attack of
angina pectoris the inquest is likely to be a mere formality。 Ah； here is
the coroner now；〃 as a man paused in the doorway。
Helen McIntyre moved back from the door to make room for Coroner
Penfield。 Having had occasion to attend court that morning； he was
passing the door when attracted by the group just inside the room。
Courteously acknowledging Helen's act； Penfield stepped briskly across
the threshold and stopped abruptly on catching sight of the lonely figure
on the floor。
〃Won't you hold an autopsy； Ferguson？〃 asked Clymer； breaking his
long silence。
〃No； sir； we never do when the cause of death is apparent；〃 the
detective bowed to Coroner Penfield。 〃Isn't that so； Coroner？〃
Penfield nodded。 〃Unless the condition of the body indicates foul
play or the relatives specially request it； we do not perform autopsies；〃 he
answered。 〃What has happened here？〃 and he gazed about with
quickened interest。
〃Mr。 Turnbull； who masqueraded as a burglar on a wager with Miss
McIntyre died suddenly from angina pectoris；〃 explained the deputy
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marshal。
〃Just a case of death from natural causes；〃 broke in Rochester。 〃Please
write out a permit for me to remove Turnbull's body； Dr。 Penfield。〃
Helen McIntyre took a step forward。 Her eyes； twice their
accustomed size； shone brightly； in contrast to her dead white face。
Carefully avoiding her sister's glance she addressed the coroner。
〃I must insist；〃 she began and stopped to control her voice。 〃As Mr。
Turnbull's fiancee； I …〃 she faltered again。 〃I demand that an autopsy be
held to determine the ca
