the red seal(红印)-第38部分
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prevented the closing of the outer safe door。
Kent； preparatory to shutting the safe； drew out the envelope intending
to place it in another pigeon…hole where there was more room。 As he
turned the envelope over he was thunderstruck to recognize it as the one
which Helen McIntyre had placed in the safe on Wednesday morning。
He had last seen the envelope lying on the table in the smoking porch of
the Club de Vingt； from whence it had mysteriously disappeared； and now
it was back again in Rochester's safe！
Had it ever been missing from the safe？ The question forced itself on
Kent as he returned to his chair； envelope in hand； and sat down before his
desk。 He had accepted Detective Ferguson's statement that he had
removed the envelope from the safe； and therefore had never looked in the
compartment where Helen had put it to verify its disappearance。
Ferguson had removed it； Kent concluded as he examined the
envelope with more care； it was the identical one； unaddressed； with the
same red seal holding down the flap。 The same red seal； but with a
difference … a corner was missing。
Kent stared at the seal for a moment in doubt； then his fingers sought
his vest pocket and fumbled about for a minute。 Taking out Mrs。
Brewster's check； he laid it on the desk alongside the envelope； unfolded it；
and picked out a piece of red sealing wax which had slid inside the check。
Kent placed the red wax on the broken section of the seal … it fitted exactly；
forming a perfect letter 〃B。〃
Kent sat in dumbfounded silence； regarding the red seal and the
envelope。 The piece of wax broken off from the seal had caught on his
coat sleeve when he had been in the Venetian casket in the library at the
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McIntyre house。 It was proof positive that not only he had been in the
casket； but the sealed envelope also。 Helen McIntyre had left the
envelope in his care。 Mrs。 Brewster and Colonel McIntyre had both been
present when the envelope was stolen from him。 Which of them had
taken it？ Which one had afterwards secreted it in the Venetian casket？
And which had brought it back to the safe in his office？
Colonel McIntyre had been in his office within the hour … the question
was answered； and Kent's eyes brightened； then clouded … Barbara had
been there as well； and Grimes had stated that before he received a knock…
out blow in the McIntyre library he heard the swish of skirts！
Kent laid his hand on the envelope。 It was time that he found out
what it contained； but his finger； inserted under the flap； paused as his eyes
fell on the check bearing Mrs。 Brewster's signature。 It was the check he
had picked up from the floor of the McIntyre limousine that morning and
inadvertently carried away with him。
》From her signature his glance wandered to Sylvester's memorandum
pad； it was uncanny the way his eye picked out the letter 〃B〃 as he stared
at Clymer's note and its signature。 Slowly his hand dropped away from
the envelope and he left it lying forgotten on the desk as he picked up
piece after piece of blotting paper； glancing intently at each and finally；
pulling open a drawer of his desk； he hunted in feverish haste for a hand…
mirror。
Some ten minutes later Kent rose； placed the papers he had been
examining in the inside pocket of his coat and； using the private entrance
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 bur
