the red seal(红印)-第39部分
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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 rising wrath； found his voice。
〃You drunken scoundrel！〃 he roared。 〃How dare you！〃
〃Dare！〃 Rochester laughed recklessly。 〃Jimmie kept his wits to the
last； his mind was clear； he recognized you in the prisoner's pen and he
tried to call you； but his palsied tongue could not say Ben； but stuttered … B
… b … b。〃
〃And what did he wish to tell me？〃 gasped Clymer； down whose
colorless face perspiration trickled。
〃Aye； what？〃 broke in Kent significantly。
〃Jimmie may not have gotten the information he wished at your house；
Colonel McIntyre； but his presence there on Monday night showed the
forger he was in danger； and like the human snake he is； he poisoned
without warning。 Don't move … Sylvester！〃
With a backward spring Kent caught his clerk as he sped for the door。
〃Don't make any mistake in putting on the handcuffs this time；
Ferguson；〃 he shouted。 〃A forger and a contortionist make a bad
customer to reckon with。〃
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CHAPTER XXI
THE RIDDLE ANSWERED
There was absolute stillness in the room； then a babble of
exclamations broke out as Sylvester； his expression of dumb surprise
giving place to one of fury； struggled to free himself from the detective's
firm grip。
〃You cannot escape； Sylvester；〃 declared Kent； observing his efforts。
〃Your carelessness in using your peculiar gift of penmanship in copying
Barbara McIntyre's signature in this memorandum of her visit here〃 …
Kent held up a sheet torn from his pad； 〃gave me the first clew。 These；
the second；〃 he showed several pieces of blotting paper freshly used。
〃See； in the mirror here is reflected the impression from your clever
imitations of the handwritings of Barbara； Colonel McIntyre； and Mrs。
Brewster。〃
They crowded about Kent； all but Ferguson and his prisoner； who had
subsided in his chair with what the detective concluded was dangerous
quietude。
〃My next step； now that suspicion was directed against Sylvester； was
to make personal inquiries regarding him；〃 went on Kent。 〃Judge
Hildebrand； who had just returned to Washington； said that he first met
Sylvester at a circus sideshow where he gave exhibitions as a contortionist。
One of his special stunts was to slip out of handcuffs and ropes。〃
〃So that explains last night；〃 Ferguson grinned。 〃You'll not do it
again； Sylvester；〃 and he shook an admonitory finger at the erstwhile
clerk。
〃Judge Hildebrand became interested in Sylvester； found he was handy
with his pen and tired of the show business； and gave him an opening by
engaging him as confidential clerk；〃 continued Kent。 〃You will recall；
Colonel McIntyre； that you sent business papers in your handwriting and
that of your daughters to Judge Hildebrand's office to be typed by his staff。
That is how Sylvester became so well acquainted with your writing and
was able to forge a letter to the bank treasurer directing him to turn over
your negotiable securities to Jimmie Turnbull。〃
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〃But how in the world did Sylvester induce Jimmie to present the
forged letter？〃 asked Colonel McIntyre。
Kent turned to the sullen prisoner。 〃Answer that question； Sylvester；〃
he commanded； and the man roused himself from his dejected attitude。
〃Anything in it for me if I do？〃 he asked with a cunning leer。
〃That's for the courts to decide；〃 declared Kent。
The man thought a minute。 〃I'll take a chance；〃 he said finally。 〃But
that I waited for an opportunity to get my swag out of this safe； I wouldn't
have been caught … curse you！〃 and he scowled at Kent。
〃Cut that out；〃 admonished Ferguson with a none too gentle dig in the
ribs； and Sylvester continued his statement。
〃I overheard Colonel McIntyre tell Judge Hildebrand about his
securities and their present value； and the next day he came to consult the
judge about engaging a secretary。 I fixed up credentials and went to Mr。
Turnbull； he believed my story that I was the colonel's new secretary and
got the securities。〃 Sylvester paused。 〃If I'd rested content with that
success I'd been all right；〃 he ad
