the woman in the alcove-第21部分

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man　for　so　simple　a　service；　if　the　man　merely　wished　to　secure　his　reference　for　future　use；　so　extraordinary　that　Mr。　Jones　grew　more　and　more　pertinent　in　his　inquiries；　eliciting　finally　what　he　surely　could　not　have　hoped　for　in　the　beginning；the　exact　address　of　the　party　referred　to　in　the　paper　he　had　stolen；　and　which；　for　some　reason；　the　boy　remembered。　It　was　an　uptown　address；　and；　as　soon　as　the　caterer　could　leave　his　business；　he　took　the　elevated　and　proceeded　to　the　specified　street　and　number。

〃Miss　Van　Arsdale；　a　surprise　awaited　him；　and　awaited　us　when　he　told　the　result　of　his　search。　The　name　attached　to　the　recommendation　had　been'Hiram　Sears；　Steward。'　He　did　not　know　of　any　such　manperhaps　you　dobut　when　he　reached　the　house　from　which　the　recommendation　was　dated；　he　saw　that　it　was　one　of　the　great　houses　of　New　York；　though　he　could　not　at　the　instant　remember　who　lived　there。　But　he　soon　found　out。　The　first　passer…by　told　him。　Miss　Van　Arsdale；　perhaps　you　can　do　the　same。　The　number　wasEighty…sixth　Street。〃

〃！〃　I　repeated；　quite　aghast。　〃Why；　Mr。　Fairbrother　himself！　The　husband　of〃

〃Exactly　so；　and　Hiram　Sears；　whose　name　you　may　have　heard　mentioned　at　the　inquest；　though　for　a　very　good　reason　he　was　not　there　in　person；　is　his　steward　and　general　factotum。〃

〃Oh！　and　it　was　he　who　recommended　Wellgood？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　did　Mr。　Jones　see　him？〃

〃No。　The　house；　you　remember；　is　closed。　Mr。　Fairbrother；　on　leaving　town；　gave　his　servants　a　vacation。　His　steward　he　took　with　him；that　is；　they　started　together。　But　we　hear　no　mention　made　of　him　in　our　telegrams　from　Santa　Fe。　He　does　not　seem　to　have　followed　Mr。　Fairbrother　into　the　mountains。〃

〃You　say　that　in　a　peculiar　way；〃　I　remarked。

〃Because　it　has　struck　us　peculiarly。　Where　is　Sears　now？　And　why　did　he　not　go　on　with　Mr。　Fairbrother　when　he　left　home　with　every　apparent　intention　of　accompanying　him　to　the　Placide　mine？　Miss　Van　Arsdale；　we　were　impressed　with　this　fact　when　we　heard　of　Mr。　Fairbrother's　lonely　trip　from　where　he　was　taken　ill　to　his　mine　outside　of　Santa　Fe；　but　we　have　only　given　it　its　due　importance　since　hearing　what　has　come　to　us　to…day。

〃Miss　Van　Arsdale；〃　continued　the　inspector；　as　I　looked　up　quickly；　〃I　am　going　to　show　great　confidence　in　you。　I　am　going　to　tell　you　what　our　men　have　learned　about　this　Sears。　As　I　have　said　before；　it　is　but　forestalling　the　reporters　by　a　day；　and　it　may　help　you　to　understand　why　I　sent　you　such　peremptory　orders　to　stop；　when　your　whole　heart　was　fixed　on　an　attempt　by　which　you　hoped　to　right　Mr。　Durand。　We　can　not　afford　to　disturb　so　distinguished　a　person　as　the　one　you　have　under　your　eye；　while　the　least　hope　remains　of　fixing　this　crime　elsewhere。　And　we　have　such　hope。　This　man；　this　Sears；　is　by　no　means　the　simple　character　one　would　expect　from　his　position。　Considering　the　short　time　we　have　had　（it　was　only　yesterday　that　Jones　found　his　way　into　this　office）；　we　have　unearthed　some　very　interesting　facts　in　his　regard。　His　devotion　to　Mr。　Fairbrother　was　never　any　secret；　and　we　knew　as　much　about　that　the　day　after　the　murder　as　we　do　now。　But　the　feelings　with　which　he　regarded　Mrs。　Fairbrotherwell；　that　is　another　thingand　it　was　not　till　last　night　we　heard　that　the　attachment　which　bound　him　to　her　was　of　the　sort　which　takes　no　account　of　youth　or　age；　fitness　or　unfitness。　He　was　no　Adonis；　and　old　enough；　we　are　told；　to　be　her　father；　but　for　all　that　we　have　already　found　several　persons　who　can　tell　strange　stories　of　the　persistence　with　which　his　eager　old　eyes　would　follow　her　whenever　chance　threw　them　together　during　the　time　she　remained　under　her　husband's　roof；　and　others　who　relate；　with　even　more　avidity；　how；　after　her　removal　to　apartments　of　her　own；　he　used　to　spend　hours　in　the　adjoining　park　just　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　her　figure　as　she　crossed　the　sidewalk　on　her　way　to　and　from　her　carriage。　Indeed；　his　senseless；　almost　senile　passion　for　this　magnificent　beauty　became　a　by…word　in　some　mouths；　and　it　only　escaped　being　mentioned　at　the　inquest　from　respect　to　Mr。　Fairbrother；　who　had　never　recognized　this　weakness　in　his　steward；　and　from　its　lack　of　visible　connection　with　her　horrible　death　and　the　stealing　of　her　great　jewel。　Nevertheless；　we　have　a　witness　nowit　is　astonishing　how　many　witnesses　we　can　scare　up　by　a　little　effort；　who　never　thought　of　coming　forward　themselveswho　can　swear　to　having　seen　him　one　night　shaking　his　fist　at　her　retreating　figure　as　she　stepped　haughtily　by　him　into　her　apartment　house。　This　witness　is　sure　that　the　man　he　saw　thus　gesticulating　was　Sears；　and　he　is　sure　the　woman　was　Mrs。　Fairbrother。　The　only　thing　he　is　not　sure　of　is　how　his　own　wife　will　feel　when　she　hears　that　he　was　in　that　particular　neighborhood　on　that　particular　evening；　when　he　was　evidently　supposed　to　be　somewhere　else。〃　And　the　inspector　laughed。

〃Is　the　steward's　disposition　a　bad　one。〃　I　asked；　〃that　this　display　of　feeling　should　impress　you　so　much？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　to　say　about　that　yet。　Opinions　differ　on　this　point。　His　friends　speak　of　him　as　the　mildest　kind　of　a　man　who；　without　native　executive　skill；　could　not　manage　the　great　household　he　has　in　charge。　His　enemies；　and　we　have　unearthed　a　few；　say；　on　the　contrary；　that　they　have　never　had　any　confidence　in　his　quiet　ways；　that　these　were　not　in　keeping　with　the　fact　or　his　having　been　a　California　miner　in　the　early　fifties。

〃You　can　see　I　am　putting　you　very　nearly　where　we　are　ourselves。　Nor　do　I　see　why　I　should　not　add　that　this　passion　of　the　seemingly　subdued　but　really　hot…headed　steward　for　a　woman；　who　never　showed　him　anything　but　what　he　might　call　an　insulting　indifference；　struck　us　as　a　clue　to　be　worked　up；　especially　after　we　received　this　answer　to　a　telegram　we　sent　late　last　night　to　the　nurse　who　is　caring　for　Mr。　Fairbrother　in　New　Mexico。〃

He　handed　me　a　small　yellow　slip　and　I　read：

〃The　steward　left　Mr。　Fairbrother　at　El　Moro。　He　has　not　heard　from　him　since。

〃ANNETTA　LA　SERRA

〃For　Abner　Fairbrother。〃

〃At　El　Moro？〃　I　cried。　〃Why；　that　was　long　enough　ago〃

〃For　him　to　have　reached　New　York　before　the　murder。　Exactly　so；　if　he　took　advantage　of　every　close　connection。〃



XIV

TRAPPED

I　caught　my　breath　sharply。　I　did　not　say　anything。　I　felt　that　I　did　not　understand　the　inspector　sufficiently　yet　to　speak。　He　seemed　to　be　pleased　with　my　reticence。　At　all　events；　his　manner　grew　even　kinder　as　he　said：

〃This　Sears　is　a　witness　we　must　have。　He　is　being　looked　for　now；　high　and　low；　and　we　hope　to　get　some　clue　to　his　whereabouts　before　night。　That　is；　if　he　is　in　this　city。　Meanwhile；　we　are　all　gladI　am　sure　you　are　alsoto　spare　so　distinguished　a　gentleman　as　Mr。　Grey　the　slightest　annoyance。〃

〃And　Mr。　Durand？　What　of　him　in　this　interim？〃

〃He　will　have　to　await　developments。　I　see　no　other　way；　my　dear。〃　

It　was　kindly　said；　but　my　head　drooped。　This　waiting　was　what　was　killing　him　and　killing　me。　The　inspector　saw　and　gently　patted　my　hand。

〃Come；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　head　enough　to　see　that　it　is　never　wise　to　force　matters。〃　Then；　possibly　with　an　intention　of　rousing　me；　he　remarked：　〃There　is　another　small　fact　which　may　interest　you。　It　concerns　the　waiter；　Wellgood；　recommended；　as　you　will　remember；　by　this　Sears。　In　my　talk　with　Jones　it　leaked　out　as　a　matter　of　small　moment；　and　so　it　was　to　him；　that　this　Wellgood　was　the　waiter　who　ran　and　picked　up　the　diamond　after　it　fell　from　Mr。　Grey's　hand。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃This　may　mean　nothingit　meant　nothing　to　Jonesbut　I　inform　you　of　it　because　there　is　a　question　I　want　to　put　to　you　in　this　connection。　You　smile。〃

〃Did　I？〃　I　meekly　answered。　〃I　do　not　know　why。〃

This　was　not　true。　I　had　been　waiting　to　see　why　the　inspector　had　so　honored　me　with　all　these　disclosures；　almost　with　his　thoughts。　Now　I　saw。　He　desired　something　in　return。

〃You　were　on　the　scene　at　this　very　moment；〃　he　proceeded；　after　a　brief　contemplation　of　my　face；　〃and　you　must　have　seen　this　man　when　he　lifted　the　jewel　and　handed　it　back　to　Mr。　Grey。　Did　you　remark　his　features？〃

〃No；　sir；　I　was　too　far　off；　besides；　my　eyes　were　on　Mr。　Grey。〃　〃That　is　a　pity。　I　was　in　hopes　you　could　satisfy　me　on　a　very　important　point。〃

〃What　point　is　that；　Inspector　Dalzell？〃

〃Whether　he　answered　the　following　description。〃　And；　taking　up　another　paper；　he　was　about　to　read　it　aloud　to　me；　when　an　interruption　occurred。　A　man　showed　himself　at　the　door；　whom　the　inspector　no　sooner　recognized　than　he　seemed　to　forget　me　in　his　eagerness　to　interrogate　him。　Perhaps　the　appearance　of　the　latter　had　something　to　do　with　it；　he　looked　as　if　he　had　been　running；　or　had　been　the　victim　of　some　extraordinary　adventure。　At　all　events；　the　inspector　arose　as　he　entered；　and　was　about　to　question　him　when　he　remembered　me；　and；　casting　about　for　some　means　of　ridding　himself　of　my　presence　without　injury　to　my　feelings；　he　suddenly　pushed　open　the　door　of　an　adjoining　room　and　requested　me　to　step　inside　while　he　talked　a　moment　with　this　man。

Of　course　I　went；　but　I　cast　him　an　appealing　look　as　I　did　so。　It　evidently　had　its　effect；　for　his　expression　changed　as　his　band　fell　on　the　doorknob。　Would　he　snap　the　lock　tight；　and　so　shut　me　out　from　what　concerned　me　as　much　as　it　did　any　one　in　the　whole　world？　Or　would　he　recognize　my　anxietythe　necessity　I　was　under　of　knowing　just　the　ground　I　was　standing　onand　let　me　hear　what　this　man　had　to　report？

I　watched　the　door。　It　closed　slowly；　too　slowly　to　latch。　Would　he　catch　it　anew　by　the　knob？　No；　he　left　it　thus；　and；　while　the　crack　was　hardly　perceptible；　I　felt　confident　that　the　least　shake　of　the　floor　would　widen　it　and　give　me　the　opportunity　I　sought。　But　I　did　not　have　to　wait　for　this。　The　two　men　in　the　office　I　had　just　left　began　to　speak；　and　to　my　unbounded　relief　were　sufficiently　intelligible；　even　now；　to　warrant　me　in　giving　them　my　fullest　attention。

After　some　expressions　of　astonishment　on　the　part　of　the　inspector　as　to　the　plight　in　which　the　other　presented　himself；　the　latter　broke　out：

〃I've　just　escaped　death！　I'll　tell　you　about　that　later。