the bittermeads mystery-第10部分

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And　he　felt　that　as　yet　he　could　not　afford　to　die。

One　by　one　he　drove　in　the　nails；　and　as　he　worked　at　his　gruesome
task　he　heard　the　faintest　rustle　on　the　landing　without　…　the
faintest　sound　of　a　soft　breath　cautiously　drawn　in；　of　a　light
foot　very　carefully　set　down。

Deede　Dawson　plainly　heard　nothing；　indeed；　no　ear　less　acute　and
less　well…trained　than　Dunn's　could　have　caught　sounds　that　were　so
slight　and　low；　but　he；　listening　between　each　stroke　of　his　hammer；
was　sure　that　it　was　Ella　who　had　followed　them；　and　that　she
crouched　upon　the　landing　without；　watching　and　listening。

Did　that　mean；　he　wondered；　that　she；　too；　knew？　　Or　was　it　merely
natural　curiosity；　hostile　in　part；　perhaps；　since　evidently　the
relations　between　her　and　her　stepfather　were　not　too　friendly　…　a
desire　to　know　what　task　there　could　be　in　the　attics　so　late　at
night　for　which　Deede　Dawson　had　such　need　of　his　captive's　help？

Or　was　it　by　any　chance　because　she　wished　to　know　how　things　went
with　him；　and　what　was　to　be　his　fate？

In　any　case；　Dunn　was　sure　that　Ella　had　followed　then；　and　was　on
the　landing　without。

He　drove　home　the　last　nail　and　stood　up。　　〃That's　done；〃　he　said。

〃And　well　done；〃　said　Deede　Dawson。　　〃Well　done　…　Charley　Wright。〃

He　spoke　the　name　softly　and　lingeringly；　and　then　all　at　once　he
began　to　laugh；　a　low　and　somewhat　dreadful　laughter　that　had　in　it
no　mirth　at　all；　and　that　sounded　horrible　and　strange　in　the　chill
emptiness　of　the　attic。

Leaning　one　hand　on　the　packing…case　that　served　as　the　coffin　of
his　dead　friend；　Dunn　swore　a　silent　oath　to　exact　full　retribution；
and　henceforth　to　put　that　purpose　on　a　level　with　the　mission　on
which　originally　he　had　come。

Aloud；　and　in　a　grumbling　tone　he　said：　

〃What's　the　matter　with　my　name？　　It's　a　name　like　any　other。　　What's
wrong　with　it？〃

〃What　should　there　be？〃　flashed　Deede　Dawson　in　reply。

〃I　don't　know；〃　Dunn　answered。　　〃You　keep　repeating　it　so；　that's　all。〃

〃It's　a　very　good　name；〃　Deede　Dawson　said。　　〃An　excellent　name。
But　it's　not　suitable。　　Not　here。〃　　He　began　to　laugh　again　and　then
stopped　abruptly。

〃Do　you　know；　I　think　you　had　better　choose　another？〃　he　said。

〃It's　all　one　to　me；〃　declared　Dunn。　　〃If　Charley　Wright　don't　suit；
how　will　Robert　Dunn　do？　　I　knew　a　man　of　that　name　once。〃

〃It's　a　better　name　than　Charley　Wright；〃　said　Deede　Dawson。　　〃We'll
call　you　Robert　Dunn　…　Charley　Wright。　　Do　you　know　why　I　can't　have
you　call　yourself　Charley　Wight？〃

Dunn　shook　his　head。

〃Because　I　don't　like　it；〃　said　Deede　Dawson。　　〃Why；　that's　a　name
that　would　drive　me　mad；〃　he　muttered；　half　to　himself。

Dunn　did　not　speak；　but　he　thought　this　was　a　strange　thing　for　the
other　to　say　and　showed　that　even　he；　cold　and　remorseless　and
without　any　natural　feeling；　as　he　had　seemed　to　be；　yet　had　about
him　still　some　touch　of　humanity。

And　as　he　mused　on　this；　which　seemed　to　him　so　strange；　though
really　it　was　not　strange　at　all；　his　attentive　ears　caught　the
sound　of　a　soft　step　without；　beginning　to　descend　the　stairs。

Had　that　name；　then；　been　more　than　she　also　could　bear？

If　so；　she　must　know。

〃I　don't　see　why；　I　don't　see　what's　wrong　with　it；〃　he　said　aloud。
〃But　Robert　Dunn　will　suit　me　just　as　well。〃

〃All　a　matter　of　taste；〃　said　Deede　Dawson；　his　manner　more　composed
and　natural　again。

〃It's　a　funny　thing　now　…　suppose　my　name　was　Charley　Wright；　then
there　would　be　two　Charley　Wrights　in　this　attic；　eh？　　　A　coincidence；
that　would　be？〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃I　knew　another　man　named　Charley
Wright　once。〃

〃Did　you？　　Where's　he？〃

〃Oh；　he's　dead；〃　answered　Dunn。

Deede　Dawson　could　not　repress　the　start　he　gave　and　for　a　moment
Dunn　thought　that　his　suspicions　were　really　roused。　　He　came　a
little　nearer；　his　pistol　still　ready　in　his　hand。

〃Dead；　is　he？〃　he　said。　　〃That's　a　pity。　　He's　not　here；　then；　but
it　would　be　funny　wouldn't　it；　if　there　were　two　Charley　Wrights　in
one　room？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　Dunn　answered。　　〃I　think　there　are
lots　of　funnier　things　than　that　would　be。〃

〃That's　where　you're　wrong；〃　retorted　Deede　Dawson；　and　he　laughed
again；　shrilly　and　dreadfully；　a　laughter　that　had　in　it　anything
but　mirth。

〃Can　you　carry　that　packing…case　downstairs　if　I　help　you　get　it　on
your　shoulder？〃　he　asked　abruptly。

〃It's　heavy；　but　I　might；〃　Dunn　answered。

He　supposed　that　now　it　was　about　to　be　hidden　somewhere　and　he　felt
that　he　must　know　where；　since　that　knowledge　would　mean　everything
and　enable　him　to　set　the　authorities　to　work　at　once　immediately　he
could　communicate　with　them。

The　weight　of　the　thing　taxed　even　his　great　strength　to　the　utmost；
but　he　managed　it　somehow；　and　bending　beneath　his　burden；　he
descended　the　stairs　to　the　hall　and　then；　following　the　orders
Deede　Dawson　gave　him　from　behind；　out　into　the　open　air。

He　was　nearly　exhausted　when　at　last　his　task…master　told　him　he
could　put　it　down　as　he　stood　still　for　a　minute　or　two　to　recover
his　breath　and　strength。

The　night　was　not　very　dark；　for　a　young　moon　was　shining　in　a　clear
sky；　and　it　appeared　to　Dunn；　as　he　felt　his　strength　returning；
that　now　at　last　he　might　find　an　opportunity　of　making　an　attack
upon　his　captor　with　some　chance　of　success。

Hitherto；　in　the　house；　in　the　bright　glare　of　the　gas　lights；　he
had　known　that　the　first　suspicious　movement　he　made　would　have
ensured　his　being　instantly　and　remorselessly　shot　down；　his　mission
unfulfilled。

But　here　in　the　open　air；　in　the　night　that　the　moon　illumined　but
faintly；　it　was　different；　and　as　he　watched　for　his　opportunity　he
felt　that　sooner　or　later　it　was　sure　to　come。

But　Deede　Dawson　was　alert　and　wary；　his　pistol　never　left　his　hand；
he　kept　so　well　on　his　guard　he　gave　Dunn　no　opening　to　take　him
unawares；　and　Dunn　did　not　wish　to　run　too　desperate　a　chance；
since　he　was　sure　that　sooner　or　later　one　giving　fair　chance　of
success　would　present　itself。

〃Do　you　want　it　carried　any　further？〃　he　asked。　　〃It's　very　heavy。〃

〃I　suppose　you　mean　you're　wondering　what's　in　it？〃　said　Deede
Dawson　sharply。

〃It's　nothing　to　me　what's　in　it　…　silver　or　anything　else；〃
retorted　Dunn。　　〃Do　you　want　me　to　carry　it　further；　that's　all　I
asked？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Deede　Dawson。　　〃No；　I　don't。　　Do　you　know；　if　you
knew　what　was　really　in　it；　you'd　be　surprised？〃

〃Very　likely；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃Why　not？〃

〃Yes；　you　would　be　surprised；〃　Deede　Dawson　repeated；　and　suddenly
shouted　into　the　darkness：　〃Are　you　ready？　　Are　you　ready　there？〃

Dunn　was　very　startled；　for　somehow；　he　had　supposed　all　along　that
Deede　Dawson　was　quite　alone。

There　was　no　answer　to　his　call；　but　after　a　minute　or　two　there
was　the　sound　of　a　motor…ear　engine　starting　and　then　a　big　car
came　gliding　forward　and　stopped　in　front　of　them；　driven　by　a　form
so　muffled　in　coats　and　coverings　as　to　be　indistinguishable　in　that
faint　light。

〃Put　the　case　inside；〃　Deede　Dawson　said。　　〃I'll　help　you。〃

With　some　trouble　they　succeeded　in　getting　the　case　in　and　Deede
Dawson　covered　it　carefully　with　a　big　rug。

When　he　had　done　so　he　stepped　back。

〃Ready；　Ella？〃　he　said。

〃Yes；〃　answered　the　girl's　soft　and　low　voice　that　already　Dunn
could　have　sworn　to　amidst　a　thousand　others。



CHAPTER　X

THE　NEW　GARDENER


〃Go　ahead；　then；〃　said　Deede　Dawson；　and　the　great　car　with　its
terrible　burden　shot　away　into　the　night。

For　a　moment　or　two　Deede　Dawson　stood　looking　after　it；　and　then
he　turned　and　walked　slowly　towards　the　house；　and　mechanically　Dunn
followed；　the　sole　thought　in　his　mind；　the　one　idea　of　which　he　was
conscious；　that　of　Ella　driving　away　into　the　darkness　with　the　dead
body　of　his　murdered　friend　in　the　car　behind　her。

Did　she　…　know？　　he　asked　himself。　　Or　was　she　ignorant　of　what　it
was　she　had　with　her？

It　seemed　to　him　that　that　question；　hammering　itself　so　awfully
upon　his　mind　and　clamouring　for　an　answer；　must　soon　send　him　mad。

And　still　before　him　floated　perpetually　a　picture　of　long；　dark；
lonely　roads；　of　a　rushing　motor…car　driven　by　a　lovely　girl；　of　the
awful　thing　hidden　in　the　car　behind　her。

Dully　he　recognized　that　the　opportunity　for　which　he　had　watched
and　waited　so　patiently　had　come　and　gone　a　dozen　times；　for　Deede
Dawson　had　now　quite　relaxed　his　former　wary　care。

It　was　as　though　he　supposed　all　danger　over；　as　though　in　the
reaction　after　an　enormous　strain　he　could　think　of　nothing　but　the
immediate　relief。　　He　hardly　gave　a　single　glance　at　Dunn；　whose
faintest　movement　before　had　never　escaped　him。　　He　had　even　put　his
pistol　back　in　his　pocket；　and　at　almost　any　moment　Dunn；　with　his
unusual　strength　and　agility；　could　have　seized　and　mastered　him。

But　for　such　an　enterprise　Dunn　had　no　longer　any　spirit；　for　all
his　mind　was　taken　up　by　that　one　picture　so　clear　in　his　thoughts
of　Ella　in　her　great　car　driving　the　dead　man　through　the　night。
〃She　must　know；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃She　must；　or　she　would　never
have　gone　off　like　that　at　that　time　…　she　can't　know；　it's
impossible；　or　she　would　never　have　dared。〃

And　again　it　seemed　to　him　that　this　doubt　was　driving　him　mad。

Deede　Dawson　entered　the　house　and　got　a　bottle　of　whisky　and　a
syphon　of　soda…water　and　mixed　himself　a　drink。　　For　the　first　time
since　Ella's　departure　he　seemed　to　remember　Dunn's　presence。

〃Oh；　there　you　are；〃　he　said。

Dunn　did　not　answer。　　He　stood　moodily　on　the　threshold；　wondering
why　he　did　not　rush　upon　the　other；　and　with　his　knee　upon　his　chest；
his　hands　about　his　throat；　force　him　to　answer　the　question　that
was　still　whispering；　shouting；　screaming　itself　into　his　ears：　

〃Does　she　know　what　it　is　she　drives　with　her　on　that　big　car　through
the　black　and　lonely　night？〃

〃Like　a　drink？〃　asked　Deede　Dawson。

Dunn　shook　his　head；　and　it　came　to　him　that　he　did　not　attack　Deede
Dawson　and　force　the　truth　from　him　because　he　dared　not；　because　he
was　afraid；　because　he　feared　what　the　answer　might　be。

〃There's　a　tool…shed　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；〃　Deede　Dawson　said
to　him。　　〃You　can　sleep　there；　ton