the bittermeads mystery-第16部分

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they　halted。

〃Well；　good　night；〃　said　then　a　voice　both　Dunn　and　Clive　knew　at
once　for　Deede　Dawson's。〃　…　That　was　a　pretty　check　by　the　knight
I　showed　you；　wasn't　it？〃

A　thin；　high；　somewhat　peculiar　voice　cursed　Deede　Dawson；　chess；
and　the　pretty　mate　by　the　knight　very　comprehensively。

〃It's　young　Clive　that　worries　me；〃　said　the　voice　when　it　had
finished　these　expressions　of　disapproval。

〃No　need；〃　answered　Deede　Dawson's　voice　with　that　strange　mirthless
laugh　of　his。　　〃No　need　at　all；　before　the　week's　out　he'll　trouble
no　one　any　more。

When　he　heard　this；　Clive　would　have　betrayed　himself　by　some
startled　movement　or　angry　exclamation　had　not　Dunn's　heavy　hand
upon　his　shoulder　held　him　down　with　a　grave　and　steady　pressure
there　was　no　disregarding。

Deede　Dawson　and　his　unknown　companion　went　on　towards　the　house；
and　admitted　themselves；　and　as　the　door　closed　behind　them　Clive
swung　round　sharply　in　the　darkness　towards　Dunn。

〃What's　it　mean？〃　he　muttered　in　the　bewildered　and
slightly…pathetic　voice　of　a　child　at　once　frightened　and　puzzled。
〃What　for？〃　　Why　should　any　one　…？〃

〃It's　a　long　story；〃　began　Dunn；　and　paused。

He　saw　that　the　unexpected　confirmation　of　his　warning　Clive　had
thus　received　from　Deede　Dawson's　own　lips　had　rendered　his　task
of　convincing　Clive　immensely　more　easy。

What　he　had　wished　to　say　had　now　at　least　a　certainty　of　being
listened　to；　a　probability　of　being　believed；　and　there　was　at
any　rate；　he　supposed；　no　longer　the　danger　he　had　before　dreaded
of　Clive's　going　straight　with　the　whole　story　to　Deede　Dawson
in　arrogant　disbelief　of　a　word　of　it。

But　he　still　distrusted　Clive's　discretion；　and　feared　some　rash
and　hasty　action　that　might　ruin　all　his　plans；　and　allow　Deede
Dawson　time　to　escape。

Besides　he　felt　that　the　immediate　task　before　him　was　to　find
out　who　Deede　Dawson's　new　companion　was；　and；　if　possible；
overhear　anything　they　might　have　to　say　to　each　other。

That；　and　the　discovery　of　the　new…comer's　identity；　might　prove
to　be　of　the　utmost　importance。

〃I　can't　explain　now；〃　he　said　hurriedly。　　〃I'll　see　you　tomorrow
sometime。　　Don't　do　anything　till　you　hear　from　me。　　Your　life　may
depend　on　it　…　and　other　people's　lives　that　matter　more。〃

〃Tell　me　who　you　are　first；〃　Clive　said　quickly；　incautiously
raising　his　voice。　　〃I　can　manage　to　take　care　of　myself　all　right；
I　think；　but　I　want　to　know　who　you　are。〃

〃H…ssh！〃　muttered　Dunn。　　〃Not　so　loud。〃

〃There　was　a　fellow　made　an　attack　on　me　one　night　a　little　while
ago；〃　Clive　went　on　unheedingly。　　〃You　remind　me　of　him　somehow。
I　don't　think　I　trust　you；　my　man。　　I　think　you　had　better　come
along　to　the　police　with　me。〃

But　Dunn's　sharp　ears　had　caught　the　sound　of　the　house　door
opening　cautiously；　and　he　guessed　that　Deede　Dawson　had　taken
the　alarm　and　was　creeping　out　to　see　who　invaded　so　late　at　night
the　privacy　of　his　garden。

〃Clear　out　quick！　　Quiet！　　If　you　want　to　go　on　living。　　I'll　stop
them　from　following　if　I　can。　　If　you　make　the　least　noise　you're
done　for。〃

Most　likely　the　man　they　had　seen　in　his　company　would　be　with　him；
and　both　of　them　would　be　armed。　　Neither　Clive　nor　Dunn　had　a
weapon；　and　Dunn　saw　the　danger　of　the　position　and　took　the　only
course　available。

〃Go；〃　he　whispered　fiercely　into　Clive's　ear。



CHAPTER　XV

THE　SOUND　OF　A　SHOT


He　melted　away　into　the　darkness　as　he　spoke；　and　through　the　night
he　slipped；　one　shadow　more　amongst　many；　from　tree　to　bush；　from
bush　to　tree。　　Across　a　patch　of　open　grass　he　crawled　on　his　hands
and　knees；　and　once　lay　fiat　on　his　face　when　against　the　skyline
he　saw　a　figure　he　was　sure　was　Deede　Dawson's　creep　by　a　yard　or
two　on　his　right　hand。

On　his　left　another　shadow　showed；　distinguishable　in　the　night
only　because　it　moved。

In　a　moment　both　shadows　were　gone；　secret　and　deadly　in　the　dark；
and　Dunn　was　very　sure　that　Clive's　life　and　his　own　both　hung
upon　a　slender　chance；　for　if　either　of　them　was　discovered　the
leaping　bullet　would　do　the　rest。

It　would　be　safe　and　easy　…　suspected　burglars　in　a　garden　at
midnight　…　nothing　could　be　said。　　He　lay　very　still　with　his　face
to　the　dewy　sod；　and　all　the　night　seemed　full　to　him　of　searching
footsteps　and　of　a　swift　and　murderous　going　to　and　fro。

He　heard　distinctly　from　the　road　a　sudden；　muffled　sound　as　Clive
in　the　darkness　blunderingly　missed　his　footing　and　fell　upon　one
knee。

〃That's　finished　him；〃　Dunn　thought　grimly；　his　ears　straining　for
the　sharp　pistol　report　that　would　tell　Clive's　tale　was　done；　and
then　he　was　aware　of　a　cat；　a　favourite　of　Ella's　and　often　petted
by　himself；　that　was　crouching　near　by　under　a　tree；　most　likely
much　puzzled　and　alarmed　by　this　sudden　irruption　of　hurrying　men
into　its　domain。　　Instantly　Dunn　saw　his　chance；　and　seizing　the
animal；　lifted　it　and　threw　it　in　the　direction　where　he　guessed
Deede　Dawson　to　be。

His　guess　was　good　and　fortune　served　him　well；　for　the　tabby
flying　caterwauling　through　the　air　alighted　almost　exactly　in
front　of　Deede　Dawson　on　top　of　a　small　bush。　　For　a　moment　it
hung　there；　quite　unhurt；　but　very　frightened；　and　emitted　a　yell；
then　fled。

In　the　quietness　the　tumult　of　its　scrambling　flight　sounded
astonishingly　loud；　so　that　it　sounded　as　through　a　miniature
avalanche　had　been　let　loose　in　the　garden。

〃Only　cats；〃　Deede　Dawson　exclaimed　disgustedly；　and　from　behind；
nearer　the　house；　Dunn　called：

〃Who's　there？　　What　is　it？　　What's　the　matter？　Is　it　Mr。　Dawson？
Is　anything　wrong？〃

〃I　think　there　is；〃　said　Deede　Dawson　softly。　　〃I　think；　perhaps；
there　is。　　What　are　you　doing　out　here　at　this　time　of　night；
Charley　Wright？〃

〃I　heard　a　noise　and　came　down　to　see　what　it　was；〃　answered　Dunn。
〃There　was　a　light　in　the　breakfast…room；　but　I　didn't　see　any　one；
and　the　front　door　was　open　so　I　came　out　here。　　Is　anything　wrong？〃

〃That's　what　I　want　to　know；〃　said　Deede　Dawson。　　〃Come　back　to　the
house　with　me。　　If　any　one　is　about；　he　can　just　take　himself　off。〃

He　spoke　the　last　sentence　loudly；　and　Dunn　took　it　as　a　veiled
instruction　to　his　companion　to　depart。

He　realized　that　if　he　had　saved　Clive　he　had　done　so　at　the　cost
of　missing　the　best　opportunity　that　had　yet　come　his　way　of
obtaining　very　important；　and；　perhaps；　decisive　information。

To　have　discovered　the　identity　of　this　stranger　who　had　come
visiting　Deede　Dawson　might　have　meant　much；　and　he　told　himself
angrily　that　Clive's　safety　had　certainly　not　been　worth　purchasing
at　the　cost　of　such　a　lost　chance；　though　he　supposed　that　was　a
point　on　which　Clive　himself　might　possibly　entertain　a　different
opinion。

But　now　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　go　quietly　back　to　the
house；　for　clearly　Deede　Dawson's　suspicions　were　aroused　and　he
had　his　revolver　ready　in　his　hand。

〃I　suppose　it　was　only　cats　all　the　time；〃　he　observed；　with　apparent
unconcern。　　〃But　at　first　I　made　sure　there　were　burglars　in　the
house。〃

〃And　I　suppose；〃　suggested　Deede　Dawson。　　〃You　think　one　burglar's
enough　in　a　household。〃

〃I　don't　mean　to　have　any　one　else　mucking　around；〃　growled　Dunn
in　answer。

〃Very　admirable　sentiments；〃　said　Deede　Dawson　and　asked　several
more　questions　that　showed　he　still　entertained　some　suspicion　of
Dunn；　and　was　not　altogether　satisfied　that　his　appearance　in　the
garden　was　quite　innocent；　or　that　the　noise　heard　there　was　due；
solely　to　cats。

Dunn　answered　as　best　he　could；　and　Deede　Dawson　listened　and　smiled；
and　smiled　again；　and　watched　him　from　eyes　that　did　not　smile　at
all。

〃Oh；　well；〃　Deede　Dawson　said　at　last；　with　a　yawn。　　〃Anyhow；　it's
all　right　now。　　You　had　better　get　along　back　to　bed；　and　I'll　lock
up。〃　　He　accompanied　Dunn　into　the　hall　and　watched　him　ascend　the
stairs；　and　as　Dunn　went　slowly　up　them　he　felt　by　no　means　sure
that　soon　a　bullet　would　not　come　questing　after　him；　searching　for
heart　or　brain。

For　he　was　sure　that　Deede　Dawson　still　suspected　him；　and　he　knew
Deede　Dawson　to　be　very　sudden　and　swift　in　action。　　But　nothing
happened；　he　reached　the　broad；　first　landing　in　safety；　and　he　was
about　to　go　on　up　to　his　attic　when　he　beard　a　door　at　the　end　of
the　passage　open　and　saw　Ella　appear　in　her　dressing…gown。

〃What　is　the　matter　？〃　she　asked；　in　a　low　voice。

〃It's　all　right；〃　he　answered。　　〃There　was　a　noise　in　the　garden；
and　I　came　down　to　see　what　it　was；　but　it's　only　cats。〃

〃Oh；　is　that　all？〃　she　said　distrustfully。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　in　a　lower　voice　still；　he　said：

〃Will　you　tell　me　something？　　Do　you　know　any　one　who　talks　in　a
very　peculiar　shrill　high　voice？〃

She　did　not　answer；　and；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　went　back
into　her　room　and　closed　the　door　behind　her。

He　went　on　up　to　his　attic　with　the　feeling　that　she　could　have
answered　if　she　had　wished　to；　and　lay　down　in　a　troubled　and
dispirited　mood。

For　he　was　sure　now　that　Ella　mistrusted　him　and　would　give　him
no　assistance；　and　that　weighed　upon　him　greatly；　as　did　also　his
conviction　that　what　it　behoved　him　above　all　else　to　know　…　the
identity　of　the　man　who；　in　this　affair；　stood　behind　Deede　Dawson
and　made　use　of　his　fierce　and　fatal　energies　…　he　had　had　it　in
his　power　to　discover　and　had　failed　to　make　use　of　the　opportunity。

〃I　would　rather　know　that；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃than　save　a　dozen
Clives　ten　times　over。〃　　Though　again　it　occurred　to　him　that　on
this　point　Clive　might　hold　another　opinion。　　〃If　he　hadn't　made
such　a　blundering　row　I　might　have　got　to　know　who　Deede　Dawson's
visitor　was。　　I　must　try　to　get　a　word　with　Clive　tomorrow　by　hook
or　crook；　though　I　daresay　Deede　Dawson　will　be　very　much　on　the
lookout。〃

However；　next　morning　Deede　Dawson　not　only　made　no　reference　to
the　events　of　the　night；　but　had　out　the　car　and　went　off
immediately　after　breakfast　without　saying　when　he　would　be　back。

As　soon　after　his　departure　as　possible；　Dunn　also　set　out　and　took
his　way　through　the　woods　towards　Ramsdon　Place　on　the　look…out　for
an　opportunity　to　speak　to　Clive　unobserved。

He　thought　it　most　likely　that　Clive　would　be　drawn　towards　the
vic