the bittermeads mystery-第18部分

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〃Perhaps；〃　he　answered。

She　laughed　lightly　and　turned　away。

〃You　make　me　very　curious；〃　she　said。　　〃But　then；　you　'ye　always
done　that。〃

She　went　back　to　her　seat　by　her　mother；　and　he　walked　on　moodily
to　the　house。

Mrs。　Dawson　said　to　Ella：

〃How　can　you　talk　to　that　man；　my　dear？　　I　think　he　looks　perfectly
dreadful　…　hardly　like　a　human　being。〃

〃I　was　just　telling　him　he　ought　to　shave　himself；〃　said　Ella。
〃I　told　him　I　should　like　to　know　what　he　was　really　like。〃

〃I　shall　ask　father；〃　said　Mrs。　Dawson　sternly；　〃to　make　it　a
condition　of　his　employment　here。〃



CHAPTER　XVII

A　DECLARATION


Dunn　knew　very　well　that　he　ought　to　give　immediate　information　to
the　authorities　of　what　had　happened。

But　he　did　not。　　He　told　himself　that　nothing　could　help　poor　John
Clive；　and　that　any　precipitate　action　on　his　part　might　still
fatally　compromise　his　plans；　which　were　now　so　near　completion。

But　his　real　reason　was　that　he　knew　that　if　he　came　forward　he
would　be　very　closely　questioned；　and　sooner　or　later　forced　to　tell
the　things　he　knew　so　terribly　involving　Ella。

And　he　knew　that　to　surrender　her　to　the　police　and　proclaim　her　to
the　world　as　guilty　of　such　things　were　tasks　beyond　his　strength；
though；　to　himself；　with　a　touch　of　wildness　in　his　thoughts；　he
said　that　no　proved　and　certain　guilt　should　go　unpunished　even
though　his　own　hand　…　　It　was　a　train　of　ideas　he　did　not　pursue。

〃Charley　Wright　first　and　now　John　Clive；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃But
the　end　is　not　yet。〃

Again　he　would　not　let　his　thoughts　go　on　but　checked　them　abruptly。

In　this　dark　and　troubled　mood　he　went　out　to　busy　himself　with　the
garden；　and　all　the　time　he　worked　he　watched　with　a　sort　of　vertigo
of　horror　where　Ella　sat　in　the　sunshine　by　her　mother's　side；　her
white　hands　moving　nimbly　to　and　fro　upon　her　needlework。

It　was　not　long；　however；　before　the　tragedy　of　the　wood　was
discovered；　for　Clive　had　been　seen　to　go　in　that　direction；　and
when　he　did　not　return　a　search　was　made　that　was　soon　successful。

The　news　was　brought　to　Bittermeads　towards　evening　by　a　tradesman's
boy；　who　came　up　from　the　village　to　bring　something　that　had　been
ordered　from　there。

〃Have　you　heard？〃　he　said　to　Dunn　excitedly。　　〃Mr。　Clive's　been　shot
dead　by　poachers。〃

〃Oh　…　by　poachers？〃　repeated　Dunn。

〃Yes；　poachers；〃　the　boy　answered；　and　went　on　excitedly　to　tell
his　tale　with　many；　and　generally　very　inaccurate；　details。

But　that　the　crime　had　been　discovered　and　instantly　set　down　to
poachers　was　at　least　certain；　and　Dunn　realized　at　once　that　the
adoption　of　this　simple　and　apparently　plausible　theory　would　put
an　end　to　all　really　careful　investigation　of　the　circumstances
and　make　the　discovery　of　the　truth　highly　improbable。

For　the　idea　that　the　murder　was　the　work　of　poachers　would；　when
once　adopted；　fill　the　minds　of　the　police　and　of　every　one　else；
and　no　suspicion　would　be　directed　elsewhere。

By　the　tremendous　relief　he　felt；　Dunn　understood　how　heavy　had　been
the　burden　of　fear　and　apprehension　that　till　now　had　oppressed　him。

If　he　had　not　found　that　handkerchief　…　if　he　had　not　secured　that
letter　…　why；　by　now　the　police　would　be　at　Bittermeads。

〃All　the　same；〃　he　thought。　　〃No　one　who　is　guilty　shall　escape
through　me。〃

But　what　this　phrase　meant；　and　what　he　intended　to　do；　he　would
not　permit　himself　to　think　out　clearly　or　try　to　understand。

The　boy；　having　told　his　story；　hurried　off　to　spread　the　news
elsewhere　to　more　appreciative　ears；　for；　he　thought　disgustedly；
it　might　have　been　just　nothing　at　all　for　all　the　interest　the
gardener　at　Bittermeads　had　shown。

As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　Dunn　went　across　to　the　house；　and　going　up
to　the　window　of　the　drawing…room　where　Ella　and　her　mother　were
having　tea；　he　tapped　on　the　pane。

Ella　looked　up　and　saw　him；　and　came　at　once　to　open　the　window；
while　from　behind　Mrs。　Dawson　frowned　in　severe　disapproval　of　what
she　considered　a　great　liberty。

〃Mr。　Clive　has　been　shot；〃　Dunn　said　abruptly。　　〃They　say　poachers
did　it。　　He　was　killed　instantly。〃

Ella　did　not　seem　at　first　to　understand。　　She　looked　puzzled　and
bewildered；　and　did　not　seem　to　grasp　the　full　import　of　his　words。

〃What　…　what　do　you　say？〃　she　asked。　　〃Mr。　Clive　…　　Who's　killed？〃

Dunn　thought　to　himself　that　her　acting　was　the　most　wonderful　thing
he　had　ever　seen。

It　was　extraordinary　that　she　should　be　able　to　make　that　grey
pallor　come　over　her　cheeks　as　though　the　meaning　of　what　he　said
were　only　now　entering　her　mind；　wonderful　that　she　should　be　able
so　well　to　give　the　idea　of　a　great　horror　and　a　great　doubt　coming
slowly　into　her　startled　eyes。

〃Mr。　Clive？〃　she　said　again。

〃Yes；　he's　been　killed；〃　Dunn　said。　　〃By　poachers；　apparently。〃

〃What　is　that？　　What　is　that　man　saying？〃　shrilled　Mrs。　Dawson　from
behind。　　〃Mr。　Clive　…　John　…　why；　he　was　here　yesterday。〃

Dunn　turned　his　back　and　walked　away。　　He　heard　Ella　call　after　him；
but　he　would　not　look　back　because　he　feared　what　he　might　do　if　he
obeyed　her　call。

With　an　odd　buzzing　in　his　ears；　with　the　blood　throbbing　through
his　brain　as　though　something　must　soon　break　there；　he　walked
blindly　on；　and　as　he　came　to　the　gate　of　Bittermeads　he　saw　a
motor…car　coming　up　the　road。

It　was　Deede　Dawson's　car；　and　he　was　driving　it；　and　by　his　side
sat　a　sulkily…smiling　stranger；　his　air　that　of　one　not　sure　of　his
welcome；　but　determined　to　enforce　it；　in　whom；　with　a　quick　start；
Dunn　recognized　his　burglar；　the　man　whose　attempt　to　break　into
Bittermeads　he　had　frustrated；　and　whose　place　he　had　taken。

He　put　up　his　hand　instinctively　for　them　to　stop；　and　Deede　Dawson
at　once　obeyed　the　gesture。

Dunn　noticed　that　the　smile　upon　his　lips　was　more　gentle　and
winning　than　ever；　the　look　in　his　eyes　more　dark　and　menacing。

〃Well；　Dunn；　what　is　it？〃　he　said　as　pleasantly　as　he　always　spoke。
〃Mr。　Allen；〃　he　added　to　his　companion；　〃this　is　my　man；　Dunn；　I
told　you　about；　my　gardener　and　chauffeur；　and　a　very　industrious
steady　fellow　…　and　quite　trustworthy。〃

He　seemed　to　lay　a　certain　emphasis　on　the　last　two　words；　and　Allen
put　his　head　on　one　side　and　looked　at　Dunn　with　an　odd；　mixture　of
familiarity；　suspicion；　hesitation；　and　an　uncertain　assumption　of
superiority；　but　with　no　hint　of　recognition　showing。

〃Glad　to　hear　it；〃　he　said。　　〃You　always　want　to　know　whom　you　can
trust。〃

〃Mr。　Clive　has　been　murdered；〃　Dunn　said　abruptly。　　〃Poachers；　it
is　said。　　Did　you　know？〃

〃We　heard　about　it　as　we　came　through　the　village；〃　answered　Deede
Dawson。　　〃Very　sad；　very　dreadful。　　It　will　be　a　great　shock　to　poor
Ella；　I　fear。　　Take　the　car　on　to　the　garage；　will　you？〃　he　added。

He　drove　on　up　the　drive；　and　at　the　front　door　they　alighted　and
entered　the　house　together。　　Dunn　followed；　and　getting　into　the
car；　drove　it　to　the　garage；　where　he　busied　himself　cleaning　it。
As　he　worked　he　wondered　very　much　what　was　the　meaning　of　this
sudden　appearance　on　terms　of　friendship　with　Deede　Dawson　of　this
man　Allen；　whom　he　had　last　seen　trying　to　break　into　the　house　at
night。

Was　Allen　an　accomplice　of　Deede　Dawson；　or　a　dupe；　or；　more
probably；　a　new　recruit？

At　any　rate；　to　Dunn　it　seemed　that　the　crisis　he　had　expected　and
prepared　for　was　now　fast　approaching；　and　he　told　himself　that　if
he　had　failed　in　Clive's　case；　those　others　he　was　working　for　he
must　not　fail　to　save。

〃Looks　as　if　Dawson's　plans　were　nearly　ready；〃　he　said　to　himself。
〃Well；　so　are　mine。〃

He　finished　his　work　and　shutting　the　garage　door；　he　was　turning
away　when　he　saw　Ella　coming　towards　him。

She　was　extremely　pale；　and　her　eyes　seemed　larger　than　ever；　and
very　bright　against　the　deathly　whiteness　of　her　cheeks。

She　was　wearing　a　blouse　that　was　cut　a　little　low；　and　he　notice
with　a　kind　of　terror　how　soft　and　round　was　her　throat；　like　a
column　of　pale　and　perfect　ivory。

He　hoped　she　would　not　speak　to　him；　for　he　thought　perhaps　he　could
not　bear　it　if　she　did；　but　she　halted　near　by；　and　said：

〃This　is　very　dreadful　about　poor　Mr。　Clive。〃

〃Very；〃　he　answered　moodily。

〃Why　should　poachers　kill　him？〃　she　asked。　　〃Why　should　they　want
to？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered；　watching　not　her　but　her　soft　throat；
where　he　could　see　a　pulse　fluttering。　　〃Perhaps　it　wasn't　poachers；〃
he　added。

She　started　violently；　and　gave　a　quick　look　that　seemed　to　make　yet
more　certain　the　certainty　he　already　entertained。

〃Who　else　could　it　be？〃　she　asked　in　a　low　voice。

He　did　not　answer。

After　what　seemed　a　long　time　she　said：　

〃You　asked　me　a　question　once　…　do　you　remember？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃Why　don't　you　speak？　　Why　can't　you　speak？〃　she　cried　angrily。
〃Why　can't　you。　　say　something　instead　of　just　shaking　your　head？〃

〃You　see；　I've　asked　you　so　many　questions；〃　he　said　slowly。
〃Perhaps　I　shall　ask　you　some　more　some　day　…　which　question　do　you
mean？〃

〃I　mean　when　you　asked　me　if　I　had　ever　met　any　one　who　spoke　in　a
very　shrill；　high　whistling　sort　of　voice？　　Do　you　remember？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said。　　〃You　wouldn't　tell　me。〃

〃Well；　I　will　now；〃　she　said。　　〃I　did　meet　a　man　once　with　a　voice
like　that。　　Do　you　remember　the　night　you；　came　here　that　I　drove
away　in　the　car　with　a　packing…case　you　carried　downstairs？〃

〃Do　I　…　remember？〃　he　gasped；　for　that　memory；　and　the　thought　of
how　she　had　driven　away　into　the　night　with；　that　grisly　thing　behind
her　on　the　car　had　never　since　left　his　mind　by　night　or　by　day。

〃Yes；〃　she　exclaimed　impatiently。　　〃Why　do　you　keep　staring　so？　　Are
you　as　stupid　as　you　choose　to　look？　　Do　you　remember？〃

〃I　remember；〃　he　answered　heavily。　　〃I　remember　very　well。〃

〃Well；　then；　the　man　I　took　that　packing…case　to　had　a　voice　just
like　that　…　high　and　shrill；　whistling　almost。〃

〃I　thought　as　much；〃　said　Dunn。　　〃May　I　ask　you　another　question？〃

She　nodded。

〃May　I　smoke？〃

She　nodded　again　with　a　touch　of　impatience。

He　took　a　cigarette　from　his　pocket　and　put　it　in　his　mouth　and
lighted　a　match；　but　the　match；　when　he　had　lighted　it；　he　used　to
put　light　to　a　scrap　of　folded　p