the bittermeads mystery-第22部分

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drive。〃

〃Not　Miss　Cayley？〃　asked　Dunn。

〃No；　no；〃　answered　Deede　Dawson。　　〃She　might　be　with　you　perhaps；　but
she　wouldn't　drive。　　Night　driving　is　always　dangerous；　I　think；　don't
you？〃

〃There's　things　more　dangerous；〃　Dunn　remarked。

〃Oh；　quite　true；〃　answered　Deede　Dawson。　　〃Well；　did　you　enjoy　your
visit　to　Wreste　Abbey？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Dunn　roughly。　　〃I　didn't　see　Rupert　Dunsmore；　and　it
wouldn't　have　been　any　good　if　I　had　with　all　those　people　about。〃

〃You're　too　impatient；〃　Deede　Dawson　smiled。　　〃I'm　getting　everything
ready；　you　can't　properly　expect　to　win　a　game　in　a　dozen　moves。　　You
must　develop　your　pieces　properly　and　have　all　ready　before　you　start
your　attack。　　As　soon　as　I'm　ready　…　why；　I'll　act　…　and　you'll　have
to　do　the　rest。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Dunn　thoughtfully。



CHAPTER　XXI

DOUBTS　AND　FEARS


In　point　of　fact　Dunn　had　not　been　asleep　when　Deede　Dawson　came
listening　at　his　door。　　Of　late　he　had　slept　little　and　that　little
had　been　much　disturbed　by　evil；　haunting　dreams　in　which　perpetually
he　saw　his　dead　friend；　Charley　Wright；　and　dead　John　Clive　always
together；　while　behind　them　floated　the　pale　and　lovely　face　of　Ella；
at　whom　the　two　dead　men　looked　and　whispered　to　each　other。

In　the　day　such　thoughts　troubled　him　less；　for　when　he　was　under
the　influence　of　Ella's　gentle　presence；　and　when　he　could　watch　her
clear　and　candid　eyes；　he　found　all　doubt　and　suspicion　melting　away
like　snow　beneath　warm　sunshine。

But　in　the　silence　of　the　night　they　returned；　returned　very
dreadfully；　so　dreadfully　that　often　as　he　lay　awake　in　the　darkness
beads　of　sweat　stood　upon　his　forehead　and　he　would　drive　his　great
hands　one　against　the　other　in　his　passionate　effort　to　still　the
thoughts　that　tormented　him。　　Then；　in　the　morning　again；　the　sound
of　Ella's　voice；　the　merest　glimpse　of　her　grave　and　gracious
personality；　would　bring　back　once　more　his　instinctive　belief　in
her。

The　morning　after　Deede　Dawson　had　paid　his　visit　to　the　attic　there
was　news；　however；　that　disturbed　him　greatly；　for　Mrs。　Barker；　the
charwoman　who　came　each　morning　to　Bittermeads；　told　them　that　two
men　in　the　village　…　notorious　poachers　…　had　been　arrested　by　the
police　on　a　charge　of　being　concerned　in　Mr。　Clive's　death。

The　news　was　a　great　shock　to　Dunn；　for；　knowing　as　he　thought　he
did；　that　the　police　were　working　on　an　entirely　wrong　idea；　he　had
not　supposed　they　would　ever　find　themselves　able　to　make　any　arrest。
As　a　matter　of　fact；　these　arrests　they　had　made　were　the　result　of
desperation　on　the　part　of　the　police；　who　unable　to　discover
anything　and　entirely　absorbed　by　their　preconceived　idea　that　the
crime　was　the　work　of　poachers；　had　arrested　men　they　knew　were
poachers　in　the　vague　hope　of　somehow　discovering　something　or　of
somehow　getting　hold　of　some　useful　clue。

But　that　Dunn　did　not　know；　and　feared　unlucky　chance　or　undesigned
coincidence　must　have　appeared　to　suggest　the　guilt　of　the　men　and
that　they　were　really　in　actual　danger　of　trial　and　conviction。　　He
had；　too；　received　that　morning；　through　the　secret　means　of　
communication　he　kept　open　with　an　agent　in　London；　conclusive　proof
that　at　the　moment　of　Clive's　death　Deede　Dawson　was　in　town　on
business　that　seemed　obscure　enough；　but　none　the　less　in　town；
and　therefore　undoubtedly　innocent　of　the　actual　perpetration　of
the　murder。

Who；　then；　was　left　who　could　have　fired　the　fatal　shot？

It　was　a　question　Dunn　dared　not　even　ask　himself　but　he　saw　very
plainly　that　if　the　proceedings　against　the　two　arrested　men　were
to　be　pressed；　he　would　be　forced　to　come　forward　before　his
preparations　were　ready　and　tell　all　he　knew；　no　matter　at　what　cost。

All　the　morning　he　waited　and　watched　for　his　opportunity　to　speak
to　Ella；　who　was　in　a　brighter　and　gayer　mood　than　he　had　ever　seen
her　in　before。

At　breakfast　Deede　Dawson　had　assured　her　that　he　could　not　conceive
what　were　the　suspicions　she　had　referred　to　the　night　previously；
and　while　he　would　certainly　have　no　objection　to　her　mentioning
them　at　any　time；　in　any　quarter　she　thought　fit　if　anything　happened
at　Wreste　Abbey　…　and　would　indeed　be　the　first　to　urge　her　to　do　so
　…　he；　for　his　part；　considered　it　most　unlikely　that　anything　of　the
sort　she　seemed　to　dread　would　in　fact　occur。

〃Not　at　all　likely；〃　he　said　with　his　happy；　beaming　smile　that
never　reached　those　cold　eyes　of　his。　　〃I　should　say　myself　that
nothing　ever　did　happen　at　Wreste　Abbey；　not　since　the　Flood；　anyhow。
It　strikes　me　as　the　most　peaceful；　secluded　spot　in　all　England。〃

〃I'm　very　glad　you　think　so；〃　said　Ella；　tremendously　relieved　and
glad　to　hear　him　say　so；　and　supposing；　though　his　smooth　words　and
smiles　and　protestations　deceived　her　very　little；　that；　at　any　rate；
what　she　had　said　had　forced　him　to　abandon　whatever　plans　he　had
been　forming　in　that　direction。

Her　victory；　as　it　seemed　to　her；　won　so　easily　and　containing　good
promise　of　further　success　in　the　future；　cheered　her　immensely；　and
it　was　in　almost　a　happy　mood　that　she　went　unto　the　garden　after
lunch　and　met　Dunn　in　a　quiet；　well…hidden　corner；　where　he　had　been
waiting　and　watching　for　long。

His　appearance　startled　her　…　his　eyes　were　so　wild；　his　whole
manner　so　strained　and　restless；　and　she　gave　a　little　dismayed
exclamation　as　she　saw　him。

〃Oh；　what's　the　matter？　　〃'　she　asked。　　〃Aren't　you　well？　　You　look　…　〃

She　paused　for　she　did　not　know　exactly　how　it　was　he　did　look；；
and　he　said　in　his　harshest；　most　abrupt　manner

〃Do　you　remember　Charley　Wright？〃

〃Why　do　you　ask？〃　she　said；　puzzled。　　〃Is　anything　wrong？〃

〃Do　you　remember　John　Clive？〃　he　asked；　disregarding　this。　　〃Have
you　heard　two　men　have　been　arrested　for　his　murder？〃

〃Mrs。　Barker　told　me　so；〃'　she　answered　gravely。　　He　came　a　little
nearer；　almost　threateningly　nearer。

〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　he　asked。

She　lifted　one　hand　and　put　it　gently　on　his　arm。　　The　touch　of　it
thrilled　him　through　and　through；　and　he　felt　a　little　dazed　as　he
watched　it　resting　on　his　coat　sleeve。　　She　had　become　very　pale
also　and　her　voice　was　low　and　strained　as　she　said

〃Have　you　had　suspicions　too？〃

He　looked　at　her　as　if　fascinated　for　a　moment；　and　then　nodded
twice　and　very　slowly。

〃So　have　I；〃　she　sighed　in　tones　so　low　he　could　scarcely　hear　them。

〃Oh；　you；　you　also；〃　he　muttered；　almost　suffocating。

〃Yes；〃　she　said。　　〃Yes　…　perhaps　the　same　as　yours。　　My　stepfather；〃
she　breathed；　〃Mr。　Deede　Dawson。〃

He　watched　her　closely　and　moodily；　but　he　did　not　speak。

〃I　was　afraid　…　at　first；〃　she　whispered。　　〃But　I　was　wrong　…　quite
wrong。　　It　is　as　certain　as　it　can　be　that　he　was　in　London　at　the
time。〃

》From　his　pocket　Dunn　took　out　the　handkerchief　of　hers　that　he　had
found　near　the　body　of　the　dead　man。

〃Is　this　yours？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered。　　〃Yes；　where　did　you　get　it？〃

He　did　not　answer；　but　he　lifted　his　hands　one　after　the　other；　and
put　them　on　her　shoulder；　with　the　fingers　outspread　to　encircle　her
throat。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　when　she　acknowledged　the　ownership
of　the　handkerchief　she　acknowledged　also　the　perpetration　of　the
deed；　and　he　became　a　little　mad；　and　he　had　it　in　his　mind　that　the
slightest；　the　very　slightest；　pressure　of　his　fingers　on　that　soft；
round　throat　would　put　it　for　ever　out　of　her　power　to　do　such　things
again。　　Then　for　himself　death　would　be　easy　and　welcome；　and　there
would　be　an　end　to　all　these　doubts　and　fears　that　racked　him　with
anguish　beyond　bearing。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　she　asked；　making　no　attempt　to　resist
or　escape。

Ever　so　slightly　the　pressure　of　his　hands　upon　her　throat
strengthened　and　increased。　　A　very　little　more　and　the　lovely
thing　of　life　he　watched　would　be　broken　and　cold　for　ever。　　Her
eyes　were　steady；　she　showed　no　sign　of　fear；　she　stood　perfectly
still；　her　hands　loosely　clasped　together　before　her。　　He　groaned；
and　his　arms　fell　to　his　side；　helpless。　　Without　the　slightest
change　of　expression；　she
said：　

〃What　were　you　going　to　do？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered。　　〃Do　you　ever　go　mad？　　I　do；　I　think。
Perhaps　you　do　too；　and　that　explains　it。　　Do　you　know　where　Charley
Wright　is？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered　directly。　　〃Why？　　Did　you　know　him；　then？〃

〃You　know　where　he　is　now？〃　Dunn　repeated。

She　nodded　quietly。

〃I　heard　from　him　only　last　week；〃　she　said。

〃I　am　certainly　mad　or　you　are；〃　he　muttered；　staring　at　her　with
eyes　in　which　such　wonder　and　horror　showed　that　it　seemed　there
really　was　a　touch　of　madness　there。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　asked。

〃You　heard　from　him　last　week；〃　he　said　again；　and　again　she
answered：

〃Yes　…　last　week。　　Why　not？〃

He　leaned　forward；　and　before　she　knew　what　he　intended　to　do　he
kissed　her　pale；　cool　cheek。

Once　more　she　stood　still　and　immobile；　her　hands　loosely　clasped
before　her。　　It　might　have　been　that　he　had　kissed　a　statue；　and
her　perfect　stillness　made　him　afraid。

〃Ella；〃　he　said。　　〃Ella。〃

〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃　she　said；　a　little　wildly　now　in　her　turn。
〃It　was　not　that　you　were　going　to　do　to　me　before。〃

〃I　love　you；〃　he　muttered　excusingly。

She　shook　her　head。

〃You　know　too　little　of　me；　you　have　too　many　doubt　and　fears；〃　she
said。　　〃You　do　not　love　me；　you　do　not　even　trust　me。〃

〃I　love　you　all　the　same；〃　he　asserted　positively　and　roughly。　　〃I
loved　you　…　it　was　when　I　tied　your　hands　to　the　chair　that　night
and　you　looked　at　me　with　such　contempt；　and　asked　me　if　I　felt
proud。　　That　stung；　that　stung。　　I　loved　you　then。〃

〃You　see；〃　she　said　sadly；　you　do　not　even　pretend　to　trust　me。　　I
don't　know　why　you　should。　　Why　are　you　here？　　Why　are　you　disguised
with　all　that　growth　of　hair？　　There　is　something　you　are　preparing；
planning。　　I　know　it。　　I　feel　it。　　What　is　it？〃

〃I　told　you　once　before；〃　he　answered；　〃that　the　end　of　this　will
be　Deede　Dawson's　death　or　mine。　　That's　what　I'm　preparing。〃

〃He　is　very　cunning；　very　clever；〃　she　said。　　〃Do　you　think　he
suspects　you？〃

〃He　suspects　every　one　always；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃I've　been　trying
to　get　proof　to　act　on。　　I　haven't　succe