the bittermeads mystery-第25部分

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〃Old　chap；〃　he　said。　　〃It　was　good　of　you　to　come　here。　　You've　run
some　risk。　　It's　none　too　safe　near　Bittermeads。　　But　I'm　glad　to
see　you；　Walter。　　It's　a　tremendous　relief　after　all　this　strain　of
doubt　and　watching　and　suspicion　to　be　with　some　one　I　know　　…　some
one　I　can　trust　…　some　one　like　you；　Walter。〃

In　the　darkness；　Walter　put　out　his　hand　and　took　Dunn's　and　held
it　for　a　moment。

〃I　have　been　anxious　about　you；〃　he　said。　　Dunn　returned　the
pressure　warmly。

〃I　know；〃　he　said。　　〃Jove；　old　chap；　it's　good　to　see　you　again。
You　don't　know　what　it's　like　after　all　this　long　time；　feeling　that
every　step　was　a　step　in　the　dark；　to　be　at　last　with　a　real　friend
again。〃

〃I　think　I　can　guess；〃　Walter　said　softly。

Dunn　shook　his　head。

〃No　one　could；〃　he　said。　　〃I　tell　you　I've　doubted；　distrusted；
suspected　till　I　wasn't　sure　of　my　own　shadow。　　Well；　that's　all
over　now。　　Tomorrow　we　can　act。〃

〃Tell　me　what　I'm　to　do；〃　Walter　Dunsmore　said。

〃There's　a　whole　lot　I　don't　understand　yet；〃　Dunn　continued　slowly。
〃I　suppose　it　was　that　that　was　making　me　feel　so　jolly　down　before
you　came。　　I　don't　feel　sure　somehow　…　not　sure。　　Deede　Dawson　is
such　a　cunning　brute。　　He　seems　to　have　laid　his　whole　hand　bare；
and　yet　there　may　be　cards　up　his　sleeve　still。　　Besides；　his　plan
he　told　me　about　seems　so　bald。　　And　I　don't　understand　why　he
should　think　he　is　so　sure　of　what　I　　…　　I　mean；　of　what　Rupert
　…　it's　a　bit　confusing　to　have　a　double　identity　…　is　going　to　do。
He　says　he　is　sure　Rupert　Dunsmore　is　to　be　at　the　Brook　Bourne
Spring　tomorrow　at　four。　　He　says　his　information　is　certain；　and
that　he　has　full　knowledge　of　what　Rupert　Dunsmore　is　going　to　do；
which　is　more　than　I　have。　　But　what　can　it　be　that's　making　him
so　sure？〃

〃That's　probably　simple　enough；〃　said　Walter。　　〃You　said　you
suspected　there　was　a　leakage　from　Burns　&　Swift's　office；　and　you
told　Burns　to　make　misleading　statements　about　your　movements
occasionally　when　he　was　dictating　his　letters。　　Well；　I　expect　this
is　one。〃

〃That　may　be；　only　Deede　Dawson　seems　so　very　sure；〃　answered　Dunn。
〃But　what's　specially　important　is　his　saying　that　his　employer；
whoever　it　is；　who　is　behind　all　this；　will　be　there　too。〃

〃A　meeting？　　Is　that　it？〃　exclaimed　Walter。

〃No；　that's　not　the　idea；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃You　see；　the　idea　is
that　Rupert　Dunsmore　will　be　there　at　four；　and　that　I'm　to　be
there　in　ambush　to　murder　myself。　　Whoever　is　behind　all　this　will
be　there　too　…　to　see　I　carry　out　my　work　properly。　　And　that　gives
us　our　chance。〃

〃Oh；　that's　good；〃　exclaimed　Walter。　　〃We　shall　have　him　for
certain。〃

〃That's　what　I　want　you　to　see　to；〃　said　Dunn。　　〃I　want　you　to　have
men　you　can　trust　well　hidden　all　round；　ready　to　collar　him。　　And
I　want　you　to　have　all　the　roads　leading　to　Ottam's　Wood　well
watched　and　every　one　going　along　them　noted。　　You　understand？〃

〃That's　quite　easy；〃　declared　Walter。　　〃I　can　promise　not　a　soul
will　get　into　Ottam's　Wood　without　being　seen；　and　I'll　make　very
sure　indeed　of　getting　hold。　　of　any　one　hiding　anywhere　near　Brook
Bourne　Spring。　　And　once　we've　done　that　…　once　we　know　who　it　is　…　〃

〃Yes；〃　agreed　Dunn。　　〃We　shall　be　all　right　then。　　That　is　the　one
thing　necessary　to　know　…　the　key　move　to　the　problem　…　the
identity　of　who　it　is　pulling　the　strings。　　He　must　be　a　clever
beggar；　anyhow；　I　mean　to　see　him　hang　for　it　yet。〃

〃I　daresay　he's　clever；〃　agreed　Walter。　　〃He　is　playing　for　big
stakes。　　Anyhow；　we'll　have　him　tomorrow　all　right；　that　seems
certain　…　at　last。〃

〃At　last；〃　agreed　Dunn；　with　a　long…drawn　sigh。　　〃Ugh！　　it's　all
been　such　a　nightmare。　　It's　been　pretty　awful；　knowing　there　was
some　one　…　not　able　to　guess　who。　　Ever　since　you　discovered　that
first　attempt；　ever　since　we　became　certain　there　was　a　plot　going
on　to　clear　out　every　one　in　succession　to　the　Chobham　estates　…
and　that　was　jolly　plain；　though　the　fools　of　police　did　babble
about　no　evidence；　as　if　pistol　bullets　come　from　nowhere　and
poisoned　cups　of　tea　…　〃

〃Ah；　I　was　to　blame　there；　that　was　my　fault；〃　said　Walter。　　〃You
see；　we　had　no　proof　about　the　shooting；　and　when　I　had　spilt　that
tea；　no　proof　of　poison　either。　　I　shall　always　regret　that。〃

〃A　bit　of　bad　luck；〃　Dunn　agreed。　　〃But　accidents　will　happen。
Anyhow；　it　was　clear　enough　some　one　was　trying　to　make　a　jolly
clear　sweep。　　It　may　be　a　madman；　it　may　be　some　one　with　a　grudge
against　us；　it　may　be；　as　poor　Charley　thought；　some　one　in　the
line　of　succession；　who　is　just　clearing　the　way　to　inherit　the
title　and　estates　himself。　　I　wish　I　knew　what　made　Charley
suspicious　of　Deede　Dawson　in　the　first　place。〃

〃You　don't　know　that？〃　Walter　asked。

〃No；　he　never　told　me；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃Poor　Charley；　it　cost　him
his　life。　　That's　another　thing　we　must　find　out　…　where　they've
hidden　his　body。〃

〃He　was　sure　from　the　first；〃　remarked　Walter；　〃that　it　was　a
conspiracy　on　the　part　of　some　one　in　the　line　of　succession？〃

〃Yes；〃　agreed　Dunn。　　〃It's　likely　enough；　too。　　You　see；　ever　since
that　big　family　row　and　dispersion　eighty　years　ago；　a　whole　branch
of　the　family　has　been　entirely　lost　sight　of。　　There　may　be　half　a
dozen　possible　heirs　we　know　nothing　about。　　Like　poor　John　Clive。
I　daresay　if　we　had　known　of　his　existence　we　should　have　begun　by
suspecting　him。〃

〃There's　one　thing　pretty　sure；〃　remarked　Walter。　　〃If　these
pleasant　little　arrangements　did　succeed；　it　would　be　a　fairly　safe
guess　that　the　inheritor　of　the　title　and　estates　was　the　guilty
person。　　It　might　be　brought　home　to　him；　too。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　agreed　Dunn　dryly。　　〃But　just　a　trifle　too　late　to
interest　me　for　one。　　And　I　don't　mean　to　let　the　dad　or　uncle　be
sacrificed　if　I　can　help　it。　　I　failed　with　Clive；　poor　fellow；　but
I　don't　mean　to　again；　and　I　don't　see　how　we　can。　　Deede　Dawson
has　exposed　his　hand。　　Now　we　can　play　ours。〃

〃But　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃　Walter　asked。　　〃Are　you　going　to
follow　out　his　instructions？〃

〃To　the　letter；〃　Dunn　answered。　　〃We　are　dealing　with　very　wary；
suspicious　people；　and　the　least　thing　　might　make　them　take　alarm。
The　important　point；　f　course；　is　the　promise　that　Deede　Dawson's
employer　will　be　at　Brook　Bourne　Spring　tomorrow　afternoon。　　That's
our　trump　card。　　Everything　bangs　on　that。　　And　to　make　sure　there's
no　hitch；　I　shall　do　exactly　what　I've　been　told　to　do。　　I　expect
I　shall　be　watched。　　I　shall　be　there　at　four　o'clock；　and　ten
minutes　after　I　hope　we　shall　have　laid　hands　on　…　whoever　it　is。〃

Walter　nodded。

〃I　don't　see　how　we　can　fail；〃　he　said。


CHAPTER　XXIV

AN　APHORISM


〃No；〃　Dunn　agreed　after　a　long　pause。　　〃No；　I　don't　see　myself　how
failure　is　possible；　I　don't　see　what　there　is　to　go　wrong。　　All　the
same；　I　shan't　be　sorry　when　it's　all　over；　I　suppose　I'm　nervous；
that's　the　truth　of　it。　　But　Deede　Dawson's　hardly　the　sort　of　man
I　should　have　expected　to　lay　all　his　cards　on　the　table　so　openly。〃

〃Oh；　I　think　that's　natural　enough；〃　answered　Walter。　　〃Quite
natural　…　he　thinks　you　are　in　with　him　and　he　tells　you　what　he
wants　you　to　do。　　But　I　don't　quite　see　the　object　of　your　visit　to
the　Abbey　the　other　day。　　You　gave　me　the　shock　of　my　life；　I　think。
I　hadn't　the　least　idea　who　you　were　…　that　beard　makes　a　wonderful
difference。〃

Dunn　laughed　quietly。

〃It's　a　good　disguise；〃　he　admitted。　　〃I　didn't　quite　know　myself
first　time　I　looked　in　a　mirror。　　We　went　to　the　Abbey　to　prepare
for　a　burglary　there。〃

〃Oh；　is　that　on　the　cards；　too？〃　exclaimed　Walter。　　〃I　didn't　expect
that。〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃My　own　idea　is　that　Deede　Dawson　sees　an
opportunity　for　making　a　bit　on　his　own。　　After　all　of　us　are
disposed　of　and　his　friend　has　got　the　title　and　estates；　he　won't
dare　to　prosecute　of　course；　and　so　Deede　Dawson　thinks　it　a　good
opportunity　to　visit　the　Abbey　and　pick　up　any　pictures　or　heirlooms
or　so…so　he　can　that　it　would　be　almost　impossible　to　dispose　of　in
the　ordinary　way；　but　that　he　expects　he　will　be　able　to　sell　back
at　a　good　price　to　the　new　owner　of　the　property。　　I　think　he
calculates　that　that　gentleman　will　be　ready　to　pay　as　much　as　he
is　asked。　　I　don't　know；　but　I　think　that's　his　idea　from　something
he　said　the　other　day　about　the　uselessness　of　even　good　stuff　from
a　big　house　unless　you　knew　of　a　sure　market；　or　could　sell　it　back
again　to　the　owner。〃

〃Jolly　clever　idea　if　it　works　all　right；〃　said　Walter　slowly。　　〃I
can　see　Mr。　Deede　Dawson　is　a　man　who　needs　watching。　　And　I　suppose
we　had　better　be　on　the　look…out　at　the　Abbey　tomorrow　night？〃

〃Evening；〃　corrected　Dunn。　　〃It's　planned　for　the　dinner…hour。〃

〃Right；〃　said　Walter。　　〃We　shall　see　some　crowded　hours　tomorrow；　I
expect。　　Well；　it's　like　this；　as　I　understand　it　…　we　had　better　be
sure　everything　is　quite　clear。　　Their　idea　is　that　you　will　meet
and　murder　Rupert　Dunsmore；　who　they　have　no　notion　is　really　your
own　self；　at　Brook　Bourne　Spring　at　four　tomorrow　afternoon；　and　the
unknown　somebody　who　is　behind　all　this　business　will　be　in　hiding
there　to　make　sure　you　do　your　work　properly。　　Our　idea　is　to　watch
all　the　roads　leading　to　Ottam's　Wood　and　to　have　men　in　ambush　near
the　spring　to　seize　any　one　hiding　there　at　that　time。　　Then　we　shall
know　who　is　at　the　bottom　of　all　these　plots　and　shall　be　able　to
smash　the　whole　conspiracy。　　In　addition；　Deede　Dawson　and　this　other
man　you　speak　of；　Allen；　are　going　to　break　into　the　Abbey　tomorrow
evening　and　we　are　to　be　ready　for　them　and　catch　them　in　the　act？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Dunn；　〃that's　the　idea；　you　can　manage　all　right？〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　answered　Walter。　　〃It's　all　simple　enough　…　you've
planned　it　out　so　jolly　well　there's　nothing　much　left　for　me　to
do。　　And　I　don't　see　what　you're　nervous　about；　there's　nothing
that　can　go　wrong　very　well　…　your　plans　are　perfect；　I　think。〃

〃It's　easy　enough　to　make　plans　when　you　know　just　what　the　other
side　are　going　to　do；〃　observed　Dunn。　　〃There's　one　point　more。
Miss　Cayley　…　I　mentioned　her　in　one　of　the　notes　I　sent　you　through
Burns。〃

〃Yes；　I　remember　…　Deede　Dawson's　step…daughter；〃　said　Walter。　　〃I
suppose　she