the bittermeads mystery-第26部分

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Burns。〃

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

〃She　is　not；　she　knows　nothing；〃　declared　Dunn　vehemently。

〃But　it　was　she　who　took　away　poor　Charley's　body；　wasn't　it？〃　asked
Walter。　　〃But　for　that　you　would　have　had　evidence　enough　to　act　on
at　once；　wouldn't　you？〃

〃She　did　not　know　what　she　was　doing；〃　Dunn　replied。　　〃And　now　she
is　in　danger　herself。　　I　am　convinced　Deede　Dawson　is　growing　afraid
of　her；　he　dropped　hints；　I'm　sure　he　is　planning　something；　perhaps
he　means　to　murder　her　as　well。　　So　besides　these　other　arrangements
I　want　to　see　that　there's　a　trustworthy　man　watching　here。　　I　don't
anticipate　that　there's　any　immediate　danger　…　it's　almost　certain
that　if　he　means　anything　he　will　wait　till　he　sees　how　this　other
business　is　turning　out。　　But　I　want　some　one　trustworthy　to　be　at
hand　in　case　of　need。　　You　will　see　to　that？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　can　spare　Simmonds；　I'll　send　him；〃　answered　Walter。
〃Though；　I　must　say；　my　dear　chap；　I　don't　think　I　should　trouble
much　about　that　young　lady。　　But　it　can　be　easily　managed；　in　fact
everything　you　want　me　to　do　is　easy　enough；　I　only　wish　some　of
it　was　a　bit　difficult　or　dangerous。〃

〃You're　a　good　chap；　Walter；〃　said　Dunn；　putting　his　hand　on　the
other's　　shoulder　again。　　〃Well；　I　think　it's　all　settled　now。　　I
tell　you　I'm　looking　forward　a　good　deal　to　four　o'clock　tomorrow
afternoon。　　I　feel　as　if　I　would　give　all　I　possess　to　know　who　it
is。〃

〃Don't　make　that　offer；〃　Waiter　said　with　a　smile；　〃or　the　fates
may　accept　it。〃

〃I　feel　as　though　there's　only　one　thing　in　the　world　I　want　one
half　so　much；〃　Dunn　said。　　〃As　to　know　who　this　…　devil　is。〃

〃Devil？〃　repeated　Walter。　　〃Well；　yes；　devil's　a　word　like　any
other。〃

〃I　think　it's　justified　in　this　case；〃　said　Dunn　sternly。　　〃Poor
Charley　Wright　dead！　　One　thing　I　can't　understand　about　that　is
how　they　got　him　back　here　when　you　saw　him　in　London　when　you　did。
But　they're　a　cunning　lot。　　They　must　have　worked　it　somehow。　　Then
Clive。　　I　feel　to　blame　for　Clive's　death　…　as　if　I　ought　to　have
managed　better　and　saved　him。　　Now　there's　this　other　devilry　they
are　planning。　　I　tell　you；　Walter；　I　feel　the　whole　world　will　be
a　sweeter　place　after　four　o'clock　tomorrow　afternoon。〃

〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Walter；　〃I　think　we　may　be　sure　of　one　thing
　…　after　four　o'clock　tomorrow　afternoon　you　will　know　all　…　all。〃
He　paused　and　repeated；　slightly　varying　the　phrase：　〃Yes；　after　four
o'clock　tomorrow　afternoon　you　will　know　everything　　…　everything。〃
He　added　in　a　brisker　tone：　〃There's　nothing　else　to　arrange？〃

〃No；〃　said　Dunn；　〃I　don't　think　so；　and　I　had　better　go　now　or
Deede　Dawson　will　be　suspecting　something。　　He'll　want　to　know　what
I've　been　stopping　out　so　late　for。　　Good…bye；　old　chap；　and　good
luck。〃

They　shook　hands。

〃Good…bye　and　good　luck；　Rupert；　old　man；〃　Walter　said。　　〃You　may
depend　on　me　…　you　know　that。〃

〃Yes；　I　do　know　that；〃　Dunn　answered。

They　shook　hands　again；　and　Dunn　said：　〃You've　hurt　your　hand。　　It's
tied　up。　　Is　it　anything　much？〃

〃No；　no；〃　answered　Walter　with　a　little　laugh。　　〃A　mere　scratch。　　I
scratched　it　on　a　bit　of　wood；　a　lid　that　didn't　fit　properly。〃

〃Well；　good…bye　and　good　luck；〃　Dunn　said　again；　and　they　parted；
Walter　disappearing　into　the　darkness　and　Dunn　returning　to　the
house。

Deede　Dawson　heard　him　enter；　and　he　came　to　the　door　of　the　room
in　which　he　had　been　sitting。

〃Oh；　there　you　are；〃　he　said。　　〃Been　enjoying　the　night　air　or
what？　　You've　been　a　long　time。〃

〃I've　been　thinking；〃　Dunn　muttered　in　the　heavy；　sulky　manner　he
always　assumed　at　Bittermeads。

〃Not　weakening；　eh？〃　asked　Deede　Dawson。

〃No；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃I'm　not。〃

〃Good；〃　Deede　Dawson　exclaimed。　　〃There's　a　lot　to　win；　and　no
fear　of　failure。　　I　don't　see　that　failure's　possible。　　Do　you？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃I　suppose　not。〃

〃The　mate's　sure　this　time；〃　Deede　Dawson　declared。　　〃It's　our
turn　to　move；　and　whatever　reply　the　other　side　makes；　we're　sure
of　our　mate　next　move。　　By　the　way；　did　you　ever　solve　that　problem
I　showed　you　the　other　day？〃

〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃It　was　a　long　time　before　I
could　hit　on　the　right　move；　but　I　managed　it　at　last；　I　think。〃

〃Come　and　show　me；　then；〃　said　Deede　Dawson；　bustling　back　into
his　room　and　beginning　to　set　up　the　pieces　on　his　travelling
chess…board。　　〃This　was　the　position；　wasn't　it？　　Now；　what's　your
move？〃

Dunn　showed　him；　and　Deede　Dawson　burst　into　a　laugh　that　had　in
it　for　once　a　touch　of　honest　enjoyment。

〃Yes；　that　would　do　it；　but　for　one　thing　you　haven't　noticed；〃　he
said。　　〃Black　can　push　the　pawn　at　KB7　and　make　it；　not　a　queen；　but
a　knight；　giving　check　to　your　king　and　no　mate　for　you　next　move。〃

〃Yes；　that's　so；〃　agreed　Dunn。　　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that。〃

〃Unexpected；　eh？　　Making　the　pawn　a　knight？〃　smiled　Deede　Dawson。
〃But　in　chess；　and　in　life；　it's　the　unexpected　you　have　to　look
out　for。〃

〃That's　quite　an　aphorism；〃　said　Dunn。　　〃It's　true；　too。〃

He　went　up　to　bed；　but　did　not　sleep　well；　and　when　at　last　he　fell
into　a　troubled　slumber；　it　seemed　to　him　that　Charley　Wright　and
John　Clive　were　there；　one　on　each　side　of　him；　and　that　they　had
come；　not　because　they　sought　for　vengeance；　but　because　they　wished
to　warn　him　of　a　doom　like　their　own　that　they　could　see　approaching
but　he　could　not。

Toward's　morning　he　got　an　hour's　sound　rest；　and　he　was　down　stairs
in　good　time。　　He　did　not　see　Ella；　but　he　heard　her　moving　about；
so　knew　that　she　was　safe　as　yet；　and　Deede　Dawson　gave　him　some
elaborate　parting　instructions；　a　little　money；　and　a　loaded
revolver。

〃I　don't　know　that　I　want　that；〃　said　Dunn。　　〃My　hands　will　be　all
I　need　once　I'm　face　to　face　with　Rupert　Dunsmore。〃

〃That's　the　right　spirit；〃　said　Deede　Dawson　approvingly。　　〃But　the
pistol　may　be　useful　too。　　You　needn't　use　it　if　you　can　manage
without；　but　you　may　as　well　have　it。　　Good…bye；　and　the　best　of
luck。　　Take　care　of　yourself；　and　don't　lose　your　head　or　do
anything　foolish。〃

〃Oh；　you　can　trust　me；〃　said　Dunn。

〃I　think　I　can；〃　smiled　Deede　Dawson。　　〃I　think　I　can。　　Good…bye。
Be　careful；　avoid　noise　and　fuss；　don't　be　seen　any　more　than　you
can　help；　and　if　you　shoot；　aim　low。〃

〃There's　a　vade　mecum　for　the　intending　assassin；〃　Dunn　thought
grimly　to　himself；　but　he　said　nothing；　gave　the　other　a　sullen
nod；　and　started　off　on　his　strange　and　weird　mission　of　murdering
himself。　　He　found　himself　wondering　if　any　one　else　had　ever　been
in　such　a　situation。　　He　did　not　suppose　so。



CHAPTER　XXV

THE　UNEXPECTED


To　the　very　letter　Dunn　followed　the　careful　and　precise
instructions　given　him　by　Deede　Dawson；　for　he　did　not　wish　to
rouse　in　any　way　the　slightest　suspicion　or　run　the　least　risk　of
frightening　off　that　unknown　instigator　of　these　plots　who　was；　it
had　been　promised　him；　to　be　present　near　Brook　Bourne　Spring　at
four　that　afternoon。

Even　the　thought　of　Ella　was　perhaps　less　clear　and　vivid　to　his
mind　just　now　than　was　his　intense　and　passionate　desire　to　discover
the　identity　of　the　strange　and　sinister　personality　against　whom　he
had　matched　himself。

〃Very　likely　it's　some　madman；〃　he　thought　to　himself。　　〃How　in　the
name　of　common　sense　can　he　expect　to　inherit　the　title　and　estates
quietly　after　such　a　series　of　crimes　as　he　seems　to　contemplate？
Does　he　think　no　one　will　have　any　suspicion　of　him　when　he　comes
forward？　　Even　if　he　is　successful　in　getting　rid　of　all　of　us　in
this　way；　how　does　he　expect　to　be　able　to　reap　his　reward？　　Of
course　he　may　think　that　there　will　be　no　direct　evidence　if　he
manages　cleverly　enough；　and　that　mere　suspicion　he　will　be　able　to
disregard　and　live　down　in　time；　but　surely　it　will　be　plain　enough
that　'who　benefits　is　guilty'？　　The　whole　thing　is　mad；　fantastic。
Why；　the　mere　fact　of　any　one　making　a　claim　to　the　title　and
estates　would　be　almost　enough　to　justify　a　jury　in　returning　a
verdict　of　guilty。〃

But　though　his　thoughts　ran　in　this　wise　all　the　time　he　was
journeying　to　London；　and　though　he　repeated　them　to　himself　over
and　over　again；　none　the　less　there　remained　an　uneasy　consciousness
in　his　mind　that　perhaps　these　people　had　plans　more　subtle　than　he
knew；　and　that　even　this　difficulty　of　making　their　claim　without
bringing　instant　suspicion　on　themselves　they　had　provided　for。

It　was　late　in　the　year　now；　but　the　day　was　warm　and　very　calm　and
fine。　　At　the　London　terminus　where　he　alighted　he　had　a　strong
feeling　that　he　was　watched；　and　when　he　took　the　train　back　to
Delsby　he　still　had　the　idea　that　he　was　being　kept　under
observation。

He　felt　he　had　been　wise　in　deciding　to　carry　out　Deede　Dawson's
instructions　so　closely；　for　he　was　sure　that　if　he　had　failed　to
do　so　in　any　respect　alarm　would　have　been　taken　at　once；　and
warning　telegrams　gone　flying　on　the　instant　to　all　concerned。
Then　that　self…baited　trap　at　Brook　Bourne　Spring；　wherein　he　hoped
to　see　his　enemy　taken；　would　remain　unapproached；　and　all　his
work　and　risk　would　have　gone　for　nothing。

When　he　alighted　at　his　destination　he　was　a　little　before　time；
and　so　he　got　himself　something　to　eat　at　a　small　public…house　near
the　station　before　starting　on　his　fifteen…mile　walk　across　country。
Though　he　was　not　sure；　he　did　not　think　any　one　was　observing　him
now。　　Most　likely　his　movements　up　to　the　present　had　appeared
satisfactory；　and　it　had　not　been　thought　necessary　to　watch　him
longer。

But　he　was　careful　to　do　nothing　to　rouse　suspicion　if　he　were
still　being　spied　upon；　and　after　he　had　eaten　and　had　a　smoke　he
started　off　on　his　long　tramp。

Even　yet　he　was　careful；　and　so　long　as　he　was　near　the　village　he
made　a　show　of　avoiding　observation　as　much　as　possible。　　Later　on；
when　he　had　made　certain　he　was　not　being　followed；　he　did　not
trouble　so　much；　though　he　still　kept　it　in　mind　that　any　one　he
met　or　passed　might　well　be　in　fact　one　of　Deede　Dawson's　agents。

He　walked　on　sharply　through　the　crisp　autumn　air；　and　in　other
circumstances　would　have　found　the　walk　agreeable　enough。　　It
was　a　little