the bittermeads mystery-第27部分

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circumstances　would　have　found　the　walk　agreeable　enough。　　It
was　a　little　curious　that　as　he　proceeded　on　his　way　his　chief
preoccupation　seemed　to　shift　from　his　immediate　errand　and　intense
eagerness　to　discover　the　identity　of　his　unknown　foe；　with　whom　he
hoped　to　stand　face　to　face　so　soon；　to　a　troubled　and　pressing
anxiety　about　Ella。

Up　till　now　he　had　not　thought　it　likely　that　she　was　in　the　least
real　danger。　　He　knew　Simmonds；　the　man　Walter　had　promised　to　put
on　watch　at　Bittermeads；　and　knew　him　to　be　capable　and　trustworthy。
None　the　less；　his　uneasiness　grew　and　strengthened　with　every　mile
he　traversed；　till　presently　her　situation　seemed　to　him　the　one
weak　link　in　his　careful　plans。

That　the　trap　the　unknown　had　so　carefully　laid　for　himself　to　be
taken　in；　would　assuredly　and　securely　close　upon　him；　Dunn　felt
certain　enough。　　Walter　would　see　to　that。　　Sure　was　it；　too；　that
the　enterprise　Deede　Dawson　had　planned　for　himself　and　Allen　at
the　Abbey　must　result　in　their　discomfiture　and　capture。　　Walter
would　see　to　that　also。　　But　concerning　Ella's　position　doubt　would
insist　on　intruding；　till　at　last　he　decided　that　the　very　moment
the　Brook　Bourne　Spring　business　was　satisfactorily　finished　with
he　would　hurry　at　his　best　speed　to　Bittermeads　and　make　sure　of
her　safety。

Absorbed　in　these　uneasy　thoughts；　he　had　insensibly　slackened
speed；　and　looking　at　his　watch　he　saw　that　it　was　two　o'clock；　and
that　he　was　still；　by　the　milestone　at　the　roadside；　eight　miles
from　his　destination。

He　wished　to　be　there　a　little　before　the　time　arranged　for　him　by
Deede　Dawson；　and　he　increased　his　pace　till　he　came　to　a　spot
where　the　path　he　had　to　take　branched　off　from　the　road　he　had
been　following。　　At　this　spot　a　heavy　country　lad　was　sitting　on
a　gate　by　the　wayside；　and　as　Dunn　approached　he　clambered　heavily
down　and　slouched　forward　to　meet　him。

〃Be　you　called　Robert　Dunn；　mister？〃　he　asked。

Dunn　gave　him　a　quick　and　suspicious　look；　much　startled　by　this
sudden　recognition　in　so　lonely　a　spot。

〃Yes；　I　am；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment's　hesitation。　　〃Why？〃

〃If　you　are；　there's　this　as　I'm　to　give　you；〃　the　lad　answered；
drawing　a　note　from　his　pocket。

〃Oh；　who　gave　you　that？〃　Dunn　asked；　fully　persuaded　the　note
contained　some　final　instructions　from　Deede　Dawson　and　wondering
if　this　lad　were　one　of　his　agents　in　disguise；　or　merely　some
inhabitant　of　the　district　hired　for　the　one　purpose　of
delivering　the　letter。

But　the　lad's　drawled　reply　disconcerted　him　greatly。

〃A　lady；〃　he　said。　　〃A　real　lady　in　a　big　car；　she　told　me　to　wait
here　and　give　you　this。　　All　alone　she　was；　and　drove　just　like　a
man。〃

He　handed　the　letter　over　as　he　spoke；　and　Dunn　saw　that　it　was
addressed　to　him　in　his　name　of　Robert　Dunn　in　Ella's　writing。
He　blinked　at　it　in　very　great　surprise；　for　there　was　nothing　he
expected　less；　and　he　did　not　understand　how　she　knew　so　well
where　he　would　be　or　how　she　had　managed　to　get　away　from
Bittermeads　uninterfered　with　by　Deede　Dawson。

His　first　impulse　was　to　suspect　some　new　trap；　some　new　and
cunning　trap　that；　perhaps；　the　unconscious　Ella　was　being　used
to　bait。　　Taking　the　letter　from　the　boy；　he　said：

〃How　did　you　know　it　was　for　me？〃

〃Lady　told　me；〃　answered　the　boy　grinning。　　〃She　said　as　I　was　to
look　out　for　a　chap　answering　to　the　name　of　Robert　Dunn；　with　his
face　so　covered　with　hair　you　couldn't　see　nothing　of　it　no　more'n
you　can　see　a　sheep's　back　for　wool　As　soon　as　I　set　eye　on　'ee；
says　I　　…　　'That's　him；'　I　says；　and　so　'twas。〃

He　grinned　again　and　slouched　away　and　Dunn　stood　still；　holding
the　letter　in　his　hand　and　not　opening　it　at　first。　　It　was　almost
as　though　he　feared　to　do　so；　and　when　at　last　he　tore　the　envelope
open　it　was　with　a　hand　that　trembled　a　little　in　spite　of　all
that　he　could　do。　　For　there　was　something　about　this　strange
communication　and　the　means　adopted　to　deliver　it　to　him　that　struck
him　as　ominous　in　the　extreme。　　Some　sudden　crisis　must　have　arisen；
he　thought；　and　it　appeared　to　him　that　Ella's　knowledge　of　where
to　find　him　implied　a　knowledge　of　Deede　Dawson's　plans　that　meant
she　was　either　his　willing　and　active　agent　and　accomplice；　or　else
she　had　somehow　acquired　a　knowledge　of　her　stepfather's　proceedings
that　must　make　her　position　a　thousand　times　more　critical　and
dangerous　than　before。

He　flung　the　envelope　aside　and　began　to　read　the　contents。　　It
opened　abruptly；　without　any　form　of　address；　and　it　was　written　in
a　hand　that　showed　plain　signs　of　great　distress　and　agitation：　
〃You　are　in　great　danger。　　I　don't　know　what。　　I　heard　them　talking。
They　spoke　as　though　something　threatened　you；　something　you　could
not　escape。　　Be　careful；　very　careful。　　You　asked　me　once　if　I　had
ever　heard　a　man　with　a　high；　squeaky　voice；　and　I　did　not　answer。
It　was　to　a　man　with　a　voice　like　that　I　gave　the　packing…case　I
took　away　from　here　the　night　you　came。　　Do　you　remember？　　He　was
here　all　last　night；　I　think。　　I　saw　him　go　very　early。　　He　is　Mr。
Walter　Dunsmore。　　I　saw　him　that　day　at　Wreste　Abbey；　and　I　knew　I
had　seen　him　before。　　This　morning　I　recognized　him。　　I　am　sure
because　he　hurt　his　hand　on　the　packing…case　lid；　and　I　saw　the　mark
there　still。　　He　and　my　stepfather　were　talking　all　night；　I　think
I　couldn't　hear　everything。　　There　is　a　General　Dunsmore。　　Something
is　to　happen　to　him　at　three　o'clock　and　then　to　you　later；　and　they
both　laughed　a　great　deal　because　they　think　you　will　be　blamed　for
whatever　happens　to　General　Dunsmore。　　He　is　to　be　enticed　somewhere
to　meet　you；　but　you　are　not　to　be　there　till　four；　too　late。　　I　am
afraid；　more　afraid　than　ever　I　have　been。　　What　shall　I　do？　　I
think　they　are　making　plans　to　do　something　awful。　　I　don't　know
what　to　do。　　I　think　my　stepfather　suspects　I　know　something；　he
keeps　looking；　looking；　smiling　all　the　time。　　Please　come　back　and
take　mother　and　me　away；　for　I　think　he　means　to　kill　us　both。〃

There　was　no　signature；　but　written　like　an　afterthought　across　one
corner　of　the　note　were　the　scribbled　words：

〃You　told　me　something　once；　I　don't　know　if　you　meant　it。〃　　And
then；　underneath；　was　the　addition　　…　〃He　never　stops　smiling。〃

Twice　over　Dunn　read　this　strange；　disturbing　message；　and　then　a
third　time；　and　he　made　a　little　gesture　of　annoyance　for　it　did
not　seem　to　him　that　the　words　he　read　made　sense；　or　else　it　was
that　his　brain　no　longer　worked　normally；　and　could　not　interpret
them。

〃Oh；　but　that's　absurd；〃　he　said　aloud。

He　looked　all　around　him；　surprised　to　see　that　the　face　of　the
country…side　had　not　changed　in　any　way；　but　was　all　just　as　it　had
been　before　this　letter　had　been　put　into　his　hands。

He　began　to　read　a　third；　but　stopped　half…way　through　the　first
sentence。

〃Then　it's　Walter　all　the　time；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Walter　…　Walter！〃



CHAPTER　XXVI

A　RACE　AGAINST　TIME


Even　when　he　had　said　this　aloud　it　was　still　as　though　he　could　not
grasp　its　full　meaning。

〃Walter；〃　he　repeated　vaguely。　　〃Walter。〃

His　thoughts；　that　had　seemed　as　frozen　by　the　sudden　shock　of　the
tremendous　revelation　so　unconsciously　made　to　him　by　Ella；　began
to　stir　and　move　again；　and　almost　at　once；　with　an　extraordinary
and　abnormal　rapidity。

As　a　drowning　man　is　said　to　see　flash　before　his　eyes　the　whole
history　and　record　of　his　life；　so　now　Dunn　saw　the　whole　story　of
his　life…long　friendship　with　Walter　pictured　before　him。

For　when　he　was　very　small；　Walter　had　been　to　him　like　an　elder
brother；　and　when　he　was　older；　it　was　Walter　who　had　taught　him　to
ride　and　to　shoot；　to　hunt　and　to　fish；　and　when　he　was　at　school
it　was　Walter　to　whom　he　looked　up　as　the　dashing　young　man　of　the
world；　who　knew　all　life's　secrets；　and　when　he　was　at　college　it
was　Walter　who　had　helped　him　out　of　the　inevitable　foolish　scrapes
into　which　it　is　the　custom　of　the　undergraduate　to　fall。

Then；　when　he　had　come　to　man's　estate；　Walter　had　still　been　his
confidential　friend　and　adviser。　　In　Walter's　hand　he　had　been
accustomed　to　leave　everything　during　his　absences　on　his　hunting
and　exploring　trips；　and　at　what　time　during　this　long　and　kindly
association　of　good…fellowship　had　such　black　hate　and　poison　of
envy　bred　in　Walter's　heart？

〃Walter！〃　he　said　aloud　once　more；　and　he　uttered　the　name　as　though
it　were　a　cry　of　anguish。

Yet；　too；　even　in　his　utter　bewilderment　and　surprise；　it　seemed
strange　to　him　that　he　had　never　once　suspected；　never　dreamed；
never　once　had　the　shadow　of　a　suspicion。

Little　things；　trifling　things；　a　word；　an　accent；　a　phrase　that
had　passed　at　the　time　for　a　lest；　a　thousand　such　memories　came
back　to　him　now　with　a　new　and　terrible　significance。

For；　after　all；　Walter　was　in　the　direct　line。　　Only　just　a　few
lives　stood　between　him　and　a　great　inheritance；　a　great　position。
Perhaps　long　brooding　on　what　might　so　easily　be　had　made　him　mad。

Dunn　remembered　now；　too；　that　it　was　Walter　who　had　discovered　that
first　murderous　attempt　which　had　first　put　them　on　their　guard；　but
perhaps　he　had　discovered　it　only　because　he　knew　of　it；　and　when　it
failed；　saw　his　safest　plan　was　to　be　foremost　in　tracking　it　out。

And　it　was　Walter　who　had　last　seen　poor　Charley　Wright　alone；　and
far　from　Bittermeads。　　But　perhaps　that　was　a　lie　to　confuse　the
search　for　the　missing　man；　and　a　reason　why　that　search　had　failed
so　utterly　up　to　the　moment　of　Dunn's　own　grim　discovery　in　the
attic。

With　yet　a　fresh　shock　so　that　he　reeled　as　he　stood　with　the　impact
of　the　thought；　Dunn　realized　that　all　this　implied　that　every　one
of　his　precautions　had　been　rendered　futile　that　of　all　his　elaborate
plans　not　one　would　take　effect　since　all　had　been　entrusted　to　the
care　of　the　very　man　against　whom　they　were　aimed。

It　was　Walter　for　whom　the　net　had　been　laid　in　Ottam's　Wood；　and
Walter　to　whom　had　been　entrusted　the　task　of　drawing　that　net　tight
at　the　right　moment。

It　was　Walter's　friends　and　agents　who　were　to　break　into　Wreste
Abbey；　and　Walter　to　whom　had　been　entrusted　the　task　of　defeating
and　capturing　them。　　It　was　Wal