the bittermeads mystery-第32部分

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Dawson's　cold　eyes　that　he　hesitated　and　lowered　the　weapon；　and　at
the　same　time；　looking　more　closely；　searching　more　intently　for
some　indication　of　Deede　Dawson's　hidden　purpose；　he　noticed；　caught
in　the　crack　of　the　wardrobe　door；　a　tiny　shred　of　some　blue　material
only　just　visible。

He　remembered　that　sometimes　of　an　afternoon　Ella　had　been　accustomed
to　wear　a　frock　made　of　a　material　exactly　like　that　of　which　so　tiny
a　fragment　showed　now　in　the　crack　of　the　wardrobe　door。



CHAPTER　XXX

SOME　EXPLANATIONS


He　turned　quickly　towards　Deede　Dawson。　　Their　eyes　met；　and　in　that
mutual　glance　Rupert　Dunsmore　read　that　his　suspicions　were　correct
and　Deede　Dawson　that　his　dreadful　trap　was　discovered。

Neither　spoke。　　For　a　brief　moment　they　remained　impassive；　immobile；
their　eyes　meeting　like　blows；　and　then　Deede　Dawson　made　one　spring
to　seize　again　the　revolver　he　had　laid　down　in　the　hope　of　enticing
Rupert　into　the　awful　snare　prepared　for　him。

But　quick　as　he　was；　Rupert　was　quicker　still；　and　as　Deede　Dawson
leaped　he　lifted　his　pistol　and　fired；　though　his　aim　was　not　at
the　man；　but　at　the　revolver　lying　on　the　top　of　the　roll　of　carpet
where　Deede　Dawson　had　placed　it。

The　bullet；　for　Rupert　was　a　man　who　seldom　missed；　struck　the
weapon　fair　and　whirled　it；　shattered　and　useless；　to　the　floor。
Deede　Dawson；　whose　hand　had　been　already　outstretched　to　seize　it；
drew　back　with　a　snarl　that　was　more　like　the　cry　of　a　trapped　wolf
than　any　sound　produced　from　human　lips。

Still；　Rupert　did　not　speak。　　With　the　smoking　pistol　in　his　hand
he　watched　silently　and　steadily　his　helpless　enemy　who；　for　his
part；　was　silent；　too；　and　very　still；　for　he　felt　that　doom　was
close　upon　him。

Yet　he　showed　not　the　least　sign　of　fear；　but　only　a　fierce　and
sullen　defiance。

〃Shoot　away；　why　don't　you　shoot？〃　he　sneered。　　〃Mind　you　don't　miss。
I　trusted　you　when　I　put　my　revolver　down　and　I　was　a　fool；　but　I
thought　you　would　play　fair。〃

Without　a　word　Rupert　tossed　his　pistol　through　the　attic　window。

They　heard　the　tinkling　fall　of　the　glass；　they　heard　more　faintly
the　sound　of　the　revolver　striking　the　outhouse　roof　twenty　feet
below　and　rebounding　thence　to　the　paved　kitchen　yard　beneath；　and
then　all　was　quiet　again。

〃I　only　need　my　hands　for　you；〃　said　Rupert　softly；　as　softly　as　a
mother　coos　to　her　drowsy　babe。　　〃My　hands　for　you。〃

For　the　first　time　Deede　Dawson　seemed　to　fear；　for；　indeed；　there
was　that　in　Rupert　Dunsmore's　eyes　to　rouse　fear　in　any　man。　　With
a　sudden　swift　spring；　Rupert　leaped　forward　and　Deede　Dawson；　not
daring　to　abide　that　onslaught；　turned　and　ran；　screaming　shrilly。

During　the　space　of　one　brief　moment；　a　dreadful　and　appalling
moment；　there　was　a　wild　strange　hunting　up　and　down　the　narrow
space　of　that　upper　attic；　cumbered　with　lumber　and　old；　disused
furniture。

Round　and　round　Deede　Dawson　fled；　screaming　still　in　a　high　shrill
way；　like　some　wild　thing　in　pain；　and　hard　upon　him　followed　Rupert；
nor　had　they　gone　a　second　time　about　that　room　before　Rupert　had
Deede　Dawson　in　a　fast　embrace；　his　arms　about　the　other's　middle。

One　last　great　cry　Deede　Dawson　gave　when　Rupert　seized　him；　and
then　was　silent　as　Rupert　lifted　him　and　swung　him　high　at　arm's
length。

As　a　child　in　play　sports　with　its　doll；　so　Rupert　swung　Deede
Dawson　twice　about　his　head；　round　and　round　and　then　loosed　him
so　that　he　went　hurling　through　the　air　with　awful　force；　like　a
stone　shot　from　a　catapult；　clean　through　the　window　through　which
Rupert　had　the　moment　before　tossed　his　pistol　with　but　little
more　apparent　effort。

Right　through　the　window；　bearing　panes　and　sash　with　him；　Deede
Dawson　flew　with　the　impetus　of　that　great　throw　and　out　beyond
and　down；　turning　over　and　over　the　while；　down　through　the　empty
air　to　fall　and　be　shattered　like　a　piece　of　worthless　crockery
on　the　stone　threshold　of　the　outhouse　door。

Surprised　to　find　himself　alone；　Rupert　put　his　hand　to　his
forehead　and　looked　vacantly　around。

〃My　God；　what　have　I　done？〃　he　thought。

He　was　trembling　violently；　and　the　fury　of　the　passion　that　had
possessed　him　and　had　given　his　mighty　muscles　a　force　more　than
human；　was　still　upon　him。

Going　to　the　window；　he　looked　out；　for　he　did　not　quite　know　what
had　happened　and　from　it　he　looked　back　at　the　wardrobe　door。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　he　said。　　〃Yes。〃

He　ran　to　it　and　tore　open　the　door　and　from　within　very　tenderly
and　gently　he　lifted　down　the　half…swooning　Ella　who；　securely
gagged　and　tightly　bound；　had　been　thrust　into　its　interior　to
conceal　her　from　him。

Hurriedly　he　freed　her　from　her　bonds　and　from　the　handkerchief　that
was　tied　over　her　mouth　and　holding　her　in　his　arms　like　a　child；
pressing　her　close　to　his　heart；　he　carried　her　lightly　out　of　that
dreadful　room。

Only　once　did　she　stir；　only　once　did　she　speak；　when　lifting　her
pale；　strained　face　to　him　she　murmured　very　faintly　something　in
which　he　just　caught　the　words　：　

〃Deede　Dawson。〃

〃He'll　trouble　us　no　more　nor　any　one　else；　I　think；〃　answered
Rupert；　and　she　said　no　more　but　snuggled　down　in　his　arms　as　though
with　a　feeling　of　perfect　security　and　safety。

He　took　her　to　her　own　room　and　left　her　with　her　mother；　and　then
went　down　to　the　hall　and　took　a　chair　and　sat　at　the　front　door。

All　at　once　he　felt　very　tired　and　one　of　his　shoulders　hurt　him；
for　he　had　strained　a　muscle　there　rather　badly。

His　one　desire　was　to　rest；　and　he　did　not　even　trouble　to　go　round
to　the　back　of　the　house　to　see　what　had　happened　to　Deede　Dawson；
though　indeed　that　was　not　a　point　on　which　he　entertained　much
doubt。

For　a　long　time　he　sat　there　quietly；　till　at　last　his　father
arrived　in　a　motor…car　from　Wreste　Abbey；　together　with　a
police…inspector　from　the　county　town　whom　he　had　picked　up　on
the　way。

Rupert　took　them　into　the　room　where　Deede　Dawson's　chessmen　and
the　board　were　still　standing　and　told　them　as　briefly　as　he　could
what　had　happened　since　the　first　day　when　he　had　left　his　home
to　try　to　trace　out　and　defeat　the　plot　hatched　by　Walter　Dunsmore
and　Deede　Dawson。

〃You　people　wouldn't　act；〃　he　said　to　the　inspector。　　〃You　said
there　was　no　evidence；　no　proof；　and　I　daresay　you　were　right
enough　from　the　legal　point　of　view。　　But　it　was　plain　enough　to
me　that　there　was　some　sort　of　conspiracy　against　my　uncle's　life；
I　thought　against　my　father's　as　well；　but　I　was　not　sure　of　that
at　first。　　It　was　through　poor　Charley　Wright　I　became　so　certain。
He　found　out　things　and　told　me　about　them；　but　for　him　the　first
attempt　to　poison　my　uncle　would　have　succeeded。　　Even　then　we
had　still　no　evidence　to　prove　the　reality　of　our　suspicions；　for
Walter　destroyed　it；　by　accident；　I　thought　at　the　time；　purposely；
as　I　know　now。　　It　was　something　Walter　said　that　gave　Charley　the
idea　of　coming　here。　　Then　he　vanished。　　He　must　have　roused　their
suspicions　somehow；　and　they　killed　him。　　But　again　Walter　put　us
all　off　the　scent　by　his　story　of　having　seen　Charley　in　London；
so　that　it　was　there　the　search　for　him　was　made；　and　no　one　ever
thought　of　Bittermeads。　　I　never　suspected　Walter；　such　an　idea
never　entered　my　head；　but　luckily　I　didn't　tell　him　of　my　idea　of
coming　to　Bittermeads　myself　to　try　to　find　out　what　was　really
going　on　here。　　He　knew　nothing　of　where　I　was　till　I　told　him　that
day　at　Wreste　Abbey；　then　of　course　he　came　over　here　at　once。　　I
thought　it　was　anxiety　for　my　safety；　but　I　expect　really　it　was
to　warn　his　friends。　　When　I　saw　him　here　that　night　I　told　him
every　single　thing；　I　trusted　the　carrying…out　of　everything　I　had
arranged　to　him。　　If　it　hadn't　been　for　a　note　Miss　Cayley　wrote
me　to　warn　me；　I　should　have　walked　right　into　the　trap　and　so　would
my　father　too。〃

The　police…inspector　asked　a　few　questions　and　then　made　a　search
of　the　room　which　resulted　in　the　discovery　of　quite　sufficient
proof　of　the　guilt　of　Deede　Dawson　and　of　Walter　Dunsmore。

Among　these　proofs　was　also　a　hastily…scribbled　note　from　Walter
that　solved　the　mystery　of　John　Clive's　death。　　It　was　not　signed；
but　both　General　Dunsmore　and　Rupert　knew　his　writing　and　were
prepared　to　swear　to　it。　　Beginning　abruptly　and　scribbled　on　a
torn　scrap　of　paper；　it　ran：
　
〃I　found　Clive　where　you　said；　lucky　you　got　hold　of　the　note　and
read　it　before　she　sent　it；　for　no　doubt　she　meant　to　warn　him。
Take　care　she　gets　no　chance　of　the　sort　again。　　I　did　Clive's
business　all　right。　　She　saw　me　and　I　think　recognized　me　from　that
time　she　saw　me　over　the　packing…case　business；　before　I　took　it
out　to　sink　it　at　sea。　　At　any　rate；　she　ran　off　in　a　great　hurry。
If　you　aren't　careful；　she'll　make　trouble　yet。〃

〃Apparently；〃　remarked　the　inspector　when　he　had　read　this　aloud；
〃the　young　lady　was　very　luckily　not　watched　closely　enough　and
did　make　trouble　for　them。　　Could　I　see　her；　do　you　think　？〃

〃I　don't　know；　I'll　go　and　ask；〃　Rupert　said。

Ella　was　still　very　shaken；　but　she　consented　to　see　the　inspector；
and　they　all　went　together　to　her　room　where　she　was　lying　on　her
bed　with　her　mother　fussing　nervously　about　her。

She　told　them　in　as　few　words　as　possible　the　story　of　how　she　had
always　disliked　and　mistrusted　the　man　whom　so　unfortunately　her
mother　had　married；　and　how　gradually　her　suspicions　strengthened
till　she　became　certain　that　he　was　involved　in　many　unlawful　deeds。

But　always　her　inner　certainty　had　fallen　short　of　absolute　proof；
so　careful　had　he　been　in　all　he　did。

〃I　knew　I　knew；〃　she　said。　　〃But　there　was　nothing　I　really　knew。
And　he　made　me　do　all　sorts　of　things　for　him。　　I　wouldn't　have
cared　for　myself；　but　if　I　tried　to　refuse　he　made　mother　suffer。
She　was　very；　very　frightened　of　him；　but　she　would　never　leave　him。
She　didn't　dare。　　There　was　one　night　he　made　me　go　very　late　with
a　packing…case　full　of　silver　things　he　had；　and　he　wouldn't　tell
me　where　he　had　got　them。　　I　believe　he　stole　them　all；　but　I　helped
him　pack　them；　and　I　took　them　away　the　night　Mr。　Dunsmore　came　and
gave　them　to　a　man　wearing　a　mask。　　My　stepfather　said　it　was　just　a
secret　family　matter　he