the bittermeads mystery-第6部分

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which　was　lying　close　to　his　hand　on　the　toilet…table；　and　though　in
point　of　actual　fact　this　jewellery　was　not　of　any　great　value；　it
was　exceedingly　precious　in　her　eyes；　and　she　did　not　understand　a
burglar　who　showed　no　eagerness　to　seize　on　it。

〃Did　you　want　to　see　Mr。　Dawson？〃　she　asked；　her　voice　more
confident　now　and　even　with　a　questioning　note　in　it。

〃Mr。　Dawson！　　Who's　he？〃　Dunn　asked；　disconcerted　by　the　question；
but　not　wishing　to　seem　so。

〃My　stepfather；　Mr。　Deede　Dawson；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　think　you　knew
that。　　If　you　want　him；　he　went　to　London　early　today；　but　I　think
it's　quite　likely　he　may　come　back　tonight。〃

〃What　should　I　want　him　for？〃　growled　Dunn；　more　and　more；
disconcerted；　as　he　saw　that　he　was　not　playing　his　part　too　well。

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　suppose　you　do。〃

〃You　suppose　a　lot；〃　he　retorted　roughly。　　〃Now　you　listen　to　me。
I　don't　want　to　hurt　you；　but　I　don't　mean　to　be　interfered　with。
I'm　going　over　the　house　to　see　what　I　can　find　that's　worth
taking。　　Understand？〃

〃Oh；　perfectly；〃　she　said。

She　was　watching　him　closely；　and　she　noticed　that　he　still　made　no
attempt　to　take　possession　of　her　jewellery；　though　it　lay　at　his
hand；　and　that　puzzled　her　very　much；　indeed；　for　she　supposed　the
very　first　thing　a　burglar　did　was　always　to　seize　such　treasures
as　these　of　hers。　　But　this　man　paid　them　no　attention　whatever；　and
did　not　even　notice　them。

He　was　feeling　in　his　pockets　now　and　he　took　out　the　revolver　and
the　coil　of　thin　rope　he　had　secured　from　the　burglar。

〃Now；　do　you　know　what　I'm　going　to　do？〃　he　asked；　with　an　air　of
roughness　and　brutality　that　was　a　little　overdone。　　He　put　the
revolver　and　the　rope　down　on　the　bed；　the　revolver　quite　close　to
her。

〃I'm　going；〃　he　continued；　〃to　tie　you　up　to　one　of　those　chairs。
I　can't　risk　your　playing　any　tricks　or　giving　an　alarm；　perhaps；
while　I'm　searching　the　house。　　I　shall　take　what's　worth　having；
and　then　I　shall　clear　off；　and　if　your　stepfather's　coming　home
tonight　you　won't　have　to　wait　long　till　he　releases　you；　and　if　he
don't　come　I　can't　help　it。〃

He　turned　his　back　to　her　as　he　spoke　and　took　hold　of　one　of　the
chairs　in　the　room；　and　then　of　another　and　looked　at　them　as　though
carefully　considering　which　would　be　the　best　to　use　for　the
carrying　out　of　his　threat。

He　appeared　to　find　it　difficult　to　decide；　for　he　kept　his　back
turned　to　her　for　two　or　three　minutes；　during　all　of　which　time　the
revolver　lay　on　the　bed　quite　close　to　her　hand。

He　listened　intently　for　he　fully　expected　her　to　snatch　it　up；　and
he　wished　to　be　ready　to　turn　before　she　could　actually　fire。　　But；
indeed；　nothing　was　further　from　her　thoughts；　for　she　did　not　know
in　the　least　how　to　use　the　weapon　or　even　how　to　fire　it　off；　and
the　very　thought　of　employing　it　to　kill　any　one　would　have　terrified
her　far　more　even　than　had　done　her　experiences　of　this　night。

So　the　pistol　lay　untouched　by　her　side；　while；　very　pale　and
trembling　a　little；　she　waited　what　he　would　do；　and　on　his　side　he
felt　as　much　puzzled　by　her　failure　to　use　the　opportunity　he　had　put
in　her　way　as　she　was　puzzled　by　his　neglect　to　seize　her　jewellery
lying　ready　to　his　hand。

He　was　still　hesitating；　still　appearing　unable　to　decide　which　chair
to　employ　in　carrying　out　his　proclaimed　purpose　of　fastening　her　up
when　she　asked　a　question　that　made　him　swing　round　upon　her　very
quickly　and　with　a　very　startled　look。

〃Are　you　a　real　burglar？〃　she　said。



CHAPTER　VI

A　DISCOVERY


〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Dunn　asked　quickly。　　The　matted　growth　of　hair
on　his　face　served　well　to　hide　any　change　of　expression；　but　his
eyes　betrayed　him　with　their　look　of　surprise　and　discomfiture；　and
in　her　own　clear　and　steady　glance　appeared　now　a　kind　of　puzzled
mockery　as　if　she　understood　well　that　all　he　did　was　done　for　some
purpose；　though　what　that　purpose　was　still　perplexed　her。

〃I　mean；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃well　…　what　do　I　mean？　　I　am　only　asking
a　question。　　Are　you　a　burglar　…　or　have　you　come　here　for　some
other　reason？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　you're　getting　at；〃　he　grumbled。　　〃Think　I'm　here
for　fun？　　Not　me。　　Come　and　sit　on　this　chair　and　put　your　hands
behind　you　and　don't　make　a　noise；　or　scream；　or　anything；　not　if
you　value　your　life。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　do　very　much；〃　she　answered　with　a　manner　of
extreme　bitterness；　but　more　as　if　speaking　to　herself　than　to　him。

She　did　as　he　ordered；　and　he　proceeded　to　tie　her　wrists　together
and　to　fasten　them　to　the　back　of　the　chair　on　which　she　had　seated
herself。　　He　was　careful　not　to　draw　the　cords　too　tight；　but　at　the
same　time　he　made　the　fastening　secure。

〃You　won't　disturb　mother；　will　you？〃　she　asked　quietly　when　he　had
finished。　　〃Her　room's　the　one　at　the　end　of　the　passage。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　disturb　any　one；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　only　want　to　get
off　quietly。　　I　won't　gag　you；　but　don't　you　try　to　make　any　noise；
if　you　do　I'll　come　back。　　Understand？〃

〃Oh；　perfectly；〃　she　answered。　　〃May　I　ask　one　question？　　Do　you
feel　very　proud　of　yourself　just　now？〃

He　did　not　answer；　but　went　out　of　the　room　quickly；　and　he　had　an
impression　that　she　smiled　as　she　watched　him　go；　and　that　her　smile
was　bitter　and　a　little　contemptuous。

〃What　a　girl；〃　he　muttered。　　〃She　scored　every　time。　　I　didn't　find
out　a　thing；　she　didn't　do　anything　I　expected　or　wanted　her　to。
She　seemed　as　if　she　spotted　me　right　off　…　I　wonder　if　she　did？　　I
wonder　if　she　could　be　trusted？〃

But　then　he　thought　of　that　photograph　on　the　mantelpiece　and　his　look
grew　stern　and　hard　again。　　He　was　careful　to　avoid　the　room　the　girl
had　indicated　as　occupied　by　her　mother；　but　of　all　the　others　on　that
floor　he　made　a　hasty　search　without　discovering　anything　to　interest
him　or　anything　of　the　least　importance　or　at　all　unusual。

》From　the　wide　landing　in　the　centre　of　the　house　a　narrow　stairway；
hidden　away　behind　an　angle　of　the　wall　so　that　one　did　not　notice　it
at　first；　led　above　to　three　large　attics　with　steeply…sloping　roofs
and　evidently　designed　more　for　storage　purposes　than　for　habitation。

The　doors　of　two　of　these　were　open　and　within　was　merely　a　collection
of　such　lumber　as　soon　accumulates　in　any　house。

The　door　of　the　third　attic　was　locked；　but　by　aid　of　the　jemmy　he
still　carried；　he　forced　it　open　without　difficulty。

Within　was　nothing　but　a　square　packing…case；　standing　in　the　middle
of　the　floor。　　Otherwise　the　light　of　the　electric　torch　he　flashed
around　showed　only　the　bare　boarding　of　the　floor　and　the　bare
plastered　walls。

Near　the　packing…case　a　hammer　and　some　nails　lay　on　the　floor　and
the　lid　was　in　position　but　was　not　fastened；　as　though　some
interruption　had　occurred　before　the　task　of　nailing　it　down　could
be　completed。

Dunn　noted　that　one　nail　had　been　driven　home；　and　he　was　on　the
point　of　leaving　the　attic；　for　he　knew　he　had　not　much　time　and
hoped　that　downstairs　he　would　be　able　to　make　some　discoveries　of
importance；　when　it　occurred　to　him　that　it　might　be　wise　to　see
what　was　in　this　case；　the　nailing　down　the　lid　of　which　had　not
been　completed。

He　crossed　the　room　to　it；　and　without　drawing　the　one　nail；　pushed
back　the　lid　which　pivoted　on　it　quite　easily。

Within　appeared　a　covering　of　course　sacking。　　He　pulled　this　away
with　a　careless　hand；　and　beneath　the　beam　of　his　electric　torch
showed　the　pale　and　dreadful　features　of　a　dead　man　…　of　a　man；　the
center　of　whose　forehead　showed　the　small　round　hole　where　a　bullet
had　entered　in；　of　a　man　whose　still…recognizable　features　were　those
of　the　photograph　on　the　mantel…piece　of　the　room　downstairs；　the
photograph　that　was　signed：

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Devotedly　yours；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Charley　Wright。〃

For　a　long　time　Robert　Dunn　stood；　looking　down　in　silence　at　that
dead　face　which　was　hardly　more　still；　more　rigid　than　his　own。

He　shivered；　for　he　felt　very　cold。　　It　was　as　though　the　coldness
of　the　death　in　whose　presence　he　stood　had　laid　its　chilly　hand　on
him　also。

At　last　he　stirred　and　looked　about　him　with　a　bewildered　air；　then
carefully　and　with　a　reverent　hand；　he　put　back　the　sackcloth　covering。

〃So　I've　found　you；　Charley；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Found　you　at　last。〃

He　replaced　the　lid；　leaving　everything　as　it　had　been　when　he
entered　the　attic；　and　stood　for　a　time；　trying　to　collect　his
thoughts　which　the　shock　of　this　dreadful　discovery　had　so
disordered；　and　to　decide　what　to　do　next。

〃But；　then；　that's　simple；〃　he　thought。　　〃I　must　go　straight　to　the
police　and　bring　them　here。　　They　said　they　wanted　proof；　they　said
I　had　nothing　to　go　on　but　bare　suspicion。　　But　that's　evidence
enough　to　hang　Deede　Dawson　…　the　girl；　too；　perhaps。〃

Then　he　wondered　whether　it　could　be　that　she　knew　nothing　and　was
innocent　of　all　part　or　share　in　this　dreadful　deed。　　But　how　could
that　be　possible？　　How　could　it　be　that　such　a　crime　committed　in
the　house　in　which　she　lived　could　remain　unknown　to　her？

On　the　other　hand；　when　he　thought　of　her　clear；　candid　eyes；　when
he　remembered　her　gentle　beauty；　it　did　not　seem　conceivable　that
behind　them　could　lie　hidden　the　tigerish　soul　of　a　murderess。

〃That's　only　sentiment；　though；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Nothing　more。
Beautiful　women　have　been　rotten　bad　through　and　through　before
today。　　There's　nothing　for　me　to　do　but　to　go　and　inform　the　police；
and　get　them　here　as　soon　as　possible。　　If　she's　innocent；　I　suppose
she'll　be　able　to　prove　it。〃

He　hesitated　a　moment；　as　he　thought　of　how　he　had　left　her；　bound
and　a　prisoner。

It　seemed　brutal　to　leave　her　like　that　while　he　was　away；　for　he
would　probably　be　some　time　absent。　　But　with　a　hard　look；　he　told
himself　that　whatever　pain　she　suffered　she　must　endure　it。

His　first　and　sole　thought　must　be　to　bring　to　justice　the　murderers
of　his　unfortunate　friend；　and　to　secure；　too；　thereby；　the　success
almost　certainly　of　his　own　mission。

To　release　her　and　leave　her　at　liberty　might　endanger　the　attainment
of　both　those　ends；　and　so　she　must　remain　a　prisoner。

〃Only；〃　he　muttered；　〃if　she　knew　the　attic　almost　ove