the bittermeads mystery-第7部分

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of　both　those　ends；　and　so　she　must　remain　a　prisoner。

〃Only；〃　he　muttered；　〃if　she　knew　the　attic　almost　over　her　head
held　such　a　secret；　why；　didn't　she　take　the　chance　I　gave　her　of
getting　hold　of　my　revolver？　　That　she　didn't；　looks　as　if　she　knew
nothing。〃

But　then　he　thought　again　of　the　photograph　in　her　room　and
remembered　that　agony　of　grief　to　which　she　had　been　surrendering
herself　when　he　first　saw　her。　　Now　those　passionate　tears　of　hers
seemed　to　him　like　remorse。

〃I'll　leave　her　where　she　is；〃　he　decided　again。　　〃I　can't　help　it；
I　mustn't　run　any　risks。　　My　first　duty　is　to　get　the　police　here　and
have　Deede　Dawson　arrested。〃

He　went　down　the　stairs　still　deep　in　thought；　and　when　he　reached
the　landing　below　he　would　not　even　go　to　make　sure　that　his　captive
was　still　secure。

An　obscure　feeling　that　he　did　not　wish　to　see　her；　and　still　more
that　he　did　not　wish　her　to　see　him；　prevented　him。

He　descended　the　second　flight　of　steps　to　the　hall；　taking　fewer
precautions　to　avoid　making　a　noise　and　still　very　deep　in　thought。

For　some　time　he　had　had　but　little　hope　that　young　Charley　Wright
still　lived。

Nevertheless；　the　dreadful　discovery　he　had　made　in　the　attic　above
had　affected　him　profoundly；　and　left　his　mind　in　a　chaos　of
emotions　so　that　he　was　for　the　time　much　less　acutely　watchful　than
usual。

They　had　spent　their　boyhood　together；　and　he　remembered　a　thousand
incidents　of　their　childhood。　　They　had　been　at　school　and　college
together。　　And　how　brilliantly　Charley　had　always　done　at　work　and
play；　surmounting　every　difficulty　with　a　laugh；　as　if　it　were　merely
some　new　and　specially　amusing　jest！

Every　one　had　thought　well　of　him；　every　one　had　believed　that　his
future　career　would　be　brilliant。　　Now　it　had　ended　in　this　obscure
and　dreadful　fashion；　as　ends　the　life　of　a　trapped　rat。

Dunn　found　himself　hardly　able　to　realize　that　it　was　really　so；　and
through　all　the　confused　medley　of　his　thoughts　there　danced　and
flickered　his　memory　of　a　young　and　lovely　face；　now　tear…stained；
now　smiling；　now　pale　with　terror；　now　calmly　disdainful。

〃Can　she　have　known？〃　he　muttered。　　〃She　must　have　known　…　she　can't
have　known　…　it's　not　possible　either　way。〃

He　shuddered　and　as　he　put　his　foot　on　the　lowest　stair　he　raised
his　hands　to　cover　his　face　as　though　to　shut　out　the　visions　that
passed　before　him。

Another　step　forward　he　took　in　the　darkness；　and　all　at　once　there
flashed　upon　him　the　light　of　a　strong　electric　torch；　suddenly
switched　on。

〃Put　up　your　hands；〃　said　a　voice　sharply。　　〃Or　you're　a　dead　man。〃

He　looked　bewilderedly；　taken　altogether　by　surprise；　and　saw　he
was　faced　by　a　fat　little　man　with　a　smooth；　chubby；　smiling　face
and　eyes　that　were　cold　and　grey　and　deadly；　and　who　held　in　one
hand　a　revolver　levelled　at　his　heart。

〃Put　up　your　hands；〃　this　newcomer　said　again；　his　voice　level　and
calm；　his　eyes　intent　and　deadly。　　〃Put　up　your　hands　or　I　fire。〃



CHAPTER　VII

QUESTION　AND　ANSWER


Dunn　obeyed　promptly。

There　was　that　about　this　little　fat；　smiling　man　and　his　unsmiling
eyes　which　proclaimed　very　plainly　that　he　was　quite　ready　to　put
his　threat　into　execution。

For　a　moment　or　two　they　stood　thus；　each　regarding　the　other　very
intently。　　Dunn；　his　hands　in　the　air；　the　steady　barrel　of　the
other's　pistol　levelled　at　his　heart；　knew　that　never　in　all　his
adventurous　life　had　he　been　in　such　deadly　peril　as　now；　and　the
grotesque　thought　came　into　his　mind　to　wonder　if　there　were　room
for　two　in　that　packing…case　in　the　attic。

Or　perhaps　no　attempt　would　be　made　to　hide　his　death　since；　after
all；　it　is　always　permissible　to　shoot　an　armed　burglar。

The　clock　on　the　stairs　began　to　strike　the　hour；　and　he　wondered　if
he　would　still　be　alive　when　the　last　stroke　sounded。

He　did　not　much　think　so　for　he　thought　he　could　read　a　very　deadly
purpose　in　the　other's　cold　grey　eyes；　nor　did　he　suppose　that　a　man
with　such　a　secret　as　that　of　the　attic　upstairs　to　hide　was　likely
to　stand　on　any　scruple。

And　he　thought　that　if　he　still　lived　when　the　clock　finished　striking
he　would　take　it　for　an　omen　of　good　hope。

The　last　stroke　sounded　and　died　away　into　the　silence　of　the　night。

The　revolver　was　still　levelled　at　his　heart；　the　grim　purpose　in
the　other's　eyes　had　not　changed；　and　yet　Dunn　drew　a　breath　of
deep　relief　as　though　the　worst　of　the　danger　was　past。

Through　his　mind；　that　had　been　a　little　dulled　by　the　sudden
consciousness　of　so　extreme　a　peril；　thought　began　again　to　race
with　more　than　normal　rapidity　and　clearness。

It　occurred　to　him；　with　a　sense　of　the　irony　of　the　position；　that
when　he　entered　this　house　it　had　been　with　the　deliberate　intention
of　getting　himself　discovered　by　the　inmates；　believing　that　to　show
himself　to　them　in　the　character　of　a　burglar　might　gain　him　their
confidence。

It　had　seemed　to　him　that　so　he　might　come　to　be　accepted　as　one　of
them　and　perhaps　learn　in　time　the　secret　of　their　plans。

The　danger　that　they　might　adopt　the　other　course　of　handing　him
over　to　the　police　had　not　seemed　to　him　very　great；　for　he　had　his
reasons　for　believing　that　there　would　be　no　great　desire　to　draw
the　attention　of　the　authorities　to　Bittermeads　for　any　reason
whatever。

But　the　discovery　he　had　made　in　the　attic　changed　all　that。　　It
changed　his　plans；　for　now　he　could　go　to　the　police　immediately。
And　it　changed　also　his　conception　of　how　these　people　were　likely
to　act。

Before；　it　had　not　entered　his　mind　to　suppose　that　he　ran　any
special　risk　of　being　shot　at　sight；　but　now　he　understood　that　the
only　thing　standing　between　him　and　instant　death　was　the　faint
doubt　in　his　captor's　mind　as　to　how　much　he　knew。

It　seemed　to　him　his　only　hope　was　to　carry　out　his　original　plan
and　try　to　pass　himself　off　as　the　sort　of　person　who　might　be
likely　to　be　useful　to　the　master　of　Bittermeads。

〃Don't　shoot；　sir；〃　he　said；　in　a　kind　of　high　whine。　　〃I　ain't
done　no　harm；　and　it's　a　fair　cop　…　and　me　not　a　month　out　of
Dartmoor　Gaol。　　I　shall　get　a　hot　'un　for　this；　I　know。〃

The　little　fat　man　did　not　answer；　his　eyes　were　as　deadly；　the
muzzle　of　his　pistol　as　steady　as　before。

Dunn　wondered　if　it　were　from　that　pistol　had　issued　the　bullet　that
had　drilled　so　neat　and　round　a　hole　in　his　friend's　forehead。　　He
supposed　so。

He　said　again

〃Don't　shoot；　Mr。　Deede　Dawson；　sir；　I　ain't　done　no　harm。〃

〃Oh；　you　know　my　name；　do　you；　you　scoundrel？〃　　Deede　Dawson　said；
a　little　surprised。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　Dunn　answered。　　〃We　always　find　out　as　much　as　we　can
about　a　crib　before　we　get　to　work。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Mr。　Dawson。　　〃Very　praiseworthy。　　Attention　to
business　and　all　that。　　Pray；　what　did　you　find　out　about　me？〃

〃Only　as　you　was　to　be　away　tonight；　sir；〃　answered　Dunn。　　〃And　that
there　didn't　seem　to　be　any　other　man　in　the　house；　and；　of　course；
how　the　house　lay　and　the　garden；　and　so。　　But　I　didn't　know　as　you
was　coming　home　so　soon。〃

〃No；　I　don't　suppose　you　did；〃　said　Deede　Dawson。

〃I　ain't　done　no　harm；〃　Dunn　urged；　making　his　voice　as　whining　and
pleading　as　he　could。　　〃I've　only　just　been　looking　round　the　two
top　floors　…　I　ain't　touched　a　thing。　　Give　a　cove　a　chance；　sir。〃

〃You've　been　looking　round；　have　you？〃　said　Deede　Dawson　slowly。
〃Did　you　find　anything　to　interest　you？〃

〃I've　only　been　in　the　bedrooms　and　the　attics；〃　answered　Dunn；
changing　not　a　muscle　of　his　countenance　and　thinking　boldness　his
safest　course；　for　he　knew　well　the　slightest　sign　or　hint　of
knowledge　that　he　gave　would　mean　his　death。　　〃I'd　only　just　come
downstairs　when　you　copped　me；　sir；　I　ain't　touched　a　thing　in　one
of　these　rooms　down　here。〃

〃Haven't　you？〃　said　Deede　Dawson　slowly；　and　his　face　was　paler；
his　eyes　more　deadly；　the　muzzle　of　his　pistol　yet　more　inflexibly
steady　than　before。

More　clearly　still　did　Dunn　realize　that　the　faintest　breath　of
suspicion　stirring　in　the　other's　mind　that　he　knew　of　what　was
hidden　in　the　attic　would　mean　certain　death　and　just　such　another
neat　little　hole　bored　through　heart　or　brain　as　that　he　had　seen
showing　in　the　forehead　of　his　dead　friend。〃

〃Haven't　you；　though？〃　Deede　Dawson　repeated。　　〃The　bedrooms　…　the
attics　…　that's　all？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　that's　all；　take　my　oath　that's　all；〃　　Dunn　repeated
earnestly；　as　if　he　wished　very　much　to　impress　on　his　captor　that
he　had　searched　bedrooms　and　attics　thoroughly；　but　not　these
downstairs　rooms。

Deede　Dawson　was　plainly　puzzled；　and　for　the　first　time　a　little
doubt　seemed　to　show　in　his　hard　grey　eyes。

Dunn　perceived　that　a　need　was　on　him　to　know　for　certain　whether
his　dreadful　secret　had　been　discovered　or　not。

Until　he　had　assured　himself　on　that　point　Dunn　felt　comparatively
safe；　but　he　still　knew　also　that　to　allow　the　faintest　suspicion
to　dawn　in　Deede　Dawson's　mind　would　mean　for　him　instant　death。

He　saw；　too；　watching　very　warily　and　ready　to　take　advantage　of
any　momentary　slip　or　forgetfulness；　how　steady　was　Deede　Dawson's
hand；　how　firm　and　watchful　his　eyes。

With　many　men；　with　most　men　indeed；　Dunn　would　have　seized　or　made
some　opportunity　to　dash　in　and　attack；　taking　the　chance　of　being
shot　down　first；　since　there　are　few　indeed　really　skilled　in　the
use　of　a　revolver；　the　most　tricky　if　the　most　deadly　of　weapons。

But　he　realized　he　had　small　hope　of　taking　unawares　this　fat
little　smiling　man　with　the　unsmiling　eyes　and　steady　hand；　and　he
was　well　convinced　that　the　first　doubtful　movement　he　made　would
bring　a　bullet　crashing　through　his　brain。

His　only　hope　was　in　delay　and　in　diverting　suspicion；　and　Deede
Dawson's　voice　was　very　soft　and　deadly　as　he　said：　

〃So　you've　been　looking　in　the　bedrooms；　have　you？　　What　did　you
find　there？〃

〃Nothing；　sir；　not　a　thing；〃　protested　Dunn。　　〃I　didn't　touch　a
thing；　I　only　wanted　to　look　round　before　coming　down　here　to　see
about　the　silver。〃

〃And　the　attics？〃　asked　Deede　Dawson。　　〃What　did　you　find　there？〃

〃There　wasn't　no　one　in　them；〃　Dunn　answered。　　〃I　only　wanted　to
make　sure　the　young　lady　was　telling　the　truth　about　there　being