the bittermeads mystery-第9部分

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hand；　seated　between　them；　as　silent　also　as　they；　and　very　watchful。

Ella　appeared　fully　taken　up　with　her　occupation　and　might　almost
have　forgotten　the　presence　of　the　two　men。　　She　did　not　look　at
either　of　them；　but　continued　to　rub　and　chafe　her　wrists　softly。

Deede　Dawson　had　forgotten　for　once　to　smile；　his　brow　was　slightly
wrinkled；　his　cold　grey　eyes　intent　and　watchful；　and　Dunn　felt　very
sure　that　he　was　thinking　out　some　plan　or　scheme。

The　hope　came　to　him　that　Deede　Dawson　was　thinking　he　might　prove
of　use；　and　that　was　the　thought　which；　above　all　others；　he　wished
the　other　to　have。　　It　was；　indeed；　that　thought　which　all　his
recent　actions　had　been　aimed　to　implant　in　Deede　Dawson's　mind
till　his　dreadful　discovery　in　the　attic　had　seemed　to　make　at　last
direct　action　possible。　　How；　in　his　present　plight　that　thought；
if　Deede　Dawson　should　come　to　entertain　it；　might　yet　prove　his
salvation。　　Now　and　again　Deede　Dawson　gave　him　quick；　searching
glances；　but　when　at　last　he　spoke　it　was　Ella　he　addressed。

〃Wrists　hurt　you　much？〃　he　asked。

〃Not　so　much　now；〃　she　answered。　　〃They　were　beginning　to　hurt　a
great　deal；　though。〃

〃Were　they；　though？〃　said　Deede　Dawson。　　〃And　to　think　you　might
have　been　like　that　for　hours　if　I　hadn't　chanced　to　come　home。
Too　bad；　what　a　brute　this　fellow　is。〃

〃Men　mostly　are；　I　think；〃　she　observed　indifferently。

〃And　women　mostly　like　to　get　their　own　back　again；〃　he　remarked
with　a　chuckle；　and　then　turned　sharply　to　Dunn。　　〃Well；　my　man；〃
he　asked；　〃what　have　you　got　to　say　for　yourself？〃

〃Nothing；〃　Dunn　answered。　　〃It　was　a　fair　cop。〃

〃You've　had　a　taste　of　penal　servitude　before；　I　suppose？〃　Deede
Dawson　asked。

〃Maybe；〃　Dunn　answered；　as　if　not　wishing　to　betray　himself。
〃Maybe　not。〃

〃Well；　I　think　I　remember　you　said　something　about　not　being　long
out　of　Dartmoor；〃　remarked　Deede　Dawson。　　〃How　do　you　relish　the
prospect　of　going　back　there？〃

〃I　wonder；〃　interposed　Ella　thoughtfully。　　〃I　wonder　what　it　is　in
you　that　makes　you　so　love　to　be　cruel；　father？〃

〃Eh　what？〃　he　exclaimed；　quite　surprised。　　Who's　being　cruel？〃

〃You；〃　she　answered。　　〃You　enjoy　keeping　him　wondering　what　you　are
going　to　do　with　him；　just　as　you　enjoyed　seeing　me　tied　to　that
chair　and　would　have　liked　to　leave　me　there。〃

〃My　dear　Ella！〃　he　protested。　　〃My　dear　child！〃

〃Oh；　I　know；〃　she　said　wearily。　　〃Why　don't　you　hand　the　man　over
to　the　police　if　you're　going　to；　or　let　him　go　at　once　if　you
mean　to　do　that？〃

〃Let　him　go；　indeed！〃　exclaimed　Deede　Dawson。　　〃What　an　idea！　　What
should　I　do　that　for？〃

〃If　you'll　give　me　another　chance；〃　said　Dunn　quickly；　〃I'll　do
anything　…　I　should　get　it　pretty　stiff　for　this　lot；　and　that
wouldn't　be　any　use　to　you；　sir；　would　it？　　I　can　do　almost　anything
　…　garden；　drive　a　motor；　do　what　I'm　told；　It's　only　because　I've
never　had　a　chance　I've　had　to　take　to　this　line。〃

〃If　you　could　do　what　you're　told　you　certainly　might　be　useful；〃
said　Deede　Dawson　slowly。　　〃And　I　don't　know　that　it　would　do　me
any　good　to　send　you　off　to　prison　…　you　deserve　it；　of　course。
Still　…　you　talk　sometimes　like　an　educated　man？〃

〃I　had　a　bit　of　education；〃　Dunn　answered。

〃I　see；〃　said　Deede　Dawson。　　〃Well；　I　won't　ask　you　any　more
questions；　you'd　probably　only　lie。　　〃What's　your　name？〃

With　that　sudden　recklessness　which　was　a　part　of　his　impulsive　and
passionate　nature；　Dunn　answered：

〃Charley　Wright。〃

The　effect　was　instantaneous　and　apparent　on　both　his　auditors。

Ella　gave　a　little　cry　and　started　so　violently　that　she　dropped
the　bottle　of　eau…de…Cologne　she　had　in　her　hands。

Deede　Dawson　jumped　to　his　feet　with　a　fearful　oath。　　His　face　went
livid；　his　fat　cheeks　seemed　suddenly　to　sag；　of　his　perpetual
smile　every　trace　vanished。

He　swung　his　revolver　up；　and　Dunn　saw　the　crooked　forefinger　quiver
as　though　in　the　very　act　of　pressing　the　trigger。

The　pressure　of　a　hair　decided；　indeed；　whether　the　weapon　was　to
fire　or　not；　as　in　a　high…pitched；　stammering　voice；　Deede　Dawson
gasped：

〃What　…　what　do　you　mean？　　What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃

〃I　only　told　you　my　name；〃　Dunn　answered。　　〃What's　wrong　with　it？〃

Doubtful　and　afraid；　Deede　Dawson　stood　hesitant。　　His　forehead　had
become　very　damp；　and　he　wiped　it　with　a　nervous　gesture。

〃Is　that　your　name　…　your　real　name？〃　he　muttered。

〃Never　had　another　that　I　know　of；〃　Dunn　answered。

Deede　Dawson　sat　down　again　on　the　chair。　　He　was　still　plainly
very　disturbed　and　shaken；　and　Ella　seemed　scarcely　less　agitated；
though　Dunn；　watching　them　both　very　keenly；　noticed　that　she　was
now　looking　at　Deede　Dawson　with　a　somewhat　strange　expression　and
with　an　air　as　though　his　extreme　excitement　puzzled　her　and　made
her　…　afraid。

〃Nothing　wrong　with　the　name；　is　there？〃　Dunn　muttered　again。

〃No；　no；〃　Deede　Dawson　answered。　　〃No。　　It's　merely　a　coincidence；
that's　all。　　A　coincidence；　I　suppose；　Ella？〃

Ella　did　not　answer。　　Her　expression　was　very　troubled　and　full　of
doubt　as　she　stood　looking　from　her　stepfather　to　Dunn　and　back
again。

〃It's　only　that　your　name　happens　to　be　the　same　as　that　of　a　friend
of　ours　…　a　great　friend　of　my　daughter's；〃　Deede　Dawson　said　as
though　he　felt　obliged　to　offer　some　explanation。　　〃That's　all　…　a
coincidence。　　It　startled　me　for　the　moment。〃　　He　laughed。　　〃That's
all。　　Well；　my　man；　it　happens　there　is　something　I　can　make　you
useful　in。　　If　you　do　prove　useful　and　do　what　I　tell　you；　perhaps
you　may　get　let　off。　　I　might　even　keep　you　on　in　a　job。　　I　won't
say　I　will；　but　I　might。　　You　look　a　likely　sort　of　fellow　for　work；
and　I　daresay　you　aren't　any　more　dishonest　than　most　people。　　Funny
how　things　happen　…　quite　a　coincidence；　your　name。　　Well；　come　on；
it's　that　packing…case　you　saw　in　the　attic　upstairs。　　I　want　you
to　help　me　downstairs　with　that　…　Charley　Wright。〃


CHAPTER　IX

THE　ATTIC　OF　MYSTERY


Robert　Dunn　was　by　no　means　sure　that　he　was　not　going　to　his　death
as　he　went　out　of　Ella's　room　on　his　way　to　the　attics　above；　for
he　had　perceived　a　certain　doubt　and　suspicion　in　Deede　Dawson's
manner；　and　he　thought　it　very　likely　that　a　fatal　intention　lay
behind。

But　he　obeyed　with　a　brisk　promptitude　of　manner；　like　one　who　saw
a　prospect　of　escape　opening　before　him；　and　as　he　went　he　saw　that
Ella　had　relapsed　into　her　former　indifference　and　was　once　more
giving　all　her　attention　to　bathing　her　wrists　with　eau…de…Cologne；
and　he　saw；　too；　that　Deede　Dawson；　following　close　behind；　kept
always　his　revolver　ready。

〃Perhaps　he　only　wants　to　get　me　out　of　her　way　before　he　shoots；〃
he　reflected。　　〃Perhaps　there　is　room　in　that　packing…case　for　two。
It　will　be　strange　to　die。　　Shall　I　try　to　rush　him？　　But　he　would
shoot　at　once；　and　I　shouldn't　have　a　chance。　　One　thing；　if
anything　happens　to　me；　no　one　will　ever　know　what's　become　of　poor
Charley。〃

And　this　seemed　to　him　a　great　pity；　so　that　he　began　to　form
confused　and　foolish　plans　for　securing　that　his　friend's　fate
should　become　known。

With　a　sudden　start；　for　he　had　not　known　he　was　there；　he　found
himself　standing　on　the　threshold　of　that　attic　of　death。　　It　was
quite　dark　up　here；　and　from　behind　Deede　Dawson's　voice　told　him
impatiently　to　enter。

He　obeyed；　wondering　if　ever　again　he　would　cross　that　threshold
alive；　and　Deede　Dawson　followed　him　into　the　dark　attic　so　that
Dunn　was　appalled　by　the　man's　rashness；　for　how　could　he　tell　that
his　victim　would　not　take　this　opportunity　to　rise　up　from　the
place　where　he　had　been　thrust　and　take　his　revenge？

〃What　an　idea；〃　he　thought　to　himself。　　〃I　must　be　going　dotty；　it's
the　strain　of　expecting　a　bullet　in　my　back　all　the　time；　I　suppose。
I　was　never　like　this　before。〃

Deede　Dawson　struck　a　match　and　put　it　to　a　gas…jet　that　lighted　up
the　whole　room。　　Between　him　and　Dunn　lay　the　packing…case；　and　Dunn
was　surprised　to　see　that　it　was　still　there　and　that　nothing　had
changed　or　moved；　and　then　again　he　said　to　himself　that　this　was　a
foolish　thought　only　worthy　of　some　excitable；　hysterical　girl。

〃It's　being　too　much　for　me；〃　he　thought　resignedly。　　〃I've　heard
of　people　being　driven　mad　by　horror。　　I　suppose　that's　what's
happening　to　me。〃

〃You　look　…　queer；〃　Deede　Dawson's　voice　interrupted　the　confused
medley　of　his　thoughts。　　〃Why　do　you　look　like　that　…　Charley
Wright？〃

Dunn　looked　moodily　across　the　case　in　which　the　body　of　the
murdered　man　was　hidden　to　where　the　murderer　stood。

After　a　pause；　and　speaking　with　an　effort；　he　said：　

〃You'd　look　queer　if　some　one　with　a　pistol　was　watching　you　all
the　time　the　way　you　watch　me。〃

〃You　do　what　I　tell　you　and　you'll　be　all　right；〃　Deede　Dawson
answered。　　〃You　see　that　packing…case？〃

Dunn　nodded。

〃It's　big　enough；〃　he　said。

〃Would　you　like　to　know？〃　asked　Deede　Dawson　slowly　with　his　slow；
perpetual　smile。　　〃Would　you　like　to　know　what's　in　it　…　Charley
Wright？〃

And　again　Dunn　was　certain　that　a　faint　suspicion　hung　about　those
last　two　words；　and　that　his　life　and　death　hung　very　evenly　in
the　balance。

〃Silver；　you　said；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Didn't　you？〃

〃Ah；　yes　…　yes　…　to　be　sure；〃　answered　Deede　Dawson。　　〃Yes；　so　I
did。　　Silver。　　I　want　the　lid　nailed　down。　　There's　a　hammer　and
nails　there。　　Get　to　work　and　look　sharp。〃

Dunn　stepped　forward　and　began　to　set　about　a　task　that　was　so
terrible　and　strange；　and　that　yet　he　had；　at　peril　of　his　life　…　at
peril　of　more　than　that；　indeed　…　to　treat　as　of　small　importance。

Standing　a　little　distance　from　the　lighted　gas…jet；　Deede　Dawson
watched　him　narrowly；　and　as　Dunn　worked　he　was　very　sure　that　to
betray　the　least　sign　of　his　knowledge　would　be　to　bring　instantly
a　bullet　crashing　through　his　brain。

It　seemed　curious　to　him　that　he　had　so　carefully　replaced
everything　after　making　his　discovery；　and　that　without　any
forethought　or　special　intention　he　had　put　back　everything　so
exactly　as　he　had　found　it　when　the　slightest　neglect　or　failure
in　that　respect　would　most　certainly　have　cost　him　his　life。

And　he　felt　that　as　yet　he　could　not　afford　to　die。

One　by　one　he　drove　in　the　nails；