the filigree ball-第13部分

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removed。　　Nor　was　the　kitchen　chair　any　longer　to　be　seen　near　the
book　shelves。　　This　fact；　small　as　it　was；　caused　me　an　instant　of
chagrin。　　I　had　intended　to　look　again　at　the　book　which　I　had
examined　with　such　unsatisfactory　results　the　time　before。　　A　glance
showed　me　that　this　book　had　been　pushed　back　level　with　the　others；
but　I　remembered　its　title；　and；　had　the　means　of　reaching　it　been
at　hand；　I　should　certainly　have　stolen　another　peep　at　it。

Upstairs　I　found　the　same　signs　of　police　interference。　　The　shutter
had　been　fastened　in　the　southwest　room；　and　the　bouquet　and　wrap
taken　away　from　the　bed。　　The　handkerchief；　also；　was　missing　from
the　mantel　where　I　had　left　it；　and　when　I　opened　the　closet　door；
it　was　to　find　the　floor　bare　and　the　second　candelabrum　and　candle
removed。

〃All　gone；〃　thought　I；　〃each　and　every　clue。〃

But　I　was　mistaken。　　In　another　moment　I　came　upon　the　minute　filings
I　had　before　observed　scattered　over　a　small　stand。　　Concluding　from
this　that　they　had　been　passed　over　by　Durbin　and　his　associates　as
valueless；　I　swept　them；　together　with　the　dust　in　which　they　lay；
into　an　old　envelope　I　happily　found　in　my　pocket。　　Then　I　crossed　to
the　mantel　and　made　a　close　inspection　of　its　now　empty　shelf。　　The
scratches　which　I　had　made　there　were　visible　enough；　but　the
impressions　for　which　they　stood　had　vanished　in　the　handling　which
everything　in　the　house　had　undergone。　　Regarding　with　great
thankfulness　the　result　of　my　own　foresight；　I　made　haste　to　leave
the　room。　　I　then　proceeded　to　take　my　first　steps　in　the　ticklish
experiment　by　which　I　hoped　to　determine　whether　Uncle　David　had　had
any　share　in　the　fatal　business　which　had　rendered　the　two　rooms　I
had　just　visited　so　memorable。

First；　satisfying　myself　by　a　peep　through　the　front　drawing…room
window　that　he　was　positively　at　watch　behind　the　vines；　I　went
directly　to　the　kitchen；　procured　a　chair　and　carried　it　into　the
library；　where　I　put　it　to　a　use　that；　to　an　onlooker's　eye；　would
have　appeared　very　peculiar。　　Planting　it　squarely　on　the　hearthstone；
　…　not　without　some　secret　perturbation　as　to　what　the　results　might
be　to　myself；　…　I　mounted　it　and　took　down　the　engraving　which　I　have
already　described　as　hanging　over　this　mantelpiece。

Setting　it　on　end　against　one　of　the　jambs　of　the　fireplace；　I
mounted　the　chair　once　more　and　carefully　sifted　over　the　high　shelf
the　contents　of　a　little　package　which　I　had　brought　with　me　for　this
purpose。

Then；　leaving　the　chair　where　it　was；　I　betook　myself　out　of　the　front
door；　ostentatiously　stopping　to　lock　it　and　to　put　the　key　in　my
pocket。

Crossing　immediately　to　Mr。　Moore's　side　of　the　street；　I　encountered
him　as　I　had　expected　to　do；　at　his　own　gateway。

〃Well；　what　now？〃　he　inquired；　with　the　same　exaggerated　courtesy　I
had　noticed　in　him　on　a　previous　occasion。　　〃You　have　the　air　of　a
man　bringing　news。　　Has　anything　fresh　happened　in　the　old　house？〃

I　assumed　a　frankness　which　seemed　to　impose　on　him。

〃Do　you　know；〃　I　sententiously　informed　him；　〃I　have　a　wonderful
interest　in　that　old　hearthstone；　or　rather　in　the　seemingly　innocent
engraving　hanging　over　it；　of　Benjamin　Franklin　at　the　Court　of
France。　　I　tell　you　frankly　that　I　had　no　idea　of　what　would　be　found
behind　the　picture。〃

I　saw；　by　his　quick　look；　that　I　had　stirred　up　a　hornets'　nest。
This　was　just　what　I　had　calculated　to　do。

〃Behind　it！〃　he　repeated。　　〃There　is　nothing　behind　it。〃

I　laughed；　shrugged　my　shoulders；　and　backed　slowly　toward　the　door。

〃Of　course；　you　should　know；〃　I　retorted；　with　some　condescension。
Then；　as　if　struck　by　a　sudden　remembrance：　〃Oh；　by　the　way；　have
you　been　told　that　there　is　a　window　on　that　lower　floor　which　does
not　stay　fastened？　　I　speak　of　it　that　you　may　have　it　repaired　as
soon　as　the　police　vacate。　　It's　the　last　one　in　the　hall　leading
to　the　negro　quarters。　　If　you　shake　it　hard　enough；　the　catch　falls
back　and　any　one　can　raise　it　even　from　the　outside。〃

〃I　will　see　to　it；〃　he　replied；　dropping　his　eyes；　possibly　to　hide
their　curious　twinkle。　　〃But　what　do　you　mean　about　finding　something
in　the　wall　behind　that　old　picture？　　I've　never　heard〃

But　though　he　spoke　quickly　and　shouted　the　last　words　after　me　at
the　top　of　his　voice；　I　was　by　this　time　too　far　away　to　respond
save　by　a　dubious　smile　and　a　semi…patronizing　wave　of　the　hand。　　Not
until　I　was　nearly　out　of　earshot　did　I　venture　to　shout　back　the
following　words：

〃I'll　be　back　in　an　hour。　　If　anything　happens　…　if　the　boys　annoy
you；　or　any　one　attempts　to　enter　the　old　house；　telephone　to　the
station　or　summon　the　officer　at　the　corner。　　I　don't　believe　any
harm　will　come　from　leaving　the　place　to　itself　for　a　while。〃　　Then
I　walked　around　the　block。

When　I　arrived　in　front　again　it　was　quite　dark。　　So　was　the　house；
but　there　was　light　in　the　library。　　I　felt　assured　that　I　should
find　Uncle　David　there；　and　I　did。　　When；　after　a　noiseless　entrance
and　a　careful　advance　through　the　hall；　I　threw　open　the　door　beyond
the　gilded　pillars；　it　was　to　see　the　tall　figure　of　this　old　man
mounted　upon　the　chair　I　had　left　there；　peering　up　at　the　nail　from
which　I　had　so　lately　lifted　the　picture。　　He　started　as　I　presented
myself　and　almost　fell　from　the　chair。　　But　the　careless　laugh　I
uttered　assured　him　of　the　little　importance　I　placed　upon　this
evidence　of　his　daring　and　unappeasable　curiosity；　and　he　confronted
me　with　an　enviable　air　of　dignity；　whereupon　I　managed　to　say：

〃Really；　Mr。　Moore；　I'm　glad　to　see　you　here。　　It　is　quite　natural
for　you　to　wish　to　learn　by　any　means　in　your　power　what　that　picture
concealed。　　I　came　back；　because　I　suddenly　remembered　that　I　had
forgotten　to　rehang　it〃

Involuntarily　he　glanced　again　at　the　wall　overhead；　which　was　as
bare　as　his　hand；　save　for　the　nail　he　had　already　examined。

〃It　has　concealed　nothing；〃　he　retorted。　　〃You　can　see　yourself　that
the　wall　is　bare　and　that　it　rings　as　sound　as　any　chimneypiece　ever
made。〃　　Here　he　struck　it　heavily　with　his　fist。　　〃What　did　you
imagine　that　you　had　found？〃

I　smiled；　shrugged　my　shoulders　in　tantalizing　repetition　of　my
former　action　upon　a　like　occasion　and　then　answered　brusquely：

〃I　did　not　come　back　to　betray　police　secrets；　but　to　restore　this
picture　to　its　place。　　Or　perhaps　you　prefer　to　have　it　down　rather
than　up？　　It　isn't　much　of　an　ornament〃

He　scrutinized　me　darkly　from　over　his　shoulder；　a　wary　gleam　showing
itself　in　his　shrewd　old　eyes；　and　the　idea　crossed　me　that　the
moment　might　possess　more　significance　than　appeared。　　But　I　did　not
step　backward；　nor　give　evidence　in　any　way　that　I　had　even　thought
of　danger。　　I　simply　laid　my　hand　on　the　picture　and　looked　up　at　him
for　orders。

He　promptly　signified　that　he　wished　it　hung；　adding　as　I　hesitated
these　words：　〃The　pictures　in　this　house　are　supposed　to　stay　on　the
walls　where　they　belong。　　There　is　a　traditional　superstition　against
removing　them。〃

I　immediately　lifted　the　print　from　the　floor。　　No　doubt　he　had　me
at　a　disadvantage；　if　evil　was　in　his　heart；　and　my　position　on　the
hearth　was　as　dangerous　as　previous　events　had　proved　it　to　be。　　But
it　would　not　do　to　show　the　white　feather　at　a　moment　when　his　fate；
if　not　my　own；　hung　in　the　balance；　so　motioning　him　to　step　down；
I　put　foot　on　the　chair　and　raised　the　picture　aloft　to　hang　it。　　As
I　did　so；　he　moved　over　to　the　huge　settle　of　his　ancestors；　and；
crossing　his　arms　over　its　back；　surveyed　me　with　a　smile　I　rather
imagined　than　saw。

Suddenly；　as　I　strained　to　put　the　cord　over　the　nail　he　called　out：

〃Look　out！　you'll　fall。〃

If　he　had　intended　to　give　me　a　start　in　payment　for　my　previous
rebuff　he　did　not　succeed；　for　my　nerves　had　grown　steady　and　my　arm
firm　at　the　glimpse　I　had　caught　of　the　shelf　below　me。　　The　fine
brown　powder　I　had　scattered　there　had　been　displaced　in　five　distinct
spots；　and　not　by　my　fingers。　　I　had　preferred　to　risk　the　loss　of　my
balance；　rather　than　rest　my　hand　on　the　shelf；　but　he　had　taken　no
such　precaution。　　The　clue　I　so　anxiously　desired　and　for　which　I　had
so　recklessly　worked；　was　obtained。

But　when　half　an　hour　later　I　found　an　opportunity　of　measuring　these
marks　and　comparing　them　with　those　upstairs；　I　did　not　enjoy　the　full
triumph　I　had　promised　myself。　　For　the　two　impressions　utterly　failed
to　coincide；　thus　proving　that　whoever　the　person　was　who　had　been　in
this　house　with　Mrs。　Jeffrey　on　the　evening　she　died；　it　was　not　her
uncle　David。




VIII

SLYER　WOES


Let　me　repeat。　　The　person　who　had　left　the　marks　of　his　presence
in　the　upper　chamber　of　the　Moore　house　was　not　the　man　popularly
known　as　Uncle　David。　　Who；　then；　had　it　been？　　But　one　name
suggested　itself　to　me；　…　Mr。　Jeffrey。

It　was　not　so　easy　for　me　to　reach　this　man　as　it　had　been　for　me
to　reach　his　singular　and　unimaginative　uncle。　　In　the　first　place；
his　door　had　been　closed　to　every　one　since　his　wife's　death。
Neither　friends　nor　strangers　could　gain　admittance　there　unless
they　came　vested　with　authority　from　the　coroner。　　And　this；　even
if　I　could　manage　to　obtain　it；　would　not　answer　in　my　case。　　What
I　had　to　say　and　do　would　better　follow　a　chance　encounter。　　But
no　chance　encounter　with　this　gentleman　seemed　likely　to　fall　to
my　lot；　and　finally　I　swallowed　my　pride　and　asked　another　favor
of　the　lieutenant。　　Would　he　see　that　I　was　given　an　opportunity
for　carrying　some　message；　or　of　doing　some　errand　which　would　lead
to　my　having　an　interview　with　Mr。　Jeffrey？　　If　he　would；　I　stood
ready　to　promise　that　my　curiosity　should　stop　at　this　point　and
that　I　would　cease　to　make　a　nuisance　of　myself。

I　think　he　suspected　me　by　this　time；　but　he　made　no　remark；　and　in
a　day　or　so　I　was　summoned　to　carry　a　note　to　the　house　in　K　Street。

Mrs。　Jeffrey's　funeral　had　taken　place　the　day　before　and　the　house
looked　deserted。　　But　my　summons　speedily　brought　a　neat…looking；
but　very　nervous　maid　to　the　door；　whose　eyes　took　on　an　unmistakable
expression　of　resistance　when　I　announced　my　errand　and　asked　to　see
Mr。　Jeffrey。　　The　expression　wou