the filigree ball-第14部分

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expression　of　resistance　when　I　announced　my　errand　and　asked　to　see
Mr。　Jeffrey。　　The　expression　would　not　have　struck　me　as　peculiar
if　she　had　raised　any　objection　to　the　interview　I　had　solicited。
But　she　did　not。　　Her　fear　and　antipathy；　consequently；　sprang　from
some　other　source　than　her　interest　in　the　man　most　threatened　by
my　visit。　　Was　it…could　it　be；　on　her　own　account？　　Recalling　what
I　had　heard　whispered　about　the　station　concerning　a　maid　of　the
Jeffreys　who　always　seemed　on　the　point　of　saying　something　which
never　really　left　her　lips；　I　stopped　her　as　she　was　about　to　slip
upstairs　and　quietly　asked：

〃Are　you　Loretta？〃

The　way　she　turned；　the　way　she　looked　at　me　as　she　gave　me　a　short
affirmative；　and　then　quickly　proceeded　on　her　way；　convinced　me
that　my　colleagues　were　right　as　to　her　being　a　woman　who　had　some
cause　for　dreading　police　interference。　　I　instantly　made　up　my　mind
that　here　was　a　mine　to　be　worked　and　that　I　knew　just　the　demure
little　soul　best　equipped　to　act　the　part　of　miner。

In　a　moment　she　came　back；　and　I　had　a　chance　to　note　again　her
pretty　but　expressionless　features；　among　which　the　restless　eyes
alone　bespoke　character　or　decision。

〃Mr。　Jeffrey　is　in　the　back　room　upstairs；〃　she　announced。　　〃He
says　for　you　to　come　up。〃

〃Is　it　the　room　Mrs。　Jeffrey　used　to　occupy？〃　I　asked　with　open
curiosity；　as　I　passed　her。

An　involuntary　shudder　proved　that　she　was　not　without　feeling。
So　did　the　quick　disclaimer：

〃No；　no！　　Those　rooms　are　closed。　　He　occupies　the　one　Miss　Tuttle
had　before　she　went　away。〃

〃Oh；　then；　Miss　Tuttle　is　gone？〃

Loretta　disdained　to　answer。　　She　had　already　said　enough　to　cause
her　to　bite　her　lip　as　she　disappeared　down　the　basement　stair。
Decidedly　the　boys　were　right。　　An　uneasy　feeling　followed　any
conversation　with　this　girl。　　Yet；　while　there　was　slyness　in　her
manner；　there　was　a　certain　frank　honesty　visible　in　it　too；　which
caused　me　to　think　that　if　she　could　ever　be　made　to　speak；　her
evidence　could　be　relied　on。

Mr。　Jeffrey　was　sitting　with　his　back　to　the　door　when　I　entered；
but　turned　as　I　spoke　his　name　and　held　out　his　hand　for　the　note
I　carried。　　I　had　no　expectation　of　his　remembering　me　as　one　of
the　men　who　had　stood　about　that　night　in　the　Moore　house；　and　I
was　not　disappointed。　　To　him　I　was　merely　a　messenger；　or　common
policeman；　and　he　consequently　paid　me　no　attention；　while　I
bestowed　upon　him　the　most　concentrated　scrutiny　of　my　whole　life。
Till　now　I　had　seen　him　only　in　half　lights；　or　under　circumstances
precluding　my　getting　a　very　accurate　idea　of　him　as　a　man　and　a
gentleman。　　Now　he　sat　with　the　broad　daylight　on　his　face；　and　I
had　every　opportunity　for　noting　both　his　features　and　expression。
He　was　of　a　distinguished　type；　but　the　cloud　enshrouding　him　was
as　heavy　as　any　I　had　ever　seen　darkening　about　a　man　of　his
position　and　character。　　His　manner；　fettered　though　it　was　by
gloomy　thoughts；　was　not　just　the　manner　I　had　expected　to　encounter。

He　had　a　large；　clear　eye；　but　the　veil　which　hid　the　brightness　of
his　regard　was　misty　with　suspicion；　not　with　tears。　　He　appeared
to　shrink　from　observation；　and　shifted　uneasily　as　long　as　I　stood
in　front　of　him；　though　he　said　nothing　and　did　not　lift　his　eyes
from　the　letter　he　was　perusing　till　he　heard　me　step　back　to　the
door　I　had　purposely　left　open　and　softly　close　it。　　Then　he　glanced
up；　with　a　keen；　if　not　an　alarmed　look；　which　seemed　an　exaggerated
one　for　the　occasion；　…　that　is；　if　he　had　no　secret　to　keep。

〃Do　you　suffer　so　from　drafts？〃　he　asked；　rising　in　a　way　which　in
itself　was　a　dismissal。

I　smiled　an　amused　denial；　then　with　the　simple　directness　I　thought
most　likely　to　win　me　his　confidence；　entered　straight　upon　my
business　in　these　plain　words：

〃Pardon　me；　Mr。　Jeffrey；　I　have　something　to　say　which　is　not　exactly
fitted　for　the　ears　of　servants。〃　　Then；　as　he　pushed　his　chair
suddenly　back；　I　added　reassuringly：　〃It　is　not　a　police　matter；　sir；
but　an　entirely　personal　one。　　It　may　strike　you　as　important；　and　it
may　not。　　Mr。　Jeffrey；　I　was　the　man　who　made　the　unhappy　discovery　in
the　Moore　mansion；　which　has　plunged　this　house　into　mourning。〃

This　announcement　startled　him　and　produced　a　visible　change　in　his
manner。　　His　eyes　flew　first　to　one　door　and　then　to　another；　as　if
it　were　he　who　feared　intrusion　now。

〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　speaking　on　so　painful　a　topic；〃　I　went　on；
as　soon　as　I　saw　he　was　ready　to　listen　to　me。　　〃My　excuse　is　that
I　came　upon　a　little　thing　that　same　night　which　I　have　not　thought
of　sufficient　importance　to　mention　to　any　one　else；　but　which　it
may　interest　you　to　hear　about。〃

Here　I　took　from　a　book　I　held；　a　piece　of　blotting…paper。　　It　was
white　on　one　side　and　blue　on　the　other。　　The　white　side　I　had
thickly　chalked；　though　this　was　not　apparent。　　Laying　down　this
piece　of　blotting…paper；　chalked　side　up；　on　the　end　of　a　large　table
near　which　we　were　standing；　I　took　out　an　envelope　from　my　pocket；
and；　shaking　it　gently　to　and　fro；　remarked：

〃In　an　upper　room　of　the　Moore　house　…　you　remember　the　southwest
chamber；　sir？〃

Ali！　didn't　he！　　There　was　no　misdoubting　the　quick　emotion　…　the
shrinking　and　the　alarm　with　which　he　heard　this　room　mentioned。

〃It　was　in　that　room　that　I　found　these。〃

Tipping　up　the　envelope；　I　scattered　over　the　face　of　the　blotter
a　few　of　the　glistening　particles　I　had　collected　from　the　place
mentioned。

He　bent　over　them；　astonished。　　Then；　as　was　natural；　brushed　them
together　in　a　heap　with　the　tips　of　his　fingers；　and　leaned　to　look
again；　just　as　I　breathed　a　heavy　sigh　which　scattered　them　far　and
wide。

Instinctively；　he　withdrew　his　hand；　whereupon　I　embraced　the
opportunity　of　turning　the　blotter　over；　uttering　meanwhile　the
most　profuse　apologies。　　Then；　as　if　anxious　not　to　repeat　my
misadventure；　I　let　the　blotter　lie　where　it　was；　and　pouring　out
the　few　remaining　particles　into　my　palm；　I　held　them　toward　the
light　in　such　a　way　that　he　was　compelled　to　lean　across　the　table
in　order　to　see　them。　　Naturally；　for　I　had　planned　the　distance
well；　his　finger…tips；　white　with　the　chalk　he　had　unconsciously
handled；　touched　the　blue　surface　of　the　blotter　now　lying　uppermost
and　left　their　marks　there。

I　could　have　shouted　in　my　elation　at　the　success　of　this　risky
maneuver；　but　managed　to　suppress　my　emotion；　and　to　stand　quite
still　while　he　took　a　good　look　at　the　filings。　　They　seemed　to　have
great　and　unusual　interest　for　him　and　it　was　with　no　ordinary
emotion　that　he　finally　asked：

〃What　do　you　make　out　of　these；　and　why　do　you　bring　them　here？〃

My　answer　was　written　under　his　hand；　but　this　it　was　far　from　my
policy　to　impart。　　So　putting　on　my　friendliest　air；　I　returned；
with　suitable　respect：

〃I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　them。　　They　look　like　gold；　but　that
is　for　you　to　decide。　　Do　you　want　them；　sir？〃

〃No；〃　he　replied；　starting　erect　and　withdrawing　his　hand　from　the
blotter。　　〃It's　but　a　trifle；　not　worth　our　attention。　　But　I
thank　you　just　the　same　for　bringing　it　to　my　notice。〃

And　again　his　manner　became　a　plain　dismissal。

This　time　I　accepted　it　as　such　without　question。　　Carelessly
restoring　the　piece　of　blotting…paper　to　the　book　from　which　I　had
taken　it；　I　made　a　bow　and　withdrew　toward　the　door。　　He　seemed　to
be　thinking；　and　the　deep　furrows　which　I　am　sure　had　been　lacking
from　his　brow　a　week　previous；　became　startlingly　visible。　　Finally
he　observed：

〃Mrs。　Jeffrey　was　not　in　her　right　mind　when　she　so　unhappily　took
her　life。　　I　see　now　that　the　change　in　her　dates　back　to　her
wedding　day；　consequently　any　little　peculiarity　she　may　have　shown
at　that　time　is　not　to　be　wondered　at。〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　I　boldly　ventured；　〃if　such　peculiarities　were
shown　after　the　fright　given　her　by　the　catastrophe　which　took　place
in　the　library。〃

His　eyes；　which　were　fixed　on　mine；　flashed；　and　his　hands　closed
convulsively。

〃We　will　not　consider　the　subject；〃　he　muttered；　reseating　himself
in　the　chair　from　which　he　had　risen。

I　bowed　again　and　went　out。　　I　did　not　dwell　on　the　interview　in　my
own　mind　nor　did　I　allow　myself　to　draw　any　conclusions　from　it；
till　I　had　carried　the　blotter　into　the　southwest　chamber　of　the
Moore　house　and　carefully　compared　the　impressions　made　on　it　with
the　marks　I　had　scratched　on　the　surface　of　the　mantel…shelf。　　This
I　did　by　laying　the　one　over　the　other；　after　having　made　holes
where　his　finger…tips　had　touched　the　blotter。

The　holes　in　the　blotter　and　the　marks　outlined　upon　the　shelf
coincided　exactly。




IX

JINNY


I　have　already　mentioned　the　man　whom　I　secretly　looked　upon　as
standing　between　me　and　all　preferment。　　He　was　a　good…looking
fellow；　but　he　wore　a　natural　sneer　which　for　some　reason　I　felt　to
be　always　directed　toward　myself。　　This　sneer　grew　pronounced　about
this　time；　and　that　was　the　reason；　no　doubt；　why　I　continued　to
work　as　long　as　I　did　in　secret。　　I　dreaded　the　open　laugh　of　this
man；　a　laugh　which　always　seemed　hovering　on　his　lips　and　which　was
only　held　in　restraint　by　the　awe　we　all　felt　of　the　major。

Notwithstanding；　I　made　one　slight　move。　　Encountering　the
deputy…coroner；　I　ventured　to　ask　if　he　was　quite　satisfied　with
the　evidence　collected　in　the　Jeffrey　case。

His　surprise　did　not　prevent　him　from　asking　my　reasons　for　this
question。

I　replied　to　this　effect：

〃Because　I　have　a　little　friend；　winsome　enough　and　subtle　enough
to　worm　the　truth　out　of　the　devil。　　I　hear　that　the　girl　Loretta
is　suspected　of　knowing　more　about　this　unfortunate　tragedy　than
she　is　willing　to　impart。　　If　you　wish　this　little　friend　of　mine
to　talk　to　her；　I　will　see　that　she　does　so　and　does　so　with　effect。〃

The　deputy…coroner　looked　interested。

〃Whom　do　you　mean　by　‘little　friend'　and　what　is　her　name？〃

〃I　will　send　her　to　you。〃

And　I　did。

The　next　day　I　was　standing　on　the　corner　of　Vermont　Avenue　when　I
saw　Jinny　advancing　from　the　house　in　K　Street。　　She　was　chipper；
and　she　was　smiling　in　a　way　which　made　me　say　to　myself：

〃It　is　fortunate　that　Durbin