the filigree ball-第24部分

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was　about　to　repeat　his　plea　of　forgetfulness　when　the　coroner's
attention　was　diverted　by　a　request　made　in　his　ear　by　one　of　the
detectives。　　In　another　moment　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　been　waved　aside　and
a　new　witness　sworn　in。

You　can　imagine　every　one's　surprise；　mine　most　of　all；　when　this
witness　proved　to　be　Uncle　David。




XIV。

〃TALLMAN！　　LET　US　HAVE　TALLMAN！〃


I　do　not　know　why　the　coroner　had　so　long　delayed　to　call　this
witness。　　In　the　ordinary　course　of　events　his　testimony　should
have　preceded　mine；　but　the　ordinary　course　of　events　had　not　been
followed；　and　it　was　only　at　the　request　of　Mr。　Moore　himself　that
he　was　now　allowed　the　privilege　of　appearing　before　this　coroner
and　jury。

I　speak　of　it　as　a　privilege　because　he　himself　evidently　regarded
it　as　such。　　Indeed；　his　whole　attitude　and　bearing　as　he　addressed
himself　to　the　coroner　showed　that　he　was　there　to　be　looked　at　and
that　he　secretly　thought　he　was　very　well　worth　this　attention。
Possibly　some　remembrance　of　the　old　days；　in　which　he　had　gone　in
and　out　before　these　people　in　a　garb　suggestive　of　penury；　made
the　moment　when　he　could　appear　before　them　in　a　guise　more
befitting　his　station　one　of　incalculable　importance　to　him。

At　all　events；　he　confronted　us　all　with　an　aspect　which　openly
challenged　admiration。　　When；　in　answer　to　the　coroner's　inquiries；
it　became　his　duty　to　speak；　he　did　so　with　a　condescension　which
would　have　called　up　smiles　if　the　occasion　had　been　one　of　less
seriousness；　and　his　connection　with　it　as　unimportant　as　he　would
have　it　appear。

What　he　said　was　in　the　way　of　confirming　the　last　witness'
testimony　as　to　his　having　been　at　the　Moore　house　on　Tuesday
evening。　　Mr。　Moore；　who　was　very　particular　as　to　dates　and　days；
admitted　that　the　light　which　he　had　seen　in　a　certain　window　of
his　ancestral　home　on　the　evening　when　he　summoned　the　police　was
but　the　repetition　of　one　he　had　detected　there　the　evening　before。
It　was　this　repetition　which　alarmed　him　and　caused　him　to　break
through　all　his　usual　habits　and　leave　his　home　at　night　to　notify
the　police。

〃The　old　sneak！〃　thought　I。　　〃Why　didn't　he　tell　us　this　before？〃
And　I　allowed　myself　afresh　doubt　of　his　candor　which　had　always
seemed　to　me　somewhat　open　to　question。　　It　is　possible　that　the
coroner　shared　my　opinion；　or　that　he　felt　it　incumbent　upon　him　to
get　what　evidence　he　could　from　the　sole　person　living　within　view
of　the　house　in　which　such　ghastly　events　had　taken　place。　　For；
without　betraying　the　least　suspicion；　and　yet　with　the　quiet
persistence　for　which　men　in　his　responsible　position　are　noted；
he　subjected　this　suave　old　man　to　such　a　rigid　examination　as　to
what　he　had　seen；　or　had　not　seen；　from　his　windows；　that　no
possibility　seemed　to　remain　of　his　concealing　a　single　fact　which
could　help　to　the　elucidation　of　this　or　any　other　mystery　connected
with　the　old　mansion。

He　asked　him　if　he　had　seen　Mr。　Jeffrey　go　in　on　the　night　in
question；　if　he　had　ever　seen　any　one　go　in　there　since　the　wedding；
or　even　if　he　had　seen　any　one　loitering　about　the　steps；　or　sneaking
into　the　rear　yard。　　But　the　answer　was　always　no；　these　same　noes
growing　more　and　more　emphatic；　and　the　gentleman　more　and　more
impenetrable　and　dignified　as　the　examination　went　on。　　In　fact；　he
was　as　unassailable　a　witness　as　I　have　ever　heard　testify　before
any　jury。　　Beyond　the　fact　already　mentioned　of　his　having　observed
a　light　in　the　opposite　house　on　the　two　evenings　in　question；　he
admitted　nothing。　　His　life　in　the　little　cottage　was　so　engrossing
　…　he　had　his　organ　…　his　dog　…　why　should　he　look　out　of　the　window？
Had　it　not　been　for　his　usual　habit　of　letting　his　dog　run　the
pavements　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before　finally　locking　up　for
the　night；　he　would　not　have　seen　as　much　as　he　did。

〃Have　you　any　stated　hour　for　doing　this？〃　the　coroner　now　asked。

〃Yes；　half…past　nine〃

〃And　was　this　the　hour　when　you　caw　that　light？〃

〃Yes；　both　times。〃

As　he　had　appeared　at　the　station…house　at　a　few　minutes　before　ten
he　was　probably　correct　in　this　statement。　　But；　notwithstanding
this；　I　did　not　feel　implicit　confidence　in　him。　　He　was　too
insistent　in　his　regret　at　not　being　able　to　give　greater　assistance
in　the　disentanglement　of　a　mystery　so　affecting　the　honor　of　the
family　of　which　he　was　now　the　recognized　head。　　His　voice；　nicely
attuned　to　the　occasion；　was　admirable；　so　was　his　manner；　but　I
mentally　wrote　him　down　as　one　I　should　enjoy　outwitting　if　the
opportunity　ever　came　my　way。

He　wound　up　with　such　a　distinct　repetition　of　his　former　emphatic
assertion　as　to　the　presence　of　light　in　the　old　house　on　Tuesday
as　well　as　Wednesday　evening　that　Mr。　Jeffrey's　testimony　in　this
regard　received　a　decided　confirmation。　　I　looked　to　see　some　open
recognition　of　this；　when　suddenly；　and　with　a　persistence　understood
only　by　the　police；　the　coroner　recalled　Mr。　Jeffrey　and　asked　him
what　proof　he　had　to　offer　that　his　visit　of　Tuesday　had　not　been
repeated　the　next　night　and　that　he　was　not　in　the　building　when
that　fatal　trigger　was　pulled。

At　this　leading　question；　a　lawyer　sitting　near　me；　edged　himself
forward　as　if　he　hoped　for　some　sign　from　Mr。　Jeffrey　which　would
warrant　him　in　interfering。　　But　Mr；　Jeffrey　gave　no　such　sign。　　I
doubt　if　he　even　noticed　this　man's　proximity；　though　he　knew　him
well　and　had　often　employed　him　as　his　legal　adviser　in　times　gone
by。　　He　was　evidently　exerting　himself　to　recall　the　name　which　so
persistently　eluded　his　memory；　putting　his　hand　to　his　head　and
showing　the　utmost　confusion。

〃I　can　not　give　you　one；〃　he　finally　stammered。　　〃There　is　a　man
who　could　tell　…　if　only　I　could　remember　his　name。〃　　Suddenly　with
a　loud　cry　which　escaped　him　involuntarily；　he　gave　a　gurgling
laugh　and　we　heard　the　name　〃Tallman！〃　leap　from　his　lips。

The　witness　had　at　last　remembered　whom　he　had　met　at　the　cemetery
gate　at　the　hour；　or　near　the　hour；　his　wife　lay　dying　in　the　lower
part　of　the　city。

The　effect　was　electrical。　　One　of　the　spectators　…　some　country
boor；　no　doubt　…　so　far　forgot　himself　as　to　cry　out　loud　enough　for
all　to　hear：

〃Tallman！　Let　us　have　Tallman！〃

Of　course　he　met　with　an　instant　rebuke；　but　I　did　not　wait　to　hear
it；　or　to　see　order　restored；　for　a　glance　from　the　coroner　had
already　sent　me　to　the　door　in　search　of　this　new　witness。

My　destination　was　the　Cosmos　Club；　for　Phil　Tallman　and　his　habits
and　haunts　were　as　well　known　in　Washington　as　the　figure　of　Liberty
on　the　summit　of　the　Capitol　dome。　　When　I　saw　him　I　did　not　wonder。
Never　have　I　seen　a　more　amiable　looking　man；　or　one　with　a　more
absentminded　expression。　　To　my　query　as　to　whether　he　had　ever　met
Mr。　Jeffrey　at　or　near　the　entrance　of　Rock　Creek　Cemetery；　he　replied
with　an　amazed　look　and　the　quick　response：

　〃Of　course　I　did。　　It　was　the　very　night　that　his　wife　…　　But　what's
up？　　You　look　excited　for　a　detective。〃

〃Come　to　the　morgue　and　see。　　This　testimony　of　yours　will　prove
invaluable　to　Mr。　Jeffrey。〃

I　shall　never　forget　the　murmur　of　suppressed　excitement　which
greeted　us　as　I　reappeared　before　coroner　and　jury　accompanied　by
the　gentleman　who　had　been　called　for　in　such　peremptory　tones　a
short　time　before。

Mr。　Jeffrey；　who　had　attempted　to　rise　at　our　entrance；　but　seemed
to　lack　the　ability；　gave　a　faint　smile　as　Tallman's　good…natured
face　appeared；　and　the　coroner；　feeling；　perhaps；　that　some　cords
are　liable　to　break　if　stretched　too　strongly；　administered　the　oath
and　made　the　necessary　inquiries　with　as　little　delay　as　was
compatible　with　the　solemnity　of　the　occasion。

The　result　was　an　absolute　proof　that　Mr。　Jeffrey　had　been　near
Soldiers'　Home　as　late　as　seven；　which　was　barely　fifteen　minutes
previous　to　the　hour　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　watch　was　stopped　by　her　fall
in　the　old　house　on　Waverley　Avenue。　　As　the　distance　between　the
two　places　could　not　be　compassed　in　that　time；　Mr。　Jeffrey's　alibi
could　be　regarded　as　established。

When　we　were　all　rising；　glad　of　an　adjournment　which　restored　free
movement　and　an　open　interchange　of　speech；　a　sudden　check　in　the
general　rush　called　our　attention　back　to　Mr。　Jeffrey。　　He　was
standing　facing　Miss　Tuttle；　who　was　still　sitting　in　a　strangely
immovable　attitude　in　her　old　place。　　He　had　just　touched　her　on　the
arm；　and　now；　with　a　look　of　alarm；　he　threw　up　the　veil　which　had
kept　her　face　hidden　from　all　beholders。

A　vision　of　loveliness　greeted　us；　but　that　was　not　all。　　It　was　an
unconscious　loveliness。　　Miss　Tuttle　had　fainted　away；　sitting
upright　in　her　chair。



XV

WHITE　BOW　AND　PINK


Mr。　Jeffrey's　examination　and　its　triumphant　conclusion　created　a
great　furor　in　town。　　Topics　which　had　hitherto　absorbed　all　minds
were　forgotten　in　the　discussion　of　the　daring　attempt　which　had
been　made　by　the　police　to　fix　crime　upon　one　of　Washington's　most
esteemed　citizens；　and　the　check　which　they　had　rightly　suffered
for　this　outrage。　　What　might　be　expected　next？　　Something　equally
bold　and　reprehensible；　of　course；　but　what？　　It　was　a　question
which　at　the　next　sitting　completely　filled　the　inquest　room。

To　my　great　surprise；　Mr。　Jeffrey　was　recalled　to　the　stand。　　He
had　changed　since　the　night　before。　　He　looked　older；　and　while
still　handsome；　for　nothing　could　rob　him　of　his　regularity　of
feature　and　extreme　elegance　of　proportion；　showed　little　of　the
spirit　which；　in　spite　of　the　previous　day's　depression；　had
upheld　him　through　its　most　trying　ordeal　and　kept　his　eye　bright；
if　only　from　excitement。　　This　was　fact　number　one；　and　one　which
I　stored　away　in　my　already　well…furnished　memory。

Miss　Tuttle　sat　in　a　less　conspicuous　position　than　on　the　previous
day；　and　Mr。　Moore；　her　uncle；　was　not　thereat　all。

The　testimony　called　for　revived　an　old　point　which；　seemingly；　had
not　been　settled　to　the　coroner's　satisfaction。

Had　Mr。　Jeffrey　placed　the　small　stand　holding　the　candelabrum　on
the　spot　where　it　had　been　found？　　No。　　Had　he　carried　into　the
house；　at　the　time　of　his　acknowledged　visit；　the　candles　which　had
been　afterward　discovered　the