the filigree ball-第32部分

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but　one。　　A　ring！　the　symbol　of　some　old　attachment。

The　slight　abrasion　at　the　base　of　her　third　finger；　which　had　been
looked　upon　as　the　result　of　too　rough　and　speedy　a　withdrawing　of
the　wedding…ring　on　the　evening　of　her　death；　was　much　more　likely
to　have　been　occasioned　by　the　reopening　of　some　little　wound　made
two　weeks　before　by　the　file。　　If　Durbin　and　the　rest　had　taken　into
account　these　filings；　they　must　have　come　to　very　much　the　same
conclusion；　but　either　they　had　overlooked　them　in　their　search
about　the　place；　or；　having　noted　them；　regarded　them　as　a　clue
leading　nowhere。

But　for　me　they　led　the　way　to　a　very　definite　inquiry。　　Asking　to
see　the　rings　Mrs。　Jeffrey　had　left　behind　her　on　the　night　she
went　for　the　last　time　to　the　Moore　house；　I　looked　them　carefully
over；　and　found　that　none　of　them　showed　the　least　mark　of　the　file。
This　strengthened　my　theory；　and　I　proceeded　to　take　my　next　step
with　increased　confidence。　　It　seemed　an　easy　one；　but　proved
unexpectedly　difficult。　　My　desire　was　to　ascertain　whether　she　had
worn　previous　to　her　marriage　any　rings　which　had　not　been　seen　on
her　finger　since；　and　it　took　me　one　whole　week　to　establish　the
fact　that　she　had。

But　that　fact　once　learned；　the　way　cleared　before　me。　　Allowing　my
fancy　full　rein；　I　pictured　to　myself　her　anxious　figure　standing
alone　in　that　ancient　and　ghostly　room　filing　off　this　old　ring
from　her　dainty　finger。　　Then　I　asked　myself　what　she　would　be
likely　to　do　with　this　ring　after　disengaging　it　from　her　hand？
Would　she　keep　it？　　Perhaps；　but　if　so；　why　could　it　not　be　found？
None　such　had　been　discovered　among　her　effects。　　Or　had　she　thrown
it　away；　and　if　so；　where？　　The　vision　of　her　which　I　had　just　seen
in　my　mind's　eye　came　out　with　a　clearness　at　this；　which　struck
me　as　providential。　　I　could　discern　as　plainly　as　if　I　had　been　a
part　of　the　scene　the　white…clad　form　of　the　bride　bending　toward
the　light　which　came　in　sparsely　through　the　half…open　shutter　she
had　loosened　for　this　task。　　This　was　the　shutter　which　had　never
again　been　fastened　and　whose　restless　blowing　to　and　fro　had　first
led　attention　to　this　house　and　the　crime　it　might　otherwise　have
concealed　indefinitely。　　Had　some　glimpse　of　the　rank　grass　growing
underneath　this　window　lured　her　eye　and　led　her　to　cast　away　the
ring　which　she　had　no　longer　any　right　to　keep？　　It　would　be　like
a　woman　to　yield　to　such　an　impulse；　and　on　the　strength　of　the
possibility　I　decided　to　search　this　small　plot　for　what　it　might
very　reasonably　conceal。

But　I　did　not　wish　to　do　this　openly。　　I　was　not　only　afraid　of
attracting　Durbin's　attention　by　an　attempt　which　could　only　awaken
his　disdain；　but　I　hesitated　to　arouse　the　suspicion　of　Mr。　Moore；
whose　interest　in　his　newly　acquired　property　made　him　very　properly
alert　to　any　trespass　upon　it。

The　undertaking；　therefore；　presented　difficulties。　　But　it　was　my
business　to　overcome　these；　and　before　long　I　conceived　a　plan　by
which　every　blade　of　grass　in　the　narrow　strip　running　in　front　of
this　house　might　be　gone　over　without　rousing　anything　more　serious
than　Uncle　David's　ire。

Calling　together　a　posse　of　street　urchins；　I　organized　them　into
a　band；　with　the　promise　of　a　good　supper　all　around　if　one　of　them
brought　me　the　pieces　of　a　broken　ring　which　I　had　lost　in　the　grass
plot　of　a　house　where　I　had　been　called　upon　to　stay　all　night。
That　they　might　win　the　supper　in　the　shortest　possible　time　and
before　the　owner　of　this　house；　who　lived　opposite；　could　interfere；
I　advised　them　to　start　at　the　fence　in　a　long　line　and；　proceeding
on　their　knees；　to　search；　each　one；　the　ground　before　him　to　the
width　of　his　own　body。　　The　fortunate　one　was　to　have　the　privilege
of　saying　what　the　supper　should　consist　of。　　To　give　a　plausible
excuse　for　this　search；　a　ball　was　to　be　tossed　up　and　down　the
street　till　it　lighted　in　the　Moore　house　inclosure。

It　was　a　scheme　to　fire　the　street　boy's　soul；　and　I　was　only　afraid
of　failure　from　the　over…enthusiasm　it　aroused。　　But　the　injunctions
which　I　gave　them　to　spare　the　shrubs　and　not　to　trample　the　grass
any　more　than　was　necessary　were　so　minute　and　impressive　that　they
moved　away　to　their　task　in　unexpected　order　and　with　a　subdued
cheerfulness　highly　promising　of　success。

I　did　not　accompany　them。　　Jinny；　who　has　such　an　innocent　air　on
the　street；　took　my　place　and　promenaded　up　and　down　the　block；　just
to　see　that　Mr。　Moore　did　not　make　too　much　trouble。　　And　it　was
well　she　did　so；　for　though　he　was　not　at　home；　…　I　had　chosen　the
hour　of　his　afternoon　ride；　his　new　man…servant　was；　and　he　no　sooner
perceived　this　crowd　of　urchins　making　for　the　opposite　house　than
he　rushed　at　them；　and　would　have　scattered　them　far　and　wide　in　a
twinkling　if　the　demure　dimples　of　my　little　ally　had　not　come　into
play　and　distracted　his　attention　so　completely　as　to　make　him
forget　the　throng　of　unkempt　hoodlums　who　seemed　bound　to　invade
his　master's　property。　　She　was　looking　for　Mr。　Moore's　house；　she
told　him。　　Did　he　know　Mr。　Moore；　and　his　house　which　was　somewhere
near？　　Not　his　new；　great；　big　house；　where　the　horrible　things
took　place　of　which　she　had　read　in　the　papers；　but　his　little　old
house；　which　she　had　heard　was　soon　to　be　for　rent；　and　which　she
thought　would　be　just　the　right　size　for　herself　and　mother。　　Was
that　it？　　That　dear　little　place　all　smothered　in　vines？　　How
lovely！　　and　what　would　the　rent　be；　did　he　think？　　and　had　it　a
back…yard　with　garden…room　enough　for　her　to　raise　pinks　and
nasturtiums？　　and　so　on；　and　so　on；　while　he　stared　with　delighted
eyes；　and　tried　to　put　in　a　word　edgewise；　and　the　boys　…　well；
they　went　through　that　strip　of　grass　in　just　ten　minutes。　　My
brave　little　Jinny　had　just　declared　with　her　most　roguish　smile
that　she　would　run　home　and　tell　her　mother　all　about　this　sweetest
of　sweet　little　places；　when　a　shout　rose　from　the　other　side　of
the　street；　and　that　collection　of　fifteen　or　twenty　boys　scampered
away　as　if　mad；　shouting　in　joyous　echo　of　the　boy　at　their　head：

〃It's　to　be　chicken；　heaping　plates　of　ice　cream　and　sponge　cake。〃

By　which　token　she　knew　that　the　ring　had　been　found。

*******

When　they　brought　this　ring　to　me　I　would　not　have　exchanged　places
with　any　man　on　earth。　　As　Jinny　herself　was　curious　enough　to
stroll　along　about　this　time；　I　held　it　out　where　we　both　could　see
it　and　draw　our　conclusions。

It　was　a　plain　gold　circlet　set　with　a　single　small　ruby。　　It　was
cut　through　and　twisted　out　of　shape；　just　as　I　had　anticipated；
and　as　I　examined　it　I　wondered　what　part　it　had　played　and　was
yet　destined　to　play　in　the　drama　of　Veronica　Jeffrey's　mysterious
life　and　still　more　mysterious　death。　　That　it　was　a　factor　of　some
importance；　arguing　some　early　school…girl　love；　I　could　but　gather
from　the　fact　that　its　removal　from　her　finger　was　effected　in
secrecy　and　under　circumstances　of　such　pressing　haste。　　How　could
I　learn　the　story　of　that　ring　and　the　possible　connection　between
it　and　Mr。　Jeffrey's　professed　jealousy　of　his　wife　and　the
disappointing　honeymoon　which　had　followed　their　marriage？　　That
this　feeling　on　his　part　had　antedated　the　ambassador's　ball　no　one
could　question；　but　that　it　had　started　as　far　back　as　the　wedding
day　was　a　new　idea　to　me　and　one　which　suggested　many　possibilities。
Could　this　idea　be　established；　and；　if　so；　how？　　But　one　avenue　of
inquiry　offered　itself。　　The　waiter；　who　had　been　spirited　away　so
curiously　immediately　after　the　wedding；　might　be　able　to　give　us
some　information　on　this　interesting　point。　　He　had　been　the　medium
of　the　messages　which　had　passed　between　her　and　Mr。　Jeffrey　just
prior　to　the　ceremony；　afterward　he　had　been　seen　talking　earnestly
to　that　gentleman　and　later　with　her。　　Certainly；　it　would　add　to
our　understanding　of　the　situation　to　know　what　reply　she　had　sent
to　the　peremptory　demand　made　upon　her　at　so　critical　a　time；　an
understanding　so　desirable　that　the　very　prospect　of　it　was　almost
enough　to　warrant　a　journey　to　Tampa。　　Yet；　say　that　the　results
were　disappointing；　how　much　time　lost　and　what　a　sum　of　money！　　I
felt　the　need　of　advice　in　this　crisis；　yet　hesitated　to　ask　it。
My　cursed　pride　and　my　no　less　cursed　jealousy　of　Durbin　stood　very
much　in　my　way　at　this　time。

A　week　had　now　passed　since　the　inquest；　and；　while　Miss　Tuttle
still　remained　at　liberty；　it　was　a　circumscribed　liberty　which
must　have　been　very　galling　to　one　of　her　temperament　and　habits。
She　rode　and　she　walked；　but　she　entered　no　house　unattended　nor
was　she　allowed　any　communication　with　Mr。　Jeffrey。　　Nevertheless
she　saw　him；　or　at　least　gave　him　the　opportunity　of　seeing　her。
Each　day　at　three　o'clock　she　rode　through　K　Street；　and　the
detective　who　watched　Mr。　Jeffrey's　house　said　that　she　never
passed　it　without　turning　her　face　to　the　second…story　window；
where　he　invariably　stood。　　No　signs　passed　between　them；　indeed；
they　scarcely　nodded；　but　her　face；　as　she　lifted　it　to　meet　his
eye；　showed　so　marked　a　serenity　and　was　so　altogether　beautiful
that　this　same　detective　had　a　desire　to　see　if　it　maintained
like　characteristics　when　she　was　not　within　reach　of　her
brother…in…law。　　Accordingly；　the　next　day　he　delegated　his　place
to　another　and　took　his　stand　farther　down　the　street。　　Alas！　　it
was　not　the　same　woman's　face　he　saw；　but　a　far　different　and　sadder
one。　　She　wore　that　look　of　courage　and　brave　hope　only　in　passing
Mr。　Jeffrey's　house。　　Was　it　simply　an　expression　of　her　secret
devotion　to　him　or　the　signal　of　some　compact　which　had　been
entered　into　between　them？

Whichever　it　was；　it　touched　my　heart；　even　in　his　description　of
it。　　After　advising　with　Jinny　I　approached　the　superintendent；　to
whom；　without　further　reserve；　I　opened　my　heart。

The　next　day　I　found　myself　on　the　train　bound　for　Tampa；　with　full
authority　to　follow　Curly　Jim　until　I　found　him。





BOOK　III

THE　HOUSE　OF　DOOM




XIX

IN　TAMPA


When　I　started　on　this　desperate　search　after　a　witness；　war　had
been　declared；　but　no　advance　as　yet　ordered　on　Cuba。　　But　du