the filigree ball-第33部分

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been　declared；　but　no　advance　as　yet　ordered　on　Cuba。　　But　during
my　journey　south　the　long　expected　event　happened；　and　on　my
arrival　in　Tampa　I　found　myself　in　the　midst　of　departure　and
everything　in　confusion。

Of　course；　under　such　conditions　it　was　difficult　to　find　my　man　on
the　instant。　　Innumerable　inquiries　yielded　no　result；　and　in　the
absence　of　any　one　who　would　or　could　give　me　the　desired　information
I　wandered　from　one　end　of　the　camp　to　the　other　till　I　finally
encountered　a　petty　officer　who　gave　signs　of　being　a　Rough　Rider。
Him　I　stopped；　and；　with　some　hint　of　my　business；　asked　where
James　Calvert　could　be　found。

His　answer　was　a　stare　and　a　gesture　toward　the　hospital　tents。

Nothing　could　have　astonished　me　more。

〃Sick？〃　I　cried。

〃Dying；〃　was　his　answer。

Dying！　　Curly　Jim！　　Impossible。　　I　had　misled　my　informant　as　to
the　exact　man　I　wanted；　or　else　there　were　two　James　Calverts　in
Tampa。　　Curly　Jim；　the　former　cowboy；　was　not　the　fellow　to　succumb
in　camp　before　he　had　ever　smelt　powder。

〃It　is　James　Calvert　of　the　First　Volunteer　Corps　I　am　after；〃　said
I。　　〃A　sturdy　fellow　…〃

〃No　doubt；　no　doubt。　　Many　sturdy　fellows　are　down。　　He's　down　to
stay。　　Typhoid；　you　know。　　Bad　case。　　No　hope　from　the　start。　　Pity；
but　…〃

I　heard　no　more。　　Dying！　　Curly　Jim。　　He　who　was　considered　to　be
immune！　　He　who　held　the　secret　…

〃Let　me　see　him；〃　I　demanded。　　〃It　is　important　…　a　police　matter
　…　a　word　from　him　may　save　a　life。　　He　is　still　breathing？〃

〃Yes；　but　I　do　not　think　there　is　any　chance　of　his　speaking。　　He
did　not　recognize　his　nurse　five　minutes　ago。〃

As　bad　as　that！　　But　I　did　not　despair。　　I　did　not　dare　to。　　I　had
staked　everything　on　this　interview；　and　I　was　not　going　to　lose
its　promised　results　from　any　lack　of　effort　on　my　own　part。

〃Let　me　see　him；〃　I　repeated。

I　was　taken　in。　　The　few　persons　I　saw　clustered　about　a　narrow　cot
in　one　corner　gave　way　and　I　was　cut　to　the　heart　to　see　that　they
did　this　not　so　much　out　of　consideration　for　me　or　my　errand　there
as　from　the　consciousness　that　their　business　at　the　bedside　of
this　dying　man　was　over。　　He　was　on　the　point　of　breathing　his
last。　　I　pressed　forward；　and　after　one　quick　scrutiny　of　the　closed
eyes　and　pale　face　I　knelt　at　his　side　and　whispered　a　name　into
his　ear。　　It　was　that　of　Veronica　Moore。

He　started；　they　all　saw　it。　　On　the　threshold　of　death；　some
emotion　…　we　never　knew　what　one　…　drew　him　back　for　an　instant；
and　the　pale　cheek　showed　a　suspicion　of　color。　　Though　the　eyes
did　not　open；　the　lips　moved；　and　I　caught　these　words：

〃Kept　word　…　told　no　one　…　she　was　so　…〃

And　that　was　all。　　He　died　the　next　instant。

Well！　　I　was　woefully　done　up　by　this　sudden　extinction　of　all　my
hopes。　　They　had　been　extravagant；　no　doubt；　but　they　had　sustained
me　through　all　my　haps　and　mishaps；　trials　and　dangers；　till　now；
here；　they　ended　with　the　one　inexorable　fact…death。　　Was　I　doomed
to　defeat；　then？　　Must　I　go　back　to　the　major　with　my　convictions
unchanged　but　with　no　fresh　proof；　no　real　evidence　to　support　them？
I　certainly　must。　　With　the　death　of　this　man；　all　means　of　reaching
the　state　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　mind　immediately　preceding　her　marriage
were　gone。　　I　could　never　learn　now　what　to　know　would　make　a　man
of　me　and　possibly　save　Cora　Tuttle。

Bending　under　this　stroke　of　Providence；　I　passed　out。　　A　little
boy　was　sobbing　at　the　tent　door。　　I　stared　at　him　curiously；　and
was　hurrying　on；　when　I　felt　myself　caught　by　the　hand。

〃Take　me　with　you；〃　cried　a　choked　and　frightened　voice　in　my　ear。
〃I　have　no　friend　here；　now　he　is　gone；　take　me　back　to　Washington。〃

Washington！　　I　turned　and　looked　at　the　lad　who；　kneeling　in　the
hot　sand　at　the　door　of　the　tent；　was　clutching　me　with　imploring
hands。

〃Who　are　you？〃　I　asked；　〃and　how　came　you　here？　　Do　you　belong　to
the　army？〃

〃I　helped　care　for　his　horse；〃　he　whispered。　　〃He　found　me　smuggled
on　board　the　train　…　for　I　was　bound　to　go　to　the　war　…　and　he　was
sorry　for　me　and　used　to　give　me　bits　of　his　own　rations；　but　…　but
now　no　one　will　give　me　anything。　　Take　me　back；　she　won't　care。
She's　dead；　they　say。　　Besides；　I　wouldn't　stay　here　now　if　she　was
alive　and　breathing。　　I　have　had　enough　of　war　since　he　…　Oh；　he
was　good　to　me　…I　never　cared　for　any　one　so　much。〃

I　looked　at　the　boy　with　an　odd　sensation　for　which　I　have　no　name。

〃Whom　are　you　talking　about？〃　I　asked。　　〃Your　mother　your　sister？〃

〃Oh；　no；〃　the　tone　was　simplicity　itself。　　〃Never　had　no　mother。
I　mean　the　lady　at　the　big　house；　the　one　that　was　married。　　She
gave　me　money　to　go　out　of　Washington；　and；　wanting　to　be　a　soldier；
I　followed　Curly　Jim。　　I　didn't　think　he'd　die　…　he　looked　so
strong　…　　What's　the　matter；　sir？　　Have　I　said　anything　I　shouldn't？〃

I　had　him　by　the　arm。　　I　fear　that　I　was　shaking　him。

〃The　lady！〃　I　repeated。　　〃She　who　was　married　…　who　gave　you　money。
Wasn't　it　Mrs。　Jeffrey？〃

〃Yes；　I　believe　that　was　the　name　of　the　man　she　married。　　I　didn't
know　him；　but　I　saw　he　r…〃

〃Where？　　And　why　did　she　give　you　money？　　I　will　take　you　home　with
me　if　you　tell　me　the　truth　about　it。〃

He　glanced　back　at　the　tent　from　which　I　had　slightly　drawn　him
and　a　hungry　look　crept　into　his　eyes。

〃Well；　it's　no　secret　now；〃　he　muttered。　　〃He　used　to　say　I　must
keep　my　mouth　shut；　but　he　wouldn't　say　so　now　if　he　knew　I　could
get　home　by　telling。　　He　used　to　be　sorry　for　me；　he　used。　　What
do　you　want　to　know？〃

〃Why　Mrs。　Jeffrey　gave　you　money　to　leave　Washington。〃

The　boy　trembled；　drew　a　step　away；　and　then　came　back；　and　under
those　hot　Florida　skies；　in　the　turmoil　of　departing　troops；　I
heard　these　words：

〃Because　I　heard　what　she　said　to　Jim。〃

I　felt　my　heart　go　down；　then　up；　up；　beyond　anything　I　had　ever
experienced　in　my　whole　life。　　The　way　before　me　was　not　closed
then。　　A　witness　yet　remained；　though　Jim　was　dead。　　The　boy　was
oblivious　of　my　emotion；　he　was　staring　with　great　mournfulness
t　the　tent。

〃And　what　was　that？〃　said　I。

His　attention；　which　had　been　wandering；　came　back；　and　it　was
with　some　surprise　he　said：

〃It　was　not　much。　　She　told　him　to　take　the　gentleman　into　the
library。　　But　it　was　the　library　where　men　died；　and　he　just　went
and　died　there；　too；　you　remember；　and　Jim　said　he　wasn't　ever　going
to　speak　of　it；　and　so　I　promised　not　to；　neither；　but　…　but　…　when
do　you　think　you　will　be　starting；　sir？〃

I　did　not　answer　him。　　I　was　feeling　very　queer；　as　men　feel；　I
suppose；　who　in　some　crisis　or　event　recognize　an　unexpected
interposition　of　Providence。

〃Are　you　the　boy　who　ran　away　from　the　florist's　in　Washington？〃
I　inquired　when　ready　to　speak。　　〃The　boy　who　delivered　Miss　Moore's
bridal　bouquet？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

I　let　go　of　his　hand　and　sat　down。　　Surely　there　was　a　power　greater
than　chance　governing　this　matter。　　Through　what　devious　ways　and
from　what　unexpected　sources　had　I　come　upon　this　knowledge？

〃Mrs。　Jeffrey；　or　Miss　Moore；　as　she　was　then；　told　Jim　to　seat　the
gentleman　in　the　library；〃　I　now　said。　　〃Why？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　　He　told　her　the　gentleman's　name　and　then　she
whispered　him　that。　　I　heard　her；　and　that　was　why　I　got　money；　too。
But　it's　all　gone　now。　　Oh；　sir；　when　are　you　going　back？〃

I　started　to　my　feet。　　Was　it　in　answer　to　this　appeal　or　because
I　realized　that　I　had　come　at　last　upon　a　clue　calling　for　immediate
action？

〃I　am　going　now；〃　said　I；　〃and　you　are　going　with　me。　　Run！　　for
the　train　we　take　leaves　inside　of　ten　minutes。　　My　business　here
is　over。〃




XX

〃THE　COLONEL'S　OWN〃

Words　can　not　express　the　tediousness　of　that　return　journey。　　The
affair　which　occupied　all　my　thoughts　was　as　yet　too　much　enveloped
in　mystery　for　me　to　contemplate　it　with　anything　but　an　anxious
and　inquiring　mind。　　While　I　clung　with　new　and　persistent　hope　to
the　thread　which　had　been　put　in　my　hand；　I　was　too　conscious　of
the　maze　through　which　we　must　yet　pass；　before　the　light　could　be
reached；　to　feel　that　lightness　of　spirit　which　in　itself　might
have　lessened　the　hours；　and　made　bearable　those　days　of　forced
inaction。　　To　beguile　the　way　a　little；　I　made　a　complete　analysis
of　the　facts　as　they　appeared　to　me　in　the　light　of　this　latest　bit
of　evidence。　　The　result　was　not　strikingly　encouraging；　yet　I　will
insert　it；　if　only　in　proof　of　my　diligence　and　the　extreme　interest
I　experienced　in　each　and　every　stage　of　this　perplexing　affair。　　It
again　took　the　form　of　a　summary　and　read　as　follows：

Facts　as　they　now　appear：

1。　　The　peremptory　demand　for　an　interview　which　had　been　delivered
to　Miss　Moore　during　the　half…hour　preceding　her　marriage　had　come；
not　from　the　bridegroom　as　I　had　supposed；　but　from　the　so…called
stranger；　Mr。　Pfeiffer。

2。　　Her　reply　to　this　demand　had　been　an　order　for　that　gentleman
to　be　seated　in　the　library。

3。　　The　messenger　carrying　this　order　had　been　met　and　earnestly
talked　with　by　Mr。　Jeffrey　either　immediately　before　or　immediately
after　the　aforementioned　gentleman　had　been　so　seated。

4。　　Death　reached　Mr。　Pfeiffer　before　the　bride　did。

5。　　Miss　Moore　remained　in　ignorance　of　this　catastrophe　till　after
her　marriage；　no　intimation　of　the　same　having　been　given　her　by
the　few　persons　allowed　to　approach　her　before　she　descended　to　her
nuptials；　yet　she　was　seen　to　shrink　unaccountably　when　her　husband's
lips　touched　hers；　and　when　informed　of　the　dreadful　event　before
which　she　beheld　all　her　guests　fleeing；　went　from　the　house　a
changed　woman。

6。　　For　all　this　proof　that　Mr。　Pfeiffer　was　well　known　to　her；　if
not　to　the　rest　of　the　bridal　party；　no　acknowledgment　of　this　was
made　by　any　of　them　then　or　afterward；　nor　any　contradiction　given
either　by　husband　or　wife　to　the　accepted　theory　that　this　seeming
stranger　from　the　West　had　gone　into　this　fatal　room　of　the　Moores'
to　gratify　his　own　morbid　curiosity。

7。　　On　the　contrary；　an　extraordinary　effort　was　immediately　made
by　Mr。　Jeffrey　to　rid　himself　of　the　only　witnesses　who　could　tell
the　truth　concerning　those　fatal　ten　minutes；　but　this　brought　no
peace　to　the　miserable　wife；　who　never　again　sa