the filigree ball-第37部分

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fancied；　from　the　other's　death。〃

A　curious　set　of　paragraphs。　　Some　one　besides　myself　was　searching
for　the　very　explanation　I　was　at　that　moment　intent　upon。　　I　should
have　considered　it　the　work　of　our　detectives　if　the　additional
lines　I　now　came　upon　could　have　been　written　by　any　one　but　a　Moore。
But　no　one　of　any　other　blood　or　associations　could　have　indited　the
amazing　words　which　followed。　　The　only　excuse　I　could　find　for　them
was　the　difficulty　which　some　men　feel　in　formulating　their　thoughts
otherwise　than　with　pen　and　paper；　they　were　so　evidently　intended
for　the　writer's　eye　and　understanding　only；　as　witness：

〃Let　me　recall　the　words　my　father　was　uttering　when　my　brother
rushed　in　upon　us　with　that　account　of　my　misdeeds　which　changed
all　my　prospects　in　life。　　It　was　my　twenty…first　birthday　and　the
old　man　had　just　informed　me　that　as　the　eldest　son　I　might　expect
the　house　in　which　we　stood　to　be　mine　one　day　and　with　it　a　secret
which　has　been　handed　down　from　father　to　son　ever　since　the　Moores
rose　to　eminence　in　the　person　of　Colonel　Alpheus。　　Then　he　noted
that　I　was　now　of　age　and　immediately　went　on　to　say：　'This　means
that　you　must　be　told　certain　facts；　without　the　knowledge　of　which
you　would　be　no　true　Moore。　　These　facts　you　must　hereafter　relate
to　your　son　or　whoever　may　be　fortunate　enough　to　inherit　from　you。
It　is　the　legacy　which　goes　with　this　house　and　one　which　no
inheritor　as　yet　has　refused　either　to　receive　or　to　transmit。
Listen。　　You　have　often　noted　the　gold　filigree　ball　which　I　wear
on　my　watch…guard。　　This　ball　is　the　talisman　of　our　house；　of　this
house。　　If；　in　the　course　of　your　life　you　find　yourself　in　an
extremity　from　which　no　issue　seems　possible　mind　the　strictness
of　the　injunction　…　an　extremity　from　which　no　issue　seems　possible
（I　have　never　been　in　such　a　case；　the　gold　filigree　ball　has　never
been　opened　by　me）you　will　take　this　trinket　from　its　chain；　press
upon　this　portion　of　it　so；　and　use　what　you　will　find　inside；　in
connection　with　…'　　Alas！　it　was　at　this　point　John　Judson　came
rushing　in　and　those　disclosures　were　made　which　lost　me　my　father's
regard　and　gave　to　the　informer　my　rightful　inheritance；　together
with　the　full　secret　of　which　I　only　got　a　part。　　But　that　part
must　help　me　now　to　the　whole。　　I　have　seen　the　filigree　ball　many
times；　Veronica　has　it　now。　　But　its　contents　have　never　been　shown
me。　　If　I　knew　what　they　were　and　why　the　master　of　this　secret
always　left　the　library　…　〃

Here　the　memorandum　ceased　with　a　long　line　straggling　from　the
letter　y　as　if　the　writer　had　been　surprised　at　his　task。

The　effect　upon　me　of　these　remarkable　words　was　to　heighten　my
interest　and　raise　me　into　a　state　of　renewed　hope；　if　not　of
active　expectation。

Another　mind　than　my　own　had　been　at　work　along　the　only　groove
which　held　out　any　promise　of　success；　and　this　mind；　having　at
its　command　certain　family　traditions；　had　let　me　into　a　most
valuable　secret。　　Another　mind！　　Whose　mind？　　That　was　a　question
easily　answered。　　But　one　man　could　have　written　these　words；　the
man　who　was　thrust　aside　in　early　life　in　favor　of　his　younger
brother；　and　who　now；　by　the　sudden　death　of　that　brother's
daughter；　had　come　again　into　his　inheritance。　　Uncle　David；　and
he　only；　was　the　puzzled　inquirer　whose　self…communings　I　had　just
read。　　This　fact　raised　a　new　problem　far　me　to　work　upon；　and　I
could　but　ask　when　these　lines　were　written　…　before　or　after　Mr。
Pfeiffer's　death　and　whether　he　had　ever　succeeded　in　solving　the
riddle　he　had　suggested；　or　whether　it　was　still　a　baffling
mystery　to　him。　　I　was　so　moved　by　the　suggestion　conveyed　in　his
final　and　half…finished　sentence；　that　I　soon　lost　sight　of　these
lesser　inquiries　in　the　more　important　one　connected　with　the
filigree　ball。　　For　I　had　seen　this　filigree　ball。　　I　had　even
handled　it。　　From　the　description　given　I　was　very　certain　that
it　had　been　one　of　the　many　trinkets　I　had　observed　lying　on　the
dressing　table　when　I　made　my　first　hasty　examination　of　the　room
on　the　evening　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　death。　　Why　had　no　premonition
of　its　importance　as　a　connecting　link　between　these　tragedies　and
their　mysterious　cause　come　to　me　at　the　time　when　it　was　within
reach　of　my　hand？　It　was　too　late　now。　　It　had　been　swept　away　with
the　other　loose　objects　littering　the　place；　and　my　opportunity　for
pursuing　this　very　promising　investigation　was　gone　for　the　night。

Yet　it　was　with　a　decided　feeling　of　triumph　that　I　finally　locked
the　door　of　this　old　mansion　behind　me。　　Certainly　I　had　taken　a
step　forward　since　my　entrance　there；　to　which　I　had　but　to　add
another　of　equal　importance　to　merit　the　attention　of　the
superintendent　himself。




XXI

THE　HEART　OF　THE　PUZZLE。


The　next　morning　I　swallowed　my　pride　and　sought　out　Durbin。　　He
had　superintended　the　removal　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　effects　from　the
southwest　chamber；　and　should　know；　if　any　one；　where　this　filigree
ball　was　now　to　be　found。　　Doubtless　it　had　been　returned　with　the
other　things　to　Mr。　Jeffrey；　and　yet；　who　knows？　　Durbin　is　sly　and
some　inkling　of　its　value　as　a　clue　may　have　entered　his　mind。　　If
so；　it　would　be　anywhere　but　in　Mr。　Jeffrey's　or　Miss　Tuttle's
possession。

To　test　my　rival's　knowledge　of　and　interest　in　this　seemingly
trivial　object；　I　stooped　to　what　I　can　but　consider　a　pardonable
subterfuge。　　Greeting　him　in　the　offhand　way　least　likely　to　develop
his　suspicion；　I　told　him　that　I　had　a　great　idea　in　connection
with　the　Jeffrey　case　and　that　the　clue　to　it　lay　in　a　little　gold
ball　which　Mrs。　Jeffrey　sometimes　wore　and　upon　which　she　set　great
store。　　So　far　I　spoke　the　truth。　　It　had　been　given　her　by　some
one　…　not　Mr。　Jeffrey　…　and　I　believed；　though　I　did　not　know；　that
it　contained　a　miniature　portrait　which　it　might　be　to　our　advantage
to　see。

I　expected　his　lip　to　curl；　but　for　a　wonder　it　maintained　its
noncommittal　aspect；　though　I　was　sure　that　I　caught　a　slight；　very
slight；　gleam　of　curiosity　lighting　up　for　a　moment　his　calm；　gray
eye。

〃You　are　on　a　fantastic　trail；〃　he　sneered；　and　that　was　all。

But　I　had　not　expected　more。　　I　had　merely　wished　to　learn　what
place；　if　any；　this　filigree　ball　held　in　his　own　suspicions；　and
in　case　he　had　overlooked　it；　to　jog　his　curiosity　so　that　he　would
in　some　way　betray　its　whereabouts。

That；　for　all　its　seeming　inconsequence；　it　did　hold　some　place　in
his　mind　was　evident　enough　to　those　who　knew　him；　but　that　it　was
within　reach　or　obtainable　by　any　ordinary　means　was　not　so　plain。
Indeed；　I　very　soon　became　convinced　that　he；　for　one；　had　no　idea
where　it　was；　or　after　the　suggestive　hint　I　had　given　him　he　would
never　have　wasted　a　half…hour　on　me。　　What　was　I　to　do　then？　　Tell
my　story　to　the　major　and　depend　on　him　to　push　the　matter　to　its
proper　conclusion？　　〃Not　yet；〃　whispered　pride。　　〃Durbin　thinks　you
a　fool。　　Wait　till　you　can　show　your　whole　hand　before　calling
attention　to　your　cards。〃　　But　it　was　hard　not　to　betray　my
excitement　and　to　act　the　fool　they　considered　me　when　the　boys
twitted　me　about　this　famous　golden　charm　and　asked　what　great
result　had　followed　my　night　in　the　Moore　house。　　But　remembering
that　he　who　laughs　last　laughs　best；　and　that　the　cause　of　mirth
was　not　yet　over　between　Durbin　and　myself；　I　was　able　to　preserve
an　impassive　exterior　even　when　I　came　under　the　major's　eye。　　I
found　myself　amply　repaid　when　one　of　the　boys　who　had　studiously
avoided　chaffing　me　dropped　the　following　words　in　my　ear：

〃I　don't　know　what　your　interest　is　in　the　small　gold　charm　you
were　talking　about；　but　you　have　done　some　good　work　in　this　case
and　I　don't　mind　telling　you　what　I　know　about　it。　　That　little
gold　ball　has　caused　the　police　much　trouble。　　It　is　on　the　list
of　effects　found　in　the　room　where　the　candle　was　seen　burning；　but
when　all　these　petty　belongings　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　were　gathered　up
and　carried　back　to　her　husband；　this　special　one　was　not　to　be
found　amongst　them。　　It　was　lost　in　transit；　nor　has　it　ever　been
seen　since。　　And　who　do　you　think　it　was　who　called　attention　to
this　loss　and　demanded　that　the　article　be　found？　　Not　Mr。　Jeffrey；
who　seems　to　lay　little　or　no　stress　upon　it；　but　the　old　man　they
call　Uncle　David。　　He　who；　to　all　appearance；　possessed　no　interest
in　his　niece's　personal　property；　was　on　hand　the　moment　these
things　were　carried　into　her　husband's　house；　with　the　express
intention；　it　seems；　of　inquiring　for　this　gold　ball；　which　he
declared　to　be　a　family　heirloom。　　As　such　it　belonged　to　him　as
the　present　holder　of　the　property；　and　to　him　only。　　Attention
being　thus　called　to　it；　it　was　found　to　be　missing；　and　as　no　one
but　the　police　seemed　to　be　to　blame　for　its　loss　the　matter　was
hushed　up　and　would　have　been　regarded　as　too　insignificant　for
comment；　the　trinket　being　intrinsically　worthless；　if　Mr。　Moore
had　not　continued　to　make　such　a　fuss　about　it。　　This　ball；　he
declared；　was　worth　as　much　to　a　Moore　as　all　the　rest　of　his
property；　which　was　bosh；　you　know；　and　the　folly　of　these
assertions　and　the　depth　of　the　passions　he　displayed　whenever
the　subject　was　mentioned　have　made　some　of　us　question　if　he　is
the　innocent　inheritor　he　has　tried　to　make　himself　out。　　At　all
events；　I　know　for　a　certainty　that　the　district　attorney　holds
his　name　in　reserve；　if　the　grand　jury　fails　to　bring　in　an
indictment　against　Miss　Tuttle。〃

〃The　district　attorney　is　wise；〃　I　remarked；　and　fell　athinking。

Had　this　latent　suspicion　against　Mr。　Moore　any　solid　foundation？
Was　he　the　guilty　man？　　The　memorandum　I　had　come　across　in　the
book　which　had　been　lately　pulled　down　from　the　library　shelves
showed　that；　notwithstanding　his　testimony　to　the　contrary；　he
had　been　in　that　house　close　upon　that　fatal　night；　if　not　on　the
very　night　itself。　　It　also　showed　his　extreme　interest　in　the
traditions　of　the　family。　　But　did　it　show　anything　more？　　Had　he
interrupted　his　writing　to　finish　his　query　in　blood；　and　had　one
of　his　motives　for　this　crime　been　the　acquisition　of　this
filigree　ball？　　If　so；　why　had　he　left　it　on　the　table　ups