the filigree ball-第44部分

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lines　for　me　to　show　in　explanation　of　her　act；　my　revolt　against
her　received　a　check　which　the　reading　of　her　letter　only　increased。
But　the　lines　she　thus　wrote　and　left　were　not　true　lines。　　All　her
heart　was　mine；　and　if　it　was　a　wicked　heart　she　has　atoned　…　〃

He　paused；　quite　overcome。　　Others　amongst　us　were　overcome；　too；
but　only　for　a　moment。　　The　following　remark　from　the　district
attorney　soon　recalled　us　to　the　practical　aspects　of　the　case。

〃You　have　accounted　for　many　facts　not　hitherto　understood。　　But
there　is　still　a　very　important　one　which　neither　yourself　nor
Miss　Tuttle　has　yet　made　plain。　　There　was　a　candle　on　the　scene
of　crime；　it　was　out　when　this　officer　arrived　here。　　There　was
also　one　found　burning　in　the　upstairs　room；　aside　from　the　one　you
professedly　used　in　your　tour　of　inspection　there。　　Whence　came
those　candles？　　And　did　your　wife　blow　out　the　one　in　the　library
herself；　previous　to　the　shooting；　or　was　it　blown　out　afterward
and　by　other　lips？〃

〃These　are　questions　which；　as　I　have　already　said；　I　have　no　means
of　answering；〃　repeated　Mr。　Jeffrey。　　〃The　courage　which　brought
her　here　may　have　led　her　to　supply　herself　with　light；　and；　hard
as　it　is　to　conceive；　she　may　even　have　found　nerve　to　blow　out　the
light　before　she　lifted　the　pistol　to　her　breast：〃

The　district　attorney　and　the　major　looked　unconvinced；　and　the
latter；　turning　toward　Miss　Tuttle；　asked　if　she　had　any　remark　to
make　on　the　subject。

But　she　could　only　repeat　Mr。　Jeffrey's　statement。

〃These　are　questions　I　can　not　answer　either。　　I　have　said　that　I
stopped　at　the　library　door；　which　means　that　I　saw　nothing　of　what
passed　within。〃

Here　the　major　asked　where　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　letter　was　to　be　found。
It　was　Mr。　Jeffrey　who　replied：

〃Search　in　my　room　for　a　book　with　an　outside　cover　of　paper　still
on　it。　　You　will　probably　find　it　on　my　table。　　The　inner　cover　is
red。　　Bring　that　book　here。　　Our　secret　is　hidden　in　it。〃

Durbin　disappeared　on　this　errand。　　I　followed　him　as　far　as　the
door；　but　I　did　not　think　it　necessary　to　state　that　I　had　seen
this　book　lying　on　the　table　when　I　paid　my　second　visit　to　Mr。
Jeffrey's　room　in　company　with　the　coroner。　　The　thought　that　my
hand　had　been　within　reach　of　this　man's　secret　so　many　weeks
before　was　sufficiently　humiliating　without　being　shared。




XXIV

TANTALIZING　TACTICS

I　made　my　way　to　the　front　door；　but　returned　almost　immediately。
Drawing　the　major　aside；　I　whispered　a　request；　which　led　to　a
certain　small　article　being　passed　over　to　me；　after　which　I
sauntered　out　on　the　stoop　just　in　time　to　encounter　the　spruce
but　irate　figure　of　Mr。　Moore；　who　had　crossed　from　the　opposite
side。

〃Ah！〃　said　I。　　〃Good　morning！〃　and　made　him　my　most　deferential　bow。

He　glared　and　Rudge　glared　from　his　place　on　the　farther　curb。
Evidently　the　police　were　not　in　favor　with　the　occupants　of　the
cottage　that　morning。

〃When　is　this　to　cease？〃　he　curtly　demanded。　　〃When　are　these
early…morning　trespasses　upon　an　honest　citizen's　property　coming
to　an　end？　　I　wake　with　a　light　heart；　expecting　that　my　house；
which　is　certainly　as　much　mine　as　is　any　man's　in　Washington；　would
be　handed　over　this　very　day　for　my　habitation；　when　what　do　I　see
　…　one　police　officer　leaving　the　front　door　and　another　sunning
himself　in　the　vestibule。　　How　many　more　of　you　are　within　I　do　not
presume　to　ask。　　Some　half…dozen；　no　doubt；　and　not　one　of　you　smart
enough　to　wind　up　this　matter　and　have　done　with　it。〃

〃Ah！　　I　don't　know　about　that；〃　I　drawled；　and　looked　very　wise。

His　curiosity　was　aroused。

〃Anything　new？〃　he　snapped。

〃Possibly；〃　I　returned；　in　a　way　to　exasperate　a　saint。

He　stepped　on　to　the　porch　beside　me。　　I　was　too　abstracted　to
notice；　I　was　engaged　in　eying　Rudge。

〃Do　you　know；〃　said　I；　after　an　instant　of　what　I　meant　should　be
one　of　uncomfortable　suspense　on　his　part；　〃that　I　have　a　greater
respect　than　ever　for　that　animal　of　yours　since　learning　the　very
good　reason　he　has　for　refusing　to　cross　the　street？〃

〃Ha！　　what's　that？〃　he　asked；　with　a　quick　look　behind　him　at　the
watchful　brute　straining　toward　him　with　nose　over　the　gutter。

〃He　sees　farther　than　we　can。　　His　eyes　penetrate　walls　and
partitions；〃　I　remarked。　　Then；　carelessly　and　with　the　calm　drawing
forth　of　a　folded　bit　of　paper　which　I　held　out　toward　him；　I　added：
〃By　the　way；　here　is　something　of　yours〃

His　hand　rose　instinctively　to　take　it；　then　dropped。

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　he　remarked。　　〃You　have　nothing　of
mine。〃

〃No？　　Then　John　Judson　Moore　had　another　brother。〃　　And　I　thrust
the　paper　back　into　my　pocket。

He　followed　it　with　his　eye。　　It　was　the　memorandum　I　had　found　in
the　old　book　of　memoirs　plucked　from　the　library　shelf　within；　and
he　recognized　it　for　his　and　saw　that　I　did　also。　　But　he　failed
to　show　the　white　feather。

〃You　are　good　at　ransacking；〃　he　observed；　〃pity　that　it　can　not
be　done　to　more　purpose。〃

I　smiled　and　made　a　fresh　start。　　With　my　hand　thrust　again　into　my
pocket；　I　remarked；　without　even　so　much　as　a　glance　at　him：

〃I　fear　that　you　do　some　injustice　to　the　police。　　We　are　not　such
bad　fellows；　neither　do　we　waste　as　much　time　as　you　seem　to　think。〃
And　drawing　out　my　hand；　with　the　little　filigree　ball　in　it；　I
whirled　the　latter　innocently　round　and　round　on　my　finger。　　As　it
flashed　under　his　eye；　I　cast　him　a　penetrating　look。

He　tried　to　carry　the　moment　off　successfully；　I　will　give　him　so
much　credit。　　But　it　was　asking　too　much　of　his　curiosity；　and
there　was　no　mistaking　the　eager　glitter　which　lighted　his　glance
as　he　saw　within　his　reach　this　article　which　a　moment　before　he
had　probably　regarded　as　lost　forever。

〃For　instance；〃　I　went　on；　watching　him　furtively；　though　quite
sure　from　his　very　first　look　that　he　knew　no　more　now　of　the　secret
of　this　little　ball　than　he　knew　when　he　jotted　down　the　memorandum
I　had　just　pocketed　before　his　eyes；　〃a　little　thing　…　such　a　little
thing　as　this；〃　I　repeated；　giving　the　bauble　another　twist　…　〃may
lead　to　discoveries　such　as　no　common　search　would　yield　in　years。
I　do　not　say　that　it　has；　but　such　a　thing　is　possible；　you　know：
who　better？〃

My　nonchalance　was　too　much　for　him。　　He　surveyed　me　with　covert
dislike；　and　dryly　observed　〃Your　opportunities　have　exceeded　mine；
even　with　my　own　effects。　　That　petty　trinket　which　you　have
presumed　to　flaunt　in　my　face　…　and　of　whose　value　I　am　the　worst
judge　in　the　world　since　I　have　never　had　it　in　my　hand　…　descended
to　me　with　the　rest　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's　property。　　Your　conduct；
therefore；　strikes　me　in　the　light　of　an　impertinence；　especially
as　no　one　could　be　supposed　to　have　more　interest　than　myself　in
what　has　been　for　many　years　recognized　as　a　family　talisman。〃

〃Ah；〃　I　remarked。　　〃You　own　to　the　memorandum　then。　　It　was　made
on　the　spot；　but　without　the　benefit　of　the　talisman。〃

〃I　own　to　nothing；〃　he　snapped。　　Then；　realizing　that　denial　in　this
regard　was　fatal；　he　added　more　genially：　〃What　do　you　mean　by
memorandum？　　If　you　mean　that　recapitulation　of　old…time　mysteries
and　their　accompanying　features　with　which　I　once　whiled　away　an
idle　hour；　I　own　to　it；　of　course。　　Why　shouldn't　I？　　It　is　only　a
proof　of　my　curiosity　in　regard　to　this　old　mystery　which　every
member　of　my　family　must　feel。　　That　curiosity　has　not　been　appeased。
If　it　would　not　be　indiscreet　on　your　part；　may　I　now　ask　if　you
have　found　out　what　that　little　golden　ball　of　mine　which　you　sport
so　freely　before　my　eyes　is　to　be　used　in　connection　with？〃

〃Read　the　papers；〃　I　said；　〃read　tomorrow's　papers；　Mr。　Moore；　or；
better　still；　tonight's。　　Perhaps　they　will　inform　you。〃

He　was　as　angry　as　I　had　expected　him　to　be；　but　as　this　ire　proved
conclusively　that　his　strongest　emotion　had　been　curiosity　rather
than　fear；　I　felt　assured　of　my　ground；　and　turned　to　reenter　the
house。　　Mr。　Moore　did　not　accompany　me。

The　major　was　standing　in　the　hall。　　The　others　had　evidently
retreated　to　the　parlor。

〃The　man　opposite　knows　what　he　knows；〃　said　I；　〃but　this　does　not
include　the　facts　concerning　the　picture　in　the　southwest　chamber
or　the　devilish　mechanism。〃

〃You　are　sure？〃

〃As　positive　as　one　of　my　inexperience　can　be。　　But；　Major；　I　am
equally　positive　that　he　knows　more　than　he　should　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's
death。　　I　am　even　ready　to　state　that　in　my　belief　he　was　in　the
house　when　it　occurred。〃

〃Has　he　acknowledged　this？〃

〃Not　at　all。〃

〃Then　what　are　your　reasons　for　this　belief？〃

〃They　are　many〃

〃Will　you　state　them？〃

〃Gladly；　if　you　will　pardon　the　presumption。　　Some　of　my　conclusions
can　not　be　new　to　you。　　The　truth　is　that　I　have　possibly　seen　more
of　this　old　man　than　my　duty　warranted；　and　I　feel　quite　ready　to
declare　that　he　knows　more　of　what　has　taken　place　in　this　house
than　he　is　ready　to　avow。　　I　am　sure　that　he　has　often　visited　it
in　secret　and　knows　about　a　certain　broken　window　as　well　as　we　do。
I　am　also　sure　that　he　was　here　on　the　night　of　Mrs。　Jeffrey's
suicide。　　He　was　too　little　surprised　when　I　informed　him　of　what
had　happened　not　to　have　had　some　secret　inkling　of　it　beforehand；
even　if　we　had　not　the　testimony　of　the　lighted　candle　and　the　book
he　so　hurriedly　replaced。　　Besides；　he　is　not　the　man　to　drag
himself　out　at　night　for　so　simple　a　cause　as　the　one　with　which
he　endeavored　to　impose　upon　us。　　He　knew　what　we　should　find　in
this　house。〃

〃Very　good。　　If　Mr。　Jeffrey's　present　explanations　are　true；　these
deductions　of　yours　are　probably　correct。　　But　Mr。　Moore's　denial
has　been　positive。　　I　fear　that　it　will　turn　out　a　mere　question　of
veracity。〃

〃Not　necessarily；〃　I　returned。　　〃I　think　I　see　a　way　of　forcing
this　man　to　acknowledge　that　he　was　in　or　about　this　house　on　that
fatal　night〃

〃You　do？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I　do　not　want　to　boast；　and　I　should　be　glad　if　you
did　not　oblige　me　to　confide　to　you　the　means　by　which　I　hope　to
bring　this　out。　　Only　give　me　leave　to　insert　an　advertisement　in
both　evening　and　morning　papers　and　in　two　days　I　will　report
failure　or　success〃

The　major　eyed　me　with　an　interest　tha