initials only-第18部分

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en　told　by　a　disgruntled　member　of　the　Associated　Brotherhood。　　Suspecting　Brotherson；　I　had　this　prospective　speaker　described；　and　thought　I　recognised　my　man。　But　I　wanted　to　be　positive　in　my　identification；　so　I　took　Anderson　with　me；　and　…　but　I'll　cut　that　short。　　We　didn't　see　the　orator　and　that　'go'　went　for　nothing；　but　I　had　another　string　to　my　bow　in　the　shape　of　the　workman　Dunn　who　also　answered　to　the　description　which　had　been　given　me；　so　I　lugged　poor　Anderson　over　into　Hicks　Street。

〃It　was　late　for　the　visit　I　proposed；　but　not　too　late；　if　Dunn　was　also　the　orator　who；　surprised　by　a　raid　I　had　not　been　let　into；　would　be　making　for　his　home；　if　only　to　establish　an　alibi。　　The　subway　was　near；　and　I　calculated　on　his　using　it；　but　we　took　a　taxicab　and　so　arrived　in　Hicks　Street　some　few　minutes　before　him。　The　result　you　know。　　Anderson　recognised　the　man　as　the　one　whom　he　saw　washing　his　hands　in　the　snow　outside　of　the　Clermont；　and　the　man；　seeing　himself　discovered；　owned　himself　to　be　Brotherson　and　made　no　difficulty　about　accompanying　us　the　next　day　to　the　coroner's　office。

〃You　have　heard　how　he　bore　himself；　what　his　explanations　were　and　how　completely　they　fitted　in　with　the　preconceived　notions　of　the　Inspector　and　the　District　Attorney。　　In　consequence；　Miss　Challoner's　death　is　looked　upon　as　a　suicide　…　the　impulsive　act　of　a　woman　who　sees　the　man　she　may　have　scouted　but　whom　she　secretly　loves；　turn　away　from　her　in　all　probability　forever。　　A　weapon　was　in　her　hand　…　she　impulsively　used　it；　and　another　deplorable　suicide　was　added　to　the　melancholy　list。　　Had　I　put　in　my　oar　at　the　conference　held　in　the　coroner's　office；　had　I　recalled　to　Dr。　Heath　the　curious　case　of　Mrs。　Spotts；　and　then　identified　Brotherson　as　the　man　whose　window　fronted　hers　from　the　opposite　tenement；　a　diversion　might　have　been　created　and　the　outcome　been　different。　But　I　feared　the　experiment。　　I'm　not　sufficiently　in　with　the　Chief　as　yet；　nor　yet　with　the　Inspector。　　They　might　not　have　called　me　a　fool　…　you　may；　but　that's　different　…　and　they　might　have　listened；　but　it　would　doubtless　have　been　with　an　air　I　could　not　have　held　up　against；　with　that　fellow's　eyes　fixed　mockingly　on　mine。　　For　he　and　I　are　pitted　for　a　struggle；　and　I　do　not　want　to　give　him　the　advantage　of　even　a　momentary　triumph。　　He's　the　most　complete　master　of　himself　of　any　man　I　ever　met；　and　it　will　take　the　united　brain　and　resolution　of　the　whole　force　to　bring　him　to　book　…　if　he　ever　is　brought　to　book；　which　I　doubt。　　What　do　you　think　about　it？〃

〃That　you　have　given　me　an　antidote　against　old　age；〃　was　the　ringing　and　unexpected　reply；　as　the　thoughtful；　half…puzzled　aspect　of　the　old　man　yielded　impulsively　to　a　burst　of　his　early　enthusiasm。　　〃If　we　can　get　a　good　grip　on　the　thread　you　speak　of；　and　can　work　ourselves　along　by　it；　though　it　be　by　no　more　than　an　inch　at　a　time；　we　shall　yet　make　our　way　through　this　labyrinth　of　undoubted　crime　and　earn　for　ourselves　a　triumph　which　will　make　some　of　these　raw　and　inexperienced　young　fellows　about　us　stare。　Sweetwater；　coincidences　are　possible。　　We　run　upon　them　every　day。　But　coincidence　in　crime！　　that　should　make　work　for　a　detective；　and　we　are　not　afraid　of　work。　　There's　my　hand　for　my　end　of　the　business。〃

〃And　here's　mine。〃

Next　minute　the　two　heads　were　closer　than　ever　together；　and　the　business　had　begun。



XIII

TIME；　CIRCUMSTANCE；　AND　A　VILLAIN'　S　HEART


〃Our　first　difficulty　is　this。　　We　must　prove　motive。　　Now；　I　do　not　think　it　will　be　so　very　hard　to　show　that　this　Brotherson　cherished　feelings　of　revenge　towards　Miss　Challoner。　　But　I　have　to　acknowledge　right　here　and　now　that　the　most　skillful　and　vigourous　pumping　of　the　janitor　and　such　other　tenants　of　the　Hicks　Street　tenement　as　I　have　dared　to　approach；　fails　to　show　that　he　has　ever　held　any　communication　with　Mrs。　Spotts；　or　even　knew　of　her　existence　until　her　remarkable　death　attracted　his　attention。　　I　have　spent　all　the　afternoon　over　this；　and　with　no　result。　　A　complete　break　in　the　chain　at　the　very　start。〃

〃Humph！　　we　will　set　that　down；　then；　as　so　much　against　us。〃

〃The　next；　and　this　is　a　bitter　pill　too；　is　the　almost　insurmountable　difficulty　already　recognised　of　determining　how　a　man；　without　approaching　his　victim；　could　manage　to　inflict　a　mortal　stab　in　her　breast。　　No　cloak　of　complete　invisibility　has　yet　been　found；　even　by　the　cleverest　criminals。〃

〃True。　　The　problem　is　such　as　a　nightmare　offers。　　For　years　my　dreams　have　been　haunted　by　a　gnome　who　proposes　just　such　puzzles。〃

〃But　there's　an　answer　to　everything；　and　I'm　sure　there's　an　answer　to　this。　　Remember　his　business。　He's　an　inventor；　with　startling　ideas。　　So　much　I've　seen　for　myself。　　You　may　stretch　probabilities　a　little　in　his　case；　and　with　this　conceded；　we　may　add　by　way　of　off…set　to　the　difficulties　you　mention；　coincidences　of　time　and　circumstance；　and　his　villainous　heart。　　Oh；　I　know　that　I　am　prejudiced；　but　wait　and　see！　　　Miss　Challoner　was　well　rid　of　him　even　at　the　cost　of　her　life。〃

〃She　loved　him。　　Even　her　father　believes　that　now。　　Some　lately　discovered　letters　have　come　to　light　to　prove　that　she　was　by　no　means　so　heart　free　as　he　supposed。　　One　of　her　friends；　it　seems；　has　also　confided　to　him　that　once；　while　she　and　Miss　Challoner　were　sitting　together；　she　caught　Miss　Challoner　in　the　act　of　scribbling　capitals　over　a　sheet　of　paper。　　They　were　all　B's　with　the　exception　of　here　and　there　a　neatly　turned　0；　and　when　her　friend　twitted　her　with　her　fondness　for　these　two　letters；　and　suggested　a　pleasing　monogram；　Miss　Challoner　answered；　'0。　B。　（transferring　the　letters；　as　you　see）　are　the　initials　of　the　finest　man　in　the　world。'〃

〃Gosh！　　has　he　heard　this　story？〃

〃Who？〃

〃The　gentleman　in　question。〃

〃Mr。　Brotherson？〃

Yes。〃

〃I　don't　think　so。　　It　was　told　me　in　confidence。〃

〃Told　you；　Mr。　Gryce？　　Pardon　my　curiosity。〃

〃By　Mr。　Challoner。〃

〃Oh！　　by　Mr。　Challoner。〃

〃He　is　greatly　distressed　at　having　the　disgraceful　suggestion　of　suicide　attached　to　his　daughter's　name。　　Notwithstanding　the　circumstances；　…　not　…　withstanding　his　full　recognition　of　her　secret　predilection　for　a　man　of　whom　he　had　never　heard　till　the　night　of　her　death；　he　cannot　believe　that　she　struck　the　blow　she　did；　intentionally。　　He　sent　for　me　in　order　to　inquire　if　anything　could　be　done　to　reinstate　her　in　public　opinion。　　He　dared　not　insist　that　another　had　wielded　the　weapon　which　laid　her　low　so　suddenly；　but　he　asked　if；　in　my　experience；　it　had　never　been　known　that　a　woman；　hyper…sensitive　to　some　strong　man's　magnetic　influence；　should　so　follow　his　thought　as　to　commit　an　act　which　never　could　have　arisen　in　her　own　mind；　uninfluenced。　　He　evidently　does　not　like　Brotherson　either。〃

〃And　what　…　what　did　you　…　say？〃　asked　Sweetwater；　with　a　halting　utterance　and　his　face　full　of　thought。

〃I　simply　quoted　the　latest　authority　on　hypnotism　that　no　person　even　in　hypnotic　sleep　could　be　influenced　by　another　to　do　what　was　antagonistic　to　his　natural　instincts。〃

〃Latest　authority。　　That　doesn't　mean　a　final　one。　　Supposing　that　it　was　hypnotism！　　But　that　wouldn't　account　for　Mrs。　Spotts'　death。　Her　wound　certainly　was　not　a　self…inflicted　one。〃

〃How　can　you　be　sure？〃

〃There　was　no　weapon　found　in　the　room；　or　in　the　court。　　The　snow　was　searched　and　the　children　too。　　No　weapon；　Mr。　Gryce；　not　even　a　paper…cutter。　　Besides　…　but　how　did　Mr。　Challoner　take　what　you　said？　　Was　he　satisfied　with　this　assurance？〃

〃He　had　to　be。　　I　didn't　dare　to　hold　out　any　hope　based　on　so　unsubstantial　a　theory。　　But　the　interview　had　this　effect　upon　me。　If　the　possibility　remains　of　fixing　guilt　elsewhere　than　on　Miss　Challoner's　inconsiderate　impulse；　I　am　ready　to　devote　any　amount　of　time　and　strength　to　the　work。　　To　see　this　grieving　father　relieved　from　the　worst　part　of　his　burden　is　worth　some　effort　and　now　you　know　why　I　have　listened　so　eagerly　to　you。　　Sweetwater；　I　will　go　with　you　to　the　Superintendent。　　We　may　not　gain　his　attention　and　again　we　may。　　If　we　don　t　…　but　we　won't　cross　that　bridge　prematurely。　　When　will　you　be　ready　for　this　business？〃

〃I　must　be　at　Headquarters　to…morrow。〃

〃Good；　then　let　it　be　to…morrow。　　A　taxicab；　Sweetwater。　　The　subway　for　the　young。　　I　can　no　longer　manage　the　stairs。〃



XIV

A　CONCESSION


〃It　is　true；　there　seems　to　be　something　extraordinary　in　the　coincidence。〃

Thus　Mr。　Brotherson；　in　the　presence　of　the　Inspector。

〃But　that　is　all　there　is　to　it；〃　he　easily　proceeded。　　〃I　knew　Miss　Challoner　and　I　have　already　said　how　much　and　how　little　I　had　to　do　with　her　death。　　The　other　woman　I　did　not　know　at　all；　I　did　not　even　know　her　name。　　A　prosecution　based　on　grounds　so　flimsy　as　those　you　advance　would　savour　of　persecution；　would　it　not？

The　Inspector；　surprised　by　this　unexpected　attack；　regarded　the　speaker　with　an　interest　rather　augmented　than　diminished　by　his　boldness。　　The　smile　with　which　he　had　uttered　these　concluding　words　yet　lingered　on　his　lips；　lighting　up　features　of　a　mould　too　suggestive　of　command　to　be　associated　readily　with　guilt。　　That　the　impression　thus　produced　was　favourable；　was　evident　from　the　tone　of　the　Inspector's　reply：

〃We　have　said　nothing　about　prosecution；　Mr。　Brotherson。　　We　hope　to　avoid　any　such　extreme　measures；　and　that　we　may　the　more　readily　do　so；　we　have　given　you　this　opportunity　to　make　such　explanations　as　the　situation；　which　you　yourself　have　characterised　as　remarkable；　seems　to　call　for。〃

〃I　am　ready。　　But　what　am　I　called　upon　to　explain？　　I　really　cannot　see；　sir。　　Knowing　nothing　more　about　either　case　than　you　do；　I　fear　　that　I　shall　not　add　much　to　your　enlightenment。〃

〃You　can　tell　us　why　with　your　seeming　culture　and　obvious　means；　you　choose　to　spend　so　much　time　in　a　second…rate　tenement　like　the　one　in　Hicks　Street。〃

Again　that　chill　smile　preceding　the　quiet　answer：

〃Have　you　seen　my　room　there？　　It　is　piled　to　the　ceiling　with　books。　When　I　was　a　poor　man；　I　chose　the　abode　suited　to　my　purse　and　my　passion　for　first…rate　reading。　　As　I　grew　better　off；　my　time　beca