initials only-第3部分

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reparable　he　would　never　make　it　unendurable　by　thinking　otherwise。

Such　was　the　father's　way　of　looking　at　the　matter；　and　I　own　that　it　made　our　duty　a　trifle　hard。　　But　George's　mind；　when　once　made　up；　was　persistent　to　the　point　of　obstinacy；　and　while　he　was　yet　talking　he　led　me　out　of　the　room　and　down　the　hall　to　the　elevator。

〃Mr。　Slater　knows　we　have　something　to　say；　and　will　manage　the　interview　before　us　in　the　very　best　manner；〃　　he　confided　to　me　now　with　an　encouraging　air。　　〃We　are　to　go　to　the　blue　reception　room　on　the　parlour　floor。〃

I　nodded；　and　nothing　more　was　said　till　we　entered　the　place　mentioned。　　Here　we　came　upon　several　gentlemen；　standing　about；　of　a　more　or　less　professional　appearance。　　This　was　not　very　agreeable　to　one　of　my　retiring　disposition；　but　a　look　from　George　brought　back　my　courage；　and　I　found　myself　waiting　rather　anxiously　for　the　questions　I　expected　to　hear　put。

Mr。　Slater　was　there　according　to　his　promise；　and　after　introducing　us；　briefly　stated　that　we　had　some　evidence　to　give　regarding　the　terrible　occurrence　which　had　just　taken　place　in　the　house。

George　bowed；　and　the　chief　spokesman　…　I　am　sure　he　was　a　police…officer　of　some　kind　…　asked　him　to　tell　what　it　was。

George　drew　himself　up　…　George　is　not　one　of　your　tall　men；　but　he　makes　a　very　good　appearance　at　times。　　Then　he　seemed　suddenly　to　collapse。　　The　sight　of　their　expectation　made　him　feel　how　flat　and　childish　his　story　would　sound。　　I；　who　had　shared　his　adventure；　understood　his　embarrassment；　but　the　others　were　evidently　at　a　loss　to　do　so；　for　they　glanced　askance　at　each　other　as　he　hesitated；　and　only　looked　back　when　I　ventured　to　say：

〃It's　the　peculiarity　of　the　occurrence　which　affects　my　husband。　The　thing　we　saw　may　mean　nothing。〃

〃Let　us　hear　what　it　was　and　we　will　judge。〃

Then　my　husband　spoke　up；　and　related　our　little　experience。　　If　it　did　not　create　a　sensation；　it　was　because　these　men　were　well　accustomed　to　surprises　of　all　kinds。

〃Washed　his　hands　…　a　gentleman　…　out　there　in　the　snow　…　just　after　the　alarm　was　raised　here？〃　repeated　one。

〃And　you　saw　him　come　out　of　this　house？〃　　another　put　in。

〃Yes；　sir；　we　noticed　him　particularly。

〃Can　you　describe　him？〃

It　was　Mr。　Slater　who　put　this　question；　he　had　less　control　over　himself；　and　considerable　eagerness　could　be　heard　in　his　voice。

〃He　was　a　very　fine…looking　man；　unusually　tall　and　unusually　striking　both　in　his　dress　and　appearance。　　What　I　could　see　of　his　face　was　bare　of　beard；　and　very　expressive。　　He　walked　with　the　swing　of　an　athlete；　and　only　looked　mean　and　small　when　he　was　stooping　and　dabbling　in　the　snow。〃

His　clothes。　　Describe　his　clothes。〃　　There　was　an　odd　sound　in　Mr。　Slater's　voice。

〃He　wore　a　silk　hat　and　there　was　fur　on　his　overcoat。　　I　think　the　fur　was　black。〃

Mr。　Slater　stepped　back；　then　moved　forward　again　with　a　determined　air。

〃I　know　the　man；〃　　said　he。



III

THE　MAN


〃You　know　the　man？〃

〃I　do；　or　rather；　I　know　a　man　who　answers　to　this　description。　　He　comes　here　once　in　a　while。　　I　do　not　know　whether　or　not　he　was　in　the　building　to…night；　but　Clausen　can　tell　you；　no　one　escapes　Clausen's　eye。〃

〃His　name。〃

〃Brotherson。　　A　very　uncommon　person　in　many　respects；　quite　capable　of　such　an　eccentricity；　but　incapable；　I　should　say；　of　crime。　　He's　a　gifted　talker　and　so　well　read　that　he　can　hold　one's　attention　for　hours。　　Of　his　tastes；　I　can　only　say　that　they　appear　to　be　mainly　scientific。　　But　he　is　not　averse　to　society；　and　is　always　very　well　dressed。〃

〃A　taste　for　science　and　for　fine　clothing　do　not　often　go　together。〃

〃This　man　is　an　exception　to　all　rules。　　The　one　I'm　speaking　of；　I　mean。　　I　don't　say　that　he's　the　fellow　seen　pottering　in　the　snow。〃

〃Call　up　Clausen。〃

The　manager　stepped　to　the　telephone。

Meanwhile；　George　had　advanced　to　speak　to　a　man　who　had　beckoned　to　him　from　the　other　side　of　the　room；　and　with　whom　in　another　moment　I　saw　him　step　out。　　Thus　deserted；　I　sank　into　a　chair　near　one　of　the　windows。　　Never　had　I　felt　more　uncomfortable。　　To　attribute　guilt　to　a　totally　unknown　person　…　a　person　who　is　little　more　to　you　than　a　shadowy　silhouette　against　a　background　of　snow　　…　is　easy　enough　and　not　very　disturbing　to　the　conscience。　　But　to　hear　that　person　named；　given　positive　attributes；　lifted　from　the　indefinite　into　a　living；　breathing　actuality；　with　a　man's　hopes；　purposes　and　responsibilities；　is　an　entirely　different　proposition。　　This　Brotherson　might　be　the　most　innocent　person　alive；　and；　if　so；　what　had　we　done？　　Nothing　to　congratulate　ourselves　upon；　certainly。　　And　George　was　not　present　to　comfort　and　encourage　me。　　He　was　…

Where　was　he？　　The　man　who　had　carried　him　off　was　the　youngest　in　the　group。　　What　had　he　wanted　of　George？　　Those　who　remained　showed　no　interest　in　the　matter。　　They　had　enough　to　say　among　themselves。　　But　I　was　interested　…　naturally　so；　and；　in　my　uneasiness；　glanced　restlessly　from　the　window；　the　shade　of　which　was　up。　　The　outlook　was　a　very　peaceful　one。　　This　room　faced　a　side　street；　and；　as　my　eyes　fell　upon　the　whitened　pavements；　I　received　an　answer　to　one；　and　that　the　most　anxious；　of　my　queries。　This　was　the　street　into　which　we　had　turned；　in　the　wake　of　the　handsome　stranger　they　were　trying　at　this　very　moment　to　identify　with　Brotherson。　　George　had　evidently　been　asked　to　point　out　the　exact　spot　where　the　man　had　stopped；　for　I　could　see　from　my　vantage　point　two　figures　bending　near　the　kerb；　and　even　pawing　at　the　snow　which　lay　there。　　It　gave　me　a　slight　turn　when　one　of　them　…　I　do　not　think　it　was　George　…　began　to　rub　his　hands　together　in　much　the　way　the　unknown　gentleman　had　done；　and；　in　my　excitement；　I　probably　uttered　some　sort　of　an　ejaculation；　for　I　was　suddenly　conscious　of　a　silence　in　the　room；　and　when　I　turned　saw　all　the　men　about　me　looking　my　way。

I　attempted　to　smile；　but　instead；　shuddered　painfully；　as　I　raised　my　hand　and　pointed　down　at　the　street。

〃They　are　imitating　the　man；〃　　I　cried；　〃my　husband　and　…　and　the　person　he　went　out　with。　　It　looked　dreadful　to　me；　that　is　all。〃

One　of　the　gentlemen　immediately　said　some　kind　words　to　me；　and　another　smiled　in　a　very　encouraging　way。　　But　their　attention　was　soon　diverted；　and　so　was　mine　by　the　entrance　of　a　man　in　semi…uniform；　who　was　immediately　addressed　as　Clausen。

I　knew　his　face。　　He　was　one　of　the　doorkeepers；　the　oldest　employee　about　the　hotel；　and　the　one　best　liked。　　I　had　often　exchanged　words　with　him　myself。

Mr。　Slater　at　once　put　his　question：

〃Has　Mr。　Brotherson　passed　your　door　at　any　time　to…night？

〃Mr。　Brotherson！　　I　don't　remember；　really　I　don't；〃　　was　the　unexpected　reply。　　〃It's　not　often　I　forget。　　But　so　many　people　came　rushing　in　during　those　few　minutes；　and　all　so　excited　…〃

〃Before　the　excitement；　Clausen。　　A　little　while　before；　possibly　just　before。〃

〃Oh；　now　I　recall　him！　　Yes；　Mr。　Brotherson　went　out　of　my　door　not　many　minutes　before　the　cry　upstairs。　　I　forgot　because　I　had　stepped　back　from　the　door　to　hand　a　lady　the　muff　she　had　dropped；　and　it　was　at　that　minute　he　went　out。　　I　just　got　a　glimpse　of　his　back　as　he　passed　into　the　street。〃

〃But　you　are　sure　of　that　back？〃

〃I　don't　know　another　like　it；　when　he　wears　that　big　coat　of　his。　But　Jim　can　tell　you；　sir。　　He　was　in　the　caf？up　to　that　minute；　and　that's　where　Mr。　Brotherson　usually　goes　first。〃

〃Very　well；　send　up　Jim。　　Tell　him　I　have　some　orders　to　give　him。〃

The　old　man　bowed　and　went　out。

Meanwhile；　Mr。　Slater　had　exchanged　some　words　with　the　two　officials；　and　now　approached　me　with　an　expression　of　extreme　consideration。　　They　were　about　to　excuse　me　from　further　participation　in　this　informal　inquiry。　　This　I　saw　before　he　spoke。　　Of　course　they　were　right。　　But　I　should　greatly　have　preferred　to　stay　where　I　was　till　George　came　back。

However；　I　met　him　for　an　instant　in　the　hall　before　I　took　the　elevator；　and　later　I　heard　in　a　round…about　way　what　Jim　and　some　others　about　the　house　had　to　say　of　Mr。　Brotherson。

He　was　an　habitue　of　the　hotel；　to　the　extent　of　dining　once　or　twice　a　week　in　the　caf？　and　smoking；　afterwards；　in　the　public　lobby。　　When　he　was　in　the　mood　for　talk；　he　would　draw　an　ever…enlarging　group　about　him；　but　at　other　times　he　would　be　seen　sitting　quite　alone　and　morosely　indifferent　to　all　who　approached　him。　　There　was　no　mystery　about　his　business。　　He　was　an　inventor；　with　one　or　two　valuable　patents　already　on　the　market。　But　this　was　not　his　only　interest。　　He　was　an　all　round　sort　of　man；　moody　but　brilliant　in　many　ways　…　a　character　which　at　once　attracted　and　repelled；　odd　in　that　he　seemed　to　set　little　store　by　his　good　looks；　yet　was　most　careful　to　dress　himself　in　a　way　to　show　them　off　to　advantage。　　If　he　had　means　beyond　the　ordinary　no　one　knew　it；　nor　could　any　man　say　that　he　had　not。　　On　all　personal　matters　he　was　very　close…mouthed；　though　he　would　talk　about　other　men's　riches　in　a　way　to　show　that　he　cherished　some　very　extreme　views。

This　was　all　which　could　be　learned　about　him　off…hand；　and　at　so　late　an　hour。　　I　was　greatly　interested；　of　course；　and　had　plenty　to　think　of　till　I　saw　George　again　and　learned　the　result　of　the　latest　investigations。

Miss　Challoner　had　been　shot；　not　stabbed。　　No　other　deduction　was　possible　from　such　facts　as　were　now　known；　though　the　physicians　had　not　yet　handed　in　their　report；　or　even　intimated　what　that　report　would　be。　　No　assailant　could　have　approached　or　left　her；　without　attracting　the　notice　of　some　one；　if　not　all　of　the　persons　seated　at　a　table　in　the　same　room。　　She　could　only　have　been　reached　by　a　bullet　sent　from　a　point　near　the　head　of　a　small　winding　staircase　connecting　the　mezzanine　floor　with　a　coat…room　adjacent　to　the　front　door。　　This　has　already　been　insisted　on；　as　you　will　remember；　and　if　you　will　glance　at　the　diagram　which　George　hastily　scrawled　for　me；　you　will　see　why。

A。　B。；　as　well　as　C。　D。；　are　half　circular　openings　into　the　office　lobby。　　E。　F。　are　windows　giving　upon　Broadway；　and　G。　the　party　wall；　necessarily　unbroken　by　window；　door　or　any