initials only-第5部分

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　something　to　say　to　George；　and　drew　him　quickly　aside。

〃What　does　he　want？〃　　I　asked；　as　soon　as　George　had　returned　to　my　side。

〃He　wants　me　to　stand　ready　to　obey　any　summons　the　police　may　send　me。〃

〃Then　they　still　suspect　Brotherson？〃

They　must。〃

My　head　rose　a　trifle　as　I　glanced　up　at　George。

〃Then　we　are　not　altogether　out　of　it？〃　　I　emphasised；　complacently。

He　smiled　which　hardly　seemed　a　propos。　　Why　does　George　sometimes　smile　when　I　am　in　my　most　serious　moods。

As　we　stepped　out　of　the　hotel；　George　gave　my　arm　a　quiet　pinch　which　served　to　direct　my　attention　to　an　elderly　gentleman　who；　was　just　alighting　from　a　taxicab　at　the　kerb。　　He　moved　heavily　and　with　some　appearance　of　pain；　but　from　the　crowd　collected　on　the　sidewalk　many　of　whom　nudged　each　other　as　he　passed；　he　was　evidently　a　person　of　some　importance；　and　as　he　disappeared　within　the　hotel　entrance；　I　asked　George　who　this　kind…faced；　bright…eyed　old　gentleman　could　be。

He　appeared　to　know；　for　he　told　me　at　once　that　he　was　Detective　Gryce；　a　man　who　had　grown　old　in　solving　just　such　baffling　problems　as　these。

〃He　gave　up　work　some　time　ago；　I　have　been　told；〃　　my　husband　went　on；　〃but　evidently　a　great　case　still　has　its　allurement　for　him。　The　trail　here　must　be　a　very　blind　one　for　them　to　call　him　in。　I　wish　we　had　not　left　so　soon。　　It　would　have　been　quite　an　experience　to　see　him　at　work。〃

〃I　doubt　if　you　would　have　been　given　the　opportunity。　　I　noticed　that　we　were　slightly　de　trop　towards　the　last。〃

〃I　wouldn't　have　minded　that；　not　on　my　own　account；　that　is。　　It　might　not　have　been　pleasant　for　you。　　However；　the　office　is　waiting。　　Come；　let　me　put　you　on　the　car。〃

That　night　I　bided　his　coming　with　an　impatience　I　could　not　control。　He　was　late；　of　course；　but　when　he　did　appear；　I　almost　forgot　our　usual　greeting　in　my　hurry　to　ask　him　if　he　had　seen　the　evening　papers。

〃No；〃　　he　grumbled；　as　he　hung　up　his　overcoat。　　〃Been　pushed　about　all　day。　　No　time　for　anything。〃

〃Then　let　me　tell　you　…〃

But　he　would　have　dinner　first。

However；　a　little　later　we　had　a　comfortable　chat。　　Mr。　Gryce　had　made　a　discovery；　and　the　papers　were　full　of　it。　　It　was　one　which　gave　me　a　small　triumph　over　George。　　The　suggestion　he　had　laughed　at　was　not　so　entirely　foolish　as　he　had　been　pleased　to　consider　it。　　But　let　me　tell　the　story　of　that　day；　without　any　further　reference　to　myself。

The　opinion　had　become　quite　general　with　those　best　acquainted　with　the　details　of　this　affair；　that　the　mystery　was　one　of　those　abnormal　ones　for　which　no　solution　would　ever　be　found；　when　the　aged　detective　showed　himself　in　the　building　and　was　taken　to　the　room；　where　an　Inspector　of　Police　awaited　him。　　Their　greeting　was　cordial；　and　the　lines　on　the　latter's　face　relaxed　a　little　as　he　met　the　still　bright　eye　of　the　man　upon　whose　instinct　and　judgment　so　much　reliance　had　always　been　placed。

〃This　is　very　good　of　you；〃　　he　began；　glancing　down　at　the　aged　detective's　bundled　up　legs；　and　gently　pushing　a　chair　towards　him。　　〃I　know　that　it　was　a　great　deal　to　ask；　but　we're　at　our　wits'　end；　and　so　I　telephoned。　　It's　the　most　inexplicable　…　There！　you　have　heard　that　phrase　before。　　But　clews　…　there　are　absolutely　none。　　That　is；　we　have　not　been　able　to　find　any。　　Perhaps　you　can。　At　least；　that　is　what　we　hope。　　I've　known　you　more　than　once　to　succeed　where　others　have　failed。〃

The　elderly　man　thus　addressed；　glanced　down　at　his　legs；　now　propped　up　on　a　stool　which　someone　had　brought　him；　and　smiled；　with　the　pathos　of　the　old　who　sees　the　interests　of　a　lifetime　slipping　gradually　away。

〃I　am　not　what　I　was。　　I　can　no　longer　get　down　on　my　hands　and　knees　to　pick　up　threads　from　the　nap　of　a　rug；　or　spy　out　a　spot　of　blood　in　the　crimson　woof　of　a　carpet。〃

〃You　shall　have　Sweetwater　here　to　do　the　active　work　for　you。　What　we　want　of　you　is　the　directing　mind　…　the　infallible　instinct。　It's　a　case　in　a　thousand；　Gryce。　　We've　never　had　anything　just　like　it。　　You've　never　had　anything　at　all　like　it。　　It　will　make　you　young　again。〃

The　old　man's　eyes　shot　fire　and　unconsciously　one　foot　slipped　to　the　floor。　　Then　he　bethought　himself　and　painfully　lifted　it　back　again。

〃What　are　the　points？　　What's　the　difficulty？〃　　he　asked。　　〃A　woman　has　been　shot　…〃

〃No；　not　shot；　stabbed。　　We　thought　she　had　been　shot；　for　that　was　intelligible　and　involved　no　impossibilities。　　But　Drs。　Heath　and　Webster；　under　the　eye　of　the　Challoners'　own　physician；　have　made　an　examination　of　the　wound　…　an　official　one；　thorough　and　quite　final　so　far　as　they　are　concerned；　and　they　declare　that　no　bullet　is　to　be　found　in　the　body。　　As　the　wound　extends　no　further　than　the　heart；　this　settles　one　great　point；　at　least。〃

〃Dr。　Heath　is　a　reliable　man　and　one　of　our　ablest　coroners。〃

〃Yes。　　There　can　be　no　question　as　to　the　truth　of　his　report。　　You　know　the　victim？　　Her　name；　I　mean；　and　the　character　she　bore？〃

〃Yes；　so　much　was　told　me　on　my　way　down。〃

〃A　fine　girl　unspoiled　by　riches　and　seeming　independence。　　Happy；　too；　to　all　appearance；　or　we　should　be　more　ready　to　consider　the　possibility　of　suicide。〃

〃Suicide　by　stabbing　calls　for　a　weapon。　　Yet　none　has　been　found；　I　hear。〃

〃None。〃

〃Yet　she　was　killed　that　way？

〃Undoubtedly；　and　by　a　long　and　very　narrow　blade；　larger　than　a　needle　but　not　so　large　as　the　ordinary　stiletto。〃

〃Stabbed　while　by　herself；　or　what　you　may　call　by　herself？　　She　had　no　companion　near　her？〃

〃None；　if　we　can　believe　the　four　members　of　the　Parrish　family　who　were　seated　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。

〃And　you　do　believe　them？〃

〃Would　a　whole　family　lie　…　and　needlessly？　　They　never　knew　the　woman　…　father；　maiden　aunt　and　two　boys；　clear…eyed；　jolly　young　chaps　whom　even　the　horror　of　this　tragedy；　perpetrated　as　it　were　under　their　very　nose；　cannot　make　serious　for　more　than　a　passing　moment。〃

〃It　wouldn't　seem　so。〃

〃Yet　they　swear　up　and　down　that　nobody　crossed　the　room　towards　Miss　Challoner。〃

〃So　they　tell　me。〃

〃She　fell　just　a　few　feet　from　the　desk　where　she　had　been　writing。　No　word；　no　cry；　just　a　collapse　and　sudden　fall。　　In　olden　days　they　would　have　said；　struck　by　a　bolt　from　heaven。　　But　it　was　a　bolt　which　drew　blood；　not　much　blood；　I　hear；　but　sufficient　to　end　life　almost　instantly。　　She　never　looked　up　or　spoke　again。　What　do　you　make　of　it；　Gryce？〃

〃It's　a　tough　one；　and　I'm　not　ready　to　venture　an　opinion　yet。　　I　should　like　to　see　the　desk　you　speak　of；　and　the　spot　where　she　fell。〃

A　young　fellow　who　had　been　hovering　in　the　background　at　once　stepped　forward。　　He　was　the　plain…faced　detective　who　had　spoken　to　George。

〃Will　you　take　my　arm；　sir？〃

Mr。　Gryce's　whole　face　brightened。　　This　Sweetwater；　as　they　called　him；　was；　I　have　since　understood；　one　of　his　proteges　and　more　or　less　of　a　favourite。

〃Have　you　had　a　chance　at　this　thing？〃　　he　asked。　　〃Been　over　the　ground　…　studied　the　affair　carefully？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　they　were　good　enough　to　allow　it。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　you're　in　a　position　to　pioneer　me。　　You've　seen　it　all　and　won't　be　in　a　hurry。〃

〃No；　I'm　at　the　end　of　my　rope。　　I　haven't　an　idea；　sir。〃

〃Well；　well；　that's　honest　at　all　events。〃　　Then；　as　he　slowly　rose　with　the　other's　careful　assistance；　〃There's　no　crime　without　its　clew。　　The　thing　is　to　recognise　that　clew　when　seen。　　But　I'm　in　no　position；　to　make　promises。　　Old　days　don't　return　for　the　asking。〃

Nevertheless；　he　looked　ten　years　younger　than　when　he　came　in；　or　so　thought　those　who　knew　him。

The　mezzanine　was　guarded　from　all　visitors　save　such　as　had　official　sanction。　　Consequently；　the　two　remained　quite　uninterrupted　while　they　moved　about　the　place　in　quiet　consultation。　Others　had　preceded　them；　had　examined　the　plain　little　desk　and　found　nothing；　had　paced　off　the　distances；　had　looked　with　longing　and　inquiring　eyes　at　the　elevator　cage　and　the　open　archway　leading　to　the　little　staircase　and　the　musicians'　gallery。　　But　this　was　nothing　to　the　old　detective。　　The　locale　was　what　he　wanted；　and　he　got　it。　　Whether　he　got　anything　else　it　would　be　impossible　to　say　from　his　manner　as　he　finally　sank　into　a　chair　by　one　of　the　openings；　and　looked　down　on　the　lobby　below。　　It　was　full　of　people　coming　and　going　on　all　sorts　of　business；　and　presently　he　drew　back；　and；　leaning　on　Sweetwater's　arm；　asked　him　a　few　questions。

〃Who　were　the　first　to　rush　in　here　after　the　Parrishes　gave　the　alarm？〃

〃One　or　two　of　the　musicians　from　the　end　of　the　hall。　　They　had　just　finished　their　programme　and　were　preparing　to　leave　the　gallery。　　Naturally　they　reached　her　first。〃

Good！　　their　names？〃

〃Mark　Sowerby　and　Claus　Hennerberg。　　Honest　Germans　…　men　who　have　played　here　for　years。〃

〃And　who　followed　them？　　Who　came　next　on　the　scene？

〃Some　people　from　the　lobby。　　They　heard　the　disturbance　and　rushed　up　pell…mell。　　But　not　one　of　these　touched　her。　　Later　her　father　came。〃

〃Who　did　touch　her？　　Anybody；　before　the　father　came　in？〃

〃Yes；　Miss　Clarke；　the　middle…aged　lady　with　the　Parrishes。　　She　had　run　towards　Miss　Challoner　as　soon　as　she　heard　her　fall；　and　was　sitting　there　with　the　dead　girl's　head　in　her　lap　when　the　musicians　showed　themselves。〃

〃I　suppose　she　has　been　carefully　questioned？〃

〃Very；　I　should　say。〃

〃And　she　speaks　of　no　weapon？〃

〃No。　　Neither　she　nor　any　one　else　at　that　moment　suspected　murder　or　even　a　violent　death。　　All　thought　it　a　natural　one　…　sudden；　but　the　result　of　some　secret　disease。〃

〃Father　and　all？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃But　the　blood？　　Surely　there　must　have　been　some　show　of　blood？〃

〃They　say　not。　　No　one　noticed　any。　　Not　till　the　doctor　came　…　her　doctor　who　was　happily　in　his　office　in　this　very　building。　　He　saw　the　drops；　and　uttered　the　first　suggestion　of　murder。〃

〃How　long　after　was　this？　　Is　there　any　one　who　has　ventured　to　make　an　estimate　of　the　number　of　minutes　which　elapsed　from　the　time　she　fell；　to　the　moment　when　the　doctor　first　raised　the　cry　of　murder？〃

〃Yes。　　Mr。　Slater；　the　assistant　manager；　who　was　in　the　lobby　at　the　time；　says　that　ten　minutes　at　least　must　have　elapsed。〃

〃Ten　minutes　a