initials only-第6部分

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〃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　and　no　blood！　　The　weapon　must　still　have　been　there。　Some　weapon　with　a　short　and　inconspicuous　handle。　　I　think　they　said　there　were　flowers　over　and　around　the　place　where　it　struck？〃

〃Yes；　great　big　scarlet　ones。　　Nobody　noticed　…　nobody　looked。　　A　panic　like　that　seems　to　paralyse　people。〃

〃Ten　minutes！　　I　must　see　every　one　who　approached　her　during　those　ten　minutes。　　Every　one；　Sweetwater；　and　I　must　myself　talk　with　Miss　Clarke。〃

〃You　will　like　her。　　You　will　believe　every　word　she　says。〃

〃No　doubt。　　All　the　more　reason　why　I　must　see　her。　　Sweetwater；　someone　drew　that　weapon　out。　　Effects　still；　have　their　causes；　notwithstanding　the　new　cult。　　The　question　is　who？　　We　must　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　find　that　out。〃

〃The　stones　have　all　been　turned　over　once。〃

〃By　you？

〃Not　altogether　by　me。〃

〃Then　they　will　bear　being　turned　over　again。　　I　want　to　be　witness　of　the　operation。〃

〃Where　will　you　see　Miss　Clarke？

〃Wherever　she　pleases　…　only　I　can't　walk　far。〃

〃I　think　I　know　the　place。　　You　shall　have　the　use　of　this　elevator。　It　has　not　been　running　since　last　night　or　it　would　be　full　of　curious　people　all　the　time；　hustling　to　get　a　glimpse　of　this　place。　But　they'll　put　a　man　on　for　you。〃

〃Very　good；　manage　it　as　you　will。　　I'll　wait　here　till　you're　ready。　Explain　yourself　to　the　lady。　　Tell　her　I'm　an　old　and　rheumatic　invalid　who　has　been　used　to　asking　his　own　questions。　　I'll　not　trouble　her　much。　　But　there　is　one　point　she　must　make　clear　to　me。〃

Sweetwater　did　not　presume　to　ask　what　point；　but　he　hoped　to　be　fully　enlightened　when　the　time　came。

And　he　was。　　Mr。　Gryce　had　undertaken　to　educate　him　for　this　work；　and　never　missed　the　opportunity　of　giving　him　a　lesson。　　The　three　met　in　a　private　sitting…room　on　an　upper　floor；　the　detectives　entering　first　and　the　lady　coming　in　soon　after。　　As　her　quiet　figure　appeared　in　the　doorway；

Sweetwater　stole　a　glance　at　Mr。　Gryce。　　He　was　not　looking　her　way；　of　course；　he　never　looked　directly　at　anybody；　but　he　formed　his　impressions　for　all　that；　and　Sweetwater　was　anxious　to　make　sure　of　these　impressions。　　There　was　no　doubting　them　in　this　instance。　　Miss　Clarke　was　not　a　woman　to　rouse　an　unfavourable　opinion　in　any　man's　mind。　　Of　slight；　almost　frail　build；　she　had　that　peculiar　animation　which　goes　with　a　speaking　eye　and　a　widely　sympathetic　nature。　　Without　any　substantial　claims　to　beauty；　her　expression　was　so　womanly　and　so　sweet　that　she　was　invariably　called　lovely。

Mr。　Gryce　was　engaged　at　the　moment　in　shifting　his　cane　from　the　right　hand　to　the　left；　but　his　manner　was　never　more　encouraging　or　his　smile　more　benevolent。

〃Pardon　me；〃　　he　apologised；　with　one　of　his　old…fashioned　bows；　〃I'm　sorry　to　trouble　you　after　all　the　distress　you　must　have　been　under　this　morning。　　But　there　is　something　I　wish　especially　to　ask　you　in　regard　to　the　dreadful　occurrence　in　which　you　played　so　kind　a　part。　　You　were　the　first　to　reach　the　prostrate　woman；　I　believe。〃

〃Yes。　　The　boys　jumped　up　and　ran　towards　her；　but　they　were　frightened　by　her　looks　and　left　it　for　me　to　put　my　hands　under　her　and　try　to　lift　her　up。〃

〃Did　you　manage　it？〃

〃I　succeeded　in　getting　her　head　into　my　lap；　nothing　more。〃

〃And　sat　so？〃

〃For　some　little　time。　　That　is；　it　seemed　long；　though　I　believe　it　was　not　more　than　a　minute　before　two　men　came　running　from　the　musicians'　gallery。　　One　thinks　so　fast　at　such　a　time　…　and　feels　so　much。〃

〃You　knew　she　was　dead；　then？〃

〃I　felt　her　to　be　so。〃

〃How　felt？〃

〃I　was　sure　…　I　never　questioned　it。〃

〃You　have　seen　women　in　a　faint？〃

〃Yes；　many　times。〃

〃What　made　the　difference？　　Why　should　you　believe　Miss　Challoner　dead　simply　because　she　lay　still　and　apparently　lifeless？

〃I　cannot　tell　you。　　Possibly；　death　tells　its　own　story。　　I　only　know　how　I　felt。〃

〃Perhaps　there　was　another　reason？　　Perhaps；　that；　consciously　or　unconsciously；　you　laid　your　palm　upon　her　heart？〃

Miss　Clarke　started；　and　her　sweet　face　showed　a　moment's　perplexity。

〃Did　I？〃　　she　queried；　musingly。　　Then　with　a　sudden　access　of　feeling；　〃I　may　have　done　so；　indeed；　I　believe　I　did。　　My　arms　were　around　her；　it　would　not　have　been　an　unnatural　action。〃

〃No；　a　very　natural　one；　I　should　say。　　Cannot　you　tell　me　positively　whether　you　did　this　or　not？〃

〃Yes；　I　did。　　I　had　forgotten　it；　but　I　remember　now。〃　　And　the　glance　she　cast　him　while　not　meeting　his　eye　showed　that　she　understood　the　importance　of　the　admission。　　〃I　know；〃　　she　said；　〃what　you　are　going　to　ask　me　now。　　Did　I　feel　anything　there　but　the　flowers　and　the　tulle？　　No；　Mr。　Gryce；　I　did　not。　　There　was　no　poniard　in　the　wound。〃

Mr。　Gryce　felt　around；　found　a　chair　and　sank　into　it。

〃You　are　a　truthful　woman；〃　　said　he。　　〃And；〃　he　added　more　slowly；　〃composed　enough　in　character　I　should　judge　not　to　have　made　any　mistake　on　this　very　vital　point。〃

〃I　think　so；　Mr。　Gryce。　　I　was　in　a　state　of　excitement；　of　course；　but　the　woman　was　a　stranger　to　me；　and　my　feelings　were　not　unduly　agitated。〃

〃Sweetwater；　we　can　let　my　suggestion　go　in　regard　to　those　ten　minutes　I　spoke　of。　　The　time　is　narrowed　down　to　one；　and　in　that　one；　Miss　Clarke　was　the　only　person　to　touch　her。〃

〃The　only　one；〃　　echoed　the　lady；　catching　perhaps　the　slight　rising　sound　of　query　in　his　voice。

〃I　will　trouble　you　no　further。〃　　So　said　the　old　detective；　thoughtfully。　　〃Sweetwater；　help　me　out　of　this。〃　　His　eye　was　dull　and　his　manner　betrayed　exhaustion。　　But　vigour　returned　to　him　before　he　had　well　reached　the　door；　and　he　showed　some　of　his　old　spirit　as　he　thanked　Miss　Clarke　and　turned　to　take　the　elevator。

〃But　one　possibility　remains；〃　　he　confided　to　Sweetwater；　as　they　stood　waiting　at　the　elevator　door。　　〃Miss　Challoner　died　from　a　stab。　　The　next　minute　she　was　in　this　lady's　arms。　　No　weapon　protruded　from　the　wound；　nor　was　any　found　on　or　near　her　in　the　mezzanine。　　What　follows？　　She　struck　the　blow　herself；　and　the　strength　of　purpose　which　led　her　to　do　this；　gave　her　the　additional　force　to　pull　the　weapon　out　and　fling　it　from　her。　　It　did　not　fall　upon　the　floor　around　her；　therefore；　it　flew　through　one　of　those　openings　into　the　lobby；　and　there　it　either　will　be；　or　has　been　found。〃

It　was　this　statement；　otherwise　worded；　which　gave　me　my　triumph　over　George。

　

V

THE　RED　CLOAK


〃What　results？　　Speak　up；　Sweetwater。〃

〃None。　　Every　man；　woman　and　boy　connected　with　the　hotel　has　been　questioned；　many　of　them　routed　out　of　their　beds　for　the　purpose；　but　not　one　of　them　picked　up　anything　from　the　floor　of　the　lobby；　or　knows　of　any　one　who　did。〃

There　now　remain　the　guests。〃

〃And　after　them　…　（pardon　me；　Mr。　Gryce）　the　general　public　which　rushed　in　rather　promiscuously　last　night。〃

〃I　know　it；　it's　a　task；　but　it　must　be　carried　through。　　Put　up　bulletins；　publish　your　wants　in　the　papers；　…　do　anything；　only　gain　your　end。〃

A　bulletin　was　put　up。

Some　hours　later；　Sweetwater　re…entered　the　room；　and；　approaching　Mr。　Gryce　with　a　smile；　blurted　out：

〃The　bulletin　is　a　great　go。　　I　think　…　of　course；　I　cannot　be　sure　　…　that　it's　going　to　do　the　business。　　I've　watched　every　one　who　stopped　to　read　it。　　Many　showed　interest　and　many；　emotion；　she　seems　to　have　had　a　troop　of　friends。　　But　embarrassment！　only　one　showed　that。　　I　thought　you　would　like　to　know。〃

〃Embarrassment？　　Humph！　　a　man？〃

〃No；　a　woman；　a　lady；　sir；　one　of　the　transients。　　I　found　out　in　a　jiffy　all　they　could　tell　me　about　her。〃

〃A　woman！　　We　didn't　expect　that。　　Where　is　she？　　Still　in　the　lobby？〃

〃No；　sir。　　She　took　the　elevator　while　I　was　talking　with　the　clerk。〃

〃There's　nothing　in　it。　　You　mistook　her　expression。〃

〃I　don't　think　so。　　I　had　noticed　her　when　she　first　came　into　the　lobby。　　She　was　talking　to　her　daughter　who　was　with　her；　and　looked　natural　and　happy。　　But　no　sooner　had　she　seen　and　read　that　bulletin；　than　the　blood　shot　up　into　her　face　and　her　manner　became　furtive　and　hasty。　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　difference；　sir。　Almost　before　I　could　point　her　out；　she　had　seized　her　daughter　by　the　arm　and　hurried　her　towards　the　elevator。　　I　wanted　to　follow　her；　but　you　may　prefer　to　make　your　own　inquiries。　　Her　room　is　on　the　seventh　floor；　number　712；　and　her　name　is　Watkins。　　Mrs。　Horace　Watkins　of　Nashville。〃

Mr。　Gryce　nodded　thoughtfully；　but　made　no　immediate　effort　to　rise。

〃Is　that　all　you　know　about　her？〃　　he　asked。

〃Yes；　this　is　the　first　time　she　has　stopped　at　this　hotel。　　She　came　yesterday。　　Took　a　room　indefinitely。　　Seems　all　right；　but　she　did　blush；　sir。　　I　ever　saw　its　beat　in　a　young　girl。〃

〃Call　the　desk。　　Say　that　I'm　to　be　told　if　Mrs。　Watkins　of　Nashville　rings　up　during　the　next　ten　minutes。　　We'll　give　her　that　long　to　take　some　action。　　If　she　fails　to　make　any　move；　I'll　make　my　own　approaches。〃

Sweetwater　did　as　he　was　bid；　then　went　back　to　his　place　in　the　lobby。

But　he　returned　almost　instantly。

〃Mrs。　Watkins　has　just　telephoned　down　that　she　is　going　to　…　to　leave；　sir。〃

〃To　leave？〃

The　old　man　struggled　to　his　feet。　　〃No。　712；　do　you　say？　　Seven　stories；〃　　he　sighed。　　But　as　he　turned　with　a　hobble；　he　stopped。　〃There　are　difficulties　in　the　way　of　this　interview；〃　　he　remarked。　〃A　blush　is　not　much　to　go　upon。　　I'm　afraid　we　shall　have　to　resort　to　the　shadow　business　and　that　is　your　work；　not　mine。

But　here　the　door　opened　and　a　boy　brought　in　a　line　which　had　been　left　at　the　desk。　　It　related　to　the　very　matter　then　engaging　them；　and　ran　thus：

　　〃I　see　that　information　is　desired　as　to　whether　any　person　was　　　seen　to　stoop　to　the　lobby　floor　last　night　at　or　shortly　after　　　the　critical　moment　of　Miss　Challoner's　fall　in　the　half　story　　　above。　　I　can　give　such　information。　　I　was　in　the　lobby　at　the　　　time；　and　in　the　height　of　the　confusion　following　this　alarming　　　　incident；　I　remember　seeing　a　lady；…　one　of　the　new　arrivals　　　（there　were　several　coming　in　at　the　time）…　stoop　quickly　down　　　and　pick　up　something　from　the　floor。