initials only-第7部分

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p　quickly　down　　　and　pick　up　something　from　the　floor。　　I　thought　nothing　of　it　at　　　the　time；　and　so　paid　little　attention　to　her　appearance。　　I　can　　　only　recall　the　suddenness　with　which　she　stooped　and　the　colour　　　of　the　cloak　she　wore。　　It　was　red；　and　the　whole　garment　was　　　voluminous。　　If　you　wish　further　particulars；　though　in　truth；　I　　　have　no　more　to　give；　you　can　find　me　in　　356。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃HENRY　A。　　MCELROY。〃


〃Humph！　　This　should　simplify　our　task；〃　　was　Mr。　Gryce's　comment；　as　he　handed　the　note　over　to　Sweetwater。　　〃You　can　easily　find　out　if　the　lady；　now　on　the　point　of　departure；　can　be　identified　with　the　one　described　by　Mr。　McElroy。　　If　she　can；　I　am　ready　to　meet　her　anywhere。〃

〃Here　goes　then！　　〃　　cried　Sweetwater；　and　quickly　left　the　room。

When　he　returned；　it　was　not　with　his　most　hopeful　air。

〃The　cloak　doesn't　help；〃　　he　declared。　　〃No　one　remembers　the　cloak。　But　the　time　of　Mrs。　Watkins'　arrival　was　all　right。　　She　came　in　directly　on　the　heels　of　this　catastrophe。〃

〃She　did！　　Sweetwater；　I　will　see　her。　　Manage　it　for　me　at　once。〃

〃The　clerk　says　that　it　had　better　be　upstairs。　　She　is　a　very　sensitive　woman。　　There　might　be　a　scene；　if　she　were　intercepted　on　her　way　out。〃

〃Very　well。〃　　But　the　look　which　the　old　detective　threw　at　his　bandaged　legs　was　not　without　its　pathos。

And　so　it　happened　that　just　as　Mrs。　Watkins　was　watching　the　wheeling　out　of　her　trunks；　there　appeared　in　the　doorway　before　her；　an　elderly　gentleman；　whose　expression；　always　benevolent；　save　at　moments　when　benevolence　would　be　quite　out　of　keeping　with　the　situation；　had　for　some　reason；　so　marked　an　effect　upon　her；　that　she　coloured　under　his　eye；　and；　indeed；　showed　such　embarrassment；　that　all　doubt　of　the　propriety　of　his　intrusion　vanished　from　the　old　man's　mind；　and　with　the　ease　of　one　only　too　well　accustomed　to　such　scenes；　he　kindly　remarked：

〃Am　I　speaking　to　Mrs。　Watkins　of　Nashville？〃

〃You　are；〃　　she　faltered；　with　another　rapid　change　of　colour。　　〃I　　…　I　am　just　leaving。　　I　hope　you　will　excuse　me。　　I　…〃

〃I　wish　I　could；〃　　he　smiled；　hobbling　in　and　confronting　her　quietly　in　her　own　room。　　〃But　circumstances　make　it　quite　imperative　that　I　should　have　a　few　words　with　you　on　a　topic　which　need　not　be　disagreeable　to　you；　and　probably　will　not　be。　　My　name　is　Gryce。　This　will　probably　convey　nothing　to　you；　but　I　am　not　unknown　to　the　management　below；　and　my　years　must　certainly　give　you　confidence　in　the　propriety　of　my　errand。　　A　beautiful　and　charming　young　woman　died　here　last　night。　　May　I　ask　if　you　knew　her？〃

〃I？〃　　She　was　trembling　violently　now；　but　whether　with　indignation　or　some　other　more　subtle　emotion；　it　would　be　difficult　to　say。　〃No；　I'm　from　the　South。　　I　never　saw　the　young　lady。　　Why　do　you　ask？　　I　do　not　recognise　your　right。　　I　…　I　…〃

Certainly　her　emotion　must　be　that　of　simple　indignation。　　Mr。　Gryce　made　one　of　his　low　bows；　and　propping　himself　against　the　table　he　stood　before；　remarked　civilly：　…

〃I　had　rather　not　force　my　rights。　　The　matter　is　so　very　ordinary。　I　did　not　suppose　you　knew　Miss　Challoner；　but　one　must　begin　somehow；　and　as　you　came　in　at　the　very　moment　when　the　alarm　was　raised　in　the　lobby；　I　thought　perhaps　you　could　tell　me　something　which　would　aid　me　in　my　effort　to　elicit　the　real　facts　of　the　case。　You　were　crossing　the　lobby　at　the　time　…〃

〃Yes。〃　　She　raised　her　head。　　〃So　were　a　dozen　others　…〃

〃Madam；〃　…　the　interruption　was　made　in　his　kindliest　tones；　but　in　a　way　which　nevertheless　suggested　authority。　　〃Something　was　picked　up　from　the　floor　at　that　moment。　　If　the　dozen　you　mention　were　witnesses　to　this　act　we　do　not　know　it。　　But　we　do　know　that　it　did　not　pass　unobserved　by　you。　　Am　I　not　correct？　　Didn't　you　see　a　certain　person　…　I　will　mention　no　names　…　stoop　and　pick　up　something　from　the　lobby　floor？〃

〃No。〃　　The　word　came　out　with　startling　violence。　　〃I　was　conscious　of　nothing　but　the　confusion。〃　　She　was　facing　him　with　determination　and　her　eyes　were　fixed　boldly　on　his　face。　　But　her　lips　quivered；　and　her　cheeks　were　white；　too　white　now　for　simple　indignation。

〃Then　I　have　made　a　big　mistake；〃　　apologised　the　ever…courteous　detective。　　〃Will　you　pardon　me？　　It　would　have　settled　a　very　serious　question　if　it　could　be　found　that　the　object　thus　picked　up　was　the　weapon　which　killed　Miss　Challoner。　　That　is　my　excuse　for　the　trouble　I　have　given　you。〃

He　was　not　looking　at　her；　he　was　looking　at　her　hand　which　rested　on　the　table　before　which　he　himself　stood。　　Did　the　fingers　tighten　a　little　and　dig　into　the　palm　they　concealed？　　He　thought　so；　and　was　very　slow　in　turning　limpingly　about　towards　the　door。　Meanwhile；　would　she　speak？　　No。　　The　silence　was　so　marked；　he　felt　it　an　excuse　for　stealing　another　glance　in　her　direction。　　She　was　not　looking　his　way　but　at　a　door　in　the　partition　wall　on　her　right；　and　the　look　was　one　very　akin　to　anxious　fear。　　The　next　moment　he　understood　it。　　The　door　burst　open；　and　a　young　girl　bounded　into　the　room；　with　the　merry　cry：

〃All　ready；　mother。　　I'm　glad　we　are　going　to　the　Clarendon。　　I　hate　hotels　where　people　die　almost　before　your　eyes。〃

What　the　mother　said　at　this　outburst　is　immaterial。　　What　the　detective　did　is　not。　　Keeping　on　his　way；　he　reached　the　door；　but　not　to　open　it　wider；　rather　to　close　it　softly　but　with　unmistakable　decision。　　The　cloak　which　enveloped　the　girl　was　red；　and　full　enough　to　be　called　voluminous。

〃Who　is　this？〃　　demanded　the　girl；　her　indignant　glances　flashing　from　one　to　the　other。

〃I　don't　know；〃　　faltered　the　mother　in　very　evident　distress。　　〃He　says　he　has　a　right　to　ask　us　questions　and　he　has　been　asking　questions　about　…　about　…〃

〃Not　about　me；〃　　laughed　the　girl；　with　a　toss　of　her　head　Mr。　Gryce　would　have　corrected　in　one　of　his　grandchildren。　　〃He　can　have　nothing　to　say　about　me。〃　　And　she　began　to　move　about　the　room　in　an　aimless；　half…insolent　way。

Mr。　Gryce　stared　hard　at　the　few　remaining　belongings　of　the　two　women；　lying　in　a　heap　on　the　table；　and　half　musingly；　half　deprecatingly；　remarked：

〃The　person　who　stooped　wore　a　long　red　cloak。　　Probably　you　preceded　your　daughter；　Mrs。　Watkins。〃

The　lady　thus　brought　to　the　point　made　a　quick　gesture　towards　the　girl　who　suddenly　stood　still；　and；　with　a　rising　colour　in　her　cheeks；　answered；　with　some　show　of　resolution　on　her　own　part：

〃You　say　your　name　is　Gryce　and　that　you　have　a　right　to　address　me　thus　pointedly　on　a　subject　which　you　evidently　regard　as　serious。　That　is　not　exact　enough　for　me。　　Who　are　you；　sir？　　What　is　your　business？〃

〃I　think　you　have　guessed　it。　　I　am　a　detective　from　Headquarters。　What　I　want　of　you　I　have　already　stated。　　Perhaps　this　young　lady　can　tell　me　what　you　cannot。　　I　shall　be　pleased　if　this　is　so。〃

〃Caroline〃　…　Then　the　mother　broke　down。　　〃Show　the　gentleman　what　you　picked　up　from　the　lobby　floor　last　night。〃

The　girl　laughed　again；　loudly　and　with　evident　bravado；　before　she　threw　the　cloak　back　and　showed　what　she　had　evidently　been　holding　in　her　hand　from　the　first；　a　sharp…pointed；　gold…handled　paper…cutter。

〃It　was　lying　there　and　I　picked　it　up。　　I　don't　see　any　harm　in　that。〃

〃You　probably　meant　none。　　You　couldn't　have　known　the　part　it　had　just　played　in　this　tragic　drama；〃　　said　the　old　detective　looking　carefully　at　the　cutter　which　he　had　taken　in　his　hand；　but　not　so　carefully　that　he　failed　to　note　that　the　look　of　distress　was　not　lifted　from　the　mother's　face　either　by　her　daughter's　words　or　manner。

〃You　have　washed　this？〃　　he　asked。

〃No。　　Why　should　I　wash　it？　　It　was　clean　enough。　　I　was　just　going　down　to　give　it　in　at　the　desk。　　I　wasn't　going　to　carry　it　away。〃　And　she　turned　aside　to　the　window　and　began　to　hum；　as　though　done　with　the　whole　matter。

The　old　detective　rubbed　his　chin；　glanced　again　at　the　paper…cutter；　then　at　the　girl　in　the　window；　and　lastly　at　the　mother；　who　had　lifted　her　head　again　and　was　facing　him　bravely。

〃It　is　very　important；〃　　he　observed　to　the　latter；　〃that　your　daughter　should　be　correct　in　her　statement　as　to　the　condition　of　this　article　when　she　picked　it　up。　　Are　you　sure　she　did　not　wash　it？〃

〃I　don't　think　she　did。　　But　I'm　sure　she　will　tell　you　the　truth　about　that。　　Caroline；　this　is　a　police　matter。　　Any　mistake　about　it　may　involve　us　in　a　world　of　trouble　and　keep　you　from　getting　back　home　in　time　for　your　coming…out　party。　　Did　you　…　did　you　wash　this　cutter　when　you　got　upstairs；　or　…　or　…〃　　she　added；　with　a　propitiatory　glance　at　Mr。　Gryce　…　　wipe　it　off　at　any　time　between　then　and　now？　　Don't　answer　hastily。　　Be　sure。　　No　one　can　blame　you　for　that　act。　　Any　girl；　as　thoughtless　as　you；　might　do　that。〃

〃Mother；　how　can　I　tell　what　I　did？〃　　flashed　out　the　girl；　wheeling　round　on　her　heel　till　she　faced　them　both。　　〃I　don't　remember　doing　a　thing　to　it。　　I　just　brought　it　up。　　A　thing　found　like　that　belongs　to　the　finder。　　You　needn't　hold　it　out　towards　me　like　that。　I　don't　want　it　now；　I'm　sick　of　it。　　Such　a　lot　of　talk　about　a　paltry　thing　which　couldn't　have　cost　ten　dollars。〃　　And　she　wheeled　back。

〃It　isn't　the　value。〃　　Mr。　Gryce　could　be　very　patient。　　〃It's　the　fact　that　we　believe　it　to　have　been　answerable　for　Miss　Challoner's　death　…　that　is；　if　there　was　any　blood　on　it　when　you　picked　it　up。〃

〃Blood！〃　　The　girl　was　facing　them　again；　astonishment　struggling　with　disgust　on　her　plain　but　mobile　features。　　〃Blood！　　is　that　what　you　mean。　　No　wonder　I　hate　it。　　Take　it　away；〃　　she　cried。

〃Oh；　mother；　I'll　never　pick　up　anything　again　which　doesn't　belong　to　me！　　Blood！〃　　she　repeated　in　horror；　flinging　herself　into　her　mother's　arms。

Mr。　Gryce　thought　he　understood　the　situation。　　Here　was　a　little　kleptomaniac　whose　weakness　the　mother　was　struggling　to　hide。　Light　was　pouring　in。　　He　felt　his　body's　weight　less　on　that　miserable　foot　of　his。

〃Does　that　frighten　you？　　Are　you　so　affected　by　the　thought　of　blood？〃

〃Don't　ask　me。　　And　I　put　the　thing　under　my　pillow！　　I　thought　it　was　so　…　so　pretty。〃

〃Mrs。　Watkins；〃　　Mr。　Gryce　from　that　moment　ignored　the　daughter；　　〃did　you　see　it