pgw.piccadillyjim-第32部分

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y　stateroom　from　beginning　to　end　of　the　voyage。　However；　as　I　say；　I　was　suspicious。　I　did　not　see　how　I　could　confirm　my　suspicions；　until　I　remembered　that　my　new　butler；　Skinner；　had　e　straight　from　my　sister's　house。〃
　〃That　is　the　man　who　just　admitted　me？〃
　〃Exactly。　He　entered　my　employment　only　a　few　days　ago；　having　e　direct　from　London。　I　decided　to　wait　until　Skinner　should　meet　this　young　man。　Of　course；　when　he　first　came　into　the　house；　he　was　with　my　husband；　who　opened　the　door　with　his　key；　so　that　they　did　not　meet　then。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　said　Mr。　Sturgis；　glancing　keenly　at　the　dog　Aida；　who　had　risen　and　was　sniffing　at　his　ankles。　〃You　thought　that　if　Skinner　recognised　this　young　man；　it　would　be　proof　of　his　identity？〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃Did　he　recognise　him？〃
　〃Yes。　But　wait。　I　have　not　finished。　He　recognised　him；　and　for　the　moment　I　was　satisfied。　But　I　had　had　my　suspicions　of　Skinner；　too。　I　ought　to　tell　you　that　I　had　been　warned　against　him　by　a　great　friend　of　mine；　Lord　Wisbeach；　an　English　peer　whom　we　have　known　intimately　for　a　very　long　time。　He　is　one　of　the　Shropshire　Wisbeaches；　you　know。〃
　〃No　doubt；〃　said　Mr。　Sturgis。
　〃Lord　Wisbeach　used　to　be　intimate　with　the　real　Jimmy　Crocker。　He　came　to　lunch　to…day　and　met　this　impostor。　He　pretended　to　recognise　him；　in　order　to　put　him　off　his　guard；　but　after　lunch　he　came　to　me　here　and　told　me　that　in　reality　he　had　never　seen　him　before　in　his　life；　and　that；　whoever　else　he　might　be；　he　was　certainly　not　James　Crocker；　my　nephew。〃
　She　broke　off　and　looked　at　Mr。　Sturgis　expectantly。　The　detective　smiled　a　quiet　smile。
　〃And　even　that　is　not　all。　There　is　another　thing。　Mr。　Pett　used　to　employ　as　a　physical　instructor　a　man　named　Jerry　Mitchell。　Yesterday　I　dismissed　him　for　reasons　it　is　not　necessary　to　go　into。　To…dayjust　as　you　arrived　in　factthe　man　who　calls　himself　Jimmy　Crocker　was　begging　me　to　allow　Mitchell　to　return　to　the　house　and　resume　his　work　here。　Does　that　not　strike　you　as　suspicious；　Mr。　Sturgis？〃
　The　detective　closed　his　eyes；　and　smiled　his　quiet　smile　again。　He　opened　his　eyes；　and　fixed　them　on　Mrs。　Pett。
　〃As　pretty　a　case　as　I　have　e　across　in　years；〃　he　said。　〃Mrs。　Pett；　let　me　tell　you　something。　It　is　one　of　my　peculiarities　that　I　never　forget　a　face。　You　say　that　this　young　man　pretends　to　have　landed　this　morning　from　the　Caronia？　Well；　I　saw　him　myself　more　than　a　week　ago　in　a　Broadway　cafe。〃
　〃You　did？〃
　〃Talking　toJerry　Mitchell。　I　know　Mitchell　well　by　sight。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　uttered　an　exclamation。
　〃And　this　butler　of　yoursSkinner。　Shall　I　tell　you　something　about　him？　You　perhaps　know　that　when　the　big　detective　agencies；　Anderson's　and　the　others；　are　approached　in　the　matter　of　tracing　a　man　who　is　wanted　for　anything　they　sometimes　ask　the　smaller　agencies　like　my　own　to　work　in　with　them。　It　saves　time　and　widens　the　field　of　operations。　We　are　very　glad　to　do　Anderson's　service；　and　Anderson's　are　big　enough　to　be　able　to　afford　to　let　us　do　it。　Now；　a　few　days　ago；　a　friend　of　mine　in　Anderson's　came　to　me　with　a　sheaf　of　photographs；　which　had　been　sent　to　them　from　London。　Whether　some　private　client　in　London　or　from　Scotland　Yard　I　do　not　know。　Nor　do　I　know　why　the　original　of　the　photograph　was　wanted。　But　Anderson's　had　been　asked　to　trace　him　and　make　a　report。　My　peculiar　gift　for　remembering　faces　has　enabled　me　to　oblige　the　Anderson　people　once　or　twice　before　in　this　way。　I　studied　the　photographs　very　carefully；　and　kept　two　of　them　for　reference。　I　have　one　with　me　now。〃　He　felt　in　his　pockets。　〃Do　you　recognise　it？〃
　Mrs。　Pett　stared　at　the　photograph。　It　was　the　presentment　of　a　stout；　good…humoured　man　of　middle…age；　whose　solemn　gaze　dwelt　on　the　middle　distance　in　that　fixed　way　which　a　man　achieves　only　in　photographs。
　〃Skinner！〃
　〃Exactly；〃　said　Mr。　Sturgis；　taking　the　photograph　from　her　and　putting　it　back　in　his　pocket。　〃I　recognised　him　directly　he　opened　the　door　to　me。〃
　〃Butbut　I　am　almost　certain　that　Skinner　is　the　man　who　let　me　in　when　I　called　on　my　sister　in　London。〃
　〃Almost；〃　repeated　the　detective。　〃Did　you　observe　him　very　closely？〃
　〃No。　I　suppose　I　did　not。〃
　〃The　type　is　a　very　mon　one。　It　would　be　very　easy　indeed　for　a　clever　crook　to　make　himself　up　as　your　sister's　butler　closely　enough　to　deceive　any　one　who　had　only　seen　the　original　once　and　for　a　short　time　then。　What　their　game　is　I　could　not　say　at　present；　but；　taking　everything　into　consideration；　there　can　be　no　doubt　whatever　that　the　man　who　calls　himself　your　nephew　and　the　man　who　calls　himself　your　sister's　butler　are　working　together；　and　that　Jerry　Mitchell　is　working　in　with　them。　As　I　say；　I　cannot　tell　you　what　they　are　after　at　present；　but　there　is　no　doubt　that　your　unexpected　dismissal　of　Mitchell　must　have　upset　their　plans。　That　would　account　for　the　eagerness　to　get　him　back　into　the　house　again。〃
　〃Lord　Wisbeach　thought　that　they　were　trying　to　steal　my　nephew's　explosive。　Perhaps　you　have　read　in　the　papers　that　my　nephew；　Willie　Partridge；　has　pleted　an　explosive　which　is　more　powerful　than　any　at　present　known。　His　fatheryou　have　heard　of　him；　of　courseDwight　Partridge。〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　nodded。
　〃His　father　was　working　on　it　at　the　time　of　his　death；　and　Willie　has　gone　on　with　his　experiments　where　he　left　off。　To…day　at　lunch　he　showed　us　a　test…tube　full　of　the　explosive。　He　put　it　in　my　husband's　safe　in　the　library。　Lord　Wisbeach　is　convinced　that　these　scoundrels　are　trying　to　steal　this；　but　I　cannot　help　feeling　that　this　is　another　of　those　attempts　to　kidnap　my　son　Ogden。　What　do　you　think？〃
　〃It　is　impossible　to　say　at　this　stage　of　the　proceedings。　All　we　can　tell　is　that　there　is　some　plot　going　on。　You　refused；　of　course；　to　allow　Mitchell　to　e　back　to　the　house？〃
　〃Yes。　You　think　that　was　wise？〃
　〃Undoubtedly。　If　his　absence　did　not　handicap　them；　they　would　not　be　so　anxious　to　have　him　on　the　spot。〃
　〃What　shall　we　do？〃
　〃You　wish　me　to　undertake　the　case？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　frowned　thoughtfully。
　〃It　would　be　useless　for　me　to　e　here　myself。　By　bad　luck　the　man　who　pretends　to　be　your　nephew　has　seen　me。　If　I　were　to　e　to　stay　here；　he　would　suspect　something。　He　would　be　on　his　guard。〃　He　pondered　with　closed　eyes。　〃Miss　Trimble；〃　he　exclaimed。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃
　〃You　want　Miss　Trimble。　She　is　the　smartest　worker　in　my　office。　This　is　precisely　the　type　of　case　she　could　handle　to　perfection。〃
　〃A　woman？〃　said　Mrs。　Pett　doubtfully。
　〃A　woman　in　a　thousand；〃　said　Mr。　Sturgis。　〃A　woman　in　a　million。〃
　〃But　physically　would　a　woman　be？〃
　〃Miss　Trimble　knows　more　about　jiu…jitsu　than　the　Japanese　professor　who　taught　her。　At　one　time　she　was　a　Strong　Woman　in　small…time　vaudeville。　She　is　an　expert　revolver…shot。　I　am　not　worrying　about　Miss　Trimble's　capacity　to　do　the　work。　I　am　only　wondering　in　what　capacity　it　would　be　best　for　her　to　enter　the　house。　Have　you　a　vacancy　for　a　parlour…maid？〃
　〃I　could　make　one。〃
　〃Do　so　at　once。　Miss　Trimble　is　at　her　best　as　a　parlour…maid。　She　handled　the　Marling　divorce　case　in　that　capacity。　Have　you　a　telephone　in　the　room？〃
　Mrs。　Pett　opened　the　stuffed　owl。　The　detective　got　in　touch　with　his　office。
　〃Mr。　Sturgis　speaking。　Tell　Miss　Trimble　to　e　to　the　phone。　　。　。　。　Miss　Trimble？　I　am　speaking　from　Mrs。　Pett's　on　Riverside　Drive。　You　know　the　house？　I　want　you　to　e　up　at　once。　Take　a　taxi。　Go　to　the　back…door　and　ask　to　see　Mrs。　Pett。　Say　you　have　e　about　getting　a　place　here　as　a　maid。　Understand？　Right。　Say；　listen；　Miss　Trimble。　Hello？　Yes；　don't　hang　up　for　a　moment。　Do　you　remember　those　photographs　I　showed　you　yesterday？　Yes；　the　photographs　from　Anderson's。　I've　found　the　man。　He's　the　butler　here。　Take　a　look　at　him　when　you　get　to　the　house。　Now　go　and　get　a　taxi。　Mrs。　Pett　will　explain　everything　when　you　arrive。〃　He　hung　up　the　receiver。　〃I　think　I　had　better　go　now；　Mrs。　Pett。　It　would　not　do　for　me　to　be　here　while　these　fellows　are　on　their　guard。　I　can　safely　leave　the　matter　to　Miss　Trimble。　I　wish　you　good　afternoon。〃
　After　he　had　gone；　Mrs。　Pett　vainly　endeavoured　to　interest　herself　again　in　her　book；　but　in　petition　with　the　sensations　of　life；　fiction；　even　though　she　had　written　it　herself；　had　lost　its　power　and　grip。　It　seemed　to　her　that　Miss　Trimble　must　be　walking　to　the　house　instead　of　journeying　thither　in　a　taxi…cab。　But　a　glance　at　the　clock　assured　her　that　only　five　minutes　had　elapsed　since　the　detective's　departure。　She　went　to　the　window　and　looked　out。　She　was　hopelessly　restless。
　At　last　a　taxi…cab　stopped　at　the　corner；　and　a　young　woman　got　out　and　walked　towards　the　house。　If　this　were　Miss　Trimble；　she　certainly　looked　capable。　She　was　a　stumpy；　square…shouldered　person；　and　even　at　that　distance　it　was　possible　to　perceive　that　she　had　a　face　of　no　mon　shrewdness　and　determination。　The　next　moment　she　had　turned　down　the　side…street　in　the　direction　of　the　back…premises　of　Mrs。　Pett's　house：　and　a　few　minutes　later　Mr。　Crocker　presented　himself。
　〃A　young　person　wishes　to　see　you；　madam。　A　young　person　of　the　name　of　Trimble。〃　A　pang　passed　through　Mrs。　Pett　as　she　listened　to　his　measured　tones。　It　was　tragic　that　so　perfect　a　butler　should　be　a　scoundrel。　〃She　says　that　you　desired　her　to　call　in　connection　with　a　situation。〃
　〃Show　her　up　here；　Skinner。　She　is　the　new　parlour…maid。　I　will　send　her　down　to　you　when　I　have　finished　speaking　to　her。〃
　〃Very　good；　madam。〃
　There　seemed　to　Mrs。　Pett　to　be　a　faint　touch　of　defiance　in　Miss　Trimble's　manner　as　she　entered　the　room。　The　fact　was　that　Miss　Trimble　held　strong　views　on　the　equal　distribution　of　property；　and　rich　people's　houses　always　affected　her　adversely。　Mr。　Crocker　retired；　closing　the　door　gently　behind　him。
　A　meaning　sniff　proceeded　from　Mrs。　Pett's　visitor　as　she　looked　round　at　the　achievements　of　the　interior　decorator；　who　had　lavished　his　art　unsparingly　in　this　particular　room。　At　this　close　range　she　more　than　fulfilled　the　promise　of　that　distant　view　which　Mrs。　Pett　had　had　of　her　from　the　window。　Her　face　was　not　only　shrewd　and　determined：　it　was　menacing。　She　had　thick　eyebrows；　from　beneath