sally dows-第39章

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〃it　WAS　Gunn's　theory。　　As　a　man　of　the　world　and　a　practical
financier；　you　know。〃

〃And　you've　talked　with　HIM　about　it？〃

〃Yes。　　It　was　a　matter　of　general　wonder　years　ago。〃

〃Very　likelybut；　just　now；　don't　you　think　we've　had　enough
financial　talk？〃　said　Uncle　Sylvester；　with　a　bored　contraction　of
his　eyebrows。　　〃Come；〃　looking　around　the　room；　〃you've　changed　the
interior　of　the　old　house。〃

〃Yes。　　Unfortunately；　just　after　father's　death　it　was　put　in　the
hands　of　a　local　architect　or　builder；　one　of　father's　old　friends；
but　not　a　very　skillful　workman；　who　made　changes　while　the　family
were　away。　　That's　why　your　present　bedroom；　which　was　father's　old
study；　had　a　slice　taken　off　it　to　make　the　corridor　larger；　and
why　the　big　chimney　and　hearthstone　are　still　there；　although　the
fireplace　is　modernized。　　That　was　Flint's　stupidity。〃

〃Whose　stupidity？〃　asked　Uncle　Sylvester；　trimming　his　nails。

〃Flint'sthe　old　architect。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　make　him　change　it　back　again？〃

〃He　left　Lakeville　shortly　after；　and　I　brought　an　architect　from
St。　Louis　after　I　returned　from　Europe。　　But　nothing　could　be　done
to　your　room　without　taking　down　the　chimney；　so　it　remained　as
Flint　left　it。〃

〃That　reminds　me；　Gabriel；　I'm　afraid　I　spoke　rather　cavalierly　to
Kitty；　last　night；　about　the　arrangements　of　the　room。　　The　fact
is；　I've　taken　a　fancy　to　it；　and　should　like　to　fit　it　up　myself。
Have　I　your　permission？〃

〃Certainly；　my　dear　Sylvester。〃

〃I've　some　knickknacks　in　my　trunks；　and　I'll　do　it　at　once。〃

〃As　you　like。〃

〃And　you'll　see　that　I　am　not　disturbed；　and　you'll　explain　it　to
Kitty；　with　my　apologies？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　I'm　off。〃

Gabriel　glanced　at　his　brother　with　a　perplexed　smile。　　Here　was
the　bored　traveler；　explorer；　gold…seeker；　soldier　of　fortune；
actually　as　pleased　as　a　girl　over　the　prospect　of　arranging　his
room！　　He　called　after　him；　〃Sylvester！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　say；　if　you　could；　you　know；　just　try　to　interest　these　people
to…night　with　some　of　your　adventuressomething　told　SERIOUSLY；
you　know；　as　if　you　really　were　in　earnestI'd　be　awfully　obliged
to　you。　　The　fact　is；you'll　excuse　me；but　they　think　you　don't
come　up　to　your　reputation。〃

〃They　want　a　story？〃

〃Yes；one　of　your　experiences。〃

〃I'll　give　them　one。　　Ta…ta！〃

For　the　rest　of　the　day　Uncle　Sylvester　was　invisible；　although　his
active　presence　in　his　room　was　betrayed　by　the　sound　of　hammering
and　moving　of　furniture。　　As　the　remainder　of　the　party　were
skating　on　the　lake；　this　eccentricity　was　not　remarked　except　by
one；Marie　du　Page；who　on　pretense　of　a　slight　cold　had　stayed
at　home。　　But　with　her　suspicions　of　the　former　night；　she　had
determined　to　watch　the　singular　relative　of　her　friend。　　Added
to　a　natural　loyalty　to　the　Lanes；　she　was　moved　by　a　certain
curiosity　and　fascination　towards　this　incomprehensible　man。

The　house　was　very　quiet　when　she　stole　out　of　her　room　and　passed
softly　along　the　corridor；　she　examined　the　wall　carefully　to
discover　anything　that　might　have　excited　the　visitor's　attention。
There　were　a　few　large　engravings　hanging　there；　could　he　have
designed　to　replace　them　by　some　others？　　Suddenly　she　was　struck
with　the　distinct　conviction　that　the　wall　of　the　corridor　did　not
coincide　with　the　wall　of　his　room　as　represented　by　the　line　of
the　door。　　There　was　certainly　a　space　between　the　two　walls
unaccounted　for。　　This　was　undoubtedly　what　had　attracted　HIS
attention；　but　what　BUSINESS　was　it　of　his？

She　reflected　that　she　had　seen　in　the　wall　of　the　conservatory　an
old　closed　staircase；　now　used　as　shelves　for　dried　herbs　and
seeds；　which　she　had　been　told　was　the　old…time　communication
between　the　garden　and　Grandfather　Lane's　study；the　room　now
occupied　by　the　stranger。　　Perhaps　it　led　still　farther；　and　thus
accounted　for　the　space。　　Determined　to　satisfy　herself；　she
noiselessly　descended　to　the　conservatory。　　There；　surely；　was　the
staircase；a　narrow　flight　of　wooden　steps　encumbered　with
packages　of　herbs；losing　itself　in　upper　darkness。　　By　the　aid　of
a　candle　she　managed　to　grope　and　pick　her　way　up　step　by　step。
Then　she　paused。　　The　staircase　had　abruptly　ended　on　the　level　of
the　study；　now　cut　off　from　it　by　the　new　partition。　　She　was　in　a
stifling　inclosure；　formed　by　the　walls；　scarcely　eighteen　inches
wide。　　It　was　made　narrower　by　a　singular　excrescence　on　the　old
wall；　which　seemed　to　have　been　a　bricked　closet；　now　half
destroyed　and　in　ruins。　　She　turned　to　descend；　when　a　strange
sound　from　Uncle　Sylvester's　room　struck　her　ear。　　It　was　the　sound
of　tapping　on　the　floor　close　to　the　partition；　within　a　foot　of
where　she　was　standing。　　At　the　same　moment　there　was　a　decided
movement　of　the　plank　of　the　flooring　beneath　the　partition：　it
began　to　slide　slowly；　and　then　was　gradually　withdrawn　into　the
room。　　With　prompt　presence　of　mind；　she　instantly　extinguished　her
candle　and　drew　herself　breathlessly　against　the　partition。

When　the　plank　was　entirely　withdrawn；　a　ray　of　light　slipped
through　the　opening；　revealing　the　bare　rafters　of　the　floor；　and　a
hand　and　arm　inserted　under　the　partition；　groping　as　if　towards
the　bricked　closet。　　As　the　fingers　of　the　exploring　hand　were
widely　extended；　Marie　had　no　difficulty　in　recognizing　on　one　of
them　a　peculiar　signet　ring　which　Uncle　Sylvester　wore。　　A　swift
impulse　seized　her。　　To　the　audacious　Marie　impulse　and　action　were
the　same　thing。　　Bending　stealthily　over　the　aperture；　she　suddenly
snatched　the　ring　from　the　extended　finger。　　The　hand　was　quickly
withdrawn　with　a　start　and　uncontrolled　exclamation；　and　she
availed　herself　of　that　instant　to　glide　rapidly　down　the　stairs。

She　regained　her　room　stealthily；　having　the　satisfaction　a　moment
later　of　hearing　Uncle　Sylvester's　door　open　and　the　sound　of　his
footsteps　in　the　corridor。　　But　he　was　evidently　unable　to　discover
any　outer　ingress　to　the　inclosure；　or　believed　the　loss　of　his
ring　an　accident；　for　he　presently　returned。　　Meantime；　what　was
she　to　do？

Tell　Kitty　of　her　discovery；　and　show　the　ring？　　Nonot　yet！
Oddly　enough；　now　that　she　had　the　ring；　taken　from　his　wicked
finger　in　the　very　act；　she　found　it　as　difficult　as　ever　to
believe　in　his　burglarious　design。　　She　must　wait。　　The　mischief
if　there　had　been　mischiefwas　done；　the　breaking　in　of　the
bricked　closet　was；　from　the　appearance　of　the　ruins；　a　bygone　act。
Could　it　have　been　some　youthful　escapade　of　Uncle　Sylvester's；　the
scene　of　which　he　was　revisiting　as　criminals　are　compelled　to　do？
And　had　there　been　anything　taken　from　the　closetor　was　its
destruction　a　part　of　the　changes　in　the　old　house？　　How　could　she
find　out　without　asking　Kitty？　　There　was　one　way。　　She　remembered
that　Mr。　Gunn　had　once　shown　a　great　deal　of　interest　to　Kitty
about　the　old　homestead；　and　even　of　old　Mr。　Lane's　woodland　cabin。
She　would　ask　HIM。　　It　was　a　friendly　act；　for　Kitty　had　not　of
late　been　very　kind　to　him。

The　opportunity　presented　itself　at　dusk；　as　Mr。　Gunn；　somewhat
abstracted；　stood　apart　at　the　drawing…room　window。　　Marie　hoped
he　had　enjoyed　himself　while　skating；　her　stupid　cold　had　kept　her
indoors。　　She　had　amused　herself　rambling　about　the　old　homestead；
it　was　such　a　queer　place；　so　full　of　old　nooks　and　corners　and
unaccountable　spaces。　　Just　the　place；　she　would　think；　where　old
treasures　might　have　been　stored。　　Eh？

Mr。　Gunn　had　not　spokenhe　had　only　coughed。　　But　in　the　darkness
his　eyes　were　fixed　angrily　on　her　face。　　Without　observing　it；　she
went　on。　　She　knew　he　was　interested　in　the　old　house；　she　had
heard　him　talk　to　Kitty　about　it：　had　Kitty　ever　said　anything
about　some　old　secret　hoarding　place？

No；　certainly　not！　　And　she　was　mistaken；　he　never　was　interested
in　the　house！　　He　could　not　understand　what　had　put　that　idea　in
her　head！　　Unless　it　was　this　ridiculous；　shady　stranger　in　the
guise　of　an　uncle　whom　they　had　got　there。　　It　was　like　his
affectation！

〃Oh；　dear；　no；〃　said　Marie；　with　unmistakable　truthfulness；　〃HE　did
not　say　anything。　　But；〃　with　sudden　inconsistent　aggression；　〃is
THAT　the　way　you　speak　to　Kitty　of　he