the red seal(红印)-第24章
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worried； was watching the scene with painful attention。
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〃Did Mr。 Turnbull have one of your handkerchiefs？〃 asked Penfield。
Her surprise at the question was manifest in her manner。
〃He might have；〃 she said。 〃I have a dreadful habit of dropping my
handkerchiefs around。〃
〃Did you miss one after his visit to your house on Monday night？〃
〃Miss McIntyre；〃 Penfield took up the handkerchief which the
foreman replaced on his desk a moment before； and holding it with care
extended it toward the girl。 〃Is this your handkerchief？〃
She inspected the handkerchief and the initial with curiosity； but with
nothing more； Kent was convinced； and in his relief was almost guilty of
disturbing the decorum of the inquest with a shout of joy。
〃It is not my handkerchief；〃 she stated clearly。
Penfield replaced the handkerchief on the table with the same care he
had picked it up； and turned again to her。
〃Thank you； Miss McIntyre； I won't detain you longer。 Logan；〃 to
the morgue master； 〃ask Dr。 Stone to step here。〃
Almost immediately Stone reentered the room and hurried to the
platform。
〃Would two or more capsules of amyl nitrite constitute a lethal dose？〃
asked Penfield。
〃They would be very apt to finish a feeble heart；〃 replied Stone。
〃Three capsules； if inhaled deeply would certainly kill a healthy person。〃
Penfield showed the handkerchief to the physician。 〃Can a chemist
tell； from the particles clinging to this handkerchief； how many capsules
have been used？〃
〃I should say he could。〃 Stone looked grave as he inspected the linen；
taking careful note of the letter 〃B〃 in one corner of the handkerchief。
〃But there is this to be considered … Turnbull may not have crushed those
capsules all at the same time。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃He may have felt an attack coming on earlier in the evening and used
a capsule； and in the police court used the same handkerchief in the same
manner。〃
〃I see；〃 Penfield nodded。 〃The point is cleverly taken。〃
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Kent silently agreed with the coroner。 The next instant Stone was
excused； and after a slight pause the deputy coroner； Dr。 Mayo； left his
table and his notes and occupied the witness chair； after first being sworn。
The preliminaries did not consume much time； and Penfield's manner was
brisk as he addressed his assistant。
〃Did you make a post…mortem examination of Turnbull？〃 he asked。
〃I did； sir； in the presence of the morgue master and Dr。 McLane。〃 Dr。
Mayo displayed an anatomical chart； drawing his pencil down it as he
talked。 〃We found from the condition of the heart that the deceased had
suffered from angina pectoris〃 … he paused and spoke more slowly … 〃in
examining the gastric contents we found the presence of aconitine。〃
〃Aconitine？〃 questioned Penfield； and the reporters； scenting the
sensational； leaned forward eagerly so as not to miss the deputy coroner's
answer。
〃Aconitine； an active poison；〃 he explained。 〃It is the alkaloid of
aconite； and generally fatal in its results。〃
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CHAPTER X
AT THE CLUB DE VINGT
The large building of the popular Club de Vingt； or as one
Washingtonian put it； the 〃Club De Vin；〃 which had sprung into existence
in the National Capital during the war； was ablaze with light and Benjamin
Clymer； sitting at a small table in one corner of the dining…room； wished
most heartily that it had been less crowded。 Many dinner…parties were
being given that night； and it was only by dint of perseverance and a
Treasury note that he had finally induced the head waiter to put in an extra
table for him and his guest； Harry Kent。 Kent had been very late and； to
add to his short…comings； had been silent； not to say morose； during dinner。
Clymer heaved a sigh of relief when the table was cleared and coffee and
cigars placed before them。
Kent roused himself from his abstraction。 〃We cannot talk here；〃 he
said； looking at the gay diners who surrounded them。 〃And I have
several important matters to discuss with you； Mr。 Clymer。〃
His remark was overheard by their waiter； and he stopped pouring out
Kent's coffee。
〃There is a small smoking room to the right of the dining room；〃 he
suggested。 〃I passed there but a moment ago and it was not occupied。
If you desire； sir； I will serve coffee there。〃
〃An excellent idea。〃 Clymer rose quickly and he and Kent followed
the waiter to the inclosed porch which had been converted into an
attractive lounging room for the club members。 It was much cooler than
the over…heated dining room； and Kent was grateful for the subdued light
given out by the artistically shaded lamps with which it was furnished。
There was silence while the waiter with deft fingers arranged the coffee
and cigars on a wicker table； then receiving Clymer's generous tip with a
word of thanks； the man departed。
Kent wheeled his chair around so as to face his companion and still
have a side view of the dining room； where tables were being rapidly
removed for the dance which followed dinners on Thursday nights。
Clymer selected a cigar with care and； leaning back in his chair until the
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wicker creaked under his weight； he waited patiently for Kent to speak。
It was fully five minutes before Kent addressed him。
〃So James Turnbull was poisoned after all；〃 he commented。 〃A week
ago I would have sworn that Jimmie hadn't an enemy in the world。〃
〃Ah； but he had； and a very bitter vindictive enemy； if the evidence
given at the coroner's inquest this afternoon is to be believed；〃 replied
Clymer seriously。 〃The case is remarkably puzzling。〃
〃It is。〃 Kent bit savagely at his cigar as a slight vent to his feelings。
〃'Killed by a dose of aconitine by a person or persons unknown；' was the
jury's verdict； and a nice tangle they have left me to ferret out。''
〃You？〃
〃Yes。 I'm going to solve this mystery if it is a possible thing。〃 Kent's
tone was grim。 〃And Colonel McIntyre only gave me until Saturday
night to work in。〃
Clymer eyed him in surprise。 〃McIntyre desires to get back his lost
securities； judging from his comments after the inquest； he is not
particularly interested in who killed Turnbull。〃
〃But I am；〃 exclaimed Kent。 〃The more I think of it； the more
convinced I am that the forged letter； with the subsequent disappearance of
McIntyre's securities has some connection with Jimmie's untimely death；
be it murder or suicide。〃
〃Suicide？〃 Clymer' s raised eyebrows indicated his surprise。
〃Yes；〃 short
