the red seal-第13章

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the　compartment；　and　closed　the　door　of　the　safe。

〃Let　us　talk；〃　he　suggested　and　led　the　way　back　to　their　chairs。　〃Helen；〃　he　began；　after　she　was　seated。　　〃There　is　nothing　I　will　not　do　for　your　sister　Barbara；〃　his　manner　grew　earnest。　　〃I　…〃　he　flushed；　baring　his　feelings　to　another；　no　matter　how　sympathetic　that　other　was；　was　foreign　to　his　reserved　nature。　　〃I　love　her　beyond　words　to　express。　　I　tell　you　this　to　…　to　…　gain　your　trust。〃

〃You　already　have　it；　Harry！〃　　Impulsively　Helen　extended　her　hand；　and　he　held　it　in　a　firm　clasp　for　a　second。　　〃Babs　and　I　have　come　at　once　to　you　in　our　trouble。〃

〃Yes；　but　you　have　only　hinted　what　that　trouble；　was；〃　he　reminded　her　gently。　　〃I　cannot　really　aid　you　until　you　give　me　your　full　confidence。〃

Helen　looked　away　from　him　and　out　of　the　window。　　The　relief；　which　had　lighted　her　face　a　moment　before；　had　vanished。　　It　was　some　minutes　before　she　answered。

〃Babs　told　you　that　I　suspected　Jimmie　did　not　die　from　angina　pectoris　…〃　　She　spoke　with　an　effort。

〃Yes。〃

She　waited　a　second　before　continuing　her　remarks。　　〃I　have　asked　the　coroner　to　make　an　investigation。〃　　She　paused　again；　then　added　with　more　animation；　〃He　is　the　one　to　tell　us　if　a　crime　has　been　committed。〃

〃He　can　tell　if　death　has　been　accelerated　by　a　weapon；　or　a　drug；〃　responded　Kent；　he　was　weighing　his　words　carefully　so　that　she　might　understand　him　fully。　　〃But　to　constitute　a　crime；　it　has　to　be　proved　first；　that　the　act　has　been　committed；　and　second；　that　a　guilty　mind　or　malice　prompted　it。　　Can　you　furnish　a　clew　to　establish　either　of　the　last　mentioned　facts　in　connection　with　Jimmie's　death？〃

Kent　wondered　if　she　had　heard　him；　she　was　so　long　in　replying；　and　he　was　about　to　repeat　his　question　when　she　addressed　him。

〃Have　you　heard　from　Coroner　Penfield？〃

〃No。　　I　tried　several　times　to　get　him　on　the　telephone；　but　without　success；〃　replied　Kent；　his　disappointment　at　not　receiving　an　answer　to　his　question　showed　in　his　manner。　　〃I　went　to　Penfield's　house　last　night；　but　he　had　been　called　away　on　a　case　and；　although　I　waited　until　nearly　ten　o'clock；　he　had　not　returned　when　I　left。　　Have　you　had　word　from　him？〃

〃Not　…　not　directly。〃　　She　had　been　nervously　twisting　her　handkerchief　about　in　her　fingers；　suddenly　she　turned　and　looked　full　at　Kent；　her　eyes　burning　feverishly。　　〃I　would　give　all　I　possess；　my　hope　of　future　happiness　even；　if　I　could　prove　that　Jimmie　died　from　angina　pectoris。〃

Kent　looked　at　her　in　mingled　sympathy　and　doubt。　…　What　did　her　words　imply　…　further　tragedy？

〃Jimmie　might　not　have　died　from　angina　pectoris；〃　he　said；　〃and　still　not　have　been　poisoned　…〃

〃You　mean　…〃

〃Suicide。〃

Slowly　Helen　took　in　his　meaning；　but　she　volunteered　no　remark；　and　Kent　after　a　pause；　added；　〃While　I　have　not　seen　Coroner　Penfield　I　did　hear　last　night　what　killed　Jimmie。〃　　Helen　straightened　up；　one　hand　pressed　to　her　heart。　　〃It　was　a　lethal　dose　of　amyl　nitrite。〃

〃Amyl　nitrite；〃　she　repeated。　　〃Yes；　I　have　heard　that　it　is　given　for　heart　trouble。　　How〃　…　she　looked　at　him　queerly。　　〃How　is　it　administered？〃

〃By　crushing　a　capsule　in　a　handkerchief　and　inhaling　its　fumes　〃　…　he　was　watching　her　closely。　　〃The　handkerchief　Jimmie　was　seen　to　use　just　before　he　died　was　found　to　contain　two　or　more　broken　capsules。〃

Helen　sat　immovable　for　over　a　minute；　then　she　bowed　her　head　and　burst　into　dry　tearless　sobs　which　wracked　her　body。　　Kent　laid　a　tender　hand　on　her　shoulder；　then　concluding　it　was　better　for　her　to　have　her　cry　out；　he　wandered　aimlessly　about　the　office　waiting　for　her　to　regain　her　composure。

He　stopped　before　one　of　the　windows　facing　south　and　stared　moodily　at　the　Belasco　Theater。　　That　playhouse　had　surely　never　staged　a　more　complicated　mystery　than　the　one　he　had　set　himself　to　unravel。　What　consolation　could　he　offer　Helen？　　If　he　encouraged　her　belief　in　his　theory　that　Jimmie　committed　suicide　he　would　have　to　establish　a　motive　for　suicide；　and　that　motive　might　prove　to　be　the　theft　of　Colonel　McIntyre's　valuable　securities。　　Threatened　with　exposure　as　a　thief　and　forger；　Jimmie　had　committed　suicide；　so　would　run　the　verdict；　the　fact　of　his　suicide　was　proof　of　his　guilt　of　the　crime　Colonel　McIntyre　virtually　charged　him　with；　and　vice　versa。

What　had　been　discovered　to　point　to　murder？　　The　finding　of　a　handkerchief；　saturated　with　amyl　nitrite；　which　had　not　belonged　to　the　dead　man。　　Proof　…　bah！　it　was　ridiculous！　　What　more　likely　than　that　Jimmie；　while　in　the　McIntyre　house　before　his　arrest　as　a　burglar；　had　picked　up　one　of　Barbara's　handkerchiefs；　stuffed　it　inside　his　pocket；　and　when　threatened　with　exposure　on　being　held　for　the　grand　jury；　had；　in　desperation；　crushed　the　amyl　nitrite　capsules　in　Barbara's　handkerchief　and　killed　himself。

Kent　drew　a　long；　long　sigh。　　His　faith　in　Jimmie's　honesty　was　shaken　at　last　by　the　accumulative　evidence；　and　he　was　convinced　that　he　had　found　the　solution　to　the　problem；　but　how　impart　it　to　the　weeping　girl？　　To　prove　her　lover　a　thief；　forger；　and　suicide　was　indeed　a　task　he　shrank　from。

A　ring　at　the　telephone　caused　Kent　to　move　hastily　to　the　instrument；　when　he　hung　up　the　receiver　Helen　was　adjusting　her　veil　before　a　mirror　over　the　mantel。

〃Colonel　McIntyre　is　in　the　next　room；〃　he　said；　keeping　his　voice　lowered。

〃My　father！〃　　Helen's　eyes　were　hard　and　dry。　　〃Does　he　know　that　I　am　here？〃

〃I　don't　know；　Sylvester　simply　said　he　had　called　to　see　me　and　is　waiting　in　the　outer　office。〃　　Observing　her　indecision；　Kent　opened　the　door　leading　directly　into　the　corridor。　　〃You　can　leave　this　way　without　encountering　Colonel　McIntyre。〃

Helen　hurried　through　the　door　and　paused　in　the　corridor　to　whisper　feverishly　in　Kent's　ear；　〃Promise　me　you　will　remain　faithful　to　Barbara　whatever　develops。〃

〃I　will！〃　　Kent's　pledge　rang　out　clearly；　and　Helen　with　a　lighter　heart　turned　to　walk　away　when　a　telegraph　boy　appeared　around　the　corner　of　the　corridor　and　thrust　a　yellow　envelope　at　Kent；　who　stood　half　inside　his　office　watching　Helen。

〃Sign　here；〃　the　boy　said；　indicating　the　line　on　the　receipt　slip；　and　getting　it　back；　departed。

Motioning　to　Helen　to　wait；　Kent　tore　open　the　telegram。　　It　was　from　Cleveland　and　dated　the　night　before。　　The　message　ran：　Called　to　Cleveland。　　Address　City　Club。　　Rochester。

Without　comment　Kent　held　out　the　telegram　so　that　Helen　could　read　it。

〃What！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Philip　in　Cleveland　last　night。　　I　…　I　…　don't　understand。〃　　And　looking　at　her　Kent　was　astounded　at　the　flash　of　terror　which　shone　for　an　instant　in　her　eyes。　　Before　he　had　time　to　question　her　she　bolted　around　the　corridor。

Kent　remained　staring　ahead　for　an　instant　then　returned　thoughtfully　to　his　office；　and　within　a　second　Sylvester　received　a　telephone　message　to　show　Colonel　McIntyre　into　Kent's　office。　　Not　only　Colonel　McIntyre　followed　the　clerk　into　the　room　but　Benjamin　Clymer。　　〃Any　further　developments；　Kent？〃　inquired　the　banker。　〃No；　we　can't　sit　down；　just　dropped　in　to　see　you　a　minute。〃

〃There　is　nothing　new；〃　Kent　had　made　instant　decision；　such　information　regarding　the　death　of　Turnbull　as　he　had　gleaned　from　Ferguson；　and　the　events　of　the　night　before　should　be　confided　to　Clymer　alone；　and　not　in　the　presence　of　Colonel　McIntyre。

〃Did　you　search　Turnbull's　apartment　last　night　as　you　spoke　of　doing？〃　asked　McIntyre。

〃I　did；　and　found　no　trace　of　your　securities；　Colonel。〃

McIntyre　lifted　his　eyebrows　as　he　smiled　sarcastically。　　〃Can　I　see　Rochester？〃　he　asked。

〃He　is　in　Cleveland；　I　don't　know　just　when　he　will　be　back。〃

〃Indeed？　　Too　bad　you　haven't　the　benefit　of　his　advice；〃　remarked　McIntyre　insolently。　　〃At　Clymer's　request；　Kent；　I　have　allowed　you　until　Saturday　night　to　find　the　securities　and　either　clear　Turnbull's　name　or　admit　his　guilt；　there　remain　two　days　and　a　half　before　I　take　the　affair　in　my　own　hands　and　make　it　public。〃

〃I　hope　to　establish　Turnbull's　innocence　before　that　time；〃　retorted　Kent　coolly。

Inwardly　his　spirits　sank；　had　not　every　effort　on　his　part　brought　but　further　proof　of　Jimmie's　gu