the red seal-第14章

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〃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　guilt？　　That　McIntyre　would　make　no　attempt　to　hush　up　the　scandal　was　obvious。

〃Keep　me　informed　of　your　progress；〃　McIntyre's　manner　was　domineering　and　Kent　felt　the　blood　mount　to　his　temples；　but　he　was　determined　not　to　lose　his　temper　whatever　the　provocation；　McIntyre　was　Barbara's　father。

Clymer；　aware　that　the　atmosphere　was　getting　strained；　diplomatically　intervened。

〃Dine　with　me　to…night；　Kent；〃　he　said。　　〃Perhaps　you　will　then　have　some　news　that　will　throw　light　on　the　present　whereabouts　of　the　securities。　　I　found；　on　making　inquiries；　that　they　have　not　been　offered　for　sale　in　the　usual　channels。　　Come；　McIntyre；　I　have　a　directors'　meeting　in　twenty　minutes。〃

McIntyre；　who　had　been　swinging　his　walking　stick　from　one　hand　to　the　other　in　marked　impatience；　turned　to　Kent；　his　manner　more　conciliatory。

〃Pleasant　quarters　you　have；〃　he　remarked。　　〃Does　Rochester　share　　his　room　with　you？〃

〃No；　Colonel；　his　is　across　the　ante…room　where　you　waited　a　few　minutes　ago；〃　explained　Kent　as　he　accompanied　his　visitors　to　the　door。　　〃This　is　my　office。〃

〃Ah；　yes；　I　thought　as　much　on　seeing　only　one　desk；〃　McIntyre's　manner　grew　more　cordial。　　〃Does　Rochester's　furniture　duplicate　yours；　　safe　and　all？〃

〃Safe　…　no；　he　has　none；　that　is　the　firm's　safe。〃　　Kent　was　becoming　restless　under　so　many　personal　questions。　　〃Good…by；　Mr。　Clymer。〃

〃Don't　forget　to…night　at　eight；〃　the　banker　reminded　him　before　stepping　into　the　corridor。　　〃We'll　dine　at　the　Club　de　Vingt。　Come　along；　McIntyre。〃

Sylvester　stopped　Kent　on　his　way　back　to　his　office　and　handed　him　the　neatly　typewritten　copies　of　his　brief；　and　with　a　word　of　thanks　the　lawyer　went　over　to　his　desk　and；　gathering　such　papers　as　he　required　at　the　court　house；　he　thrust　them　and　the　brief　into　his　leather　bag；　but　instead　of　hurrying　on　his　way；　he　stood　still　to　consider　the　events　of　the　morning。

Helen　McIntyre；　during　their　interview；　had　not　responded　to　his　appeal　for　her　confidence；　nor　vouchsafed　any　reason　for　her　belief　that　Jimmie　Turnbull　had　been　the　victim　of　foul　play。　　And　Colonel　McIntyre　had　given　him　only　until　Saturday　night　to　solve　the　problem！　　Kent's　overwrought　feelings　found　vent　in　an　emphatic　oath。

〃Excuse　me；〃　exclaimed　Sylvester　mildly　from　the　doorway。　　〃I　knocked　and　understood　you　to　say　come　in。

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　　Kent's　nerves　were　getting　a　bit　raw；　a　glance　at　his　watch　showed　him　he　had　a　slender　margin　only　in　which　to　reach　the　court　house　in　time　for　his　appointment。　　Not　even　waiting　for　the　clerk's　reply　he　snatched　up　his　brief　case　and　made　for　the　private　door　leading　into　the　corridor。　　But　he　was　destined　not　to　get　away　without　another　interruption。

As　Sylvester　was　hastily　explaining；　〃Two　gentlemen　to　see　you；　Mr。　Kent；〃　the　clerk　was　thrust　aside　and　Detective　Ferguson　entered；　accompanied　by　a　deputy　marshal。

〃Sorry　to　detain　you；　Mr。　Kent；〃　exclaimed　the　detective。　　〃I　came　to　tell　you　that　Coroner　Penfield　has　just　called　an　inquest　for　this　afternoon　to　inquire　into　Jimmie　Turnbull's　death。　　Where's　your　partner；　Mr。　Rochester？〃　looking　around　inquiringly。

〃In　Cleveland。　　Won't　I　do？〃　replied　Kent；　his　appointment　forgotten　in　the　news　that　Ferguson　had　just　given　him。

〃No；　we　didn't　come　for　legal　advice；〃　Ferguson　smiled；　then　grew　serious。　　〃What's　Mr。　Rochester's　address？〃

Kent　walked　over　to　his　desk　and　picked　up　the　telegram。　　〃The　City　Club；　Cleveland；〃　he　stated。

〃Thanks；〃　Ferguson　jotted　down　the　address　in　his　note…book。　〃Jones；　here；〃　placing　his　hand　on　his　companion；　〃came　to　serve　Mr。　Rochester　with　a　subpoena；　he's　wanted　at　the　Turnbull　inquest　as　a　material　witness。〃


CHAPTER　VIII

THE　INQUEST

Coroner　Penfield　adjusted　his　eyeglasses　and　scanned　the　spectators　gathered　for　the　Turnbull　inquest。　　The　room　was　crowded　with　both　men　and　women；　the　latter　predominating；　and　the　coroner　decided　that；　while　some　had　come　from　a　personal　interest　in　the　dead　man；　the　majority　had　been　attracted　by　morbid　curiosity。　　There　was　a　stir　among　the　spectators　as　an　inner　door　opened　and　the　jury；　led　by　the　morgue　master　filed　into　the　room　and　took　their　places。　Coroner　Penfield　rose　and　addressed　the　foreman。

〃Have　you　viewed　the　body？〃　he　inquired。

〃Yes；　doctor；〃　and　the　man　sat　down。

Coroner　Penfield　then　concisely　stated　the　reason　for　the　inquest　and　summoned　Officer　O'Ryan　to　the　witness　stand。　　The　policeman　stood；　cap　in　hand；　while　being　sworn　by　the　morgue　master；　and　then　took　his　place　on　the　platform　in　the　chair　reserved　for　the　witnesses。

His　answer　to　Coroner　Penfield's　questions　relative　to　his　name；　residence　in　Washington；　and　length　of　service　in　the　city　Police　Force　were　given　with　brevity　and　a　rich　Irish　brogue。

〃Where　were　you　on　Tuesday　morning　at　about　five　o'clock？〃　asked　Penfield；　first　consulting　some　memoranda　on　his　desk。

〃On　my　way　home；〃　explained　O'Ryan。　　My　relief　had　just　come。〃

〃Does　your　beat　take　in　the　McIntyre　residence？　　〃

〃It　does；　sir。〃

〃Did　you　observe　any　one　loitering　in　the　vicinity　of　the　residence　prior　to　five　o'clock；　Tuesday　morning？〃

〃No；　sir。　　It　was　only　when　the　lady　called　to　me　that　I　was　attracted　to　the　house。〃

〃Did　she　state　what　was　the　matter？〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　She　said　that　she　had　locked　a　burglar　in　a　closet；　and　to　come　and　get　him；　and　I　did　so；〃　and　O'Ryan　expanded　his　chest　with　an　air　of　satisfaction　as　be　glanced　about　the　morgue。

〃Did　the　burglar　resist　arrest？〃

〃No；　sir；　he　came　very　peaceably　and　not　a　word　out　of　him。〃

〃Had　you　any　idea　that　the　burglar　was　not　what　he　seemed？〃

〃Devil　an　idea；　begging　your　pardon　…　O'Ryan　remembered　hastily　where　he　was。　　〃The　burglar　looked　the　part　he　was　masquerading；　and　his　make…up　was　perfect；〃　ended　O'Ryan　with　relish。　　〃Never　gave　me　a　hint　he　was　a　gentleman　and　a　bank　cashier　in　disguise。〃

Kent；　who　had　arrived　at　the　morgue　a　few　minutes　before　the　policeman　commenced　his　testimony；　smiled　in　spite　of　himself。　　He　was　feeling　exceedingly　low　spirited；　and　had　come　to　the　inquest　with　inward　foreboding　as　to　its　result。　　On　what　developed　there；　he　Was　convinced；　hung　Jimmie　Turnbull's　good　name。　　After　his　interview　with　Detective　Ferguson　that　morning；　he　had　wired　Philip　Rochester　to　return　to　Washington　at　once。　　He　had　requested　an　immediate　reply；　and　had　fully　expected　to　find　a　telegram　at　his　office　when　he　stopped　there　on　his　way　to　the　morgue；　but　none　had　come。

〃Whom　did　you　see　in　the　McIntyre　house？〃　the　coroner　asked　O'Ryan。

〃No　one　sir；　except　the　burglar　and　Miss　McIntyre。〃

〃Did　you　find　any　doors　or　windows　unlocked？〃

〃No；　sir；　I　never　looked　to　see。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　the　young　lady　said　that　she　had　been　over　the　house　and　everything　was　then　fastened。〃　　O'Ryan　looked　anxiously　at　the　coroner。　　Would　he　make　him　out　derelict　in　his　duty？　　It　would　seriously　affect　his　standing　on　the　Force。　　〃I　took　Miss　McIntyre's　word　for　the　house；　for　I　had　the　burglar　safe　under　arrest。〃

〃How　did　Miss　McIntyre　appear？〃

〃Appear？　　Sure；　she　looked　very　sweet　in　her　blue　wrapper　and　her　hair　down　her　back；〃　answered　O'Ryan　with　emphasis。

〃She　was　not　fully　dressed　then？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Was　Miss　McIntyre　composed　in　manner　or　did　she　appear　frightened？〃　asked　Penfield。　　It　was　one　of　the　questions　which　Kent　had　expected；　and　he　waited　with　intense　interest　for　the　policeman's　reply。

〃She　was　very　pale　and　…　and　breathless　like。〃　　O'Ryan　flapped　his　arms　about　vaguely　in　his　endeavor　to　demonstrate　his　meaning。　　〃She　kept　begging　me　to　hurry　and　get　the　burglar　out　of　the　house；　and　after　telling　her　that　she　would　have　to　appear　in　the　Police　Court　first　thing　that　morning；　I　went　off　with　the　prisoner。〃

〃Were　there　lights　in　the　house？〃　questioned　Penfield。

〃Only　dim　ones　in　the　halls　and　two　bulbs　turned　on　in　the　library；　it's　a　big　room　though；　and　they　hardly　made　any　light　at　all；〃　explained　O'Ryan；　he　was　particular　as　to　details。　　〃I　used　han