the red seal-第15章

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　〃I　used　handcuffs　on　the　prisoner；　thinking　maybe　he'd　give　me　the　slip　in　the　dim　light；　but　there　was　no　fight　or　flight　in　him。〃

〃Did　he　talk　to　you　on　the　way　to　the　station　house？〃

〃No；　sir；　and　at　the　station　he　was　just　as　quiet；　only　answered　the　questions　the　desk　sergeant　put　to　him；　and　that　was　all；〃　stated　0'　Ryan。

Penfield　laid　down　his　memorandum　pad。　　〃All　right；　O'Ryan；　you　may　retire；〃　and　at　the　words　the　policeman　left　the　platform　and　the　room。　　He　was　followed　by　the　police　sergeant　who　had　been　on　desk　duty　at　the　Eighth　Precinct　on　Tuesday　morning。　　His　testimony　simply　corroborated　O'Ryan's　statement　that　the　prisoner　had　done　and　said　nothing　which　would　indicate　that　he　was　other　than　he　seemed　…　a　housebreaker。

Coroner　Penfield　paused　before　calling　the　next　witness　and　drank　a　glass　of　ice　water；　the　weather　had　turned　unseasonably　hot；　and　the　room　in　which　inquests　were　held；　was　stifling；　in　spite　of　the　long　opened　windows　at　either　end。

〃Call　Miss　Helen　McIntyre；〃　Penfield　said　to　the　morgue　master；　and　the　latter　crossed　to　the　door　leading　to　the　room　where　sat　the　witnesses。　　There　was　instant　craning　of　necks　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　society　girl　about　whom；　with　her　twin　sister；　so　much　interest　centered。

Helen　was　extremely　pale　as　she　advanced　up　the　room；　but　Kent；　watching　her　closely；　was　relieved　to　see　none　of　the　nervousness　which　had　been　so　marked　at　their　interview　that　morning。　　She　was　dressed　with　fastidious　taste；　and　as　she　mounted　the　platform　after　the　morgue　master　had　administered　the　oath；　Coroner　Penfield　rose　and；　with　a　polite　gesture；　indicated　the　chair　she　was　to　occupy。

〃I　am　Helen　McIntyre；〃　she　announced　c1ear1y。　　〃Daughter　of　Colonel　Charles　McIntyre。〃

〃Tell　us　the　circumstances　attending　the　arrest　of　James　Turnbull；　alias　John　Smith；　in　your　house　on　Tuesday　morning；　Miss　McIntyre；〃　directed　the　coroner；　seating　himself　at　his　table；　on　which　were　writing　materials。

〃I　was　sitting　up　to　let　in　my　sister；　who　had　gone　to　a　dance；〃　she　began；　〃and　fearing　I　would　fall　asleep　I　went　down　into　the　library；　intending　to　sit　in　one　of　the　window　recesses　and　watch　for　her　arrival。　　As　I　entered　the　library　I　saw　a　figure　steal　across　the　room　and　disappear　inside　a　closet。　　I　was　very　frightened；　but　had　sense　enough　left　to　cross　softly　to　the　closet　and　lock　the　door。〃　　She　paused　in　her　rapid　recital　and　drew　a　long　breath；　then　continued　more　slowly：

〃I　hurried　to　the　window　and　across　the　street　I　saw　a　policeman　standing　under　a　lamp…post。　　It　took　but　a　minute　to　call　him。　　The　policeman　opened　the　closet　door；　put　handcuffs　on　Mr。　Turnbull　and　took　him　away。〃

Coroner　Penfield；　as　well　as　the　jurors；　followed　her　statement　with　absorbed　attention。　　At　its　end　he　threw　down　his　pencil　and　spoke　briefly　to　the　deputy　coroner；　who　had　been　busily　engaged　in　taking　notes　of　the　inquest；　and　then　he　turned　to　Helen。

〃You　heard　no　sound　before　entering　the　library？〃

〃No　one　walking　about　the　house？〃　he　persisted。

〃No。〃　　She　followed　the　negative　with　a　short　explanation。　　〃I　lay　down　on　my　bed　soon　after　dinner；　not　feeling　very　well；　and　slept　through　the　early　hours　of　the　night。〃

〃At　what　hour　did　you　wake　up？〃

〃About　four　o'clock；　or　a　little　after。〃

〃Then　you　were　awake　an　hour　before　you　discovered　the　supposed　burglar　in　your　library？〃

〃Y…yes；〃　Helen's　hesitation　was　faint。　　〃About　that　length　of　time。〃

〃And　you　heard　no　unusual　sounds　in　that　hour's　interval？〃

〃I　heard　nothing〃　…　her　manner　was　slightly　defiant　and　Kent's　heart　sank；　if　he　had　only　thought　to　warn　her　not　to　antagonize　the　coroner。

〃Where　were　you　during　that　hour？〃

〃Lying　down；〃　promptly。　　〃Then；　afraid　I　would　drop　off　to　sleep　again；　I　went　downstairs。〃

Coroner　Penfield　consulted　his　notes　before　asking　another　question。

〃Who　lives　in　your　house　beside　you　and　your　twin　sister？〃　he　asked。

〃My　father；　Colonel　McIntyre；　our　house　guest；　Mrs。　　Louis　C。　Brewster；　and　five　servants；〃　she　replied。　　〃Grimes；　the　butler；　Martha；　our　maid；　Jane；　the　chambermaid；　Hope；　our　cook；　and　Thomas；　our　second　man；　the　chauffeur；　Harris；　the　scullery　maid；　and　the　laundress　do　not　stay　at　night。〃

〃Who　were　at　home　beside　yourself　on　Monday　night　and　early　Tuesday　morning？〃

〃My　father　and　Mrs。　Brewster；　I　believe　the　servants　were　in　also；　except　Thomas；　who　had　asked　permission　to　spend　the　night　in　Baltimore。〃

〃Miss　McIntyre？〃　　Coroner　Penfield　put　the　next　question　in　an　impressive　manner。　　〃On　discovering　the　burglar　why　did　you　not　call　your　father？〃

〃My　first　impulse　was　to　do　so；〃　she　answered　promptly。　　〃But　on　leaving　the　library　I　passed　the　window；　saw　the　policeman；　and　called　him　in。〃　She　shot　a　keen　look　at　the　coroner；　and　added　softly；　〃The　policeman　was　qualified　to　make　an　arrest；　my　father　would　have　had　to　summon　one　had　he　been　there。〃

〃Quite　true；〃　acknowledged　Penfield　courteously。　　〃Now；　Miss　McIntyre；　why　did　the　prisoner　so　obligingly　walk　straight　into　a　closet　on　your　arrival　in　the　library？〃

〃I　presume　he　was　looking　for　a　way　out　of　the　room　and　blundered　into　it；〃　she　explained。　　〃There　are　seven　doors　opening　from　our　library；　the　prisoner　may　have　heard　me　approaching；　become　confused；　and　walked　through　the　wrong　door。〃

〃That　is　quite　plausible　…　with　an　ordinary　bona…fide　burglar；〃　agreed　Penfield。　　〃But　was　not　Mr。　Turnbull　acquainted　with　the　architectural　arrangements　of　your　house？〃

〃He　was　a　frequent　caller　and　an　intimate　friend；〃　she　said；　with　dignity。　　〃As　to　his　power　of　observation　and　his　bump　of　locality　I　cannot　say。　　The　library　was　but　dimly　lighted。〃

〃Miss　McIntyre；〃　Penfield　spoke　slowly。　　〃Were　you　aware　of　the　real　identity　of　the　burglar？〃

〃I　had　no　suspicion　that　he　was　not　what　he　appeared；〃　she　responded。　〃He　said　or　did　nothing　after　his　arrest　to　give　me　the　slightest　inkling　of　his　identity。〃

Penfield　raised　his　eyebrows　and　shot　a　look　at　the　deputy　coroner　before　going　on　with　his　examination。

〃You　knew　Mr。　Turnbull　intimately；　and　yet　you　did　not　recognize　him？〃　he　asked。

〃He　wore　an　admirable　disguise。〃　　Helen　touched　her　lips　with　the　tip　of　her　tongue；　inwardly　she　longed　for　the　glass　of　ice　water　which　she　saw　standing　on　the　reporters'　table。　　〃Mr。　Turnbull's　associates　will　tell　you　that　he　excelled　in　amateur　theatricals。〃

Penfield　looked　at　her　critically　for　a　moment　before　continuing　his　questions。　　She　bore　his　scrutiny　with　composure。

〃Officer　O'Ryan　has　testified　that　you　informed　him　you　examined　the　windows　of　your　house；〃　he　said；　after　a　brief　wait。　　〃Did　you　find　any　unlocked？〃

〃Yes；　one　was　open　in　the　little　reception　room　off　the　front　door。〃

〃What　floor　is　the　room　on？〃

〃The　ground　floor。〃

〃Would　it　have　been　easy　for　any　one　to　gain　admittance　through　the　window　without　attracting　attention　in　the　street？〃　was　Penfield's　next　question。

〃Yes。〃

〃Miss　McIntyre；〃　Penfield　rose；　〃I　have　only　a　few　more　questions　to　put　to　you。　　Why　did　Mr。　Turnbull　come　to　your　house　…　a　house　where　he　was　a　welcome　visitor　…　in　the　middle　of　the　night　disguised。　　as　a　burglar？〃

The　reporters　as　well　as　the　spectators　bent　forward　to　catch　her　reply。

〃Mr。　Turnbull　had　a　wager　with　my　sister；　Barbara；〃　she　explained。　〃She　bet　him　that　he　could　not　break　into　the　house　without　being　discovered。〃

Penfield　considered　her　answer　before　addressing　her　again。

〃Why　didn't　Mr。　Turnbull　tell　you　who　he　was　when　you　had　him　arrested？〃　he　asked。

Helen　shrugged　her　shoulders。　　〃I　cannot　answer　that　question；　for　I　do　not　know　his　reason。　　If　he　had　only　confided　in　me〃　…　her　voice　shook　…〃　he　might　have　been　alive　to…day。〃

〃How　so？〃　Penfield　shot　the　question　at　her。

〃Because　then　he　would　have　been　spared　the　additional　excitement　of　his　trip　to　the　police　station　and　the　scene　in　court；　which　brought　on　his　attack　of　angina　pectoris。〃

Penfield　regarded　her　for　a　moment　in　silence。

〃I　have　no　further　questions；　Miss　McIntyre；〃　he　said；　and　turned　to　the　morgue　master。　　〃Ask　Miss　Barbara　McIntyre　to　come　to　the　platform。〃　　Turning　back　to　his　table　and　the　papers　thereon　he　failed　to　see　the　tw