the red seal-第21章

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as　drowned　in　an　outburst　of　cheering　in　the　dining　room　and　the　rush　of　many　feet。　On　common　impulse　Kent　and　the　others　turned　toward　the　doorway　and　looked　inside　the　dining　room。　　Two　officers　of　the　French　High　Commission　were　being　held　on　the　shoulders　of　comrades　and　were　delivering；　as　best　they　could　amidst　cheers　and　applause；　their　farewell　to　hospitable　Washington。

As　his　companions　brushed　by　him　to　join　the　gay　throng　in　the　center　of　the　room；　Kent　turned　back　to　pick　up　the　envelope　he　had　left　lying　on　the　table。　　It　was　gone。

In　feverish　haste　Kent　looked　under　the　table；　under　the　chairs；　the　lounge　and　its　cushions；　behind　the　draperies；　and　even　under　the　rugs　which　covered　the　floor　of　the　porch；　and　then　rose　and　stared　into　the　dining　room。　　Which　one　of　his　companions　had　taken　the　envelope？

Outside　the　porch　the　beautiful　trumpet　vine；　its　sturdy　trunk　and　thick　branches　reaching　almost　to　the　roof　of　the　club　building；　rustled　as　in　a　high　wind；　and　the　branches　swayed　this　way　and　that　as　a　figure　climbed　swiftly　down　from　the　porch　until；　reaching　the　fence　separating　the　club　property　from　its　neighbor's；　the　man　swung　across　it；　no　mean　athletic　feet；　and　taking　advantage　of　each　sheltering　shadow；　darted　into　the　alley　and　from　there　down　silent；　deserted　Nineteenth　Street。


CHAPTER　XI

HALF　A　TRUTH

Dancing　was　being　resumed　in　the　dining　room　as　Kent　appeared　again　in　the　doorway　and　he　made　his　way　as　quickly　as　possible　among　the　couples；　going　into　all　the　rooms　on　that　floor；　but　nowhere　could　he　find　Detective　Ferguson。　　On　emerging　from　the　drawing　room；　he　encountered　the　steward　returning　from　downstairs。

〃Have　you　seen　Mr。　Clymer？〃　he　asked　hurriedly。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Kent；　he　just　left　the　club；　taking　Detective　Ferguson　with　him　in　his　motor。　　Is　there　anything　I　can　do？〃　added　the　steward　observing　Kent's　agitation。

〃No；　no；　thanks。　　Say；　where　is　Colonel　McIntyre？〃　　Kent　gave　up　further　pursuit　of　the　detective；　he　could　find　him　later　at　Headquarters。　　The　steward　looked　among　the　dancers。　　〃I　don't　see　him；〃　he　said；　〃But　there　is　Mrs。　Brewster　dancing　in　the　front　room；　the　Colonel　must　be　somewhere　around。　　If　I　meet　him；　Mr。　Kent；　shall　I　tell　him　you　are　looking　for　him？〃

〃I　will　be　greatly　obliged　if　you　will　do　so；〃　replied　Kent；　and　straightening　his　tie；　he　went　in　quest　of　the　pretty　widow。　　He　had　found　her　a　merry　chatter…box　in　the　past；　possibly　he　could　gain　valuable　information　from　her。　　He　found　Mrs。　Brewster　just　completing　her　dance　with　a　fine　looking　Italian　officer　whose　broad　breast　bore　many　military　decorations。

〃Dance　the　encore　with　me〃　…　Kent　could　be　very　persuasive　when　he　wished；　and　Mrs。　Brewster　dimpled　with　pleasure；　but　there　was　a　faint　indecision　in　her　manner　which　he　was　quick　to　note。　　What　prompted　it？　　　He　had　been　on　friendly　terms　with　her；　in　fact；　she　had　openly　championed　his　cause；　so　Barbara　had　once　told　him；　when　Colonel　McIntyre　had　made　caustic　remarks　about　his　frequent　calls　at　the　McIntyre　house。

〃Just　one　turn；〃　she　said；　as　the　foreigner　bowed　and　withdrew。　　〃I　am　feeling　a　little　weary　to…night　…　the　strain　of　the　inquest；〃　she；　added　in　explanation。

〃Perhaps　you　would　rather　sit　out　the　dance；〃　he　suggested。　　〃There　is　an　alcove　in　that　window；　oh；　pshaw！〃　as　a　man　and　a　girl　took　possession　of　the　chairs。

〃Never　mind；　we　can　roost　on　the　stairs；〃　　Mrs。　Brewster　preceded　him　to　the　staircase　leading　to　the　third　floor；　and　sat　down；　bracing　her　back　very　comfortably　against　the　railing；　while　Kent　seated　himself　at　her　feet　on　the　lower　step。　　〃Extraordinary　developments　at　the　inquest　this　afternoon；〃　he　began；　as　she　volunteered　no　remark。　　〃To　think　of　Jimmie　Turnbull　being　poisoned！〃

〃It　is　unbelievable；〃　she　said；　and　her　vehemence　was　a　surprise　to　Kent；　he　knew　her　as　all　froth　and　bubble。　　What　had　brought　the　dark　circles　under　her　eyes　and　the　unwonted　seriousness　in　her　manner？

〃Unbelievable；　yes；〃　he　agreed　gravely。　　〃But　true；　the　autopsy　ended　all　doubt。〃

〃You　mean　it　developed　doubt；〃　she　corrected；　and　a　sigh　accompanied　the　words。　　〃Have　the　police　any　clew　to　the　guilty　man？〃

〃I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；〃　Kent　spoke　with　caution。

〃You　don't？〃　　Her　voice　was　a　little　sharp。　　〃Didn't　Detective　Ferguson　give　you　any　news　when　talking　to　you　on　the　porch？〃

〃So　you　recognized　the　detective？〃

〃I？　　No；　I　have　never　seen　him　before〃　…　she　nodded　gayly　to　an　acquaintance　passing　through　the　hall。　　〃Colonel　McIntyre　told　me　his　name。　　It　was　so　odd　to　meet　a　man　here　not　in　evening　clothes　that　I　had　to　ask　who　he　was。〃

〃Ferguson　came　to　bring　me　some　papers　about　a　personal　matter；〃　explained　Kent。　　He　turned　so　as　to　face　her。　　〃Did　you　see　a　white　envelope　lying　on　the　table　when　you　walked　out　on　the　porch？〃

She　bowed　her　head　absently；　her　foot　keeping　time　to　the　inspiring　music　played　by　the　orchestra　stationed　on　the　stair　landing　just　above　where　they　sat。　　〃You　left　it　lying　on　the　table。〃

〃Yes；　so　I　did；〃　replied　Kent。　　〃And　I　believe　I　was　so　ungallant　as　to　bolt　into　the　dining　room　in　front　of　you。　　Please　accept　my　apologies。〃　　Behind　her　fan；　which　she　used　with　languid　grace；　the　widow　watched　him。

〃We　all　bolted　together；〃　she　responded；　〃and　are　equally　guilty　…〃

〃Of　what？〃　questioned　a　voice　from　the　background；　and　looking　up　Kent　saw　Colonel　McIntyre　standing　on　the　step　above　Mrs。　Brewster。　The　music　had　ceased　and　in　the　lull　their　conversation　had　been　distinctly　audible。

〃Guilty　of　curiosity；〃　finished　the　widow。

〃Colonel　de　Geofroy's　farewell　speech　was　very　amusing；　did　you　not　think　so？〃

〃I　did　not　stay　to　hear　it；〃　Kent　confessed。　　〃I　had　to　return　to　the　porch　and　get　my　envelope。〃

〃You　were　a　long　time　about　it；〃　commented　McIntyre；　sitting　down　by　Mrs。　Brewster　and　possessing　himself　of　her　fan。　　〃I　waited　to　tell　you　that　Helen　and　Barbara　were　worn　out　after　the　inquest　and　so　stayed　at　home　to…night；　but　you　didn't　show　up。〃

〃Neither　did　the　envelope；〃　retorted　Kent；　and　as　his　companions　looked　at　him；　he　added。　　〃It　had　disappeared　off　the　table。〃

〃Probably　blew　away；〃　suggested　McIntyre。　　〃I　noticed　a　strong　current　of　air　from　the　dining　room；　and　two　of　the　windows　inclosing　the　porch　were　open。

〃That's　hardly　possible；〃　Kent　replied　skeptically。　　〃The　envelope　weighed　at　least　two　ounces；　it　would　have　taken　quite　a　gale　to　budge　it。〃

McIntyre　turned　red。　　〃Are　you　insinuating　that　one　of　us　walked　off　with　your　envelope；　Kent？〃　he　demanded　angrily。　　Mrs。　Brewster　stayed　him　as　he　was　about　to　rise。

〃Did　you　not　say　that　Detective　Ferguson　brought　you　the　envelope；　Mr。　Kent？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　what　more　likely　than　that　he　carried　it　off　again？〃　　She　smiled　amusedly　as　Kent's　expression　altered。　　〃Why　not　ask　the　detective？〃

Her　suggestion　held　a　grain　of　truth。　　Suppose　Ferguson　had　not　believed　his　statement　that　the　papers　in　the　envelope　were　his　personal　property　and　had　taken　the　envelope　away　to　examine　it　at　his　leisure？　　The　thought　brought　Kent　to　his　feet。

〃Good　night；　Mrs。　Sherlock　Holmes；〃　he　said　jestingly；　〃I'll　follow　your　advice　…　There　was　no　opportunity　to　say　more；　for　several　men　had　discovered　the　widow's　perch　on　the　stairs　and　came　to　claim　their　dances。　　Over　their　heads　McIntyre　watched　Kent　stride　downstairs；　then　stooping　over　he　picked　up　Mrs。　Brewster's　fan　and　sat　down　to　patiently　await　her　return。

Kent's　pursuit　of　the　detective　took　longer　than　he　had　anticipated；　and　it　was　after　midnight　before　he　finally　located　him　at　the　office　of　the　Chief　of　Detectives　in　the　District　Building。　　〃I've　called　for　the　envelope　you　took　from　my　safe　early　this　evening；〃　he　began　without　preface；　hardly　waiting　for　the　latter's　surprised　greeting。

〃Why；　Mr。　Kent；　I　left　it　lying　on　the　porch　table　at　the　club；〃　declared　Ferguson。　　〃Didn't　you　take　it？〃

〃No。〃　　Kent's　worried　expression　returned。　　〃Like　a　fool　I　forgot　the　envelope　when　that　cheering　broke　out　in　the　dining　room　and　rushed　to　find　out　what　it　was　about；　when　I　returned　to　the　porch　the　envelope　was　gone。

〃Disappeared？〃　questioned　Ferguson　in　astonishment。

〃Disappeared　a