the red seal-第28章

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〃If　it　is　true　that　Rochester　was　financially　embarrassed　and　forged　checks　on　the　Metropolis　Trust　Company；　it　establishes　another　motive　for　the　killing　of　Turnbull；〃　argued　Kent。　　〃Turnbull　was　cashier　of　that　bank。〃

〃I　see；　he　may　have　discovered　the　forgeries　…　but　hold　on。〃　Ferguson　checked　his　rapid　speech。　　〃When　were　these　forged　checks　presented　at　the　bank？〃

〃Tuesday　afternoon。〃

Ferguson's　face　fell。　　〃Pshaw！　man；　that　was　after　Turnbull's　death　…　how　could　he　detect　the　forgeries？〃

Kent　did　not　reply　at　once；　instead；　he　glanced　keenly　about　the　living　room。　　The　detective　had　only　switched　on　one　of　the　reading　lamps　and　the　greater　part　was　in　shadow。　　It　was　a　pleasant　and　home…like　room；　and　Kent　was　conscious　of　a　keener　pang　for　the　loss　of　Jimmie　Turnbull　and　the　disappearance　of　Philip　Rochester；　as　he　gazed　around。　　The　lawyer　and　the　bank　cashier　had　been；　until　that　winter；　congenial　comrades；　sharing　their　business　success　and　their　apartment　in　complete　accord；　and　now　a　shadow　as　black　as　that　enveloping　the　unlighted　apartment　hung　over　their　good　names；　threatening　one　or　the　other　with　the　charge　of　forgery　and　of　murder。　　Kent　sighed　and　turned　back　to　the　silent　detective。

〃I　can　best　answer　your　question　by　telling　you　that　the　day　after　Jimmie　Turnbull　died　Mr。　Clymer　sent　for　me；〃　he　began。　　〃I　found　Colonel　McIntyre　with　him　and　was　told　that　the　Colonel　had　lost　valuable　securities　left　at　the　bank。　　These　securities　had　been　given　by　the　treasurer　of　the　bank　to　Jimmie　Turnbull　when　he　presented　a　letter　from　Colonel　McIntyre　instructing　the　bank　to　surrender　the　securities　to　Jimmie。〃

〃Well？〃　questioned　Ferguson。　　〃Go　on；　sir。〃

〃That　letter　was　a　forgery。〃　　Kent　sat　back　and　watched　the　detective's　rapidly　changing　expression。　　〃And　no　trace　has　been　found　of　the　Colonel's　securities；　last　known　to　be　in　the　possession　of　Turnbull。〃

〃Great　heavens！〃　ejaculated　Ferguson。

〃Which　was　the　forger　…　Turnbull　or　Rochester？〃

Kent　shook　a　puzzled　head。　　〃That　is　for　us　to　discover；〃　he　said　soberly。　　〃Colonel　McIntyre　contends　that　Turnbull　forged　the　letter　and　stole　the　securities；　then　fearing　his　guilt　would　become　known；　committed　still　another　crime　…　that　of　suicide；　he　could　have　swallowed　a　dose　of　aconitine　while　at　the　police　court。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　…　blessed！〃　ejaculated　Ferguson。　　〃But　if　he　was　the　forger　how　does　that　square　with　Rochester's　peculiar　behavior？　The　checks　bearing　your　forged　signatures　were　presented；　mind　you；　by　Rochester　after　Turnbull's　death？〃

〃It　doesn't　square；〃　acknowledged　Kent　frankly。　　〃There　is　this　to　be　said　for　Turnbull：　he　was　the　soul　of　honor；　his　affairs　were　found　to　be　in　excellent　condition；　he　was　drawing　a　good　salary；　his　investments　paying　well　…　he　did　not　need　to　acquire　securities　or　money　by　resorting　to　forgery。〃

〃Whereas　Philip　Rochester　was　on　the　point　of　bankruptcy；〃　remarked　Ferguson。　　〃Do　you　suppose　he　forged　Colonel　McIntyre's　letter　and　gave　it　to　Turnbull；　and　the　latter　got　the　securities　from　the　bank　treasurer　and　handed　them　over　to　Rochester　in　good　faith；　supposing　his　room…mate　would　give　the　papers　to　Colonel　McIntyre？〃

Kent　nodded　in　agreement。　　〃It　looks　that　way　to　me；〃　he　said　gloomily。　　〃Philip　Rochester　stood　well　in　the　community；　his　law　　practice　is　large　and　lucrative；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　his　periods　of　idleness　and　…　and〃　…　hesitating　…　〃passion　for　good　living；　he　would　never　have　run　into　debt。〃

〃But　he　got　there。〃　Ferguson's　laugh　was　contemptuous。　　〃A　desperate　man　will　do　anything；　Mr。　Kent。〃

〃I　know；〃　Kent　looked　dubious。　　〃I　would　believe　him　guilty　if　it　were　not　for　the　use　of　aconitine　…　that　shows　premeditation　on　the　part　of　the　murderer。〃

〃And　why　shouldn't　Rochester　plan　Turnbull's　murder　ahead　of　the　scene　in　the　police　court？〃　argued　Ferguson。　　〃Wasn't　he　living　in　deadly　fear　of　exposure？　　If　he　did　not　commit　the　murder；　why　did　he　run　away？　　And　if　he　is　innocent；　why　doesn't　he　come　forward　and　prove　it？〃

〃He　may　not　know　that　he　is　suspected　of　the　crime；〃　retorted　Kent；　rising。　　〃It　is　for　us　to　find　Rochester；　and　I　suggest　that　we　search　this　apartment　thoroughly。〃

〃I　have　already　done　so；〃　objected　Ferguson。　　〃And　there　wasn't　the　faintest　clew　to　his　hiding　place。〃

〃For　all　that　I　am　not　satisfied。〃　　Kent　walked　over　and　switched　on　another　light。　　〃When　I　came　here　on　Wednesday　night　I　had　a　tussle　with　some　man；　but　he　escaped　in　the　dark　without　my　seeing　him。　　I　believe　he　was　Rochester。〃

〃You　are　probably　right。〃　Ferguson　crossed　the　room。　　〃And　if　he　came　back　once；　he　may　return　again。　　Come　ahead；〃　and　he　plunged　into　the　first　bedroom。　　The　two　men　subjected　each　room　to　an　exhaustive　search；　but　their　labors　were　their　only　reward；　except　for　an　accumulation　of　dust；　the　apartment　was　undisturbed。　　They　had　reached　the　kitchenette…pantry　when　the　gong　over　their　heads　sounded　loudly；　and　Kent；　with　a　muttered　exclamation　hastened　toward　the　front　door　of　the　apartment。　　Ferguson；　intent　on　studying　the　〃L〃　of　the　building　as　seen　from　the　window；　was　hardly　conscious　of　his　departure；　and　some　seconds　elapsed　before　he　turned　toward　the　door。　　As　he　gained　it；　he　saw　a　dark　shape　dart　down　the　hall。　　With　a　bound　Ferguson　started　in　pursuit；　and　the　next　second　grappled　with　the　flying　man　just　as　the　electric　lights　went　out　and　they　were　plunged　in　darkness。

Suddenly　Kent's　voice　echoed　down　the　hall。　　〃Come　here　quick；　Ferguson！〃

There　was　a　note　of　urgency　about　his　appeal；　and　Ferguson　straining　his　muscles　until　the　blood　pounded　in　his　temples；　threw　the　struggling　man　into　a　tufted　arm…chair　which　stood　by　the　entrance　to　the　small　dining　room；　and　drawing　out　his　handcuffs；　slipped　them　on　securely。　　〃Stay　there；〃　Ferguson　admonished　his　prisoner。　〃Or　there　will　be　worse　coming　to　you；〃　and　he　thrust　the　muzzle　of　his　revolver　against　the　man's　heaving　chest　to　illustrate　his　meaning；　then　as　Kent　called　again；　he　sped　down　the　hall　and　brought　up　breathless　at　the　front　door。　　The　light　was　still　burning　in　the　corridor；　though　not　very　brightly；　and　he　saw　Kent　hand　the　grinning　messenger　boy　a　shiny　quarter。　　Touching　his　battered　cap　the　boy　went　whistling　away。　　〃Tell　the　elevator　boy　to　report　that　a　fuse　has　burned　out　in　Mr。　Rochester's　apartment；〃　Ferguson　called　after　him；　and　the　lad　waved　his　hand　as　he　dashed　into　the　elevator。

Paying　no　attention　to　the　detective's　call；　Kent　showed　him　a　white　envelope　which　bore　the　simple　address：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PHILIP　ROCHESTER；　ESQ。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SARATOGA

〃It's　the　identical　envelope　I　found　in　your　safe；〃　declared　Ferguson。

〃And　which　disappeared　last　night　at　the　Club　de　Vingt。〃　　Kent　turned　over　the　envelope。　　〃See；　the　red　seal。〃

For　a　minute　the　men　contemplated　the　seal　with　the　large　distinctive　letter　〃B〃　in　the　center。

〃Open　the　letter；　sir；〃　Ferguson　urged　and　Kent；　his　fingers　fairly　trembling；　jerked　and　tore　at　the　linen　incased　envelope；　the　flap　ripped　away　and　he　opened　the　envelope　…　it　was　empty。

Instinctively　the　two　men　glanced　down　at　the　parquetry　flooring；　nothing　but　a　thin　coating　of　dust　lay　there；　and　Kent　looked　up　and　down　the　corridor；　it　was　deserted。

〃Do　you　recognize　the　handwriting？〃　asked　Ferguson。

〃No。〃　Kent　regarded　the　envelope　in　bewilderment。　　〃What　shall　we　do？〃

〃Do？　　Call　up　the　Dime　Messenger　Service　and　see　where　the　envelope　came　from；　but　first　come　and　see　my　prisoner。

〃Your　prisoner？〃　in　profound　astonishment。

〃Yes。　　I　caught　him　chasing　up　the　hall　after　you；〃　explained　Ferguson　as　they　hurriedly　retraced　their　steps。　　〃I　put　handcuffs　on　him　and　then　went　to　you。　　Ah；　here's　the　light！〃

〃The　light；　yes；　but　where's　your　prisoner？〃　and　Kent；　who　was　a　trifle　in　advance　of　his　companion　in　reaching　the　dining　room；　stood　aside　to　let　Ferguson　pass　him。

The　detective　halted　abruptly。　　The　chair　into　which　he　had　thrust　his　prisoner　was　vacant。　　The　man　had　disappeared。

With　one　accord　Ferguson　and　Kent　advanced　close　to　the　chair；　and　an　oath　broke　from。　　the　detective。　　On　the　cushion　of　the　chair；　still　bearing　the　impress　of　a　human　bo