the red seal-第32章

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and　hurried　to　the　car　window。

〃I　was　just　trying　to　catch　you　at　the　bank；　Mr。　Kent；〃　he　explained；　and　looking　around　Kent　recognized　Sylvester。　　〃There's　been　three　telephone　calls　for　you　in　succession　from　Colonel　McIntyre　to　hurry　to　his　home。〃

〃Thanks；　Sylvester。〃　　Kent　turned　to　Mrs。　Brewster。　　〃Would　you　mind　driving　me　to　the　McIntyre？　　We　can　talk　on　the　way　there。〃

Mrs。　Brewster　picked　up　the　speaking　tube。　　〃Home；　；　Harris；〃　she　directed；　as　the　chauffeur　listened　for　the　order。

Neither　spoke　as　the　big　car　started　up　the　street　but　as　they　swung　past　old　St。　John's　Church；　Mrs。　Brewster　broke　her　silence。

〃Mr。　Kent；〃　she　drew　further　back　in　her　corner。　　〃I　claim　a　woman's　privilege　…　to　change　my　mind。　　Forget　that　I　ever　expressed　a　wish　to　consult　you　professionally；　and　remember；　I　am　always　glad　to　meet　you　as　a　friend。〃

〃Certainly；　Mrs。　Brewster；　as　you　wish。〃　　Kent's　tone；　expressing　polite　acquiescence；　covered　mixed　feelings。　　What　had　caused　the　widow　to　change　her　mind　so　suddenly；　and　above　all；　what　had　she　wished　to　consult　him　about？　　He　faced　her　more　directly。　　She　was　charmingly　gowned；　and　in　spite　of　his　perplexities；　he　could　not　but　admire　her　air　of　quiet　elegance　and　the　soft　dark　eyes　regarding　him　in　friendly　good…fellowship。　　Suddenly　realizing　that　his　glance　had　become　a　fixed　stare；　he　hastily　averted　his　eyes　from　her　face；　catching　sight；　as　he　did　so；　of　the　gold　mesh　bag　lying　in　her　lap。　　The　glint　of　sunlight　brought　into　prominence　the　handsomely　engraved　letter　〃B〃　on　its　surface。　　An　unexpected　swerve　of　the　limousine；　as　the　chauffeur　turned　short　to　avoid　a　speeding　army　truck；　caused　both　Kent　and　Mrs。　Brewster　to　sway　forward　and　the　gold　mesh　bag　slid　to　the　floor；　carrying　with　it　the　widow's　handkerchief　and　gold　vanity　box。　　Kent　stooped　over　and　picked　up　the　articles　as　well　as　the　contents　of　the　mesh　bag；　which　had　opened　in　its　descent　and　spilled　her　money　and　papers　over　the　floor　of　the　limousine。

〃Oh；　thank　you；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Brewster；　as　he　handed　her　the　bag；　box；　and　bank　notes。　　〃Don't　bother　to　look　for　that　quarter；　Harris　will　find　it　at　the　garage。〃

Kent　ignored　her　remark　as　he　again　searched　the　floor　of　the　car；　he　was　glad　of　the　pretext　to　avoid　looking　at　the　widow。　　He　wanted　time　to　collect　his　thoughts　for；　in　Picking　up　her　belongings；　her　handkerchief　had　caught　his　attention　…　he　had　seen　its　mate　in　the　possession　of　Detective　Ferguson；　and　clinging　to　it　the　broken　portions　of　the　capsules　of　amyl　nitrite　which　Jimmie　Turnbull　had　inhaled　just　before　his　mysterious　death。

Into　Kent's　mind　flashed　Mrs。　Sylvester's　statement　that　Mrs。　Brewster　was　in　the　police　court　at　the　time　of　the　tragedy；　although　in　her　testimony　at　the　inquest　she　had　sworn　she　had　not　heard　of　Jimmie's　death　until　the　return　of　Helen　and　Barbara　McIntyre。　　She　had　been　in　the　police　court；　and　Jimmie　had　used　her　handkerchief　…　a　mate　to　the　one　she　was　then　holding；　the　letter　〃B〃　with　its　peculiar　twist　was　unmistakable　…　and　〃B〃　stood　for　Brewster　as　well　as　for　Barbara！　　Kent　drew　in　his　breath　sharply。

〃My　handkerchief；　please；〃　the　widow　held　out　her　hand；　and　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　Kent　gave　it　to　her。

〃Pardon　me；〃　he　apologized。　　〃I　was　struck　by　the　handkerchief's　appearance。〃

Mrs。　Brewster　turned　it　over。　　〃In　what　way　is　the　handkerchief　unique？〃　she　asked；　laughing。

〃Because　Jimmie　Turnbull　crushed　amyl　nitrite　capsules　in　its　mate　just　before　he　died；〃　explained　Kent　quietly。　　〃Detective　Ferguson　claims　that　Jimmie　unintentionally　broke　more　than　one　capsule　in　the　handkerchief；　was　overcome　by　the　powerful　fumes　and　died。〃

〃But　the　inquest　proved　that　Jimmie　was　killed　by　a　dose　of　aconitine　poison；〃　she　reminded　him；　as　she　tucked　the　handkerchief　up　her　sleeve。

Kent　did　not　reply　immediately。　　〃A　man　does　not　usually　carry　a　woman's　handkerchief　about　with　him；〃　he　commented　slowly。　　〃Odd；　is　it　not；　that　Jimmie　should　have　used　a　handkerchief　of　yours　in　the　police　court　just　prior　to　his　death；　while　you　were　sitting　a　few　feet　away？〃

〃I？〃　　Mrs。　Brewster　turned　and　regarded　him　steadfastly。　　She　was　deadly　white　under　her　rouge。　　〃Mr。　Kent；　are　you　crazy？〃

〃Yes；　crazy　to　know　why　you　kept　your　presence　in　the　police　court　on　Tuesday　morning　a　secret；〃　replied　Kent。　　In　their　earnestness　neither　noticed　Kent's　absent…minded　clutch　on　a　small　folded　paper　which　he　had　picked　up　from　the　floor　of　the　limousine。　　〃Mrs。　Brewster；　why　did　you　laugh　when　Dr。　Stone　carried　Jimmie　Turnbull　out　of　the　court　room？〃

Mrs。　Brewster　sat　still　in　her　corner　of　the　car；　so　still　that　Kent；　observing　her　closely；　feared　that　she　had　fainted。　　She　had　dropped　her　eyes；　and　her　face；　set　like　marble；　gave　him　no　key　to　her　thoughts。

The　door　of　the　limousine　was　jerked　open　almost　before　the　car　came　to　a　full　stop　in　front　of　the　McIntyre　residence；　and　Colonel　McIntyre　offered　his　hand　to　help　Mrs。　Brewster　out。　　On　the　step　she　turned　to　Kent；　who　had　lifted　his　hat　to　McIntyre　in　silent　greeting。

〃Your　forte　lies　as　a　romancer　rather　than　a　lawyer；　Mr。　Kent；〃　she　said；　and　not　giving　him　time　for　a　reply；　almost　ran　inside　the　house。

〃Glad　you　could　get　here　so　soon；　Kent；〃　remarked　McIntyre；　signing　to　his　chauffeur　to　drive　on　before　he　led　the　way　into　the　house。　〃Grimes　has　worked　himself　almost　into　a　fever　asking　for　you。〃

〃Grimes？〃

〃Yes。　　Grimes　was　attacked　in　our　library　early　this　morning　by　some　unknown　person；　and　is　in　bed　with　a　bad　wound　on　his　temple　and　a　tendency　to　hysteria；〃　McIntyre　explained。

〃Come　upstairs。〃

Kent　handed　his　cane　and　hat　to　the　footman　and　followed　Colonel　McIntyre；　who　stalked　ahead　without　another　word。　　As　they　mounted　the　stairs　Kent　glanced　at　the　folded　paper　which　he　still　held；　and　was　surprised　to　see　that　it　was　a　check。　　The　signature　showed　him　that　he　had　unintentionally　walked　off　with　Mrs。　Brewster's　property。　　His　decision　to　hand　it　to　Colonel　McIntyre　was　checked　by　the　Colonel　disappearing　inside　a　bedroom；　with　a　muttered　injunction　to　〃wait　there；〃　and　Kent　stuffed　the　check　inside　his　vest　pocket。　　It　would　serve　as　an　excuse　to　interview　Mrs。　Brewster　again　before　leaving　the　house。　　He　was　determined　to　have　an　answer　to　the　question　he　had　put　to　her　in　the　limousine。　　Why　had　she　gone　to　the　police　court；　and　why　kept　her　presence　there　a　secret？

When　Colonel　McIntyre　reappeared　in　the　hall　he　was　accompanied　by　Detective　Ferguson。　　〃Sorry　to　keep　you　standing；　Kent；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　sent　for　you　and　Ferguson；　first　because　Grimes　insists　on　seeing　you；　and　second；　because　I　am　determined　that　this　midnight　house…breaking　shall　be　thoroughly　investigated　and　put　an　end　to。　This　way；〃　and　he　led　them　into　a　large　airy　bedroom　on　the　third　floor；　to　which　Grimes　had　been　carried　unconscious　that　morning；　instead　of　to　his　own　bedroom　in　the　servants'　quarters。

Grimes；　with　his　head　swathed　in　bandages；　was　a　woe…begone　object。　He　greeted　Colonel　McIntyre　and　the　detective　with　a　sullen　glare；　but　his　eyes　brightened　at　sight　of　Kent；　and　he　moved　a　feeble　hand　in　welcome。

〃Sit　down；　sirs；〃　he　mumbled。　　〃There's　chairs　for　all。〃

〃Don't　worry　about　us；〃　remarked　McIntyre　cheerily。　　〃Just　tell　us　how　you　got　that　nasty　knock　on　the　head。〃

〃I　dunno；　sir；　it　came　like　a　clap　o'　thunder；〃　Grimes　tried　to　lift　his　head；　but　gave　over　the　attempt　as　excruciating　pain　followed　the　effort。

〃What　hour　of　the　morning　was　it？〃　asked　Ferguson。

〃About　one　o'clock；　as　near　as　I　can　tell；　sir。〃

〃And　what　were　you　doing　in　the　library　at　that　hour；　Grimes？〃　demanded　McIntyre。

〃Trying　to　find　out　what　your　household　was　up　to；　sir；〃　was　Grimes'　unexpected　answer；　and　McIntyre　started。

〃Explain　your　meaning；　Grimes；〃　he　commanded　sternly。

〃You　can　do　it　better　than　I　can；　sir；〃　retorted　Grimes。　　〃You　know　the　reason　every　one's　searching　the　room　with　the　seven　doors。〃

〃The　room　with　the　seven　doors！〃　echoed　Ferguson。　　〃Which　is　that？〃

〃Grimes　means　the　library。〃　McIntyre's　tone　was　short。　　〃I　have　no　idea；　Grimes；　what　your　allegations　mean。　　Be　more　explicit。〃

The　butler　eyed　him　in　no　friendly　fashio