the red seal-第37章

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Kent；　preparatory　to　shutting　the　safe；　drew　out　the　envelope　intending　to　place　it　in　another　pigeon…hole　where　there　was　more　room。　　As　he　turned　the　envelope　over　he　was　thunderstruck　to　recognize　it　as　the　one　which　Helen　McIntyre　had　placed　in　the　safe　on　Wednesday　morning。　　He　had　last　seen　the　envelope　lying　on　the　table　in　the　smoking　porch　of　the　Club　de　Vingt；　from　whence　it　had　mysteriously　disappeared；　and　now　it　was　back　again　in　Rochester's　safe！

Had　it　ever　been　missing　from　the　safe？　　The　question　forced　itself　on　Kent　as　he　returned　to　his　chair；　envelope　in　hand；　and　sat　down　before　his　desk。　　He　had　accepted　Detective　Ferguson's　statement　that　he　had　removed　the　envelope　from　the　safe；　and　therefore　had　never　looked　in　the　compartment　where　Helen　had　put　it　to　verify　its　disappearance。

Ferguson　had　removed　it；　Kent　concluded　as　he　examined　the　envelope　with　more　care；　it　was　the　identical　one；　unaddressed；　with　the　same　red　seal　holding　down　the　flap。　　The　same　red　seal；　but　with　a　difference　…　a　corner　was　missing。

Kent　stared　at　the　seal　for　a　moment　in　doubt；　then　his　fingers　sought　his　vest　pocket　and　fumbled　about　for　a　minute。　　Taking　out　Mrs。　Brewster's　check；　he　laid　it　on　the　desk　alongside　the　envelope；　unfolded　it；　and　picked　out　a　piece　of　red　sealing　wax　which　had　slid　inside　the　check。　　Kent　placed　the　red　wax　on　the　broken　section　of　the　seal　…　it　fitted　exactly；　forming　a　perfect　letter　〃B。〃

Kent　sat　in　dumbfounded　silence；　regarding　the　red　seal　and　the　envelope。　　The　piece　of　wax　broken　off　from　the　seal　had　caught　on　his　coat　sleeve　when　he　had　been　in　the　Venetian　casket　in　the　library　at　the　McIntyre　house。　　It　was　proof　positive　that　not　only　he　had　been　in　the　casket；　but　the　sealed　envelope　also。　　Helen　McIntyre　had　left　the　envelope　in　his　care。　　Mrs。　Brewster　and　Colonel　McIntyre　had　both　been　present　when　the　envelope　was　stolen　from　him。　　Which　of　them　had　taken　it？　Which　one　had　afterwards　secreted　it　in　the　Venetian　casket？　　And　which　had　brought　it　back　to　the　safe　in　his　office？

Colonel　McIntyre　had　been　in　his　office　within　the　hour　…　the　question　was　answered；　and　Kent's　eyes　brightened；　then　clouded　…　Barbara　had　been　there　as　well；　and　Grimes　had　stated　that　before　he　received　a　knock…out　blow　in　the　McIntyre　library　he　heard　the　swish　of　skirts！

Kent　laid　his　hand　on　the　envelope。　　It　was　time　that　he　found　out　what　it　contained；　but　his　finger；　inserted　under　the　flap；　paused　as　his　eyes　fell　on　the　check　bearing　Mrs。　Brewster's　signature。　It　was　the　check　he　had　picked　up　from　the　floor　of　the　McIntyre　limousine　that　morning　and　inadvertently　carried　away　with　him。

》From　her　signature　his　glance　wandered　to　Sylvester's　memorandum　pad；　it　was　uncanny　the　way　his　eye　picked　out　the　letter　〃B〃　as　he　stared　at　Clymer's　note　and　its　signature。　　Slowly　his　hand　dropped　away　from　the　envelope　and　he　left　it　lying　forgotten　on　the　desk　as　he　picked　up　piece　after　piece　of　blotting　paper；　glancing　intently　at　each　and　finally；　pulling　open　a　drawer　of　his　desk；　he　hunted　in　feverish　haste　for　a　hand…mirror。

Some　ten　minutes　later　Kent　rose；　placed　the　papers　he　had　been　examining　in　the　inside　pocket　of　his　coat　and；　using　the　private　entrance　from　his　office　into　the　corridor；　he　hurried　away。

When　Helen　McIntyre　entered　the　office　of　Rochester　and　Kent　for　the　second　time　that　afternoon　she　found　Sylvester　transcribing　stenographic　notes　on　his　typewriter。

〃Mr。　Kent　is　expecting　you；　miss；〃　he　said；　holding　open　the　inner　office　door；　and　with　a　courteous　word　of　thanks；　Helen　passed　the　clerk　and　the　door　closed　behind　her。　　Kent　rose　at　her　approach　and　bowed　formally。

〃Take　this　chair；〃　he　suggested；　and　not　until　she　was　seated　did　Helen　realize　he　had　placed　her　where　the　light　fell　full　upon　her。　〃I　asked　you　to　come　here；〃　he　began；　as　she　waited　for　him　to　speak；　〃Because　I　must　have　your　confidence　…　if　I　am　to　aid　you。　　Did　you　meet；　recognize；　and　talk　to　Jimmie　Turnbull　in　your　house　sometime　between　Monday　midnight　and　his　arrest　on　Tuesday　morning？〃

She　colored　hotly；　then　paled。　　〃My　testimony　at　the　inquest；〃　…　she　commenced；　but　he　gave　her　no　opportunity　to　add　more。

〃Your　testimony　there　does　not　cover　the　question；〃　he　explained。　〃You　stated　then　that　you　had　not　recognized　Jimmie　in　the　court　room。　　Had　you　already　penetrated　his　disguise　at　your　house？〃　

〃And　if　I　had？〃

〃Did　you？〃　Kent　was　doggedly　persistent；　and　Helen's　fingers　closed　around　her　handbag　with　convulsive　force。　　Why　had　she　not　sent　Barbara　to　see　Kent　in　her　place？

〃Did　I　what？〃　she　parried。

〃Did　you　recognize　and　talk　with　Jimmie　Turnbull　in　your　house？〃

〃I　talked　with　him；　yes；〃　she　admitted；　and　her　voice　dropped　almost　to　a　whisper。

〃As　Jimmie　Turnbull　or　Smith　the　burglar？〃

〃As　Jimmie〃　…　she　confessed；　after　a　slight　pause。

〃Then　why　did　you　go　through　the　farce　of　having　Jimmie　arrested　as　a　burglar？〃　Kent　demanded。

〃So　that　Barbara　might　win　her　wager；〃　promptly。　　Kent　stared　at　her　incredulously。

〃Do　you　mean　that；　notwithstanding　the　risk　to　which　you　were　subjecting　him　with　his　weak　heart；　you　kept　up　the　farce　simply　that　Barbara　might　win　an　idiotic　wager？〃　Kent　asked。

Helen　passed　one　nervous　hand　over　the　other；　her　palms　were　hot　and　dry；　and　two　hectic　spots　had　appeared　in　each　white　cheek。

〃Jimmie　was　quite　well　Monday　night；〃　she　protested。　　〃He　…　he　…　had　some　heart　medicine　with　him。〃

Amyl　nitrite？〃

〃No。〃

〃Nitro…glycerine？〃

〃I　…　I　think　that　was　it；　I　am　not　quite　sure；〃　she　spoke　with　uncertainty；　and　Kent　knew　that　she　lied。　　His　heart　sank。

〃Did　he　swallow　any　medicine　in　your　presence？〃

She　shook　her　head　vigorously。　　〃No；　he　did　not。〃

Kent　lowered　his　voice。　　〃Did　you　see　him　take　Mrs。　Brewster's　aconitine　pills　off　the　hall　table？〃

Helen　shifted　her　gaze　to　his　face　and　then　back　to　her　ever　restless　hands。　　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃I　did　not　see　him　take　the　pills。〃

Kent　studied　her　in　a　silence　which；　to　her；　seemed　never…ending。

〃I　want　the　true　answer　to　this　question；〃　he　announced　with　meaning　emphasis。　　〃Why　did　Jimmie　go　in　disguise　to　your　house　on　Monday　night？〃

Helen　blanched。　　〃How　should　I　know；〃　she　muttered　evasively。　　〃He　…　he　didn't　come　to　see　me　…　the　admission　was　barely　above　a　whisper。

〃But　you　know　what　transpired　in　your　house　on　Monday　night？〃　demanded　Kent　eagerly。

His　question　met　with　no　response；　and　he　repeated　it；　but　still　the　girl　remained　silent。　　Kent　gave　her　a　moment's　grace；　then　drawing　out　the　unaddressed　envelope　from　his　pocket　he　held　it　toward　her。　　A　low　cry　broke　from　her；　and　her　expression　changed　as　she　caught　sight　of　the　broken　seal。

〃You　have　opened　it！〃

〃Not　yet；〃　Kent　held　the　envelope　just　beyond　her　reach。　　〃I　will　only　give　it　to　you　with　the　understanding　that　you　open　the　envelope　now　in　my　presence　and　let　me　see　its　contents。〃

Helen　drew　back；　then　impulsively　extended　her　hand。

〃I　agree；〃　she　said。　　〃Give　me　the　envelope。〃

〃Stop！〃　The　word　rang　out；　startling　Kent　as　well　as　Helen；　and　Mrs。　Brewster；　whose　noiseless　entrance　a　few　seconds　before　had　gone　unobserved；　hurried　to　them。　　〃The　envelope　is　mine。


CHAPTER　XX

THE　UNKNOWN　EQUATION

No；　no；〃　protested　Helen　vehemently。　　〃You　shall　not　give　the　envelope　to　Margaret　…　you　must　not。〃

〃It　is　mine；〃　insisted　the　widow　with　equal　vehemence。

〃Mrs。　Brewster。〃　Kent　withheld　the　envelope　from　both　women。　　〃Will　you　tell　me　the　contents　of　this　envelope？〃

〃No；〃　curtly。　　〃It　is　not　your　affair。〃

〃It　is　my　affair；〃　retorted　Kent　with　equally　shortness　of　manner。　〃I　insist　on　an　answer　to　my　questions　in　the　limousine　this　morning。　How　came　your　handkerchief　in　Jimmie's　possession；　and　why　did　you　go　to　the　police　court　and；　yet　keep　your　presence　there　a　secret？〃

〃Jimmie　must　have　picked　up　the　handkerchief　when　in　the　McIntyre　house；〃　she　answered　sullenly。　　〃I　presume　he　forgot　to　provide　him　self　with　one　in　his　make…up　as　burglar。　　As　regards　your　second　question　I　admit　I　did　go　to　the　police　court　out　of　curiosity　…　I　wanted　to　find　out　what　was　going　on。　　You；〃　with　a　resentful　glance　at　Helen；　〃treated　me　as　an