the red seal-第39章

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〃No。　　I　made　the　check　payable　to　Colonel　McIntyre　and　forged　his　endorsement；〃　Sylvester　spoke　with　an　air　of　pride；　and　he　smiled　in　malicious　enjoyment　as；　catching　his　eye；　Barbara　shrank　back　and　sheltered　herself　behind　Kent。　　〃Mr。　Turnbull　accepted　the　check；　later　something　must　have　aroused　his　suspicions；　and　I　found　when　he　questioned　me　that　he　believed　Colonel　McIntyre　had　forged　the　check。〃

〃Good　heavens！　　You　let　him　think　that？〃　gasped　McIntyre；　then　wrath　gained　the　mastery。　　〃You　scoundrel！〃

〃Oh；　I　encouraged　him　to　think　it；〃　Sylvester　grinned　again。　　〃You　must　have　handed　Mr。　Turnbull　a　raw　deal；　he　was　so　ready　to　think　evil　of　you。〃

〃That　is　a　lie！〃　exclaimed　Helen　hotly。　　〃When　I　went　downstairs　to　investigate　the　noise　I　heard　in　the　library；　father；　Jimmie　told　me　who　he　was　to　quiet　my　fright。　　He　showed　me　a　letter；　which　he　had　just　found　on　your　desk　in　the　library；　confessing　that　you　had　forged　Mr。　Clymer's　name　on　the　check；　and　begging　Jimmie　to　conceal　your　crime　and　save　Barbara　and　me　from　the　shame　of　having　you　exposed　as　a　forger　and　a　thief。〃

〃I　never　wrote　such　a　letter！〃　shouted　McIntyre；　deeply　incensed。

〃No；　it　was　a　clever　plan；〃　acknowledged　Sylvester。　　〃On　one　of　my　trips　to　your　house；　Colonel　McIntyre；　I　secured　wax　impressions　of　your　front　door　lock。　　I　went　to　your　house　Monday　night　and　put　the　letter　among　your　papers　just　before　Turnbull　was　admitted　by　your　fool　of　a　butler。〃

〃And　you　gave　Jimmie　Turnbull　a　dose　of　poison　…　charged　Kent；　but　Sylvester；　his　lips　gone　dry；　raised　his　manacled　hands　in　protest。

〃I　did　not　poison　him；〃　he　cried。　　〃I　waited　just　to　see　if　Turnbull　got　the　letter　and　to　find　out　what　he'd　do　with　the　securities；　which　he　had　refused　to　turn　over　to　me。　　After　he　had　read　the　forged　letter　Mr。　Turnbull　acted　sort　of　faint　and　went　out　in　the　hall。　　I　could　just　see　him　put　down　a　box　on　the　hall　table　and　lean　against　the　wall。　　Then　he　went　into　the　dining　room　and　came　back　a　second　later　carrying　a　glass　of　water；　and　I　saw　him　take　up　and　open　a　small　box　and　toss　some　white　pills　into　his　mouth；　then　he　took　a　good　drink；　and；　picking　up　a　handkerchief　lying　on　the　table；　he　went　back　into　the　library。〃

There　was　silence　as　Sylvester's　callous　recital　of　the　tragedy　ended。　　Helen；　her　eyes　tearless　and　dark　with　suffering；　sank　slowly　back　in　her　chair　and　rested　her　head　against　Barbara's　sympathetic　shoulder。

〃So　Turnbull's　death　was　accidental　after　all；〃　exclaimed　Ferguson。　〃Or　was　it　suicide？〃

〃Accident；〃　answered　Kent。　　〃I　found　some　nitro…glycerine　pills　in　the　umbrella　stand　by　the　hall　table。〃　Colonel　McIntyre　nodded。　〃Evidently　Turnbull　put　down　his　pill　box　before　getting　a　glass　of　water；　and　in　his　attack　of　giddiness　accidentally　opened　your　box　of　aconitine　pills；　Mrs。　Brewster；　instead　of　his　own；　and　swallowed　a　fatal　dose；　thinking　they　were　nitroglycerine。〃

Mrs。　Brewster　bowed　her　head　in　agreement。　　That　must　have　been　it；〃　she　said。　　〃However；　I　saw　Colonel　McIntyre　tear　off　the　paper　wrapping　and　open　my　package　of　pills　just　before　dinner；　and　when　I　heard　that　Jimmie　had　died　from　aconitine　I　…　I　…〃　she　stammered　and　stopped　short。

〃You　suspected　I　had　murdered　him？〃　asked　McIntyre　softly。

〃Yes；〃　she　looked　appealingly　at　him。　　〃Forgive　me；　I　should　never　have　suspected　you；　but　the　pills；　box　and　all；　were　missing　the　next　morning　from　the　hall　table。〃

〃Turnbull　must　have　thrown　the　box　into　the　umbrella　stand；〃　explained　Kent。　　〃That　was　where　I　found　it。　　Did　you　get　the　securities；　Sylvester？〃　turning　to　the　prisoner。

〃No；〃　sullenly。　　〃She　did；〃　and　a　jerk　of　his　thumb　indicated　Helen　McIntyre。

Helen　raised　her　head　and　addressed　them　slowly。

〃Jimmie　and　I　expected　Barbara　to　come　in　at　any　moment；　and　he　started　to　leave　when　we　saw　you　coming　downstairs；〃　she　turned　to　Mrs。　Brewster。　　〃Jimmie　declared　that　if　we　were　found　together　I　might　be　compromised。　　He　couldn't　explain　his　presence　without　exposing　father　…　we　both　thought　you　a　forger；　father；〃　she　interpolated；　as　McIntyre　took　her　hand　and　pressed　it　understandingly。　　〃So　he　insisted　that　I　should　treat　him　like　an　ordinary　burglar　…　we　had　both　forgotten　Barbara's　silly　wager　in　our　horror　about　father。　　Jimmie　didn't　dare　take　the　securities　and　father's　confession　with　him　for　fear　he'd　be　searched　at　the　police　station；　and　the　scandal　would　have　come　out　then。〃

〃True；〃　agreed　McIntyre。　　〃Go　on；　Helen。〃

〃So　Jimmie　thrust　the　securities　and　father's　confession　into　an　envelope　and　sealed　it　with　red　wax；　using　Barbara's　seal；〃　explained　Helen。　　〃He　hadn't　time　to　write　an　address　or　message　on　it；　but　he　told　me　to　return　the　envelope　to　him　later　in　the　day　or　give　it　to　Philip　Rochester　and　ask　his　aid。　　I　brought　it　here　on　Wednesday　morning　and　with　Harry's　permission　put　the　envelope　in　the　safe。〃

〃I　tried　to　get　it　from　there；〃　volunteered　Sylvester；　〃for　I　overheard　Turnbull's　plan；　before　I　left　by　the　reception　room　window。〃

〃So　it　was　you　and　not　Mr。　Rochester　whom　I　saw　steal　out　of　the　window；〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Brewster。

〃It's　not　the　first　time　I've　been　mistaken　for　him；〃　exclaimed　Sylvester　calmly。

Kent　started　and；　gazing　at　Rochester　and　the　clerk；　saw　there　was　a　general　resemblance　in　coloring　and　physique。

〃Did　you　present　the　checks　to　McDonald　at　the　Metropolis　Trust　Company　bearing　Rochester's　and　my　forged　signatures？〃　he　asked。

〃I　did；〃　acknowledged　Sylvester。　　〃Mr。　Rochester's　wardrobe　came　in　very　handy　for　deceiving　the　casual　glance。　　You　know；　'clothes　make　the　man；　and　want　of　it　the　fellow。'〃

Kent　looked　up　quickly；　struck　by　an　idea。

〃Sylvester；　did　you　steal　the　envelope　containing　the　securities　from　me　at　the　Club　de　Vingt？〃　he　asked。

Sylvester　shook　his　head。　　〃No；　but　she　did；〃　pointing　to　Mrs。　Brewster。　　〃It's　no　lie；〃　as　McIntyre　uttered　an　indignant　denial。　〃When　Ferguson　left　here　carrying　off　the　securities　from　under　my　nose　almost　…　I　　had　spent　the　whole　day　trying　to　learn　the　safe's　combination；　I　trailed　him　to　the　Club　de　Vingt；　and　heard　the　head　waiter　tell　him　you；　Mr。　Kent；　were　sitting　in　the　small　smoking　porch；　so　I　climbed　up　the　trumpet　vine；　oh；　it　was　strong　and　no　climb　for　one　who　has　done　the　feats　I　have　in　the　circus。　I　reached　the　porch　just　in　time　to　see　Mrs。　Brewster　drop　her　fan；　and　when　the　men　bent　to　pick　it　up　she　'lifted'　the　envelope　and　concealed　it　under　her　scarf。〃

〃Don't；〃　Mrs。　Brewster　laid　a　detaining　hand　on　McIntyre　as　he　stepped　forward。　　〃The　man　is　telling　the　truth。　　I　thought　it　was　the　envelope　you　gave　me　earlier　in　the　evening　…　it　was　unaddressed　and　the　red　seal　was　the　same。〃

〃Just　a　moment；〃　interrupted　Kent。　　〃What　did　you　do　with　the　envelope？〃

〃When　I　returned　home　I　dropped　it　inside　one　of　the　Venetian　caskets；〃　Mrs。　Brewster　replied。　　〃No　one　ever　went　near　them；　and　I　thought　it　would　be　safe　there。　　You　see；　I　was　puzzled　to　know　how　it　had　disappeared　from　the　desk　in　the　reception　room；　where　I　had　left　it　in　one　of　the　pigeon　holes；　intending　to　take　it　later　to　my　room。〃

〃I　took　the　envelope　…　your　envelope　…　out　of　the　desk；〃　confessed　McIntyre。　　〃I　would　have　spoken　of　it；　Margaret；　but　was　hurt　that　you　had　left　our　marriage　certificate　lying　around　so　carelessly。〃

〃Your　what？〃　Barbara　sprang　up；　astounded。

〃Our　marriage　certificate；〃　repeated　McIntyre　firmly。　　〃Margaret　and　I　were　married　last　week　in　Baltimore。　　We　would　have　told　you；　Helen；　but　your　peculiar　conduct　and　Barbara's；　so　angered　me　that　I　forbade　Margaret　to　take　you　into　our　confidence。〃

〃Father！〃　　Barbara　got　no　further；　for　Helen　had　risen。　　She　spoke　with　quiet　dignity。

〃You　forget；　father；　that　since　Monday　night　we　have　thought　you　a　forger　and；　worse；　a　murderer；〃　her　voice　faltered。　　〃In　our　effort　to　guard　you　we　have　become　estranged。　　Margaret〃…　she　held　out　her　hand　with　an　affectionate　gesture　and　with　a　sob　her　step…mother　kissed　her。

〃How　did　this　envelope　get　back　inside　our　safe？〃　asked　Kent　a　moment　later；　picking　it　up　and　displaying　the　red　seal；　intact　save　for　the　broken　corner。

〃I　went　downstairs　about　midnight　or　a　little　later　and　into　the　li