the red seal-第4章

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m　the　McIntyre　residence　and　stop　at　the　curb。　　As　she　turned　to　go　back　to　her　chair　Dr。　Stone　was　ushered　into　the　library　by　the　footman。　　Mrs。　Brewster　welcomed　her　cousin　with　frank　relief。

〃I　have　waited　so　impatiently　for　you；〃　she　confessed；　making　room　for　him　to　sit　on　the　sofa　by　her　side。

〃I　was　detained；　Margaret。〃　Stone's　voice　was　not　over…cordial；　three　imperative　telephone　calls　from　her；　coming　at　a　moment　when　he　had　been　engaged　with　a　serious　case　in　his　office；　had　provoked　him。　　〃Do　you　wish　to　see　me　professionally？〃

〃Indeed；　I　don't。〃　She　laughed　frankly。　　〃I　am　the　picture　of　health。〃

Stone；　observing　her　fine　coloring　and　clear　eyes；　silently　agreed　with　her。　　The　widow　made　a　charming　picture　in　her　modish　tea…gown；　and　the　physician；　watching　her　with　an　appraising　eye；　acknowledged　the　beauty　which　had　captivated　all　Washington。　　Mrs。　Brewster　had　carried　her　honors　tactfully；　a　fact　which　had　gained　her　popularity　even　among　the　dowagers　and　match…making　mothers　who　take　an　active　part　in　Washington's　social　season。

〃Then；　Margaret；　what　do　you　wish　to　see　me　about？〃　Stone　asked；　after　waiting　without　result　for　her　to　continue　speaking。

She　laughed　softly。　　〃You　are　the　most　practical　of　men；〃　she　said。　〃It　would　not　have　been　so　difficult　to　find　a　companion　anxious　to　spend　the　whole　afternoon　with　me　for　my　sake　alone。〃

〃Colonel　McIntyre；　for　instance？〃　he　teased；　and　laughed　amusedly　at　her　heightened　color。　　〃Have　a　care；　Margaret；　McIntyre's　flirtations　are　all　very　well；　but　he　is　the　type　of　man　to　be　deadly　in　earnest　when　once　he　falls　in　love。〃

〃Thanks　for　your　warning；〃　Mrs。　Brewster　smiled；　then　grew　serious。　〃I　sent　for　you　to　ask　about　Jimmie　Turnbull's　death　this　morning。　Barbara　told　me　you　accompanied　them　to　the　police　court。〃

〃Yes。　　Why　weren't　you　with　the　girls？〃

〃Because　I　was　told　nothing　of　their　trip　to　the；　police　court　until　they　had　returned；〃　she　replied。　　〃How　horribly　tragic　the　whole　affair　is！〃　And　a　shiver　she　could　not　suppress　crept　down　her　spine。

〃It　is；〃　agreed　Stone。　　〃What　possessed　Jimmie　Turnbull　to　play　so　mad　a　trick？〃

〃His　wager　with　Barbara。〃

Stone　leaned　a　little　nearer。　　〃Have　you　learned　the　nature　of　that　wager？〃　he　asked；　lowering　his　voice。

〃No。　　Babs　was　in　so　hysterical　a　condition　when　she　returned　from　the　police　court　that　she　gave　a　very　incoherent　account　of　the　whole　affair；　and　she　has　kept　her　room　ever　since　luncheon；〃　explained　Mrs。　Brewster。

Stone　looked　puzzled。　　〃I　understood　that　Jimmie　was　attentive　to　Helen　McIntyre　and　not　to　Barbara；〃　he　said。　　〃But　upon　my　word；　Barbara　appeared　more　overcome　by　Jimmie's　death　than　Helen。〃

Mrs。　Brewster　did　not　reply　at　once；　instead；　she　glanced　carefully　around。　　The　room　was　generally　the　rallying　place　of　the　McIntyres。　It　stretched　across　almost　the　entire　width　of　the　house；　the　diamond…paned　and　recessed　windows　gave　it　a　medieval　air　in　keeping　with　its　antique　furniture；　and　the　seven　doors　opening　from　it　led；　respectively；　to　the　large　dining　room　beyond；　a　morning　room；　billiard　room；　the　front　and　back　halls；　and　the　Italian　loggia　which　over…looked　the　stretch　of　ground　between　the　McIntyre　residence　and　its　neighbor　on　the　north。　　Apparently；　she　and　Dr。　Stone　had　the　room　to　themselves。

〃I　cannot　answer　your　question　with　positiveness；〃　she　stated。　〃Frankly；　Jimmie　appeared　impartial　in　his　attentions　to　the　twins。　When　he　wasn't　with　Barbara　he　was　with　Helen；　and　vice　versa。〃

Stone　gazed　at　her　in　some　perplexity。　　〃Are　you　aware　that　Helen　stated　at　the　police　court　this　morning　that　she　was　Turnbull's　fiancee？〃

〃What！〃　Mrs。　Brewster　actually　bounced　in　her　seat。　　〃You　…　you　astound　me！〃

〃I　was　a　bit　surprised　myself；〃　acknowledged　the　physician。　　〃I　thought　Rochester　…　however；　that　is　neither　here　nor　there。　　Helen　not　only　announced　she　was　Jimmie's　fiancee　but　as　such　demanded　that　a　post…mortem　examination　be　held　to　determine　the　cause　of　his　death。〃

Mrs。　Brewster's　pretty　color　faded　and　the　glance　she　turned　on　her　cousin　was　sharp。　　〃Why　should　Helen　suspect　foul　play？〃　she　demanded。　〃For　that　is　what　her　request　hinted。〃

〃True。〃　Stone　pulled　his　beard　absentmindedly。　　〃Ah；　here　is　Colonel　McIntyre；〃　he　exclaimed　as　the　portieres　before　the　hall　door　parted　and　a　tall　man　strode　into　the　library。

McIntyre　was　a　favorite　with　the　old　physician；　and　he　welcomed　his　arrival　with　warmth。　　Exchanging　a　word　of　greeting　with　Mrs。　Brewster；　McIntyre　drew　up　a　chair　and　dropped　into　it。

〃I　called　at　your　office；　doctor；〃　he　said。　　〃Went　there　at　once　on　learning　the　shocking　news　about　poor　Turnbull。　　Why　in　the　world　didn't　he　announce　who　he　was　when　my　daughter　had　him　arrested　as　a　burglar？　He　must　have　realized　that　prolonged　excitement　was　bad　for　his　weak　heart。〃

Mrs。　Brewster；　who　had　settled　herself　more　comfortably　in　her　corner　of　the　sofa　on　McIntyre's　arrival；　answered　his　remark。

〃I　only　knew　Jimmie　superficially；〃　she　said；　〃but　he　had　one　distinguishing　trait　patent　to　all；　his　inordinate　fondness　for　practical　jokes。　　Probably　the　predicament　he　found　himself　in　was　highly　to　his　taste　…　until　his　heart　failed。〃

Her　voice；　slightly　raised；　carried　across　the　room　and　reached　the　ears　of　a　tall；　slender　girl　who　had　stood　hesitating　on　the　threshold　of　the　dining　worn　door　on　beholding　the　group　by　the　sofa。　　All　hesitation　vanished；　however；　as　the　meaning　of　Mrs。　Brewster's　remark　dawned　on　her；　and　she　walked　over　to　the　sofa。

〃You　are　very　unjust；　Margaret；〃　she　stated；　and　at　sound　of　her　low　triante　voice　McIntyre　whirled　around　and　frowned　slightly。　〃Jimmie　was　thinking　of　the　predicament　of　others；　not　of　himself。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　Helen？〃　her　father　demanded。

〃Why；　how　could　Jimmie　reveal　his　identity　in　court　without　involving　us？〃　she　asked。　　〃Good　afternoon；　doctor；〃　recollecting　her　manners；　and　her　attention　thus　diverted；　she　missed　the　sudden　questioning　look　which　Mrs。　Brewster　and　her　father　exchanged。　　〃No；〃　she　continued；　〃Jimmie　sacrificed　himself　for　others。〃

〃By　becoming　a　burglar。〃　McIntyre　laughed　shortly。　　〃Don't　talk　arrant　nonsense；　Helen。〃

The　girl　flushed　at　his　tone；　and　Dr。　Stone；　an　interested　onlooker；　marveled　at　the　fleeting　flash　of　disdain　which　lighted　her　dark　eyes。　　Stone's　interest　grew。　　The　McIntyre　family　had　always　been　particularly　congenial；　and　the　devotion　of　Colonel　McIntyre　（left　a　widower　when　the　twins　were　in　short　frocks）　to　his　daughters　had　been　commented　on　frequently　by　their　wide　circle　of　friends　in　Washington　and　by　acquaintances　made　in　their　travels　abroad。

Colonel　McIntyre　had　married　when　quite　a　young　man。　　Frugality　and　industry　and　a　brilliant　mind　had　reaped　their　reward；　and；　wiser　than　the　majority　of　Americans；　he　retired　early　from　business　and　devoted　himself　to　a　life　of　leisure　and　the　education　of　his　daughters。　　Their　debut　the　previous　autumn　had　been　one　of　the　social　events　of　the　Washington　season；　and　the　instant　popularity　the　girls　had　attained　proved　a　source　of　pride　to　Colonel　McIntyre。　His　chief　pleasure　consisted　in　gratifying　their　every　whim；　and　Dr。　Stone；　knowing　the　family　as　he　did；　wondered　at　the　faintly　discernible　air　of　constraint　in　the　girl's　manner。　　Usually　frank　to　a　sometimes　embarrassing　degree；　she　appeared　to　some　disadvantage　as　she　sat　gazing　moodily　at　the　tips　of　her　patent…leather　pumps。　Dr。　Stone's　attention　shifted　to　Colonel　McIntyre　and　lastly　to　the　pretty　widow　at　his　elbow。　　Had　Dame　Rumor　spoken　truly　in　the　report；　widely　circulated；　that　the　colonel　had　fallen　a　victim　to　the　charms　of　Margaret　Brewster；　his　daughters'　guest？　　If　so；　it　might　account　for　the　young　girl's　manner　…　however　devoted　McIntyre's　daughters　might　be　to　Mrs。　Brewster　as　a　friend　and　companion；　they　might　resent　having　so　young　a　woman　for　their　step…mother。

Not　receiving　any　reply　to　his　remarks；　McIntyre　was　about　to　address　his　daughter　again　when　she　spoke。

〃Jimmie　will　be　justified；〃　she　declared　stoutly。　　〃Has　the　coroner　held　the　autopsy　yet；　Dr。　Stone？〃

〃Autopsy！〃　McIntyre　spoke　with　sharp　abruptness。　　〃I　thought　it　was　clearly　established　that　Ji