the clue of the twisted candle-第25部分

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in　the　future。　　If　he　can　get　20　pounds　so　easily；　he　will　come　for　40　pounds。　　But　why　do　you　stay　away；　why　don't　you　return　home？　There's　no　charge　and　no　breath　of　suspicion　against　you。〃

〃Because　I　have　something　to　do　which　I　have　set　my　mind　to；〃　she　said；　with　determination　in　her　tones。

〃Surely　you　can　trust　me　with　your　address；〃　he　urged　her；　〃after　all　that　has　passed　between　us；　Belinda　Mary　…　after　all　the　years　we　have　known　one　another。〃

〃I　shall　get　out　and　leave　you；〃　she　said　steadily。

〃But　how　the　dickens　am　I　going　to　help　you？〃　he　protested。

〃Don't　swear；〃　she　could　be　very　severe　indeed；　〃the　only　way　you　can　help　me　is　by　being　kind　and　sympathetic。〃

〃Would　you　like　me　to　burst　into　tears？〃　he　asked　sarcastically。

〃I　ask　you　to　do　nothing　more　painful　or　repugnant　to　your　natural　feelings　than　to　be　a　gentleman；〃　she　said。

〃Thank　you　very　kindly；〃　said　T。　X。；　and　leant　back　in　the　cab　with　an　air　of　supreme　resignation。

〃I　believe　you're　making　faces　in　the　dark；〃　she　accused　him。

〃God　forbid　that　I　should　do　anything　so　low；〃　said　he　hastily；　〃what　made　you　think　that？〃

〃Because　I　was　putting　my　tongue　out　at　you；〃　she　admitted；　and　the　taxi　driver　heard　the　shrieks　of　laughter　in　the　cab　behind　him　above　the　wheezing　of　his　asthmatic　engine。

At　twelve　that　night　in　a　certain　suburb　of　London　an　overcoated　man　moved　stealthily　through　a　garden。　　He　felt　his　way　carefully　along　the　wall　of　the　house　and　groped　with　hope；　but　with　no　great　certainty；　along　the　window　sill。　　He　found　an　envelope　which　his　fingers；　somewhat　sensitive　from　long　employment　in　nefarious　uses；　told　him　contained　nothing　more　substantial　than　a　letter。

He　went　back　through　the　garden　and　rejoined　his　companion；　who　was　waiting　under　an　adjacent　lamp…post。

〃Did　she　drop？〃　asked　the　other　eagerly。

〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　growled　the　man　from　the　garden。

He　opened　the　envelope　and　read　the　few　lines。

〃She　hasn't　got　the　money；〃　he　said；　〃but　she's　going　to　get　it。　I　must　meet　her　to…morrow　afternoon　at　the　corner　of　Oxford　Street　and　Regent　Street。〃

〃What　time！〃　asked　the　other。

〃Six　o'clock；〃　said　the　first　man。　　〃The　chap　who　takes　the　money　must　carry　a　copy　of　the　Westminster　Gazette　in　his　hand。〃

〃Oh；　then　it's　a　plant；〃　said　the　other　with　conviction。

The　other　laughed。

〃She　won't　work　any　plants。　　I　bet　she's　scared　out　of　her　life。〃

The　second　man　bit　his　nails　and　looked　up　and　down　the　road；　apprehensively。

〃It's　come　to　something；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃we　went　out　to　make　our　thousands　and　we've　come　down　to　'chanting'　for　20　pounds。〃

〃It's　the　luck；〃　said　the　other　philosophically；　〃and　I　haven't　done　with　her　by　any　means。　　Besides　we've　still　got　a　chance　of　pulling　of　the　big　thing；　Harry。　　I　reckon　she's　good　for　a　hundred　or　two；　anyway。〃

At　six　o'clock　on　the　following　afternoon；　a　man　dressed　in　a　dark　overcoat；　with　a　soft　felt　hat　pulled　down　over　his　eyes　stood　nonchalantly　by　the　curb　near　where　the　buses　stop　at　Regent　Street　slapping　his　hand　gently　with　a　folded　copy　of　the　Westminster　Gazette。

That　none　should　mistake　his　Liberal　reading；　he　stood　as　near　as　possible　to　a　street　lamp　and　so　arranged　himself　and　his　attitude　that　the　minimum　of　light　should　fall　upon　his　face　and　the　maximum　upon　that　respectable　organ　of　public　opinion。　　Soon　after　six　he　saw　the　girl　approaching；　out　of　the　tail　of　his　eye；　and　strolled　off　to　meet　her。　　To　his　surprise　she　passed　him　by　and　he　was　turning　to　follow　when　an　unfriendly　hand　gripped　him　by　the　arm。

〃Mr。　Fisher；　I　believe；〃　said　a　pleasant　voice。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　the　man；　struggling　backward。

〃Are　you　going　quietly！〃　asked　the　pleasant　Superintendent　Mansus；　〃or　shall　I　take　my　stick　to　you'？〃

Mr。　Fisher　thought　awhile。

〃It's　a　cop；〃　he　confessed；　and　allowed　himself　to　be　hustled　into　the　waiting　cab。

He　made　his　appearance　in　T。　X。's　office　and　that　urbane　gentleman　greeted　him　as　a　friend。

〃And　how's　Mr。　Fisher！〃　he　asked；　〃I　suppose　you　are　Mr。　Fisher　still　and　not　Mr。　Harry　Gilcott；　or　Mr。　George　Porten。〃

Fisher　smiled　his　old；　deferential；　deprecating　smile。

〃You　will　always　have　your　joke；　sir。　　I　suppose　the　young　lady　gave　me　away。〃

〃You　gave　yourself　away；　my　poor　Fisher；〃　said　T。　X。；　and　put　a　strip　of　paper　before　him；　〃you　may　disguise　your　hand；　and　in　your　extreme　modesty　pretend　to　an　ignorance　of　the　British　language；　which　is　not　creditable　to　your　many　attainments；　but　what　you　must　be　awfully　careful　in　doing　in　future　when　you　write　such　epistles；〃　he　said；　〃is　to　wash　your　hands。〃

〃Wash　my　hands！〃　repeated　the　puzzled　Fisher。

T。　X。　nodded。

〃You　see　you　left　a　little　thumb　print；　and　we　are　rather　whales　on　thumb　prints　at　Scotland　Yard；　Fisher。〃

〃I　see。　　What　is　the　charge　now；　sir！〃

〃I　shall　make　no　charge　against　you　except　the　conventional　one　of　being　a　convict　under　license　and　failing　to　report。〃

Fisher　heaved　a　sigh。

〃That'll　only　mean　twelve　months。　　Are　you　going　to　charge　me　with　this　business？〃　he　nodded　to　the　paper。

T。　X。　shook　his　head。

〃I　bear　you　no　ill…will　although　you　tried　to　frighten　Miss　Bartholomew。　　Oh　yes；　I　know　it　is　Miss　Bartholomew；　and　have　known　all　the　time。　　The　lady　is　there　for　a　reason　which　is　no　business　of　yours　or　of　mine。　　I　shall　not　charge　you　with　attempt　to　blackmail　and　in　reward　for　my　leniency　I　hope　you　are　going　to　tell　me　all　you　know　about　the　Kara　murder。　　You　wouldn't　like　me　to　charge　you　with　that；　would　you　by　any　chance！〃

Fisher　drew　a　long　breath。

〃No；　sir；　but　if　you　did　I　could　prove　my　innocence；〃　he　said　earnestly。　　〃I　spent　the　whole　of　the　evening　in　the　kitchen。〃

〃Except　a　quarter　of　an　hour；〃　said　T。　X。

The　man　nodded。

〃That's　true；　sir；　I　went　out　to　see　a　pal　of　mine。〃

〃The　man　who　is　in　this！〃　asked　T。　X。

Fisher　hesitated。

〃Yes；　sir。　　He　was　with　me　in　this　but　there　was　nothing　wrong　about　the　business　…　as　far　as　we　went。　　I　don't　mind　admitting　that　I　was　planning　a　Big　Thing。　　I'm　not　going　to　blow　on　it；　if　it's　going　to　get　me　into　trouble；　but　if　you'll　promise　me　that　it　won't；　I'll　tell　you　the　whole　story。〃

〃Against　whom　was　this　coup　of　yours　planned？〃

〃Against　Mr。　Kara；　sir；〃　said　Fisher。

〃Go　on　with　your　story；〃　nodded　T。　X。

The　story　was　a　short　and　commonplace　one。　　Fisher　had　met　a　man　who　knew　another　man　who　was　either　a　Turk　or　an　Albanian。　　They　had　learnt　that　Kara　was　in　the　habit　of　keeping　large　sums　of　money　in　the　house　and　they　had　planned　to　rob　him。　　That　was　the　story　in　a　nutshell。　　Somewhere　the　plan　miscarried。　　It　was　when　he　came　to　the　incidents　that　occurred　on　the　night　of　the　murder　that　T。　X。　followed　him　with　the　greatest　interest。

〃The　old　gentleman　came　in；〃　said　Fisher；　〃and　I　saw　him　up　to　the　room。　　I　heard　him　coming　out　and　I　went　up　and　spoke　to　him　while　he　was　having　a　chat　with　Mr。　　Kara　at　the　open　door。〃

〃Did　you　hear　Mr。　Kara　speak？〃

〃I　fancy　I　did；　sir；〃　said　Fisher；　〃anyway　the　old　gentleman　was　quite　pleased　with　himself。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　'old　gentleman'！〃　asked　T。　X。；　〃he　was　not　an　old　man。〃

〃Not　exactly；　sir；〃　said　Fisher；　〃but　he　had　a　sort　of　fussy　irritable　way　that　old　gentlemen　sometimes　have　and　I　somehow　got　it　fixed　in　my　mind　that　he　was　old。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　was　about　forty…five；　he　may　have　been　fifty。〃

〃You　have　told　me　all　this　before。　　Was　there　anything　peculiar　about　him！〃

Fisher　hesitated。

〃Nothing；　sir；　except　the　fact　that　one　of　his　arms　was　a　game　one。〃

〃Meaning　that　it　was　…　〃

〃Meaning　that　it　was　an　artificial　one；　sir；　so　far　as　I　can　make　out。〃

〃Was　it　his　right　or　his　left　arm　that　was　game！〃　interrupted　T。　X。

〃His　left　arm；　sir。〃

〃You're　sure？〃

〃I'd　swear　to　it；　sir。〃

〃Very　well；　go　on。〃

〃He　came　downstairs　and　went　out　and　I　never　saw　him　again。　　When　you　came　and　the　murder　was　discovered　and　knowing　as　I　did　that　I　had　my　own　scheme　on　and　that　one　of　your　splits　might　pinch　me；　I　got　a　bit　rattled。　　I　went　downstairs　to　the　hall　and　the　first　thing　I　saw　lying　on　the　table　was　a　letter。　　It　was　addressed　to　me。〃

He　paused　and　T。　X。　nodded。

〃Go　on；〃　he　said　again。

〃I　couldn't　understand　how　it　came　to　be　there；　but　as　I'd　been　in　the　kitchen　most　of　the　evening　except　when　I　was　seeing　my　pal　outside　to　tell　him　the　job　was　off　for　that　night；　it　might　have　been　there　before　you　came。　　I　opened　the　letter。　　There　were　only　a　few　words　on　it　and　I　can　tell　you　those　few　words　made　my　heart　jump　up　into　my　mouth；　and　made　me　go　cold　all　over。〃

〃What　were　they！〃　asked　T。　X。

〃I　shall　not　forget　them；　sir。　　They're　sort　of　permanently　fixed　in　my　brain；〃　said　the　man　earnestly；　〃the　note　started　with　just　the　figures　'A。　C。　274。'　〃

〃What　was　that！〃　asked　T。　X。

〃My　convict　number　when　I　was　in　Dartmoor　Prison；　sir。〃

〃What　did　the　note　say？〃

〃'Get　out　of　here　quick'　…　I　don't　know　who　had　put　it　there；　but　I'd　evidently　been　spotted　and　I　was　taking　no　chances。　　That's　the　whole　story　from　beginning　to　end。　　I　accidentally　happened　to　meet　the　young　lady；　Miss　Holland　…　Miss　Bartholomew　as　she　is　…　and　followed　her　to　her　house　in　Portman　Place。　　That　was　the　night　you　were　there。〃

T。　X。　found　himself　to　his　intense　annoyance　going　very　red。

〃And　you　know　no　more？〃　he　asked。

〃No　more；　sir　…　and　if　I　may　be　struck　dead　…　〃

〃Keep　all　that　sabbath　talk　for　the　chaplain；〃　commended　T。　X。；　and　they　took　away　Mr。　Fisher；　not　an　especially　dissatisfied　man。

That　night　T。　X。　interviewed　his　prisoner　at　Cannon　Row　police　station　and　made　a　few　more　enquiries。

〃There　is　one　thing　I　would　like　to　ask　you；〃　said　the　girl　when　he　met　her　next　morning　in　Green　Park。

〃If　you　were　going　to　ask　whether　I　made　enquiries　as　to　where　your　habitation　was；〃　he　warned　her；　〃I　beg　of　you　to　refrain。〃

She　was　looking　very　beautiful　that　morning；　he　thought。　　The　keen　air　had　brought　a　colour　to　her　face　and　lent　a　spring　to　her　gait；　and；　as　she　strode　along　by　his　side　with　the　free　and　careless　swing　of　youth；　she　was　an　epitome　of　the　life　which　even　now　was　budding　on　every　tree　in　the　park。

〃Your　father　is　back　in　town；　by　the　way；〃　he　sa