the woman in the alcove-第25部分

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as　are　true　and　Mr。　Grey　is　involved　in　this　matter；　you　will　find　that　there　has　been　more　of　a　hitch　about　that　diamond　than　you；　in　your　simplicity；　believe。　If　Mr。　Grey　were　in　actual　possession　of　this　valuable；　he　would　show　less　care　than　you　say　he　does。　So　would　he　if　it　were　in　Wellgood's　hands　with　his　consent　and　a　good　prospect　of　its　coming　to　him　in　the　near　future。　But　if　it　is　in　Wellgood's　hands　without　his　consent；　or　any　near　prospect　of　his　regaining　it；　then　we　can　easily　understand　his　present　apprehensions　and　the　growing　uneasiness　he　betrays。〃

〃True；〃　I　murmured。

〃If；　then；〃　the　inspector　pursued；　giving　me　a　parting　glance　not　without　its　humor；　probably　not　without　something　really　serious　underlying　its　humor；　〃we　should　find；　in　following　up　our　present　clue；　that　Mr。　Grey　has　had　dealings　with　this　Wellgood　or　this　Sears；　or　if　you；　with　your　advantages　for　learning　the　fact；　should　discover　that　he　shows　any　extraordinary　interest　in　either　of　them；　the　matter　will　take　on　a　different　aspect。　But　we　have　not　got　that　far　yet。　At　present　our　task　is　to　find　one　or　the　other　of　these　men。　If　we　are　lucky；　we　shall　discover　that　the　waiter　and　the　steward　are　identical；　in　spite　of　their　seemingly　different　appearance。　A　rogue；　such　as　this　Sears　has　shown　himself　to　be；　would　be　an　adept　at　disguise。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　I　acknowledged。　〃He　has　certainly　the　heart　of　a　criminal。　If　he　had　no　hand　in　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　murder；　he　came　near　having　one　in　that　of　your　detective。　You　know　what　I　mean。　I　could　not　help　hearing；　Inspector。〃

He　smiled；　looked　me　steadfastly　in　the　face　for　a　moment；　and　then　bowed　me　out。

The　inspector　told　me　afterward　that；　in　spite　of　the　cavalier　manner　with　which　he　had　treated　my　suggestions；　he　spent　a　very　serious　half…hour；　head　to　head　with　the　district　attorney。　The　result　was　the　following　order　to　Sweetwater；　the　detective。

〃You　are　to　go　to　the　St。　Regis；　make　yourself　solid　there；　and　gradually；　as　you　can　manage　it；　work　yourself　into　a　position　for　knowing　all　that　goes　on　in　Room　。　If　the　gentleman　（mind　you；　the　gentleman；　we　care　nothing　about　the　women）　should　go　out；　you　are　to　follow　him　if　it　takes　you　to。　We　want　to　know　his　secret；　but　he　must　never　know　our　interest　in　it　and　you　are　to　be　as　silent　in　this　matter　as　if　possessed　of　neither　ear　nor　tongue。　I　will　add　memory；　for　if　you　find　this　secret　to　be　one　in　which　we　have　no　lawful　interest；　you　are　to　forget　it　absolutely　and　for　ever。　You　will　understand　why　when　you　consult　the　St　Regis　register。〃

But　they　expected　nothing　from　it；　absolutely　nothing。



XVI

DOUBT

I　prayed　uncle　that　we　might　be　driven　home　by　the　way　of　Eighty…sixth　Street。　I　wanted　to　look　at　the　Fairbrother　house。　I　had　seen　it　many　times；　but　I　felt　that　I　should　see　it　with　new　eyes　after　the　story　I　had　just　heard　in　the　inspector's　office。　That　an　adventure　of　this　nature　could　take　place　in　a　New　York　house　taxed　my　credulity。　I　might　have　believed　it　of　Paris；　wicked；　mysterious　Paris；　the　home　of　intrigue　and　every　redoubtable　crime；　but　of　our　own　homely；　commonplace　metropolisthe　house　must　be　seen　for　me　to　be　convinced　of　the　fact　related。

Many　of　you　know　the　building。　It　is　usually　spoken　of　with　a　shrug；　the　sole　reason　for　which　seems　to　be　that　there　is　no　other　just　like　it　in　the　city。　I　myself　have　always　considered　it　imposing　and　majestic；　but　to　the　average　man　it　is　too　suggestive　of　Old…World　feudal　life　to　be　pleasing。　On　this　afternoona　dull；　depressing　oneit　looked　undeniably　heavy　as　we　approached　it；　but　interesting　in　a　very　new　way　to　me；　because　of　the　great　turret　at　one　angle；　the　scene　of　that　midnight　descent　of　two　men；　each　in　deadly　fear　of　the　other；　yet　quailing　not　in　their　purpose；the　one　of　flight；　the　other　of　pursuit。

There　was　no　railing　in　front　of　the　house。　It　may　have　seemed　an　unnecessary　safeguard　to　the　audacious　owner。　Consequently；　the　small　door　in　the　turret　opened　directly　upon　the　street；　making　entrance　and　exit　easy　enough　for　any　one　who　had　the　key。　But　the　shaft　and　the　small　room　at　the　bottomwhere　were　they？　Naturally　in　the　center　of　the　great　mass；　the　room　being　without　windows。

It　was；　therefore；　useless　to　look　for　it；　and　yet　my　eye　ran　along　the　peaks　and　pinnacles　of　the　roof；　searching　for　the　skylight　in　which　it　undoubtedly　ended。　At　last　I　espied　it；　and；　my　curiosity　satisfied　on　this　score；　I　let　my　eyes　run　over　the　side　and　face　of　the　building　for　an　open　window　or　a　lifted　shade。　But　all　were　tightly　closed　and　gave　no　more　sign　of　life　than　did　the　boarded…up　door。　But　I　was　not　deceived　by　this。　As　we　drove　away；　I　thought　how　on　the　morrow　there　would　be　a　regular　procession　passing　through　this　street　to　see　just　the　little　I　had　seen　to…day。　The　detective's　adventure　was　like　to　make　the　house　notorious。　For　several　minutes　after　I　had　left　its　neighborhood　my　imagination　pictured　room　after　room　shut　up　from　the　light　of　day；　but　bearing　within　them　the　impalpable　aura　of　those　two　shadows　flitting　through　them　like　the　ghosts　of　ghosts；　as　the　detective　had　tellingly　put　it。

The　heart　has　its　strange　surprises。　Through　my　whole　ride　and　the　indulgence　in　these　thoughts　I　was　conscious　of　a　great　inner　revulsion　against　all　I　had　intimated　and　even　honestly　felt　while　talking　with　the　inspector。　Perhaps　this　is　what　this　wise　old　official　expected。　He　had　let　me　talk；　and　the　inevitable　reaction　followed。　I　could　now　see　only　Mr。　Grey's　goodness　and　claims　to　respect；　and　began　to　hate　myself　that　I　had　not　been　immediately　impressed　by　the　inspector's　views；　and　shown　myself　more　willing　to　drop　every　suspicion　against　the　august　personage　I　had　presumed　to　associate　with　crime。　What　had　given　me　the　strength　to　persist？　Loyalty　to　my　lover？　His　innocence　had　not　been　involved。　Indeed；　every　word　uttered　in　the　inspector's　office　had　gone　to　prove　that　he　no　longer　occupied　a　leading　place　in　police　calculations：　that　their　eyes　were　turned　elsewhere；　and　that　I　had　only　to　be　patient　to　see　Mr。　Durand　quite　cleared　in　their　minds。

But　was　this　really　so？　Was　he　as　safe　as　that？　What　if　this　new　clue　failed？　What　if　they　failed　to　find　Sears　or　lay　hands　on　the　doubtful　Wellgood？　Would　Mr。　Durand　be　released　without　a　trial？　Should　we　hear　nothing　more　of　the　strange　and　to　many　the　suspicious　circumstances　which　linked　him　to　this　crime？　It　would　be　expecting　too　much　from　either　police　or　official　discrimination。

No；　Mr。　Durand　would　never　be　completely　exonerated　till　the　true　culprit　was　found　and　all　explanations　made。　I　had　therefore　been　simply　fighting　his　battles　when　I　pointed　out　what　I　thought　to　be　the　weak　place　in　their　present　theory；　and；　sore　as　I　felt　in　contemplation　of　my　seemingly　heartless　action；　I　was　not　the　unimpressionable；　addle…pated　nonentity　I　must　have　seemed　to　the　inspector。

Yet　my　comfort　was　small　and　the　effort　it　took　to　face　Mr。　Grey　and　my　young　patient　was　much　greater　than　I　had　anticipated。　I　blushed　as　I　approached　to　take　my　place　at　Miss　Grey's　bedside；　and；　had　her　father　been　as　suspicious　of　me　at　that　moment　as　I　was　of　him；　I　am　sure　that　I　should　have　fared　badly　in　his　thoughts。

But　he　was　not　on　the　watch　for　my　emotions。　He　was　simply　relieved　to　see　me　back。　I　noticed　this　immediately；　also　that　something　had　occurred　during　my　absence　which　absorbed　his　thought　and　filled　him　with　anxiety。

A　Western　Union　envelope　lay　at　his　feet；proof　that　he　had　just　received　a　telegram。　This；　under　ordinary　circumstances；　would　not　have　occasioned　me　a　second　thought；　such　a　man　being　naturally　the　recipient　of　all　sorts　of　communications　from　all　parts　of　the　world；　but　at　this　crisis；　with　the　worm　of　a　half…stifled　doubt　still　gnawing　at　my　heart；　everything　that　occurred　to　him　took　on　importance　and　roused　questions。

When　he　had　left　the　room；　Miss　Grey　nestled　up　to　me　with　the　seemingly　ingenuous　remark：

〃Poor　papa！　something　disturbs　him。　He　will　not　tell　me　what。　I　suppose　he　thinks　I　am　not　strong　enough　to　share　his　troubles。　But　I　shall　be　soon。　Don't　you　see　I　am　gaining　every　day？〃

〃Indeed　I　do；〃　was　my　hearty　response。　In　face　of　such　a　sweet　confidence　and　open　affection　doubt　vanished　and　I　was　able　to　give　all　my　thoughts　to　her。

〃I　wish　papa　felt　as　sure　of　this　as　you　do；〃　she　said。　〃For　some　reason　he　does　not　seem　to　take　any　comfort　from　my　improvement。　When　Doctor　Freligh　says；　'Well；　well！　we　are　getting　on　finely　to…day；'　I　notice　that　he　does　not　look　less　anxious；　nor　does　he　even　meet　these　encouraging　words　with　a　smile。　Haven't　you　noticed　it？　He　looks　as　care…worn　and　troubled　about　me　now　as　he　did　the　first　day　I　was　taken　sick。　Why　should　he？　Is　it　because　he　has　lost　so　many　children　he　can　not　believe　in　his　good　fortune　at　having　the　most　insignificant　of　all　left　to　him？〃

〃I　do　not　know　your　father　very　well；〃　I　protested；　〃and　can　not　judge　what　is　going　on　in　his　mind。　But　he　must　see　that　you　are　quite　a　different　girl　from　what　you　were　a　week　ago；　and　that；　if　nothing　unforeseen　happens；　your　recovery　will　only　be　a　matter　of　a　week　or　two　longer。〃

〃Oh；　how　I　love　to　hear　you　say　that！　To　be　well　again！　To　read　letters！〃　she　murmured；　〃and　to　write　them！〃　And　I　saw　the　delicate　hand　falter　up　to　pinch　the　precious　packet　awaiting　that　happy　hour。　I　did　not　like　to　discuss　her　father　with　her；　so　took　this　opportunity　to　turn　the　conversation　aside　into　safer　channels。　But　we　had　not　proceeded　far　before　Mr。　Grey　returned　and；　taking　his　stand　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　remarked；　after　a　moment's　gloomy　contemplation　of　his　daughter's　face：

〃You　are　better　today；　the　doctor　says；I　have　just　been　telephoning　to　him。　But　do　you　feel　well　enough　for　me　to　leave　you　for　a　few　days？　There　is　a　man　I　must　seemust　go　to；　if　you　have　no　dread　of　being　left　alone　with　your　good　nurse　and　the　doctor's　constant　attendance。〃

Miss　Grey　looked　startled。　Doubtless　she　found　it　difficult　to　understand　what　man　in　this　strange　country　could　interest　her　father　enough　to　induce　him　to　leave　her　while　he　was　yet　laboring　under　such　solicitude。　But　a　smile　speedily　took　the　place　of　her　look　of　surpr