the woman in the alcove-第27部分

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y　Mr。　Grey；　was　this　to　be　done？　He　knew　nothing　of　the　man's　circumstances　or　of　his　position　in　the　town。　How；　then；　go　to　work　to　secure　his　cooperation　in　a　scheme　possibly　as　mysterious　to　him　as　it　was　to　himself？　He　could　stop　this　stranger　in　mid…street；　with　some　plausible　excuse；　but　it　did　not　follow　that　he　would　succeed　in　luring　him　to　the　hotel　where　Mr。　Grey　could　see　him。　Wellgood；　or；　as　he　believed；　Sears；　knew　too　much　of　life　to　be　beguiled　by　any　open　clap…trap；　and　Sweetwater　was　obliged　to　see　him　drive　off　without　having　made　the　least　advance　in　the　purpose　engrossing　him。

But　that　was　nothing。　He　had　all　the　evening　before　him；　and　reentering　the　store；　he　took　up　his　stand　near　the　sugar　barrel。　He　had　perceived　that　in　the　pauses　of　weighing　and　tasting；　Dick　talked；　if　he　were　guided　with　suitable　discretion；　why　should　he　not　talk　of　Wellgood？

He　was　guided；　and　he　did　talk　and　to　some　effect。　That　is；　he　gave　information　of　the　man　which　surprised　Sweetwater。　If　in　the　past　and　in　New　York　he　had　been　known　as　a　waiter；　or　should　I　say　steward；　he　was　known　here　as　a　manufacturer　of　patent　medicine　designed　to　rejuvenate　the　human　race。　He　had　not　been　long　in　town　and　was　somewhat　of　a　stranger　yet；　but　he　wouldn't　be　so　long。　He　was　going　to　make　things　hum；　he　was。　Money　for　this；　money　for　that；　a　horse　where　another　man　would　walk；　and　mailwell；　that　alone　would　make　this　post…office　worth　while。　Then　the　drugs　ordered　by　wholesale。　Those　boxes　over　there　were　his；　ready　to　be　carted　out　to　his　manufactory。　Count　them；　some　one；　and　think　of　the　bottles　and　bottles　of　stuff　they　stand　for。　If　it　sells　as　he　says　it　willthen　he　will　soon　be　rich：　and　so　on；　till　Sweetwater　brought　the　garrulous　Dick　to　a　standstill　by　asking　whether　Wellgood　had　been　away　for　any　purpose　since　he　first　came　to　town。　He　received　the　reply　that　he　had　just　come　home　from　New　York；　where　he　had　been　for　some　articles　needed　in　his　manufactory。　Sweetwater　felt　all　his　convictions　confirmed；　and　ended　the　colloquy　with　the　final　question：

〃And　where　is　his　manufactory？　Might　be　worth　visiting；　perhaps。〃

The　other　made　a　gesture；　said　something　about　northwest　and　rushed　to　help　a　customer。　Sweetwater　took　the　opportunity　to　slide　away。　More　explicit　directions　could　easily　be　got　elsewhere；　and　he　felt　anxious　to　return　to　Mr。　Grey　and　discover；　if　possible；　whether　it　would　prove　as　much　a　matter　of　surprise　to　him　as　to　Sweetwater　himself　that　the　man　who　answered　to　the　name　of　Wellgood　was　the　owner　of　a　manufactory　and　a　barrel　or　two　of　drugs；　out　of　which　he　proposed　to　make　a　compound　that　would　rob　the　doctors　of　their　business　and　make　himself　and　this　little　village　rich。

Sweetwater　made　only　one　stop　on　his　way　to　Mr。　Grey's　hotel　rooms；　and　that　was　at　the　stables。　Here　he　learned　whatever　else　there　was　to　know；　and；　armed　with　definite　information；　he　appeared　before　Mr。　Grey；　who；　to　his　astonishment；　was　dining　in　his　own　room。

He　had　dismissed　the　waiter　and　was　rather　brooding　than　eating。　He　looked　up　eagerly；　however；　when　Sweetwater　entered；　and　asked　what　news。

The　detective；　with　some　semblance　of　respect；　answered　that　he　had　seen　Wellgood；　but　that　he　had　been　unable　to　detain　him　or　bring　him　within　his　employer's　observation。

〃He　is　a　patent…medicine　man；〃　he　then　explained；　〃and　manufactures　his　own　concoctions　in　a　house　he　has　rented　here　on　a　lonely　road　some　half…mile　out　of　town。〃

〃Wellgood　does？　the　man　named　Wellgood？〃　Mr。　Grey　exclaimed　with　all　the　astonishment　the　other　secretly　expected。

〃Yes；　Wellgood；　James　Wellgood。　There　is　no　other　in　town。〃

〃How　long　has　this　man　been　here？〃　the　statesman　inquired；　after　a　moment　of　apparently　great　discomfiture。

〃Just　twenty…four　hours；　this　time。　He　was　here　once　before；　when　he　rented　the　house　and　made　all　his　plans。〃

〃Ah！〃

Mr。　Grey　rose　precipitately。　His　manner　had　changed。

〃I　must　see　him。　What　you　tell　me　makes　it　all　the　more　necessary　for　me　to　see　him。　How　can　you　bring　it　about？〃

〃Without　his　seeing　you？〃　Sweetwater　asked。

〃Yes；　yes；　certainly　without　his　seeing　me。　Couldn't　you　rap　him　up　at　his　own　door；　and　hold　him　in　talk　a　minute；　while　I　looked　on　from　the　carriage　or　whatever　vehicle　we　can　get　to　carry　us　there？　The　least　glimpse　of　his　face　would　satisfy　me。　That　is；　to…night。〃

〃I'll　try；〃　said　Sweetwater；　not　very　sanguine　as　to　the　probable　result　of　this　effort。

Returning　to　the　stables；　he　ordered　the　team。　With　the　last　ray　of　the　sun　they　set　out；　the　reins　in　Sweetwater's　hands。

They　headed　for　the　coast…road。



XVIII

THE　CLOSED　DOOR

The　road　was　once　the　highway；　but　the　tide　having　played　so　many　tricks　with　its　numberless　bridges　a　new　one　had　been　built　farther　up　the　cliff；　carrying　with　it　the　life　and　business　of　the　small　town。　Many　old　landmarks　still　remainedshops；　warehouses　and　even　a　few　scattered　dwellings。　But　most　of　these　were　deserted；　and　those　that　were　still　in　use　showed　such　neglect　that　it　was　very　evident　the　whole　region　would　soon　be　given　up　to　the　encroaching　sea　and　such　interests　as　are　inseparable　from　it。

The　hour　was　that　mysterious　one　of　late　twilight；　when　outlines　lose　their　distinctness　and　sea　and　shore　melt　into　one　mass　of　uniform　gray。　There　was　no　wind　and　the　waves　came　in　with　a　soft　plash；　but　so　near　to　the　level　of　the　road　that　it　was　evident；　even　to　these　strangers；　that　the　tide　was　at　its　height　and　would　presently　begin　to　ebb。

Soon　they　had　passed　the　last　forsaken　dwelling；　and　the　town　proper　lay　behind　them。　Sand　and　a　few　rocks　were　all　that　lay　between　them　now　and　the　open　stretch　of　the　ocean；　which；　at　this　point；　approached　the　land　in　a　small　bay；　well…guarded　on　either　side　by　embracing　rocky　heads。　This　was　what　made　the　harbor　at　C。

It　was　very　still。　They　passed　one　team　and　only　one。　Sweetwater　looked　very　sharply　at　this　team　and　at　its　driver；　but　saw　nothing　to　arouse　suspicion。　They　were　now　a　half…mile　from　C；　and；　seemingly；　in　a　perfectly　desolate　region。

〃A　manufactory　here！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Grey。　It　was　the　first　word　he　had　uttered　since　starting。

〃Not　far　from　here；〃　was　Sweetwater's　equally　laconic　reply；　and；　the　road　taking　a　turn　almost　at　the　moment　of　his　speaking；　he　leaned　forward　and　pointed　out　a　building　standing　on　the　right…hand　side　of　the　road；　with　its　feet　in　the　water。　〃That's　it。〃　said　he。　〃They　described　it　well　enough　for　me　to　know　it　when　I　see　it。　Looks　like　a　robber's　hole　at　this　time　of　night；〃　he　laughed；　〃but　what　can　you　expect　from　a　manufactory　of　patent　medicine？〃

Mr。　Grey　was　silent。　He　was　looking　very　earnestly　at　the　building。

〃It　is　larger　than　I　expected；〃　he　remarked　at　last。

Sweetwater　himself　was　surprised；　but　as　they　advanced　and　their　point　of　view　changed　they　found　it　to　be　really　an　insignificant　structure；　and　Mr。　Wellgood's　portion　of　it　more　insignificant　still。

In　reality　it　was　a　collection　of　three　stores　under　one　roof：　two　of　them　were　shut　up　and　evidently　unoccupied；　the　third　showed　a　lighted　window。　This　was　the　manufactory。　It　occupied　the　middle　place　and　presented　a　tolerably　decent　appearance。　It　showed；　besides　the　lighted　lamp　I　have　mentioned；　such　signs　of　life　as　a　few　packing…boxes　tumbled　out　on　the　small　platform　in　front；　and　a　whinnying　horse　attached　to　an　empty　buggy；　tied　to　a　post　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road。

〃I'm　glad　to　see　the　lamp；〃　muttered　Sweetwater。　〃Now；　what　shall　we　do？　Is　it　light　enough　for　you　to　see　his　face；　if　I　can　manage　to　bring　him　to　the　door？〃

Mr。　Grey　seemed　startled。

〃It's　darker　than　I　thought；〃　said　he。　〃But　call　the　man　and　if　I　can　not　see　him　plainly；　I'll　shout　to　the　horse　to　stand；　which　you　will　take　as　a　signal　to　bring　this　Wellgood　nearer。　But　do　not　be　surprised　if　I　ride　off　before　he　reaches　the　buggy。　I'll　come　back　again　and　take　you　up　farther　down　the　road。〃

〃All　right；　sir；〃　answered　Sweetwater；　with　a　side　glance　at　the　speaker's　inscrutable　features。　〃It's　a　go！〃　And　leaping　to　the　ground　he　advanced　to　the　manufactory　door　and　knocked　loudly。

No　one　appeared。

He　tried　the　latch；　it　lifted；　but　the　door　did　not　open；　it　was　fastened　from　within。

〃Strange！〃　he　muttered；　casting　a　glance　at　the　waiting　horse　and　buggy；　then　at　the　lighted　window；　which　was　on　the　second　floor　directly　over　his　head。　〃Guess　I'll　sing　out。〃

Here　he　shouted　the　man's　name。　〃Wellgood！　I　say；　Wellgood！〃

No　response　to　this　either。

〃Looks　bad！〃　he　acknowledged　to　himself；　and；　taking　a　step　back；　he　looked　up　at　the　window。

It　was　closed；　but　there　was　neither　shade　nor　curtain　to　obstruct　the　view。

〃Do　you　see　anything？〃　he　inquired　of　Mr。　Grey；　who　sat　with　his　eye　at　the　small　window　in　the　buggy　top。

〃Nothing。〃

〃No　movement　in　the　room　above？　No　shadow　at　the　window？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Well；　it's　confounded　strange！〃　And　he　went　back；　still　calling　Wellgood。

The　tied…up　horse　whinnied；　and　the　waves　gave　a　soft　splash　and　that　was　all；if　I　except　Sweetwater's　muttered　oath。

Coming　back；　he　looked　again　at　the　window；　then；　with　a　gesture　toward　Mr。　Grey；　turned　the　corner　of　the　building　and　began　to　edge　himself　along　its　side　in　an　endeavor　to　reach　the　rear　and　see　what　it　offered。　But　he　came　to　a　sudden　standstill。　He　found　himself　on　the　edge　of　the　bank　before　he　had　taken　twenty　steps。　Yet　the　building　projected　on；　and　he　saw　why　it　had　looked　so　large　from　a　certain　point　of　the　approach。　Its　rear　was　built　out　on　piles；　making　its　depth　even　greater　than　the　united　width　of　the　three　stores。　At　low　tide　this　might　be　accessible　from　below；　but　just　now　the　water　was　almost　on　a　level　with　the　top　of　the　piles；　making　all　approach　impossible　save　by　boat。

Disgusted　with　his　failure；　Sweetwater　returned　to　the　front；　and；　finding　the　situation　unchanged；　took　a　new　resolve。　After　measuring　with　his　eye　the　height　of　the　first　story；　he　coolly　walked　over　to　the　strange　horse；　and；　slipping　his　bridle；　brought　it　back　and　cast　it　over　a　projection　of　the　door；　by　its　aid　he　succeeded　in　climbing　up　to　the　window；　which　was　the　sole　eye　to　the　interior；

Mr。　Grey　sat　far　back　in　hi