the bittermeads mystery-第11部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃There's　a　tool…shed　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；〃　Deede　Dawson　said
to　him。　　〃You　can　sleep　there；　tonight。　　You'll　find　some　sacks　you
can　make　a　bed　of。〃

Without　a　word　in　reply　Dunn　turned　and　stumbled　away。　　He　felt　very
tired　…　physically　exhausted　…　and　the　idea　of　a　bed；　even　of　sacks
in　an　outhouse；　became　all　at　once　extraordinarily　attractive。

He　found　the　place　without　difficulty；　and；　making　a　pile　of　the
sacks；　flung　himself　down　on　them　and　was　asleep　almost　at　once。
But　almost　as　promptly　he　awoke　again；　for　he　had　dreamed　of　Ella
driving　her　car　through　the　night　towards　some　strange　peril　from
which　in　his　dream　he　was　trying　frantically　and　ineffectively　to
save　her　when　he　awoke。

So　it　was　all　through　the　night。

His　utter　and　complete　exhaustion　compelled　him　to　sleep；　and　every
time　some　fresh；　fantastic　dream　in　which　Ella　and　the　huge　motor…car
and　the　dreadful　burden　she　had　with　her　always　figured；　awoke　him
with　a　fresh　start。

But　towards　morning　he　fell　into　a　heavy　sleep　from　which　presently
he　awoke　to　find　it　broad　daylight　and　Deede　Dawson　standing　on　the
threshold　of　the　shed　with　his　perpetually　smiling　lips　and　his
cold；　unsmiling　eyes。

〃Well；　my　man；　had　a　good　sleep？〃　he　said。

〃I　was　tired；〃　Dunn　answered。

〃Yes；　we　had　a　busy　night；〃　agreed　Deede　Dawson。　　〃I　slept　well；
too。　　I've　been　wondering　what　to　do　with　you。　　Of　course；　I　ought
to　hand　you　over　to　the　police；　and　it's　rather　a　risk　taking　on　a
man　of　your　character；　but　I've　decided　to　give　you　a　chance。
Probably　you'll　misuse　it。　　But　I'll　give　you　an　opportunity　as
gardener　and　chauffeur　here。　　You　can　drive　a　car；　you　say？〃

Dunn　nodded。

〃That's　all　right；〃　said　Deede　Dawson。

〃You　shall　have　your　board　and　lodging；　and　I'll　get　you　some　decent
clothes　instead　of　those　rags；　and　if　you　prove　satisfactory　and
make　yourself　useful　you'll　find　I　can　pay　well。　　There　will　be
plenty　of　chances　for　you　to　make　a　little　money　…　if　you　know　how
to　take　them。〃

〃When　it's　money；〃　growled　Dunn；　〃you　give　me　the　chance；　and　see。〃

〃I　think；〃　added　Deede　Dawson；　〃I　think　it　might　improve　your　looks
if　you　shaved。〃

Dunn　passed　his　hand　over　the　tangle　of　hair　that　hid　his　features
so　effectually。

〃What　for？〃　he　asked。

〃Oh；　well：　please　yourself；〃　answered　Deede　Dawson；　〃I　don't　know
that　it　matters；　and　perhaps　you　have　reasons　of　your　own　for
preferring　a　beard。　　Come　on　up　to　the　house　now　and　I'll　tell　Mrs。
Dawson　to　give　you　some　breakfast。　　And　you　might　as　well　have　a
wash；　too；　perhaps　…　unless　you　object　to　that　as　well　as　to　shaving。〃

Dunn　rose　without　answering；　made　his　toilet　by　shaking　off　some　of
the　dust　that　clung　to　him；　and　followed　his　new　employer　out　of　the
tool…house　into　the　open　air。

It　was　a　fresh　and　lovely　morning；　and　coming　towards　them　down　one
of　the　garden　paths　was　Ella；　looking　as　fresh　and　lovely　as　the
morning　in　a　dainty　cotton　frock　with　lace　at　her　throat　and　wrists。

That　she　could　possibly　have　spent　the　night　tearing　across　country
in　a　powerful　car　conveying　a　dead　man　to　an　unknown　destination；
appeared　to　Dunn　a　clean　impossibility；　and　for　a　moment　he　almost
supposed　he　had　been　mistaken　in　thinking　he　recognized　her　voice。

But　he　knew　he　had　not；　that　he　had　made　no　mistake；　that　it　had
indeed　been　Ella　he　had　seen　dash　away　into　the　darkness　on　her
strange　and　terrible　errand。

〃Oh；　my　daughter；〃　said　Deede　Dawson　carelessly；　noticing　Dunn's
surprise。　　〃Oh；　yes；　she's　back　…　you　didn't　expect　to　see　her　this
morning。　　Well；　Ella；　Dunn's　surprised　to　see　you　back　so　soon；
aren't　you；　Dunn？〃

Dunn　did　not　answer；　for　a　kind　of　vertigo　of　horror　had　come　upon
him；　and　for　a　moment　all　things　revolved　about　him　in　a　whirling
circle　wherein　the　one　fixed　point　was　Ella's　gentle　lovely　face
that　sometimes；　he　thought；　had　a　small　round　hole　with　blue　edges
in　the　very　centre　of　the　forehead；　above　the　nose。

It　was　her　voice；　clear　and　a　little　loud；　that　called　him　back　to
himself。

〃He's　not　well；〃　she　was　saying。　　〃He's　going　to　faint。〃

〃I'm　all　right；〃　he　muttered。　　〃It　was　nothing；　nothing；　it's　only
that　I've　had　nothing　to　eat　for　so　long。〃

〃Oh；　poor　man！〃　exclaimed　Ella。

〃Come　up　to　the　house；〃　Deede　Dawson　said。

〃Breakfast's　ready；〃　Ella　said。　　〃Mother　told　me　to　find　you。〃

〃Has　the　woman　come　yet？〃　Deede　Dawson　asked。　　〃If　she　has；　you
might　tell　her　to　give　Dunn　some　breakfast。　　I've　just　been　telling
him　I'm　willing　to　give　him　another　chance　and　to　take　him　on　as
gardener　and　chauffeur；　so　you　can　keep　an　eye　on　him　and　see　if　he
works　well。〃

Ella　was　silent　for　a　moment；　but　her　expression　was　grave　and　a　
little　puzzled　as　though　she　did　not　quite　understand　this　and
wondered　what　it　meant；　and　when　she　looked　up　at　her　stepfather；
Dunn　was　certain　there　was　both　distrust　and　suspicion　in　her　manner。

〃I　suppose；〃　she　said　then；　〃last　night　seemed　to　you　a　good
recommendation？〃　　As　she　spoke　she　glanced　at　her　wrists　where　the
bruises　still　showed；　and　Deede　Dawson's　smile　broadened。

〃One　should　always　be　ready　to　give　another　chance　to　a　poor　fellow
who's　down；〃　he　said。　　〃He　may　run　straight　now　he's　got　an
opportunity。　　I　told　him　he　had　better　shave；　but　he　seems　to　think
a　beard　suits　him　best。　　What　do　you　say？〃

〃Breakfast's　waiting；〃　Ella　answered；　turning　away　without　taking
any　notice　of　the　question。

〃I'll　go　in　then；〃　said　Deede　Dawson。　　〃You　might　show　Dunn　the　way
to　the　kitchen　…　his　name's　Robert　Dunn；　by　the　way　…　and　tell　Mrs。
Barker　to　give　him　something　to　eat。〃

〃I　should　think　he　could　find　his　way　there　himself；〃　Ella　remarked。

But　though　she　made　this　protest；　she　obeyed　at　once；　for　though　she
used　a　considerable　liberty　of　speech　to　her　stepfather；　it　was　none
the　less　evident　that　she　was　very　much　afraid　of　him　and　would　not
be　very　likely　to　disobey　him　or　oppose　him　directly。

〃This　way；〃　she　said　to　Dunn；　and　walked　on　along　a　path　that　led
to　the　hack　of　the　house。　　Once　she　stopped　and　looked　hack。　　She
smiled　slightly　and　disdainfully　as　she　did　so；　and　Dunn　saw　that
she　was　looking　at　a　clump　of　small　bushes　near　where　they　had　been
standing。

He　guessed　at　once　that　she　believed　Deede　Dawson　to　be　behind　those
bushes　watching　them；　and　when　she　glanced　at　him　he　understood　that
she　wished　him　to　know　it　also。

He　said　nothing；　though　a　faint　movement　visible　in　the　bushes
convinced　him　that　her　suspicions；　if；　indeed；　she　had　them；　were
well…founded；　and　they　walked　on　in　silence；　Ella　a　little　ahead；
and　Dunn　a　step　or　two　behind。

The　garden　was　a　large　one；　and　had　at　one　time　been　well　cultivated；
but　now　it　was　neglected　and　overgrown。　　It　struck　Dunn　that　if　he
was　to　be　the　gardener　here　he　would　certainly　not　find　himself　short
of　work；　and　Ella；　without　looking　round；　said　to　him　over　her
shoulder：

〃Do　you　know　anything　about　gardening？〃

〃A　little；　miss；〃　he　answered。

〃You　needn't　call　me　'miss；'〃　she　observed。　　〃When　a　man　has　tied
a　girl　to　a　chair　I　think　he　may　regard　himself　as　on　terms　of　some
familiarity　with　her。〃

〃What　must　I　call　you？〃　he　asked；　and　his　words　bore　to　himself　a
double　meaning；　for；　indeed；　what　name　was　it　by　which　he　ought　to
call　her？

But　she　seemed　to　notice　nothing　as　she　answered　〃My　name　is　Cayley
　…　Ella　Cayley。　　You　can　call　me　Miss　Cayley。　　Do　you　know　anything
of　motoring？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered。　　〃Though　I　never　cared　much　for　motoring　at　night。〃

She　gave　him　a　quick　glance；　but　said　no　more；　and　they　came　almost
immediately　to　the　back　door。

Ella　opened　it　and　entered；　nodding　to　him　to　follow；　and　crossing　a
narrow；　stone…floored　passage；　she　entered　the　kitchen　where　a　tall
gaunt　elderly　woman　in　a　black　bonnet　and；　a　course　apron　was　at
work。

〃This　is　Dunn；　Mrs。　Barker；〃　she　called；　raising　her　voice。　　〃He　is
the　new　gardener。　　Will　you　give　him　some　breakfast；　please？〃　　She
added　to　Dunn：　

〃When　you've　finished；　you　can　go　to　the　garage　and　wash　the　car；
and　when　you　speak　to　Mrs。　Barker　you　must　shout。　　She　is　quite　deaf；
that　is　why　my　stepfather　engaged　her；　because　he　was　sorry　for　her
and　wanted　to　give　her　a　chance；　you　know。。。　〃



CHAPTER　XI

THE　PROBLEM


When　he　had　finished　his　breakfast；　and　after　he　had　had　the　wash
of　which　he　certainly　stood　in　considerable　need；　Dunn　made　his
way　to　the　garage　and　there　occupied　himself　cleaning　the　car。
He　noticed　that　the　mud　with　which　it　was　liberally　covered　was　of
a　light　sandy　sort；　and　he　discovered　on　one　of　the　tyres　a　small
shell。

Apparently；　therefore；　last　night's　wild　journey　had　been　to　the
coast；　and　it　was　a　natural　inference　that　the　sea　had　provided　a
secure　hiding…place　for　the　packing…case　and　its　dreadful　contents。

But　then　that　meant　that　there　was　no　evidence　left　on　which　he
could　take　action。

As　he　busied　himself　with　his　task；　he　tried　to　think　out　as　clearly
as　he　could　the　position　in　which　he　found　himself　and　to　decide
what　he　ought　to　do　next。

To　his　quick　and　hasty　nature　the　swiftest　action　was　always　the
most　congenial；　and　had　he　followed　his　instinct；　he　would　have　lost
no　time　in　denouncing　Deede　Dawson。　　But　his　cooler　thoughts　told
him　that　he　dared　not　do　that；　since　it　would　be　to　involve　risks；
not　for　himself；　but　for　others；　that　he　simply　dared　not　contemplate。

He　felt　that　the　police；　even　if　they　credited　his　story；　which　he
also　felt　that　very　likely　they　would　not　do；　could　not　act　on　his
sole　evidence。

And　even　if　they　did　act　and　did　arrest　Deede　Dawson；　it　was　certain
no　jury　would　convict　on　so　strange　a　story；　so　entirely
uncorroborated。

The　only　result　would　be　to　strengthen　Deede　Dawson's　position　by
the　warning；　to　show　him　his　danger；　and　to　give　him　the
opportunity；　if　he　chose　to　use　it；　of　disappearing　and　beginning
again　his　plots　and　plans　after　some　fresh　and　perhaps　more　deadly
fashion。

〃Whereas　at　present；〃　he　mused；　〃at　any　rate；　I'm　here　and　he
doesn't　seem　to　suspect　me；　and　I　can　watch　and　wait　for　a　time；
till　I　see　my　way　more　clearly。〃

And　this　decision　he　came　to　was　a　great　relief　to　him；　for　he
desired　very　gre