the bittermeads mystery-第4部分

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his　new　friend　evidently　knew　very　little。　　However；　he　gave　Dunn　a
few　more　facts　concerning　Mr。　John　Clive；　as　that　he　was　unmarried；
was　said　to　be　very　wealthy；　and　had　the　reputation　of　being
something　of　a　ladies'　man。

A　little　further　on　they　parted；　and　Dunn　took　a　side　road　which　he
calculated　should　lead　him　back　to　Bittermeads。

〃It　may　be　pure　coincidence；〃　he　mused　as　he　walked　slowly　in　a　very
troubled　and　doubtful　mood。　　〃But　if　so；　it's　a　very　queer　one；　and
if　it　isn't；　it　seems　to　me　Mr。　John　Clive　might　as　well　put　his
head　in　a　lion's　jaws　as　pay　visits　at　Bittermeads。　　But　of　course
he　can't　have　the　least　suspicion　of　the　truth　…　if　it　is　the　truth。
If　I　hadn't　lost　my　temper　like　a　fool　when　he　whacked　out　at　me
like　that　I　might　have　been　able　to　warn　him；　or　find　out　something
useful　perhaps。　　And　his　father　killed　recently　in　an　accident　…　is
that　a　coincidence；　too；　I　wonder？〃

He　passed　his　hand　across　his　forehead　on　which　a　light　sweat　stood；
though　he　was　not　a　man　easily　affected；　for　he　had　seen　and　endured
many　things。

His　mind　was　very　full　of　strange　and　troubled　thoughts　as　at　last
he　came　back　to　Bittermeads；　where；　leaning　with　his　elbows　on　the
garden　gate；　he　stood　for　a　long　time；　watching　the　dark　and　silent
house　and　thinking　of　that　scene　of　which　he　had　been　a　spectator
when　John　Clive　and　the　girl　had　stood　together　on　the　veranda　in
the　light　of　the　gas　from　the　hall　and　had　bidden　each　other　good
night。

〃It　seems；〃　he　mused；　〃as　though　the　last　that　was　seen　of　poor
Charley　must　have　been　just　like　that。　　It　was　just　such　a　dark
night　as　this　when　Simpson　saw　him。　　He　was　standing　on　that
veranda　when　Simpson　recognized　him　by　the　light　of　the　gas　behind；
and　a　girl　was　bidding　him　good　night　…　a　very　pretty　girl；　too；
Simpson　said。〃

Silent　and　immobile　he　stood　there　a　long　time；　not　so　much　now　as
one　who　watched；　but　rather　as　if　deep　in　thought；　for　his　head　was
bent　and　supported　on　his　hands　and　his　eyes　were　fixed　on　the
ground。

〃As　for　this　John　Clive；〃　he　muttered　presently；　rousing　himself。
〃I　suppose　that　must　be　a　coincidence；　but　it's　queer；　and　queer
the　father　should　have　died　…　like　that。〃

He　broke　off；　shuddering　slightly；　as　though　at　thoughts　too　awful
to　be　endured；　and　pushing　open　the　gate；　he　walked　slowly　up　the
gravel　path　towards　the　house；　round　which　he　began　to　walk；　going
very　slowly　and　cautiously　and　often　pausing　as　if　he　wished　to
make　as　close　examination　of　the　place　as　the　darkness　would　permit。

More　by　habit　than　because　he　thought　there　was　any　need　of　it；　he
moved　always　with　that　extreme　and　wonderful　dexterity　of　quietness
he　could　assume　at　will；　and　as　he　turned　the　corner　of　the　building
and　came　behind　it；　his　quick　ear；　trained　by　many　an　emergency　to
pick　out　the　least　unusual　sound；　caught　a　faint；　continued
scratching　noise；　so　faint　and　low　it　might　well　have　passed
unnoticed。

All　at　once　he　understood　and　realized　that　some　one　quite　close　at
hand　was　stealthily　cutting　out　the　glass　from　one　of　the　panes　of
a　ground…floor　window。



CHAPTER　IV

A　WOMAN　WEEPS


Cautiously　he　glided　nearer；　moving　as　noiselessly　as　any　shadow；
seeming　indeed　but　one　shadow　the　more　in　the　heavy　surrounding
darkness。

The　persistent　scratching　noise　continued；　and　Dunn　was　now　so　close
he　could　have　put　out　his　hand　and　touched　the　shoulder　of　the　man
who　was　causing　it　and　who　still；　intent　and　busy；　had　not　the　least
idea　of　the　other's　proximity。

A　faint　smile　touched　Dunn's　lips。　　The　situation　seemed　not　to　be
without　a　grim　humour；　for　if　one…half　of　what　he　suspected　were
true；　one　might　as　sensibly　and　safely　attempt　to　break　into　the
condemned　cell　at　Pentonville　Gaol　as　into　this　quiet　house。

But　then；　was　it　perhaps　possible　that　this　fellow；　working　away　so
unconcernedly；　within　arm's…length　of　him；　was　in　reality　one　of
them；　seeking　to　obtain　admittance　in　this　way　for　some　reason　of
his　own；　some　private　treachery；　it　might　be；　or　some　dispute？　　To
Dunn　that　did　not　seem　likely。　　More　probably　the　fellow　was　merely
an　ordinary　burglar　…　some　local　practitioner　of　the　housebreaking
art；　perhaps　…　whose　ill…fortune　it　was　to　have　hit　upon　this　house
to　rob　without　his　having　the　least　idea　of　the　nature　of　the　place
he　was　trying　to　enter。

〃He　might　prove　a　useful　recruit　for　them；　though；〃　Dunn　thought；
and　a　sudden　idea　flashed　into　his　mind；　vivid　and　startling。

For　one　moment　he　thought　intently；　weighing　in　his　mind　this　idea
that　had　come　to　him　so　suddenly。　　He　was　not　blind　to　the　risks　it
involved；　but　his　eager　temperament　always　inclined　him　to　the　most
direct　and　often　to　the　most　dangerous　course。　　His　mind　was　made　up；
his　plan　of　action　decided。

The　scratching　of　the　burglar's　tool　upon　the　glass　ceased。　　Already
he　had　smeared　treacle　over　the　square　of　glass　he　intended　to
remove　and　had　covered　it　with　paper　so　as　to　be　able　to　take　it　out
easily　and　in　one　piece　without　the　risk　of　falling　fragments
betraying　him。

Through　the　gap　thus　made　he　thrust　his　arm　and　made　sure　there　were
no　alarms　fitted　and　no　obstacles　in　the　way　of　his　easy　entrance。

Cautiously　he　unfastened　the　window　and　cautiously　and　silently
lifted　the　sash；　and　when　he　had　done　so　he　paused　and　listened　for
a　space　to　make　sure　no　one　was　stirring　and　that　no　alarm　had　been
caused　within　the　house。

Still　very　cautiously　and　with　the　utmost　precaution　to　avoid　making
even　the　least　noise；　he　put　one　knee　upon　the　window…sill；
preparatory　to　climbing　in；　and　as　he　did　so　Dunn　touched　him　lightly
on　the　shoulder。

〃Well；　my　man；　what　are　you　up　to？〃　he　said　softly。　　And　without　a
word；　without　giving　the　least　warning；　the　burglar；　a　man　evidently
of　determination　and　resource；　swung　round　and　aimed　at　Dunn's　head
a　tremendous　blow　with　the　heavy　iron　jemmy　he　held　in　his　right
hand。

But　Dunn　was　not　unprepared　for　an　attack　and　those　bright；　keen
eyes　of　his　seemed　able　to　see　as　well　in　the　dark　as　in　the　light。
He　threw　up　his　left　hand　and　caught　the　other's　wrist　before　that
deadly　blow　he　aimed　could　descend　and　at　the　same　instant　he
dashed　his　own　clenched　fist　full　into　the　burglar's　face。

As　it　happened；　more　by　good　luck　than　intended　aim；　the　blow　took
him　on　the　point　of　the　chin。　　He　dropped　instantly；　collapsing　in
on　himself　as　falls　a　pole…axed　bullock；　and　lay；　unconscious；　in　a
crumpled　heap　on　the　ground。

For　a　little　Dunn　waited；　crouching　above　him　and　listening　for　the
least　sound　to　show　that　their　brief　scuffle　had　been　heard。

But　it　had　all　passed　nearly　as　silently　as　quickly。　　Within　the
house　everything　remained　silent；　there　was　no　sound　audible；　no
gleam　of　light　to　show　that　any　of　the　inmates　had　been　disturbed。

Taking　from　his　pocket　a　small　electric　flash…lamp　Dunn　turned　its
light　on　his　victim。

He　seemed　a　man　of　middle　age　with　a　brutal；　heavy…jawed　face　and　a
low；　receding　forehead。　　His　lips；　a　little　apart；　showed　yellow；
irregular　teeth；　of　which　two　at　the　front　of　the　lower　jaw　had　been
broken；　and　the　scar　of　an　old　wound；　running　from　the　corner　of　his
left　eye　down　to　the　centre　of　his　cheek；　added　to　the　sinister　and
forbidding　aspect　he　bore。

His　build　was　heavy　and　powerful　and　near　by；　where　he　had　dropped
it　when　he　fell；　lay　the　jemmy　with　which　he　had　struck　at　Dunn。
It　was　a　heavy；　ugly…looking　thing；　about　two　feet　in　length　and
with　one　end　nearly　as　sharp　as　that　of　a　chisel。

Dunn　picked　it　up　and　felt　it　thoughtfully。

〃Just　as　well　I　got　my　blow　in　first；〃　he　mused。　　〃If　he　had　landed
that　fairly　on　my　skull　I　don't　think　anything　else　in　this　world
would　ever　have　interested　me　any　more。〃

Stooping　over　the　unconscious　man；　he　felt　in　his　pockets　and　found
an　ugly…looking　revolver；　fully　loaded；　a　handful　of　cartridges；　a
coil　of　thin　rope；　an　electric　torch；　a　tiny　dark　lantern　no　bigger
than　a　match…box；　and　so　arranged　that　the　single　drop　of　light　it
permitted　to　escape　fell　on　one　spot　only；　a　bunch　of
curiously…shaped　wires　Dunn　rightly　guessed　to　be　skeleton　keys
used　for　opening　locks　quietly；　together　with　some　tobacco；　a　pipe；
a　little　money；　and　a　few　other　personal　belongings　of　no　special
interest　or　significance。

These　Dunn　replaced　where　he　had　found　them；　but　the　revolver；　the
rope；　the　torch；　the　dark　lantern；　and　the　bunch　of　wires　he　took
possession　of。

He　noticed　also　that　the　man　was　wearing　rubber…soled　boots　and
rubber　gloves；　and　these　last　he　also　kept。　　Stooping；　he　lifted　the
unconscious　man　on　to　his　shoulder　and　carried　him　with　perfect　ease
and　at　a　quick　pace　out　of　the　garden　and　across　the　road　to　the
common　opposite；　where；　in　a　convenient　spot；　behind　some　furze
bushes；　he　laid　him　down。

〃When　he　comes　round；〃　Dunn　muttered。　　〃He　won't　know　where　he　is
or　what's　happened；　and　probably　his　one　idea　will　be　to　clear　off
as　quickly　as　possible。　　I　don't　suppose　he'll　interfere　with　me　at
all。〃

Then　a　new　idea　seemed　to　strike　him；　and　he　hurriedly　removed　his
own　coat　and　trousers　and　boots　and　exchanged　them　for　those　the
burglar　was　wearing。

They　were　not　a　good　fit；　but　he　could　get　them　on　and　the　idea　in
his　mind　was　that　if　the　police　of　the　district　began　searching；　as
very　likely　they　would；　for　Mr。　John　Clive's　assailant；　and　if　they
had　discovered　any　clues　in　the　shape　of　footprints　or　torn　bits　of
clothing　or　buttons　…　and　Dunn　knew　his　attire　had　suffered
considerably　during　the　struggle　…　then　it　would　be　as　well　that
such　clues　should　lead　not　to　him；　but　to　this　other　man；　who；　if
he　were　innocent　on　that　score；　had　at　any　rate　been　guilty　of
attempting　to　carry　out　a　much　worse　offence。

〃I'm　afraid　your　luck's　out；　old　chap；〃　Dunn　muttered；　apostrophizing
the　unconscious　man。　　〃But　you　did　your　best　to　brain　me；　and　that
gives　me　a　sort　of　right　to　make　you　useful。　　Besides；　if　the　police
do　run　you　in；　it　won't　mean　anything　worse　than　a　few　questions　it'll
be　your　own　fault　if　you　can't　answer。　　Anyhow；　I　can't　afford　to　run
the　risk　of　some　blundering　fool　of　a　policeman　trying　to　arrest　me
for　assaulting　the　loca