dh.theglasskey-第17部分

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　Janet　Henry　leaned　forward　in　her　chair。　〃Why　don't　you　like　me？〃　she　asked　Ned　Beaumont。
　〃I　think　maybe　I　do；〃　he　said。
　She　shook　her　head。　〃You　don't。　I　know　it。〃
　〃You　can't　go　by　my　manners；〃　he　told　her。　〃They're　always　pretty　bad。〃
　〃You　don't　like　n…me；〃　she　insisted；　not　answering　his　smile；　〃and　I　want　you　to。〃
　He　was　modest；　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　you　are　Paul's　best　friend；〃　she　replied。
　〃Paul；〃　he　said；　looking　obliquely　at　her；　〃has　a　lot　of　friends：　he's　a　politician。〃
　She　moved　her　head　impatiently。　〃You're　his　best　friend。〃　She　paused；　then　added：　〃He　thinks　so。〃
　〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　asked　with　inplete　seriousness。
　〃I　think　you　are；〃　she　said　gravely；　〃or　you　would　not　be　here　now。　You　would　not　have　gone　through　that　for　him。〃
　His　mouth　twitched　in　a　meager　smile。　He　did　not　say　anything。
　When　it　became　manifest　that　he　was　not　going　to　speak　she　said。　earnestly：　〃I　wish　you　would　like　me；　if　you　can。〃
　He　repeated：　〃I　think　maybe　I　do。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃You　don't。〃
　He　smiled　at　her。　His　smile　was　very　young　and　engaging；　his　eyes　shy；　his　voice　youthfully　diffident　and　confiding；　as　he　said：　〃I'll　tell　you　what　makes　you　think　that；　Miss　Henry。　It'syou　see；　Paul　picked　me　up　out　of　the　gutter；　as　you　might　say；　just　a　year　or　so　ago；　and　so　I'm　kind　of　awkward　and　clumsy　when　I'm　around　people　like　you　who　belong　to　another　world　altogethersociety　and　roto…sections　and　alland　you　mistake　that　uhgaucherie　for　enmity；　which　it　isn't　at　all。〃
　She　rose　and　said；　〃You're　ridiculing　me；〃　without　resentment。
　When　she　had　gone　Ned　Beaumont　lay　back　on　his　pillows　and　stared　at　the　ceiling　with　glittering　eyes　until　the　nurse　came　in。
　The　nurse　came　in　and　asked：　〃What　have　you　been　up　to　now？〃
　Ned　Beaumont　raised　his　head　to　look　sullenly　at　her；　but　he　did　not　speak。
　The　nurse　said：　〃She　went　out　of　here　as　near　crying　as　anybody　could　without　crying。〃
　Ned　Beaumont　lowered　his　head　to　the　pillow　again。　〃I　must　be　losing　my　grip；〃　he　said。　〃I　usually　make　senators'　daughters　cry。〃
　
　
　4
　
　A　man　of　medium　size；　young　and　dapper；　with　a　sleek；　dark；　rather　good…looking　face；　came　in。
　Ned　Beaumont　sat　up　in　bed　and　said：　〃'Lo；　Jack。〃
　Jack　said；　〃You　don't　look　as　bad　as　I　thought　you　would；〃　and　advanced　to　the　side　of　the　bed。
　〃I'm　still　all　in　one　piece。　Grab　a　chair。〃
　Jack　sat　down　and　took　out　a　package　of　cigarettes。
　Ned　Beaumont　said：　〃I've　got　another　job　for　you。〃　He　put　a　hand　under　his　pillows　and　brought　out　an　envelope。
　Jack　lit　his　cigarette　before　he　took　the　envelope　from　Ned　Beaumont's　hand。　It　was　a　plain　white　envelope　addressed　to　Ned　Beaumont　at　St。　Luke's　Hospital　and　bore　the　local　postmark　dated　two　days　before。　Inside　was　a　single　typewritten　sheet　of　paper　which　Jack　took　out　and　read。
　
　What　do　you　know　about　Paul　Madvig　that　Shad　O'Rory　was　so　anxious　to　learn？
　Has　it　anything　to　do　with　the　murder　of　Taylor　Henry？
　If　not；　why　should　you　have　gone　to　such　lengths　to　keep　it　secret？
　
　Jack　refolded　the　sheet　of　paper　and　returned　it　to　the　envelope　before　he　raised　his　head。　Then　he　asked：　〃Does　it　make　sense？〃
　〃Not　that　I　know　of。　I　want　you　to　find　out　who　wrote　it。〃
　Jack　nodded。　〃Do　I　keep　it？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Jack　put　the　envelope　in　his　pocket。　〃Any　ideas　about　who　might　have　done　it？〃
　〃None　at　all。〃
　Jack　studied　the　lighted　end　of　his　cigarette。　〃It's　a　job；　you　know；〃　he　said　presently。
　〃I　know　it；〃　Ned　Beaumont　agreed；　〃and　all　I　can　tell　you　is　that　there's　been　a　lot　of　themor　several　of　themin　the　past　week。　That's　my　third。　I　know'　Farr　got　at　least　one。　I　don't　know　who　else　has　been　getting　them。〃
　〃Can　I　see　some　of　the　others？〃
　Ned　Beaumont　said：　〃That's　the　only　one　I　kept。　They're　all　pretty　much　alike；　thoughsame　paper；　same　typewriting；　three　questions　in　each；　all　on　the　same　subject。〃
　Jack　regarded　Ned　Beaumont　with　inquisitive　eyes。　〃But　not　exactly　the　same　questions？〃　he　asked。
　〃Not　exactly；　but　all　getting　to　the　same　point。〃
　Jack　nodded　and　smoked　his　cigarette。
　Ned　Beaumont　said：　〃You　understand　this　is　to　be　strictly　on　the　qt。〃
　〃Sure。〃　Jack　took　the　cigarette　from　his　mouth。　〃The　'same　point'　you　mentioned　is　Madvig's　connection　with　the　murder？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Ned　Beaumont　replied；　looking　with　level　eyes　at　the　sleek　dark　young　man；　〃and　there　isn't　any　connection。〃
　Jack's　dark　face　was　inscrutable。　〃I　don't　see　how　there　could　be；〃　he　said　as　he　stood　up。
　
　
　5
　
　The　nurse　came　in　carrying　a　large　basket　of　fruit。　〃Isn't　it　lovely？〃　she　said　as　she　set　it　down。
　Ned　Beaumont　nodded　cautiously。
　The　nurse　took　a　small　stiff　envelope　from　the　basket。　〃I　bet　you　it's　from　her；〃　she　said；　giving　Ned　Beaumont　the　envelope。
　〃What'll　you　bet？〃
　〃Anything　you　want。〃
　Ned　Beaumont　nodded　as　if　some　dark　suspicion　had　been　confirmed。　〃You　looked；〃　he　said。
　〃Why；　you〃　Her　words　stopped　when　he　laughed；　but　indignation　remained　in　her　mien。
　He　took　Janet　Henry's　card　from　the　envelope。　One　word　was　written　on　it：　Please！　Frowning　at　the　card；　he　told　the　nurse；　〃You　win；〃　and　tapped　the　card　on　a　thumb…nail。　〃Help　yourself　to　that　gunk　and　take　enough　of　it　so　it'll　look　as　if　I'd　been　eating　it。〃
　Later　that　afternoon　he　wrote：
　
　MY　DEAR　MISS　HENRY　
　You've　quite　overwhelmed　me　with　your　kindnessfirst　your
　ing　to　see　me；　and　then　the　fruit。　I　don't　at　all　know
　how　to　thank　you；　but　I　hope　I　shall　some　day　be　able　to　more
　clearly　show　my　gratitude。
　Sincerely　yours；
　NED　BEAUMONT
　
　When　he　had　finished　he　read　what　he　had　written；　tore　it　up；　and　rewrote　it　on　another　sheet　of　paper；　using　the　same　words；　but　rearranging　them　to　make　the　ending　of　the　second　sentence　read：　〃be　able　some　day　to　show　my　gratitude　more　clearly。〃
　
　
　6
　
　Ned　Beaumont；　in　bathrobe　and　slippers　this　morning；　was　reading　a　copy　of　the　Observer　over　his　breakfast　at　a　table　by　the　window　of　his　hospital…room　when　Opal　Madvig　came　in。　He　folded　the　newspaper；　put　it　face…down　on　the　table　beside　his　tray；　and　rose　saying；　〃'Lo；　snip；〃　cordially。　He　was　pale。
　〃Why　didn't　you　call　me　up　when　you　got　back　from　New　York？〃　she　demanded　in　an　accusing　tone。　She　too　was　pale。　Pallor　accentuated　the　childlike　texture　of　her　skin；　yet　made　her　face　seem　less　young。　Her　blue　eyes　were　wide　open　and　dark　with　emotion；　but　not　to　be　read　easily。　She　held　herself　tall　without　stiffness；　in　the　manner　of　one　more　sure　of　his　balance　than　of　stability　underfoot。　Ignoring　the　chair　he　moved　out　from　the　wall　for　her；　she　repeated；　imperatively　as　before：　〃Why　didn't　you？〃
　He　laughed　at　her；　softly；　indulgently；　and　said：　〃I　like　you　in　that　shade　of　brown。〃
　〃Oh；　Ned；　please〃
　〃That's　better；〃　he　said。　〃I　intended　ing　out　to　the　house；　but　wellthere　were　lots　of　things　happening　when　I　got　back　and　a　lot　of　loose　ends　of　things　that　had　happened　while　I　was　gone；　and　by　the　time　I　finished　with　those　I　ran　into　Shad　O'Rory　and　got　sent　here。〃　He　waved　an　arm　to　indicate　the　hospital。
　Her　gravity　was　not　affected　by　the　lightness　of　his　tone。
　〃Are　they　going　to　hang　this　Des　pain？〃　she　asked　curtly。
　He　laughed　again　and　said：　〃We're　not　going　to　get　very　far　talking　like　this。〃
　She　frowned；　but　said；　〃Are　they；　Ned？〃　with　less　haughtiness。
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　he　told　her；　shaking　his　head　a　little。　〃The　chances　are　he　didn't　kill　Taylor　after　all。〃
　She　did　not　seem　surprised。　〃Did　you　know　that　when　you　asked　me　toto　help　you　getor　fix　upevidence　against　him？〃
　He　smiled　reproachfully。　〃Of　course　not；　snip。　What　do　you　think　I　am？〃
　〃You　did　know　it。〃　Her　voice　was　cold　and　scornful　as　her　blue　eyes。　〃You　only　wanted　to　get　the　money　he　owed　you　and　you　made　me　help　you　use　Taylor's　murder　for　that。〃
　〃Have　it　your　own　way；〃　he　replied　indifferently。
　She　came　a　step　closer　to　him。　The　faintest　of　quivers　disturbed　her　chin　for　an　instant；　then　her　young　face　was　firm　and　bold　again。　〃Do　you　know　who　killed　him？〃　she　asked；　her　eyes　probing　his。
　He　shook　his　head　slowly　from　side　to　side。
　〃Did　Dad？〃
　He　blinked。　〃You　mean　did　Paul　know　who　killed　him？〃
　She　stamped　a　foot。　〃I　mean　did　Dad　kill　him？〃　she　cried。
　He　put　a　hand　over　her　mouth。　His　eyes　had　jerked　into　focus　on　the　closed　door。　〃Shut　up；〃　he　muttered。
　She　stepped　back　from　his　hand　as　one　of　her　hands　pushed　it　away　from　her　face。　〃Did　he？〃　she　insisted。
　In　a　low　angry　voice　he　said：　〃If　you　must　be　a　nit…wit　at　least　don't　go　around　with　a　megaphone。　Nobody　cares　what　kind　of　idiotic　notions　you　have　as　long　as　you　keep　them　to　yourself；　but　you've　got　to　keep　them　to　yourself。〃
　Her　eyes　opened　wide　and　dark。　〃Then　he　did　kill　him；〃　she　said　in　a　small　flat　voice；　but　with　utter　certainty。
　He　thrust　his　face　down　towards　hers。　〃No；　my　dear；〃　he　said　in　an　enraged　sugary　voice；　〃he　didn't　kill　him。〃　He　held　his　face　near　hers。　A　vicious　smile　distorted　his　features。
　Firm　of　countenance　and　voice；　not　drawing　back　from　him；　she　said：　〃If　he　didn't　I　can't　understand　what　difference　it　makes　what　I　say　or　how　loud。〃
　An　end　of　his　mouth　twitched　up　in　a　sneer。　〃You'd　be　surprised　how　many　things　there　are　you　can't　understand；〃　he　said　angrily；　〃and　never　will　if　you　keep　on　like　this。〃　He　stepped　back　from　her；　a　long　step；　and　put　his　fists　in　the　pockets　of　his　bathrobe。　Both　corners　of　his　mouth　were　pulled　down　now　and　there　were　grooves　in　his　forehead。　His　narrowed　eyes　stared　at　the　floor　in　front　of　her　feet。　〃Where'd　you　get　this　crazy　idea？〃　he　growled。
　〃It's　not　a　crazy　idea。　You　know　it's　not。〃
　He　moved　his　shoulders　impatiently　and　demanded：　〃Where'd　you　get　it？〃
　She　too　moved　her　shoulders。　〃I　didn't　get　it　anywhere。　II　suddenly　saw　it。〃
　〃Nonsense；〃　he　said　sharply；　looking　up　at　her　under　his　brows。　〃Did　you　see　the　Observer　this　morning？〃
　He　stared　at　her　with　hard　skeptical　eyes。
　Annoyance　brought　a　little　color　into　her　face。　〃I　did　not；〃　she　said。　〃Why　do　you　ask？〃
　〃No？〃　he　asked　in　a　tone　that　said　he　did　not　believe　her；　but　the　skeptical　gleam　had　gone　out　of　his　eyes。　They　were　dull　and　thoughtful。　Suddenly　they　brightened。　He　took　his　right　hand　from　his　bathr