dh.theglasskey-第18部分

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s　right　hand　from　his　bathrobe…pocket。　He　held　it　out　towards　her；　palm　up。　〃Let　me　see　the　letter；〃　he　said。
　She　stared　at　him　with　round　eyes。　〃What？〃
　〃The　letter；〃　he　said；　〃the　typewritten　letterthree　questions　and　no　signature。〃
　She　lowered　her　eyes　to　avoid　his　and　embarrassment　disturbed；　very　slightly；　her　features。　After　a　moment　of　hesitation　she　asked；　〃How　did　you　know？〃　and　opened　her　brown　hand…bag。
　〃Everybody　in　town's　had　at　least　one；〃　he　said　carelessly。　〃Is　this　your　first？〃
　〃Yes。〃　She　gave　him　a　crumpled　sheet　of　paper。
　He　straightened　it　out　and　read：
　
　Are　you　really　too　stupid　to　know　that　your　father　murdered　your　lover？
　If　you　do　not　know　it；　why　did　you　help　him　and　Ned　Beaumont　in　their　attempt　to　fasten　the　crime　on　an　innocent　man？
　Do　you　know　that　by　helping　your　father　escape　justice　you　are　making　yourself　an　acplice　in　his　crime？
　
　Ned　Beaumont　nodded　and　smiled　lightly。　〃They're　all　pretty　much　alike；〃　he　said。　He　wadded　the　paper　in　a　loose　ball　and　tossed　it　at　the　waste…basket　beside　the　table。　〃You'll　probably　get　some　more　of　them　now　you're　on　the　mailing…list。〃
　Opal　Madvig　drew　her　lower　lip　in　between　her　teeth。　Her　blue　eyes　were　bright　without　warmth。　They　studied　Ned　Beaumont's　posed　face。
　He　said：　〃O'Rory's　trying　to　make　campaign…material　out　of　it。　You　know　about　my　trouble　with　him。　That　was　because　he　thought　I'd　broken　with　your　father　and　could　be　paid　to　help　frame　him　for　the　murder　enough　at　least　to　beat　him　at　the　pollsand　I　wouldn't。〃
　Her　eyes　did　not　change。　〃What　did　you　and　Dad　fight　about？〃　she　asked。
　〃That's　nobody's　business　but　ours；　snip；〃　he　said　gently；　〃if　we　did　fight。〃
　〃You　did；〃　she　said；　〃in　Carson's　speakeasy。〃　She　put　her　teeth　together　with　a　click　and　said　boldly：　〃You　quarreled　when　you　found　out　that　he　really　hadhad　killed　Taylor。〃
　He　laughed　and　asked　in　a　mocking　tone：　〃Hadn't　I　known　that　all　along？〃
　Her　expression　was　not　affected　by　his　humor。　〃Why　did　you　ask　if　I　had　seen　the　Observer？〃　she　demanded。　〃What　was　in　it？〃
　〃Some　more　of　the　same　sort　of　nonsense；〃　he　told　her　evenly。　〃It's。　there　on　the　table　if　you　want　to　see　it。　There'll　be　plenty　of　it　before　the　campaign's　over：　this　is　going　to　be　that　kind。　And　you'll　be　giving　your　father　a　swell　break　by　swallowing〃　He　broke　off　with　an　impatient　gesture　because　she　was　no　longer　listening　to　him。
　She　had　gone　to　the　table　and　was　picking　up　the　newspaper　he　had　put　down　when　she　came　in。
　He　smiled　pleasantly　at　her　back　and　said：　〃It's　on　the　front　page；　An　Open　Letter　to　the　Mayor。〃
　As　she　read　she　began　to　trembleher　knees；　her　hands；　her　mouth　so　that　Ned　Beaumont　frowned　anxiously　at　her；　but　when　she　had　finished　and　had　dropped　the　newspaper　on　the　table　and　had　turned　to　face　him　directly　her　tall　body　and　fair　face　were　statue…like　in　their　immobility。　She　addressed　him　in　a　low　voice　between　lips　that　barely　moved　to　let　the　words　out：　〃They　wouldn't　dare　say　such　things　if　they　were　not　true。〃
　〃That's　nothing　to　what'll　be　said　before　they're　through；〃　he　drawled　lazily。　He　seemed　amused；　though　there　was　a　suggestion　of　anger　difficultly　restrained　in　the　glitter　of　his　eyes。
　She　looked　at　him　for　a　long　moment；　then；　saying　nothing；　turned。　towards　the　door。
　He　said：　〃Wait。〃
　She　halted　and　confronted　him　again。　His　smile　was　friendly　now；　ingratiating。　Her　face　was　a　tinted　statue's。
　He　said：　〃Politics　is　a　tough　game；　snip；　the　way　it's　being　played　here　this　time。　The　Observer　is　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence　and　they're　not　worrying　much　about　the　truth　of　anything　that'll　hurt　Paul。　They〃
　〃I　don't　believe　that；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　Mr。　Mathewshis　wife　was　only　a　few　years　ahead　of　me　at　school　and　we　were　friendsand　I　don't　believe　he'd　say　anything　like　that　about　Dad　unless　it　was　true；　or　unless　he　had　good　reason　for　thinking　it　true。〃
　Ned　Beaumont　chuckled。　〃You　know　a　lot　about　it。　Mathews　is　up　to　his　ears　in　debt。　The　State　Central　Trust　pany　holds　both　mortgages　on　his　plantone　on　his　house　too；　for　that　matter。　The　State　Central　belongs　to　Bill　Roan。　Bill　Roan　is　running　for　the　Senate　against　Henry。　Mathews　does　what　he's　told　to　do；　and　prints　what　he's　told　to　print。〃
　Opal　Madvig　did　not　say　anything。　There　was　nothing　to　indicate　that　she　had　been　at　all　convinced　by　Ned　Beaumont's　argument。
　He　went　on；　speaking　in　an　amiable；　persuasive　tone：　〃This〃he　flicked　a　finger　at　the　paper　on　the　table〃is　nothing　to　what'll　e　later。　They're　going　to　rattle　Taylor　Henry's　bones　till　they　think　up　something　worse　and　we're　going　to　have　this　sort　of　stuff　to　read　till　election's　over。　We　might　just　as　well　get　used　to　it　now　and　you；　of　all　people；　oughtn't　to　let　yourself　be　bothered　by　it。　Paul　doesn't　mind　it　much。　He's　a　politician　and〃
　〃He's　a　murderer；〃　she　said　in　a　low　distinct　voice。
　〃And　his　daughter's　a　chump；〃　he　exclaimed　irritably。　〃Will　you　stop　that　foolishness？〃
　〃My　father　is　a　murderer；〃　she　said。
　〃You're　crazy。　Listen　to　me；　snip。　Your　father　had　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　Taylor's　murder。　He〃
　〃I　don't　believe　you；〃　she　said　gravely。　〃I'll　never　believe　you　again。〃
　He　scowled　at　her。
　She　turned　and　went　to　the　door。
　〃Wait；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me〃
　She　went　out　and　shut　the　door　behind　her。
　
　
　
　7
　
　Ned　Beaumont's　face；　after　a　grimace　of　rage　at　the　closed　door；　became　heavily　thoughtful。　Lines　came　into　his　forehead。　His　dark　eyes　grew　narrow　and　introspective。　His　lips　puckered　up　under　his　mustache。　Presently　he　put　a　finger　to　his　mouth　and　bit　its　nail。　He　breathed　regularly；　but　with　more　depth　than　usual。
　Footsteps　sounded　outside　his　door。　He　dropped　his　appearance　of　thoughtfulness　and　walked　idly　towards　the　window；　humming　Little　Lost　Lady。　The　footsteps　went　on　past　his　door。　He　stopped　humming　and　bent　to　pick　up　the　sheet　of　paper　holding　the　three　questions　that　had　been　addressed　to　Opal　Madvig。　He　did　not　smooth　the　paper；　but　thrust　it；　crumpled　in　a　loose　ball　as　it　was；　into　one　of　his　bathrobe…pockets。
　He　found　and　lit　a　cigar　then　and；　with　it　between　his　teeth　burning；　stood　by　the　table　and　squinted　down　through　smoke　at　the　front　page　of　the　Observer　lying　there。
　
　AN　OPEN　LETTER　TO　THE　MAYOR
　
　SIR：
　The　Observer　has　e　into　possession　of　certain　information　which　it　believes　to　be　of　paramount　importance　in　clearing　up　the　mystery　surrounding　the　recent　murder　of　Taylor　Henry。
　This　information　is　incorporated　in　several　affidavits　now　in　the　Observer's　safety…deposit　box。　The　substance　of　these　affidavits　is　as　follows：
　　1。That　Paul　Madvig　quarreled　with　Taylor　Henry　some　months　ago　over　the　young　man's　attentions　to　his　daughter　and　forbade　his　daughter　to　see　Henry　again。
　　2。That　Paul　Madvig's　daughter　nevertheless　continued　to　meet　Taylor　Henry　in　a　furnished　room　he　had　rented　for　that　purpose。
　　3。That　they　were　together　in　this　furnished　room　the　afternoon　of　the　very　day　on　which　he　was　killed。
　　4。That　Paul　Madvig　went　to　Taylor　Henry's　home　that　evening；　supposedly　to　remonstrate　with　the　young　man；　or　his　father；　again。
　　5。That　Paul　Madvig　appeared　angry　when　he　left　the　Henry　residence　a　few　minutes　before　Taylor　Henry　was　murdered。
　　6。That　Paul　Madvig　and　Taylor　Henry　were　seen　within　half　a　block　of　each　other；　less　than　a　block　from　the　spot　where　the　young　man's　body　was　found；　not　more　than　fifteen　minutes　before　his　body　was　found。
　　7。That　the　Police　Department　has　not　at　present　a　single　detective　engaged　in　trying　to　find　Taylor　Henry's　murderer。
　The　Observer　believes　that　you　should　know　these　things　and　that　the　voters　and　taxpayers　should　know　them。　The　Observer　has　no　ax　to　grind；　no　motive　except　the　desire　to　see　justice　done。　The　Observer　will　wele　an　opportunity　to　hand　these　affidavits；　as　well　as　all　other　information　it　has；　to　you　or　to　any　qualified　city　or　state　official　and；　if　such　a　course　can　be　shown　an　aid　to　justice；　to　refrain　from　publishing　any　or　all　of　the　details　of　these　affidavits。
　But　the　Observer　will　not　permit　the　information　incorporated　in　these　affidavits　to　be　ignored。　If　the　officials　elected　and　appointed　to　enforce　law　and　order　in　this　city　and　state　do　not　consider　these　affidavits　of　sufficient　importance　to　be　acted　upon；　the　Observer　will　carry　the　matter　to　that　higher　tribunal；　the　People　of　this　City；　by　publishing　them　in　full。
　　H。　K。　MATHEWS；　Publisher
　
　Ned　Beaumont　grunted　derisively　and　blew　cigar…smoke　down　at　this　declaration；　but　his　eyes　remained　somber。
　
　
　8
　
　Early　that　afternoon　Paul　Madvig's　mother　came　to　see　Ned　Beaumont。　He　put　his　arms　around　her　and　kissed　her　on　both　cheeks　until　she　pushed　him　away　with　a　mock…severe　〃Do　stop　it。　You're　worse　than　the　Airedale　Paul　used　to　have。〃
　〃I'm　part　Airedale；〃　he　said；　〃on　my　father's　side；〃　and　went　behind　her　to　help　her　out　of　her　sealskin　coat。
　Smoothing　her　black　dress；　she　went　to　the　bed　and　sat　on　it。
　He　hung　the　coat　on　the　back　of　a　chair　and　stoodlegs　apart；　hands　in　bathrobe…pocketsbefore　her。
　She　studied　him　critically。　〃You　don't　look　so　bad；〃　she　said　presently；　〃nor　yet　so　good。　How　do　you　feel？〃
　〃Swell。　I'm　only　hanging　around　here　on　account　of　the　nurses。〃
　〃That　wouldn't　surprise　me　much；　neither；〃　she　told　him。　〃But　don't　stand　there　ogling　me　like　a　Cheshire　cat。　You　make　me　nervous。　Sit　down。〃　She　patted　the　bed　beside　her。
　He　sat　down　beside　her。
　She　said：　〃Paul　seems　to　think　you　did　something　very　grand　and　noble　by　doing　whatever　it　was　you　did；　but　you　can't　tell　me　that　if　you　had　behaved　yourself　you　would　ever　have　got　into　whatever　scrape　you　got　into　at　all。〃
　〃Aw；　Mom；〃　he　began。
　She　cut　him　off。　The　gaze　of　her　blue　eyes　that　were　young　as　her　son's　bored　into　Ned　Beaumont's　brown　ones。　〃Look　here；　Ned；　Paul　didn't　kill　that　whipper…snapper；　did　he？〃
　Surprise　opened　Ned　Beaumont's　eyes　and　mouth。　〃No。〃
　〃I　didn't　think　so；〃　the　old　woman　said。　〃He's　always　been　a　good　boy；　but　I've　heard　that　there's　some　nasty　hints　going　around　and　the　Lord　only　knows　what　goes　on　in　this　politics。　I'm　sure　I　haven't　any　idea。〃
　Amazement　tinged　with　humor　was　in　t