the red seal(红印)-第24章
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Mrs。 Sylvester。 〃We were just reading this account of Mr。 Rochester's
disappearance； it's dreadful； sir； to think that the police believe him guilty
of Mr。 Turn bull's murder。〃
〃Dreadful； indeed；〃 agreed Kent； the news had been published even
sooner than he had imagined。 〃What paper is that？〃
〃The noon edition of the Times。〃 Sylvester handed it to him。
〃Thanks；〃 Kent flung down his hat and spread open the paper。 〃Who
have been here to…day？〃
〃Colonel McIntyre； sir； he left a card for you。〃 Sylvester hurried into
Kent's office； to return a moment later with a visiting card。 〃He left this；
sir； for you with most particular directions that it be handed to you at once
on your arrival。〃
Kent read the curt message on the card without comment and tore the
paste…board into tiny bits。
〃Any one else been in this morning？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； sir。〃 Sylvester consulted a written memorandum。 〃Mr。 Black
called； also Colonel Thorne； Senator Harris； and Mrs。 Brewster。〃
〃Mrs。 Brewster！〃 The newspaper slipped from Kent's fingers in his
astonishment。 〃What did she want here？〃
〃To see you； sir； so she said； but she first asked for Mr。 Rochester；〃
explained Sylvester； stooping over to pick up the inside sheet of the Times
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which had separated from the others。 〃I told her that Mr。 Rochester
was unavoidably detained in Cleveland； then she said she would consult
you and I let her wait in your office for the good part of an hour。〃
Kent thought a moment then walked toward his door； on its threshold
he paused； struck by a sudden idea。
〃Did Colonel McIntyre come with Mrs。 Brewster？〃 he asked。
〃No； Mr。 Kent； he came in while she was here。〃
〃And they went off together；〃 volunteered Mrs。 Sylvester； who had
been a silent listener to their conversation。 Kent started； he had forgotten
the woman。 〃Excuse me； Mr。 Kent；〃 she continued； and stepped toward
him。 〃I presume； likely； that you are very interested in this charge of
murder against your partner； Mr。 Rochester。〃
〃I am；〃 affirmed Kent； as Mrs。 Sylvester paused。
〃I am too； sir；〃 she confided to him。 〃Cause you see I was in the
court room when Mr。 Turnbull died and I'm naturally interested。〃
〃Naturally；〃 agreed Kent with a commiserating glance at his clerk； the
latter's wife threatened to be loquacious； and he judged from her looks that
it was a habit which had grown with the years。 As a general rule he
abhorred talkative women； but … 〃And what took you to the police court on
Tuesday morning？〃
〃Why； me and Mr。 Sylvester have our little differences like other
married couples；〃 she explained。 〃And sometimes we ask the Court to
settle them。〃 She caught Kent's look of impatience and hurried her speech。
〃The burglar case came on just after ours was remanded； and seeing the
McIntyre twins； whom I've often read about； I just thought I'd stay。 Let
me have that paper a minute。〃 〃Certainly；〃 Kent gave her the newspaper
and she ran her finger down the columns devoted to the Turnbull case with
a slowness that set his already excited nerves on edge。
〃Here's what I'm looking for；〃 she exclaimed triumphantly； a minute
later； and pointed to the paragraph：
〃Mrs。 Margaret Perry Brewster； the fascinating widow； added
nothing material to the case in her testimony； and she was quickly
excused； after stating that she was told about the tragedy by the
McIntyre twins upon their return from the Police Court。〃
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〃Well what of it？〃 asked Kent。
〃Only this； Mr。 Kent；〃 Mrs。 Sylvester enjoyed nothing so much as
talking to a good looking man； especially in the presence of her husband；
and she could not refrain from a triumphant look at him as she went on
with her remarks。 〃There was a female sitting on the bench next to me in
Court； in fact； she and I were the only women on that side； and I kinder
noticed her on that account； and then I saw she was all done up in veils … I
couldn't see her face。
〃I caught her peering this way and that during the burglar's hearing； I
don't reckon she could see well through all the veils。 Now； don't get
impatient； Mr。 Kent； I'm getting to my point … that woman sitting next to
me in the police court was the widow Brewster。〃
〃What！〃 Kent laughed unbelievingly。 〃Oh； come； you are mistaken。〃
〃I am not； sir。〃 Mrs。 Sylvester spoke with conviction。 〃Now； why
does Mrs。 Brewster declare at the coroner's inquest that she only heard of
the Turnbull tragedy from the McIntyre twins on their return home？〃
〃You must be mistaken；〃 argued Kent。
〃Why； you admit yourself that the woman was so swathed in veils that
you could not see her face。〃
〃No； but I heard her laugh in court；〃 Mrs。 Sylvester spoke in deep
earnestness and Kent placed faith in her statement in spite of his outward
skepticism。 〃And I heard her laugh in this corridor this morning and I
placed her as the same woman。 I asked Mr。 Sylvester who she was； and
he told me。 I'd been reading this account of the Turnbull inquest； and I
recollected seeing Mrs。 Brewster's name； and my husband and I were just
reading the account over when you came in。〃
Kent gazed in perplexity at Mrs。 Sylvester。 〃Why did Mrs。 Brewster
laugh in the police court？〃 he asked。
〃When Dr。 Stone exclaimed to the deputy marshal … 'Your prisoner
appears ill！'〃 declared Mrs。 Sylvester； she enjoyed the dramatic； and that
Kent was hanging on her words she was fully aware； in spite of his
expressionless face。 〃Dr。 Stone lifted the burglar in his arms and then
Mrs。 Brewster laughed as she laughed in the corridor to…day … a soft
gurgling laugh。〃
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CHAPTER XIV
PAY CASH
It was the rush hour at the Metropolis Trust Company and the busy
paying teller counted out silver and gold and treasury notes of varying
denominations with the mechanical precision and exactness which
experience gives。 Suddenly his hand stopped midway toward the money
drawer； his attention arrested by the signature on a check。 A swift glance
upward showed him a girl's face at the grille of the window。 There was
an instant's pause； then she addressed him。
〃Do hurry； Mr。 McDonald； father is waiting for me。〃
〃Pardon me； Miss McIntyre。〃 He stamped the check and laid it to
one side。 〃how do you want the money？〃
〃Oh； I forgot。〃 She glanced at a memorandum on the back of an
envelope。 〃Mrs。 Brewster wishes ten tens； five twenties； and ten ones。
Thank you； good afternoon；〃 and counting over the money she thrust it
inside her bag and hurried away。
She had been gone a bare five minutes when Kent reached the window
and pushed several checks toward the teller。
〃Is Mr。 Clymer in his office； McDonald？〃 he asked； placing the bank
notes given； him in his wallet。
〃I'm not sure。〃 The teller glanced around at the clock； the hands stood
at ten minutes of three。 〃It's pretty near closing time； Kent； still； he may
be there。〃
〃I'll go and see；〃 and with a nod of farewell Kent turned on his heel
and walked off in the direction of the office of the bank president。 On
reaching there he saw； through the glass partition of the door； Clymer
seated in earnest conclave with two men。
Happening to glance up Clymer recognized Kent and beckoned to him
to come inside。 〃You know Taylor；〃 he said by way of introduction。
〃And this is Mr。 Harding of New York … Mr。 Kent；〃 he turned around in his
swivel chair to face the three men。 〃Draw up a chair； Kent； we were just
going over to see you。
〃Yes？〃 Kent looked inquiringly at the bank president； the gravity of his
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manner betokened serious tidings。 〃 What is it； Mr。 Clymer？〃
Clymer did not reply at once。 〃It's this；〃 he said finally； with blunt
directness。 〃Your partner； Philip Rochester； appears to be a bankrupt。
Harding and Taylor came in here to attach his private bank account to
cover indebtedness to their business firms。〃
An exclamation broke from Kent。 〃Impossible！〃 he gasped。
〃I would have said the same this morning；〃 declared Clymer。 〃But on
investigation I find that Rochester has over…drawn his account here for a
large amount and borrowed heavily。 The further I look into his financial
affairs the more involved I find them。〃
〃But〃 … Kent was white…lipped。 〃I know for an absolute fact that
Rochester was paid some exceedingly large fees last week； totaling over
fifty thousand dollars。〃
〃He has never deposited such a sum； or anywhere like that amount in
this bank either last week or this；〃 stated Clymer； running his eyes down a
bank statement which； with several pass books； lay on his desk。
〃Does he carry accounts at other banks？〃 inquired Harding。
〃Not that I can discover；〃 responded Taylor。 〃I have been to every
national and private banking house in Washington； but all deny having
him as a depositor。 Did Rochester ever bank out of town； Kent？〃
〃Not to my knowledge。〃 Kent drew out a bank book。 〃Here is the
firm's balance； Mr。 Clymer； we bank here； you know。〃
〃Yes。〃 Clymer's look of anxiety deepened。
〃Did you see McDonald as you cam
