the red seal(红印)-第33章
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It was Kent's turn to hesitate。 〃Do you know many instances where
aconitine was used by murderers？〃 he questioned。
〃N…no。 I believe it was the drug used in the celebrated Lamson
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poison case；〃 replied the physician slowly。 〃I cannot recall any others
just at the moment。〃
〃How about suicides？〃
〃It is seldom； if ever； used for suicides。〃 Stone spoke with more
assurance。 〃I have found in my practice； Kent； that suicides can be
classed as follows： drowning by the young； pistols by the adult； and
hanging by the aged； women generally prefer asphyxiation； using
illuminating gas。 But this is beside the question； unless〃 … bending a
penetrating look at his companion …〃 unless you believe Jimmie Turnbull
committed suicide。〃
〃That idea has occurred to me；〃 admitted Kent。 〃But it doesn't square
with other facts which have developed； nor is it in keeping with the
character of the man。〃
〃Men who suffer from a mortal disease sometimes commit desperate
acts； not at all in accord with their previous conduct；〃 responded Stone
gravely。 〃Come； Kent； you have not answered my question。 Why did you
wish information about this box of aconitine pills prescribed for Mrs。
Brewster during her attack of neuralgia？〃
〃You have just stated that aconitine is not usually administered to
murder a person；〃 Kent spoke seriously； choosing his words with care。
〃Do you wonder then； that I consider it more than a coincidence that
Jimmie Turnbull should have died from a dose of that poison； and that the
drug should have been prescribed for one of the inmates of the house he
visited shortly before his death？〃
The physician sat upright； his face had grown gray。 〃Mr。 Kent；〃 he
commenced indignantly； 〃are you aware what you are insinuating？ Are
you； also； aware that Mrs。 Brewster is my cousin； a charming； honorable
woman； without a stain on her character？〃
Kent set the bottom of the box containing the pills in front of the
doctor。
〃I have found out that this box； with its dangerous drug； was left on the
hall table in the McIntyre house； apparently any one had access to its
contents； therefore my remarks are not directed against Mrs。 Brewster any
more than against any person in the McIntyre household； from the Colonel
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to the servants。 I found these three pills at the McIntyre house this
morning； how many did your prescription call for？〃
Stone picked up the small pills and； as he balanced them in his palm；
his manner grew more alert。 Suddenly he dropped two back in the box
and touched the third pill with the tip of his tongue； not content with that
he crushed it in his fingers； sniffed the drug； and again tested it with his
tongue。 His expression was peculiar as he looked up at Kent。
〃These are not aconitine pills；〃 he stated positively。 〃They are nitro…
glycerine。 How did they get in this box？〃
Kent rubbed his chin in bewilderment。 The box bearing the aconitine
label and the pills had all rolled out of the china umbrella stand； and he
had taken it for granted that the pills belonged in the box。
〃I found them loose in the same receptacle；〃 he explained。 〃And
concluded they were what remained of the aconitine pills which Grimes；
the McIntyre butler； said he left on the hall table Sunday afternoon。〃
Stone smiled with what Kent； who was watching him closely； judged
to be an odd mixture of relief and apprehension。
〃You could not have found more dissimilar medicine to go in this pill
box； although the two kinds of pills are identical in color and size；〃 he said。
〃Aconitine depresses the heart action while the other stimulates it。〃
The physician's statement fell on deaf ears。 Raising his head after
contemplating the pills； Kent had looked across the room and his glance
had fallen on a wing chair； standing just inside the doorway of the living
room； and thrown partly in shadow by the portieres。 The wing of the chair
appeared to move。 Kent rubbed his eyes and looking again； caught the
same slight movement。
Bounding toward the chair Kent saw that the brown shape which he
had mistaken for part of the tufted upholstery was the sleek brown hair of
a man's well…shaped head。 He halted abruptly on meeting the gaze of a
pair of mocking eyes。
〃Rochester？〃 he gasped unbelievingly。 〃Rochester！〃
His partner laughed softly as Stone approached。 〃I have been an
interested listener；〃 he said。 〃Let me complete the good doctor's
argument。 Nitro…glycerine would have benefitted Jimmie Turnbull and
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his feeble heart； whereas the missing aconitine pills killed him。〃
Stone regarded him with severity。 〃How did you get in this
apartment？〃 he demanded； declining the challenge Rochester had offered
in addressing his opinion of Turnbull's death directly to him。
Rochester dangled his bunch of keys in the physician's face and smiled
at his excited partner。 〃If you two hadn't been so absorbed in your
conversation you would have heard me walk in；〃 he remarked。
〃Where have you been？〃 demanded Kent； partly recovering from his
astonishment which had deprived him of speech。
〃I decided to take a vacation at a moment's notice。〃 Rochester spoke
with the same slow drawl which was characteristic of him。 〃You should
be accustomed to my eccentricities by this time； Harry。〃
〃We are；〃 announced Detective Ferguson from the hallway； where he
and Nelson had been silent witnesses of the scene。 〃And we'll give you a
chance to explain them in the police court。〃
〃On what charge？〃 demanded Rochester。
〃Poisoning your room…mate； Mr。 Turnbull；〃 replied the detective；
drawing out a pair of handcuffs。 〃You are mighty clever； Mr。 Rochester。
I've got to hand it to you for your mysterious disappearances in and out of
this apartment； and for murdering Mr。 Turnbull right in the police court in
the presence of the judge； police officials； and spectators。〃
Kent stepped forward at sight of the handcuffs and laid a restraining
hand on the detective's shoulder。 Rochester saw the movement； guessed
Kent's intention； and smiled。
〃We can settle the case here；〃 he said cheerfully。 〃No need of
troubling the police judge。 Now； Mr。 Detective； how did I kill Jimmie
Turnbull before all those people without any one becoming aware of the
fact？〃
〃Slipped the poison in the glass of water you handed him；〃 answered
Ferguson promptly。 〃A nervy sleight…of…hand； but you'll swing for it。〃
Rochester's smile was exasperating as he turned to Dr。 Stone。
〃Judging from Stone's remarks about aconitine … which I overheard；〃
he interpolated。 〃I gather the doctor is tolerably familiar with the action
of the drug。 Does aconitine kill instantly； doctor？〃
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Stone cleared his throat before speaking。 〃No； the fatal period
averages about four hours；〃 he said； and Rochester's eyes sparkled as he
looked up at the detective。
〃Jimmie died almost immediately after I handed him that drink of
water；〃 he declared。 〃If you wish to know who administered that
aconitine poison； you will have to find out who Jimmie was with at the
McIntyre house in the early hours of Tuesday morning。〃
The sharp imperative ring of the telephone bell cut the silence which
followed。 Kent； standing nearest the instrument； picked it up； and
recognized Sylvester's voice over the wire。
〃A message has just come； Mr。 Kent；〃 he called； 〃from Mrs。 Brewster
saying that she will be in your office at four o'clock。〃
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CHAPTER XIX
THE RED SEAL AGAIN
Harry Kent inserted his key in his office door with more vigor than
good judgment； and spent some seconds in re…adjusting it in the lock。
Once inside the office he put up the latch and closed the door。 A glance
around the empty office showed him that Sylvester had obeyed his
telephone instructions and gone out to luncheon。
Kent noted with satisfaction as he put his hat and cane in the coat
closet that he had over two hours before Mrs。 Brewster's expected arrival；
ample time in which to consider in quietude the events of the past few
days； and plan for his interview with the pretty widow。 He had spent the
time between Rochester's sudden reappearance and a hastily swallowed
lunch at a downtown caf ； in arranging bail for Rochester。 Ferguson had
proved obdurate and had persisted in taking the lawyer to Police
Headquarters。
Dr。 Stone had accompanied the trio； and his testimony； supported by
two chemists； regarding the time required for aconitine poison to act； had
gone far to weaken the detective's case against Rochester。
Rochester； to Kent's unbounded astonishment； had appeared indifferent
to the whole proceedings； and to his partner's urgent inquiries as to where
he had spent the past four days； and why he had disappeared； he had
returned one invariable answer。
〃I'll explain in good time； Harry；〃 and it was not until they were
leaving Police Headquarters that his apathy vanished。
〃When are you to see Mrs。 Brewster？〃 he asked。
〃She will be at our
