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Death of a Celebrity:
Hulbert Footner:
eBook No.: 0301351h.html
Language: English
Date first 地位，任命するd: Nov 2016
Most 最近の update: Oct 2021

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Death of a Celebrity

by

Hulbert Footner

First UK 版: The 罪，犯罪 Club, Collins, London, 1938

This e-調書をとる／予約する 版: 事業／計画（する） Gutenberg Australia, 2021

"Death of a Celebrity," The 罪，犯罪 Club, Collins, London, 1938

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I.

MISS GAIL GARRETT, …を伴ってd by her 年輩の maid, Catherine, was on her way to dinner at Gavin Dordress'. She was appearing in Robert Greenfield's play. White Orchids, at the time, and the party had been arranged for Sunday night to 控訴 her convenience. She had not the 表現 of one who is looking 今後 to a good time. In the seclusion of the car her beautiful 直面する was 緊張した and 嵐の. When the cab stopped, she saw several men with square boxes hanging around the apartment house door, and she hesitated before getting out. "圧力（をかける） photographers? Who do you suppose tipped them off? Gavin wouldn't."

"They always seem to know where you're going to be, 行方不明になる," said Catherine.

It was a small apartment house, one tenant to a 床に打ち倒す, and there was nobody to open the door of the car. "I don't see why Gavin lives in such a 捨てる," 不平（をいう）d 行方不明になる Garrett. "He doesn't have to. Get out first and keep my skirt off the running-board."

Catherine obeyed. 行方不明になる Garrett settled the collar of her ermine coat more becomingly around her neck, and assumed the famous smile. When she had descended, Catherine の近くにd the door of the car, and hung behind so that she would not spoil the pictures. All the photographers tried to （人が）群がる in 前線 of the 星／主役にする 同時に. "Walk slowly," said one. "Give us a chance." Another was crying: "Look at me, 行方不明になる Garrett. Look at me!"

She smiled, the bulbs flashed; they made way for her, and she entered the building. As the sober Catherine followed, one of the young men winked at her 概して. "Hi, Toots!" he said softly.

Catherine glared at him, and all the young men laughed.

The 入り口 door led 直接／まっすぐに into a small, square foyer with a 選び出す／独身 elevator. The 操作者 was a sharp-featured young white man with an insinuating smile. As soon as he had の近くにd the elevator door, he turned around, 説: "Good-evening, 行方不明になる Garrett. Hope it's not a liberty, but I seen you in your play on Thursday night. It was swell!"

Gail smiled automatically. "Thank you." He went on: "If you would give me your autograph, 行方不明になる Garrett, I would value it above anything I own." From his pocket he produced a fountain pen and a little pad. "I can't 令状 with my gloves on."

"Sure you can! Plenty good enough."

"Didn't I give you my autograph before?"

"No, 行方不明になる," he said with an open-注目する，もくろむd candour that was a little overdone. "Must have been one of the other boys."

"Watch your car!" said Catherine nervously.

"That's all 権利. She stops (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃 at the 最高の，を越す."

At that moment the car did stop. As the 操作者 still stood 申し込む／申し出ing her the pen and the pad, Gail took them and scribbled her 指名する as the quickest way of getting rid of him. "He had a 神経!" muttered Catherine when the elevator door の近くにd.

"I am the servant of the public," murmured Gail plaintively.

The door of the apartment was opened, not by Gavin's Hillman, but a man engaged for the evening.

From the foyer 二塁打 glass doors led into a sunroom which was filled with growing 工場／植物s and had a little fountain playing in the middle. It was the penthouse which had attracted Gavin to the さもなければ undistinguished apartment house on Madison Avenue. He had 賃貸し（する）d it while the building was still going up, and had designed the big sunroom after his own ideas. One 味方する of it, filled with glass, made an 巨大な how jutting into the roof-garden. Gavin was in the sunroom now, mixing a cocktail at a portable 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業. Gail waved her 手渡す to him and turned aside in the 回廊（地帯） 主要な to the bedrooms.

"You needn't trouble to show me," she said to the servant. "I know the way."

In the guest-room Catherine took her mistress' cape, and 手渡すd her what she 要求するd from the little dressing-事例／患者 the maid carried. Gail 熟考する／考慮するd herself in the mirror with the 苦悩 of a beauty of forty-three. Her 人物／姿／数字 was still willowy, but after forty, blonde hair, no 事柄 what you do to it, is apt to betray. She was wearing a virginal dress of white chiffon with puffs at the shoulders and a skirt shirred in tiers. The 緊張した look in her 注目する，もくろむs displeased her.

"注目する，もくろむ-減少（する）s," she said, and Catherine got out the 瓶／封じ込める and the dropper.

"How do I look?" asked Gail when this 操作／手術 was finished.

"Lovely, 行方不明になる," said Catherine. "White 控訴s you so 井戸／弁護士席!"

"That's what you always say," 不平（をいう）d Gail, "whether I am wearing 黒人／ボイコット or red or green."

Catherine primmed her lips a little. It was as if she had said: "Then why ask?"

"You may go now," said Gail. "Tell ツバメ I shan't want him again to-night. I'll taxi home."

"Is it 安全な?" murmured Catherine.

"If not, somebody will bring me."

When she entered the sunroom Gavin （機の）カム to 会合，会う her. He was 率直に forty-five and handsomer than he had ever been, the lines in his 直面する were lines of distinction.

"Lovely!" he murmured, 選ぶing up her 手渡す and 伝えるing it to his lips.

Gait's smile became tight. "Only my 手渡す?" she said.

"The servant is still in sight."

She looked over her shoulder. "He's gone now."

He 圧力（をかける）d her lips lightly with his own.

A flicker of 怒り／怒る crossed Gail's 直面する. "It wasn't always like that," she said.

"I didn't want to rumple you, my dear."

"Ah, don't make pretences! I can see through you perfectly!"

"Cigarette?" he said, 申し込む／申し出ing the box.

"No!" She すぐに changed her mind, and helped herself. She turned away, and ちらりと見ることing in a mirror, tried to smooth her 直面する out. "You can't make me quarrel with you," she said.

"I'm not trying to." He was smiling 概して and that 怒り／怒るd her afresh.

She struggled with it. "How about the new play? Is it finished?"

"All but," he said. "In another week."

"Tell me about it."

"My dear," he 抗議するd, "you know I never talk about my work. Wasn't it Stevenson who said you must never show unfinished work to anybody?"

"That's not what Stevenson said. He said never show unfinished work to women or fools."

"井戸／弁護士席, I never show it to anybody."

"So you say. Mack Townley has 発表するd that he is going to produce the play in January."

"That's the usual 圧力（をかける） stuff. Mack knows no more about the play than its 肩書を与える: The Changeling."

"Do you mean to say he is willing to produce it sight unseen?"

"井戸／弁護士席, after we have been working together for eighteen years that's not very strange...Cocktail?"

"No, thank you."

"I have got to the age where I need it."

"This talk of your growing old is all nonsense," said Gail 怒って. "It doesn't fool me."

"You're wrong," said Gavin, 持つ／拘留するing his glass up to the light. "It's the 原因（となる） of the 誤解 between us. I am getting old."

She bit her lip.

"井戸／弁護士席, never mind that...Am I to have the 主要な part in the new play?"

"Ah, don't let's talk 商売／仕事," said Gavin cajolingly.

"I 主張する on an answer! That's why I （機の）カム 早期に. You never give me a chance to see you alone. I have to make my 計画（する）s as 井戸／弁護士席 as Mack Townley."

"There is no part in it worthy of you," said Gavin. "It's a man's play."

"There must be a woman in it, or it wouldn't be your play."

"The only important woman's part is that of a young girl."

Gail flung her cigarette violently on the 床に打ち倒す.

"I thought so! I thought so!" she cried. "Why don't you say 権利 out that I'm too old to 行為／法令／行動する in your plays!"

"Gail, for God's sake!" he remonstrated.

She looked more than her age now. The repulsion that she could see in his 注目する，もくろむs made her worse.

"So this is what I get for having given you the best years of my life! For having 充てるd all my art to making you famous! You 借りがある your fame to me! To me! Do you hear? Where would you have been if I had not breathed life into the silly puppets in your plays?"

Gavin's 直面する 常習的な. "You are a 広大な／多数の／重要な actress," he said. "I have never failed to 認める my 負債 to you...But just now you are making a show of yourself."

"How dare you!" she gasped. "O God, that I should live to hear a man speak to me like that! I won't 耐える it! I won't...!"

He 掴むd her wrists to make her listen to him.

"There are strange servants in the flat," he said. "Do you want to read all this in the gossip columns tomorrow?"

"I don't care! I don't care!" she cried; にもかかわらず she lowered her 発言する／表明する. The husky トンs were venomous. "I'm not going to take this from you! I'm not the sort of woman who can be chucked aside like an old hat. I'll show you up. I'll 廃虚 you! O God! How I hate you! Smug and sneering as you are..."

Gavin put in mildly: "I never sneered at anybody in my life."

"You 嘘（をつく）! You're sneering now! I could kill you for the way you've used me! I could kill you...!"

A bell sounded in the distance. Gail caught her breath on a gasp, and running out, turned に向かって the guest-room at the end of the 回廊（地帯）. She passed the manservant on his way to the 入り口 door. Gavin 注ぐd another cocktail.

Emmett Gundy, the 小説家, and his friend, Luella Kip, were on their way to Gavin Dordress' apartment in a taxicab. Emmett was bundled up in a blue rumble-seat coat belted around the waist, the only one of that colour in New York, he （人命などを）奪う，主張するd. With the collar turned up and his hat-brim snapped 負かす／撃墜する in 前線, all that could be seen of him were his glittering dark 注目する，もくろむs, and small, carefully-trained moustache. Louella was one of the army of 解放する／自由な-lance writers who somehow managed to 捨てる a living without ever becoming known to the public. A little, faded woman with a 悩ますd 表現, she looked twenty years older than Emmett, but they were in fact the same age. Emmett looked her over 批判的に. "That dress has seen better days," he 発言／述べるd.

"井戸／弁護士席, you know the 明言する／公表する of my wardrobe," said Louella philosophically. "It's the best I have. Mr. Dordress is a friendly man. He won't care."

"There will be others 現在の."

"If you are ashamed of my 外見 you shouldn't have brought me," said Louella, plucking up spirit.

"Gavin 招待するd you. I 単に 伝えるd the 招待."

"Were you hoping I would 拒絶する／低下する?" she asked 静かに.

He did not answer her.

"Gavin will be friendly enough if you flatter him," he said 激しく. "He doesn't care who it comes from."

"He doesn't need flattery," said Louella. "He's at the 最高の，を越す of his profession."

"You would say that. Just to be disagreeable. You mean that he makes more money than any other 脚本家 of the day. Money isn't everything. As a 事柄 of fact, Gavin Dordress hasn't a 誘発する of 初めの talent. What he has is a talent for publicity. He understands the politics of the theatre. He knows what wires to pull. It is Gail Garrett and Mack Townley who have made him."

"Everybody else says that it was Gavin Dordress who made them."

"O, I dare say! Nothing 後継するs like success. He's got you going like all the other women. Gavin has made his way step by step through using women. A male charmer, that's what he is."

"How can you say such a thing?" she murmured.

"But he can't fool me," Emmett went on. "I've known him too long. I've known him since he was a half-baked frosh in college."

"You were a freshman, too, then."

"Sure; but I made good. I was famous before I 卒業生（する）d from college. My first 調書をとる／予約する sold forty thousand copies. It was four or five years after that before Gavin even got a 生産／産物. His first play was a 完全にする flop."

"I hate to hear you talk about him like that," murmured Louella. "Your oldest friend!"

"Sure, he's my friend. So what?"

"It sounds as if you hated him."

"Don't be silly. I see him as he is, that's all. He can't pull any wool over my 注目する，もくろむs." Emmett laughed 激しく. "I've got to 手渡す it to Gavin for his cleverness. I only wish I could get away with it. It doesn't 支払う／賃金 to be sincere. Tripe is what they want, and tripe is what they 支払う／賃金 for!"

This started Louella's thoughts in a new direction.

"What did Middlebrook say about your novel?" she asked.

"He was keen to publish it," said Emmett, "but I told him to go to hell."

"Why?" she asked blankly.

"Because he 示唆するd 確かな changes that showed he 完全に misunderstood it. I took the script and walked out."

"O, Emmett!"

"井戸／弁護士席, do you 推定する／予想する me to 売春婦 myself to an ignorant fool like Middlebrook? He's a butcher, not a publisher. He buys and sells novels by the 続けざまに猛撃する-like the tripe they are!"

"What will you do?" she murmured. "What will we both do?"

"Have you been turned 負かす／撃墜する, too?" he asked はっきりと. "Your articles for the 主要都市の?"

"No," she said sadly. "I give them what they want. I have no talent, so it doesn't 事柄. But they have 減ずるd my 率. There are so many younger writers in the field."

"Middlebrook is not the only publisher," growled Emmett.

"But the novel has been turned 負かす／撃墜する so many times!"

"Gavin could help me if he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to," said Emmett sorely. "With a 推薦 from him any publisher would bring it out."

"Have you asked him?"

"Sure, he's read the script."

"What did he say?"

"He intimated that he didn't think much of it. O, very delicately, of course. 示唆するd that I try something else. Pure professional jealousy. He is enough of a 令状ing man to recognise real talent when he sees it. You can hardly 非難する him. Said that novels were a bit out of his line, and 申し込む／申し出d me a hundred to tide me over."

"Another hundred?"

"井戸／弁護士席, why not? What's a lousy hundred to Gavin? He makes a hundred thousand a year."

"But it 開始するs up so. How will you ever 支払う／賃金 him 支援する?"

"That's the least of my troubles."

"Emmett," she said 真面目に, "let's start in on your script to-morrow and go over it 一時期／支部 by 一時期／支部..."

"So you think I can no longer 令状," he said 厳しく. "You, too!"

"No, Emmett, no! I believe in you. I shall always believe in you."

"You think you can teach me how to 令状!"

"No I have no talent. I have never had any illusions about that. But I've been through a hard school. I know what the public wants. At least I know what they say the public wants. If we could just 直す／買収する，八百長をする this novel up so you could get an 前進する on it, you could bring it out under another 指名する if you were ashamed of it."

"That would be artistic 自殺."

"But you must live! Gavin Dordress will get tired of lending you money. It's only human nature."

"Is that a way of 説 that you're getting tired of helping me out?"

Louella lowered her 長，率いる. "Emmett, how can you say such things to me? After all these years!"

"For God's sake, don't turn on the waterworks," he said irritably, "or you will look a sight when we get there." He lit a cigarette.

Louella 乾燥した，日照りのd her 注目する，もくろむs. After a moment or two she returned to the 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金. "You see, if you could somehow wangle an 前進する on this novel, it would give you the time to 令状 something really 罰金; something they would have to take."

"I have never 許すd anybody to tell me what I せねばならない 令状," he said 厳しく, "and certainly I'm not going to begin now. Please change the 支配する."

"If there could only be some understanding between us, these troubles would be 平易な to hear," she murmured. "What would we care if...if..."

"O, for God's sake, don't get emotional!" he said. "We're almost there!"

After a silence Louella said very low: "I suppose you look on me as a drag on you now. If I were strong enough I せねばならない leave you."

"So you're talking about 砂漠ing me now," he-said. "I thought we were 主要な up to that."

She put her を引き渡す his-簡潔に. "Don't be afraid. I'll never leave you...unless you wish me to."

The car stopped. "圧力（をかける） photographers?" she said uneasily.

Emmett turned 負かす／撃墜する the collar of his coat. "Gavin Dordress doesn't often entertain," he said. "自然に it has news value."

"How did they know about it?"

"井戸／弁護士席, I tipped them off if you must know. Won't do me any 害（を与える） to be 発射 as a guest of the 広大な／多数の／重要な man-...You go in first. It's me they want."

The photographers ちらりと見ることd indifferently at 行方不明になる Kip and Mr. Gundy. Louella disappeared within the apartment house, while Emmett ぐずぐず残るd on the step as if he 手配中の，お尋ね者 a last puff or two at his cigarette. "井戸／弁護士席, boys," he said pleasantly. "Always on the 職業!"

"Are you a friend of Gavin Dordress?" asked one.

"The oldest friend he's got," said Emmett with a careless 空気／公表する. "So what?"

They 焦点（を合わせる）d their cameras, and 始める，決める off the flashes while Emmett nonchalantly flipped the ash from his cigarette. "What 指名する?" asked the young photographer who had first spoken. "Emmett Gundy. Emmett with two t's, please."

"What's your line, brother?" asked another photographer.

Emmet looked at him coldly. "小説家," he said. "Where have you been keeping yourself?"

He went on into the apartment house and the four young men grinned at each other. The one whom Emmett had rebuked asked: "Is this guy Gundy such a muchness?"

"Nan," said another. "I seem to remember that he wrote a novel of college life way 支援する before the war. That was before I was breeched."

"It's always the way with these has-beens."

CHAPTER II.

SIEBERT ACKROYD and Cynthia Dordress were 運動ing up the Avenue from Washington Square in Siebert's little 転換できる with the 最高の，を越す 負かす／撃墜する. It was a typical November night, 冷淡な, with sparkling 星／主役にするs. Cynthia was enveloped in a beaver coat, Gavin's gift, and had a chiffon 隠す around her 削減する 長，率いる to keep her hair in place. When her hair was covered, it 強調するd the clean, pure line of her profile. Siebert was a big young man with 堅固に-示すd features and a look of 決意／決議 that 瀬戸際d on impatience. Most men, seeing the look in his 注目する，もくろむ, 演説（する）／住所d him politely. "What a night!" he said. "I wish we could 運動 権利 through until morning, without having to go to that silly party at your Dad's."

"Dad's parties are not silly," said Cynthia.

"By morning we could be in Virginia," murmured Siebert. "You are 甘い enough to eat."

"Long before morning we should be quarrelling." said Cynthia.

"井戸／弁護士席, is it my fault that we always seem to get in a quarrel?"

"Is it 地雷?" 反対するd Cynthia.

"Let's not start anything now," said Siebert quickly. "Let me put the 事例／患者 to you in a 事柄-of-fact way without any heat or passion. I am horribly in love with you. I have gone all out. To be beside you like this is heaven for me. Does that make you sore?"

"Of course not," she said in a 軟化するd 発言する／表明する.

"You have me to make or break," he went on. "You come between me and everything. 自然に, such a 明言する／公表する of suspense is hell on earth. I am good for nothing."

"That seems a little 過度の to me," said Cynthia.

"過度の!" he exclaimed. "Do you want a half 部分 of love? Do you wish that I wasn't 完全に in love with you?"

"No...yes...I don't know," she said. "I suppose it would be better for you it you weren't."

"Do you love me 支援する again?"

"井戸／弁護士席, yes, in a way."

"In a way!...In a way!" he muttered, 続けざまに猛撃するing a 握りこぶし on his thigh. "That's what gets me! How can any warm-血d person be in love 'm a way'?"

"井戸／弁護士席, it hasn't 押し寄せる／沼地d my 知能," said Cynthia.

"Meaning that it has 地雷."

"Now you're beginning to quarrel."

"No! No!" he said quickly. "I am perfectly 冷静な／正味の and reasonable. I'm trying to get to the 底（に届く） of this. I'm 長，率いる over heels in love with you, and you love me 'm a way'; why don't we get married?"

"I've told you so many times..."

"Yes, but always with 怒り／怒る and 侮辱s. その結果 it wasn't 納得させるing. Let's talk it over calmly. We could afford to get married. My 機関 is only a small 事件／事情／状勢, but it's solidly 設立するd because I only 受託する authors for my （弁護士の）依頼人s who have something in them, and I do so 井戸／弁護士席 for them they will never leave me. Year by year it is bound to 支払う／賃金 better. O, God! to think of having a home! To come home to you at night..."

"You forgot that I have my 職業, too, at the clinic."

"I 収容する／認める I am jealous of your 職業," said Siebert "You are not hard-boiled enough to を取り引きする sick people all day. It takes too much out of you."

"I have the feeling of 存在 useful," said Cynthia. "There is nothing to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 it."

"I wouldn't mind if you worked at home. You should 令状 like your father, and let me be your スパイ／執行官."

"I have no talent for 令状ing."

"井戸／弁護士席, I 譲歩する the 職業 at the clinic," he said. "We can afford a good servant. Don't you want a home, too? Wouldn't it be lovely to 会合，会う in our own home after work and be together until we went to work again?"

"Yes," said Cynthia a little faintly; "but..."

"Then why don't we do it?" Taking a 手渡す from the wheel he felt for Cynthia's 手渡す, but she drew it 支援する out of reach.

"This is where we begin to quarrel," she said sadly. "Not to-night," said Siebert. "You couldn't make me mad."

"This longing to be together," she murmured, "this love, doesn't last-or at least it changes very much. All older people, all 調書をとる／予約するs tell you that."

"The heck with them!" said Siebert. "I will never change."

"And when it changes, we've got to have something more solid to go on with."

"Time will take care of that."

"You are 簡単に 辞退するing to 直面する things. That's what brings couples to Reno."

"Cyn, for God's sake, if we love each other, why go behind it?"

"You're such a boy!" she murmured.

"Is that where I 落ちる short?"

"Yes. I see through you too 明確に. You're no wiser than I am. You never surprise me."

"井戸／弁護士席, I'm damned!" he muttered. And after a silence, grimly: "I could surprise you all 権利, if I didn't love you so damned much!"

"I shall never marry," said Cynthia, "unless some man wants me who I feel is bigger and cleverer than myself, and who has reserves that I cannot enter into."

"In other words, a Gavin Dordress," he said with extreme bitterness.

"Now you're just 存在 hateful."

"This feeling for your father is ridiculous!"

"It's not ridiculous; it's only unusual. The circumstances are unusual. It's just a year ago since I saw my father for the first time. My mother was a foolish, light-長，率いるd woman. She was jealous of his 人気 and his fame. Soon after I was born she 離婚d him, and regretted it as long as she lived. She kept me away from him, and he made no 成果／努力 to see me because, as he has told me since, he thought the most important thing was not to come between a child and its mother. Her bitterness against him was pathological, and 自然に I 吸収するd it. I grew up thinking of him as a 肉親，親類d of monster.

"When I did go to see him after my mother's death, it was not with any idea of finding a father; I 簡単に meant to use him as a means of getting on in the world. And then when I saw him and talked to him...O, Siebert! I thought I was hiding my 憎悪 and bitterness, but of course he 即時に saw it, though he made believe not to. He was so funny and human and casual; so honest! Not like a father at all, but somebody my own age. I felt a sympathy and understanding such as I had never known in my mother. Yet he didn't make any 成果／努力 to 勝利，勝つ me over, but just let me alone. All my defences went 負かす／撃墜する すぐに. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to grovel before him then. I felt as if it would take the 残り／休憩（する） of my life to （不足などを）補う for the way I misjudged him."

"井戸／弁護士席, that's all 権利," said Siebert grudgingly. "Gavin's a 権利 guy. He's your father. He doesn't 衝突 with me. I 目的（とする） to be your husband." He laughed, not very mirthfully. "A fellow is ひどく handicapped in marrying the daughter of such a superman, but I'll chance it."

Cynthia did not 答える／応じる to the laugh. "You don't understand," she said. "During the past year my father has given me an ideal that I-井戸／弁護士席, I couldn't take anything いっそう少なく than my ideal, could I?"

Siebert ちらりと見ることd at her in 狼狽. "Cynthia!"

"You asked for the plain truth," she cried, "and there it is!"

"Damn Gavin Dordress!" he said savagely.

"I hate you when you talk like that!" said Cynthia, teething. "You are 単に coarse and shallow! You understand nothing!"

"Damn him!" said Siebert. "I hate him!"

Cynthia was 近づく 涙／ほころびs then. "You knew him before I （機の）カム on the scene. It was at his place that I first met you. You were his friend."

"Sure, I was his friend. I don't mean to say that Gavin is a crook or anything. But if he comes between me and you I hate him! It's a natural feeling and I'm not ashamed of it. Damn him! I say. I'm no pious saint to turn the other cheek. If anybody 傷つけるs me I'm going to strike 支援する!"

"井戸／弁護士席, I'm glad you have shown yourself in your true colours!" said Cynthia.

"God! I'd like to shake you!" groaned Siebert. "I'd like to shake some sense into your silly 長，率いる!"

"Really!" said Cynthia.

They drove up in 前線 of Gavin's house. "I suppose we've got to sit through this damn dinner," he growled.

"I'll see that you're not placed beside me," said Cynthia.

"Go on in," he said. "I'll find a parking place and follow."

The bulbs flashed as 行方不明になる Dordress crossed the sidewalk.

"持つ／拘留する your 長，率いる up!" yelled the photographers, but she only 圧力（をかける）d it lower. When Siebert followed a few minutes later, one said:

"Wipe off that scowl, brother."

"Go to hell," said Siebert. The bulbs flashed anyhow.

"行方不明になる Dordress' 護衛する," said a 発言する／表明する. "What's the 指名する, please?"

"Julius Caesar," said Siebert.

CHAPTER III.

THOUGH he was not a tall man and far from slender, Amos 物陰／風下 Mappin stepped out with a good stride, and little Fanny Parran, 粘着するing to his arm, was 強いるd almost to trot to keep up. Fanny's littleness, her dimples, her blonde curls and her lisp gave her the artless charm of a child, but a man who assumed to talk baby-talk to her was apt to get a shock.

She said: "On the level, Pop, you didn't wangle this 招待 for me, did you? Was it Mr. Dordress' very own idea to ask me?"

"絶対," said 物陰／風下. "He said to me: '物陰／風下, I'm short of a 女性（の） for Sunday night. Do you think that cheeky little 長官 of yours would condescend to 受託する an 招待?"

"Go on, Pop!" said Fanny. "Mr. Dordress never said that. He is too dignified."

"You don't know the half of it, my child. Of course I couldn't 断言する to his exact words, but that was the sense of it."

"O, dear!" said Fanny after a moment. "I suppose he does think I'm pretty fresh."

"井戸／弁護士席, he's considered a good 裁判官 of human nature."

"I didn't tell you what happened that day he （機の）カム to your office, Pop. I was ashamed."

"Good God! Did you 強襲，強姦 the man?"

"Don't try to be funny!...You see, the Police Commissioner was with you, and Mr. Dordress had to wait a few minutes in the outer room. He looked at me in such a friendly way, I mean as if I was a human 存在, and not just a piece of office furniture, and we got to talking. I can't tell you just how it （機の）カム about-I was fussed, you see, at 存在 noticed by the 広大な／多数の／重要な man, and I heard myself 説: 'Mr. Dordress, I think the women in your plays are terrible!'"

物陰／風下 chuckled. "Not a bad 開始. And what did Gavin say?"

"He said: 'I think so too!'"

物陰／風下 laughed aloud. "It is undoubtedly to that that you 借りがある your 招待 to dinner. Gavin is fed up with women who throw fits over him. Strange as it may seem, he's a modest man."

"How 肉親，親類d of him to ask little me!" said Fanny "Do I look all 権利, Pop? I won't 不名誉 you?"

"You do, and you will not," said 物陰／風下 calmly. "You know that very 井戸／弁護士席 already, so stop 侮辱ing my 知能."

"Some men wouldn't 軍隊 me to fish for compliments," said Fanny.

"I'm your boss, not your boy friend."

"Who will be there besides us?"

"I gather it's a 肉親，親類d of class 再会; Yale '13. Mack Townley and his new wife..."

"That's Beatrice Ellerman. She's beautiful."

"Hm!" said 物陰／風下.

"Don't you like her, Pop?"

"A man never likes the young wives of his old friends. I think she's taking Mack for a ride."

"But surely, with his experience he せねばならない know what he's doing. After all the beautiful actresses he has 雇うd and 解雇する／砲火／射撃d in his 生産／産物s."

"That's just it. Over-信用／信任. Mack thinks he knows the sex. A man can't have his guard up all the time. She watched him until he lowered it, and pinked him! No man is 安全な."

"You have escaped."

"That's because I know my own 証拠不十分. I never try 結論s with a woman. I run away."

"Have you never been in love?"

"Never! I would as soon toy with a cobra!"

"I think you're lying!...Who else will be there?"

"Emmett Gundy."

"Who's he?"

"Another one of our classmates. He 令状s novels. At least, I suppose he still does. I 港／避難所't seen anything from his pen lately. In college Emmett was considered the brightest of the lot. But he seems to have flashed in the pan."

"Who is asked for him?"

"I don't know. Years ago Emmett had a girl called Louella Kip. 甘い little thing, and 絶対 充てるd to him. I have forgotten whether he married her. Gavin keeps up with him."

"You four were special friends in college?"

"Yes, pretty の近くに. But in a little ギャング（団） like that there are always fellows who pair off. Gavin and I were the closest. We had been to prep school together. 広大な／多数の／重要な days! Seems like yesterday. How 井戸／弁護士席 I remember when we discovered the Phoenician alphabet in an old 調書をとる／予約する. For years we used to correspond in it."

"Your class was やめる a distinguished one," said Fanny, "what with Gavin Dordress and Mr. Townley and this 小説家 whoever he is."

"Gavin Dordress is the only real 星／主役にする we produced."

"O, I don't know, Pop, you're not so dusty. Of course, you 港／避難所't an 巨大な popular に引き続いて like Gavin Dordress, because you're a specialist. But you're known, your 調書をとる／予約するs sell. You're at the 長，率いる of your speciality."

"罪，犯罪, eh?"

"I love it!" said Fanny. "How did you come to 可決する・採択する 罪，犯罪, Pop?"

"I suppose it's because I'm such a 穏やかな man...And of course Gavin's daughter and her young man will be there," he went on.

"He's 削減（する）," said Fanny.

"やめる!" said 物陰／風下. "Six foot two of cuteness!"

"And what lady will Mr. Dordress ask for himself?"

"O, Gail Garrett, of course."

"Why 'of course'? Is that still going on?"

"I don't understand you."

"All 権利. Prude...Gosh! Think of 存在 asked to dinner with Gail Garrett! I shall be perfectly 圧倒するd!"

"Then we will see a 現象!"

"That's not very clever...You don't know me, Pop. I mean to be perfectly 静かな to-night and take everything in."

"Impossible!"

"What's Gail Garrett like, の近くに to?"

"How am I to answer that? A popular 星／主役にする for twenty-five years. She's not like a mere woman; she's a Broadway 会・原則."

"She must be human."

"O, やめる!" said 物陰／風下 dryly, "in the wrong way...She won't cotton to you."

"Why not? Everybody likes me-or almost everybody."

"Because you have twenty years advantage of her, that's why."

"I see. 井戸／弁護士席, I'll try not to 刺激する her."

As 物陰／風下 and Fanny approached the steps of the apartment house where Gavin Dordress lived, a photographer said: "Are you going to Mr. Dordress'?"

"Such was our 意向," said 物陰／風下 in his 穏やかな manner. "But if Dordress is 不公平な to 労働 we'll eat どこかよそで."

The photographers grinned and 始める，決める off their flashes. "What 指名する, please?"

"Amos 物陰／風下 Mappin."

"O, the 探偵，刑事."

"Nothing of the sort," said 物陰／風下. Fanny was delighted to see Pop getting a little of his own 支援する. "If you must hang a label on me make it 'amateur criminologist.'"

"Amateur nothing," said the young man, making a 公式文書，認める; "famous criminologist...And the young lady?"

"行方不明になる フランs Parran...You can 追加する that I am the author of The 罰金 Art of 殺人 on sale at all bookstores."

"The heck with it!" said the young man. "You're the guy that the police 協議するd in 尊敬（する）・点 to the wash-tub 殺人. You solved it for them. That's your news-value."

"井戸／弁護士席, just as you like," said 物陰／風下. He and Fanny entered the apartment house.

CHAPTER IV.

BEA ELLERMAN, now, 公式に, Mrs. Mack Townley, was one of the most beautiful women in the public 注目する，もくろむ, and the little cushions of self-satisfaction at the corners of her adorable lips 示唆するd that she knew it. Her tall 人物／姿／数字, her classic features, her soft dark hair, all were perfect, and she had in 新規加入 that all-over lusciousness of 面 that 反抗するs description. Her husband could 否定する her nothing. She was wearing a Hattie Carnegie dress of stiff blue silk besprinkled with tiny gold 星／主役にするs and a fifty-thousand dollar sable coat; clips, necklace and bracelet of diamonds and emeralds. She sat a little 今後 in the taxi, smoothing the wrinkles out of her gloves, while Mack from his corner watched her with a 肉親，親類d of agony of 願望（する） and 失望／欲求不満. A tall man, Mack, beginning to grow a little 激しい; dark, handsome, self-indulgent 直面する; famous for his perfect grooming. "We're half an hour late," he growled.

"What of it?" said Bea. "They won't sit 負かす／撃墜する without us."

"It's damn bad manners!"

"Nonsense. Nobody's on time. Not important people anyhow. I 目的（とする）d to be late to-night."

"Why, for God's sake?"

"Because I wasn't going to let Gail Garrett make an 入り口 on me. That old woman!"

"All 権利," growled Mack. "But please remember that she's still an important person in my 商売／仕事."

"She's slipping 急速な／放蕩な. It's ridiculous the way she tries to hang on to Gavin Dordress. Anybody can sec that he is sick of her."

"What is it to you?"

"Nothing. But I hate to see Gavin made a fool of."

"Leave it to him."

"A man is no match for a woman in a 状況／情勢 like this. Gavin needs the help of another woman in getting rid of Gail Garrett."

A spasm of 怒り／怒る crossed Mack's 直面する. "Meaning yourself?" Bea smiled confidently. "You keep out of this!" growled Mack. "I won't have it!"

Bea leaned over and slid the glass across so that the chauffeur could not hear. "Don't speak to me like that," she said coldly. "I am not accustomed to it."

"All 権利," said Mack. "But you leave Garrett alone, that's all."

"So she's important to you," said Bea with a disagreeable smile. "Are you thinking of engaging her?"

"No. But I don't want any 反目，不和 started."

"Mercy! I'm not going to do anything. I don't have to. The woman already hates me as much as it is possible for one woman to hate another."

"All 権利," growled Mack.

Bea smoothed her gloves. "I'm やめる looking 今後 to this dinner," she murmured. "I 推定する／予想する to enjoy myself. I suppose Gavin will put Garrett at his 権利 手渡す and me at his left. Then we'll see."

Mack drew his lips 支援する. "All 権利! But don't forget that a man can stand only so much!"

"What on earth are you talking about?" she said, turning to him. He 辞退するd to answer her. "Are you going to carry on like this every time a man 行為／法令／行動するs as if he liked me?"

"I don't care about any other man. It's only this man..."

"He's your oldest friend."

"So much the worse."

Bea shrugged elaborately. "I don't see how I can 行為／法令／行動する any 異なって. I certainly can't 始める，決める out to keep Gavin Dordress at arm's length. He's your partner. It's 絶対 必須の to you." Mack said nothing. "I should think you'd be glad to help him get rid an incubus like Garrett. It would be 悲劇の if he gave her the lead in his new play. She's finished. Worse than 悲劇の, it would be bad for 商売／仕事."

"All 権利," said Mack. "But you keep out of it."

"What's the new play about?" she asked. "I don't know."

"You 発表するd it a week ago."

"That's a 決まりきった仕事 事柄. It's not finished, I 港／避難所't seen it, and he has told me nothing about it."

"Does he ーするつもりである to give the lead to Garrett?"

"I don't know."

"井戸／弁護士席, are you going to let him give her the part?"

"I never 干渉する with the casting of a Dordress play."

"Don't be a fool!" said Bea はっきりと. "Let us 直面する realities. Do I or do I not get this part?"

"Better wait and see the play."

"That's got nothing to do with it. There has to be a 主要な woman's part and I'm going to play it. It's the next step in my career. I've been planning this for years."

"Was that why you married me?" growled Mack.

"For heaven's sake, this is 商売／仕事!" she said. "Try to look at it from my point of 見解（をとる）. The new Dordress play will be the number one event of the season. 自然に I play the lead. If the play was produced by Mack Townley and Mack Townley's wife did not get the lead it would be like a 非難する in the 直面する, it would be like repudiation."

"The final choice 残り／休憩（する）s with Gavin," said Mack.

"O, I'll take care of him," said Bea confidently. "I'll see that he wants me to play the part."

Mack's 直面する turned blackish, and his 権利 手渡す clenched instinctively. "By God!" he muttered. "By God!..."

Bea, busy with her thoughts, did not notice him. "His giving a dinner at this time 落ちるs just 権利," she said. "I'll get him to tell me about the play. I'll clinch the 事柄 to-night..."

Mack broke out in a low, 厚い 発言する／表明する. "God damn the play! And Gavin Dordress, 道具 I'll have nothing to do with it. Let him find another 経営者／支配人!"

Bea turned her 長，率いる 速く and looked at him from between 狭くするd lids. "I'm fed up!" 嵐／襲撃するd Mack. "Fed up, do you hear? Gavin this and Gavin that; you din his 指名する into my ears from morning until night. The man has laid a （一定の）期間 on you. Do you 推定する／予想する me to stand for it? Gavin and Gavin's play! No, by God! I'm through with him and I'll tell him so to-night. I'm going to take you away from all this!"

"You don't mean what you're 説," put in Bea 静かに.

"All 権利! You'll see!" he cried.

"Listen to me," she said. "You're at the 長，率いる of your profession in New York and London. The first nights of the plays that you put on are important social events. The people don't come to see your 有望な 注目する，もくろむs. It's because you're the fashion. If you 減少（する） Gavin Dordress, Maurice Stein will get him, or Sam Nikodemus, or Gregory McArdle, and he will become the fashion. You will be 手渡すing a 広大な／多数の／重要な fortune to one of your 競争相手s, while you 減少（する） into second place!"

"I'm going to retire," muttered Mack. "I've made enough. We'll travel abroad."

"Who, me?" said Bea. She laughed delicately, and paused to 許す the sound to 沈む in. "Can you see me fluffing from one European 訴える手段／行楽地 to another with nothing to do but 交流 gossip with the other wives and get fat? You can do it if you want. Not me. I'm twenty-nine years old and I'm not going to やめる until I get to the 最高の，を越す of the ladder. Get that. When I agreed to marry you it was understood that you were to help me in my career. If you chuck your part of the 取引 don't 推定する／予想する me to keep 地雷. The day you 減少（する） Gavin Dordress I go to Reno!"

"By God! you're a 冷淡な-血d proposition!" muttered Mack, beaten.

"That doesn't help any," said Bea pettishly. "Really, Mack, I don't understand you. With all your experience you must know that in our profession 商売／仕事 is all mixed up with personal relations. You can't separate them. If, ーするために get this part, it is necessary for me to cajole the author, and even appear make love to him a little, why should you care? You must have been through it a hundred times before."

Mack shook his 長，率いる ひどく. "No. Never before," said 静かに. "Because I'm in love with you, Bea, And there's something in a man more powerful than 商売／仕事 政策, or making money or getting ahead of others. A man may keep it under for years, may never have known that it was there, but it breaks out...it breaks out...!"

Bea appeared to relent a little. She patted his 手渡す, did not look around. She was 意図 on her own thoughts. "I'm crazy about you!" he murmured. "You （機の）カム into my life at a time when I thought all that was past. It is like a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 in me. It scorches. Everything in me is changed. You can make my life either a heaven or a hell on earth!"

"耐える!" she said in a fond 発言する／表明する, but her 表現 had not changed.

"Tell me you are not so 冷淡な-血d as you make out!"

"Of course I'm not! I was talking 商売／仕事!"

"Tell me you're just a little fond of me."

"Certainly I am. Or I wouldn't have married you."

"Kiss me, Bea!"

She obediently turned her 長，率いる. "Don't muss me!" she 警告するd. He kissed her gently, his 手渡す の近くにing hard over hers. "Ouch! You're 傷つけるing my 手渡す."

"Sorry, dear...Let's not go to this dinner," he pleaded. "Honestly, I don't feel up to it!"

"But we must!" she said. "We're there! We can't 支援する out now...Besides, the 事柄 may be decided to-night. If I am not there, Garrett will wangle the part out of him!"

"All 権利," he said ひどく. "But I feel that it is a mistake."

"But Mack, we understand each other now. If you see me 存在 very nice to Gavin you will know it is only through 動機s of 政策."

"You are not nice to him through 動機s of 政策," he said darkly. "The man excites you. I have 注目する，もくろむs."

"I will be extra nice to you after we have left," she said softly.

"All 権利. But don't goad me too far while we're there." It was like a groan. "Don't goad me!"

When they got out of the cab. Mack hung 支援する ーするために give the photographers a fair show at Bea. Bea smiled dazzlingly at each young man in turn. "Hello, boys! We 会合，会う again."

"Couldn't be too often for me, 行方不明になる Ellerman," said one. The bulbs flashed. When Bea passed on they took Mack in turn. When Mack had disappeared into the apartment house one young man said to another: "Townley's showing his age."

CHAPTER V.

GAVIN DORDRESS and his guests had moved into the studio after dinner. This was a big room 占領するing the entire westerly end of the penthouse with windows on three 味方するs looking out on the neat box hedges of the roof-garden. The window curtains were drawn 支援する and coloured lights were strung in the garden to make a festive 影響. At the 支援する of the garden the 塀で囲む of the 隣接するing building rose some fifteen feet higher, covered with a lattice over which vines were trained in summer. Indoors, Gavin did not go in for decorative fads: the room was of no period, but 単に comfortable, with 深い 議長，司会を務めるs, mellow old rugs, shaded lamps and endless 棚上げにするs of hooks. A 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was 燃やすing.

The setting was 権利 for a good party, and the company 高度に ornamental. Gavin, Mack, Emmett and Siebert were tall, handsome men, and 物陰／風下, though his 人物／姿／数字 was tubby, had a 独特の 長，率いる; all the women were beautiful women, each in her own style, except poor Louella. にもかかわらず, it was not a good party; there was no 欠如（する） of brittle talk and laughter, but it had 予備交渉s like 雷鳴 on the horizon.

Gavin had become aware of it as soon as they sat 負かす／撃墜する to the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. He could not talk all the time; he was hungry. And as soon as he fell silent, the ladies at his 権利 and left, with a too-perfect 儀礼 and sweetness, began taking 発射s at each other. In his mind Gavin consigned them both to the devil. His own clever Cynthia was silent and distrait. He could do little with Louella Kip because she was afraid of him. He 演説（する）／住所d himself gratefully to Fanny Parran, whole sharp answers were delightful. But when he talked to Fanny, both Gail and Bea began to 発射する／解雇する their darts in her direction, and Gavin, for Fanny's own sake, felt 強いるd to leave the girl alone. He was relieved when the ladies left the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する.

The men were no better. Mack Townley had drunk too much; Siebert Ackroyd's comely young 直面する was white and tight-lipped. Neither would talk; they ちらりと見ることd at Gavin with barely-隠すd animosity. Gavin inwardly shrugged them off. In the brightly lighted room Emmett Gundy had the look of a handsome boy who had started to wither before he was やめる 円熟した. His would-be flattering 発言／述べるs were curdled with envy. Nursing his brandy goblet between his 手渡すs and 匂いをかぐing the old Armagnac, he simpered: "This is the incense of popular success." When he lit a cigar he said: "I suppose some Cuban admirer 現在のd you with these."

Only 物陰／風下 Mappin was his own 乾燥した，日照りの, comical self, and Gavin's heart warmed to him. His best friend! They talked about college days, hoping to draw in the other two classmates, but without success. As soon as the men had drunk their brandies, Gavin led them to the ladies in the sunroom, hoping for the best. The tight smiles which 迎える／歓迎するd them were not 安心させるing. What a party! Gavin ちらりと見ることd at Cynthia for humorous sympathy, but Cynthia was sunk in her own painful thoughts. From the sunroom they proceeded to the studio. Townley, tall, dark, regal in the starry blue dress, looked around. "So this is where masterpieces are produced!"

Gavin said: "I wish I could think so."

"So, is this the first time you have been in this room, darling?" asked Gail. と一緒に Bea she looked a little insipid. The gathered chiffon dress was too youthful. Gail was straightening a picture on the 塀で囲む, and returning a 調書をとる／予約する to its place on the shelf with a proprietary 空気／公表する that made Bea's 注目する，もくろむs snap. "O, dear no!" said Bea. "I have spent happy hours here. But every time I enter I have the same feeling of awe."

"It will wear off," said Gail.

"Can I have a Scotch and soda?" growled Mack.

"Surely," said Gavin, 圧力（をかける）ing a bell. Even the perfect Hillman was upset to-night, Gavin 観察するd with wry humour when his servant entered, wheeling the 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業. Hillman's lean 直面する was drawn and grey; his 注目する，もくろむs and his 手渡すs shook a little when he put ice in the glasses.

When Gavin took a glass from him he said: "You may go home with the other men when they finish up. If we want anything we'll serve ourselves."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," said Hillman.

After he had left the room 物陰／風下 Mappin said, just to be 説 something: "Doesn't Hillman sleep in?"

"No," said Gavin. "He's a family man. He has a home of his own. Servants せねばならない be 許すd to live normal lives like anybody else."

"O!" exclaimed Bea. "Do you mean to say that after the butler goes home you are all alone here on this roof?"

"Surely." said Gavin, "Why not?"

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Hardly. I've reached the age when I love to be alone."

Fanny Parran was beside him at the moment. "That's hardly polite," she murmured.

"井戸／弁護士席, do you 非難する me?" Gavin asked, smiling 支援する.

Fanny ちらりと見ることd over the company. "No. If it was me, I'd tell them all to get the heck out!"

Gavin laughed. "If they were all like you what a good party it would be!"

"You're pretty nice yourself," said Fanny.

Gail and Bea, 観察するing this low-発言する／表明するd 交流, moved from different directions to break it up. Bea said to Gavin: "I don't think it's 権利 for you to be alone at night. Suppose you were taken sick!"

"I am never sick," said Gavin. "If I should be, the telephone is beside my bed."

"You might be too sick to use it."

"If I was unconscious what difference would it make to me?"

"You don't look as if you were going to be sick," said Bea, languishing at him, "but men who are so much in the public 注目する，もくろむ are always a 示す for kidnappers, 夜盗，押し込み強盗s, cranks, and so on."

"Anybody who lives in 恐れる might 同様に die and be done with it," said Gavin. "The elevator man is there to 保護する me from 侵入者s. And up here on the fifteenth 床に打ち倒す it is hardly likely anybody is coming in by the window."

Gail ちらりと見ることd scornfully at Bea: "Anybody who tried to 取り組む Gavin would 悔いる it. He is 武装した."

"Are you?" said Bea.

Gail moved に向かって an 巨大な flat-topped desk at the south end of the room. She said: "He keeps a gun here." Pulling out the middle drawer, she 選ぶd up a 商売／仕事-like 黒人／ボイコット (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃, and 展示（する）d it. There was something terrible in her smile. "You seem to be familiar with them," said Bea.

"I use a gun like this in my 現在の play."

"Put it away, Gail," said Gavin good-humouredly. "I hate to see anybody fooling with a 負担d gun."

Bea, her 直面する sharpened by curiosity, had joined Gail at the desk. Gail returned the gun to its place. Bea's 注目する，もくろむs ran over the contents of the wide, shallow drawer. と一緒に the gun lay a pile of typescript with 是正s and interlineations in a quaint and individual 手渡す. At the 最高の，を越す of the first page was typed the 肩書を与える: The Changeling. "O here is the 広大な／多数の／重要な play!" cried Bea. "Won't you read it to us, Gavin?"

Gail stood a little away from the desk, watching Bea with a slight, malicious smile. Fanny Parran and Louella Kip, who did not know Gavin very 井戸／弁護士席, 追加するd their 発言する／表明するs to Bea's. "O, do read it, Mr. Dordress!"

Gavin shook his 長，率いる. "I never read my own stuff aloud," he said, obstinately good-humoured.

"Please!" chorused the three women.

Emmett spoke up: "Leave him alone," he said with a sour smile.

"He hates to be the centre of attraction."

"The truth is," said Gavin, smiling, "I have listened to too many young 脚本家s laughing and sobbing over their own lines."

"But の中で your intimate friends..." pleaded Bea.

"Shut the drawer, Bea," growled Mack. "Can't you see that he hates to have his work touched?"

Bea smiled at her husband in a manner that presaged trouble later, and slowly 押し進めるd the drawer in. Returning to Gavin, she said: "井戸／弁護士席, tell us something about the play: tell us the story of it."

He shook his 長，率いる. "It is always likely to be stood on its 長，率いる or turned inside out up to the very moment when it is 手渡すd to the typist."

Fanny, to create a 転換, asked: "Don't you have a 長官?"

"No," he said, 示唆するing by his smile that if he could have one like her he would. "If she's young she tries to vamp you; if she's old she tries to boss you...I have a girl in occasionally for correspondence. 令状ing a play is a slow 商売／仕事. I can type やめる 急速な／放蕩な enough to keep up with the flow of my ideas."

"Tell us about the people in the play," said Bea cajolingly.

She seated herself beside Gavin on the sofa and laid a 手渡す on his arm. From across the room Mack's glowering 注目する，もくろむs watched her. "Not a word," said Gavin, smiling and 会社／堅い. "It's the only 支配する I ever made for myself-and kept."

"Then nobody in the world but you knows what is in that play?" said Bea.

"Nobody in the world! Mack is taking a big chance in 発表するing its 生産／産物."

"I could still 辞退する to produce it," growled Mack.

Everybody except Gavin laughed as at a good joke. Bea, laughing the loudest, said to Mack: "You won't do that!"

"O, I don't know," he growled.

Gavin ちらりと見ることd at him, puzzled. Mack 辞退するd to 会合，会う his 注目する，もくろむ.

It was Emmett Gundy who made the first move to break up the ill-starred party. He 交流d a meaning look with Louella and they arose. It was no more than ten o'clock. The 必然的な empty politenesses were 交流d. "Must you go? It's so 早期に."

"Sorry," said Emmett, "but we have 約束d to join some friends at the Coq 紅."

Louella looked as if this was news to her. She had too honest a 直面する for society. Gavin and Cynthia …を伴ってd them to the door of the room. "Are you going to be tied up to-morrow, Gavin?" asked Emmett off-handedly.

"I'll be working on my play. I 港／避難所't made any 約束／交戦s."

"Could I see you for a few minutes after working hours? I want to ask your advice about rewriting my novel."

"Surely. 減少（する） in about five."

When they had gone, Gavin said, low-発言する／表明するd: "Stand by me, Cyn. I want you to stay until after everybody has gone."

She looked quickly in his 直面する. "Surely, Dad."

物陰／風下 and Fanny were on their feet. "Must you go?" said Gavin with real 悔いる.

"Must!" said 物陰／風下. They moved into the foyer and he 追加するd: "Fanny and I thought this would be the quickest way to break it up. This party was doomed not to 栄える."

"Dear old 物陰／風下!" said Gavin 温かく.

"Why this sudden burst of affection?"

"You 向こうずね like a good 行為 in a naughty world!"

"I've been called many things in my time," said 物陰／風下. "But that's a new one."

"I'm sorry it wasn't a good party," said Gavin to Fanny.

"Ask me again."

"I shall."

When Gavin and Cynthia turned to go 支援する, they met Siebert, very stiff and good-looking, coming out of the studio. Cynthia, with the slightest of 屈服するs, passed on into the room. "Must you go?" said Gavin. "I was hoping you would stay on a little."

"Thanks," said Siebert, "but I'm sure you and Cynthia want a little time together."

Gavin was drawn to this young man. "It's a long time since you have dropped in on me, Siebert. When are we going to have another game of chess?"

"Chess is all very 井戸／弁護士席 for you," said Siebert, "but I have my way to make. I can't take the time for it."

"井戸／弁護士席...I'm sorry," said, Gavin. "You had the makings of a good player. Goodnight, Siebert."

Siebert went on to get his things.

Gavin looked 疲れた／うんざりした when he re-entered the studio. In the beginning he had 発揮するd himself to make things go; now he didn't care. Thus, when Mack growled: "Get your things, Bea," he said nothing.

Bea made no move. "It's only ten o'clock," she said. "Gavin will think we're not enjoying ourselves. Sit here, Gavin."

Gavin sat beside her. Mack left the room. Bea looked after him indifferently, and 動揺させるd on: "You and Cynthia must dine with us very soon, and that handsome fellow, Siebert...and, of course, you, Gail."

"Thanks." said Gail.

She was sitting opposite them with a 恐ろしい 直す／買収する，八百長をするd smile. She was squeezing a handkerchief in her 手渡す, and she had bitten off all the lip-stick from her lower lip without knowing it. Bea, flaunting her beauty and freshness, said: "What night shall it be, Gavin? I want to make this a very special occasion."

"I'd rather not make any 約束／交戦s until I get the play off my 手渡すs; four or five days; a week at the outside."

"Very 井戸／弁護士席, let me know. I want to 協議する you about the other guests..."

Bea's flow was checked by the return of Mack. He had her coat over his arm. "Come on," he said. Bea saw that she could not 反抗する him without creating a scene and got up slowly. "Husbands are so peremptory!"

All five of them passed out into the foyer, and stood there while Mack helped his wife into her coat. Gail made no move to get her things. "Can we put you 負かす／撃墜する anywhere, Gail, dear?" said Bea.

"Thanks, darling. I'm not やめる ready."

Bea's 注目する，もくろむs glittered. She ちらりと見ることd across the sunroom. "How lovely the garden looks under the lights!" she said. "Show it to me, Gavin. It won't take a minute."

"Very 井戸／弁護士席," said Gavin woodenly.

They crossed the sunroom. The 重要な to the garden door hung と一緒に the door-でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる. Gavin opened the door and they went out, の近くにing the door behind them. The three waiting in the foyer could see them dimly through the glass. Gavin was calling Bea's attention to something off to the South. Bea slipped her 手渡す cosily under his arm, and they passed out of sight.

Gail and Mack continued to 星／主役にする out through the glass. They had forgotten where they were. Cynthia 急いでd to make conversation: "Dad 協議するd a man up in the Bronx Botanical Gardens about 工場／植物ing the sunroom. Everything looks as if it was growing 自然に, doesn't it? Some of the 工場／植物s are very rare..."

Neither Gail nor Mack paid any attention and her 発言する／表明する 追跡するd away. It was so 静かな they could hear sounds from the pantry where the servants were washing up. Moment followed moment, 増加するing the 緊張する. Finally Gail said in an unnaturally sharp 発言する／表明する: "I'd like to see the garden, too."

She crossed the sunroom and went out, leaving the door open. Outside she started to run. Mack watched her for a moment, glowering, then silently went after her. Cynthia, after hesitating painfully, followed Mack.

They 設立する Gavin and Bea standing beside the parapet at the east end of the roof. Behind them a wasted moon was rising over the river, and the pinpoint lights of Queensborough stretched away to infinity. When Cynthia （機の）カム up to the group, Gail was 説 shrilly: "You better look after your wife, Mack! She needs it!"

"Don't want your help," growled Mack.

"She's loose! She's ありふれた! She's cheap!" shrilled Gail. "See her trying to brazen it out..."

"Gail, for God's sake, be 静かな!" said Gavin. His 発言する／表明する was 疲れた／うんざりした with disgust.

"Come in!" growled Mack to Bea, with a jerk of his 長，率いる に向かって the house door.

"You have no 権利 to speak to me like that!" retorted Bea. "Am I your servant?"

Mack raised his 発言する／表明する わずかに. "Come in!" he repeated. "Or you'll get worse."

Bea turned to Gavin. "You hear, he 脅すs me! He's mad! It is dangerous for me to go with him!"

"He is your husband," said Gavin coldly.

That was all that was said, but the 発言する／表明するs, that is, three of the 発言する／表明するs, were so 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d with venom as to make the youngest person 現在の feel 肉体的に sick. Such a scene was new to Cynthia. Somehow or other they 設立する themselves in the sunroom again. Gavin drew Cynthia's arm under his. She felt better when she saw his 直面する. It was 疲れた／うんざりした and disgusted, but there was no loss of dignity there.

Mack made straight for the door of the apartment. He held it open for Bea to pass through. She, having 回復するd herself partly, took her time about it. "I'm going," she said to Gavin, "not because he orders me to, but because I want to end a painful 状況／情勢. Good-night, Gavin. Good-night, Cynthia, dear. Goodnight, Gail." She went out with a nonchalant 空気／公表する. Gail sneered.

Mack, 準備するing to follow Bea, looked furiously at Gavin. "Give your play to whoever you like," he said. "I'm through!"

"That 控訴s me," said Gavin levelly. The door slammed.

Gail, with a grotesque 試みる／企てる to 回復する her usual sugary manner, said: "Cynthia, darling, I want a few words alone with Gavin. You will excuse us, I'm sure. Such old friends!"

Cynthia looked at her father, then at Gail. She said coolly: "I'm sorry, but Dad just said he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to speak 個人として to me."

Gail caught her breath, and looked at Gavin. "Is this true?'"

"You heard her," said Gavin.

Gail could scarcely articulate now. "So! So! You put this child ahead of me now! You're using her as a 保護物，者! This chit! Don't think that I can't see through your pitiful 回避s..."

Cynthia ran away 負かす／撃墜する the 回廊（地帯）. Gail was still 嵐／襲撃するing when she returned with the ermine coat over her arm. "Your coat, 行方不明になる Garrett."

"Am I 存在 put out of the house now?" cried Gail. "Gavin, will you stand for that? Do you put me out of your house?"

Her 直面する was so distorted with 激怒（する） neither Gavin nor Cynthia could 耐える to look at her. Since she 辞退するd to put her 武器 through the sleeves of her coat, Cynthia hung it over her shoulders. Gavin opened the door. "Are you going to let me go 負かす／撃墜する into the street alone?" cried Gail. "Me? There is no doorman in this 哀れな house to find me a taxi!"

Gavin hesitated. "Hillman is still here," said Cynthia. She ran into the pantry and fetched the butler out. "Hillman," said Gavin, "go 負かす／撃墜する with 行方不明になる Garrett and get her a cab."

"Yes, sir."

"You'll be sorry for this, Gavin!" cried Gail. "Remember, I 警告するd you!...I 警告するd you!"

Gavin の近くにd the door, and he and Cynthia looked at each other. "What a mess!" he said wearily. "My child, I'm so sorry you had to be let in for it!"

"It won't 傷つける me," said Cynthia. "I'm not made of glass." She laughed shakily. "You are too attractive to the ladies, Dad."

"It's not my attractiveness," said Gavin, "but something more sordid. These women are fighting to get a part in my play."

"Which one gets it?"

"Neither."

They dropped on a sofa と一緒に the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. After a while Cynthia said: "I'd better go, too. I feel done up, and so do you."

"Don't go," said Gavin. "Why don't you stay all night?"

"I 港／避難所't my things."

"I wish you'd come here and live," he said wistfully. "It would be so jolly to have you in the house."

She shook her 長，率いる 堅固に. "I love my independence. And so do you. We can be friends without living together."

"I shall never give another party," said Gavin. "Why do people give parties?"

"Don't say that."

"Even Hillman. What the devil do you suppose is the 事柄 with Hillman?"

"He confided in me a little yesterday," 'said Cynthia. "He is married to an ambitious wife. She twits him all the time because he's only a servant. She tells him that their children are old enough now to be ashamed of him. She wants him to give up his 職業 and do something for himself. Hillman tells her he has no money. She says if he would use his wits he wouldn't be without money."

"Poor devil!"

Cynthia stood up. "I must go, Dad."

"Wait! What's the trouble between you and Siebert?"

Cynthia turned away her 長，率いる. "Ah, don't ask me! He's impossible! Always pestering me to marry him!"

"Aren't you a little in love with him?"

She looked at the 床に打ち倒す. "Yes," she murmured. "That's just the trouble. He's so good to look at...and such a boy! But I can't 尊敬（する）・点 him, Dad."

"Siebert's a good lad; sound at heart; able, too."

"I know. I know. But he has no imagination, 非，不，無 of the finer 質s."

"What of it? These 極度の慎重さを要する, imaginative creatures are not 平易な to live with, Cyn. Siebert is very much of a man."

"You can say that about him!" she said in surprise. "You ought to hear the way he 乱用s you!"

Gavin laughed. "Jealous, eh? I seem to be in everybody's way!"

"Don't say that!" cried Cynthia, putting her 武器 around him. "You are my ideal!"

"Ideals are all very 井戸／弁護士席," said Gavin, smoothing her hair. "But I advise you to think twice before sending Siebert away. I suppose he 飛行機で行くs into a 激怒（する） and uses bad language. That's a manly 証拠不十分, my dear. If you married him his ridiculous jealousy would disappear."

"No! No! No!" said Cynthia. "He is impossible!"

"井戸／弁護士席...I'm sorry."

He kissed her good-night at the door. "We'll feel better in the morning, Cyn."

"Will you go to bed now?" she asked.

"I'll read a little while to compose my mind. I'll call you when I wake."

"Do, dear."

Hillman said: "Shall I get you a cab, 行方不明になる?"

"No, indeed. I am accustomed to going about by myself."

"Good-night, 行方不明になる."

"Good-night, Hillman."

In the elevator the boy Joe asked her with a sharp look: "Is the party over, 行方不明になる?"

"Yes," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"井戸／弁護士席, everybody's in the house now except the real late birds. If I'm not 手配中の，お尋ね者 for a couple of hours I could get a sleep."

As Cynthia waited on the corner for a taxi, an 半端物-looking 人物／姿／数字 passed by, a tall man with 激しい, stooping shoulders, a foreigner by the look of him. An old, yellowish overcoat as shapeless as a 捕らえる、獲得する hung from his shoulders without touching him anywhere and he wore a leather aviator's helmet that fastened under his chin. He kept his 長，率いる 負かす／撃墜する as he walked; he had on 厚い glasses and had an uncanny way of looking around them. At the moment Cynthia scarcely noticed him, but the strangeness of his 外見 was impressed on her subconsciousness.

CHAPTER VI.

CYNTHIA lived in a small walk-up apartment, parlour, bedroom and bath, in a 変えるd dwelling in West Fifty-fifth Street, not half a mile from Gavin's place. She let herself in and threw her coat on a sofa. Her little living-room no longer seemed the same 港／避難所 of peace and freedom. One of the first things that caught her 注目する，もくろむ was a でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れるd photograph of Siebert on her desk. She thrust it 直面する 負かす／撃墜する in a drawer. After a while she drifted 支援する to the desk, and taking out the photograph, looked at it a long time. She ちらりと見ることd at the clock; 10.50. After painful hesitation, she 選ぶd up the telephone and dialled a number. Her 表現 示唆するd that she had no 意向 of humbling herself, but was willing to give Siebert a chance to say he was sorry.

He did not answer. She hung up and going slowly into the bedroom started to undress. For a long time she lay open-注目する，もくろむd in her bed waiting for the telephone. It did not （犯罪の）一味. When she finally slept with wet 攻撃するs on her cheeks, her sleep was broken by bad dreams. Distorted 直面するs formed and 解散させるd in 前線 of her; Gail Garrett; Mack Townley; the envious Emmett Gundy; the sharp-featured elevator boy; even Hillman, weak, desperate and furtive.

She was awakened by a roaring that seemed to be inside her 長，率いる. It 解決するd itself into the （犯罪の）一味ing of the telephone bell. She ちらりと見ることd at the 病人の枕元 clock; 7.50. Her 直面する （疑いを）晴らすd as if by 魔法, and she ran into the next room with 向こうずねing 注目する，もくろむs.

But it was not the 深い 発言する／表明する that she longed to hear, and her 直面する fell. This was a man's 発言する／表明する so distracted and broken she did not recognise it. "行方不明になる Dordress?"

"Yes. Who is it?"

"Hillman, 行方不明になる...O, 行方不明になる!...There has been an 事故...I don't know how to tell you...!"

An icy 手渡す was laid on Cynthia's breast. "My father?"

"Yes, 行方不明になる...Come quickly!"

"What has happened?" cried Cynthia. The frantic Hillman had already hung up. She threw on her 着せる／賦与するs anyhow and got a cab at the door. In five minutes she was at the door of the Madison Avenue apartment. Short as the time was, a thousand horrors had 示唆するd themselves. She fought them off by 説 to herself: Hillman is a fool! He 誇張するs the trouble.

There was a different boy on the elevator. This was Harry, whom Cynthia liked. "What has happened?" she asked him breathlessly.

He turned away his 長，率いる. "I don't know, 行方不明になる. They'll tell you."

He is afraid to tell me! she thought; it is the worst! Hillman opened the door of the apartment. His 注目する，もくろむs were red-rimmed, his 手渡すs shaking. At the sight of her his 注目する，もくろむs filled with weak 涙／ほころびs. "O, 行方不明になる...!"

"What has happened?" cried Cynthia.

"Your father..." He was unable to go on. Cynthia turned to run to her father's bedroom. "Not there. He's in the studio." When she turned in that direction, he caught 持つ／拘留する of her. "You mustn't go in there."

Cynthia, frozen, dropped weakly in a 議長，司会を務める, 星／主役にするing at the man. "Is he?...is he?...am I too late?"

Hillman nodded. "Mr. Dordress has passed away."

"No! It can't be so!"

"Yes, 行方不明になる. Many hours ago."

Cynthia covered her 直面する with her 手渡すs. She did not weep. "Send for Mr. Mappin," she whispered.

"He's on his way, 行方不明になる."

When the bell rang Cynthia turned her haggard 直面する to see who it was. Two or three-important-looking men 押し進めるd in as if they had a 権利 to enter. One was in uniform with a lot of gold braid. Police! Several underlings followed, carrying paraphernalia of different sorts. "This way, please, gentlemen," stammered Hillman, 主要な them に向かって the studio.

"What are the police doing here?" whispered Cynthia.

When the bell rang again she went to the door herself. It was 物陰／風下 Mappin. He took her in his 武器. "My dear, dear child!"

She drew herself away. "Never mind me. Go in there. 物陰／風下. In there! And for God's sake come and tell me what has happened."

She dropped 支援する in the 議長，司会を務める and waited like a woman of 石／投石する.

When 物陰／風下 entered the studio he saw the 団体／死体 of his friend lying 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd on the 床に打ち倒す 近づく the fireplace. He drew a long breath to 安定した himself. Gavin's 権利 arm was outstretched and 近づく it lay a 黒人／ボイコット (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃 as if it had been knocked from his 手渡す as he fell. Under his 長，率いる a pool of 血 had spread out on the parquet 床に打ち倒す and coagulated. The 負傷させる itself was hidden. Gavin's 注目する，もくろむs were 直す／買収する，八百長をするd and 星／主役にするing. 近づく him a police photographer was ひさまづくing on the 床に打ち倒す, 準備するing to take a picture of the 団体／死体. 物陰／風下 looked around the room. The 始める，決める-up was familiar to him; Captain of the 管区; 中尉／大尉／警部補 of 探偵，刑事s, another 探偵，刑事, 医療の examiner, 指紋 専門家 and so on.

Captain Kelleran knew him. "Good God! Mr. Mappin, what are you doing here!" he exclaimed. "Gavin Dordress was my oldest friend," said 物陰／風下.

"I didn't know that. You have my sympathy."

"When did this happen?" asked 物陰／風下.

"About nine hours ago. Say ten-thirty or eleven last night. There is nothing here to 利益／興味 us professionally. 明確に a 自殺."

"He had everything to live for," murmured 物陰／風下.

"He left a letter," said the Captain, 手渡すing 物陰／風下 a manilla sheet that appeared to have been torn off a pad on Gavin's desk. "I take it that's his handwriting?"

Gavin as a young man had taken the trouble to form a 高度に decorative 手渡す. The quaintly-formed characters were inimitable. "Undoubtedly," said 物陰／風下. He read the letter with a masklike 直面する. "Do you recognise the gun?" asked the Captain.

Instead of answering 直接／まっすぐに, 物陰／風下 went to the desk at the other end of the room and pulled out the middle drawer. He said: "Gavin kept his gun here. It's gone. It was of the same style and calibre as that on the 床に打ち倒す. We may assume that that is his gun."

"So you see..." said the Captain, spreading out his 手渡すs. "We'll check 指紋s on the gun to make sure. There are 砕く 燃やすs around the 負傷させる."

There was something else about the drawer that made 物陰／風下 look thoughtful. He returned to the fireplace. The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 had been out for many hours. On 最高の，を越す of the dead embers lay the charred 残余s of many 燃やすd papers. One sheet had partly fallen out, and the 最高の，を越す of it was unburned. 物陰／風下 could read a typed 肩書を与える: The Changeling. So Gavin had 燃やすd the new play before 殺人，大当り himself. This was no 商売／仕事 of the policeman's and 物陰／風下 said nothing about it.

Taking the letter, 物陰／風下 returned to Cynthia in the foyer. She raised her 尋問 注目する，もくろむs to his, and he said 簡単に: "Gavin has left us."

"What was it?" she whispered. "Heart?...Why the police?"

"He took his own life."

Cynthia, wildly 星／主役にするing, stammered: "No, 物陰／風下, no!"

He put a 手渡す on her shoulder. "You must 直面する it, my dear. He had the 権利 to leave us if he wished to."

"Yes," she agreed. "But he couldn't have done it!...Last night when I left him there was no such thought in his mind. He was looking ahead to our 未来..."

"Then it was a sudden impulse."

"No, 物陰／風下! Dad was not a creature of impulse. He was stable!"

物陰／風下 手渡すd her the letter. A spasm of 苦痛 crossed the girl's 直面する at sight of the decorative characters.-There was neither salutation nor 署名. She read: "I have reached the 首脳会議 of my life-indeed I appear to have passed it. I have done my best work. There is nothing before me but a slow 拒絶する／低下する in 力／強力にする. I wish to be remembered by my best, and so I choose to 令状 the End while I can do it 堅固に. Men live too long.

"What are the thoughts of a man who pauses on the brink of the unknowable? I have often wondered. Now I know. He thinks of his childhood; the first tree climbed; the first little creek that was swum from bank to bank. Those were the biggest successes of life. Later he remembers the words that remained unspoken; the ワイン untasted; the kisses that were not given. They are the sweetest. He hears the first sleepy 公式文書，認めるs of awakening birds, and sees a lake gleaming in the 夜明け. And always the 星／主役にするs, his unchanging companions, who mocked him when he was 始める，決める up, and 慰安d him when he was cast 負かす／撃墜する.

"This is the last thought: Man is not worthy of his beautiful earth. The worst that has been said about man's life is true; it is cruel, ugly and evil-but who would give up the 特権 of sitting in on so magnificent a show? I have seen it, and I leave the theatre without 悔いる."

Cynthia's 涙／ほころびs were 落ちるing 急速な／放蕩な before she （機の）カム to the end. Some moments passed before she could speak. "Was this all?" she whispered. "Nothing...not one word for me?"

"That is all," said 物陰／風下. "He would not leave me without a word!" she cried. "物陰／風下, I will not believe that he killed himself! There are people who wished him dead."

"It must be 直面するd," said 物陰／風下. "There is the gun, the 砕く 示すs. The letter sounds like Gavin."

"It sounds like him," she agreed; "but it has a made-up sound. It is like something he might have written in a play."

"Cynthia, my dear, you are only tormenting yourself!"

"Why shouldn't I be tormented?" she burst out. "He would not leave me without a word...Listen, 物陰／風下, we （機の）カム の近くに to each other for a moment last night as I was leaving. There was nothing much said. We understood each other without speaking. You cannot mistake such a moment. After that he could not have left me without a word. I do not believe he killed himself. I will never believe it....Look at this letter! Notice how in the first line he has changed "apex" to "首脳会議"; 負かす／撃墜する below he wrote "most men" and then crossed out "most," and changed "abyss" to "unknowable." Would a man be thinking about literary 影響 when he was about to die?"

"Habit, perhaps," said 物陰／風下. "He wrote the letter. How else can it be explained?"

"It sounds like something out of a play," 主張するd Cynthia. "Let us read the new play and see if there is not a 手がかり（を与える） there."

"He 燃やすd it," said 物陰／風下.

"燃やすd it? Why should he?"

"井戸／弁護士席, he 暗示するs in the letter that he was 不満な with it."

"暗示するs! 暗示するs! Words can 暗示する so many things! He doesn't say that he was 不満な with it. He told me he thought it was good."

"いつかs there is a reaction. Every writer knows what that is like."

Cynthia was not listening. "物陰／風下, suppose that this letter is something that Dad wrote for his play. He was always making changes and 挿入するing new pages either in type or longhand. The 殺害者 設立する it. He would then be 強いるd to destroy the 残り／休憩（する） of the play, wouldn't he, ーするために 隠す the fact that this had been taken from it?"

"That is too far-fetched!" 反対するd 物陰／風下.

"What do you mean, far-fetched?"

"It is incredible that the 殺害者-if there was a 殺害者, should have つまずくd on something that （機の）カム so pat to his needs."

"Perhaps he read the play first and this letter 示唆するd the 計画（する） of the 殺人."

"Gavin would 許す no one to read the play."

"There were plenty of people who were crazy to get a line on it. Hillman may have betrayed Dad while he was out. Hillman..." She pulled up suddenly, and her 注目する，もくろむs 広げるd.

"What is it?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Hillman has something on his mind."

"自然に, after..."

"O, this began many days ago."

"Where does Hillman live?" asked 物陰／風下.

"I don't know. It's in Gavin's 演説（する）／住所 調書をとる／予約する." Captain Kelleran （機の）カム out of the studio with his men tailing after him. He 屈服するd to Cynthia with 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な sympathy and drew 物陰／風下 aside. "There is nothing in this 事例／患者 for the police," he said. "With an ordinary magnifying glass we could identify Mr. Dordress' 指紋s on the gun without the necessity of taking photographs. The 医療の examiner will 手渡す you the necessary 許す for burial, and we will trouble you no more. Please 伝える my sympathy to the young lady."

"Thank you. She will 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる it, Captain." 物陰／風下 shepherded them out through the door.

When they were left alone Cynthia （機の）カム and 負傷させる her 武器 around 物陰／風下's neck. "Thank God, I have you!" she said. "Bless your heart!" he murmured. "Have I 納得させるd you that Gavin did not kill himself?" she asked, looking 深い into his 注目する，もくろむs. "No, my dear," he said 厳粛に. "So far this is only a surmise on your part. We must have 証拠."

"Then look for it! Look for it!" she said, 勧めるing him with her 手渡すs. "Before anything is moved or changed, before any one else comes. You can lay 明らかにする the truth. 物陰／風下, if anybody can."

"I'll do my best," he said.

CHAPTER VII.

THE bell rang. "This will be the reporters," said 物陰／風下.

"Don't let them in!" exclaimed Cynthia in horror.

物陰／風下 stopped Hillman on his way to the door. "Wait a minute." He said to Cynthia: "We can't keep them out, my dear. I'll take care of them. You go into the guest-room. You should stay here for the 現在の, because you can't 保護する yourself from 侵入者s in your own place. I'll send for Fanny Parran to be with you."

"I don't want anybody."

"Fanny is a woman in a thousand. She'll 行為／法令／行動する as if nothing was the 事柄."

"I want to be with Dad," said Cynthia piteously.

物陰／風下 thought of the 黒人／ボイコット stain under Gavin's 長，率いる. "You shall be," he 約束d. "When I get these people out of the house."

物陰／風下 took the 警戒 of locking the studio door and pocketing the 重要な. A 群れている of reporters and photographers was then 認める. More were arriving 絶えず. 物陰／風下 told them a plain story of what had happened, and let them copy Gavin's letter. He answered every question that he considered a proper one, but nipped in the bud every 試みる／企てる to make a sensational mystery of the 事例／患者. That section of the 圧力（をかける） which 栄えるs on sensation was disappointed. One or two of the men from the more unscrupulous sheets 辛勝する／優位d to the door of the studio and tried it. 物陰／風下 said: "That's all now, boys. I've got a lot to do. I'll receive you again at eleven o'clock to give you anything that may break in for the later 版s."

They left.

Fanny arrived, saddened and wondering. 物陰／風下 said to her: "I rely on you. Keep your ears open and your mouth shut. I want you to stay with Cynthia for the 現在の. Keep her 占領するd if you can. There must be family letters to 令状 and so on. She is under the delusion that her father was 殺人d, and we must appear to humour it."

Fanny's 注目する，もくろむs 広げるd. "You don't think that..."

"Please God there's nothing in it!" said 物陰／風下. "One can 直面する the fact that Gavin left us because he wished to go, but if he was taken...I...Read that!" he said, 手渡すing her the letter. "What does it 示唆する to a woman's intuition?"

Fanny read the letter, and considered. "It sounds," she said slowly, "-what shall I say? Just a little highfalutin for a man so simple and natural as Mr. Dordress."

物陰／風下 looked at her in surprise. "That's what Cynthia said. I hope you're both wrong. Go to her."

物陰／風下 locked himself in the studio for an hour. When he （機の）カム out his 穏やかな 直面する was 厳しい and grey. 会合 Hillman drifting around the foyer like a lost soul, he said: "You may telephone for the undertaker now. Let him arrange the 団体／死体 都合よく on a couch in there, and see that the 床に打ち倒す is washed, so that 行方不明になる Cynthia may see her father before he is taken away."

"Yes, sir."

物陰／風下 went on to the two girls in the guest-room. When Cynthia saw his 直面する she cried out: "What have you discovered?"

He hesitated. "Tell me everything that is in your mind," she pleaded. "扱う／治療する me like a man. It is the kindest thing you can do. What I cannot 耐える is to be kept in the dark."

"I agree," said 物陰／風下. "What I have discovered raises a 疑問 in my mind that Gavin killed himself."

"I knew he wouldn't leave me without a word," murmured Cynthia.

"What did you find?" asked Fanny.

物陰／風下 still had Gavin's letter in his 手渡す. He said: "The yellow pad from which this sheet was 推定では torn was not lying on Gavin's desk when we were in the room last night. The inference is that he got it out later. If you run your finger lightly along the 最高の，を越す of this paper you can feel microscopic pieces of glue 粘着するing to it. When I placed this sheet on 最高の，を越す of the pad and 診察するd the 辛勝する／優位s under a strong glass, I saw that these specks of glue do not fit with the glue that remains on the pad. In other words, this is not the last sheet that was torn off that pad. As a 事柄 of fact, the pad was twice as 厚い as it is at 現在の when this sheet was torn off it."

The 注目する，もくろむs of both girls 広げるd when they took in the significance of this. "Also," 物陰／風下 went on, "Gavin's fountain pen was on his desk. I find that he uses the sort of fluid that 令状s blue and darkens with time. When I made 実験（する）s with the 署名／調印する I saw at once that this letter was not written last night. It is several days old, かもしれない more than a week."

"What did I tell you?" said Cynthia.

"Wait! It is possible that Gavin may have written this several days ago and have been keeping it."

Cynthia shook her 長，率いる. "He could not have had any such idea when he was talking to me last night."

"A 偽造?" 示唆するd Fanny.

"We may 解任する that 可能性," said 物陰／風下. "Gavin certainly wrote this letter."

"For some other 目的," said Cynthia obstinately.

"You may be 権利, but until we have その上の 証拠, we must still reckon on the 可能性 of 自殺...There is something else."

"Yes?" asked Cynthia anxiously.

"Six little 示すs on Gavin's forehead, as if he had struck against something, not hard. I don't know yet what they signify. The police were so sure it is 自殺 they paid no attention. I have made a sketch of the 示すs."

"Anything else?" asked Cynthia.

"I 設立する Gavin's 演説（する）／住所 調書をとる／予約する, but the little 調書をとる／予約する bound in green Morocco which he entered ideas for 陰謀（を企てる）s, scenes and characters is 行方不明の."

"It was always in Gavin's desk," said Cynthia.

"What happened last night after Fanny and I went home?" asked 物陰／風下.

Cynthia 述べるd what had taken place word by word, as closely as she could remember. She cried out passionately: "It is 平易な to see who..."

物陰／風下 held up his 手渡す. "Wait! My first 支配する is: Never be 満足させるd with the obvious explanation. We must always have the unknown 量 in mind. If there is a 殺害者 it may be somebody we never heard of."

"If, if, if," murmured Cynthia. "You will 運動 me crazy with your ifs!"

物陰／風下 smiled at her. "Bless your heart!...We don't know all the circumstances of Gavin's life."

"If you are 暗示するing that there is anything discreditable..."

"I'm not," said 物陰／風下; "but if there is, what difference would it make to those who loved him?"

涙／ほころびs gathered in Cynthia's 注目する，もくろむs. "I noticed that there was a 確かな coldness between you and Siebert last night," 物陰／風下 hazarded.

Cynthia told him 簡潔に what had happened.

There was a knock on the door. It was Hillman to say that Mr. Kinnaird was asking for Mr. Mappin. Kinnaird was Gavin's 弁護士／代理人／検事, a young man. 物陰／風下 went out to 会合，会う him. The two gripped 手渡すs. "Is there anything I can do?" asked Kinnaird.

"Answer a question," said 物陰／風下. "You have his will?"

"Yes."

"Is it proper for you to tell me the 準備／条項s?"

"Surely. You and I are 指名するd as executors. It's a 簡潔な／要約する will. He leaves everything to his daughter except for two bequests. Fifty thousand dollars to the Authors' League 基金, and five thousand to his servant, Robert Hillman."

"So," said 物陰／風下.

"You don't 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う that..."

"I 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う nothing," said 物陰／風下, "but I must look into everything."

The two men discussed the さまざまな 対策 that must be taken in 尊敬（する）・点 to Gavin's death. When the lawyer had gone, 物陰／風下 演説（する）／住所d Hillman in his 穏やかな way. "Hillman, tell me about Mr. Dordress' movements yesterday."

The gaunt man-servant was an abject 人物／姿／数字. His hair was disordered, and the neat 黒人／ボイコット 屈服する had crept around to the 味方する of his collar without his 存在 aware of it. A natural grief for his master was hardly 十分な to account for the frantic look in his 注目する，もくろむs. 物陰／風下 観察するd that he had continually to pause and swallow his saliva. "Mr. Dordress was working very hard on his play, sir. He was in the studio from breakfast until lunch, and again after lunch. He went out for a little while in the afternoon, but he was home by three and at work again. He worked until it was time to dress for dinner."

"Did he say where he was going when he went out?"

"To the bank, sir."

"Any place else?"

"He didn't say, sir."

"Any 訪問者s yesterday?"

"There are always 報知係s, sir, but I had strict orders to say he was out. He saw only one man. Mr. Alan Talbert."

"Who's he?"

"A young gentleman; a 脚本家, I believe. He 演説（する）／住所d Mr. Dordress as 'The Master.'"

"How long did he stay?"

"A few minutes only. The others who called were..."

"Never mind if they didn't see him...Now as to last night; as I understand it, Mr and Mrs. Townley left together; すぐに afterwards 行方不明になる Garrett left; then 行方不明になる Cynthia."

"That's 権利, sir."

"What did you do then?"

"The 雇うd servants had already gone, sir. I just looked around to see that everything was all 権利, and I went home, too. Ten to eleven it was when I left."

"How long was that after 行方不明になる Cynthia had gone?"

"Twenty minutes to half an hour, sir."

"Did you see Mr. Dordress before you left?"

"Yes, sir. Went into the studio to ask if there was anything he 手配中の，お尋ね者."

"What was he doing?"

"Sitting in his big 議長，司会を務める, sir, reading."

"Did he appear to be composed?"

"O, yes, sir. Spoke to me 静かな and friendly. Said there was nothing he 手配中の，お尋ね者."

"Did you notice what he was reading?"

"No, sir. A little 調書をとる／予約する with a green cover."

"He must have put it 支援する on the shelf. It's not anywhere around now."

"Yes, sir."

"So you were the last person to see him alive," said 物陰／風下 静かに.

Hillman's 直面する broke up. He was squeezing his 手渡すs together to 支配（する）／統制する their trembling. "Don't say that, sir!" he stammered. "O, don't say that!"

"Why not?" said 物陰／風下, 影響する／感情ing to be surprised.

"That's what they always say of a person when he is 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd of...of...Mr. Dordress was a good master. I have worked for him nine years...how could I...?"

"You are not 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd of anything," said 物陰／風下 mildly. "Have you any 推論する／理由 to believe that Mr. Dordress did not kill himself?"

"No...yes...how should I know?" stammered Hillman. "There was bad talk here last night. You know about it."

"I know about it," said 物陰／風下 dryly. "But everything points to 自殺. I 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う nobody. I am 調査／捜査するing 単に to （疑いを）晴らす up any possible 疑問. Keep your mouth shut, Hillman. We must be careful not to start anything that might sully Mr. Dordress' 指名する."

"O, yes, sir! Did you know, sir, that 行方不明になる Garrett was overheard to 脅す Mr. Dordress' life?"

"Who overheard her?" asked 物陰／風下.

"One of the waiters from Millerand's, sir. It was when she first （機の）カム. 行方不明になる Garrett was the first to arrive."

"I hope the man will keep his mouth shut," said 物陰／風下.

"He said he would, sir."

物陰／風下 熟考する／考慮するd the butler. "Look at me, Hillman." The servant tried hard to keep his 注目する，もくろむs 直す／買収する，八百長をするd on 物陰／風下's, but they would not obey him. "What are you afraid of?" asked 物陰／風下.

Hillman began to tremble. "I...I'm not afraid, sir. Only 苦しめるd. My master...to go like this..."

物陰／風下 削減（する） him short. "Did you know you were 負かす／撃墜する in his will for five thousand dollars?"

Hillman made his 直面する look glad and surprised, but it was not 納得させるing. "O, Mr. Mappin! No, sir. I didn't know! Five thousand dollars! I can scarcely believe it!"

"It's true," said 物陰／風下, watching him.

"When will I get the money, Mr. Mappin?"

"I can't tell you 正確に／まさに. In a week or two, I suppose. Have you a special need of it?"

"Yes, sir. I'm buying a little restaurant, sir."

"If Mr. Dordress had not died where would you have got the money?"

"I suppose I would have gone to the 貸付金 sharks, sir."

Taking a new line, 物陰／風下 asked: "What about the boy who was on the elevator last night?"

Hillman was relieved. "Joe Dietz, sir."

"Is he a friend of yours?"

"No, sir. Not to say a friend. I never took to the boy."

"Why?"

"He's too nosey. Always making up some excuse to get into the apartment. He pesters the guests for autographs and sells them."

"Get him here if you can without 誘発するing his 疑惑s. I don't want to start anybody thinking there is a mystery about Mr. Dordress' death."

"Yes, sir."

Joe Dietz was hanging around in the ロビー below and Hillman was able to produce him in a few minutes. An under-sized young fellow with a mean 表現; sharp 注目する，もくろむs darting in every direction. "Where is he?" he asked.

物陰／風下 ignored the question. Hillman had his ears stretched, and 物陰／風下 sent him into the studio to tidy it up. To Joe he said: "行方不明になる Dordress was the last of the guests to leave last night, and after that Hillman went home?"

"That's 権利, sir. Do you 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う that the boss was 殺人d?" he asked, licking his lips.

"No," said 物陰／風下. "Mr. Dordress killed himself. I am 単に trying to 設立する a 動機. Keep your mouth shut and I'll see that you are taken care of."

"Yes, sir. You can depend upon me, sir," said Joe fawningly.

"After 行方不明になる Dordress went home, how long was it before Hillman left?"

"I couldn't tell you 正確に／まさに, sir."

"井戸／弁護士席 was it a long time or a short time?"

"Shortish."

"An hour?"

"Not so long."

"Half an hour?"

"Maybe. I didn't take no particular notice."

物陰／風下 was unable to pin him 負かす／撃墜する. He couldn't tell whether the boy was trying to throw 疑惑 on Hillman, or was 保留するing the 決定的な answer to 増加する his own importance. 物陰／風下 let it go for the moment. "After Hillman had gone home did you take anybody else up to Mr. Dordress' apartment?"

"No, sir."

"What were you doing at the time?"

"I took a sleep, sir."

"Where?"

"On the （法廷の）裁判 in the elevator. I left the door open."

"Where are the stairs in this building?"

"They run up in a fireproof 軸 と一緒に the elevator."

"Is there a door to the stairs in the foyer?"

"Yes, sir. 権利 beside the elevator."

"While you were sleeping couldn't somebody have come up the stairs?"

"No, sir. The door's locked. It's a spring lock. If there was a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and the tenants run 負かす／撃墜する the stairs they could open the door from the inside. But on the outside you have to have a 重要な."

"How did Hillman look when he （機の）カム to work this morning? 苦しめるd? Excited?"

"No, sir. He looked the same as usual."

"Joe," said 物陰／風下 very casually, "did you come up here to Mr. Dordress' flat last night after Hillman had gone?"

Joe became very excited. "No, sir! No, sir I What for would I come up here so late? I 断言する I never saw Mr. Dordress last night. May God strike me dead if I ain't telling the truth!"

"Leave God out of it," said 物陰／風下 dryly. He felt that the boy was lying somewhere.

"Mr. Mappin, can I see him?" asked Joe with unpleasant 切望. "No," said 物陰／風下.

After the boy had gone 物陰／風下 called up Stan Oberry. Stan operated a small, high-class 探偵，刑事 機関, and 物陰／風下 was accustomed to calling on him for 援助. "Stan," he said, "there are two men that I want tailed. The first is Joe Dietz, an elevator boy at — Madison Avenue. He's hanging around the ロビー of the house off 義務, if you can send a man over. Joe is the ネズミ-直面するd one. The other man is George Hillman, Mr. Dordress' servant. He'll be busy in the house all day. While waiting for him, your man might go up to 729 Calhoun Street, the Bronx, where he lives, and 選ぶ up all he can about Hillman's family, his 最近の movements, and his habits 一般に."

"Okay, 物陰／風下."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE bell rang. When Hillman opened the door, the tall 人物／姿／数字 of Siebert Ackroyd entered quickly. Siebert was terribly upset. "Is 行方不明になる Dordress here?" he 需要・要求するd of Hillman.

"I'll see, Sir."

"For God's sake, tell me plainly, is she here or isn't she?"

"I don't know if she can see anybody, sir."

"井戸／弁護士席, go tell her I'm here."

物陰／風下 Mappin, 審理，公聴会 the 発言する／表明するs, （機の）カム out of the studio. He 迎える／歓迎するd Siebert coolly, and Siebert, 観察するing it, 強化するd. 物陰／風下 said to Hillman: "Wait a moment."

"Are you giving the orders here?" said Siebert 怒って.

"So it would appear," said 物陰／風下.

"By whose 当局?"

"Cynthia's."

"And are you going to 妨げる me from seeing her?"

"Not at all. I 単に 手配中の，お尋ね者 to have a few words with you first. Come in here." He led Siebert into the gunroom out of the 審理，公聴会 of Hillman.

Siebert made an 成果／努力 to 打ち勝つ his angry manner. "Mr. Mappin, this is a terrible blow to me," he said. "Please overlook it if I...if I..."

"Sure," said 物陰／風下 equably. "...It is more terrible even than it appears, Siebert...I have 推論する／理由 to believe that Gavin did not kill himself."

"What!" cried Siebert. "You mean you think "—his 発言する／表明する sunk—"殺人d?"

"It is possible," said 物陰／風下. "I know I can rely on you to say nothing."

"But how?...how?" stammered Siebert.

"I don't know. What did you do when you left here last night?"

Siebert's 直面する 炎上d with 怒り／怒る. "By God!' are you 示唆するing that I...!"

物陰／風下 betrayed impatience. "That's a foolish answer, Siebert. I am '示唆するing' nothing. I don't know what happened. I 港／避難所't any theory as yet. It's my 義務 to follow up every line wherever it may lead. Where did you go last night?"

"I don't have to answer you," muttered Siebert.

"Of course not. But a 拒絶 to answer leads to a 確かな inference..."

A blank look come into Siebert's 直面する. "I can tell you where I went," he said slowly. "But I have no corroboration of it."

"井戸／弁護士席, tell me anyhow."

"I walked the streets," said Siebert bleakly. "I was all upset. I had quarrelled with Cynthia."

"I know that," said 物陰／風下.

This made Siebert freshly angry. "So she tells you all about me, eh?"

"What streets?" asked 物陰／風下.

"I couldn't tell you. I went over on the East 味方する because I didn't want to 会合，会う anybody. I went into different 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業s and drank. I couldn't point them out to you."

"What time did you get home?"

"I don't know. It was after two. They could tell you at the Allingham, where I live."

物陰／風下 nodded. "I'll tell Cynthia you're here," he said.

He 設立する the two girls in the guest-room. Cynthia, with a 静かな white 直面する, was dictating the necessary family letters to Fanny. 物陰／風下 said: "Siebert is here."

Cynthia sprang up. A little colour （機の）カム into her 直面する. "You want to see him, then?"

"Siebert? Why of course!"

物陰／風下 took her 手渡す. "My dear!" he said 厳粛に.

"What is it, 物陰／風下?" she asked, anxiously searching his 直面する.

"Keep a 会社／堅い 支配する on yourself!"

Cynthia was very quick of 逮捕. Every 痕跡 of colour drained out of her 直面する. "物陰／風下...you don't 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う that Siebert could have...?"

"I don't 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う him." he said. "I have no 証拠. But he could have done it."

"O, no! no!" she whispered. "Not Siebert! I couldn't 耐える it. 物陰／風下!"

"My dear," he said. "I believe you are 勇敢に立ち向かう enough to 直面する anything."

Cynthia went quickly to the sunroom. 物陰／風下 waited for her in the foyer. When Siebert saw Cynthia coming, his angry, virile 直面する turned imploring and his 手渡すs went out to her. "Cynthia!"

She stopped short of him. He took a step に向かって her, but she fended him off. "Has Mappin put that ugly 疑惑 into your mind?" he 需要・要求するd. "Have you turned against me?"

She shook her 長，率いる. "I don't think there's anything in it."

"If I could only tell you how I felt when I heard what had happened!" he said brokenly. "I mean, because I was angry at Gavin last night and spoke against him. God help me! I felt as if it was my fault somehow. My 激怒（する） was only a flash in the pan, Cyn. I was sore because you kept me at arm's length. I had nothing against Gavin, really. Nobody knows better than me what a 罰金 man he was!"

"Thank you, Siebert," she whispered.

His 武器 went out again. "Cynthia!"

She shook her 長，率いる. "I can't! I am all empty inside...I have no feeling for anything or anybody now...except him...Thank you for coming, Siebert."

He turned from her and strode out of the apartment without looking at 物陰／風下. "He 行為／法令／行動するd 不正に," Cynthia murmured to 物陰／風下; "he got angry. But that doesn't mean anything. Whenever Siebert is 苦しめるd or upset he 飛行機で行くs in a temper and 攻撃するs out at whoever may be around him. It's just a boyish trick."

"Very likely," said 物陰／風下.

"物陰／風下, it couldn't have been Siebert!" she murmured, searching his 注目する，もくろむs for 確定／確認.

He 圧力（をかける）d her 手渡す. "Don't you believe me?"

"I neither believe nor disbelieve. I hope you're 権利. I'm waiting for 証拠."

"Then find it!" she cried. "Find it quickly! I must know the truth or I'll go out of my mind!"

"Do you know Alan Talbert?" asked 物陰／風下.

"I've met him; a handsome young man, a 脚本家, a 広大な／多数の／重要な admirer of Dad's. Dad spoke of him as rather a silly fellow, but likeable."

"Is that all?"

"That's all I know."

CHAPTER IX.

AFTER Cynthia had been given an 適切な時期 to be with her father, Gavin's 団体／死体 was 除去するd to a funeral 設立. 物陰／風下 received the reporters again, and answered their questions as far as he thought proper. 物陰／風下 was an old 手渡す in 取引，協定ing with the 圧力（をかける）, and notwithstanding the reporters' cleverness, they were unable to 抽出する an admission from him that there was anything unexplained about the death of Gavin Dordress. By this time the news was all over town, and a long 行列 of 報知係s began; Gavin's admirers, actors who had appeared in his plays, 脚本家s he had encouraged. 非，不，無 of the other guests at dinner the night before called or phoned, and 物陰／風下 始める，決める out in search of them.

First to the Townley Theatre where Mack 持続するd a luxurious 控訴 of offices. The outer room, where a line of 脚本家s and actors was usually waiting, was empty now. 物陰／風下 was told that Mr. Townley had telephoned he would not come to the office. 物陰／風下 could not go behind that, though the 脅すd 直面するs of elevator boy, receptionist and 長官 示唆するd that Mack was in fact in the building, probably in one of the unbridled 激怒（する）s for which he was known. 物陰／風下 left a 公式文書，認める for him, and proceeded to the Townley apartment on Park Avenue. Here a 木造の-直面するd man-servant told him that Mr. Townley had gone to his office. "There's a 欠如（する） of team-work," said 物陰／風下 dryly. "Is Mrs. Townley in?"

"No, sir."

"Can you tell me where she may be 設立する?"

"I don't know, sir."

"When will she return?"

"She didn't say, sir."

While 物陰／風下 was talking to the man a trunk was carried across the foyer and out through a service door. "Has Mrs. Townley left the city?" he asked at a 投機・賭ける.

"井戸／弁護士席, yes, sir," 認める the servant.

"Why didn't you say so at once? Where has she gone?"

"I have not been 知らせるd, sir."

物陰／風下 could get no more out of him. Nor were the hallmen any more communicative. From a booth in a drugstore he called Stan Oberry again. "Stan, I have been 知らせるd that Bea Ellerman, that is, Mrs. Mack Townley, has left town. Find out for me where she's gone. In the 事例／患者 of so 目だつ a person it ought not to be difficult. If you have a 控えめの man on call, let him try to find out what led to this sudden 出発. A woman might get it better."

"Okay, 物陰／風下."

Then to the Hotel Conradi-Windermere where Gail Garrett 賃貸し（する）d an apartment. 物陰／風下 did not send up his 指名する but proceeded 直接／まっすぐに to Gail's ４半期/4分の1s in the tower. The door was opened by Gail's own maid, Catherine, who was known to 物陰／風下. The 年輩の woman was pale and shaken. 物陰／風下 made believe not to notice anything out of the way. "Good morning, Catherine. I'd like to see 行方不明になる Garrett for a moment."

"She's not in," muttered Catherine.

物陰／風下 could hear Gail's 発言する／表明する behind the の近くにd door of the living-room. He 押し進めるd past Catherine. After all, he had known Gail Garrett for fifteen years.

"It won't do you no good!" complained Catherine. "She won't see you. She won't see nobody!"

"She is seeing somebody now," said 物陰／風下.

"It's Mr. Bittner from the theatre."

物陰／風下 seated himself in the foyer. "I will wait until she is 解放する／自由な."

Catherine, wringing her 手渡すs together, went away through a service door.

物陰／風下 heard the rumble of a man's 発言する／表明する behind the living-room door. The words were indistinguishable. Then Gail's 発言する／表明する, shrill and strident: "I don't care! I won't appear. I won't! I won't! I won't, do you hear? All 権利, put a notice in the paper; return the money. Don't you think I have any feelings?"

Another rumble. "Get out!" 叫び声をあげるd Gail with a startling 新規加入 of profanity. "You're 運動ing me mad! Get out! Get out, you fool! の近くに the show. I will never 行為／法令／行動する again! Never! Never! I'm through!"

Little 議員 Bittner, Gail Garrett's 生産者, （機の）カム out of the living-room very red in the 直面する. The door slammed behind him. The two men nodded to each other; Bittner said to 物陰／風下 with a desperate 空気／公表する: "She 辞退するs to go on to-night. She wants me to の近くに the show. You are her friend. Try to get her to listen to 推論する／理由."

"Give her a little time, Bittner," said 物陰／風下. "She's had a terrible shock."

"But if 行方不明になる Garrett is unable to go on because Gavin Dordress shoots himself, it will make a スキャンダル. It will 負傷させる her."

物陰／風下 shrugged.

The little man went on out waving his 手渡すs.

物陰／風下 knocked on the living-room door. "Gail, it's me. 物陰／風下 Mappin."

"Go away!" answered a strangled 発言する／表明する.

"Sorry, I have to talk to you. It's imperative."

"Go away!"

物陰／風下 opened the door and walked in. The 広大な／多数の／重要な beautiful room decorated in the style of Louis 掴む by a master, was all in disorder. One of the gilt 議長，司会を務めるs was overthrown; 着せる／賦与するs, pillows, torn papers were scattered about. Gail, wearing an (a)手の込んだ／(v)詳述する negligee, sat crouched in a 議長，司会を務める bent almost 二塁打 as if in physical 苦痛. In her 手渡すs she had a handkerchief that she was slowly 涙／ほころびing into shreds. Her 直面する was 荒廃させるd-by grief, 激怒（する）, 恐れる; it was impossible to tell which; perhaps all three. She looked terrible and she didn't care. "Get out!" she said sullenly, with scarcely a ちらりと見ること at 物陰／風下. "I told you not to come in. Have I no privacy in my own home? Can't I ever be left alone?"

"I'm sorry," said 物陰／風下, "but you must listen to me for a few moments." He sat 負かす／撃墜する.

She sprang up in a 激怒（する）. "Must? Must? I'm not accustomed to that sort of talk and I'm not going to take it from you! Leave my rooms or I'll telephone to the office and have you put out!"

物陰／風下 直面するd her out. "You're only making a show of yourself," he said calmly. "If you will stop to think, you must realise that I have always been your friend, that I was Gavin's friend..."

She heard only one word of this. Clapping her 手渡すs to her 長，率いる she began to pace the long room with uneven steps. She had neglected to fasten the negligee around her, and it streamed open 明らかにする／漏らすing her nightdress. "Gavin! Gavin! Gavin!" she wailed. "He's gone! Nothing can bring him 支援する to me. I shall never touch his 手渡す again, nor hear the sound of his dear 発言する／表明する! I cannot 耐える it! I will not 耐える it!"

物陰／風下 waited with a わずかに 冷笑的な 空気／公表する for her to exhaust herself. She turned on him suddenly. "You sit there as calmly as if you had come to tea!" she cried. "You feel nothing! You are 残忍な!"

"What I feel or do not feel has nothing to do with it," said 物陰／風下. "I have work to do. There is 推論する／理由 to believe that Gavin did not kill himself."

He 公式文書，認めるd that she was not surprised. She 再開するd her pacing. "What difference does it make?" she 嘆く／悼むd. "He is gone and nothing can bring him, 支援する to me."

"Last night you were overheard to 脅す his life," said 物陰／風下.

That 逮捕（する）d her attention. She stopped, 星／主役にするing at him wildly, 圧力（をかける）ing her 直面する between her 手渡すs. "Overheard? By whom?"

"One of the waiters 雇うd for the evening."

Gail sneered. "It's a 嘘（をつく）! He can't 証明する it!"

"He can 証言する to it."

"Nobody would believe a waiter!"

"Unfortunately there were other unpleasant 出来事/事件s. The scene when you left."

"Who would dare to 告発する／非難する me?" she 需要・要求するd.

"My dear," said 物陰／風下 dryly, "nobody is 安全な from an 告訴，告発."

She was 脅迫してさせるd by the 静かな 発言する／表明する. She said, taking a lower トン: "Would you 告発する／非難する me of such a thing, 物陰／風下?"

He met her 注目する，もくろむs squarely. "Certainly, if I had 証拠 that it was true."

She became more 懐柔的な. "But 物陰／風下, everybody knows what an angry woman is. She makes terrible 脅しs without meaning a word of it. You know I loved Gavin. I am 粉々にするd by his loss!" 物陰／風下 said nothing. "What did you come here for?" she asked はっきりと.

"To get you to tell me the truth as far as you know it...What did you do when you left Gavin's last night?"

"I （機の）カム home."

"権利 away?"

"Just as quick as a taxi could bring me."

"Did you enter the hotel through the ロビー?"

"I never use the ロビー. I （機の）カム in the 私的な 入り口 for the tower apartments."

"There are two elevators," said 物陰／風下. "Which one did you use? 権利 or left as you 直面する them?"

Gail's lip curled. "I suppose you are going to 立証する my 声明s by 尋問 the elevator boys."

"Surely."

"All 権利. I （機の）カム up in the left-手渡す elevator. And it was operated by the one they call Vincent, one of the older 従業員s. I hope you're 満足させるd."

"Thank you," said 物陰／風下. "Did you go out again later?"

Gail bit her lip, hesitated, blurted out: "No!" すぐに she 追加するd: "I suppose you'll question the boys about that, too."

"自然に."

"All 権利," she said defiantly. "I'll save you the trouble. I did go out again."

"Where did you go?"

"I won't tell you."

"That looks bad, Gail."

"I don't care how it looks. I was on my own 私的な 商売／仕事."

"For your own sake I ask you to tell me," 物陰／風下 said. "After all these years you must know that you can 信用 me."

"You'll get no more out of me," she said with, tight lips.

物陰／風下 got up. "Then I'll have to find out through other sources."

"I wish you luck."

"I met Bittner outside," said 物陰／風下. "The poor fellow was in despair. Of course, he stands to lose a fortune if you 主張する on his の近くにing the show."

"の近くにing the show?" said Gail はっきりと. "Whoever 示唆するd such a thing?"

"You did."

"O, for God's sake!" she cried melodramatically, "why must you all take me so literally! I'm not going to の近くに the show. I'm a good trouper. I shall go on as usual to-night though my heart is breaking!"

"Then you'd better telephone him," 物陰／風下 示唆するd dryly.

Through one of the 経営者／支配人s of the hotel who was an 知識. 物陰／風下 got in touch with Vincent, the elevator boy. Vincent told him that he had taken up 行方不明になる Garrett about ten-thirty the previous night, and almost すぐに afterwards had carried her 負かす／撃墜する again. She had taken a taxi at the 私的な door. It was a driver who 定期的に served the hotel, and Vincent was able to give 物陰／風下 his 指名する. Later in the afternoon the taxi-driver （機の）カム to 物陰／風下's office and told the に引き続いて story: "行方不明になる Gail Garrett 雇うd me at the 私的な door of the Conradi-Windermere about twenty to eleven. I recognised her from pictures. She looked bad. I thought she had been drinking. She told me to take her to — Bayard Street on the East 味方する. That's a bad neighbourhood. 近づく Chinatown. The Nonpariel Social Club 占領するs two 床に打ち倒すs at that number. She sent me in to ask for a guy called "Cagey." He was there, playing pool, and I brought him out to her..."

"What sort of fellow?" interrupted 物陰／風下.

"He was 井戸／弁護士席-指名するd," said the taxi-driver. "ギャング（個々）, if I know anything. A 悪賢い, smooth young guy with a 塀で囲む 注目する，もくろむ. Swell dresser. Eyetalian 降下／家系. A two-gun man by the look of him."

"Go on," said 物陰／風下.

"He leans in the 支援する of the cab and 会談 to her. I can't hear much but I makes out he's bawling her out for coming to him and leaving a wide-open 追跡する. Seemed funny a young East 味方する guy would have the 直面する to talk to Gail Garrett like that. I 人物／姿／数字s he must have something on her. 井戸／弁護士席, she gets out and 支払う／賃金s me, and I 運動 away leaving them there, that's all."

"Damn!" muttered 物陰／風下. "Didn't you realise that you were on the 跡をつける of something? Didn't you watch them?"

The driver compressed his lips. "Sure, I thought it was funny, but it was 非，不，無 of my 商売／仕事. Us hackies can't afford to get nosey. Mister. The nosey ones just don't last." 物陰／風下 gave him a tip and 約束d that there would be more in it for him later if he kept his mouth shut.

物陰／風下 phoned to Stan Oberry for a 報告（する）／憶測 on the 青年 known as "Cagey" who was a member of the Nonpariel Social Club in Bayard Street. Within a couple of hours he was in 所有／入手 of the に引き続いて:

"Francesco Chigi (American pronunciation 'Cagey') known also as Frank Chigi, Cecco Chigi and Cagey Frank. 23 years old; born at — Mulberry Street where his parents still live, but they have not seen him since he （機の）カム out of 刑務所，拘置所. Spent most of his boyhood in さまざまな 改革（する） Schools and Houses of 是正. Has served two years in Sing Sing for 強盗 and 強襲，強姦. Is now credited with 存在 one of Manny Peglar's 'torpedoes,' i.e., 殺し屋s. Was 逮捕（する）d and tried last year for the 殺人 of Goose McAuley, member of a 競争相手 ギャング（団）. Acquitted for 欠如（する） of 証拠. A dangerous man. Is said to derive a good income from victimising 豊富な women. Several such are known to have fallen for his good looks. The police say that it is useless trying to 起訴する such 事例／患者s. I have 立証するd your （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） that he was called out of the Nonpariel Social Club at ten-fifty last night by a richly-dressed woman. They drove away in a taxi. He has not been seen around his usual haunts to-day. I have no （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） as to his 現在の home. 付加 報告（する）／憶測 will follow."

When 物陰／風下 returned to the Dordress apartment the nervous Hillman said that Mr. Mack Townley had not called on the phone. Mr. Emmett Gundy was waiting in the sunroom. 物陰／風下 went in to Emmett. No 事柄 how poor Emmett was he contrived to be 井戸／弁護士席 dressed. He would have gone without food sooner than show himself さもなければ. He was wearing the blue fur overcoat which 物陰／風下 thought silly. 物陰／風下 had known him for twenty-five years, but had not seen much of him lately. Out of doors with his hat on, Emmett could still pass for a handsome young man. But of late his 直面する had taken on the sour look of one who feels that he is not 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がるd. He said the things that 物陰／風下 had already listened to twenty times that day. "What a terrible thing, 物陰／風下! Little did I think last night that I would never see Gavin again! I can scarcely realise that he's gone. Every moment I 推定する／予想する to see him come walking out of the studio. I didn't hear of it until I went out at noon. Why didn't you send for me? Is there anything I can do?"

Emmett had always been like that; self-centred. He couldn't get excited about anything except what 関心d himself. 物陰／風下 sat 負かす／撃墜する, suddenly conscious of an 巨大な weariness. He had had no time to indulge his own grief. "There is nothing to do," he said. "It has all been taken care of...But I'd like to ask you a question or two."

"Sure," said Emmett, "anything at all."

"You are one of Gavin's closest friends; first, I must tell you there is a 疑惑 that he may not have killed himself."

"I'm not surprised," said Emmett. "There were ugly passions brewing here last night...What 証拠 have you?"

"事実上 非，不，無. It is 主として Cynthia. She 辞退するs to believe that her father killed himself."

"That's natural enough," said Emmett. "Maybe when she gets over the shock she'll forget her 疑惑s."

"Maybe."

"What did you want of me?"

"You and Louella Kip were the first ones to leave here after dinner last night. Where did you go?"

Emmett smiled thinly. "You don't think that I...?"

"No! No!" said 物陰／風下 wearily. "Gavin has been 事実上 keeping me for the last three months. It's not likely that I..."

"Of course not. But answer the question."

"I told Gavin we were going on to another party," said Emmett. "That was just an excuse to get away. As a 事柄 of fact, Louella and I went 直接／まっすぐに to my place. I had been discussing with her some changes I was going to make in my novel, and we got out the script and went to work on it. We got so 利益／興味d in it we worked for three or four hours. It was two o'clock before she went home."

"Where is your place?" asked 物陰／風下.

"It's a 捨てる on East Thirty-fourth Street," said Emmett. "Number —. Just one room. I've been so broke lately I couldn't afford anything better."

"Walk-up?"

"Sure."

"Did anybody see you come in, or see Louella leave?"

"I 疑問 it."

"Where does Louella live?"

"In a-搭乗-house on Irving Place. Mrs, Cayley's."

"Thanks," said 物陰／風下.

He got up to 示す that he was finished, but Emmett ぐずぐず残るd. "Have you any theory as to what happened?" he asked.

"非，不，無 whatever," said 物陰／風下. "I'm just working to 満足させる Cynthia."

Still Emmett made no move to go. Finally he said: "I'm in a hell of a 穴を開ける, 物陰／風下. These 広まる libraries are 廃虚ing us 小説家s. More people are reading my novels than ever before, but my 王族s are only a third of what they were. Gavin had 約束d to lend me a hundred to tide me over until I could collect my next 前進する. I was to see him at five to-day. I don't know what I'll do now."

物陰／風下 thought: Always the same Emmett. He makes a touch with the 空気／公表する of one conferring a favour. He drew out his cheque 調書をとる／予約する. "Let me take his place," he said.

"That certainly is good of you. 物陰／風下. I'll 支払う／賃金 it 支援する just as soon as I place my novel."

When he had gone. 物陰／風下 looked up Mrs. Cayley's number in the phone 調書をとる／予約する. In 予定 course he heard Louella's gentle 発言する／表明する on the wire, and his 直面する 軟化するd; he liked Louella; everybody liked her. Her 発言する／表明する now was shaken with 苦しめる. "O, Mr. Mappin, I can't tell you how dreadfully I feel about Mr. Dordress! To have this happen so soon after we had seen him! I didn't know him very 井戸／弁護士席, but he was always so 肉親，親類d, so warm-hearted, so generous, I felt as if he was one of my dearest friends!"

There was no 疑問 of the genuineness of Louella's feelings. 物陰／風下 said, as if it were a 事柄 of small 関心: "There are さまざまな points in 関係 with last night that I have to check up. You understand that it's 純粋に a 形式順守. Where did you and Emmett go when you left Gavin's?"

"We went direct to Emmett's place," she said quickly. "He 手配中の，お尋ね者 to read me part of his new novel and ask my advice about changing it. We got 利益／興味d in it we worked over it for three hours more. It was nearly two when I got home."

"Do you room alone?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Yes," she said in a surprised 発言する／表明する. "Why do you ask that?"

"Did anybody in the 搭乗-house see you come in?"

"O, no! At that hour it's like a house of the dead." An agitated 公式文書，認める （機の）カム into her 発言する／表明する. "Why do you ask me these questions, Mr. Mappin. Is there anything wrong? Is there..."

"No, indeed!" said 物陰／風下 soothingly. "It's just a 形式順守."

She did not sound altogether 安心させるd. However, he bade her good-bye and hung up.

物陰／風下, looking for Mack Townley, called up his office, his home, the Racquet Club, where he was accustomed to play handball in the afternoon; the 連邦の League Club. He was said to be not at any of these places, nor would any one tell 物陰／風下 where he might be 設立する. There could be no 疑問 that Mack was deliberately keeping out of the way.

Before he was married, Mack had hung out for years at the 連邦の League Club, and 物陰／風下 had a hunch that he would 飛行機で行く 支援する there like a homing pigeon. He decided to take a chance on it. Putting on hat and coat again, he had himself driven to the magnificent ４半期/4分の1s of the 連邦の League on Park Avenue.

To the boy at the desk he said off-handedly: "Mr. Townley phoned me to come here for a 会議／協議会. I'll go 権利 up to his room."

物陰／風下 had the 肉親，親類d of 前線 that impresses club servants, and the boy never thought of 尋問 his 声明. As he started up in the elevator, 物陰／風下 said suddenly. "There! I've forgotten the number they gave me at the desk!"

"Whose room, sir?" asked the elevator man.

"Mr. Townley's."

"Number seventeen, sir."

物陰／風下 knocked on the door of seventeen and Mack's sullen 発言する／表明する answered: "Who is it?"

物陰／風下 smiled to himself at the success of his ruse. "物陰／風下 Mappin," he said, and went in without waiting to be bidden.

Mack Townley's 激しい 直面する was a 熟考する／考慮する when he saw 物陰／風下. He was trying to make out that he was glad to see him, but he could not 支配（する）／統制する the 紅潮／摘発する of 怒り／怒る. He sat relaxed and glooming in an 平易な 議長，司会を務める by the window. There was a whisky 瓶／封じ込める on a stand within reach of his 手渡す. "Hello!" he growled. "I've been trying to get 持つ／拘留する of you all day."

物陰／風下's bland 表現 示唆するd: Not too hard. I think! He said: "I've been trying to get 持つ／拘留する of you, too."

物陰／風下 was shocked by the change that only eighteen hours had worked in Mack. His 直面する was 荒廃させるd as if by 病気. The glass when he 解除するd it to his lips trembled violently in his 手渡す. "Have a drink," he growled. "You'll find another glass in the bathroom."

"No thanks," said 物陰／風下. "You know me. I can't drink hard アルコール飲料 before dinner."

"God, 物陰／風下, this is a frightful blow to me! I can't 直面する it!"

This sounded like something 物陰／風下 had heard a short time before. These 会葬者s for Gavin's death thought first of themselves, it seemed. "I got in a 激怒（する） with Gavin last night," Mack went on. "I 悪口を言う／悪態d him when I left him. And then to hear that he was dead—God! It was as if I had killed him by wishing him dead!" Mack, clenching his 握りこぶし until the knuckles whitened, 続けざまに猛撃するd his 膝. "God, 物陰／風下, I've been in hell all day! I've been in hell!"

物陰／風下 regarded him speculatively. It was （疑いを）晴らす that the man was in hell, but he wondered if Mack had given the true 推論する／理由 for it.

Mack squirmed under 物陰／風下's 静かな gaze. "What did you want of me?" he growled. "It seems we have been playing at cross 目的s all day."

物陰／風下's look said: The cross 目的s were not 地雷! "I suppose everything has come on you," muttered Mack.

"Do you want help? Is there plenty of money 利用できる?"

"O, plenty of money," said 物陰／風下.

"What is it, then?"

"Mack," said 物陰／風下, "there is a 疑惑 that Gavin did not kill himself."

Mack's 直面する 紅潮／摘発するd in a terrible manner that made it look blackish. "Is there any 証拠 that he was put out of the way," he 需要・要求するd 厳しく, "or do you 検査／視察する me just because I 悪口を言う／悪態d him last night?"

物陰／風下 直面するd him out. "Not much 証拠," he said. "Did you read the letter he left?"

"Yes. It was in the paper."

"It does not （犯罪の）一味 true," said 物陰／風下. "It is too general in its 条件."

"Who's to say it doesn't （犯罪の）一味 true? Gavin was a queer fellow at heart."

"Certainly. Like all of us. But not queer in just that way."

"It it in his 令状ing?"

"Yes."

"Then I don't see how you can go behind it."

"Mack," said 物陰／風下 静かに, "what did you do when you left Gavin's apartment last night?"

Mack's 直面する turned 黒人／ボイコット again. He half hoisted himself out of his 議長，司会を務める, then dropped 支援する into it ひどく. "I suppose you've got the 権利 to 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う me," he growled. "...After the way I talked. God knows I had the will to kill Gavin last night...but I didn't do it."

"Where did you go?" 固執するd 物陰／風下.

"Bea and I drove home to our apartment," Mack answered with a 反抗的な glare. "We went 直接／まっすぐに to bed. I read for a while and then I slept. And that's that."

"What did you read?" asked 物陰／風下.

The seeming-simple question put Mack in a violent 激怒（する）. "What the hell is it to you what I read?" he shouted.

物陰／風下 shrugged.

Mack ちらりと見ることd at him almost with 恐れる, and 穏健なd his トン. "I don't remember what I read. Some newspaper or magazine I 選ぶd up...I 収容する／認める I was upset. But 徐々に I 静かなd 負かす／撃墜する."

"Where's Bea?" asked 物陰／風下.

Mack scowled at him. "Have you been looking for her?"

"自然に."

Mack hesitated before he answered, 製図／抽選 his 手渡す 負かす／撃墜する over his 直面する. It was 明らかな that he was almost at the 限界 of his endurance. When he spoke he did not answer 物陰／風下 直接／まっすぐに. "People like us have no privacy at all," he growled. "We live surrounded by a 暴徒. Our いわゆる friends 軍隊 their way into our very bedrooms before we're up. We're 秘かに調査するd upon every moment by servants, reporters and God knows who all. When Bea heard this morning what had happened she was in a 明言する／公表する of 崩壊（する）. I have put her in a sanatorium to save her from 調査するing 注目する，もくろむs."

"Where?" asked 物陰／風下.

"I won't tell you that. Not even you. I 約束d her."

"You realise, of course, that Bea is the only one who can support the アリバイ you have 申し込む／申し出d."

"All 権利," growled Mack, "if you want to bring a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 against me, Bea will appear."

"I don't want to bring a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 against you," said 物陰／風下. "I want you to give me the facts that will （疑いを）晴らす you once and for all."

"I'll 満足させる you to-morrow," muttered Mack. "Just give me time to get my 支配する."

物陰／風下 ちらりと見ることd at the whisky 瓶／封じ込める but said nothing. "I'm not the only one that had it in for Gavin," growled Mack.

"I'm に引き続いて up every line," said 物陰／風下.

"Here's something you don't know," said Mack. "A week ago Gail Garrett （機の）カム to me to borrow a thousand dollars. I said: 'Good God, Gail! Bittner is 支払う／賃金ing you fifteen hundred a week, and twenty-five per cent of the 逮捕する. The show is making money. Where has it all gone?' She said: 'It's my 負債s, Mack; they're keeping me poor.'"

"How do you 人物／姿／数字 that this connects Gail with what happened last night?" asked 物陰／風下.

Mack said meaningly: "In this town there are guns for 雇う, 物陰／風下. They come high. Suppose Gail was getting the money together to 雇う a gun?"

"Did you let her have the thousand?"

"No. I have other uses for my money."

"I'll look into it," said 物陰／風下. "What day did she come to you?"

"Last Monday," said Mack, "the seventh."

Upon leaving Mack, 物陰／風下 went to his office in Madison Avenue nearby, to see if anything had come in. He 設立する three 報告（する）／憶測s waiting for him. The first:

I 選ぶd up Joe Dietz at — Madison Avenue and kept him under 観察 until he started away at 2 pm. He took the subway to the Bushwick section of Brooklyn where he lives. He entered a large poolroom at — Marcy Avenue and played pool. He was 井戸／弁護士席 known there. The place was pretty 十分な and I was able to mix の中で the 選挙立会人s without attracting attention to myself. The talk was all about the 自殺 of Gavin Dordress. Everybody was asking Joe Dietz questions because they knew he worked in the house. Joe was やめる the hero of the hour. He （人命などを）奪う，主張するd to be a personal friend of Mr. Dordress' but it sounded phony to me. He was 事実上の／代理 mysterious, sort of letting on that it was no 自殺 if the truth was known, and he, Joe, knew enough to 破産した／（警察が）手入れする the 事例／患者 wide open if he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to speak. My opinion is, he was just running his lip, as they say. He has the look of a loosemouth. He left the place at four and I tailed him to his home at — Bedford. He lives with his parents at that 演説（する）／住所. I dropped him there and returned to the poolroom to see what I could 選ぶ up It wasn't much. Joe is known 簡単に as a young waster who spends all his spare time playing pool with others of his 肉親，親類d, and occasionally goes on the loose in the 海軍-yard section. The only thing funny about him is, that he certainly has more money to spend than the 18 or 20 a week he pulls 負かす／撃墜する as an elevator man.

J.B.

The second 報告（する）／憶測:

によれば 指示／教授／教育s I proceeded to 729 Calhoun Street, the Bronx. It is a five-story walk-up apartment house for thirty families. Pretty cheap rents. There is no family by the 指名する of Hillman living there now. The 管理人 told me they moved away about six weeks ago. He didn't know their 現在の 演説（する）／住所. I got some of their old 隣人s in talk. Hillman family consisted of father, mother and a boy and girl of high school age. The father, a 静かな man, worked long hours and was rarely seen. His wife gave out that he was in the theatrical 商売／仕事. Mrs. Hillman was not popular with the 隣人s, 存在 considered too ritzy. Was always 誇るing about her rich friends. At the time they moved she told her 隣人s that they were in the money now, and would be living in a much better style hereafter. She did not tell anybody where they were going. On 問い合わせing at the 地位，任命する Office I 設立する they had left no 今後ing 演説（する）／住所. When Hillman leaves his work to-night I will tail him to his new home.

R.S.

The third 報告（する）／憶測:

I ran 負かす／撃墜する the driver of the taxi who carried Mr and Mrs. Mack Townley from — Madison Avenue to the Andorra Apartments last night の直前に ten-thirty. His 指名する is Dave Levine, of — Scammell Street. Levine told me that the couple quarrelled so loudly on the way home that he could hear part of what they said. He was jealous; （刑事）被告 his wife of 存在 too friendly with Gavin Dordress. She 脅すd to leave him. At the Andorra Mrs. Townley went straight in, but Townley, when he had paid the driver, walked away 負かす／撃墜する Park in a blind 激怒（する）. Tappan, night hallman at the Andorra, told me Townley returned at 3 am. As Tappin put it, he looked as if he'd been through the mill. Townley, still in a 激怒（する）, left the house again about eight-forty. Two hours later Mrs. Townley called a cab and had herself driven to Grand Central 駅／配置する. She bought a ticket to Reno, Nevada, and engaged space 権利 through. Her trunks were sent after her. I got next to Cobbett, the butler at the Townley's, but he wouldn't talk. I'll try to get a line on the other servants.

A.A.

物陰／風下 sat for a while, smoking and 熟考する／考慮するing. Finally, he put the 報告（する）／憶測s in his pocket and went on to the Dordress apartment. His first thought there was to 協議する the stubs in Gavin's 現在の cheque 調書をとる／予約する. He discovered that on November 7th Gavin had 問題／発行するd a cheque to "G.G." for a thousand dollars. 物陰／風下's 直面する turned pretty grim.

CHAPTER X.

LEE MAPPIN and Cynthia met in the sunroom. Under Cynthia's direction Hillman was watering the rare ferns and 熱帯の 工場／植物s that had been Gavin's pride. Cynthia was moving about pinching off a dead leaf here and there, and tying up the 工場／植物s that were too 激しい for their 茎・取り除くs. At five o'clock she had 主張するd on letting Fanny go home. "Dad used to do this every afternoon," she said, with a painful smile.

When Hillman had finished his 職業 and 出発／死d, she 手配中の，お尋ね者 to know what had happened. 物陰／風下 hesitated. "You 約束d to tell me everything...everything!" she reminded him. "It is the only way I can have any peace of mind."

物陰／風下 ちらりと見ることd into the foyer to make sure that the long-eared Hillman had really gone, and の近くにd the glass doors. "さまざまな things have come to light," he laid; "some with an ugly look, but nothing conclusive. At the moment it is all at loose ends. 非，不，無 of them will tie together."

"Tell me," she said.

He did so.

Cynthia's pale 直面する, 精製するd by grief, turned hard. "It was Gail Garrett," she murmured. "That's （疑いを）晴らす!"

"Keep an open mind!" 物陰／風下 警告するd her, "until we turn up the final 肯定的な proof."

Later, 物陰／風下 said: "If you have no 反対s, I would like to send to my place for a 捕らえる、獲得する and sleep here for the next few nights."

"反対s? Of course not! But why. 物陰／風下?"

"I don't feel that I have got all the 証拠 that these rooms may 含む／封じ込める, and I don't like to leave the place unguarded. We can't 信用 Hillman. I could 支払う／賃金 him off and send him home, but how would I know that he turned in all the 重要なs? Or Joe Dietz may have 安全な・保証するd a 重要な to the apartment. If I padlocked the outer door it would certainly start a story that some dark mystery was 隠すd here."

"I'll stay here with you if you want me," said Cynthia.

"Very good idea," said 物陰／風下. "In your own place the reporters would continually be （犯罪の）一味ing your phone and your door-bell. I didn't 示唆する it because I thought it might be painful for you."

Cynthia looked around with her poignant smile. "No," she said. "I feel Dad's presence in these rooms, but it doesn't 傷つける; it 慰安s me."

"Very 井戸／弁護士席, that's settled," said 物陰／風下.

"I'll ask Hillman if there's any dinner," said Cynthia.

"Shall I ask Fanny to join us?" said 物陰／風下.

"If you'd like to have her."

"I have several lines out. It is possible I may be called away. I wouldn't like you to be alone here."

"I'm not one of these tender 女性（の）s that have to be 保護するd. Fanny has given me her whole day already."

The upshot was that 物陰／風下 and Cynthia dined 静かに together. Each had a 重荷（を負わせる） of grief to 耐える, and each was 慰安d by the other's presence. Neither felt 強いるd to talk. When the meal （機の）カム to an end 物陰／風下 told Hillman he could go home as soon as he had cleaned up. 物陰／風下 and Cynthia started going over Gavin's papers in the studio. "Hadn't I better do this first alone?" asked 物陰／風下. "We may つまずく on painful things."

Cynthia shook her 長，率いる. "Everything that 関心s Dad is dear to me," she said. "I don't care what we may find."

Hillman left about eight-thirty. Half an hour later 物陰／風下 was called to the phone. It was Stan Oberry.

"I'm sorry I have to 報告（する）／憶測 a slip-up," he said. "When Hillman （機の）カム out of the Madison Avenue house he dived into a taxi-cab hound 西方の. He had evidently been standing inside the door watching the traffic lights and timed his 出口 so that he got a cab and across Madison without 延期する. Schelling, my operative, says that Hillman couldn't have seen him. Hillman was 推定する／予想するing to be tailed, and took his 対策 accordingly. Schelling got another cab and followed, but lost some precious time. Hillman 解任するd his cab at Times Square and ran 負かす／撃墜する one of the subway 入り口s. Schelling followed, but lost him in the 駅／配置する. That place, as you know, is like a rabbit 過密な住居. Schelling says he is sure that Hillman 単に ran 負かす／撃墜する one flight of steps and up another. Schelling got a place where he could watch both 壇・綱領・公約s, and he did not see Hillman take a train."

"That's all 権利," said 物陰／風下. "Operatives are only human. Let Schelling try to tail Hillman again tomorrow. Or, if he has any 推論する／理由 to believe that Hillman spotted him, put another man on Hillman's tail."

"Okay," said Stan.

In half an hour he called 物陰／風下 again. "Better luck this time," he said. "Frank Chigi or Cagey turned up in Hester Street a while ago and has taken his girl out to dinner. Cagey is lousy with money. He bought the girl a fur coat that must have 始める，決める him 支援する three hundred dollars or more. He has taken her to Andre's, a French restaurant in Park 列／漕ぐ／騒動, and is buying シャンペン酒. My operative, Vosper, is watching the place. What do you want me to do? I've got a man here that I can send 負かす／撃墜する to Vosper with 指示／教授／教育s. Do you want to question this Cagey?"

"Sure," said 物陰／風下 quickly. "Maybe the シャンペン酒 will 緩和する his tongue. The 適切な時期 is too good to be passed up. Who is the man you've got there in your office?"

"Schelling."

"All 権利. Let Schelling go 負かす／撃墜する to the door and I'll 選ぶ him up in three minutes. He can come downtown with me, and introduce me to Vosper, and we'll work out something together. You had better stay in your office until you hear from me."

"権利!"

Cynthia was 苦しめるd. "No, 物陰／風下, no!" she 抗議するd. "Let Mr. Oberry do it, or one of his men. That's their work. This man Cagey is dangerous. He is known as a 殺し屋."

"He won't 傷つける me," said 物陰／風下 smiling. "I shall 提起する／ポーズをとる as the most 害のない little gentleman that ever took a 減少（する） too much. Cagey is too important to turn over to anybody else."

４半期/4分の1 of an hour later 物陰／風下 and Schelling got out of a taxi at the Park 列／漕ぐ／騒動 入り口 to the Brooklyn 橋（渡しをする） and walked on to Aridre's restaurant at the corner of Frankfort Street. In this neighbourhood there are always plenty of people about. At the 最高の，を越す of the steps 主要な to the 地階 restaurant they ran-into Vosper, Stan Oberry's other operative. 物陰／風下 was introduced to Vosper, and the latter said: "They're still inside."

"Good," said 物陰／風下. "I'm going in to try to get next to them. You two men take cover and wait for us to come out. If I am with the couple, follow us where-ever we may go. If they won't let me go with them, you follow them, and communicate with me when you can through Stan's office."

"Okay, Mr. Mappin."

物陰／風下, pulling a lock of hair over his forehead, and setting his derby and his neck-tie わずかに askew, went 負かす／撃墜する the steps and entered the little restaurant with a rolling gait and an 表現 of 広大な／多数の／重要な dignity. Occasionally he hiccupped behind his 手渡す. He 代表するd a type that is dear to all waiters, and the two waiters in the place 急いでd 今後 to 補助装置 him tenderly to a seat. 物陰／風下 paused, swaying on his feet, and looked around him. It was 井戸／弁護士席 past the usual dinner hour and there were only three couples left in the place. He had no difficulty in 選ぶing out the one he 手配中の，お尋ね者. 無視（する）ing the suggestions of the waiters, he rolled up to the next （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and sat 負かす／撃墜する. A menu card was thrust under his nose. "Don't wanna eat. Wanna drink," said 物陰／風下, hiccupping. "Gimme 黒人／ボイコット and White highball."

"Yes, sir."

It was a comely couple at the next （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. 物陰／風下's seeming-drunken ちらりと見ること was all over the place, but he 行方不明になるd no 詳細（に述べる）. The young man's 削減する, muscular 人物／姿／数字 was 始める，決める off by a 井戸／弁護士席-削減（する） brown 控訴. He wore a 雪の降る，雪の多い shirt that 強調d his smooth, swarthy 肌 and an orange tie from an expensive shop. His blue-黒人／ボイコット hair glistened like steel under the lights. He 影響する／感情d an 絶対 dead pan. The girl, who was about his own age, and like him of Italian extraction, was pretty in a cheap fashion, and very smartly turned out. Her hat had an upstanding brim that enframed her pert 直面する like a halo. Over the 支援する of her 議長，司会を務める was flung a 高くつく／犠牲の大きい ヒョウ coat. Cagey 演説（する）／住所d her as Clo-Clo. She was crazy about her dangerous little boy friend, and could not hide it. He 受託するd it as his 予定.

物陰／風下 noticed that Cagey was not drinking. Occasionally he tasted his ワイン, no more. On the other 手渡す, Clo-Clo loved it as women love シャンペン酒. Cagey filled her glass from time to time, and already her 直面する was 紅潮／摘発するd and her tongue unloosed. She leaned across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and spoke to Cagey. 物陰／風下 could read her lips. "Take a look at the comical little guy who just come in."

Cagey ちらりと見ることd at 物陰／風下 indifferently. His 注目する，もくろむs had the yellow flicker of a cat animal after feeding. 物陰／風下's drink had just been put before him. He raised it with drunken solemnity and toasted Cagey. The young man 単に 星／主役にするd, but the girl was 利益／興味d.

"Hey, daddy, drink with me!" she said. "物陰／風下's line was the old fashioned drunk."

"'S a 特権," he said, 屈服するing to Cagey, "if the young gen'leman will 許す."

Cagey's ちらりと見ること was contemptuous. "Sure," he said.

物陰／風下 raised his glass. "To your pretty 注目する，もくろむs!"

Clo-Clo giggled. "Ain't he the gentleman!"

"Gen'leman enough to reco'nise a lady when I see one!" said 物陰／風下.

Clo-Clo leaned across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する to whisper to Cagey. 物陰／風下 guessed that she was 説 the old guy looked like he might be carrying a roll. Cagey shrugged. Clo-Clo said: "Come on over, Daddy!"

Thus 物陰／風下 設立する himself sitting between them and 株ing the ワイン. He 受託するd a second glass. He and Clo-Clo made the 混乱させるd noises that pass for conversation on such occasions, while Cagey listened with a sneer. "'S a 特権 to be sitting at the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する with such a smart little lady. 'S a 特権 and I 'preciate it. 深く，強烈に! I'm a man enjoys society beauriful girl, and I don't care who knows it."

And Clo-Clo: "You're all 権利. Daddy. You're a gentleman. You certainly can 手渡す out a fancy line."

"No!" said 物陰／風下, wagging his 手渡す. "I'm a plain-spoken man. I 港／避難所't any line to 手渡す out. The trouble with me is, I'm too honest. Some people resent it."

And so on. And so on. Unfortunately for 物陰／風下, Cagey was 冷淡な sober. Sober and watchful. 物陰／風下 said: "Wassa 事柄, young man? You're not drinking ワイン. Won't you join me drinking health this beauriful girl!" He toasted Clo-Clo.

Cagey tasted his ワイン and put the glass 負かす／撃墜する. "底（に届く）s up! 底（に届く）s up!" cried 物陰／風下. "She's 価値（がある）' it, isn't she? Don't tell me young fellow like you can't 'preciate such beauriful girl!"

Cagey was annoyed. His 注目する，もくろむs flickered 危険に. "Ah, leave him be," said Clo-Clo to 物陰／風下. "You and me can finish the 瓶／封じ込める. Frank's got a 職業 of work to-night and he don't want to..."

The sleepy yellow 注目する，もくろむs suddenly 炎d, and by the girl's 抑えるd cry it was evident that Cagey had stamped on her foot under the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. 物陰／風下 hiccupped. "職業 of work," he muttered. "Good boy! I honour the 労働者s. What's your line, young man?"

Cagey's lips curled. "I work for a broadcasting 駅／配置する trimming the cat's whiskers."

物陰／風下 made out to be affronted. "I may be a little high," he said, "but I know when I'm 存在 ribbed. If I'm intruding on this pleasant company you only have to..."

"Ah, sit 負かす／撃墜する, Daddy," said Clo-Clo. "Frank don't mean nothing by it."

"I ask him civil question and he ribs me," said 物陰／風下, aggrieved.

"I'm a printer on the Daily American," said Cagey. "I go on at eleven o'clock. That's what Clo-Clo meant by a 職業 of work."

物陰／風下 appeared to be 満足させるd. "Time for another 瓶／封じ込める," he said.

Cagey ちらりと見ることd at his watch. "I got to leave you," he said, "you and Clo-Clo can drink it."

物陰／風下 rubbed his lip. "She is beauriful girl!" he murmured.

Clo-Clo slipped her arm through his. "Say, this 捨てる is as gay as a funeral parlour. You come with me, Daddy, and I'll show you something."

When their waiter brought the check, Cagey coolly 示す that 物陰／風下 would 支払う／賃金 it. The three of them left the place together. On the way out Cagey, with a hard look at Clo-Clo, whispered something to her out of the corner of his mouth. 物陰／風下 couldn't hear it, but he got her reply: "I'll take care of him."

On the street Cagey bade them a casual good-bye and struck off across Park 列／漕ぐ／騒動 in the direction of a subway 入り口. This was not the way to reach the American Building, of course. 物陰／風下 had to let him go. However, he saw Stan's men, Vosper and Schelling, converging on the subway 入り口 from different directions.

CHAPTER XI.

LEE and Clo-Clo waited at the 抑制（する） for a taxi. 物陰／風下 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd that the girl, like himself, was not as tight as she was making out to be. As she leaned against him, he was aware of her light fingers touching his different pockets to find out where he kept his roll. As a 事柄 of fact, his wallet was in his breast pocket, and as his jacket was buttoned across, it was not too 平易な to get at.

A cab （機の）カム and Clo-Clo gave a number in Bayard Street. 物陰／風下 knew this was not where she lived. He was unable to get her to talk about Cagey. In the cab she 新たにするd her blandishments and 物陰／風下 caught her thin wrist just as the 手渡す was slipping inside the lapel of his jacket. "Naughty! Naughty!" he said with a drunken laugh. Clo-Clo 叫び声をあげるd with laughter.

They drew up before the 味方する door of a Chinese 訴える手段／行楽地 that 前線d on Mott Street. 物陰／風下 paid off the taxi. He had no notion of entering this den; but he played his 手渡す warily, since he did not know but that Clo-Clo might still be able to 警告する Cagey if 物陰／風下 誘発するd her 疑惑s. It was やめる in character for 物陰／風下 to turn suddenly obstinate. "Chinatown?" he muttered, as he stood swaying on the sidewalk. "Don't like Chinatown. It's 汚い. Let's go decent place."

Clo-Clo slipped her arm through his. "Come on, Daddy," she said cajolingly. "This is a real nice place. Only white people come here. Would I bring you here if it wasn't nice?"

物陰／風下 stood his ground. They stood arguing it out on the sidewalk while the Chinamen indifferently shuffled past. 物陰／風下, as a drunken man will, suddenly changed his tune. "I'm going home. My wife's waiting for me. She's been a good wife to me and this ain't 扱う／治療するing her 権利!" He appeared about to cry.

"Just one little drink. Daddy," 勧めるd Clo-Clo. "Then I'll let you go home. A gentleman like you are wouldn't leave a girl flat in the street."

"I'm going home," 主張するd 物陰／風下.

A 封鎖する away a 巡査 was standing under a street light swinging his night-stick. Seeing the argument, he started strolling に向かって them. Clo-Clo suddenly dropped 物陰／風下's arm, and 悪口を言う／悪態ing him in a 熱烈な whisper, went through the door of the saloon, and slammed it after her.

The instant she disappeared, 物陰／風下 回復するd his sobriety. Without waiting for the 巡査 to come up, he 急いでd through to the Bowery and from a booth in a drugstore called up Stan Oberry's office. He gave Stan a 簡潔な／要約する account of what had happened. Stan, it appeared, had not yet heard from Schelling and Vosper. 物陰／風下 gave Stan the number of his 支払う／賃金 駅／配置する, and stood by waiting for him to call again.

In five minutes or so the call （機の）カム through. Stan said: "Cagey took a subway 表明する to the 17710. Street 駅／配置する in the Bronx. Schelling says that the train was 十分な and Cagey didn't get on to the fact that he was 存在 tailed. From the subway 駅／配置する he proceeded on foot to Ingoldsby Avenue. This street 直面するs Bronx Park. Number 33 Ingoldsby is Cagey's 示す. He walked around it taking a slant from every 味方する, then crossed over to the Park. He is lying on a bank below the street level watching the house. There are lights in the upstairs windows. He is up to mischief of some sort. Schelling left Vosper watching Cagey and went to telephone. Schelling will stand by the telephone for five minutes for 指示／教授／教育s. If you want to come up there he says 会合，会う him at the corner of Ingoldsby and 179th Street. That corner is outside Cagey's line of 見通し."

物陰／風下 said to Stan: "Phone Schelling that if he and Vosper are 満足させるd that a serious 罪，犯罪 is 熟視する／熟考するd, it's up to them to 妨げる it. That comes first. 一方／合間, I'll get up there as quick as I can. Subway 表明する is the quickest. I'll be at the 会合 place in twenty-five minutes. After you've talked to Schelling, find out from the telephone company who lives at 33 Ingoldsby Avenue. Use my 指名する."

物陰／風下 met Schelling at the corner of two empty streets. It was one of the pleasanter neighbourhoods of the Bronx, 除去するd from the （人が）群がるd 封鎖するs of flats. Across the road stretched the dark expanse of Bronx Park with street lamps at intervals. "Anything new?" asked 物陰／風下. "No," said Schelling. "When I left Cagey was still watching the house. Waiting for the lights to go out."

He led 物陰／風下 across into the Park, which sloped 負かす／撃墜する from the street level. For a few hundred feet they followed one of the footpaths which ran 平行の with the street above. The other 味方する of the street was lined with a 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of 半分-detached 郊外の houses. It was not yet midnight, and there was still a few couples sitting on the park （法廷の）裁判s, or strolling along. Watching his chance, Schelling pulled 物陰／風下 behind a clump of shrubbery at a moment when they were unobserved. From this 捨てる they 伸び（る）d another, nearer to the street 盗品故買者, and so （機の）カム to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where Schelling had left his mate on watch. "Vosper's gone!" he whispered.

A moment later they discovered him lying in the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where Cagey had been.

"Cagey's just gone across the road," Vosper whispered. "He こそこそ動くd around behind Thirty-three. The lights have gone out."

"This lad's line is more likely to be 殺人 than 強盗," said 物陰／風下. "Quick! we must divide here. Schelling, you go in search of a policeman. Vosper, you こそこそ動く 支援する under the 盗品故買者 and 削減（する） across the street below, where he can't see you. I'll go the other way. Work 支援する under the 後部 塀で囲むs of the houses and we'll 会合，会う at the 支援する door of Thirty-three!"

物陰／風下 ran along under the 盗品故買者 for a hundred feet, then made his way across the street and between two of the houses opposite. He thought: For an amateur this is getting too の近くに to 罪，犯罪. The backyards had been thrown into a community garden; there were no 盗品故買者s. A 確かな 量 of light from the street struck in between each pair of houses. 物陰／風下 crept 支援する along a garden path に向かって Thirty-three. As he approached the house, he sensed Vosper coming from the other direction.

There was a little 壇・綱領・公約 at each kitchen door and on the 壇・綱領・公約 of Thirty-three rose a dark 反対する which might have been a garbage can. But 確かな movements betrayed it. It was Cagey squatting 負かす／撃墜する, 明らかに working at the lock of the kitchen door. As 物陰／風下 drew closer the door opened. Cagey stood up and took a swift 調査する of the garden while 物陰／風下 flattened himself against the 塀で囲む. Cagey entered the house, leaving the door open.

物陰／風下 and Vosper ran silently for the steps. 物陰／風下 got there first. "Watch out! Watch out!" Vosper whispered 緊急に, but 物陰／風下, 無視（する）ing the 警告, sprang up the steps and ran into the kitchen. "There's a robber in the house!" he called out. "Turn on lights!"

They heard a 強くたたく, as of somebody leaping out of bed upstairs, then silence in the dark house. Somewhere 近づく, they knew. Cagey was crouching, breathing 急速な／放蕩な. The 計画（する） of the little house was 明らかな at a ちらりと見ること. 物陰／風下 and Vosper were in the kitchen. As they 直面するd the 前線, there was a swing door into the dining room to the left and a door into the hall to the 権利. This door stood open. Looking through the hall they could see the street lights through the panes of the 前線 door. 物陰／風下 and Vosper waited, one on each 味方する of the hall door. Vosper had a gun in his 手渡す.

Upstairs a switch clicked, and the lower hall was flooded with light. They saw the natty 人物／姿／数字 of Cagey crouching 近づく the foot of the stairs. His dark 直面する was like a wax mask, only the 注目する，もくろむs alive. 持つ／拘留するing his gun 均衡を保った, his 注目する，もくろむs darted this way and that, but he could find nothing to shoot at. He 支援するd to the 前線 door. "Lend me your gun," whispered 物陰／風下 to Vosper. The gun was 押すd into his 手渡す, and he slipped noiselessly through the swing door into the dining-room. There was an arched 開始 between dining-room and living-room, and on the 権利 of the living-room, another arch into the hall. By creeping around the 塀で囲む. 物陰／風下 got within ten feet of Cagey; 近づく enough to see the young man's breast rising and 落ちるing with his panting breath. Cagey with his 解放する／自由な 手渡す was feeling behind him for the lock of the 前線 door. 物陰／風下 said: "減少（する） your gun! I have you covered." Instead of obeying, Cagey dived for the stairs, and started 緊急発進するing up on all fours. 物陰／風下 could not shoot because of the 介入するing banisters. A gun barked from the 長，率いる of the stairs. Cagey rose to his 十分な 高さ with his 武器 flung above his 長，率いる. He 衝突，墜落d over backwards and slid to the foot, where he lay 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd with 血 running 負かす／撃墜する his 直面する and on to the gay orange tie. He was dead. His gun had flown out of his 手渡す. 物陰／風下 walked out, and 選ぶing it up stood looking 負かす／撃墜する at him. Vosper joined him from the kitchen. "A handsome lad," muttered 物陰／風下. "Too bad he couldn't have been used for a better 目的."

審理，公聴会 a sound from the 最高の，を越す of the stairs, he looked up. He saw a grey-直面するd man in pyjamas with a gun hanging 負かす／撃墜する from his shaking 手渡す. It was George Hillman. The two men 星／主役にするd at each other. 物陰／風下, who was fond of 説 that nothing could surprise him, was, for once, brought up all standing. Hillman gasped out: "Mr. Mappin...how did you get here?"

"What are you doing here?" said 物陰／風下.

"I live here, sir."

物陰／風下 looked around at the expensively furnished rooms with a grim 表現. He 示すd the 団体／死体 at his feet. "Do you know this man?"

"No, sir! No, sir!" 抗議するd Hillman breathlessly. "I never saw him before. He is just a robber, a ありふれた robber. He broke into my house; he had a gun in his 手渡す; I had a 権利 to shoot him."

"Surely," said 物陰／風下. "Come 負かす／撃墜する and look at him closer."

Hillman slowly descended the stairs. It sickened him to look at the 死体. "I never saw him before! I 断言する it!"

"You were 推定する／予想するing some such attack?"

"No, sir! No, sir! Why should anybody attack me?"

"That's what I want to know...Why the gun?"

"I'm a timid man, sir. I always keep a gun handy."

"Why did he choose this house instead of one of the others? What have you of special value that he was after?"

"Nothing, sir, nothing! You can search the place and see for yourself." They heard steps on the porch outside and there was a 激しい 続けざまに猛撃するing on the 前線 door. It was Schelling bringing a policeman. Soon afterwards two more officers arrived in a 無線で通信する car. The 隣人s in さまざまな 明言する／公表するs of undress, gathered on the porch peeping through the windows with inquisitive and terrified 注目する，もくろむs.

The 団体／死体 was 除去するd to the police 駅／配置する, and the whole party …を伴ってd it. This was very ぎこちない for 物陰／風下, who dreaded the （危険などに）さらす of a スキャンダル that would 伴う／関わる Gavin Dordress. 物陰／風下 said that he was on his way to see Hillman about a 事柄 関心ing his late master's 事件／事情／状勢s. He had seen the dead man 事実上の／代理 suspiciously and had called on two strangers (Vosper and Schelling) for 援助（する）. Vosper and Schelling lied as to the nature of their 占領／職業s. Hillman was only too glad to support this story. He produced a licence to carry a gun. 物陰／風下 公式文書，認めるd that it was 時代遅れの a month before. The 事件／事情／状勢 was 扱う／治療するd as a simple 押し込み強盗. The butler was 許すd to go on his own recognisance. Indeed, the police 中尉／大尉／警部補 congratulated him on his presence of mind. The dead man was 除去するd to the Morgue to を待つ 身元確認，身分証明.

When they left the police 駅／配置する 物陰／風下 sent Vosper and Schelling home, and took Hillman into a saloon on Fordham Avenue. 物陰／風下 had 推論する／理由 to believe that Mrs. Hillman wore the trousers of the family, and he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to question the husband alone. Hillman was 明白に dreading it. He swallowed a 発射 of whisky to give him courage. "Hillman," began 物陰／風下, "where did you get the money to live in such style?"

"My wife and I operate a restaurant," Hillman answered nervously. "I told you that, Mr. Mappin."

"No, you didn't," said 物陰／風下. "You told me you had paid something 負かす／撃墜する on a restaurant, and still 要求するd a large sum to 結論する the 取引，協定."

"We took 所有／入手 when I made the first 支払い（額）. I just omitted to 明言する／公表する that. I wasn't trying to deceive you, Mr. Mappin."

"An important omission," said 物陰／風下. "Where did you get the money to make the first 支払い（額）?"

"It was the 貯金 of a lifetime, Mr. Mappin. I have been putting by money since I was a boy."

"How could you keep a family on a hundred and fifty a month and put by money?"

"My wife helped me. She 作品, too."

In 物陰／風下's 報告（する）／憶測 on the Hillman's there had been no について言及する that Mrs. Hillman was a 行う-earner.

"How much did you 支払う／賃金 負かす／撃墜する?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Only one thousand dollars, sir. We are 支払う／賃金ing off the balance out of 収入s."

"Where is this restaurant?"

"On Jerome Park Avenue, Mr. Mappin. It is called 収穫's."

"Who did you buy it from?"

"Howard 収穫, sir. His 演説（する）／住所 is — Webster Avenue."

"Why did you never tell Mr. Dordress that you were engaging in 商売／仕事?"

"Why, sir, I was afraid Mr. Dordress might resent it because I was getting ready to leave him. I had been working for him nine years, you see."

"井戸／弁護士席, why didn't you leave him?"

"I just couldn't bring myself to it, Mr. Mappin. After nine years it was like second nature to me to be waiting on Mr. Dordress."

"Never mind the nine years," said 物陰／風下. "Tell me plainly why, when you were in 領収書 of a good income from the restaurant, you were willing to go on slaving for twelve or fourteen hours a day for a hundred and fifty a month."

"I wasn't sure we could make a go of the restaurant," said Hillman faintly.

"Have you been stealing from Mr. Dordress?" asked 物陰／風下 bluntly. "No, sir! No, sir!" 抗議するd Hillman. "How can you say such a thing, Mr. Mappin?"

"If you have been 有罪の of any minor 罪，犯罪s you had better say so."

"Mr. Mappin, I 港／避難所't committed any 罪，犯罪s," wailed Hillman. "How can you think such things of me?"

"People don't get rich so quick, honestly," said 物陰／風下. "I'll tell you why you were willing to go on working for Mr. Dordress. You were afraid that if he learned how 井戸／弁護士席 直す／買収する，八百長をするd you were, he would take you out of his will."

"井戸／弁護士席, yes, that's a fact," 認める Hillman. "It was natural, wasn't it?"

物陰／風下's forefinger 発射 out. "Then you did know that you were 負かす／撃墜する in Mr. Dordress' will."

Hillman's 直面する turned ashy when he perceived the slip he had made. "I didn't so to speak know it," he stammered. "I only hoped that Mr. Dordress would remember me."

"Mr. Dordress was a younger man than you. In the natural course of things he would have 生き延びるd you." Hillman was silent. "Were you going to work on for him 無期限に／不明確に on the chance of collecting your 遺産／遺物?"

"I just didn't think the thing through, Mr. Mappin."

"I believe that you did think it through. I believe that you 決定するd to make sure of your 遺産／遺物 before you gave up your 職業."

"No, sir! No, sir! No, sir!" cried Hillman frantically. "Such a thought never entered my 長，率いる, Mr. Mappin! I won't touch a cent of the money now! I don't need it, anyhow. I have my restaurant."

"The restaurant is 完全に yours, then?"

"Yes...No...It will be! It will be!"

物陰／風下 熟考する／考慮するd the abject creature with a frown. It （機の）カム to him that he never would be able to break him 負かす／撃墜する. The butler might stutter and turn pale and weep, but he was borne up by some secret 保証／確信. Perhaps because he knew 物陰／風下 had no direct 証拠 against him. There had been no 証言，証人／目撃する to his 罪，犯罪. But 物陰／風下 was far from giving up as yet. "Hillman," he said softly, "was the money for the restaurant or any part of it 供給（する）d by 行方不明になる Garrett?"

By Hillman's ちらりと見ること of panic 物陰／風下 knew he had made a strike. "No, sir! No, sir! What for should 行方不明になる Garrett 前進する me money?"

"I'm asking you."

"No, sir! 行方不明になる Garrett hasn't no use for me at all, Mr. Mappin. 非，不，無 whatever! 特に lately since I had orders from Mr. Dordress not to 収容する／認める her to the apartment if he was there alone. I've had to take the rough 味方する of 行方不明になる Garrett's tongue, sir. You have only, to ask her what she thinks of me and you'll get an earful."

物陰／風下 熟考する／考慮するd him. He saw that he had Hillman 不正に worried, and 決定するd to leave him in that 条件. He got up 説: "Are you coming to work to-morrow?"

"Why, certainly, Mr. Mappin. That is, if you want me."

"I want you."

"Then I'll be there, sir."

On his way home 物陰／風下 telephoned Stan Oberry to 割り当てる a man to watch Hillman. "I don't think he's going to run for it, he's got too much at 火刑／賭ける. However, let's not take any chances."

CHAPTER XII.

WHEN 物陰／風下 got 支援する to the Madison Avenue house he 設立する Joe Dietz on 義務 in the elevator. "Joe," he said, "you have been 狙撃 off your mouth too much about the death of Mr. Dordress."

"No, sir!" 抗議するd Joe. "I never said a word!"

"Don't 嘘（をつく） to me," said 物陰／風下. "I know." Joe 星／主役にするd as if 物陰／風下 had 展示（する）d supernatural 力／強力にするs.

Up in the penthouse, Cynthia, 審理，公聴会 the door dose, （機の）カム out of her room in dressing-gown and slippers to 会合，会う him. 物陰／風下 scolded her affectionately. She had a 報告（する）／憶測 that had been sent around from Stan Obeny's office earlier in the night, and she was curious to learn the contents. 物陰／風下 read it aloud. "This morning when I was working out the lay of the Townley apartment in the Andorra, I saw that Mr and Mrs. Townley's bedroom had two windows on the Sixty-sixth Street 味方する of the building, and a third window 開始 on a 法廷，裁判所. I noticed from the street that this third window was open. It was 直面するd by a 類似の window across the 法廷，裁判所 also open, and this gave me the idea that the quarrel between the Townleys might have been overheard by their 隣人s across the 法廷，裁判所. I 位置を示すd the apartment that the window belonged to, and 現在のd myself there in the guise of a canvasser.

"The master and mistress were out and the maid had time on her 手渡すs. She was willing to gossip. She doesn't know the 指名する of the people across the 法廷，裁判所. She didn't hear their quarrel last night because she sleeps at the other end of the apartment. This morning she was attracted into her mistress's bedroom by 審理，公聴会 a woman 叫び声をあげる across the 法廷，裁判所. She said a woman was having hysterics over there; kept crying out that somebody was dead and she would never see him again. There was a man in the room who was in a 激怒（する） because the woman was carrying on so. The maid couldn't distinguish what he said, but she distinctly heard the woman cry out: 'You killed him! You killed him! You 殺害者!' 明らかに the man then left the room, and the woman continued to have hysterics on the bed. I 港／避難所't been able to approach any of the Townley servants. Tappan, night doorman at the Andorra, who gave me （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） this morning, has disappeared. I believe that Townley is taking care of him to keep him from talking その上の. A. A."

"Very 疑わしい 証拠," said 物陰／風下 with a shrug. "It 耐えるs no relation to what happened to-night. Gavin cannot have been killed by two different people." He told her of the night's events. "Another 殺人，大当り!" murmured Cynthia. "This man was no loss," said 物陰／風下 coolly. "I am sorry his mouth was stopped only because he would have made a 価値のある 証言，証人／目撃する."

物陰／風下 made hot drinks for Cynthia and himself to induce sleep. While they sipped them in the studio he went over his 事例／患者. "Take Hillman. He had 解放する／自由な 接近 to Gavin. He had the best 適切な時期. Yet he is such a timid fellow, it is difficult to believe that he could have killed a man in 冷淡な 血."

"You saw him kill a man to-night," said Cynthia.

"That was different. That man was 前進するing on him with a drawn gun."

"Hillman has been bought."

"明白に. In 新規加入 to the 誘惑 furnished by his own 遺産／遺物, he has been receiving large sums from some sources. Gail Garrett is 示すd. The restaurant 明らかに has been paid for. Working on this basis, we must assume that Gail 雇うd Hillman to do the thing, and that after it was done, either because his 需要・要求するs were too exorbitant, or 簡単に because he knew too much, she took steps to have him put out of the way."

"That is how it looks to me," said Cynthia.

"Still I am not 満足させるd that it was Hillman who 解雇する／砲火／射撃d the 致命的な 発射," said 物陰／風下.

"Why?"

"He has told us that he went home a few minutes after you left. The elevator boy was vague as to the exact time, but put it at half an hour. It would have taken an hour or more to destroy the play in that careful manner. By the way, it is a strange thing that only the 肩書を与える of the play was left unconsumed. It 示唆するs that the 殺害者 wished us to know what he had destroyed."

"That would be a characteristic gesture of Gall's," murmured Cynthia. "That may be 権利."

"If it wasn't Hillman who 解雇する／砲火／射撃d the 発射, who was it?"

"The professional 殺し屋. In that 事例／患者 Hillman 認める him earlier in the evening and left him in the apartment to do his work. Afterwards Cagey could have gone 負かす／撃墜する the stairs, and let himself out of the building without 乱すing the sleeping elevator boy."

Cynthia thought this over.

"But, 物陰／風下," she 反対するd, "if Dad was in the studio all the time, how could Cagey have got his gun?"

"Hillman could have taken it when Gavin was out of the room and 手渡すd it to Cagey."

"No 指紋s."

"They would wear gloves."

Cynthia nodded. "Yes, that hangs together."

"But we 欠如（する） 限定された proof," said 物陰／風下. "We must keep all other 可能性s in mind until the proof is 来たるべき...There is a thing in Hillman's favour that sticks in my mind."

"What's that?"

"You have seen how timid he is, and how incapable of brazening things out. Yet Joe Dietz told me that when Hillman （機の）カム to work 早期に this morning he looked just the same as usual; he did not seem to be 乱すd about anything."

"Maybe Joe Dietz is Hillman's 共犯者."

"I don't think so. Because when I was 尋問 Hillman to-day he 示唆するd that Joe Dietz might be 巻き込むd. He would not have done that in the 事例／患者 of an 共犯者."

"What are the other 可能性s you have in mind?"

"There is Joe Dietz. I have not by any means 除去するd him. We know that he is a worthless character who spends more money than he earns honestly. Gavin, who was 肉親，親類d to everybody, had befriended the boy, and Joe had visited the apartment. If Joe had come to the door last night Gavin would no 疑問 have 認める him. This is all surmise, of course. It is hard to imagine such a weedy 青年 committing so bold a 罪，犯罪. And Joe could hardly have been clever enough to have 設立する Gavin's letter, and to have 工場／植物d it to cover his 罪，犯罪. More likely the elevator boy was 単に an 従犯者; that he brought somebody else up to the penthouse last night, and has been 井戸／弁護士席 paid to keep his mouth shut."

"Who?" asked Cynthia very low.

"人物／姿／数字 it out for yourself. Emmett Gundy, for instance."

"Emmett has an アリバイ."

"やめる so," said 物陰／風下 dryly, "but in the 商売／仕事 of 調査／捜査するing 罪，犯罪 you learn to 不信 アリバイs. There is nothing to support Emmett's アリバイ but the word of 行方不明になる Kip."

"You surely don't think that Louella could have had a 手渡す in..."

"In 殺人?" put in 物陰／風下. "Certainly not. But she is a soft and gentle woman, and 完全に infatuated with Emmett. He may have 軍隊d her to 嘘（をつく） for him."

"He had no 動機," said Cynthia.

"非，不，無 that we know of," agreed 物陰／風下, "unless the sheer 憎悪 of an envious and disappointed man for one who had out-stripped him was a 十分な 動機."

"Dad has been supporting him."

"All 権利. Put it 負かす／撃墜する in Emmett's favour that he had no known 動機. Next we must consider Siebert Ackroyd."

Cynthia 紅潮／摘発するd painfully. "物陰／風下, it could not have been Siebert," she murmured. "It could not have been!"

"How do you know?"

"My heart tells me so."

"My dear, the heart is not a reliable guide in such 事柄s. I must go by logic."

"What have you got against Siebert?"

"He is only a 可能性. He was 激怒（する）ing against Gavin last night, and there are three hours of his time that he can't account for. That's all."

"Mack Townley is a much more likely person."

"True. Mack is a man of unbridled passions. He made 脅しs against Gavin. He was 明白に beside himself with 激怒（する） last night. What is more, he lied to me about his movements after leaving here. To-day his 活動／戦闘s and his 外見 were 高度に 怪しげな."

"There is also his wife's 告訴，告発."

"I don't attach much 負わせる to that. A hysterical woman is 有能な of making such a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 without any 証拠. I believe she was surmising just as we are."

"One can surmise the truth, 物陰／風下."

"Surely. But it's not 証拠."

"Mack Townley is rich. He can 抑える unfavourable 証拠 and produce 誤った 証拠 in his own favour."

"I have it in mind, my dear."

When he undressed for bed, sleep was still far from 物陰／風下's 注目する，もくろむs. He was in Gavin's 明らかにする bedroom—Gavin favoured a Spartan 簡単 in his sleeping 手はず／準備, and a sense of his lost friend was strong with 物陰／風下; Gavin's droll smile; his rather slow and quizzical manner of speaking; the suggestion of sadness in his 注目する，もくろむs though he was the most serene of men, and quick to laughter. 物陰／風下 remembered his first sight of Gavin, a long-legged 青年 on the campus, with 注目する，もくろむs that saw what they looked at. For 物陰／風下, Gavin had never changed; always the 青年 of twenty.

Realising that he must have some sleep ーするために 対処する with the next day's work, 物陰／風下 swallowed one of the barbital tablets that he kept by him for such an 緊急. He got into bed and slowly sank into unconsciousness.

He 設立する himself struggling from under a 負担 of sleep with terror in his heart. Something dreadful had 侵入するd to his consciousness. He threw his 脚s out of bed and thrust his feet in slippers. He ran out of his room and across the hall that separated him from Cynthia's room. Her door was open. He felt for the light switch and turned it. Her bed was empty. Running blindly through the 回廊（地帯）, he つまずくd over her 団体／死体 lying on the 床に打ち倒す of the foyer. He 設立する the lights and, dropping beside her, gathered her in his 武器.

She had fainted. She （機の）カム to her senses in his 武器 and clung to him like a child. "O, 物陰／風下! There was somebody here!"

"Perhaps you had a dream," he said soothingly.

"No, 物陰／風下! I heard him. And then I saw him. I called for you, and then like a fool I fainted. I せねばならない have caught him and held him."

"Where was he?"

Cynthia pointed to the sunroom.

物陰／風下, half believing it to be a hallucination, turned on lights in the sunroom. There lay a flowerpot 粉砕するd on the tile 床に打ち倒す; the garden door was standing open. "I had left my door open," Cynthia went on; "I heard something out in the middle of the apartment."

"Why didn't you call me then?"

"I thought I might be mistaken. I went out into the foyer. He was in the studio then. I could see the faint reflections of a flashlight in there. He （機の）カム out. He had turned out his light. Just a 影をつくる／尾行する of a man. It was then that I called you. He dashed out through the sunroom. That's all I can remember."

Returning to his room. 物陰／風下 threw on a warm dressing-gown, and snatched up gun and flashlight. Cynthia 主張するd on …を伴ってing him into the garden, and he could not 妨げる her. The 重要な to the garden door was hanging in its usual place beside the doorframe. There was a second 重要な sticking in the lock of the door. 物陰／風下 took the 重要な and の近くにd the door so that the 侵入者 could not slip 支援する into the apartment while he was looking for him in the garden.

Ten minutes search 満足させるd him that the man was no longer there. "Where could he have gone?" murmured Cynthia. "We are two hundred feet above the street."

"Either he flew away," said 物陰／風下 dryly, "or he climbed the 塀で囲む to the 隣接するing building. I favour the latter explanation."

They returned to the apartment. Any その上の sleep that night was out of the question. "Could it have been Hillman?" 示唆するd Cynthia.

"Hillman had the run of the apartment all day, and he's coming 支援する in the morning. Why should he こそこそ動く in in the middle of the night?"

"No, it was not Hillman," she said. "A 激しい, hulking 人物／姿／数字, with stooped shoulders and a strange skull cap pulled の近くに over his 長，率いる." She shivered. "Somewhere I have seen such a 人物／姿／数字, but I can't remember...I can't remember."

"What 肉親，親類d of a building is it next door?" said 物陰／風下. "I never happened to notice."

"An office building."

"It's four o'clock. Such a building would be locked up at this hour. I don't see how anybody could get in."

"Then what do you think?"

"I think that he had been waiting out in the garden all evening for a chance to come in. Perhaps he didn't know that anybody would be sleeping in the apartment to-night until he got on the roof and saw the lights."

Cynthia shivered. "He's been watching me all evening then."

"My first 職業 is to discover what he was after," said 物陰／風下. "Yesterday I made a 完全にする mental 在庫 of the contents of the studio. I せねばならない be able to tell if anything has been taken."

Like an experienced hound 物陰／風下 nosed about the big room, 支配するing every インチ of it to examination, while Cynthia 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd in an 平易な-議長，司会を務める watching him. The drawers of the big desk, the cupboards, the bookshelves, he omitted nothing. It was 十分な daylight before he （機の）カム to an end, and threw up his 手渡すs in 敗北・負かす. "Nothing is 行方不明の. So far as I can tell everything in the room is 正確に／まさに as it was yesterday."

Soon afterwards Hillman arrived. He was calmer today; better able to 会合，会う their 注目する，もくろむs. It was impossible to believe that he could have been the 早期に morning 侵入者.

When they had eaten breakfast 物陰／風下 obstinately 新たにするd his search of the studio. "The explanation must be here," he 主張するd.

In the end he （機の）カム to Cynthia with a little ornamental 木造の box in his 手渡す. It 含む／封じ込めるd a 始める，決める of carved ivory chessmen. "You have 設立する something?" she said anxiously. "Yes," he said, "but it only 深くするs the mystery. Gavin's 始める，決める of chessmen has been taken away and another left in its place. The どろぼう put the new ones in the old box. That's why I didn't discover the substitution before."

"The clicking of the pieces was the first sound that I heard," murmured Cynthia.

"These are 類似の to the others," 物陰／風下 went on, "but the design of each piece is a little different. Notice that the 城 is shorter and 厚い through; the 長，率いる of the knight more skilfully carved. I should never have discovered the substitution had I not been so familiar with the old 始める，決める."

"It was the 殺害者!"

"So it would seem. Nobody else would have taken such a 危険."

"What could he have 手配中の，お尋ね者 them for?"

"God knows, my dear! There is no mystery about Gavin's chessmen. He's had the 始める，決める for twenty-five years. I remember 井戸／弁護士席 when he bought it. It cost fifteen dollars. That was a big sum for a college boy to lay out. Gavin had become crazy about the game. He undertook to teach me, but I had not patience enough to make a good player. We will have to find the 行方不明の chessmen before we can hope to discover why they were taken."

CHAPTER XIII.

WHEN Hillman next had occasion to enter the studio, the chessmen were lying exposed on a （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. Cynthia watched the servant's 直面する. "Hillman, Mr. Dordress was a 広大な／多数の／重要な chess-player, wasn't he?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Yes, sir," he answered readily. "Mr. Dordress was very 部分的な／不平等な to the game."

"With whom did he play?"

"Lately he had been complaining that he had nobody to play with, sir."

"And before that?"

"He used to play with Mr. Siebert Ackroyd, sir."

Cynthia paled. "Mr. Ackroyd used to 減少（する） in evenings," Hillman went on. "Mr. Dordress said he had the makings of an A1 player. But he hasn't been for some time past."

"Anybody else?" asked 物陰／風下.

"行方不明になる Garrett, sir. Mr. Dordress taught her the game several years ago. I fancy she wasn't a very good player. Mr. Dordress would give her a 障害（者） and then （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 her. They used to play in the late afternoons or on Sunday evenings."

"Anybody else?"

"Not that I can recollect, sir."

"How about Mr. Gundy?"

"I don't know. I have never seen him play with Mr. Dordress."

"Or Mr. Townley?"

"No, sir. Mr. Townley was too 十分な of 商売／仕事. He never dropped it just to pass the time with Mr. Dordress. He always had 商売／仕事."

"Are these the chessmen that Mr. Dordress ordinarily played with?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Why yes, sir. He never owned but the one 始める，決める."

"All 権利, thank you, Hillman. That's all now."

The servant cast a ちらりと見ること of sharp curiosity at the little ivory 人物／姿／数字s. "Excuse me, sir, but have you learned anything from these?"

"Nothing," said 物陰／風下.

When he had gone out Cynthia said: "The chessmen meant nothing to him."

"That is obvious," said 物陰／風下.

"O, dear!" she complained, "everything we have learned to-day seems to 取り消す out everything we learned yesterday. Can you see any light?"

"A 割れ目 or two," he answered, smiling. "It is possible that the 主要な／長／主犯 in this 事件／事情／状勢 雇うd several スパイ／執行官s to carry out his 計画（する）..."

"Or her 計画（する）," murmured Cynthia. "It has already been 示唆するd that there were two such スパイ／執行官s; there may have been more. Perhaps no one of these スパイ／執行官s was 知らせるd of what the others were up to."

They went out into the roof garden to see what その上の 手がかり（を与える）s daylight might 明らかにする／漏らす. A dull rumble of traffic arose from the street below, punctuated by the 時折の squawk of a モーター horn. Except for the evergreen hedges the garden wore the 荒涼とした dress of winter. The gravel paths 明らかにする／漏らすd no trace of footsteps. In a 幅の広い box of earth outside the window of Cynthia's room, 物陰／風下 設立する the print of a big 手渡す. It had been encased in a glove. "He was leaning 今後 here to peep between the slats of the Venetian blinds," said 物陰／風下.

Cynthia shivered.

物陰／風下 covered the 手渡す-print. Later in the day he took a cast of it with plaster of paris. ーするために reach the box the man had had to 軍隊 his way through the growing evergreens. 物陰／風下, 診察するing them through a magnifying glass, carefully collected some woollen hairs 粘着するing to the spiny foliage.

All along the 支援する of the garden ran the 塀で囲む of the 隣接するing building, some fifteen feet higher than the garden. Gavin had covered it with a 木造の lattice over which vines might be trained in summer. 物陰／風下 said the man could not have climbed 負かす／撃墜する and climbed 支援する by the lattice. The interstices were too small to 供給する a toe 持つ／拘留する. "Very likely he used a rope ladder," said 物陰／風下. "The supports of the 戦車／タンク on the roof next door would 供給する a convenient place to tie his ladder." 物陰／風下 was presently able to point out the exact 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where the man had come 負かす／撃墜する and gone 支援する again. The painted lattice showed scuff 示すs. "The rope ladder," said 物陰／風下, "would have a 傾向 to throw him against the lattice, 特に if he was in a hurry."

支援する in the house, 物陰／風下 put the hairs he had 選ぶd up under a microscope. After examination he said: "It was a cheap 構成要素 that 含む／封じ込めるd wool and jute. Light brown or yellowish in colour."

"A yellow overcoat!" murmured Cynthia, 星／主役にするing. "Now I remember, 物陰／風下. As I stood on the corner Sunday night a man wearing a strange-looking yellow overcoat passed me. He had a leather helmet drawn over his 長，率いる...物陰／風下!...物陰／風下! That was the man who broke in here last night. That was my father's 殺害者 I...O, God! 物陰／風下, he must have been on his way to kill him then!"

"Would you know him if you saw him?"

"O, Heavens, yes! Every 詳細（に述べる） of his 外見 seems to be etched on my brain!"

物陰／風下, feeling that he had reached a point where he 要求するd the 援助 of the police, drove 負かす／撃墜する to （警察，軍隊などの）本部 to talk to 視察官 Loasby, the 長，指導者 of the 探偵，刑事 軍隊. Cynthia went to her work at the New York Hospital. 物陰／風下's relations with the police were peculiar. On several occasions be had given Loasby 価値のある help, and the latter was 推定では 感謝する. When a 事例／患者 broke. 物陰／風下 had always retired gracefully and let Loasby take the credit. The 視察官 could not understand 物陰／風下's 願望（する） to be known as an author rather than a 探偵，刑事. 個人として, he considered 物陰／風下 a bit 割れ目d.

Loasby was a handsome man and a first-率 探偵，刑事 officer in the modern 科学の manner. Perhaps he 欠如（する）d something of imagination, but 物陰／風下 considered that just 同様に in a public 公式の／役人. At （警察，軍隊などの）本部 物陰／風下 設立する him up to his neck in the 詳細（に述べる） of the day's 商売／仕事, but Loasby, knowing that 物陰／風下 was no trifler, put everything aside to listen to his story. 物陰／風下 did not feel that it was 現職の on him to tell Loasby all he surmised, but he gave him the facts. When he （機の）カム to an end the 視察官's jaw was hanging 負かす／撃墜する. "Good God, Mappin, there's dynamite in this 事例／患者! Gavin Dordress, Gail Garrett, Mack Townley, Bea Ellerman. What a bunch of headliners! We'll have to be damn' careful before we move!"

"Are you telling me?" said 物陰／風下.

Loasby agreed that it would be better for the police to take no 公式の／役人 cognizance of the 事例／患者 until 物陰／風下 had 安全な・保証するd more 証拠. In the 合間 Loasby put the 資源s of the department at 物陰／風下's 処分, and 物陰／風下, on his part, agreed to keep the 視察官 fully 知らせるd.

物陰／風下's first request was for a search to be made for the 行方不明の 始める，決める of chessmen. He 述べるd the ivory 人物／姿／数字s and asked (a) that the catch 水盤／入り江s of the 下水管s in the 周辺 of Gavin Dordress' apartment be cleaned out; (b) that the 従業員s of the Department of 衛生設備 be 教えるd to watch for the chessmen in all receptacles of rubbish and garbage that were put out to be emptied; (c) that a description of the chessmen be broadcast to all policemen on patrol, and that the pawnshops be searched. 物陰／風下 also 手渡すd to the 視察官 the 重要な he had 設立する in the garden door of the penthouse. It was to be photographed and a circular printed and sent to every locksmith in the city with the 反対する of learning who had made such a 重要な.

Returning up-town, 物陰／風下 visited the tall, 狭くする office building next door to the apartment house. Before making his presence known, he went up to the 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す, where he 設立する a flight of stairs 主要な up. At the 最高の，を越す was a door 開始 on the roof, furnished with an ordinary spring lock. By 圧力（をかける）ing 負かす／撃墜する the catch on the lock, anybody could go out on the roof and return whenever he had a mind to. The roof 申し込む／申し出d no 独特の features. On the base of the アイロンをかける 基準 supporting the water 戦車／タンク, 物陰／風下 could distinguish 示すs where a rope or rope ladder had been tied.

He looked up the Superintendent of the building. 提起する／ポーズをとるing as a 私立探偵, 物陰／風下 said: "The apartment of the late Mr. Dordress was entered last night. 明らかに the どろぼう lowered himself from the roof of your building."

"What did he get?"

"Nothing. He was 脅すd off."

The Superintendent told 物陰／風下 that his building was kept open until 11.30 to 控訴 the convenience of a School of Telegraphy on the 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す, which 行為／行うd classes every night of the week. There were two 開会／開廷／会期s: 7 to 9 and 9 to 11. The School was の近くにd about 11.30 and the elevator man went home at the same time. Thereafter the outer door of the building was locked. There was a watchman who was 要求するd to visit every 床に打ち倒す of the building four times between midnight and 8 am.

The Superintendent 認める that it would be possible for anybody who was familiar with the movements of the watchman to slip past him on his 一連の会議、交渉／完成するs. In fact, the watchman had 報告（する）／憶測d on Monday morning, and again this morning (Tuesday), that he had 設立する the 前線 door of the building 打ち明けるd after he had locked it. For the coming night, a second man had been engaged to sit in the 入り口 hall while the other was making his 一連の会議、交渉／完成するs. "He's hardly likely to come 支援する again," said 物陰／風下 dryly. "Best to say nothing about this for the 現在の."

"You bet your life," said the Superintendent. "I don't want any unfavourable publicity for my building."

The night elevator boy （機の）カム on 義務 in the middle of the afternoon, and 物陰／風下 returned later, to talk to him. He was a keen boy, すぐに 利益／興味d when 物陰／風下 questioned him. Feeling his way from question to question, 物陰／風下 finally got this story out of him. "Last Wednesday or Thursday, I can't be sure, I carried a funny-looking guy up to the Telegraph School. I 示すd him particular, he was such a dumb, foreign-looking cluck; most of the students up there are smart young American fellows. The first time he come he only stayed a few minutes and I took him 負かす／撃墜する again. He come 支援する Sunday night about a ４半期/4分の1 to eleven. I told him the school would be の近くにing in a few minutes, but he said he only 手配中の，お尋ね者 to 登録（する）, and there was time enough for that. So I took him up."

"Did you bring him 負かす／撃墜する again?" asked 物陰／風下.

"I didn't see him going 負かす／撃墜する, but there's such a （人が）群がる when the school lets out I might 平易な 行方不明になる seeing somebody. But I don't think I would have 行方不明になるd that funny-looking guy."

"Did you see him last night?"

"Yes. Last night he come in time for the nine o'clock 開会／開廷／会期."

"Did you carry him 負かす／撃墜する again?"

"No, sir. Now that you ask me, I never saw him again. I forgot about him."

"述べる him."

"井戸／弁護士席, he was a tall fellow and 激しい-built; 肉親，親類d of stooped in the shoulders; almost like he had a hump-on his 支援する. I couldn't tell you the colour of his 注目する，もくろむs. He wore 厚い glasses that made his 注目する，もくろむs funny-looking. He couldn't see very good; 肉親，親類d of felt his way along. Clean shaven. He was a Yiddisher. Talked broken. He had on a big overcoat, 肉親，親類d of yellowish, that hung, on him like a 解雇（する）. You couldn't buy such an overcoat in this town. He musta brought it over from the other 味方する. And a leather helmet; come 権利 負かす／撃墜する over his 長，率いる."

"Very good description." said 物陰／風下. "What age man?"

"I couldn't tell you. Mister. He wasn't young and he wasn't old."

"Would you know him again?"

"I sure would...What's he 手配中の，お尋ね者 for, Boss?"

"Trying to break into the apartment next door...If you value your 職業, say nothing about it."

"I get you." said the boy, grinning.

CHAPTER XIV.

LEE returned to the apartment. At the end of the day Stan Oberry sent around a （製品，工事材料の）一回分 of 報告（する）／憶測s. There was nothing new on Mack Townley. He had slept at the 連邦の League Club. In the morning he had visited his apartment, and had then returned to the club where he had remained hidden all day. Joe Dietz had, as usual, spent most of his day in the poolroom. He had 辞退するd to talk about the Dordress 事例／患者 to-day, and had appeared uneasy and 怪しげな. Gail Garrett had not left her apartment in the Conradi-Windermere all day. Stan's operative, Vosper, 武装した with a letter of introduction from 物陰／風下 to the 大統領, had visited the 農業者s and Merchants Bank where Gail kept her account. Vosper had been furnished with some 重要な 人物／姿／数字s. On October 10th, 行方不明になる Garrett's balance had stood at $18,000, and she had since made large 週刊誌 deposits. But she had drawn out no いっそう少なく than $35,000, which had been paid to her 本人自身で, in cash, $5,000 at a time; her 現在の balance was いっそう少なく than $1,000.

There was nothing on Hillman since he had been at work in the apartment all day. As a 事柄 of fact, Schelling, who was 割り当てるd to watch him, had been 詳細（に述べる）d to discover what he could about the 収穫 Restaurant on Jerome Park Avenue. Schelling 報告（する）／憶測d that it was a small place doing an excellent 商売／仕事. Said to 甚だしい／１２ダース between twelve and fourteen hundred 週刊誌, of which the 逮捕する would be in the neighbourhood, of two hundred. It was efficiently managed by Mrs. Hillman, who spent long hours in the place, 一般に leaving between one and two in the morning. There was such a person as Howard 収穫, and Hillman had undoubtedly bought the place from him. Hillman was said to have paid fifteen thousand for 好意／親善, fixtures and 賃貸し（する）. When Schelling visited the 演説（する）／住所 Hillman had given as 収穫's, he 設立する that the 収穫's had moved some weeks before, giving out that they were going to California.

Oberry at 物陰／風下's request had sent a man by 計画（する） to Reno, Nevada, to get a 声明 from Mrs. Mack Townley.

In the afternoon papers 物陰／風下 read that the 団体／死体 of Frank Cagey or Chigi had been identified and 除去するd from the morgue. The account 明言する／公表するd that he was "lying in 明言する／公表する" in the rooms of the Nonpariel Social Club, while his friends 用意が出来ている a ギャング（個々）'s funeral for him on a grand 規模. 物陰／風下 was relieved to see that no 関係 was 示唆するd between the death of Gavin Dordress and the 殺人，大当り of the 夜盗，押し込み強盗 in the Bronx by Gavin's butler on the に引き続いて night. The 圧力（をかける） commiserated with the unfortunate man who had been 関心d in two such 悲劇s.

When Cynthia （機の）カム in from work, 物陰／風下 laid all this before her. When she had read the 報告（する）／憶測s she said:

"It is now 確かな that Hillman has paid in 十分な for his restaurant with money 得るd from Gail Garrett."

"公正に／かなり 確かな ," agreed 物陰／風下 慎重に. "I don't understand why she paid Hillman so much since he does not seem to have taken the 主要な／長／主犯 part in the 殺人，大当り."

"What do you suppose she did with the other ten thousand?"

物陰／風下 shrugged. "I assume that Cagey got it."

At six o'clock a messenger （機の）カム from Police （警察，軍隊などの）本部 bringing the 行方不明の 始める，決める of chessmen. Loasby said that it had been 誓約（する）d 早期に that morning in a pawnshop on Third Avenue. The description of the man who had pawned it 一致するd with that furnished by the elevator boy, yellow overcoat, stooped 支援する and all. "Nice work!" said 物陰／風下, sitting 負かす／撃墜する to 令状 the 視察官 a 公式文書，認める of congratulation.

物陰／風下 始める，決める up the little red and white ivory chessmen on Gavin's desk, and 熟考する／考慮するd them piece by piece, both with the naked 注目する，もくろむ and under a glass, while Cynthia を待つd the 判決. For a long time 物陰／風下 was baffled; finally, as he 熟考する／考慮するd one of the little 城s with its battlemented 最高の，を越す, an 協会 of ideas began to work in his mind. From a drawer of the desk he got the little sketch he had made of the bruise on Gavin's forehead. 圧力（をかける）ing the 最高の，を越す of the 城 in an 署名／調印するd pad that lay in Gavin's drawer, he made an impression of it on the paper と一緒に his own sketch. The two little pictures were 同一の; six tiny parallelograms 範囲d in a circle.

Cynthia 星／主役にするd at them with 広げるing 注目する，もくろむs. "物陰／風下, you are wonderful!" she murmured. "That tells the story," said 物陰／風下. "Gavin was playing chess with somebody at the moment he was 発射. His 長，率いる sank 今後 and struck against this chessman. I について言及するd the bruise on Gavin's forehead to one of the reporters, and it was printed yesterday. That is what 決定するd the 殺害者 to make away with the telltale piece."

"Playing chess," murmured Cynthia, "...with whom?"

"We know of three chess-players," said 物陰／風下, grimly; "Gail Garrett, Mack Townley and Siebert Ackroyd; there may be others.

"It couldn't have been anybody but Gail," Cynthia said はっきりと. "Everything points to her."

"Everything but the man in the yellow overcoat," said 物陰／風下. "We 港／避難所't 設立するd any 関係 between him and Gail."

"We know that she has 雇うd two 共犯者s; why not a third?"

"That remains to be proven." They heard the bell （犯罪の）一味 outside, and Hillman presently entered to say that Mr. Ackroyd was calling. He had asked for 行方不明になる Cynthia.

Cynthia's 直面する was 新たな展開d with 苦痛. "I won't see him," she said quickly.

"Better take a look at him," 物陰／風下 said to Cynthia in an undertone. "It may destroy your 疑惑 or 確認する it."

Cynthia, after a painful hesitation, nodded her 長，率いる. "We'll come out to him," said 物陰／風下. He gathered up the chessmen.

Siebert was agitatedly pacing the foyer. His handsome 直面する was drawn with 苦悩. He was scarcely aware of 物陰／風下's presence. "Cyn, I had to come," he burst out. "I can't settle to anything when you're in such trouble. How goes it?"

Cynthia looked at him darkly. "All 権利," she said tonelessly. 避けるing his outstretched 手渡す, she crossed the foyer to the 開始 of the 回廊（地帯）, and turning around, 直す／買収する，八百長をするd him with her dark gaze. He was standing almost on the same 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where she had first seen the man who had entered the night before.

"What's the 事柄?" asked Siebert blankly.

物陰／風下 moved quickly に向かって the sunroom. "Come in here a moment, Siebert. I have something to show you."

Siebert strode into the sunroom, Cynthia watching every movement. 物陰／風下 took 負かす／撃墜する the 重要な to the garden door from its hook on the door-でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる and showed it to him. "Siebert, did you ever borrow this 重要な?"

Siebert's 直面する showed purest surprise. "What are you getting at?" he 需要・要求するd.

"I mean for the 目的 of having a duplicate made," said 物陰／風下, watching him 厳しく.

Siebert 紅潮／摘発するd red with 怒り／怒る. "I don't understand you." Turning on his heel, the young man 需要・要求するd of Cynthia: "What does this mean?"

物陰／風下, who did not wish to intrude on what followed, went 支援する into the studio. "What does this mean? What does this mean?" Siebert kept asking.

Cynthia, 縮むing from him, mutely shook her 長，率いる. "Why do you 行為／法令／行動する so strangely? You and 物陰／風下. It isn't possible that you 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う me of...Me?"

"You 悪口を言う／悪態d him," she muttered.

Siebert clasped his 手渡すs to his 長，率いる. "O, my God," he groaned, "港／避難所't I 苦しむd enough on that account? I told you how sorry I was. It meant nothing. It was only the 怒り／怒る of a moment...Cynthia, I have never hidden anything from you. You must know that I am incapable of such a thing!"

He paused, searching her 直面する. Cynthia continued to look at him distantly, and his 直面する suddenly 炎上d with 怒り／怒る. "All 権利!" he cried 厳しく. "I've given you the best I've got! Maybe you're not 価値（がある） it. There must be something the 事柄 with you, if you can so easily 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う the one who loves you. I reckon you're incapable of loving a man. If you loved me, you would know that I could not do this to you!" He strode out of the apartment.

物陰／風下, 審理，公聴会 the door, （機の）カム quickly 支援する into the foyer. "井戸／弁護士席?" he asked.

Cynthia ran to him with failing steps, and 落ちるing in his 武器, burst into a passion of 涙／ほころびs.

"物陰／風下, I don't know! I don't know!" she cried. "いつかs I think it might have been Siebert; いつかs I am sure it was not! Why must I be 拷問d so? I can't 耐える it!"

"Have courage," he said soothing her. "It won't be for long. We will soon know."

CHAPTER XV.

CYNTHIA and 物陰／風下 were seated at the dining-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. Cynthia pale, and with dark circles under her 注目する，もくろむs, was 単に playing with her food, and 物陰／風下 couldn't eat because she couldn't. They heard the bell outside, and Cynthia looked up apprehensively. "I dread that sound!" she murmured.

Hillman, having gone to the door, entered to say that it was Joe Dietz. He 手配中の，お尋ね者 to see Mr. Mappin. He said it was important. 物陰／風下 got up and went out into the foyer followed by Cynthia. The elevator boy in his street 着せる／賦与するs stood there biting his lip and turning his hat ceaselessly between his 手渡すs. Joe was not a beauty at any time and agitation made his sharp-featured 直面する look even more ありふれた and mean. "Mr. Mappin, I got to talk to you! I got to talk to you!" he stammered.

Hillman was hanging around, and 物陰／風下 led the way into the studio. When the boy saw that Cynthia was coming, too, he hung 支援する. "Mr. Mappin, I got to see you alone."

"Has it got anything to do with what happened Sunday night?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Yes sir."

"Then she must hear it, too. Forget that she's a woman." 物陰／風下 の近くにd the door of the studio. "What is it, Joe?"

"Mr. Mappin, I lied to you yesterday morning."

"I 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd as much," said 物陰／風下 dryly. "Give me the straight 麻薬 now."

"I lied when I said there was nobody come up to Mr. Dordress' apartment after everybody had gone. I brought up a man in the elevator."

"What man?" asked 物陰／風下 はっきりと.

"Frank Cagey, Mr. Mappin. But I didn't know who he was then."

物陰／風下 and Cynthia looked at each other. "There was a woman come to Mr. Dordress, too," stammered Joe.

"Who?"

"行方不明になる Gail Garrett, sir."

Cynthia dropped suddenly into a 議長，司会を務める as if her 脚s had 弱めるd under her. "Now I know!" she murmured.

物陰／風下 said: "Sit 負かす／撃墜する, Joe. Take it slow, and tell me the whole story."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Joe sat 負かす／撃墜する on the 辛勝する／優位 of a 議長，司会を務める, still turning his hat. "Mr. Hillman, he was the last to leave. 行方不明になる Garrett, she come 支援する first. It was a good while after; about twelve, as 近づく as I can 人物／姿／数字. She come 支援する. She asked me if anybody had come to see Mr. Dordress, and I says no, and she seemed awful glad of it. She said: 'Take me up,' and I did."

"Did Mr. Dordress let her in?" asked 物陰／風下.

"No, sir. She had her own 重要な to the apartment."

"You're sure of that?"

"絶対, Mr. Mappin. She was in such a hurry she had the 重要な in her 手渡す before she stepped out of the elevator, and she put it 権利 in the door."

"Go ahead."

"I hadn't much more than got 負かす／撃墜する to the ground 床に打ち倒す when the fellow, he come. He was dressed so nice I never thought anything out of the way. He said he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to see Mr. Dordress, and that he was 推定する／予想するd, so I took him up."

"Who let him in?"

"I don't know, sir. He rang the bell of the apartment. I couldn't hang around watching. I （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する in the car."

"Then what happened?"

"井戸／弁護士席, after a while I heard a buzz from the fifteenth 床に打ち倒す and I went up to get them."

"How long were they in the apartment?" asked 物陰／風下. "This is important."

"I couldn't tell you 正確に／まさに, Mr. Mappin. It was a good while. Not いっそう少なく than half an hour, and not more than an hour, I guess."

"Go on."

"The fellow, he looked just the same as before, 悪賢い and smooth, but the lady, she looked bad. She was all in. He had to 持つ／拘留する her up. I took them 負かす／撃墜する in the elevator and they drove away in a taxi."

"Why did you 嘘（をつく） about this yesterday?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Because I was 脅すd, Mr. Mappin. In the elevator this fellow showed me a gun and said he'd fill my belly 十分な of lead if I ever said that he or she had been there that night."

"Did he give you money?"

"No, sir. But she did. A hundred dollars. And 約束d me more if I kept my mouth shut."

"I see," said 物陰／風下.

"I didn't care nothing about the money, sir," 抗議するd Joe. "I'm an honest boy. Ain't I telling you the truth now? But I was 脅すd!"

"What was it led you to tell the truth now?" asked 物陰／風下.

"I read in the paper as how Frank Cagey was 発射 up in the Bronx last night. The 指名する meant nothing to me, but his picture was in the paper and I thought that was the guy. It said he was lying in 明言する／公表する at— Bayard Street and I went there on my way to work. There was a （人が）群がる going in and out and nobody took no notice of me. I went in and looked at him in his casket, and it was the guy. So I wasn't 脅すd of him any more. That's why I'm telling you."

"I see," said 物陰／風下.

"What must I do now?" asked Joe nervously. "Must I talk to the police?"

"All in good time," said 物陰／風下. "I'll tell you when...In the 合間 if you value your own 肌 keep your mouth shut. This fellow Joe Cagey has plenty of friends, remember."

Joe turned pale. "Yes, sir. Yes, sir, Mr. Mappin. You can depend upon me, sir."

"All 権利, go on to your work," said 物陰／風下.

When the boy had left them. 物陰／風下 and Cynthia looked at each other for a long time without speaking. "It's all （疑いを）晴らす now," murmured Cynthia at last. "Gail 説得するd Dad to sit 負かす／撃墜する to a game of chess with her, and this 殺害者 stole up and 発射 him."

"So it would seem," said 物陰／風下. His 発言する／表明する 欠如（する）d 有罪の判決. "I don't see why Gavin didn't take alarm when he first laid 注目する，もくろむs on the man."

"He never laid 注目する，もくろむs on him," said Cynthia. "Cagey only made believe to （犯罪の）一味 the doorbell. Gail had 直す／買収する，八百長をするd the latch of the door so that he could go 権利 in after the elevator had gone 負かす／撃墜する."

"Maybe so," said 物陰／風下.

Cynthia reached for the telephone and began to dial a number. 物陰／風下, divining her 意向, said quickly: "Better wait! We're not sure yet!"

Cynthia looked at him in astonishment. "What more proof could you want?"

"The man in the yellow overcoat was up here too on Sunday night. Where does he come in?"

"He was another of Gail's 共犯者s."

Cynthia got her 関係. "Siebert," she said into the transmitter, and her 発言する／表明する broke: "Siebert, can you come over here for a moment? I have something to tell you."

Evidently Siebert could and would. Cynthia hung up. "You were too precipitate," said 物陰／風下 厳粛に.

"I can't help myself, 物陰／風下," she pleaded. "I wronged him in my mind!"

"What do you want me to do next?" asked 物陰／風下. "Lay the （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） before the police, and ask for Gail Garrett's 逮捕（する）?"

Cynthia looked at him in horror. "O, 物陰／風下! Think how the tabloids will play up the story of Gail and Dad!"

"I don't see how it can be 避けるd, my dear."

"Don't tell the police," she 勧めるd. "Let us just tell Gail that we know the truth, and leave her to her own 良心. That will be 罰 enough."

物陰／風下 shook his 長，率いる. "I have 誓約（する）d my word to 視察官 Loasby. It is my 義務 to tell the police everything we know. After that it's up to them."

"Must you tell them 権利 away? To-night?"

"Not to-night. I want to be surer of my ground first."

Hillman entered to ask if they would take any more dinner. 明白に it was only an excuse; his 直面する was tormented with curiosity. They shook their 長，率いるs, but he ぐずぐず残るd. His curiosity 証明するd to be stronger than his 恐れるs. "Mr. Mappin, sir," he blurted out, "if it's not a liberty, what did you learn from the boy? What has happened!"

"Nothing conclusive," said 物陰／風下 mildly.

"Mr. Mappin..."

"That will be all, Hillman."

The servant went out with a distracted 空気／公表する. "Curious," murmured 物陰／風下, "the pertinacity of a weak man. Hillman will 直面する this out to the end, though he dies a thousand deaths from sheer fright."

In ten minutes Siebert was at the door of the apartment. Cynthia ran out into the foyer; 物陰／風下 remained sitting in the studio 検討する，考慮するing things over. "Siebert," said Cynthia imploringly. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke and 行為／法令／行動するd. Can you 許す me, and forget it?"

The young man's 注目する，もくろむs brooded over her sombrely. "I 許す you," he said, "but I can't forget it 権利 away. It made too 深い a 示す."

"I'm so sorry!" she murmured. "Try to put yourself in my place. Every hour something new happens. I am dragged this way and that. I scarcely know what I am doing."

"I know what you're going through," he said. "I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to stand by you. But you preferred Mr. Mappin."

"Why can't I have both of you?"

Siebert shook his 長，率いる. "Mappin 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うs me. Mind, I don't 非難する him for that. He's got to go by logic. But you せねばならない have known me better."

"You have not forgiven me," she said sadly.

"Yes, I have! I can't help loving you whatever you do."

"Then it's all 権利," she said, slipping her arm through his.

He 圧力（をかける）d it hard against his 味方する. "You 港／避難所't said that you loved me," he murmured diffidently.

"Ah, don't ask that now," she said painfully. "There is no room inside me now for a personal love. But I want you for my friend."

"Okay," said Siebert.

They drifted into the sunroom with linked 武器.

As time passed and Hillman did not appear to say that he was going home, 物陰／風下 went in search of him. He 設立する the servant standing in the pantry in a distracted 明言する／公表する. "港／避難所't you finished your work?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Yes, sir. やめる finished."

"Then why don't you go home?"

"I was just going, sir." Hillman took his hat and coat from the cupboard where they hung. "Goodnight, Mr. Mappin. Please say good-night to 行方不明になる Cynthia for me."

物陰／風下 made sure that he left the apartment.

Five minutes later Hillman was 支援する again, shaking with fright. "Mr. Mappin, sir," he stuttered, "would it be all 権利 with you if I stayed here to-night?"

"Why?" asked 物陰／風下. "I believe there are men laying for me in the street, sir. Friends of that man...of Cagey's. If they don't get me here they are 確かな to get me in the empty streets that surround my home. I'm afraid, Mr. Mappin."

"Nonsense!" said 物陰／風下. "When a どろぼう is killed while breaking into a house it is part of the chance he takes. You never heard of his friends trying to avenge a 殺人，大当り of that sort. It is only when a ギャング（個々） is 殺人d by a 競争相手 that his mates look for 復讐."

"I'm afraid," wailed Hillman.

"I see no 推論する／理由 for your staying here all night."

"I have a room, sir. Everything is 用意が出来ている. I used to sleep here いつかs when Mr. Dordress was alive."

"No, Hillman."

"Please! Mr. Mappin."

"It does not 控訴 my convenience to have you sleep here," said 物陰／風下 coldly.

Hillman shuffled away, 公正に／かなり blubbering with fright.

CHAPTER XVI.

EVER since Gavin's 団体／死体 had been carried to the Hamilton Funeral Parlours, a curious （人が）群がる had been milling around the 設立, and 物陰／風下, dreading the scenes at a public funeral, had arranged to have his friend carried 内密に to a little chapel in Valhalla. There he was to be buried on Wednesday morning. Only a dozen of Gavin's closest friends were 通知するd of the place and time, and all were 誓約（する）d not to divulge it to the 圧力（をかける）.

Hillman arrived for work as usual on Wednesday morning. He looked like a man on the 瀬戸際 of a nervous 決裂／故障. "So you escaped from the ギャング（個々）s," 物陰／風下 said dryly.

"It's no joke to me, Mr. Mappin," he whined. "I am watched and followed wherever I go."

物陰／風下 and Cynthia breakfasted. Afterwards, while Cynthia was making ready in her bedroom, Hillman （機の）カム to 物陰／風下. "Mr. Mappin, would it be asking too much for me to go with you this morning? I could ride outside with the chauffeur."

"Why do you want to go?" asked 物陰／風下.

Hillman looked at him in surprise, and 物陰／風下 公式文書，認めるd with astonishment that there were 涙／ほころびs in his 注目する，もくろむs. But of course there are men 同様に as women who can cry to order. "I...I worked for Mr. Dordress for nine years," he stammered. "I was very 堅固に 大（公）使館員d to him."

"Hum!" said 物陰／風下. "We will have to ask 行方不明になる Cynthia." When Cynthia entered the room he said: "Hillman wants to know if he may go to the funeral with us."

Cynthia 星／主役にするd at the servant. "Certainly not!" she said. "I wonder that he has the 直面する to speak of such a thing!" She hurried out of the room to hide her feelings.

"You have your answer," said 物陰／風下 to Hillman.

Hillman stood, an abject 人物／姿／数字, hanging his 長，率いる and 新たな展開ing his 手渡すs together. "Mr. Mappin," he whined, "surely it isn't possible that I am 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd of...of...."

"O, say it out," 物陰／風下 broke in. "嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd of having had a 手渡す in the 殺人 of your master. Certainly you are 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd."

"O, Mr. Mappin, this is too terrible!"

"We know that 行方不明になる Garrett has paid you large sums of money during the last month. What was that for, if it was not to connive at the 殺人 of your master?"

"No, sir! No, sir! I have never taken a cent off 行方不明になる Garrett!"

"You have paid fifteen thousand dollars for your restaurant."

"No, sir! Only five thousand has been paid. That was my 貯金 and my wife's 貯金, and some we borrowed."

"Who did you borrow it from?"

"My wife took care of that, sir."

"How are you going to 支払う／賃金 the balance?"

"Out of 収入s, sir. A thousand dollars a month."

"The place doesn't earn that much."

"Then we'll have to borrow again."

物陰／風下 smiled grimly. "その上に," he said, "this man Cagey whom you 発射 last night was also in 行方不明になる Garrett's 支払う／賃金. A man of his 評判 in the 犯罪の world doesn't 略奪する the house of a butler or a small restaurant keeper. What was he after?"

"I don't know, Mr. Mappin. I 断言する I don't know!"

"All 権利," said 物陰／風下. "Until these questions are answered you must 推定する／予想する to be under 疑惑."

Hillman went out.

When Cynthia returned to the room 物陰／風下's 注目する，もくろむs dwelt on her with affection and 苦痛. Grief had given her beauty an other-world 質; the （疑いを）晴らす pallor, the 大きくするd 注目する，もくろむs were not like those of a ありふれた flesh and 血 woman. Her plain 黒人／ボイコット dress and hat 始める，決める it off with heart-breaking poignancy. She had 辞退するd to hide herself under a funeral 隠す. "Ah, my dear!...my dear!" he murmured.

"What's the 事柄?" she asked anxiously. "Don't I look all 権利?"

"You look like an angel! I would be more comfortable if I saw you with red 注目する，もくろむs and swollen nose like a ありふれた woman."

"I shan't cry to-day. 物陰／風下. Plenty of time for that."

He said: "This is going to be a painful ordeal for you."

Cynthia, guessing what had 誘発するd his words, said quickly: "She won't dare to come."

"She will certainly be there," said 物陰／風下 厳粛に. "She wouldn't dare to stay away."

As if to give point to his words the telephone rang. He answered it, and over the wire he heard the わずかに husky 発言する／表明する that had charmed the ears of millions. "May I speak to 行方不明になる Dordress, please."

"Good-morning, Gail." 物陰／風下's 発言する／表明する was very 乾燥した，日照りの. "This is 物陰／風下. Cynthia is really in no 形態／調整 to talk over the telephone. Can I take a message for her?"

"Ah, the poor child! My heart is with her!"

"She will be 感謝する," said 物陰／風下.

"I called up to say that I was 運動ing up to Valhalla alone with my chauffeur. Can't I take Cynthia and you with me?"

"You are very 肉親，親類d, but we have already engaged a car. We are taking several people with us."

"I see," said Gail. "井戸／弁護士席, I'll see you up there." She hung up.

Cynthia listened to half of this 交流, 強化するing with 怒り／怒る.

"She should be stopped!" she murmured. "It's not decent for her to be there!"

"I will 妨げる her from coming if you are ready to 直面する a show-負かす／撃墜する," said 物陰／風下 厳粛に.

"O, no!" said Cynthia, turning away. "Let him be buried first."

"Why do you go?" he asked affectionately. "It's not necessary, my dear."

"I'm not going to let her keep me away!" Cynthia flashed 支援する.

He said no more.

In Greenlawn 共同墓地 rain dripped slowly from the naked 支店s of the trees. The grass was as vivid as freshly-適用するd green paint, contrasting with the blackish green of the ivy trained over the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な 塚s. Not a dead leaf was 許すd to remain on the ground nor a spray of ivy to creep beyond its 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な; no spear of grass rose above its fellows. The place was too 井戸／弁護士席-kept; it had a smug and trivial look out of keeping with the stark fact of death.

すぐに inside the gates stood a sham gothic chapel connected by a covered way with a receiving 丸天井. As the hour for the 儀式 approached, two spruce young undertaker's assistants wheeled a rosewood casket through the 回廊（地帯） on a nickel-plated travelling bier of the 最新の design. Placing it just so at the chancel steps, they stood one on each 味方する in decorous 態度s of grief and watchfulness, beautifully dressed and 完全に pleased with themselves. The little church was still empty and their attention wandered. One ちらりと見ることd at his finger nails; the other 一打／打撃d a budding moustache.

Fifty yards from the church waited the freshly-opened 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な, with mats of 人工的な grass like 行う／開催する／段階 所有物／資産／財産s carefully laid 負かす／撃墜する to hide the 暴露するd earth, as if the sight of anything natural in that place were an offence. A knot of village women gathered under the portal of the church. The dead man was nothing to them; they didn't even know his 指名する; but it was （疑いを）晴らす from their 表現s that they enjoyed a funeral, any funeral.

Two taxicabs arrived from the 鉄道 駅／配置する, the first bringing Alan Talbert, a 被保護者 of Gavin's, and two other young men, the second two girls of a 高度に sophisticated type, who smoked cigarettes incessantly, and were inclined to smile at the barbarous funeral customs of our forefathers. They were all young 脚本家s. Not liking to be the first to enter the church, they remained standing outside along with the village women.

An expensive custom-built brougham drew up and Mack Townley stepped out. All the 脚本家s put themselves in a posture to attract his attention, but Mack walked between them looking neither to 権利 nor left, and seated himself in a 味方する aisle as if to 避ける all 接触する with his 肉親，親類d. There was something savage and terrible in the 面 of the 荒廃させるd 直面する under the 従来の silk hat. The young people looked at each other in surprise, for Mack was という評判の to be an unfeeling man. Their 長，率いるs drew together; they whispered. In spite of 物陰／風下's care, word had gone around Gavin's circle that there was something queer about the manner of his death.

Two handsome リムジンs arrived together. From the first stepped the very blonde 行方不明になる Gail Garrett, delicately worn, and most beautiful in her 黒人／ボイコット 衣装. Some of the village women recognised her, and finding herself 星／主役にするd at, she dropped a long crepe 隠す over her 直面する. The gesture of the famous 手渡す was perfect in its grace. She waited in the vestibule for those who were behind her. 物陰／風下 Mappin, Emmett Gundy, Cynthia Dordress, Louella Kip and Fanny Parran got out of the second car. As Cynthia entered the vestibule, Gail drew 支援する her 隠す, 明らかにする／漏らすing a 直面する suffused with tenderness. She 選ぶd up the girl's 手渡す, murmuring: "Darling child!"

Cynthia 許すd her 手渡す to 残り／休憩（する） limply in that of the older woman, but the 注目する，もくろむs that 残り／休憩（する）d on Gail's 直面する 炎d up with startling intensity. She said nothing. Gail, 脅すd, dropped the girl's 手渡す, and let the 隠す 落ちる 支援する quickly. The onlookers did not 行方不明になる this 簡潔な／要約する 交流. Even the village women felt that there was something strange about this sparsely-…に出席するd funeral. They were repaid for coming.

Cynthia entered the church. Emmett Gundy on one 味方する solicitously supported her 肘 with his 手渡す. From the other 味方する of the girl 物陰／風下 regarded Emmett dryly. He knew that Cynthia detested all such 陳列する，発揮するs, but he said nothing. Behind them, the gentle Louella in a 黒人／ボイコット hat that had turned rusty with age, was unaffectedly weeping. Hers were the only 涙／ほころびs shed. They took places in the first pew on one 味方する of the aisle, and Gail sat alone on the other. Nobody could see behind the latter's crepe 隠す. Cynthia looked stonily ahead of her.

The other people entered the church. Presently Siebert Ackroyd drove up in his little 転換できる, and went in. His 注目する，もくろむs sought out Cynthia. Seeing her 側面に位置するd on both 味方するs, he sat 負かす／撃墜する glumly at the 支援する of the church. 観察するing Emmett's officious attentions, how he 押し進めるd up a hassock for Cynthia to ひさまづく on, how he 設立する the burial service for her in the 祈り 調書をとる／予約する, Siebert scowled. Over on the 味方する aisle Mack Townley sat apart looking at nobody.

The clergyman entered, and the undertaker's assistants 退却／保養地d into the background. It was an unimportant, ill-paid clergyman, and he was not clever enough to 隠す the fact that this was an everyday 事柄 with him. Even so, the beautiful words of the burial service had a moving 影響, and the sound of 抑えるd weeping could be heard. Louella Kip's 長，率いる was 負かす／撃墜する, and under the all-enveloping 隠す, Gail Garrett's shoulders were shaking. Cynthia, with 乾燥した，日照りの 注目する，もくろむs, looked stonily ahead of her. "We brought nothing into this world, and it is 確かな we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the 指名する of the Lord."

When he （機の）カム to the end of the first part of the service he started slowly 負かす／撃墜する the aisle, and the two young undertakers （機の）カム after, wheeling the casket. The 会葬者s followed and after them the sightseers. At the church door waited six soberly-覆う？ workmen of the 共同墓地 who 解除するd the casket and bore it to the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な. Here it hung 一時停止するd in a cradle while the service was 再開するd. On one 味方する stood Gavin's closest friends, 物陰／風下 and the four 黒人／ボイコット-覆う？ women in 前線, with the tall 人物／姿／数字s of Siebert Ackroyd, Emmett Gundy and Mack Townley looking over their 長，率いるs. From the other 味方する of the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な and a little 支援する from it, the 注目する，もくろむs of the village women greedily searched the 直面するs of the 会葬者s. The clergyman continued: "Man that is born of women hath but a short time to live, and is 十分な of mystery. He cometh up, and is 削減（する） 負かす／撃墜する like a flower, he fleeth as it were a 影をつくる／尾行する, and never continueth in one stay."

As he pronounced the benediction, Gail Garrett drew from beneath her coat a 選び出す／独身 white rose. She 延長するd her graceful 手渡す, but Cynthia was too quick for her. The girl's 注目する，もくろむs 炎d in her white 直面する. Wrenching the flower from the other woman's 手渡す, she cast it on the ground and trod on it. "For shame!" she said in a low, quivering 発言する／表明する.

All the others looked on as if turned into 石／投石する. Gail shrank away. There was nothing theatrical in this gesture. "No! No!" she whispered. "You are wrong! I did not! I did not!"

"Go!" said the 炎ing Cynthia, pointing to the cars.

Gail turned and ran stumblingly to her car. Nobody else moved. She 崩壊（する）d on her 膝s on the running-hoard, but contrived to get the door open, and to drag herself inside. The car sped out of the 共同墓地.

CHAPTER XVII.

ON his return to town, 物陰／風下 went to Police （警察，軍隊などの）本部, where he put the whole story before 視察官 Loasby. The 視察官 was appalled by the 仕事 that lay before him. "Gail Garrett!" he exclaimed. "Good God! It is terrible to think of dragging 負かす／撃墜する a 指名する like that!"

Notwithstanding her demoralisation at the 共同墓地, Gail was 現実に playing the matinee at the Greenwich Theatre. 物陰／風下 had 満足させるd himself of that by telephone. "She has courage," he 発言／述べるd dryly.

"She must keep up 外見s at any cost," 示唆するd Loasby.

On matinee days it was 行方不明になる Garrett's custom to remain in her dressing-room between the two 業績／成果s. She would have friends in to a light meal that she called "tea" and would afterwards sleep for an hour in 準備 for the evening 業績／成果. Knowing this, 物陰／風下 timed his call at the theatre with 視察官 Loasby for half-past six. He 手配中の，お尋ね者 to save Cynthia from the ugly scene, but she 主張するd on …を伴ってing them. "My 存在 there will break her 負かす／撃墜する quicker than all the questions of the police," she said, and 物陰／風下 submitted. Loasby was in plain 着せる／賦与するs.

On their arrival at the 行う／開催する／段階-door they were told that 行方不明になる Garrett's friends were still with her, and they sat 負かす／撃墜する on 所有物／資産／財産 議長，司会を務めるs behind the scenes to wait. Of the three the professional police officer was the most uneasy. "I don't like this! I don't like this!" he kept muttering. The 星／主役にする dressing-room opened 直接／まっすぐに off the 行う／開催する／段階. Smiling, and 明らかに her usual self, Gail （機の）カム to the door to say good-bye to her friends, and she had therefore no excuse for 辞退するing to see these other 訪問者s. She silently stood away from the open door to 許す them to enter. The room was furnished as a charming boudoir in the style of Louis 掴む.

Gail's 直面する changed at the sight of Cynthia. "You might at least have spared me this until to-morrow," she said 激しく. "I have another 業績／成果 to go through with."

"If the people are not 満足させるd with your understudy their money can be returned," said 物陰／風下 bluntly. "Our 商売／仕事 is more important than a 行方不明になるd 業績／成果."

"Who is this gentleman?" asked Gail.

"視察官 Loasby of the police."

All the colour drained out of Gail's 直面する. She ordered her maid, Catherine, to wait outside, and to 妨げる anybody from entering. She led the others to an inner room which was furnished in more workmanlike fashion for the actual 商売／仕事 of dressing and making-up. Feigning to be 押し進めるd for time, she threw a stained kimono over her negligee, and sat 負かす／撃墜する in 前線 of her mirror, letting her 訪問者s find seats where they could. Thus she had her 支援する to them. She drew on a cap to 保護する her hair, and 開始するd to dab 冷淡な cream on her 直面する. The familiar 占領／職業 gave her courage. "What do you want of me?" she asked in a strangled 発言する／表明する. The mirror was （犯罪の）一味d with electric lights and the smeared 直面する 反映するd in it no longer looked human.

In the presence of the 広大な／多数の／重要な lady of the 行う／開催する／段階, the embarrassed 視察官 looked almost 有罪の himself. "I am sorry to have to say it," he muttered. "You are 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d with the 殺人 of Gavin Dordress."

She 推定する／予想するd this, of course. Her busy 手渡すs trembled violently, but she 試みる／企てるd to laugh. "How perfectly ridiculous! Who makes such a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金."

"Mr. Mappin."

Gail's agonised 注目する，もくろむs were still 直す／買収する，八百長をするd on her reflection in the mirror. Her pretence that she had to make ready for the 行う／開催する／段階 was preposterous. "He had no basis for such a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金!" she said shrilly. "There is no 証拠! There couldn't be!"

The 視察官 looked at 物陰／風下. The latter said: "When you left Gavin's place on Sunday night you drove home. すぐに afterwards you left the hotel again. You were driven to the Nonpariel Social Club in Bayard Street, where you sent in the driver to bring out a man known as Cagey or Frank Cagey, a 悪名高い ギャング（個々） with a 評判 as a 殺し屋. You and Cagey drove away in another cab. About a half-hour later you turned up alone at Gavin's place. You were carried up in the elevator and let yourself into the apartment with a 重要な. A minute or two later Cagey （機の）カム and was 認める to the apartment. There are 証言，証人／目撃するs to 断言する to this. Nobody saw Gavin alive after that."

Gail sprang up from her 議長，司会を務める and paced the little room, 圧力（をかける）ing clenched 手渡すs against her 寺s, a grotesque 人物／姿／数字 with her frenzied, white-daubed 直面する. Cynthia turned away her 長，率いる. Old habit was so strong that there was still something theatrical in all Gail's movements. "I did not kill him!" she cried. "I did not! I did not! But O, God! what a position I am in! How can I 証明する it! Only Cagey could save me, and he is dead!"

物陰／風下 was not at all moved by this 陳列する，発揮する of emotion. "やめる!" he said.

"Do you 否定する that your movements on Sunday night were as Mr. Mappin has 明言する／公表するd?" asked the 視察官.

"No!" she said. "That much is true. You have your 証言，証人／目撃するs, 港／避難所't you? But I did not kill him! I 断言する it!"

"You 雇うd the man who 解雇する／砲火／射撃d the 発射," said 物陰／風下.

"No! No! No!"

"How can you 推定する／予想する a 陪審／陪審員団 to believe that?" asked the 視察官.

Gail （機の）カム to a stand, 圧力（をかける）ing her 長，率いる between her 手渡すs. "Listen! I'll tell you the whole story. You've got to believe me...Listen! Listen!...It is true that I went mad on Sunday night. I loved Gavin Dordress and he cast me off in the most 残虐な and 冷淡な-血d fashion! Me! Me!"

"That's a 嘘（をつく）!" said Cynthia quickly. "My father could not..."

"静かな!" murmured 物陰／風下. "What does it 事柄?"

Gail turned on him furiously. "O, it doesn't 事柄 what say!" she 叫び声をあげるd. "I am nothing, I suppose. You always hated me, 物陰／風下 Mappin..."

"Get on with your story," said 物陰／風下.

"He cast me off in the most 残虐な and 冷淡な-血d fashion," Gail repeated, with a spiteful ちらりと見ること at the girl; "and I was mad! I could not 耐える such a 負担 of shame and grief. I could not live in the same world with the man who had wronged me so. I knew this man, Cagey—never mind how. I knew he would do what I 手配中の，お尋ね者, for money. It's true that I went to him on Sunday night and gave him money to kill Gavin Dordress. I was mad...mad!"

Cynthia's 注目する，もくろむs 広げるd in horror. 物陰／風下 moved closer to her. "When I went home I wrote a letter to Gavin asking for a 仲直り," Gail continued, "and I gave that to Cagey to 配達する. I knew that Gavin would read it, perhaps answer it, and Cagey was to shoot him then, and make his 逃亡..." Cynthia threw an arm over her 直面する. "...But the moment Cagey left me a revulsion of feeling took place, and I was horrified at what I had done. I 試みる／企てるd to 追求する him in another cab, but I lost him in the traffic. I 申し込む／申し出d my driver everything I had on me if he got to Gavin's place first, and we made it! We got there before Cagey did, Your 証言，証人／目撃するs told you that! I went upstairs to beg Gavin's forgiveness. The 重要な? I had 所有するd a 重要な to his apartment for years. I let myself in...O, God!..." Gail's 発言する／表明する was choked by a 乾燥した，日照りの-注目する，もくろむd hysterical sobbing.

"Go on!" said 物陰／風下 厳しく.

持つ／拘留するing her 長，率いる, Gail dropped to her 膝s. "O, God!" she moaned. Flinging herself at 十分な length on the rug, she 続けざまに猛撃するd on the 床に打ち倒す with her clenched 手渡すs. "Gavin was dead!" she 叫び声をあげるd. "Dead! Dead!...He lay in the studio with a 穴を開ける in his 寺 and 血 spreading on the 床に打ち倒す. His 団体／死体 was still warm! O, God! if I had only had the courage to kill myself then!"

物陰／風下 and the 視察官 交流d a ちらりと見ること. The former said: "Who killed him?"

Gail raised her convulsed 直面する. "He killed himself! The gun lay where it had slipped from his 手渡す. It was his gun. His letter of 別れの（言葉，会） was lying on the desk...You know he killed himself! Could I have (1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むd Gavin's handwriting? Or that ignorant brute Cagey? You have only taken advantage of 外見s to bring this 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 against me!"

"And then Cagey （機の）カム," 誘発するd 物陰／風下.

"He rang the bell," sobbed Gail. "I let him in because I was afraid to leave him standing there."

"And then?"

"I can scarcely tell you. We left together."

"But that was nearly an hour later. What were you doing during that time?"

"I was looking for my letters. I had written Gavin many letters; foolish, loving letters. I couldn't 耐える the thought of having them read by others."

"Did you find them?"

"No. Gavin must have destroyed them."

"Why did you 支払う／賃金 Hillman such large sums of money?"

"I never gave Hillman a cent!"

"Then why did you send Cagey to Hillman's house?"

"I didn't send him there."

"That I am sure is a 嘘（をつく）," said 物陰／風下.

"What do you think of the 残り／休憩（する） of the story, Mr. Mappin?" the 視察官 asked, low-発言する／表明するd.

"She is probably speaking the truth," said 物陰／風下. "It fits in with the other circumstances that I told you of."

Gail, amazed, partly raised herself, and started to 緊急発進する に向かって 物陰／風下's 議長，司会を務める on her 膝s. "Oh, 物陰／風下! thank you for those words," she cried. "You are my friend. You will stand by me."

物陰／風下 sprang up with surprising swiftness, and 支援するd away from his 議長，司会を務める. "Don't touch me!" he said 厳しく. "You plotted to kill my friend!"

"But I repented!" she wailed, （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing the 床に打ち倒す. "I got there before Cagey. I am not 有罪の!" Seeing no mercy in 物陰／風下's 直面する, she 崩壊（する）d, shaken by 乾燥した，日照りの sobs.

視察官 Loasby said: "What 活動／戦闘 do you wish me to take, Mr. Mappin?"

物陰／風下 said: "I 示唆する that you take no 活動／戦闘 for the 現在の in 尊敬（する）・点 to her. Our 商売／仕事 lies どこかよそで."

They left the theatre.

CHAPTER XVIII.

AT this point in the 調査, 物陰／風下 Mappin, after 協議 with Cynthia and 視察官 Loasby, changed his 策略. 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うing that the real 殺害者 of Gavin Dordress was の近くに enough to them to be able to 知らせる himself of all their movements. 物陰／風下 undertook to なぎ him into a 誤った 安全 by making believe to 減少（する） the 調査. On the day に引き続いて the scene in the Greenwich Theatre, therefore. 物陰／風下 and Cynthia returned to their 各々の apartments; Gavin's personal 影響s were 蓄える／店d, and the penthouse subleased to an oilman who had made a strike in the South-west and had come to New York to spend his 伸び（る）s.

The 利益／興味 of the 圧力（をかける） in the 事例／患者 中止するd with the funeral. Word was dropped in the proper ４半期/4分の1s の中で Gavin's friends that there had seemed to be 怪しげな circumstances surrounding his death, but that 物陰／風下 Mappin, after making an 調査, was 満足させるd that it was a 事例／患者 of 自殺. Young Alan Talbert was the 主要な／長／主犯 medium used by 物陰／風下 to 循環させる this story. Talbert was a 脚本家 of mediocre talents who was still の中で the 広大な／多数の／重要な unproduced, but he was a lively, talkative young fellow and an assiduous frequenter of theatrical parties.

ーするために cover his 跡をつけるs more 完全に, 物陰／風下 did for a while 棄権する from making any moves in the 事例／患者. Stan Oberry was paid off, and his operatives 解任するd from their assignments. The man sent to Reno had not been able to get anything out of Bea Townley. When 物陰／風下 started 慎重に to put out new lines, he 雇うd other スパイ／執行官s and changed them frequently. 一方／合間 he 再開するd his ordinary unhurried life, 充てるing himself to his 令状ing and showing himself 自由に in public. He cultivated the society of Alan Talbert at this time. He did not care 特に for that shallow young man, but Talbert was flattered at 存在 taken up by the 公式文書，認めるd 物陰／風下 Mappin, and 物陰／風下 was thus sure that his doings would be 報告（する）／憶測d in the 権利 places.

During these days 物陰／風下 and Cynthia 避けるd 私的な 会合s. The telephone was safer. When they had first laid their 計画（する）s Cynthia 表明するd a wish to take Siebert Ackroyd into the secret. "I can't play a part with Siebert," she said.

物陰／風下's 直面する, usually so gentle to Cynthia, turned hard. "Not with my 同意," he said. "Wait until I have （疑いを）晴らすd him of all possible 疑惑."

"Very 井戸／弁護士席," she said sadly. "Then I won't see him at all."

"Just as you think best."

Siebert was not the man to take this tamely. After Cynthia had put him off a couple of times, he flew into a 激怒（する） and swore that he was through. Thereafter they heard 報告（する）／憶測s that he was drinking too much and さもなければ living recklessly, and that made Cynthia sore. She tried to lose herself in her work at the hospital and to put Siebert out of her life for good.

With the 見えなくなる of Siebert, Emmett Gundy began to 構成する himself Cynthia's squire. Cynthia was a rich woman now. Emmett 目的（とする）d only to be the faithful friend, never obtruding himself, but always at 手渡す when 手配中の，お尋ね者. His daily calls on the phone to see how she was, his little 安価な gifts, lapped her in 親切. Little by little she overcame her 初期の dislike of her father's classmate. They talked much of Gavin. There was no envy in Emmett now. One day Emmett and Siebert met accidentally in the anteroom of a publisher's office. There were no 証言，証人／目撃するs to what happened, but Emmett 苦しむd a 黒人／ボイコット 注目する，もくろむ. This had the result of その上の 怒り／怒るing Cynthia against Siebert, and making her kinder to Emmett.

Louella Kip no longer appeared at the little 集会s of their circle, and Emmett, when questioned, said that he had not seen her lately. 物陰／風下, becoming anxious, looked her up. He 設立する her 絶対 without means, about to be 立ち退かせるd from her cheap 搭乗-house, and with no place to go. She was still defiantly loyal to Emmett and would hear no word against him. In spite of her 抗議するs, 物陰／風下 took care of her financially, and through theatrical 関係s of Gavin's—not Mack Townley—後継するd in getting her a small part in a new play.

Gail Garrett continued to appear in White Orchids at the Greenwich, but it was obvious that she had lost her 支配する. Audiences are very quick to sense that sort of thing. 商売／仕事 fell away with startling rapidity; the play の近くにd, and for the first time in many years the famous actress 設立する herself "at liberty." She was no longer seen around her former haunts. In order to account for her 失敗, people began to say that she was taking 麻薬s.

Hillman, when he was relieved of his 義務s as butler, disappeared from 見解（をとる）. Mrs. Hillman was still doing an excellent 商売／仕事 at the 収穫 Restaurant, and 物陰／風下, having learned that she was in communication with her husband, let Hillman go for the moment, 満足させるd that he could lay 手渡すs on him at any time. After a week or two had passed, Hillman returned to town and took up his 義務s in the restaurant. 視察官 Loasby kept him under 監視.

In the course of time the police were able to produce the man who had made the duplicate 重要な to the garden door of the penthouse. It was a ユダヤ人の locksmith from the lower East 味方する. His description of his 顧客 一致するd with that already in the 手渡すs of the police; a tall, ひどく-built foreigner with stooped shoulders. Wore 厚い glasses that 原因（となる）d him to peer in an 半端物 way, and spoke broken English. The Jew, however, 主張するd that he was a Wop. Wore a leather cap that 完全に covered his hair, and an old yellowish overcoat that had sagged out of 形態／調整. The さまざまな people who had seen this man could not agree as to the colour of his 注目する，もくろむs. One said 黒人／ボイコット, one said grey, one said blue. This description had been put in the 手渡すs of every policeman in New York.

早期に, in November there was an 告示 in the 劇の columns of the New York dailies that Mack Townley had discovered a remarkable new 脚本家. His 指名する was John Venner and he had written a play called Sin, which was so good that the astute Townley had bought it on sight, and was 準備するing to put it into rehearsal as soon as a cast could be 組み立てる／集結するd.

Every few days thereafter the public was fed an 付加 bit of news about the new play. There was a mystery about the author. Mack Townley had not laid 注目する，もくろむs on him. All their 商売／仕事 had been 行為／行うd by correspondence. The Townley office 拒絶する／低下するd to give out his 演説（する）／住所. Though this was 推定では Venner's first play, he had had the 保証／確信 to 規定する that no changes should be made in it, and Townley had 現実に agreed.

Very little about the play itself was given out in 前進する. It was said to を取り引きする a strange 事例／患者 of the 移動 of personality, and, while not a horror play in the usual sense, to have breath-taking overtones of terror and mystery. Another account 述べるd it as an allegory in modern dress.

It was soon 発表するd that the cast had been 完全にするd and rehearsals started. The play was to open at the Townley Theatre on Christmas night. It would have one of the most expensive casts ever brought together. The 主要な／長／主犯 woman's part would be played by 行方不明になる Beatrice Ellerman (Mrs. Mack Townley), who had 回復するd from her 最近の illness.

物陰／風下 smiled grimly as he read this last item. Bea was 支援する in town. The fact of her 簡潔な／要約する stay in Reno had not been published in the 圧力（をかける）, and nobody but 物陰／風下 and his の近くに associates knew that the couple had separated and come together again. One morning 物陰／風下 met Bea coming out of the most 流行の／上流の beauty salon on the Avenue. The tall Bea, in her dark slenderness and grace, was more dazzlingly beautiful than ever. Everybody on the sidewalk turned to look at her. She moved across, smilingly conscious of her 力／強力にする. Her 迎える／歓迎するing to 物陰／風下 was nicely 卒業生（する）d between 楽しみ at the sight of an old friend and grief at the recollection of their ありふれた loss. "物陰／風下!" she murmured. "How good it is to see you! Dear, dear 物陰／風下! You were his closest friend!"

物陰／風下's answering smile was a thought 乾燥した，日照りの. "I'm glad to see you, too. Your last message to me was not やめる so friendly."

"Ah, forget it, my dear!" she said, laying a, 手渡す on his arm. "I was so distracted by grief at Gavin's death I didn't know what I was doing."

"I understand," said 物陰／風下 soothingly.

A shade of 苦悩 appeared in the handsome dark 注目する，もくろむs. "The fact that I went to Reno doesn't mean that there was any trouble between Mack and me," she said. "I have a dear friend living there and I 簡単に 手配中の，お尋ね者 to be with her in my grief."

"I never gossip," said 物陰／風下.

"Why on earth did you send that person all the way to Reno to ask me questions?"

"井戸／弁護士席, there were 確かな 怪しげな circumstances in 関係 with Gavin's death, but they are （疑いを）晴らすd up now."

"But why question me?"

物陰／風下 smiled his blandest smile. "My dear, you were overheard 適用するing very uncomplimentary epithets to your husband. In fact, you called him...a 殺害者."'

Bea paled under her make-up and bit the deliciously painted lip. "物陰／風下! Who said so?"

"A servant."

"Maybe I did," she murmured. "But a woman out of her mind with grief and hysteria—it means nothing."

"やめる!" said 物陰／風下.

He 手渡すd her into her car. 運動ing away, she did not look やめる so sure of herself.

Several nights later 物陰／風下 saw Mack Townley at the 年次の dinner of the 巡礼者s. Mack, who had large 利益／興味s in London 同様に as New York, was at the （衆議院の）議長s' （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. 物陰／風下 marvelled at the 変形 in him. Gone was the savage look of 苦痛 and 敗北・負かす. Mack had returned to his usual smooth and astute self; the handsomest and the best-dressed theatrical 経営者／支配人 of two continents. His speech in the 勝つ／広く一帯に広がるing 手渡すs-across-the-sea vein, was the wittiest of the evening. Mack had not written it himself, of course, but he 配達するd it admirably. 物陰／風下 did not run into him until the party was breaking up. "Hello, Mack!"

"井戸／弁護士席, 物陰／風下!" said Mack coolly; he was never a demonstrative man. "How are things going?"

"As usual. I hear 広大な／多数の／重要な tales about your new play."

Mack became the promoter at once. "In this 事例／患者, 物陰／風下," he said 本気で, "the ballyhoo is not 誇張するd. It is really an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の play. I have never seen actors so 深く，強烈に 影響する／感情d by their parts. The play 奮起させるs them."

"Splendid!" said 物陰／風下.

"You shall have two tickets for the 開始," said Mack, hurrying away.

"Thanks, old man."

Day by day little 事前通告s designed to whet the public appetite for the new play appeared in the 劇の columns. The author, it appeared, had 拒絶する／低下するd to take any part in rehearsals, but it was evident that he was keeping in touch with their 進歩, because he had 反対するd to the unsuitability of Mr. ツバメ Sears in the part of the country doctor, and Mr. Sears had therefore been 取って代わるd by Mr. Everard Welcome.

On another day: "Mr. Basil Hoare, the celebrated young English actor who had been brought over to play the character in John Venner's play, Sin, who 代表するs the spirit of evil, is so powerful in the part that 行方不明になる Phoebe Wistar became hysterical during a scene with him yesterday, and the rehearsal had to be called off for the day."

As the date of the 開始 approached, the 論争 for tickets became 激しい. Any Mack Townley 開始 was an event in New York's social year, and this was considered to be exceptional. "The greatest play I ever produced," Mack had said. Not to be there was to 自白する oneself unknown. Mr. Townley's mailing-名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） had to be 供給（する）d first, of course; what tickets were 利用できる to the public were snapped up within an hour of 存在 put on sale. The few that fell into the 手渡すs of the 機関s were 引用するd at fantastic prices.

From the 先触れ（する）-Tribune of December 20th: "Two seats for the 開始 of Sin at the Townley Theatre on Christmas night were sent to the author, the mysterious Mr. John Venner, in the usual course. The astonishment of the 管理／経営 can be better imagined than 述べるd when they were returned yesterday with a 公式文書，認める from Mr. Venner 明言する／公表するing that he did not 推定する／予想する to …に出席する! An author not coming to the first night of his first play! Incredible! However, upon thinking it over, one realises that if Mr. Venner had 占領するd the numbered seats sent to him he would すぐに have been identified. No 疑問 he will be 現在の, but in a place of his own choosing."

物陰／風下 Mappin received his tickets in 予定 course. He called up Cynthia to ask her if she would go with him. "Thanks, dear," said Cynthia, "but I 港／避難所't seen a show since, 井戸／弁護士席, you know when. I have a sort of dread of entering a theatre. Ask somebody else to go with you."

"My dear, this is weak-minded," 抗議するd 物陰／風下. "The sooner you 打ち勝つ it the better. Gavin wouldn't have liked to hear you speak like that."

Cynthia thought it over. "Perhaps you're 権利," the said. "Very 井戸／弁護士席, I'll be glad to go with you."

"That's better."

CHAPTER XIX.

WHEN 物陰／風下 Mappin's cab （機の）カム to a stop in 前線 of the Townley Theatre, the sidewalk was jammed from 抑制（する） to 塀で囲む with a 押し進めるing throng of people, craning their necks to get a glimpse of the arrivals. Two perspiring policemen were with difficulty keeping a 小道／航路 open for the playgoers to enter the theatre. The gapers who were unable to get a place on the sidewalk, ran out into the street and peered through the outer windows of the arriving cars. As 物陰／風下 and Cynthia passed through the 小道／航路 to the 入り口 they could hear people whispering to each other: "Who are they? Who are they?" As neither 物陰／風下 nor Cynthia was a 正規の／正選手 first-nighter, no reply was 来たるべき.

Inside the theatre they saw Emmett Gundy at a distance but he was unable to reach their 味方するs because of the （人が）群がる. And Alan Talbert, beautifully arrayed, who prided himself on knowing everybody. On the other 味方する of the house rose the handsome 長，率いる of Siebert Ackroyd インチs above the surrounding 長，率いるs. He was …を伴ってd by a flamboyant girl who was 決定するd to be looked at. Cynthia looked once and not again.

The curtain was late, as usual. Every place in the house was 占領するd except the two 行う／開催する／段階 boxes. At the last moment a woman entered the box on the left, but sat so far 支援する behind the curtain that they could see only her silken 膝s. Something in the house below attracted her attention; she leaned 今後 and they had a glimpse of Gail Garrett's drawn, white 直面する. After the curtain had risen, Mack Townley and several of the members of his staff 静かに entered the box on their 権利.

The play opened very 静かに. The setting 代表するd the living-room of a somewhat dilapidated Maryland manor-house, with tall windows open to the summer night. There was a scene between a middle-老年の man and a handsome 青年, his 可決する・採択するd son. They were 深く，強烈に 大（公）使館員d to each other. The boy was leaving home to be married. 物陰／風下 認可するd of the play from the start; an atmosphere was created; tender, charming, yet faintly portentous. He ちらりと見ることd at Cynthia to see how she was taking it, and was surprised to find her leaning 今後 with parted lips, drinking in every word. So far as he could see, nothing had happened on the 行う／開催する／段階 to account for such excitement.

From time to time he ちらりと見ることd at her. Her excitement 増加するd. She had lost herself 完全に. An intensity had come into her gaze at the 行う／開催する／段階 that was almost like 苦痛. Her 手渡すs were gripping the 武器 of her seat. 物陰／風下 became very uneasy.

When the curtain fell on the first 行為／法令／行動する there was a buzz of comment through the house; very little 賞賛. The sophisticated first night audience saves that for the end. When the lights went up Cynthia seemed to experience a slight 崩壊（する）. She went limp all over and her 長，率いる dropped. She then looked around her in a わずかに shamed manner to see if her emotion had been noticed. "Like it?" asked 物陰／風下 casually.

"No!...Yes!...I don't know," she answered uncertainly. "But of course I liked it!" she went on a little feverishly. "It's wonderful! It did things to me. It 脅すs me a little. As if...as if...how can I explain it? as if it was written by somebody who knew too much about me? It was like echoes out of my own past."

物陰／風下 patted her 手渡す. He thought her language overstrained.

In the intermission many of the people got up to join the 鎮圧する at the 支援する, ーするために see or to be seen, but 物陰／風下 and Cynthia remained in their comfortable seats. Out of the tail of his 注目する，もくろむ 物陰／風下 saw Siebert Ackroyd striding up the aisle. Siebert cast a savage ちらりと見ること at Cynthia. They had several 訪問者s, 含むing the good-looking Alan Talbert who, while he was talking, looked all around to see who was noticing him. He was excited about the play. "A 粉砕する 攻撃する，衝突する!" he cried.

"Isn't it a little too soon to tell?" 示唆するd 物陰／風下.

"No, sir! You can feel it in the 空気／公表する. And Mack Townley is too wily to give them a first 行為／法令／行動する that is not held up by what follows. To-morrow morning the author will be famous."

"Does anybody know anything about him?" asked Cynthia softly.

"No. I happen to know that that's not just 圧力（をかける） スパイ／執行官 stuff. Up to now he has really kept under cover. But you can depend on it he'll appear as soon as he knows he has a 攻撃する，衝突する on his 手渡すs."

In the second 行為／法令／行動する the 緊張 増加するd as the audience perceived the devilish 逮捕する that was spread for the hapless 青年. The men were more important than the women in this play, and it was not until the second scene of the second 行為／法令／行動する that Bea Ellerman made her 外見. She took the part of a young girl, the 青年's fiancee. Her perplexity and 狼狽 at the subtle change that had come over her lover were touching in the extreme. Cynthia was breathing 急速な／放蕩な and her 直面する had become agonised as she watched the scene. 物陰／風下 touched her arm. "My dear, it's only a play." he whispered.

She turned her 緊張するd 注目する，もくろむs on him, dark and enormous. "Can't you hear it?" she whispered. "Hear what?"

"My father's 発言する／表明する."

He 星／主役にするd at her, too startled to speak. "This is Dad's play, 物陰／風下."

"No! No!" he whispered. "It's only your fancy."

She obstinately shook her 長，率いる. "He is speaking to me through all the lines of the play. These are his thoughts, his feelings, his very words! That is what moves me so!"

物陰／風下, gazing in her 直面する, half believed it. He was a 論理（学）の man, but he knew there was that in the human consciousness which transcends logic. 圧力（をかける）ing her 手渡す, he whispered: "Get a 支配する on yourself! Draw a mask over your 直面する. If you are 権利, it is 確かな that the どろぼう who stole Gavin's play is watching us now."

"I'll try," she whispered.

A 回転するing 行う／開催する／段階 had been 任命する／導入するd for the 生産／産物 of Sin, and in each 行為／法令／行動する the scenes 後継するd each other without any pause. In the third scene of the second 行為／法令／行動する the 難破させるd 青年, robbed of everything that makes life 価値（がある） living, はうd home to his foster-father's house. The 承認 was heart-breaking. Cynthia's shoulders were shaking.

"物陰／風下, I've got to go," she whispered. "I can't 耐える any more!"

"But if you go the 有罪の one will know that we have discovered his 犯罪," he 抗議するd.

"If I stay he will see it in my 直面する when the lights go up. I cannot hide it!"

Fearful that she might break 負かす／撃墜する in the middle of a scene, he hurried her up the aisle. As they passed through the ロビー the curtain fell on the second 行為／法令／行動する and they heard the audience forgetting its sophisticated nonchalance, break into wild 賞賛. "You go 支援する," whispered Cynthia. "You might learn something."

"I won't leave you," he said.

In the cab Cynthia broke 負かす／撃墜する 完全に. He held her の近くに. "O, what a 救済 to get away from people," she wept. "I'm sorry you were disappointed in me, but I couldn't stand any more!"

"It's no 事柄," said 物陰／風下.

"物陰／風下," she said, "that man in the play felt に向かって his boy just as my father felt に向かって me. My father talked to me in just that way. Hiding his deepest feelings under a joke!"

"That may be a coincidence," said 物陰／風下.

"No! No! There are too many coincidences!...Listen! My father lived in New York for so many years that everybody has forgotten he was raised in Tidewater, Virginia. There were a hundred 言及／関連s to Virginia. It's true they called it Maryland in the play, but that was just a 立ち往生させる. The scent of the wild grape flower in June-notice the word scent. 物陰／風下; anybody but Dad would have said perfume—the song of the mocking-bird; the 煙霧 that broods on the Chesapeake in summer; the trumpet flowers and the wild blackberries in the hedges; the buzzards wheeling against the blue!"

"Anybody who knew Virginia might speak of these things," said 物陰／風下.

"All 権利. Take the peculiar sense in which he used the word spontaneity. My father loved that 質 and that word. You must have noticed it. And the word inveigle used in place of intrigue. Besides many others of his pet words. And his speaking of how a good man was always at a disadvantage in the presence of a wicked man. Can't you see his smile when he said it? 物陰／風下, if I had the script of the play before me I believe I could point out all the places where some clumsy 手渡す has changed and cheapened it! Think of the 肩書を与える; the 権利 指名する of that play is The Changeling; Sin is a vulgar substitution!"

"You need go no その上の," said 物陰／風下. "I am 納得させるd."

"When we find John Venner," he said presently, "we will have Gavin's 殺害者."

As Alan Talbert had foretold, the 指名する of John Venner was famous in New York next day. All the newspapers joined in lavishing 賞賛するs on his play. The Times said: "It is 明白に not the work of a prentice 手渡す. The wise, humorous lines bespeak a long experience of life, and a 熟した understanding. My guess is, that the author of Sin is a practised literary 手渡す—perhaps in some other field of 令状ing, because the play 明らかにする／漏らすs 確かな gaucheries in 劇の technique—who has chosen the expedient of anonymity ーするために make a 完全に new start, and to get an unbiased line on himself."

In the 先触れ（する）-Tribune: "A new 肉親，親類d of play. The unthinking will call it a 'horror' play, but there is no grisly monster 展示（する）d on the 行う／開催する／段階, no 血まみれの 長，率いる on a charger, nor clutching 手渡すs in space. Nothing is 指名するd in the play. The horror evoked is a silent horror of the spirit, which I need hardly point out is much more horrible than anything which could be produced by 行う／開催する／段階 所有物／資産／財産s."

In the World-電報電信: "The 主題 is the oldest in the world; viz., the struggle between good and evil; the 戦場 存在 a young man's soul. In nearly all such plays the probabilities are violently wrenched ーするために bring about a happy ending with Virtue 勝利を得た. The author of Sin does not beg the question. He shows the struggle as a terrific one with 半端物s on the 味方する of the Evil one, and the 問題／発行する always in 疑問. He 救助（する）s this particular young man, and 回復するs him to those who love him, but Evil is not 打ち勝つ. Evil stalks on grinning, and on the watch for new 犠牲者s."

In the Sun: "A 完全に 初めの play; it cannot be referred to any other play ever written. Story, characters and atmosphere; all are new. The whole play is a succession of slight surprises; the 製品 of a 高度に individual mind. It has the inexplicable 質 of Nature itself. Like Nature, its 過程s are いつかs obscure, but like Nature it 作品 out 終始一貫して in the end....The final scenes in their 静かな way...terrific!...left the audience gasping."

The success of the play in 関係 with the 非，不，無-外見 of the author 令状d a news story in most of the papers, in 新規加入 to the 劇の review. It was told how Mack Townley, the 生産者, had sent Venner a 電報電信 after every 行為／法令／行動する, but had received no word in reply. However, Mr. Townley was giving a party in his apartment after the 業績／成果 tomorrow night, for the Sin company, the gentlemen of the 圧力（をかける） and his friends 一般に, and he fully 推定する／予想するd the mysterious John Venner to be 現在の.

Cynthia Dordress, busy at her desk in the hospital, was surprised to hear the 発言する／表明する of Mack Townley over the wire at noon. The 広大な／多数の／重要な man rarely condescended to use the phone. Having had time to gather her 軍隊s, Cynthia answered him calmly. "How are you my dear?" asked Mack.

"やめる 井戸／弁護士席, thanks."

"Somebody told me that you were 軍隊d to leave the theatre in the middle of the show last night."

"Yes. Wasn't it silly of me to be taken sick at such a moment? The worst of it was, it made 物陰／風下 行方不明になる the play, too. I was all 権利 an hour afterwards, and I'm anxious to go again as soon as possible."

"How about to-morrow night?"

"I'd love it, if it's convenient."

"Surely! You'll find two seats waiting for you at the box-office."

"Thanks so much. I'll try to get 物陰／風下."

"Afterwards perhaps you'll both come to our apartment. Bea and I are giving a little shindig at midnight. We hope to have the mysterious John Venner on 見解（をとる）, but can 約束 nothing."

"How 肉親，親類d!" said Cynthia, "but I don't feel that I have any 商売／仕事 amongst all the celebrities!"

"What!" said Mack, "the daughter of my oldest friend who was the greatest light of the American 行う／開催する／段階! What nonsense! Come, and 支持する the 指名する of Dordress, my dear."

"Very 井戸／弁護士席," said Cynthia, "and thank you."

She すぐに called up 物陰／風下 and repeated her conversation with Mack.

"What do you think of it?" she asked anxiously.

"Hum," said 物陰／風下. "I prefer not to say over the phone."

"井戸／弁護士席, we can talk about it later."

"Do you really feel able to sit through the play again?"

"Surely. I am を締めるd for it now. I must see this play through. It was the shock of 発見 that upset me last night."

"And the party afterwards?"

"Surely."

"He won't come," said 物陰／風下.

"He might," said Cynthia.

Cynthia sat through the third 業績／成果 of Sin without an outward （軽い）地震. "It gives me 楽しみ now," she said to 物陰／風下. "It's a beautiful play. It is only the changes in it that 怒り／怒る me. I'd like to see it every night."

物陰／風下 圧力（をかける）d her 手渡す. "Do you think it was Mack Townley who stole it?" she asked coolly.

"I'm not 用意が出来ている to say," growled 物陰／風下. "If he had, it would have been like him to call you up yesterday. Mack plays poker. But give me a little more time."

Mack and Bea Townley welcomed their guests at the door of their big living-room. Bea, in white and gold brocade with her diamonds and emeralds, looked queenly, but 物陰／風下, ちらりと見ることing from one woman to another, considered that Cynthia's white 肌 and pure profile, 始める，決める off by a dull 黒人／ボイコット evening gown, was the more beautiful. Bea, 圧力（をかける）ing Cynthia's 手渡す between both of hers, murmured: "Darling, I'm so glad you could come. They told me you were ill."

"I was better in an hour," said Cynthia.

"Do come some day when we can have a little time together."

"I work in the daytime," said Cynthia, smiling; "some Sunday, perhaps."

"Good! I'll give you a （犯罪の）一味."

物陰／風下 listened to this with a 乾燥した，日照りの 表現. Both women were lying, and each knew it.

Mack's handsome hard 直面する wore its customary mask of scornful good humour. His 儀礼 was perfect.

The living-room was sixty feet long, and with the library at one end and a 広大な／多数の／重要な dining-room 開始 at the 味方する, the 控訴 could 融通する two hundred people without （人が）群がるing. Pink roses were banked between the windows. All the luminaries of New York professional and cafe society were 現在の; millionaires, actresses, 離婚s, play-boys and 肩書を与えるs. The most popular persons 現在の were the social commentators and 圧力（をかける） photographers, who were あられ／賞賛するd with cries of welcome as they 循環させるd with 公式文書，認める-調書をとる／予約する and camera. "Such is modern society," 不平（をいう）d 物陰／風下.

Everybody was eating lobster salad and drinking シャンペン酒. Each plate had a little rack affixed to the 縁 to 持つ／拘留する a glass, so that two-手渡すd creatures could 遂行する this feat while standing. Waiters threaded their way through the throng, filling the glasses as 急速な／放蕩な as they were emptied. A deafening clatter of conversation filled the rooms.

As Cynthia and 物陰／風下 slowly made their way through, they met many 知識s. Gail Garrett appeared to be the only member of Gavin Dordress' old circle who was not 現在の. Emmett Gundy 大（公）使館員d himself to them. Emmett did not appear to advantage in the brightly-lighted room. The thinning hair on his 栄冠を与える was painfully 明らかな, his 直面する was sourer and more pinched than usual. He said to Cynthia: "Disgusting 暴徒! I'm surprised that you cared to come."

"O, once in a while it's amusing," she answered.

Alan Talbert （機の）カム up to them, pale and glassy-注目する，もくろむd with excitement. "Glorious occasion!" he said. "Drink with me. I'm on the threshold of a new life!"

At the moment his words didn't seem to make sense. "It's the シャンペン酒," muttered Emmett as they passed on.

They （機の）カム 直面する to 直面する with Siebert Ackroyd in the dining-room doorway. Emmett paled and 辛勝する／優位d aside. Siebert, ignoring both Emmett and 物陰／風下, 直す／買収する，八百長をするd his 注目する，もくろむs on Cynthia with an 表現 both savage and 十分な of 苦痛. "You look handsome," he said to her.

"Same to you," said Cynthia, coolly 会合 his ちらりと見ること.

"I'm glad to see you coming out of your 爆撃する," said Siebert, "but I don't like your company."

"I do," said Cynthia, smiling and moving on.

"Damned impudence!" muttered 物陰／風下.

Later, 物陰／風下 and Cynthia were standing against the 塀で囲む of the big room watching the tail-coated men and the bejewelled women weaving and clustering in 前線 of them. The noise had grown louder; one had to shout to make oneself heard. The 解放する／自由な シャンペン酒 had been 負かす／撃墜するd too quickly, and many of the 直面するs seemed to have 軟化するd like butter in a warm room. Cynthia said in 物陰／風下's ear: "I wish we lived in the country."

"I get you, my dear."

There had been no new arrivals for some time, and Mack Townley was now 広まる through the room pausing to say the 権利 word to everybody. He said to 物陰／風下: "I'm looking around for an unexplained person who might be the 脚本家. But I seem to know everybody here."

物陰／風下 said when Mack had passed on: "If he's bluffing, it's 井戸／弁護士席 done!"

Mack finally climbed on a 議長，司会を務める at the end of the room and clapped his 手渡すs to 命令（する） attention. "Friends, Romans, Countrymen," he said smilingly, "I am sorry to say that I cannot produce my 脚本家. What has happened to him I don't know. I am unable to picture an author who could pass up such an 適切な時期 to receive the homage of the cream of New York. It may be that..."

"Wait a minute, Mack!" cried a 発言する／表明する below him. "He's here!"

An excited murmur passed through the （人が）群がる. Everybody craned their necks. They saw Alan Talbert 押し進めるing up to Mack's 議長，司会を務める. "In me you see John Venner," he cried, striking a mock 態度. 'There was an astonished silence, followed by a burst of 賞賛. Everybody 押し進めるd up に向かって the 議長，司会を務める, leaving 物陰／風下 and Cynthia on the 郊外s of the （人が）群がる. Mack looked a little taken aback, but he smiled still. He stepped 負かす／撃墜する from the 議長，司会を務める, and Talbert, without waiting to be asked, climbed upon it, and turned his white 直面する and punch-drunk 注目する，もくろむs on the （人が）群がる. "I am the author of Sin, God 許す me," he 発表するd. "I wrote it on my little Corona!"

There was a tremendous burst of handclapping in which Mack Townley, always the diplomatist, joined. On the 郊外s of the （人が）群がる Cynthia's 注目する，もくろむs 解雇する／砲火／射撃d up 危険に, and 物陰／風下 could almost see the words 形態／調整ing on her lips: "You 嘘（をつく）!" He 圧力（をかける）d her 手渡す. "静かな!" he whispered. "This is not the place."

Cynthia relaxed. "I got tired of 急ぐing my plays around to the 経営者／支配人s' offices and having them 解雇する／砲火／射撃d 支援する at me with insincere 賞賛するs," Talbert was 説. "You all know what people say about me; 'Alan Talbert? Sure! Nice lad, but he can't 令状 for a damn!' That was my label. When you get a label it's useless to struggle. So when a real bang-up, number one idea for a play （機の）カム to me I said nothing about it. And when it was finished I invented this John Venner ーするために get a fresh 審理，公聴会. And as it has turned out I seem to have been 正当化するd..."

More 賞賛.

"物陰／風下, that is the man!" murmured Cynthia.

"I am not 納得させるd of it," said 物陰／風下.

She looked at him in surprise. "He could have done it. 物陰／風下. He was a たびたび（訪れる） 訪問者 at Dad's place. He is tall enough to have worn the yellow overcoat. He had plenty of 適切な時期s to steal the 重要な to the garden door and have a duplicate made."

"Sure," said 物陰／風下. "But think it over. If he had stolen the play he would have been watching you last night. When he saw you leave the theatre he would have known you 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd something. He would never have had the courage to stand up and （人命などを）奪う，主張する the play to your 直面する to-night."

"But he has （人命などを）奪う，主張するd it."

"There is a 可能性 that when the author failed to turn up to-night, Talbert 人物／姿／数字d that he never would 認める his play. So Talbert may have decided to （人命などを）奪う，主張する the credit. Even though the deception is quickly discovered, Talbert will have had his day in the news."

"Let's get out of this," whispered Cynthia.

As they were making their way through the foyer, they saw Mack, suave, smiling, never at a loss, 取引，協定ing with a knot of reporters.

"Do you believe in this （人命などを）奪う，主張する of Alan Talbert's?" one asked him bluntly.

"Certainly I believe in it," said Mack. "Talbert is a friend of 地雷."

"Has his work in the past shown the 約束 that would 正当化する you in thinking he wrote Sin?"

"I don't know. I 港／避難所't read his other plays."

"Won't you 要求する him to 現在の 文書の proof of the authorship of Sin?"

"No," said Mack with an 空気／公表する of surprise. "Why should I?"

"井戸／弁護士席, there's the question of 支払う／賃金ing the 王族s."

"That doesn't 関心 me," said Mack. "The play was sent me by an スパイ／執行官. I 支払う／賃金 the 王族s to the スパイ／執行官. It's up to him to decide who they belong to."

"Who is the スパイ／執行官?"

"Siebert Ackroyd. He's here somewhere."

Cynthia's しっかり掴む of 物陰／風下's arm 強化するd painfully.

"O, let's get away!" she whispered.

CHAPTER XX.

THE story of what happened at Mack Townley's party broke too late to make the morning papers. 物陰／風下 had to wait for the first afternoon 版s which come out in the middle of the morning. In 新規加入 to what Mack had told the reporters, Alan Talbert had given out a flamboyant interview in which he 述べるd how he had written Sin and Siebert Ackroyd, talking more 慎重に, told how the play had come to him by mail with a covering letter. He had had a number of letters from the author since, but had never laid 注目する，もくろむs on the man. He had transmitted the 前進する 支払い（額） by 地位，任命する office money order, によれば the author's 指示／教授／教育s. He 辞退するd to give the author's 演説（する）／住所. As to Alan Talbert, Siebert said that he saw no 推論する／理由 to question his （人命などを）奪う，主張する, but that of course as a 商売／仕事 man, he must を待つ 合法的な proof before 支払う／賃金ing him any 王族s.

その後の 版s of the papers 述べるd how busily Mr. Alan Talbert was making hay while the sun shone. He 陳列する，発揮するd no 不本意 to talk to the 圧力（をかける）. Before the day was out he had sold 選択s on two of his earlier plays to other New York 生産者s, and had banked the 前進する 支払い（額）s. These 生産者s 規定するd that the plays must be 法案d with the 指名する of John Venner as author, to which Talbert had cheerfully agreed. Talbert had 調印するd a 契約 to go to Hollywood later at a handsome salary, and in the 合間 had 受託するd a 無線で通信する 約束／交戦. The Hollywood 生産者s were bidding against each other for the 権利s of Sin.

一方／合間, from 早期に morning, 物陰／風下, leaving Siebert Ackroyd aside for the moment, had been checking up on his office 軍隊. Siebert 雇うd five persons; a 長官, a woman assistant, a male office 経営者／支配人, a second stenographer and a messenger to こども manuscripts around. 物陰／風下, from amongst his wide 関係s, chose operatives here and there and 割り当てるd one to make 接触する with each of the Ackroyd 従業員s. It was the stenographer who 証明するd to be the weak sister. She fell hard for the lively and attractive young man who was put on her 追跡する, and by one o'clock on Friday morning (the Townley party was on Wednesday night) 物陰／風下 was in 所有／入手 of all the gossip of the Ackroyd office 関心ing their mysterious （弁護士の）依頼人, John Venner. The story was as follows:

The 初めの script of Sin as received by Siebert Ackroyd had been typed on an old machine with a worn 略章. This had occasioned a good 取引，協定 of ill temper in those who read it, because of the 注目する，もくろむ-緊張する 伴う／関わるd. It 含む／封じ込めるd many typographical errors which had been laboriously 訂正するd on the machine. Thus the author's handwriting appeared nowhere in the script. The 協定 of speeches, 商売／仕事, etc., 示すd that the author was not familiar with the customary way of 準備するing a playscript. The 機関's first 行為／法令／行動する was to have some fair copies typed. The 初めの script was とじ込み／提出するd. The letter which …を伴ってd the script had been typed on the same machine, but it was 調印するd by 手渡す with a scrawly and imperfectly formed 署名 which looked as if it might be that of a very old man. その後の letters were all 調印するd in the same way. For an 演説（する）／住所 they gave a 地位，任命する-office box in Newark, New Jersey.

The 最新の letter from "John Venner" had been received on Wednesday. This one bore no 演説（する）／住所 at the 最高の，を越す. The writer 暗示するd that he had seen the first 業績／成果 of Sin the previous night, but showed no 楽しみ at its success. He was 令状ing, he said, to 知らせる his スパイ／執行官 that he was "travelling," and to 教える him to 持つ／拘留する all communications, remittances, etc., until その上の notice. 明白に he had not travelled far, because the envelope bore the postmark of Stamford, Connecticut, which is only thirty miles from New York. He enclosed a 力／強力にする of 弁護士／代理人／検事 to enable Siebert Ackroyd to 行為／法令／行動する for him in all ways.

物陰／風下 すぐに had a watch put on the Newark 地位，任命する office box, but it was never visited again. Siebert Ackroyd's last letter to his （弁護士の）依頼人 lay in it unclaimed. 明確に, John Venner had taken alarm.

The Ackroyd office received another letter from him on Friday, 怒って repudiating Alan Talbert's （人命などを）奪う，主張する to the play. Venner undertook to 証明する that he had written the 初めの script by 述べるing the errors and 是正s on a 確かな page. He 示唆するd that Siebert should 招待する Alan Talbert to 服従させる／提出する to a 類似の 実験（する）. Venner said that he had a 炭素 copy of the script in his 所有／入手 which he would produce "at the proper time."

Siebert sent copies of this letter to the 圧力（をかける） and it was printed in the afternoon 版s. Thus, after twenty-four hours of 日光, young Mr. Talbert went into （太陽，月の）食／失墜. But not altogether. He had made the headlines; his 指名する had become news. Once a 指名する is news New Yorkers are 傾向がある to forget how it first got that way.

On Friday night after dinner, 物陰／風下, Cynthia and Fanny Parran were discussing these things in 物陰／風下's apartment. Cynthia's 注目する，もくろむs were dark with 苦痛. She said with extreme bitterness: "It was Siebert. That is （疑いを）晴らす."

"Nothing is 証明するd," said 物陰／風下.

Cynthia shook her 長，率いる impatiently. "Don't try to 軟化する the blow. I've got to take it. It was Siebert. The 力／強力にする of 弁護士／代理人／検事 証明するs it. John Venner will never be heard of again. Siebert will collect the 王族s under his 力／強力にする of 弁護士／代理人／検事. I will never believe in anybody again."

"It might just 同様に have been Mack Townley," 主張するd 物陰／風下. "Venner's 規定 that the play must first be 申し込む／申し出d to Townley 示唆するs that."

"Mack is a 商売／仕事 man," said Cynthia. "You know he wouldn't を引き渡す a fortune in 王族s and movie 権利s just for a gesture."

"He might think that it was 価値（がある） it for the sake of コースを変えるing 疑惑 from himself."

Cynthia shook her 長，率いる again. "What's the next move?" she asked.

"I will have them put under 監視," said 物陰／風下. "I will have a look at Venner's letters and at the 初めの script."

"How will you go about that?"

He smiled at her.

Cynthia was still in his apartment when there was a （犯罪の）一味 at the door and a 一括 was 手渡すd in. 物陰／風下 brought it into the living-room and opened it. It 含む／封じ込めるd the 初めの script of Sin, and all Venner's letters to Siebert Ackroyd. "How did you get them?" 需要・要求するd Cynthia, 開始 her 注目する，もくろむs to their widest.

"A little 行為／法令／行動する of 押し込み強盗," said 物陰／風下 blandly. "I have arranged for photostat copies to be made, and they will be 支援する in the Ackroyd とじ込み／提出するs before morning."

Cynthia regarded the untidy script with sombre 注目する，もくろむs. "My father's 殺害者 filled those pages," she murmured.

物陰／風下 手渡すd it first to Fanny, who was an 専門家 in typing. She 熟考する／考慮するd it word by word under a magnifying glass, while 物陰／風下 with another glass spread the dozen letters on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. He gave attention first to the 署名. After making some 実験s with a pen held in his left 手渡す, he said: "These letters appear to have been 調印するd by a man 令状ing with his left 手渡す. All the 署名s show the same 特徴 but the letters are better formed に向かって the last. He has been practising 令状ing with his left 手渡す."

"As to the letters," said 物陰／風下, "they are all 簡潔な／要約する and they are 表明するd in a rather 独裁的な or peremptory style. He 問題／発行するs his orders as if his スパイ／執行官 were a servant," 物陰／風下 looked at Cynthia affectionately. "My dear, a man would hardly take that トン if he were 令状ing to himself."

Cynthia 辞退するd to be impressed. "If he was clever enough to have thought of the 残り／休憩（する）, he could assume that, too."

Fanny said: "He used a 王室の typewriter of an old model. The type is 不正に worn, the alignment of letters has become uneven through neglect, and the rubber platen so 常習的な with age that the period made a 穴を開ける in the paper every time it was struck."

"Good work!" said 物陰／風下.

After その上の 熟考する／考慮する of the script. Fanny went on: "The person who wrote this was accustomed to typing. He wrote 速く, but he keeps making the same mistakes all through. It looks as if he had been accustomed to a different keyboard, but that can hardly be, since all makes of typewriters 可決する・採択するd a standardised keyboard some years ago. I can't explain it."

"I can't see the 広大な／多数の／重要な Mack Townley typing 速く," said Cynthia.

"He wasn't always 広大な／多数の／重要な." said 物陰／風下. "He used a typewriter in college."

"Here's a funny thing!" exclaimed Fanny. "Though the type 一般に is so worn, there is one character that is （疑いを）晴らす and sharp. It's the exclamation point." She 押すd the script over for 物陰／風下 to see.

"罰金!" said 物陰／風下. "That is something 限定された to go on. The exclamation point is not 含むd in the 基準 keyboard. The man who used the old typewriter had it put in place of some character he didn't use. He 要求するd exclamation points on every page of his play, you see. He would 自然に go to one of the 王室の service shops to have this done. Such a request cannot be a ありふれた one. Perhaps we can trace the old typewriter through this means."

REPORTS OF A.W.

("This is a new man I have got," 発言／述べるd 物陰／風下 to Cynthia; "An actor 一時的に out of a 職業. He's good.")

December 20th. As soon as I received word from you that Mrs. Mack Townley had 適用するd to the —— 機関 for an English butler, I went to the 機関 to 登録（する）. The woman in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 単に ちらりと見ることd at my 偽の English testimonials. My 外見 and my answers to her questions were more important to her. Of course, I have never been a butler except on the 行う／開催する／段階, but I had 用意が出来ている myself for this interview by 熟考する／考慮するing a butler's 手動式の, and I passed 召集（する） all 権利. When she asked for a New York 言及／関連 I gave her General Harrington's 指名する, によれば your 指示／教授／教育s.

I was sent first to a Mrs. Frelinghuysen on Fifth Avenue, and I had かなりの difficulty in getting away, because she 手配中の，お尋ね者 to engage me. I said I was （麻薬）常用者d to 消す, and she let me go. This interview gave me more 保証／確信 in 直面するing Mrs. Townley, to whom I was next sent. Mrs. T. is a very beautiful woman but she is not a lady born, and she has an arrogant and disagreeable manner に向かって servants. However, that was nothing to me. I made the 権利 answers and was 教えるd to come to work yesterday afternoon.

On my arrival at the apartment I was turned over to the other servants. Mrs. Townley prefers male help; besides myself there is a cook, a houseman and Mr. Townley's valet. The only 女性（の） servant is Mrs Townley's maid, an attractive young-woman called Antoinette, of French 国籍. All the servants dislike their masters and gossip about them 自由に. Mrs. T., I was told, is 不当な and overbearing while her husband is 支配する to violent 激怒（する）s. More than once he has had to settle handsomely after （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing up a servant. Although they 支払う／賃金 the best 給料, 非，不，無 of their 現在の servants has been with them longer than six weeks except Adolph Braun, Mr. T.'s valet. I tried to ingratiate myself with Braun, but he's a surly man, the only one of the lot who is not inclined to talkativeness.

There was a lot of gossip の中で the servants about the play Sin, but of course they don't know anything-except, perhaps, Antoinette, who …を伴ってs her mistress to the theatre every night. Antoinette said very mysteriously that Townley knows who really wrote the play, and so does Mrs. T., and that she is 持つ／拘留するing the knowledge over his 長，率いる. However, they 推定する／予想する to make a ４半期/4分の1 of a million out of it, and neither is going to say or do anything which will jeopardise that.

Mr. Townley （機の）カム home about six and gave me a sharp look when I took his things. That's just his way. He has no 推論する／理由 to believe that I am anything but what I appear to be. He went direct to his wife, who was in her boudoir, and Antoinette, who was with her, told me afterwards that his first words were that the movie 権利s of Sin had been sold to 最高位の for a hundred thousand. "How much of that do you get?" Mrs. T asked. "Twenty-five thousand," he said. "Damn!" said Mrs. T. "It goes hard to have to を引き渡す three-４半期/4分の1s of it!"

Dinner passed off without any bad breaks on my part. Mrs. Townley called me 負かす／撃墜する はっきりと for some little things, and I begged her to excuse me because of nervousness at the first meal. From the pantry I heard her husband say that I looked 約束ing, and she oughtn't to be so hard on me or they'd get worse. She was very agreeable to her husband through the meal. Antoinette says that means she is deceiving him. Her 最新の 炎上 is Mr. Basil Hoare, the handsome Englishman who plays opposite her in Sin. Townley 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うs nothing as yet.

The conversation of husband and wife throughout the meal was mostly about the play, the actors and the way they played their parts. Mrs. Townley complained 激しく about the actress who is her mother in the play, 説 that she hogged every scene in which she appeared. Mr. Townley tried to smooth her 負かす／撃墜する by 説 that he could see that, but that it would be foolish to get rid of the woman so soon after the reviewers had given her such good notices. "Just wait a while, my dear," he said.

She asked him if there was anything new in 尊敬（する）・点 to the いわゆる John Venner. He said no, he thought they would hear no more about him. She said she hoped so for his sake, in such a funny トン that he すぐに asked her what she meant by it. Her 直面する was all innocence すぐに. She said: "Nothing, dear, only it would be just too bad if the 業績／成果s were 停止（させる）d on account of 合法的な 訴訟／進行s over the authorship."

"Nobody is going to の近くに the play when it's 甚だしい／１２ダースing twenty-five thousand a week," he growled.

すぐに after eight o'clock Mr and Mrs. T. 出発／死d for the theatre taking Antoinette with them, and I saw no more of them last night. Mrs. T. sent Antoinette home after the 業績／成果 and she herself didn't come in until 近づく four. Her husband was waiting for her, and there was a scene. There were no 証言，証人／目撃するs to it so I cannot give you any 詳細（に述べる）s.

December 21st (Sunday). Neither of them showed themselves yesterday until lunch. They appeared to be reconciled. Mr. Townley is crazy about his wife, and she can do pretty much what she likes with him. I am sorry that I can't 追加する much to my 報告（する）／憶測 of yesterday. Mr and Mrs. Townley are accustomed to be 秘かに調査するd on by unfriendly servants and they have learned to keep a guard on their tongues when any of us are within 審理，公聴会. Antoinette is my best source of （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状）, but she only knows what she can 選ぶ up. There's a 肉親，親類d of 武装した 一時休戦 between her and her mistress. Antoinette has made herself 不可欠の to Mrs. T., but the latter doesn't confide in her maid.

At the lunch （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する whenever Mrs. T had anything 利益／興味ing to say to Mr. T she would say to me: "That will be all, Whiteley; if we 要求する anything I'll （犯罪の）一味." And I would have to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 it into the pantry. I might have heard something by listening at the door, but the houseman was in and out and I was afraid of 誘発するing 疑惑. In this 世帯 it's every man for himself. The servants hate their master and mistress, but they would betray me to them in a minute if they thought there was anything in it for themselves.

After lunch they both went out. Mrs. Townley had to go to the theatre for the matinee, and Townley told her he was 会合 Siebert Ackroyd at the Conradi-Windermere for the 目的 of 調印 the movie 契約s with the 最高位の 公式の／役人s.

At dinner last night the に引き続いて conversation took place between them. I don't understand it, but pass it along for what it may be 価値（がある）. Townley said: "I am considering a play by Jules Taschereau as a 乗り物 for you later on." She said: "Hadn't you better let me read it before you make up your mind?" He said: "Surely! It isn't a good play but it will make money. The woman's part is the whole thing. Your part in Sin isn't worthy of you. Now that you have created it, you could retire and do this other thing." Mrs. Townley, leaning her chin on her palm, said with a dreamy 空気／公表する: "Of course, it's not much of a part, but I love it! I hear his dear 発言する／表明する in every line!" Townley flew into a passion and 続けざまに猛撃するd the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. "Am I to have him thrown in my 直面する forever!" She looked at him contemptuously and said: "Are you jealous of the dead?" Then she saw me and 解任するd me from the room. A.W.

When Cynthia read this 報告（する）／憶測 her ideas underwent a violent 過程 of readjustment.

"Mack Townley?" she muttered. Then in a different トン.

"Mack Townley! It was he!" 物陰／風下 shrugged deprecatingly. "But it is （疑いを）晴らす from this that both Mack Townley and his wife know that Sin is my father's play."

"Surely. However, that doesn't 証明する that Mack killed him. You must remember that Gavin and Mack were associated for nearly twenty years in putting on plays. It is possible that when this play was 申し込む／申し出d to Mack he recognised it as Gavin's work from 内部の 証拠, just as you did."

"And never 公然と非難するd the 殺害者 and どろぼう!"

"My dear," said 物陰／風下, "Mack's trained 注目する，もくろむ would tell him at a ちらりと見ること that there was a fortune in the play, whoever wrote it."

"Ah, human nature is disgusting!" exclaimed Cynthia in her bitterness.

"O, not always!" 抗議するd 物陰／風下.

BRIEFER REPORTS FROM DETECTIVE-SERGEANT J.

It's a cinch to watch George Hillman because his life is so 正規の／正選手. The danger of this 職業 is, it's too 平易な; I find myself 落ちるing asleep over it. Since he returned to town he has been sticking closely to 商売／仕事 at the 収穫 Restaurant. A couple of weeks ago they decided to keep it open all night and as there is no other all-night eating place in the neighbourhood, the move has been very profitable. I should 見積（る） that they were 甚だしい／１２ダースing 井戸／弁護士席 over two thousand a week now. Hillman don't seem to take any 楽しみ in their 繁栄. He's as worried looking as ever.

Mrs. Hillman is at the desk from nine in the morning until nine at night, and her husband takes it from nine pm until nine am. He goes straight home and goes to bed, getting up at five or five-thirty in the afternoon. The next four hours are his own, but on many days he doesn't come out of the house until it is time to go to the restaurant. He gets all his meals in his own restaurant. いつかs he does a little shopping in Tremont Avenue, or just mooches up and 負かす／撃墜する the street without any particular 目的. Whenever he's out he always 減少（する）s into some saloon, not to drink, but to play the slot machines. He appears to have no friends. I have never seen him speak to anybody.

Yesterday he 出発／死d from this 決まりきった仕事. Coming out of his house about six o'clock he proceeded to the East 味方する subway and took a 負かす／撃墜する-town 表明する. At 86th he changed to a 地元の and got out at Fifty-first Street. I followed him to the Conradi-Winder-mere Hotel and was just behind him when he asked at the desk for 行方不明になる Gail Garrett. The clerk told him that 行方不明になる Garrett no longer lived there, and that they didn't have her 現在の 演説（する）／住所. He referred Hillman to Mr. Bittner, her 経営者／支配人. Hillman then entered a telephone booth. The 隣接するing booths were 十分な and I was unable to overhear the conversation, but I assumed that he was calling Bittner's apartment. He then took a Lexington Avenue bus to Twenty-fifth Street and entered an old hotel called the Engstrom, a crummy 共同の, 不正に run 負かす／撃墜する. I was just behind him. He asked for 行方不明になる Garrett and after telephoning upstairs, they told him she was out. But I could tell (and so could he) that the telephone girl had had her on the wire.

I made some 偽の 調査 of the clerk and followed Hillman out of the hotel. He looked sunk. For over an hour he wandered aimlessly along the streets of that neighbourhood; Lexington Avenue, Twenty-eighth Street, Fifth Avenue, Twenty-third and so on. At ten past eight he returned to the Engstrom. I couldn't follow him in a second time because the clerk would certainly have got on to me. Anyhow, he was turned away a second time and （機の）カム out looking depressed. It was now time to go to work, and he took the subway 支援する to the Bronx.

FROM M. O'B.

I went to the office of the —— Co publishers to fish for a little （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状）. The man who received me said they were no longer publishers for Emmett Gundy. "O, has he left you?" I said. "Hardly that," the man said with a sour smile, "his last novel was not profitable and we didn't care to go on with him. You had better go to 行方不明になる Flora Chisholm, his スパイ／執行官, for その上の （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状）." 行方不明になる Chisholm's office is on the seventh 床に打ち倒す of the New York Central Building. Here I made out to be the 代表者／国会議員 of a new publishing house. I asked her if she had placed Mr. Gundy's last novel. No, she had not, but several publishers were 利益／興味d in it. She gave me a sales talk, and 申し込む／申し出d to send the script to my office. "You can have this 罰金 novel on very 平易な 条件," she said. I told her not to send it until I let her know.

Thus it appears that Gundy is still up against it, but as far as I can see he isn't working at anything. On December 6th he moved from the cheap room on East Thirty-fourth Street where he has lived for six months past, and took a room at the Hotel Vandermeer. It was a small room but it must have 始める，決める him 支援する $3.50 a day. On December 27th he left the Vandermeer and took another cheap room on East Nineteenth Street. As far as I could see he didn't do anything while at the Vandermeer but 提起する／ポーズをとる in the ロビー.

He is hard up but not 完全に without money. 行為／法令／行動するs like a man whose time hangs 激しい on his 手渡すs. About noon I see him come to his window in his pyjamas, yawning and stretching. When he comes out of the house he always looks the pink of perfection. On the night of the 28th he …に出席するd a party given by Mack Townley at the Andorra. He spends a lot of time in the cheap movie houses on West Forty-second Street. On the 30th he spent the entire afternoon and evening going from one house to another. On the morning of the 27th I 追跡するd him to the office of his スパイ／執行官, 行方不明になる Chisholm, in the New York Central Building. I couldn't wait in the up-stairs 回廊（地帯） for him to come out because it was empty. So I stood in the main ロビー downstairs watching the elevators. All the elevators serving the seventh 床に打ち倒す （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する in the same alcove, and I didn't see how he could get by me. But he never （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する. After waiting a couple of hours I put in a 偽の call to 行方不明になる Chisholm's office. She said he had been there but had left すぐに. On the 28th the same thing happened again. This was the afternoon. He went to his スパイ／執行官's office and never （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する again. I waited until I saw 行方不明になる Chisholm and her stenographer going home and then I knew the office was の近くにd. M. O'B.

"This man is a fool," 発言／述べるd 物陰／風下. "It has not occurred to him that if Emmett discovered he was 存在 追跡するd all he had to do was to walk upstairs and take an elevator that would land him in a different part of the ロビー. I must find a better man."

FROM V. P.

Alan Talbert has a 前線 of 厚かましさ／高級将校連. In spite of everything that has been published in the newspapers, he is still going around 主張するing with a smooth 直面する that he wrote Sin, and no 量 of razzing can break him 負かす／撃墜する. He can find plenty who pretend to believe him; to a 確かな class of people he's a hero because he has had so much publicity. He has no difficulty in finding some rich woman (not too young) to take him on a 一連の会議、交渉／完成する of the most expensive hot 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs every night.

Amongst all this chatter I heard Alan say one thing that may or may not be of 利益／興味 to you. It was at the 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 of the 植民地 Restaurant. An over-stuffed dame upholstered in sables was feeding Alan there and they had lined up for a quick one before going in. Next to Alan stood Rufus Cooley, the critic, who said, laughing: "You will never make me believe that you wrote it! Sin was turned out by a more finished 手渡す than yours, my boy!"

That is Gavin Dordress' 影響（力）," said Alan. "You forget that I worked under Gavin for years. He used to call me his 後継者. He helped me a lot with this play. The 静かな 有効性 of the big scenes that you have all spoken of is 予定 to Gavin. I 借りがある Gavin everything."

Rufus 現実に seemed impressed by this. "Gavin Dordress!" he said, 一打／打撃ing his chin. "I never thought of that!...Dordress? Why, of course! Of course!" V. P.

REPORT OF E. B. H.

DECEMBER 31st. I didn't 報告（する）／憶測 earlier because I was unable to 設立する 接触する with my man. Siebert Ackroyd lives at the Madison along with many another 井戸／弁護士席-to-do young man about town. I thought my best line would be that of the rich young idler and I went to the Madison on Friday morning and took a 控訴. Ackroyd has lived there for several years and is 井戸／弁護士席 known to the staff. The servants talk about him because he has been so much in the news lately. They say that a change has come over him. One of the most popular young fellows in that 始める，決める, he has turned 独房監禁 and morose. In 見解（をとる） of the 広大な／多数の／重要な success of his play Sin nobody can understand it. They say that he stood to pull 負かす／撃墜する a （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限 of ten grand from the movie 権利s alone. They say he is drinking too much, and they resent it because he doesn't do his drinking at the Madison.

I 設立する it was a 堅い assignment to 跡をつける Ackroyd because he takes a taxi every time he steps out the door. It is almost impossible to 追跡する a man through the streets of New York in a car because of the traffic chances. I lost him every time I tried it, so I can't tell you what his movements were during the day on Friday or Saturday.

However, after dinner on Friday night he started out from his hotel on foot, and I after him. He led me to a saloon on Third Avenue. He stood 負かす／撃墜する at the end of the 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 away from everybody and ordered a straight rye. I could see by the ugly look in his 注目する，もくろむs that it would be foolish to speak to him. He would only have cussed me out, and I would have been no その上の good on this assignment. So I stood at the 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業 近づく him (but not too 近づく) making out that I was a 独房監禁 drinker with a grouch, just like himself, and hoping he would notice me. But he did not. He remained there a couple of hours ordering one whisky after another without any 明白な 影響, and 説 nothing. He then went home and 推定では to bed.

On Saturday evening he didn't show up at the hotel for dinner. I looked in at the Third Avenue saloon just on the chance, and there he was in the same place scowling at his drink. So I ordered one and stood there scowling at 地雷 likewise, making out not to notice him at all. This night I was in luck because there was three young roughs in the place who were pretty tight. They passed some 発言／述べるs about Ackroyd because they didn't like his high-トンd style, but he didn't hear them. Afterwards the three were scuffling in the 支援する of the room and one of them bumped against Ackroyd. He was just drunk enough and sore enough to turn and cuss the fellow out, and all three of them were ready to mix it up with him then.

That was my chance. I lined up と一緒に Ackroyd, 説 I would see fair play, and between us we stretched all three of them. We and the bartender then threw them into the street. "Let's go over to the Madison," he said; "I live there."

"So do I," I said. "We won't go into the Madison 妨げる／法廷，弁護士業," he said. "I know too many of those guys. I'm fed up with them. We'll go up in my room and order a 瓶／封じ込める."

That ふさわしい me all 権利. But even up in his room with a 瓶／封じ込める of Canadian Club between us, he had little to say. He apologised for 存在 such poor company, and I said: "That's all 権利 with me. I don't feel like talking myself." That caught his attention and he said: "So you're feeling low, too, eh? What is it? Woman trouble?" I nodded, and he thrust out his 手渡す. "Put it there, fellow!" He filled up my glass and his own. "After all, whisky's a fellow's best friend," he said.

I started to tell him the story I had made up about my girl's shipping me. He listened with attention. When I （機の）カム to the end he burst out: "All these good women are alike: they must have their 続けざまに猛撃する of flesh, like Shylock. The men who 扱う／治療する women as mere playthings to be 選ぶd up and dropped again when you're through with them are 権利! Love 'em and leave 'em, that's going to be my motto hereafter, Once a woman gets under your 肌 you're a goner; she'll crucify you!"

From that he went on to tell me a little about his own 事件／事情／状勢, but only in general 条件, no particulars. "I had a girl," he said, "and I went all out for her. God I how I loved her! I was 用意が出来ている to 嘘（をつく）, to steal, to kill for that woman, and she, O, she was the perfect lady throughout. All this money that's rolling in on me I 目的（とする）d to spend on her. It's only a mockery now."

"Maybe she might change her mind now," I 示唆するd. "No, she has plenty of her own," he said. "She isn't mercenary. Only too goddamned ladylike! She turned me 負かす／撃墜する because I was too wicked and violent for her taste. She wants a tame man."

"Did she have any special 推論する／理由?" I asked. "O, I've done things I wouldn't want her to know about," he said, "but she could have made anything she 手配中の，お尋ね者 of me! The hell with her! She had ice in her veins!"

When she had read this far, Cynthia broke 負かす／撃墜する in 嵐の weeping.

"This is intolerable!" she cried. "It's so wicked and untrue! O, I hate him for it! I hate him!"

物陰／風下 reached for the 報告（する）／憶測.

"Why read any その上の?"

Cynthia clung to it. "I want to know the worst about him." She read on:

"There was always trouble between this girl and me," Ackroyd continued. "I loved her too goddamned much, that was the 推論する／理由. She couldn't understand it. She didn't know that if she had given me love it would have 軟化するd me like a 魔法 charm. There was a 確かな 障害 in the way that drove me savage."

"What 肉親，親類d of 障害?" I asked. "Never mind," he said. "It was there. Then it was 突然に 除去するd and I thought everything would be all 権利 between us. But no! She 支援するd and she filled; she blew hot and 冷淡な. Finally she made up her mind that I was a crook and that was the end."

"Were you a crook?" I asked with a grin.

"Sure," he said, "aren't we all?"

"What particular 肉親，親類d of crookedness was it that she jibbed at?" I asked. The innocent-sounding question 誘発するd his 疑惑s.

"O, everything," he said, and shut up like a clam. For a while I talked about other things to smooth him 負かす／撃墜する, and then I （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 it.</>

E. B. H.

"This is worse than I had 推定する／予想するd," murmured Cynthia. "There is a phrase here: 'I 目的（とする）d to spend this money on her.' That 証明するs that Siebert had been planning the 罪，犯罪 for weeks."

"It is possible," said 物陰／風下.

"You were 権利 about Mack Townley," she went on. "He didn't do it. What Siebert said to this man is as good as a 自白."

"I have 表明するd no opinion either one way or the other," said 物陰／風下. "Let us keep open minds."

REPORT OF R. F. S.

The 王室の Typewriter Company has two service shops in New York. I visited both of them without result. No 従業員 could remember having received an order to 追加する an exclamation point to the keyboard of an old 王室の machine. Other 王室の shops in the New York 地区 are in Brooklyn and Newark, N.J. In Newark I finally struck 支払う／賃金 dirt. The machinist in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of 修理s remembered the man who 手配中の，お尋ね者 an exclamation point, though it was about two months ago, he said, when this 顧客 （機の）カム in. It was 直す／買収する，八百長をするd in the machinist's mind because the order was an unusual one, and because the 顧客 was such a queer-looking guy.

His description of the man 一致するs with other descriptions of the man in the yellow overcoat. The machinist said he brought the typewriter in under his arm, and carried it out again when it was 直す／買収する，八百長をするd. It was in bad order and the machinist tried to get an order to 修理 it, or to sell the 顧客 a better machine. But he had no money, he said; all he 手配中の，お尋ね者 was an exclamation point, "because he had to 令状 対話." The machinist tried to get in talk with him but he only gave curt answers.

The 顧客's 活動／戦闘s were so mysterious the machinist thought maybe the typewriter was stolen, and he checked it with the 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） of stolen machines that is furnished to all 支店 offices. But the number wasn't on the 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）. The serial number of the machine was 117284. It was of the model that was put out in 1923 and had had hard usage. Scratched in the paint on the under 味方する of the でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる were the words "Reliable O.S. Co." The machinist said he thought his 顧客 was from New York, because he （機の）カム and went in the direction of the tube 駅／配置する.

The New York telephone directory furnished the 指名する of a Reliable Office 供給（する） Company on Sixth Avenue and I went up there on the chance. I was in luck. This is the 蓄える／店 where the man in the yellow overcoat bought the typewriter; the date was November 8th.

("Two days after Gavin was killed," 発言／述べるd 物陰／風下.)

The 蓄える／店, which is 近づく the corner of Forty-ninth Street, sells all makes of second-手渡す typewriters. The salesman remembered this 顧客 because of his queer 外見, and because when he tried the machine in the 蓄える／店, though he could 令状 公正に／かなり 急速な／放蕩な, he used only his two forefingers in striking the 重要なs. When a 発言／述べる was made about this he said he had taught himself to type. He paid fifteen dollars for the old machine. The salesman 申し込む／申し出d to let him have a boy to carry it home, but he said he didn't mind carrying it himself; he didn't have far to go. A few minutes later he returned and bought a box of typewriter paper and a dozen sheets of 炭素. This 示唆するs that he had 設立するd himself somewhere 近づく by.

I made 調査s in Forty-ninth Street. I got no line on his hangout, if any, but I 設立する where he had left an old pair of shoes to be patched at a 修理 shop in that street. This was a week ago. I せねばならない have 援助 in watching the shop in 事例／患者 he comes for the shoes. It is open from eight in the morning until eleven o'clock at night.

R. F. S.

CHAPTER XXI.

AT the hospital Cynthia served as 補佐官 to the doctors of the neurological clinic. Her 職業 was to receive the out-患者s, to enter their 指名するs, to arrange for their 任命s with the doctors, and to keep up their 事例／患者 histories. Hundreds of 事例／患者s passed through her 手渡すs 週刊誌, but they were still individual to her and human. Some of the warped brains were very difficult to を取り引きする; stubborn, 怪しげな, 十分な of 恐れる and 憎悪 of the world where they 設立する themselves at such a disadvantage. Cynthia laid it on herself to 扱う／治療する such 事例／患者s with a special patience.

The clinic was open in the afternoons only. As there was no 正規の／正選手 準備／条項 for social service in the hospital, Cynthia had volunteered for the work which was 特に necessary in 関係 with her department. Most of her mornings were spent in visiting the homes of the 患者s, to find out why they had failed to keep 任命s with the doctors, to follow up the 進歩 of those 発射する／解雇するd as cured, and to 調査／捜査する 事例／患者s of illness 報告（する）／憶測d by other 患者s. The 基金s 利用できる for such work were 限られた／立憲的な; when they gave out, Cynthia drew on her own 井戸／弁護士席-filled pocket-調書をとる／予約する and kept no account of it.

Mrs. Rohan and her son Patsy were の中で the 正規の／正選手 attendants at the clinic. They had been coming once a week for a long time past. Both had epilepsy. The mother, a 未亡人, had the 外見 of a normal woman, but was 鎮圧するd with misfortune and overwork; the boy was one of Cynthia's most repellant 事例／患者s. Subnormal mentally and 肉体的に, he was seventeen years old, but except for the sprouting moustache on his lip looked like a boy of twelve. There was a furtive glitter in his 注目する，もくろむ but he scarcely ever spoke. At home there were other children whom Cynthia had never seen. 非，不，無 of these children should have been born; but there they were, and it was not their fault.

On Monday afternoon 近づく の近くにing time, Patsy turned up at the clinic alone. The Rohans had no 任命 that day. He hung about, peeping around the corner of the 回廊（地帯） until Cynthia caught sight of him and beckoned him to her desk. He slunk 今後 with his upper lip 解除するd like a 脅すd animal's. "Mom's sick," he blurted out.

Cynthia drew a long breath in the 成果／努力 to 征服する／打ち勝つ her repulsion. "What's the 事柄 with her?" she asked. "I dunno. She's on the bed. She can't get up. The kids is crying because they ain't eaten since morning."

Cynthia ちらりと見ることd at her watch. "All 権利. You run home and tell your mother I'll be there in a ４半期/4分の1 of an hour. I'll give you money to buy milk and crackers for the children to keep them 静かな until I come."

Patsy cringed. "I better take you there," he said. "It's a hard place to find."

"All 権利," said Cynthia. "Sit 負かす／撃墜する until I'm ready."

The last of the 患者s had gone into the examination rooms. She made haste to clean up her desk and とじ込み／提出する the 事例／患者 histories. The boy's 隠すd ちらりと見ること never leaving her 直面する made her ばく然と uneasy. It was impossible to guess what was passing through his mind-if he had a mind. He looked like a stunted 少しのd grown in arid 国／地域.

They left the hospital together. In the street Cynthia あられ／賞賛するd a taxi and Patsy grinned. "I never 棒 in one of them before."

He gave an 演説（する）／住所 in the North-east corner of the island which Cynthia knew to be one of the most depressed areas in the city. After they had started he said uneasily: "Tell the guy to stop at the corner of First Avenue. If we was to stop in 前線 of my house the street kids would razz the life out of me."

Cynthia passed the word to the driver. She kept to her corner of the cab. The boy was clean enough—his hard-working mother saw to that, but he seemed to emanate a moral decay. 一方／合間 he was enjoying the 運動. "When I get money," he 誇るd with a leer, "I'll 運動 around in a taxi all day. And when I get hungry I'll go in a restrunt and order a T-bone steak. And I'll take my girl to the movies."

Cynthia ちらりと見ることd at him in horror. "Your girl?"

"Sure, I got a girl."

"You'll have to work for the money," she said. "Aah!" he sneered. "It's only the dumb clucks 'at 作品 for 給料. There's ways of getting the jack without working."

Cynthia shivered inwardly. She felt that it was useless to try to 推論する／理由 with him.

They got out on First Avenue and 長，率いるd East. Cynthia had never visited this particular 封鎖する. The tenement houses were 古代の and decaying; some of them, 非難するd by the 当局, had their doors and windows boarded up; occasionally a house had been pulled 負かす／撃墜する, leaving a gap in the 列／漕ぐ／騒動 like a 行方不明の tooth. It had grown dark. The night was unseasonably 穏やかな; doors and windows stood open; children were playing in the streets. Patsy, ちらりと見ることing at the big boys in terror, 圧力（をかける）d against Cynthia.

She took his 手渡す though his touch made her flesh はう. Coming to a small grocery 蓄える／店, she said: "I'll get milk and crackers here for the children."

"Don't stop! Don't stop!" he said with an 半端物 excitement. "After I take you to my mom I'll come 支援する and get it." They went on.

He led her into an old house whose greasy doorway was 紅潮／摘発する with the sidewalk. Inside a 薄暗い bulb lighted a long 狭くする hall with a splintery 床に打ち倒す. A 法外な stairway went up at the 味方する. Cynthia made for the stairway, but the boy pulled her past it. "It's in the 支援する," he said. "We live in a backyard tenement."

The light of the 選び出す／独身 bulb scarcely 侵入するd to the 支援する of the hall. Suddenly Cynthia realised that something was wrong, and stopped. She could see through an open door at the 支援する of the hall. There was no house in the 後部, but only a littered yard, a broken 盗品故買者 and the 後部 of a boarded-up house 前線ing on the next street. "You have been lying to me..." she began. She got no その上の. There was a 人物／姿／数字 lurking under the stairs. A 激しい blow descended on her 長，率いる, 素晴らしい her. She did not lose consciousness altogether but all her faculties were paralysed except that of 審理，公聴会. The cellar door beside her was thrown 支援する and she was あわてて dragged 負かす／撃墜する the stairs. She could hear her own heels thudding from step to step. The boy pulled the door shut and ran 負かす／撃墜する after her.

In the cellar she was flung on her 直面する on the earthen 床に打ち倒す and the man knelt on her 支援する, 鎮圧するing the breath out of her. He drew a cloth of some sort over her mouth. Her senses were returning to her. As she opened her mouth to 叫び声をあげる, he jerked the cloth between her teeth, almost splitting her lips and choking off all sounds. He pulled her 手渡すs behind her to tie them. "Light the candle," he growled.

A match was struck and a little light spread around. The boy placed the stub of a candle on the earth. His sub-human 直面する was 花冠d in a grin. Cynthia could not see the man who was 持つ／拘留するing her 負かす／撃墜する. He said in his husky whisper: "始める，決める the yard door open."

The boy went away. The man was 速く tying Cynthia's wrists and ankles together. When the boy returned the man said: "Watch the cellar stairs."

"Nobody comes 負かす／撃墜する here but the gasman," said the boy.

"Never mind. Watch the stairs."

"Where's my money?" asked the boy.

"Open her pocket-調書をとる／予約する."

After a moment the boy said: "There's only twenty-three dollars in it."

"All 権利, take it and get."

"You 約束d me a hundred," whined the boy.

"Get out!" growled the man.

The boy began to cry. "If you don't give me my hundred I'll tell!" he wailed.

The man sprang to his feet with a muttered 誓い. The boy started to run, but was overtaken in two strides. They had passed out of Cynthia's 範囲 of 見通し, but she heard the sickly 割れ目 of something hard on a human skull, and the soft 崩壊（する） of a 団体／死体 on the earth.

The man returned to her. When he finished his knots he turned her over on her 支援する and then for the first, as he bent over her, Cynthia saw him; the tall hulking でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる in the shapeless yellow coat, the queer cap pulled の近くに over his 長，率いる. He had a 黒人／ボイコット handkerchief tied over the lower part of his 直面する; his glasses glittered in the candlelight, hiding the 表現 of his 注目する，もくろむs. Instinctively Cynthia 叫び声をあげるd with all her might, but only a strangled groan 問題／発行するd through the gag. The man pulled a gun from his pocket, and showed it to her lying on his palm. "Keep 静かな," he whispered hoarsely, "or you'll get what the boy got."

Looking beyond her feet, she saw the pitiful thin 人物／姿／数字 sprawling on the foul earth. 血 was running through his sparse hair. She became 静かな. She could not make noise enough to be heard; she 手配中の，お尋ね者 to save her strength.

Stepping over her 団体／死体, the man trod out the candle 炎上. Returning, he took her under the 武器 and dragged her to a 石／投石する stair at the 支援する of the cellar. He dropped her here and went ahead to 調査／捜査する. Returning, he dragged her out into the open yard. As the 支援する 塀で囲む of the tenement rose before her with lights in a 得点する／非難する／２０ of kitchen windows, Cynthia struggled with all her 軍隊 and endeavoured to 叫び声をあげる again. The man struck her savagely and she became 静かな. It was useless.

He dragged her across to the broken 盗品故買者 and, 解除するing her up, coolly dropped her on the other 味方する. Though he was such a big fellow, he was panting from his exertions. This was the yard of the abandoned house. It was heaped with piles of rubbish over which the man dragged her anyhow. They （機の）カム to another cellar door. He pulled her through it and 負かす／撃墜する a half stair, and, letting her 落ちる on a 固く結び付ける 床に打ち倒す, went 支援する to shut the door. It had glass panes, and the upper part of his 団体／死体 was silhouetted against it. He ぐずぐず残るd there, 明らかに stuffing the 割れ目s of the door to 妨げる any sounds from escaping.

At this moment Cynthia's heart was ready to break with despair. Bound and gagged in the cellar of an abandoned house; at the mercy of an 武装した madman! Then she discovered, that in her rough passage across the yard the ropes around her ankles had 緩和するd, and hope stirred in her again. While the man was working at the door, she drew her 脚s up behind her, and hooking fingers under a 立ち往生させる of the rope, managed to work it over a heel. The 残り／休憩（する） was 平易な. When he （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する the cellar steps her 脚s were 解放する／自由な.

He struck a match ーするために find her. In the 簡潔な／要約する flash of light Cynthia saw a dozen paces away, an open stairway 主要な up. She 緊急発進するd to her feet and raced for it. The man （機の）カム after her, 悪口を言う／悪態ing, but his match went out and he couldn't stop to light another. He sprawled over the 底（に届く） steps. 製図／抽選 his gun, he 解雇する／砲火／射撃d in the direction of Cynthia's racing feet, but the 発射 went wild. Cynthia 伸び（る）d the ground 床に打ち倒す hall of the house and leaned against the 塀で囲む, trembling. The 衝突，墜落 of the 発射 turned her 血 to water.

Presently she heard him softly インチing up the cellar stairs. Feeling her way along the hall with her forehead, she （機の）カム to an open door and slipped through it. She discovered that all the doors and window sashes had been taken out and stacked against the 塀で囲むs. At the 最高の，を越す of the stairs the man struck a match, but remained standing and listening, uncertain which way Cynthia had gone.

The rope around Cynthia's wrists was partly 緩和するd. 支援 up to one of the doors leaning against the 塀で囲む, she 麻薬中毒の a 立ち往生させる of the rope over the door 扱う and brought 負かす／撃墜する her 手渡すs with a sharp jerk. The pull almost dislocated her wrists, but the rope （機の）カム off and her 手渡すs were 解放する／自由な. The man heard the sound, and started に向かって the door of the room she was in, striking a match. Feeling her way around the 塀で囲む, she 設立する another door and passed through it.

The man was に引き続いて her and the dreadful thought （機の）カム to her that he had her 罠にかける in a room with only one door. But there was another room beyond it, and a fourth room beyond that. This was a 前線 room; thin 割れ目s of light showed between the planks nailed in the window 開始s, and sounds of the street （機の）カム through, filling Cynthia with a sickness of longing. She had 緩和するd the gag until it fell around her neck but she uttered no cry. Long before help could reach her from the outside, the man with the gun would have been upon her.

This 前線 room had a door 開始 on the main 回廊（地帯） of the house, and she stood there listening. For some moments she had heard no sound of creeping feet or striking matches, and she didn't know where the man was. Listening somewhere, like herself. Cynthia's 猛烈に sharpened wits had 人物／姿／数字d out the ground 計画（する） of this house. She knew that the cellar stairs were to the 後部 of the 回廊（地帯） and about forty feet from where she stood. She had seen the man stuffing the 割れ目s of the door into the yard below, but she had not heard him lock that door. 明らかに he had no 重要な to it. If she could reach it first, safety lay on the other 味方する. It was 価値（がある） trying. She slipped off her shoes.

神経ing herself up for it, she dashed for the 長，率いる of the stairs. The man, waiting, somewhere in the 後部, heard her and divined her 意向. He was nearer the stairs; they 衝突する／食い違うd at the 最高の，を越す and he flung an arm around her. His panting breath was in her 直面する. She sensed that his gun was in his other 手渡す. He was between her and the stairs. Cynthia, with the strength of desperation, 開始する，打ち上げるd her 団体／死体 against his, at the same time gripping the door でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる. He 倒れるd clutching at her wildly. His 持つ／拘留する was torn loose and he went over backwards. His gun 発射する／解雇するd as he fell.

An 絶対の silence 後継するd the 衝突，墜落. Cynthia, listening, out of line of possible その上の 発射s, prayed that he might be 本気で 負傷させるd. Moments passed and she could hear nothing. Unable to 耐える the suspense, she moved one of the doors to the 長，率いる of the stairs and let it slide 負かす／撃墜する on its 辛勝する／優位. It slapped over on the 固める／コンクリート below. So he was not on the stairs. Cynthia went 負かす／撃墜する a few steps and looked に向かって the 後部 of the cellar. At the same moment the man struck a match to see what had 原因（となる）d the clatter on the stairs. He was lying in wait for her at the yard door, the only way out.

製図／抽選 支援する out of sight, Cynthia softly returned to the 前線 room on the first 床に打ち倒す. 選ぶing up another door, she 開始する，打ち上げるd it on 辛勝する／優位 like a 乱打するing 押し通す against one of the planks over the window. The plank creaked but held 急速な／放蕩な. Before she could strike a second blow she heard him running up the cellar stairs. Dropping the door, she softly 退却／保養地d through the rooms into the 後部. He ran straight through the 回廊（地帯） into the 前線 room, and joy 井戸／弁護士席d up in her heart. The way out was （疑いを）晴らす!

She ran 負かす／撃墜する the stairs on stockinged feet, and across the cellar. He had wedged a stick under the 扱う of the door to 持つ／拘留する it 急速な／放蕩な, but it was the work of a second to kick that aside, and she breathed the 甘い outer 空気／公表する again. She heard him 急落（する），激減（する）ing 負かす／撃墜する the stairs, and 緊急発進するd anyhow over the piles of rubbish in the yard; fell over the 盗品故買者, 設立する the doorway to the house in 前線, and running through it, 伸び（る）d the sidewalk. There were people standing about. She sank 負かす／撃墜する fainting at their feet.

CHAPTER XXII.

WHEN Cynthia opened her 注目する，もくろむs again it was to find the blessed Irish 直面する of a policeman bending over her. The people of the neighbourhood were 星／主役にするing 負かす／撃墜する at her curiously. "What happened, 行方不明になる?" asked the policeman. "A man 掴むd me," she stammered. "He dragged me into an abandoned house in the next street. He killed Patsy Rohan."

A murmur of horror travelled around the circle. "What 肉親，親類d of man?" asked the policeman.

"A big man. Wore a yellow overcoat, cap pulled 負かす／撃墜する の近くに over his 長，率いる."

Several 発言する／表明するs spoke up at once: "I saw him! He come out of the house and went 負かす／撃墜する に向かって the river."

A 無線で通信する car with two more policemen had drawn up at the 抑制（する） と一緒に. Word was passed to the driver and they 始める，決める off to look for the man.

Cynthia's policeman asked: "Where do you live, 行方不明になる?"

Afraid of entering her own place alone, she gave the 演説（する）／住所 of 物陰／風下's apartment. "Amos 物陰／風下 Mappin!" said the policeman, surprised. "I read about him. I'll take you there."

A taxi was brought from First Avenue and they got in.

物陰／風下 lived on an upper 床に打ち倒す of one of the lofty apartment houses overlooking the East River. When they arrived at the door, he paled at the sight of Cynthia's limp 人物／姿／数字, and the 武器 that took her trembled. He laid her on a couch in his living-room. The policeman told his story. 物陰／風下 asked a few pointed questions; made no comment. "行方不明になる Dordress will be 利用できる for 尋問 any time she may be needed," he told the policeman.

When he had gone. 物陰／風下 telephoned to （警察，軍隊などの）本部. He was told that 視察官 Loasby had gone to the 駅／配置する house of the 5th 管区 to direct the search for the 殺害者. 物陰／風下 got him there and Loasby told him that the man in the yellow coat had not been apprehended. He had last been seen getting in a taxi which 長，率いるd South on East River 運動. A general alarm had been sent out for him. "That's not likely to produce anything," said 物陰／風下. "He was disguised, of course. He will change it now."

Loasby went on to say that the 団体／死体 of Patsy Rohan had been 設立する in the cellar. The boy's mother, who lived upstairs, was dazed by what had happened. No 疑惑 大（公）使館員d to her in the minds of the police. "I'll 支払う／賃金 for the wretch's burial," said 物陰／風下. "Don't について言及する my 指名する."

When the police had searched the abandoned house in the next street, Loasby said, they 設立する on the 固く結び付ける 床に打ち倒す at the foot of the cellar stairs, a small flat 重要な with a number 削減（する） in the 軸, number 415. "A hotel 重要な?" asked 物陰／風下. "No. Hotel 重要なs have the 指名する of the hotel engraved on them. This 重要な is too small and thin for a room 重要な."

"I'll come up and take a look at it," said 物陰／風下.

Returning to Cynthia he said: "The man has not been caught. Evidently he worked 選び出す／独身-手渡すd. Watching the clinic for days past, I take it. In the imbecile boy he 設立する just the 道具 he needed."

"Why did he attack me?" murmured Cynthia. "I have never 害（を与える）d him."

"He was afraid. We are getting too の近くに to him. He doesn't know that I have 協議するd the police. He thought if he could make away with you, then with me, he would be 安全な. And O, God! How nearly he 後継するd with you! We might never have 設立する you!" 物陰／風下 struggled with his feelings. "Did you have a small 重要な 示すd 415?" he asked in his customary 事柄-of-fact 発言する／表明する.

"No," she said. "Only my apartment 重要な. That was in the 捕らえる、獲得する they took."

"The brute will be desperate now," said 物陰／風下. "We must 行為／法令／行動する quickly. I'll send for Fanny to stay with you. Jermyn will take care of you both. You are やめる 安全な here."

"You are going out?" she said, freshly terrified.

"Only to see Loasby."

"O, 物陰／風下, be careful! If anything happened to you...!"

"Don't worry," he said grimly. "If he tries anything with me, I'll be ready for him."

Telling his man Jermyn to phone 行方不明になる Parran to come and stay with Cynthia, and not to let anybody else into the apartment until he returned, 物陰／風下 taxied up to Harlem.

Loasby was in the Captain's 私的な office, …に出席するd by Riordan, a young 探偵，刑事 who 行為／法令／行動するd as his 長官 and 補佐官. Both were in plain 着せる／賦与するs. The handsome 視察官 was 怒り／怒るd by this dirty 罪，犯罪 and inclined to 非難する 物陰／風下 for not having 妨げるd it. 物陰／風下 ignored his ill-humour. As soon as 物陰／風下 laid 注目する，もくろむs on the 重要な 設立する by the police, he said: "I know what sort of 重要な that is. I have often used them. They are for the lock boxes in 鉄道 駅／配置するs where you 減少（する） a 薄暗い and check your 捕らえる、獲得する."

"They have such boxes in fifty places around town," said Loasby, scowling.

"They are all put out by the same company. Phone quick to the 長，率いる office and ask where box number 415 is. Arrange to have a watch put on it."

Riordan did the telephoning. "Pennsylvania 終点," he 報告（する）／憶測d.

"Come on!" said 物陰／風下, making for the door.

Loasby and Riordan followed. "It he's lost the 重要な," Loasby 不平（をいう）d, "he won't go 支援する to the box."

"Man," said 物陰／風下, "with a general alarm out for him, if his other 着せる／賦与するs are in that box, it's a 事柄 of life and death for him to get them."

In a red police car with blue サーチライト and 叫び声をあげるing サイレン／魅惑的な, they made the Pennsylvania 終点 in nine minutes. In the 地元の office of the checking company they were 直面するd by a 脅すd 経営者／支配人. "You're too late," he stammered. "He's been and got his things.

"I'm sorry!...I didn't know he was 手配中の，お尋ね者."

物陰／風下 clenched his teeth together and silently 悪口を言う／悪態d their ill luck. "What sort of man?" 需要・要求するd the 視察官.

The 経営者／支配人 repeated the too-familiar description of the man in the yellow overcoat. "He said he had lost his 重要な," he went on. "He was in a hurry to catch a train. He 述べるd everything that was in the box, and 申し込む／申し出d to 支払う／賃金 for a new lock. So I opened the box for him. That is our 支配する."

"What was in it?" asked 物陰／風下.

"A yellow gladstone 捕らえる、獲得する, sir, かなり scuffed and worn. It 含む／封じ込めるd a 黒人／ボイコット vicuna overcoat, a 黒人／ボイコット soft hat rolled up, a blue cheviot 控訴, 黒人／ボイコット shoes and socks, a white shirt that had been worn, with collar 大（公）使館員d, a blue tie, a tin box..."

"What was in the box?"

"I didn't ask him to open it."

"How long ago was this?"

"いっそう少なく than half an hour, sir."

"Didn't strike you as strange," said the 視察官 厳しく, "that a man looking like that should have such 罰金 着せる／賦与するs in his 捕らえる、獲得する?"

"I thought they were his Sunday 着せる／賦与するs, 視察官."

"You should..."

物陰／風下 shut Loasby off. "I know why he chose the Pennsylvania 駅／配置する to check his things. Downstairs they have rooms for the convenience of travellers who may wish to change their 着せる／賦与するs. He may still be there. Come on!"

物陰／風下, Loasby and Riordan 急いでd to the stairway on the North 味方する of the concourse and ran 負かす／撃墜する. The spotless glass-tiled lavatory opened off the 地階 回廊（地帯）. It was lined 負かす／撃墜する to the far end with a 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of little dressing-rooms, each having a mahogany door with a slot machine in the lock to receive 薄暗いs. Halfway 負かす／撃墜する the long 列／漕ぐ／騒動 there was an arched 開始 主要な to another 分割 of the lavatory. The attendant of the place was standing 近づく the 入り口. Loasby gave him a 簡潔な／要約する flash of the gold badge. "Have you seen a man in here during the last half hour wearing a yellowish 肉親，親類d of overcoat?" he asked in a low 発言する／表明する.

The man shook his 長，率いる. "I got to watch the nickel 味方する, too, 視察官. I don't see them all."

"This was an unusual looking man, a hulking fellow, stoop-shouldered; wore a leather helmet pulled 負かす／撃墜する の近くに over his 長，率いる, 厚い spectacles; was carrying an old gladstone 捕らえる、獲得する."

"Yeah, I seen such a one," said the man suddenly. "Here, on the 薄暗い 味方する. He went into a box halfway 負かす／撃墜する. It would be number nine, ten or eleven. For all I know he's still there."

Before the attendant had finished speaking, a door in the middle of the long 列／漕ぐ／騒動 silently opened, and like a 影をつくる／尾行する, a tall man slipped across the 狭くする space and through the 開始 into the other 味方する of the lavatory. He kept his 長，率いる turned from them, and they could not see his 直面する. 黒人／ボイコット hat, 黒人／ボイコット overcoat now, but the 苦悩 to escape 観察 gave him away. "There he goes!" cried the 視察官.

He and Riordan instinctively sprang 今後 to look in the box he had just vacated. 物陰／風下, 人物／姿／数字ing that the man would have to come out into the 回廊（地帯） through the next 開始, turned in the other direction to 長，率いる him off. "Stop that man!" roared Loasby to those beyond.

物陰／風下 衝突する／食い違うd with the running man in the next 開始 to the 回廊（地帯）. The man was 持つ／拘留するing an arm over his 直面する. He 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d 十分な 攻撃する into 物陰／風下, sending him sprawling on his 支援する in the 回廊（地帯） while he sprang for the stairs. When 物陰／風下 got his breath, the man was disappearing around the 最高の，を越す of the stairs. 物陰／風下 追加するd his 発言する／表明する to the bellowing 視察官. "Stop that man!" A whole 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of bootblacks stopped work and leaped up the stairs, 小衝突s and rags in 手渡す. The 顧客s climbed out of the 議長，司会を務めるs and followed. Up above the cry was taken up: "Stop that man!"

When 物陰／風下 reached the 広大な／多数の／重要な concourse above, he had another glimpse of the man as he 長，率いるd obliquely across for the doors 主要な to the outer concourse. He was slimmer than 物陰／風下 推定する／予想するd, and not stoop-shouldered at all. Desperation was lending him the 速度(を上げる） of a deer. A door obediently opened for him and he disappeared through it. The cries were echoing from end to end of the 広大な hall: "Stop that man!" Men （機の）カム running from every direction to join the chase. The （人が）群がる got 絡まるd up in the mechanical doors and the 逃亡者／はかないもの 伸び（る）d on them.

When 物陰／風下 reached the outer concourse, the man had almost got to the Thirty-first Street 味方する of the building. Men 直接／まっすぐに in his path scuttled out of the way, and fell in at a 安全な distance behind him. The （人が）群がる was roaring. The 逃亡者／はかないもの was clever enough not to spring up the wide stairs to the street where he would certainly have been caught. Running under the stairway, he 急落（する），激減（する）d 負かす／撃墜する the steps 主要な to the mezzanine 回廊（地帯） that bisects the 抱擁する building from 味方する to 味方する. This is the busiest part of the 終点, with （人が）群がるs 注ぐing up from the train 壇・綱領・公約s below, another （人が）群がる waiting to 会合，会う friends and more hundreds passing to and from the subway and the taxi 上陸s.

This 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集める of people instinctively parted to let the running man through, and 非，不，無 dared lay 手渡すs on him. The 広大な／多数の／重要な （人が）群がる that 追求するd him could not get through the （人が）群がる that already choked the 回廊（地帯） and the man 伸び（る）d 刻々と. His 進歩 was punctuated by the sharp 叫び声をあげるs of the women he hustled. Running と一緒に 物陰／風下, the 直面する of the dignified 視察官 had become purple. "If you catch him it means 昇進／宣伝," he shouted to Riordan, and put out a 手渡す to stop 物陰／風下. "Let the young men run," he panted. "This is no work for us!"

"I'm not done yet," said 物陰／風下. He ran on, leaving Loasby.

中途の through the 回廊（地帯）, there was a 味方する 回廊（地帯） 主要な in the direction of the subway 駅／配置する a 封鎖する away. The 逃亡者／はかないもの had passed out of 審理，公聴会 and the pursuers 停止（させる）d irresolutely. Some said he had 長，率いるd for the subway, others said straight ahead. The main 団体／死体 decided for the subway and started 非難する through the tiled 回廊（地帯）. It he had gone that way, they would catch him on the 壇・綱領・公約. 物陰／風下 thought, and he, Riordan and a few others kept on に向かって the Thirty-third Street 味方する where the taxis waited. This part of the mezzanine was いっそう少なく （人が）群がるd at the moment.

While they were still fifty yards away, through the glass of the doors 主要な to the taxi 壇・綱領・公約, they saw their man getting into a cab. "Stop that man!" they yelled, but the taxi-driver either could not or did not want to hear, and the cab whirled out of sight into the ramp 主要な to the street. They piled into the next cab. They 設立する the first cab stopped at the 長，率いる of the ramp by a red light. Coming up behind it, they leaped out, each with a gun in 手渡す. But the cab ahead was empty. "The so-and-so jumped out and run 負かす／撃墜する Eighth Avenue," said the driver disgustedly. "I couldn't leave my cab."

In the （人が）群がるd sidewalk of Eighth Avenue there was no 調印する of their man. "He's smart enough to have run 支援する into the 駅／配置する," muttered 物陰／風下. Turning in through the Eighth Avenue 入り口 of the 終点, they stood for a moment at the 最高の，を越す of the 広大な／多数の／重要な stairway, searching the outer concourse. He was not to be seen. Half a dozen of the train gates were open, and there were doors everywhere to the telephone room, the main concourse, the different waiting-rooms. An ordinary looking man in 黒人／ボイコット hat and overcoat, it was child's play for him to lose himself in that 迷宮／迷路. "He has diddled us," growled 物陰／風下.

CHAPTER XXIII.

LEE and Riordan joined 視察官 Loasby in the police sub-駅／配置する 大（公）使館員d to the 終点. Loasby had the gladstone 捕らえる、獲得する 設立する in the dressing-room. He had taken all the usual 対策. There were already twenty 探偵，刑事s in the 駅／配置する and more on the way. The half dozen trains then ready to 出発／死 were held until they could be searched, and men were placed at every 出口 from the 抱擁する building. 電報電信s were 派遣（する）d to all 駅／配置するs 負かす／撃墜する the line. While they を待つd the result, 物陰／風下 and the 視察官 snatched a 迅速な and 暗い／優うつな meal at the lunch 反対する. They were not much surprised to learn when they had finished that the 逃亡者／はかないもの had made a clean 逃亡. Loasby 用意が出来ている to return to （警察，軍隊などの）本部. "I'd be glad to have you with me," he said to 物陰／風下. "I'm organising a search that will 徹底的に捜す this town with 罰金 teeth. Two 長，率いるs are better than one."

"All 権利," said 物陰／風下. "Let me telephone home first."

Jermyn told him over the wire that 行方不明になる Cynthia was all 権利. 行方不明になる Fanny was with her. He had served their dinner and they had eaten 井戸／弁護士席. Nobody had called at the apartment. "Any telephone calls?"

"One, sir. About fifteen minutes ago a man called up. He wouldn't give his 指名する. Said his 初期のs were R.F.S and that you would know him. The 発言する／表明する was unfamiliar to me."

"That's all 権利," said 物陰／風下, "a new man that I have working for me. What did he want?"

"手配中の，お尋ね者 to get in touch with you, sir. Said he had 安全な・保証するd an important piece of 証拠 that he must put in your 手渡すs to-night. I 示唆するd that he come to the apartment, but he said he had a man under 観察 and he couldn't take the time to come up here. But he said he was の近くに to your office, and if you were going to be there any time this evening, he could run over with it. He said he'd call up the office at intervals to see if you were there."

物陰／風下's glum 直面する lightened a little. An important piece of 証拠! This R. F. S was a first-率 operative. "All 権利," he said to Jermyn. "I'll go 権利 over there and wait an hour for a call. If he should call you again, tell him I'm there. He'll find the door of the building locked, but there's a bell which （犯罪の）一味s in the hall. I'll come 負かす／撃墜する and let him in."

To Loasby, 物陰／風下 said: "I've got to go over to my office for an hour. One of the operatives is coming in. He says he has something. I'll see you later."

"Okay," said Loasby.

物陰／風下 took a taxi for his office. He rented a 控訴 in an old brownstone dwelling in the Murray Hill section of Madison Avenue, that had been 変えるd into 商売／仕事 offices. 厳密に speaking, 物陰／風下 was only an amateur criminologist, but he paid the rent of this place rather than have queer and unsavoury characters come to his apartment. He could afford it. His ４半期/4分の1s consisted of a large room across the 前線 of the second 床に打ち倒す and two little rooms 開始 off it.

The building was locked up when he got there. Nobody stayed in it at night. As he let himself into the dark stair hall the thought flitted across his mind: Maybe I'm foolish to come here alone at night. He thrust it away. Nonsense! I'm 安全に locked in here. If anybody （犯罪の）一味s the bell I can look out of the window to make sure it's the man I want to see before I go 負かす／撃墜する. I'm 武装した, and I have the telephone. What could happen to me? And anyhow the 殺害者 is not going to try on anything else to-night after the 脅す we gave him in the 駅／配置する!

Switching on a light in the lower hall, he climbed the old stairs with their (a)手の込んだ／(v)詳述する carved balustrade, and let himself into the 前線 office above. He switched on the lights and pulled 負かす／撃墜する the blinds. 物陰／風下 had 任命する／導入するd opaque blinds on the windows because when he had to work late at night he didn't want to advertise the fact to the street. He hung his coat and hat on a tree in the corner and switched on the telephone 拡張 so that he could take any call that might come on his own desk.

物陰／風下's little 私的な office opened off the big room at the 支援する. It was windowless, but had its door on the 回廊（地帯）, so that 物陰／風下 could slip out that way it there were 報知係s in the 前線 room that he did not care to see. This door had a spring lock; also it had a 黒人／ボイコット shade drawn 負かす／撃墜する over the glass so 物陰／風下's light would not 向こうずね in the 回廊（地帯）. Opposite the 回廊（地帯） door was a third door 主要な to a little room corresponding to 物陰／風下's, where Fanny carried her work when she wished to be undisturbed. This door was usually kept shut but was not locked. 物陰／風下 自然に left the door between the 前線 office and his own room open when he passed through it. He turned on a desk light and lit a cigar. On his desk, where Fanny had left them, lay the newly-arrived proofs and the type-script of his 来たるべき 調書をとる／予約する する権利を与えるd 殺人 Without 推論する／理由. It 含むd half a dozen fantastic 殺人 事例／患者s that he had dug up. He sat 負かす／撃墜する at his desk and 押し進めるd the proofs aside while he waited for his telephone call. He had a more 圧力（をかける）ing 事例／患者 on his mind now.

He drew on his cigar and 許すd the smoke to escape slowly. The events of the day 軍隊d him to take a new 見解（をとる） of the 事柄. Up until now he had had it at the 支援する of his mind that the 殺害者 of Gavin Dordress was a 殺し屋. His 最近の 行為／法令／行動するs 示唆するd that he was the 単独の 長，率いる and 前線 of the 事件／事情／状勢; a man who worked alone; of all types of 犯罪の the most difficult to run 負かす／撃墜する. He appeared to be （判決などを）下すd desperate by the 失敗 of his 計画／陰謀s. Either that or he was an out and out madman. 物陰／風下 scowled. What could a 論理（学）の mind do with a madman? A new theory began to form in his mind, but he had no 証拠 to support it. He ちらりと見ることd wistfully at the telephone. If the operative on the 追跡する of the old typewriter had really turned up something, perhaps they could take the 殺害者 in 側面に位置する. Why didn't the fellow call up?

It was as 静かな as a burial 丸天井 in the empty house. The windows were の近くにd and the noises from the street （機の）カム in faintly. There is almost no traffic in that part of Madison Avenue after nightfall; occasionally 物陰／風下 heard the purr of a taxi-cab and at longer intervals a モーター-bus rumbled past the house. From さらに先に away （機の）カム the dull vibration of the Third Avenue El. There are no theatres or night 訴える手段／行楽地s within あられ／賞賛するing distance of respectable Murray Hill.

Suddenly a 冷淡な 恐れる struck into 物陰／風下's breast. He had heard no 際立った sound, but a sixth sense told him that there was somebody in the 前線 room. "Who's there?" he said はっきりと. No answer （機の）カム. Only a silence so 激しい that it seemed to breathe. He jumped up to go in, but thinking better of it, switched off the light on his desk. 即時に an unseen 手渡す switched off the lights in the 前線 room, 急落（する），激減（する）ing the whole 控訴 in 不明瞭. 物陰／風下 inwardly 悪口を言う／悪態d the 黒人／ボイコット window shades then. He thrust a 手渡す in his pocket only to remember that he had dropped his gun in his overcoat pocket when he （機の）カム out into Eighth Avenue. He crouched behind his desk, sweating profusely. Fool! Fool! Fool! he thought. The 著名な criminologist is nicely 罠にかける!

When his 注目する，もくろむs became more accustomed to the 不明瞭, he perceived that there was a little light striking into the 前線 room through the 厚い glass of the 回廊（地帯） door. There was no shade on this door. He had left a light 燃やすing in the 入り口 hall of the house, but there was no light on the 上陸 outside his 控訴. The light was very faint, but 十分な to 明らかにする／漏らす anybody who might try to steal into his office from in 前線. 物陰／風下 was very sure that the man in 前線 could not see him.

Keeping his 注目する，もくろむ on the door his 手渡す stole up to the French telephone on his desk, and silently 解除するd the 器具. The instant he put the receiver to his ear he realised that the line was dead. There was no 返答 from the 操作者; the wires had been 削減（する）. 物陰／風下 put the 器具 支援する on his desk. It made a little 非難する on the 支持を得ようと努めるd, and in the 前線 room a man softly chuckled. 物陰／風下 shivered at the sound.

If the man was lying in wait for him just outside the door, there was a 可能性 that he could creep around through Fanny's room and take him in the 後部. He could retrieve his gun on the way. Breathing with open mouth to make no sound, he started creeping on 手渡すs and 膝s に向かって the の近くにd door. The ten feet was like a 旅行 of ten miles, an インチ at a time, and a pause to listen. Arriving at the door, he had a still more difficult 仕事 to open it without giving 警告.

It finally swung in silently, and he dropped to 手渡すs and 膝s again. He was familiar with the position of every 反対する in Fanny's little room. The door into the 前線 room was standing open. Just outside it stood a hat tree. When 物陰／風下 stuck his 長，率いる into the 前線 room he glimpsed against the faint light coming in from the 回廊（地帯）, a shadowy form crouching outside the door of his 私的な office. On the other 味方する of 物陰／風下 hung his overcoat. He softly felt for the pockets-to find them empty. The man had been before him there. 物陰／風下 退却／保養地d into Fanny's office trembling violently. It was the man's more than human daring that 削減（する） the ground from under his feet. Thus to 勇敢に立ち向かう him on 物陰／風下's own ground!

He got a 支配する on himself, and started creeping 支援する to his own office, meaning to try to escape through the door into the 回廊（地帯）. Suddenly the 最高の，を越す light ゆらめくd on in his room. The man had been feeling around the 辛勝する／優位 of the door for the switch. 物陰／風下 snatched up a 調書をとる／予約する from Fanny's desk and flung it at the light. His 目的（とする） was true; the lamp 爆発するd, and the little room was 急落（する），激減（する）d in 不明瞭 again.

物陰／風下 went in there, の近くにing the door after him. 非，不，無 too soon, for the light 炎d on in Fanny's room behind him. 物陰／風下 flung himself on the 回廊（地帯） door, but he was unable to open it. The 重要な had been turned in the ordinary lock, and taken away. At that moment the man in Fanny's room swung a 議長，司会を務める and 粉砕するd the glass in the door. 物陰／風下 sprang into the 前線 room and turning about, got the 回廊（地帯） door open and slammed it behind him.

He heard the man coming. He realised in a flash that he could not hope to get 負かす／撃墜する the hall and 負かす／撃墜する the lighted stairs without receiving a 弾丸 in his 支援する, and he turned up the stairs. 一連の会議、交渉／完成するing the corner, he lay 負かす／撃墜する flat on the steps, 持つ／拘留するing his breath. The 激しい ornamental balustrade kept any light from 落ちるing on him. The man （機の）カム 非難する out of the 前線 room. He had a handkerchief tied around the lower part of his 直面する, and a gun in his 手渡す. As he ran he drew a second gun. He paused at the 長，率いる of the stairs.

Getting to his feet, 物陰／風下 made a dash 支援する into the 前線 room. He slammed the door and, turning the 重要な in the ordinary lock, threw it away. He heard the man coming and knew he would only have a second or two. Running obliquely across the room, he flung up the outside window of the four. At the same moment the glass of the 回廊（地帯） door 衝突，墜落d and the man put his 手渡す in to feel for the latch. But he could not open the door; he was still held up for a few seconds.

物陰／風下 climbed out on the window sill. The street below was almost empty. A taxicab sped past, and across the road he had a (n)艦隊／(a)素早いing sense of a couple 星／主役にするing at him, transfixed with astonishment. They couldn't help him. 物陰／風下's 人物／姿／数字 was not 井戸／弁護士席 adapted for climbing, but under the 刺激（する） of desperation a man can 成し遂げる wonders. Stretching his 脚s to their widest, he 設立する he could get a foot on the sill of the end window in the next house. Still 粘着するing to his own window でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる, he got a 支配する on the next でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる, and drew himself across. The window was の近くにd. 粉砕するing in the glass with his 膝, he lowered himself into a dark room.

A door slammed 支援する in the room and lights went on. 物陰／風下 設立する himself 直面するd by an indignant man in the doorway with a gun in his 手渡す. "What the hell does this mean?" he 需要・要求するd.

"Don't shoot!" said 物陰／風下. "There's a desperate 犯罪の after me. For God's sake, get out of this room and get the door shut!"

His 発言する／表明する carried 有罪の判決. The man 支援するd out of the room and 許すd 物陰／風下 to follow him. "Is there a 重要な in this door?" asked 物陰／風下.

"Yes."

"Then for God's sake lock it!...Is there any other way out of the room?"

"No."

"Thank God!" 物陰／風下 leaned against the door and の近くにd his 注目する，もくろむs.

"Are you crazy?" 需要・要求するd the angry householder.

"No," said 物陰／風下 with a 疲れた／うんざりした grin. "Only a little out of breath."

"What's the explanation of this?"

"I'll tell you...but please lead me to a telephone first."

There was a telephone in the 支援する room on the same 床に打ち倒す. While 物陰／風下 was using it, his involuntary host watched him suspiciously, gun in 手渡す. 物陰／風下 called up （警察，軍隊などの）本部 and got Loasby on the wire. "This is 物陰／風下 Mappin," he said. 審理，公聴会 that 指名する, the householder relaxed somewhat, and lowered his gun. "The man was lying in wait for me in my own office," said 物陰／風下.

"Good God!" ejaculated Loasby.

"He nearly got me, but I escaped into the house next door. Next door on the South. It's the 住居 of Mr..." He looked at his host. "Sanderson." said he. "The 住居 of Mr. Sanderson," 物陰／風下 went on to Loasby. "For God's sake, furnish me with a guard, Loasby. And put a guard in the foyer of my apartment house."

"Surely," said Loasby. "I'll have four cars there in a jiffy. We'll surround the building where your offices are."

"Just as you like," said 物陰／風下, "but he'll be gone. Mr. Sanderson, I am sure, will 許す some of your men to pass through his house so they can reach the 後部 of the building next door."

Sanderson was all friendliness when 物陰／風下 hung up. The gun was put away. "I know you by 評判, Mr. Mappin," he said. "What a terrible thing to happen!"

"Yes, やめる," said 物陰／風下. "It would be an 行為／法令／行動する of charity, Mr. Sanderson, if you were to 申し込む／申し出 me a drink."

CHAPTER XXIV.

ALMOST instantaneously, it seemed, the 無線で通信する cars one after another drew up silently in 前線 of the house. 探偵，刑事s （機の）カム to Mr. Sanderson's door, and 物陰／風下 手渡すd over the 重要な of the 隣接するing house. Other men passed through Mr. Sanderson's 地階 and climbed the 支援する 盗品故買者 so that they could 命令（する） the 後部 of the office building next door. A few minutes later Loasby （機の）カム, and 物陰／風下 told him in 詳細（に述べる） what had happened. "So he thinks he can play with us at his 楽しみ!" said the angry 視察官. "By God! I'll catch this fellow if it's my last 行為／法令／行動する on earth!"

"Surely!" said 物陰／風下.

The search, as 物陰／風下 had 推定する／予想するd, was in vain. The disappointed 探偵，刑事s had presently to 報告（する）／憶測 that the man had gone, leaving no trace except the glass he had broken. 明らかに he had come out by the 前線 door and coolly walked away up the street before the 無線で通信する cars arrived. Loasby went 支援する to （警察，軍隊などの）本部, and 物陰／風下 returned to his office, guarded now by two plain-着せる／賦与するs men, more 目だつ for brawn than for brains. One was red-直面するd; one saturnine. 物陰／風下 was his usual 静める self again. Except for the two broken panes no 損失 had been done. 裁判官ing from the 条件 of the drawers of his desk. 物陰／風下 guessed that the man had been through his papers before he arrived; however, everything of importance was locked in the 安全な.

The two officers 影響d a 一時的な splice in the 削減（する） telephone wires, and 物陰／風下 called up his operative, Smither, who 調印するd his 報告（する）／憶測s R. F. S. He 設立する him at home.

"Smither," said 物陰／風下, "my servant tells me that a man giving your 初期のs called me up at my apartment this evening, and said that he had discovered an important piece of 証拠 that he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to put in my 手渡すs to-night. How about it?"

"Why, Mr. Mappin, it's all a 偽の!" said the surprised Smither. "I never called you up. As a 事柄 of fact, I 港／避難所't had any luck to-day. Our man never （機の）カム for the shoes."

"That is what I assumed," said 物陰／風下. "You are my 主要な／長／主犯 dependence in this 事例／患者, Smither. Can you taxi 権利 負かす／撃墜する to my office to talk things over with me?"

"Surely, Mr. Mappin."

Smither was a small, 不十分な man of fifty with a 暗い／優うつな 表現; no genius, but a dependable fellow. He opened his 注目する，もくろむs when he saw the 粉砕するd doors. "Yes, our friend made a （警察の）手入れ，急襲 here to-night," said 物陰／風下.

"The man in the yellow overcoat!"

"The very same. We've got the overcoat but we 港／避難所't got him."

"What a 神経!" murmured Smither. "Are the police on his 追跡する?"

"They are," said 物陰／風下. "But I feel that they will never catch up with him from behind. It's up to you and me to come on him from an 予期しない ４半期/4分の1. You 港／避難所't 位置を示すd his hangout?"

Smither shook his 長，率いる.

物陰／風下 gave him a cigar and took one himself. He paced the little room thoughtfully, talking as much to himself as to Smither. "Let's see what we've got. You traced him to a 蓄える／店 on Sixth Avenue 近づく Forty-ninth Street. We have 設立するd the fact that his hangout is within two or three minutes walk of that 蓄える／店. It wouldn't be on Sixth Avenue. With the elevated 鉄道 banging past his windows and the subway diggers 演習ing underneath, it would be impossible for a man to work there even if he was only doing copying. Forty-ninth Street is our best bet; Forty-ninth Street West of Sixth Avenue. East of Sixth the rents are too high. 井戸／弁護士席, you made 調査s up and 負かす／撃墜する Forty-ninth Street and all you 設立する was a pair of old shoes."

"The shoes are out of my 手渡すs now," 発言／述べるd Smither. "（警察，軍隊などの）本部 has men watching the 蓄える／店 all the time it is open. They have arranged with the man who runs the 蓄える／店 to signal them if anybody 現在のs a ticket for those shoes."

"権利," said 物陰／風下. "But he will never call for them now...Let me see...Forty-ninth Street is the 正規の／正選手 大勝する from Broadway over to 無線で通信する City and the sidewalk is 十分な all day. その結果 the character of the street has changed very 速く during the last year of two. Little modern 蓄える／店 前線s have been put in all along the way. But above the 蓄える／店s most of the old buildings remain as they were. That 封鎖する in Forty-ninth Street was always rather miscellaneous. There are some queer lodgings in those old buildings, Smither, and I am sure that is where our man had one of his hangouts."

"One of his hangouts?" questioned Smither.

"His yellow overcoat hangout. The overcoat was part of a disguise, and he only used that room when he was wearing it...Did you 診察する the shoes?"

"Yes, sir."

"What did you get from them?"

"Nothing that I could use, sir."

"Old shoes are 十分な of character."

"Sure, they are. But they don't tell you where the wearer's hangout is."

"Ordinarily, no. Still I think it's 価値（がある） a trip up to Forty-ninth Street. Let's go take another look at those shoes, Smither."

"Okay, Mr. Mappin."

One of the brawny 探偵，刑事s went with them, the red-直面するd one, the other 存在 left on guard in 物陰／風下's office. The three men descended from their taxi at the Sixth Avenue corner and started West through Forty-ninth Street. The shoe 修理 shop was not far. It was one of the usual sort, 統括するd over by an Italian padrone. It had a lot of shoe-修理ing 機械／機構 in the show-window, and in the 後部 a boot-黒人／ボイコット stand on one 味方する and on the other a 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of boxes where 顧客s waiting for their shoes might sit, modestly hiding the 穴を開けるs in their stockings.

Smither was known to the Italian in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of the place, and he brought out the shoes on request. A unique pair of shoes, 有望な yellow in colour, and made on a toothpick-pointed last such as one doesn't see outside of フラン nowadays. "He wore these on his earlier forays," said 物陰／風下. "They went 井戸／弁護士席 with the 残り／休憩（する） of the outfit."

"A foreign guy," put in the Italian, "no Americano like us."

While 物陰／風下 was 診察するing the shoes, the 探偵，刑事 on watch outside （機の）カム in with a 尋問 空気／公表する, showing how good a watch he was keeping. He and the other 探偵，刑事 設立するd 接触する, and the first man went 支援する to 再開する his 徹夜. "Almost ready to go to pieces," said 物陰／風下, 検査／視察するing the shoes. "He 選ぶd them up second-手渡す somewhere. Look as if they hadn't been cleaned since. Resoled more than once, and are 近づく ready for another."

"I tella him a need new 単独の," said the Italian. "Only want little patches, he say. Gotta no mon'."

物陰／風下 turned the shoes over. "It would be 利益／興味ing to analyse the 黒人／ボイコット scum that forms on the 単独のs of New York shoes," he said. "I suppose the 選挙権を持つ／選挙人s are dust, すす and machine oil. No more horse manure...Look, here's a bit of foreign 事柄 glued to the 単独の." He borrowed a knife and, 捨てるing the 粒子 off on a bit of white paper, 熟考する／考慮するd it through a magnifying glass. "It's so saturated with the 黒人／ボイコット scum I can't tell...Here's another bit, fresher, 粘着するing to the inside of the heel. Sawdust, Smither; what do you make of that?"

Smither shook his 長，率いる.

物陰／風下 追求するd his examination with the glass. "There are other 粒子s of sawdust caught between the welt and the 単独の; some fresh, some blackened with dirt. Smither, this man walked in sawdust on a number of occasions spread over a かなりの period of time. Where would you find sawdust in New York?"

"In a 計画（する）ing and finishing mill."

物陰／風下 shook his 長，率いる. "Take a look through the glass. These are coarse flakes of sawdust, like that chewed out by a big saw when it goes through a スピードを出す／記録につける."

"There are no スピードを出す／記録につけるs sawed up around New York."

"やめる so. But the sawdust like this is shipped to the city for a variety of 目的s." 物陰／風下 熟考する／考慮するd for a while murmuring to himself: "Sawdust underfoot...sawdust underfoot...Smither," he said, raising his 長，率いる, "いつかs a storekeeper with a nice tile or mosaic 床に打ち倒す spreads sawdust in wet 天候 to 保護する it from the muddy feet of his 顧客s."

"That's 権利, sir."

"There's been a lot of rain this 落ちる. Let's see what we can find in Forty-ninth Street."

"But it's 罰金 to-night, sir."

"Never mind, we can ask questions."

To make a long story short, they 設立する three modern 蓄える／店s in the long 封鎖する that had such 床に打ち倒すs. The first was a 挟む shop, the second a fancy fruiterer's and the third a high-class delicatessen. The 挟む shop did not use sawdust in 雨の 天候, but the other two did. There was a 解雇（する） of the same 肉親，親類d of sawdust in the 支援する of the delicatessen 蓄える／店. But the proprietors of both these 蓄える／店s 主張するd that they had never seen nor served a person answering to the description of the man in the yellow overcoat. "No luck!" Smither said dejectedly, as they （機の）カム out of the delicatessen.

"O, I wouldn't say that," returned 物陰／風下. He was standing on the sidewalk looking up at the windows over the 蓄える／店. Whoever had put in this modern 蓄える／店 had not considered it 価値（がある） while to recondition the 残り／休憩（する） of the house. It had a shabby 空気／公表する. "I didn't 推定する／予想する to find that the man dealt with these 蓄える／店s. They're too expensive."

"Then what was your 反対する in asking, sir?"

"Just to give me a chance to look around...Notice that the man who designed this 蓄える／店," he went on, "ーするために get as much frontage as possible for the show-window, put in the 蓄える／店 door at the 味方する. The little 入ること／参加（者） to the door has a nice tiled 床に打ち倒す and of course the storekeeper would spread his sawdust on it, because that would be the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す to get most of the mud from the feet of the 顧客s. But that little 入ること／参加（者） also leads to the door serving the upstairs part of the house. Look at that door, Smither."

It was a modern door in 順応／服従 with the 残り／休憩（する） of the 蓄える／店 前線. Inside the glass was pasted the word: Vacancy. "Let's go up," said 物陰／風下.

He 圧力（をかける）d the bell, and the door was opened by a 押し進める button from above. The landlady, a chronically 怪しげな woman like most of her profession, waited for them at the 長，率いる of the stairs. She was surprised at the request of three 繁栄する-looking gentlemen to look at rooms at that hour, but proceeded to show them the best she had, a large, shabbily-furnished, second 床に打ち倒す 前線. "Isn't this a very noisy street?" said 物陰／風下.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, sir. Only automobile traffic. The El is too far away to trouble you."

"I am a literary man. I must have 静かな."

"I already have a literary gentleman, sir. He 作品 here especial for the 静かな. Third 床に打ち倒す hall. His home is in Jersey."

物陰／風下's 静める 注目する，もくろむ lighted up inwardly. さもなければ his 直面する showed no change. "What does he 令状?" he asked idly.

"I couldn't tell you that, sir. He's a foreign gentleman, a Polack, I should say. Speaks broken. But always the gentleman."

"What's his 指名する-not that it 事柄s."

"Jan Dubinski, sir."

"Ah! Does he by chance wear a yellowish overcoat when he goes out?"

"Why, yes, sir! A foreign-made overcoat. So you know him!"

"わずかに. Can we trouble you to show us his room?"

"I can't do that, sir. He locks it when he goes out."

"But you must have a 重要な ーするために clean it."

"No, sir. He don't sleep here. He sweeps it himself when necessary."

"Then we must 軍隊 the door. We are from the police department. We are 利益／興味d in Mr. Dubinski. I will 支払う／賃金 for any 損失 we do."

The （警察，軍隊などの）本部 探偵，刑事 flashed his badge.

The woman's 手渡す went to her mouth. "O, dear, I don't want no trouble!" she murmured. "Such a 静かな man!"

"静める yourself," said 物陰／風下. "If this is the man we want, it doesn't 反映する on you at all. Please show us the room."

She led the way up two more flights and pointed to a door in 前線. The 探偵，刑事 動揺させるd it. The old door was loose. "I want a strong screw-driver," he said; "or a chisel, or any thin 道具. A poker will do if you've got nothing better."

She fetched him a poker and he 軍隊d the door expertly. "What was your profession before you joined the 軍隊?" asked 物陰／風下 mildly.

Gum-shoes didn't get it. "トラックで運ぶ-driver," he said without a smile.

This was a tiny room, the cheapest in the house. It 含む／封じ込めるd a 狭くする bed, a scarred bureau, a kitchen （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and 議長，司会を務める by the window. The 床に打ち倒す was covered with a dusty carpet having most of the nap worn off. On the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する stood a typewriter, and 物陰／風下 went to it straight. There were sheets of paper と一緒に; he put one in the machine and struck a few 重要なs. The worn letters and the new exclamation point were 即時に recognisable. "This is the typewriter," said 物陰／風下, "and your lodger is the man we're looking for."

"O dear," she said. "What's he done?"

物陰／風下 didn't want to give the woman a fit by について言及するing 殺人. "I can't tell you. Read the papers." He pulled out the drawers in the bureau. They were perfectly empty. There was a shallow drawer in the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. Nothing there but more blank sheets of paper and 炭素 paper. "Look under the mattress," he said to Smither. "Feel under the carpet all over the room."

Smither, having done so, shook his 長，率いる. "I have 推論する／理由 to believe he has something hidden here," 主張するd 物陰／風下.

"Where else is there to look, sir, in such a 捨てる?"

"診察する the mattress," said 物陰／風下. "Make 確かな that it has not been ripped open and sewed up again." 一方／合間, with his magnifying glass, 物陰／風下 was 診察するing the woodwork of the room; door でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる, baseboard, window でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる and sill. The 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す window in this old house was の近くに to the 床に打ち倒す. He discovered that the old paint in the 割れ目s of the window-sill was broken. "This board has been taken out at some time," he said. "See if you can 調査する it up with your poker, officer."

The sill （機の）カム up with 予期しない 緩和する. Beneath it, in the 狭くする space between lathes and brick, a thin 一括 wrapped in newspaper was standing on 辛勝する／優位. Upon 存在 opened, it was 設立する to 含む／封じ込める a 炭素 copy of the play Sin, in the same worn type. 物陰／風下, who 推定する／予想するd this, scarcely ちらりと見ることd at it. But in the 穴を開ける there was also a long manilla envelope and he pounced on that. It 含む／封じ込めるd a sheaf of letter-size sheets covered with miscellaneous typewritten 公式文書，認めるs. The first 入ること／参加（者）s told 物陰／風下 what a find he had made, and he smiled at last. "This is 価値（がある） all our trouble," he said softly to Smither. "With this we will send him to the 議長，司会を務める!"

"We got to catch him first," said Smither gloomily, "What is it, sir?"

"The contents of Gavin Dordress' 公式文書，認める-調書をとる／予約する. That 公式文書，認める-調書をとる／予約する was 行方不明の after the 殺人. The 殺害者 dared not keep the 調書をとる／予約する itself, but he copied it out before destroying it. 公式文書，認めるs for 陰謀（を企てる）s, for characters, for scenes. He needed that in the 未来."

"If the 調書をとる／予約する is destroyed can you 証明する in 法廷，裁判所 that these 公式文書，認めるs （機の）カム out of it?"

"I reckon so," said 物陰／風下, 倍のing the papers. "I'll 熟考する／考慮する the 入ること／参加（者）s at my leisure...Hello! here's something else." He drew out a small 支配するd sheet perforated along one 辛勝する／優位. "A page from the 公式文書，認める-調書をとる／予約する itself! So much the better!"

"What funny-looking 令状ing," said Smither, looking over 物陰／風下's shoulder. "It's a 肉親，親類d of puzzle, isn't it? I can't make nothing of it."

"He couldn't either," said 物陰／風下. "And he saved it until he could. He thought, because this one 入ること／参加（者） was written in cipher, that it must be 特に important to him. Maybe it is. I'll have a try at deciphering it when I get home."

He returned the papers to the envelope, and stowed the envelope carefully in his breast pocket. "That will be all," he said cheerfully. "We will have to carry away all these papers; also the typewriter. The officer will give you a formal 領収書 for them, ma'am...And please 受託する this from me for your trouble."

It was a twenty dollar 法案. The astonished woman stammered her thanks. She was not 用意が出来ている for such liberality from the police.

From the delicatessen 蓄える／店 物陰／風下 called up （警察，軍隊などの）本部. "Loasby," he said, "do you have Hillman, Gavin Dordress' former butler, under 監視?"

"I have."

"Can you get in touch with the man who is watching him?"

"In two minutes."

"Good, I'm about to telephone Hillman to ask him to come to my apartment. If he comes, all 権利. If he tries to escape, he's to be 逮捕（する）d 即時に."

"I get you, 物陰／風下. Want me up there?"

"Yes, please. I have important new 証拠. Give Hillman time to get 負かす／撃墜する town first. Bring the old gladstone 捕らえる、獲得する and its contents with you."

"権利. I'll be at your place in three-４半期/4分の1s of an hour."

物陰／風下 then called the 収穫 Restaurant in the Bronx. Hillman himself answered the phone. "Hillman," said 物陰／風下, "could you 強いる me by coming 負かす／撃墜する to my apartment?"

After a silence Hillman said nervously: "Why certainly, Mr. Mappin. I'll get my wife to relieve me here. Am I to come to the 前線 door or the service 入り口, sir?"

"The 前線 door," said 物陰／風下. "Take a taxi."

CHAPTER XXV.

THE three men taxied over to the East River. The theatres were not yet out and they made good time. 運動ing through the streets they could hear newsboys calling extras with the 最新の news of the attack on Cynthia Dordress and the search for the man in the yellow overcoat. 物陰／風下, thoughtfully rolling an unlighted cigar between his lips, 星／主役にするd out of the window the whole way without seeing anything.

When the cab drew up in 前線 of his house he ちらりと見ることd at his two companions. "You boys had better come up with me. I may need you."

They entered the house. There was another （警察，軍隊などの）本部 man waiting in the ロビー. The two 探偵，刑事s passed each other without any 調印する of 承認. Upstairs, when Jermyn opened the door, 物陰／風下 heard a murmur of men's 発言する／表明するs in the distant living-room and his 直面する 常習的な. "Who's here?" he whispered. "Mr. Townley, Mr. Gundy and Mr. Ackroyd."

物陰／風下's eyebrows went up. "I told you not to let anybody in the apartment!"

"But your intimate friends, sir," 抗議するd Jermyn. "They said they'd wait until you returned. I didn't like to take it on myself to..."

物陰／風下 smoothed his ruffled feathers. "All 権利...Have they seen 行方不明になる Cynthia?"

"No, sir. I told them she was indisposed. The young ladies are together in the guest-room."

"Did the men come together or singly?"

"Singly, sir. Mr. Townley （機の）カム first."

"Put this typewriter out of sight under your bed. Take these two gentlemen through the kitchen into your room. 料金d them, if they're hungry, and give them a drink. Keep your 発言する／表明するs 負かす／撃墜する. I don't want anybody to know they're here."

"Yes, sir."

The three men disappeared silently through the pantry door; 物陰／風下 proceeded through the long gallery. His 広大な square living-room was lined on two 味方するs with windows looking East over the river and South over the town. Siebert Ackroyd had opened a french window on the balcony above the river, and was standing in the 開始, looking out; Emmett Gundy, seated on a sofa, was turning the pages of a magazine; Mack Townley paced nervously 支援する and 前へ／外へ with his 手渡すs behind him. The first unbidden thought that flitted through 物陰／風下's mind was: 罰金, upstanding men, all three of them—but...!"

"物陰／風下!" they cried out together, all starting for him. Siebert with long strides reached him first. All three talked at once.

"Is she 傷つける. 物陰／風下? O God, when I read that terrible story I had to come!"

"Me, too! What a dastardly attack! Fortunately I was able to keep the news of it from Bea or she would never have been able to go on to-night."

"Have they caught the brute. 物陰／風下? The police are so dumb!"

物陰／風下 waved his 手渡すs. "One at a time!...Cynthia is not 負傷させるd except for a bruise or two. But she has had a 汚い shock. The man has not been caught, but the police have hopes."

"Could I see her?" pleaded Emmett. "I know it's a lot to ask. But if I could see her only for a moment."

Siebert glared at him 怒って, and Emmett turned his 支援する on him. The mere presence of Siebert in the same room always made the carefully-arranged Emmett look his age. Emmett knew it, and it made him vicious. He ちらりと見ることd in a convenient mirror and 一打／打撃d his moustache. That, at least, looked young. "I 推定する／予想する she's gone to bed," 物陰／風下 said mildly. "But I'll find out. You boys will have to excuse me for a few moments. A cable has come that I must decode." 物陰／風下 went to the bookshelves and abstracted a thin 容積／容量, much worn. "My code 調書をとる／予約する," he said pleasantly. He took care to 隠す the cover of the 調書をとる／予約する under his arm as he went out.

Crossing the gallery, he opened the door to the 回廊（地帯）, which served the bedroom wing of the apartment. He knocked at the end door and Fanny opened it. She smiled, and 開始 the door wider, showed him Cynthia in the bed. Her long curved 攻撃するs lay on her pale cheeks; all the wear and 涙／ほころび of the day was wiped out of her 直面する; her breast was gently rising and 落ちるing. 物陰／風下 nodded in satisfaction and was turning away when she awoke. "物陰／風下!" she said. "Thank God! you're home. I was so worried."

物陰／風下 had no 意向 of relating his escape. "Nonsense!" he said. "I was guarded on every 味方する by big strong 探偵，刑事s...How do you feel?"

"All 権利."

"Siebert and Mack and Emmett have come to ask for you. Do you want to see them?"

"Siebert!" she cried, with all her heart in her 発言する／表明する—then quickly shook her 長，率いる. "No, I don't want to see anybody," she said sullenly.

"Very 井戸／弁護士席, my dear. Finish out your sleep."

物陰／風下 entered a little 熟考する／考慮する that 隣接するd his bedroom, and seating himself at the desk, switched on a lamp. The 調書をとる／予約する under his arm was a 手動式の of the language of the 古代の Phoenicians. 開始 it at the page illustrating the Phoenician alphabet, he laid the leaf from Gavin Dordress' 公式文書，認める-調書をとる／予約する beside it, and started to translate it on another sheet. The first words gave him a 手がかり（を与える） to the whole. His jaw dropped, he 星／主役にするd incredulously at the page, then went on putting 負かす／撃墜する the modern characters 速く.

Alone in his own room with the door shut, he had no need of putting a guard on his 直面する. Amazement, horror and a grim satisfaction 後継するd each other there. He finished the last letter with a を刺す of his pencil, and 掴むing 初めの and translation, jumped up and, slipping them in his pocket, started 支援する for the living-room. At the door of the 熟考する／考慮する a new thought （機の）カム to him. Turning in the other direction, he knocked again on Cynthia's door. His 直面する was as expressionless as 支持を得ようと努めるd then. Cynthia was awake; the two girls were talking 静かに. 物陰／風下 when it ふさわしい him could 嘘（をつく） as 滑らかに as any man in Christendom. When Fanny opened the door, he said: "I've just had a telephone message. The man has been caught."

Cynthia's 直面する 紅潮／摘発するd very pink and paled again. "Thank God!" she said. "Then he can do no その上の 害（を与える）."

Fanny, 熟考する／考慮するing 物陰／風下, said nothing. She knew her 雇用者 better than Cynthia did. "If I have him brought here," said 物陰／風下, "do you feel able to 直面する him for the 目的 of 身元確認，身分証明?"

"Why, certainly," Cynthia said quickly. "I'm all 権利. I want to do my part. I'll get dressed at once."

"No need of that," said 物陰／風下. "Dressing-gown and slippers will do. You will only be 手配中の，お尋ね者 for a moment. I'll let you know."

As he was leaving them he heard the bell （犯罪の）一味 and when he got out into the 回廊（地帯）, Jermyn was at the door. The 訪問者 was not Hillman nor Loasby, whom 物陰／風下 推定する／予想するd, but a 隠すd woman. He saw Jermyn start 支援する. The woman, catching sight of 物陰／風下, 押し進めるd past the servant throwing her 隠す 支援する. It was Gail Garrett. So broken was she, so haggard, so careless in her dress, that 物陰／風下 did not recognise her until she had almost reached him. She appeared to be almost beside herself. "物陰／風下! That 恐ろしい story in the papers. How is the girl? I could not 残り／休憩（する） until I had 設立する out." The once glorious 発言する／表明する had a raucous 辛勝する／優位 on it; her utterance was slurred as if she had been drinking or was under the 影響（力） of a 麻薬. 物陰／風下 looked at her in grim pity. "Cynthia's all 権利," he said. He stepped to the door of the living-room and の近くにd it.

Gail clapped her 手渡すs to her 長，率いる. "O, God, 物陰／風下! do you think I 雇うd that brute to kill Gavin, and then attack the girl? I cannot 耐える my life! I cannot 耐える it!"

物陰／風下 shook his 長，率いる. "Once I may have had that 可能性 in mind. I know better now." She dropped in a 議長，司会を務める against the 塀で囲む of the gallery and drew the 支援する of her 手渡す across the forehead, 星／主役にするing. Her moods were as changeable as water. "What does it 事柄?" she said, in a dead 発言する／表明する. "I'm done for. I don't know why I （機の）カム here."

物陰／風下's thoughts went 支援する to the dazzling Gail Garrett 屈服するing and smiling on the 行う／開催する／段階 in 返答 to a roar of 賞賛.

Her 発言する／表明する became 緊急の again. "物陰／風下 let me see the girl for a moment. Just a little moment. Let me go 負かす／撃墜する on my 膝s and beg her to 許す me. She couldn't 辞退する! She's a woman, too. She has a heart. Oh God, 物陰／風下, I loved him so! I can't 耐える my life! Let me see the girl."

物陰／風下 shook his 長，率いる. "It wouldn't do any good. You must remember she knows you plotted to kill her father. That's not 平易な to 許す. Better leave it to time."

Gail got to her feet unsteadily. "O 井戸／弁護士席, it doesn't 事柄. I'm done for. I've got no friends."

"I'll look you up when I get this 商売／仕事 out of the way," said 物陰／風下. "Something can be done."

She was on her way to the door. "Don't bother," she said.

The bell rang again, and Jermyn was 開始 the door. This was Hillman, the ex-butler. At sight of him Gail cried out はっきりと: "What are you doing here? Are you に引き続いて me? Is this a 罠（にかける）?"

The gaunt Hillman, terrified at the sight of her, turned as if to run, but Jermyn was at the door behind him, 封鎖するing the way. "No, no. 行方不明になる," he stammered. "I didn't 推定する／予想する to find you here."

"I don't care," said Gail recklessly. "My money's all gone. You can't get another cent out of me. So publish and be damned!"

"No, 行方不明になる, no!" 抗議するd Hillman.

物陰／風下, はっきりと 利益／興味d, （機の）カム 今後. "Publish what?" he asked.

"My letters. Last year I wrote some indiscreet letters to Gavin. He tore them up and threw them in his waste-basket. This worm 回復するd the pieces and putting them together, started ゆすり，恐喝ing me by 脅すing to sell the letters to a tabloid. When he got the notion of starting a restaurant I had to 支払う／賃金 him thousands."

"So that's why you paid!" murmured 物陰／風下. "井戸／弁護士席, I'll be damned. It had nothing to do with Gavin's death!"

"No! This was before," said Gail impatiently. She turned on Hillman again. "Go ahead and sell the letters. You can't do me any その上の 害（を与える）."

"No," whined Hillman. "I want you to have the letters. I been twice to your hotel to give them to you, but they wouldn't let me see you. I didn't dare 信用 them to a servant. Here, 行方不明になる, here!" He was 申し込む／申し出ing her a little packet wrapped in paper.

Gail 星／主役にするd at him uncertainly, took the packet; opened one end of it; pulled out a letter; counted the 残り／休憩（する）, and thrust the packet in her handbag. "It's too late," she muttered. "These can't help me."

物陰／風下 was angry. "井戸／弁護士席, by God! that restaurant is rightfully yours," he said.

Hillman 直面するd him in terror. "No! No! Mr. Mappin," he cried, "if you take it from me it will be no good to nobody! I'll 支払う／賃金! I'll 支払う／賃金 her every cent I got off her. I'll 支払う／賃金 a hundred a week, maybe more later."

Gail 悪口を言う／悪態d him indifferently. "What's a hundred a week to me, you worm!"

"Take it!" 物陰／風下 勧めるd her. "Go to a sanatorium and 回復する your health; make a come-支援する on the 行う／開催する／段階. You have plenty of friends; you are not forgotten."

Gail shrugged indifferently. "It's not 価値（がある） the trouble. Life is too tedious to 耐える!"

She went on to the door, and Jermyn let her out. "Just the same I'll 持つ／拘留する you to that 約束," 物陰／風下 said 厳しく to Hillman. "A hundred dollars a week to 行方不明になる Garrett. The first week you default you'll be clapped in 刑務所，拘置所."

"O, Mr. Mappin, I will never default!" 公約するd Hillman. "I want to do the 権利 thing. Mr. Mappin, I went into this 商売／仕事 very unwillingly. Nobody knows how I 苦しむd while it was going on."

"You took the money."

"I'm not a bad man, Mr. Mappin."

"There might be two opinions about that."

"It was my wife 軍隊d me to do it. She's ambitious."

"You can go," said 物陰／風下.

Hillman did not すぐに obey. "Mr. Mappin, was it for this 推論する／理由 that you sent for me?"

"No. I knew nothing about your ゆすり，恐喝ing 操作／手術s until now."

"Why did you want to see me, Mr. Mappin?"

"井戸／弁護士席," said 物陰／風下 grimly, "I had a notion to try an overcoat on you, but I've learned since I phoned you that it doesn't fit."

He went on into the living-room. Hillman looked after him 十分な of 疑惑 and 恐れる. "Now then, look sharp!" said Jermyn at the door. Hillman slunk through it with his 長，率いる over his shoulder, 推定する／予想するing a kick. "I wouldn't 国／地域 my shoes," said Jermyn.

物陰／風下 entered the living-room with a 木造の 直面する. "Sorry to keep you boys waiting," he said; "I had a 訪問者."

"That's all 権利," they murmured variously.

"Cynthia had gone to bed. But she said she'd come in for a minute. You'd better wait."

"That's splendid!" said Emmett. "Bea will feel better if I can take her a first-手渡す 報告（する）／憶測," said Mack.

Siebert said nothing.

物陰／風下 ちらりと見ることd covertly in the 直面するs of his three "friends" when they weren't looking. It was impossible to tell anything about them. Men learn very 早期に to hide their feelings; some from babyhood. A man's best friends are strange to him. I never had but one real friend, thought 物陰／風下; 井戸／弁護士席, that was a lot. In order to fill in the 緊張するd silence he heard himself 説: "The market was a little off at the の近くに."

They all 星／主役にするd. Mack said bluntly: "Have you gone nuts, 物陰／風下?"

"I shouldn't be surprised," said 物陰／風下. "Why?"

"Who the devil cares about 塀で囲む Street at such a moment?"

"One must say something."

物陰／風下 was 深く，強烈に excited. He surreptitiously wiped his 直面する. His ears were stretched for the sound of the doorbell. He kept ちらりと見ることing at his watch. Why the hell didn't Loasby come? No one could have guessed from his 穏やかな 直面する that he was churning inside.

Emmett, to fill another uncomfortable pause, asked Mack how 商売／仕事 was at the theatre. "Couldn't be better," growled Mack. "Fifty or more standees nightly. At every matinee we turn hundreds away."

"It's the 肩書を与える that attracts the women," said Emmett.

At last the sound of the doorbell. 物陰／風下 stood up. He heard the rumble of Loasby's 深い 発言する／表明する in the gallery, and presently the 視察官 entered, carrying the old scuffed gladstone 捕らえる、獲得する. 物陰／風下 introduced him. "This is 視察官 Loasby, gentlemen. Mr. Gundy, Mr. Ackroyd—Mack Townley you know."

手渡すs were shaken all around. 物陰／風下 watched the 直面するs. "By God!" said Mack, "is that the 捕らえる、獲得する the fellow left in the lavatory? Let's see what's in it, 視察官."

The 捕らえる、獲得する was opened out flat on a （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and the shapeless yellow overcoat taken out and 展示（する）d; the curious leather helmet, the rumpled 控訴; broken shoes, spectacles. There was a small tin make-up box with sticks of grease-paint, 冷淡な cream, etc. 物陰／風下, ちらりと見ることing in the 直面するs bending over these things, could see nothing showing there but simple curiosity. He said: "Notice how cleverly the shoulders and 支援する of the overcoat have been padded to alter the wearer's 人物／姿／数字."

"Then he wasn't such a big fellow after all," said Mack.

"Tall," 発言／述べるd 物陰／風下. "One of you fellows try it on."

"I'm damned if I will!" said Siebert.

"Maybe it's lousy," said Mack, 製図／抽選 支援する.

"Nothing doing!" said Emmett.

物陰／風下 looked Emmett up and 負かす／撃墜する speculatively. "Seems as if it was about your size. Try it on."

"No. Put it on yourself."

"I'm too little," said 物陰／風下. He ちらりと見ることd at Loasby.

"Put it on, Mr. Gundy," barked the 視察官 in his 公式の／役人 発言する／表明する.

Emmett's 直面する turned greenish. "井戸／弁護士席, if you 主張する," he said with a 恐ろしい grin. He wriggled into the overcoat, and 物陰／風下 公式文書，認めるd how snugly the padding fitted over his shoulders and 支援する. They pulled the leather helmet over his 長，率いる. The 厚い glasses changed his whole 表現.

"This dirty-looking grease-paint was to make his 直面する cadaverous," said 物陰／風下. He started rubbing it into Emmett's cheeks. "Brown for an unshaven chin. I can't take the time to make a perfect 職業 of this, but it will give you an idea."

"Don't mind me," said Emmett, bringing out a laugh. "Always glad to afford amusement to my friends."

物陰／風下 公式文書，認めるd that he was breathing as quick as a 負傷させるd animal; and saw how the sweat oozed through the grease-paint on his 直面する. Emmett was grinning like a man on the rack. 物陰／風下 unobtrusively 圧力（をかける）d a button in the 塀で囲む. Returning, he 追加するd a few finishing touches to his work. "What have I got to do?" asked Emmett, laughing. "行為／法令／行動する in a charade?" Nobody answered him.

When 物陰／風下 heard Jermyn coming in the gallery he went to 会合，会う him at the door of the room and told him in a low トン to ask 行方不明になる Cynthia to come in. Afterwards he was to fetch out the two men from his room and let them wait in the gallery until 手配中の，お尋ね者. "Now can I take off this 装備する?" asked Emmett.

"In a minute," said 物陰／風下.

Cynthia （機の）カム in quickly, followed by Fanny. Cynthia was wearing a blue cashmere negligee of Fanny's trimmed with swansdown, which gave her an ethereal 外見. Every man in the room caught his breath at the sight of her. Having been 警告するd, she was not startled at the sight of the man in the yellow overcoat. She looked him up and 負かす／撃墜する 厳粛に. Emmett turned rigid at the sight of her. His 手渡す stole to his throat. He seemed to be trying to speak, and could not. "Is this the man who attacked you this evening?" asked Loasby.

"I think so," she said doubtfully. "There is something different about him...No, 視察官, this man has a moustache and that other had a shaven lip."

"容赦 me," said 物陰／風下, "I forgot that." He turned to Emmett. The latter threw an arm over his mouth, but Loasby pulled 負かす／撃墜する both his 武器 from behind and held them. The 削減する little moustache （機の）カム away in 物陰／風下's 手渡す with a couple of pulls. "It's 誤った," he said. "In disguising himself he 逆転するd the usual 手続き. Rather clever of him."

"That is the man," said Cynthia. "I am 確かな of it now."

Fanny slipped an arm through Cynthia's and the two girls went out.

"I can produce a dozen more identifying 証言，証人／目撃するs," murmured 物陰／風下.

There was a silence in the big room. Siebert and Mack were 星／主役にするing at Emmett, dazed. Loasby was the first to speak. He said, with a curious mixture of 賞賛 and chagrin: "Nice work. 物陰／風下. Like the Mounties, you always get your man."

物陰／風下, with a look of 苦痛, threw up his 手渡す. "This was more than just another 事例／患者, 視察官."

No sound （機の）カム from Emmett. Loasby had 解放（する）d his 武器. Suddenly with the quickness of an animal, he sprang for the open window. The river was two hundred feet below. Loasby grabbed him, but he slipped through. Siebert thrust out a foot and he 衝突，墜落d to the ground. They 掴むd him. He struggled silently, like a madman, with the strength of three. Loasby drew his gun and, 逆転するing it, struck him on the 長，率いる with the butt. Emmett went limp. Smither and the （警察，軍隊などの）本部 探偵，刑事 ran in. "Have you got 手錠s?" Loasby asked his man. "Yes, sir."

"Put them on him, and carry him out into the gallery. Phone 負かす／撃墜する to the ロビー for Williamson to come up. Get a car to take this fellow to （警察，軍隊などの）本部."

Again there was a silence in the big room. The men looked at each other, unable to comprehend that it was all over. Siebert murmured: "Gavin was Emmett's friend for twenty-five years!" After a moment, he 追加するd: "I can't seem to get it straight. 物陰／風下. What about the play?"

"It was Gavin's play. That's what Emmett killed him for. Emmett copied it, making a few unimportant changes, and sent it to you under the 指名する of John Venner."

"Good God, 物陰／風下! Do you 非難する me for my part in marketing it?"

"Did you know it was Gavin's play?"

"No! I'm not a literary man, I'm an スパイ／執行官!"

"That lets you out." 物陰／風下 looked at Mack sombrely.

"Mack knew it."

Mack's 直面する turned livid. "No, 物陰／風下!" he cried.

"Don't 嘘（をつく）," said 物陰／風下 deprecatingly. "I have proof that you knew."

"How could I have known it? I only surmised it."

"Why didn't you tell me before you put it into rehearsal?"

"That wouldn't have brought Gavin 支援する."

"It would have saved me two months' work, and Cynthia all that mental agony...Suppose this brute had killed her this evening?"

Mack flung an arm up. "For God's sake, don't speak of that, 物陰／風下!...Try to put yourself in my place," he went on. "This play gave me my only chance to 影響 a 仲直り with Bea. She was mad to nose out the Garrett woman and play that part."

"Sure," said 物陰／風下, "and what was friendship?"

Mack was silent. "物陰／風下," asked Loasby, "how did you pin it on Emmett Gundy?"

"We traced him by the old typewriter. To-night we 設立する the hangout where he did his typing. In a 穴を開ける in the 塀で囲む I 設立する a page from Gavin's 公式文書，認める-調書をとる／予約する which Emmett had saved because he couldn't read it, and he thought it must be important. It was important. It'll send him to the 議長，司会を務める." 物陰／風下 took the leaf from his pocket and passed it over.

"This is all in hieroglyphics," said Loasby.

"Phoenician characters," 訂正するd 物陰／風下. "When we were in school together Gavin and I used to correspond in these characters ーするために 隠す our boyish secrets. There are only nineteen letters in the Phoenician alphabet and when we 欠如（する）d a letter we turned one of our own upside 負かす／撃墜する. Gavin had occasion to make an 入ること／参加（者） in his 公式文書，認める-調書をとる／予約する that he didn't want anybody to read and he 自然に turned to these characters again."

"What does it say?" asked Loasby.

"Listen." 物陰／風下 read slowly: "For his new novel Emmett said he needed a 別れの（言葉，会） letter left by a successful man who had suddenly tired of life. He couldn't seem to get it 権利, and I wrote out a 草案 for him. Afterwards the amusing thought （機の）カム to me: Suppose E were to kill me and leave this letter beside my 団体／死体? There's an idea for a 罪，犯罪 play in this."

"Good God!" murmured Siebert.

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE police took away their 囚人. Mack Townley slipped out of the apartment without 説 anything to 物陰／風下; he was ashamed. 物陰／風下 paid off Smither and sent him home. Only Siebert was left with 物陰／風下. The tall young fellow drifted 支援する and 前へ／外へ in the big room, aimlessly 選ぶing things up and putting them 負かす／撃墜する again; ちらりと見ることing at 物陰／風下 out of the corners of his 注目する，もくろむs, evidently longing to confide in him, and afraid to speak. To 物陰／風下 he seemed absurdly young. Finally he said very off-手渡す: "I suppose Cynthia's gone 支援する to bed."

"I reckon so," said 物陰／風下. "She's probably asleep."

"井戸／弁護士席, hardly sleeping so soon after the scene in this room."

Another silence. In the end Siebert could no longer 持つ／拘留する himself in. "O God, 物陰／風下," he burst out, "I love her so much it's terrible! Will I ever be able to make good with her? Has the break between us 広げるd so far it can never be 橋（渡しをする）d?"

"Bless me!" said 物陰／風下. "How can I tell? I don't know what has passed between you."

"I 行為／法令／行動するd terribly," said Siebert. "I could bite my tongue off when I think of some of the things I said. It was only because I loved her so, but she can't understand that...God! I've tried my damnedest to forget her. Night after night I've tried to drink myself into unconsciousness. I've tried to get 利益／興味d in other women. It's no good! no good! I only come out of it disgusted with myself, and wanting her more than ever."

"She's proud," said 物陰／風下. "You'll have to humble yourself before she'll 許す you."

"Humble myself! To Cynthia! God! I'd 押し進める a peanut with my nose from the 殴打／砲列 to Harlem for her!"

"I 疑問 if that would help."

"I have too violent a nature," Siebert said sorrowfully. "But I'll change. I'll learn to 支配（する）／統制する myself!"

"I wouldn't tame myself too much," said 物陰／風下. "Of course, I don't know anything about it myself, but I'm told they don't really mind a little 暴力／激しさ."

"Ah, now you're only pulling my 脚!"

"No."

Another silence. "Of course, even if she's awake, it would be a mistake to say anything to her to-night," Siebert said, begging 物陰／風下 with his 注目する，もくろむs to 否定する him.

"I suppose so," said 物陰／風下.

"Yet she might think it strange if I went home without even sending her message."

"You can send your love by me."

"O God, 物陰／風下, don't torment me!"

"井戸／弁護士席, if I could 信用 you 単に to say goodnight..."

Siebert was electrified with joy. "But if she's in bed!" he gasped.

"Fanny's in there."

"Can I? Can I?"

"If you will 約束 me not to make a scene, however she may 刺激する you."

"God, 物陰／風下, I'll go in on tiptoe!"

He was already making for the gallery with four-foot strides; 物陰／風下 trotted after him and opened the door to the bedroom 回廊（地帯）. "The last door," he said.

Siebert knocked. When Fanny opened the door he said breathlessly: "Just 手配中の，お尋ね者 to say good-night to Cynthia." Fanny, smiling, opened the door wide, and there she lay. "Cynthia!" he murmured, forgetting everything. "I'm in bed!" she said indignantly. "I see you are," he murmured, 混乱させるd. "Go away!"

"All 権利, Cyn." But he did not go. Fanny started 辛勝する／優位ing out of the room behind him. "Stay here, Fanny!" 命令（する）d Cynthia. Fanny made believe to be deaf. "井戸／弁護士席...good-night," said Siebert. "Good-night," said Cynthia crossly. Siebert, like a man in a trance, went half-way to the bed. "I'm so sorry, Cyn," he murmured. "You can tell me some other time." He went all the way to the bed then, and dropped to his 膝s beside it. "I love you so much!" he whispered, not daring to touch her.

It was 甘い to see so big a young man so chastened, and in spite of herself a dimple appeared in Cynthia's cheek. She looked obstinately away に向かって the window. "Can't you 許す me?" he whispered. "Give me a little time."

"At least you know now that there is no 犯罪 on me."

"I never really believed you were 有罪の."

"You said you did. After all, I've got something to 許す, too."

Cynthia jerked her 長，率いる around. "That's not going to do you any good!"

"I've got to be honest with you," he pleaded. "I love you too much to flatter you."

"What have you got to 許す me?"

"Because you 許すd yourself to believe even for a moment that I could be 有罪の of such a thing!"

"井戸／弁護士席, you 行為／法令／行動するd like it!"

"You should have known!"

"I'm not going to 嘘（をつく） here and be scolded by you. Go away."

"Please don't 怒り／怒る me," he begged. "I 約束d 物陰／風下 that..."

"Go away! Go away! Go away!"

Siebert's self-課すd discipline broke 負かす／撃墜する. "All 権利!" he cried in a 激怒（する）. "But by God! I'm going to have a kiss first!"

He flung his 武器 around her. It turned out to be a long kiss. Cynthia relaxed and her white 武器 stole around his neck. "I love you so much!" he murmured.

"I suppose I love you, too," she 不平（をいう）d. "But, Lord! you're going to be difficult to manage!"

CHAPTER XXVII.

AFTER his 逮捕（する） Emmett Gundy appeared to turn 完全に apathetic, but those who visited him 報告（する）／憶測d that there was a wicked 解雇する／砲火／射撃 hidden in the man. He said he had no money to 雇う a lawyer, and he 拒絶するd all 申し込む／申し出s to 供給（する） him with one. 物陰／風下 would have been glad to 与える／捧げる to such a 原因（となる）, 単に for the sake of seeing 司法（官） done. A famous alienist 利益／興味d himself in the 事例／患者, but Emmett would not 服従させる／提出する to an examination. In the end the 法廷，裁判所 割り当てるd one of the thousand-dollar men to defend him. This lawyer could get nothing out of his （弁護士の）依頼人. Emmett 主張するd on pleading 有罪の, and no 疑問 the lawyer encouraged it because it saved him trouble. In any 事例／患者, the 証拠 for the 起訴 was 圧倒的な.

When it was all over it transpired that Emmett had left a 自白. It was a strange 文書. Instead of 表明するing 悲しみ for his 行為／法令／行動するs, he appeared to glory in them.

"I had had it in for Gavin Dordress for a long time." (he wrote) "Every time he gave me money I hated him, because I should have been the one to give money to him. He had everything in the world; fame, money, lovers, friends, and I had nothing. It wasn't fair, because when we were young men together everybody said I had more talent than he. But he was crafty; he had the art of getting what he 手配中の，お尋ね者 out of people. Everybody fell for him. I wasn't liked because I was too honest. He had no real talent; his plays weren't any good, but he was a past master of publicity. He milked other men's brains; some of his best ideas he stole from me. My novels were so good, the publishers were afraid of them. There was a 共謀 to keep me 負かす／撃墜する.

"It was his secretiveness that gave me the idea of rubbing him out. He would never tell anybody what he was 令状ing. As soon as I made sure of this, I began to lay my 計画（する）s to get his play. Sitting in his studio one day, looking out of the window, I saw how 平易な it would be to come 負かす／撃墜する from the roof of the building next door. Every time I went into the sunroom I saw the 重要な to the garden door hanging there, and I knew that nobody went out in the garden after summer was over. So one day I prigged the 重要な and had a duplicate made. Afterwards I returned the 初めの 重要な to its place without its ever having been 行方不明になるd. I got the 自殺 letter out of him a couple of weeks before I was ready to use it.

"I spent a lot of thought and time on my disguise. As I would have to pass through the next building, firstly to get the lay of the land, and secondly to pull the trick, I had to make myself look 完全に different from my usual self. At first I couldn't see through the 厚い glasses I put on, but I trained myself so that I could look around them. I shaved off my moustache and practised with 誤った hair until I could 適用する one 正確に／まさに like it. Thus I was able to go clean shaven when disguised.

"My 適切な時期 （機の）カム on the night Gavin gave a dinner party. I left the party 早期に, changed to my disguise in the Penn 駅／配置する, and got to the roof of the building next door. I lowered myself to Gavin's roof garden by means of a thin, strong rope ladder I had made. I could see into the penthouse through the windows. His man was still there and I waited. 一方／合間 I took off my disguise. I had on a 黒人／ボイコット overcoat under the yellow one and a hat in the pocket, and I 直す／買収する，八百長をするd up to look like my ordinary self 同様に as I could in the dark.

"As soon as Gavin was alone I let myself into the sunroom, crossed the ロビー and went out into the elevator hall without his 審理，公聴会 me. I had a little mirror, and in the hall I 直す／買収する，八百長をするd my moustache. All these 詳細（に述べる）s were planned in 前進する. I rang the apartment bell. Gavin （機の）カム to the door. He was surprised to see me 支援する. I told him I was so nervous I couldn't sleep; I 手配中の，お尋ね者 somebody to talk to. He couldn't very 井戸／弁護士席 turn me away. He took me in the studio and 申し込む／申し出d me a drink. While he was away getting ice I put a glove on, and got his gun out of the desk drawer and dropped it in my pocket. I kept my gloved 手渡す out of sight. He 示唆するd a game of chess to 静かな my 神経s. This ふさわしい me all 権利. While he was sitting in his 議長，司会を務める arranging the men on a little tabourette in 前線 of him, I （機の）カム up at one 味方する and 発射 him.

"I took my time to 直す／買収する，八百長をする everything. In a drawer of his desk I 設立する the script of an old play. The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was about out. I 燃やすd the script page by page to make sure it was 完全に destroyed, and then laid the half-燃やすd 肩書を与える page of The Changeling on the hearth. I strapped the 残り／休憩（する） of The Changeling script around my waist. I put away the chessmen and moved the tabourette. I laid the 別れの（言葉，会） letter on his desk, left the lights 燃やすing, and got out. 再開するd my disguise in the garden; climbed the rope ladder and pulled it up after me; tied it around me under the overcoat. I had a little difficulty getting out of the building next door, because it was の近くにd up for the night, but by listening carefully, I could keep tab of the watchman on his 一連の会議、交渉／完成するs, and I finally made my way 負かす／撃墜する to the ground 床に打ち倒す and let myself out into the street.

"Amos 物陰／風下 Mappin, 存在 an intimate friend of Gavin's, was the greatest danger I ran, but I had to chance it. Mappin is a slippery 顧客, and a 犯罪の at heart. He always had it in for me. The police were 満足させるd as to 自殺; they never 人物／姿／数字d in the 事例／患者 until the end. Only Mappin 主張するd that it was 殺人; he saw good publicity in it for himself. I made Louella Kip 断言する to an アリバイ for me that night. She never knew that I had put Gavin out. She just thought she was saving me inconvenience.

"When I read that Mappin had 設立する a little bruise on Gavin's forehead and had sketched it, I was worried. I knew Gavin must have got it from striking against one of the chessmen, and I 推定する／予想するd Mappin would find the chessmen next. I thought there might be a speck of 血 or 肌 on one of them. So I assumed my disguise and returned to the penthouse that night. When I got 負かす／撃墜する to the roof of the lower building, I 設立する to my surprise that Mappin and the girl were staying in the apartment, but that didn't 脅す me off. I waited until they went to bed, and let myself in and 取って代わるd the chessmen with a different 始める，決める. On the way out the girl saw me in the dark and 叫び声をあげるd, but luck was with me. She fainted, and while Mappin was bringing her to, I made a 逃亡.

"The 残り／休憩（する） is pretty 井戸／弁護士席 known. Everything went wrong after the play was produced. The girl made believe to recognise the play as Gavin's work. She couldn't have known it was his play; it was only a notion that she 主張するd on. And Mappin 支援するd her up, of course. So I was unable to cash in on any 王族s. I had to give up my room at the Vandermeer. In the first place, if Gavin's death had been 受託するd as a 自殺, I had ーするつもりであるd to come out after a bit and 認める the play as 地雷. Then I could have lived 平易な for the 残り／休憩（する） of my life. But Mappin spoiled all that. It was only by a fluke that he caught me in the end. My 計画（する）s were perfect. But I was too daring in going to his apartment that night.

"Emmett Gundy."

THE END

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