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肩書を与える:  The Alster 事例／患者
Author: Rufus Gillmore
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eBook No.: 1900141h.html
Language: English
Date first 地位，任命するd:  January 2019
Most 最近の update: January 2019

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The Alster 事例／患者

by
Rufus Gillmore

CONTENTS

一時期／支部 1
一時期／支部 2
一時期／支部 3
一時期／支部 4
一時期／支部 5
一時期／支部 6
一時期／支部 7
一時期／支部 8
一時期／支部 9
一時期／支部 10
一時期／支部 11
一時期／支部 12
一時期／支部 13
一時期／支部 14
一時期／支部 15
一時期／支部 16
一時期／支部 17
一時期／支部 18
一時期／支部 19
一時期／支部 20
一時期／支部 21

一時期／支部 1

On the morning after the 殺人 I arrived at the office late. Having been outrageously overworked and, having gone through more of late than is given to many men to 耐える, I had barely の近くにd my 注目する，もくろむs the night before, and was in a 高度に overwrought and nervous 条件. I remember that I went straight to my desk, forgetting my customary “Good morning” to the office boy, neglecting even that welcoming smile from pretty 行方不明になる Walsh with which my day’s work ordinarily began.

行方不明になる Walsh, let it be known, was not only an exceedingly pretty stenographer, but the one human 存在 in that outer office of Avery, Avery & Avery who made any 努力する to 少なくなる my 重荷（を負わせる）. The two 生き残るing members of the 会社／堅い thrust work upon me daily which I never could have pretended to 完全にする without her voluntary 援助（する）. Moreover, she not only relieved me, or 補助装置d me in my 仕事s, in that inordinately successful 法律 office, but in many delicate ways she 伝えるd to me the impression that I had both her sympathy and 評価 for all I 耐えるd there.

Barely had I seated myself at my desk in the outer office this morning before 行方不明になる Walsh stole 静かに over to me. Pretending to be in search of something の中で the piled up papers on my desk, yet with a woman’s 注目する，もくろむ out for interruptions, she whispered:

“Lim, Junior, has been running in and out after you like a chipmunk.”

リムジン, Junior, the younger of the Averys, was 内密に called this because he dashed about in the family リムジン whenever his father was out of town or could not contrive another use for it. He was also my particular slave-driver, and, 存在 in the middle twenties, and hence a year or two younger than I, he took 広大な／多数の／重要な delight in making an ostentation of his 当局 over me. I already bore three-４半期/4分の1s of the 重荷（を負わせる） of his work—without （民事の）告訴 or 抗議する, because there was no escape. My father had given up the struggle and committed 自殺; I was the only one of the family yet started on a career; my mother, way out in that little town in Ohio, needed what I earned 単に to 料金d and 着せる／賦与する and house herself and my younger brothers and sisters. I had given 人質s. I was 扶養家族, in its lowest, clerkly form. And the Averys made the most of it.

“Does he want anything except—” I reached for the clutter of 法律 調書をとる／予約するs at the 支援する of my desk. I did not finish. It wasn’t necessary with 行方不明になる Walsh.

“No, I think—” 行方不明になる Walsh stopped 突然の. She 選ぶd up a slip of blank paper, and scurried away to her own desk, just as the younger of the Averys flung open the door of his 私的な office and 長，率いるd furiously toward me.

“Where are those 言及／関連s on the Hawley 事例／患者 you were to have ready for me this morning?” he 需要・要求するd nippingly.

“I’m sorry—”

“Not ready?” There was a snarl in his 発言する／表明する, and his young, immature 直面する gathered in an 侮辱ing look.

“All but two,” I murmured, 開始 one of the 調書をとる／予約するs and burying my 直面する in it.

“ ‘All but two!’ ” he mocked. “What’s the use? 法廷，裁判所 opens at ten. It’s after nine now and me here sitting waiting for you to condescend to come to work. What’s the 事柄 with you lately, Swan?”

“Nothing—unless it’s too much work for one man. I worked until after six on these 言及／関連s last night.”

“井戸／弁護士席—couldn’t you work later?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I had an 約束／交戦,” I answered with a meekness which was 負担d.

“約束／交戦! 約束／交戦 with whom?”

“Must I tell you?” I was even meeker.

“ ‘Must you tell me!’ ” Never was there a man who could mock one more insolently. “Far be it from me to 問い合わせ into the hidden and 私的な adventures of one of you 静かな ones. Still waters run 深い and—” he made an 嫌悪すべき gesture. “But there’s one thing I’ve had on my mind to tell you for a long time and now appears to be the occasion. I’m wise to a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 more of what’s happening about this office than you’re aware of. I can’t stop you from swelling out to dinners and shows, but if you want to save your bacon you’ll やめる trying to curry 好意 with those about this office by taking them along.” His 注目する，もくろむs 転換d from 地雷, carrying the leer of an insinuation in the direction of 行方不明になる Walsh.

“It’s lucky for you that she didn’t see you,” I 予報するd, 紅潮／摘発するing.

“Oh! So it wasn’t she!” His delight in his 発見 was sophomoric, disgusting.

“No.”

“井戸／弁護士席—of course—if you choose to tamper with the affections of the young ladies in any of the other offices in this building—”

I chose to leave his curiosity still unsatisfied. I knew the nature of the little beast.

“Whom was your 約束／交戦 with?” he was 軍隊d to ask at last.

“With 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster,” I answered 静かに.

The news was the 爆弾 to him that I 推定する／予想するd. He stood for a moment regarding me blankly, his mouth agape, not the will 力／強力にする for a word left to his tongue. He was as one stunned with the magnificence of his 失敗, the uncalculated 可能性s of the news I had imparted. “井戸／弁護士席—get out the 残り／休憩（する） of those 言及／関連s for me just as soon as you can,” he ordered in a 発言する／表明する that he tried vainly to make sound natural.

But though he retired at once so that his astonishment might not make more of a spectacle of him, sounds told me that he had borne the news straight to his father in the 私的な office next to his. And even before I could 完全にする the work for which he had been so insistent, word （機の）カム that I was 手配中の，お尋ね者 by the 上級の and 判決，裁定 member of the 会社／堅い.

The younger of the Averys had evidently been told to leave その上の words and 活動／戦闘 to his father. At least he was not 現在の, and the door between their 私的な offices was tightly の近くにd when I （機の）カム upon my 召喚するs. The 年上の Avery was one of those bearded, squarely hewed, ponderous lawyers, without juice, as 大規模な of 団体／死体 and 重大な of manner as if he were one of the 中心存在s in the 最高裁判所 of 司法（官）. He was a superb, overbearing 支持する of whatever 原因（となる） he happened to take; he never appeared to hear the other 味方する. He 動議d me to a 議長，司会を務める at his 味方する.

“My son has just 知らせるd me,” he 明言する／公表するd, “that unknown to us you had an 約束／交戦 with 行方不明になる Alster last night. Am I 正確に 知らせるd?”

I nodded.

“It was with 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster—not with either of her charming nieces?”

“Yes. With 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster.”

“Hem!” He coughed, 明らかに for importance rather than need. “Mr. Swan,” he began after a moment, “you’re a nice, clean-looking, 井戸／弁護士席-始める，決める-up young man, a credit to us, I hope. But I’m 強いるd to ask you one question. Was your 約束／交戦 with 行方不明になる Alster last night a 商売／仕事 or a social one?”

“Why do you ask me that, Mr. Avery?”

“For a number of 推論する／理由s.” He smithed his 耐えるd. “For a number of 推論する／理由s.” He regarded me ひどく with a baleful look that he ーするつもりであるd to be subtle. “We won’t go into them all. But I think I may go so far as to say—or rather to intimate—that we shall be guided by your answer as to whether we せねばならない make a 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 to her for your services or not.”

“She 招待するd me to …を伴って her to the オペラ. You surely can’t think of making any 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 against her for that,” I exclaimed.

“Ah, to the オペラ! Yes, yes; 純粋に social. As you say, we should not think of making any 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 for that. And now that this little question is so satisfactorily 性質の／したい気がして of, I think I will take occasion to go into another 事柄 that 関心s you. How long have you known 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster?”

“Two or three weeks—a month at the outside.” His question annoyed me; he knew very 井戸／弁護士席 how long I had known her.

“A month. Yes, let us call it a month. And she appears to have taken やめる a fancy to you, has she?”

In spite of myself I blushed a little at the insinuation I 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd to be lurking behind his words. My gorge rose, as it was always rising in my 取引 with the Averys, father or son. But I had sense enough to realize that he had said nothing as yet upon which to fasten 罪／違反. “Yes, she appears to like me,” I 答える／応じるd guardedly. And then as his 静める silence and scrutiny seemed to 要求する more of me, I went on: “You may remember that her 事件／事情／状勢s were turned over to me several weeks ago because your son 設立する it impossible to get along with her. I took the 仕事 with 不本意. I have had occasion to see her perhaps half a dozen times since, always at her own home, always on 商売／仕事 connected with the 広い地所. I 設立する her eccentric, singularly intolerant of all advice, but as soon as I realized this we got along swimmingly. Yes, though I may be flattering myself, I think I may say that she seemed to like me. Last night’s 招待 to the オペラ 証明するs that.”

“権利, but do you know how little that means?” The 上級の Avery’s 発言する／表明する rose a little.

“I 信用 I 港／避難所’t appeared conceited over it.”

“Hem!” His silence 起訴するd me on that 得点する／非難する／２０ all 権利. “We won’t go into that. It isn’t necessary. But I feel it my 義務 to counsel you on what leads up to that. If you have known 行方不明になる Alster for only a few weeks, you know little or nothing about her. We have 扱うd her 広い地所 now for perhaps three years and we are the only lawyers in the city who have been able to 保持する it for more than a few months at a time. This must 証明する to you of itself that we understand 行方不明になる Alster—understand her 完全に. And now, to give you the 利益 of our experience, I want to tell you something about 行方不明になる Alster. She’s a very fickle woman to do 商売／仕事 with, to have any 取引 with, social or さもなければ. She’s a woman of 罰金, strong, generous impulses, but they’re not 継続している. I feel it my 義務 to 警告する you. Her 高度に inflamed generosity is not to be counted on. Just as soon as she begins to show 好意 toward people, to do anything for them, they are lost. She begins to think they’re ungrateful, she—”

“But I don’t see why you take all this trouble to 警告する me when I have nothing to lose,” I broke out. “I have only—”

“にもかかわらず,” he silenced me with a 幅の広い, 広範囲にわたる gesture, “にもかかわらず, I feel it my 義務 to do so. Now to 証明する my 論争. You have doubtless met the two very beautiful and cultivated young women who live with her. They are understood to be her nieces. They are not.” He paused 単に to enjoy my astonishment. “Linda, the 年上の, is not 関係のある to her in any way. She was 可決する・採択するd in a generous impulse as a baby from what 会・原則 or person nobody knows. Beatrice, the younger, is the offspring of some distant 関係, how remote or 近づく, no one knows because 行方不明になる Alster by her eccentricities long ago 疎遠にするd all her relations and friends.”

I murmured my surprise.

“Now!” He brought his 握りこぶし 負かす／撃墜する ponderously on his desk but with care not to 負傷させる himself. “Now, to 証明する how fickle are her impulses. Twenty-two years ago she 可決する・採択するd Linda to be her 相続人. Fifteen years ago she discarded Linda from her affections, and brought Beatrice into her 世帯 to be educated as her 相続人. On her also she in time turned. いっそう少なく than one year ago we made a new will in which she left all her 広い地所, except a 明らかにする competence for each, to a 確かな 明示するd 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） of charities.”

I no longer murmured. I 表明するd my surprise.

“Whether it was fair to these two young women to bring them up accustomed to the 高級なs she 供給するd, whether either of them knows the 緊急s they must later 直面する, I don’t say, likewise that is beside the question. All I feel the 重荷（を負わせる） of to-day is to 納得させる you that she is fickle and dangerous in the extreme to all young people who experience her 好意 and grow to rely upon it. To make やめる sure that you shall not be misled in this way in spite of my words, I shall take steps to take over from you her 事件／事情／状勢s beginning with to-day. 今後, when she asks for you, you are to tell us. Either my son or I will …に出席する to her 商売／仕事.”

I stood and looked at him like any dolt. “But—but—” at last I sputtered.

“There are no buts about it. You are to do as I say or—or you have but one 頼みの綱—you can leave our 雇用.”

I still stood looking at him emptily, my indignation slowly rising to the surface.

“Do you agree to this?” he 需要・要求するd 厳しく.

My angry reply was ready, on the tip of my tongue, but, before I could answer, there （機の）カム first a careless knock on his door and then his son swaggered into the room.

“Sorry, father,” he said curtly, “but some lady just 主張するs upon having Mr. Robert Swan come to the telephone.”

I stood for the 侮辱 of his 強調 on the word “lady,” likewise the 非難 of his father’s look and gesture. I hurried out to the telephone booth in the outer office, and after a 簡潔な／要約する conversation I ran 支援する with a haste that 原因（となる）d me to trip on the rug at the door and all but 流出／こぼす myself on the 床に打ち倒す before the Averys.

“I do not agree,” I yelled excitedly.

“What do you mean?” The 年上の Avery rose to his feet.

I 努力するd to check my agitation. “I mean—I mean that I am no longer a slave that you can tell just what to do in hours and out of hours. I’m a 解放する／自由な man and I shall do what I please.”

My agitation seemed to pass from me to them.

Harold Avery turned restively toward his father. “Going to stand for this?” he 需要・要求するd sneeringly. And his father’s cheeks grew red until they seemed as 解雇する／砲火／射撃 above his 耐えるd. He took a 脅すing step toward me, one 手渡す clutching the 辛勝する／優位 of his desk as if he ーするつもりであるd to hurl it at me. “Very 井戸／弁護士席, go then,” he yelled.

I turned to take him at his word. He leaped 今後 and 掴むd me by the arm. “No. Wait!” he 命令（する）d. He had to pause a long time to 回復する 支配（する）／統制する of his feelings. We stood and glared at each other. “What do you ーするつもりである to do?” he 需要・要求するd at last.

I was a little white, but I know I smiled. Our 状況／情勢s were やめる 逆転するd now. “There is no 推論する／理由 why I shouldn’t tell you,” I agreed. “今後 I am to have 完全にする 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of 行方不明になる Alster’s 広い地所, the 部分 she has looked after herself 同様に as the small part you have had 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of. As this 広い地所 人物／姿／数字s 井戸／弁護士席 up into the millions, I shall 要求する 事実上 all my time. So you can 発射する／解雇する me or I 辞職する—I don’t much care which.”

“We shall see about that.” The 年上の Avery was regarding me with a smile. “We shall see about that,” he repeated menacingly.

I in turn smiled, smiled 支援する at him, heedless for the first time in the three years of my servitude under him. Then I could not forbear making the most of my 勝利. “You don’t know,” I 明言する／公表するd, “but at 行方不明になる Alster’s direction I drew up a new will for her last week,” I 発射.

He continued to smile. “Yes, yes—perhaps—what does that 事柄?” he 再結合させるd. “There will be another will to-morrow and perchance another one next week, but that account will never leave our office for more than a few hours after I pull 確かな strings.”

His 保証／確信 irritated me. “It’s a trifle late for you to begin to pull any strings,” I 投機・賭けるd.

“What do you mean?” They both asked it together.

“I mean that in the 現在の will I am 指名するd to serve as 単独の executor of her entire 広い地所 and I 推定する／予想する to qualify under 名目上の 社債s within the next few days.”

“You 推定する／予想する to—what?” gasped the son.

His father stopped him with a look of 厚い serenity which he afterward visited upon me. “We know that 行方不明になる Alster is 苦しむing from an incurable 病気,” he 明言する／公表するd, “but you appear far too 確信して that she won’t live long enough to make another will. I shall …に出席する to that.” He 調印するd to his son to bring him his hat.

“You can save yourself all this trouble,” I 発表するd. “行方不明になる Alster will never make another will.”

“What!” he 需要・要求するd, 直面するing me, and then, unwillingly: “Why?”

I could keep the news no longer. “I have just been telephoned,” I cried in a 発言する／表明する louder than I 手配中の，お尋ね者 it to be. “行方不明になる Alster was 設立する 殺人d in her room this morning.”

And before either of them could think of a word to say, I walked triumphantly from the office.

一時期／支部 2

I 安全な・保証するd my hat and coat and hurried through the outer office without 答える／応じるing even to 行方不明になる Walsh’s 尋問 look. Too late, I realized how she would have rejoiced at the news. But on me now was the 付加 agitation of one suddenly thrust into new 当局 and the hope that in these I might so 行為／行う myself as to 安全な・保証する the 好意 of 行方不明になる Beatrice Alster. It was she—and she alone—who 占領するd my mind to the 除外 of all others; and I 急いでd to her 味方する with a nervousness that I was 大いに put to it to subdue.

行方不明になる Alster’s late 住居 was on one of the streets in the seventies, just away from Madison and Fifth Avenues, a four-story brownstone 前線, not to be 発言／述べるd from the twenty 類似の in the 封鎖する except by its number. As I turned into the street I looked for a （人が）群がる before the door. There was no （人が）群がる. On the opposite 味方する of the street were one or two groups of men engaged in conversation; as I approached the steps two men, idling there, looked me over, but 明らかに 行方不明になる Alster’s death had not 刺激するd the sensation I 推定する／予想するd.

A policeman in uniform opened the door and stopped me rudely as I 試みる／企てるd to pass him.

“Reporter? Here, you! This don’t go. See!” He stopped me with one arm while the other held to the door.

I explained, giving my 指名する, my 商売／仕事, and the 目的 of my visit, but he obstinately 辞退するd to 許す me to pass until I identified myself by my card, by letters, by the 初期のs in my hat and by the 指名する tag in my 着せる／賦与するs. Evidently he had been given strict orders to keep reporters at bay; and this—my first fury at my own 延期する gone—pleased me mightily.

A deathly silence 統治するd over the house. I could not （不足などを）補う my mind whether the slow, muffled footsteps that seemed to start up, stop, and start up again, now on this 床に打ち倒す, now on the 床に打ち倒す above, now at an indeterminable distance or nearness—I could not decide whether they were real or a fiction of my over-excited imagination. I stood dumbly in the 前線 hall for a long time, hesitating, the dread of the house of the dead upon me, a 広大な／多数の／重要な 恐れる of making some 失敗 or not showing 十分な 支配（する）／統制する and 当局 事実上の／代理 like paralysis upon me. A slight 動かす behind me broke the （一定の）期間. I turned. The policeman 駅／配置するd at the door was 星／主役にするing at me questioningly. After a 迅速な ちらりと見ること into the 歓迎会 room at the 権利, which 証明するd to be unoccupied, I went 静かに upstairs.

行方不明になる Alster had 占領するd that entire second 床に打ち倒す and, doubtless, her 団体／死体 now lay in one of its rooms. I took a long breath as I 観察するd that all the doors were の近くにd. Softly, quickly over the padded carpet, past all these doors, I slipped, never stopping until my foot was on the next staircase and I had taken a 会社／堅い 持つ／拘留する of its banister.

Thud! Thud! Thud! As I paused to ちらりと見ること apprehensively 支援する one of the doors opened. A pair of 注目する，もくろむs fell straight and searchingly upon me. With a 緩和するing of the heart I 認めるd that they were gray, that they were a man’s 注目する，もくろむs, that was all, then the door was の近くにd.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Was it the muffled footsteps of this man that I heard without 存在 able to 位置を示す? How could he have heard my quick, soft movements along that hall so as to open the door and look straight at me? With a shudder I slipped up the stairs.

Here, as below, all the doors were の近くにd. I had never been on this 床に打ち倒す before. I stood 決めかねて as to which room to turn. I listened and could make out nothing except that 時折の thud, thud, thud, which seemed to 捜し出す me out through the dead silence and to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 on my 長，率いる as on a muffled 派手に宣伝する. I stood there in that upper hall waiting, listening, hoping for other sounds until my heart seemed to stop （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing, then the door of the 前線 room on the left opened and Agnes, 行方不明になる Alster’s Irish maidservant, stepped out.

Her usually 静める 直面する was 紅潮／摘発するd; she was so flustered that she failed to 観察する me; she の近くにd the door and stood 持つ／拘留するing its 扱う as against some one chasing her, or at least as if against one whom she did not wish to follow her. And, when she finally looked up and 公式文書，認めるd my presence, she did so with a smothered exclamation of 救済. Before I could speak she put a 警告を与えるing finger to her lips, listened a moment, and then led me to the room farthest away, の近くにd the door and turned agitatedly toward me.

“ ’Tis a madhouse, a madhouse, a madhouse here to-day!” she exclaimed, hysterically wringing her 手渡すs. “The old fiend dead, God 残り／休憩（する） her soul, and the young fiend loose and carrying on till we’re all at our wits’ ends, and not a man about to lean on! Oh, Mr. Swan, if you’d been through what I have this lovely morning!” She put her 手渡す on my arm and seemed about to cry. “Not a friend in the world—for all their riches, not a friend in the world—it’s a lesson to us—not a soul has been 近づく them—everyone gone except me and Alice—could you 非難する me for leaving? Not a man around these two hours, except the policeman at the door, and me standing the brunt of it all—and me—” she choked off.

I took her by the arm and led her to a 議長，司会を務める. I gave her a little time to 支配（する）／統制する herself. Then I thought of the butler. “But where’s Keith?” I asked her.

“The blackguard!” She forgot her woe in her 憤慨. “Where would he be the once we need him? Gone, like the bad rubbish I said he was. From the minute I first 始める，決める 注目する，もくろむs on that man I knew him for what he was, a villain if ever I saw one. If the old fiend had ever seen his carryings on with the young fiend as I have!”

“You mean with 行方不明になる Linda?” I asked amazed.

“Sure, ’twas scandalous! A butler making 調印するs to her whenever he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to talk with her, whispering soft nothings into her silly young ears in this hall upstairs when he thought no one was watching, and then leaving like the こそこそ動く and the coward he is just when the young fiend needed him! What would you think of just the scrapings of a man like that?”

Keith, the butler, carrying on a surreptitious flirtation with Linda Alster! Headstrong as that pretty young woman was, I could not believe it. I 始める，決める it 負かす／撃墜する to Agnes’s prejudice. I led her away from the 支配する by 問い合わせing as to just how and at what time 行方不明になる Alster’s 団体／死体 had been discovered.

“Sure, Mr. Swan, I’ve told that so many times already ’tis dead on my tongue. There was the doctor, the police, the man that’s to buy the house, the—”

“The man that’s to buy the house!”

“Either that or else he’s a friend of the family or else—but didn’t he tell me he had been sent for to look over the house, and 港／避難所’t I run into him everywhere looking it over, counting the closets and trying the windows and the doors as if to cheapen it when we （機の）カム to sell. And yet I liked the old duck; he 行為／法令／行動するd like he knew his 商売／仕事, I’ll say that for him, and he—”

“But 行方不明になる Alster never said anything about wanting to sell the house.”

“The old fiend! Sure, and don’t you know her? She was always surprising them she took の近くに to her, not to say disappointing them. Take 行方不明になる Linda, see what she’s made out of her. Taking one up like a nurse and dropping one like—like an empty tin can! Sure, I knew she would never come to any good end, God 残り／休憩（する） her soul!”

徐々に I got from her the 詳細（に述べる）s of how and when the 団体／死体 was discovered, though with many digressions not necessary to this story. It appeared that 行方不明になる Alster had been a martinet for having breakfast served at eight-thirty every morning and was always 負かす／撃墜する herself a few minutes before that hour, making sure that her nieces and servants alike should be on time. At eight this morning Keith, the butler, not having appeared to 準備する the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, Alice, the cook, went up to call him, Agnes 辞退するing to do it. Alice （機の）カム 支援する with the news that his bed was empty and had not been slept in. The two maids 審議d the 事柄 and agreed that neither cared to break the news to 行方不明になる Alster, because Keith was one of her 最新の 被保護者s and she would be furious. Eight-thirty arrived and 行方不明になる Alster had not come 負かす／撃墜する. There had been some gossip between the maids as to how 行方不明になる Alster would take his absence, stopped suddenly by the 入り口 of the two nieces. They appeared as astonished at Keith’s 見えなくなる as the servants were. There were questions; the four women grew more and more alarmed as the minutes passed and 行方不明になる Alster also failed to come 負かす／撃墜する. At last all four went up together and knocked at her door. There was no answer. They listened and could not hear her stirring. They tried the door and 設立する it locked. Then they all fled downstairs.

Here they talked over in hushed whispers what might have happened until not one of them dared to go upstairs again. Finally 行方不明になる Beatrice telephoned for the family 内科医. He （機の）カム with a locksmith and the women 軍隊／機動隊d upstairs behind them, 行方不明になる Beatrice in the lead. The locksmith opened the door, discovering the lights still to be 燃やすing wanly. He and the doctor led the way in, followed by all four women. 行方不明になる Alster was in her living-room, fully dressed, lying 支援する in a 議長，司会を務める as if she had fallen asleep. They spoke to her and she neither answered nor moved. The men went over to her, waving the women 支援する, and 審査 her from their sight with their 団体／死体s. Then 行方不明になる Linda 叫び声をあげるd. She had seen the pool of 血 lying behind her aunt’s 議長，司会を務める.

によれば Agnes, Linda had 急ぐd screeching from the room, 辞退するing to 許す Beatrice to 慰安 or to come 近づく her. Agnes followed her upstairs to her room, where Linda locked the door and 宣言するd that she never 手配中の，お尋ね者 to see Beatrice again. Beatrice knocked at the door and Linda called to her to go away, flew into one of those 乾燥した，日照りの, hysterical tantrums that 原因（となる）d the servants to call her “the young fiend.” She 試みる／企てるd to get her hat and coat and leave the house, but Agnes managed to 妨げる her by telling her that she would be 逮捕（する）d if she left before the 検死官 gave 許可. Not until her passion wore itself out had Agnes been able to bring Beatrice and her together. And ever since—

“But I thought that Beatrice was the only one that could do anything with Linda when she had one of these fits,” I 反対するd.

“Sure, the devil in the old one has 設立する a 宿泊するing in the young one. Since this morning she has that hate for 行方不明になる Beatrice that would do credit to the old fiend herself.”

“Don’t 推定する／予想する me to believe that 行方不明になる Alster really hated Beatrice!” I 抗議するd scornfully, 急ぐing to Beatrice’s 弁護.

“And what do 部外者s like you know about the people of the house and how they feel toward each other?” Agnes crossed off my 軽蔑（する） with her own. “Have you never seen that 行方不明になる Linda has her fits and tantrums, but that 行方不明になる Beatrice is the one with a will of her own? Maylike you have never heard of all the 試みる／企てるs of the old fiend to break it? How would you, 存在 new to the family and yet under the old fiend’s （一定の）期間?”

I had nothing to say. I thought better of my 試みる／企てる to change her opinion.

Agnes rose from her 議長，司会を務める, her 怒り／怒る that of a good servant whose word has been questioned. “Maylike you’ll be 説 those two girls is friends,” she derided with a roused servant’s contempt. “Maylike you’ll be dreaming that this trouble has brought them together. Maylike you’ll be 否定するing that 行方不明になる Linda threw a 調書をとる／予約する at my 長，率いる, that she 脅すd to kill me if I stayed in the room.” She flung open the door.

In the hall outside stood a short, square-shouldered, わずかに corpulent yet 運動競技の-looking man of about forty-five. He had a 大規模な, powerful-looking 長，率いる with a good thatch of wavy hair and a short-cropped sandy mustache. He looked like a 商売／仕事 man, a 仲買人, or the (n)役員／(a)執行力のある of some big 商売／仕事 downtown, who, having steered it to a 繁栄する 運命, was now 関心d in finding a fitting home or 投資 for his money, and his 注目する，もくろむs were 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon the ventilator high on the 塀で囲む as if appraising its use and value. He 完全にするd his 査察 before 認めるing our presence with a slow, negligent ちらりと見ること from his gray 注目する，もくろむs.

Agnes nodded toward him to 示す that he was the man whom she had について言及するd and appeared やめる unconcerned that he should have been 近づく while she was 明らかにする／漏らすing family secrets. She turned 支援する toward me and went on with the 重荷（を負わせる） of her argument.

“Sure, sir, go in. Go in and see for yourself, if you don’t believe me,” she exclaimed. She pointed toward the room at the 前線 of the hall and ran downstairs.

I hesitated. Agnes had 納得させるd me that there was trouble between the two nieces. I had known them only a few weeks, had seen neither more than a half a dozen times, and 厳粛に 疑問d my capacity for serving as a peacemaker. And yet if Beatrice needed 援助（する）! If I could only believe that my presence would not be an 侵入占拠!

I heard Linda’s 発言する／表明する raised in 怒り／怒る, and this 繁栄する-looking 商売／仕事 man seemed 利益／興味d neither in that nor in me, nor in anything except the mopboard and the doorframes in the hall.

“There’s a closet and an open fireplace in that room, I 推定する?” he said finally, 認めるing me with a smile that I 設立する peculiarly ingratiating; and then, with a good nature やめる as winning, “Don’t you think it would be better if you went in as the maid 示唆するd?”

Before I could 抗議する he took me by the arm, led me to the door, knocked, and, upon receiving 許可, 勧めるd me 静かに into the room. I had a short 見解（をとる） of him, smiling beneficently after me as he の近くにd the door between us, and then I 直面するd the dreaded 義務 before me.

It was as Agnes had 宣言するd. One ちらりと見ること 十分であるd to settle that. In 議長，司会を務めるs on opposite 味方するs of the room sat 行方不明になる Alster’s two pseudo nieces, their 注目する，もくろむs 避けるing each other. It was Beatrice who 迎える／歓迎するd me, 持つ／拘留するing out her 手渡す without rising from her seat, and with a slight lightening of her lovely dark 直面する that made my heart catch. Linda, her pretty blonde 長，率いる supported by one 手渡す, continued 星／主役にするing at the window, oblivious of me, conscious 明らかに only of some hot difference of which she still nursed the grievance.

“I—I don’t intrude?” I couldn’t help asking, looking, however, not at Linda but at Beatrice.

She shook her 長，率いる. After a moment Linda turned around toward me as if I had 演説（する）／住所d her, her blue 注目する，もくろむs snapping.

“Not as long as you don’t 試みる／企てる to tell me what I せねばならない do,” she said with a petulant 投げ上げる／ボディチェックする of her 長，率いる. She seemed about to say more, but stopped at a look from Beatrice.

“Remember, Linda! Remember your 約束 to me,” 警告するd Beatrice in a 発言する／表明する that trembled a little.

“I can be 信用d やめる as much as one I’m not 指名するing,” retorted Linda, and I saw Beatrice take the affront to herself, blush and become silent as if 恐れるing to 刺激する her その上の.

I stood there, 試みる／企てるing to コースを変える them from their difference by making some inane lead about the 天候.

Suddenly Linda interrupted me in the 中央 of a 宣告，判決. “Beatrice says it is necessary for me to remain here to 保存する 外見s for her—is it?”

“Yes, but やめる as much to 保存する 外見s for yourself.” I 星／主役にするd at her in amazement

“I don’t care anything about 外見s. I want to go. I want to leave this house and all its terrible people forever. I never want to see any of them again.” She rose and ran to the window, pulled the drawn curtain aside and peeked out.

“You can’t. You can’t go until the 検死官 has given you 許可 without laying yourself open to 疑惑.”

“疑惑? 疑惑 of what?” She dropped the curtain and turned 怒って toward me.

What could I say? I made a gesture 脅すing more than I cared to put in words and saw her 注目する，もくろむs slowly leave me, travel to Beatrice and dwell upon her coldly. “Is that why you’re staying, Beatrice, dear?” I heard her ask scornfully.

“Linda! Remember!” was Beatrice’s only reply.

Linda seemed 完全に to enjoy her discomfiture. She returned to her 議長，司会を務める and her manner relaxed. “Do you know anything about the will?” she suddenly asked me.

“Linda, what does that 事柄?” interposed Beatrice.

“Everything to me, if you do pretend it doesn’t to you,” retorted Linda. “Oh, I’ll keep my 協定 with you now, no 事柄 how the will reads, but there’s one thing I must know. Oh, what a fool I am!” She whipped suddenly toward me. “Mr. Swan, you’re a lawyer, tell me. If Beatrice solemnly 約束s to give me half what she inher—”

But that question was never finished. Beatrice had risen from her seat, crossed the room and stood glaring 負かす／撃墜する into Linda’s 注目する，もくろむs with an intensity before which she quailed. Linda stopped talking, 星／主役にするd boldly 支援する for a few moments, then shuddered and changed her seat. There was real 恐れる in her 活動／戦闘, though she sought to cover it with a hollow, 効果のない／無能な laugh. And then （機の）カム a knock on the door.

I turned. Had that door been ajar all the time since my 入り口? Then it swung open and the man who had led me in 勧めるd in a stalwart white-haired man with a white mustache and a distinguished manner, whom I 認めるd 即時に as General Alster. I had seen him often on the 壇・綱領・公約 at political 決起大会／結集させるs and at public 集まり 会合s where 広大な／多数の／重要な 改革（する）s were agitated, but I had never dreamed that he was 関係のある to 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster as his first words 示すd.

“I 投機・賭けるd to come here the moment I heard the sad news and the man outside 主張するd upon my coming 権利 in,” he 明言する／公表するd. He 前進するd past me toward the girls, who had risen, forgetting their difference in their astonishment at seeing him. “Are you the children?” He gave them each a 手渡す. “Why, you’re やめる as pretty 近づく to as at a distance—both of you. Don’t blush, I’ve seen you often in your aunt’s box at the オペラ and 手配中の，お尋ね者 to 会合，会う you. Nothing except the absurdly 緊張するd relations between me and my cousin could have kept me away. But now—”

I looked at the door. It was の近くにd tightly. Probably it had been の近くにd やめる as tightly after my own 入り口. I remained a few minutes, unnecessary, unnoticed and uncomfortable, watching the courtly old general making friends with the two girls, then, with murmured excuses, I slipped out of the room.

The man whom I had 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd of eavesdropping was nowhere in sight and the noise in the lower hall told of the arrival of a number of people. I hurried downstairs to learn what this meant.

一時期／支部 3

As I turned 負かす／撃墜する the last flight my 注目する，もくろむs fell upon a 広大な／多数の／重要な （人が）群がる of people in the lower hall. They were wedged into it like sardines and my first ちらりと見ること told me that they were not young and active enough to be reporters, as I had 恐れるd. As 中途の on the stairs I stood 星／主役にするing at them in perplexity, a man separated himself from them and made straight for me as if directed.

“I’m 検死官 Halsperg, in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of this 事例／患者,” he 明言する／公表するd. “Can you tell me if the 死んだ is a 親族 of General Alster’s?”

“She was a cousin, I believe,” I 答える／応じるd.

“Ah, I thought so!” he exclaimed with satisfaction. “And I understand he is here. Will you arrange so that I may have a few words with him?”

I led him upstairs and called General Alster out into the hall. Wondering how a 検死官’s 陪審／陪審員団 should have come upon this 事例／患者 with such celerity, I kept my ears open and 得るd an explanation. 検死官 Halsperg, it appeared, had been at the house earlier and left to take 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of a 陪審／陪審員団 drawn for another 検死. He had thought to curry 好意 with General Alster by bringing the 陪審／陪審員団 to sit on this 事例／患者 instead.

“自殺? 井戸／弁護士席, I don’t know. But I’ll do the best I can for you, General,” I heard him 約束 before he （機の）カム hurrying 負かす／撃墜する to call the 陪審／陪審員団 upstairs to 検査／視察する the room in which 行方不明になる Alster’s 団体／死体 had been 設立する.

Over the banister in the hall above I watched the 陪審／陪審員団 上がる. The members appeared to be 国民s of much better standing than I had みなすd likely to serve on a 検死官’s 陪審／陪審員団. I did not understand this until later, when it was explained to me that the 検死官s made a point of selecting 国民s accustomed to social 条件s somewhat 類似の to those of the 死んだ. I did not envy them their 義務 of 検査／視察するing the very room in which 行方不明になる Alster had met her death.

The rooms on that 床に打ち倒す were arranged as is 始める，決める 前へ／外へ in the 計画（する） below.

I stood at the door after they had all 注ぐd into her living-room. Nothing could have induced me to pass through the door. In that room only this morning they had discovered that 恐ろしい, feelingless form that never again could be 軍隊d to utter a 選び出す／独身 word, that could be mutilated without murmuring, that could be 削減（する） up without bleeding. On the bed in that 隣接する 議会, separated from me only by a 塀で囲む, lay the 団体／死体, 審理，公聴会 but not speaking, seeing but pretending not to, knowing but not 宣言するing. I shuddered. To keep my imagination from bringing my flesh in actual 接触する with it, I listened to the 検死官.

He was recapitulating in a 静かな, inconsequential トン. “Windows all 設立する shut and locked; that door there into the library 設立する locked, 重要な on this 味方する; this door here into the hall also locked, had to be opened by a locksmith; and the 団体／死体 設立する here in this 議長，司会を務める—” he pointed to the blotch on the carpet—“fully dressed; ピストル at her feet. Any questions, gentlemen?” At their silence he led them away downstairs; and rather than be left alone on that 床に打ち倒す, I （人が）群がるd in の中で the 陪審／陪審員団.

検死官 Halsperg was a jovial-looking, 事柄-of-fact, 商売／仕事-like German-American, without imagination, yet with 力／強力にするs of 観察 that fitted him aptly for his 仕事. In the dining-room downstairs he quickly seated his 陪審／陪審員団 in a cluster at his left, 製図／抽選 up a 議長，司会を務める to the 暴露するd dining-（米）棚上げする／（英）提議する for himself. Then, having waved the 証言，証人／目撃するs and others to seats on the 権利, he rapped on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and opened the 検死.

“Doctor Hayden,” he called.

Doctor Hayden took his place at the other 味方する of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する waiting, but the 検死官 appeared to 延期する for some 推論する／理由.

Suddenly in the wide 二塁打 doorway 開始 between this room and the 歓迎会 room in 前線 appeared the man who had peered at me from the death 議会, who had later thrust me into the room where the girls had secluded themselves. He looked carelessly over the whole assemblage, appeared about to 身を引く and take a seat in the other room, but at a nod and 調印する from the 検死官 前進するd into the dining-room and 設立するd himself in a corner behind this 公式の／役人. I felt that something was explained. This man who had made himself so much at home about the house was 明らかに the 検死官’s assistant. And yet he seemed too 井戸／弁護士席 dressed to 持つ／拘留する such an unimportant position.

“Now, Doctor Hayden, if you will tell us just what happened here this morning after you were called,” ordered the 検死官.

Doctor Hayden, a short, suave, handsome man just leaving middle age behind him, began at once, by giving his 指名する, age and his 演説（する）／住所, which 証明するd to be in the 即座の 近隣. “My valet had just finished shaving me and I was about to go 負かす／撃墜する to breakfast when one of the maids in my house （機の）カム running upstairs with the news that 行方不明になる Alster was locked in her room, couldn’t be roused, and her nieces 恐れるd that something had happened to her. I 急いでd to the telephone, and from 行方不明になる Beatrice’s alarm gathered that the women relied upon me to do all that was necessary. Getting into my モーター, I 設立する a locksmith and took him with me to the house. The four women—行方不明になる Alster’s two nieces, the maid-servant and the cook—were all gathered in the lower hall, not daring to 投機・賭ける upstairs. I did my best to relieve their worst 恐れるs by 明言する／公表するing that probably 行方不明になる Alster was either more soundly asleep than usual or had experienced a 穏やかな shock. The locksmith and I proceeded upstairs with the four women 追跡するing along. The locksmith opened the door without 軍隊ing it. We entered and saw 行方不明になる Alster sitting in a 議長，司会を務める but a short distance from the door. She looked as if she might have fallen 支援する in it asleep. The electric lights in the room were 燃やすing, though the morning was a 有望な one. I spoke to her and she did not move. The locksmith and I ran to her. At almost the same instant that I saw the 負傷させる in her neck one of the women must have seen the pool of 血 behind her on the 床に打ち倒す and 叫び声をあげるd. We got the women out of the room. I made sure 行方不明になる Alster was dead and then sent the cook to telephone the police. While waiting for them to come the locksmith 検査／視察するd the doors and windows and 床に打ち倒す and I 診察するd the 負傷させる, all without 乱すing anything.”

At the request of the 検死官 he 述べるd in technical 条件 the position of the 負傷させる and the course the 弾丸 had taken. Translated from his Latin verbiage, it 明らかにする／漏らすd that 行方不明になる Alster had died instantaneously from a 弾丸 that had entered the 支援する of her neck and followed an 上向き course into her brain. She had been dead, he 裁判官d, thirteen or fourteen hours.

The 検死官 here interrupted him for the first time. “Then the 発射 that 原因（となる）d her death must have been 解雇する／砲火／射撃d between nine and ten o’clock last night?”

“Yes, I should think so.”

“From the position and 条件 of the 負傷させる would you say that it could have been self-（打撃，刑罰などを）与えるd?”

“井戸／弁護士席,” Doctor Hayden plainly hesitated, “y-es, it was possible.”

“What makes you so doubtful?”

“Because the arm would have to be held in such a cramped and unnatural position to shoot one’s self in the 支援する of the neck—” He illustrated on himself—“but you see it is possible.”

“In 事例／患者 it was self-（打撃，刑罰などを）与えるd there would be 砕く 示すs about the 負傷させる, wouldn’t there?”

“Yes.”

“Did you discover any?”

“Yes.”

“That is why you think it may have been self-（打撃，刑罰などを）与えるd?”

“Yes, though 砕く 示すs can いつかs be made from a distance of three or four feet.”

The 検死官 seemed to 観察する at once the 強調する／ストレス he laid on this last 声明. He asked quickly: “You seem inclined to believe that more likely this 負傷させる was made by somebody else 解雇する／砲火／射撃ing from that distance—why?”

“Because the 砕く 示すs were granulated and scattered. There was not the 激しい smear they usually make when a 発射 is 解雇する／砲火／射撃d at such very の近くに 範囲.”

“Oh!” 検死官 Halsperg made the exclamation involuntarily; he turned and his 注目する，もくろむs sought those of the man seated in the corner behind him as if this 証言 突然に （判決などを）下すd 信頼できる some 疑惑s this man had 現在のd to him.

With a gesture that appeared to signify that he was not yet 納得させるd, he went on.

“In your earlier 証言, Doctor Hayden, you said something about 恐れるing that 行方不明になる Alster might have 苦しむd a shock. Why did you think that?”

Doctor Hayden nodded. “行方不明になる Alster was 影響する／感情d by a very dangerous lesion of the heart that might have 原因（となる）d 部分的な／不平等な or 完全にする paralysis at any moment.”

“Was she aware of this?”

“Yes, both I and the specialists whom I called in at her request thought best to tell her. She was a woman of かなりの 所有物／資産／財産 and with 変化させるd 利益／興味s; she might die in a flash at any instant without having time to put her 事件／事情／状勢s in order; she might even bring on the 致命的な seizure herself by unusual exertion or excitement; we decided on all these accounts it was better to 知らせる her, though I myself too late regretted doing so.”

“Regretted telling her that she was liable to go at any minute? Why?”

“She had a much more morbid disposition than I before realized.” Doctor Hayden stopped and seemed averse to 追求するing the 調査 その上の in this direction.

“Go on,” 勧めるd the 検死官.

“W-ell, she brooded over the 可能性. The thought that she might have no 警告 that her last minute was approaching had a 悲惨な 影響. She—” Doctor Hayden stopped short; his lips の近くにd 堅固に.

検死官 Halsperg waited 根気よく a moment for him to continue. Then he bent 今後. “Doctor Hayden,” he 需要・要求するd 厳しく, “did 行方不明になる Alster ever do anything or say anything that led you to 恐れる that she might take her own life?”

“W-ell—”

“Doctor Hayden, the 目的s of this 調査 需要・要求する that you should answer that question without quibbling or 保留（地）／予約.”

Doctor Hayden 紅潮／摘発するd a little. “I have no 願望（する） to 失望させる your 目的s,” he disclaimed. “Yes, I think I せねばならない 収容する／認める that she 表明するd some such 意向 to me once or twice, but I gave little credit to it. I have heard so many people of her age who を煩う incurable 病気s speak lightly of having such an 意向 that I had no belief that she would do it. I had a 患者 only last week who—”

The 検死官 made an impatient gesture. “Doctor Hayden,” he interrupted, “are you aware whether she 購入（する）d the ピストル 設立する by her 団体／死体 with any such 意向?”

“I am not.”

“You don’t know?”

“No.”

“She never did anything more than to say that she preferred death by her own 手渡す to the suspense?”

“I won’t go so far as to say that. She once asked me, I remember, for the 指名する of some 毒（薬） that would be 即座の and painless.”

“Did you give her the 指名する of any such 毒（薬）?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because in her 明言する／公表する of mind I considered it unwise that she should have any such 麻薬 at 手渡す.” Again 検死官 Halsperg paused to direct a 重要な ちらりと見ること at the man in the corner behind him. This time his 注目する，もくろむ carried a look of 勝利, as if he had developed 証言 that その上のd his own 論争. The man in the corner met his 注目する，もくろむ, now as before unmoved, with a 静める inexpressive look which 否定するd that he considered himself the 的 for these ちらりと見ることs.

検死官 Halsperg seemed to take no 罪／違反. He turned 支援する good-naturedly to his 証言，証人／目撃する. “I shall only 要求する you a few minutes longer, Doctor,” he 明言する／公表するd. He drew from his pocket two envelopes, one 含む／封じ込めるing a bulky 反対する. “After I first appeared here this morning, and at my direction, you 調査（する）d for the 弾丸, did you not?”

“Yes.”

“Is this it?” The 検死官 押すd across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する the smaller envelope of the two.

Doctor Hayden reached for the envelope, 検査／視察するd his 署名 on it, unsealed the flap and answered: “Yes.”

“How would you 述べる that 弾丸?”

“Ordinary .32 caliber, I should say.”

“Yes. And this was the direct 原因（となる） unquestionably of 行方不明になる Alster’s death?”

“Unquestionably.”

“And this was the ピストル we 設立する on the 床に打ち倒す by her feet?” The 検死官 passed the other envelope across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する.

After 診察するing the envelope and its contents, Doctor Hayden 認める as much.

検死官 Halsperg bent toward him. “Now すぐに after you had 安全な・保証するd the 弾丸—this .32 caliber 弾丸—we 診察するd the ピストル together and what did we find it to be?”

“A Savage (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃 .32 equipped with a Maxim silencer.”

“What else?”

“That it was 負担d with eight cartridges and that the 活動／戦闘 was fouled.”

“示すing that at least one 発射 had recently been 解雇する／砲火／射撃d from it?”

“Yes.”

“And we also 設立する upon the 床に打ち倒す the 爆撃する from one .32 caliber 弾丸?”

“Yes.”

“Then this 弾丸 that you 抽出するd from 行方不明になる Alster’s brain could have been 解雇する／砲火／射撃d from this ピストル which we 設立する at her feet?”

“Yes.”

“That is all.” 検死官 Halsperg smiled. “Oh, one minute, please,” he called suddenly. “I forgot to ask you anything about this ピストル. Do you happen to know from your own knowledge or hearsay how it （機の）カム into 行方不明になる Alster’s 所有／入手?”

“Yes, I 購入（する）d it for her.”

“Ah!” 検死官 Halsperg seemed surprised. “Recently?”

“About a month ago.”

“Did she give you any 推論する／理由 why she 手配中の，お尋ね者 it?”

“Yes, for 保護 against 夜盗，押し込み強盗s. It was one of the natural symptoms of her morbid 条件 that one day she should talk of taking her life and the next day take every 警戒 to 保護（する）／緊急輸入制限 it.”

“Where did she keep this ピストル?”

“I have seen it a number of times lying on the 最高の，を越す of the dresser in her bedroom. I don’t know—yes, I should say that she kept it there most, if not all the time.”

“Did she give you any 推論する／理由 for wanting a ピストル equipped with a Maxim silencer?”

“No, but I understood. She was in a 高度に nervous 条件. I took for 認めるd that the very idea of noise of any 肉親，親類d was intolerable to her and the 明らかにする thought of a ピストル 発射—井戸／弁護士席, can’t you see how she would take every step to escape such a 神経-racking sound as that?”

“You had no 恐れる at all that she might want this ピストル to carry out her fitful 意向 to take her own life?”

“No.” Doctor Hayden 紅潮／摘発するd 怒って. “If I had thought that I never should have 安全な・保証するd it for her.”

“That is all, Doctor Hayden.” The 検死官 turned to the officer seated at his 権利. “Now, sergeant, we should like to hear from that locksmith,” he 明言する／公表するd. “I don’t see him anywhere about the room.”

The police sergeant rose, went over and whispered something to the 検死官, who seemed displeased, but only for a moment. He 協議するd his watch.

“Oh, very 井戸／弁護士席,” he 明言する／公表するd, “in that 事例／患者 I think we’ll 延期，休会する this 検死 for 昼食. We’ll 会合，会う again at—井戸／弁護士席, say three o’clock. That will give us time to get the locksmith and to 通知する the ladies that we shall 要求する their 証言.”

検死官 Halsperg rose and there was a general rising and movement to the door of the entire assemblage. As I entered the 歓迎会 room at the 前線 I was astonished to perceive General Alster sitting there on a divan where he must have heard all the 証言 in the next room without 存在 観察するd by any 現在の. Doctor Hayden was seated beside him and talking animatedly as if arguing his own belief that 行方不明になる Alster had never committed 自殺. I could not forbear passing 近づく so as to hear what the doctor was 説.

“You unquestionably should do it,” he was 宣言するing. “I will 火刑／賭ける my professional 評判 that the police will never solve this mystery. Think, General, the patrolmen are chosen for their 高さ, 負わせる, and physical prowess only; if they 所有する any mental efficiency it is 純粋に 偶発の; and the 探偵，刑事s are 新採用するd from such a 罰金 lot of animals. It isn’t to be 推定する／予想するd that they will have the mental fitness or 知能 to—”

But General Alster’s 注目する，もくろむs had fallen on me as I was passing. He rose, with 陳謝s, and held out his 手渡す to me.

“Mr. Swan, I believe.” He introduced me to Doctor Hayden. “As the man who I have just learned will have the deciding 力／強力にする you should hear what the doctor has to say. He 主張するs that we should 雇う a 私立探偵 on this 事例／患者.”

The doctor’s 注目する，もくろむs met 地雷; he, about to 新たにする his argument, I, about to 抗議する at を受けるing such a needless expense; but we neither of us 設立する 適切な時期 just then to 明言する／公表する our opinions, for 検死官 Halsperg, 遠くに見つけるing General Alster, had broken through the （人が）群がる to shake 手渡すs with him, having evidently caught his last words.

“General,” he interrupted hotly, “if you think of wasting your money putting any outside men on this 事例／患者 don’t, for Heaven’s sake, 落ちる into the clutches of any of those dead-and-alive Hawkshaws. They’ll 簡単に 兵士 along, bleed you for all you’ll stand for, and in the end have nothing whatever to show you. There are only a few good 探偵，刑事s の中で all the bad lot in that line. Don’t go it blind. Let me 示唆する one to you.”

General Alster nodded. “Yes, I agree with you. But there’s one man who, if one can believe the newspapers, seems so 長，率いる and shoulders above all the 残り／休憩（する） that there appears to be no choice. I mean—”

“You mean Trask,” interrupted 検死官 Halsperg confidently.

“You can’t mean anyone else,” broke in Doctor Hayden.

“Yes,” assented General Alster, “Trask was the man I had in mind, but—”

“Shall I call him?” asked 検死官 Halsperg, turning はっきりと away from us to look over the 去っていく／社交的な （人が）群がる.

“What! Do I understand he is here?” exclaimed General Alster.

“検死官, you aren’t having fun with us?” 需要・要求するd Doctor Hayden.

“Trask here!” My own astonishment was as irrepressible as theirs.

“He was here a few minutes ago,” 答える／応じるd 検死官 Halsperg, too 関心d in his search to 支払う／賃金 attention to our bewilderment. “Ah, there he is! That short thickset man over there working toward the door with the sergeant.”

We all turned and looked with silent 利益／興味 at this man who had made a 国家の 評判 for himself as a fathomer of subtle 罪，犯罪s and a 走者-負かす／撃墜する of the adroitest 犯罪のs.

It was the man whom Agnes had taken for a real 広い地所 買い手. It was the man whom I had taken first for a 商売／仕事 man and then for the 検死官’s assistant.

“Oh, I noticed him at the 検死, but—” Doctor Hayden decided against publishing his 失望 at the famous 探偵，刑事’s 外見.

General Alster also seemed unimpressed. “I—I don’t think we will bother to speak to him, not just now, anyway.”

検死官 Halsperg smiled, but said nothing.

I caught the drift of their feelings and 発言する／表明するd my own. “Why, he looks to me like an everyday sort of 商売／仕事 man—the sort you see thousands of downtown—not a bit like a 探偵，刑事,” I 追加するd.

“井戸／弁護士席, that’s not 正確に／まさに what I should call a 障害（者）—not for a 探偵，刑事,” 答える／応じるd 検死官 Halsperg dryly.

一時期／支部 4

The 暫定的な between 開会／開廷／会期s General Alster and I spent おもに in the room on the third 床に打ち倒す where the girls continued to seclude themselves. Beatrice, にもかかわらず our 抗議するs, ordered Agnes to bring up a light 昼食. General Alster nibbled politely at it. Beatrice seemed too troubled to eat. I made only a pretense of playing with the food. But Linda, after first 軽蔑（する）ing them, finally ate やめる a number of the 挟むs and cakes on the tray.

Though there were no その上の differences between the girls such as I had 証言，証人／目撃するd, they still sedulously 避けるd 演説（する）／住所ing each other; and General Alster’s 試みる／企てるs to コースを変える their minds and bring them together in general conversation failed utterly. After a time he desisted and called me to the other end of the room, where we talked over 商売／仕事 事柄s in a low トン. He appeared to take for 認めるd that I should at once take 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of everything—with his 援助, however. Young as I was and fresh to such important 義務s, he seemed to place implicit 信用／信任 in my honesty, ability and judgment. He asked me about the 条件 of the will; when he learned that I was 指名するd as the 単独の executor, he 誓約（する）d his 援助（する） in 安全な・保証するing the 社債 要求するd; more important than this, he relieved my 即座の worry by agreeing to 移転 to me the に引き続いて morning a large sum of money to 会合，会う expenses until the will should be probated and I would be 権力を与えるd to collect money 予定 the 広い地所. Of course the money 前進するd was to be repaid to him later from the 広い地所, but this 活動／戦闘 made it possible for me to 対処する at once with those 需要・要求するs of my new 信用 for which my own 不十分な 資源s were utterly, not to say pathetically, 不十分な. My heart lightened at his 信用／信任. I told him as much 温かく, and I made up my mind to listen 謙虚に to all his suggestions and to deserve his 約束 by 事実上の／代理 on them.

If he were conscious at this 早期に 行う／開催する／段階 of the 緊張するd relations between the two girls at the other end of that same room, he made not the slightest 言及／関連 to it. He could hardly have 行方不明になるd noticing their moody silence, and he must have wondered at the pointed manner in which Linda 演説（する）／住所d only us two men; but he carefully covered this with his own conversation and, though their obstinate silence made the time drag, we were finally all 召喚するd downstairs to the 検死.

At General Alster’s suggestion Beatrice and Linda seated themselves with him on the divan in the 前線 room which he had 以前 占領するd. There was room only for him and the two girls. After a moment’s hesitation I left them and went into the dining-room, where all the other people had gathered. 検死官 Halsperg was just taking his place at the その上の end of the dining-room （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. I slipped into an inconspicuous seat in the nearest corner of the room and looked interestedly about for Trask. He was neither in the seat he had 占領するd at the morning 開会／開廷／会期, nor どこかよそで in that room so far as I could see. Wondering if the 検死官 could have 知らせるd him of our 失敗 to be impressed by his looks, I was soon 深く，強烈に 利益／興味d in the 証言.

The 開会／開廷／会期 was 十分な of surprises. 検死官 Halsperg opened by calling for the locksmith. He failed to rise. Instead, the sergeant of police drew 近づく and appeared to be proffering excuses. But these evidently failed to placate the wrath of the 公式の／役人 in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金. 検死官 Halsperg grew red of 直面する and 続けざまに猛撃するd on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する as he finally yelled, “You send a man for him. You bring him here by the scruff of his neck, if necessary,” he ordered. And the sergeant, making the best of the 状況／情勢 with a surly grin, left the room for a few minutes, 明らかに to send an officer for the strangely recalcitrant 証言，証人／目撃する.

This 出来事/事件 影響する／感情d the doughty little 検死官 beyond all 明らかな 推論する／理由. I have always noticed that 公式の／役人s in the lower positions are quick to take 罪／違反 at the 失望／欲求不満 of their 計画（する）s or the slightest 尋問 of their 当局. At any 率, 検死官 Halsperg seemed in a fury that he took his time to 支配（する）／統制する before starting the 検死 again; and throughout the 開会／開廷／会期 he appeared inclined to take out his 怒り／怒る on the 証言，証人／目撃するs, manifesting at times a surly, snapping disposition やめる the 逆転する of his unruffled 耐えるing earlier in the day.

I was called as the first 証言，証人／目撃する myself. I つまずくd awkwardly to my place a little white, I knew, at feeling all 注目する，もくろむs on me.

At the 検死官’s request I 関係のある what I had seen of 行方不明になる Alster the previous night. She had 招待するd me to 行為／法令／行動する as her 護衛する to the オペラ. I reached the house at eight; we left together within five or ten minutes, arriving in her box after the curtain had risen on the first 行為／法令／行動する of “Tristan und Isolde.” Soon 行方不明になる Alster complained of not feeling 井戸／弁護士席. Even before that 行為／法令／行動する was over she requested me to get a taxi and take her home. I 安全な・保証するd one. Just before it was about to turn into her street she （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 on the window and 調印するd for the chauffeur to draw up to the 抑制（する）. She explained that she thought she would like to walk the 残り／休憩（する） of the way home. It was only half a 封鎖する. She seemed 異常に silent, moody and nervous, but I ascribed it to her indisposition. Going up the steps she 手渡すd me her latchkey and I 観察するd that her 手渡すs trembled noticeably. I opened the door, she passed in without 招待するing me to come also, so I returned the 重要な and の近くにd the door between us. My last sight of her was as she hurried away upstairs. Then I walked to the corner and took a Madison Avenue car to my 搭乗 house.

“That’s all.” The 検死官 did not ask me a question. He 単に waved me disdainfully 支援する to my seat.

行方不明になる Alster had managed to get along with but three servants by 安全な・保証するing 異常に efficient ones and 支払う／賃金ing them 給料 above the 普通の／平均（する）. Alice, the fat, good-natured colored cook, followed me as a 証言，証人／目撃する. The 検死官 waved her aside as soon as she had told her story, just as he had me. In Agnes, however, he appeared to perceive a 敵 worthy of his mood. He plied her with questions about Keith, the 行方不明の butler.

“You say he must have left the house いつか 早期に in the evening—how do you know that?” he 需要・要求するd.

“Because I never saw him after he went upstairs, and this morning we 設立する his bed had not been slept in.”

“You have 証言するd that Keith went upstairs about eight, that the cook followed at ４半期/4分の1 past eight, and that you went up ten or fifteen minutes later. Now, when you went upstairs where were all the other people in the house?”

“I don’t know.”

“What? No lights in any of the rooms or sounds to tell you where the other three or four people were?”

“井戸／弁護士席, there was someone in the library.”

“That is the large room 直接／まっすぐに in 前線 of the room where your mistress’s 団体／死体 was 設立する this morning?”

“Yes, sir.”

“How do you know there was someone in that room?”

“By the light and because someone was playing softly on the piano there.”

The 検死官 seemed to perceive by the manner in which she snapped 支援する this answer that he was on the 追跡する of （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） that she was 気が進まない to give. “For no other 推論する／理由s?” he 需要・要求するd はっきりと.

“井戸／弁護士席, I thought I heard two people talking in there but—but I guess I didn’t,” Agnes stammered.

“What makes you think you didn’t?”

“Because the 発言する／表明するs stopped the minute I started up the first flight and, anyway, one of the 発言する／表明するs sounded like a man’s.”

“Ah, the 発言する／表明するs stopped and someone began to play softly?” The 検死官 waited until she nodded assent. “Did you look into the library as you passed to see who was there?”

“No, I’ll have you understand I’m no 秘かに調査する.”

“No.” 検死官 Halsperg lost some of his own 怒り／怒る at hers. He went on more suavely. “But who must have been in that room at that time?”

“I told you I didn’t know.”

“Someone was playing the piano—do both the young ladies play the piano?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you couldn’t tell by that which one of them it may have been?”

“No, sir.” Agnes had 回復するd her former composure.

“Very 井戸／弁護士席. But you thought you heard a man’s 発言する／表明する. Couldn’t that have been Keith’s?”

“No, sir.” Agnes’s contempt bristled. “行方不明になる Beatrice would never stand for having that man in the room with her.”

“Oh, so it was 行方不明になる Beatrice who was in that room playing the piano?”

“井戸／弁護士席—” Agnes paused in 混乱, “井戸／弁護士席, it may or may not have been. I’m not 説. Sure she’s a lady and has nothing to hide from you. She’ll tell you if she was.”

“Doubtless, but aren’t you aware that you are giving things a bad look by not telling us 率直に what you saw and heard and thought?”

“That’s my fault, not hers. And I’m not that used to answering a 失敗ing Dutchman’s questions to have the 権利 word ever on the tip of my tongue.”

“井戸／弁護士席, forget that I’m a Dutchman—and that you’re Irish,” retorted the 検死官 testily. He frowned ひどく. “And no more of this equivocation or—” he pointed threateningly toward the sergeant of police who had returned to his 味方する. “Do you understand?”

Agnes blew her nose to hide her 涙／ほころびs and nodded.

検死官 Halsperg 許すd her a few minutes to 回復する 支配（する）／統制する, then went on. “Those were the only lights or sounds you noticed in any of the rooms on the first or second 床に打ち倒すs?”

“Yes, sir,” answered Agnes meekly.

“And your own room is on the fourth 床に打ち倒す?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Did you 観察する any lights or sounds 示すing that any of the other rooms were 占領するd as you went up?”

“There was a light showing under the door of 行方不明になる Linda’s room.”

“Then 行方不明になる Linda may have been in her own room last night about half past eight?”

“Yes, sir, that is, unless—”

But the 検死官 interrupted her ruthlessly. “Never mind about that. 行方不明になる Beatrice’s room is on that same 床に打ち倒す, isn’t it? Was there any light in her room?”

“No, sir.” Agnes looked behind as if she 恐れるd the admission might be a dangerous one.

“And on your own 床に打ち倒す—what lights or sounds did you notice there?”

Agnes palpably took a long still breath of 救済. “There was a light under the door of the cook’s room, that was all.”

“You saw no light, nor heard any sound from Keith’s room on that 床に打ち倒す?”

“No, sir, not a 疑惑 of one.”

The 検死官 持続するd a long silence while he thought, his 注目する，もくろむs dwelling on everyone except the 証言，証人／目撃する. Agnes grew restive under it. “Is that all, sir?” she asked hopefully at last.

“No. Go on.”

“What more can I tell you, sir?” Agnes 注目する，もくろむd him with alarm.

検死官 Halsperg squared 一連の会議、交渉／完成する toward her. His 発言する／表明する became 厳しい. “Everything. I want you to tell me everything else you saw and heard last night. Is there any 推論する／理由 why you don’t want to do that?”

“N-o, sir.”

“井戸／弁護士席, go on.”

Agnes wiped her 注目する，もくろむs. Her 発言する／表明する trembled a little at first as she continued. “井戸／弁護士席, I went to my room—and I was that tired I got ready to go to bed at once—and—and just as I was putting out the light I thought I heard 発言する／表明するs again, only this time they seemed to come from the room under me.

“From 行方不明になる Linda’s room?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Man’s 発言する／表明する this time, too?”

“I—I thought as one was.”

“Whose man’s 発言する／表明する was it you thought you heard?”

“I don’t know, sir.” Agnes’s 返答 was quick and meek.

“Was it the same man’s 発言する／表明する you thought you heard before?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“Could you distinguish any of the words?”

“No, sir, just a dull sort of a mumble.”

“And the other 発言する／表明する was a woman’s?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And you heard them through your の近くにd door and the 厚い 床に打ち倒す?”

“Yes, sir—they seemed to be quarreling.”

“井戸／弁護士席, what did you do about it?”

Agnes seemed to be taken aback by the 関わりあい／含蓄 that she せねばならない have done something. “Why—I—I just put out the light and got into bed.”

“You weren’t curious or 利益／興味d?”

“No, sir, I thought it was 非，不，無 of my 商売／仕事.”

“井戸／弁護士席, go on. Did the sounds keep up?”

“Yes, sir, but I was that tired I fell asleep.”

“Go on.”

Agnes 強化するd perceptibly; again she looked behind, this time as if imploring help; and, though her lips trembled, she said nothing.

“Go on,” ordered the 検死官 implacably.

“井戸／弁護士席,” Agnes sighed 深く，強烈に, “I couldn’t have been asleep long before I was waked by a sound as if somebody was running upstairs. There seemed to be two of them and they stopped somewheres on the 床に打ち倒す below. Then I heard the 前線 door の近くに and somebody else come running up two flights. Then there was hot words in the hall on the 床に打ち倒す below me and the 発言する／表明する I heard sounded like mistress’s.”

“You mean like the late 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster’s?”

“Yes, sir. She seemed very angry. I lay for a time listening, but I couldn’t make out a word. Then I got to thinking she must be in one of her crazy fits again and perhaps the young ladies might need help.”

“Yes—井戸／弁護士席?” The 検死官 疲れた／うんざりしたd of her long pause.

“At last I got up, went out in the hall just as 静かに as I could, and looked 負かす／撃墜する over the banister.”

“What did you see?”

“Nothing, except the mistress running 支援する downstairs again toward her own room.”

“You saw or heard no one else whatever?”

“No, sir, not a living soul or sound.”

“Then what did you do?”

“I went 支援する to bed again.”

“Why?”

“Because, 静かな-like as I was, the mistress must have heard me. She looked up and caught me peeking 負かす／撃墜する, and the look she gave me was that angry and 猛烈な／残忍な-like that I went about my 商売／仕事.”

“Hem!” The 検死官 seemed to be 納得させるd that she was telling the truth. “What time was this?” he asked after a pause.

“I don’t know, sir. I had been asleep and I didn’t dare turn on my light again after the look the mistress gave me.”

“And there were no sounds nor anything that would give you a clew to the time?”

“No, sir—oh, yes, sir. When I first woke up I thought I heard the old hall clock 負かす／撃墜する here striking the hour, but I don’t know what hour it was.”

“No.” 検死官 Halsperg considered. “First you heard two people running upstairs to the 床に打ち倒す on which the young ladies live, then you heard the 前線 door の近くに, then you heard someone else—one person this time—running up the two flights to the same 床に打ち倒す—is that 権利?”

“Yes, sir, only this last one stopped for a time on the second 床に打ち倒す and then （機の）カム running up the other flight.”

“If this was your mistress then, she may have stopped at either her own room or the library on that 床に打ち倒す?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You couldn’t tell by the sounds at which?”

“No, sir.”

“Very 井戸／弁護士席, then, when you heard her talking loudly on the 床に打ち倒す below, whose 発言する／表明する was it you heard answering her?”

“No one, sir, I told you that.”

“Yes, so you did.” 検死官 Halsperg pretended to 解任する the fact. “But where did her 発言する／表明する sound as if she were standing on the 床に打ち倒す below?”

“In the hall, sir.”

“Yes, yes, but what part of the hall? The 前線 or the 支援する of the hall?”

“I couldn’t tell, sir.”

“Did it sound as if she were 近づく 行方不明になる Beatrice’s or 行方不明になる Linda’s room?”

“I couldn’t tell, sir, my door was の近くにd.”

“Of course not.” 検死官 Halsperg smiled ingratiatingly. “And when you ran out to go to the help of the young ladies you didn’t see either of them. Yes, I 解任する that. But I forget which of their doors you saw open and the light coming through. Which of the young ladies’ doors did you say that was?”

But evidently Agnes was keeping nothing 支援する now and hence was not to be 罠にかける. She looked at the 検死官 with a surprise too natural to have been put on. “I didn’t see any open door or light, sir. The hall below was dark. I didn’t see anyone but her. On my sainted mother, I can’t help you to find who it was she was quarreling with.” And 検死官 Halsperg after a long look at her gave up cross-診察するing her その上の.

一時期／支部 5

I  was 深く，強烈に in love with Beatrice Alster. It was true that I had seen her no more than half a dozen times and always accidentally, when her aunt had called me to the house for 協議, but she was the first girl who had ever caught my 注目する，もくろむ for more than a moment, the first girl who had ever 原因（となる）d me that sudden reaching out of heart and hope that can be given no other 指名する. I was 深く，強烈に in love with her, and the wide difference between our 駅／配置するs in life made me an arrant coward about showing in the slightest way the nature of my feelings. One of my greatest hopes had been that the sudden elevation of my new position would place me on a 地盤 where I should feel 解放する／自由な to begin to show her my feeling, but as yet it had served only to 増加する my 恐れるs. The ominous character of Agnes’s 証言 sent my heart up into my throat. I shivered as Agnes ended and I realized that Beatrice might be the next one to 直面する the 検死官’s cruel, subtle, entangling examination.

My heart jumped painfully and （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 急速な／放蕩な as 検死官 Halsperg after a 劇の pause drew his 議長，司会を務める raspingly a little nearer the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, sat up rigidly and called her 指名する. I felt the ruthlessness of his 決意 to 乱打する 負かす／撃墜する her reserve, to intrude upon any intimacies of thought or feeling that she might instinctively wish to keep from public 見解（をとる）. And it was as if she herself dreaded the very same things. At his call she （機の）カム slowly, reluctantly into the room, her tall straight young 人物／姿／数字 swaying timidly, a strange pallor on her long oval 直面する, a humble, imploring look in her velvety brown 注目する，もくろむs, but her lips 始める，決める 堅固に. I have often thought that our mouths are the only features that we 形態／調整 for ourselves, that we form by our inner feelings and by our disposition toward others. Her mouth—not that I can 述べる it satisfactorily in words—had always had a peculiarly soft and lovely 表現 to it, one that had belied the something like distance her beauty and reserve had 投資するd her with, a gentleness, a kindliness, perhaps, from which I took hope. But that 招待するing fullness of her red lips and the 上向き curve of the corners were gone as she 直面するd the 検死官. Her lips were indrawn, her mouth ran almost like a straight line across her 直面する as if here in 戦う／戦い line she had drawn up all her 決意／決議 to 直面する her inquisitor.

検死官 Halsperg was quick to 観察する this 決意 on her part and to take challenge from it. His small, buried 注目する，もくろむs 狭くするd. He sat on the other 味方する of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する silent, spearing her with a hard look, letting her stand unquestioned as if he knew that there is nothing like waiting for the 問題／発行する to 弱める the 神経 for it. For what seemed like hours they remained 星／主役にするing at each other, at least two of us in that room 苦しむing untold agonies, then I saw the 検死官’s 注目する，もくろむs veer as at a 調印する. I followed them. General Alster had drawn the divan on which he and Linda sat into the 開始 between the two rooms. His 注目する，もくろむs were directed on the 検死官; for one minute they just slipped from him to Beatrice, then 支援する again to the 検死官. That look might have meant anything to others, but 明らかに it meant only one thing to 検死官 Halsperg. He coughed, seemed disconcerted for a moment, then 低迷d 支援する easily in his 議長，司会を務める and the hard look left his 直面する. His “Now, 行方不明になる Alster, if you will kindly tell us everything about last night that we せねばならない know, I shall be 大いに 強いるd to you,” was almost fawning.

Beatrice started, her cheeks 紅潮／摘発するd and for a moment she 星／主役にするd at him uncertainly, but before she began the lovely look snuggled 支援する again about her mouth.

“My aunt—she is really a much more distant relation, but she has always 手配中の，お尋ね者 me to call her that—left us soon after eight o’clock to …に出席する the オペラ with Mr. Swan,” she began in a low 発言する／表明する. “I had been out all the afternoon making calls and was feeling so 疲労，（軍の）雑役d that I went upstairs even before she left, ーするつもりであるing to retire 早期に. I made the mistake of stopping in the library, where I 選ぶd up a 調書をとる／予約する. It wasn’t very 利益／興味ing, but my seat was so comfortable that I ぐずぐず残るd on, skipping over its pages. I heard Mr. Swan arrive and leave for the オペラ with my aunt; I heard first the cook and then Agnes come upstairs; then I put my 調書をとる／予約する aside, played on the piano for a few minutes and went up to my room. I am sorry—I am very sorry, but I 恐れる this is all I can tell you. The terrible thing that happened to my aunt いつか in the night I was not aware of until—” her 発言する／表明する broke and she paused for a moment—“until this morning. And—and others have told you enough about that, 港／避難所’t they?”

検死官 Halsperg nodded. “Would you mind if I asked you a few necessary questions?” he asked after a pause.

“No.” But her わずかな／ほっそりした young 人物／姿／数字 強化するd ever so little.

“You were the lady in the library playing the piano when the maid went up to her room?”

“Yes.”

“You were alone?”

“Yes.”

“You heard her 証言する that she thought she heard a man’s 発言する／表明する in that room as she started up the stairs?”

“Yes.”

“You 願望（する） to 否定する that 証言?”

“Yes.”

“Can you account in any way for that idea, notion, belief or whatever you want to call it on her part?”

“No, unless—”

“Unless what? We should be very glad to have the 援助（する） of any explanation.”

“Unless—unless she 絶対 imagined it.” 検死官 Halsperg seemed grieved. He waited a few moments, alternately looking at her and then at his 公式文書，認めるs which he 転換d uneasily about before him on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. At last he 押し進めるd on.

“行方不明になる Alster’s other niece, 行方不明になる Linda, she was not in the library with you at that time?”

“No.”

“Can you tell us where she was?”

“She went upstairs before I did, 直接／まっすぐに to her room.”

“Alone?”

“Yes.”

The 検死官 解除するd his eyebrows and paused another moment, but again went on, imperturbable, good-natured. “You say you heard the cook and the maid go upstairs to their rooms—did you hear the butler, Keith?”

“No.”

“Or come 負かす／撃墜する?”

“No.”

“You heard or saw nothing of him that night?”

“Not—” Beatrice hesitated, her 注目する，もくろむs for the first time dropped before those of her inquisitor—“not after leaving the dining-room,” she finished 堅固に.

“Why—” but the 検死官 差し控えるd from asking her why she hesitated as he had in the 事例／患者 of Agnes. Instead he shuffled his papers a moment, the while he made up his mind as to his next question. “Can you tell us at what time or about what time you went upstairs from the library to your own room?,,

“At about nine o’clock, I think.”

“You went upstairs alone?”

“Yes.”

“There was no one else on the stairs with you at that time?”

“No.”

The 検死官 looked baffled. “You heard the maid say she heard two people going up those stairs at that time?”

“Yes.”

“But you say you were alone?”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell us of any other movements or sounds that would have led her to believe there were two?”

“I cannot.”

検死官 Halsperg shook his 長，率いる; his 注目する，もくろむs roved to General Alster’s; he sighed before he continued: “You yourself heard no man’s 発言する／表明する on your 床に打ち倒す, on the 床に打ち倒す above, or in any part of this house after your aunt had 出発／死d with Mr. Swan?”

“No.”

“Was the maid wrong also about your aunt coming up to your 床に打ち倒す after she arrived home and talking to someone unknown in the hall?”

“No. She was 権利 about that.”

“Ah!” 検死官 Halsperg breathed a sigh of 救済 and straightened up. “With whom was she talking?”

“With me.”

“With you!” The 検死官’s astonishment 発言する／表明するd that of everyone else in the room. “You and your aunt were alone in the hall together?” he asked as soon as he 回復するd.

“Yes.”

“You talked together for some time?”

“No, only for a few minutes.”

“Your aunt’s 発言する／表明する was raised?”

“Y-es.” Beatrice’s 発言する／表明する trembled a little, but the 会社／堅い look began to 再現する about her mouth as if she realized where his questions were 主要な.

“It was raised 十分に to make others believe that you might be quarreling?”

“Yes.” Beatrice dropped her 注目する，もくろむs again.

“Can you tell us, please, what the quarrel was about?”

“No.” Beatrice’s lips were a thin, 会社／堅い line again and she looked the 検死官 straight in the 注目する，もくろむ.

“Why not?” The question （機の）カム from the 検死官’s lips quick as a 発射; habit had got the better of him.

Beatrice quivered at its sharpness, she quailed a moment before the sternness of his look, then her 手渡す went to her heart and her 発言する／表明する broke. “Because—because it has nothing to do with this 調査—because it was over something personal and intimate between me and my aunt—because no one on this earth has a 権利 to ask me that question—because—”

I was too late. She swayed on her feet. I rose, but before I could get to her, General Alster was at her 味方する, had taken one of her 武器 in his and was 安定したing her with the other.

For a moment naught was heard except the words of 慰安 存在 whispered into her ear by the white-haired, agitated 軍の man at her 味方する. Everyone else 星／主役にするd and gaped at them appalled. Then General Alster looked toward the 検死官.

“Will it be necessary to ask this young woman any more questions?” he 需要・要求するd 厳しく.

検死官 Halsperg winced. “No, not unless the 陪審／陪審員団 feel the need of asking her some,” he replied, looking at them and shrugging his shoulders.

All 注目する，もくろむs turned toward the 陪審／陪審員団. Their 注目する，もくろむs were on Beatrice and I thought I saw sympathy for her in all of them. They seemed to be ashamed to be caught manifesting such feeling. They stirred uncomfortably; they began to 軽く押す／注意を引く each other; then one after another they silently shook their 長，率いるs. General Alster led Beatrice into the next room and I breathed a sigh of 救済 so 深い that I wondered why it did not draw attention to me. I looked nervously about. I was relieved to find that nobody noticed it.

General Alster returned to his seat beside Linda within a few minutes. Alarmed that he should have left Beatrice alone, I rose from my seat and moved over to the door between the rooms to 申し込む／申し出 her my company. In the 歓迎会 room in 前線 she sat in one of the 広大な／多数の／重要な 議長，司会を務めるs, her 注目する，もくろむs tearless, 星／主役にするing hard at the 床に打ち倒す, but 明らかに not 願望（する）ing the companionship even of the man bending toward her. I waited until I made out who it was. It was Trask. He was evidently 試みる／企てるing to console her. I thought better of him as I returned to my seat.

It may have been my prejudice against her because she had not flown to the 援助（する） of Beatrice; it may have been because, after 悲劇の moments, our natures 軍隊 a light, trivial or comic 面 on the next ones, I don’t know which, but to this day I 解任する the 外見 of Linda on the stand as something trifling, careless, almost contemptuous. With her short, 井戸／弁護士席-一連の会議、交渉／完成するd 人物／姿／数字, her blue 注目する，もくろむs and flaxen hair, she was of the type that most men find captivating, but never I. She was a born coquette if I ever saw one, and she made use of all her arts to escape the ordeal through which Beatrice had just been. Perhaps 検死官 Halsperg fell before them, as it was obvious that all the others in the room did, except me; perhaps, after the experience he had just had, 検死官 Halsperg was loath to 直面する just such another one; at any 率, he 許すd Linda to tell her own story and he asked her but few questions.

Linda 明言する／公表するd that she went to her room すぐに after dinner and did not leave it until the next morning. She had been reading one of the romantic best 販売人s just 安全な・保証するd from the Fiction Library, and she 宣言するd that she had heard 非，不，無 of the sounds について言及するd by the others. Not until the 検死官 questioned her definitely on that point, did she 収容する／認める that she was conscious even of her aunt’s visit to their 床に打ち倒す after her return from the オペラ, and her （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） upon this was slight. She had noticed that her aunt had come upstairs and was evidently having words with someone, but 明らかに her novel had 利益／興味d her much more than the excitement just outside her door. She had not even risen to open it. From her account, she had not left her room after she had once gone up to it until the next morning.

“And you saw nothing of Keith, the butler, that night?” 問い合わせd the 検死官 with a smile.

“I saw nothing of Keith after I left the dining-room,” she replied 敏速に.

“Nor heard anything of him?”

“I suppose it was perfectly dreadful of me to be so 利益／興味d in a novel,” she answered with a coquettish little flick of her 長，率いる to one 味方する, “but really and truly I didn’t hear anyone, not the tiniest sound after I once shut myself up in my room.”

“Not the sound of any man’s 発言する／表明する?” asked the 検死官 with a lightness 刺激するd by hers.

“I am sure I should have heard one if there had been one,” she returned with a ちらりと見ること.

The 検死官 let her off smilingly, without その上の questions. But the light look left his 直面する as he returned to his papers. He frowned; he 捨てるd 支援する his 議長，司会を務める noisily upon the 床に打ち倒す and 協議するd his watch.

“Sergeant,” he exclaimed, “you’ll be walking the pavements again if that locksmith isn’t here within five minutes. He’s the only 証言，証人／目撃する remaining to be 診察するd, and I told you to have him here by three o’clock. Five minutes, or a call to （警察，軍隊などの）本部 for you!” He 発表するd 積極性.

The sergeant sprang to his feet. “It isn’t my fault, 検死官,” he 宣言するd surlily, but he hurried out of the room.

He must have 遭遇（する）d his subordinate with the locksmith at the door, for it seemed barely a moment before the locksmith was brought into the room with a policeman on either 味方する of him.

The locksmith was a short, frail little man with glittering shoe-button 注目する，もくろむs. He had 厚い, matted 黒人／ボイコット hair and a scraggly dark 耐えるd; he had evidently been drinking, for he was heedless of the 延期する he had occasioned.

“Here, you—you nearly cost me a call to （警察，軍隊などの）本部 by を越えて滞在するing your leave. Now suppose you 始める，決める me 権利 with the 検死官,” whispered the sergeant, giving him a furtive 押す.

But the locksmith took no 罪／違反 at his rough 治療; he 単に grinned placidly into the angry 注目する，もくろむs of the 検死官 and raised his 手渡す with a movement that was ーするつもりであるd to be impressive, but which because of his diminutive 面 was essentially ludicrous.

“井戸／弁護士席, what have you got to say for yourself?” snapped 検死官 Halsperg.

“It’s a boy, 検死官.” Again that impressive, ludicrous gesture.

“What!”

The locksmith straightened himself up to all his five feet one; he met the 検死官’s baleful gaze with a little いっそう少なく 保証／確信, yet enough. “I—I say it’s a boy,” he repeated; and then, as the 検死官 still 星／主役にするd at him, “my wife—I couldn’t leave her at the hospital any sooner. It isn’t their fault; it isn’t 地雷; and anyway, it’s a boy!”

The 検死官 had to 非難する on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する to 鎮圧する the titters that went around the room. He managed to keep his own 直面する 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な, but there was a twinkle in his 注目する，もくろむs as he glared at the proud little father.

“井戸／弁護士席, if it had been a girl, I don’t know what we’d have done to you,” he growled, and had to silence more amusement in the 陪審／陪審員団. “Hurry up, now, and tell us your story,” he directed, as soon as he had 回復するd order. He evidently 推定する／予想するd no 証拠 of その上の importance, for he began to gather up his papers.

But the little locksmith, instead of beginning to tell what had happened when he （機の）カム to the house that morning, became busy searching through his pockets, and his manner was troubled.

“I know I oughter’ve told some of you about this,” he mumbled, “but I was so excited. I hope you won’t 持つ／拘留する it up against me.” With a wrench he finally extricated what he was searching for from one of his pockets and 押し進めるd it timidly across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する toward the 検死官.

It was a 重要な.

“What’s this?” 需要・要求するd the 検死官.

“It’s the 重要な, the 重要な to the room where the 団体／死体 was 設立する,” replied the locksmith shrinkingly. “I know I oughter’ve given it up or spoken about it before leaving, but I was so excited—I hope you won’t be too hard on me for it, 検死官.”

検死官 Halsperg reached half way across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する toward the 重要な, then suddenly he 許すd it to 嘘（をつく） where it was and straightened up. “But—but I thought you had to 選ぶ the lock to get into that room,” he 嵐／襲撃するd.

“I did—I did!”

“Then where in the devil did you get this 重要な?” The little locksmith seemed to realize for the first time that his part in these 訴訟／進行s was of even more 劇の consequence than he had 恐れるd. His 直面する became sober; he bent across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する toward the 検死官. “There wasn’t any 重要な in the lock of that door when I 選ぶd it,” he 宣言するd in a 発言する／表明する so excited that it squeaked. “There wasn’t any 重要な on the 床に打ち倒す inside or out. I know that because I looked. But after we had put the four women out, I happened to look and there was the 重要な 支援する in the inside of the lock. In the one or two minutes between finding the 団体／死体 and putting the women out of the room, someone slipped this 重要な 支援する into the lock.”

Alice, the colored cook, Agnes, the housemaid, Beatrice and Linda, each one was 解任するd to the stand, but not one of them 自白するd either to having seen the 重要な or to having noticed anyone putting it 支援する where it should have been if 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster had locked the door of her own room after retiring to it for the night.

一時期／支部 6

The 検死官 ordered the doors between the two rooms の近くにd in order that the 陪審／陪審員団 might go into (n)役員／(a)執行力のある 開会／開廷／会期 in the dining-room. General Alster すぐに joined Beatrice, and before the other 証言，証人／目撃するs entered he was 護衛するing her from the 歓迎会 room. At a 調印する from him, I followed with Linda.

Linda seemed not in the least 影響する／感情d by her aunt’s death and the ordeal of the 予選 調査 that we had just passed through. Her natural coquetry of look, manner, and words was as evident as ever; it appeared in the ちらりと見ること she gave me as I started across the room toward her, in the manner in which she leaned upon my arm as I led her away, and in her first words.

“Do you think it will be necessary for me to wear 嘆く／悼むing?” she asked me, carefully lowering her 発言する／表明する so that no one else should hear.

“I think it would be better—for a time at least,” I replied, covering as best I could my irritation that she should ask so light a question at so 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な a time.

“I won’t mind, if I find I look 井戸／弁護士席 in it,” she 発表するd with a slight 圧力 upon my arm and a look meant to be 挑発的な.

We had reached the foot of the stairs. Above we could hear General Alster and Beatrice already 上がるing the second flight. They were not 説 a word to each other.

I stood aside for Linda to lead the way. The stairway was wide enough for us to walk up 味方する by 味方する, but I thought to follow behind her and thus 避ける その上の 信用／信任s. Until to-day Linda’s trifling manner and words had but amused me; after 証言，証人／目撃するing her 最近の 治療 of Beatrice I 設立する her coquetries embarrassing. She 前進するd up the steps so slowly that I, に引き続いて, 設立する myself frequently on the next step below. Thus, half way up that flight, when she suddenly stopped and turned, our 長，率いるs were on a level.

“General Alster is an old dear, isn’t he?” she 需要・要求するd, the pupils of her blue 注目する，もくろむs making a 出撃 on me from their corners. “He has 招待するd me to go home with him to-night.”

The 強調 on the “me” was 重要な, but I held 支援する for a time the question on the tip of my tongue and asked instead, “Are you going?”

“Yes.”

“Is 行方不明になる Beatrice going, too?” I asked now.

“No.” After a look she moved on up the stairs. She must have discerned my 失望, for a few steps higher, without stopping, she flashed 支援する another arch look at me and 発射, “You like Bee a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 more than you do me, don’t you?” Then she ran on.

Without 増加するing my pace I was upon her again as we started up the next flight, but my mind had sunk to heavier things than her light talk and manner, astounding as these seemed in this house on that day.

“You take it as 本気で as though you were one of the 相続人s. You might at least appear to be listening to my questions!” she exclaimed as we reached the next 床に打ち倒す.

I looked at her with blank surprise. Had she really been asking me その上の questions as we went up that last flight? She opened the door of her own room, 受託するd my murmured 陳謝s with a 投げ上げる／ボディチェックする of her 長，率いる, and entered her room, leaving the door open.

I stood in the hall outside looking perplexedly after her. Had she told me the truth? Had General Alster misinterpreted Beatrice’s 証言? Had he 招待するd Linda alone to …を伴って him to his home? It seemed incredible that he could have put such an affront upon Beatrice. Was it possible that he 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd her of 存在 in any way whatever 責任がある her aunt’s death? He must, or—

The 開始 and の近くにing of the door of Beatrice’s room interrupted my thoughts, but I regarded General Alster with やめる different feelings from those I had held for him before. He （機の）カム along the hall, evidently やめる unconscious of the change in my 態度.

“I think it would be 井戸／弁護士席 if we chose this time for a 会議／協議会,” he 発表するd. “Will you come 負かす／撃墜する into the library with me?”

I noticed with a その上の sense of 乱暴／暴力を加える that he carefully の近くにd the door behind us. “There are several things that we must settle before I leave,” he 明言する／公表するd, 動議ing me to a seat but remaining standing himself. “I don’t know how long you have known my late cousin, nor how familiar you are with her 願望（する）s, but I have talked with the children and they have left a 疑問 in my mind as to my cousin’s wishes. 行方不明になる Beatrice says that my cousin always had a horror of 存在 buried alive and even of 存在 buried in the ground, that again and again she has heard her 表明する a wish that her 団体／死体 might be 火葬するd; but 行方不明になる Linda 断言するs with a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of 強調 that she never heard her aunt 表明する any such wish, and that she is very 確信して that her aunt preferred to be buried in the old way. Can you throw any light on this question?”

“I think that 行方不明になる Alster would have 手配中の，お尋ね者 to be buried in the modern, 科学の manner,” I 宣言するd.

General Alster nodded. “So do I,” he agreed. “And since we are together on that point I think I shall take it upon myself to stop at the undertaker’s on my way home and 教える him to 除去する the 団体／死体 at once.”

“He can’t 除去する the 団体／死体 until the 検死官 has 問題／発行するd a burial 許す,” I blurted.

“There will be no trouble about that. And that 団体／死体 must not remain in this house to-night,” 答える／応じるd General Alster 静かに but 堅固に.

“Why not?”

“Because 行方不明になる Beatrice ーするつもりであるs to remain here,” he 明言する／公表するd, again 直す／買収する，八百長をするing his 注目する，もくろむs upon me.

I felt my 直面する 紅潮／摘発するing under his 査察, but I nodded.

“Now, another thing.” To my 広大な／多数の／重要な 救済 he withdrew his 注目する，もくろむs. “Even with the 団体／死体 gone, I do not feel 平易な about leaving her here alone, with 非，不，無 except the servants about.”

“No, I shouldn’t think you would.”

“There should be a man here,” he went on, overlooking my fling at him, “in 事例／患者—井戸／弁護士席 in 事例／患者 of anything. And the 事柄 to be settled now is whether you can be that man.”

Stay here! Stay 夜通し in this house where—In spite of myself I shuddered. Between my shoulder blades I felt the touch of ice; it melted and 冷淡な water ran 負かす／撃墜する my spine. My silence brought General Alster’s 注目する，もくろむs 支援する upon me again. Something in his look 軍隊d my courage. “Y-es, I’ll stay,” I managed to say.

He was still looking at me and seemed on the point of asking me for an explanation. Before he could do so, my former 憤慨 swept 支援する upon me.

“General Alster,” I exclaimed, “you are doing one young woman a 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な 不正 by the 疑惑s you are indulging against her.”

“One young woman! Which one?” he 需要・要求するd.

“行方不明になる Beatrice.”

“I wondered what had 原因（となる）d this change in you!” General Alster 星／主役にするd at me for a long time before going on coldly, “Young man, do you know that you yourself are the first one to cast any 疑惑 on her? Do you realize that this is 正確に what you have done by 説 what you just have?”

“You 招待するd 行方不明になる Linda to your home and left 行方不明になる Beatrice here—I’d like to know what that shows,” I retorted hotly.

He smiled. “Only because 行方不明になる Beatrice 拒絶する／低下するd the same 招待 and preferred to remain here.”

“What!”

“Who 工場／植物d that scandalous notion in your silly young 長，率いる?”

But a knock at the door saved me from the need of answering and also gave me time to 回復する from my 混乱.

It was the 検死官. He 前進するd and placed a paper in General Alster’s 手渡す. “There’s the burial 許す, General,” he 明言する／公表するd. He turned and crossed 支援する to the door. “I hope we have been as expeditious as you 推定する／予想するd us to be,” he said.

“Assuredly. But—but what about the 判決?”

“That, I am sorry to say, may not be やめる as you would have it, but it was the best I could do with the 陪審／陪審員団.”

“What was it?”

検死官 Halsperg read from a paper that he held in his 手渡す: “We find that the 死んだ died from the 影響 of a 弾丸 負傷させる, the 武器 from which the 弾丸 was 解雇する／砲火／射撃d 存在 at the time in the 手渡すs of herself or of a person unknown to us.”

General Alster started. “That could be taken either way. I’ve had a feeling from the first that my cousin committed 自殺,” he remonstrated.

検死官 Halsperg made a gesture. “You heard only part of the 証言 unless I am mistaken.”

“You consider this a fair 判決 in the light of all the 証拠?”

“Eminently fair. It was a 譲歩 that the 陪審／陪審員団 許すd the 可能性 of 自殺.”

General Alster 押し進めるd 支援する a white lock from his brow and sighed. “Knowing her as I did—” he mused. He stopped. “This means a lot of scareheads and notoriety in the newspapers, doesn’t it, 検死官?” he 反対するd.

“Yes. I don’t see how that can be 避けるd.”

“It can’t be stopped? You can’t think of any way to stop it?”

“No, the more you try to stop it the worse it will be.”

“And it will bring 負かす／撃墜する on us the police, 探偵，刑事s, the 検察官 and all that, I suppose.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.” 検死官 Halsperg unquestionably was.

“Lord, I wish I knew of some way to escape it for the sake of the girls!” General Alster strode away toward the 前線 of the room. It was the first time he had shown any agitation. “Can’t you—can’t you tell me of some way?” he 需要・要求するd querulously.

“I’m afraid you wouldn’t follow my advice.”

“How do you know? What is it? Out with it, man!”

“井戸／弁護士席—” 検死官 Halsperg hesitated, “if you make any その上の mystery of it, if you show no 意向 of 調査／捜査するing the 怪しげな things thrown up by the 検死, every newspaper in this city will put its best reporters on, and it will be a 前線 page story for a number of days, perhaps for a week, at least for so long as the imaginations of these 技術d reporters can keep busy on it.”

“But no 部外者s, no reporters were 現在の.”

“No, but the 陪審／陪審員団 was, and it heard everything, and God has never made a 陪審／陪審員団 yet that the reporters couldn’t find a way to get at and get the news from.”

General Alster sighed. “Yes, yes, I suppose that’s so. But you said something about some advice.”

“Shall I give it to you?”

“Yes.”

“井戸／弁護士席, open the door and let the reporters in. Let them prowl about this house just as much as they please. 削減（する） out this 空気／公表する of mystery which is bait for them. If you don’t care to 会合，会う their questions yourself, 明言する／公表する that you have put 探偵，刑事s on it yourself, and, in order not to 干渉する with their 徹底的な 調査, you have yourself agreed to say nothing for 出版（物）. Do that and in one day this will 減少（する） from a first page story with scareheads to a paragraph or two on an inside page.”

“You mean?”

“I mean that if you don’t 扱う this 事柄 慣例的に and put your own 探偵，刑事s on it, the newspapers will scent something hidden and put their sleuths on it. And that—井戸／弁護士席, I don’t need to tell you what that means, do I?”

“No.” General Alster nodded somberly. “You’re 権利. I’ll do as you 示唆する. Thank you. Goodbye.” He shook the 出発／死ing 検死官’s 手渡す.

“井戸／弁護士席, I suppose we’ve got to do it,” General Alster lamented, stopping before me on his way 支援する from the door.

“It seems the wisest thing,” I agreed with even more 不本意.

“I wonder, I wonder—” he looked at me.

“You wonder what, sir?”

“I wonder if that man Trask is in the house still. If we must have a 探偵，刑事, why not 安全な・保証する one at once and turn over to him all the 商売／仕事 of 扱うing reporters and so 前へ／外へ?”

I nodded.

“Do you mind going downstairs, seeing if he is still there, and asking him to step up here for a few minutes?”

I was already at the door and about to leave the room when a sudden exclamation from General Alster 原因（となる）d me あわてて to turn about. He was 星／主役にするing toward the dimly lighted alcove to the library and was palpably astounded at what he saw. I followed his look. In this 休会 to the left of the piano was a 抱擁する high-支援するd 議長，司会を務める from which a man who must have been 現在の throughout our entire interview had just risen and was regarding me calmly. The man was Trask.

“I 借りがある you my 陳謝s for—for 存在 discovered,” he said easily. “I happened to be in here making a little 調査 of my own and I was so 深く，強烈に 利益／興味d in something I 設立する that you had shut me in with you before I noticed. After that—井戸／弁護士席, I 自白する what you had to say to each other 利益／興味d me enough for me to keep 静かな.”

“You don’t seem the least embarrassed at 存在 設立する eavesdropping.” General Alster looked at him with astonishment.

“No, I’m a 探偵，刑事,” 答える／応じるd Trask calmly.

“Ah! You feel that excuses you?”

“Certainly. It’s as much my 商売／仕事 to learn every 選び出す／独身 thing that may be useful to me in solving a 事例／患者 as it is your 商売／仕事 to 問い合わせ into the 言及／関連s and gossip regarding anybody who wishes to 賃貸し（する） one of your buildings. I might 召集（する） up a little 誤った shame, if you 需要・要求する it of me, but it will be all pretense, believe me.”

There was no answer to this simple but 正確な 声明. General Alster smiled in spite of himself.

“Also,” Trask 前進するd toward him, “having been an 利益／興味d auditor of all that has been said, we all of us are saved much time. I 推定する you have made up your mind to follow the 検死官’s advice?”

“Yes, if you agree with it.”

Trask nodded. “I do, and I know just what you wish and how best to do it.” Trask moved toward the door as if he ーするつもりであるd to 行為／法令／行動する on it at once.

“You need no その上の 指示／教授／教育s? There is nothing else you wish to 協議する us about?” General Alster regarded him with satisfaction.

“Not a thing. I’ve overheard what you had to say, and caught your wishes a hundred times better than if you had 努力するd to tell them to me. I was about to go 負かす／撃墜する and …に出席する to the reporters. On second thought, I guess it would be better if I put off that 義務 until you and 行方不明になる Linda go. As you leave the house the reporters will 迎撃する you. All you need say is that you have given orders to open the house to them and left me to answer their questions. I stand 井戸／弁護士席 with them. That will be enough to save you a lot of trouble, both here and at your own house after you get there.”

“That’s true!” General Alster nodded his assent vigorously. “And I’ll take advantage of your presence by getting away home with 行方不明になる Linda at once.” He turned toward the door, but stopped. “But there’s one thing about you やめる as amazing as all the 残り／休憩（する）, Mr. Trask, and, 井戸／弁護士席, a trifle いっそう少なく 事務的な perhaps than your other 活動／戦闘s. You 港／避難所’t yet even asked for my 当局 to start in on this 事例／患者.”

“No.” Trask smiled. “But only because I had already received orders the first thing this morning.

“Oh, I beg your 容赦.” After a short look of surprise at me General Alster left the room.

Not until General Alster and Linda had gone and Trask had …に出席するd to the reporters, did I have an 適切な時期 to ask him the questions this talk had roused in my mind. I was still waiting in the library when the door opened 静かに and Trask entered. He said not a word, but returned to the alcove where he had been discovered and seemed intently engaged on 手渡すs and 膝s in going over every インチ of the 床に打ち倒す in that 周辺.

I went over and joined him. “You said you 設立する something here that 利益／興味d you?” I 投機・賭けるd.

“Yes, I 設立する something that 事実上 証明するs that there was another person in this room last night beside 行方不明になる Beatrice, as the maid, Agnes, 証言するd,” he replied.

My jaw dropped. “Do you mind showing me just what it was?” I asked him.

“No.” Trask rose to his feet. “Here is presumptive 証拠 enough for me.” He drew from his pocket a much 倍のd surface-car 移転 and 手渡すd it to me.

I 広げるd and 診察するd it. “I don’t see how this 証明するs what you say,” I 抗議するd.

“Look at the date: yesterday. Look at the time punched: 10 P. M. Now—”

“正確に! Ten P. M.,” I interrupted, “and that very fact disproves that anyone could have left this here between eight and nine last night before 行方不明になる Alster returned home.”

“No,” Trask 訂正するd me calmly. “You forget. The time 限界 punched on a 移転 is two hours later than when it is given out, so that there may be plenty of time to use it on other lines before it 満了する／死ぬs. Now this 移転, you will notice, was given to someone riding south on the Madison Avenue line which runs by the end of this street. Neither of the coupons has been detached. その結果 it must have been given to someone coming in this direction from その上の uptown and dropped by him later in this room. By whom? By some stranger probably, whose 発言する／表明する Agnes heard in this room about 8:30 as she went upstairs. By the way, do you notice anything else about it?”

I 熟考する／考慮するd it for a time blankly before shaking my 長，率いる.

“井戸／弁護士席, it has been 倍のd this way and that way as if the man given it had no その上の use for it, also as if he were exceedingly nervous over the 結果 of his visit here. And he doubtless was so surprised by the 予期しない return of 行方不明になる Alster that he dropped it on the 床に打ち倒す where I 設立する it.”

“You’re too sure that this was left here last night,” I 反対するd, 狼狽d at the way his 追跡（する） was tending. “Why couldn’t I have dropped it here to-day?”

“You?” He did not bother even to look at me, “Why you 証言するd that between eight and nine last night you were going to and from the オペラ in taxis. You didn’t perjure yourself, did you?”

I had nothing to say. His memory evidently was a fishhook for 詳細（に述べる）s. It was several minutes before I made up my mind to ask him my other question. “You told General Alster you had orders to start on this 事例／患者 this morning,” I said. “General Alster looked at me as if he thought I ordered you to, but I didn’t. Do you mind telling me from whom you got your orders?”

Without 除去するing his 注目する，もくろむs from the carpet over which they were traveling, Trask drew a sheet of 公式文書，認める-paper from his pocket; without looking at this, he 手渡すd it to me. I opened it and read:

Will you 強いる me by 報告（する）／憶測ing at my house the first thing in the morning in person 用意が出来ている to 請け負う the 調査 you will find ready for you? It is of the 最大の importance. I 信用 you will not fail me, but come yourself.

Even before I （機の）カム to the 署名 I knew who had 用意が出来ている that 公式文書，認める. 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster had written it, and the date showed that she had done so on the previous day, on the very day on which she had met her death. The first shock with which I had read it 沈下するd and was 後継するd by a feeling of 救済. She had 予測（する）d her own death. She had （判決などを）下すd plausible now but one theory, that she had taken her own life. And Beatrice—no その上の 疑惑 could attach to her.

一時期／支部 7

I  carefully 倍のd that important 公式文書，認める and held it out to Trask. Though his 支援する was still toward me, he seemed 即時に aware of my 活動／戦闘. Still without looking at me his 手渡す （機の）カム straight to it, received it, and deposited it in his pocket.

“I veritably believe you have 注目する，もくろむs in the 支援する of your 長，率いる,” I （刑事）被告 him.

He chuckled. “Ears are so much more serviceable than 注目する，もくろむs,” he 答える／応じるd.

“You are the only one I ever heard say that. Why?”

“They can 観察する almost as much as any pair of 注目する，もくろむs, however keen, and they have the 広大な／多数の／重要な advantage of not betraying what one feels or thinks about things.”

“Yes, now that you について言及する it,” I agreed, “注目する，もくろむs do give away thoughts and feelings a lot, don’t they?”

“That’s the general belief,” he chuckled. “But evidently you 港／避難所’t heard the most modern 科学の theory about that. Modern science says that the pupil of the 注目する，もくろむ and the 注目する，もくろむ itself 表明する little or no feeling or 知能, that all this really comes from the involuntary 活動／戦闘 of the many little muscles of the 直面する.” He turned suddenly and looked at me. “For instance, at this moment your 注目する，もくろむs are opened a trifle wider than usual, your lips have parted, your eyebrows have gone up. All these are muscular changes of the 直面する and yet anyone would say your 注目する，もくろむs were showing surprise, though these have changed little if any at all. How much there is behind this theory I have never bothered to make sure, but, long before I heard it, I practiced keeping my 支援する to every one and my 直面する to myself. The 支援する and profile give one away やめる enough, but the 十分な 直面する and 注目する，もくろむs and mouth—井戸／弁護士席, in my profession, it is wise to afford others just as few clews to your thoughts and feelings as possible.”

He had turned away after reading my 直面する in a 選び出す／独身 quick ちらりと見ること. “Does your turning away mean that you 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う even me?” I 需要・要求するd jocularly.

“I 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う everyone until he is 証明するd guiltless,” he replied 敏速に. “There’s a precious lot of theoretic tommyrot about the presumption of innocence, and how little the police and the men of my profession live up to it. But if you’ll really consider that question a moment, you’ll realize that the speediest way of solving a 罪，犯罪 is to 見解（をとる） the likeliest ones as 有罪の until each is （疑いを）晴らすd. Suppose you consider everyone innocent, where are you to make your start? No, believe everyone possible 有罪の and then 始める，決める to work to 設立する each one’s 犯罪 or innocence—that’s the only practical method of solving a 罪，犯罪, and that is 正確に why that practice is in vogue. I’ve taken all this bother to 現在の these opinions to you because I realize that sooner or later we are likely to 口論する人 over this very question.”

I guessed what he was tending toward. He had overheard, he had learned how 深く，強烈に 利益／興味d I was in Beatrice, and was 警告 me not to 干渉する with his 調査 in that direction.

“But—but don’t you see that 行方不明になる Alster’s letter to you 証明するs 絶対 that she committed 自殺 and makes anything more than a perfunctory 調査 on your part unnecessary?” I 需要・要求するd.

He shook his 長，率いる. “No,” he 明言する／公表するd 堅固に, “why should she send for me, if she ーするつもりであるd to commit 自殺? Unanswerable, isn’t it? I 予報する that we shall find that 行方不明になる Alster sent for me to 暴露する something about Keith, the butler, who has taken to his heels. Yes, either Keith or—but that is sheer conjecture as yet. However, as regards the question of 自殺, I 診察するd the 負傷させる carefully. The character of the 砕く 示すs showed conclusively that the ピストル must have been held at least three feet away from her 長，率いる. And I don’t think I need to 論証する to you that she could not かもしれない 持つ／拘留する that ピストル three feet away from her and 宿泊する a 発射 in the 支援する of her neck. No, the idea of 自殺, as the doctor 示すd, is out of the question. 行方不明になる Alster was 殺人d. That’s the point we start from. Not by any 夜盗，押し込み強盗, because nothing is 行方不明の. Whether by some member of this 世帯 or someone outside cannot yet be 決定するd. The 前線 door had in service only a spring lock, the lower lock on it was never used, anyone could leave this house at any time. The first thing to learn is whether one or two men were in this house last night, whom they （機の）カム to see, how long they were here, when they left. This 移転 is 証拠 enough for me that one man was in this room last night as the maid 証言するd. I begin there.”

The 決定／判定勝ち（する） with which he 発表するd this 示すd that he 推定する／予想するd trouble from me and wished first to get it over with; it seemed to me also time to discountenance the absurd 追跡 of Beatrice he plainly ーするつもりであるd to 請け負う.

“I don’t mind your 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うing me and all others,” I 抗議するd, “but when it comes to your 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うing 行方不明になる Beatrice of having had anything whatever to do with this awful 事件／事情／状勢, I can’t 許す it. I’d be the lowest 肉親，親類d of cur to stand here and 許す it. I’d never 許す myself. I’d—”

“That’s 権利, man, out with it,” he interrupted. “I like you all the better for 宣言するing yourself hotly, but—”

It wasn’t his 賞賛する; it was something in the quick, 保証するd look he flashed that silenced me in the very heat of my indignation. “But?” I reminded him.

“But you 港／避難所’t the remotest 恐れる that I shall connect her in any way with this, have you?” he 需要・要求するd.

“How silly!” I laughed.

“Then leave it to me to dig up the facts that will take away the 怪しげな 空気／公表する of mystery about her 態度, and make everyone believe as you do,” he said quickly and left the room before I could think of an answer 価値（がある） the 説.

I felt the 知恵 of this—in time. The sooner we learned the 推論する／理由 for Beatrice’s 不本意 to say anything about the quarrel with her aunt, the sooner everything would be explained. She would appear （疑いを）晴らすd of every 疑惑, the splendid, unselfish, 深く，強烈に affectionate girl I knew her to be. I felt a strong impulse to run upstairs to her, to beg her to confide in me what she held 支援する from the others in order that the 調査 in this direction might be the sooner over, but, after long 交渉，会談ing with myself, I gave up that idea. She had been through too much to-day. I could do that later after she had had a night’s 残り／休憩（する）, if Trask failed to unravel the mystery 合間.

にもかかわらず, left to myself, I gravitated 自然に toward her, going up to her room and knocking on the door にもかかわらず my 恐れる that my visit might be an 侵入占拠. I entered at her bidding to find her sitting up on the couch, and it needed but a ちらりと見ること at her misty 注目する，もくろむs and 宙返り／暴落するd hair to realize that she had been lying 負かす／撃墜する crying.

My heart went out to her. Oh, how I wished I had known her long enough to 申し込む／申し出 her that sympathy and 慰安 which an older friend might have given! In grief such as this a man realizes poignantly the best uses for a pair of 武器 and a shoulder, yet is 抑制するd from doing what nature 誘発するs him to do by a 臆病な／卑劣な 恐れる of how it may be taken. I could only stand there 星／主役にするing at her stupidly, muttering lame words of 悲しみ, and winding up by 問い合わせing if she would not prefer to be left alone.

She made a quick pass to her 直面する with her handkerchief and 主張するd that I should stay. “No, it will do me so much good to talk it over. I’m not the 肉親，親類d of girl, I think, that finds なぐさみ in having a good cry.”

More stupid words from me.

“It seems incredible,” she went on, “but I （機の）カム in here thinking only of poor auntie—and what she had been through—and—and I’m ashamed of myself, but in a few minutes I was crying and pitying myself and thinking only of myself. Isn’t it barbarous that I could be so selfish at such a time as this?”

I cannot 解任する what I said. I remember only how lovely she looked, all drooping and meek, with that soft 紅潮／摘発する of color on her cheeks, and her dear brown 注目する，もくろむs gleaming indignantly through a もや.

She rose and walked away toward the 前線 of the room and my 注目する，もくろむs went with her. No one I have ever seen walks やめる as Beatrice does. It is the difference between a schoolgirl’s titter and the smile—graceful, gently coming and going—on the 直面する of a woman whose heart is touched. My 賞賛 broke through my sympathy for her. I felt ashamed. I felt as she felt.

“You know—” her 発言する／表明する trembled with the 重荷（を負わせる） on it and she looked not at me, but away, “you know auntie thought that no one understood her, that—that no one really loved her, but I did—” she was silent for a long time—“I did, and—and I 行方不明になる her so—now that it’s too late to let her know how much.”

“She knows now,” I murmured inanely.

“Perhaps. But do you want to know how much I 行方不明になるd her?” She turned slowly toward me. “I think this is the first time I have cried since I was a little child. And as I lay there realizing that I couldn’t have her, I began to cry for my mother. My mother died when I was very young, I don’t remember her at all, so losing auntie seemed just like losing mother. She was so good to me. She was so good to everyone.”

I was silent. That was hardly my opinion of her aunt, or anyone else’s opinion. 行方不明になる Alster’s goodness and affection had seemed to me too inconstant, too querulous, too exacting to 長所 the 指名する. It had come and gone, come and gone, and hateful words and 活動／戦闘s had followed so closely behind that one could better have depended upon her hate than love. She was a veritable canker of 悔いるs. I thought of the times she had changed her will, each time to punish Beatrice or Linda for some fancied 少なくなるing of their manner or feelings, not really in them but in herself. She had been so childish about it, had spoken so slurringly of those she 推定する／予想するd to love her! It was 井戸／弁護士席 for Beatrice, it was 井戸／弁護士席 for Linda, too, that she had died before she had 削減（する） off with a shilling those whom she had brought up to 推定する／予想する so much.

I loved Beatrice, but I so little agreed with her on this point that I almost welcomed the knock on the door. It was Trask. He passed me without a word and crossed the room to Beatrice. I heard him whisper that the undertaker had come and was about to take away the 団体／死体.

She made only a little gasp, but she ran from the room ahead of him. From the hall above I heard her sobbing, and pulled in my 長，率いる as I heard the tramp of the men when they bore the 団体／死体 out of the house. Then I bent over the banister again. Beatrice was standing at the 最高の，を越す of the stairs looking 負かす／撃墜する toward the door through which her aunt’s 団体／死体 had just disappeared. She was not making a sound, but Trask’s arm was about her and he was trying to lead her upstairs. I shut myself up in my room.

Trask and I dined alone in the big, somber dining-room that night and had nothing to say. Agnes, at his suggestion, had 知らせるd Beatrice that we did not look for her to appear and had taken up her dinner. As we rose, we both looked interestedly at the tray which Agnes had brought 負かす／撃墜する. The food was untouched.

Agnes brought word to us that Beatrice had letters to 令状 and begged to be excused for the 残りの人，物 of the evening, but that she 願望（する）d us to make ourselves 完全に at home. As I （機の）カム out of the dining-room I remained idly in the 歓迎会 room a moment, wondering what I should do to pass away the time. When I looked about Trask was nowhere in sight. I did not wish to be alone or to sit 負かす／撃墜する to read. I paced up and 負かす／撃墜する the 前線 hall for a time before 結論するing that I might 同様に go out and learn what the newspapers had to say about the 悲劇. I 安全な・保証するd the 最新の 版s at a 隣接地の news stand and read them in the nearest restaurant. The news of 行方不明になる Alster’s death was on the first page of each one, but all of them 扱う／治療するd the story as if it were a 事例／患者 of 自殺 which the family were desirous of covering up. The girls were 単に について言及するd; the 見えなくなる of Keith was not even 公式文書，認めるd; Trask had done his work and done it 井戸／弁護士席. I left the newspapers in the restaurant and returned to the house with a はしけ heart.

As I went up the steps it 夜明けd on me that I was without a latchkey, that it was ten o’clock, and my （犯罪の）一味ing the bell might 乱す Beatrice. I hesitated and struggled with a 臆病な／卑劣な impulse to use this as an excuse for not spending the night in this house where I knew I should sleep little if at all, but I ended by touching the bell.

Trask let me in and must have 公式文書，認めるd my surprise to find him still there, for he did not give me time to 発言する／表明する it.

“Ah! Raining, I see,” he exclaimed, ちらりと見ることing at my wet hat and coat

“Yes, it’s just beginning to come 負かす／撃墜する,” I 明言する／公表するd, and before I could say more he was on his way upstairs.

I hung my hat and coat on the hall stand and was about to follow him when the telephone at the 後部 of the hall rang. After a moment’s 不決断, I decided it was my 義務 to answer it The call was for 行方不明になる Linda and was in a man’s 発言する／表明する, but this made no impression on me. I 知らせるd him that Linda was not there, that General Alster had taken her home with him. There was a short pause and he started a 宣告，判決 that led me to think he was about to ask for someone else in her place, but he stopped, thanked me and said good-by.

“Do you wish to leave your 指名する?” I asked.

“No, thank you, I’ll call her up to-morrow,” （機の）カム the reply, and he 削減（する） off.

As I went upstairs I noticed that the door of 行方不明になる Alster’s room was わずかに ajar. 井戸／弁護士席, if Trask was in there 追求するing his 調査s he was 安全な from any 侵入占拠 on my part, much as I yearned for some sort of human companionship. I hurried on up the next flight and was surprised to come upon Beatrice at the 最高の，を越す standing fully dressed to go out and looking at me expectantly.

“That telephone call was not for me, was it?” she asked with agitation.

“No. You aren’t going out?” I remonstrated.

“Yes, I have some letters to mail,” she said moving on as if to 避ける argument.

“But it’s raining, raining hard by this time,” I expostulated.

“I’ll get an umbrella downstairs,” she 約束d, beginning to go 負かす／撃墜する the stairs.

“Let me go out and mail them for you, won’t you?” I asked bending over the rail toward her.

“No—thank you.”

“Then at least I’ll go along with you,” I 抗議するd.

“No—thank you,” she said, a little coolly I thought, and before I could say more she had turned into the hall below.

A trifle 傷つける at her curt 拒絶, I stood looking 負かす／撃墜する after her, the impulse on me to …を伴って her にもかかわらず her words, but the outer door had の近くにd behind her before I could （不足などを）補う my mind whether she might not think me too officious.

While I was yet standing there mooning over my 意向, I became conscious that someone else was going 負かす／撃墜する the lower flight of stairs. I ちらりと見ることd over the rail. It was Trask with his coat on and his hat in his 手渡す. Was he going home after finishing his work for the night, or was he leaving to follow Beatrice? I called his 指名する. He 答える／応じるd with a wave of his 手渡す which I took to mean good-night.

My room was on the third 床に打ち倒す between those belonging to the two girls. I went into it, turned on all the lights and の近くにd the door, but somehow the 出発 of these two people gave me a dreadful 逮捕 that I was alone in the house. I was not, but it was as though I were alone. Even the most phlegmatic will 自白する the 緊張する it is on the 神経s to be shut up in a 砂漠d house. I listened, 希望に満ちた of （悪事，秘密などを）発見するing some companionable sound from the two maids on the 床に打ち倒す above, but my ears brought me nothing. Then I laughed to myself, 選ぶd up a magazine and 軍隊d myself to sit 負かす／撃墜する to read. But if my life depended on it, I could neither tell you the 指名する of that magazine nor a word from it that would serve as a clew. While my 注目する，もくろむs were directed to its pages, my faculties were absent, listening, with all the 軍隊 of my imagination, for some sound in the silent house. It is a strange feature of this ありふれた human terror that one listens so concentratedly for sounds that one always hears them, knows they are 純粋に imaginary, yet cannot be 納得させるd, and ends by becoming incapable of distinguishing real sounds from fancied ones. I tried it with my door open, with it の近くにd, then left it open, and sat 負かす／撃墜する to read again. Before I had turned a page—from which I took in not a word—I heard every 連続した sound that would be made by someone putting a 重要な into the lock, turning it, 開始 and の近くにing the 前線 door, two flights below. I waited for the sound of steps on the stairs. 非，不，無 （機の）カム, yet 納得させるd that this time I had not been deceived, I went out in the hall and peered over the banister. Not a soul was 明白な downstairs. I returned to my magazine with a thoroughgoing disgust at myself. Before I could turn a page, the sounds were repeated. This time I 辞退するd to be beguiled. A new sound, a slight click as of metal on metal, （機の）カム to me and I sat up. I heard a 発言する／表明する lowered for secrecy, and I jumped to my feet.

Downstairs in the 前線 hall someone was at the telephone. It was a woman.

“Morningside 6873,” I heard her repeat a little impatiently and 認めるd the 発言する／表明する as Beatrice’s. Then suddenly I heard her jiggle the telephone hook furiously. “No, never mind, I don’t want that number now, do you understand me?” I heard her 明言する／公表する excitedly and she あわてて hung up the receiver and （機の）カム upstairs.

She passed my open door without a word. I の近くにd it, feeling better because someone was in the next room to me, but I slept very 貧しく that night. I kept 審理，公聴会 sounds.

一時期／支部 8

My first 活動／戦闘 the next morning was to hurry downtown to 捜し出す offices in the Pinnacle Building suitable to my new 信用 and position. I preferred offices in the same uprearing 超高層ビル with Avery, Avery & Avery because then people coming to 新たにする 賃貸し（する）s, to 支払う／賃金 rents, and so 前へ／外へ, would, upon 存在 知らせるd that in 未来 I transacted all that 商売／仕事 for the 広い地所, find me within 平易な reach. Also the Pinnacle Building was 井戸／弁護士席 行為／行うd and 井戸／弁護士席 位置を示すd on Broadway 近づく one of the subway 駅／配置するs.

The スパイ／執行官 told me that there was not a 空いている 控訴 of offices in the entire building. I had 恐れるd as much. My 失望 made me lament my ill luck. I explained with vexation my peculiar need for having offices there, without, however, appearing to 動かす the スパイ／執行官 from his heedless 無関心／冷淡; in fact, I was already at the door when he suddenly called.

“Wait just a minute, Mr. Swan.” He turned to the stenographer at his 権利. “We 港／避難所’t a chance at a thing here, have we?” he 需要・要求するd.

Again I had 証拠 that the modern woman stenographer is the modern 商売／仕事 man’s memory, brain and 権利 手渡す. “Mr. Longstreet may not have sublet his 控訴 yet,” she 示唆するd.

“Sure!” The スパイ／執行官 rose with as much 強調 as if the idea had been his own. “Now this man, Longstreet,” he 知らせるd me as we went up in the elevator, “is a poor nut. Inventor or something of that sort. Nicest sort of a chap, but crazy in the 長，率いる, thinks he’s 権利 up next to some big 発明 that’ll make the world stop and begin to turn 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the other way. Poor nut! His father invented money, 手配中の，お尋ね者 to land him in the padded 慰安 of a 塀で囲む Street 仲買人’s 職業, but son, he thought he could sure invent something better’n even money.” He stopped while we 現れるd from the 表明する elevator on one of the 最高の，を越す stories in the tower which gave this 超高層ビル its 指名する. “井戸／弁護士席, 井戸／弁護士席, he doesn’t seem to have put in an 外見 yet,” he 発表するd after trying the door 直接／まっすぐに opposite, “but come in, I can show you what it looks like anyway,” and he opened the door with a 重要な of his own.

I went in and saw before me one of those bird’s-注目する，もくろむ 見解（をとる）s of Manhattan to the north and east and west that have 用意が出来ている us for airships. Far away in all three directions stretched the busy pigmy metropolis, people, automobiles and street cars moving soundlessly like 原子s below, the rivers with their フェリー（で運ぶ）s and shipping stretching like moon-wakes along its length, and the country as a final 誘惑する 迎える／歓迎するing the end of each look. The スパイ／執行官 had to call me 支援する to earth.

“Unless I’m mistaken,” he broke out, “he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to sublet the 安全な, telephone, desks and furnishings 同様に.”

They—everything—were the 高さ of my wishes. “This is 正確に／まさに what I want—where can I find him?” I 需要・要求するd ecstatically.

“井戸／弁護士席, like all other inventors, he’s the most uncertain of men, but he’s usually here 早期に mornings. I don’t know what you can do about it except to leave word with me and wait until—持つ／拘留する on, that may be him now!”

The door opened and in stepped a tall blonde 青年. I must 述べる Allan Longstreet because he 削減（する）s an important 人物／姿／数字 in this story. He was tall, so tall that his 長，率いる and shoulders stooped a little from 屈服するing to low doorways and chandeliers; though he could not have been more than twenty-five, this slight stoop, 追加するd to a 直面する so serious that it appeared sad, lent him an 外見 of age that his young 罰金 人物／姿／数字 could not 首尾よく 否定する except when his gray 注目する，もくろむs lost their far-away look. Then he changed utterly, his 直面する beamed with a whimsical liveliness or with an impulsive enthusiasm which gave him 支援する his 青年. I remember that my first impression of him was that he was a hard-直面するd man who must have been grown on a trellis.

But this 表現 消えるd when the スパイ／執行官 finished explaining how we happened to be caught trespassing. Allan Longstreet turned on me a 直面する from which the settled frown 解除するd.

“I’m sorry—I’m very, very sorry, Mr. Swan,” he broke out cordially. “Two days ago I thought of going to Africa or South America or Alaska and 手配中の，お尋ね者 to let my offices, but something has happened since—”

By his manner I saw it was something fortunate—for him.

“In fact, I 港／避難所’t any 推論する／理由 to go now,” he went on quickly.

I murmured my 失望.

“You should have them if anyone could,” he exclaimed 温かく.

I joined the スパイ／執行官 waiting for me at the door and bade him good-bye. Longstreet seemed not to have heard my leave-taking, his 直面する had 常習的な again and he appeared to have gone 支援する to his thoughts. With one last regretful ちらりと見ること at so much of the 見解（をとる） as was to be had from the door I passed out.

But even before the スパイ／執行官 had signaled for the elevator, Longstreet burst through the door and dragged me 支援する into the room.

“I’ve thought of one way—I suppose you won’t consider it for a minute, but you won’t 感情を害する／違反する me by 説 so 率直に. It really isn’t at all necessary for me to hog these offices, I hardly do more than receive my mail here. But at the same time I can’t やめる bring myself to give them up, on account of the 見解（をとる）. Suppose I let them to you just as they are and then you 許す me one of the desks for my own use? Would that do?”

“I’m afraid not,” I exclaimed reluctantly; “you see, it would be necessary to have the telephone in my 指名する and my 指名する on the door and—”

“If that’s all!” He waved these obstructions aside. “If you don’t 反対する to having me around for some few hours of the day, too?”

“You mean?” I 星／主役にするd at him incredulous of his generosity and modesty.

“I mean that I am seldom here for more than a few minutes each day. I’m in my 研究室／実験室 during 商売／仕事 hours. いつかs I run in here for a time nights, but you wouldn’t be here then, would you?”

“You mean?”

“I mean you can have them if you don’t mind having me about once in a while, and even then, if you’ll only let me know, I’ll agree to get out.”

By this time I remember that my surprise changed to a faint 疑惑 of his 動機s for making so 完全にする a 降伏する of all his 権利s to me; but his 条件 were so low that I couldn’t think of any 推論する／理由 for 拒絶する／低下するing so amazing a chance.

“There! I’ve finished here for the day already,” he said after the merest ちらりと見ること at the few letters he had brought up with him. “You see how little I shall be around to annoy you.” He laughed and made his way to the door.

“And you won’t mind my having a stenographer here?” I 需要・要求するd, doubtful still of my unlooked for good fortune.

“Not if she doesn’t chew gum, or want curtains put up between us and the 見解（をとる）, or 反対する to my absentmindedness and me,” he 答える／応じるd with a laugh, and was off.

There was something so 解除するing about his generosity that I 許すd myself rather to be carried away by it. I ordered the telephone put in my 指名する; I called up the スパイ／執行官 and requested him to have my 指名する put upon the door; and then, with a smile, noticed that this door bore no 指名する at all yet. Then I made sure I had the 重要な to the office he had left for me, and went 負かす／撃墜する to Avery, Avery & Avery to arrange for the 移転 of such of 行方不明になる Alster’s 事件／事情／状勢s as she had permitted them to 扱う.

My return with 当局 into this mill, where I had 以前は slaved without credit, was one of short 勝利. 行方不明になる Walsh received me with a few quick 祝賀の words; the other clerks smiled and followed me with their 注目する，もくろむs as one who has come home with 栄誉（を受ける）s; but the 上級の Avery sent out word for me to wait in the outer office and 結局 sent Lim, Junior, to を取り引きする me.

“Yes, yes, we’ll 受託する your notice and 移転 all her papers and 商売／仕事 to you as soon as it is proper,” he agreed brusquely, “but—but where are you to be? You surely don’t 推定する／予想する to carry on this 商売／仕事 in your hall room.”

His 憤慨 showed through in this fling, but it pleased me. I laughed and told him of the offices I had 安全な・保証するd.

“With Longstreet!” His eyebrows went up and he regarded me with amazement. “With Longstreet?” he 需要・要求するd.

“Yes, what do you know against him?” I 需要・要求するd, feeling uncomfortable at his look.

He continued to look at me はっきりと as if he believed that my innocence was assumed. “Oh, nothing that you don’t know, I guess,” he replied with sarcasm, dropping me to disappear into his 私的な office.

His rude leavetaking brought 支援する my old feeling of 乱暴／暴力を加える against my late 雇用者s, but henceforth, thank God, they would have but few chances to put me in my place. I gathered up my few 所有／入手s from my desk and went to 行方不明になる Walsh. Quickly I 知らせるd her of my new work and offices, and told her that I should need a 有能な stenographer to take my letters and also to 行為／法令／行動する as my office assistant.

“I thought that perhaps you might know of some experienced girl whom you could recommend for the position,” I 明言する／公表するd.

She 解除するd her 長，率いる and nodded slowly as if considering the 事柄, still without looking 直接／まっすぐに at me. As my 直面する was yet hot with indignation at my contemptuous 治療, I was relieved. 徐々に it 夜明けd on me that her 注目する，もくろむs were on the doors of the 私的な offices 住むd by the two Averys.

“Suppose I come up to see you in a few minutes,” she 示唆するd.

“Do. Thank you.” I said good-bye あわてて to the other clerks and hurried 支援する to my office. I had barely time to telephone Trask where I was and that I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to have a long 協議 with him, before the door opened and 行方不明になる Walsh stepped in.

“I think I know just the girl for you,” she said at once.

“Thank heavens! I have so much to look after all at once that this news is a godsend,” I exclaimed. “Who is she? Where can I find her at once?”

“井戸／弁護士席, if you were to reach out your 手渡す, you would hardly need a lamplighter.” Her 注目する，もくろむs twinkled.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I would like the place myself.”

“You!” I looked at her with amazement. “But I can’t afford to engage as efficient a girl as you are.”

“You can’t afford to 雇う a いっそう少なく efficient one,” she retorted.

“But I didn’t ーするつもりである to 支払う／賃金 more than fifteen dollars a week—not at the start,” I remonstrated.

“That’s enough.”

“But the Averys will never let you go.”

She laughed. “I shall have something to say about that myself.”

“But not for a long time and I need an assistant at once, to-day.”

Her 直面する grew sober and her 注目する，もくろむs fell on me はっきりと. “Don’t you want me for the position?” she 需要・要求するd, with obvious 失望.

“Why, yes, but—” I stopped 混乱させるd.

“Then I want the place and I feel sure I can come at once. Listen! This is what will happen. I will go 権利 負かす／撃墜する and tell Lim, Junior, that I must give him notice, that I have taken another place. The minute he learns I am going to work for you, he will be so angry that he will say I can pack up and go at once. They always can be depended upon to bite off their own noses.”

And events turned out やめる as she 予報するd. Within half an hour she was 支援する in my office; and, for fifteen dollars a week, I 雇うd one of the most 有能な stenographers any New York lawyer ever had, one 十分に 知らせるd regarding the 商売／仕事 of 行方不明になる Alster’s 広い地所 to …に出席する to the 詳細（に述べる）s and leave me 解放する／自由な to look after other 事件／事情／状勢s 一時的に more important.

We had barely got settled when Trask appeared. He nodded and seated himself in the 議長，司会を務める beside me, after a cursory ちらりと見ること at 行方不明になる Walsh and about the office.

“I sent for you because I felt it was time we （機の）カム to an understanding,” I began.

He made no reply; he continued to gaze dully at the door, his profile toward me.

“Don’t you think it is?” I 需要・要求するd.

“Per-haps.”

His reserve 警告するd me that probably he did not care to talk before 行方不明になる Walsh. I turned to ask her to excuse us, but she was already disappearing into the other office.

Trask waited until she had の近くにd the door between. “有望な girl that,”’ he commented. “Now I’m ready to listen to your 干渉，妨害,” he said crisply.

I looked at him. “I’m sorry you look on it that way, but as 長，率いる of this 広い地所 I feel it my 義務 to keep in touch with your 調査, and to learn each day what steps you have taken to solve the mystery of 行方不明になる Alster’s death,” I 宣言するd stoutly.

“On any such understanding as that, I 辞退する to work on the 事例／患者,” he replied coldly.

I felt the 決定／判定勝ち（する） in his トン. “But I want to know everything so that I can help you. I want to learn everything so—”

“So that you can 保護する 行方不明になる Beatrice?” he interrupted quickly. “Is that it?”

He was looking at me. I blushed.

“Is that it? Say it!” he 命令（する）d.

I nodded.

“Very 井戸／弁護士席. That’s different,” he 明言する／公表するd. “If you were going to 試みる／企てる to mix into this 事例／患者 because you thought you could help me, or if you ーするつもりであるd to direct what I was and was not to do, our 関係 would end 権利 here. You understand that?” He regarded me 厳しく for a moment, then smiled. “But so long as you are doing it 単に for the girl’s sake, why, I’ll stand for it—yes, I’ll break my 支配する and stand for it, but on one 条件.”

“What is that?” I asked more meekly.

“That you’ll believe me when I tell you that I consider 行方不明になる Beatrice innocent.”

I nodded.

“And that you’ll do your best to 支配（する）／統制する yourself when you find how busy I am running out her 推論する／理由s for keeping silent about important 事柄s. Can I rely upon you for that?” He regarded me 厳しく.

“I’ll do my 最大の. I think you must believe she is innocent, no 事柄 how strange her 活動／戦闘s appear,” I agreed あわてて, seeing that no other course was open to me.

“Very 井戸／弁護士席, I’ll try you,” Trask 明言する／公表するd, “and remember this, on the way you 行為／法令／行動する about the news I am now going to tell you depends whether I continue on this 事例／患者 or 減少（する） it.”

There was something ominous about his silence that 完全に subdued me. I 用意が出来ている for the 予期しない.

“I am on the 追跡する of the man who was in the library with 行方不明になる Beatrice on the night of the 殺人,” he began.

“If there was any man there—” I interrupted hotly, and then bit my tongue.

“We are way beyond that,” he went on imperturbably after a look at me. “The 移転 I 設立する 除去するd any 疑問 of that. And 確かな other happenings at the house last night led straight toward the man. About ten o’clock last night 行方不明になる Beatrice left the house to mail a letter. The letter was unquestionably to him.”

“You followed her? You learned the 演説（する）／住所?” I 需要・要求するd.

“I followed her, but the 部隊d 明言する／公表するs mails 許す us no liberties in a 事例／患者 like this,” he replied, “so as soon as I made sure that this was her only 推論する／理由 for leaving the house I hurried 支援する into it ahead of her.”

“Oh!” Some of the sounds I had heard in the house the previous night were beginning to be accounted for. “Then you heard her telephone?”

“Yes.” He smiled and his 注目する，もくろむs watched 地雷.

“The moment after she raised the receiver from the hall telephone downstairs, I 解除するd the one on the switch to the same 器具 that runs into the late 行方不明になる Alster’s room.”

I felt my 怒らせる rising against him for the means he had taken to 満足させる his curiosity. I 抑制するd it only with difficulty.

“I heard not only all that happened at the ’phone then,” he went on 熟考する／考慮するing me 辛うじて, “but also all that happened when you answered the ’phone for 行方不明になる Linda,” he went on as if 決定するd to show his worst.

“But you aren’t 説 a word about this man, and he may have been the person heard talking in 行方不明になる Linda’s room,” I broke in petulantly.

“No, I’ve never yet 設立する that a mystery was solved by traveling along a number of 追跡するs at once or by running around in circles,” Trask replied caustically. “And perhaps by に引き続いて the 追跡する to one man we shall come upon the other man.”

“But 行方不明になる Beatrice didn’t ask for anything except a number. You mean you 設立する to whom Morningside 6873 belongs?”

“Yes.” Trask waited, he 軍隊d me to ask it.

“To whom?”

“As a lawyer who reads the newspapers you doubtless have read a lot about the Old Hyena of 塀で囲む Street.”

“You mean that this number—” I began and stopped short.

“I mean that Morningside 6873 is the secret telephone number of the house of Jim Longstreet, known as the Old Hyena, the 孤独な Wolf of 塀で囲む Street, and a number of other 平等に reprehensible 肩書を与えるs; and I’m as sure as I am that I am breathing now that the man in the library with 行方不明になる Beatrice on the night of the 殺人 was someone who lives in his house.” Trask’s 発言する／表明する changed and became almost fatherly. “There, there, my boy, I didn’t really mean to 攻撃する，衝突する you as hard as that, only—why, what’s the 事柄?”

“Nothing,” I managed to reply, “nothing, only this is Longstreet’s only son’s office and he all but 軍隊d it on me this morning.”

一時期／支部 9

Trask 単に sat there silently listening, while I continued to argue 熱心に that Beatrice was above 疑惑. Not by a look or movement did he afford me 推論する／理由 to believe that my long and 熱烈な exhortation 勝つ／広く一帯に広がるd upon him in the least. But now he rose 静かに, yet with an alertness that told me he had made up his mind.

“All you say,” he 発表するd, “does credit to your heart but not to your 長，率いる. You are 推論する／理由ing from feelings and I from facts. And now it is my unpleasant 義務 to put you up against 確かな facts that are not lightly to be 押すd aside if this mystery is to be solved. In the first place, you must put out of your mind for once and all any notion that this is a 事例／患者 of 自殺.”

“Why then the Maxim silencer?” I 固執するd.

“A mere whim on the part of an old maid always indulging queer fancies.” Trask 性質の／したい気がして of this question with a gesture. “In a 事例／患者 as 伴う／関わるd as this, the only hope of ever getting anywhere is through the 排除／予選 of all questions that lead nowhere. The idea of 自殺 is 絶対 untenable. No more of that. We have six other questions, the answers to which would lead somewhere, and we must concentrate our attention on these. Now, if you can answer these questions satisfactorily to me, you will save me a lot of time. Here they are. Who was the man heard talking in 行方不明になる Linda’s room on the night of the 殺人? Which one of the four women who were in the room yesterday morning put 支援する the 重要な in the door? When and why did Keith, the butler, 消える from the house?”

“If you were only working to 安全な・保証する answers to those questions I wouldn’t mind,” I interrupted doggedly.

“I am.”

I looked at him questioningly, but he 拒絶する／低下するd to indulge my curiosity.

“But the three things we must learn first,” he went on, “also the three things we are likeliest to learn first, are: What was 行方不明になる Beatrice’s quarrel about with her aunt?”

“Probably over nothing of consequence.”

“Probably; but—what is this 力／強力にする 行方不明になる Linda 持つ／拘留するs over 行方不明になる Beatrice, through which she 軍隊s her to を引き渡す to her half of her 相続物件?” I stood looking at him blankly. I had not been able to think of any explanation of this myself.

“And why was Mr. Longstreet in the library with her that night, and 行方不明になる Beatrice so 決定するd since not to have it known?”

“Let me ask him if he was there the next time he comes in here,” I cried.

“No.” Trask was unwontedly emphatic.

“Ah, you 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う him!” I exclaimed.

“I 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う everyone.”

“That’s because you don’t know him,” I retorted, glad to 審議 a 事柄 with him where the ground under me felt sure. “Allan Longstreet is one of the finest young fellows I have ever met—good-hearted, high-原則d, generous. If he was with 行方不明になる Beatrice on the night of the 殺人, he must have called casually and left 早期に; he could have had no 犯罪の 動機 for 存在 there, nothing that 令状s you to 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う him.”

Trask looked at me はっきりと for a moment, but said nothing.

“If you won’t let me （疑いを）晴らす up this 事柄 by asking him about it, let me ask her,” I 勧めるd.

“Do you think you had better?”

“Yes—why not?”

It was the first time I had ever seen Trask 混乱させるd. He left me 突然の and took a turn up the office. “Very 井戸／弁護士席, ask her—if you think best,” he agreed at last and 出発／死d hurriedly, as if leaving me to a 運命／宿命 I had 固執するd in bringing 負かす／撃墜する on myself.

Somewhat 狼狽d, I called 支援する 行方不明になる Walsh and dictated an 宣伝 捜し出すing （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） regarding Keith. Although I 明示するd our 願望（する） to have copies 派遣（する）d to the newspapers at once, she did not return to her desk すぐに, but ぐずぐず残るd inexplainably at 地雷.

“One of the 相続人s has everything on the other as to looks, hasn’t she?” she asked me suddenly out of a （疑いを）晴らす sky.

“Yes, 行方不明になる Beatrice,” I 主張するd 温かく; “have you ever seen her?”

“No.” Her 注目する，もくろむs slipped away from 地雷 and she started toward her desk as if she had learned all she wished.

“Then how did you know that?” I was 利益／興味d. Most people considered Linda the prettier.

“I didn’t,” she answered without stopping; “I just guessed,” and then she 追加するd as if feeling some その上の explanation necessary, “You know women have intuitions about such things.”

An intuition as to which of two unseen girls was the more attractive! It was preposterous. However, I wasted no thought upon it, but left the office. I reached the street before I realized I had left my 重要な to the Alster 住居 in my desk and had to return for it. Propped up against my inkstand was a card on which was typewritten:

行方不明になる Walsh must have 用意が出来ている and placed it there, but for the life of me I couldn’t see any significance it 所有するd for me, so I just smiled at her inanely and hurried away to Beatrice.

As I entered the house I （機の）カム upon Linda in her furs making a last 認可するing 査察 of herself in the hall mirror. She nodded to me lightly and moved on toward the door.

“Are you going 支援する to General Alster’s?” I asked her.

“Going 支援する there? 井戸／弁護士席, I should say not!” She 性質の／したい気がして of the idea with a quick and scornful petulance. “I went because I thought I would have more freedom there; and they wouldn’t even let me go out—said I せねばならない remain in hiding for a few days at least on account of auntie’s death. They were やめる as bad as auntie about it, so I’m 支援する here for good or until—when are you going to read us the will, Mr. Swan?”

“Why, the funeral isn’t until to-morrow,” I expostulated.

“And you won’t read it until after that?” She seemed aggrieved.

“No—that is—井戸／弁護士席, to tell the truth, I hadn’t thought anything about it,” I stammered.

“No, of course not. But as one of the 利益／興味d parties I hope you won’t keep us in suspense any longer than is necessary. Why can’t you read it to us to-morrow when we get 支援する from the funeral?”

“I suppose I could if—”

“Oh, I’ll see that Beatrice doesn’t 反対する,” she said with a smile.

I did not like that smile, and she still lavished it on me as she 支援するd away toward the door. I had already placed a foot upon the 底（に届く） stair when she called after me, “I suppose at best it will be a long time before we shall come into 所有／入手 of what has been 約束d us.”

I nodded. I foresaw her 怒り／怒る when she learned the 準備／条項s of the will, and did not relish having any argument with her there and then. So I 単に nodded.

She hesitated a moment and then （機の）カム hurrying toward me. “General Alster told me that you have 十分な 力／強力にするs, so I do want to keep on the best 味方する of you,” she said 熱望して. “Will you let me?”

“Why—of course.” I 星／主役にするd at her in amazement.

“I’ll be much nicer to Bee if you’ll only listen to me a little,” she went on with a laugh.

“Why—what do you mean?” I 需要・要求するd.

“You know.” She bobbed her 長，率いる at me. “Everyone can see that you think the sun just rises and 始める，決めるs in her, and that you’ll be 治める／統治するd by her wishes 完全に.”

“I’m sure I shall try to be fair to her 同様に as to you,” I exclaimed, my 怒り／怒る rising.

“井戸／弁護士席, we’ll see. Now, don’t get angry!” She smiled and raised a finger in coquettish 反抗. “You really will listen to me?”

I nodded, eager to escape.

“井戸／弁護士席 then, there’s one thing I want to 示唆する to you now. Auntie wouldn’t have an automobile because she knew how useful it would be to us girls. Can’t we have a car now? Won’t you order one at once? It’s dreadful having to go shopping and calling in the cars or in those dirty, ありふれた taxis. Will you?”

“I—I—” I hardly knew what to say to her.

“Ah, you don’t know what to say about it until you have talked it over with Bee,” she （刑事）被告 me, with a laugh.

“I suppose I せねばならない learn her wishes on the 事柄.”

“井戸／弁護士席,” Linda stood silently looking at me for a few instants, “井戸／弁護士席, don’t speak to her about it now. I 港／避難所’t told her I 手配中の，お尋ね者 one yet.”

Something in her トン irritated me still more. “You seem to be very 確信して that she will want whatever you want her to,” I blurted out.

“I—井戸／弁護士席, you wait and see!” With an 保証するd little laugh Linda left me and disappeared through the door after a parting smile and wave of her 手渡す.

I 設立する Beatrice in the library upstairs and realized that our conversation must have carried to her through the open door, but Linda’s request appeared so trivial beside the 事柄 in 手渡す, that it passed quickly out of mind. Beatrice rose and met me calmly, appearing much more composed than on the previous day, but her 罰金 dark 長，率いる drooped a little lower than usual as under unwonted 重荷（を負わせる）s and her manner was strangely preoccupied.

“It is very 肉親，親類d of you and Mr. Trask to stay on with us,” she said as soon as we were seated and I was wondering how to preface the questions I had undertaken to ask her.

“Trask? Is he staying here, too?” I asked with surprise.

“Yes, and I like him very much,” she said quickly, defending him against my トン.

“Yes, he’s a very decent sort—for a 探偵，刑事,” I 追加するd, to learn if she were aware of his 占領／職業.

She must have noticed, but she gave no 調印する of it. “You’ll do as Linda wants about reading the will?” she asked instead after a short, irksome silence.

“You’ll be equal to 審理，公聴会 it read so soon?” I 需要・要求するd.

“Oh yes.” She 性質の／したい気がして of the 事柄 quickly as if unwilling to argue it.

“I 雇うd Mr. Trask at General Alster’s suggestion,” I went on, 主要な toward the questions I must ask her. “He thought—”

“Yes, I realize that someone must 行為／行う the 調査, and it will be so much better to have it in the 手渡すs of Mr. Trask than in those of the police,” she interrupted, as if to save me the unpleasant 義務 of referring to the strange circumstances of her aunt’s death. “I heard Linda ask you if we could have a car; can we?”

“Why, I suppose so, as soon as things are straightened out a little,” I stammered, even more astonished at her request than at Linda’s. What 力／強力にする had this girl 伸び（る）d over her? I dared not ask my question, nor show my 混乱 and 狼狽. “What 肉親，親類d of car do you want?” I asked to cover my feelings.

“I don’t know. Whatever 肉親，親類d or make Linda prefers. I wish you would talk it over with her,” she said indifferently; and then her 発言する／表明する warmed suddenly as if to 妨げる her apathy from 存在 misinterpreted. “Poor little Linda, she has felt so mortified at not having a car, as nearly everyone we know has. Just telling her she can have it will make her so much more contented, and—and we do need one,” she 負傷させる up lamely.

I forgot all about my errand in her pathetic subjection to Linda’s whims. I felt a sense of personal 乱暴／暴力を加える that this girl who was 苦しむing so 熱心に over her aunt’s death should have been 軍隊d to listen to them.

“You have had a long talk with her since she got 支援する?” I 問い合わせd.

“N-o, only a few minutes this morning,” she replied.

“You realize that she was just as discontented at General Alster’s as she has always been here?”

“Yes—poor child!”

“井戸／弁護士席,” I hesitated, but I had to say it, “I hope you aren’t going to 試みる／企てる the impossible. I hope you aren’t going to 充てる yourself to trying to make her happy. I hope you aren’t going to 許す her to order you about as if—” I stopped because she had risen and I 恐れるd I had gone too far. “I wouldn’t have said this,” I went on, “only this calamity seems to have made no more impression on Linda than on a kitten, and it seems 不公平な that she should let you 耐える the brunt of it and then—”

It was her look that held me this time and I saw I had gone too far, but there was no stopping me now. “I don’t think you realize how it looks,” I burst out. “She 単に 発表するs what she wants and you 飛行機で行く to get it for her 関わりなく your own 願望（する）s. In the 事例／患者 of an automobile I happen to know that you—”

“You’re mistaken. I want one—now.”

“Yes but—”

“You’ll 強いる me, Mr. Swan, if you’ll say nothing more about it, if you’ll 簡単に get it.”

“It looks as if she had you in her 力／強力にする, as if for some 推論する／理由 you were not in a position to 否定する her anything she asked of you.”

“I can’t help how it looks. I don’t care how it looks. I am 単に asking you to do what you can to—to keep peace in the family.”

The break in her 発言する／表明する stilled my 激怒（する） at once. I stood in rueful silence looking at her plaintive 直面する and every other feeling was lost in compassion. “I hope you realize that I wouldn’t have talked this way to you if I didn’t care,” I わびるd.

“Yes, of course,” she smiled wanly.

“Then tell me what it is,” I pleaded. “Tell me what it is Linda knows that you dread to have her tell. I won’t tell a soul if you don’t want me to after we have talked it over. I am not asking this just out of idle curiosity. I want to help you, I want to get you out of a position that is directing perfectly absurd 疑惑 at you. Let me help you, won’t you?”

“You can’t.”

I was 狼狽d at the coldness and firmness of her 返答. “Has it anything to do with the man or men who were in this house the night before last?”

“Why do you ask me that?”

“Because people are thinking that.”

“What people are thinking that?”

“Why, Trask and I and—can’t you see that your silence 許すs us to place no other construction upon it? It has already 納得させるd them that there was a man here, as Agnes 証言するd. It has all but 納得させるd them that this man—”

“Stop!”

There was a severity in her トン and a look in her 注目する，もくろむs that checked me 即時に, 警告 me that I had 刺激するd her beyond endurance, that told me plainly that, however unselfish my 意向s, I could 追求する this 調査 その上の only at the 危険 of losing her friendship. And then, as I 星／主役にするd at her, the white look on her 直面する and the fiery glare in her 注目する，もくろむs 警告するd me of something more, filled me with a 広大な／多数の／重要な 恐れる. I was as nothing to her compared with her secret. I was as nothing to her compared with—was it Linda or this man whom she was 保護物，者ing? My mouth went suddenly 乾燥した，日照りの. I longed to ask her if it was another man beside whom I appeared as nothing to her. I dared not. The 有罪の判決 that it was （機の）カム upon me from behind, put its 武器 around me and pulled me to the ground, gagged me, bound me, made it impossible for me to do anything except stand there 星／主役にするing speechlessly, helplessly at her, the 恐れる making me meeker with every second.

And then suddenly she seemed to guess or perceive my abject 条件. Her 注目する，もくろむs 軟化するd, her トン became casual and she led the talk away to other 事柄s. For a long time I heard only the soothing sound of her 発言する／表明する; her words 設立する no 入り口 into my mind, the 事故 that had befallen all my hopes and 計画（する）s left room for thought of nothing else. And yet I must give her credit. She overlooked my 苦境; she talked on and on without looking at me or 要求するing any 返答. Slowly it 夜明けd on me that she was calling me by my first 指名する, that I must make an 成果／努力 to cover up my 株 of the embarrassing 状況／情勢. I began to listen and to murmur 返答s.

“You’ll arrange to 移転 to Linda half of whatever may be coming to me under the will?”

“Yes.” Linda and her 態度 toward Linda 事柄d nothing to me now.

“And until you can do that you’ll see that she receives half of whatever income may be 予定 me?” I nodded.

“And—” she hesitated and seemed to ask this against her wishes, “and you’ll let me have a thousand dollars—for something personal as soon as you conveniently can?”

I agreed. I would have agreed to anything by this time ーするために get away by myself.

Finally I 表明するd an 意向 of seeing her again later and escaped awkwardly into the hall.

I had a glimpse of someone 問題／発行するing from the room その上の 負かす／撃墜する the hall, but it meant nothing to me. I の近くにd the door tightly, and as I did so a 発言する／表明する whispered over my shoulder:

“When you give her that money be sure to give it to her in the form of a check.”

I turned dully, not sure that those words had really been spoken. It was Trask.

“You damned, dirty, low eavesdropper,” I cried, 押し進めるing him aside and making for the stairs.

He did not answer me. He 単に smiled.

一時期／支部 10

I spent several hours alone in my room, and I left it a different man. It is true that Beatrice had never 申し込む／申し出d me any 激励 and that my 控訴 for her 手渡す was an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の one, but 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の hopes bring about 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の changes when someone knocks 負かす／撃墜する one’s house of cards. She had swept away all my hopes, and I felt bitter toward her, toward everyone, and 特に toward the man, whoever he was, whom she unquestionably preferred to me. Let this explain the change in my 態度 尊敬（する）・点ing her with Trask.

As I （機の）カム downstairs I 観察するd Agnes in the 前線 hall with a small, square, blue box which she had just received at the door. At a ちらりと見ること I knew it for a box of violets from one of New York’s best florists.

“For 行方不明になる Beatrice? I’ll take that up to her. I’m going 権利 upstairs,” exclaimed Trask, suddenly appearing from the 支援する of the hall.

As he 小衝突d past me on the stairs, I 設立する time to whisper, “I’ll do as you said about the money.”

“That’s more like it,” he replied with an 認可するing smile, and went on without waiting.

I hurried to my office, ーするつもりであるing to keep busy there so long that I should not have to dine at the house and 直面する Beatrice. 行方不明になる Walsh welcomed me with a smile, and （機の）カム at once to my desk to 報告（する）／憶測 on a number of 事柄s that had come up during my absence. She had 扱うd them with discretion, やめる 同様に as if I had been there myself to …に出席する to them. It was on the tip of my tongue to compliment her, but I was in no mood for compliments. I 解任するd my earlier 意向 of 増加するing her salary to what she had been getting with Avery, Avery & Avery, but I put it off. She seemed to have something on her mind.

“Oh, Mr. Longstreet was in,” she 知らせるd me at last.

“Was he?” I asked, subduing my feeling of personal 乱暴／暴力を加える against him.

“Yes, and he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to know if I would have time to take care of his mail, too.”

I pretended to be 吸収するd in the 賃貸し（する） I was reading. “井戸／弁護士席, what did you tell him?”

“I told him I couldn’t think of agreeing until I learned how you felt about it”

“井戸／弁護士席, I’m willing,” I snapped, “but you know what the rich are. I’ll wager he won’t want to 支払う／賃金 you anything for it.”

“Fifteen dollars was the 賄賂 he 申し込む／申し出d,” she 発表するd without a smile.

“Ah, a month?”

“No, a week.”

“You take it. You take all you can get from him,” I cried in a greater fury; and then, 観察するing her surprise, （機の）カム to my senses. “Take it with the twenty dollars which I ーするつもりである to 支払う／賃金 you 今後 you’ll be getting five dollars more than you were downstairs,” I counseled her coolly.

“I won’t take a raise from you yet,” she 断言するd stoutly.

“Why not?”

I had never seen 行方不明になる Walsh’s 注目する，もくろむs 減少（する） before those of any man before. I thought I saw faint 調印するs of a blush as I 圧力（をかける）d her vainly for a 推論する／理由, so I soon gave up, not daring to run any 危険 of losing her invaluable services. Could she be 利益／興味d in Longstreet, too? It shows my unreasoning jealousy of him that I dreamed of such a thing.

“Does 行方不明になる Beatrice take the death of her aunt very much to heart?” 行方不明になる Walsh asked me suddenly from the other end of the office.

“Yes, she’s the only one that does. She’s the only one in the house that seems to have any heart. She—” I brought my eulogy of her to a stop, suddenly 解任するing my ーするつもりであるd change of 態度 toward her.

There was no sound from the other end of the room for several minutes, though I felt 行方不明になる Walsh’s 注目する，もくろむs on me. Then her typewriter began to click furiously.

I pretended to work until her hour arrived for leaving, and when she remained made it plain that I wished the office to myself. She placed some papers on my desk 要求するing my 署名 and left without taking 罪／違反. But when I （機の）カム to look over these papers I 設立する の中で them another card on which she had typewritten:

I placed it 支援する on her desk after the merest smile. Thinking she must have typewritten this to send to someone else, I dropped into my 議長，司会を務める with a sigh of 救済 at 存在 alone at last. Until long after eight o’clock I sat there, still stewing in my new-設立する bitterness toward Allan Longstreet, and hoping that he might 突然に come in so I could question him and （不足などを）補う my mind whether or not he was the man in the library on the night of the 殺人. I 審議d my impulse to give up his office. I imagined I was doing it, 行為／法令／行動するd my scornful part in a furious scene that lasted uncounted minutes and left me as worn out as if the 衝突／不一致 had occurred. And when, exhausted, I thought better of my 意向, the 疑惑 suddenly burst upon me that while I was waiting here he might be calling upon Beatrice at the house. 即時に I 掴むd my hat and coat and hurried there.

I heard 発言する／表明するs in the 歓迎会 room downstairs. The man’s 発言する／表明する sounded familiar; the girl’s 発言する／表明する sounded more like Linda’s; but 納得させるd that my 恐れるs had come true I stole by upstairs. It was with astonishment, almost with 失望, that I 設立する Beatrice at the 長，率いる of the stairway to my 床に打ち倒す, waiting as if she had been on the 警戒／見張り for my return.

“We 行方不明になるd you at dinner, Robert,” she said with a 親切 that I would earlier have joyed in.

“I couldn’t get away any sooner. I hope nothing happened that would have made my presence useful,” I returned, my 発言する／表明する involuntarily tinged with a little sarcasm.

She looked at me. For a moment I thought I had roused her 怒り／怒る again. Then she went on in the same トン as before:

“You’re overworking. Come 負かす／撃墜する into the library with me a while and 残り／休憩（する）. I’m all alone.”

“Not to-night, if you don’t mind,” some surly brute inside me 軍隊d a second rebuff to her peace offerings. Who was I to be cajoled thus quickly 支援する into second place in her affections? And yet the little start she made 傷つける me. “Oh, here is the check you 手配中の，お尋ね者,” I 発表するd to relieve my own 当惑.

She took it with a “Thank you. Good night, then,” gentle as all her words before, left me, and went along the hall to her own room. I opened the door of my room and entered. In the most comfortable 議長，司会を務める, drawn up to the light, reading, sat Trask, as if he also had been lying in wait for me.

“Ah!” he permitted the magazine to 減少（する） in his （競技場の）トラック一周, “I have been 任命するd a 委員会 of one by the two girls to 知らせる you that your absence at dinner was noticed and commented upon and must not be 許すd to happen again.”

I laughed scornfully. “Bad as that?”

“井戸／弁護士席, 行方不明になる Beatrice looked her 失望, if she did make excuses for you, and 行方不明になる Linda—井戸／弁護士席, she went so far as to 告発する／非難する you of decamping with all the money. I don’t think we could have kept her here much longer this evening if she hadn’t had a 報知係. I 推定する you noticed that much on your way in, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you learn who her 報知係 is?”

“No.”

“Not 利益／興味d?”

“Not 特に.”

“You should be.”

“Why?” I dropped into the 議長，司会を務める on the other 味方する of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する.

“Because it’s Harold Avery.”

“Harold Avery!” I sat up straight and peered across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する at him. “What in the world is he doing here?”

“I don’t suppose you know that he was one of the moths that 以前は ぱたぱたするd about 行方不明になる Linda. Ah, I see it is strange news to you!” Trask paused and just flicked me with a smile. “井戸／弁護士席, since you are to be my paymaster, I suppose I might 同様に 納得させる you that I have not been wasting my time to-day. I’ve been low 負かす／撃墜する again. I’ve been quizzing the servants, but the results must at least 部分的に／不公平に excuse my habit. Did you know, for instance, that the late 行方不明になる Alster had a 公正に／かなり tempestuous 反対 to either of her nieces having any men around who had the least 外見 of 存在 suitors for their affections?”

I lied brazenly ーするために learn more.

“井戸／弁護士席, she did, and when the girls 延期するd or 拒絶する／低下するd to get rid of them at her 命令（する）, she stepped into the 中央 of their 事件／事情／状勢s herself and made it so unpleasant for their admirers that they （機の）カム not again. Harold Avery was one of the 犠牲者s. によれば Agnes, he met 行方不明になる Linda; he 追求するd her with candy and flowers; he called once, twice—and the third time he was received by the redoubtable 行方不明になる Alster herself and 発射する／解雇するd in such a fury of 軽蔑（する） that he dared not come again when she was at home.”

“Trask,” I bent across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する toward him, “could he have been one of the two men in the house that night?”

“I don’t know. Here he is calling again the moment he feels it is 安全な. But how do you know there were two men here that night? It may have been the same man’s 発言する／表明する that Agnes heard both times.”

I rose to my feet in my excitement over the 可能性. “You don’t—you don’t think he could also have been the man talking with 行方不明になる Beatrice in the library?” I cried.

“Perhaps. I don’t want to raise your hopes too high, but it is やめる possible.”

His lukewarmness was discouraging. I sank 支援する into my 議長，司会を務める. “You’re a 探偵，刑事. It seems to me you might at least have 設立する out that much by this time,” I complained.

“What! From servants who don’t know and from two girls who have some strange 推論する／理由 for not telling me?” Trask chuckled as if he 完全に enjoyed the sensation of 存在 設立する fault with. “Swan, you’ve got it bad,” he went on imperturbably after a time, “and not to tease you I’ll tell you that I have already approached both girls on the 事柄. 行方不明になる Beatrice said she had told all she could, begged me not to question her その上の, and was so 影響する／感情d that I hadn’t the heart to; and 行方不明になる Linda, who fully deserves her 肩書を与える of the young fiend, 避けるs me; when I do get her in a corner and begin to ask questions she laughs 率直に and cannot be induced to answer a 選び出す／独身 one 本気で. She smiles on one like a poppy, but really she’s as hard as a brick 塀で囲む. However—”

“However, you’ll learn—in time,” I 主張するd with sarcasm.

Trask 協議するd his watch. “Within fifteen minutes, perhaps.”

“How?” My 利益／興味 was roused もう一度.

“When direct methods fail indirect methods are いつかs surprisingly successful. I suppose it would astonish you to learn that I already have three of my assistants 工場／植物d in houses in the 近隣. Two of the girls are 雇うd in the houses on either 味方する of this one; there is such a 需要・要求する for smart-looking maids that it is usually very 平易な to place them where we wish them. I hoped to get my best man, Burke, into the house opposite, but they wouldn’t have him. However, he made friends with one of the maids; he’s over there calling on her now; and, unless he 落ちるs 負かす／撃墜する as he never has before, we’re likely to have important news from him within a few minutes.”

“What can he have to tell you?” I was scornful, but much more 利益／興味d.

Trask smiled. “You little know all the curious 注目する，もくろむs that are on you in a big city. Every house, every door, every window, every 通りがかりの人 on the street! 注目する，もくろむs and ears everywhere!”

Would his 信用／信任 in his man be 正当化するd? Would he be able to 報告（する）／憶測 upon the people leaving and entering this house on the night of the 殺人? I felt a sneering 有罪の判決 that he would learn—nothing. “I gave 行方不明になる Beatrice a check for that money as you requested,” I 発表するd.

“Yes, I heard your 発言する／表明する outside the door. I inferred as much,” 答える／応じるd Trask, “and this gives me a chance to explain why I 手配中の，お尋ね者 you to give her a check.”

“That’s superfluous,” I 抗議するd; “it’s 公正に／かなり obvious that you hoped by the check to learn what she did with the money.”

“More than that, Swan, more than just that,” Trask 再結合させるd. “Don’t lose sight of the fact that the 見えなくなる of Keith, the butler, is one of the important factors in this 事例／患者. If Keith 消えるd in collusion with anyone else in this house, he is sure to make 需要・要求するs on that one for money on which to remain in hiding. That check won’t lead us to his hiding place—he’ll take care of that—but it may give us some slight clew to it.”

“There’s your man,” I exclaimed, unnecessarily, because Trask was already rising to make his way to the door. He opened it; a small, wiry Irishman with blue 注目する，もくろむs and a peculiarly jocular and winning 新たな展開 to his mouth entered and stood looking at me until Trask の近くにd the door and introduced us.

Burke began to make humorous 発言／述べるs about the 天候 to me, 明らかに 支払う／賃金ing no attention to his superior, who was pacing up and 負かす／撃墜する the room, his course ending each time by the door. I was bored and replied perfunctorily, wondering if this were all a subterfuge to get rid of me before important news was imparted. But then suddenly it was all explained to me without words. In his last turn toward the door Trask suddenly turned the knob, opened the door, and looked quickly outside to learn if there were eavesdroppers.

“All 権利, Jimmy, now we’ll have what you’ve learned,” he said briskly as soon as he had reclosed the door. “Did you 一連の会議、交渉／完成する up the two girls?”

“Yes, sir, dropped in on them late this afternoon. Nothing doing yet so far as they’re 関心d.”

“Any better luck yourself?”

“井戸／弁護士席, I didn’t learn so awful much, but what I did learn looks sorter handy.”

“解雇する／砲火／射撃 away!”

Burke took the 議長，司会を務める Trask had pointed out for him. He seemed やめる at 緩和する in our presence, though from his 着せる／賦与するs one would have taken him for a good-natured but shiftless man out of a 職業 and not over-anxious to get one. “井戸／弁護士席, it didn’t look as if I was going to get much of anything out of that skirt across the street,” he began; “she turned out to be the second girl and not much as to headworks, but she was that flattered to have a 報知係 for a night in the kitchen that I could see that she wouldn’t 持つ／拘留する anything 支援する from me. We got all over telling each other all about ourselves in the first fifteen minutes, and after that the talk was hard going. I began to tell her about all the 殺人s in the papers, but it didn’t 示唆する anything to her, she only got white and fidgety. I had to bring up the 殺人 here myself, and even then I didn’t 後継する in shaking anything out of her mind. I realized then I’d got next to the wrong girl and asked her to introduce me to the others; but she was just stupid enough to be jealous and leery of running any such 危険 as that.

“That gave me my chance to get sore. I pretended to be sulky because she wouldn’t give me a 殴り倒す／落札する to the others; I shut up tight and left her to think up talk herself. It was some 緊張する on the poor skirt’s mind, now take it from me; most of the time I spent in listening to the tick of the kitchen clock, but I hung on and at last she got to the kale. I didn’t learn much, 長，指導者, so don’t get your hopes too high.”

“All 権利, Jimmy, let us have it.”

“井戸／弁護士席, Mollie, the girl I went to call on, has a 支援する room upstairs so she’s never seen anything, but one of the other girls, Cecilia, has one of the 前線 rooms on the 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す 権利 across the street. On the night of the 殺人 Cecilia went upstairs to bed about 9:15. The window of her room was open and she went to の近くに it before lighting the gas. As she stood there looking out she saw a man こそこそ動く out of the door of this house, の近くに it without a sound and then run like the devil 負かす／撃墜する the street. His 活動／戦闘s excited her curiosity, so she leaned out the window and watched him until he turned south. Then she—”

“One minute, Jimmy, any description?”

Burke made a grimace. “All the stiff I talked to could tell me about him was that he was a little man.” His disgust was 厚い. “A little man!” At Trask’s nod he went on:

“井戸／弁護士席, Cecilia thought he might have been running for a doctor, so she stood at the window waiting to see if he brought one 支援する. Ten minutes later she saw another man come out of this house, の近くに the door in the same way and start off—only this one walked slowly and as if he didn’t care a damn who saw him.”

“Any description of him?”

“Very feeble. Tall man in a tall hat and a fur-collared overcoat. I’m sorry, 長，指導者, but that’s all I could get.”

Trask paused only to nod his satisfaction before turning to me. “井戸／弁護士席, you see there were two men,” he said.

“Yes, but—” I rose in my excitement, “that first man was probably the butler and the second man—Trask! that man calling downstairs has a high hat and a fur coat. It may have been Avery, not Longstreet, who was here, do you hear?” Trask looked at me a long time and seemed loath to say it. “You forget the man downstairs is not more than five feet six and the man this girl saw was tall.”

“So you still believe it was Longstreet who was here?” I 需要・要求するd.

“I’ll make sure soon.” Trask stopped before his assistant. “Jimmy, of course you gagged both of those girls?” he 問い合わせd.

“Sure! I told Mollie to tell Cecilia that they both had better keep their mouths tight or they might be 刑務所，拘置所d as 重大証人（証言）s.”

“権利!” Trask patted him approvingly on the shoulder. “Now to-morrow you go on Longstreet and don’t let me see or hear of you again until you learn where he was at the time of the 殺人.”

“Yes, sir. Good night, 長，指導者.” Burke shook 手渡すs with me and disappeared from the room.

The news was too indeterminate to discuss. I sat dumbly in my 議長，司会を務める wondering whether Trask might not be wrong in his 結論, and Trask walked silently up and 負かす／撃墜する the room, evidently sorting his new （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） into place.

Suddenly there （機の）カム a knock again at the door.

“There’s your man! He’s come 支援する,” I called out to Trask.

“No, that was a woman’s tap. You had better answer it,” he replied, making no move toward the door.

I got up reluctantly, went to it and threw it open. Trask was 権利. In the hall outside stood Beatrice.

“I am very sorry to 乱す you,” she わびるd, “but I wonder—would it be too much trouble for you to get me the money for this?” She 手渡すd 支援する the check.

“I—I can’t かもしれない get it for you until to-morrow,” I demurred, stealing a quick look at Trask.

“That will be soon enough. If you only will it will save me so much trouble,” she 明言する／公表するd.

誘発するd by Trask’s nod, I took 支援する the check and 約束d to do it. She thanked me profusely. After the door was の近くにd I turned to find Trask shaking his 長，率いる.

一時期／支部 11

I returned to the house the に引き続いて afternoon just in time to 手渡す Beatrice the money before the funeral services began. They were held in the house. 行方不明になる Alster had so few friends, にもかかわらず her money, that General Alster thought better of having them in a chapel or church. I remained upstairs with General Alster and the girls, listening to the interminable drone of the officiating clergyman, and pitying him for having to sell his soul imparting pious virtues to the 死んだ to which no one gave credence. Beatrice was the only one 影響する／感情d; she sat with her handkerchief to her 直面する, though no sound of weeping 問題／発行するd from it. I marveled at the change in myself that her 治療 had 原因（となる）d in a 選び出す／独身 day. Such are the reactions of human nature that I 設立する myself 疑問ing if her show of grief were real.

The cadenced drone of the clergyman （機の）カム finally to an end and I knew that slight 動かす in the silence downstairs to betoken that the few there were 見解（をとる）ing the remains before 存在 勧めるd out of our way. 恐ろしい 業績／成果! I made up my mind that this was an ordeal which I should escape. And I managed it without difficulty in the 混乱 of 静かなing Beatrice and getting her away from the flower-embanked casket.

I was astonished to see how few people went in the carriages to the crematory with us. I have been told that 火葬 is one of the most beautiful and wonderful of sights, that few can 証言，証人／目撃する that last swift moment when a 団体／死体 suddenly becomes pink as though with life before 崩壊するing into ashes without feeling afresh an awed belief in the immortality of the soul. You will not understand my sensitiveness, but I could not look on it. It was with a 深い sense of 救済 that I 宙返り／暴落するd 支援する with General Alster and the two girls into the carriage that was to 耐える us away.

Upon our return I read the will to General Alster and the girls in the library. It began with that strange preamble to a 合法的な 文書 wherein 行方不明になる Alster, にもかかわらず my 抗議するs, had 主張するd upon foisting on others the natural results of 特徴 and faults of her own. I can 始める，決める 負かす／撃墜する those 宣告，判決s from memory; they were so bitter, so direct, so 不公平な, and withal so characteristic of the testator’s whole life. The will began:

I have never been fortunate enough to have a real friend, or to receive that 感謝 or friendship which makes life 価値（がある） while. It may be my own fault, but I have striven for it, earned it, yet never have I received it. Those whom I have helped have turned against me, one after another. If I were inclined to be just, I should leave all my 所有物／資産／財産 to public charities. But it seems to me 単に to be a choice between indulging thousands of thankless people and the few who are accustomed to my benefactions, however ungrateful they have shown themselves for them. And so—

Then （機の）カム the part of the will important to the living. She left nothing to the public charities or to her servants. She left fifty thousand dollars to Linda; she 工夫するd all the 残りの人，物 of her 広い地所, 量ing to over a million and a half, to Beatrice, but only the income on both of these bequests was to be paid them for some time yet. The will 供給するd for a 信用 in which all the 広い地所 was to be 合併するd, and of which I was to have 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 for a period of two years after her death. It was a strange will, strange from beginning to end. I felt it better to leave the room すぐに after reading it so that the two girls and General Alster might feel 解放する／自由な to talk over its 準備／条項s.

I was about to go downstairs when I 観察するd Trask coming up. He bore in one 手渡す a small box of violets such as had come the day before. “Ah, another, and for 行方不明になる Beatrice?” I 問い合わせd 激しく.

He 単に nodded and went on.

I started 負かす／撃墜する the stairs, and then I suddenly stopped short. Trask, instead of taking those violets 直接／まっすぐに to Beatrice in the library, had taken them into his own room at the 長，率いる of the stairs. For a moment I hesitated, then I went 支援する, opened the door and entered his room without knocking. On the 中心 （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する lay the blue box, and bending over it untying the string was Trask.

“Ah, now that you’ve caught me, I suppose I’d better explain,” he said lightly. “Come here and let’s see what we’ll find to-day.”

He 除去するd the cover of the box and 解除するd out the large and fragrant bunch of violets. And then, as if knowing 正確に where to look, he separated their bunched 茎・取り除くs and deftly pulled out a slip of paper hidden in their depths. I looked over his shoulder and read:

v arrq gur zbarl ol gbzbeebj ng gur bhgfvqr yrnir vg ng gur fnzr cynpr jul unirag lbh tbg genfx bhg bs gur ubhfr lrg ur vf qnatrebhf

I 星／主役にするd at the gibberish in amazement, trying vainly to find a 選び出す／独身 word in any foreign language that would give me a clew. It was printed legibly and painstakingly on a small 捨てる of unmarked paper. Trask stood aside and let me 診察する it in silence.

“What can it be? It isn’t in Hebrew, is it?” I begged at last.

He smiled. “No, as a 事柄 of fact, it’s a cipher, one of the easiest, but you could hardly be 推定する／予想するd to make it out on sight. I got it in いっそう少なく than an hour yesterday, but—”

“Yesterday?” I exclaimed, looking from the strange message to him.

“Yes, there was another message in the bunch of violets that （機の）カム yesterday and I made a copy of it before putting it 支援する and 配達するing them. Here, let me show you how 平易な it is to decipher that message.” Trask placed the slip of paper between us on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. “In the first place it opens with a 選び出す／独身 letter ‘v’; now what letter in our alphabet is used alone? ‘I,’ of course. That does for a start, ‘v’ is used in the place of ‘I’ and printed as a small letter so as not to 証明する too 平易な. Now is any word in that message repeated? Yes, ‘gur’ occurs one, two, three, four times. What word of three letters is repeated often in this and all other languages? ‘The,’ isn’t it? Then it stands to 推論する／理由 that ‘g’ stands for ‘t,’ ‘u’ for ‘h’ and ‘r’ for ‘e.’ Why, a child could 人物／姿／数字 this cipher out from a start like this. I didn’t even stop to 人物／姿／数字 out which letter was used oftenest—which is ‘e’; I jumped smashbang to a 解答 just from those first two 発見s. Don’t you see it?”

I shook my 長，率いる dumbly.

“井戸／弁護士席, that’s because you probably have never had anything to do with unraveling cipher messages. Here’s the simple little joker that solves the riddle.” Trask drew from his pocket a small card on which the letters of the alphabet were arranged as follows:

“Guess it now?” he 需要・要求するd.

Again I had to shake my 長，率いる.

“What! Not now? Can’t you see that by using the letters below for those above and those above for those below, you would get some such cluster of consonants as this?” He 押し進めるd a pencil and piece of paper toward me. “Here, you put 負かす／撃墜する the hidden letters as I call them out to you and see how soon this begins to make sense.”

With his finger traveling along the message, and his 注目する，もくろむs 飛行機で行くing from this to the 重要な which he had drawn up, he began to read it off to me letter by letter. Before he had gone three words I saw that he had solved the cipher. After he had finished he looked over my shoulder at the translation. It read:

I need the money by to-morrow at the outside. Leave it at the same place. Why 港／避難所’t you got Trask out of the house yet? He is dangerous.

“Very flattering to me, I am sure,” exclaimed Trask with a laugh. “And now that we have a copy, we’ll put this message 支援する and send the violets along.” Without その上の comment he 取って代わるd the cipher の中で the 茎・取り除くs of the violets.

“Trask, what does this mean?” I 需要・要求するd 厳しく when I could stand the silence on his part no longer.

“It means—” he stopped while he carefully tied the string about the blue box—“it means, I should say, that someone outside this house who has 推論する／理由 to hide is carrying on a correspondence with someone inside by means of this cipher—and violets.”

“Don’t 扱う／治療する me like a fool, anyone can see that,” I remonstrated. “The sickening thing about this is that these are sent to Beatrice. Don’t you see? The man who was in the library with her is ゆすり，恐喝ing her for money.”

“Yes, that’s the way it looks,” he 認める carelessly.

“Looks! What do you mean?” I 需要・要求するd. “It can’t mean anything else, can it?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Suppose the violets were sent to her as a blind. Suppose the message was ーするつもりであるd for someone else?”

By the time I had 回復するd from my surprise at his suggestion and began to ask questions, he had gathered up the box and was starting toward the door. “Come, let’s find out about that first before we jump to any 結論s,” he ordered. “Things happened yesterday that 妨げるd me from learning what became of the message.”

He was already out in the hall and there was nothing left for me to do but to follow him. As I joined him he put the box of violets into my 手渡す. “Here, you 配達する them to-day,” he ordered. “I gave her the box that （機の）カム yesterday. And let me go in first. We mustn’t go in together with them, it might put them on their guard.”

He knocked and went into the library. After a few minutes I followed.

Both Linda and Beatrice were still there and General Alster was on his feet as if on the point of taking leave. I placed the box of violets on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する without a word.

“If you are 決定するd to 行為／法令／行動する so generously, I can find nothing その上の to say against it,” General Alster went on, 演説（する）／住所ing Beatrice.

“Linda was brought up with the 期待 that she should at least 株 平等に with me in the 広い地所; it seems only fair that I should （不足などを）補う what she has lost,” 答える／応じるd Beatrice.

“Yes—yes—but you are giving her half what you 相続する in 新規加入 to what she 相続するs herself.”

“It only makes a difference of a few thousands. There will be ample left for me,” replied Beatrice.

“井戸／弁護士席, I 推定する you girls know what you are doing.” General Alster with a sigh moved away toward the door.

“It isn’t any use to argue with her,” broke in Linda, “she is 決定するd to do it. Auntie always knew that Bee cared nothing about her money. Probably that’s why she left most of it to her.”

One would have inferred from Linda’s トン that she had 疲れた／うんざりしたd of 抗議するing against Beatrice’s generosity. Knowing what I did, I 発射 a quick look from her to Trask. But his 注目する，もくろむ was not to be caught.

General Alster made his 出発 and Beatrice returned to her seat at the 前線 of the room, passing the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する on which lay the box of violets without even a ちらりと見ること.

“Oh, there’s a box which just （機の）カム for you,” I said after a few moments of embarrassing silence.

“For me?” Beatrice looked up at me with surprise and, at my nod, rose and crossed to the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. She 選ぶd up the scissors that lay there, but paused before cutting the string. “It’s strange,” she mused, “I received just such another box yesterday and there was no card in it. I wonder—but perhaps there’ll be one with these.” She nervously 削減（する） the string and 除去するd the violets; she searched the box; she finally even parted the flowers to see if a card might be 宿泊するd の中で them, but she made no such 査察 of the 茎・取り除くs where the message lay hidden. “井戸／弁護士席, I suppose I’ll learn in time who sent them,” she said, with a sigh, laying them 負かす／撃墜する on the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and returning to her seat.

“Don’t you want me to put them in water for you?” I asked.

“No, thank you, I’ll …に出席する to that later,” she replied.

I looked at Trask. His 注目する，もくろむs were directed across the room; there was a far-away look in them as if he were buried in important thought. I followed his 注目する，もくろむs. In that mirror on the other 塀で囲む no one could be watched except Linda. She had turned away, was looking out the window with her 支援する toward us.

Soon the constrained silence on us all—only Beatrice made any pretense of talking to me and I felt that even she was doing it to get 支援する in my good graces—soon the silence got on my 神経s and I rose, わびるd, and left for my own room. I was intensely 利益／興味d to learn what would become of the message hidden の中で the 茎・取り除くs of the violets, but I knew that the 解答 of that question might 安全に be left to Trask.

He （機の）カム to my room half an hour later and sank into the comfortable 議長，司会を務める across the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する from me. Neither by the 表現 on his 直面する when he entered nor by his 活動／戦闘 could I make out whether he had solved the question. I 熟考する／考慮するd him carefully without 存在 able to （不足などを）補う my mind. More and more I was realizing that Trask was a man from whom another could learn little or nothing except what he vouchsafed to divulge with his lips. I was about to ask point blank when he broke out suddenly:

“That was an excellent move of yours, Swan, leaving the room.”

“Why?”

He smiled a moment. “You’ll never believe it.”

“Why?” I asked again, growing exasperated. “What makes you say that?”

“Because it’s hardly within 推論する／理由 for you to believe that both of the girls dread your presence more than they do that of the 探偵，刑事 on the 事例／患者.”

I could not forbear the retort: “You seem to glory in the fact that they consider you more of a fool than I.”

“井戸／弁護士席, that wasn’t やめる the way I was looking at it, but, にもかかわらず, I guess you’ve 攻撃する，衝突する the nail on the 長，率いる,” he replied with a chuckle.

“What happened—after I left?” I 需要・要求するd, relieved that he had not taken 罪／違反.

“井戸／弁護士席, we talked a while; then, first 問い合わせing if I were intruding, I 選ぶd up a magazine and began to look at its pictures. I didn’t care to lose another chance to learn what became of the cipher, and neither of the girls appeared inclined to talk. There was a dead silence for about half an hour, and then Linda sighed and rose, and said she guessed she’d go to her room. On the way to the door she stopped at the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する, 選ぶd up the violets, buried her 直面する in them, and made some 発言／述べる about how fragrant and refreshing they were. She had her 支援する toward me and, fool that I was, I had not had the foresight to seat myself where I could keep an 注目する，もくろむ on the flowers in the mirror, but when she went out, the way she carried one 手渡す hidden from me made me 怪しげな. 行方不明になる Beatrice was 吸収するd in her thoughts. I rose, and, using the same subterfuge Linda had, contrived while smelling of the flowers to search for the slip of paper の中で the 茎・取り除くs. It was gone.”

“Gone! You mean Linda took it? Linda!” I exclaimed.

“Unless 行方不明になる Beatrice is sleight of 手渡す artist enough to have 抽出するd it when she 扱うd them 権利 before our 注目する，もくろむs.”

“But—but why should they have come 演説（する）／住所d to 行方不明になる Beatrice when the 公式文書，認める in them was meant for Linda?” I expostulated.

“Swan,” Trask rose and looked at me impressively, “unless I’m way at sea there’s a more astute 犯罪の connected with this 罪，犯罪 than we have yet thought to look for. The cleverness of this very trick 証明するs that; and I 受託する the 前提 and 自白する that I have been shortsighted in remaining here when I せねばならない be outside looking into the antecedents of that man Keith. You may not see much of me for the next few days. I must learn enough about him to 決定する whether he had any 明らかな 動機 for committing this 殺人, or, if I can’t decide that, to 裁判官 from his history about what type of human 存在 he is. He is beginning to ぼんやり現れる bigger to me than at first. You don’t mind if I take a little time to run him out?”

My 直面する must have shown my dislike at the sudden turn his 調査 was taking, for he went on before I had time to put it in words.

“Of course, I realize that you regard it as my first 義務 to learn who the man was with 行方不明になる Beatrice on the night of the 殺人. I’m not 約束ing, but it would please you, wouldn’t it, if in running 負かす／撃墜する Keith I 設立する that it was he instead of the man we thought?”

I 認める it.

“井戸／弁護士席, good-bye, then. I’m going to have a few minutes’ 雑談（する） with Linda and then I’m off to see what I can dig up about Mr. Keith.”

I did not see him again that day, nor in fact for several days, and within the hour I 特に regretted it, for in descending to dinner I was waylaid by Linda; and her conversation afforded me something with which I could have crowed over Trask for his 声明 that the girls were more 怪しげな of me than of him.

“Mr. Trask’s gone and I hope he never comes 支援する,” Linda 知らせるd me confidentially as she led the way downstairs.

“Why? Don’t you like him?” I asked.

“Like him!” She laughed ripplingly, and the echo sounded ill to me, roaming through a house of 嘆く／悼むing.

“Has he been annoying you?” I 固執するd.

“No.” She said it a little too はっきりと.

“Then why—” I began.

“Oh, 井戸／弁護士席, when auntie was alive I had her everlastingly tagging at my heels and asking silly questions, and now—” Linda shook her 長，率いる wilfully as to 解放する／自由な it from a new 設立する bridle.

“We all have to 服従させる／提出する to some things we don’t like.”

“I don’t like him. He reads my thoughts,” snapped Linda, and left me 突然の to enter the dining-room.

一時期／支部 12

Several days passed during which I did not see Trask nor hear from him.

Two hulking 探偵，刑事s called at my office from police （警察，軍隊などの）本部 and asked me innumerable questions about Keith. It developed that they 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd Keith because he had fled and were 充てるing all their attention to running him 負かす／撃墜する. I 述べるd him to the best of my ability, and, after laboriously 令状ing 負かす／撃墜する the 詳細（に述べる）s, they 出発／死d with profane 保証／確信s that their 激しい 手渡すs would be on him within a few days now.

The 商売／仕事 of the 広い地所 kept me very busy. I saw little of the two girls, except occasionally at dinner and evenings when I was not called away from the house. Of the two, as time went on, I 設立する myself growing more 好意的に 性質の／したい気がして toward Linda, so soon as I realized that her faults were mostly 予定 to her 青年 and wilfulness; now that no one 試みる／企てるd to 演習 any 抑制 over her, they were not so noticeable. The two girls appeared to have come to some 協定, each to go her own way; and if either had anything 激しい on her mind, it appeared to be Beatrice. Her beautiful olive 直面する seemed buried in a dark sadness; she said little and appeared to 避ける both Linda and me; she started, grew 高度に nervous at the least 予期しない noise, and seemed ever apprehensive that something was about to happen. いつかs I caught her large, dark, smoldering 注目する，もくろむs dwelling sadly on me and I winced. Pity is but a potion when given in the place of love.

At the office I had not seen Allan Longstreet since that first day when he had turned over his ４半期/4分の1s to me. He appeared daily when I was not there, 行方不明になる Walsh told me, but it was as if he were on watch, and chose to come when I would not be there to question him. For fervently did I 願望（する） by questions to learn whether he were the man that Beatrice so much preferred to me. I could not （不足などを）補う my mind.

I was その結果 大いに surprised a few mornings later to see him 涙／ほころび into the office, 宿泊する a small open 捕らえる、獲得する on my desk and, without even saluting either 行方不明になる Walsh or me, drag away the telephone from my 味方する and call for a number.

I was too much annoyed by the sudden irruption and the havoc his 捕らえる、獲得する had wrought の中で the papers on my desk to give attention to the telephone number that he called. But his first speech made me 行方不明になる not a word and at the same time appear very busy.

“I—ah, why that is you, Beatrice, isn’t it?” he exclaimed excitedly.

I opened noisily a 契約 on 激しい 合法的な cap and hid my frowning 直面する between its pages. It seemed something more to me than chance that made Beatrice answer his call herself.

“I’ve got it, Beatrice, just as I thought; I’ve finished with my 実験ing; I’ve 設立する the one needed element,” he burst out with an enthusiasm that 増加するd rather than 減らすd. “It was—no, I don’t dare to tell you over the wire—but it’s cheap and it gives the composition the one 質 it 欠如（する）d, the one 質 every other rubber 代用品，人 has 欠如（する）d—継続している elasticity. 専門家s said that no one would ever be able to get it, but I have it—at last. It isn’t hope or theory any longer. I have it. I 現実に have it. I mixed some of the composition last night, and this morning I made it up into （土地などの）細長い一片s, and it’s even more elastic than real rubber, and can be 製造（する）d for half the price of Para, think of that! I wouldn’t believe my own senses. I’ve just come from having it 実験（する）d and hurried into the office to telephone you the news. Isn’t it wonderful?”

I 発射 a look at the man. What chance had he of inventing a rubber 代用品，人, when the 主要な scientists all over the world had been 努力するing vainly for years to put one together? But, of course, Beatrice, 存在 a woman, would believe him.

“No, I 港／避難所’t told father, not yet,” he continued, oblivious of my scornful look. “I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to tell you first, I—”

I 渦巻くd 一連の会議、交渉／完成する in my office 議長，司会を務める and called to 行方不明になる Walsh. I had heard enough of his silly, vapid, young enthusiasm. I called 行方不明になる Walsh a second time; this had never before been necessary; was she, too, womanlike, giving credit to his madness?

“No, father’s got to wait. I want to bring it up to you first and 論証する that I’ve really got it. It’s one of the biggest 出資／貢献s of our age to science. For years the word has been going around the street that the Rubber 信用 would 喜んで 支払う／賃金 four millions for a 代用品，人 as good as rubber. They 否定する it, but they would—yes, it’s 価値（がある） far more than that—but I shan’t sell, I shall let father in on it, and he won’t regard me as a fool any longer and try to get me into 塀で囲む Street. I’d much rather make my money through something useful like this than 単に by juggling other people’s money, wouldn’t you?”

I 調印するd to 行方不明になる Walsh that it was no use to try to talk against such a deluded maniac. I 押し進めるd 支援する my 議長，司会を務める and rose to my feet, 信用ing that he would notice how he was 干渉するing with a sensible man’s work.

“Yes. I’m coming. Now. At once.”

He paid no attention to either of us. He grabbed his 捕らえる、獲得する from my desk and was half way to the door before it appeared to 夜明け on him that we were even 現在の.

“I—I—you heard!” he 需要・要求するd, turning toward us with 注目する，もくろむs that glittered like a maniac’s.

I nodded indifferently and turned away to 行方不明になる Walsh.

“Ah, you don’t believe it!” He seemed delighted rather than displeased.

“Yes, I believe that your hopes are elastic—more so probably than your rubber,” I answered.

He laughed. “Yes, yes, I can understand why you should 疑問 it. I no longer mind that, now that I have the answer to it,” he 答える／応じるd with disappointing good nature. “Wait. I’ll show you. I’ll 納得させる you. It will take only a minute.”

Much to my disgust he swept 支援する, deposited his 捕らえる、獲得する on my desk, and began fumbling around in it.

“Of course, if you have 設立する a means of 抽出するing the rubber from our rich men’s 良心s, you may have it, or something like it,” I encouraged him.

He appeared not to notice my fling. “Here—here it is,” he exclaimed, pulling several small （土地などの）細長い一片s of a 赤みを帯びた colored 実体 from his 捕らえる、獲得する. “There! There! 診察する it. Try it yourself.” He threw a （土地などの）細長い一片 in 前線 of me, another in 前線 of 行方不明になる Walsh.

“Oh, I’ll take your word for it,” I said, 押し進めるing the （土地などの）細長い一片 aside to 選ぶ up some papers on which it fell.

“Try it—please,” he requested, turning to 行方不明になる Walsh.

She 選ぶd up the （土地などの）細長い一片 thrown her and, one end in each 手渡す, pulled. It stretched and when she 解放（する）d one end it snapped 支援する.

“It’s elastic all 権利, elastic of the most revengeful 肉親，親類d,” she 発表するd, rubbing the 手渡す it had struck.

“There! 納得させるd?” Longstreet turned smilingly to me. “You saw, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but how much real rubber did you put in it to make it stretch like that?”

“Not an ounce, not—” Longstreet stopped 突然の and looked at me, as if suddenly and for the first time he caught my antagonism. His mouth opened as if he ーするつもりであるd to speak. Instead, he 掴むd his 捕らえる、獲得する from my desk and with a wave of his 解放する／自由な 手渡す 急落（する），激減（する）d out of the office.

I took the （土地などの）細長い一片 he had left on my desk and dropped it into my waste-basket.

“You called me. 口述?” 問い合わせd 行方不明になる Walsh, remaining standing.

“No—it’s insufferably hot here, isn’t it?” I 需要・要求するd.

“Yes. Perhaps. Shall I open a window?”

“If you will.” I began to perceive what an 展示 my feelings had made of me before her. “After so much hot 空気／公表する, don’t you think it would be better?” I asked with あわてて assumed jocularity.

She laughed with me and opened the windows. But when she returned she paused before my desk.

“You don’t like Mr. Longstreet, do you?” she 問い合わせd.

“No, that is—” I paused embarrassed. There was no explanation I could make.

She moved on a little. “You still don’t 反対する to my doing his letters?” she asked. “I’ll give them up 即時に if you do.”

I 保証するd her that I didn’t. She 受託するd my 声明. Fool that I was! It was not until long afterward that I had wit to think what it means when a woman takes a man’s word against all the 証拠!

I did not even dream what this meant that day. That day I had much ado to bring my jealousy within bounds, to speak to 報知係s without snapping at them like a vicious dog. Whether or not Allan Longstreet was the man with Beatrice on the night of the 殺人, this last conversation had 証明するd that he was on 条件 of the 最大の intimacy with her, and he 存在 the only son of a very rich man, oh, how I hated him! I was beside myself with jealousy. After my first 怒り／怒る passed and my brain began to work, 疑惑s groped their way into it. I made up my mind that he had 軍隊d his office on me for just this 勝利, that his generosity had been all a sham, that he had planned all along to 納得させる me in some such way as this of the hopelessness of my aspiration to Beatrice.

I had a glimpse of Beatrice on the stairs late that night when I 軍隊d myself to return to the house, but I could not speak to her. I passed into my own room without so much as a word. She must have just come from a whole afternoon and perhaps evening spent with him. The thought of that made it impossible for me to 信用 myself to say a word.

I slept ill. I pretended that an 早期に 約束／交戦 妨げるd me from staying to breakfast. And at the office I sank into my 議長，司会を務める with a despair at the long day coming that I did my best to 隠す.

It must have been toward noon when the door opened and I looked up to find Beatrice standing smilingly before my desk. I started. I couldn’t help it, so sure was I that the vindictive feelings rankling in my mind must be 明白な. And before she could speak I 簡単に had to let her realize that at last I knew who the man was she preferred to me.

“Mr. Longstreet isn’t in, but if you will sit 負かす／撃墜する he may be here at any time,” I said.

She looked at me, her eyebrows 解除するd. “I （機の）カム to see you, not Mr. Longstreet,” she said slowly after a minute.

“Me? Ah, you have thought of something else that I can do for you?”

Again that 解除するing of the 厚い dark long 攻撃するs that no longer appeared やめる so wonderful to me. “N-o,” she said 静かに.

In spite of myself my 注目する，もくろむs dropped before hers.

It enraged me. “Then why—” I 需要・要求するd.

“I happened to be downtown on another 事柄,” she said, ignoring my 治療, “and, we see so little of you at the house lately, I thought I would come in to thank you for both myself and Linda for your promptness.”

“My promptness?”

“Yes, the promptness with which you see that all our wishes are carried out. We both 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる it, I 保証する you. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to tell you so. I had a feeling that our troubles of the past week might have made us seem heedless and ungrateful to you, and it 傷つける me to think that you might have such an impression when you have really been so 肉親，親類d and indulgent to us in every way.”

I felt uneasy at her 感謝 after my rude 治療. “I 港／避難所’t done anything—anything that my 義務s as executor have not called on me to do,” I waived.

“Perhaps not, but you have been so quick and 誘発する. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 you to know that we 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる it.”

“誘発する?”

“About the automobile.”

“The automobile?”

“Yes, and the chauffeur. We hadn’t even spoken to you about him.”

I looked at her with amazement. Lurking in my mind was a new 疑惑. Was she 存在 sarcastic with me? But the 疑惑 could not 伸び（る） ground before the 静める, 決定するd 親切 in her look. “I—I guess I don’t understand,” I floundered.

She smiled. “You have done so much for us that I can understand why you shouldn’t. But a few days ago we asked you for a car—now, do you understand?”

“A car? You mean an automobile?”

“Yes, and this morning without a word from you up it comes to the house ready for 即座の use and with a chauffeur to take us wherever we want to go. Linda was speaking about it just before it arrived, wondering when it would come, and I had just told her that I didn’t think you would be able to get one short of a few weeks when—”

At last I 設立する my tongue. “But—but I 港／避難所’t sent any automobile,” I exclaimed.

“Then how—”

“Someone must have heard that you 手配中の，お尋ね者 one and sent it on 裁判，公判.”

“But—” She stopped, her lips parted with alarm.

“But what?”

“Why, the chauffeur told us distinctly that you had sent him and the car.”

“I didn’t. You must have misunderstood him.”

“N-o, I heard him say it myself.”

“井戸／弁護士席, it doesn’t 事柄.”

“But it does!”

The alarm in her look and トン communicated itself to me. “Why?” I 需要・要求するd.

“Because Linda went out to 運動 in it. Oh, why did I let her go out alone in it! I had an errand downtown and she 手配中の，お尋ね者 to go out along the 運動, so I saw her off in the new car and （機の）カム downtown in the subway. I don’t know what I was thinking of; I don’t see why I didn’t call you up and make sure it was all 権利; I shall never 許す myself if anything has happened to Linda.” She had risen from her seat, and stood looking apprehensively out of the window, one 手渡す behind her for support.

“Nothing has happened,” I 保証するd her, “nothing whatever has happened, except that probably some too eager automobile salesman has outwitted himself.”

“I don’t know. I don’t know,” she repeated dully. “Suppose—” she turned suddenly as if impelled to confide in me the nature of her 恐れる; then, at my look, her 目的 seemed as suddenly to leave her. She sighed and looked away. After a moment she suddenly straightened up. “I must go—I must go and find out,” she said quickly and without another word she hurried out of my office.

Her 恐れるs seemed to me preposterous because unexplained, but I hurried away to 昼食 ーするために be 現在の in 事例／患者 she telephoned later. When I returned another card was 宿泊するd against my inkstand. It read:

Somehow I fancied this referred to Beatrice. I frowned at 行方不明になる Walsh and tore it to pieces. I was at the other end of the office hanging up my hat when the telephone rang. 行方不明になる Walsh sprang to it ahead of me.

“It’s she,” she said in a queer トン and I realized I had been 訂正する in my 仮定／引き受けること.

Beatrice’s 発言する／表明する was pitched in a 重要な of alarm.

“Linda hasn’t come home. She 約束d to be 支援する by noon. It’s after one now, and I am 脅すd 簡単に to death. What am I to do? Please tell me what to do?” she cried in a トン that trembled.

I did my best to 静める her, told her that Linda might have driven その上の than she ーするつもりであるd, might have lost sight of the time, or might have been 延期するd in getting 支援する by the breaking 負かす／撃墜する of the car.

“I know—I know—I’ve thought of all those things,” she exclaimed unconvinced. “But what am I to do? Please tell me what to do.”

“You can’t do anything except to wait until she comes 支援する and explains why she is late,” I replied.

“Wait! Wait! I can’t wait any longer.”

“But what else is there to do?” I grew a little impatient at her unnecessary alarm.

“I feel I せねばならない tell the police. I feel I—”

“What, and have them 群れている up there with the reporters behind them? No, be 患者. Wait until 行方不明になる Linda returns!” I expostulated.

“She isn’t coming 支援する! She isn’t coming 支援する! I’m sure of it,” she cried.

“Why isn’t she coming 支援する?” I 需要・要求するd.

She hesitated and then 避けるd answering my question. “She isn’t coming 支援する. I know it. That’s all I can tell you. But I must have someone to help me find her. Mr. Trask! Where can I find him?”

“I don’t know. He’s away somewhere.”

“Oh, why did I ever 許す her to go out in that car alone?” Her self-reproach was bitter. “I might have known. I—oh, can’t you find Mr. Trask for me?”

“I’m sorry, but I 港／避難所’t the least idea where he is. Why alarm yourself so unnecessarily? Why do you think she isn’t coming 支援する?”

She did not answer.

“Why do you think she isn’t coming 支援する?” I 固執するd.

“I—oh, Mr. Swan, couldn’t you come 権利 up here?”

“Yes—if it’s necessary.”

“Please don’t be so 冷静な／正味の about it! Oh, Mr. Swan, if you only knew! I have every 推論する／理由 to believe that Linda has been kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped? By whom?”

“Please don’t stop to ask questions. Please come 権利 up here.”

“All 権利, I’m coming.”

I hung up the receiver and 星／主役にするd stupidly at the letters を待つing my 署名. Kidnapped? But who would 誘拐する Linda Alster? I could find no answer, but Beatrice’s clamorous certainty began to get to me, began to raise the 可能性 before me for the first time, and I wondered what I should do in 事例／患者 she had really been 誘拐するd. After all, what could I do except what I had advised Beatrice against doing? And if the police were called in—no, that must be 避けるd by all means. But what could I do? Taking 負かす／撃墜する my coat, I paused 中途の and thought.

“楽しみ before 商売／仕事, I notice,” commented 行方不明になる Walsh in a low 発言する／表明する.

It was the first time she had ever spoken sarcastically to me, though she was famous for her sharp tongue. I began to understand. But my mind was too taken up with the baffling 仕事 直面するing me to 苦しむ any 延期する or distraction. I pretended not to hear and continued my 準備s for leaving the office. On my desk when I returned to it for a last look was another card:

I turned it 直面する 負かす／撃墜する without looking at her. What was I to do about Linda’s 見えなくなる? Where was Trask? 探偵，刑事s were always around when not needed and never when needed. I leaped toward the door and as I reached for the 扱う the door was suddenly opened 権利 in my 直面する. And in the 入り口 stood Trask.

一時期／支部 13

Trask surprised me by 株ing Beatrice’s alarm over the 非，不，無-外見 of Linda. He was eager for the 詳細（に述べる）s and reproached me for not asking Beatrice for a description of the chauffeur.

“A good description might have made me やめる 確かな on one point,” he 明言する／公表するd. “The use of a cipher and the ruse of sending the violets 演説（する）／住所d to 行方不明になる Beatrice made me 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う that Keith must be working with confederates. And now the 雇用 of an automobile makes 事柄s look still worse. You’ve noticed how much the most 企業ing crooks are using automobiles lately, 港／避難所’t you? This 示唆するs even more 堅固に that, instead of having 単に Keith to を取り引きする, we may perhaps have to 戦闘 one or more of the shrewdest 犯罪のs in New York, one of those first to 利用する each new 発明, one of those who soon will be using monoplanes for second-story work on 超高層ビルs. But which one? That is what I would like to learn just as soon as I can.” He noticed at once how his 批評 annoyed me; he pacified me on our way uptown in the subway by 報告（する）／憶測ing his 発見s regarding Keith.

“井戸／弁護士席, Swan,” he began, “you see before you a man who has served just about a week at hard labor. It was necessary to learn 正確に what sort of a character we were after in this man Keith. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 his past ーするために get an 索引 to his habits and associates; given these one 伸び（る）s some notion of where to look for a man; and not so much as a start could I 得る from anyone at the house. The girls knew nothing; the servants knew nothing; I couldn’t learn even from which 雇用 機関 he had come, nor how 行方不明になる Alster had happened to engage him as butler. All I had was an excellent description of his 外見 put together from 詳細（に述べる）s 供給（する）d by them all.

“This sent me 負かす／撃墜する first to police （警察，軍隊などの）本部 to learn if he had been ‘mugged.’ 事実上 a day wasted there and nothing 設立する. Two more days wasted in making a 完全にする canvass of the 雇用 機関s and nothing there. This threw me 支援する on my last 資源, the charity organizations. When you fail to find your man on the card 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）s of the active, professional 犯罪のs, you can frequently come upon him の中で the shiftless, 見習い工 犯罪のs who work the charities. But I never 訴える手段／行楽地 to this until every other method has failed. Without a man’s 指名する or particular game it is a long and 疲れた／うんざりした 追跡（する） の中で a forest of papers. And Keith I 堅固に 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd to be a newly assumed 指名する.

“Four days at the charity societies groping wildly の中で 混乱させるd papers setting 前へ／外へ the 指名するs and games of the half-rogues. Swan, a man never feels dirtier than after poring over old papers, buried in the settled dust of time. I have taken so many baths in the past four days that my 肌 feels worn thin. You know? Only your 手渡すs get 国／地域d, but you feel dirty all over and wish you could wash inside 同様に as outside, externally, eternally. Four long, 安定した, endless days of that, but—” Trask laughed contentedly, “but something from it all at last.”

“Ah, you 設立する his 記録，記録的な／記録する?”

“Yes, late yesterday afternoon. Not much, but enough to 始める，決める me going 権利. Twenty years ago the Charity Organization began to receive a 安定した stream of 調査s about three forms of begging letters. The letters appeared to emanate from three different people, two men and one woman, as they were written invariably in three forms. The woman’s letter always began, ‘I know your tender womanly nature will answer the cry of a poor woman whose husband is 無能にするd by 事故 and whose baby is crying for milk, and so 前へ／外へ’; one of the men’s letters always began, ‘I am in 広大な／多数の／重要な trouble, a wife sick in confinement, a baby dead, and no money to bury it. I don’t want my baby to go to the potter’s field, and so 前へ／外へ’; and the other man’s letters as 必然的に opened, ‘There is a story told about a shipwrecked sailor who felt he had a （人命などを）奪う，主張する on God to hear his 祈りs because he troubled him so seldom,’—and then a humorous touch for a 貸付金. But money in 返答 to all three 控訴，上告s was requested to be sent to the same rooming house on the Bowery. One of the Charity Organization’s スパイ／執行官s went 負かす／撃墜する to 調査／捜査する and 設立する that one man and his wife were 責任がある them all. They went by the 指名する of Taylor. They had reams of paper, boxes of envelopes, blue-調書をとる／予約するs, directories, newspapers, and were sending out begging letters by the dozens every day and using their son, a little boy of seven or eight, to help 令状 them and to run errands.

“井戸／弁護士席, all the スパイ／執行官 did was to throw the 脅す into them and take away the boy. That boy was turned over to one of the foundling 亡命s and brought up until he became old enough to earn his own living. That boy was Keith.”

“Keith? The man who worked as butler at 行方不明になる Alster’s? Impossible!”

“Not at all. Nothing is impossible. He worked for just two days as 見習い工 to a goldbeater, the 職業 the foundling 亡命 安全な・保証するd for him, and then he 消えるd.”

“Then how—”

“I’m coming to that. Ten years later one of the 公式の／役人s 設立する him working as an omnibus, that is, a helper to the waiters at one of the big hotels, but as he seemed to be 収入 an honest living the charity スパイ／執行官 let him alone. Yet more than a year and a half ago, running 負かす／撃墜する another 特に active and successful begging letter writer, they （機の）カム upon this young man again. He said he had fallen sick and been 軍隊d to 訴える手段／行楽地 to 令状ing begging letters for 平易な money until he could find another place as a waiter, but probably the 血 of his shiftless parents was beginning to tell. However, the charity スパイ／執行官 got him a position as footman with one of the 豊富な families on lower Fifth Avenue; he worked there about two weeks, appeared to like the 平易な life, but at the end of that time kicked up his heels and disappeared again. That is the last 記録，記録的な／記録する of Mr. Keith; there’s a wide gap of nearly a year and a half between the time he left there and the time he went to work as butler for 行方不明になる Alster, about which nothing whatever is known.”

“But what became of the parents?”

“After the スパイ／執行官 threw that 脅す into them they packed up and decamped, to another city probably, until things blew over. Four years later they were run 負かす／撃墜する here again playing the same old game. The woman had a two-year-old baby with her that the society took away; she seemed willing enough to let some one else bring up her little girl. There was a 推論する／理由, but I won’t go into that now. Then they 消えるd again. Five years later 報告（する）／憶測s （機の）カム in about them from Boston, where they were playing the same old game. No 記録，記録的な／記録する since, but I’m having the entire family looked into その上の and 推定する／予想する more news about them any day.”

We were on an 表明する that had just drawn out from the Fourteenth Street 駅／配置する.

“And all this makes you more eager than ever to lay 手渡すs on Keith?” I 問い合わせd, to make talk.

Trask 単に laughed and nodded his 長，率いる in silence.

I pondered over the strange story of shiftless, aimless lives he had told me. From time to time I ちらりと見ることd at him, but he seemed engrossed in some problem of his own. Our 表明する train passed 駅／配置する after 駅／配置する. I 設立する myself looking at the 乗客s in a 地元の we had caught up with and were slowly passing. Suddenly I made a 得る，とらえる for Trask’s arm.

“Look! Quick!” I cried.

“What is it? Be careful,” he 警告するd. Instead of looking toward the 地元の he turned toward me, shutting off my sight of it with his whole 団体／死体.

“What are you doing? It’s Keith, there in that 地元の we’re passing,” I 抗議するd.

“Yes, I hoped as much, but there’s no need of 警告 him,” he replied, continuing to keep his 団体／死体 in the way. “Did he see you?”

“No, but—”

“What 駅／配置する was that we just passed?” he interrupted.

“The Twenty-eighth Street, but are you going to let him get away like this?” I expostulated.

He did not answer. In a moment he 輪郭（を描く）d his 計画（する）s.

“Go to the 後部 door of this train,” he ordered, “and the moment it stops hurry across and 負かす／撃墜する the 壇・綱領・公約 where the 地元の will pull in. 駅／配置する yourself where the last car of the 地元の will stop. As soon as it draws in walk up along the train looking at those who get off and those inside. If you see him inside get on and 影をつくる／尾行する him. If you see him get off follow him from here. But above all keep on walking 今後.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Later. We’re 製図／抽選 in to the Grand Central stop. Hurry now and do just what I told you.” He had already risen; as I rose he gave me a 押す toward the 後部 door of our car and he himself ran toward the door at the other end.

The 地元の （機の）カム 狙撃 into the 駅／配置する and I did 正確に as Trask had ordered. Running into people, 存在 押すd this way and that, I hurried along the 壇・綱領・公約, looking from the people on it to the 乗客s on the train until my 長，率いる swung as on a pivot. But it was slow work, and before I had gone half the length of the train its doors began to 激突する and I realized it would be off with only half of the cars as yet covered. I hesitated before one of the last doors remaining open, wondering what I was to do in such a 状況／情勢. The fact that the guard was about to shut the door 納得させるd me that I had better get on the train before it pulled away. I made a leap toward the の近くにing door and was brought 突然の 支援する by a strong 支配する on my arm.

“井戸／弁護士席, you didn’t see him, did you?” 問い合わせd Trask, 解放（する）ing his 持つ／拘留する.

“No, but how do you know he was not on one of the cars その上の ahead?” I 需要・要求するd.

“Don’t worry about those. I covered them,” he 保証するd me.

“Yes, but you’ve never seen Keith. How would you know him? That was the 推論する／理由 I 手配中の，お尋ね者 you to look at him on the train.”

“No, I’ve never seen him, but—” Trask laughed confidently.

“You surely don’t rely upon 選ぶing him out の中で dozens of 乗客s 単に by a description.”

“Why not? Listen! Perhaps you can 追加する something to the 詳細（に述べる）s already gathered on him. Five feet ten; 負わせる 170 to 180; light brown hair, gray 注目する，もくろむs; fair complexion; small, 正規の／正選手 teeth; has waiter’s walk; left eyelid droops a little; 権利 shoulder a good インチ lower than left—if you had all those 詳細（に述べる）s 権利 in the 前線 of your mind and were trained to do it, don’t you think you could 選ぶ out your man from the description?”

I stood amazed at the quickness with which he had 動揺させるd off the long 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる） of 詳細（に述べる）s; his 保証／確信 no longer seemed so childish; I had not a word to say.

“At least, I can 約束 you that no man answering that description was in the first four cars of that 地元の when it drew into this 駅／配置する,” Trask went on. “Only one thing could have happened; he got off at the Thirty-third street 駅／配置する.”

“What shall we do about it?” I asked 謙虚に.

“Nothing just now.” Trask took my arm. “Come, we might 同様に go up and take the surface car to our 目的地.”

“And let him get away?”

“He can’t get away any more than he has already; and you forget that 行方不明になる Beatrice is waiting for us,” 再結合させるd Trask easily.

Marveling at the 緩和する with which he took our loss, I submitted and followed him upstairs to the surface car which bore us to the 住居 of the late 行方不明になる Alster.

Beatrice was in the hall when we entered, and one look at her 直面する was enough to tell me that she had not yet heard from Linda. Her agitated look brightened a little when she looked beyond me and 観察するd Trask に引き続いて.

“Oh, I’m so glad that you have come, too,” she exclaimed, reaching impulsively for his 手渡す.

“Probably you don’t need me, now that Mr. Trask is here,” I 投機・賭けるd with わずかに more sarcasm than I ーするつもりであるd.

“Oh, you know I didn’t mean anything like that,” she said, looking at me reproachfully before 主要な us both into the 歓迎会 room. Here she told the whole story of Linda’s 見えなくなる again, and not to Trask, but to me. I felt my importance 新たにする itself; I made up my mind that at last I had learned the way to 扱う／治療する her so that she would better 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる me.

Trask, after learning that she could give him no 限定された description of the chauffeur, listened to her without a 選び出す／独身 interruption. In fact, it was some time before he broke with a question the silence that followed her story.

“So you feel 肯定的な that she has been kidnapped, do you?” he 問い合わせd at last, and with a 静かな significance that was not to be overlooked.

“I—I—oh, yes, I feel sure of it,” she 滞るd, blushing.

“So do I.”

Trask’s curt, 決定的な 声明 made us both start. Before we could 表明する surprise he caught her up with another question:

“And now, whom do you 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う of kidnapping her?”

“I—I—” Beatrice stopped short and appeared too 混乱させるd to continue.

“You don’t dare to tell?”

Beatrice after a sigh slowly shook her 長，率いる.

“It would betray a secret you have sworn not to tell?”

Again that 深い sigh and the slow shake of her 長，率いる.

“You 恐れる she was kidnapped by Keith, don’t you?”

Beatrice gave a little gasp and shrank away from him.

“So do I.” Trask read her unintentional acknowledgment as I had read it. “That’s all. We won’t annoy you その上の, 行方不明になる Beatrice,” he said quickly and in a softer トン. He turned to me and made talk until she やめる 回復するd from her 狼狽.

“Please, Mr. Trask, do what you can, even if I can’t tell you any more, you will, won’t you?” she begged him in a 発言する／表明する that trembled.

“Yes, my dear girl, don’t worry.”

Her 控訴，上告 to him rather than to me irritated me again. I decided that now was the time to do a little 探偵，刑事 work myself.

“We shall need money,” I 宣言するd, and, にもかかわらず Trask’s frown, went on, “Can you let us have some of the thousand dollars I got for you the other day?”

“I—I have only a few dollars of it left,” Beatrice’s long 攻撃するs dropped over her 注目する，もくろむs. “I’m sorry it—it is all gone.”

My 注目する，もくろむs swept to Trask and there was 勝利 in them, but he was walking away toward the 前線 of the room. Was he angry with me or had he turned his 支援する only to hide his satisfaction at the acknowledgment I had 軍隊d from her? In a moment I perceived another possible 推論する／理由 for his 撤退.

“I am sorry if I intrude,” exclaimed a new 発言する／表明する behind me, “but if you want money I can let you have all you need.”

I turned. In the doorway stood Allan Longstreet. He was looking not at me, but at Beatrice. I looked from Beatrice to him. As he 前進するd toward her with a look on his 直面する that seemed too 保証するd of his welcome, my 怒り／怒る got the better of me.

“If you’ll excuse me, I think it would be much better if—” I began with open 敵意.

“No, I sent for Mr. Longstreet,” interrupted Beatrice 堅固に.

“Oh! You sent for him?”

“Yes, I 恐れるd you wouldn’t—” her hesitation was as 侮辱ing as if she hadn’t 訂正するd herself—“wouldn’t be able to come soon, so I sent for Mr. Longstreet, too—afterward. I couldn’t stand the suspense—I—it isn’t his fault—if it’s anyone’s fault it’s—”

“It isn’t anyone’s fault,” interrupted Longstreet, taking her 手渡す, “and if anyone considers my arrival an 侵入占拠 and 反対するs to my joining in the 追跡（する） for 行方不明になる Linda, I can easily enough 治療（薬） that.”

“How?” I burst out, still その上の enraged at his 持つ／拘留するing her 手渡す.

“By 行為／行うing a search of my own,” he replied coolly, though his gray 注目する，もくろむs glinted 怒って.

I looked at Trask for 激励. His 注目する，もくろむs were on the 床に打ち倒す and 辞退するd to 会合，会う 地雷. I had a feeling that he, too, was against me.

“In that 事例／患者,” I exclaimed, “I think that I also can （問題を）取り上げる the 追跡（する） alone.” With a 広範囲にわたる look at them all which 刺激するd no 反対s, I turned on my heel and left the room.

With a feeling that everybody’s 手渡す was raised against me, I returned to my office and sought to distract my mind with work put aside. But 圧力（をかける）ing 事柄s were soon …に出席するd to, and I felt 行方不明になる Walsh’s 注目する，もくろむs upon me perceiving a sense of 乱暴／暴力を加える no longer to be 隠すd. With the first （製品，工事材料の）一回分 of letters she brought me was a card on which was written in her 手渡す,

I pretended not to have seen it. I had returned to my office for distraction, but this was not the sort my mind welcomed then. I …に出席するd to a few 事柄s. I fled to the Waldorf for dinner. Here, やめる alone, getting a bitter satisfaction from my own loneliness, I indulged my feelings. On me was a tingling 激怒（する） at the small part in 事件／事情／状勢s I was permitted to take, and from this arose a sudden 決意 to show my 力／強力にする. Beatrice, Longstreet, Trask—all should reckon with me 今後. I lighted a cigar, the strongest to be had, and started at a furious pace toward the Thirty-third Street 出口 of the hotel. And then through the 回転するing door I saw someone—someone at sight of whom all my seething, undirected impulses crystallized into a 選び出す／独身 目的.

It was Keith whom I had seen pass that door. I gave him a few minutes’ start and then followed, taking the other 味方する of the street. He was walking bent 今後 as if his 武器 were 負担d 負かす／撃墜する. He looked 支援する once and I dived into a doorway, congratulating myself upon having escaped unnoticed. From this point of vantage, through the two show windows of the 蓄える／店 I saw him turn into the 地階 of one of the houses lying 中途の in the 封鎖する between the Waldorf and Broadway. I had run him 負かす／撃墜する, I had run Keith 負かす／撃墜する! I waited a 控えめの interval before 現れるing to 検査／視察する the house he had entered. It 証明するd to be one of a short 列／漕ぐ／騒動 of ordinary, old-fashioned, brownstone 前線 住居s left の中で the 隣接地の 超高層ビルs by the uptown flight of New York’s inhabitants. I passed it again and again, first 慎重に on the other 味方する of the street, and then, as I grew bolder, upon the 味方する on which it was 位置を示すd. The 地階 door and windows, I 公式文書，認めるd, were ひどく 閉めだした; at all the windows hung 激しい lace curtains through which I せねばならない have seen lights if the house were 占領するd, yet not the faintest gleam could I （悪事，秘密などを）発見する; さもなければ the house 異なるd not in any 尊敬（する）・点 from thousands of others of its 肉親，親類d.

But if the 疑惑s of Beatrice and Trask were 訂正する, there, in this house, at this very moment, Linda might be held against her will. And I—I was the only one who knew—the one who must 行為／法令／行動する. I roamed up and 負かす／撃墜する the street, never taking my 注目する，もくろむs from the house, and trying to 決定する what 活動／戦闘 to take. A weak impulse to call on Trask for 援助（する） I choked 負かす／撃墜する. No, this was my find. I would show him and the others of what caliber I was made. 徐々に into my thoughts worked a 恐れる that the man I had followed might perhaps not be Keith. Also, if it were, he might 観察する me walking up and 負かす／撃墜する the street. To 避ける this, I slipped 深い into the doorway of a 超高層ビル diagonally opposite to 準備する some 計画（する） for 伸び（る）ing 入り口 to the house. And then, as I stood there, my 注目する，もくろむs and whole attention directed across the street, the door 直接／まっすぐに behind me must have been suddenly opened, for two 手渡すs clutched me by the shoulders, and before I could utter a cry I was 強制的に pulled inside and the door の近くにd in my 直面する.

一時期／支部 14

With a quick swing I jerked 解放する／自由な from the 手渡すs and turned, 直面するing my 加害者. With the same continuous movement I の近くにd my 握りこぶしs and 始める，決める my 団体／死体 in an 態度 of self-弁護. But by this time my 注目する，もくろむs 認めるd the man who had pulled me in there; and my 武器 fell supinely to my 味方するs.

“Excuse the rough 扱うing,” said Trask, smiling, “only if we had 許すd you to parade up and 負かす／撃墜する there much longer Keith would certainly have noticed you, if he hasn’t already.”

“Oh, then you have run him 負かす／撃墜する, too?” I 需要・要求するd.

“選ぶd up his 追跡する this afternoon, ran him 負かす／撃墜する within ten minutes, and now we’ve got an office upstairs where we can watch in safety just what’s going on across the street.”

“We?” I 需要・要求するd, stifling my 失望.

“Come upstairs and get our point of 見解（をとる）,” 答える／応じるd Trask, 避けるing my question. “You won’t mind climbing four flights? The elevator doesn’t run nights after seven.”

He hurried away up the dark stairway that ran around the elevator 井戸／弁護士席 and I followed, my feelings mixed, a feeling of satisfaction at having his 援助（する） in the 事件／事情／状勢 at 手渡す mingling with one of 失望 that he should have run 負かす／撃墜する Keith ahead of me after all. But my feelings were no longer mixed when I entered the office on the fourth 床に打ち倒す to which he led me. There I 設立する a man whom, in the half light coming from the street, I 認めるd to be Longstreet, and all my earlier animosity against him 再開するd its sway over me.

He was standing just away from the plate glass 前線 window with オペラ glasses at his 注目する，もくろむs watching the house opposite. At my 入り口 he turned and spoke to me affably enough, but 勝利者s can afford to be affable.

“Why didn’t you tell me he was here?” I 需要・要求するd of Trask in a low 発言する／表明する.

Longstreet must have heard, but he paid no attention. As for Trask, he 単に looked at me without answering.

“Can’t you dispense with him, now that I’m here to help you?” I 固執するd.

Trask took me by the arm and led me aside to the far end of the office. “Considering that he first 位置を示すd Keith and also, at my advice, 雇うd this office, I don’t think your suggestion sounds very reasonable,” whispered Trask. “Now, be good.” He turned and left me.

“We’re all here with the same 反対する. So let’s at least be friends until the 追跡（する） is over,” called out Longstreet in a 発言する／表明する conciliating enough to 許す me a dignified escape from the disagreeable 状況／情勢 into which my jealousy had 軍隊d me.

“But why wait? Why not call the police?” I 需要・要求するd.

“No 証拠. We don’t yet know that 行方不明になる Linda is there,” 答える／応じるd Trask.

“There are three of us. Why not go and find out?”

“Just how would you 示唆する doing that?” asked Trask.

“Why! Suppose you and I go 権利 up to the 前線 door and （犯罪の）一味, while Mr. Longstreet stays outside watching the 地階 door. When the door is opened we surely can 軍隊 our way in.”

“Do you know anything about that house?” retorted Trask. “井戸／弁護士席, I do. It’s a 一時的に 砂漠d 賭事ing house known as the アイロンをかける Door. That door would never be opened. They would 単に look us over through some peephole and escape by the way the gamblers used to take.”

“They?” I 問い合わせd. “Is there more than Keith there?”

“He’s the only man we’ve seen enter the house,” replied Trask, “but Keith, によれば my notion, is not やめる the caliber of man to dare carry out an 請け負うing of this sort alone. And the work so far 暗示するs that he has the 援助（する） or at least the advice of more intelligent and 技術d 犯罪のs. It’s unfortunate that 行方不明になる Beatrice’s description of the chauffeur who drove off with 行方不明になる Linda wasn’t 限定された enough to give me a clew to the 身元 of one of them. But that there are more than Keith 関心d in this I am 確信して. In fact, he recently carried 十分な food into the house for four or five people, 裁判官ing from the bundles.”

“There must be some way,” I complained, 前進するing toward the window. Rebelling at the way all my suggestions were turned 負かす／撃墜する, I 熟考する／考慮するd the house. “Why not try to 影響 an 入り口 through the skylight?” I 需要・要求するd.

“閉めだした, unquestionably,” 答える／応じるd Trask.

“We don’t know that. Look at that house next door. One can tell by the light in the lower hall and the 打ち明けるd outer door that it is divided into apartments; and I’ve just seen the 管理人 go out. Why not go up to its roof and try to enter through the skylight of this one?” I had warmed to my suggestion and my 発言する／表明する was growing louder and more 決定するd.

“Ssssh!” 警告を与えるd Longstreet, “if I’m not mistaken someone is coming out.”

We drew 近づく the window. It was Keith. We watched him leave the house, hurry along the street and jump into a taxi 近づく the McAlpin.

“Now’s our chance,” I cried excitedly.

Neither of them said anything.

“Do you mean to tell me you’re going to let a chance like this get away from you?” I 需要・要求するd 怒って.

Longstreet looked toward Trask as if for orders. Trask neither moved nor said a word.

“Do you know what you look like to me? You look like a pair of cowards,” I scoffed, jerking away from them toward the door.

“持つ／拘留する on there, where are you going?” 需要・要求するd Trask, turning alertly toward me.

“I’m going to try it myself, alone,” I 発表するd.

“Don’t be so idiotic,” Trask 勧めるd, “we don’t even know that she’s in that house. And, if she is, you may be sure that the 激しい men in this 陰謀（を企てる） have been left behind on guard. If we go over there and bungle we’ll only 後継する in 警告 them or putting her in greater danger.”

“井戸／弁護士席, I for one don’t ーするつもりである to stay here and look on like a mere 観客,” I 嵐／襲撃するd.

“Yes, there are three of us against any who may be there, why not make a try?” chimed in Longstreet.

“井戸／弁護士席, have your own way.” Trask sighed. “But wait a minute.” He withdrew to a corner of the office, opened a 捕らえる、獲得する, and in the dark appeared to be putting something about his 団体／死体 under his coat.

“What are you doing? Putting on armor?” I 需要・要求するd, feeling more jocular now that my suggestion was to be 行為／法令／行動するd upon.

“I’m 準備するing to save your 企業 from almost 確かな 敗北・負かす,” replied Trask, and would not answer another question.

We made a detour up the street, crossed to the other 味方する and entered the apartment house next door. Making as little noise as possible, we 上がるd the stairs and 伸び（る）d the roof without difficulty.

“There! You see how 平易な it was,” I could not forbear exclaiming triumphantly.

“Yes, but now suppose you go over and 診察する your skylight,” retorted Trask, standing aside and awarding me the 権利 of way.

I stepped over the low parapet between the roofs of the two buildings. Longstreet followed, but Trask remained behind, leaning against the parapet, 単に watching us.

I hurried across the roof, followed by Longstreet. There was no skylight. The 発射／推定 above the roof which I had taken for one 証明するd to be 単に a hatchway with a hard steel cover. I tried to raise this. It would not budge. Longstreet and I got 負かす／撃墜する on our 膝s, tried the corners, ends, 味方するs, without discovering an aperture into which a finger could be wedged. The 辛勝する／優位s of the steel plate had been turned in, were fitted so closely within the outer steel でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる that it was long before we learned this discouraging fact. We 試みる／企てるd to shake it. It was immovable. The 割れ目 between the plate and its でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる was so 狭くする that we could not 軍隊 a knife-blade into it.

“Too bad,” exclaimed Longstreet, and I hated him for his sympathy. I rose to my feet with an 誓い. Trask had joined us. He asked no questions and gave the skylight but a cursory ちらりと見ること.

“Come! Now we’ll make a sane 試みる／企てる to get into the house,” he 発表するd. He led the way to the 後部 of the roof, got 負かす／撃墜する on it, and wormed his 長，率いる and shoulders so far over the 辛勝する／優位 that both Longstreet and I threw ourselves on his 脚s to keep him from 落ちるing into the dark abyss beyond. For a long time he hung there reconnoitering and then called softly for us to pull him 支援する. We did so with 救済 and with alacrity.

“No lights; I guess we can make a try,” he 発表するd. He unbuttoned his coat and began to unwind something from about his 団体／死体. It 証明するd to be a rope, small but strong. He tied one end around the base of the nearest chimney, 追跡するd it along to the 後部 辛勝する／優位 of the roof and then began to tie knots tightly at 正規の／正選手 intervals in the short length that remained.

This 完全にするd, he pulled the rope taut, lowered the knotted end over the 事業／計画（する）ing 辛勝する／優位 of the roof so that it hung 直接／まっすぐに before one of the windows on the 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す, and with a “Now, don’t 削減（する） the rope on me,” disappeared over the 辛勝する／優位.

We bent over and watched his 降下／家系 with bated breath. He was swinging himself in and out over that dark empty space in an 試みる／企てる to 宿泊する his feet 堅固に on the sill of the window. Once or twice his feet 伸び（る）d the sill, but his 団体／死体 swung away, he lost his foothold, and we 恐れるd to see him 落ちる the forty feet to the brick-覆うd yard below. It seemed hours before he 後継するd in 上陸 upon that sill.

“Shall we come too?” I called after him softly, hoping he would 否定する us the chance and 収容する／認める us by the hatchway.

He did not answer. We saw him raise the window and 消える inside the house without making a sound.

Longstreet and I drew in and looked at each other.

“井戸／弁護士席?” he asked.

“You can do what you please, but I’m going,” I 答える／応じるd with an inflection that dared him follow.

“We’re both going. I took that for 認めるd. I 単に 手配中の，お尋ね者 to learn your 願望（する） as to which one of us should go next,” he retorted coldly.

I took a deathlike 支配する on the rope and 緊急発進するd over the 辛勝する／優位, praying mutely that nothing would give way, lowering myself 手渡す by を引き渡す the dizzying space with my heart in my mouth. It was a 事柄 of only moments before my feet touched the window sill and Trask held them there until I could creep 安全に inside, but when my feet reached the 床に打ち倒す I was glad to lean against the 塀で囲む of the room. I 設立する I had been 持つ／拘留するing my breath; the faint feeling did not leave me until Longstreet crept through the window and I felt his 注目する，もくろむs upon me.

We drew 近づく Trask in the dark room, even I by now やめる reconciled to have him take 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of the 請け負うing. Suddenly we caught the glint about the room of his electric flash lamp. It flashed on a bed—unoccupied—on a bureau, 議長，司会を務めるs, and finally sprayed a 狭くする path of light across to the door to show us the way. We crossed the room, and waited for Trask. He joined us. After listening at the keyhole for a long time he carefully turned the knob and opened the door a few インチs; and at that moment a 一連の sounds （機の）カム to us from the house below that made my heart stop （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing and 原因（となる）d a 冷淡な 塗装 of perspiration to 勃発する all over my 団体／死体.

It is far easier to 述べる our sensations than that terrifying 一連の sounds. They were like nothing we had ever heard before; they left our minds whirling in vacancy; they sent our imaginations groping for dreadful, unheard-of things. As Trask unlatched the door the first sounds that （機の）カム up to us through the dark house were such as might have been made in a struggle between human 存在s; then （機の）カム a cry—in a woman’s 発言する／表明する—followed by a thud as of a 落ちるing 団体／死体; then in quick succession, the thunderous clank of アイロンをかける drawn over アイロンをかける, the resounding clang of steel 会合 steel. And then, before our minds could ascribe meanings to these sounds, there （機の）カム a 激しい hiss, a slow swish and the suction below of the 空気／公表する in the house.

We all shrank 支援する and away from the door, and felt through the dark for each other. That awful hiss, that terrifying suction, and the deadly silence that 後継するd them—what could they mean? I could hear the others breathing 深く，強烈に. And then Trask broke the （一定の）期間 by throwing open the door and running out in the hall.

We followed Trask rather than to be left alone. The hall was unlighted and dark as a cavern. We （機の）カム upon him peering through the 事業／計画（する）ing lattice-work 負かす／撃墜する a 深い 軸 to the 底（に届く） of the house. Far below was a 薄暗い light, but all the three 床に打ち倒すs between were dark as night. And not a sound save our own breathing!

Trask groped around a while in the dark and listened, before he dared make use of his electric flash lamp. Then he discovered a stairway that 負傷させる 負かす／撃墜する around the enclosed 軸. Trask started 負かす／撃墜する it, whispering for us to follow. 負かす／撃墜する one flight, two flights, through the dark we crept, making as little noise as possible. On the second 床に打ち倒す we saw that a 薄暗い light 燃やすd in the hall below, that this was the light which we had discerned in the enclosed 軸, also we perceived that this 軸, which we had been unable to explain in a 住居 of this sort, was nothing more or いっそう少なく than an elevator 井戸／弁護士席.

The elevator had stopped at the second 床に打ち倒す and was unoccupied. に引き続いて Trask’s lead we descended to the first 床に打ち倒す. Trask pointed silently but 意味ありげに to the inner 前線 doors. They were of 激しい アイロンをかける, hung on hinges embedded in 固める／コンクリート, and with three large bolts to make them impregnable. The three bolts were drawn; through the わずかに unlatched アイロンをかける doors we could see the ordinary dark 木造の door that masked this 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 弁護.

“Have they got away?” I whispered, pointing to the unlatched アイロンをかける doors.

Trask shook his 長，率いる as if he would not say. With a 調印する 警告 us to be silent, he entered the large 前線 room on that 床に打ち倒す. We 設立する no one there; we 設立する no one in the large room 開始 out of it to the 後部; and we regathered in the hall to descend to the 地階.

Again Trask 警告を与えるd us to be silent, and he evidently looked for trouble below, for I noticed that he 転換d his flash lamp to his left 手渡す and now carried an (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃 ピストル in his 権利. Longstreet, に引き続いて, also carried an (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃. I wondered if Trask had given it to him.

We crept 負かす／撃墜する the stairs to that 地階 with a feeling that the least noise might result in our 存在 発射. The door of the nearest room was open. Trask 素早い行動d through the lighted hall into it and was lost in the dark. In a moment he （機の）カム out shaking his 長，率いる. It was the same with each room on that 床に打ち倒す. Not a person was to be 設立する in any of them.

Trask （機の）カム out of the last of them with a puzzled look on his 直面する and no longer walking on tiptoe. I guessed his thoughts. “We’re too late, they’ve got away?” I prophesied.

“Perhaps, but nearly all the food has been eaten, showing that several people must have been here earlier.” He shook his 長，率いる and led the way 支援する upstairs. We returned to the 前線 room on the first 床に打ち倒す, and Trask astonished me by switching on the electric lights.

“Won’t they see these lights and keep away, instead of coming 支援する?” I remonstrated.

“What, see lights from the street in a 賭事ing house? Suppose you take a look at those windows,” 答える／応じるd Trask with a chuckle.

I went to them. This 味方する of the 激しい lace curtains to be seen from the street were 激しい, bolted steel shutters fitting into the window でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れるs so tightly that not a 割れ目 was left for the egress of light; and yet inside these were first a 黒人／ボイコット and then a white shade, and then again expensive lace hangings. No light could かもしれない pierce these. And 軍隊ing an 入り口 through one of those 前線 windows would 要求する much time and the 権利 道具s.

I turned and 診察するd the room; it was furnished lavishly yet with taste; one would never have 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd that this was the 歓迎会 room in a 賭事ing house. But not so the large 後部 room on that 床に打ち倒す and the two large rooms on the 床に打ち倒す above to which we proceeded. On the 塀で囲むs of these were expensive nudes in oils and water colors, 示すing that it was a 訴える手段／行楽地 単独で for men. の中で these pictures I noticed a beautiful Henner, nude yet unerringly chaste, and out of keeping with the other 絵s. 厚い, velvety carpets covered the 床に打ち倒すs; there were glittering, ostentatious chandeliers and beautiful rich hangings at the windows, but for furniture nothing except little clusters of 茎-seated 議長，司会を務めるs in corners, which contrasted strangely with the 高くつく／犠牲の大きい carpets and hangings and chandeliers.

“They’re ready to open up again just as soon as this 改革（する） wave is over and they believe it is 安全な,” proffered Trask.

We searched all the rooms, halls, closets on the lower three 床に打ち倒すs; we searched the 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す, without finding human 存在s or traces of human 存在s. I was relieved; but Trask seemed to take his 失望 深く，強烈に to heart. He moved away from us toward the door of the room by which we had 伸び（る）d 入り口.

“At least this saves us the danger of climbing out by the way we got in,” I commented, shivering at the thought of making our way up that knotted rope over the 事業／計画（する）ing 辛勝する／優位 of the roof. “If there is no one here, we can leave like gentlemen by the 前線 door.”

Trask dropped the 扱う of the door and turned toward us.

“Not without a scuffle,” he 発表するd.

“Scuffle?” I 需要・要求するd, alarmed by the きびきびした change in his トン.

“Yes.” He smiled grimly. “Since we left it, this door has been locked.”

I stopped him as he was passing by me in the hall.

“Why, that means—” I blurted and stopped, staggered by the 可能性s.

“That means,” 発表するd Trask, “that someone is in this house, that someone has come up here while we were downstairs and locked this door, 封鎖するing our avenue of escape. And in all 見込み,” he went on calmly, “he or they are now hiding somewhere downstairs; and we shall have to fight our way out by the 前線 door.” He turned out the hall light.

用意が出来ている to give 戦う／戦い, Trask and Longstreet 主要な the way with their (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃s, we 退却／保養地d downstairs, Longstreet and I remaining in the halls to make sure that no one stole by us upstairs while Trask once again searched the rooms. But room by room and 床に打ち倒す by 床に打ち倒す, we went through that entire house again from 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す to 地階 without discovering a living person.

“井戸／弁護士席, whoever locked that door must have slipped out while we were wasting time in some of the empty rooms,” I 投機・賭けるd, as we started 支援する up the 地階 stairs.

“Ssssh!” Trask, who was 主要な, stopped 中途の on the 地階 stairs and 調印するd for silence. We listened. The faint muffled sound of an electric buzzer （機の）カム to us from somewhere on the 床に打ち倒す above. Trask listened until it stopped, then with a whispered adjuration to follow and to make no noise tiptoed up the 残り／休憩（する） of the stairs. At their 最高の，を越す we stopped and listened for the sound to be 新たにするd. Instead we heard the click of a 重要な in the lock of the 前線 door. We drew 支援する into the 影をつくる／尾行するs at the 長，率いる of the stairs and waited. In a moment two people entered. By the 薄暗い light we could see that one was a woman. She wore a 激しい chiffon 隠す about her hat and 長，率いる. She stood 縮むing against the inner door, her 手渡す to her mouth, as if 願望（する）ing yet 恐れるing to make an 激しい抗議, the while the man with her turned to の近くに the door.

We heard the outer door の近くに. Trask and Longstreet, as if by a prearranged signal, sprang toward her. But before they had gone a yard along that 前線 hall, the door of the hall closet 中途の in their course swung open, two men sprang out and の近くにd with them.

For a moment I stood 星／主役にするing at the four men struggling wildly in the middle of the hall. When I looked past I noticed that the other man had 再開するd the 前線 door and flown. The girl still stood 星／主役にするing with manifest astonishment and alarm at the struggle going on in the hall between us. Suddenly she, too, turned and fled.

I ran through the two rooms to the hall beyond. One ちらりと見ること showed me that Trask had straightened out his man on the 床に打ち倒す and was now going to the 援助（する） of Longstreet. I turned and followed the girl.

As I reached the sidewalk, I looked up and 負かす／撃墜する the street. A woman disappearing into a taxi 近づく the McAlpin was my only clew. I ran after her.

The chauffeur of the nearest taxi seemed strangely slow at getting my orders to follow her taxi which was already turning the corner, but at last I made him understand. I jumped inside without 支払う／賃金ing attention to the patter of feet behind me. It wasn’t necessary. Before I could の近くに the door, it was jerked from my 手渡す and first Trask and then Longstreet 緊急発進するd into the 乗り物 with me.

“You—you did just 権利, Swan,” panted Trask.

“Thank you,” I said caustically.

Our taxi swung out of Thirty-third Street into Broadway. At the next cross street our driver 前進するd nearly to the car 跡をつける, stopped, peered ahead and to the 権利 before finally turning east on Thirty-fourth Street.

“Has—has he lost them?” panted Longstreet.

“No. No. Wait a minute,” exclaimed Trask, his 注目する，もくろむs glued on our chauffeur.

We flew along Thirty-fourth Street. At Fifth Avenue again our chauffeur slowed up, looked about and then swerved north on the Avenue. He swept up the 砂漠d Avenue at a 速度(を上げる） showing his 意向 of 精密検査するing two automobiles far ahead. Beyond Forty-second Street he 静かに turned and nodded his 長，率いる to Trask.

“It’s all 権利. Have you shown him anything?” 需要・要求するd Trask.

“Shown him anything?” I exclaimed, not understanding what he meant.

For answer Trask drew a ten-dollar 法案 from his pocketbook, spread it out against the 前線 window of the taxi and then knocked.

The chauffeur turned, grinned, and then nodded his 長，率いる. Soon he slowed up a trifle and appeared to 許す a わずかに longer distance between our taxi and the one ahead.

“Now, he’s all 権利,” exclaimed Trask 支払う／賃金ing no more attention to him. Longstreet and I were too engrossed in keeping our 注目する，もくろむs on the taxi ahead to find anything to talk about. In silence we sped on for 封鎖する after 封鎖する along the smooth asphalt.

“Hullo!” exclaimed Trask finally as our taxi followed the other one into Seventy-eighth Street, “it begins to look to me as if Mr. Keith had given up the fight and was taking 行方不明になる Linda home. But にもかかわらず, I want to have a few words with that young man before he leaves.”

The taxi ahead of us drew up before 行方不明になる Alster’s house. Our own stopped a short distance away. We jumped out; Trask thrust the banknote into our chauffeur’s 手渡す, then we hurried along the sidewalk. As we drew 近づく, we saw the woman disappear into the Alster house. We ran to the taxi for Keith. It was empty.

狼狽d, we ran up the steps and I opened the 前線 door with my latchkey. In the 前線 hall stood the woman we had followed, the 激しい chiffon 隠す just unwound from her 長，率いる. At our 入り口 she turned and looked at us. It was not Linda; it was Beatrice.

一時期／支部 15

“What!”

“In the 指名する of Heaven!”

Trask was the only one of us not to 自白する his surprise; the only one, that is, save Beatrice, who stood regarding us 静かに as if surprised by nothing except our surprise.

“But where’s Keith?”

“Yes, what became of Keith?” I cried, not feeling 満足させるd to see Longstreet usurp the whole 中心 of the 行う／開催する／段階.

“Why, he—” Beatrice stopped and bit her lip. “What makes you ask me that?” she 需要・要求するd suddenly.

“Why, he took you to see Linda, didn’t he?” asked Trask, speaking for the first time and with a carelessness that 武装解除するd her 疑惑s.

“Yes—yes, but I was asked not to tell anyone that,” 抗議するd Beatrice, and then, perceiving that she had unintentionally 認める it, she 問い合わせd, “but—but how did you know it?”

In the sudden melee, and in the 薄暗い light of the 支援する hall at the アイロンをかける Door, she had evidently failed to 認める a 選び出す／独身 one of us. Longstreet and I both were about to 勃発する into explanations and その上の questions, when Trask silenced us with a gesture.

“Never mind about how we know,” he replied smilingly, “we won’t waste time going into that now. The important thing is that we’re all trying to find 行方不明になる Linda, and you’re going to help us in every way that you can, aren’t you?”

“I—I don’t know.” She seemed much more 混乱させるd by Trask’s friendly トン than by our questions.

“You don’t know what?”

“I don’t know that Linda wants to be 設立する now.”

“Oh!” Trask paused. “井戸／弁護士席, of course, that puts a decidedly different light on it. But perhaps you’ll explain so that we won’t waste any more time trying to find her.”

“I don’t think it is necessary for you to look for her any longer.” Beatrice smiled.

“You mean that you prefer that we should not?”

“Yes.”

“Very 井戸／弁護士席, but aren’t you going to tell us what you have seen or heard or learned that has made you change your mind?”

Her dark young 直面する clouded and she looked at him in silence as if 真面目に considering whether she might not do this. And Trask, seeing that she was wavering, went on:

“It seems to me that this is the least you can do for us in the circumstances. Remember, it is 完全に 予定 to you that we dropped everything else and started out to find her. We had no especial curiosity as to where she was nor had we any particular 恐れる for her safety until you yourself 誘発するd it in us. But now that you have 誘発するd this 恐れる, we have a 権利, 港／避難所’t we, to learn what has 除去するd all your 恐れる?”

“I—I—” she stopped, but the startled look on her 直面する showed that her 恐れる was not wholly a 事柄 of the past.

“Tell us, tell us,” pleaded Trask, “we may be able to help you a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 and—”

“I wonder?” she was 弱めるing.

“And—” Trask’s トン was astonishingly 同情的な—“and, if you wish us to regard whatever you say as confidential, you can rely on us to do that, can’t you? Don’t you think we can help you? Don’t you think you had better tell us at least this?”

“I will,” she cried impulsively and then as suddenly, “No, wait.”

It was the 動揺させる of the taxi 製図／抽選 up before the door outside that had so suddenly changed her 目的. We looked at her a moment, then Trask went to the door and opened it just as the bell sounded.

We were all looking at that door as if its 開始 would solve the mystery of her 態度. I don’t know whom the others 推定する／予想するd to see standing outside, but I looked for Keith or, failing him, at least Linda. As a 事柄 of fact, it was only a mite of a messenger boy, chewing gum, and 耐えるing in his 手渡す a letter.

“Alster?” The mite of a boy had a 超高層ビル of a 発言する／表明する.

But Beatrice had hurried to the door, too. She took the letter from Trask almost as soon as it touched his 手渡す. And she opened it nervously by the stairs, away from us all, as if she 恐れるd oversight.

“Any answer?” yelled the messenger boy.

“Better come in, sonny, before the society with the long 指名する notices you are out so late,” advised Trask.

“Huh!” The boy’s 軽蔑（する） was scathing and, not neglecting his gum, he looked us all over clustered there in the hall, with 怪しげな, grinning ちらりと見ることs, until Beatrice finished and 明言する／公表するd that there would be no reply.

Trask let the messenger boy out and turned to find Beatrice slowly starting up the stairs with the 公式文書，認める held tightly in her 手渡す.

“But—but 行方不明になる Alster!” he called, and then, as she turned, “you were about to tell us something, weren’t you?”

“I’m very sorry,” she paused, but there was no longer any wavering in her manner, “but I have thought better of it.”

Trask went 直接／まっすぐに to her, stood at the 底（に届く） of the staircase looking up at her, his 発言する／表明する grown hard. “You mean you no longer ーするつもりである to tell us why you want us to stop looking for 行方不明になる Linda?”

“No.” Her 発言する／表明する, if not so 冷淡な, was やめる as 決定するd as his.

“Ah, that 公式文書，認める has changed your 意向?”

“I 港／避難所’t said that.”

“No, but your 活動／戦闘s have.” I had never seen Trask 扱う／治療する her so 厳しく. “行方不明になる Alster, the time has passed for any more cross 目的s of this sort. I believe that the 公式文書，認めるs you have received from 行方不明になる Linda are either (1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むd or—”

“No. They can’t be.”

“Or else she has been 軍隊d to 令状 them. Have you thought of that?”

“Yes.”

“But you don’t believe it?”

“No.”

“Then why all this secrecy? Why is it necessary for her to hide herself away from us?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“She is in the gravest danger and you—”

“She is in no danger at all if we only let her alone, and do as she asks.”

“Tell us. 納得させる us. That is all that is necessary.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I 港／避難所’t the 権利.”

Trask went up a step toward her. “You have the 権利. You have the 権利 to break any 約束 that keeps her in jeopardy. I know more about this 状況／情勢 than you do. I have to. And I know that at this very minute she is running a 広大な／多数の／重要な 危険, and for some probably utterly silly 推論する／理由 is putting her very life in danger and—”

“No. She is 安全な. I know it. Her brother—”

Linda’s brother! And who was Linda’s brother? Beatrice must have seen the astonishment this news created in us. She must also have realized how impossible it would be for her now to retrieve her slip of tongue. She stopped, her 直面する 紅潮／摘発するd, and she sighed 深く，強烈に. For a moment she ぐずぐず残るd there on the stairs 熟考する／考慮するing us hopelessly. But at Trask’s first question she turned and fled.

“No, no, I can’t answer another 選び出す／独身 question,” she cried with 決意.

We heard her run up the other flight of stairs, enter her room and の近くに and lock the door.

“But who—whom did she mean by Linda’s brother?” I burst out.

“Whom could she mean but Keith?” 答える／応じるd Trask. He still stood motionless at the foot of the stairs as if the news 軍隊d him to take apart and 組立て直す his secret 結論s. But, when at last he turned toward us, his manner showed that he had arrived at a 決定／判定勝ち（する）.

“The fact that Keith （人命などを）奪う，主張するs to be Linda’s brother explains a lot without explaining enough,” he 発表するd. “But, if she relies on that fact to insure Linda’s safety, she is mad, stark, 星／主役にするing mad, and we must 行為／法令／行動する at once to save her.”

“But if Keith is Linda’s brother he certainly won’t 許す anyone to 害（を与える） her? What 動機 would he have to 許す that?” I 抗議するd.

Trask looked at me. “Do you remember that I marveled at the wiliness and boldness of this whole game? Do you remember that it seemed to me to be vastly beyond the depth and courage of Keith? Keith is only a weak, shallow 犯罪の. Keith never would have dared to 誘拐する Linda. Keith never would have had the brains or training to think out a 計画／陰謀 like this. 井戸／弁護士席, when those two gunmen popped out of the closet on us, I understood.”

“Gunmen!” I exclaimed.

“Yes, two of the worst in the 商売／仕事,” 答える／応じるd Trask. “Ike the Nailer has 発射 more men and got away with it than any other 銃器携帯者／殺しや in New York, and I didn’t need to look at the other man to guess who he was. Lew the 血 and he always work together. Lew does the 長，率いる-work and Ike the gunplay; and they’re a cruel pair to get any heedless young girl like Linda in their 力／強力にする. I was weak. I was an imbecile not to have the ありふれた sense to wait until I was sure Linda was in that house before we went into it. Then we wouldn’t all have run away after another girl thinking she was Linda.” Trask sighed.

I felt Trask’s 暗示するd 批評 of an 活動／戦闘 which I had 軍隊d upon him. “Then you still think that Linda is there?”

“Where else can she be?”

“We searched the house from cellar to garret without finding any trace of her.”

“Yes, and we did that without discovering the gunmen until they became good and ready to show themselves. No, we 伸び（る）d 絶対 nothing by stealing in. We broke in before we knew what we were doing; we 遂行するd nothing except to 警告する them; and now the girl we 手配中の，お尋ね者 to help is more utterly in the 力／強力にする of a pair of unscrupulous 犯罪のs than before. We don’t know what they may do with her. We must get 支援する there before they have time to move her somewhere else.”

“But surely her brother can be 信用d to 保護する her.”

“保護する her!” Trask’s 発言する／表明する was scornful. “That’s 正確に what 行方不明になる Beatrice thinks and she’s wrong, and you’re wrong. What chance has a weak 犯罪の like Keith with a couple of gun-men like them? He probably thinks that he’s the leader and that they’re working under him, but the chances are a thousand to one that they’re 単に hoodwinking him. Ike the Nailer and Lew the 血! Whoever heard of two seasoned gunmen like them working under an 未開発の crook like Keith, unless for their own secret ends and all the 火刑／賭けるs and everything else in sight? No, so long as he does 正確に what they say, 井戸／弁護士席 and good. But the moment he 試みる／企てるs to stand between them and Linda, or between them and a 選び出す／独身 目的 of theirs, his life isn’t 価値（がある） a shoebutton. They’d take his life before he could 召集（する） up a whimper. They’d 流出／こぼす his 血 just to 持続する what they consider their own dignity. No, it’s the irony of circumstance that it’s become our 義務 now not only to save Linda from them, but Keith 同様に, if we want to solve the mystery of this 殺人. That’s what happens when the weak ones in the under-world take in big 犯罪のs as partners.”

I still smarted under his earlier 批評 of me, “If they’re in such danger as that, then why stay here talking?”

“Are you game enough to join me against this pair of gunmen?” Trask turned はっきりと on Longstreet.

“Yes.”

“And you?” He turned toward me.

“I am.”

“井戸／弁護士席, you’ll only take part by giving me your word to obey my orders 暗黙に.” Trask turned away from me brusquely. He was a different man.

“All 権利.” I winced. “Don’t rub it in.”

“Then it’s only a question of arming ourselves and going 支援する into that house. And the sooner, the better.”

“How are we to get in, over the rope again?” I pretended to be jocular.

“No. I’ll arrange about our getting in when the time comes. That isn’t what is worrying me. But, Lord, I wish I knew what was in that 公式文書，認める to 行方不明になる Beatrice! It might make all the difference in the world to our 計画（する）s.” Trask stood restively looking upstairs. “I don’t like to leave before I learn.”

Longstreet went over and took him by the arm. “Let me go up and ask her. Perhaps I can learn,” he whispered with an 保証／確信 that made me fidget.

Trask looked at him a moment and then nodded. Longstreet hurried up the stairs. I heard him knock on the door of Beatrice’s room and give his 指名する. A moment later I heard the door 存在 打ち明けるd.

I wished fervently that he might fail in his 企業. My feelings were so strong that I 恐れるd that Trask might guess them from my very silence. I left him in the hall, entered the 歓迎会 room, and threw myself into a 議長，司会を務める. But I was looking through the door of the unlighted room the moment Longstreet’s feet sounded on the stairs and I saw the 激しい, disappointed look on his 直面する and rejoiced. He （機の）カム slowly 負かす／撃墜する the stairs, and instead of stopping by Trask at their foot seemed to ーするつもりである to steal by without 説 a word. But Trask stopped him.

“It’s no use. The letter has been 燃やすd,” Longstreet 発表するd sourly.

“And she wouldn’t tell you anything about its contents?” Trask asked.

“Don’t ask me. I prefer to say nothing more about it,” snapped Longstreet.

It was evident from his 怒り／怒る that he and Beatrice had quarreled. I could have hugged myself.

“Too bad! Too bad!” muttered Trask.

“井戸／弁護士席, shall we start?” 需要・要求するd Longstreet, as if he 手配中の，お尋ね者 no one’s sympathy.

“Y-es,” agreed Trask reluctantly.

They moved along slowly toward the door and I kept 静かな, filling with 罪／違反 at their oversight of me, and wondering if they would leave without me. Longstreet’s 手渡す must have been already on the door, when I heard him cry suddenly:

“But where’s Swan?”

“Oh, he’ll be 権利 along,” 答える／応じるd Trask.

“But I almost forgot it, 行方不明になる Alster wishes to speak to him.”

“Oh!” Trask seemed more 希望に満ちた. Trask called me.

They agreed to wait while I went upstairs to learn what Beatrice 手配中の，お尋ね者. I was 支援する within three minutes.

“井戸／弁護士席?” 需要・要求するd Trask.

“行方不明になる Alster wants another thousand dollars just as soon as I can get it,” I answered.

“Another thousand! 井戸／弁護士席, they must have had 行方不明になる Linda 権利 at 手渡す to 令状 that 公式文書，認める for it.” Trask’s 注目する，もくろむs gleamed and he jumped toward the door. “Come on, before they have time to move her,” he cried.

一時期／支部 16

It was almost midnight when we got 支援する to the アイロンをかける Door, and Trask compelled us to separate and patrol the その上の sidewalk a long time before agreeing to make any direct move on the house. But now at last we were at the 底（に届く） of the steps 主要な up to the 前線 door—the three of us—and I realized with amazement that he planned an attack on the 前線. After the desperate character he had given the two gunmen this seemed a foolhardy 訴訟／進行. From the rooms, stair or hall they could pepper away at us at will; and, though 武装した, we would have small chance to defend ourselves against the hidden gunmen, and but second chance for a 発射 at either of them. I shuddered. I saw all three of us dropped in a 血まみれの 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集める in the 前線 hall the moment we の近くにd that 前線 door behind us. It seemed so 無分別な a method of coming upon them that I had to take a hitch in my courage to follow up those stony 前線 steps to the grim アイロンをかける doors.

Trask may have sensed my feelings, though with Longstreet 現在の I cared not to について言及する them, for he turned with his foot on one of the steps to whisper:

“If they’re looking for us, they’ll hardly 推定する／予想する a bold attack like this from the 前線 after our previous one from the 後部. At any 率, it’s our likeliest chance to get in 損なわれない. If the アイロンをかける doors aren’t bolted, and if we can only get up these steps without sounding that buzzer somewhere on them! Come on! Keep way over on the 味方する of the steps as I do, and step in diagonally （疑いを）晴らす across the door-sill as soon as I manage to get this door open.”

We followed 慎重に up the 味方する of the steps. For hours, with my heart （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing like a triphammer, I waited while he noiselessly 交渉するd the lock with his master 重要な; then there was the agony of a still greater suspense while, slowly, without making a 警告 sound, he 押し進めるd open the outer door. He took a long step over the threshold and disappeared. Longstreet followed. Suddenly a fresh 恐れる 掴むd me and held me motionless outside. What if the gunmen had Maxim silencers on their 武器s? In the noise made by that passing taxi they might have dropped both of my companions, and I myself might step in to afford but a third 的 for their silent 発射s. This idea on me, I stood on that 最高の，を越す step petrified, unable to bring myself to follow them. Not until I saw Longstreet’s white 直面する peering 支援する questioningly at me through the door did I take the step.

There was still that 薄暗い light 燃やすing in the middle of the 前線 hall. Trask noiselessly の近くにd the door behind us and we stood, (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃s in 手渡す, 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集めるd against it, waiting. It seemed ages that Trask held us here listening—waiting. I could feel the perspiration running coldly from my を引き渡す my ピストル. Then he silently led the way into the dark 前線 room. I can’t tell you with what 救済 I slipped from the lighted hall into the safety of that dark room, with what 救済, that is, until I began to wonder if the gunmen might not be hiding in this very 不明瞭.

After more listening and waiting, Trask drew our 長，率いるs together and whispered his directions. “It will be too risky roaming over this house without knowing when we may come upon them,” he 明言する／公表するd in a トン that barely reached our ears. “We’ve got to draw their 解雇する／砲火／射撃 or make them appear. One of us must go 支援する outside, sound the buzzer and then （犯罪の）一味 the bell to bring them from cover. They （機の）カム from that closet under the stairs before. Two of us can cover that and the stairway through this door, but shall I or one of you go out to （犯罪の）一味 the bell?”

“No, we need you in here more,” I heard Longstreet whisper through the dark. “Wait! I’ll slip out to （犯罪の）一味 the bell.”

I did not envy him his 旅行 across that 前線 hall, nor the necessity of 開始 that 前線 door with his 支援する to the gunmen. I made no 反対 to his 請け負うing this 危険, nor did Trask. Trask first placed me where, with my (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃, I could cover the stairway through the door of the room, 駅／配置するd himself where he could cover the hall and the closet under the stairs, and then whispered for Longstreet to go.

I tried to hear his footsteps across the hall and, failing, imagined them. I took him across that hall altogether too 急速な／放蕩な, for it was long afterward that a slight inrush of 空気／公表する told me that he had 現実に opened the 前線 door. Then we waited—waited—waited.

I started so はっきりと that I felt Trask must have noticed it when at last that buzzer began to sound. It stopped and I held my breath. Soon another buzzer sounded in the hall which we covered, and 同時に a third one in the kitchen downstairs, and I knew that Longstreet had touched the 前線 door bell.

We waited and no 外国人 sound （機の）カム to us through the still house either from below or above. Longstreet sounded the bell again. Again. So concentrated was my attention on the hall outside that I started with horror at the 予期しない 侵入占拠 between me and the lighted doorway of Trask. He stood just inside, his best ear cocked for a moment against the 投資するing hush; then he stepped boldly out into the hall and 調印するd for me to follow.

“Let him in,” he whispered, himself assuming guard over the hall and stairway.

I 認める Longstreet and we gathered behind the 避難所 of Trask.

“How long do you think you were outside?” Trask 需要・要求するd.

“Five or ten minutes at least.”

“Then they’ve either flown or have no yearning to 取り組む us,” Trask sighed. “Come on! All we can do now is to search the house.” He no longer bothered to lower his 発言する／表明する. He led the way straight to the hall closet under the stairs and threw the door wide open.

“Ah, just as I thought,” he exclaimed. He pointed to an アイロンをかける trellis hanging against one 塀で囲む of the closet and gave it a jerk. As the upright でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる （機の）カム away from the 塀で囲む at the 底（に届く）, lateral crossbars flattened out, the アイロンをかける trellis became a stepladder 主要な from the 床に打ち倒す of the closet to its 天井.

“There must be a trapdoor through the 天井 of that closet or else I don’t see what use this stepladder is,” I exclaimed.

“権利,” 答える／応じるd Trask, more good-naturedly than he had spoken to me for some time, “we’re on the 権利 跡をつける at last. Come on.”

We hurried up the stairs. Over this closet was another hall closet. We 設立する with 緩和する the trapdoor that 許すd egress to the stepladder in the closet below, but no 類似の ladder appeared in this one, nor by poking the 塀で囲むs and 天井 could we discover any way of secret 入り口 どこかよそで.

“Do you suppose those men could have slipped into the closet below when we 診察するd this one and returned here when we searched the one 負かす／撃墜する there?” I asked.

Trask slowly shook his 長，率いる. “All this wasn’t put in for just jack-in-the-box work like that. If we look about, I hope we’ll find some hiding place or secret 出口 to which this 進歩s.” But we went over every インチ of the 塀で囲むs and 天井 of that closet without finding any other 出口 except its door into the hall. We 診察するd the 塀で囲むs of the 残り／休憩（する） of the hall with no better success; 徐々に in our obstinate search we drifted into one of the two long and separate salons that took up the 残りの人，物 of the 床に打ち倒す.

“I wonder why—” Trask began and stopped.

Trask was looking blankly at the パネル盤d 塀で囲む that separated the two salons. “You wonder what?” I asked.

“I wonder why there isn’t any door 開始 between these two rooms,” he exclaimed and darted out of the 前線 salon into the 後部 one without giving us その上の clew to his thoughts.

We （機の）カム upon him 熱望して 検査／視察するing the same 塀で囲む in the other room.

“Ah, I thought so,” he exclaimed happily.

“What?” we both asked together.

“港／避難所’t you noticed that this 塀で囲む is four or five feet その上の 支援する than the one in the other room?” he asked. “And no closets to explain what takes up the lost space. Listen!” He knocked lightly with his knuckles on the パネル盤ing. It gave 前へ／外へ a hollow sound.

“We are on the 跡をつける of the place in which they hide their roulette wheels during a （警察の）手入れ，急襲,” he exclaimed. “Now let’s find where the 入り口 to this secret room is.”

He drew us out into the hall. He 駅／配置するd Longstreet in the hall where the 塀で囲む of the 前線 salon abutted on the hall 塀で囲む, and he placed me where the 塀で囲む of the 後部 salon crossed to the same hall.

“See! About five feet 原因不明の／行方不明の（unaccounnted-for） for,” he cried, “and look where it is, 直接／まっすぐに across the hall from the closet to which the ladder runs. Unless I’m vastly mistaken, we せねばならない find a secret 入り口 to this 議会 somewhere in this five feet of 塀で囲む space.”

We all searched 真面目に, but it was Trask who finally discovered the secret door catch. It was one of the buttons in the fretwork on the パネル盤ing, low 負かす／撃墜する where one would not look for it, and it operated, not by 圧力（をかける）ing upon it, but by switching it to one 味方する, like the catch on a handbag.

Trask 圧力（をかける）d against the パネル盤, and suddenly it afforded 入り口 to the dark 議会 beyond by means of a door five feet high by perhaps three feet wide. With murmurs of 賞賛 he pointed out the 技術 with which that door had been 用意が出来ている. It swung in. When の近くにd its beveled 辛勝する／優位 fitted into the outside パネル盤ing so perfectly as not to leave even the 外見 of a 割れ目 for the 注目する，もくろむ to catch or the finger to feel.

He called Linda’s 指名する into the dark passage that ぼんやり現れるd before. Receiving no reply, we 緊急発進するd into it after him. He 詳細（に述べる）d Longstreet to find the catch that operated the door from the inside before 許すing the spring to shut it. While Longstreet was engaged at this, we 診察するd, with the 援助（する） of his electric flashlamp, the ramifications of the 議会.

It was empty. A 直す／買収する，八百長をするd アイロンをかける stepladder led to an 開始 in the 床に打ち倒す above, thence another to a 類似の 開始 on the fourth 床に打ち倒す, and on the 最高の，を越す 床に打ち倒す a third stepladder led from the 床に打ち倒す of the passage to a point high on the 塀で囲む between that building and the next.

“There must be a secret 出口 up there 主要な の上に the roof of the next building,” Trask 予報するd, “but we won’t waste time just now 証明するing that. The disappointing thing is that I hoped we had come upon the place where they hid their 賭事ing paraphernalia when they 推定する／予想するd a （警察の）手入れ，急襲, but this appears to be nothing more than a way of escape. If we could find their secret storeroom, we might find Linda; if not, we would at least find the place where they hid her when we were in the house before. 井戸／弁護士席, it isn’t up here anyway!” With a sigh he led the way 支援する downstairs.

Here we 設立する that Longstreet had discovered the inner catch that operated the door in the パネル盤ing. He 許すd it to swing to, switched an inside button and then pulled open the door by means of a knob large enough for his fingers to の近くに around.

It operated without a sound; so perfectly oiled was the entire 機械装置 that it の近くにd without even a 刑事. Longstreet seemed fascinated with it.

“But this isn’t finding Linda,” 反対するd Trask. “Come on! There must be another secret room in this building where they hide their 賭事ing paraphernalia, and she may be shut up there waiting for us to 解放（する） her. The chance is small, probably they have taken her away, but come.”

Under his direction we 調査するd the 床に打ち倒すs above, making a most careful examination of the 塀で囲むs in 追求（する），探索（する） of any その上の space not accounted for. Not a 立方（体）の foot could we find.

“Not on these 床に打ち倒すs. Not on the ground 床に打ち倒す—I looked over that before we （機の）カム up—Lord, I wonder where that hiding place can be!” muttered Trask, 主要な the way 支援する downstairs.

In 警戒 against the possible return of Keith or his companions, Trask had 主張するd upon our leaving no lights 燃やすing behind us and was continually 警告 us to move 静かに. We crept downstairs after him in the dark. And he himself moved so noiselessly that we did not know where he was until we ran into him on the second 床に打ち倒す.

He was leaning against the banister gazing at the 塀で囲む which held the door to the secret passage, and evidently 発揮するing his mind to think of some other direction for our 追跡（する） to take. I spoke to him. He did not answer. We stood waiting in silence for his 指導／手引.

Time passed and Trask neither spoke nor moved.

I began to wonder if he ーするつもりであるd to keep us dallying there in the dark forever. I had little 約束 in his belief that there were other secret 議会s in that house which we had already searched so 完全に. I gave no credence to his hope that Linda might still be there. And I had to choke 負かす／撃墜する a feeling that the gunmen might return at any minute and 削減（する） off our way of escape by the 前線 door. The very 静かな of the house—there was not so much as the 慰安ing ticking of a clock—seemed to 脅す this and other 悲惨な things. Why should he keep us ぐずぐず残る here while his mind worked dully over his 敗北・負かす? Either Keith and his companions had borne Linda away to another and safer hiding place, or our 追跡 had induced them to 解放する／自由な her. I moved restively to make him aware of my weariness at our inaction, and bent over the banister to look 負かす／撃墜する into the lower hall.

Trask paid no attention to me. I spread my 肘s comfortably on the banister and 星／主役にするd 負かす／撃墜する, my 注目する，もくろむs not consciously taking in anything below because my mind was taken up with a wish that Trask would stop dallying and get us out on the street again where we should be 安全な. Once I thought I heard a sound on the 地階 stairs as if a cat were coming up them. It was not repeated. Later my 注目する，もくろむs conjured up a flitting 影をつくる／尾行する in the dimly lighted hall below, only to be unable to 位置を示す it definitely. I 疲れた／うんざりしたd of the delusions my excitement was working upon me, and turned 支援する.

At that very instant Trask started as if his ears had 選ぶd up a 警告 sound, and, after listening a moment, bent over the banister. I looked over again myself; Longstreet （人が）群がるd me for room to join; all three of us were soon looking 負かす／撃墜する.

The elevator cage was only a few feet below us to the left, and it was upon this fact that Trask’s attention seemed to be fastened. It was one of the small elevators such as are 任命する／導入するd in 私的な 住居s, not over three feet square at the most, and its 最高の，を越す was covered, making it impossible to see inside except where this covering matched 貧しく against the crossbars in the 最高の，を越す of the cage. Trask’s 注目する，もくろむs appeared to be 直す／買収する，八百長をするd upon this slight 開始. For a moment I, too, strove to see through, the slight crevice in the cover into the shadowy gloom below, then my 注目する，もくろむs veered away and （機の）カム upon something in the 前線 of the lower hall that made my 血 congeal.

Stealing through the 前線 door so silently that no ear could have （悪事，秘密などを）発見するd them were two rough-looking characters. I 認めるd them at once as the two gunmen, Ike the Nailer and Lew the 血. They stood there, guns in 手渡す, listening, watching, waiting. Then the smaller of the two yelled in a vicious, raucous 発言する／表明する that rang through the house:

“Come 負かす／撃墜する out of there, you, or we’ll fill you as 十分な of 穴を開けるs as a sieve.”

Trask pulled us both away from the banister. While the gunmen below took turns roaring out their 脅しs, he fumbled for the catch to the secret passage, opened the door and 押し進めるd us through it. There was a sound of running feet in the hall below, the sound of the elevator 存在 started and then as Trask jumped into the secret passage behind us, the echoing hiss and clatter of a number of 発射s 存在 解雇する／砲火／射撃d downstairs.

I reached for the door in the パネル盤ing to swing it to, but Trask jerked it from my 手渡す, and sprang out into the hall again. He appeared to have gone mad, for he began to shout orders wildly to a number of imaginary men, and he 解雇する／砲火／射撃d 発射 after 発射 from his (a)自動的な／(n)自動拳銃.

一時期／支部 17

Longstreet followed Trask through the secret door while I was yet wondering whether our leader had gone mad. Before I could lay 持つ／拘留する of it, the door の近くにd after him. I fumbled wildly in the dark for its inner catch, 設立する it and sprang out after them.

In the house all was silent again, strangely, ominously silent, as if brooding a new horror. Trask was at the banister again. I saw him slowly, furtively bend over it and look 負かす／撃墜する. Evidently he perceived no danger, for he bent その上の and その上の over without once 製図／抽選 支援する. I dreaded to look on what he looked, but could not keep myself from doing it. I bent over carefully and looked into the hall below. Not a person was to be seen. I turned to Trask with astonishment. His attention seemed to be 中心d, not on the lower hall, but again on the elevator. This had been started and stopped several feet below our 床に打ち倒す. I looked through the 割れ目 in its roof-covering and could see nothing. My 注目する，もくろむs veered to the 入り口 on the lower 床に打ち倒す and I saw that the elevator door there was wide open. If the elevator had 含む／封じ込めるd someone, as Trask’s attention intimated, its occupant had either joined the gunmen or the gunmen had got into the elevator cage with him and were now playing possum. I made up my mind that they were all hidden in that cage waiting in 待ち伏せ／迎撃する for us to make our position known. We were in for it now, I felt sure, with three desperate men to get past before we could 影響 our escape. I shuddered and drew in my 長，率いる. I reached for Trask and 調印するd that we had better return to the 安全な 避難所 of the secret passage. He shook off my 手渡す.

“Come on,” he cried in a 発言する／表明する that rang through the still house. He ran 負かす／撃墜する the stairs, ピストル in 手渡す, not making any 試みる／企てる to be noiseless. Had the man lost all his sense, or did he believe that our only chance now lay through the 陳列する，発揮する of this bravado? For a moment I stood 星／主役にするing after him in 狼狽, then I followed him and Longstreet helter skelter 負かす／撃墜する the stairs.

By the time we caught up with him he was standing before the open door of the elevator, gazing into it, a ピストル in one 手渡す and his flashlamp in the other. I （人が）群がるd up against Longstreet to look over his shoulder. The spraying rays of the たいまつ fell on a 団体／死体 lying in a 密談する／（身体を）寄せ集める in the centre of the elevator. Trask dropped his ピストル into his pocket and with his 解放する／自由な 手渡す turned the 犠牲者’s 長，率いる toward us. The 恐ろしい light of the たいまつ fell on the white 直面する of Keith, brought a dull gloss to the matted 血 on his hair and 直面する.

For a moment we all stood 支援する, then Trask whispered something to Longstreet, and together they 解除するd Keith from the elevator and bore him into the room at the 後部. Without hesitation, Trask deposited him on the 床に打ち倒す and switched on the lights. Then he bent 負かす／撃墜する over Keith and 診察するd his 負傷させる.

“No fracture, unless I’m mistaken. Only stunned.” Trask rose alertly as if called by 事件／事情／状勢s of much greater moment. “One of you get some water and bring him to,” he ordered; “the other come with me.” He hurried out into the hall.

I looked at Longstreet and Longstreet looked at me, then I 急いでd after Trask, not relishing 存在 left alone. He was at the elevator door about to 緊急発進する up into the cage when I approached.

“Here, you’re a younger man than I am,” he said, “climb up into that car and run it 支援する to this 床に打ち倒す.”

I got into the cage and, に引き続いて his directions about operating the lever, soon had the elevator 支援する on a level with the ground 床に打ち倒す. He entered it and at once began a careful examination of the 取調べ／厳しく尋問するd cage.

“What in the world are you looking for in here?” I could not help asking.

“行方不明になる Linda,” Trask replied curtly.

I laughed sarcastically. What could the thin アイロンをかける 取調べ／厳しく尋問する on that 味方する of the elevator cage have to do with the hiding of Linda?

“Do you remember,” he murmured while his 手渡すs still kept busy rambling about the アイロンをかける work, “that 一連の strange sounds we heard the first time we got in here? First there was a woman’s cry, then the clank of アイロンをかける 存在 brought together, then a swish and a suction—井戸／弁護士席, what has just happened has 納得させるd me that all these sounds （機の）カム from this elevator.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Why should Keith have stolen into this elevator? Why should the gunmen have opened 解雇する／砲火／射撃 on him the moment he started it up?”

“I don’t know, unless they had quarreled over something and he thought to escape by means of the elevator.”

“Suppose Keith こそこそ動くd in here to get Linda away from them and they followed 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うing him, wouldn’t everything have happened just about as it did?”

“Yes, but—” I couldn’t think of any better theory to 提案する.

“井戸／弁護士席, that 納得させるs me that this elevator leads in some direct way to the place where Linda is hidden. If—ah!” his 長引かせるd sigh of satisfaction manifested that at last his fingers had discovered something. I looked over his shoulder. He had 設立する a catch on the grating on that 味方する of the cage. He 圧力（をかける）d it and the entire grating 緩和するd from the upright; he pulled and it swung with a clang against the upright at the 前線 of the cage, leaving one whole 味方する of the cage open to the 塀で囲む of the 隣接するing closet.

“But we’ve already 診察するd that closet 完全に and she wasn’t in it,” I 抗議するd.

“Yes,” Trask 認める, “but wait a minute.” He lighted the lamp 大（公）使館員d to the opposite 味方する of the cage. “Now, start up slowly, and stop the moment I give you the word.”

I did as he ordered. As the car ran slowly 上向き, he 充てるd his entire attention to the 隣接するing 塀で囲む on his 味方する. “Yes, closet here; we looked into that,” he mused as we passed the second 床に打ち倒す. “持つ／拘留する on there, stop here,” he called as we （機の）カム to the third 床に打ち倒す. “Look at all this 塀で囲むd-in space under the stairs. I don’t remember finding any closet to account for this, do you?”

I shook my 長，率いる. At his request, I got out into the hall and 調査／捜査するd. There was no closet on this 床に打ち倒す to correspond to those on the two 床に打ち倒すs below.

“I thought not.” Trask received my 報告（する）／憶測 with a nod of satisfaction. “Then this must be the place. Who would think of a secret closet to be entered only through the の近くにd grating in the 味方する of an elevator? We’ve 設立する it, boy, I’ll 火刑／賭ける my 評判 on it.” He drew his ピストル excitedly from his pocket and knocked with its butt-end against the 塀で囲む on that 味方する.

“Is that someone in there or out in the street?” I cried as I heard faint, muffled cries 明らかに coming from a 広大な／多数の／重要な distance.

“We’ll soon see,” he replied; “here, unhook that lamp and 持つ／拘留する it where it will throw all its light on this 塀で囲む.”

I not only held the light, but joined 熱望して in the search with my 解放する／自由な 手渡す. We 診察するd every インチ of the 塀で囲む once without finding either 共同の or catch that would afford us 入り口. We went all over it a second time with the same result. I 中止するd 調査／捜査するing. Trask stood 支援する and looked at that impenetrable 塀で囲む space with his 手渡す to his 長，率いる.

“It’s useless! We’ll have to get an axe,” I 示唆するd.

“Here, wait!” Trask suddenly leaped 支援する to the 塀で囲む, placed the palms of his two 手渡すs against it and 押し進めるd 上向き. A door the width of the entire elevator began to rise; it rose as easily as a window hung on a counterpoise. And the cries from within swelled louder in our ears. They were hysterical, yet husky, as if the girl had 叫び声をあげるd most of her 発言する／表明する away unheard. And with them （機の）カム another sound, a sound as of a girl （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing futilely with 明らかにする 手渡すs against an アイロンをかける door.

“We’re coming! We’re coming! Be 患者,” cried Trask. He stepped の上に the wide ledge left by the raised door, which evidently was 二塁打 and filled between with a sound-deadening 構成要素. I followed with the lamp. We 設立する ourselves stopped by a sheet-アイロンをかける door.

“There’s a knob. There! See! On the left!” I yelled.

Trask’s 手渡す was already on it. He turned it. He tried to open the door toward us. It did not budge. He gave it an impatient 押す in the other direction. The door gave. There was a cry of alarm from within, a sound of a 落ちるing 団体／死体, then Trask sprang through the 開始.

A moment later he had Linda 支援する in the elevator with us, sobbing hysterically on his shoulder and supported by his 武器.

“There! There! Don’t cry any more. You’re 安全な now and we won’t let anybody 傷つける you,” he 静めるd her.

“I—I’ve been shut—shut up—in—there—two or three days,” Linda sobbed.

“No, my dear, only a few hours, but it must have seemed like that,” 慰安d Trask.

“Where—where are they?” She 解除するd her 長，率いる from his shoulder, her 恐れる stilling her sense of 乱暴／暴力を加える.

“They’ve gone.” Trask 調印するd for me to start the elevator 負かす／撃墜する.

“They won’t come 支援する?”

Trask laughed reassuringly. “They’re not likely to.”

“The horrid beasts to 扱う／治療する me that way when I 信用d them,” Linda was 速く becoming her petulant self again; “they 約束d to let me go after 令状ing my 公式文書，認める to Beatrice and then—” she stamped her feet on the 床に打ち倒す in a passion.

I stopped the elevator at the first 床に打ち倒す and Trask led her, not into the room where we had left Keith, but into the 前線 歓迎会 room, and の近くにd the door between them; also he の近くにd the door into the hall.

“Now, young lady,” he said turning alertly on Linda, “suppose you tell us all about it.”

“All about what?” Linda sank into a 深い 議長，司会を務める and assumed the important 仕事 of 配列し直すing her hair.

“All about those horrid beasts and how you （機の）カム to 落ちる into their 手渡すs.”

“Will you punish them?” Linda forgot her hair, sat up, her blue 注目する，もくろむs sending out 誘発するs.

“I’ll …に出席する to them all 権利,” Trask nodded 厳粛に.

“Then I will. Why shouldn’t I, after the way they have 扱う／治療するd me?” Linda sank 支援する in her seat again with a sigh. But though we waited, she said nothing more. She 退却／保養地d into a sullen, moody, silence; it was evident that her vindictiveness was about as 耐えるing and as much to be counted on as her other fickle feelings.

“井戸／弁護士席?” 需要・要求するd Trask at last.

“I’m so tired and hungry and 哀れな. Please don’t ask me to tell you anything about this now,” she requested with a smile meant to cajole Trask from his 目的.

But Trask gave way not an インチ before her. “Do you want them to get you into their 手渡すs again?”

“Oh, no, no, no!”

“They may unless you tell me everything so that I can 保護する you from them.”

Linda put her 手渡すs to her 注目する，もくろむs, 脅すing to weep.

Trask’s 発言する／表明する became impatient. “You’ve already got yourself into one dangerous 状況／情勢 through your silly silence. You’ll get into another from which we may not be able to extricate you so easily, if you 固執する. 行方不明になる Alster, just so long as you 許す Keith to go about （人命などを）奪う，主張するing to be your brother—”

“My brother!” Linda jumped to her feet. “Then he told you, too? The mean thing! I’ll never 許す him for that.” Linda began to walk 怒って up and 負かす／撃墜する the room. “I’ll never, never 許す him for that,” she kept murmuring to herself.

“I’d rather learn all about it from you than from him,” Trask 圧力（をかける）d her.

“I’ll tell. Yes, I’m going to tell.” Linda stopped and 直面するd Trask. “Listen! My aunt 雇うd him to serve as our butler. He was the newest one of her 被保護者s and she talked of no one but him until we were sick of the sound of his 指名する. At first he was a good servant, paid no attention to me, minded his own 商売／仕事. Then, as soon as he had made sure of his place with her, he began to 充てる himself to me. I didn’t fancy it that a butler should always be volunteering to go out and mail my letters or run upstairs half a dozen times a day for things I had forgotten. One of the maids could have …に出席するd to those things, but he was always at 手渡す 申し込む／申し出ing his services and I didn’t like to 感情を害する／違反する him by 辞退するing.

“After a time he got to stopping me in the hall and on the stairs when no one else was around, and 説 he had something he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to tell me. I thought he had 単に developed a 鎮圧する on me, so I always just laughed and got away. This kept on for some time and finally one night when I was alone in the house, he （機の）カム to my room, の近くにd the door, and told me that he was my brother. He said that he hadn’t told anyone and didn’t ーするつもりである to, but had 単に taken this method of getting 近づく to have a talk with me. At first, I didn’t believe it. It didn’t seem possible. But he had 指名するs and dates and facts and I—井戸／弁護士席, what could I do? I didn’t know a thing about myself except that once, when my aunt was in a 激怒（する） against me, she said she had 可決する・採択するd me and that I might have been a shopgirl or on the streets if she hadn’t taken pity on me.

“I was at my wit’s end. I didn’t know what to do. My aunt and I didn’t get along 井戸／弁護士席, she was always finding fault with me. I felt that, if she 設立する out that this butler was my brother, she might disinherit me 完全に or—井戸／弁護士席, I knew her, she wouldn’t have hesitated to turn me out of the house. So I made him 約束 not to tell a soul and I let things drift. Then my aunt began to notice the way he was 充てるing himself to me. She （機の）カム out of her room one time, caught us talking in whispers on the stairs, called me into her room, and （刑事）被告 me of carrying on a flirtation with him. After that he used to make a 調印する when he 手配中の，お尋ね者 to talk with me and I went to my room and waited for him to come there.

“My aunt caught him at this, （機の）カム to my room, and surprised us talking together. Of course I couldn’t say anything except to make some silly trumped-up excuse for his 存在 there that was worse than 非，不，無 at all. She gave him his notice, sent him out of the room, and then gave me the most terrible talking to I had ever had in my life. She （刑事）被告 me of 存在 a low creature that no 量 of work on her part could raise to a higher level. I could see if she ever learned that Keith was my brother, it would 簡単に end everything with her for me. So I slipped a 公式文書，認める under Keith’s door begging him not to notice me any more and not to tell anyone.

“The next day I received a 公式文書，認める from him 説 he wouldn’t tell my aunt or anyone of our 関係, but that he must have one long talk with me before he left. He would wait until some evening when my aunt was out and it would be 安全な. Then （機の）カム that evening when my aunt went to the オペラ with Mr. Swan. Keith （機の）カム to my room. He said he was perfectly willing to sacrifice himself for my sake, but that when I （機の）カム into her money he せねばならない have a 株 in it for keeping silent. I agreed; I agreed to everything he asked, only trying to get him out of my room before Beatrice noticed he was there or my aunt returned. And then, just as he was about to go, I heard someone running upstairs and—”

“Someone?” interrupted Trask.

“Yes, someone, and then—”

“One minute.” Trask held up a 手渡す. “Did you hear one or two persons running up those stairs?”

“Two. First there was Beatrice, and then my aunt. And as soon as—”

“Wait a minute!” Trask 辞退するd to let her go on. “You heard someone on the stairs; you had Keith hide in your room; then what did you do?”

“Why! I just waited, I guess.”

“You opened the door to see who it was, didn’t you?”

“Who told you I did that? Has Beatrice—”

“One minute! Let us get this straightened out first. You opened that door, didn’t you?”

“井戸／弁護士席—y-es.”

“And you looked out and saw two people and then your aunt, didn’t you?”

“Two people 含むing my aunt.”

Trask 直す／買収する，八百長をするd her with a look. “You might 同様に tell a story that agrees with the other ones,” he said slowly. “If you falsify about one point, how can you 推定する／予想する us to believe any of the 残り／休憩（する）? Now—”

“Has Beatrice—”

“行方不明になる Linda,” interrupted Trask hotly, “who was the man you saw in that upper hall with 行方不明になる Beatrice before your aunt （機の）カム up?”

“I shan’t tell you.”

“Very 井戸／弁護士席.” Trask pretended to be disappointed, but I could （悪事，秘密などを）発見する the 妨げるd smile of satisfaction over her unintentional admission that some one had been there. In a moment it was gone and his manner was persuasive again. “Very 井戸／弁護士席, you の近くにd your door before your aunt （機の）カム upstairs, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I—”

“Did you listen to the quarrel with 行方不明になる Beatrice she had out there in the hall?”

“I don’t know that I should call it a quarrel.”

“How long did it last?”

“Perhaps five minutes.”

“What was it about?”

“Why do you ask me that? If Beatrice—”

“井戸／弁護士席, never mind about that. What happened after that?”

“My aunt went downstairs. I opened my door and saw Beatrice standing out in the hall in 前線 of her door. She didn’t see me, so I の近くにd 地雷 softly. Keith had hidden under my bed. I went to him and told him he must leave the house that very night. I 約束d that if he would do that, and not tell anyone about our 関係, I would do anything he asked. And then after a time my door opened and Beatrice （機の）カム in.”

“Did she see Keith?”

“I—I’m not going to tell.”

“Very 井戸／弁護士席, what then?”

“Beatrice and I went out in the hall, looked over the banister and saw the light showing in the hall below from aunt’s room. Then—” Linda appeared 明白に to be jumping a gap—“then, I went 支援する into my room and, as soon as her door was の近くにd, Keith left the house.”

“Who の近くにd your aunt’s door?”

Linda’s thin lips の近くにd tightly; she 単に shook her 長，率いる.

“Do you mean you don’t know or that you won’t tell?”

Linda turned away without a word.

“Was it Keith or you?”

“Oh, it wasn’t either of us.” Linda’s 否定 was too 誘発する to be dissembled.

“Was Keith the first one to leave the house after your aunt’s door was の近くにd?”

“Why, yes—of course.”

“Can you 断言する that he left the house?”

“I watched over the banister until he got all the way 負かす／撃墜する and out.”

“And you are sure this was after your aunt’s door was の近くにd?”

“Why yes, of course.”

Trask turned away as if he had learned all he needed, then suddenly he turned 支援する to her again. “行方不明になる Linda,” he 問い合わせd quickly, “who told 行方不明になる Beatrice that Keith was your brother, you or Keith?”

“Did he tell her that!” Linda looked at Trask as if she could not believe it, then after a moment she turned away with her first sob.

“Yes, and now if you’ll stay 権利 in this room and listen you’ll see what that little こそこそ動く gets for playing 二塁打 with everyone 関心d.” Trask walked 怒って to the door into the hall, flung it open and went out. After a moment I followed him.

一時期／支部 18

Keith had evidently 回復するd consciousness. We heard him whimpering to Longstreet even before we entered the other door.

“He wants to go,” explained Longstreet.

Trask stood over the 負傷させるd, abject creature lying on the 床に打ち倒す. “So you want to go, do you?” he 需要・要求するd.

“Yes, sir.”

“Nothing to …に出席する to first here in the house before you take leave?”

“No, sir. I—I want to go and have my 長，率いる 直す／買収する，八百長をするd up.” He put one 手渡す on the 負傷させる which Longstreet had rudely bound up with a handkerchief.

“Keith,” Trask’s 発言する／表明する grew angry, “where is 行方不明になる Linda?”

“行方不明になる Linda?” Keith pretended not to understand why this question should be 演説（する）／住所d to him.

“Yes, where have you hidden her?”

“Hidden her?”

“Do you mean to tell me that you’d go out of this house and leave her to 餓死する to death where you’ve hidden her away from us?”

“I didn’t hide her, I give you my word for it, I didn’t hide her,” whimpered Keith, his 発言する／表明する breaking a little before the 厳しい トン and manner with which Trask bore 負かす／撃墜する on him.

“Get up out of there!” Trask was domineering, いじめ（る）ing, やめる a different man from the 穏やかな, good-natured, almost kindly 存在 I had considered him. But the 影響 was 即座の.

Keith 緊急発進するd nervously from the 床に打ち倒す to his feet.

“A 罰金 piece of work you are!” Trask’s トン was scathing.

Keith cringed. “You ain’t got no 権利 nor call to 扱う／治療する me this way,” he muttered.

“I 港／避難所’t? If I gave you what you せねばならない get, I’d （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 you to a jelly and leave you for the 検死官. Come, what have you got to say for yourself?”

“I ain’t got nothing to say. What would I have to say?” Keith tried to 勇敢に立ち向かう Trask’s 注目する，もくろむs, failed, his 注目する，もくろむs dropped, and こそこそ動くd furtively about the 床に打ち倒す of the room. “I ain’t got nothing to say. I don’t know what you mean,” he mumbled submissively.

“井戸／弁護士席, I’ve got something to say to you.” Trask moved away from his position between Keith and the door. But he had evidently foreseen the 影響 of this move, for he stepped 支援する in time to 失望させる Keith’s dive for freedom. He held him easily with one arm, then threw him 支援する into the nearest 議長，司会を務める.

“There! You sit there until I finish with you,” he ordered.

“You can’t 持つ／拘留する me. I 港／避難所’t done anything that you can 持つ／拘留する me for,” 抗議するd Keith, breathing hard.

“I’ve got plenty to 持つ／拘留する you for, if I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to,” answered Trask, “but what use such a weak, sniveling こそこそ動く as you would be to us, I don’t see. However, you just sit there until I’ve had my say with you.”

“You can’t pull me for anything. I 港／避難所’t done a thing that you can send me 負かす／撃墜する for. I’m glad you know enough to see that.” Keith seemed to perk up a lot at the news that he was not to be held.

Trask silenced him with a look. With a gesture he waved that whole 支配する aside. “Keith,” he said, “you （人命などを）奪う，主張する to be 行方不明になる Linda’s brother, don’t you?”

“Yes, and what if I do?”

“Nothing, only you’re not.”

“I—I—I’d like to know what you know about that. Don’t you suppose I know my own sister? Pretty soon you’ll be telling me—”

“I’m telling you now.” Trask heedlessly interrupted his whimpering 抗議する. “Listen! You base your （人命などを）奪う，主張する to 存在 her brother on the fact that your father and mother were begging letter writers here by the 指名する of Taylor. So far, so good. They were driven out of New York by the police and you were taken away from them and put into a foundling 亡命. Four years later they returned here to play the same game. This time they kept with them a two-year-old baby that they 展示（する）d to people who descended on them to 調査／捜査する their requests for alms. This child also was taken away from them and later 可決する・採択するd by 行方不明になる Alster. It’s on this ground, isn’t it, that you （人命などを）奪う，主張する that Linda Alster is your sister?”

“We can’t help our parents. We don’t choose ’em. But I’d like to know what better proof I need to show that Linda is my sister.” Keith sat up, 直面するing Trask with a 確信して grin.

“Is that all you’ve got to 証明する your 関係?”

“I’d like to know what more I need.”

“Have you 協議するd your parents about it?”

“No. What’s the need of that?”

“井戸／弁護士席, you take my advice and go and ask them about it.”

“Ask them about it! Why?” Keith seemed puzzled.

“Because she’s no more your sister than the 皇后 of Russia is.”

“Oh, come off. Don’t try to put one over on me like that. Do I have to ask my mother if my sister’s my sister?”

“Yes, you do when your mother is a begging letter writer.”

“See here now!” Keith rose to his feet. “You can 侮辱 me, but you can’t—”

“Sit 負かす／撃墜する, の近くに your 罠（にかける） and listen to what I’ve got to say to you.” Trask 押し進めるd him summarily 支援する into his 議長，司会を務める. “You know enough about begging letter writers, don’t you, to understand that the babies that they show to people 調査するing into their 事件／事情／状勢s are frequently not their own children at all? Oh, very 井戸／弁護士席, you don’t need to 収容する／認める it. It’s a 井戸／弁護士席 known fact that these babies are borrowed or rented or 可決する・採択するd from other families living in the tenements. I know what I’m talking about. I’m casting no aspersions on your 血統／生まれ, understand that. The 報告（する）／憶測s I have looked up show 明確に that you are the son of the Taylors. But other 報告（する）／憶測s show やめる as 明確に and indubitably that 行方不明になる Linda Alster is not.”

“Wha—what do you mean?” Keith was 星／主役にするing at Trask with his mouth agape and his 直面する growing whiter and whiter.

“I mean that your little ゆすり，恐喝 game is all over, can never be worked again. I mean that while your parents were in Cleveland after 存在 driven out of New York they 安全な・保証するd under 誤った pretenses a baby belonging to a 未亡人 living in the same tenement and, before this woman died, they ran away with it. They stole this child. It wasn’t theirs. And that child was Linda Alster. As I told you in the beginning, she is not your sister. She is no relation to you whatever.”

“Have—have you told her?” Keith got out the question with difficulty.

“Yes, she is in the other room listening to every word that passes between us.”

Keith moistened his lips. He 軍隊d a laugh. “Hell, all this is 平易な enough for you to say,” he managed at last to mutter tauntingly.

“Yes, and I 港／避難所’t many more words I want to say to you. Get up, Mr. Keith, Taylor, or whatever your real 指名する is; you’re about as petty and こそこそ動くing a blackmailer as I’ve ever been able to keep my 手渡すs off of. If I ever hear of your trying this game on her again, you won’t get off so 平易な.”

Keith mumbled something.

“How much of that first thousand dollars did Lew the 血 許す to stick to your 手渡すs?”

“They took—” Keith’s grievance made him almost forget himself.

“Every cent?” Trask gave him no time to think.

“井戸／弁護士席, y-es, but—”

“But you thought to outwit them by taking away 行方不明になる Linda when they weren’t around. And see what the result of that was. If it hadn’t been for us, they’d have croaked you, left you in the elevator with a 発射 in your hide for the 郡 to bury. That’s what you can 推定する／予想する 試みる／企てるing to use guns like them for your own こそこそ動くing ends. What did they send for 行方不明になる Beatrice for?”

“I don’t know. They made me get Linda to 令状 to her. They made me—”

“I don’t suppose it ever 夜明けd on you that they meant to 妥協 with her for a lump sum and then 手渡す you over to the police? No, I can see it didn’t. But you know it now and perhaps you’ve learned better than to go 近づく them again. And now, git!”

Keith mumbled something.

Trask made a wipe at him with one of his 武器. “Git!”

Keith dodged and こそこそ動くd away through the door without so much as another word or look. We all waited in silence until we heard the outer door の近くに behind him.

“That’s the last any of us is likely to hear of Mr. Keith,” 発表するd Trask, “and incidentally, in 配置する／処分する／したい気持ちにさせるing of his 事例／患者, I have doubtless 完全にするd the （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限 which the late 行方不明になる Cornelia Alster ーするつもりであるd for me.” His 発言する／表明する changed to his ordinary good-natured トン. “By the way, do you men realize what time it is?” He pulled out his watch.

“Two o’clock! Time we were getting 行方不明になる Linda away.” He の近くにd the door for a moment. “I thought it was better that you should know these facts in order that 行方不明になる Linda might be 保証するd of 保護 in the 未来 when I might not be aware she needed it,” he 知らせるd us, “but I must ask you to 約束 me not to let this news about her spread any その上の.”

We 約束d and followed him out into the hall. And from then on we every one of us 設立する a new Trask to reckon with. It was as if, 徐々に feeling his way, he had at last 設立するd enough data to 形態／調整 his own course and this （判決などを）下すd him heedless of any of our wishes. All his earlier complaisance 消えるd; in its place appeared a 決意 to 扱う 事柄s in his own way, not to be 失望させるd. During the 残り／休憩（する） of that night he moved us about like pawns, utterly 無視（する）ing our 願望（する）s, disdaining even to argue them, 説得力のある us to stand, sit, and move where best ふさわしい his ends with a 静かな mastery not to be gainsaid.

It was Linda who first 試みる／企てるd to run contrary to his wishes. I had returned to the アイロンをかける Door with the taxi which Trask had requested me to 安全な・保証する. We had all entered except Trask, and we all heard with surprise his order to the chauffeur to 運動 to the Martha Washington Hotel.

“But I don’t want to go there. I want to go home,” expostulated Linda.

“There are 推論する／理由s why I want you to stay there to-night,” replied Trask 静かに, getting into the fourth seat and の近くにing the door behind him with a slow 警告を与える that was in itself indicative.

“But—” Linda started to rise impetuously from her seat.

“You are going to the Martha Washington,” Trask said in a 発言する／表明する of steel.

Linda fell 支援する in her seat with a gasp. She looked at Trask with astonishment and Trask looked at her. I waited for that 突発／発生 of temperament customary when her wishes were crossed; I waited with a sort of 抱擁する, smothered joy, but it failed to come. Something in Trask’s look must have 鎮圧するd it, for Linda got out at the hotel, meek as a lamb, and …を伴ってd Trask inside.

He was gone a long time, but returned without any 陳謝s and ordered the chauffeur to 運動 us to the Alster house on Seventy-eighth Street. Of course, our 緊張するd relations had deposited Longstreet and me in a sullen silence during Trask’s absence. Longstreet probably felt as uncomfortable at our 存在 left alone together as I did, and Trask, once 支援する in the cab, also withdrew to his own thoughts with an absorption hardly calculated to put us any more at our 緩和する. The taxi had barely turned into Fifth Avenue on its way north before I 結論するd I would much prefer to stay in my own rooms downtown that night rather than to continue on with them.

“I think, if you don’t mind,” I 示唆するd, “you can 減少（する） me at Thirty-fourth Street and I’ll sleep in my own rooms to-night.”

Trask 単に looked at me and shook his 長，率いる. I don’t know what it was. It was something in his look. I said nothing more about what I 手配中の，お尋ね者 or didn’t want to do. I 許すd myself to be carried uptown with him.

But if my wishes were ruthlessly overridden, I at least had the satisfaction of seeing Longstreet’s 会合，会う a 類似の 運命／宿命. As we were about to turn into Seventy-eighth Street, Longstreet bent 今後, knocked on the window and 調印するd for the chauffeur to stop.

“What do you want?” 需要・要求するd Trask.

“I’ll get out here and walk along home,” he replied. “I hardly care to call on 行方不明になる Alster at this 恐ろしい hour in the morning.” He smiled, but I felt he did so to cover up his real 反対. He did not care to 会合，会う Beatrice so soon after having quarreled with her.

“No. Better stay. We need you,” Trask said, waving for the chauffeur to keep on. “You needn’t worry. I telephoned her we were coming,” he had the grace to 追加する just before the taxi drew up in 前線 of the house.

For all our supposed 優越 of social position over this mere 探偵，刑事, we might 同様に have been 囚人s in his 保護／拘留.

As Trask with his 重要な let us into the house, Beatrice （機の）カム from the 歓迎会 room to 会合，会う us. There were dark circles about her 注目する，もくろむs; she had undoubtedly been crying—over her difference with Longstreet, I imagined—but the quick look that she gave him showed no 調印するs of 産する／生じるing.

“But—but where is Linda?” she asked.

Trask explained. “I asked her to remain at that hotel 夜通し. It was necessary for us to have a few words with you やめる alone,” he 追加するd.

She seemed a little surprised, but whether at his 活動／戦闘 or his トン, I could not make out, for she at once led the way into the 歓迎会 room, and Trask drove us both into it ahead of him.

“行方不明になる Alster,” he began at once, “your silence on one 事柄 placed 行方不明になる Linda in a dangerous 状況／情勢 from which we fortunately were just in time to save her. I don’t say this in the way of reproach. I 明言する／公表する it as a fact that it would be 井戸／弁護士席 for you to 耐える in mind. That is all past, done for, and …に出席するd to. But we now 直面する another 状況／情勢 やめる as dangerous for one or two other people, and the time has come for me to tell you so 率直に, even 残酷に.”

He paused and looked at her as if hoping that she would show some 調印するs of 弱めるing. She showed 非，不，無. She 単に stood there regarding him 厳粛に, her 広大な／多数の／重要な dark 注目する，もくろむs 嘆く／悼むing, yet unquestioning, unyielding.

“行方不明になる Alster,” he went on after a minute, “the time has arrived when I must ask you 確かな questions regarding what happened in this house on the night of your aunt’s death. Will you or won’t you answer them?”

“I have already told you all I can.”

“Wait. Don’t say that.” Trask took a step toward her. She did not move. “Listen! There were four people in this house that night who had an 適切な時期 to commit that 罪，犯罪. 行方不明になる Linda has told me her story. Two have—”

“Linda has told you!”

Was I mistaken? Beatrice seemed relieved rather than alarmed.

Trask went 支援する. “Two have been relieved of all 疑惑, but this only makes things that much the worse for the other two.”

“Two?” Beatrice 星／主役にするd at him with wonder.

“Yes, two. You don’t suppose that you alone can 支払う／賃金 the 刑罰，罰則 for your obstinate silence, do you? No. It places another vastly more under 疑惑. He was 現在の before the return of your aunt. He stole out of this house soon after she was 殺人d. He—”

“Ah! Keith!”

“No. Someone else whom you would be much more likely to 保護する; someone else whom you would have the strongest 動機 for 保護するing.” She looked from him to each of us as if unwilling to decide whom he meant. “Who?” she asked finally.

“Longstreet!” Trask threw the 指名する at her like a 爆弾.

“Allan? Oh!” She looked at Trask with horror, with astonishment, one 手渡す going to her heart, the other reaching on the vain 空気／公表する behind her for support. For a moment she 星／主役にするd at him speechlessly; she seemed unable to get a word from her surprise; then her words （機の）カム 急速な／放蕩な; there was passion, 悲惨, 苦しむing in them.

“Oh, no, no, no, don’t tell me that! Don’t tell me that you 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う him of anything just because I—just because I—just because—”

“That’ll be about enough of this little game, Mr. Trask.”

Longstreet moved in between them.

Trask whipped around on him as if this were the very thing for which he had waited. “Game!” he sneered. “I guess you’ll find this is something more than a game. Where were you on the night of February 5 between 8:30 and 9:20?”

“I have already told you more than once that if you 手配中の，お尋ね者 to know you must find out for yourself.” Longstreet’s トン was icy.

“Yes, and I’ve 設立する out, and it doesn’t look 特に 井戸／弁護士席 for you, young man.”

“I shall be glad to hear about all that a little later—when we are alone.” Longstreet crossed over to Beatrice and 試みる／企てるd to get her to leave the room. She shook her 長，率いる.

“That’s 権利! It would be much better for you to stay and hear the 証拠 against him,” exclaimed Trask. “Shall I go on?” he asked after a moment.

Beatrice nodded. Longstreet 中止するd to 説得する her. He sighed 深く，強烈に and turned 直面するing Trask.

Trask squared 一連の会議、交渉／完成する toward him. “This is the 証拠 against you,” he 明言する／公表するd. “On the night of the 殺人, Agnes, the maid, heard one man in the room above this when she went upstairs to her room at about 8:30. She heard the 発言する／表明する of another man in 行方不明になる Linda’s room. The last について言及するd man was Keith. That has been settled. And in settling that we have 証明するd that it could not have been Keith who was in the library with 行方不明になる Beatrice. Who was it then? There was someone there, for I 設立する a 移転 in the room so punched as to 証明する conclusively that someone else was there. Who? Who but you? You left your house on the night of the 殺人 at 8:10. Instead of telephoning from your own house, you went over on Madison Avenue and telephoned from a 支払う／賃金 駅／配置する. You seemed 大いに excited when you （機の）カム out of the booth after your short conversation. You got on a Madison Avenue car bound in this direction. It is true, no one saw you enter this house on the night of the 殺人, but you dropped an 未使用の 移転 which I have in my 所有／入手, and you were seen to leave this house at 9:20, すぐに after the 殺人. It’s of no use for you to 論争 these facts, they can be 証明するd. It’s no use for you to be silent and to keep 行方不明になる Beatrice silent; you were here, you had the 適切な時期, there are too many facts against you, too many 証言，証人／目撃するs, too many—”

Trask stopped at the sob and sudden fling toward him of Beatrice. “I’ll tell—I’ll tell you everything,” she cried.

一時期／支部 19

Beatrice moved 支援する and sank into a 深い 議長，司会を務める 直面するing Trask. She gave not a look either to me or to Longstreet. It was as if we were not there. She gazed 刻々と at Trask for a moment as if hoping he would relent, then she 倍のd her 手渡すs in her （競技場の）トラック一周 and began.

“It will be necessary to tell you something about my aunt so that you may understand,” she started in a 発言する／表明する so 静める, so 静かな and so detached that, although her gaze was directed 刻々と at Trask, it was more as if she were talking to herself. “Aunt Cornelia was a strange woman, one of quick, warm, generous impulses, who seemed to make many friends, but only to quarrel with them. It wasn’t their fault. It wasn’t her fault. She couldn’t help it. There was some queer 新たな展開 in her nature, something almost as strong and baffling as mania, that seemed to 運動 her into doing absurdly 肉親，親類d and generous 行為／法令／行動するs and then to 軍隊 her to 悔いる them. She struggled against this; she 苦しむd the deepest 悔恨, I am sure, every time she had a difference with anyone; yet she kept 権利 on having these differences until she had driven everyone away from her except Linda and me.

“I want you to know that I loved her, loved her very dearly.” Beatrice paused as if perhaps to 安心させる herself on that point. “いつかs I believed that I was the only one who did understand her, the only one who understood that she could not help quarreling with the ones for whom she cared most. And yet, and yet I myself had one of the most violent quarrels with her.” She sighed. “But of that later. Something else comes first, only do remember that I loved her. I wouldn’t like you, no, nor her, to hear me say what I’m going to say about her without realizing that I loved her.

“Aunt Cornelia was so fond of us that she was always becoming jealous. She couldn’t 耐える having either of us show the slightest, the most passing 利益／興味 in anyone else; she couldn’t 耐える having anyone else show the slightest, the most passing 利益／興味 in us. That made it difficult for us two girls as children; that made it even worse when we grew up. She seemed to sense すぐに when any man became in the least 利益／興味d in us, and she stopped at nothing to put an end to it. I had no trouble on this 得点する／非難する／２０ until—until lately; but Linda was pretty, men liked to talk to her, to call on her, to take her to the theater, to the オペラ, to dances.

“Poor Linda! You must 耐える this in mind. It explains why she feels as she does. Man after man that 招待するd her to places had his 招待 拒絶する／低下するd, not by Linda but by her aunt. Man after man that （機の）カム to call on her was literally 冷気／寒がらせるd and frozen out of the house by Aunt Cornelia. And when this wasn’t enough, when Harold Avery kept on in spite of everything she did, she even kept Linda locked in her room until she 約束d not to have anything to do with him.”

Harold Avery! So there had been a real love 事件／事情／状勢 between Linda and Harold Avery! Trask 単に nodded, but I looked at Beatrice incredulously.

“I was very sorry for Linda. There was much to be said on her 味方する. I knew that she kept up a 内密の correspondence with Mr. Avery, that she managed to see him once in a 広大な／多数の／重要な while, but always 内密に so that auntie wouldn’t carry out her 脅し to disinherit her and put her out of the house. Linda had been brought up with the 保証／確信 that she would 相続する this entire 広い地所. It wasn’t long before I learned that auntie was 脅すing to leave everything to me. What I did about this seemed only fair. I had a talk with Linda and 約束d her that, if this ever happened, I would 行為 支援する half of it to her.

“I couldn’t 非難する Linda very much for 会合 and 令状ing to Mr. Avery after I realized that she really cared for him. I 非難するd her even いっそう少なく later when I got into trouble of the same sort. I met someone I liked, yes, someone I liked very much—”

Beatrice’s 発言する／表明する had become very soft and low and now she looked on the 床に打ち倒す at her feet instead of at Trask. I ちらりと見ることd at Longstreet. His 注目する，もくろむs, too, were on the 床に打ち倒す. A hot wave of jealousy broke over me, passed on, and left me feeling like ice. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to spring up and cry out. I couldn’t. It was as if all my senses suddenly became blunted, inoperative. I knew that Beatrice was going on. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to hear every word she said. I had to 発揮する all my 軍隊 to hear, not to 行方不明になる more:

“自然に, in the course of time he （機の）カム to call on me. Aunt Cornelia sat in the same room with us, just as she had with Linda. She never left us, she never said a word to either of us all the time he was here, and she pretended not to hear when we tried to 含む her in the conversation; I was astonished when he called again and—and a little ashamed—but soon I was furious, for at the end of this call, my aunt told him coolly that she didn’t want him to call again. He （機の）カム. It never occurred to him to 試みる／企てる to 会合，会う me clandestinely, and I liked him all the better for that. This time my aunt said nothing to him, but afterward she told me she had written to his father forbidding him to have anything more to do with me. I upbraided her for doing anything so undignified. She 脅すd to disinherit me. I went up and packed my trunks. She became nearly frantic. I stayed to keep her from going mad.

“He called again. The に引き続いて morning my aunt put on her bonnet, went out, and was gone nearly all day. It wasn’t until long afterward that I learned what she had done—all of it.” Beatrice 紅潮／摘発するd. It was some time before she went on.

“The father of the man who had called on me was one of the biggest and busiest of the 銀行業者s downtown in this city. My aunt went to his office and sent in her card. He remembered her letter and 辞退するd to see her. She waited in his outer office from ten in the morning until four in the afternoon without leaving it for a moment; but he managed to 避ける seeing her. Then she 軍隊d her way by the clerks, had a frantic scene with him in his own office that all but got into the newspapers, and 辞退するd to leave, until he lost his temper and swore that, if his son didn’t すぐに break off relations with a family such as hers, he would disown him.

“My aunt （機の）カム 支援する, smiling, happy, and told me what she had done. I went out and met Allan clandestinely. He had just left his home for good after a frightful scene with his father. He was for never going 支援する, but I knew he was on the 瀬戸際 of perfecting an 発明 which would make him 独立した・無所属, and I compelled him to return. I did it by 約束ing—no, it doesn’t 事柄 what I 約束d.” Her 広大な／多数の／重要な dark, soft 注目する，もくろむs left the 床に打ち倒す, seemed just to kiss Longstreet. It was as if a hot rake had been drawn over my heart. I looked toward the door. If I could have moved, I would have gone then.

“Go on!” It was the first time Trask had spoken.

“We had agreed not to 令状, not to 試みる／企てる to see each other unless something happened that really made it necessary. I know this must have been やめる as hard for you as it was for me.”

Again her 注目する，もくろむs kissed Longstreet. I knew by the pause, by instinct, without looking at them, with my 注目する，もくろむs turned away toward the door. Again my feelings murmured so that I lost some of her words.

“—night of the 殺人, Allan Longstreet telephoned me. His 発明 was so nearly perfected that he couldn’t wait any longer, he must see me. I implored him not to come, to wait. He （機の）カム. It seemed like a 一打／打撃 of Providence that my aunt had already left for the オペラ, but I knew she had become 怪しげな, not of me, but of poor Linda, and I 恐れるd she would return and surprise us. So I let him in myself and took him upstairs to the library, and my ears were on the 警報. I heard Agnes coming upstairs and I made him stop talking. I didn’t want to have to 誓約（する） anyone else in the house to secrecy. We talked and I saw that his 発明 was truly on the 瀬戸際 of 存在 perfected. Not やめる. It seemed to me a time when he must not be distracted or worried, and I 恐れるd my aunt might return, find him here, and 原因（となる） a final break between him and his father.

“I thought I heard my aunt’s 発言する／表明する outside on the street. I told Allan what he must do if it 証明するd to be she. I heard the 前線 door open. We ran upstairs. I 押し進めるd him into my room, I の近くにd the door. I stood in the hall outside 決定するd that my aunt should not learn he was there. She （機の）カム up and （刑事）被告 me of having been talking with Keith in the library. She—井戸／弁護士席, after a time she went 負かす／撃墜する to her room. I went into Linda’s room and discovered Keith there. In my excitement I had forgotten to knock. We agreed that Keith must leave the house at once. He was her brother, but I realized that this was no time for her to tell auntie that.

“I crept downstairs without making a sound. The door of my aunt’s room was half open and the light streamed through it into the darkened hall. I looked in and saw her sitting in a 議長，司会を務める with her 支援する toward the door 明らかに asleep, but there was a mirror on the 塀で囲む in which she could see anyone who tried to pass in the hall. I pulled the door to, but it couldn’t be の近くにd on account of some obstruction on the sill. I 選ぶd this up, 設立する it was the 重要な, and の近くにd the door without making a sound. Then I wondered how auntie could have fallen asleep so quickly, and in a 議長，司会を務める. I got to thinking that she must be pretending she was asleep ーするために surprise anyone who 試みる／企てるd to come downstairs to leave the house. So I locked the door.

“I went upstairs and we got Keith out of the house 安全に. Then I went into my room and explained to Allan. He did everything just as I asked him to. I watched him 負かす／撃墜する both flights and out of the 前線 door, and then went 支援する to my room and to bed. That’s all that happened in this house that night. Mr. Longstreet wasn’t away from me for a moment except while he was in my room, and I watched him leave the house. You believe me, don’t you, Mr. Trask?” Beatrice bent toward him 熱望して.

“Yes.” Trask’s 返答 was quick, emphatic. “But what about the 重要な to your aunt’s room?”

“I dropped it into the pocket in my dress. In the excitement I never thought of it, it slipped 完全に from my mind, until after the locksmith had opened the door the next morning. Then I realized that if I had to explain how I （機の）カム by it, everything would have to be told and Allan would be drawn into the trouble and it might—it might—” she stopped.

“It might what?” asked Trask softly.

“I was afraid it might make worse trouble with his father, so I slipped the 重要な 支援する into the lock. Nobody saw me. Then Linda’s cry told me something awful had happened. I—I—you know the 残り／休憩（する）.” Beatrice’s 発言する／表明する broke 負かす／撃墜する.

Longstreet rose to his feet. I rose too. I wondered if I could slip out of that door unnoticed. This was no place for me. Every 拷問ing second was 証明するing that more and more to me.

“Your aunt appeared to be asleep in her 議長，司会を務める—やめる the same in every particular as she seemed when discovered the next morning?” I heard Trask ask her.

“Yes. Yes. I—” Beatrice failed to continue.

“And Mr. Longstreet 同意d to this silence 単に to 保護する himself?”

“No, no! Oh, no, not that!” Beatrice rose and stood, trembling, before Trask. “I—I had to deceive him. I had to make him think his silence was necessary ーするために 保護する little Linda. I had to deceive Linda until I could see she 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd me of knowing something about auntie’s death. I had to deceive everybody—to tell lies—to 行為／法令／行動する as if I did know the 殺害者 of my poor aunt. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t see how I should ever be able to explain things to—to Allan. I couldn’t 信用 anyone. I couldn’t see how anyone could 信用 or care for me any longer. I—Allan, you 許す me?” Her 発言する／表明する choked. She turned imploringly toward Longstreet.

He went to her and took her in his 武器. I heard her sob; I heard him murmuring soft, 慰安ing words. I could stand it no longer. I left them. I left the house. My 長，率いる low, my feet lagging, muttering useless words of 慰安 to myself, I tramped through the 砂漠d streets to my former abode. I had lost her.

一時期／支部 20

行方不明になる Walsh seemed startled when she 設立する me at the office ahead of her the next morning. I blessed her for passing on to her desk without 発言／述べる. I thanked her from the 底（に届く） of my soul for not 説得力のある me to try my 発言する／表明する. I had spent a night of 消費するing self-pity, my 発言する／表明する—I wasn’t sure of it.

My fingers twitched as I moved the morning mail aimlessly to and fro about my desk. I felt the necessity of appearing busy with her 注目する，もくろむs upon me, though, whenever I looked, she seemed considerately to be keeping them off me. In a few minutes I knew I must call her for the morning 口述. I 神経d myself for it. I tried my 発言する／表明する in an undertone once or twice before I 信用d it.

And yet it must have 明らかにする／漏らすd to her my wretched, broken 条件, for she rose so impetuously that her 議長，司会を務める 倒れるd over and she （機の）カム hurrying to me without 延期するing to 権利 it. But oh, her discernment and consideration! She did not ask me a question. She stood looking at me a moment and then sat 負かす／撃墜する 静かに beside me.

I had 保護するd myself against any questions or at least I thought I had. My 長，率いる was lowered over the only letter in that morning’s mail I had bethought me to open. Long afterward, she told me that I was poring over a letter that was upside 負かす／撃墜する. I did not know it. Not that morning.

I began to dictate. I made a mistake in the 指名する and I 観察するd that she 訂正するd it without word to me. By sheer brute 軍隊 of will, I managed to dictate a 宣告，判決 or two. Then I began to ask her to read 支援する to me from her 公式文書，認めるs. I must have requested this oftener than I realized.

“I know, I think, what you wish said to him,” she 示唆するd gently.

“What?” My 発言する／表明する seemed to be all 権利 when I was cross.

“You will agree to 新たにする his 賃貸し（する） on the same 条件, 供給するd he’ll assume the expense of all except 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 修理s,” she 明言する／公表するd, and then 追加するd as an afterthought, “same as you did with Judson.”

“Y-es, that will do,” I grudged and then availed myself of the excuse she 供給（する）d, “same as I did with Judson, just as you say, we must 扱う／治療する all tenants alike.” I 押し進めるd the letter along my desk toward her.

“Shall I wait until this afternoon for the 残り／休憩（する） of the letters?” she asked すぐに.

“No. Why?” I 需要・要求するd gruffly.

“I—井戸／弁護士席, I have some of yesterday’s mail left.”

“Ah, it doesn’t do for me to be away from the office so much, I see,” I exclaimed, relieved.

“No.”

Something about the way she said it 簡単に broke 負かす／撃墜する my guard. “I won’t be—much—after this!” I 約束d 激しく.

She gasped.

I turned and made sure I had heard aright. Her thin, pretty, young 直面する wore a look of surprise and her 注目する，もくろむs escaped 地雷. She rose. She sat 負かす／撃墜する again beside me rigidly. “To whom did you say the next letter was?” she 需要・要求するd nervously and she fumbled in her hair for the pencil she had dropped on the 床に打ち倒す.

I 選ぶd up her pencil and 手渡すd it to her. Somehow her agitation had the 影響 of 静かなing 地雷. My 注目する，もくろむs ぐずぐず残るd on her. I saw how alluring she was with her dark hair and blue 注目する，もくろむs and with her pale 直面する just washed with the high colors of the rose.

“Why did you really want to put off taking the 残り／休憩（する） of these letters, Mary?” I asked and my 発言する／表明する had come 支援する.

“I—I don’t know.” She looked to 保証する herself of the change in me. “You—you didn’t seem やめる yourself,” she said.

“I’m not.” I sighed. “I’ve been through a lot. I’ve been a fool,” I cried, “but—but I’m not going to be anybody’s fool any longer.”

“Oh, I’m so glad! I saw—” that was all she said.

“What did you see, Mary?” I asked her gently.

“I saw how earnest you were, I saw how—” she stopped until my 注目する，もくろむs begged her to go on. “I saw how you were 存在 used and how mistaken you were, and it made me wild, it made me furious at the way you were 存在 misled, at the way all you did was taken for 認めるd. Why! I don’t know another man in New York that—that—”

She stopped and rose, breathless with 憤慨.

My own 怒り／怒る taken up by another! How it soothed! “Yes,” I murmured and fell into pleasant dreams.

“You looked so wretched when I （機の）カム in this morning. You need a long, long 残り／休憩（する） or you’ll break 負かす／撃墜する. You must go away and let me take care of things,” she mused, her 怒り／怒る all gone now.

“Yes, Mary.” I rose and stood beside her.

“Will you?” she asked softly without moving away from me.

“Yes, Mary.” I let my 手渡す 落ちる on hers, 作戦行動d it into 地雷, caressing it with the other. “Yes, Mary,” I repeated, wishing she would turn toward me and no longer look away with that strange, 緊張した look on her young 直面する.

I put an arm around her waist without giving up her 手渡す and then she turned, a look on her 直面する such as I had never seen in any woman’s before, a look of hope still 粘着するing to a little 疑問, a look of 不確定 so delicious that she hesitated to make sure.

I drew her to me and our lips met. Mary Walsh, whom I had always thought so sarcastic, so 冷淡な, so hard-hearted!

“There must be one more foolish answer,” I 宣言するd.

She laughed. “Ask your foolish question first,” she retorted.

I don’t know how long afterward it was when the door opened and Trask appeared. I 推定する／予想するd him, but it was Mary’s quick ear that （悪事，秘密などを）発見するd his coming and forestalled our 存在 caught. Mary withdrew to her desk at once and Trask sank into the 議長，司会を務める she had 占領するd before we had come to our wonderful understanding.

After a moment, he began to laugh. “I’ve just come from the Martha Washington,” he 発表するd.

“Yes?” I was eager to 完全にする my necessary 商売／仕事 with him so as to be alone with Mary again.

“The little minx! Whom do you suppose 行方不明になる Linda had there to breakfast with her?” Trask 需要・要求するd with humor.

“I 港／避難所’t the least idea.”

“Harold Avery. It was a sort of betrothal breakfast. They had 直す／買収する，八百長をするd everything up, were having one of those smooth, June antemarital arguments as to whether the 儀式 should be 成し遂げるd in church or—Lord, but you look all in, Swan!”

“You’re the second one to tell me that this morning,” I 不平（をいう）d.

“Yes, I noticed that your stenographer seemed rather more than passingly 利益／興味d in you,” he retorted in a 発言する／表明する lowered so as not to carry across the office to her.

How had he 観察するd it so quickly? His swift insight made me uncomfortable. “井戸／弁護士席, I suppose you’re about through now with the Alster 事例／患者,” I veered to change the 支配する.

“Y-es, I think so.”

“With Beatrice, Linda, Keith and Longstreet all （疑いを）晴らすd from 疑惑, I fancied you must be nearly ready to give it up. And if not—”

“If not—井戸／弁護士席, what? Go on,” he ordered.

“If not—井戸／弁護士席, as executor of the 広い地所 and paymaster, I felt it was about time to 宿泊する a 抗議する against continuing the 調査 much longer. It seems to me like a wasteful and unnecessary expense, doesn’t it appear so to you?”

He answered with a question: “When does your stenographer go to 昼食?”

“At noon, one, or half past, any time—why?”

“Why not send her now?” At my amazed, 問い合わせing look, he 追加するd, “Then we can talk the entire 事柄 over by ourselves.”

I 受託するd his suggestion. “You don’t like her,” I hinted as soon as the door had の近くにd behind her.

“She doesn’t like me. She has taken a strong and intuitive dislike to me for coming in here and wasting your time and energy. Subordinates are so much more stingy of their 雇用者’s time than 雇用者s are themselves. Not that it isn’t excusable in your 事例／患者. You 港／避難所’t been sleeping 井戸／弁護士席, have you?”

“No. I feel as if I had been drawn through a ネズミ 穴を開ける this morning.”

“You need a 残り／休憩（する）. You must get away from the excitement of all this.”

“I—I’ve been thinking of doing that.”

He nodded. “When are you leaving?”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

“Ah, as soon as things 形態／調整 themselves up 権利, I suppose.”

I nodded. Was Trask never going to get 負かす／撃墜する to 商売／仕事? His circumlocution made me restive. “井戸／弁護士席, what about the Alster 事例／患者? Are you ready to turn in your account and の近くに it up?” I brought him 支援する.

“N-o, not 正確に／まさに.”

What was the 事柄 with Trask? I had not dreamed he could be so 決めかねて. “But I thought you said you were through,” I 抗議するd.

“I don’t want to deceive you,” he broke in.

“You mean you still want to keep on with it?” I 星／主役にするd at him with amazement.

“You misunderstood me. I said I was about through with it,” he explained.

“Oh!” I laughed, wondering on what 得点する／非難する／２０ he thought to keep on it longer.

Trask jerked his 議長，司会を務める 一連の会議、交渉／完成する so that he 直面するd me. “Swan,” he said suddenly, “who was it that telephoned you the news from the house the morning after the 殺人?”

“Agnes—yes, Agnes, the maid.”

“Yes, can you remember just what she said to you?”

“I don’t know.” I thought a moment. “Why, yes, something to the 影響 that 行方不明になる Alster couldn’t be waked and 行方不明になる Beatrice 手配中の，お尋ね者 me to come 権利 up to the house.”

“That was all?”

“Yes.”

“She didn’t go so far as to say that 行方不明になる Alster had been 殺人d?”

“No.”

“You’re sure of that?”

“Why, yes—of course.” I looked at him. “Good Lord, you aren’t off now on a blind 追跡する after poor Agnes, are you?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“Swan, I want you to think very carefully before you answer my next question.”

I started involuntarily at his solemn トン. Whom in the 指名する of heaven was he 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うing now? His manner irritated me; his last words swelled 抱擁する to me as a 脅し; I had to take a 支配する on myself to keep from showing the nervous 反抗 he had roused in me. “Go on,” I said controlling my 発言する／表明する.

He waited—waited—waited. It was as if he were 決定するd to work up my 神経s to their highest pitch with his intolerable silence. The office seemed insufferably hot. I got up, went over and opened a window, （機の）カム 支援する, sat 負かす／撃墜する, looked at him expectantly—and still he waited. I became obstinate, angry, 決定するd not again to request his 信用／信任. Suddenly, my mind roamed off over everyone else whom he now could かもしれない 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う, （機の）カム 支援する 失敗させる／負かすd, without an answer. In a 激怒（する） I 公約するd not to ask him another question. My 激怒（する） 燃やすd, flashed up like a bonfire, 燃やすd out. I felt my 目的 弱めるing. I could stand anything better than this insufferable waiting. Fool! I asked him to go on again and my 発言する／表明する trembled in spite of myself.

“You remember I told you I met young Avery this morning?” he 問い合わせd in a 発言する／表明する so smooth and 静める that it made me furious again.

“Yes, what of that?” I delighted in the snarl that had gone with my words. “For God’s sake, if you 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑う him or anyone else, get it out.”

He bent toward me はっきりと. “Swan,” he 需要・要求するd, “if Agnes telephoned you only that 行方不明になる Alster couldn’t be waked, how was it that you told the Averys that morning that 行方不明になる Alster had been 殺人d?”

I 崩壊（する）d.

“How did you know it before you had been told?”

I sat 星／主役にするing at him stupidly, speechlessly.

“How could you know it before you had been up to the house?”

I could not see him now. He had faded away 直接／まっすぐに before my 注目する，もくろむs. I could only hear his 発言する／表明する from a 広大な／多数の／重要な distance—a word now and then—a dull murmur in between.

“Thumb print . . . ピストル used . . . never told a soul . . . no one else noticed it . . . took impression . . . must have yours now . . . compare . . .” I started to rise to make for the open window. He の近くにd with me and held me in my 議長，司会を務める. I struggled until I was exhausted, until I saw how useless it all was. I lay 支援する in the 議長，司会を務める. My mind went blank.

Suddenly I became conscious that Trask was washing my 直面する with 冷淡な water, was murmuring his sympathy for me. It was too much. I threw my 長，率いる on my 武器. I broke 負かす／撃墜する.

Five minutes later I 自白するd.

一時期／支部 21

Little remains to be 記録，記録的な／記録するd to 完全にする this story. I 殺人d 行方不明になる Alster. I did it on the 刺激（する） of the moment. That is the best that can be said of me. For some time after I did it, I cajoled myself into believing that my strongest 動機 was Beatrice, but, after my 自白, I began to see things more 明確に, as they really were, without any その上の self-deception, without any need of it. Now, I know that my real impulse was a selfish one wrapped in a thin disguise of unselfishness. I want to be やめる frank and honest about it now.

When I took 行方不明になる Alster to the オペラ that night, I made my first mistake, the mistake which led 直接／まっすぐに to it. I 許すd her to perceive that I was in love with Beatrice. The change toward me in her 態度 was instant. She put me in my place with a few hot, quick words. I 受託するd her rebuke with meekness and 陳謝s, praying to heaven that my error would not lose me 行方不明になる Alster’s 好意. I can only say that the loss of her patronage meant everything to me. The story shows that. And so, when soon afterward she rose in the 中央 of the 業績／成果 to leave the オペラ house, I felt that I had lost—lost everything. I felt I was resentenced to the hopeless drudgery and oblivion of my former work with Avery, Avery & Avery.

She said not a word to me on our ride 支援する to her house except to order me to stop the taxi at the corner instead of 運動ing up to the door. I wondered at this. I wondered if her sudden return home and her sullen 最大の関心事 on the way might not be 予定 to something other than her 罪／違反 at my 自白. When we approached the house and I saw her look up at the light in the library and mutter, “Now, 行方不明になる Linda, I’ll catch you at it,” I took hope.

Eager to 回復する myself in her 好意, I 掴むd the 重要な from her 手渡す and opened the 前線 door. She swept by me without a word and ran upstairs. I was half a 封鎖する away on my 旅行 home before I realized that I still had her latchkey in my 手渡す.

I returned to the door, but hesitated to （犯罪の）一味 the bell. It seemed to me that she might think me more considerate if I bore the 重要な straight to her myself. I entered the house with her 重要な. I went upstairs, 希望に満ちた that she would 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる my 活動／戦闘. The lights in her room were on and the door half open. I knocked and, fancying that she bade me enter, I went in.

She was not in the outer room. I went into the inner room. She was not there. And then it 夜明けd on me for the first time that the loud and angry 発言する／表明する I heard on the 床に打ち倒す above was hers. At the same moment, I heard her exclaim,

“Beatrice, I’ve caught you this time! I know it was Keith I surprised you with. Your silence won’t 保護する him. But to think that you, too, would flirt with the butler in my house! I might have known it, after learning that you have been making 前進するs even to Mr. Swan, my new lawyer. But you shan’t pull the wool over my 注目する，もくろむs any longer. To-morrow Keith leaves my house, and to-morrow, young lady, I’ll 発射する／解雇する Mr. Swan and make a new will disinheriting you.”

She said more, but I failed to hear it. I had already heard the worst. I was to lose the one chance in my life and Beatrice was to be disinherited.

I don’t know how long I stood there in her room 決めかねて what to do, whether to leave the 重要な and 試みる／企てる to steal away unnoticed or to wait and 直面する her. But while I was yet dazed by the terrible results of my mistake, she （機の）カム running furiously 負かす／撃墜する the stairs, cutting off my 退却／保養地.

I 簡単に could not 直面する her in my terribly agitated 明言する／公表する of mind. Without realizing what I was doing, I slipped into a corner of the inner room as she entered the outer one. There I crouched low, thinking only of 掴むing the first chance 申し込む／申し出d to escape. But she seemed watchful and strangely 怪しげな. She drew a 議長，司会を務める into the inner room. She sat 負かす／撃墜する within a few feet of me with her 支援する toward me, shutting off my escape. I wondered why she had unaccountably chosen to sit just there. At last I learned. Her 注目する，もくろむs were riveted on a mirror in the outer room. In this mirror she watched the door as if to 迎撃する some 通りがかりの人 in the hall outside. And soon she leaned 支援する in her 議長，司会を務める, as though asleep; but she did this too quickly, I knew she was 単に feigning sleep while she kept watch of that door.

My own alarm gave way to a feeling of indignation at the 要約 manner in which she had 扱う／治療するd me 単に for having 自白するd an honest liking for her niece. It was 不公平な, 不正な, unutterably mean and spiteful of her, after she had raised in me such 広大な hopes. I crouched there in the corner behind her for what seemed hours, but for what could only have been a few minutes, and my 激怒（する） against her grew higher with every moment. Then my muscles became cramped, I could crouch there no longer. I put my 手渡す on the dresser at my 味方する to rise, and it （機の）カム upon the ピストル she always kept there. I drew it 負かす／撃墜する to me. It was as if I had been placed there for a 目的. And it was already cocked! I felt a sudden gust of 怒り／怒る. I raised it and 解雇する／砲火／射撃d.

The 残り／休憩（する） has all been told. I must have slept some of the time, but it seemed to me as if I never slept a minute from that moment until after my 自白.

I am sorry. I could not 予知する in that one hot instant the sad 混乱 my 罪，犯罪 has wrought in the lives of so many others. I like to think that for that one moment I was insane, but I 申し込む／申し出d no such excuse for my 活動／戦闘 at the 裁判，公判. I 手配中の，お尋ね者 to expiate my 罪，犯罪. This was an excuse reserved for myself.

I cannot 修理 the havoc I 原因（となる）d in many lives, but at least I am expiating my 罪，犯罪. And yet I must be frank and 収容する／認める that I was relieved when, because of work by Mary Walsh, I was 宣告，判決d to 刑務所，拘置所 for life instead of 存在 sent to the 電気椅子.

It was Mary who 用意が出来ている my mother for 会合 me and led her away from this 刑務所，拘置所. It was 予定 to Mary that I am alive to 令状 this. Dear, loyal, unselfish Mary Walsh! If I had only seen you in your true light in time instead of groping ambitiously for another above my 駅／配置する in life. When I get out, I must try to （不足などを）補う to Mary something of all she has done for me. She has won over the 裁判官 who sat at my 裁判，公判; she has won over the 検察官; she has 得るd their 約束s not to …に反対する her 嘆願 for a 仮釈放（する） for me from the 知事 a few years from now.

Everyone has been so good to me! It was Trask who first put me in the way of remaking my life, of redeeming something from all that seemed doomed. He read my 声明 of what happened that Mary used to 安全な・保証する a はしけ 宣告，判決 for me. He infused me with a belief that I could mitigate the tedium of 刑務所，拘置所 life, that I could perhaps make a lot of money for my mother and Mary by 拡大するing that 声明 into a 調書をとる／予約する. I have tried it. This is the story.

THE END

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