the agony column-第12部分

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nt　Street。　　And　finally；　on　a　visit　to　the　lodgings　of　this　man　who；　I　was　now　certain；　was　Von　der　Herts；　under　the　mattress　of　his　bed　I　found　this　knife。〃

And　Colonel　Hughes　threw　down　upon　the　inspector's　desk　the　knife　from　India　that　I　had　last　seen　in　the　study　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer。

〃All　these　points　of　evidence　were　in　my　hands　yesterday　morning　in　this　room；〃　Hughes　went　on。　　〃Still；　the　answer　they　gave　me　was　so　unbelievable；　so　astounding；　I　was　not　satisfied；　I　wanted　even　stronger　proof。　　That　is　why　I　directed　suspicion　to　my　American　friend　here。　　I　was　waiting。　　I　knew　that　at　last　Von　der　Herts　realized　the　danger　he　was　in。　　I　felt　that　if　opportunity　were　offered　he　would　attempt　to　escape　from　England；　and　then　our　proofs　of　his　guilt　would　be　unanswerable；　despite　his　cleverness。　　True　enough；　in　the　afternoon　he　secured　the　release　of　the　countess；　and　together　they　started　for　the　Continent。　　I　was　lucky　enough　to　get　him　at　Dover　…　　and　glad　to　let　the　lady　go　on。〃

And　now；　for　the　first　time；　the　startling　truth　struck　me　full　in　the　face　as　Hughes　smiled　down　at　his　victim。

〃Inspector　Bray；〃　he　said；　〃or　Von　der　Herts；　as　you　choose；　I　arrest　you　on　two　counts：　First；　as　the　head　of　the　Wilhelmstrasse　spy　system　in　England；　second；　as　the　murderer　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer。　　And；　if　you　will　allow　me；　I　wish　to　compliment　you　on　your　efficiency。〃

Bray　did　not　reply　for　a　moment。　　I　sat　numb　in　my　chair。　　Finally　the　inspector　looked　up。　　He　actually　tried　to　smile。　

〃You　win　the　hat；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　must　go　to　Homburg　for　it。　　I　will　gladly　pay　all　expenses。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　answered　Hughes。　　〃I　hope　to　visit　your　country　before　long；　but　I　shall　not　be　occupied　with　hats。　　Again　I　congratulate　you。　　You　were　a　bit　careless；　but　your　position　justified　that。　　As　head　of　the　department　at　Scotland　Yard　given　over　to　the　hunt　for　spies；　precaution　doubtless　struck　you　as　unnecessary。　　How　unlucky　for　poor　Fraser…Freer　that　it　was　to　you　he　went　to　arrange　or　your　own　arrest！　　I　got　that　information　from　a　clerk　at　the　Cecil。　　You　were　quite　right；　from　your　point　of　view；　to　kill　him。　　And；　as　I　say；　you　could　afford　to　be　rather　reckless。　　You　had　arranged　that　when　the　news　of　his　murder　came　to　Scotland　Yard　you　yourself　would　be　on　hand　to　conduct　the　search　for　the　guilty　man。　　A　happy　situation；　was　it　not？〃

〃It　seemed　so　at　the　time；〃　admitted　Bray；　and　at　last　I　thought　I　detected　a　note　of　bitterness　in　his　voice。

〃I'm　very　sorry　…　really；〃　said　Hughes。　　〃To…day；　or　to…morrow　at　the　latest；　England　will　enter　the　war。　　You　know　what　that　means；　Von　der　Herts。　　The　Tower　of　London　…　and　a　firing　squad！〃

Deliberately　he　walked　away　from　the　inspector；　and　stood　facing　the　window。　　Von　der　Herts　was　fingering　idly　that　Indian　knife　which　lay　on　his　desk。　　With　a　quick　hunted　look　about　the　room；　he　raised　his　hand；　and　before　I　could　leap　forward　to　stop　him　he　had　plunged　the　knife　into　his　heart。

Colonel　Hughes　turned　round　at　my　cry；　but　even　at　what　met　his　eyes　now　that　Englishman　was　imperturbable。

〃Too　bad！〃　he　said。　　〃Really　too　bad！　　The　man　had　courage　and；　beyond　all　doubt；　brains。　　But　…　this　is　most　considerate　of　him。　He　has　saved　me　such　a　lot　of　trouble。〃

The　colonel　effected　my　release　at　once；　and　he　and　I　walked　down　Whitehall　together　in　the　bright　sun　that　seemed　so　good　to　me　after　the　bleak　walls　of　the　Yard。　　Again　he　apologized　for　turning　suspicion　my　way　the　previous　day；　but　I　assured　him　I　held　no　grudge　for　that。

〃One　or　two　things　I　do　not　understand；〃　I　said。　　〃That　letter　I　brought　from　Interlaken　…　〃

〃Simple　enough；〃　he　replied。　　〃Enwright　…　who；　by　the　way；　is　now　in　the　Tower　…　wanted　to　communicate　with　Fraser…Freer；　who　he　supposed　was　a　loyal　member　of　the　band。　　Letters　sent　by　post　seemed　dangerous。　　With　your　kind　assistance　he　informed　the　captain　of　his　whereabouts　and　the　date　of　his　imminent　arrival　in　London。　Fraser…Freer；　not　wanting　you　entangled　in　his　plans；　eliminated　you　by　denying　the　existence　of　this　cousin　…　the　truth；　of　course。〃

〃Why；〃　I　asked；　〃did　the　countess　call　on　me　to　demand　that　I　alter　my　testimony？〃

〃Bray　sent　her。　　He　had　rifled　Fraser…Freer's　desk　and　he　held　that　letter　from　Enwright。　　He　was　most　anxious　to　fix　the　guilt　upon　the　young　lieutenant's　head。　　You　and　your　testimony　as　to　the　hour　of　the　crime　stood　in　the　way。　　He　sought　to　intimidate　you　with　threats　…　〃

〃But　…　〃

〃I　know　…　you　are　wondering　why　the　countess　confessed　to　me　next　day。　　I　had　the　woman　in　rather　a　funk。　　In　the　meshes　of　my　rapid…fire　questioning　she　became　hopelessly　involved。　　This　was　because　she　was　suddenly　terrified　she　realized　I　must　have　been　watching　her　for　weeks；　and　that　perhaps　Von　der　Herts　was　not　so　immune　from　suspicion　as　he　supposed。　　At　the　proper　moment　I　suggested　that　I　might　have　to　take　her　to　Inspector　Bray。　　This　gave　her　an　idea。　　She　made　her　fake　confession　to　reach　his　side；　once　there；　she　warned　him　of　his　danger　and　they　fled　together。〃

We　walked　along　a　moment　in　silence。　　All　about　us　the　lurid　special　editions　of　the　afternoon　were　flaunting　their　predictions　of　the　horror　to　come。　　The　face　of　the　colonel　was　grave。

〃How　long　had　Von　der　Herts　held　his　position　at　the　Yard？〃　I　asked。

〃For　nearly　five　years；〃　Hughes　answered。

〃It　seems　incredible；〃　I　murmured。

〃So　it　does；〃　he　answered；　〃but　it　is　only　the　first　of　many　incredible　things　that　this　war　will　reveal。　　Two　months　from　now　we　shall　all　have　forgotten　it　in　the　face　of　new　revelations　far　more　unbelievable。〃　He　sighed。　　〃If　these　men　about　us　realized　the　terrible　ordeal　that　lies　ahead！　　Misgoverned；　unprepared　…　I　shudder　at　the　thought　of　the　sacrifices　we　must　make；　many　of　them　in　vain。　　But　I　suppose　that　somehow；　some　day；　we　shall　muddle　through。〃

He　bade　me　good…by　in　Trafalgar　Square；　saying　that　he　must　at　once　seek　out　the　father　and　brother　of　the　late　captain；　and　tell　them　the　news　…　that　their　kinsman　was　really　loyal　to　his　country。

〃It　will　come　to　them　as　a　ray　of　light　in　the　dark　…　my　news；〃　he　said。　　〃And　now；　thank　you　once　again。〃

We　parted　and　I　came　back　here　to　my　lodgings。　　The　mystery　is　finally　solved；　though　in　such　a　way　it　is　difficult　to　believe　that　it　was　anything　but　a　nightmare　at　any　time。　　But　solved　none　the　less；　and　I　should　be　at　peace；　except　for　one　great　black　fact　that　haunts　me；　will　not　let　me　rest。　　I　must　tell　you；　dear　lady　　…　　And　yet　I　fear　it　means　the　end　of　everything。　　If　only　I　can　make　you　understand！

I　have　walked　my　floor；　deep　in　thought；　in　puzzlement；　in　indecision。　　Now　I　have　made　up　my　mind。　　There　is　no　other　way　　…　I　must　tell　you　the　truth。

Despite　the　fact　that　Bray　was　Von　der　Herts；　despite　the　fact　that　he　killed　himself　at　the　discovery　…　despite　this　and　that；　and　everything　…　Bray　did　not　kill　Captain　Fraser…Freer！

On　last　Thursday　evening；　at　a　little　after　seven　o'clock；　I　myself　climbed　the　stairs；　entered　the　captain's　rooms；　picked　up　that　knife　from　his　desk；　and　stabbed　him　just　above　the　heart！

What　provocation　I　was　under；　what　stern　necessity　moved　me　…　all　this　you　must　wait　until　to…morrow　to　know。　　I　shall　spend　another　anxious　day　preparing　my　defense；　hoping　that　through　some　miracle　of　mercy　you　may　forgive　me　…　understand　that　there　was　nothing　else　I　could　do。

Do　not　judge；　dear　lady；　until　you　know　everything　…　until　all　my　evidence　is　in　your　lovely　hands。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　YOURS；　IN　ALL　HUMILITY。

The　first　few　paragraphs　of　this　the　sixth　and　next　to　the　last　letter　from　the　Agony　Column　man　had　brought　a　smile　of　relief　to　the　face　of　the　girl　who　read。　　She　was　decidedly　glad　to　learn　that　her　friend　no　longer　languished　back　of　those　gray　walls　on　Victoria　Embankment。　　With　excitement　that　increased　as　she　went　along；　she　followed　Colonel　Hughes　as　…　in　the　letter　…　he　moved　nearer　and　nearer　his　denouement；　until　finally　his　finger　pointed　to　Inspector　Bray　sitting　guilty　in　his　chair。　　This　was　an　eminently　satisfactory　solution；　and　it　served　the　inspector　right　for　locking　up　her　friend。　　Then；　with　the　suddenness　of　a　bomb　from　a　Zeppelin；　came；　at　the　end；　her　strawberry　man's　confession　of　guilt。　　He　was　the　murderer；　after　all！　　He　admitted　it！　　She　could　scarcely　believe　her　eyes。

Yet　there　it　was；　in　ink　as　violet　as　those　eyes；　on　the　note　paper　that　had　become　so　familiar　to　her　during　the　thrilling　week　just　past。　　She　read　it　a　second　time；　and　yet　a　third。　　Her　amazement　gave　way　to　anger；　her　cheeks　flamed。　　Still　…　he　had　asked　her　not　to　judge　until　all　his　evidence　was　in。　　This　was　a　reasonable　request　surely；　and　she　could　not　in　fairness　refuse　to　grant　it。


CHAPTER　VIII

So　began　an　anxious　day；　not　only　for　the　girl　from　Texas　but　for　all　London　as　well。　　Her　father　was　bursting　with　new　diplomatic　secrets　recently　extracted　from　his　bootblack　adviser。　　Later；　in　Washington；　he　was　destined　to　be　a　marked　man　because　of　his　grasp　of　the　situation　abroad。　　No　one　suspected　the　bootblack；　the　power　behind　the　throne；　but　the　gentleman　from　Texas　was　destined　to　think　of　that　able　diplomat　many　times；　and　to　wish　that　he　still　had　him　at　his　feet　to　advise　him。

〃War　by　midnight；　sure！〃　he　proclaimed　on　the　morning　of　this　fateful　Tuesday。　　〃I　tell　you；　Marian；　we're　lucky　to　have　our　tickets　on　the　Saronia。　　Five　thousand　dollars　wouldn't　buy　them　from　me　to…day！　　I'll　be　a　happy　man　when　we　go　aboard　that　liner　day　after　to…morrow。〃

Day　after　to…morrow！　　The　girl　wondered。　　At　any　rate；　she　would　have　that　last　letter　then　…　the　letter　that　was　to　contain　whatever　defense　her　young　friend　could　offer　to　explain　his　dastardly　act。　She　waited　eagerly　for　that　final　epistle。

The　day　dragged　on；　bringing　at　its　close　England's　entrance　into　the　war；　and　the　Carlton　bootblack　was　a　prophet　not　without　honor　in　a　certain　Texas　heart。　　And　on　the　following　morning　there　arrived　a　letter　which　was　torn　open　by　eager　trembling　fingers。　The　letter　spoke：

DEAR　LADY　JUDGE：　This　is　by　far　the　hardest　to　write　of　all　the　letters　you　have　had　from　me。　　For　twenty…four　hours　I　have　been　planning　it。　　Last　night　I　wal