the lost house-第2部分

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like　many　others；　by　the　brass　plate　of　a　doctor。　As　Ford　passed　it
he　hit　the　cigarette　with　his　walking…stick；　and　drove　it　into　an
area。　When　he　overtook　the　man；　Ford　handed　him　another　cigarette。
〃To　make　sure；〃　he　said；　C4　go　back　and　〃　drop　this　in　the　place
you　found　the　paper。　For　a　moment　the　man　hesitated。

〃I　might　as　well　tell　you；〃　Ford　continued；　〃that　I　knocked　that
last　cigarette　so　far　from　where　you　dropped　it　that　you　won't　be
able　to　use　it　as　a　guide。　So；　if　you　don't　really　know　where　you
found　the　paper；　you'll　save　my　time　by　saying　so。〃　Instead　of
being　confused　by　the　test；　the　man　was　amused　by　it。　He　laughed
appreciatively　admitted。　〃You've　caught　me　out　fair；　governor；〃　〃I
Want　the　'arf…crown；　and　I　dropped　the　cigarette　as　near　the　place
as　I　could。　But　I　can't　do　it　again。　It　was　this　way；〃　he
explained。　〃I　wasn't　taking　notice　of　the　houses。　I　was　walking
along　looking　into　the　gutter　for　stumps。　I　see　this　paper　wrapped
about　something　round。　'It's　a　copper；'　I　thinks；　'jucked　out　of　a
winder　to　a　organ…grinder。'　I　snatches　it；　and　runs。　I　didn't　take
no　time　to　look　at　the　houses。　But　it　wasn't　so　far　from　where　I
showed　you；　about　the　middle　house　in　the　street　and　on　the　left
'and　side。〃

Ford　had　never　considered　the　man　as　a　serious　element　in　the
problem。　He　believed　him　to　know　as　little　of　the　matter　as　he
professed　to　know。　But　it　was　essential　he　should　keep　that　little
to　himself。

〃No　one　will　pay　you　for　talking；〃　Ford　pointed　out；　〃and　I'll　pay
you　to　keep　quiet。　So；　if　you　say　nothing　concerning　that　note；　at
the　end　of　two　weeks；　I'll　leave　two　pounds　for　you　with　James；　at
the　Embassy。〃

The　man；　who　believed　Ford　to　be　an　agent　of　the　police；　was　only
too　happy　to　escape　on　such　easy　terms。　After　Ford　had　given　him　a
pound　on　account；　they　parted。

From　Wimpole　Street　the　amateur　detective　went　to　the　nearest
public　telephone　and　called　up　Gerridge's　Hotel。　He　considered　his
first　step　should　be　to　discover　if　Mr。　Pearsall　was　at　that　hotel；
or　had　ever　stopped　there。　When　the　'phone　was　answered；　he
requested　that　a　message　be　delivered　to　Mr。　Pearsall。

〃Please　tell　him；〃　he　asked；　〃that　the　clothes　he　ordered　are　ready
to　try　on。〃

He　was　informed　that　no　one　by　that　name　was　at　the　hotel。　In　a
voice　of　concern　Ford　begged　to　know　when　Mr。　Pearsall　had　gone
away；　and　had　he　left　any　address。

He　was　with　you　three　weeks　ago；〃　Ford　insisted。　〃He's　an　American
gentleman；　and　there　was　a　lady　with　him。　She　ordered　a
riding…habit　of　us：　the　same　time　he　was　measured　for　his　clothes。〃

After　a　short　delay；　the　voice　from　the　hotel　replied　that　no　one
of　the　name　of　Pearsall　had　been　at　the　hotel　that　winter。

In　apparent　great　disgust　Ford　rang　off；　and　took　a　taxicab　to　his
rooms　in　Jermyn　Street。　There　he　packed　a　suit…case　and　drove　to
Gerridge's。　It　was　a　quiet；　respectable；　〃old…　established〃　house
in　Craven　Street；　a　thoroughfare　almost　entirely　given　over　to
small　family　hotels　much　frequented　by　Americans。

After　he　had　registered　and　had　left　his　bag　in　his　room；　Ford
returned　to　the　office；　and　in　an　assured　manner　asked　that　a　card
on　which　he　had　written　〃Henry　W。　Page；　Dalesville；　Kentucky；〃
should　be　taken　to　Mr。　Pearsall。

In　a　tone　of　obvious　annoyance　the　proprietor　returned　the　card；
saying　that　there　was　no　one　of　that　name　in　the　hotel；　and　added
that　no　such　person　had　ever　stopped　there。　Ford　expressed　the
liveliest　distress。

〃He　TOLD　me　I'd　find　him　here；〃　he　protested。；　〃he　and　his　niece。〃
With　the　garrulousness　of　the　American　abroad；　he　confided　his
troubles　to　the　entire　staff　of　the　hotel。　〃We're　from　the　same
town；〃　he　explained。　〃That's　why　I　must　see　him。　He's　the　only　man
in　London　I　know；　and　I've　spent　all　my　money。　He　said　he'd　give　me
some　he　owes　me；　as　soon　as　I　reached　London。　If　I　can't　get　it；
I'll　have　to　go　home　by　Wednesday's　steamer。　And；　complained
bitterly；　〃I　haven't　seen　the　nor　the　Tower；　nor　Westminster
Abbey。〃

In　a　moment；　Ford's　anxiety　to　meet　Mr。　Pearsall　was　apparently
lost　in　a　wave　of　self…pity。　In　his　disappointment　he　appealing；
pathetic　figure。

Real　detectives　and　rival　newspaper　men；　even　while　they　admitted
Ford　obtained　facts　that　were　denied　them；　claimed　that　they　were
given　him　from　charity。　Where　they　bullied；　browbeat；　and
administered　a　third　degree；　Ford　was　embarrassed；　deprecatory；　an
earnest；　ingenuous；　wide…eyed　child。　What　he　called　his　〃working〃
smile　begged　of　you　not　to　be　cross　with　him。　His　simplicity　was
apparently　so　hopeless；　his　confidence　in　whomever　he　addressed　so
complete；　that　often　even　the　man　he　was　pursuing　felt　for　him　a
pitying　contempt。　Now　as　he　stood　uncertainly　in　the　hall　of　the
hotel；　his　helplessness　moved　the　proud　lady　clerk　to　shake　her
cylinders　of　false　hair　sympathetically；　the　German　waiters　to
regard　his　predicament　with　respect；　even　the　proprietor；　Mr。
Gerridge　himself；　was　ill　at　ease。　Ford　returned　to　his　room；　on
the　second　floor　of　the　hotel；　and　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　bed。

In　connecting　Pearsall　with　Gerridge's；　both　the　police　and　himself
had　failed。　Of　this　there　were　three　possible　explanations：　that
the　girl　who　wrote　the　letter　was　in　error；　that　the　letter　was　a
hoax；　that　the　proprietor　of　the　hotel；　for　some　reason；　was
protecting　Pearsall；　and　had　deceived　both　Ford　and　Scotland　Yard。
On　the　other　hand；　without　knowing　why　the　girl　believed　Pearsall
would　be　found　at　Gerridge's；　it　was　reasonable　to　assume　that　in
so　thinking　she　had　been　purposely　misled。　The　question　was；　should
he　or　not　dismiss　Gerridge's　as　a　possible　clew；　and　at　once　devote
himself　to　finding　the　house　in　Sowell　Street？　He　decided　for　the
moment　at　least；　to　leave　Gerridge's　out　of　his　calculations；　but；
as　an　excuse　for　returning　there；　to　still　retain　his　room。　He　at
once　started　toward　Sowell　Street；　and　in　order　to　find　out　if　any
one　from　the　hotel　were　following　him；　he　set　forth　on　foot。　As
soon　as　he　made　sure　he　was　not　spied　upon；　he　covered　the
remainder　of　the　distance　in　a　cab。

He　was　acting　on　the　supposition　that　the　letter　was　no　practical
joke；　but　a　genuine　cry　for　help。　Sowell　Street　was　a　scene　set　for
such　an　adventure。　It　was　narrow；　mean…　looking；　the　stucco
house…fronts；　soot…stained；　cracked；　and　uncared…for；　the　steps
broken　and　unwashed。　As　he　entered　it　a　cold　rain　was　falling；　and
a　yellow　fog　that　rolled　between　the　houses　added　to　its
dreariness。　It　was　now　late　in　the　afternoon；　and　so　overcast　the
sky　that　in　many　rooms　the　gas　was　lit　and　the　curtains　drawn。

The　girl；　apparently　from　observing　the　daily　progress　of　the　sun；
had　written　she　was　on　the　west　side　of　the　street　and；　she
believed；　in　an　upper　story。　The　man　who　picked　up　the　note　had
said　he　had　found　it　opposite　the　houses　in　the　middle　of　the
block。　Accordingly；　Ford　proceeded　on　the　supposition　that　the
entire　east　side　of　the　street；　the　lower　stories　of　the　west　side；
and　the　houses　at　each　end　were　eliminated。　The　three　houses　in　the
centre　of　the　row　were　outwardly　alike。　They　were　of　four　stories。
Each　was　the　residence　of　a　physician；　and　in　each；　in　the　upper
stories；　the　blinds　were　drawn。　From　the　front　there　was　nothing　to
be　learned；　and　in　the　hope　that　the　rear　might　furnish　some　clew；
Ford　hastened　to　Wimpole　Street；　in　which　the　houses　to　the　east
backed　upon　those　to　the　west　in　Sowell　Street。　These　houses　were
given　over　to　furnished　lodgings；　and　under　the　pretext　of　renting
chambers；　it　was　easy　for　Ford　to　enter　them；　and　from　the
apartments　in　the　rear　to　obtain　several　hasty　glimpses　of　the
backs　of　the　three　houses　in　Sowell　Street。　But　neither　from　this
view…point　did　he　gather　any　fact　of　interest。　In　one　of　the　three
houses　in　Sowell　Street　iron　bars　were　fastened　across　the　windows
of　the　fourth　floor；　but　in　private　sanatoriums　this　was　neither
unusual　nor　suspicious。　The　bars　might　cover　the　windows　of　a
nursery　to　prevent　children　from　falling　out；　or　the　room　of　some
timid　householder　with　a　lively　fear　of　burglars。

In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　Ford　was　again　back　in　Sowell　Street　no
wiser　than　when　he　had　entered　it。　From　the　outside；　at　least；　the
three　houses　under　suspicion　gave　no　sign。　In　the　problem　before
him　there　was　one　point　that　Ford　found　difficult　to　explain。　It
was　the　only　one　that　caused　him　to　question　if　the　letter　was
genuine。　What　puzzled　him　was　this：　Why；　if　the　girl　were　free　to
throw　two　notes　from　the　window；　did　she　not　throw　them　out　by　the
dozen？　If　she　were　able　to　reach　a　window；　opening　on　the　street；
why　did　she　not　call　for　help？　Why　did　she　not；　by　hurling　out
every　small　article　the　room　contained；　by　screams；　by　breaking　the
window…panes；　attract　a　crowd；　and；　through　it；　the　police？　That
she　had　not　done　so　seemed　to　show　that　only　at　rare　intervals　was
she　free　from　restraint；　or　at　liberty　to　enter　the　front　room　that
opened　on　the　street。　Would　it　be　equally　difficult；　Ford　asked
himself；　for　one　in　the　street　to　communicate　with　her？　What　signal
could　he　give　that　would　draw　an　answering　signal　from　the　girl？

Standing　at　the　corner；　hidden　by　the　pillars　of　a　portico；　the
water　dripping　from　his　rain…coat；　Ford　gazed　long　and　anxiously　at
the　blank　windows　of　the　three　houses。　Like　blind　eyes　staring　into
his；　they　told　no　tales；　betrayed　no　secret。　Around　him　the
commonplace　life　of　the　neighborhood　proceeded　undisturbed。
Somewhere　concealed　in　the　single　row　of　houses　a　girl　was
imprisoned；　her　life　threatened；　perhaps　even　at　that　moment　she
was　facing　her　death。　While；　on　either　side；　shut　from　her　by　the
thickness　only　of　a　brick　wall；　people　were　talking；　reading；
making　tea；　preparing　the　evening　meal；　or；　in　the　street　below；
hurrying　by；　intent　on　trivial　errands。　Hansom　cabs；　prowling　in
search　of　a　fare；　passed　through　the　street　where　a　woman　was　being
robbed　of　a　fortune；　the　drivers　occupied　only　with　thoughts　of　a
possible　shilling；　a　housemaid　with　a　jug　in　her　hand　and　a　shawl
over　her　bare　head；　hastened　to　the　near…by　public…　house；　the
postman　made　his　rounds；　and　delivered　comic　postal…cards；　a
policeman；　shedding　w