the red seal-第14部分

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ad　said　but　simply　confirmed　his　statements。

Kent；　who　had　grown　restless　during　the　servants'　monotonous　testimony；　forgot　the　oppressive　atmosphere　of　the　room　on　seeing　Mrs。　Brewster　enter　under　the　escort　of　the　morgue　master。　　Spying　a　vacant　seat　several　rows　ahead　of　where　he　was　sitting；　Kent；　with　a　muttered　apology　to　the　people　over　whom　he　crawled　in　his　efforts　to　get　out；　hurried　into　it　just　as　the　vivacious　widow　had　finished　taking　the　oath　to　〃tell　the　truth　and　nothing　but　the　truth；〃　and　seated　herself；　with　much　rustling　of　silk　skirts　in　the　witness　chair。

〃State　your　full　name；　madam；〃　directed　Coroner　Penfield；　eyeing　her　dainty　beauty　with　admiration。

〃Margaret　Perry　Brewster；〃　she　answered。　　〃Widow　of　Louis　C。　Brewster。　　Both　I　and　my　late　husband　were　born　and　lived　in　Los　Angeles；　California。〃

〃Are　you　visiting　the　Misses　McIntyre？〃

〃Yes。〃　　Mrs。　Brewster　spoke　in　a　chatty　impersonal　manner。　　〃I　have　been　with　them　since　the　first　of　the　month。〃

〃Did　you　attend　the　Grosvenor　dance？〃　asked　the　coroner。

〃No；　the　affair　was　only　given　for　the　debutantes　of　last　fall　and　did　not　include　married　people；〃　she　explained。　　〃It　was　a　warm　night　and　Colonel　McIntyre　asked　Mr。　Benjamin　Clymer；　who　was　dining　with　him；　and　me；　to　go　for　a　motor　ride；　leaving　Barbara　at　the　Grosvenors'　en　route。　　We　did　so；　returning　to　the　house　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　sat　talking　until　about　midnight　in　the　reception　room；　then　Colonel　McIntyre　drove　Mr。　Clymer　home；　and　I　went　to　my　room。〃

〃Were　you　awakened　by　any　noises　during　the　night？〃　inquired　Penfield。

〃No；　I　heard　no　noises。〃　　Mrs。　Brewster's　charming　smile　was　infectious。

〃When　did　you　first　learn　of　the　supposed　burglary　and　the　death　of　James　Turnbull？〃

〃The　McIntyre　twins　told　me　about　the　tragedy　on　their　return　from　the　police　court；〃　answered　Mrs。　Brewster；　and　settled　herself　a　little　more　comfortably　in　the　witness　chair。

〃When　you　were　in　the　reception　room；　Mrs。　Brewster　〃　…　Penfield　paused　and　studied　his　notes　a　second　…〃　did　you　observe　if　the　window　was　open　or　closed？〃

〃It　was　not　open　when　we　entered；〃　she　responded。　　〃But　the　air　in　the　room　was　stuffy　and　at　my　request　Mr。　Clymer　raised　the　window。〃

〃Did　he　close　it　later？〃

She　considered　the　question。　　〃I　really　do　not　recall；〃　she　admitted　finally。　　Her　eyes　strayed　toward　the　door　through　which　she　had　entered；　and　Penfield　answered　her　unspoken　thought。

〃Just　one　more　question；〃　he　said　hurriedly。　　〃Did　you　see　the　dogs　on　Monday　night？〃

〃Yes。　　I　heard　them　scratching　at　the　door　leading　to　the　basement　as　I　went　upstairs；　and　so　I　turned　around　and　went　down　and　opened　the　door　and　let　them　run　down　into　the　cellar。〃

Penfield　snapped　shut　his　notebook。　　〃I　am　greatly　obliged；　Mrs。　Brewster；　we　will　not　detain　you　longer。〃

The　morgue　master　stepped　forward　and　helped　the　pretty　widow　down　from　the　platform。

〃Colonel　McIntyre　is　here　now；〃　he　told　the　coroner。

〃Ah；　then　bring　him　in；〃　and　Penfield；　while　awaiting　the　arrival　of　the　new　witness；　straightened　the　papers　on　his　desk。

McIntyre　looked　straight　ahead　of　him　as　he　walked　down　the　room　and　stood　frowning　heavily　while　the　oath　was　being　administered；　but　his　manner；　when　the　coroner　addressed　him；　had　regained　all　the　suavity　and　polish　which　had　first　captivated　Washington　society。

〃I　have　been　a　resident　of　Washington　for　about　five　years；〃　he　said　in　answer　to　the　coroner's　question。　　〃My　daughters　attended　school　here　after　their　return　from　Paris；　where　they　were　in　a　convent　for　four　years。　　They　made　their　debut　last　November　at　our　home　in　this　city。〃

〃Were　you　aware　of　the　wager　between　your　daughter　Barbara　and　James　Turnbull？〃　asked　Penfield。

〃I　heard　of　it　Sunday　afternoon　but　paid　little　attention；〃　admitted　McIntyre。　　〃My　daughter　Barbara's　vagaries　I　seldom　take　seriously。〃

〃Was　Mr。　Turnbull　a　frequent　visitor　at　your　house？〃

〃Oh；　yes。〃

〃Was　he　engaged　to　your　daughter　Helen？〃

〃No。〃　　McIntyre's　denial　was　prompt　and　firmly　spoken。　　Penfield　and　Kent；　from　his　new　seat　nearer　the　platform；　watched　the　colonel　narrowly；　but　learned　nothing　from　his　expression。

〃I　have　heard　otherwise；〃　observed　the　coroner　dryly。

〃You　have　been　misinformed；〃　McIntyre's　manner　was　short。　　〃I　would　suggest；　Mr。　Coroner；　that　you　confine　your　questions　and　conjectures　to　matters　pertinent　to　this　inquiry。〃

Penfield　flushed　as　one　of　the　jurors　snickered；　but　he　did　not　repeat　his　previous　question；　asking　instead；　〃Was　there　good　feeling　between　you　and　Mr。　Turnbull？〃

〃I　never　quarreled　with　him；〃　replied　McIntyre。　　〃I　really　saw　little　of　him　as；　whenever　he　called　at　the　house；　he　came　to　see　one　or　the　other　of　my　daughters；　or　both。〃

〃When　did　you　last　see　Mr。　Turnbull？〃　inquired　Penfield。

〃He　was　at　the　house　on　Sunday　and　I　had　quite　a　talk　with　him；〃　McIntyre　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　regarded　the　neat　crease　in　his　trousers　with　critical　eyes。　　〃I　last　saw　Turnbull　going　out　of　the　street　door。〃

〃Were　you　disturbed　by　the　burglar's　entrance　on　Monday　night？〃

McIntyre　shook　his　head。　　〃I　am　a　heavy　sleeper；〃　he　said。　　〃I　regret　very　much　that　my　daughter　Helen　did　not　at　once　awaken　me　on　finding　the　burglar；　as　she　supposed；　hiding　in　the　closet。　　I　knew　nothing　of　the　affair　until　Grimes　informed　me　of　it；　and　only　reached　the　police　court　in　time　to　bring　my　daughters　home　from　the　distressing　scene　following　the　identification　of　the　dead　burglar　as　Jimmie　Turnbull。〃

〃Colonel　McIntyre；〃　Penfield　turned　over　several　papers　until　he　found　the　one　he　sought。　　〃Mrs。　Brewster　has　testified　that　while　you　and　she　were　sitting　in　the　reception　room；　Mr。　Clymer　opened　the　window。　　Did　you　close　it　on　leaving　the　room？〃

McIntyre　reflected　before　answering。　　〃I　cannot　remember　doing　so；〃　he　stated　finally。　　〃Clymer　was　in　rather　a　hurry　to　leave；　and　after　bidding　Mrs。　Brewster　good　night；　we　went　straight　out　to　the　car　and　I　drove　him　to　the　Saratoga。〃

〃Then　you　cannot　swear　to　the　window　having　been　re…locked？〃

〃I　cannot。〃

Penfield　paused　a　moment。　　〃Did　you　return　immediately　to　your　house　from　the　Saratoga　apartment？〃

〃I　did〃　promptly。　　〃My　chauffeur；　Harris；　wasn't　well；　and　I　wanted　him　to　get　home。〃

Penfield　thought　a　moment　before　putting　the　next　question。

〃How　did　Miss　Barbara　return　from　the　Grosvenor　dance？〃　he　asked。

〃She　was　brought　home　by　friends；　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Chase。〃　McIntyre　in　turning　about　in　his　chair　knocked　down　his　walking　stick　from　its　resting　place　against　its　side；　and　the　unexpected　clatter　made　several　women；　nervously　inclined；　jump　in　their　seats。　　Observing　them；　McIntyre　smiled　and　was　still　smiling　amusedly　when　Penfield　addressed　him。

〃Did　you　observe　many　lights　burning　in　your　house　when　you　returned？〃　asked　Penfield。

〃No；　only　those　which　are　usually　left　lit　at　night。〃

〃Was　your　daughter　Helen　awake？〃

〃I　do　not　know。　　Her　room　was　in　darkness　when　I　walked　past　her　door　on　my　way　to　bed。〃

Penfield　removed　his　eye…glasses　and　polished　them　on　his　silk　handkerchief。　　〃I　have　no　further　questions　to　ask。　　Colonel；　you　are　excused。〃

McIntyre　bowed　gravely　to　him　and　as　he　left　the　platform　came　face　to　face　with　his　family　physician；　Dr。　Stone。

Penfield；　who　was　an　old　acquaintance　of　the　physician's；　signed　to　him　to　come　on　the　platform。　　After　the　preliminaries　had　been　gone　through；　he　shifted　his　chair　around；　the　better　to　face　Stone。

〃Did　you　accompany　the　Misses　McIntyre　to　the　police　court　on　Tuesday　morning？〃　he　asked。

〃I　did；〃　responded　the　physician；　〃at　Miss　Barbara's　request。　　She　said　her　sister　was　not　very　well　and　they　disliked　going　alone　to　the　police　court。〃

〃Did　she　state　why　she　did　not　ask　her　father　to　go　with　them？〃

〃Only　that　he　had　not　fully　recovered　from　an　attack　of　tonsilitis；　which　I　knew　to　be　a　fact；　and　they　did　not　want　him　to　over…tax　his　strength。〃

There　was　a　moment's　pause　as　the　coroner；　his　attention　diverted　by　a　whispered　word　or　two　from　the　morgue　master；　referred　to　his　notes　before　resuming　his　examination。

〃Did　you　know　James　Turnbull？〃　he　asked　a　second　later。

〃Yes；　slightly。〃

〃Did　you　recognize　him　in　his　burglar's　disguise？〃

〃I　did　not〃

〃Had　you　any　suspicion　that　the　burglar　was　other　than　he　seemed？〃

〃No。〃

Penfield　picked　up　a　memorandum　handed　him　by　Dr。　Mayo　and　referred　to　it。　　〃I　understand；　doctor；　that　you　were　the　first　to　go　to　the　burglar's　aid　when　he　became　ill；〃　he　said。　　〃Is　that　true？〃

〃Yes；〃　Stone　spoke　with　more　animation。　　〃Happening　to　glance　inside　the　cage　where　the　prisoner　sat；　I　saw　he　was　struggling　convulsively　for　breath。　　With　Mr。　Clymer's　assistance　I　carried　him　into　an　ante…room　off　the　court；　but　before　I　had　crossed　its　threshold　Turnbull　expired　in　my　arms。〃

〃Was　he　conscious　before　he　died？〃

At　the　question　Kent　bent　eagerly　forward。　　What　would　be　the　reply？

〃I　am　not　prepared　to　answer　that　with　certainty；〃　replied　Dr。　Stone　cautiously。　　〃As　I　picked　him　up　I　heard　him　stammer　faintly：　'B…b…b。'〃

Kent　started　so　violently　that　the　man　next　to　him　turned　and　regarded　him　for　a　moment；　then；　more　interested　in　what　was　transpiring　on　the　platform；　promptly　forgot　his　agitated　neighbor。

〃Was　Turnbull　delirious；　doctor？〃　asked　the　coroner。

Stone　shook　his　head　in　denial。　　〃No；〃　he　stated。　　〃I　take　it　that　he　started　to　say　'Barbara；'　and　his　breath　failed　him；　at　any　rate　I　only　caught　the　stuttered　'B…b…b。'〃

Penfield　did　not　immediately　continue　his　examination；　but　when　he　did　so　his　manner　was　stern。

〃Doctor；　what　in　your　opinion　caused　Mr。　Turnbull's　death？〃

〃Judging　superficially　…　I　made　no　thorough　examination；〃　Stone　explained　parenthetically；　〃I　should　say　that　Mr。　Rochester　was　right　when　he　stated　that　Turnbull　died　from　an　acute　attack　of　angina　pectoris。〃

〃How　did　Mr。　Rochester　come　to　make　that　assertion　and　where？〃

〃Immediately　after　Turnbull's　death；〃　replied　Stone。　　〃Mr。　Rochester；　who　shared　his　apartment；　defended　him　in　court。　　Mr。　Rochester　was　aware　that　Turnbull　suffered　from　the　disease；　and　Mr。　Clymer；　who　was　present；　also　knew　it。〃

〃And　what　is　your　opinion；　doctor？〃　questio