按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
unsatisfactory climax。
〃You have not been in the street；〃 said Prothero。 〃You are wet because
you hung out of your window signalling to your friend。 Do you know why
33
… Page 34…
The Lost House
he did not answer your second signal？ Because he is lying in an area； with
a knife in him！〃
〃You lie！〃 cried Ford。
〃YOU lie；〃 retorted the Jew quietly； 〃when you say your men surround
this house。 You are alone。 You are NOT in the police service； you are a
busybody meddling with men who think as little of killing you as they did
of killing your friend。 My servant was placed to watch your window； saw
your signal； reported to me。 And I found your assistant and threw him into
an area； with a knife in him！〃
Ford felt the story was untrue。 Prothero was trying to frighten him。 Out
of pure bravado no sane man would boast of murder。 Butand at the
thought Ford felt a touch of real fearwas the man sane？ It was a most
unpleasant contingency。 Between a fight with an angry man and an insane
man the difference was appreciable。 From this new view…point Ford
regarded his adversary with increased wariness； he watched him as he
would a mad dog。 He regretted extremely he had not brought his revolver。
With his automatic pistol still covering Ford； Prothero spoke to
Pearsall。
〃I found him；〃 he recited； as though testing the story he would tell later；
〃prowling through my house at night。 Mistaking him for a burglar； I killed
him。 The kitchen window will be found open； with the lock broken；
showing how he gained an entrance。 〃Why not？〃 he demanded。
〃Because；〃 protested Pearsall； in terror； 〃the man outside will tell〃
Ford shouted in genuine relief。
Exactly ！〃 he cried。 〃The man outside； who is not down an area with a
knife in him； but who at this moment is bringing the police …he will tell！〃
As though he had not been interrupted； Prothero continued
thoughtfully：
〃What they may say he expected to find here； I can explain away later。
The point is that I found a strange man； hatless； dishevelled； prowling in
my house。 I called on him to halt； he ran； I fired； and unfortunately killed
him。 An Englishman's home is his castle； an English jury〃
〃An English jury；〃 said Ford briskly； 〃is the last thing you want to
meet It isn't a Chicago jury。〃
34
… Page 35…
The Lost House
The Jew flung back his head as though Ford had struck him in the
face。
〃Ah！〃 he purred； 〃you know that； too； do you？〃 The purr increased to a
snarl。 〃You know too much！〃
For Pearsall； his tone seemed to bear an alarming meaning。 He sprang
toward Prothero； and laid both hands upon his disengaged arm。
〃For God's sake；〃 he pleaded； 〃come away！ He can't hurt you not
alive； but dead； he'll hang youhang us both。 We must go； now； this
moment。〃 He dragged impotently at the left arm of the giant。 〃Come！〃 he
begged。
Whether moved by Pearsall's words or by some thought of his own；
Prothero nodded in assent。 He addressed himself to Ford。
〃I don't know what to do with you；〃 he said； 〃so I will consult with my
friend outside this door。 While we talk； we will lock you in。 We can hear
any move you make。 If you raise the window or call I will open the door
and kill youyou and that woman！〃
With a quick gesture； he swung to the door； and the spring lock
snapped。 An instant later the bolts were noisily driven home。
When the second bolt shot into place； Ford turned and looked at Miss
Dale。
This is a hell of a note！〃 he said
35
… Page 36…
The Lost House
III
Outside the locked door the voices of the two men rose in fierce
whispers。 But Ford regarded them not at all。 With the swiftness of a
squirrel caught in a cage； he darted on tiptoe from side to side searching
the confines of his prison。 He halted close to Miss Dale and pointed at the
windows。
〃Have you ever tried to loosen those bars？〃 he whispered。
The girl nodded and； in pantomime that spoke of failure； shrugged her
shoulders。
〃What did you see？〃 demanded Ford hopefully。
The girl destroyed his hope with a shake of her head and a swift smile。
〃Scissors；〃 she said； 〃but they found them and took them away。〃 Ford
pointed at the open grate。
〃Where's the poker？〃 he demanded。
〃They took that； too。 I bent it trying to pry the bars。 So they knew。〃
The man gave her a quick； pleased glance； then turned his eyes to the
door that led into the room that looked upon the street。
〃Is that door locked？〃
〃No；〃 the girl told him。 〃But the door from it into the hall is fastened；
like the other； with a spring lock and two bolts。〃
Ford cautiously opened the door into the room adjoining； and； except
for a bed and wash…stand； found it empty。 On tiptoe he ran to the windows。
Sowell Street was deserted。 He returned to Miss Dale； again closing the
door between the two rooms。
〃The nurse；〃 Miss Dale whispered； 〃when she is on duty； leaves that
door open so that she can watch me； when she goes downstairs； she locks
and bolts the door from that room to the hall。 It's locked now。〃
〃What's the nurse like？〃
The girl gave a shudder that seemed to Ford sufficiently descriptive。
Her lips tightened in a hard； straight line。
〃She's not human；〃 she said。 〃I begged her to help me； appealed to her
in every way； then I tried a dozen times to get past her to the stairs。〃
〃Well？〃
36
… Page 37…
The Lost House
The girl frowned； and with a gesture signified her surroundings。
〃I'm still here；〃 she said。
She bent suddenly forward and； with her hand on his shoulder； turned
the man so that he faced the cot。
〃The mattress on that bed；〃 she whispered； rests on two iron rods。
They are loose and can be lifted。 I planned to smash the lock； but the noise
would have brought Prothero。 But you could defend yourself with one of
them。〃
Ford had already run to the cot and dropped to his knees。 He found the
mattress supported on strips of iron resting loosely in sockets at the head
and foot。