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had mistaken for part of the tufted upholstery was the sleek brown hair of
a man's well…shaped head。 He halted abruptly on meeting the gaze of a
pair of mocking eyes。
〃Rochester？〃 he gasped unbelievingly。 〃Rochester！〃
His partner laughed softly as Stone approached。 〃I have been an
interested listener；〃 he said。 〃Let me complete the good doctor's
argument。 Nitro…glycerine would have benefitted Jimmie Turnbull and
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his feeble heart； whereas the missing aconitine pills killed him。〃
Stone regarded him with severity。 〃How did you get in this
apartment？〃 he demanded； declining the challenge Rochester had offered
in addressing his opinion of Turnbull's death directly to him。
Rochester dangled his bunch of keys in the physician's face and smiled
at his excited partner。 〃If you two hadn't been so absorbed in your
conversation you would have heard me walk in；〃 he remarked。
〃Where have you been？〃 demanded Kent； partly recovering from his
astonishment which had deprived him of speech。
〃I decided to take a vacation at a moment's notice。〃 Rochester spoke
with the same slow drawl which was characteristic of him。 〃You should
be accustomed to my eccentricities by this time； Harry。〃
〃We are；〃 announced Detective Ferguson from the hallway； where he
and Nelson had been silent witnesses of the scene。 〃And we'll give you a
chance to explain them in the police court。〃
〃On what charge？〃 demanded Rochester。
〃Poisoning your room…mate； Mr。 Turnbull；〃 replied the detective；
drawing out a pair of handcuffs。 〃You are mighty clever； Mr。 Rochester。
I've got to hand it to you for your mysterious disappearances in and out of
this apartment； and for murdering Mr。 Turnbull right in the police court in
the presence of the judge； police officials； and spectators。〃
Kent stepped forward at sight of the handcuffs and laid a restraining
hand on the detective's shoulder。 Rochester saw the movement； guessed
Kent's intention； and smiled。
〃We can settle the case here；〃 he said cheerfully。 〃No need of
troubling the police judge。 Now； Mr。 Detective； how did I kill Jimmie
Turnbull before all those people without any one becoming aware of the
fact？〃
〃Slipped the poison in the glass of water you handed him；〃 answered
Ferguson promptly。 〃A nervy sleight…of…hand； but you'll swing for it。〃
Rochester's smile was exasperating as he turned to Dr。 Stone。
〃Judging from Stone's remarks about aconitine … which I overheard；〃
he interpolated。 〃I gather the doctor is tolerably familiar with the action
of the drug。 Does aconitine kill instantly； doctor？〃
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Stone cleared his throat before speaking。 〃No； the fatal period
averages about four hours；〃 he said； and Rochester's eyes sparkled as he
looked up at the detective。
〃Jimmie died almost immediately after I handed him that drink of
water；〃 he declared。 〃If you wish to know who administered that
aconitine poison； you will have to find out who Jimmie was with at the
McIntyre house in the early hours of Tuesday morning。〃
The sharp imperative ring of the telephone bell cut the silence which
followed。 Kent； standing nearest the instrument； picked it up； and
recognized Sylvester's voice over the wire。
〃A message has just come； Mr。 Kent；〃 he called； 〃from Mrs。 Brewster
saying that she will be in your office at four o'clock。〃
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CHAPTER XIX
THE RED SEAL AGAIN
Harry Kent inserted his key in his office door with more vigor than
good judgment； and spent some seconds in re…adjusting it in the lock。
Once inside the office he put up the latch and closed the door。 A glance
around the empty office showed him that Sylvester had obeyed his
telephone instructions and gone out to luncheon。
Kent noted with satisfaction as he put his hat and cane in the coat
closet that he had over two hours before Mrs。 Brewster's expected arrival；
ample time in which to consider in quietude the events of the past few
days； and plan for his interview with the pretty widow。 He had spent the
time between Rochester's sudden reappearance and a hastily swallowed
lunch at a downtown caf ； in arranging bail for Rochester。 Ferguson had
proved obdurate and had persisted in taking the lawyer to Police
Headquarters。
Dr。 Stone had accompanied the trio； and his testimony； supported by
two chemists； regarding the time required for aconitine poison to act； had
gone far to weaken the detective's case against Rochester。
Rochester； to Kent's unbounded astonishment； had appeared indifferent
to the whole proceedings； and to his partner's urgent inquiries as to where
he had spent the past four days； and why he had disappeared； he had
returned one invariable answer。
〃I'll explain in good time； Harry；〃 and it was not until they were
leaving Police Headquarters that his apathy vanished。
〃When are you to see Mrs。 Brewster？〃 he asked。
〃She will be at our office at four o'clock。 Say； Phil〃 … but Rochester；
shaking off his detaining hand； darted across the street and sprang into a
passing taxi bearing the sign； 〃For Hire；〃 and that was the last Kent had
seen of his elusive partner。
Kent dropped into his chair and glanced askance at the mail piled in
neat array on his desk； he was not in a frame of mind to handle routine
office business。 Other clients would have to wait until later in the day。
A memorandum pad； bearing a message in Sylvester's precise penmanship
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attracted his wandering attention and he picked it up。
〃Mr。 Kent：〃 he read。 〃Colonel McIntyre called just after I talked with
you on the 'phone； he waited in your office for half an hour； then left；
stating he would come back。 Miss Barbara McIntyre called immediately
afterwards；