erlestanleygardner.thecaseofthehorrifiedheirs-第14部分

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　〃Would　that　do　any　good？〃　she　asked。
　〃It　might　do　a　great　deal　of　good。　。　。　。　I　take　it　you'd　like　to　help　a　person　who　was　a　client　of　Mr。　Bannock's？〃
　Her　face　lit　up。　〃Then　you　mean　Lauretta　Trent　would　ask　me　to　do　this　herself？〃
　〃No；　there　are　certain　reasons　why　Lauretta　Trent　couldn't　request　you　to　do　it；　but　I　can　tell　you　it　would　be　very　much　to　her　advantage。〃
　〃You're　connected　with　her　then　in　some　way？〃
　〃I　am　speaking　for　her。〃
　〃Would　it　be　all　right　for　me　to　ask　the　nature　of　the　association　or　of　your　representation？〃
　He　smiled　and　shook　his　head。　〃Under　some　circumstances；〃　he　said；　〃money　talks。〃
　He　took　a　wallet　from　his　pocket　and　extracted　a　hundred…dollar　bill。　He　paused　for　a　moment；　then　extracted　another　hundred…dollar　bill。　Then；　significantly；　another　hundred…dollar　bill　and　kept　on　until　there　were　five　one…hundred…dollar　bills　lying　on　the　table。
　She　eyed　the　money　thoughtfully；　〃We'd　have　to　be　rather　careful；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　Mr。　Bannock　used　stationery　that　had　his　name　printed　in　the　lower　left…hand　corner。〃
　〃I　hadn't　realized　that；〃　the　man　said。
　〃Fortunately；　I　have　some　of　that　stationery…Of　course；　we'd　have　to　destroy　the　original　and　leave　this　as　a　carbon　copy。〃
　〃I　think　you　could　make　a　good　job　of　it；〃　he　said。
　She　said；　〃I'd　have　to　have　your　assurance　that　it　was　all　right；　that　there　wasn't　going　to　be　anything　fradulent　connected　with　it。〃
　〃Oh；　certainly；〃　he　said。　〃It's　simply　to　trap　someone　who　is　trying　to　make　trouble　with　Mrs。　Trent's　relatives。〃
　She　hesitated　for　a　moment。　〃Could　I　have　some　time　to　think　this　over？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not；　Mrs。　Baxter。　We're　working　against　time　and　if　you're　going　to　go　ahead　with　this　we'd　have　to　do　it　immediately。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean　by　'immediately'？〃
　〃Right　now；〃　he　said；　indicating　the　typewriter。
　〃What　do　you　want　in　this　will？〃
　He　said；　〃You　make　the　usual　statements　about　the　testatrix　being　of　sound　and　disposing　mind　and　memory　and　state　that　she　is　a　widow；　that　she　has　no　children；　that　she　has　two　sisters　who　are　married；　that　one　is　Dianne；　the　wife　of　Boring　Briggs；　that　the　other　is　Maxine　who　is　the　wife　of　Gordon　Kelvin。
　〃Then　go　on　and　state　that　you　have　recently　bee　convinced　that　your　relatives　are　actuated　by　selfish　interests　and　that；　therefore；　you　leave　your　sister；　Dianne；　a　hundred　thousand　dollars；　that　you　leave　your　sister；　Maxine；　one　hundred　thousand　dollars；　that　you　leave　your　brother…in…law；　Boring　Briggs；　ten　thousand　dollars；　that　you　leave　your　brother…in…law；　Gordon　Kelvin；　ten　thousand　dollars；　that　you　leave　your　faithful　and　devoted　chauffeur；　George　Eagan；　who　has　been　loyal　to　you　throughout　the　years；　all　of　the　rest；　residue　and　remainder　of　your　estate。〃
　Virginia　Baxter　said；　〃But　I　don't　see　what　good　that　is　going　to　do。〃
　〃Then；〃　her　visitor　went　on　firmly；　〃you　make　another　will　which　purports　to　have　been　executed　just　a　few　weeks　before　the　date　of　Mr。　Bannock's　death。　In　that　will　you　state　that　you　leave　Maxine　and　Gordon　Kelvin　one　thousand　dollars　apiece；　that　you　leave　Boring　Briggs　and　his　wife；　Dianne；　one　thousand　dollars　apiece；　being　satisfied　that　these　people　are　actuated　purely　by　selfish　interests　and　have　no　real　affection　for　you；　and　you　leave　all　the　rest；　residue　and　remainder　of　the　estate　to　your　faithful　and　devoted　chauffeur；　George　Eagan。〃
　She　started　to　say　something；　but　he　held　up　his　hand　and　stopped　her。
　〃We　will　plant　those　copies　of　the　spurious　wills　in　with　Mr。　Bannock's　papers。
　〃I　can　assure　you　that　they　will　be　discovered　by　persons　who　are　trying　to　find　out　in　advance　the　terms　of　Lauretta　Trent's　will。
　〃These　two　documents　will　show　that　some　years　ago　she　began　to　doubt　the　sincerity　of　her　sisters　and　particularly　her　brothers…in…law；　that　more　recently　she　uncovered　proof　that　they　were　simply　trying　to　get　what　they　could　get　their　hands　on　and　were　actuated　by　purely　selfish　motives。〃
　〃But；　don't　you　understand；〃　she　said；　〃that　neither　of　these　wills　would　be　any　good　at　all　if…Well；　I　always　signed　and　witnessed　wills　that　were　executed　in　the　office。　Mr。　Bannock　signed；　and　I　signed。
　〃If　they　should　call　me　and　ask　me　if　I　signed　this　will　as　a　witness；　I　would　have　to　tell　them　that　this　will　was　pletely　spurious；　that　I　prepared　it　only　recently　and…〃
　He　interrupted　her；　smiling。　〃Why　don't　you　just　leave　all　that　to　me；　Mrs。　Baxter？〃　he　asked。　〃Just　pick　up　the　five　hundred　dollars　and　start　typing。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I'd　be　too　nervous　to　do　anything　while　you　were　here。　I'd　have　to　work　out　the　terms　of　the　wills　and　then　you　could　e　back　later。〃
　He　shook　his　head　firmly。　〃I　want　to　take　these　documents　with　me；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　haven't　very　much　time。〃
　Virginia　Baxter　hesitated；　then　remembering　Mason's　instructions；　went　to　the　drawer　of　the　desk；　picked　out　some　of　the　old　legal　paper　bearing　Delano　Bannock's　imprint；　put　in　new　carbon　paper；　racheted　the　paper　into　the　typewriter　and　started　typing。
　Thirty　minutes　later　when　she　had　finished；　her　visitor　pocketed　the　carbon　copies　of　the　two　documents；　said；　〃Now；　destroy　those　originals；　Virginia。　In　fact；　I'll　destroy　them　right　now。〃
　He　picked　up　all　the　originals　and　copies；　folded　them　and　put　them　in　his　pocket。
　He　walked　to　the　door；　paused　to　nod　to　Virginia　Baxter。　〃You're　a　good　girl；〃　he　said。
　She　watched　him　until　he　had　entered　the　elevator；　then　she　slammed　the　door；　raced　for　the　telephone；　called　Mason's　office　and　hurriedly　reported　what　had　happened。
　〃Do　you　have　any　copies？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Only　the　carbon　paper；〃　she　said。　〃He　was　smart　enough　to　take　the　originals　as　well　as　the　copies；　but　I　followed　your　suggestion　and　put　in　a　fresh　sheet　of　carbon　paper　with　each　page　and　he　didn't　notice　what　I　was　doing。　You　see；　I　prepared　all　the　pages　with　the　carbon　paper　inserts　in　advance；　putting　out　a　half　a　dozen　pages　on　my　desk　at　one　time　and　taking　a　fresh　sheet　of　carbon　paper　from　the　box　for　each　page。　So　I　have　a　set　of　carbons；　and　by　holding　them　up　to　the　light；　it's　easy　to　read　what　was　written。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　said；　〃bring　those　carbon　copies　up　to　my　office　just　as　fast　as　you　can　get　here。〃
　
　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　Virginia　sat　across　the　desk　from　Mason；　who　carefully　examined　the　pages　of　carbon。
　He　turned　to　Della　Street。　〃Della；〃　he　said；　〃take　some　cardboard　the　size　of　these　pages　of　carbon　paper　so　the　carbon　paper　won't　get　folded　or　wrinkled；　put　these　in　an　envelope　and　seal　the　envelope。〃
　When　Della　had　done　this；　Mason　said　to　Virginia；　〃Now；　write　your　name　several　times　across　the　seal。〃
　〃What's　that　for？〃
　〃To　show　that　it　hasn't　been　steamed　open　or　tampered　with。〃
　Mason　watched　her　while　she　wrote　her　name。
　〃Now　then；〃　he　said；　〃don't　bother　with　your　car　because　you　won't　be　able　to　find　a　parking　place　and　time　is　running　against　you。
　〃Take　a　taxicab。　Rush　this　envelope　to　the　post　office；　address　it　to　yourself　and　send　it　by　registered　mail。〃
　〃Then　what？〃　she　asked。
　〃Now；　listen　very　carefully；〃　Mason　said。　〃When　this　envelope　is　delivered　to　you　by　registered　mail；　don't　open　it。　Leave　it　sealed　just　as　it　is。〃
　〃Oh；　I　see；〃　she　said；　〃you　want　to　be　able　to　show　the　date　that　I…〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Mason　said。
　She　picked　up　the　envelope；　started　for　the　door。
　〃How　are　you　fixed　for　provisions　in　your　apartment？〃　Mason　asked。
　〃Why；　I　。　。　。　I　have　butter；　bread；　canned　goods　and　some　meat。　。　。　。〃
　〃Enough　to　last　you　for　twenty…four　hours　if　necessary？〃
　〃Yes；　indeed！〃
　Mason　said；　〃Mail　that　letter；　go　back　to　your　apartment；　stay　there；　keep　the　safety　chain　on　the　door。　Don't　admit　anyone。　If　anyone　calls　to　see　you；　tell　him　that　you're　entertaining　a　visitor　and　can't　be　disturbed。　Then　get　his　name　and　telephone　me。〃
　〃Why？〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　think　I'm　in　。　。　in　any　danger？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Mason　said。　〃All　I　know　is　that　there's　a　possibility。　Someone　tried　to　frame　you　and　discredit　you。　I　don't　want　that　to　happen　again。〃
　〃Neither　do　I；〃　she　said　vehemently。
　〃All　right；〃　Mason　told　her；　〃on　your　way　to　the　post　office。　Then　go　back　to　your　apartment　and　stay　there