蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第3章

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sk　clerk　smiled　a　respectful　greeting。　

〃Pleased　to　see　you　back　again；　Mr　Van　Aldin；〃　he　said。　

The　American　millionaire　nodded　his　head　in　a　casual　greeting。　

〃Everything　all　right？〃　he　asked。　

〃Yes；　sir。　Major　Knighton　is　upstairs　in　the　suite　now。〃　

Van　Aldin　nodded　again。　

〃Any　mail？〃　he　vouchsafed。　

〃They　have　all　been　sent　up；　Mr　Van　Aldin。　Oh！　wait　a　minute。〃　

He　dived　into　a　pigeon　hole；　and　produced　a　letter。　

〃Just　e　this　minute；〃　he　explained。　

Rufus　Van　Aldin　took　the　letter　from　him；　and　as　he　saw　the　handwriting；　a　woman's　flowing　hand；　his　face　was　suddenly　transformed。　The　harsh　contours　of　it　softened；　and　the　hard　line　of　his　mouth　relaxed。　He　looked　a　different　man。　He　walked　across　to　the　lift　with　the　letter　in　his　hand　and　the　smile　still　on　his　lips。　

In　the　drawing…room　of　his　suite；　a　young　man　was　sitting　at　a　desk　nimbly　sorting　correspondence　with　the　ease　born　of　long　practice。　He　sprang　up　as　Van　Aldin　entered。　

〃Hallo；　Knighton！〃　

〃Glad　to　see　you　back；　sir。　Had　a　good　time？〃　

〃So　so！〃　said　the　millionaire　unemotionally。　〃Paris　is　rather　a　one…horse　city　nowadays。　Still　…　I　got　what　I　went　over　for。〃　

He　smiled　to　himself　rather　grimly。　

〃You　usually　do；　I　believe；〃　said　the　secretary；　laughing。　

〃That's　so；〃　agreed　the　other。　

He　spoke　in　a　matter…of…fact　manner；　as　one　stating　a　well…known　fact。　Throwing　off　his　heavy　overcoat；　he　advanced　to　the　desk。　

〃Anything　urgent？〃　

〃I　don't　think　so；　sir。　Mostly　the　usual　stuff。　I　have　not　quite　finished　sorting　it　out。〃　

Van　Aldin　nodded　briefly。　He　was　a　man　who　seldom　expressed　either　blame　or　praise。　His　methods　with　those　he　employed　were　simple；　he　gave　them　a　fair　trial　and　dismissed　promptly　those　who　were　inefficient。　His　selections　of　people　were　unconventional。　

Knighton；　for　instance；　he　had　met　casually　at　a　Swiss　resort　two　months　previously。　He　had　approved　of　the　fellow；　looked　up　his　war　record；　and　found　in　it　the　explanation　of　the　limp　with　which　he　walked。　Knighton　had　made　no　secret　of　the　fact　that　he　was　looking　for　a　job；　and　indeed　diffidently　asked　the　millionaire　if　he　knew　of　any　available　post。　Van　Aldin　remembered；　with　a　grim　smile　of　amusement；　the　young　man's　plete　astonishment　when　he　had　been　offered　the　post　of　secretary　to　the　great　man　himself。　

〃But　…　but　I　have　no　experience　of　business；〃　he　had　stammered。　

〃That　doesn't　matter　a　cuss；〃　Van　Aldin　had　replied。　〃I　have　got　three　secretaries　already　to　attend　to　that　kind　of　thing。　But　I　am　likely　to　be　in　England　for　the　next　six　months；　and　I　want　an　Englishman　who　…　well；　knows　the　ropes　…　and　can　attend　to　the　social　side　of　things　for　me。〃　

So　far；　Van　Aldin　had　found　his　judgment　confirmed。　Knighton　had　proved　quick；　intelligent；　and　resourceful；　and　he　had　a　distinct　charm　of　manner。　

The　secretary　indicated　three　or　four　letters　placed　by　themselves　on　the　top　of　the　desk。　

〃It　might　perhaps　be　as　well；　sir；　if　you　glanced　at　these；〃　he　suggested。　〃The　top　one　is　about　the　Colton　agreement　…〃　

But　Rufus　Van　Aldin　held　up　a　protesting　hand。　

〃I　am　not　going　to　look　at　a　darned　thing　tonight；〃　he　declared。　〃They　can　all　wait　till　the　morning。　Except　this　one；〃　he　added；　looking　down　at　the　letter　he　held　in　his　hand。　And　again　that　strange　transforming　smile　stole　over　his　face。　

Richard　Knighton　smiled　sympathetically。　

〃Mrs　Kettering？〃　he　murmured。　〃She　rang　up　yesterday　and　today。　She　seems　very　anxious　to　see　you　at　once；　sir。〃　

〃Does　she；　now！〃　

The　smile　faded　from　the　millionaire's　face。　He　ripped　open　the　envelope　which　he　held　in　his　hand　and　took　out　the　enclosed　sheet。　As　he　read　it　his　face　darkened；　his　mouth　set　grimly　in　the　line　which　Wall　Street　knew　so　well；　and　his　brows　knit　themselves　ominously。　Knighton　turned　tactfully　away；　and　went　on　opening　letters　and　sorting　them。　A　muttered　oath　escaped　the　millionaire；　and　his　clenched　fist　hit　the　table　sharply。　

〃I'll　not　stand　for　this；〃　he　muttered　to　himself。　〃Poor　little　girl；　it's　a　good　thing　she　has　her　old　father　behind　her。〃　

He　walked　up　and　down　the　room　for　some　minutes；　his　brows　drawn　together　in　a　scowl。　Knighton　still　bent　assiduously　over　the　desk。　Suddenly　Van　Aldin　came　to　an　abrupt　halt。　He　took　up　his　overcoat　from　the　chair　where　he　had　thrown　it。　

〃Are　you　going　out　again；　sir？〃　

〃Yes；　I'm　going　round　to　see　my　daughter。〃　

〃If　Colton's　people　ring　up　…〃　

〃Tell　them　to　go　to　the　devil；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

〃Very　well；〃　said　the　secretary　unemotionally。　

Van　Aldin　had　his　overcoat　on　by　now。　Cramming　his　hat　upon　his　head；　he　went　towards　the　door。　He　paused　with　his　hand　upon　the　handle。　

〃You　are　a　good　fellow；　Knighton；〃　he　said。　〃You　don't　worry　me　when　I　am　rattled。〃　

Knighton　smiled　a　little；　but　made　no　reply。　

〃Ruth　is　my　only　child；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃and　there　is　no　one　on　this　earth　eans　to　me。〃　

A　faint　smile　irradiated　his　face。　He　slipped　his　hand　into　his　pocket。　

〃Care　to　see　something；　Knighton？〃　

He　came　back　towards　the　secretary。　

From　his　pocket　he　drew　out　a　parcel　carelessly　wrapped　in　brown　paper。　He　tossed　off　the　wrapping　and　disclosed　a　big；　shabby；　red　velvet　case。　In　the　centre　of　it　were　some　twisted　initials　surmounted　by　a　crown。　He　snapped　the　case　open；　and　the　secretary　drew　in　his　breath　sharply。　Against　the　slightly　dingy　white　of　the　interior；　the　stones　glowed　like　blood。　

〃My　God！　sir；〃　said　Knighton。　〃Are　they　…　are　they　real？〃　

Van　Aldin　laughed　a　quiet　little　cackle　of　amusement。　

〃I　don't　wonder　at　your　asking　that。　Amongst　these　rubies　are　the　three　largest　in　the　world。　Katherine　of　Russia　wore　them；　Knighton。　That　centre　one　there　is　known　as　Heart　of　Fire。　It's　perfect　…　not　a　flaw　in　it。〃　

〃But；〃　the　secretary　murmured；　〃they　must　be　worth　a　fortune。〃　

〃Four　or　five　hundred　thousand　dollars；〃　said　Van　Aldin　nonchalantly；　〃and　that　is　apart　from　the　historical　interest。〃　

〃And　you　carry　them　about　…　like　that；　loose　in　your　pocket？〃　

Van　Aldin　laughed　amusedly。　

〃I　guess　so。　You　see；　they　are　my　little　present　for　Ruthie。〃　

The　secretary　smiled　discreetly。　

〃I　can　understand　now　Mrs　Kettering's　anxiety　over　the　telephone；〃　he　murmured。　But　Van　Aldin　shook　his　head。　The　hard　look　returned　to　his　face。　

〃You　are　wrong　there；〃　he　said。　〃She　doesn't　know　about　these；　they　are　my　little　surprise　for　her。〃　

He　shut　the　case；　and　began　slowly　to　wrap　it　up　again。　

〃It's　a　hard　thing；　Knighton；〃　he　said；　〃how　little　one　can　do　for　those　one　loves。　I　can　buy　a　good　portion　of　the　earth　for　Ruth；　if　it　would　be　any　use　to　her；　but　it　isn't。　I　can　hang　these　things　round　her　neck　and　give　her　a　moment　or　two's　pleasure；　maybe；　but　…〃　

He　shook　his　head。　

〃When　a　woman　is　not　happy　in　her　home　…〃　

He　left　the　sentence　unfinished。　The　secretary　nodded　discreetly。　He　knew；　none　better；　the　reputation　of　the　Hon　Derek　Kettering。　Van　Aldin　sighed。　Slipping　the　parcel　back　in　his　coat　pocket；　he　nodded　to　Knighton　and　left　the　room。　

Chapter　4　

IN　CURZON　STREET

The　Hon　Mrs　Derek　Kettering　lived　in　Curzon　Street。　The　butler　who　opened　the　door　recognized　Rufus　Van　Aldin　at　once　and　permitted　himself　a　discreet　smile　of　greeting。　He　led　the　way　upstairs　to　the　big　double　drawing…room　on　the　first　floor。　

A　woman　who　was　sitting　by　the　window　started　up　with　a　cry。　

〃Why；　Dad；　if　that　isn't　too　good　for　anything！　I've　been　telephoning　Major　Knighton　all　day　to　try　and　get　hold　of　you；　but　he　couldn't　say　for　sure　when　you　were　expected　back。〃　

Ruth　Kettering　was　twenty…eight　years　of　age。　Without　being　beautiful；　or　in　the　real　sense　of　the　word　even　pretty；　she　was　striking　looking　because　of　her　colouring。　Van　Aldin　had　been　called　Carrots　and　Ginger　in　his　time；　and　Ruth's　hair　was　almost　pure　auburn。　With　it　went　dark　eyes　and　very　black　lashes　…　the　effect　somewhat　enhanced　by　art。　She　was　tall　and　slender；　and　moved　well。　At　a　careless　glance　it　was　the　face　of　a　Raphael　Madonna。　Only　if　one　looked　closely　did　one　perceive　the　same　line　of　jaw　and　chin　as　in　Van　Aldin's　face；　bespeaking　the　same　hardness　and　determination。　It　suited　the　man；　but