CHAPTER VI. RUPERT AS A DETECTIVE.

 The next question that suggested itself to Rupert was, "What object could Mrs. Marlow have in sending off his mother on a wild goose chase?" The answer occurred immediately. "The purse."

 

He hurried home, and fairly ran up stairs.

 

"Mother," he cried, entering out of breath, "where did you put the purse I gave you?"

 

"In the bureau drawer."

 

"Will you look and see if it is there now?"

 

Wondering at his earnestness, Mrs. Rollins opened the bureau drawer.

 

"It is gone!" she said, with a startled look.

 

"I think I know where it has gone," said Rupert, his suspicions now become certainties.

 

"Where?"

 

"Mrs. Marlow can probably tell you."

 

[Pg 53]

 

"Do you mean that she has taken it, Rupert?" said his mother.

 

"I have found out that Mrs. Marlow sent the messenger giving you the false report of my accident. You can guess her motive¹."

 

"It hardly seems credible²."

 

"I think there can be no doubt of it."

 

"What shall we do?"

 

"I will try to get some further evidence. You remember that Grace woke up and saw her in the room."

 

"You did not see her go near the bureau, Grace?" asked Mrs. Rollins.

 

"No, she was just leaving the room when I woke up."

 

"Wait here a minute, mother."

 

Rupert darted³ down stairs and made his way to the grocery store which he judged Mrs. Marlow would be likely to visit.

 

"What can I do for you, Rupert?" asked the grocer, pleasantly.

 

"Has Mrs. Marlow been here to-day?"

 

"Yes," laughed the grocer. "The old lady seems to be in funds. What do you[Pg 54] think, Rupert? She changed a ten-dollar gold piece here."

 

"I thought so," said Rupert. "That gold piece was stolen from my mother."

 

"You don't tell me so!" ejaculated the grocer, opening wide his eyes in astonishment⁴.

 

"It's a fact. How did she account for having so much money?"

 

"She said it was given her by a cousin of her late husband—a very rich man."

 

"That was a fiction of Mrs. Marlow's."

 

"It's too bad, Rupert. What do you want me to do? I can't give you the gold piece, for I gave Mrs. Marlow the change, about nine dollars. I can't afford to lose so much."

 

"You can help me to get back that money. When I call upon you, you can testify that she paid it to you."

 

"So I will, Rupert. I didn't think the woman was such a mean thief."

 

Five minutes later Rupert knocked at Mrs. Marlow's door.

 

The widow opened it herself, and when she saw her visitor she suspected his errand, but[Pg 55] she was resolved to deny all knowledge of the money.

 

"How do you do, Rupert?" she said. "I thought you had met with an accident?"

 

"Did you? How came you to think so?" asked Rupert, looking her full in the face.

 

"The boy told me—the telegraph boy."

 

"Did he? That is strange. The note he brought my mother was sealed."

 

"Then he must have opened it. You can't trust them boys."

 

"How are you getting along, Mrs. Marlow? I see you have been buying some groceries," for the packages were on the table.

 

"Yes. I got a few things that I needed," said the widow, uneasily. "Then you didn't have your leg broken, after all?"

 

"If I did, it's well again. By the way, Mrs. Marlow, when my mother was out a purse was taken from the room."

 

"You don't tell me!" said Mrs. Marlow, flushing. "Them thieves is so bold. I must look and see if I haven't had something taken."

 

[Pg 56]

 

"I believe you came into the room while mother was gone."

 

"So I did," answered Mrs. Marlow, with engaging frankness. "I went in to see if your dear sister wanted anything done."

 

"You found her asleep?"

 

"She waked up just as I entered the room. She was only having a cat nap. I told her why your mother had gone out, she seemed so alarmed like."

 

"And then you went to the table drawer and took out the purse."

 

"It was in the bureau drawer——"

 

Here Mrs. Marlow stopped short, feeling that she had betrayed herself.

 

"You are right. You have good reason to know. You went to the bureau drawer and took out the purse."

 

"It's a lie, whoever says it," exclaimed the widow. "You're in good business, Rupert Rollins, to be comin' round accusin' a poor woman of stealin'—me that's as honest as the babe unborn."

 

"It may be so, Mrs. Marlow, but where did you get the gold piece you paid to Mr. Graves?"

 

[Pg 57]

 

"Sure, where did he hear that?" thought the widow, quite taken aback.

 

"Where did you get it?" demanded Rupert, sternly.

 

"Sure I got it from a cousin of my late husband, who sent it to me yesterday."

 

"Where does he live?"

 

"On Lexington Avenue."

 

"What is his name?"

 

"John Sheehan," answered Mrs. Marlow, after a pause.

 

"At what number does he live?"

 

"I don't just remember," answered the widow, warily⁵.

 

"You can tell between what streets he lives."

 

"I think it's somewhere between Thirtieth and Fortieth Streets, but my memory isn't good."

 

"There is no need of making up any more stories, Mrs. Marlow. The purse contained eleven dollars and a half, including the gold piece. You spent a dollar at the grocery store. I want the balance."

 

"Sure you're very cruel to a poor widow,[Pg 58] Rupert Rollins," said Mrs. Marlow, bursting into tears, which she could command when occasion required. "I never was called a thafe before."

 

As she spoke⁶ she drew out her handkerchief, but, unfortunately, there was something entangled⁷ with it, and the purse was twitched⁸ out and fell on the floor.

 

Rupert sprang forward and secured it, though Mrs. Marlow tried to put her foot on it.

 

"This is the purse that was taken from mother," said Rupert. "How came it in your pocket?"

 

"I don't know," faltered⁹ the widow. "I can't account for it."

 

"I can. Hereafter, Mrs. Marlow, if you ever enter our room again I will send for a policeman."

 

"It's my own purse!" asserted Mrs. Marlow, deciding to brazen¹⁰ it out.

 

For answer Rupert opened it, and showed written inside the name "Frank Sylvester."

 

"Do you see that, Mrs. Marlow? That is the name of the gentleman who gave me the purse."

 

[Pg 59]

 

"Why didn't I say that was my cousin's name?" thought Mrs. Marlow, but it was too late.

 

Rupert counted the contents of the purse, and found them intact, except the dollar which Mrs. Marlow had spent.

 

"I won't say anything about the money you spent," he said, "though I might claim the groceries. Good afternoon, and try to lead a better life."

 

Mrs. Marlow sank into a rocking-chair, and began to cry dismally¹¹. Her plans had miscarried for a certainty, and she felt angry with herself.

 

"Why didn't I put the purse in my trunk?" she asked herself. "Then he wouldn't have found out. Sure I cheated myself."

 

Rupert went upstairs with a light heart.

 

"Well, did you hear anything of the purse?" asked his mother.

 

For answer he held it up.

 

"Where did you get it?"

 

"It came from Mrs. Marlow's pocket."

 

"What a wicked woman!" exclaimed Grace. "She must have taken it when I was asleep."

 

[Pg 60]

 

"Did she give it up willingly? I thought she would have denied it."

 

"So she did, mother, but your son is a detective. I'll tell you how I managed it," and he told the story.

 

"There's only a dollar gone," he said in conclusion. "Don't leave it in the bureau drawer again, though I don't think Mrs. Marlow will trouble you with another call."

 

A day or two later the rent came due, and eight dollars had to be taken from the scanty¹² fund, which left the family again very near destitution¹³.

 

Rupert did not relax his efforts to secure a place, but when business is dull the difficulty of securing a position is much increased. He became anxious, and the prospect¹⁴ seemed very dark.

 

"I must do something," he said to himself, "if it's only selling papers. That will be better than blacking boots, though that is an honest business."

 

To make matters worse, his mother was unable to procure¹⁵ vests to make from any of the readymade clothing establishments.

 

[Pg 61]

 

"We've got all the hands we need," was the invariable answer to her applications.

 

They tried to economize¹⁶ more closely, but there was small chance for that. They had not eaten meat for three days, and remained contented¹⁷ with bread and tea, leaving out sugar, for they felt that this was a superfluity in their circumstances. It was emphatically a dull time, and there seemed no chance to earn anything.

 

"Rupert," said his mother, drawing a ring from her finger, "take this ring and pawn¹⁸ it. There seems no other way."

 

"Isn't it your wedding ring, mother?"

 

"Yes, Rupert, but I cannot afford to keep it while we are so poor."

 

Rupert took the ring, and bent¹⁹ his steps towards Simpson's, for he felt that there he would be likely to meet fair treatment.

1 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

2 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

3 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

5 warily   

adv.留心地

参考例句：

• He looked warily around him,pretending to look after Carrie.他小心地看了一下四周，假装是在照顾嘉莉。
• They were heading warily to a point in the enemy line.他们正小心翼翼地向着敌人封锁线的某一处前进。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 entangled   

adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The bird had become entangled in the wire netting. 那只小鸟被铁丝网缠住了。
• Some military observers fear the US could get entangled in another war. 一些军事观察家担心美国会卷入另一场战争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 twitched   

vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Her lips twitched with amusement. 她忍俊不禁地颤动着嘴唇。
• The child's mouth twitched as if she were about to cry. 这小孩的嘴抽动着，像是要哭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

10 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

11 dismally   

adv.阴暗地，沉闷地

参考例句：

• Fei Little Beard assented dismally. 费小胡子哭丧着脸回答。 来自子夜部分
• He began to howl dismally. 它就凄凉地吠叫起来。 来自辞典例句

12 scanty   

adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的

参考例句：

• There is scanty evidence to support their accusations.他们的指控证据不足。
• The rainfall was rather scanty this month.这个月的雨量不足。

13 destitution   

n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷

参考例句：

• The people lived in destitution. 民生凋敝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His drinking led him to a life of destitution. 酗酒导致他生活贫穷。 来自辞典例句

14 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

15 procure   

vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条

参考例句：

• Can you procure some specimens for me?你能替我弄到一些标本吗？
• I'll try my best to procure you that original French novel.我将尽全力给你搞到那本原版法国小说。

16 economize   

v.节约，节省

参考例句：

• We're going to have to economize from now on. 从现在开始，我们不得不节约开支。
• We have to economize on water during the dry season. 我们在旱季不得不节约用水。

17 contented   

adj.满意的，安心的，知足的

参考例句：

• He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。
• The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

18 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

19 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。