Jabez looked up and raised a hand. "Don't speak so loud, your voice
goes through my head," he said in his testy manner. "Yes," he searched
amongst some papers, "here is a letter from Walter Hale saying that he
will call to-morrow at noon with the child of Katherine Morse----"
"Doesn't he mention my aunt's married name?"
"No," answered Jabez, sucking in his cheeks, "and that is what makes
me suspicious of the affair. However, what you have told me to-day
about Lady Charvington's share in the business, and her husband's
attitude gives me an idea. Send a wire to Lord Charvington asking him
to meet you here to-morrow. Then you can both see Mr. Hale and this
child."
"I should like to, but what use----"
"There! There. I have no time to waste. Go and do what you are told,"
said Jabez, rising with an angry gesture. "I may be wrong and I may be
right. But putting two and two together----" he stopped and walked to
the window, musingly, "yes, I believe it may be so."
"What may be so?" questioned George, picking up his hat.
Jabez wheeled crossly. "Oh, you are there still. Go away and send that
wire. At noon to-morrow, bring Lord Charvington here. Good-day," he
rang the bell, "get out, young Walker, you are taking up my time."
Wondering at the behaviour of the lawyer, George departed and
forthwith sent a prepaid wire to Charvington, asking him to come to
the Lincoln's Inn Fields office. He had half a mind to go down and
explain personally, but as he could not explain very much he relied on
the wire, hoping that Charvington's curiosity would be sufficiently
aroused to make him obey the summons. Late in the afternoon an answer
came intimating that Charvington would be at Jabez's office at the
appointed time. George was greatly pleased, as he foresaw that Hale's
little plot would in some way be frustrated, Charvington apparently
knew of much to Hale's disadvantage; hence the wily old lawyer had
induced him to be present. Having come to this conclusion Walker wired
to his mother saying that he would remain in London, and employed his
evening in going to a music hall. He positively had to do so, for if
he had remained alone in his hotel brooding over riddles which he
could by no means solve, he felt that his brain would not bear the
strain. Still, in a vague way, he felt that all things were being
shaped to a happy end and that light was coming out of the darkness
which had enshrouded things for so long.
At a quarter to twelve in the morning George met Charvington in the
semi-courtyard in front of the mansion, wherein Jabez had his office.
The elder man jumped out of the hansom, in which he had driven from
the railway station, and walked towards the young one with an elastic
step, after he had paid his fare.
"What's all this, Walker?" he demanded abruptly. "Why did you wire for
me to come up on this day, and at this hour, and to this place?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account