Colwyn walked quickly along, glancing at the displayed names. He had
almost reached the Clerkenwell end of the Garden when his eye was caught
by the name of "Austin Wendover, Dealer in Oriental Stones," gleaming in
white letters on the blackboard indicator of a set of offices hived in a
building on the corner of a side street. It was the name of the man he
was searching for. He turned into the passage, and mounted the stairs.
Caldew followed him.
On the landing of the first floor another and smaller board gave the
names of those tenants whose offices were at the back of the building.
Mr. Wendover's was amongst them, and a pointing hand opposite it
revealed that he conducted his business at the end of a long passage
with a bend in the middle. When this passage was traversed, Mr.
Wendover's name was once more seen, this time on a door, with a notice
underneath inviting the visitor to enter without knocking.
Within, a young Jew with a sensual face was busily writing at a desk in
the corner, with his back to the door. He ceased and turned around at
the sound of the opening door, and, thrusting his fountain pen behind an
ear already burdened with a cigarette, waited to be informed what the
visitors wanted.
"Is Mr. Wendover in?" Colwyn inquired.
"Yes, he is. What name, please?" The young Jew scrambled down from his
stool preparatory to carrying a message.
In answer Colwyn tendered Musard's card of introduction. The young Jew
scanned it, shot an appraising glance at the two detectives, and
vanished into an inner room. He reappeared swiftly in the doorway, and
beckoned them to enter.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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