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Come to hev a look round, like what?" "I want to have a look at the place where you told us Parrawhite was to meet Pratt that night," replied Byner. "I thought you would perhaps be kind enough to show me where it is." "I will, an' all wi' pleasure," said the landlord, "but ye mun hev a drop o' summat first try a glass o' our ale," he went on, with true Yorkshire hospitality.
Pratt forgot that there might arise what actually has arisen inquiry for Parrawhite. The search for Parrawhite is afoot and if you want to get at Pratt, it will have to be through what I firmly believe to be a fact his murder of Parrawhite and his disposal of Parrawhite's body. "That's all, Mr. Eldrick," concluded Byner who had spoken with much emphasis throughout.
Aren't you?" he asked, turning to Byner. But Byner smiled quietly and shook his head. "No!" he answered. "I am not, Mr. Eldrick." "You're not?" exclaimed Eldrick, surprised and wondering that anybody could fail to agree with him. "Why not, then?" "Because," replied Byner. "I am certain that Pratt murdered Parrawhite on the night of November twenty-third last. That's why. He didn't square him.
But just then Prydale came in, shaking his head. "I'm afraid he's off!" he announced. "I'd a man watching for him outside his lodgings from an early hour this morning, but he never came out, and finally my man made an excuse and asked for him there, and then he heard that he'd never been home last night. And his office is closed." "What steps are you taking?" asked Byner.
"Why, then," mused Byner, ruminating on his design, "then we will see what he will do!" Meanwhile, there was something he himself wanted to do, and on the morning following his arrival in the town, he set out to do it. Byner had been much struck by Pickard's account of his dealings with James Parrawhite on the evening which appeared to be the very last wherein Parrawhite was ever seen.
Collingwood looked on in silence while Eldrick turned over the pages of the big book which his partner took down from a shelf. He wondered at Eldrick's apparent and almost eager interest. "Halstead & Byner are not solicitors," announced Eldrick presently. "They must be inquiry agents or something of that sort. Anyway, I'll write to them, Pascoe, at once."
"He was exact about dates, then, was he?" interrupted Byner. "He mentioned them readily enough," replied the solicitor. "But to go on Parrawhite mentioned to him, November 23rd last, that he wanted to go to America at once, Murgatroyd told him about bookings. Parrawhite called very early next morning, paid for his passage under the name of Parsons, and went off en route for Liverpool, of course.
Byner next morning with considerable curiosity. And soon after eleven there was shown in to him, a smart, well-dressed, alert-looking young man, who, having introduced himself as Mr. Gerald Byner, immediately plunged into business. "You can tell me something of James Parrawhite, Mr. Eldrick?" he began. "We shall be glad we've been endeavouring to trace him for some months.
"No!" answered Byner, after a moment's reflection. "Let us see what results. We can let them know, soon enough, if we've anything to tell. But what about Pratt?" "Keeping an eye on him you mean?" said Prydale. "You said just now that in your opinion we should find him at his desk." "Just so but that's no reason why he shouldn't be looked after tomorrow morning," answered Byner.
Fourth: that copy had come into Linford Pratt's hands through Antony Bartle. And now arose two big questions. What were the terms of that will? And where was the duplicate copy? He was still putting these to himself when noon of the next day came and brought Eldrick and Byner for the promised serious consultation.
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