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We've nothing but Murgatroyd's word for his having set out for Liverpool." "What's he wanted for?" asked Pratt as unconcernedly as possible. "Been up to something?" "No," answered Eldrick, as he turned on his heel. "A relation has left him twenty thousand pounds. That's what he's wanted for and why he must be found or his death proved."
"Only Pratt and I know about the money," replied Eldrick. "We kept it secret I didn't want Pascoe to know I'd been so careless. Pascoe didn't like Parrawhite and he doesn't know his record. I only told him that Parrawhite was a chap I'd known in better circumstances and wanted to give a hand to." "You said it was about the time of my grandfather's death?" asked Collingwood.
Mallathorpe has entrusted to me is the power to look after her affairs for her. And why not? You know that I'm a good man of business, a really good hand at commercial accountancy, and well acquainted with the trade of this town. You know too, Mr. Eldrick, that I'm scrupulously honest I've had many and many a thousand pounds of yours and your partner's through my hands!
He was watching his visitor narrowly as he said this, and he saw a faint rise of colour in her cheeks. But for the moment she did not answer, and Eldrick saw that she was thinking. "I can get him across from his chambers in a few minutes," he said. "He's sure to be in just now." "Can I have a few minutes to decide?" asked Nesta. Eldrick jumped up. "Of course!" he said. "I'll leave you a while.
Shutting himself into Eldrick's private room, and making sure that he was alone that time, he immediately opened the drawer in the senior partner's desk, wherein Eldrick, culpably enough, as Parrawhite had sneeringly remarked, was accustomed to put loose money. Eldrick was strangely careless in that way: he would throw money into that drawer in presence of his clerks notes, gold, silver.
Nobody would be more astonished than Pratt to know that you have taken the wise step you have. You agree, Collingwood?" "Yes!" answered Collingwood, after a moment's reflection. "I think so." "Miss Mallathorpe doesn't quite see what we mean," said Eldrick, turning to Nesta.
Nine o'clock brought the office-boy; a quarter-past nine brought the clerks; at ten o'clock Eldrick walked in. According to custom, Pratt went into Eldrick's room with the letters, and went through them with him. One of them contained a legal document over which the solicitor frowned a little. "Ask Parrawhite's opinion about that," he said presently, indicating a marked paragraph.
When his shop-boy had posted that letter, he himself had gone out to his solicitor. What, asked Collingwood, was the reasonable presumption? The old man had gone to Eldrick to show him the paper which he had found. He lingered in the little room for a few minutes, thinking. No one but Pratt had been with Antony Bartle at the time of his seizure and sudden death. What sort of a fellow was Pratt?
Eldrick pricked up his ears at that. He remembered that he had sent Pratt to make inquiry at Parrawhite's lodgings on the morning whereon the money was missing. "What time of the day on the twenty-fourth was that, Mr. Pickard?" he asked. "Evenin', sir," replied the landlord. "They'd nivver seen naught of him since he went out the day before. Oh, he did me, did Parrawhite!
I understand he made himself very useful, too, and I've sent him out there again today, to do anything he can smart chap, Pratt!" "Possibly, then, there is nothing I can do," remarked Collingwood. "I should say you'll do a lot by merely going there," answered Eldrick. "As I said just now, they've few friends, and no relations, and I hear that Mrs. Mallathorpe is absolutely knocked over.
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