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Updated: May 19, 2025
"We undertake to find people, to watch people, to recover lost property, and so on. In this case we're acting for Messrs. Vickers, Marshall & Hebbleton, Solicitors, of Cannon Street. They want James Parrawhite badly." "Why?" asked Eldrick. "Because," replied Byner with a dry laugh, "there's about twenty thousand pounds waiting for him, in their hands." Eldrick whistled with astonishment.
Name, as it so happens, o' one o' your clerks t' head clerk, I'm given to understand Mr. Pratt." Eldrick showed no sign of surprise. But he continued to look significantly at Byner as he turned to the landlord. "Mr. Pratt has left me," he said. "Left me three weeks ago. So you needn't be afraid, Mr. Pickard say anything you like." "Oh, I didn't know," remarked Pickard.
"If I seem to bother," replied Nesta, "it's because I know that he and Esther Mawson are at Normandale working mischief." "We shall be there in half an hour," said Collingwood, as their own car ran past that in which the detectives and Byner were seated. "They can't do much mischief in that time." None of the three spoke again until the car pulled up suddenly at the gates of Normandale Park.
The car stopped at the hall door: the second car came close behind it; Nesta, Collingwood, Eldrick, Byner, and the detectives poured into the hall encountered a much mystified-looking butler, a couple of footmen, and the groom whose services Esther Mawson had requisitioned, and who, weary of waiting for her, had come up to the house.
It was in an endeavour to get at some first stage of a solution of this problem that Byner, having breakfasted at the Central Hotel on his second day in the town, went out immediately afterwards, asked his way to Whitcliffe, and was directed to an electric tram which started from the Town Hall Square, and after running through a district of tall warehouses and squat weaving-sheds, began a long and steady climb to the heights along the town.
So there you are!" "That's all Murgatroyd could tell?" inquired Byner. "That's all he knows," answered Eldrick. "You say Murgatroyd knew Parrawhite as one of your clerks?" asked Byner after a moment's thought. "We had some process in hand against this man last autumn," replied Eldrick. "I dare say Parrawhite served him with papers." "Would he Murgatroyd be likely to know Pratt?" continued Byner.
He gazed admiringly at the liquor which he presently poured into two tumblers, and drew his visitor's attention to its colour. "Reight stuff that, mister what?" he said. "I nobbut tapped that barril two days since, and I'd been keepin' it twelve month, so you've come in for it at what they call t' opportune moment. I say!" he went on, after pledging Byner and smacking his lips over the ale.
But I've nivver seen Parrawhite from that day to this -nor heerd tell on him neither!" Eldrick and Byner looked at each other for a moment. Then the solicitor spoke quietly and with a significance which the agent understood. "Do you want to ask Mr. Pickard any questions?" he said. Byner nodded and turned to the landlord. "Did Parrawhite tell you where he was going to meet Pratt?" he asked.
However, in supplement of your endeavours, I did a little work of my own last night. There you are!" he went on, picking up the local papers and handing them over. "I put that in we'll see if any response comes. But now a word, Mr. Byner, since you've come to me. You have heard me mention my late clerk Pratt?" "Yes," answered Byner.
We'll do it quiet and comfortable and we'll do it reight." "Odd character!" remarked Byner, when he and Prydale went away. "Useful man for a job of that sort," said the detective laconically. "Now then are we going to let anybody else know what we're after Mr. Eldrick or Mr. Collingwood, for instance? Do you want them, or either of them, to be present?"
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