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Updated: June 17, 2025
Cobcroft, a mild-mannered, quiet man who disappeared early in the morning, and was sometimes seen by Collingwood returning home in the evening. Lately, with the advancing spring, this unobtrusive individual was seen about the garden at the end of the day: Collingwood had so seen him on the evening before the talk with Eldrick and Byner, busied in setting seeds in the flower-beds.
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.
"Parrawhite has not come in this morning, sir," observed Pratt, gathering up letters and papers. "I'll draw his attention to it when he arrives." He went into the outer office, only to be summoned back to Eldrick a few minutes later. The senior partner was standing by his desk, looking a little concerned, and, thought Pratt, decidedly uncomfortable. He motioned the clerk to close the door.
Do what he would he could not conceal some agitation, and Detective-Sergeant Prydale, a shrewdly observant man, noticed it and affected not to. "Evening, Mr. Murgatroyd," he said cheerily. "We've come to see if you can give us a bit of information. You've had Mr. Eldrick, the lawyer, here today on the same business. You know this affair of an old clerk of his Parrawhite?" "I told Mr.
I've said nowt about it to nobody, up to now, 'cause it were private business atween him and me, as it were, but I lost money over it, and of course, ten pound is ten pound, gentlemen." "Quite so," agreed Eldrick, "And you shall have your ten pounds if you can tell anything useful."
Already he had some suspicion that Pratt had not told Eldrick the truth about Parrawhite, and that nothing would suit him so well as that Parrawhite should never be heard of or mentioned again: now he wished Pratt to learn that Parrawhite was much wanted, and was likely to be much mentioned wherefore the supplementary advertisements with Halstead & Byner's name attached.
"When I saw that there advertisement in the paper this mornin', says I to my missus, 'I'll away, I says, 'an' see Lawyer Eldrick about that there, this very day! 'Cause you see, Mr. Eldrick, there is summat as I can tell about yon man 'at you mention James Parrawhite.
"Ah! he was here in your shop at half-past eight on the evening of November 23rd last? Asking about a ticket to America?" "New York," muttered Murgatroyd. "And he came next morning and bought one?" asked the detective. "I told Mr. Eldrick that," said Murgatroyd, a little sullenly. "How much did it cost?" inquired Byner. "Eight pound ten," replied Murgatroyd. "Usual price."
Bartle came up here just as I was leaving everybody else had left. He wanted to see Mr. Eldrick. Why, he didn't say. He was coughing a good deal when he came in, and he complained of the fog outside, and of the stairs. He said something just a mere mention about his heart being bad. I lighted the gas in here, and helped him into the chair. He just sat down, laid his head back, and died."
Everything in order, I know! because a long, a very long time ago, I was like you, an attorney's clerk. I've drafted many a will, and witnessed many a will, in my time. I've read this, every word of it it's all right. Nothing can upset it." "Let's see it," said Pratt, eagerly. "Well I've no objection I know you, of course," answered Bartle, "but I'd rather show it first to Mr. Eldrick.
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