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Updated: May 5, 2025
At nine o'clock precisely, Henry Blaine presented himself at Rockamore's door. As he had anticipated he was admitted at once and ushered into the Englishman's presence as if his coming had been expected. "I say, Blaine, what the devil do you mean by this game you're playing?" Rockamore demanded, as he stood erect and perfectly poised upon the hearth, and faced the detective.
Rockamore's stenographer that is, I was until ten minutes ago, but I have been discharged." "Discharged!" Blaine's voice was eager and crisp as he reiterated her last word. "The office boy accused me of taking shorthand notes of a private conversation between my employer and a visitor, and I could not convince Mr. Rockamore of my innocence. I I must have been clumsy, I'm afraid."
"But two remain, your father and grandfather. Your uncles died, both of sudden attacks of heart-disease, and curiously enough, both deaths occurred while they were visiting at Handsworth Castle." "That is quite true." The cynical banter was gone from Rockamore's tones, and he spoke with a peculiar, hushed evenness, as if he waited, on guard, for the next thrust.
Rockamore's offices are located." "Very good. Take as round-about a route as you can to reach Mead & Rathbun's, and see if you are followed. If you are and you find it impossible to shake off your shadow, do not try to meet me, but go directly to the club and I will communicate with you there later." "Oh, I don't think I've been followed, but I'll be very careful.
"You followed my instructions, Miss Hefferman," asked Blaine. "You kept a list for me of Mr. Rockamore's visitors?" "Yes, sir. I have it here in my bag. I also brought carbon copies of two letters which Mr. Rockamore dictated and which I thought might have some bearing on the matter in which you are interested although I could not quite understand them myself." "Let me see them, please."
The detective's voice was kindly. "Sit down here, and tell me what I can do for you." "I bring you a message, sir." The man tottered to the chair and sank into it. "A message from the dead." Blaine leaned forward suddenly. "You were " "Mr. Rockamore's valet, sir, and his father's before him.
'Do you think the little devil's sold us? he asked. Meaning no disrespect to you, Miss Lawton, it was you he was talking about, for he added: 'She gets her girls into our offices on a whining plea of charity, and they all turn out crooked, spying and listening in, and taking notes. Remember Rockamore's experience with the one he took?
"I relieved Ross at noon, as you instructed me, sir," he began, "in the vestibule of Mr. Rockamore's apartment house. It was a good thing that I had the six-cylinder car handy, for he surely led me a chase! Ten minutes after I went on duty, Rockamore came out, jumped into his automobile, and after circling the park, he turned south, zig-zagging through side streets as if to cut off pursuit.
You discharged your clerk on the flimsiest of excuses, Mr. Mallowe but you did not discharge her quite soon enough. Rockamore's stenographer, and the switchboard operator in Carlis' office, who, like your filing clerk, came from Miss Lawton's club, were also dismissed too late. As I have said, my cards are on the table now. Are you prepared to play yours?"
"I tailed him until a half-hour ago, but I might as well have been asleep for all I learned, except one fact." "Which is " the detective asked quickly. "That he went to Rockamore's office yesterday morning, remained an hour and came away with a check for ten thousand dollars.
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