Meanwhile he had the run of my office, and that was all."
"And not even the benefit of your advice?"
"He wouldn't take it, once he was bitten with the game."
Thus far Langholm had simply satisfied his own curiosity upon one or two
points concerning a dead man who had been little more than a name to him
hitherto. His one discovery of the least potential value was that
Minchin had evidently died in difficulties. He now consulted some notes
jotted down on an envelope upon his way to the City.
"Mr. Minchin, as you are aware," resumed Langholm, "was, like his wife,
an Australian by birth. Had he many Australian friends here in London?"
"None at all," replied Mr. Crofts, "that I am aware of."
"Nor anywhere else in the country, think you?"
"Not that I remember."
"Not in the north of England, for example?"
Thus led, Mr. Crofts frowned at his desk until an enlightened look broke
over his florid face.
"By Jove, yes!" said he. "Now you speak of it, there _was_ somebody up
north--a rich man, too--but he only heard of him by chance a day or so
before his death."
"A rich man, you say, and an Australian?"
"I don't know about that, but it was out there they had known each
other, and Minchin had no idea he was in England till he saw it in the
paper a day or two before his death.
Pages:
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287