Part 5 (1/2)
”Read it,” he said. ”There's no answer. I'll join you presently.”
Harding left the room, glancing at the message as he crossed the pa.s.sage. It required no answer, as Eustace had said. It was very brief.
”Inspector Wallace will take charge.”
Harding whistled. Wallace was the senior inspector of the service, and his special faculty was the unravelling of tangled accounts and the detection of defaulting managers and cas.h.i.+ers. Leaving the ordinary inspection of branches to his juniors, Wallace only journeyed from the head office to take charge when grave suspicions were entertained as to the integrity of a branch staff. The telegram was tantamount to an intimation that the authorities of the bank did not regard the robbery as the work of an outsider.
As he re-entered the office, Brennan was standing at the entrance with Johnson.
”No answer,” Harding said quietly, and Johnson nodded and went off.
Brennan turned and crossed to the counter.
”Is Mr. Eustace about?” he asked.
”He is talking to Mrs. Burke in the dining-room. She's rather excited, and he took her in there because she would shout so. He'll be back in a few minutes, unless you want to tell him something particularly at once,” Harding answered.
Brennan glanced at a telegram he held in his hand.
”It will do when he comes out,” he answered slowly. ”Have you had any word?” he added, as he leant over the counter.
”The head office wires that Inspector Wallace--our bank inspector, that is, not one of your police inspectors--is coming up.”
”Is that all?”
Harding gave a short laugh.
”All? It's quite enough, Brennan. Between you and me it means that Eustace and I are suspected--one of us or both.”
”Yes, that's right,” Brennan said quietly. ”One or both.”
As he spoke he held out a message for Harding to read.
”Keep manager under close surveillance till I arrive.
”DURHAM.”
”You know who Durham is?” Brennan asked.
”Never heard of him,” Harding answered.
”He's the finest man who ever put on a uniform,” Brennan exclaimed. ”He is the sub-inspector in charge of this district--he's only been appointed a couple of months. I reckon it's only a temporary thing for him, just until there's room to make him an inspector. It's a good thing for your bank he is coming up. If anyone on earth can unravel a mystery, my sub-inspector is the man. He won't be long before he has the matter cleared up.”
”If he can get to the bottom of this business, I'll agree with you,”
Harding replied. ”But I don't think very much of his first idea; I don't think he is right if he suspects Eustace. When do you expect him?”
”I should say he will be here some time during the day. He wired from Wyalla, and I expect he'll ride across country--it will be quicker than waiting for a train at the junction. Ah, there's Mr. Gale back,” he exclaimed, as a buggy drove past the bank. ”If you'll let me know when Mr. Eustace is free, I'll just step out and hear what he has discovered about the yarn the men told us.”
”All right. I'll call you as soon as Eustace comes in,” Harding said, and Brennan left the office.
Soon after he had gone Harding heard the dining-room door open and Mrs.
Burke's voice ring through the house.