Part 34 (2/2)
Mr. Carless had followed Miss Penkridge with admiring attention, and he now rose to his feet.
”Ma'am,” he exclaimed, ”Mr. Viner's notion of having you to join our council has proved invaluable! I'll have that clue followed up instantly!
Gentlemen, we can do no more just now--let us separate. Mr. Cave--you'll continue to be heard of at the Belfield Hotel?”
”I shall be at your service any time, Mr. Carless,” responded Mr. Cave.
”A telephone message will bring me at once to Lincoln's Inn Fields.”
The a.s.sembly broke up, and Viner was left alone with Miss Penkridge.
”That was clever of you!” he said, admiringly. ”I should never have noticed that. But--there are a lot of typewriting machines in London!”
”Not so many owned by customers of Bigglesforth's!” retorted Miss Penkridge. ”I'd work it out, if I were a detective!”
The parlour-maid looked in and attracted Viner's attention.
”Mr. Felpham wants you at the telephone, sir,” she said.
CHAPTER XXV
THROUGH THE TELEPHONE
Events had crowded so thick and fast upon Viner during the last day or two, that he went to the telephone fully expecting to hear of some new development. But he was scarcely prepared for his solicitor's first words.
”Viner!” said Felpham, whose voice betrayed his excitement. ”Is that man Cave still with you?”
”No!” answered Viner. ”Why?”
”Listen carefully,” responded Felpham. ”In spite of all he a.s.serts, and his long tale this morning at the police-court, I believe he's a rank impostor! I've just had another talk with Hyde.”
”Well?” demanded Viner.
”Hyde,” answered Felpham, ”persists that he's not mistaken. He swears that the man is Nugent Starr. He says there's no doubt of it! And he's told me of another actor, a man named George Bellingham, who's now somewhere in London, who can positively identify him as Starr. I'm going to find Bellingham this afternoon--there's some deep-laid plot in all this, and that fellow had been cleverly coached in the event of his being unexpectedly tackled.... Viner!”
”Well--I'm listening carefully,” replied Viner.
”Where's this man gone?” demanded Felpham.
”To his hotel, I should think,” answered Viner. ”He left here just before one.”
”Listen!” said Felpham. ”Do you think it would be wise to post New Scotland Yard on to him--detectives, you know?”
Viner considered swiftly. In the rush of events he had forgotten that Carless had already given instructions for the watching of the pseudo Mr. Cave.
”Why not find this man Bellingham first?” he suggested. ”If he can prove, positively, that the fellow is Nugent Starr, you'd have something definite to work on. Where can Bellingham be found?”
”Hyde's given me the address of a theatrical agent in Bedford Street who's likely to know of his whereabouts,” replied Felpham. ”I'm going over there at once. Hyde saw Bellingham in town three weeks ago.”
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