Part 15 (1/2)

”Well,” returned Hunt, ”if it's of any use to you, I may say that I will be the sole executor.”

”It was a very wise move on your part to employ me in this matter, Mr. Hunt, in view of that fact.”

”How so?” inquired Hunt.

”Because to the outsider it might appear that you had some personal interest in Mr. Merton's disappearance. You know, sometimes the police are stupidly suspicious.”

Hunt sat up with a start. ”You have given me food for thought, Marsh,” he said. ”I hadn't looked at the matter in that light before.”

”Well,” returned Marsh, ”you can now see that my investigations and reports will be of the utmost value to you. Furthermore, as you have already suggested, I can keep my ear to the ground where the police are concerned, and keep you advised of what is going on.”

”Mr. Marsh,” said Hunt, rising. ”I am very glad you came in to see me. You can count upon my keeping you on this job until everything is settled.”

”One more question,” said Marsh, also rising. ”I noticed a mention of Mr. Merton's country house. Has anyone looked to see if Mr.

Merton could by any chance have gone there because of illness, or for some other reason?”

”I know positively he is not there,” Hunt replied. ”I keep a caretaker on the premises, and occasionally look over the place myself to make sure that everything is all right. The caretaker a.s.sures me that Mr. Merton has not been near the place since he closed the house two years ago.”

”One thing more, Mr. Hunt, before I go. People sometimes question my right to investigate. Will you give me a line stating that I am authorized to represent you in this matter?”

”Certainly.” Hunt sat down at his desk and hastily penned a few lines on a sheet of letter paper, which he then handed to Marsh.

Marsh carefully folded the paper, placed it in his pocket-book, and bidding Hunt good day, went out.

CHAPTER XIII

STARTLING DISCLOSURES

”Why is it that business men, who pride themselves on their astuteness, almost invariably slip up somewhere?” thought Marsh, as he left the La Salle Trust Building and walked north on La Salle Street. This thought was occasioned by the fact that Hunt had neglected to ask Marsh for his address and telephone number. It might be, of course, that the man had taken it for granted that his name and address would be readily found in the telephone directory.

Though this explanation pa.s.sed through his mind, he was more inclined to believe that Hunt's intense interest in the matter, or possibly a newly aroused fear, created by Marsh's reference to the peculiar att.i.tude in which he was placed, had driven the subject of details, out of Hunt's mind.

Marsh had come downtown with the intention of giving his present address, but as the interview progressed, a feeling grew upon him that it might be just as well, at this time, to give some downtown business address. The fact that no inquiry had been made on this point relieved him of the necessity of giving a fict.i.tious address on the spur of the moment. His next step, however, must be the securing of such an address, for it was beyond question that during his next interview with Hunt this information would have to be given.

Marsh glanced over his shoulder at the great clock in the Board of Trade Building, which keeps guard over La Salle Street. It was just twelve o'clock, and he reasoned that the people he contemplated questioning would probably be going to lunch. He decided to spend the next hour, therefore, in securing some sort of office address.

By this time he had reached Madison Street, and turning east, looked over the buildings as he pa.s.sed along, with the idea of selecting one in which a temporary office might be secured. At the corner of Madison Street and Wabash Avenue, he stopped and looked around him.

On one corner was the building of a great department store. On the other three corners, big office buildings towered above him. At this corner also here was one of the Madison Street stations of the elevated railroad system. Certainly, it was a most logical location for a man in his supposed line of work, so he entered one of the buildings, approached the starter in front of the elevators, and inquired if he knew anyone who would rent desk room. The starter furnished him with the names and room numbers of two places where he might inquire. The first of these which he visited proved satisfactory. He arranged with the young woman in charge to receive all mail and telephone calls for him and forward these to his regular address. Making a note of the telephone number, he paid two month's rent in advance so as to get the matter off his mind, and returned to the street. The details of this arrangement had taken but a short time, so Marsh went up to the men's grill maintained by a nearby department store, intending to eat a leisurely luncheon in one of the secluded booths.

As he sat studying the menu, a small finger suddenly began to direct his attention to certain items, while a soft voice whispered in his ear, ”How do you do, Mr. Marsh?”

In work such as his, startling things were apt to occur at any moment, so Marsh gave no outward indication of his surprise.

”How do you do,” he returned, without looking up, but his mind was working rapidly to place the voice.

”What are you doing here?” the voice asked.

”You know better than to ask that question, Miss Allen.” Marsh now glanced up with a smile.

The waitress stood up, and to anyone across the room it would have appeared as if they were merely discussing his order, which she was writing on a pad.