“I have seen my representative and will not communicate with him until I hear from you. I will spend all my time attending to lunch wagons.
“JOHNNY HARMON.”
English Johnny arose and went to the window. He pulled down the sash and drew the blind. He regarded the floor when he returned. The irregular shadow was still there!
English Johnny sat, while seconds went by, staring at the letter. He was evidently engaged in thought. His mind appeared to be puzzling over some complication.
Finally, he pulled a plain envelope from a pile on the table. He affixed a stamp; then walked beyond the window, carrying the pen. There he hastily addressed the envelope, standing so that anyone beside the table might have observed his action, without being able to see the writing. A chiffonier was beyond the window, and English Johnny used its high surface as a writing desk.
He thrust the envelope in his pocket, went to the door, and put on his coat and hat. Then he left the room, went down the stairs and out into the street. He walked to the mail box and drew a letter from his pocket. He dropped the letter in the box.
The shadows of the houses seemed ominous as he returned from his trip to the corner. Each shadow appeared as a lurking place - a vantage spot from which invisible eyes might be peering. English Johnny sensed this; but when he reached the shelter of his own hall, the feeling had left him.
He locked the doors and walked slowly up the stairs, confident that he alone was in the house.
In his room, he made an inspection behind the drawn window shade. He placed his hat and coat on their customary chair, and studied the shadow which they cast. He inspected the space between the table and the bed, and observed that the shadow from the wall was no longer irregular.
“The Shadow!” he said in an undertone. “Perhaps there is such. Perhaps he was here. Perhaps he read my second letter.”
He chuckled.
“I hope he did,” he added. “If he knew where it was going, so much the better. If he didn’t know, he won’t find out.”
From the inside pocket of his coat, English Johnny drew out the envelope that he had placed there a few minutes before. He tore it into shreds, letter and all, and burned the remnants in the ash tray. He turned out the light, raised the window, and scattered the ashes to the wind.
English Johnny was a rather clever fellow. He had dropped another letter in the mail box - an unimportant letter to a manufacturer of lunch wagons - a letter that he had forgotten to mail on his previous trip to the corner!
CHAPTER XXIV
A VISIT TO BINGHAM’S
Harry Vincent was back at Holmwood Arms on Long Island. He had spent a busy day. The morning after his experience as a cab driver, he had visited Fellows, and had told him the details of that episode.
In return, Fellows had given him instructions previously received. Vincent was to go to Holmwood and report the actions of both the Laidlow family and of Ezekiel Bingham. He was to return as soon as he gained definite information.
Harry had been extremely fortunate. He had reached Holmwood before noon, and had stopped in the cigar store near the post office. Hitherto he had heard little of consequence there, but on this occasion he obtained a veritable mine of information as he listened to the gossip of two old idlers.
“I hear the Laidlows left yesterday,” one old man had said.
“Yes,” another had replied. “That fellow Burgess went with them. Down to Florida, I hear.”
“Servants go along, too?”
“Yes, the whole shooting match. The house is all closed up.”
“Funny they’d leave it that way.”
“No; ‘tisn’t. There ain’t nothing of value there now.”
“What about the furniture?”
“Oh, that’s safe enough. They’ve got a watchman hanging around the place. Besides, you don’t never hear of burglars hitting a place where they’ve been before, do you? They don’t strike twice in one spot. They’re like lightning.”
“Guess that’s right. What else is doing?”
“I hear old Bingham went out of town.”
“Where to?”
“Who knows that? He goes away every couple of months, I reckon. Drove away in his car, I hear.”
“All alone?”
“He’s always alone.”
“That’s right. Did he leave Jenks here?”
“Course, he did. Jenks was downtown here last night.”
“I thought he never left the house when the old man was away.”
“He don’t leave it long. I guess the old man don’t know he leaves it at all. He sneaks out, though, whenever he gets a chance. Meets his girl and puts her on the eight-ten train.”
“What! Has Jenks got a girl?”
“Sure. That kid over at the drug store. He meets her outside at eight - that’s when she quits work - and walks with her to the station.”
“Hm-m-m! That’s a good one! Jenks has a girl!”
“It’s straight, though. No use laughing about it. Sometimes old Bingham lets Jenks come downtown, but not often. So it’s a sure bet Jenks will be here tonight. He don’t stay away from the house long, though. Three quarters of an hour, I reckon.”
So ended the conversation that had interested Harry Vincent. After that he had hurried up to Holmwood Arms, and had obtained his car at the garage. He had driven into the city, to report all he had heard to Fellows.
The insurance broker had sent out a note by the stenographer. That was at two o’clock. When Harry returned at three thirty, he found an envelope and a small box awaiting him. The box was secured with seals.
“Keep the box in your pocket,” Fellows had said. “Go back to Holmwood. Check up on the information you have gained, if possible. Read the letter in your room, at precisely half past seven.”
So here was Vincent, back at Holmwood Arms. He had learned positively that the Laidlow family had gone away, and that the house was empty. But he had not been able to gain assurance that Ezekiel Bingham was out of town.
Harry’s watch showed seven-thirty. He opened the envelope.
It contained a list of instructions, the words depending upon the use of letter substitution. Decoded, it read:
“Watch Bingham’s house immediately.
“When Jenks has gone, try the door.
“If it opens, enter and go to upstairs study.
“Turn on the radio; tune in on Station WNX.
“Open your package and lay its contents on table.
“Listen for Modern Dentifrice program.
“Write down important words given by announcer.
“Follow instructions; then leave.
“Drive in to Metrolite Hotel; register there and wait.
“Important: If Jenks does not appear, or if door does not open,
give it up for tonight.”
