HUNTING UP EVIDENCE FOR A DIVORCE—MR. SLINGSBY SET TO WORK.
While the intrigue was being carried on between Laura Stanbridge and her victim, Tom Gatliffe, Aveline’s grandfather was in deep consultation with his lawyer as to how a divorce was to be obtained for his darling pet, who was by this time moving in the best society, and surrounded by fashionable admirers. Mr. Chicknell did not know very well what course to advise.
The earl was persistent in his demands. A divorce he was bent upon having, at all hazards.
An opportunity most suddenly and unexpectedly presented itself.
Mr. Wrench was commissioned to wait upon the engineer at his house at Wood Green.
He called several times, but could not succeed in meeting with the owner of the establishment.
He ascertained from the loquacious servant in charge of the place that her master came home only occasionally. She said, in answer to the detective’s persistent inquiries, that Mr. Gatliffe had been for some time past in the habit of remaining in London, in consequence, as she alleged, of pressure of business at the works.
Mr. Wrench heard all she had to say, and very soon began to draw his own inference therefrom.
“Stays in town, does he?” murmured our astute officer. “Umph! there is some special reason, for this business is all very well in its way, but there may be another cause. Formed some new connection perhaps, illicit love and all that sort of thing. The case looks more promising. If I succeed in finding out anything the earl, my patron, will be in a state of delight, but after all it’s too contemptible and paltry a business for me to be engaged in. Well, we will see what can be done. Something’s in the wind—that’s quite certain. The question is, how is it to be worked?”
Attached to the staff of gentlemen of which he (Wrench) was a distinguished ornament was a man who was a sort of supplementary or occasional detective—his name was Slingsby.