It was a certainty that Crang's hand was in this somewhere, and Crang had said that he had shown the letter to Claire, but——
The telephone rang.
John Bruce stepped to the desk, and picked up the instrument.
“Yes? Hello!” he said.
The clerk's voice from the office answered him:
“There's a man down here, Mr. Bruce, who insists on seeing you. He's pretty seedy, and looks as though he had been on a bat for a week. I'm sorry to bother you, but we can't get rid of him. He says his name is Hawkins.”
“Send him up at once!” said John Bruce sharply.
“Yes, sir.” The clerk coughed deprecatingly. “Very well, Mr. Bruce. Thank you.”
Hawkins! John Bruce walked to the door of his suite, and opened it. He looked at his watch. It was getting on now to eleven o'clock. What on earth had brought Hawkins up here to the Bayne-Miloy at this hour? He smiled a little grimly as he stood waiting on the threshold, and the recollection of the night before last came back to him. Well, at least, he was safe to-night from any kidnaping through the medium of Hawkins!
The elevator door clanged a little way down the corridor, and Hawkins, followed by a bell boy, stepped out.