“No. I only know what mother told me,” replied Ivy. “Daddy was a bit late coming back from Covent Garden that morning, and I had finished my breakfast and gone to work before he came in. Of course, he had no idea what it meant, poor dear. He thought it was one of these advertising dodges, and threw it into the fire, envelope and all.”
“Well, that is a pity,” said Mr. Ludgrove. “The police have seen all the others, and they say that they are all exactly similar, and that the numbers seem to have been written on them with the same pen and ink, just an ordinary steel pen and red ink that one can buy at any stationer’s. And, whenever they have been sent by post, the envelopes have been of the same sort, the address typed with the same machine, a Planet, and posted in this district, London, W.2. This looks as though they had been sent out by the same hand.”
“Typed on a Planet, were they?” remarked Ted. “That’s the same machine as we’ve got.”
“Yes, it is a fairly popular make, I am told,” replied Mr. Ludgrove. “But I have never used a typewriter in my life, and know very little about them. No doubt Miss Tovey can tell us if Planet machines are used extensively?”
“I had never used one until Ted asked me to teach him to use his, nearly a year ago now,” replied Ivy. “There were none at the school I was at, and we haven’t any at the office. But I believe that some firms have several of them. They have not been sold in England for very long.”
“Thank you, Miss Tovey,” said Mr. Ludgrove. “Now there is another curious thing which I should like to mention. One day, when I was in your place, talking to your father, I saw you sending out what I took to be accounts, Ted. Was I right?”
“I expect so,” said Ted, readily. “I always look after that side of the business.”
“Would you mind running across and getting me one of the envelopes that you use?”
“Of course.” Ted left the room, and returned within a couple of minutes, holding an envelope which he handed to Mr. Ludgrove. “Those are what we always use,” he said. “We’ve had them for nearly two years now.”
“Do you know where they came from?” asked Mr. Ludgrove, examining the envelope with great interest.