"No."
"Or say where he was going?"
The clerk could offer no clue to the whereabouts or intentions of John Rivière. Repeated questioning added little to the meagre information already given.
"Mr Matheson has not been at the office to-day or yesterday. Have you seen anything of him?" asked Coulter of the shipowner.
"I know. He's away to Canada."
"To Canada!"
"Yes. We discussed the matter the night I was here. Hasn't he written you?"
"We've heard nothing."
"Reckon you will to-day.... Say, couldn't you look in Mr Matheson's desk to find the address of this Mr Rivière?"
Coulter was the financier's confidential man. He had full power to go over his employer's desk except for certain drawers labelled "Private," and he did so now.