“Let us return for a moment to the two incidents you have mentioned in which the stenographer is concerned,� said Chick.
“Well?�
“How do you associate her with the others? I mean, aside from the possible sending of messages from the Tombs, for the Babbington woman.�
“In this way: I have known Ben Oaks more or less familiarly for twelve years. He has had a secretary named Miss Hunt who was with him until about the time of the beginning of the advertising effort to find Carleton Lynne—eight or nine weeks ago; and I know of my own knowledge that Miss Hunt was his secretary for four or five consecutive years. Miss Hunt is not there now; this Miss McQueen is.â€�
“Well, what of that?� asked Patsy. “A lawyer often changes his stenographers.�
“But this change appears to have been so coincidental with other things that I use it here as incident number six.�
“Do you mean that she was sent there by—by the Babbington woman, for instance?â€�
“But, Miss Hunt——â€�
“Miss Hunt, or any other stenographer of my knowledge would readily enough give up a position if there was sufficient inducement offered.�