“J. Padelford and wife.”
“Clever of him, that!” Blaine commented. “If he really intends to fool this girl with a fake marriage and sail with her for the other side, he can explain the change of names on the steamer to her by telling her it was a mistake on the printed sailing-list. Once at sea, without a chance of escape from him, he can tell her the truth, or as much of it as he cares to, and she’ll have to stick; that type of woman always does. She might even come in time to take up his line, and become a cleverer crook than he is, but we’re not going to let that happen. We’ll stop him, right enough, before he goes too far with her. What’s he doing now?”
“Walking in the park with her. She met him at the gates, and Vanner took the job there of tailing them, while I came on down to report to you.”
“Good work, Ross. But go back and take up the trail now yourself, if you’re fit. And here, you’d better take this warrant with you; I swore it out against him several days ago, in case he attempted to bolt. If he tries to get the girl into a compromising situation, arrest him. Let me know if anything of importance occurs meanwhile.”
As Ross went out, the secretary, Marsh, appeared.
“There’s an elderly gentleman outside waiting to see you, sir,” he announced. “He does not wish to give his name, but says that he is a physician, and is here in answer to a letter which he received from you.”
“Good! They pulled it off, then! We were only just in time with those letters we sent out yesterday, Marsh. Show him in at once.”
In a few moments a tall, spare figure appeared in the doorway, and paused an instant before entering. He had a keen, smooth-shaven, ascetic face, topped with a mass of snow-white hair.