“Here is the transfer,” replied Mr. Evenden, handing the Professor a document. “It was signed before a French Notary-Public in Alexandria you will see.”
The old Professor adjusted his pince-nez, and after reading the document carefully, examined the signature.
“That is forged!” he declared at once. “I know Jack Halliday’s signature extremely well. I have some of his most recent letters here,” and he took several letters from his pocket. These all three examined very closely. Some were signed “Jack,” others “J. Halliday.” But in no case did the signature on the document exactly correspond with the signature on the letters!
“You see the last letter was dated from Alexandria six weeks ago, and speaks of his success, and his intention of coming straight home,” the Professor remarked.
“Then where is he now—and why has his luggage been sent so urgently to Marseilles and claimed?” asked Falconer.
Mr. Evenden thereupon became suspicious, and related his dealings with Gilbert Farrer, and how he had already paid him a considerable sum on account, until the reports of the engineers he was sending to Egypt should be forthcoming.
“There is no doubt that Halliday has re-discovered the workings,” said the Professor. “But where is he now! He seems to have mysteriously disappeared.”
“The only man who knows his whereabouts is Gilbert Farrer,” declared Geoffrey decisively. “For what reason was that trunk containing his private papers sent so hurriedly to Marseilles?”
“That we must discover,” declared Mr. Evenden. “Our policy must be to act without arousing Farrer’s suspicions,” he added.
Thereupon the three sat down and evolved a plan.