Legendary Women Detectives

“My dear Allan,” chimed in his friend sarcastically, “do think of what he’s told us! He is Gorleston. Though if he can prove it, then Heaven help him, because we can quite easily establish that he is Elwes as well. So all the bank does is to charge him with trying to obtain twenty-five thou” by means of a trick.“

“Well, hop it and call a policeman,” replied his friend. “I’m sick of all this cackle.”

But as the other moved over to the door Gorleston sprang up trembling.

“Can’t we – can’t we settle this?” he exclaimed desperately.

The man at the door smiled.

“There’s Gorleston to be considered,” he replied.

“I tell you I am Gorleston.”

The other strode back, his hands clenched.

“Yes,” he snapped, his voice like a whiplash, “and John Elwes as well! Don’t you dare to interrupt me–” as Gorleston made as if to speak. “What about the nine-eleven up to London from Tavistock on the day the forgery was committed? What about the chauffeur who drove you here the moment you arrived so that your landlady could prove that John Elwes was in town that day? What about your telling her that you were in a hurry to get to the Universal Bank to cash a check? Excellent corroborative evidence, eh, that John Elwes was a real live person? And then you drove on to the bank, gave the chauffeur ten shillings and walked in as Richard Henry Gorleston – and caught the three-sixteen back to Tavistock, picked up your fishing rod en route to Portworth and walked into the hotel and said you’d had a blank day. Want any more, you lying devil?”

But evidently Gorleston didn’t. He fell back in his chair the picture of absolute rage and despair.

“I – don’t know – who on earth you are–”

“And you won’t!” interrupted the other. “Now, then, which is it to be – the police, or a confession?”

“A con – con – confession!” stammered Richard Henry Gorleston.

Once more Sir John Colston sat opposite Daphne Wrayne in her private room.

“You will probably agree with me, Sir John,” she began in her cool little voice, “that if Richard Henry Gorleston decided to drop his action, gave you a written undertaking to that effect, agreed furthermore to accept the loss and never proceed against you on the same count – you would then, I think, be quite satisfied? In other words, you would sooner let the matter drop – providing your bank didn’t suffer – rather than he should get, say, seven years, and the public should know that although you had been swindled, you had been just a little careless?”

“Why, of course, my dear young lady. Publicity is the thing we’re most anxious to avoid. But you don’t mean to say that Gorleston will do that?”

Daphne Wrayne unlocked a drawer in her table and drew out a paper.

“Please listen to this, Sir John,” she said:

“I, Richard Henry Gorleston, of 849, The Albany, London, W., being of sound mind, do declare as follows that the check for twenty-five thousand pounds, cashed under my signature at the Universal Banking Corporation, of 99, Lombard Street, in the City of London, on June 15th, 1927, was written by me, and that the error in the signature was made wilfully by me with intent to deceive. Furthermore, that the name of John Elwes was invented by me, and the person and identity of John Elwes was no other than myself.”

“Great Heavens! May I – may I see it?”

“Sir John!” Daphne Wrayne leant forward in her chair and her hazel eyes were earnest on his. “You have perhaps a right to ask to see this paper, but I am going to ask you as a gentleman not to exercise that right. This paper bears the signatures, as witnesses, of two men whose names are household words for uprightness, and integrity, throughout England – two of my colleagues – the Adjusters!”

Just for a moment silence, while he gazed at her spellbound. Then she went on:

“In asking you not to insist on seeing this paper. I know that I am asking you a favour. But so that there shall be no uneasiness in your mind, I will give you a letter which will no doubt satisfy you equally.”

Daphne took out of her drawer a sealed envelope and handed it to him. He slit it open. Then:

“Do you know what is in this letter, Miss Wrayne?”

“Well, I think I do,” with a smile.

“It is from Gorleston’s solicitors! In it they say that he has discontinued his action against us, that he exonerates us from all liability, and that no further proceedings will be taken over this matter.”