The leader., 1898-03-02
They all live here ~

"This gentleman, has he been in your
employ longT'
''Three years"
I'VE might get some information from
him, perhaps. However, for the pres
ent, III sc no one. VIII you please get
me those things?"
Mrs. Cox went out, and returned after
few minutes with what / had asked
for. i smiled as / saw the note paper.
Though IL was not the same make, IL
was very like what had been used for
the check for 10000.
what are you going to do?" Mrs.
Cox asked.
81 can't do much until eight o'clock,
so am going to try little experiment"
/ took from her the specimen of her
husbands signature, and examined it.
From my pocke;book l drew piece
of tracing paper, and this laid upon
Mr.. Cox's signature, which went over
carefully some 30 or 40 times Then /
took the sheet of note paper and calmly
forged the millionaire's name, making
a queer little curl at the tail of the "x"
similar to what | had noticed in the sig
nature of the 10000 check, which was
not to be seen in the specimen sigma
ture of Mr.. Cox before me.
Mrs. Cox watched me, with an air of
profound justification, as i put the
sheet of paper, bearing only the name,
&c. Collins-Cox," upon the table, and
covered ii up in such way that no
other part of the paper was visible.
Now" / said, will you be good
enough TO summon everyone in this
house, and let them remain in the next
room until / call them?"
She went away, and a few minutes
later returned, saying that everyone
was in the room adjoining the one In
which / sat.
Very well, then. l want them to
come in here one at time. Begin with
the secretary"
ASK Mr.. Stainer to come here" said
Mrs. Cox.
Mr.. Stainer came. He was tall, gem
tlemanly man of 80, wearing gold
trimmed spectacles.
"Of course" | said to Mrs. Cox, in an
undertone, but loud enough to be heard,
as he came forward, 'if it's genuine you
must change it, and do as instructed. 1t
will cost you a cool C 10000, but that
can't be helped.
"Mr. Stainer," and I turned to him
quickly, ''can you tell me if this is Mr.
Cox's signature
| "Yes, it is"
"Be sure, please. It's a highly i'm
portant matter Look at it closely"
He leant over it, and examined it like
near-sighted man, for some moments
watched him, noticing his hands
tremble and his lips twitch nervously.
"Yes," he said, quietly. "I'll swear to
that. But l fancy he was unwell when
he wrote it, for it is very shaky for Mr.
Cox"
| All the others were brought in in
turn, but no one else was able to iden.
tify the signature.
II want a cab," said, smiling.
A cab was called. and l went out, gave
| the driver a note, with instructions tC
take it to the Yard and await an answer
Then l returned to the room, and drew
1
Mrs. Cox aside.
Don't breathe a word to anyone"
said; "but does it not strike you as
strange that the man who best knows
your husbands writing should be the
one to say most emphatically that my
forgery was written by your husband p
"Yes," she said in a whisper.
| lat ha n I'm Il
and landed one of our men. He was
shown in to me; and at my request, al
the servants were recalled. When they
were assembled, ] turned to our mar
and said:
Chambers, you will remain in thi.
will allow no one but Mrs. Cox TO leave
while you are here, and you will see
that nothing whatever is passed out O
the house by anyone, and that no com
munication whatever is held by the in
mates with outsiders, not even with
tradespeople. You will make it your
duty, if anybody say anybody-at
tempts to break these rules to imme
diately arrest them. You understand? p
Eyes"
At this Stainer looked the picture o,
confusion, and very pale.
Il shall be here at seven o'clock"
said, in a whisper, to Mrs. Cox. "Havt
an old dress, cloak, and hat of your:
ready for me, and room at my dis
posal, if you please" Then to Chamber
l said, in the same tone: PAY particu
lar attention to Mr.. Stainer. He in
terests me-" And then came away.