"It 'ud be twelve or fifteen minutes, as near as I can recollect,"
replied Cobcroft. "A few minutes after I'd left the private office,
Gaukrodger came out of it, alone, and stood at the door leading into the
yard, looking up at the chimney. The steeple-jack was just coming down,
and his mate was waiting for him at the bottom. Gaukrodger turned back
to the private office and called Mr. Mallathorpe out. All three of 'em,
Mallathorpe, Gaukrodger, Marshall, went out and walked across the yard
to the chimney foot. They stood there talking a bit--and then--down it
came!"
Collingwood thought matters over. Supposing that the document which
Cobcroft spoke of as being in process of execution before him were
indeed duplicate copies of a will. What could have been done with them,
in the few minutes which elapsed between the signing and the catastrophe
to the chimney? It was scarcely likely that John Mallathorpe would have
sent them away by post. If they had been deposited in his own pocket,
they would have been found when his clothing was removed and examined.
If they were in the private office when the three men left it----
"You're sure the drawers, safe and so on in Mr. Mallathorpe's room were
thoroughly searched--after his death?" he asked.
"I should think they were!" answered Cobcroft laconically. "I helped at
that, myself.
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