The Secret of the Earth
*VI.*
The next morning I awoke early, and resolved to go at once to Torrence'sroom and ask him to lend me a five pound note. It was my intention tohave it examined by a banker in the city for its genuineness, hoping torelieve the anxiety which had so tortured me during the night. While myjudgment was opposed to the counterfeiting theory as improbable, yet itwas difficult to overcome the thought that it might be the correct one.The truth is, I was impelled to discover some plausible explanation ofthe mystery. I could not rest as the recipient of means which had novisible source, and especially when there appeared to be so much groundfor doubting their legitimacy.
Torrence was already up, preparing for an early start, as I saunteredinto his room.
"By the by, old fellow," I said, "have you a fiver about you? I think Imight use one to advantage until I can get down to the bank with yourcheck."
He took a roll of bills out of his pocket, and instead of one five,tossed me a couple of tens.
"Let it go for luck!" he called, as he hurriedly left the room on theway to his business.
We rarely breakfasted together, Torry being so full of enthusiasm abouthis work, that he would brook no chance of delay, and so it wasunderstood that we should not meet until after his return fromGravesend. On this occasion, when he had left me, and afterbreakfasting alone, I ordered the carriage, and drove into the city.Taking my check at once to the banker upon whom it was drawn, I inquiredif it were all right. The cashier smiled, and simply asked how I wouldhave it. I told him I did not want it at all, but wished to place it tomy credit.
"Oh!" said the man looking up, "I thought you were Mr. Attlebridge."
"So I am," I answered, "but not Torrence. I am his twin brother. Welook very much alike."
"I see!" he exclaimed, somewhat surprised. He then proceeded to take mysignature, and give me a book with credit on it for a thousand pounds.There was no mistake about this. Here was an actual transfer of creditfrom Torrence to myself. I wanted to ask the man some questions aboutthe amount Torrence held in the bank, but hesitated, fearing it mightcreate a suspicion that I doubted his methods. Presently, while stillchatting in a careless way, I took out one of the tens my brother hadgiven me, and asked if it were all right, pretending to have received itat a place I was not quite sure of. The man looked at it carefully, andpronounced it perfectly good, and my doubts were relieved. I was aboutto say "good-morning," when the teller observed:
"We should be greatly pleased, Mr. Attlebridge, if you and your brotherwould keep your principal account with us, believing that we can offerspecial facilities, and----"
It was what I wanted. He had opened the subject.
"Oh!" I interrupted, "can you tell me which is my brother's principalbanking house at present?"
"Unfortunately," answered the man, "he has not favored us with the name;although I believe it is one of the larger houses in the city. Mr.Attlebridge's deposits with us are all made through an American firm."
I was about to express surprise, but remembered myself in time, somerely smiled and tried to look as if I had known as much before.
"And why do you suppose that my brother keeps another account inLondon?" I asked.
"Oh!" said the man, shrugging his shoulders, "merely because I onceheard him mentioned as the purchaser of a very large foreign draft fromone of our city houses. Nothing else, I assure you."
"And you do not remember the name of the concern?" I asked, growinginterested.
"No," answered the teller, "I do not. It is even quite possible that Inever heard it. The remark was only one of those incidental scraps ofconversation that referred more particularly to business in general,than to that of any special banker."
I had heard enough to give me a clew, although I confess, a slight one.Torrence evidently had business with another bank, and also had funds inAmerica of which I had never heard, and could not understand. A thoughthad flashed upon me. I would go into the different banking streets andfind out where this other account was kept, if possible, by passingmyself off for my brother. Doubtless I should be taken for him as soonas I entered the right establishment, as I had been here. Bidding theteller "good-day," I passed out, fully bent upon my new enterprise. Itwas a bold scheme, but I was growing desperate to know something aboutTorry's affairs; moreover, I was conscious of greater independence witha credit of a thousand pounds in my pocket and a bank book, which Ipressed against my finger from time to time when needing encouragement.
As luck would have it, the first place I entered was the right one, andas I had surmised, the clerks recognized me at once as Torrence. I hadmade up my mind how to act, and what to say while walking along thestreet, having dismissed the carriage as unnecessary, and was fullyprepared on finding myself addressed as Mr. Attlebridge.
"By the by," I began quite carelessly. "What was that last--er--thatlast----"
I purposely halted to give the teller a chance to help me out. This hedid, but I was utterly unprepared for the word. I expected to heardeposit, or check, but when the man came to my assistance with the wordcable, I was dumfounded. Was Torrence trying to hang himself? However,my common sense returned, and I replied as if suddenly recalling myerrand:
"Oh, yes, that was it. Will you let me see it again please, if you havea copy of it?"
I had not the slightest idea what the cablegram was about, but knew thatcopies of important messages were always preserved, and thought I mightas well see this one. In a minute a clerk appeared with the copy inquestion, and the teller glancing at it for a second to make sure it wasthe right one, passed it over for my inspection, and I read as follows.
"LONDON, December --, 1894.
"To DEADWOOD AND BATES, BANKERS, New York City.
"Place to the credit of Torrence Attlebridge sixty three thousand eighthundred and forty pounds sterling, and charge same to our account.
"WHITEHOUSE, MORSE & PLUNKET."
I almost choked with astonishment. Here was a single deposit ofconsiderably more than three hundred thousand dollars. No wonder hecould so easily afford to give me the check for a thousand pounds. Iwas provoked that I had not asked for ten times as much. But where didall this money come from in the first instance? I continued to look atthe message in amazement, not knowing what to say; and then pullingmyself together, remarked, still as if trying to refresh my memory:
"And let me see--I gave you for this, a draft on----"
"You forget, Mr. Attlebridge," promptly responded the man, "you merelydrew upon your credit with us, reducing your account to that extent!"
"So I did," I answered, apparently quite satisfied. "My memory is sofearfully faulty sometimes, I not only forget amounts, but the manner ofpayment." Then remembering that Torrence had no doubt a further balancehere, I thought I would make another effort to discover what it wasbefore leaving. The question was not nearly so difficult as the others.
"By the by, be kind enough to tell me what my balance is to-day, herewith you."
The big books were turned over, and in a minute I was informed that mybrother had still more than one hundred thousand pounds with thesepeople, Whitehouse, Morse & Plunket. I was astounded. Instead ofsolving a mystery I had only sunk deeper in the mire. Here was a creditthat was practically boundless. A bank account worthy of a king. Icould not show my amazement, and so for a minute turned my back, tryingto collect my thoughts. Could I leave the place without one morequestion? I resolved to risk it, and so added:
"Sorry to trouble you again, but be good enough to tell me how my lastdeposit with you was made."
"By a large batch of your own drafts, Mr. Attlebridge, on prominentbankers in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, St. Petersburg, Constantinople,Munich, Rome, Naples, New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and SanFrancisco, besides others. We have a list of the bankers here if youwould like to see it; and, by the by, I forgot to mention that severalof the drafts were upon London houses, which you doubtless remember.Beyond this yo
u have not forgotten that several thousand pounds werepaid to us in cash!"
"True!" I said, and turning hurriedly, left the place, only too glad toget away. Evidently my brother's drafts had all been honored, or thebalance would not be to his credit.
I wandered down the street like one in a dream. I could see no earthlychance of ever solving this problem, except through Torrence himself;but I could not ask him, and if I did, had no reason to expect ananswer. No, I must wait for further developments. Something was sure toturn up. To my certain knowledge, then, my brother had nearly a milliondollars to his credit in New York and London, and from what I had heardit seemed probable that he had much more elsewhere.