Either they had not
heard of the case or had not wished to have their names dragged into
it. Young Michael had started life as an architect, and was
supposed to have been doing well, but after the death of his parents
had disappeared from the neighbourhood, and, until the trial, none
of his acquaintances up North ever knew what had become of him.
But a further item of knowledge that my friend's inquiries had
elicited had somewhat puzzled him. Hepworth's clerk, Ellenby, had
been the confidential clerk of Hepworth's father! He had entered
the service of the firm as a boy; and when Hepworth senior retired,
Ellenby--with the old gentleman's assistance--had started in
business for himself as a ships' furnisher! Nothing of all this
came out at the trial. Ellenby had not been cross-examined. There
was no need for it. But it seemed odd, under all the circumstances,
that he had not volunteered the information. It may, of course,
have been for the sake of the brother and sister. Hepworth is a
common enough name in the North. He may have hoped to keep the
family out of connection with the case.
As regards the woman, my friend could learn nothing further beyond
the fact that, in her contract with the music-hall agent in
Rotterdam, she had described herself as the daughter of an English
musician, and had stated that both her parents were dead.
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