Susan secured a porter, a cab, and found herself answering intimate searching questions about the business of the Corning Mining, Smelting & Investment Company during the ride in the taxicab.
At one point, Susan ventured to say, I do wish youd save these questions to ask of Mr. Campbell, Miss Corning.
Youre in my employ, arent you?
Yes. But Im directly under Mr. Campbell.
I dont care whom youre directly under, youre in my employ. Youre working for me. Youre drawing wages that come out of my pocket. I want loyalty, I want efficiency, and I want cooperation. Youll answer my questions, my child, and we wont have any more of this Ask Mr. Campbell stuff.
Im going to the hotel just long enough to check in and get my bags put in my room, then were going up to the office and youre going to put in the rest of the day answering questions.
I am? Sue exclaimed, despair in her voice.
Yes, my child, you are. And youre going to answer them right. I dont want any attempt to shield anyone, you understand. Yourself or anyone else.
Yes, Miss Corning.
Now, for your information, she said, the reason I arrived on Saturday morning instead of Monday is that I knew good and well Endicott Campbell would be out playing golf or doing something of that sort, and I wanted to descend on the office and get some records before he was expecting me. I gave a wire to an attendant but I felt sure he wouldnt send it. You said that you had the combination to the safe. Were going to open it and were going to take a look. Its going to be a strain on my eyes and Ill have to use a big reading-glass, but Im going to check some of the figures and youre going to give me the information I want.
Now then, Im going to ask you a straight question. Have you any reason to believe that Endicott Campbell is dishonest?
I... why, no.
Dont talk to me like that.
Like what?
You hesitated after you started to answer the question. I dont want hesitation, I want straightforward answers. Have you any reason to believe Endicott Campbell is dishonest?
I dont know.
Certainly. You dont know that hes dishonest, but do you have any reason to believe that he may be dishonest? Yes or no.
Well, Susan said, theres one matter thats been bothering me the Mojave Monarch.
And thats been bothering me. I think were going to get along together pretty well, Susan, once youve learned to answer questions promptly, frankly, and honestly.
At Miss Cornings insistence Susan not only went to the hotel with her but also signed Miss Cornings name on the hotel register for her, then went up to the suite of rooms which had been reserved for Monday, the fifth, yet which the clerk said was presently available and which he had been able to assign for immediate occupancy.
Then, after the briefest of intervals, Sue escorted Miss Corning to the office.
Now then, my child, Miss Corning said, I want to see the vouchers in the Mojave Monarch mine. As you probably know, I instructed Mr. Campbell to have everything ready for me.
Sue said, The books are in the safe, but all the detailed information seems to be in Mojave.
All right, the books show generally the expenses of the mine. What has been received from it by way of returns from ore shipments?
I cant find those records. I think they are in Mojave. There are reports showing the main vein faulted out, but I know from oral reports Mr. Campbell has made to me there has been quite a quantity of milling ore brought out of the ground.
What was done with it?
I dont know.
Open up the safe. Lets see what the books show.
Susan opened the safe, unlocked the inner steel door, and pulled out the books pertaining to the Mojave Monarch Gold Mining & Exploration Company.
Miss Corning sent her wheelchair up to within a few inches of the safe, leaned forward to peer from behind those dark glasses. Whats this? she asked, pointing a long bony finger towards the shoe box which Susan had taken from Carleton Campbell.
For a moment Sue was embarrassed. Why that... she said, thats... something private, something of my own that Ive put in the safe for a few hours because I didnt want to take it with me when I went to the airport and
What is it? Miss Corning insisted.
Something personal.
Love letters?
Not exactly.
All right, what is it? Its in the company safe. You shouldnt be putting your private things in here.
I wouldnt have put it in there, Miss Corning, if it hadnt been for the fact that you telephoned and your telephone call upset my entire schedule. After all, you know, Im not supposed to be working today. This is something of a purely private nature.
Miss Corning tilted her head so that the big opaque lenses of her dark glasses were turned directly towards Sue. Then she said, Humph, and spun the chair around and sent it speeding across the office to the desk where Sue had spread out the books and the statements.
Sue was beginning to hold this woman in awe. Miss Corning had an uncanny ability to read her mind, to interpret the faintest nuance of voice. Her long, big-jointed fingers could wrap around the wheels of the chair and send the vehicle darting about with dazzling speed.