“When did you last see Mr. Mainwaring?”

“I have not seen him to speak with him for fully twenty-three years.”

“You have corresponded with, him, however, in that time?”

The witness showed no surprise.

“We exchanged a few letters while I was in England.  I have neither heard from him nor written to him since coming to this country.”

“When did you last see him, regardless of whether you spoke to him or not?”

“Probably within the last two or three weeks.  I have occasionally met him on the street.”

“Did Mr. Mainwaring see you at any of these times?”

“If he did, he did not recognize me.”

“Did you see him when you called at Fair Oaks, Wednesday, — either morning or evening?”

“I did not.”

“Mr. Hobson, will you describe the man who accompanied you when you called in the evening, Wednesday?”

“I could give you a general description.  He was a large man, about my own height, but heavier, and rather good looking, on the whole.  But I am not good on details, such as complexion, color of hair, and so on; and then, you know, those little things are very easily changed.”

“What was his name?”

Mr. Hobson smiled blandly.  “The name by which I know him is John Carroll, but I have no idea as to his real name.  He is a very eccentric character, many-sided as it were, and I never know which side will come uppermost.”

“He is your clerk and in your employ, is he not?”

“Agent, I think, would be a preferable term.  He is in my employ, he transacts certain business for me, but he does it in his own way, and comes and goes at his own discretion.”

“Where is he at present?”

“I have no idea, sir.”

“Did he leave for the city that night, or did he remain with you at the Riverside Hotel?”

“He was not with me at the hotel except for a few hours.  I have not the slightest idea from whence he came to see me, when he went away, or in what direction he went.  He was in haste to be excused as soon as our joint business was done, and I have not seen him since.”

“Did he have on dark glasses that day?”

“Not when I saw him, but that was only in my room at the hotel, and for a few moments in this house; he would have no need for them at either place.”

“Did he not accompany you from the hotel to Fair Oaks?”

“No, sir; we met here by prearrangement.”

“When do you expect to see your agent again?”

“Whenever he has any business reports to make,” Hobson replied, with an exasperating smile; “but I have no idea when that will be.  He has other commissions to execute; he is in the employ of others besides myself, and transacts some business on his own account also.”

“I understand, Mr. Hobson, that you have repeatedly extorted money from Mr. Mainwaring by threatening to disclose facts in your possession regarding some questionable transaction.”