# Following Up a Clue explained — A Bid for Fortune

> Chapter companion for A Bid for Fortune by Guy Boothby.

## What happens

Richard Hatteras receives a mysterious visitor who offers information about Phyllis's whereabouts for a fee, then visits the solicitors Dawson & Gladman, who inform him that he has inherited a baronetcy and substantial estate after the deaths of his cousin Gwendoline and uncle Sir William. Meanwhile, he and Wetherell prepare a yacht to pursue the kidnappers.

## Themes in this chapter

### Class and Social Mobility

Hatteras unexpectedly inherits a baronetcy and a large fortune, dramatically elevating his social status.

### Deception and Appearances

The seedy informant attempts to deceive Hatteras for money, and the solicitors verify Hatteras's identity before revealing the inheritance.

## Character check-ins

### Richard Hatteras

Hatteras negotiates with a seedy informant for clues about Phyllis, then learns from the solicitors that he has inherited a baronetcy and fortune.

### Lord Beckenham

Beckenham is present at Potts Point and participates in the preparations for the yacht voyage.

### Phyllis

Phyllis is the missing girl; the informant describes seeing her forced onto a train by two men.

### Dawson

Mr. Dawson, the solicitor, meets with Hatteras and reveals the inheritance news.

### McMurtough

McMurtough lends his yacht to Wetherell and Hatteras for the pursuit.

### James Dymoke Hatteras

Mentioned as Hatteras's father, who was drowned at sea in 1880.

### Gwendoline

Hatteras's cousin, who drowned accidentally, leading to Hatteras inheriting the title.

### Sir William Hatteras

Hatteras's uncle, who died of heart disease upon hearing of his daughter's death.

## Key lines

> I saw the other and a young lady wearing a heavy veil come quickly along. The first man saw them, and gave a little cry of delight. 'I thought you'd be too late,' says he. 'No fear of that,' says the other, and jumps into a first-class carriage, telling the girl to get in after him, which she does, crying the while, as I could see.

The informant describes seeing a veiled young woman being forced onto a train by two men, one of whom tells her to get into a first-class carriage while she is crying.

_This is the key clue about Phyllis's abduction._

> Well, Mr. Hatteras, it is my sad duty to inform you that within a week of your departure from England your cousin, the young lady just referred to, was drowned by accident in a pond near her home and that her father, who had been ailing for some few days, died of heart disease on hearing the sad tidings. In that case, so my correspondents inform me, there being no nearer issue, you succeed to the title and estates

Mr. Dawson informs Hatteras that his cousin Gwendoline drowned and his uncle Sir William died of shock, making Hatteras the heir to the baronetcy and estates.

_This is the pivotal moment where Hatteras learns of his inheritance._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_bid_for_fortune_se/chapters/part-ii-iv-following-up-a-clue
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_bid_for_fortune_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_bid_for_fortune_se/chapters