Blue Hand · Chapter
I explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. Salter, an elderly lawyer, scolds his secretary Jim Steele for ignoring his bell, finding him absorbed in documents about the Danton case. Jim expresses his belief that Lady Mary Danton can be found, and Mr. Salter reluctantly recounts the story: Lady Mary, daughter of the Earl of Plimstock, married millionaire Jonathan Danton unhappily; Danton made a will leaving everything to their infant daughter Dorothy, with the income to his sister Mrs. Groat if Dorothy died, but the child and nurse were lost at sea, and Lady Mary disappeared. Jim insists something is wrong and wishes he were a detective, quoting faith as evidence of things unseen. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Digby Groat.
Themes in this chapter
Identity and Secret Origins
The mystery of Lady Mary Danton's disappearance and the fate of her child drive the plot, with Jim Steele seeking hidden truths.
Greed and Inheritance
Jonathan Danton's unusual will and the impending control of the Danton millions by Mrs. Groat highlight themes of wealth and inheritance.
Deception and Manipulation
Jim suspects foul play in the Danton case, and Digby Groat is portrayed as a manipulative figure who avoided war.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Salter
The elderly lawyer and Jim's godfather, who recounts the Danton mystery and expresses fondness for Jim despite his distraction.
- Jim Steele
Mr. Salter's secretary, a war hero with a V.C., who is obsessed with solving the Danton case and believes Lady Mary can be found.
- Digby Groat
Mentioned as arriving at the office; Jim dislikes him for avoiding war service, and he stands to benefit from the Danton fortune.
- Lady Mary Danton
The missing wife of Jonathan Danton, who disappeared with her baby; Jim believes she can be found.
- Jonathan Danton
The deceased millionaire shipowner who made an unusual will leaving his fortune to his daughter Dorothy.
- Dorothy Danton
The infant daughter of Jonathan and Lady Mary Danton, who was lost at sea with her nurse.
- Mrs. Groat
Jonathan Danton's sister, who is entitled to the income from the estate and will take control of the millions on May 30th.
Key passages
“I have a queer feeling that there is something wrong about the whole business, and I believe that if I gave my time to the task I could unveil this mystery.”
Jim senses that the Danton case is not as it seems and thinks he could solve it if he focused on it.
Jim expresses his conviction that the mystery can be solved.
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things unseen.”
Faith is believing in what you hope for and trusting in what you cannot see.
Jim quotes scripture to explain his detective instincts.