The Borough Treasurer · Chapter
XV: One Thing Leads to Another explained
Stoner visits his friend Myler in Darlington and, by chance, meets Myler's father-in-law, Mr.
What happens
Stoner visits his friend Myler in Darlington and, by chance, meets Myler's father-in-law, Mr. Pursey, who reveals that he knew the murdered Kitely from thirty years ago during the Wilchester Assizes case of Mallows & Chidforth. Stoner deduces that Mallalieu and Cotherstone are the former Mallows and Chidforth, and that they likely killed Kitely to silence him. Myler advises Stoner to take his evidence to solicitor Tallington rather than seek hush money. On his way back to Highmarket, Stoner encounters Mallalieu on the moors.
Themes in this chapter
Secrecy and Blackmail
Stoner considers accepting hush money from M. & C. to keep their secret, but Myler advises against it.
Greed and Materialism
Stoner is tempted by the reward money and the possibility of a larger bribe from Mallalieu and Cotherstone.
Justice and Innocence
Myler urges Stoner to pursue justice through legal channels rather than personal gain.
Deception and Betrayal
The revelation that Mallalieu and Cotherstone are likely the former Mallows and Chidforth, living under false identities.
Characters to notice
- Bert Stoner
Visits Myler in Darlington, learns about the Mallows & Chidforth case from Mr. Pursey, deduces the connection to Mallalieu and Cotherstone, and later meets Mallalieu on the moors.
- David Myler
Stoner's old friend, hosts him in Darlington, advises him to go to Tallington with the evidence rather than accept hush money.
- Mr. Pursey
Myler's father-in-law, a Wilchester man who remembers Kitely and the Mallows & Chidforth embezzlement case from thirty years ago.
- Mr. Mallalieu
Encountered by Stoner on the moors near Highmarket at the end of the chapter.
- Mr. Cotherstone
Implied to be the former Chidforth of the Mallows & Chidforth case, suspected of involvement in Kitely's murder.
- Mr. Kitely
The murdered man; Mr. Pursey recalls meeting him thirty years ago during the Wilchester Assizes.
- Lawyer Tallington
The solicitor to whom Myler advises Stoner to present his evidence.
Key passages
“It's a sure thing! Gad, I never heard a clearer. That five hundred is yours—aye, as dead certain as that my nose is mine!”
Myler assures Stoner that the reward money is guaranteed.
Myler expresses confidence in Stoner's deduction and the likelihood of claiming the reward.
“No, Stoner. None o' that! Play straight, my lad! No hush-money transactions. Keep to the law, Stoner, keep to the law!”
Myler advises Stoner to act honestly and not accept a bribe.
Myler rejects Stoner's idea of taking hush money from Mallalieu and Cotherstone.