The Cheyne Mystery · Chapter
X: The New Firm Gets Busy explained
Cheyne and Joan Merrill execute their plan to break into Earlswood, the house of Blessington, in search of a tracing.
What happens
Cheyne and Joan Merrill execute their plan to break into Earlswood, the house of Blessington, in search of a tracing. Cheyne forces entry, searches the desk and escritoire, and discovers a secret drawer containing the tracing. He is interrupted by the arrival of Dangle and another man, leading to a chase. Cheyne escapes with the tracing, but upon returning to London, finds that Joan has not returned, causing him great anxiety.
Themes in this chapter
Adventure and Detection
Cheyne and Joan's break-in and search for the tracing is a central act of detection and adventure.
Trust and Betrayal
Joan's disappearance after the burglary raises questions of trust and potential betrayal.
Characters to notice
- Maxwell Cheyne
Breaks into Earlswood, searches for the tracing, and escapes with it after a confrontation.
- Joan Merrill
Assists Cheyne by acting as lookout and later fails to return to her studio, causing Cheyne to worry.
- M. Dangle
Arrives at Earlswood during the burglary and pursues Cheyne.
- Blessington
Owner of the house and the desk and escritoire that Cheyne searches; implied to be a blackmailer.
Key passages
“She proposed, therefore, to stay at the door while Cheyne was carrying on operations within, and to ring if anyone approached the house, adding a double knock if there was urgent danger.”
Joan suggested she would wait by the door and signal Cheyne if someone came, with a special knock for serious threats.
Joan's plan to act as lookout during the burglary.
“He examined the woodwork, but nowhere could he see the slightest trace of an opening. He pressed and pulled and pushed, but still without result: no knob”
Cheyne inspected the wood but found no sign of a hidden compartment, and his attempts to open it failed.
Cheyne's frustration in finding the secret drawer.
“He wrote a note on a leaf of his pocketbook saying he would return in the morning, and going once more up to her flat, pushed it under the door.”
Cheyne left a note for Joan saying he'd come back later, sliding it under her door.
Cheyne's concern when Joan doesn't return.