The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder · Chapter
The Investors explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. Reeder receives a letter infected with scarlet fever from the vengeful Ike Walker, delivered by an ex-convict named Mills. He later discusses a series of mysterious disappearances with the Public Prosecutor, revealing that twenty-seven people have vanished after receiving monthly dividends from a fraudulent investment scheme. Reeder suspects they were murdered, and the scheme is linked to a house in Dulwich. He also meets Miss Margaret Belman, who mentions her monthly dividends, leading Reeder to connect her to the case. The chapter ends with the Prosecutor questioning Reeder's personal interest in Miss Belman.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Disguise
The investment scheme is a elaborate deception, luring victims with false dividends and then murdering them.
Greed and Materialism
The investors are drawn by the promise of easy monthly dividends, leading to their deaths.
Revenge and Feuds
Ike Walker seeks revenge on Reeder by sending a letter infected with scarlet fever.
Characters to notice
- Mr. J. G. Reeder
Receives a poisoned letter from Ike Walker, deduces the infection, and later discusses the disappearance case with the Public Prosecutor.
- Ike Walker
Sends a letter infected with scarlet fever to Reeder from Dartmoor Prison as an act of revenge.
- Mr. Mills
Delivers the infected letter to Reeder; Reeder warns him he will likely contract scarlet fever.
- Miss Margaret Belman
Meets Reeder regularly; mentions her monthly dividends, which ties her to the disappearance case.
- Mrs. Athbell Marting
Mentioned as one of the investors whose money continued after her disappearances, but ceased on her final journey.
Key passages
“Dear Reeder— Here is a bit of a riddle for you. What other people have got, you can have. I haven’t got it, but it is coming to you. It’s red-hot when you get it, but you’re cold when it goes away. Your loving friend, Ike Walker (doing a twelve stretch because you went on the witness stand and told a lot of lies.)”
Ike Walker sends Reeder a threatening riddle, blaming him for his imprisonment and implying harm is coming.
The letter is a veiled threat and is later revealed to be infected with scarlet fever.
“I should imagine that they were murdered,” he said, almost cheerfully, and the Prosecutor half rose from his chair.”
Reeder calmly suggests that the missing investors have been killed, shocking the Prosecutor.
Reeder reveals his suspicion that the disappearances are murders, part of a larger criminal scheme.
“After they had paid one or two years’ dividends the wretched investor was lured to the house at Dulwich and there scientifically killed. You will probably find an unofficial cemetery in their grounds.”
The investors were paid dividends for a year or two, then lured to a house in Dulwich where they were systematically murdered and buried on the property.
Reeder outlines the method of the fraud and murder operation.