Findings are Keepings

Findings are Keepings

The narrative follows Laurie Whittaker, a young woman with a father involved in gambling, and her interactions with Captain John Harrowby, a man recently returned from Africa. Laurie is depicted as charming and confident, while Harrowby is portrayed as somewhat naive and inexperienced in the ways of high society and gambling. The story begins with Laurie receiving a cablegram intended for Harrowby, which she takes to him at his boarding house. Meanwhile, Elsie Bancroft, a stenographer living in the same boarding house, becomes intrigued by Harrowby and his connection to Laurie. Elsie learns from an older colleague that Laurie's father runs a gambling establishment, raising her concerns about Harrowby's potential vulnerability to manipulation. As Harrowby becomes more involved with Laurie, he is drawn into the gambling scene, losing significant amounts of money. Despite warnings from Elsie, he continues to play, believing he can recover his losses. The tension escalates when Elsie discovers that Laurie has been visiting Harrowby and becomes suspicious of her intentions. One evening, after losing a substantial sum, Harrowby confronts Laurie, who displays a cold indifference to his plight. Their interaction reveals Laurie's manipulative nature, as she attempts to persuade him to sell his African mining concession, which he views as worthless. Harrowby, feeling betrayed and angry, leaves her presence, only to later find that a valuable document related to his concession has gone missing. In a twist of fate, Elsie finds a vanity bag belonging to Laurie in a cab, containing a large sum of money. Torn between her moral compass and the temptation of the money, she initially considers turning it in but ultimately decides to keep it. This decision leads her to confront Harrowby, where she reveals the bag's contents and the missing document. The climax occurs when Harrowby realizes that the money and the document are intertwined with his own losses and potential recovery. He and Elsie form a bond over their shared experiences, and the story concludes with a sense of hope as they navigate their newfound partnership, suggesting that their fortunes may change together. The work explores themes of morality, deception, and the complexities of human relationships, particularly in the context of gambling and financial desperation. The characters' interactions highlight the contrasts between innocence and experience, as well as the consequences of choices made in pursuit of wealth and security.

By Edgar Wallace · First published 1928 · Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Drama · 5,482 words

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Findings are keepings. That was a favorite saying of Laurie Whittaker -- a slogan of Stinie Whittaker (who had other names), her father.

Laurie and a youthful messenger of the Eastern Telegraph Company arrived simultaneously on the doorstep of 704 Coram Street, Bloomsbury, and their arrival was coincident with the absence, in the little courtyard at the back of the house, of the one domestic servant on duty in that boarding-house. So that, while the electric bell tinkled in the kitchen, the overworked domestic was hanging up dishcloths in the backyard.

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Findings are Keepings is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edgar Wallace, dated 1928 CE.

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mystery · crime · detective · thriller · suspense · investigation · secrets · plot twists · intrigue · adventure · suspenseful · narrative

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