Adventure, December 1914 — page 113: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Man With Nine Lives what he says. Mr. Creed confided his will to my keeping; by it he leaves everything, unconditionally, to Mr. Martin Adair.” The two men broke out into a storm of questions, one tumbling over the other. ‘“When was this will made? Who drew it up? Why wasn’t its existence made known to us before? Under what circum- stances was it drawn up? Why should he have left, as you say he has, everything he had to a man whose acquaintance he made in the gutter, and who was only a sort of hanger-on in his office? Are there no lega- cles, no mention of old friends, of business associates of long standing, who have ren- dered him inestimable services? Do you wish us to believe that he’s left us noth- ing?” Mr. Foster replied to all the questions at once. ‘Your names are not mentioned.” “f don’t believe it!” Mr. Daniel was moved to wrath. “Why, we’ve done his business for more than twenty years. What has Mr. Martin Adair ever done for him?” Mr. Adair’s reply to this question took the form of an instruction to Potter. “Potter, put these two men down the stairs and into the street—or, if you don’t feel disposed to do so, I will. Issachar, come out of that chair.”” The speaker, moving round the table, took Mr. Issachar by the collar of his coat. Mr. Issachar showed signs of fight on lines of his own. ‘Don’t you lay a finger on me, my man, or [’ll make you pay forit. Even supposing there is something in this cock-and-bull story of yours, you can’t handle me as if I were so much furniture. There’s our bill; we've been working here night and day ever since that old man was murdered. Every- thing would have gone to pot if it hadn’t been for us. Who’s going to pay us for what we've done?”’ | ‘“‘That’s a question, Issacher, which will be considered later, and on which I have no doubt a good deal will be heard from you. At the present moment what you have to do is get. Mr. Foster, I call you to witness that I have informed these two gentlemen that they are trespassing on my premises, and that I wish them to cease that trespass. If they refuse I believe I’m at liberty to re- move them without using any more vio- lence than is absolutely necessary.” “That is the case, Mr. Adair.” Iif “Then, as that is the case, Mr. Issachar, allow me to lift you tenderly in my arms.” Suiting the action to the word, the big man lifted the little one off his feet. The little man screamed. ‘‘Where’s my hat, and my umbrella, and my bag? hind.” “Rest easy, you shall have your belong- ings to keep you company.” Mr. Issachar having been borne from the room, Adair, returning, beckoned to his part- ner. “Now, Mr. Daniel, how is it to be—on your own feet or in my arms?” Mr. Daniel crammed a felt hat down on to his head; with an umbrella in one hand and a black bag in the other, he began to move toward the door. As he went he gave utterance to his feelings. “You shall hear of this, Mr. Adair. Don’t you think you’ve got the best of us. I leave this room under protest, in fear of violence. I shouldn’t wonder if you found this the most expensive little game you ever played. What do you want with me? Don’t you lay your hand upon my shoulder.” Adair had intercepted the speaker on his way to the door. ‘““What’s in that bag, Mr. Daniel? You'll excuse my looking.” “Don’t you touch my bag. That’s felony if you touch my bag. Mr. Foster, I call on you to witness.” “Call your uncle and aunt to witness, Mr. Daniel. I’m going to see what’s in that bag; we'll talk about felony afterwards.” Taking the bag out of the excited gen- tleman’s hand, Adair, opening it, turned its contents out on to the table. A quantity of papers appeared. “These papers will be examined, Mr. Daniel. Now for Mr. Issachar’s bag. This is his, I think, on the floor by the table.” Picking up another black bag, twin brother to the first, he turned out its con- tents. ‘“‘More papers; most of them, I imagine, mine. Those which are not shall be returned to Mr. Issachar. There, gentlemen, are your bags. One remark I have to make: any papers you have in your keeping belonging to the estate of the late Mr. Jerningham Creed will be handed to me, or to my solicitor Mr. Edward Foster here, within four-and- twenty hours, or the consequences will be on your own heads.” MICLOOOLK I’m not going to leave them be-. ©