OCR Text |
Show ,; i r" t ' Wr CHAPTER XIV. IflMV JNTERNMOML PRES& ASSOCIATION. (CHAITER XIII.-CoNnscBn). "WpII, well, wo must go by averages of course. Shall we say two years? I should think that you havo a full two years before you." "In two years your pension -"-would bring you In 1,600. Now I will do my very best for you, Admiral! I will ad-vanco ad-vanco you 2,000 and you can mako over to me your ponslon for your life, i It Is pure speculation on my part.vJfTrou dlo to-morrow I lose my money. If the doctor's prophecy Is corroeW shall still bo out of pocket. If you llvo a little lit-tle longer, then I may see my money again. It Is the very best I can do for you." "Then you wish to buy my pension?" "Yes, for two thousand down." "And If I live for twenty years?" "Oh, Jn that case of course my speculation specu-lation would bo moro successful. But you have heard tho doctor's opinion." "V0ui4 you advance the money instantly?" in-stantly?" "You should have a thousai)dKnce. The other thousand I should expect you to take In furniture." "In furniture?" "Yes, Admiral. Wo shall do you a beautiful houseful at that Bum. It U the custom of my clients to take half In furniture." Tho Admiral sat In dtro perplexity. He had come out to get money, and to bo back without any, to be powerless to help when his boy needed every shilling to save him from disaster; 'that would bo very bitter to him. On tho other hand, It was so much that he surrendered, surren-dered, and so Uttlo that he received. Little, nnd yet something. Would It not be better thnn going back empty-handed? empty-handed? Ho saw the yellow backed cheque-book upon the table. The moneylender opened It and dipped his pen Into the Ink. "Shall I nil It up?" said he. "I think. Admiral," remarked West-macott, West-macott, "that wo had better have a lit tle walk and some luncheon before wo settle this matter." "Oh, wo may as well do jt,iice. It would be abst.'rd to postpwAY now," Motaxn spoke With 10 me bBBjd his eyes 8UntcdLaWW!vBBLL Hnney 'mattcri-l but he h,JRvfah' , of wen and hall learned tfcvYu 'them. ' He saw that veiomou.i BlanceUnd saw too that intense eagerness vr peeplntr out from beneath tho carelen air which the agent had asaumed. "You're qulto right, Wesmacott," said he. "We'll havo a little walk before wo settle It." "Ilut I may not be here this afternoon." after-noon." "Then .we must choose another day." "Rut why not settle It now?-' "Because I prefer not," said tho Admiral Ad-miral shortly. "Very well. But remember that my offer la only for to-day. It Is oft unless you take it at once." "Let It bo off. thon." "There's my fee," cried the doctor. "How much?" "A guinea." The Admiral threw n pound and a shilling upon the table. "Come, West-macott," West-macott," said he, and they walked together to-gether from tho room. , "I don't liko It," said Charles, when they found themselves In the street once more; "I don't profess to be a very sharp chap, but this Is n trifle too thin. What did he want to go out and speak to the doctor for? And how very convenient con-venient this tale of a weak heart wasl I believe they are a couple of rogues, and In league with each other." "A shark nnd a pilot ftsh," said the Admiral. "I'll tell you whnt I propose, lr, Thercs a lawyer nnmed McAdnm who does my aunt's business. He Is a very honest fellow, nnd llvs at the othor silo of Poultry. We'll go over to him together to-gether and havo his opinion about the whole matter." "How far Is It to his place?" "Oh, a mile at least. We can have a cab." "A mile? Then we shall see If there Is any truth In what that swab of a doctor doc-tor said. Come, my boy, and elap on all Ball, and see who oan stay the loncest." Then the sobor doalzens of the heart of business London saw a singular sight as they returned from their luncheons. lunch-eons. Down the road-way, dodging among oabs and ('arts, ran a weather-stained weather-stained elderly man, with wide dapping black hat, and homely suit of tweeds. With elbows braced back, hands clenched near his nrmplts. and cheat protruded, he scudded nlontr, while close at his heels lumbered a large, limbed, heavy, yellow mustaohed young man, who seemed to feel the exercise a jrood deal more than his senior, On they dashed, helter-skelter, until thoy pulled up panting at tho office where the law. ycr of the Westmacotts was to be found. "Thero now!" cried the Admiral In triumph. "What d'ye think of that? Nothing wrong In tho engine-room, eh?" "You seem fit enough, sir." "Ulessod If I believe ne mvab wns a certificated doctor nt all. He was flying false colors, or I nm mistaken." "Thoy kjep the directories and regis, ters In this eating house." paid Westma-cott. Westma-cott. "We'll go and look him out." They did so, but the medical rolls con. talned no uoh nnmo as that of Dr Proudle, of Broad street. "Pretty vllllany this!" cried the Ad. mlral, thumping bis ohwt. "A dummy doctor and n vompod up disease. yii, wo'vo tried the rogues, Westmacott! Let us sco what wo can do wltb vour hocest wan." KASTWAim on! fR. if ADAM, of tho firm of McAdam & Squire, was a highly polished man who dwelt behind a highly high-ly polished table In tho neatest nnd snuggest of offices. He was white-haired and amiable, with deep-lined aqulllno face, was addicted to low bows, nnd self at half-cock, as though Just descending de-scending Into one, or Just recovering himself. He woro a hlgh-bucklcd stock, took snuff, nnd adorned his conversation conversa-tion with little scraps from tho classics: "My dear sir," said he, when he had listened to the story, "any friend of Mrs. Westmocott's Is a friend of mine. Try a pinch. I wonder that you should havo gone to this man Metuxa. His advertisement Is enough to condemn him. Habet foenum In cornu. They aro all rogues." "The doctor was n rogue, too. I didn't like the look of him nt tho time." "Arcades ambo. But now we must seo what wo can do for you. Of course what Metaxa said was perfectly right. The pension Is In Itself no security at all, unless It were accompanied by a life assurance which would bo an In- i como In Itself. It Is no good what- 1 over." His clients' faces fell. "But thero Is the second alternative. You might sell the pension right out. Speculative investors occasionally deal In such things. I have one client, a sporting man, who would bo very likely to take It up If we could agree upon terms. Of Course, I must follow Me-taxa's Me-taxa's example by sending for a doctor. For tho second time was tho Admiral punched and tapped nnd listened to. This time, however, thero could be no question of the qualifications of ' tho doctor, a well-known Fellow of tho Col-lego Col-lego of Surgeons, and his report was as favorable as the other's had been adverse. ad-verse. "Ho has the heart and chest of a man of forty," said he. "I can recommend his Ufo ns one of the best of his age that I have ever examined." "That's well," said Mr. McAdam, making a note of the doctor's remarks, whllo the Admiral disbursed a second guinea. "Your price, I understand, Is five thousand pounds. I can communicate communi-cate with Mr. Elberry, my client, and let yoii know whether he cares to touch tho TiVutter. .Meanwhile you can 'leavo ivAafaireeeiptrromnei:w,iBsia " "Vc(fy well. I should like the, money soon.'h ' "That is why I am retaining tho papers. If I can see Mr. Elberry today to-day we may let you have a cheque tomorrow. to-morrow. Try another pinch. No? Well, good-bye. I am very happy to have been of service." Mr. McAdam bowed them out, for ho was a very busy man, nnd they found themselves In tho street onco more with lighter hearts than when they had left It. "Well, Westmacott, I am suro I am vory much obliged to you," said tho Admiral. '"You havo stood by mo when I was tho better for a little help, for I'm clean 'out of my soundings among theso city shnrlcs. But I've something to do now which Is more In my own line, and I need not troublo you any more." "Oh, It Is no trouble. I have nothing to do. I never have anything- to do. I don't suppose I could do It if I bad. I should bo delighted to come with you, sir, if I can be of any use." "No, no, my lad. You go home again. It would be kind of you, though, If you would look In at number one when you get back and tell my wife that all's well with me, and that I'll be back In an hour or so." "All right, sir. I'll tell her." Westmacott West-macott raised his hat and strode away to the westward, while the Admiral, after a hurried lunch, bent his steps townrds the east. It was a long walk, but the old seaman sea-man swung along at a rousing pace, leaving street after street behind him. Tho great business places dwindled down Into commonplace shops and dwellings, which decreased and became more stunted, even as tho folk who filled tbom did, until he was deep In tho evil places of the eastern end. It was a lahd of huge, dark houses and of garish gar-ish gin-shops, a land, too, where life moves Irregularly and where adventures adven-tures are to be gained as the Admiral was to learn to his cost. He was hurrying down one of the long, narrow, stone-flagged lanes between be-tween the doublo lines of crouching, disheveled women and of dirty children who sat on tho hollowed steps' of the houses, and basked In tho autumn sun. At one-side was a bnrrowman with a load of walnuts, and beside the barrow a bedraggled woman with a black fringe and a chequered shawl thrown over her head. She was cracking walnuts wal-nuts and picking them out of the shells, throwing out a remark occasionally to a rough man In a rabbit-skin cap, with straps under the knees of his corduroy trousers, who Jtood. puffing a black clay Pipe with his back against the wall. What tho caus9.of the quarrel was, or what slmrpfsarcasm from tho woman's lips prlcko'U'lfumJcnly through that thick slthi may neWrlbe known, but suddenly the man took his pipe In his left hand, loaned forward, and deliberately struck her across the face wUhhls right. It was a slap rather thatjauijow, but thu woman gave a sharp cry'aftd cowered up against the barrow with her hand to her cheek. I "You Infernal villain!" cried the Admiral, Ad-miral, raising his stick. "You brute and blackguard 1" "Qarnl" growled tho rough, with tho deep, rasping Intonation of a savage, "Oarn put o' this or I'll " He took a tep forward with uplifted hand, but In at Instant down came cut number tlrro upon his wrist, nnd cut number five aproja nj thigh, and cut number one fu" In the center of his rabblt-skln cap, , It was not a heavy stick, but It was strong enough to leave, a good red weal wherever it fell. The rough yelled with .pain, and rushed In, hitting with both hands, and kicking with his Iron-shod boots, but the Admiral had still a quick foot nnd a truo eye, so that he bounded backwards and sideways, still mining a shower of blows upon his savage antagonist. an-tagonist. Suddenly, however, a pair of arms closed around his neck, and glancing glanc-ing backwards ho caught a glimpse of the black coarse fringe of the woman whom he had befriended. "I've got him!" she shrieked. "I'll 'old Mm. Now, Bill, knock the tripe out of hlml" Her grip wns as strong as a man's, and her wrist pressed llko an Iron bar upon tho Admiral's throat. He made n desperate desper-ate effort to disengage himself, but the most that he could do waB to swing her round, so as to place her between his adversary and himself. As it proved, It was the very best thing that ho could have done. The rough, half-bl'nded nnd maddened by the blows which ho had received, struck out with all his ungainly un-gainly strength, Just as his partner's head swung around In front of him. Thero was a noise like that of a stono hitting n wall, a deep groan, her grasp relaxed, and she dropped a dead weight upon tho pavement, while tho Admiral sprang back and raised his stick onco more, ready cither for attack or defense. de-fense. Neither were needed, however, for nt that moment there was a scattering scatter-ing of the crowd, and two police constables, con-stables, .burly nnd helmeted, pushed their way through tho rabble. At the sight of them the rough took to his heels, and was Instantly screened from view by a veil of his friends and neighbors. neigh-bors. I "I have been assaulted," panted the Admiral, "This woman was attaoked and I had to defend her." "This Is Bermondsey Sal," said one police officer, bending over tho berag- 'glcd heap of tattered shawl and dirty skirt. "She's got It hot this time." "Ho was a shortish man, thick, with a beard." "Ab, that's Black Davie. He's been up four times for beating her. He's I about done tho Job now. If I were you I I would let that sort settle their own I little affairs, sir.." ! "Do you think that a man who holds the Queen's commission will stand by and see a woman struck?" cried the Admiral Ad-miral Indignantly. "Well, Just as you like, sir. But you'vo lost your watch, I sec." "My watch!" He clapped his hand to hlB waistcoat. The chain was hanging down In front, and the watch gone. 1 Ho passed his hand over his forehead. "I would not have lost that watch for anything." Bald he. "No money could re pi a co It. It was given me by tho ship's company after our African cruise. It has an Inscription." I Tho policeman shrugged his shoulders. ! "It comes from meddling," said he. i "What'll you give me If I tell yer where It Is?"pald a sharp-faced boy I among the crowd. "Will you gimme a ! quid?" "Certainly." "Well, Where's the quid?" Tho Admiral took a sovereign from his pocket. "Here It Is." 1 "Then 'ere's the ticker!". The boy ' pointed to the clenched hand of tho senseless woman. A glimmer of gold riitfopmifcCWl,ULHe'rfwaiinTreWll mlral's chronometer. This Interesting I victim had throttled her protector with one hand, whllo she robbed him with the other. The Admiral left his nddress with the policeman, satisfied that the woman was only stunned, not dead, and then set off upon his way once more, the poorer perhaps In his faith in human nature, but In very good spirits none the less. Ho walked with dilated nostrils and clenched hands, all glowing and tingling with the exoltement of the combat, com-bat, and warmed with tne thought that he could still, when thero was need, take his own part In a street brawl In spite of his three-score and odd years. (TO BE CONTINUED.) |