Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1904)
Young Man Who Finally Won Out By Edward Marshall mm (Copyright. 1903, All Rights Reserved, by F. L Marshall.) CHAPTER XXI. -SAli'lUN'B face rolaJtcd. MacFar I Jf I icn's face wan cuuso enough. The I J vciuntr man looked at It and latiKhed. Ho roHO and started toward the door. Norah tuu iit.il his arm. 'No," slio said, sweetly, "you'll not be fc'ulti' yet, 1 liopo. Please stay here und amuau my husband while I'm gone. I've somo ono that I want to have you talk a bit to before you say gomiby to us on Urel." Ami she ihm1. iiilckly: "Anil that will be llxht soon, I'm think ing." t'iirton whh ns plainly puzzled by this new move of the extraordinary young Woman it h the rest were, but that he felt an ubldlng faith In her good judgment was shown by the f.iet that he promptly Stepped between MaoKurren and the door. Just ux Norah passed out of It Into the hall, followed by the hull boy. With Parton there before tho exit, Mac Farren lost all lonKing to puss out of It and retreated rapidly to the embrasure of a window, from which he gazed with stimulated interest on the scant traffic of the sidu street, occasionally turning about With some anxiety to see If Parton's dis concerting bulk was still between him and tho door. - The humor of the situation seemed to trike I'arton and Mrs. Burgee at the Same moment, for they laughed aloud so exactly In concert that tho outburst might have been prearranged. MacFurren's anxious glance revealed nothing to him of the cause of this hilar Ity. It certainly gave him no new confi dence In his iHisltion. It Is even pro liable that he contemplated raising the window and calling for help, for he placed nervous fingers on the fastenings which held It. This fed the flame of Mrs. burgee's mirth, and she was constrained to cover her head with her white apron and rock biu-k and forth with half stifled chuckling. When Norah returned, perhaps fifteen minutes later, she was accompanied by the mall lawyer with the bald head to whom the ship's doctor Itad telephoned. He waa a. moat affable little gentleman, full of miles, and greeted Part on and Mrs Burgee with much enthusiasm aa they were, la turn, presented to him by Norah. "And is the the other gentleman the the" the small man began, with an In irt'.iatlng smile. "Yes." said Noruh. "Ah, Mr. MacFarren," said the lawyer pleasantly, approaching the astonished figure In the window recess. "I am very Clad to see you. From what your churm Ing daughter haa told me, I have learned that we are professional professional hall I aay professional brethren? Doth being In the law, you know T" MacFarren looked at htm dully, yea," said the amall man. "My name hi Kammer. Max Kammer. I am a humble practitioner before our courts here. I am Tery glad to see you, I am sure." MacFarren automatically took the hand that the amall man extended toward him. 'I am very glad," said the amall man, that I have to deal with a man versed In the principles and practice of the law In arranging this matter for for Mrs. Par ton, It Is always so much easier for a lawyer to explain matters and discuss them with another man of trained mind than it ta when he when he comes Into contact with the with the crude Intellect of the f the laity." , MacFarren seemed completely mystified. The small man drew a chair up to the round table with the marble top and busily pulled from his pocket a number of papers folded formally. He laid them down beside Ms hat, and asked for a pen and Ink, which Norah brought from the mantel shelf. "Now." said the small man, "we are all ready, I think. I suppose, Mr. MacFarren, that you are quite prepared to meet the conditions of your first wife's will at once." He did not wait for MacFarren's puzzled fare to assume an expression of Intelligent understanding, but continued: "Hut, of . course, I need not ask the question. Cer - talnly not. Absurd, I'm sure. Deing In the law yourself, you will, of course, have pro Tided for all these matters so that there .need be none of that annoying delay and Bone of those detailed explanations which mlrht lie neccBsry were I dealing wlfh . an untrained mind." "I clnn't believe that I understand yon, sir," sold MacFarren, with such an at tnmpt at dignity aa was feasible after hi rmr.nl. (TlKturbnncr.. "Ah." said the small man. "Is It pos sible? WTL well. l!ul perhaps I should have rapeclLd that tho the excitement of travel snd the recent loss of your second wife, Mr. MacFarren, might have caused ptme Blight forget fulness on your part which would not have otherwise occurred. bowed to Nnrsh and to Purlnn, "c.ami id age. Am I unite Tight 1" MacFurma was evidently taken fiy aur prise at this turn nf .affairs. "Te-ea," he stammered, tnrrilriif white a bit It whs plain that this altaci was a cnntplets enrpriw Thra, mirtdenly re.nV Izlng thai be was permitting himself., so to speak, to be lnterruKilea as a witness for the opposition without proper authority of coort, he began Bgarn to sputter and de clared that mich inquiries were an Insuffer able impcrtlnance and that he would not Inrton nnl to Iucvtp you arrestee".. I do not say, yon know, thai she has a bad case. Indeed I may saj that she ha.s. In my humble opinion, a good case. But, I boi; yon to hellera me, when I assure you that I have urged her to take no criminal procpedhnjs, when I am sure that she can recover through civil process the amounts which you which you have em bezzled." MacFarren rose with an almost threatening gesture. The small man raised his hand soothe VvsiUuert answer i) i "WIIT." SAID SHE, SMILING BRIGHTLY. "ITS JUST AS EAST! UOODIKS THAT I'LL. 83 ND TO YOU IN JAIL." BUT WAIT; WATCH FOR ALL, TirH No," ho added, contemplatively, "which 1 am sure might not have otherwise oc curred." Hy this time MacFarren was beginning to bristle again a bit. "We will save time, sir." he said, "if you will explain yourself to me at once." "Quite so," said tha small man. "Yes, Indeed, you're quite right. I will explain myself." He unfolded one of the papers which he had laid upon the table. "This," he said, with somo deliberation, "Is a certified copy of the will left by Mrs. Parton's mother." He bowed to Norah. "She was your first wife. I believe." he added to MacFarren. "You married her, I think, when Miss Mullaney waa 12 years Old." That MacFarren was beginning to under stand was shown by a slightly nervous look which came into his face. He nodded. "In thU will." the smaH lawyes went on. "you were made trustee of the prop, erty let me see, there was quite a pleasant little property. A matter of 3,000 or IOT0 was It not? In cash, I understand. Yes. I am sure that I am right. You were to be the trustee of this property until until Misa Mullaney now Mrs. Parton," be tolerate them. "Ah," said the small roan, "that is most unfortunate. It will necessitate an action which I have strongly urged Mrs. Mrs. Parton, not to take, exoept In case of absolute extremity. Criminal proceedings within the family circle should be should be, In my opinion avoided. It was only yesterday that I that I urged a young woman named Flynn Irish, too, you see not to not to have her mother arrested for having stolen 17 out of a cracked teapot which sat on the on the mantel piece In their humble home. It always Indicates a a lack of harmony, It seems to me, for members of a family to Invoke the aid of criminal law In arranging such affaire. Yes, Indeed. It always does to me. Always." MacFarren had paled suddenly and llv idly. "You you are Impertinent, sir!" he ex claimed. "Quite so, quite so, said the small law yer. "That Is a disagreeable point In our profession. You have doubtless encoun tered It in your own practice. But we must take the bitter take the bitter with the sweet. We must take the bitter with the sweet. I regret the necessity, but we must take the bitter with the sweet. "As ; was saying, I have Ingly, and continued: "Oh, this la all among friends, Mr. Mao. Farren. I disliked to use that word, of course, but we all know what the cir cumstances really are and that It Is the only word which will really exactly des cribe what you havo done. We, being all friends here, may, I am sure talk frankly. Among us, I think that It will be unnee cessary for mo to change the word. Of course, I might say misappropriated, which would, perhaps, sound a a little more genteel, but then but then, stolen Is really more expressive and correct. I have urged her not to resort to criminal procedure In order to regain the amounts which you hav stolen." There was such a sudden cessation of suavity In the email man's tone as he said the ugly word this time that It made every person In the room wince. It made Mac Farren shrink backward In hla chair and open hla lips slightly, leaving them open, while the small man went on. And the latter voice did not return to Its smoo propitiatory Intonation. aad His manner, toot beearnf." ended. He accusatory. HIsjMsrorda In the middle no longMjjJan there were no taor SLJUnTpauses lit his talk. U i!tMacFarren with a stern eye which
