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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1904)
The Diamond Derelict Being the Record of a Young Man Who Finally Won Out By Edward Marshall (Copyright, 1903, All KlKhta Reserved, by F. U Marshall.) CHAPTER XXI. I ixm'h fuoe wu cause enough. The lo rotto and started the door. Norah toward louriit.il his arm. "No," Kilo nald, sweetly, "you'll not be golu' yt't. I hope. Please stay here and amuse my husband while I'm gone. I've tumn iinti that 1 want to have you talk u. bit ti) iH'foro you nay goodby to us en tirely." Ami hIip ud"l. quickly: 'Ami that will bo right soon, I'm think ing" Parton was as plainly puzzled by this new move of the extraordinary ynuiiK woman hh ti e Text wore, but that he felt an abiding faith In her good judgment was Hhnwii by the fact that he iromptly stepped between MacFarren and the door, JiiHt us Norah passed out of It into the hall, followed by the hull boy. With Parton there before the exit, Mac Farren loHt all longing to pans out of It and retreated rapidly to the embrasure of a window, from which he gazed with stimulated Interest on the scant traflic of Uie side utreet, occasionally turning about With some anxiety to Bee If Parton's dis concerting bulk wua atlll between Mm and the door. The humor of the situation seemed to strike Farton and Mrs. Burgee at the tune moment, for they laughed aloud so exactly in concert that the 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 conn dunce in his position. It is even probable that he contemplated raining the window and calling for help, for he placed nervous fingers on the fastenings which held It. This fed the Dame of Mrs. Burgee's mirth, and she was constrained to cover lit head with her white apron and rock bark 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 had telephoned. He was most affable little gentleman, full of smiles, and greeted Paxton and Mrs Burgee with much enthusiasm as they were, In turn, presented to him by Norah. "And Is the the other gentleman the the" the small man began, with an In sinuating smile. "Yen," Hnld Norult. "Ah. Mr. MacFarren," said the lawyer piousuntly. approaching the figure In the window recess. astonished "I am very glad to see you. From what your charm tng daughter has told me, I have learned that we are professional professional hall I say professional brethren? Both being In the law, you know T" MacFarren looked at htm dully. "Yes," said the small man. "My name to Kammer. Max Kammer. I am a humble practitioner before our courts here. I am rery glad to see you, 1 ana sure." Mac Fan-en automatically took the fcund that the small man extended toward him. "I am very glad," said the small aian, "that I have to deal with a man versed In the principles and practice of the law tn 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 to when he when he comes Into contact with the with the crude Intellect of the f the laity." Mac Fa rr en seemed completely mystified. The small man drew a chair up to the round table with the marble top and buxily pulled from his pocket a number of papers folded formally. He laid them down beside his 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 ftrat wife's will at once." He did not wait for MacFarren's puzzled (ace to assume an expression of Intelligent understanding, but continued: "But, of eourse, I need not aak the question. Cer. talnly not. Absurd. I'm sure, nelng in the law yourself, you will, of course, have pro vided for all these matters so that there . ned be none of that annoying' delay and Bone of those detailed explanations which rnijrht be necc rotary wore I foaling with j an imtratned mind." "1 don't believe that I understand yon, sir,' sold MacFarren, with such an at tempt at dignity as was j; o-wlhlc after his rmr.nl rtlKturbanrei. "Ah," said the small man. "Is It pos sible? Well welt ltul perhaps I should hare expected thai the the excitement of travel and the recent loss of your second wife, Mr. MacFarren. might have caused some "light forgetf jlneea on your part which would not have otherwtee occurred. 101 111 j ffl -SSMtT "WHY," SAID SHE. SMILING BRIGHTLY, "ITS JUST AS EASY I BUT ClOODIKS THAT I'LL. S3ND TO YOU IN JA1U" No," he added, contemplatively, "which I am sure might not have otherwise oc curred." By this time MacFarren was beginning to bristle aguin a bit. "We will save time, sir," ho said, "if you will explain yourself to me at once." "Quite so," said the 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 some' deliberation, "Is a certified ropy 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 was 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 this will," the smaH lawyes went on, "you were made trustee of the prop ertylet me see, there was quite a pleasant little property. A matter of 3,000 or 4.000 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. farton." he bowEd to TJm-ah and to Purtrn,, "cam." cil as-B. Am I yidle rttrtit.7 MacPwrm was evidently taken Tiy sur prise at this turn nf Affairs. "Te-ea,'" he BtxxnmareA, turnlrrc; -white a bit. It -was plain that this attack was a cnmnlets smrprisn. Thra, RuAdrnly res izing that be was permitting himself, so to speak, to be Interrogated as a witness for the opposition without proptir authority of court, he began agah) to sputter and de clared that such inquiries were an Insuffer able Impcrtinance and that he would not yt v. .atijBMaatiy i iii m hp ai mi -j 2T- V" ' 1 1 II . ri - ivi i . i , i - . aai "i tolerate them. "Ah," said the small man, "that Is most unfortunate. It will necessitate an action which I have strongly urged Mrs. Mrs. Parton, not to take, except 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 fl 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 affairs. Yes. Indeed. It always does to me. Always." MacFarren had paled suddenly and liv id ly. "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 brrter 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 I was saying. I have (erged Mrs. Parton nnl to luivp ynu arrestee!. I da not Bay, yon know, thai she has a bail case. Indeed I may say that she has. In my humble opinion, a good case. But, I bcB yon to hellers me. when I assure you th.-U I have urged her to take no criminal proceedh-iES, 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 pmall man raised his hand soothe WAIT; WATCH FOR ALL Tirfl! Ingly, and continued: "Oh, this Is all among friends, Mr. Mao Farren. I disliked to use that word, of course, but we all know what the clr cumstances really are and that It Is the only word which will really exactly des cribe what you have done. We, being all friends here, may, I am sure talk frankly. Among us, I think that It will be unnec ceHsary 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 nor to resort to criminal procedure In order to regain the amounts which you havo stolen." There was such a sudden cessation of suavity In the small 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 his chair and open his lips slightly, leaving them open, while the small man went on. And the letter's voice did not return to Its smoo prcpltlatory Intonation. His manner, too, became saTeaiv'e M6 accusatory. Hie notations ended. He no longer repeatdd words in the middle of his enUnoes, and there were no more deprecating pauses In his talk, lie looked at MacFarren with a stern. eye which sje X
