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
