He was an Easy Mark

Bruce Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 3141, 13 February 1900, Page 8

He was an Easy Mark

" Alafly, sir, to see you, sit." \ I frowned** the bey, It is so silly! to come bursting in, hacdly giving me! time to cram my novel jnto "tiie w^^tft paper bwket. William hia hie virtues,; bat. they are not those of a solicitor^ blerk. "Is it by appointment ?" 1 demanded in a raised voica The boy stared at me idiotically. He might never have heard the word. ■'•■'•-[ '•Tes," I said sternly, w is th^ hidy's same downiu^iriy list ?" "Wn-wtolis^sir?" r : Stupid Blot! I shall have to get rid of him. *» Shove the lady in," I cried angrily ; I can spare five min*utes£ : ■:;•■..;.-. .,"..; ■ ... ■ ! He Bhowed her in fawninglv, dragged a chair £o the fire, and waa-iabout to lay jdown a law'folio^foc a footstool when I waved him out peremptorily; His excitement was hamiliating. : ' ''■' : Iffy- client was a demure little ladyin „ ft veil, sufficiently pretty, to warrant & hope that there was either a breach 6i promise or divorce in the air. Thegold knob of her silk umbrella seemed " Mr Baggally ?" she asked timidly. Ibowißd and oroßSßd a leg. My patent leather shoe would, of coarse, •how her that she was dealing with a lawyer who was -none the less a man of the world. She stared at the fire. " I hardly know how "—— "Nothing matrimonial, I hope?" said I* encouragingly. "I am hot married." ' I ieit vaguely glad, without knowing ; -■-.-.. ••■Not— er— not a breach of — cr — ? 1 ' I think she sighed. "Not even that. Oh, it is very commonplace— ) ftnd horrid. All business is horrid, -don't you thiok?" •' Well," I oried cheerily, " we must extricate you as well ;as we can. Tell me all about it." ~**-l6~is~sO~gooa of you. I have really come for a friend. He is in great trouble. Some one owes him, O ! such ft lot of money, and he can't get it." " Why doesn't he put the beggar in court? Nothing simpler. It's done everyday. Does he want me to take* out a summons ?" " He thought perhaps if you wrote a letter like lawyers write "— — " I see." I reached for a sheet of paper. Something like this — ' Dear sir, I am instructed to inform you that unless the amount owing by you to Mr So-and-so, account whereof ia. herewith enclosed, be paid by such a dalle, further proceedings will be immediately taken/ and so forth." . put up her veil to look at me. "How cruelly direct you men are with'one another," she cried, with something like a shudder. " We dorit waste time over phrases," I admitted. "Now, what does this fellow owe?" "One hundred and eighty-five dollars," " For valaed received ?" " Yes, for dresses/ •' Dresseß ?" "Yes, coata and vests and — and things." «• Oh; a tailor's bill. Well, unless he is dead to all sense of shame he won't wait to be county-courted. Do you by any chance recollect any of the — er — items ?" She flashed uneasily, and poked at a hole in my oilcloth. "Unless you would rather not," I laid gently, "I'll try.? 1 She addressed the coal scuttle. *' There were three complete j suits, five vests, two frock coats, two j extra pairs of —of things, and odds and ends." I "A well-dressed beggar, pon my soul." "He dresses very nicely," assented ■ the girl shyly. j *' And now for the creditor's name, please?" She murmured something to the fireirons. "I didn't quite c*tch-?" She repeated it to the coal scuttle. I laid down my pen, feeling as nearly faint as a solicitor can. A painfal silence ensued. The fire cracked and chucked with heartless levity. " A very fair all-round tailor," Huid I when I had mastered my voice. "Bat just tell him from me that his silk linings don't wear well." She drew down her veil. "Mr - Schneider has a very heavy bill to meet, .on Tuesday." " They always have," I said pen- • t £^yel£. "But I am glad to be reminded of my little account.- These — fet—^hffi trifling matters slip one's I groped ieebly io my private

drawer. She had a prepared receipt •^adjri*^ ; .|exflhinge jfar i, my ichenue. the demur^Uuleladyv-^oroßS the-room.j •4tf*V£a^aFle^f Mr] «« : Yes,, isn't itf ■ she cried brightjy. " fcfo you~er— coliect Ifor other linns as well'?"' " ; ;! ?ft .7 - - - : l \ 1 "O, For quite a number. They find ft woman dan get it :^wfaer6 a man can^t.| £ used to be a goyemew, you know, but I find dunning ever so much/ more profitable. Perhaps you would like. day." . ■"-. ".■ " ".{ J cftlled William off, hafahly. 'H^ would have T>owed hier intdtfie' street "If that %dy comes 'here ag^in I atii not In." He^Btared atme paralyticallyj. I)qr a lady t of twelve be is ridiculously Busceptiple, „ ;