第18章 ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS(2)

I've got it figured out. Second story - Chinks and chop suey; third floor -manicures and foreign mis- sions; fourth floor -poolroom. If you was think- of putting up the capital.

"Oh, no," said Gillian, I merely asked from cu- riosity. I take you by the hour. Drive 'til I tell you to stop."

Eight blocks down Broadway Gillian poked up the trap with his cane and got out. A blind man sat upon a stool on the sidewalk selling pencils. Gillian went out and stood before him.

"Excuse me," he said, " but would you mind tell- ing me what you would do if you bad a thousand dollars?"

"You got out of that cab that just drove up, didn't you? " asked the blind man.

"I did," said Gillian.

" guess you are all right," said the pencil dealer, "to ride in a cab by daylight. Take a look at that, if you like."

He drew a small book from his coat pocket and held it out. Gillian opened it and saw that it was a bank deposit book. It showed a balance of $1,785 to the blind man's credit.

Gillian returned the book and got into the cab.

"I forgot something," be said. "You may drive to the law offices of Tolman & Sharp, at - Broad- way."

Lawyer Tolman looked at him hostilely and in- quiringly through his gold-rimmed glasses.

" I beg your pardon," said Gillian, cheerfully, "but may I ask you a question? It is not an im- pertinent one, I hope. Was Miss Hayden left any- thing by my uncle's will besides the ring and the $10?"

" Nothing," said Mr. Tolman.

" I thank you very much, sir," said Gillian, and on he went to his cab. He gave the driver the ad- dress of his late uncle's home.

Miss Hayden was writing letters in the library.

She was small and slender and clothed in black. But you would have noticed her eyes. Gillian drifted in with his air of regarding the world as inconse- quent.

I've just come from old Tolman's," he explained.

They've been going over the papers down there.

They found a - Gillian searched his memory for a legal term - they found an amendment or a post- script or something to the will. It seemed that the old boy loosened up a little on second thoughts and willed you a thousand dollars. I was driving up this way and Tolman asked me to bring you the money.

Here it is. You'd better count it to see if it's right."

Gillian laid the money beside her hand on the desk.

Miss Hayden turned white. "Oh! " she said, and again "Oh !"

Gillian half turned and looked out the window.

"I suppose, of course," be said, in a low voice, that you know I love you."

"I am sorry," said Miss Hayden, taking up her money.

" There is no use? " asked Gillian, almost light- heartedly.

" I am sorry," she said again.

" May I write a note? " asked Gillian, with a smile, I-re seated himself at the big library table. She sup- plied him with paper and pen, and then went back to her secretaire.

Gillian made out his account of his expenditure of the thousand dollars i;i these words:

Paid by the black sheep, Robert Gillian, $1,000 on account of the eternal happiness, owed by Heaven to the best and dearest woman on earth."

Gillian slipped his writing into an envelope, bowed and went his way.

His cab stopped again at the offices of Tolman &

Sharp.

"I have expended the thousand dollars," he said cheerily, to Tolman of the gold glasses, " and I have come to render account of it, as I agreed. There is quite a feeling of summer in the air - do you not think so, Mr. Tolman?" He tossed a white envelope on the lawyer's table. You will find there a memo- randum, sir, of the modus operandi of the vanishing of the dollars."

Without touching the envelope, Mr. Tolman went to a door and called his partner, Sharp. Together they explored the caverns of an immense safe. Forth they dragged, as trophy of their search a big envelope sealed with wax. This they forcibly invaded, and wagged their venerable heads together over its con- tents. Then Tolman became spokesman.

"Mr. Gillian," he said, formally, "there was a codicil to your uncle's will. It was intrusted to us privately, with instructions that it be not opened until you had furnished us with a full account of your handling of the $1,000 bequest in the will. As you have fulfilled the conditions, my partner and I have read the codicil. I do not wish to encumber your understanding with its legal phraseology, but I will acquaint you with the spirit of its contents.

In the event that your disposition of the $1,000 demonstrates that you possess any of the qualifica- tions that deserve reward, much benefit will accrue to you. Mr. Sharp and I are named as the judges, and I assure you that we will do our duty strictly according to justice-with liberality.

We are not at all unfavorably disposed toward you, Mr. Gillian. But let us return to the letter of the codicil. If your disposal of the money in question has been prudent, wise, or unselflish, it is in our power to hand you over bonds to the value of $50,000, which have been placed in our hands for that purpose. But if - as our client, the late Mr. Gillian, explicitly provides - you have used this money as you have money in the past, I quote the late Mr. Gillian - in reprehensible dissipation among disreputable associates - the $50,000 is to be paid to Miriam Hayden, ward of the late Mr. Gillian, without delay.

Now, Mr. Gillian, Mr. Sharp and I will examine your account in regard to the $1,000. You submit it in writing, I believe. I hope you will repose confidence in our decision."

Mr. Tolman reached for the envelope. Gillian was a little the quicker in taking it up. He tore the account and its cover leisurely into strips and dropped them into his pocket.

"It's all right," he said, smilingly. "There isn't a bit of need to bother you with this. I don't suppose you'd understand these itemized bets, anyway. I lost the thousand dollars on the races. Good-day to you, gentlemen."

Tolman & Sharp shook their beads mournfully at each other when Gillian left, for they heard him whis- tling gayly in the hallway as he waited for the ele- vator.