The Argosy — page 357: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Secret of the Sea. 343 Van Duren’s face lost its brightness as soon as Miriam left the room. He crossed to Byrne’s char, laid his coarse hand on the old man’s shoulder, and said, not without a touch of sternness: “I am at your service, sir.” : He was obliged to speak in a louder tone of voice than usual, and that of itself annoyed him. ‘Sit down, Mr. Van Duren—sit down close beside me. I have some- thing to say to you. But are you sure that we are quite alone?” “ We are quite alone, Mr. Byrne. Good.” He said no more for a minute or two, but fumbled nervously with his handkerchief, and still kept his eyes fixed intently on the fire. Then he had a little fit of coughing. When that was over, and he had recovered his breath, he laid his hand on Mr. Van Duren’s wrist and spoke. ‘ We can’t expect to live for ever, Mr. Van Duren— eh?” ‘I suppose not,” said Mr. Van Duren, with a sneer ; “ and I for one would certainly not care to do so.” ‘“ Are you one of those people who think that a man’s likely to die any the sooner for having made his will?” “ Certainly not. I am no believer in such foolish superstitions.” ‘‘When a man has anything to leave—when he has any dispositions to make with regard to his property, it is best not to drive them off to the last moment—eh ? ” ‘It is very foolish to do so, Mr. Byrne. But it is what many people do, for all that.” “Then you think that I should be doing a wise thing if I were to make my will—eh ?” “‘ Certainly—a very wise thing—if you have any property to dispose of.” ‘If I have any property to dispose of! Ech! ech! ech! If I have any property to dispose of—he says!” He laughed till another fit of coughing nearly choked him, and after that was over he had to gather breath before he could speak again. ‘Ves, Mr. Van Duren,” he gasped out, “I have a little property to leave behind me—just a little. And I want you, as a business man, to recommend to me some good sound lawyer to whom I could give the requisite instructions for drawing up my last will and testament.” ‘Oh, if that’s all, I can recommend to you my own lawyer, Mr. Billing, who is a thorough businesg man and would do you justice in every way.” “That’s kind of you—very kind. There will be nothing compli- cated about the affair. There’s only two of ’em to leave it to—my boy and my girl. I shall! divide it equally between them.” Mr. Van Duren was beginning to feel interested. After all, it was quite possible that this pottering, deaf old fellow might be far better CORnniclooolkks (CO)