The Argosy — page 362: what you’re looking at

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

I[n the Dead of Night. 341 “T’ll wash that down,” said Skeggs, halting for a moment and pro- ceeding to take a good pullat his bottle of gin. ‘If you so far forget yourself again, I shall begin to feel sure that you are not a St. George. What I told you was nota le. There were four witnesses who had all a personal knowledge of a certain fact. Three of those witnesses are dead: the fourth still lives. Of the existence of this fourth wit- ness Mother Mim never gave a hint to you. It was her trump card, and she was far too cunning to let you see it.” Kester walked on in silence. He felt that just then he had hardly a word tosay. Was all that he had sacrificed so much for in other ways, all that he had run such tremendous risks for, to be torn from him by the machinations of a vile old hag, and the drunken, ribald scoundrel by his side? ‘Through what strange ambushes, through what dusky by-paths, doth Fate oft-times overtake us! We look back along the broad highway we have been traversing, and seeing no black. shadow dogging our footsteps, we go rejoicing on our way ; when sud- denly, from some near-at-hand shrub, is shot a poisoned arrow, and the sunlight fades from our eyes for ever. “« And now, after this little skirmish,” said Skeggs, ‘we come back to my first question: What can you afford to give me for the docu- ment in my pocket?” : ‘‘Suppose I say that I will give you nothing—what then?” said Kester, sullenly. ‘Then I shall get my evidence together, work out my case on paper,, and submit it to the heir-at-law.” ‘‘ And supposing the heir-at-law, acting under advice, were to de- cline having anything to do with your case, as you call it?” “He would bea fool to do that, because my case is.anything but a weak one. I tell you this in confidence. But supposing he were. to decline, then I should say to him: ‘I am willing to conduct this case on my own account. If I fail, it shall not cost youa penny. IE I succeed, you shall pay all expenses, and give me five thousand pounds.’ That would fetch him, I think.” . “Vou have been assuming all along,” said Kester, ‘‘that your case is based on fact. I assure you that it is not—that it is nothing but a devilish lie from beginning to end.” _“ Really, my dear sir, that has little or nothing to do with the matter. I daresay itisalie. But it is my place to believe it to be the truth, and to make other people believe the same as I do. Here’s your very good health, sir.” Again Mr. Skeggs took a long pull and a strong pull at his bottle of gin. ‘* Knowing what you know,” said Kester, ‘‘ and believing ‘tial you believe, are you yet willing to sell the document now in your posses- sion?” ‘“Of course am, What else 1s all this jaw for?” GOMLGDOO cS Go im