The National tribune., 1884-09-18

suspect s they Z might a. be in better keeping than
"What do you meanf'' he asked in a sharp
manner
"What I have said,rI returned. care the
words not plain? haye it in my power to
make them clearer If you wish"
He laughed uneasily. Thank you, he said,
"there is no need but as to the shares, when
do you require thep?"
@The first thing tomorrow morning.
" | fear | can't obiige you" he returned. 7"
fancy they are depostedwith my banker and
there may be slight delay in obtaining them !;
but you shall certainly have them on the fol-
lowing day" aB
If Mr.. Suggs want oftsincerity had panied
me before, this new proof of it shocked me
still more inexpressibly ;lthat so shrewd man,
having once told aaie, should relapse into such
glaring inconsistency, gave me a poor opinion
of his mental powers. The grief / experienced
probably betrayed itself in my voice as l re-
Piled:
sit may be my mistake, but understood
that you left them ON your desk"
/ j regret to record that Mr.. Snggs answer
was couched in language which / shrink from
reproducing here. | sat calmly waiting till
| the storm should subside. When at length he
| found that his words had no effect upon me,
he asked:
What do you want with me? I presume
| you didn't bring me here for your pleasure?"
NO." said, with a faint smile, that was
| certainly not my object. / wish to inform you
/ that L am about to transfer my affairs to an.
/ other solicitor, and shall, therefore, require
i from you full and immediate statement as tc
1 how we stand"
He started to his feet, throwing what re
mained of his cigar into the fire. You have
some reason for this step?"
i "a good one" | answered, in placid voice
What is it?" he returned.
Simply that | find my present agent has
been disposing OF my property without au
/ thority.p
Mr.. Sugg began to walk about the room ex
citedly. Suddenly he stopped, and placins
4 his hands on the table at which I sat, looked
across at me. Mr.. Cliffe,' he said, you d.
not know what a dangerous game you ar
playing. am desperate man."
Yes" l said in an encouraging way, as
/ so interesting a statement deserved elabora
tion.
You know that I have parted with thes
shares; but there is much of which you ar
still ignorant. If you insist on doing as yol
propose you viii be my destruction"
Tit for tat" | rejoined playfnlly. Yol
4 forget that you have just been trying you
utmost to ruin me-"
"Cive me a little time,r he pleaded, "and
swear you shall not lose penny
Come, come" ! answered, "as lawye
you must know that an accessory after tn
crime is equally guilty with the actual perpe
TRAITOR Collect your thoughts, my dear fellow
collect your thoughts
His face grew 1ivid with passion. $50 yol
refuse to show me any mercy" he said.
His pertinacity wearied me. q don't know
what you mean by mercy" I remarked /"
asked for a statement, aud statement II
have"
"Very good said sugg, becoming calmel
I think | understand you are determine
to ruin me. Now listen: you and | are alon
in this house" | nodded. = also have mad
my decision if you persist in your resolve
only one of US shall leave this room alive"
lie was facing me as he spoke; there coul
be no doubt that he meant what he said. Fo
my own part, had no fear; in my table is
drawer, and in that drawer 1 keep loade
pistol, ready for emergencies; my hand was o
You have quitJ made up your mind on ths
point?"
"And nothing I Gan urge will move you frol
the position?"
Nothing
"Then, I continued, Sc it seems there is BIT
one solution to the difficulty. As the orig
nator of the scheme, / take it that you hay
well considered its feasibility; under the ci
eumstanees, therefore, you are clearly the bel
ter fitted of US two 10 carry it into effect
Then, before he could say word in reply,
! drew out the pistol and, rapidly taking ain
pulled the trigger, The next moment i
dropped dead on the carpet, shot through til
heart.
ITO Be eoutfnued.l
, ls.i--.s
u