The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-04-01
THE GRATITUDE OF JACK ALLEN.
BY w. r. ROSE.

Come in" he said and bent again
over his work.
The door was pushed open and man
entered. He was man of perhaps
thirty-flve, small, but well knit, and
with remarkably keen gray eyes. A
glance from those keen eyes settled
for a moment on the old lawyer, then
roamed swiftly about the room, taking
in with one comprehensive sweep the
venerable bookcases, the ancient steel
engravings, the discolored walls, and
then back to the old lawyer again.
Good day." the stranger said.
The lawyer looked up with quick
nod
Take chair, SIR"
He looked hard at the newcomer.
Strangers were rarity in Joyville.
And this was a somewhat interesting
stranger
You have a moments leisure?" the
younger man half inquired.
Several moments" the old lawyer
answered. Time is one of the cheap
est of commodities in Joyville. How
can serve your"
The stranger took off his hat and
pushing back his coat, thrust his hands
deep into his trousers pockets.
Il have come to you," he answered,
'for little information"
Information is another of our cheap
est commodities" said the old lawyer
with a grim little smile. PROFOUND
your interrogations."
The stranger laughed.
Il am in the habit of paying for what
l want" he said. Docs this interfere
with Joyville precedents?"
1T Does" the old lawyer replied.
However, they are not infallible pre-
cedents-though rarely set aside
The stranger drew little closer.
How does the world use you, Abel
.Garner?" he asked.
The old lawyer stared at him.
Il make no complaint" he said. "The
world presumably uses me as we'll as
deserve 1t at least gives me bread"
And butter?"
"All the butter that's good for me,
no doubt"
And don't you long. for cake at
times?"
Il am human-even after forty years
of legal practice-if it can be called
practice"
The stranger did not smile.
Would it violate the Joyville pre-
cedents," he asked, eff l offered you a
retainer"
1.-THE word is not entirely unfamil-
iar," said the old lawyer. "And there is
nothing Objectionable about the
sound"
81 want certain information, the
stranger explained. Il want confiden-
tial agent. want to deal with man in
whom l feel perfect confidence"
The old lawyer looked at him sharp
ly.
"Have we met before?" he suddenly
asked.
The stranger drew his right hand
from his pocket. There was fine
leather pocketbook in his grasp. He
opened it and drew out several bank
bills. Then he laid them on the desk be-
fore the lawyer.
Twill this be sufficient to insure your
attention to my work." he asked.
The old man slightly gasped
ut is quite sufficient" he replied,
and his trembling hand closed on the
bills.
"This will not conflict with the bill
you will send me when the work is
DONE" said the stranger. "You under
stand this?"
81 think l understand it," said the
old man.
".s7d all tho details are strictly con-
fidential?"
Strictly So"
"You do not know me?"
mo
"You have no idea who ann"
mo"
"You have no knowledge of my bus
iness?"
mot unlcb~ you are a purveyor of |
cake"
The stranger slightly smiled.
Say rather a handler of dough. Are
YOU familiar with the slang of the |
day."
Sufficiently so to grasp your mean
ing, l think"
The strangers eyes grew brighter.
label Garner" he slowly said. ~
have been in your debt a good many |
years."
The old lawyer shook his head.
Can it be possible" he said, that
YOU are mistazing me for some one
else?"