Middletown transcript., 1908-09-05
THE LOST LEASE :,
BY OSCAL PARKER

e
pencil the paragraphs his secre.
tary would cut out, file and index
at a later hour. One of these
paragraphs ran as follows:
Strange Disappearance OF a
Barrister.-Mr. Percy Brinstair,
a well-known barrister OF the
Inner Temple, has mysterieusly
disappeared, and foul play is
suspected. He intended leaving
st. Pancras at midnight Of night
before last to attend the Assizes,
being held this week at Sheffieldl
He requested the housekeeper to
have a cab called for him al
11.15, saying he should spend
the evening at his Office, presum-
ably studying his briefs. He
dismissed his clerks early in the
evening. The cabman came for
him at the hour named, and, after
waiting for some ten minutes,
called up the housekeeper, who
proceeded to Mr.. Brinstir's offices
but failed to attract his attention
by knocking, and, on trying the
door, found it fastened. Appre
hensive of something wrong, the
housekeeper called a policeman,
and the door was forced. To
their surprise. they found no
body within. Everything. was
in perfect order; in fact, appear
ances suggested that Mr.. Brin-
stair had been writing at his
desk, threw down his pen on a
half finished memorandum, put
on his hat, and departed without
even turning down the gas,
which was burning brightly. Mr.
Brinstair's portmanteau, contain
ing briefs and other papers,
stood open on the floor near his
chair. That gentleman, how
ever, had not appeared at Shelf
fed, where he was expected
yesterday, and inquiries at his
residence were fruitless in OBJ
tanning any clew to his possible
whereabouts. His family are
in great distress naturally, and
clients who have placed valuable
papers in his hands required in
causes down for trial this week
are much embarrassed. The
police are making investigations.
Paul Tarrant's survey of the
newspapers was interrupted by
knock at the door and the an
nouncement that a gentleman
wished to see him on business.
The visitors card bore the name
of Harvey Cheeseman, and when
Mr.. Cheeseman appeared he came
with a rush and was plainly in a
state of high excitement, on
which Tarrant's cool manner
acted as an irritant.
Mr.. Tarrant, he cried, as soon
as he was inside the door, | am
in great difficulty, and want your
immediate help. Money is no
object. Put everything aside for
my matter.
Sit down, MIR. Cheeseman, an
swered Tarrant, calmly, and
tell me as plainly as possible
what Your matter is. Then !
can decide whether ! can help
you or no.
Oh, but you must, demanded
the visitor, who appeared in.
capable of taking anything
quickly and ignored tn e
chair Tarrant's secretary placed
for him. No doubt you have
heard of Mr.. Brinstair's disap-
pearance. Tarrant nod d ed.
Well, he had in his office a most
important document, worth
many thousand pounds to me,
and it is gone. That document
l must haze within twenty-four
hours. The police are simply
trying to find what has become
of Brinstair; they don't care for
my document. Now, ! don't
care what has become of Brin-
stair, I want thai paper.
But, said Tarrant, if they find
him, perhaps they will find the
the paper.
They may or may not, re-
torted Mr.. Cheeseman; probabl
not. It is wanted at the Assizes
this week. A portmanteau full of
papers to be used at the same
Assizes lies in his Office, but
my document is not among them.
Nor is it in the box among other
papers of mine. | can't wait
for the dilatory methods of the
police. ] want an independent
inquiry.
AS the matter is so pressing,
then, tell me in as few words as
possible the nature of this docu-I
ment.